Hong Kong: Discovery Bay residents get test kits

In the light of the positive test results for COVID-19 from sewage samples collected in Discovery Bay, the Home Affairs Department and the Islands District Office today distributed a total of about 26,000 rapid test kits to residents there.

The Government stresses that rapid test kit testing is not a substitute for its compulsory testing requirement.

The Government appeals for the co-operation of the public to safeguard the health of themselves and their families by undergoing testing on a voluntary basis and fighting the virus together.

Individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with infection risks are urged to undergo testing promptly for early identification.

This story has been published on: 2022-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese premier stresses need to ensure people's livelihoods

Xinhua) 09:11, January 29, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits the home of a Huajian Village local in Minqin County of Wuwei City, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

LANZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation work and coordinate COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for practical work to improve the people's well-being during his visit to Jinchang and Wuwei of northwest China's Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday.

He visited various market stalls and a restaurant to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City.

"China has a large number of micro, small and medium-sized firms and individually run businesses, which directly links to employment and supports the livelihoods of countless families," Li said.

The country is considering increased tax and fee cut policies, Li said, urging local governments to devise plans for other fee cuts.

In Minqin County of Wuwei City, Li said that desertification control and management is a major issue for the improvement of the ecological environment and the local living environment, which will continue to be supported and invested in by China.

Efforts should be made to ensure the supply of drugs for rare diseases and increase aid for families in need, Li said while in the home of a Huajian Village local, adding that the country is also mulling more subsidies for agricultural supplies to support spring farming.

While visiting a non-ferrous metals company, Li called for efforts to stabilize production and increase productivity, strengthen coordination among large, medium-sized and small enterprises in the industrial chain, and make more contributions to stabilizing the supplies and prices of bulk commodities.

Li urged the company to fully leverage the preferential tax policies to expand investment in research and development, and develop more key materials and highly processed products.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a non-ferrous metals company in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 28, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, learns about desertification control and management in Minqin County of Wuwei City, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a market stall to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The Ukrainian icebreaker Noosphere departed for the first voyage to Antarctica on Friday, January 28, the press service of the President's Office of Ukraine has reported.

"The last time a ship flying the Ukrainian flag sailed into the Southern Ocean was more than 20 years ago. And today Ukraine is returning to the circle of maritime states of the world," the President's Office said on its telegram channel.

It is noted that Noosphere became the first Ukrainian vessel equipped with a modern dynamic positioning system.

Noosphere is the flagship of the Ukrainian research fleet, which is being created in accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. It is expected that in 2022, in accordance with this decree, the existing marine research infrastructure will be optimized and reconstructed, and in the near future Ukrainian shipbuilding companies will begin creating new experimental vessels.

As reported, Noosphere, formerly James Clark Ross, was acquired by Ukraine from the UK on August 18, 2021. On August 30, the official transfer of the vessel took place in the port of Frederikshavn (Denmark). On October 5, the icebreaker arrived at the Odesa seaport.
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Waco Independent School District trustees got a bit of good news this week on the building of a new G.W. Carver Middle School. The insurance settlement for damage to the old school caused by a July 27 fire came in at $19.9 million, nearly $8 million more than expected.

During a meeting Thursday, the school board also lengthened the school day by 15 minutes for next year, heard about problems in the districts COVID-19 testing earlier this month, authorized the sale of construction bonds this spring and reviewed the districts annual Texas Academic Performance Report.

Sheryl Davis, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, told trustees Thursday night that the Texas Association of School Boards Risk Management Fund had agreed to a $19.9 million settlement for the G.W. Carver fire. Major pieces in the settlement include $14.4 million for the destroyed structure, $3.8 million for contents damaged in the fire and $500,000 for the expense of moving Carver students to Indian Spring Middle School this fall. Waco ISD will pay a $100,000 deductible in the settlement, Davis said.

Trustees approved the settlement, which was higher than earlier estimates of $12 million to $13 million presented to the board several months ago. Carver Middle School was one of four recommended for replacement in a $355 million bond issue when a July 27 fire destroyed the schools main building and forced an accelerated merger with Indian Spring Middle School before the start of fall classes in August.

Waco ISD voters passed the bond issue in November, and design work on the new middle school is underway with construction expected to start later this year. Trustees approved the sale of $200 million in construction bonds, the first phase of the $355 million package, Thursday and the sale is anticipated by mid-spring.

Longer school day

Waco ISD students and teachers will have a slightly longer school day next year after trustees approved a calendar calling for an extra 15 minutes in the school day.

The extended school day for elementary students will be 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and for secondary students will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:15.

Deena Cornblum, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, told trustees the extra time would allow teachers to have seven planning days without any professional development scheduled.

The approved calendar has teachers and staff beginning the 2022-23 school year on Aug. 4 and students on Aug. 16. Thanksgiving break is Nov. 21-25, winter break Dec. 19-30 and spring break March 6-10, 2023.

COVID-19 testing snafus

Faulty rapid COVID-19 test kits and late lab test results effectively neutralized the districts attempt to test students and staff for COVID-19 at the beginning of the spring term earlier this month, Chief of Staff Kyle DeBeer told the board.

The state changed its COVID-19 testing program for schools this fall so that districts choose from six state-approved vendors to provide tests and staffing of testing sites. Previously, the states Department of Emergency Management provided COVID-19 testing and rapid test kits for participating districts.

Days before the planned Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 testing before the start of classes, district staffers discovered many of the rapid test kits provided by district vendor Achieve Health Management were faulty and asked the vendor to shift to PCR tests at the drive-thru testing at Waco ISD Stadium, DeBeer said.

The labs the company had contracted for test evaluation became overwhelmed, and despite promises of a 24-48 hour turnaround, results took a week or longer to come back  a period longer than the shorter five-day quarantine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended.

More than 500 teachers, students and staff were tested in the first week back to school, and another 349 in the second week, but results often arrived after they were back in classes.

The tests didnt have a lot of value, DeBeer said.

After the board meeting, DeBeer said the states allotment of money to the district for testing services is enough to cover future testing needs through the spring. The state would negotiate its reimbursement with the vendor, considering the testing problems, he said.

The problems of delayed results and faulty rapid tests have been resolved with the vendor, and drive-thru testing will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays next week at Waco ISD Stadium, a shift in hours intended to make testing easier for school teachers and staff.

The district also will continue offering vaccination clinics with all COVID-19 vaccines and boosters twice weekly at various schools until spring break. Vaccinations are available for students, district employees and others. Those interested can register in advance at covidwaco.com although the clinics will take walk-ups as well.

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After decades, if not a century, watching over the graves at Oakwood Cemetery, some stately trees are finding an afterlife not chipped in a landfill, but in a home, thanks to the work of an area sawmill and woodshop, a tree service and a cemetery administration.

Since December, the growl and whine of chainsaws and heavy equipment has accelerated, punctuating the quiet repose of the Waco cemetery where more than 38,000 people are buried, part of a comprehensive plan to care for the cemetery forest and, in doing so, protect visitors and guard its stone markers and monuments.

For the cemeterys general manager Clint Lynch, it is a question of stewardship. For Dallas tree service Southern Botanical, it is a challenging project requiring a measure of special expertise. For Mesquite Valley Woodcrafts, near Chalk Bluff, it is a new source of valuable hardwoods. And for scores of trees, it is a second life indoors in kitchens, offices, restaurants and homes.

As many Waco property owners know, last Februarys brutal cold killed scores of trees and snapped branches off of thousands more. At Oakwood Cemetery, which counts 2,440 trees over its 165 acres, the severe weather largely accelerated the soon-approaching end for many trees.

The cemetery started in 1878, Lynch said. A lot of the trees have done their time. It pains me to have to remove a tree, but we have to make sure theyre in good shape and not dangerous.

Faced with balancing a future where more people are getting cremated rather than buried and a past of notable Waco history, the cemeterys board of directors is in the middle of a consulting study to help shape a long-range plan.

The cemeterys preservation led trustees to hire the services of Dallas-based Southern Botanical to remove dead and damaged trees, then prune and maintain the remaining trees for the next five years. As part of its management plan, the company digitally mapped the trees, attaching a coin-sized numbered metal tag to each while labeling their species, location and condition. While Southern Botanical had experience in cemetery work, particularly with Dallas Restland Cemetery after a 2019 tornado, company arborist Steve Clary said he is impressed by what he found in the Waco cemetery.

Its incredible in the number of trees here and the species, Clary said.

Nearly half of the cemeterys 2,440 trees are live oaks, and sesquicentennial post oaks are among the oldest. The grounds also enclose pecan, sycamore, elm and other hardwood species, some of considerable size and age.

Though tall, leafy trees and quiet cemeteries might seem a logical match, that is the view from above. Below the surface, graves and coffins cut and confine trees root systems, causing problems that can affect their health, Clary said.

Despite their longevity, February 2021 was not kind. The Southern Botanical crews determined the prolonged deep freeze, after a heavy January snowfall, had killed or severely damaged 48 trees, and another 200 required pruning.

The freeze exacerbated all the stress points those trees experience, Clary said.

The job was both quantitatively and qualitatively challenging. Trunks and branches could not be cut and dropped due to fear of breaking surrounding headstones and monuments  a moment that came home to Clary while working on a pecan tree near the grave of Sul Ross, a former Texas governor and the seventh president of Texas A&M University.

As an Aggie, I wanted to be very, very careful, he said.

The amount of wood removed from the cemetery led Clary to look for places to dispose of logs and sawdust. He found one outside Chalk Bluff in Mesquite Valley Woodcrafts, which not only had space for sawdust, but a small sawmill, wood kiln and workshop plus an owner happy to handle native hardwood logs.

Caleb Scarbrough, grandson of a carpenter and a former Homestead Heritage apprentice, started his company in 2006, intending to work with native woods like mesquite, oak and walnut. Thinking of securing his own source for wood, he added a small mill, then a vacuum kiln to cut and season lumber.

I started to produce my own timber as opposed to buying it all, he said.

Thanks to tree service companies looking for an outlet, freelance timber harvesters and building contractors wanting distinctive touches for homes and restaurants, the timber side of Mesquite Valley Woodcrafts has grown to a major portion of the business over the years. Scarbrough and his team field offers of wood from as far as Mexia, while shipping wood and finished products to all 50 states, Iraq and Israel.

The first load of Oakwood timber arrived several weeks ago, including a sycamore log 8 feet long and 2 feet wide that comes from a tree Scarbrough estimates as more than 150 years old. Where visitors might see trunks and stumps stored around the open-walled mill shed and other outbuildings, Scarbrough sees furniture: four dining room tables in one elm log, a table top, then a bench, then a bar top in successive layers to be cut from a pecan log.

Mesquite Valley Woodcrafts cuts much of the mesquite, walnut and oak that it gets into flat slabs and planks, but quarter-saws woods like white oak and sycamore, splitting a log into quarters then planks from that, to highlight those woods grain.

In addition to the lines and color in a woods grain, theres the difference between living sapwood and dead heartwood. The wood also shows the effect of other living organisms: holes bored by insects and spalting, a dark coloration caused by fungus.

It takes weeks and months to season the wood before it can be worked, and demand keeps the price high. An 8-foot mesquite slab, one of dozens awaiting shipment in a storage shed, brings about $800, and two are needed for a typical table top.

Mesquite is more valuable than scrap metal, Scarbrough said.

Mesquite Valley Woodcrafts turns out more than 40 kitchen tables and islands, bar tops and benches in a typical year. Some of its wood goes to the projects of woodworkers and students at nearby Homestead Heritage and some of Mesquite Valleys Lazy Susans go to Homesteads gift shops.

Scarbrough takes pride in crafting one-of-a-kind pieces for homeowners and builders.

I love creating things of value, producing something exactly what (a customer) wanted and its the centerpiece of their house, he said.

In the months ahead, some of those pieces may continue a history that started more than a century ago as a seed in a Waco cemetery.

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As 9/11 was unfolding, a relatively new president, down in the polls shortly after getting into office, George W. Bush, skyrocketed in the polls because of his clever use of branding and marketing. He became the icon for confronting the all evil that was behind the first attack on U.S. soil since the attack at Pearl Harbor.

What makes a great leader can be seen if we go back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His fireside chats became his megaphone to a country standing up in its role as the leading democracy in the world.

The study of psychology and human behavior is at the center of all marketing, regardless of the product or service being sold by an organization. Understanding and predicting the future behavior of people is what determines the tactics and strategy implemented.

The organization can be a corporation, a political party or a government attempting to reinforce the thinking of its citizenry. This is a necessary first step in the political marketing process, with an even more important step being the development of a coherent message of a leader that resonates with those he or she is leading.

The evidence is clear in all messaging strategies: Repetition is necessary. How many people in the U.S. believe that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump? The answer is tens of millions of his followers, which is due to the regular reinforcement of a theme that resonates with the attitudes of his base. Trusted communicators speaking via trusted media channels is a recipe for success.

President Joe Biden has made it very clear to the world that the U.S. plans to enforce the power of democracy and position the U.S. as the leader of the free world in the same way that Bush did with great success during his tenure as president. Biden has announced that his job, as leader of the free world, is to drive public opinion and use his bully pulpit to do so.

In marketing terms, his job is to reinforce and strengthen the U.S. brand with a resounding statement on the continued strength of democracy. Bidens political marketing strategy is very clever, shifting from his lackluster start to defining his brand on the back of climate change and the economy so as to unite Americas fragile democracy.

Now that he has finally hit his stride relative to the resonating appeal of his new administration, he must use social media, traditional media and all other communication channels to continue to reinforce the mission of his presidency. His pro-democracy message must be communicated in the same way that FDR used fireside chats, and Trump used Twitter to reinforce the attitudes of his base  first with his promise to make America great again and then with his assertion that the 2020 election was stolen.

By following in the steps of predecessors who implemented a similar strategy during difficult times in the U.S., our forecast is a positive trend line in popularity for Biden if he follows up on his promise to strengthen democracy around the world with the establishment of a weekly address to the nation, which could be called Speaking from the heart of the American democracy.

The ultimate goal of a national leader is to reinforce the thinking and actions of that nations people, which is only possible with the right message, matched with the right messenger, and continually repeated.

Now that Biden has found the right message, he needs to consistently reinforce it. If he doesnt, hes doomed to fail during his tenure in the White House.

Bruce I. Newman is a professor of marketing and the Wicklander Fellow in Business Ethics in DePaul Universitys Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Todd P. Newman is an assistant professor in the life sciences communication department at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and an affiliate of UWs Holtz Center for Science & Technology Studies and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.
After years of preparation and a move of location, Fremont's first brewery is open.

"It was overwhelmingly positive," co-owner Shawn Morrow said. "We've just kind of been embraced by everybody that's been waiting for this."

Five-0-Five Brewing Company at 349 N. Main St. serves beer and other drinks in downtown Fremont.

The brewery, owned and operated by Morrow and Tim Gesell, changed its original plan to open at the 505 Building, but kept the name within its title.

"Now, we're the 505 at 349," Morrow said. "That will probably be a T-shirt someday."

Morrow's journey to opening the brewery spans decades, beginning when he was hired by Empyrean Brewing Company in 1998.

"I worked my way up to being a brewer and then decided that this was something I wanted to do," he said.

Morrow began home brewing at the time, studying the trade by attending the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and an extension of the University of California, Davis, in Madison, Wisconsin.

"It was always the dream to open up my own brewery," Morrow said. "I tried in 2008, and the market crashed and we lost all of our financing, so I was like, 'Let's regroup, figure out a better time, a better place.'"

After 12 years with Empyrean, Morrow left the brewery to work in manufacturing at Lincoln Industries, where he met Gesell.

Morrow taught the basics of home brewing to Gesell, who went on to practice the craft on his own. Gesell gave some to his friend, Ryan Durant, the owner of the 505 Building.

Having been frequently asked by Morrow if he wanted to start a brewery with him, Gesell agreed to make the career jump in the spring of 2019, and the two began looking for a city that would house their business.

With Omaha and Lincoln "saturated" with breweries and even smaller communities like Alliance having them, Morrow said he focused on Fremont, which he was amazed didn't have one.

"I was told, 'Well, they had a brewery in the '20s, and then it went out of business during Prohibition, and I was like, 'This is the right place,'" he said. "And my wife has family in town, so that was a plus."

Morrow and Gesell set their sights on the 505 Building and went before the Fremont City Council for funding in November 2019.

"Our vision is to be Fremonts brand, Nebraska's brewery," Gesell told the council. "That's really what we set out to do. We want to embrace the community."

The council unanimously approved providing $165,000 in LB840 funding for the project, which was set to run at the same time as the Lofts @ 505 in the building.

"But the hindering of construction and materials and everything that people can't get nowadays kind of stalled that, so we had to look for other places," Morrow said.

Although the brewery was set to open in late 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the project. Morrow said even with the change in location, he and Gesell wanted to stay in Fremont.

Eventually, the two discovered a new building two blocks south of the 505 Building that would house their future brewery.

"It's the perfect space," Morrow said. "Selfishly for me, it's better for me because I've got a direct route to the alley. I can get materials in and out and we've got all of these beautiful windows in here."

In summer of 2021, the remodeling process began at 349 N. Main St., which Morrow called a "hot mess," starting at Plan A and ending at Plan Z.

"This was not the original aesthetic, but I'm really happy with the way it turned out," he said. "Because we couldn't get booths, couldn't get tables, couldn't get chairs, couldn't get stainless steel, couldn't get sinks, couldn't get coolers, couldn't get anything that we needed."

Five-0-Five has a 10-barrel system in the backroom, which allows it to make 10 barrels, or 310 gallons, of beer at a time.

Other than beer, Morrow said Five-0-Five features a variety of house-mixed drinks and other alcoholic beverages from companies in Nebraska.

"The spirits are from Nebraska, they're from Brickway, our wine is from James Arthur, also in Nebraska, and obviously all of the beer that we're brewing is brewed here," he said.

Additionally, Five-0-Five has merchandise for sale, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, hats, socks, stickers, pint glasses, bottle openers and koozies featuring its logo, designed by Beth Greenquist.

Even prior to Five-0-Five's opening, Morrow's wife and taproom manager, Lori, handled its social media account, which had buzz from the Fremont community as to when it would open.

"Fremont's been very patient, and we appreciate it because we have not been very patient because we just wanted to get this going," she said.

Throughout the construction process, Shawn Morrow said, he had to keep the public updated on the timeline.

"We did pull a fast one by telling everybody starting almost six months ago, 'Two weeks, two weeks, two weeks, two weeks,'" he said. "Well, two weeks turned into six months."

Finally on Jan. 13, Five-0-Five opened its doors.

One aspect that was surprising to Morrow was the demographics of the crowd that Five-0-Five had.

"We had tables of college students next to millennials next to people in their 70s," he said. "So I was shocked."

Morrow said he was also surprised by Fremont's preferences, because he said a brewery can never expect what the palette of a community will be prior to opening.

"We just kind of threw a bunch of spaghetti at the wall and said, 'We're just going to start with the lightest beer and we're going to brew all the way to the darkest beers and just kind of see what everybody likes,'" he said.

But Morrow said just about every type of beer he's brewed so far has been popular; the light lager sold the most.

"I knew that was going to happen, but I was really surprised with our porter, so we do have a porter on tap, and I was really excited for that," he said.

Morrow said Five-0-Five is trying to keep its pipelines full, with a new stout, sour beer and barrel-aged beers prepared.

"Just to make sure that everybody in Nebraska is represented, we did have Glacial Till on tap until we ran out the first night," he said. "And then we're featuring Keg Creek Brewing, their Marigold Apricot Wheat this month."

Morrow said opening the business has taught him to make sure he's hands-on for any project, from its inception to final nail.

"If I wasnt down here every single day making sure that everything is exactly the way I wanted it and it should be, then it wouldn't," he said. "So it was a full-time job just making sure this turned out exactly how we wanted it to turn out."
Working at a Catholic-owned hospital, Carleen Barger didnt expect a problem when she cited religious beliefs as the reason she refused a COVID-19 vaccination.

But the veteran nurse found her beliefs under scrutiny as hospital officials weighed whether she qualified for a religious exemption to a federal mandate that health care staff get vaccinated.

By the grace of God, it was approved, she told state lawmakers Thursday, adding: It was such a moral assault.

Debra Chappelear, a social worker at an Omaha long-term care center, has yet to find out if her religious exemption request will be approved after going through extensive questioning about her beliefs.

She knows one co-worker whose request has already has been denied, she said, while she and others are in limbo. They are facing a Feb. 14 deadline to start the vaccination process or be barred from the workplace.

It is very stressful to have your job and your beliefs questioned, she said. We are all very worried that we are all going to be denied.

The two were among several people who testified in support of LB906, introduced by state Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair and named as his priority for the year.

The measure, as introduced, would allow employees to be exempted from a vaccine mandate by filling out a state-produced form and declaring that they were refusing the vaccine because of their strong moral, ethical or philosophical belief or conviction.

Earlier Thursday, Hansen introduced an amendment that would make several changes in response to various concerns raised over the last three weeks.

The amendment would cover virtually all employers, not just those with 20 or more employees. It would apply only to the COVID-19 vaccine, not all vaccine mandates. It would provide for medical exemptions, with a written statement from a doctor or other health care provider.

And it would require that employers provide exemptions to people who declare on a state form that the vaccine conflicts with their sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance.

Hansen said the amendments language about religious belief, unlike the broader language of the original bill, matches federal law. Under both versions, he noted, employers could require unvaccinated workers to be tested regularly and to wear masks or other protective equipment.

Dr. Gary Anthone, Nebraskas chief medical officer, testified in support of the amendment, while making clear that the State Department of Health and Human Services strongly supports COVID-19 vaccines. He said the requirements about testing and masks were important to ensure that employees could be in the workplace safely.

Allie French of Nebraskans Against Government Overreach also supported the amendment, despite concerns that it would be trading one freedom for another. She said her group disagrees with allowing employers to make medical decisions for employees, such as through vaccine mandates, and has concerns about allowing employers to mandate masks and tests.

The amendment was enough to satisfy most potential opposition. The Nebraska Hospital Association; the Nebraska Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes and assisted living facilities; and the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce took neutral positions on the bill.

Dr. David Watts of Omaha, president of the Nebraska Medical Association, spoke against the bill, even with the amendment.

He said the organization takes issue with the idea of having the Legislature get involved in the management of private businesses, which include clinics and physician practices. Although the amendment would not prohibit employers from requiring vaccines, it would interfere with how those requirements are implemented.

He said members also are concerned about setting a precedent for future public health crises.
Nebraska became the latest state Friday to call for a convention of states aimed at reining in the federal government.

LR14 passed on a 32-11 vote after supporters got enough votes to end a last-minute filibuster. The measure now heads to Congress and to the leaders of all other state legislatures.

Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, who introduced the resolution and named it as his priority for this year, said the vote shows that the U.S. Constitution is working as intended.

"It's encouraging that we respect the Constitution and the intent of the founding fathers when it comes to states having equal footing with the federal government," he said.

Article V of the Constitution provides for a convention called by the states 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.

Opponents, however, argued that there would be no way to enforce those limits on the convention. They also warned that there is nothing that spells out how the convention would be structured, including whether every state would have one vote or whether votes would be proportional to population.

"The motivation for the convention is real and valid," said Sen. John McCollister of Omaha. "But there are simply too many questions outstanding."

Several supporters of the convention idea watched the debate from the balcony.
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Weather Alert

...MORE WINDY DAYS ON THE WAY, WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES AND RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS FOR MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND... --Thursday and Friday-- * A pair of systems brushing through the region will bring gusty winds both days, with even stronger winds possible on Friday. Winds will bring travel difficulties both in the air and on the ground. Travel restrictions for high profile vehicles are possible. Check with CalTrans/NDOT for the current road information. Please see the latest hazard text products for the latest information on anticipated wind speeds. * Area of blowing dust are possible both afternoons downwind of the Carson Sink, possibly affecting portions of I-80, US 50, and Highway 95. In addition, backcountry and ski recreation could be impacted along with choppy conditions on area lakes. * A few light showers with minimal liquid totals are possible in far northern Nevada and northeast California. --Mother's Day Weekend into Early Next Week-- * It will remain breezy throughout the weekend, with a secondary max in wind speeds on Sunday due to a strong cold front. This front will usher in a much colder air mass and high temperatures on Mother's Day will be 15-20 degrees below normal. * There will be rain and snow showers with the front, but again, liquid amounts will be minimal. There are solid chances for snow levels to fall to all valley floors by Sunday evening, which may catch many off guard, though it is hard to get snow to stick to roadways in lower elevation valleys this late in the spring. * Well below normal temperatures and chances for light showers will continue into Monday and Tuesday next week. While still some uncertainty due to winds and cloud cover, it's possible we could have frost and freeze concerns Sunday and Monday nights.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM PDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Southwest winds 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected. Wind prone areas may experience gusts in excess of 60 mph. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph and waves of 2 to 4 feet expected on Pyramid Lake. * WHERE...Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 9 PM PDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects and high profile vehicles will be prone to tip over. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Blowing dust may locally reduce visibility downwind of dry lake beds and sinks. Small boats, kayaks and paddle boards will be prone to capsizing. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel restrictions for high profile vehicles are possible. Check with 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. Check lake conditions before heading out on the water and be prepared for a sudden increase in winds and wave heights. Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind. &&
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If youre 50 or older, there is one benefit to reaching this milestone that you may be overlooking: tax breaks aimed right at you. Now you can contribute more to your Roth or traditional individual retirement account (IRA), to your employer-sponsored plan or to your health savings account (HSA) than you could when you were younger. You can even exclude more income from your tax computations.

Congress included some of these provisions in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, which took effect in 2002, out of concern that the boomer generation had not saved enough for retirement. Congress included other tax-saving provisions, such as a bigger standard deduction, in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017.

If youre behind on your retirement savings, the tax law gives you a chance to catch up. And if youre in retirement, or near it, the tax code allows you to pay a bit less in taxes. Thats a combination you shouldnt pass up.

Contribute more to your retirement fund

For 2022, the contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 retirement saving plans and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan has been increased to $20,500, from $19,500 in 2021. Employees 50 and older can add an additional $6,500, for a total of $27,000.

The contribution limit for a traditional or Roth IRA is unchanged, at $6,000. The catch-up is $1,000, the same as for 2021. It is $3,000 for a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) plan.

However, many folks are missing this opportunity. Despite generous catch-up provisions for those 55 and older, just 15 percent of those who are eligible are making them, according to the Vanguard Groups How America Saves 2021 report.

At the same time, data from the National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI) compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research indicates that half of all American households wont be able to afford their current standard of living once their regular paychecks stop. As of June 2020, 50 percent of married retirees were relying on Social Security payments for half of their income; for single people, that number was 70 percent. For 2022, the average Social Security retirement benefit is estimated at just $1,657 a month.

Those retirement contributions can lower your tax bill

Aside from making your retirement more comfortable, contributing to a tax-deferred retirement plan, such as an IRA or a 401(k), also reduces your income  which, in turn, reduces your income taxes. Thanks to that reduction in taxes, increasing your contribution wont take as much of a bite from your paycheck as you might think. If you earn $75,000 a year, for example, a 5 percent contribution to your 401(k) would put $144 into your account, assuming a 25 percent tax rate. But your biweekly paycheck will fall by just $108, according to Fidelity Investments.

Contributions to a traditional IRA are tax-deductible as long as you meet IRS rules, including income limits. IRA contributions are fully deductible if you (and your spouse) aren't covered by a retirement plan at work. However, the deduction may be limited if you are (or your spouse is) covered by a workplace retirement plan and your income exceeds certain limits. For 2022, IRA deductions for singles covered by a retirement plan at work aren't allowed after modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) hits $78,000; the deduction disappears for married couples filing jointly when MAGI hits $109,000.

Retirement contributions made to a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) are done on an after-tax basis: You get no upfront tax break for these contributions, but withdrawals taken from Roths in retirement are tax-free. The pretax money in traditional IRAs and 401(k)s grows tax-free, but you'll eventually pay taxes when you start making withdrawals in retirement.

Because saving an additional $6,500 to a 401(k) may be challenging for some, Nicole Gopoian Wirick, a certified financial planner (CFP) at Prosperity Wealth Strategies in Birmingham, Michigan, advises her clients to have the catch-up amount divided evenly over each paycheck and deducted automatically. Contributing $250 over 26 pay periods may seem more attainable, she says.

Clark Randall, a CFP at Financial Enlightenment in Dallas, Texas, encourages his clients to rethink their budgets to increase their regular retirement contributions throughout the year. Budgeting for this expense is the same as any other. It takes discipline and compromise.

If you still want to make catch-up contributions to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA for 2021, you have time. The deadline is April 15, the filing date for your tax return, unless you file for an extension. However, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, Thrift Savings Plans and most 457 plans go by the calendar year, so youll be investing for 2022 and have until the end of the year to do so.

You can wait until 72 to start your RMDs

Speaking of which, there's also good news on required minimum distributions (RMDs), the minimum amount you must withdraw from a tax-deferred retirement plan, such as a traditional IRA. (Roth IRAs don't require distributions while the owner is alive.)

Under rules that kicked in in 2020, you can wait until the year in which you reach age 72 before having to start taking RMDs. Previously, the age was 70 1/2. If you don't need the RMD, consider donating it to charity. If you donate your RMD to a qualified charity directly from your retirement account, up to $100,000, you won't owe income tax on the distribution.
by Sanaa Kamal

RAMALLAH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- For Palestinians, it is not easy to make a brand globally distinctive. However, Canaan Khoury, a 30-year-old Palestinian man living in the West Bank, has largely succeeded in doing so through producing herbal beers and wines tagged "Made in Palestine."

Khoury's family used to own the only brewery in Palestine, the Taybeh Brewing Company, which is located in the Al-Taybeh village in the city of Ramallah. With a population of about 1,000 Palestinian Christians, the village is famous for manufacturing alcoholic drinks as a main source of income for local residents.

But the brewing business in the village faces tough challenges as Israel imposes restrictions on the traveling by Palestinians, hindering the import of many raw materials used to make alcoholic beverages.

"I came up with the idea of making our own beer and wine by using natural herbs scattered in the West Bank, especially the wild ones in the mountains," Khoury recalled.

Thyme, sumac, sage, sumac, wheat, ginger, cinnamon, lemon and white mulberry are among the major essential herbs that Khoury uses in making his beers and wines.

"I attempted to make beer and wine from herbs...In the beginning, all the attempts proved to be in vein, and this made me frustrated," Khoury said.

"Every time I made alcoholic drinks, I resorted to the experienced people to take a taste, unfortunately, back then they didn't like what I offered," he added.

But Khoury did not give up. He continued to adjust the recipes until he finally succeeded in making the first beer from the raw wheat grown in Palestine, whose taste won recognition from his friends.

"Really, I was overjoyed... I couldn't believe that I had finally succeeded in taking the first step toward realizing my dream of owning a special and rare brand of Palestinian beer and wine," he recalled.

After producing about 200 liters of herbal beer and wine, Khoury participated in the Taybeh Festival, which his family hosts annually to attract foreigners to the small village to taste different types of alcoholic drinks with Palestinian flavor.

"The flavor was praised by everyone without exception," he said.

Based on the success, Khoury opened the Taybeh Winery in 2012 in partnership with one of his relatives. He named the wine Nadim after his father, who earned a brewing master degree in the U.S. and started the Taybeh Brewery in the West Bank in 1994 with his brother.

In order to further improve his capabilities and experience, Khoury attended a specialized wine-making program run by a U.S. university in 2015, which qualified him to participate in an international competition in 2017.

"I was able to get the first place among 1,500 other contestants in the John Ford competition," he said, noting that was the first time that "Made in Palestine" was tagged for a wine.

After returning to his homeland, the young Palestinian man expanded his winery by increasing the number of workers to 25. He started to explore producing more types of alcoholic drinks based on the knowledge he acquired.

Currently, the Taybeh Winery produces about 20 types of alcoholic beverages based on natural herbs, including the brands called My Grandmother Lemon, Nadim Taybeh and Premaster Beer.

As the predominantly Muslim population in Palestine rejects alcoholic drinks, the beers and wines produced in Al-Taybeh are largely exported to Israel and other countries. After years of hard work, Khoury now exports his products to about 17 countries, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, Jordan, France, and Britain.

Khoury's herbal wine is considered the most expensive in the Palestinian territories, as one bottle generally costs about 10 U.S. dollars. In contrast, other types cost between 1.5 and 2 dollars at most.

"I am very happy to see that our small village has become an attractive site for tourists and foreigners to Palestine to enjoy our special wine," he said.

The young man is planning to open a new factory in 2022. "Success begins with an idea followed by a step and determination," Khoury said. 
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

COVID-19 case counts remained high Friday as New Mexico continued to grapple with the omicron variant.

But the past weeks daily numbers are lower than reports from last week, when the state set new case records three days in a row.

The New Mexico Department of Health reported 5,291 new COVID-19 virus cases Friday and 26 additional deaths.

The states seven-day virus test positivity rate is at 30.1%.

Bernalillo County reported the most new cases on Friday, with 1,305.

The Health Department encourages residents who test positive for the virus with an at-home test kit to report the result on the states website: covid-positive-home-test.doh.nm.gov.

There are 673 people in New Mexico hospitalized with the virus, up slightly from 633 a week ago Friday.

The 26 virus deaths pushed the states death toll to 6,417 people since the pandemic began.

Twenty of the reported virus deaths occurred recently, and six happened more than 30 days ago.

The individuals who died ranged in age from their 30s to their 90s.

The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are distributing free at-home COVID-19 test kits at dozens of community centers and libraries. A list of distribution sites and times is available at cabq.gov and bernco.gov.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico is pursuing an emergency request to use Abiquiu Reservoir for Rio Grande water storage as El Vado Dam undergoes extensive repairs, water officials said Wednesday.

Chris Shaw, an attorney for the Interstate Stream Commission, said the state requested a deviation of normal operations at Abiquiu last month from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam and reservoir in Rio Arriba County.

The state usually stores native Rio Grande water in El Vado Reservoir to be used for irrigation, endangered species habitat and interstate compact deliveries.

But El Vado repairs starting this spring will limit the reservoirs storage capacity for several years.

Were doing this because we believe the ability to store Rio Grande water at any other reservoir during this period is urgent, Shaw said.

Abiquiu fits the bill as a replacement because federal law allows agencies to use the reservoir for Rio Grande storage and irrigation releases.

New Mexico must deliver a certain amount of Rio Grande water each year to Elephant Butte Reservoir under a compact with Colorado and Texas.

The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District shortened the irrigation season by two months in 2021 to help meet those obligations.

But New Mexico still fell short by about 10 billion gallons, said ISC director Rolf Schmidt-Petersen.

That actually is a pretty surprising outcome, given the very significant efforts that were made on the river this past year to keep water flowing downstream, he said. Our staff is still trying to analyze and understand why we didnt get the kind of runoff (into the river) from summer rains in the Middle Valley that weve seen in previous years.

New Mexico now owes as much as 130,000 acre-feet, or about 42 billion gallons, to downstream users.

The compact requires that New Mexico keep an amount of water equivalent to that debit in storage for release to Elephant Butte in the fall.

Use of Abiquiu would allow the state to store the debit water, while also maintaining a supply for summer irrigation.

The Legislative Finance Committee has recommended $2 million in special appropriations to the ISC for river channel improvements to get more water to Elephant Butte.

We want to do that in a way that avoids catastrophic, or very severe, farming losses to farmers in the Middle Valley, Schmidt-Petersen said.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Count red ink among the side effects of omicron.

University of New Mexico Hospital, the states only Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital, is currently operating at a deficit, with expenses outrunning revenues by $4.6 million for the fiscal year that began July 1.

It is not because things are slow  patient volume is so high that CEO Kate Becker said staff is delivering some care in hallways.

Becker blames reimbursements that are not keeping pace with rising staff and supply costs, particularly on lower-acuity cases.

The hospital is extremely full; we have patients everywhere. Were working very hard to take care of them, Becker said earlier this week in her quarterly report to the Bernalillo County Commission. But a lot of the revenues generated by those patients are not equivalent to some of the revenues we were seeing last year when the mix was more folks in intensive care.

More COVID-19 patients need the regular medical and surgical floors instead, she added.

Thats good from a patient care perspective, she said. But, from a financial perspective, it is more challenging for the hospital.

With expenses currently running 10% higher than the budget, UNMH is not alone.

Troy Clark, president and CEO of the New Mexico Hospital Association, said many of the 47 facilities he represents are enduring similar hardships. Though they shared $367 million in federal relief during the pandemics first year, the assistance did not make up for their collective $640 million shortfall, he said, and the latest round of federal aid will not chip away much more.

The assumption that COVID-19 has been a financial boon to hospitals, Clark said, is off base.

Theres a sense out there  your hospitals are full and youre just raking in the money, he said. Whats not understood is how hospitals and finances work; the cost of taking care of COVID patients exceeds what you are reimbursed for them.

Hospital officials say COVID-19 has driven the patient load in multiple ways, including active infections and the backlog of people who delayed other medical care because of the pandemic.

But, at the same time, it has kept away some other patients, including those seeking non-emergency surgery. Christus St. Vincent in Santa Fe, for example, is currently scheduling fewer elective surgeries so as to prioritize patients coming through the emergency room, and some patients decide for themselves to put off the procedures due to present pandemic conditions. Fewer surgeries have contributed to lowering the hospitals per patient reimbursement by 8% year over year, Chief Financial Officer Reuben Murray said.

In the same span, he said the hospitals labor costs are up 18%, due largely to hiring temporary clinical staff. Christus St. Vincent has become increasingly reliant on traveling nurses during the pandemic, as have hospitals around the state and the country.

With this recent (COVID) surge, its just really been a struggle across so many areas, Murray said, though St. Vincent is not currently operating at a deficit.

Clark said hiring nurses through agencies is a major factor in hospitals current budgetary challenges. Though rates vary based on specialties and other factors, Clark said hospitals generally paid staff nurses about $30-$40 per hour before the pandemic.

But many have quit or entered the traveling pool themselves, prompting hospitals to lean on temporary hires that Clark said now run $195-$265 per hour. Some hospitals then pay existing nurses more to keep them on the job.

Becker, who told the county commission in October that UNMH had about 500 traveling nurses on the job, said they are expensive, but essential, given how busy the hospital has been. The facility has consistently operated at 130% or more of its capacity during the pandemic, according to a spokesman.

Weve got to get the volumes down to be able to get that number of traveling nurses down, Becker told the commission last week.

While costs soar, revenues are generally fixed, Clark said, since hospitals rely on set reimbursements from private insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare pays you what Medicare pays you; Medicaid pays you what Medicaid pays you; commercial insurance payments are renegotiated every one to three years, but you dont renegotiate every week when costs go up, he said.

Efforts are underway to reduce hospitals current and future cost burdens, he said. He said the state is considering such short-term solutions as potentially increasing reimbursements paid by Medicaid, a state-run program.

The state, along with the federal government, is also sending clinical personnel to help at certain hospitals. State leaders also are considering ways to grow the New Mexico health care workforce in the long term, including a $50 million allocation for college nursing programs.

Becker said UNMH has a U.S. Navy team of 22 helping on site now and the state has approved another 30 staff, mostly nurses.

She told the commission that the hospital  which has a $1.3 billion annual budget  would likely stay in the red when Januarys final numbers come in, but there could be some relief on the horizon.

Our expectation is, depending on omicron and whatever other curve balls COVID throws  into February and March, we should start to see that COVID volume coming down and start to get to a more sustainable level, with both our patient volumes and our staffing, she said. We are aggressively managing this, but it is definitely a more challenging situation this year, and people are tired.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

A back and forth among Rio Rancho police, local newspapers and a government transparency advocacy group has resulted in a stalemate over records sought in the December shooting death of the 2-year-old son of a Santa Fe police officer at a Rio Rancho home.

The Rio Rancho Police Department has cited the Childrens Code to deny repeated Inspection of Public Records Act requests  for 911 calls and initial police reports  made by the Journal, Santa Fe New Mexican and New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, or FOG.

The requests are centered around the Dec. 8 death of Lincoln Harmon who, according to court records, was shot in the head inside the home of Santa Fe Police Department officer Jonathan Harmon.

A search warrant affidavit provided by the courts states the boys mother told 911 dispatch the boy had fallen from a chair, but arriving officers found a gun and holster nearby.

FOG Executive Director Shannon Kunkel said she was disappointed to receive the most recent denial from Gregory Lauer, Rio Ranchos city attorney, who cited the Childrens Code as the reason for the denial.

If ever a court or the legislature does decide to erase the Childrens Codes confidentiality provisions so that you, Ms. (Victoria) Traxler (of the New Mexican), or other media-types can access and exploit childrens confidential files and information, perhaps well have a different conversation at that time, Lauer told Kunkel in a Jan. 14 email.

On Wednesday Lauer told the Journal the two confidentiality provisions of the Childrens Code cited for the denial involved children as victims and as delinquents.

In a letter to Lauer, Kunkel wrote the circumstances surrounding Harmons death are a matter of great public concern and that Rio Ranchos blanket refusal to release records is inconsistent both with law and longtime practice.

Kunkel wrote that nothing in the Childrens Code states that original records of entry like 911 calls are covered by some unwritten yet sweeping protective umbrella. She said the same types of records were not withheld in other high-profile deaths of children, including Omaree Varela and Victoria Martens.

In the Rio Rancho matter, if the broad approach to secrecy you suggest is required was in fact the law, even the affidavit for search for it wouldve been filed under seal. It was not, Kunkel wrote. She said there should be no question that initial police reports should be public under IPRA and she asked Lauer to reconsider the denial.

We hope you agree that it would be preferable to avoid the time and expense of litigation over this matter, Kunkel wrote.

Kunkel said FOG, which is worried the denial could set a dangerous precedent for future requests, is evaluating its next move.
Buster snuggles with Cynthia Dares, director of the Sunflower Sanctuary Animal Rescue, where he now lives. Everyone was telling me how mean he was, trying to bite everyone, Dares says. He is a love now.

A back view of Buster after he was rescued in June shows some of his matted hair, the yellow discoloration coming from urine.

One of Busters matted paws.

The little dog, she says, was so matted that he could barely walk, the hardened snarls of burr- and feces-flecked hair pushing against the overgrown claws on his paws.

He was about 11 years old, tiny, starving, his eyes shrunken and seeping and sightless. He had a torn ACL, a collapsed trachea, and once he was rescued he ate so much food that an X-ray of his abdomen showed his stomach dangerously stretched beyond its limits.

He was listed as a shih-poo, though with all those mats it was hard to tell what he was.

What Cynthia Dares could tell was that this little boy needed help.

Broke my heart to see what bad shape he was in, said Dares, who runs the Sunflower Sanctuary Animal Rescue in the East Mountains, when the little dog first arrived last June.

She named him Buster.

But her sadness turned to anger when she learned his story. She became even angrier when she learned just this week that no one would be held accountable for the condition Buster was in when she took him in. This, after a Valencia County Animal Control officer described the former owner in a criminal complaint as leaving the dog neglected, matted, injured and heavily abused.

Yvette Tapia of Los Lunas was charged with two petty misdemeanors, with both charges being dismissed. Twice.

Tapia, 56, declined to comment, then said the sanctuary lady is lying, and that her dog and a cat were stolen. She referred further comment to her attorney, Marlo Aragon, who said there would be no further comment other than to say the cases were dismissed and my client maintains her innocence.

If Tapias name is familiar, you may recall that, in 2008, news media reported that she was fired from her job as an assistant in the Albuquerque City Attorneys Office after a video surfaced showing her choking, kicking and tossing a puppy named Buddy.

An article in the Journal also stated that she was fired after the city conducted its own investigation into the allegations and became concerned that she had been untruthful.

Back to Buster. Tapia arrived home June 15 and found her dog, which she called Zack, and a cat named Harry Potter, missing. Tapia told Valencia County Sheriffs deputies the next day that she believed her son and daughter-in-law had stolen the animals.

The daughter-in-law admitted to a deputy that she had taken the animals because, she said, Tapia was abusing them. According to a Valencia County Sheriffs Department report, the daughter-in-law claimed Tapia locked the cat in a small cage, and kept the dog in a bathroom filled with the dogs urine and feces. The daughter-in-law also accused Tapia of hitting and kicking the dog when he barked, the report states.

The report, dated June 16, also states that the daughter-in-law gave the cat to a cat sanctuary, but could not recall its name.

Zack, she said, was given to a friend.

On June 17, Dares said she received a call from a sobbing young woman who said she had a dog in bad shape and in need of veterinary care that she could not afford.

That dog was Zack.

Dares said she immediately arranged for a friend to pick up the dog in the Los Lunas area that day and take him to her vet at East Mountain Veterinary Service in Edgewood.

Records from the clinic indicate that the dog received urgent care treatment that day and remained in its care until June 19, when Dares picked up the tiny, frail and matted dog.

Buster began his makeover, his hair shorn, nails trimmed. He underwent repeated hospitalizations for stomach issues. Although records from a microchip company indicate that his damaged eyes were the result of cataracts, veterinary records show that the injury to one eye was so severe that it was removed June 29.

Dares said its also likely the other eye may need to be removed.

Dares, meanwhile, began piecing together Busters story with the help of the daughter-in-law, who called her.

On June 24, both women publicly posted the story of Buster on Facebook and vowed to seek animal abuse charges against Tapia.

But it wasnt so easy.

Valencia County Sheriffs Department records show that the daughter-in-law had sought to have charges pressed against Tapia for animal cruelty on June 16, but was advised to contact the countys Animal Control.

Dares said she repeatedly contacted Valencia County Animal Control, even calling a local TV station, which aired Busters story July 7 and 8, in the hopes of enlisting public pressure to make that happen.

Finally, on July 16, a Valencia County Animal Control officer agreed to meet her halfway between Tijeras and Los Lunas so that he could see Buster for himself and she could provide him with records, photos and a video as evidence.

Charges were filed against Tapia on Aug. 25  they were misdemeanor charges for animal cruelty and not having a current rabies vaccination.

In a letter dated Sept. 20 to Belen Magistrate Court Judge John Chavez, who was assigned the case, Tapia blamed the allegations on a family squabble with her son and daughter-in-law.

When Tapias court date arrived Nov. 16, the officer was a no-show. Animal Control Director Jess Weston said the officer had abruptly resigned before trial.

Judge Chavez dismissed the charges with prejudice, meaning that the case was over and charges could not be refiled.

Even so, Weston said he directed another officer to refile the case in December. Tapias attorney argued that the refiled case violated criminal procedure and constituted double jeopardy, and the judge agreed.

Once again, the charges were dismissed.

Dares found that out this week.

Its so frustrating when you fight so hard day after day, for it to end like this, Dares said.

Its a bitter ending to a case that one can argue should have at least given Buster his day in court. But there is some solace in knowing that, for him, a new life has begun, filled with love, care and safety in his forever sanctuary home in the East Mountains.

Anybody can tell that.

UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Reach Joline at 730-2793, jkrueger@abqjournal.com.
The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection subpoenaed two New Mexicans and a dozen others Friday who it says falsely tried to declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 election in seven swing states.

Named in the subpoenas were Jewll Powdrell, a member of the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of New Mexico, and Deborah Maestas, a former chair of the state GOP.

They were among 14 people who the panel says allegedly met and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner of New Mexico, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to a letter from Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, Democratic chairman of the January 6 Select Committee.

We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme, Thompson said in the letter. We encourage them to cooperate with the Select Committees investigation to get answers about January 6 for the American people and help ensure nothing like that day ever happens again.

In a recent recorded interview with the Journal, Powdrell said the decision to give the states electoral votes to Trump was at the direction of the state Republican Party chairman, former Congressman Steve Pearce.

He further said in that interview that hed been advised by attorneys not to give any overt comments about what the intent was.

At the time the certificate was filed, the New Mexico Republican Party issued a statement saying it supported the casting of competing certificates until litigation over the election was resolved in the courts.

Asked if he had any regrets about signing the document, Powdrell said, none whatsoever.

Powdrell, Maestas and Pearce could not be reached for comment Friday; however, Mike Curtis, communications director for the state Republican Party, said we do not comment on pending investigations.

Three other people from New Mexico who signed the document, but were not subpoenaed, were Lupe Garcia, an Albuquerque business owner; Rosie Tripp, a former Socorro County commissioner; and Anissa Ford-Tinnin, a former executive director of the state Republican Party.

Last March, American Oversight, a watchdog group, obtained the certificates in question that were submitted by Republicans in the seven states. In two of them, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, the fake electors added a caveat saying the certificate was submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors. That would have been possible only if Trump had won any of the several dozens of legal battles he waged against those states in the weeks after the election.

New Mexicos electoral votes went to Joe Biden, who carried the state by 11 percentage points  nearly 100,000 votes. State law makes it a fourth-degree felony for designated electors to cast ballots for anyone other than the presidential candidate who won the states popular vote.

The nine-member Select Committee said it has obtained information that groups of individuals met on Dec. 14, 2020  more than a month after Election Day  in the seven states. The individuals, according to the congressional investigation, then submitted fake slates of Electoral College votes for Trump. Then alternate electors from those seven states sent those certificates to Congress, where several of Trumps advisers used them to justify delaying or blocking the certification of the election during the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021.

The baseless claims of election fraud from the former president and his allies fueled the deadly insurrection at the Capitol building that day as a violent mob interrupted the certification of the Electoral College results.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a CNN interview this week that the Justice Department has received referrals from lawmakers regarding the fake certifications, and that prosecutors were now looking at those.

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Eric Tucker, and Journal staff writer Rick Nathanson contributed to this report.
A 44-year-old Gallup man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to DWI and other charges in two cases that resulted in his 11th and 12th DWI convictions.

Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Maynard Miller pleaded guilty to DWI in each of the two latest cases and to one count each of driving while revoked (DWI related) and possession of a firearm by a felon.

As part of the pleas, Miller on Monday admitted in state District Court to having 10 prior DWI convictions in McKinley County dating back 24 years, the Gallup Independent reported.

Judge Robert Aragon said he felt both sympathy for Miller and relief that Miller would be off the streets.

Youre lucky to be alive Aragon told Miller. Please try to deal with your disease.

Due to his intoxication, Miller said he could not remember what happened during his two most recent drunken driving instances, both of which involved single-vehicle crashes, but he acknowledged that a jury could have found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt based on the evidence in both cases.
A training designed to teach military veterans to farm is coming to New Mexico this spring.

The Montana-based nonprofit National Center for Appropriate Technology announced Wednesday that it is partnering with Holistic Management International to bring its Armed to Farm training to Albuquerque from March 28 through April 1.

Through the program, farmer-veterans will attend classroom sessions and travel to local farms and ranches for hands-on learning experiences.

Armed to Farm trainings include a blend of farm and ranch tours, hands-on activities, and interactive classroom instruction, according to a news release from NCAT.

According to the release, NCAT sustainable agriculture specialists will teach the sessions. Staff from HMI, USDA agencies and experienced crop and livestock producers will provide additional instruction.

This training is for military veterans in the Southwest, with preference given to those in New Mexico, according to the release. The number of participants will be limited. Spouses or farm partners are welcome as well but must submit a separate application.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 11. Anyone interested in applying may do so at www.armedtofarm.org/armed-to-farm-new-mexico.

NCAT will notify selected participants by Feb. 18.
The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on road safety.

In the Republic of Ireland, with its population of just over 5 million souls, 130 people died in fatal road collisions in 2021, according to the Irish Times.

That made 2021 the safest year since such data was first collected in 1959.

The pandemic affected road safety in New Mexico, too, but in the opposite way. With our population of 2 million, we killed 470 people on our roads in 2021.

That wasnt quite an all-time high, but it was a big jump. As DVal Westphal reported in the Journal, as recently as 2015 the state recorded only 298 road fatalities.

And then we come to pedestrians. Last year, 99 walkers were killed on New Mexicos roads. In more-populous Ireland, the toll was 18.

One explanation for the contrast might be found in the roads themselves. Our wide, straight streets are built for speed. Speed makes for longer braking distances and higher-speed collisions.

Irelands narrow, winding roads turn out to be far more intelligently laid out  if, that is, one accepts the preservation of human life as a more important goal than fast, uninterrupted travel.

But I dont think infrastructure is the whole story. Consider that Irelands homicide rate for 2020 (0.87 per 100,000 population) was also much lower than New Mexicos (7.8). Two different types of violent death produce similar contrasting numbers. Its hard to believe thats coincidence.

Earlier this month, Ireland was shocked by the murder of Ashling Murphy, a young teacher and musician killed near her home in the Irish midlands.

Her death dominated national news. The Irish Times ran multiple articles analyzing the culture of misogyny that normalizes violence against women. The Dail (Irelands parliament) convened a special session devoted to the topic. Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland, personally telephoned Ms. Murphys family to condole with them.

Here in New Mexico, we take a more relaxed attitude toward murder. Speaking in reference to the huge spike in homicides in the states only large city, state Sen. Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: Its a problem that Albuquerque has largely created for itself. Its not really about changing state law.

In the contrast between President Higgins and Sen. Cervantes, and between the Dails special session and the dismissive shrug of New Mexicos legislative leaders, I think we can begin to see another, deeper explanation for the vastly differing rates of violent death.

Another clue is provided by the geographical distribution of homicides within Albuquerque. As longtime residents know, and the Journals homicide map illustrates, killings cluster along the I-40 corridor and points south. Those arent the citys wealthiest zip codes.

The federal Bureau of Justice Statistics confirms that the poorer you are, the more likely you will become the victim of violent crime. The effect isnt subtle. People making less than $25,000 are twice as likely to be violently assaulted than those whose household income tops $50,000.

Pedestrian deaths, too, are geographically concentrated  in the same areas of town. We can be pretty sure the people trying to cross East Central at night mostly arent rich.

Our pedestrian fatality rate and our violent crime rate are both astronomically high because they measure the same thing: how well our government fulfills its core duty to protect the lives of its citizens, including the poorest.

Still, Sen. Cervantes is on to something. His hometown of Las Cruces, with a population almost precisely one-fifth of Albuquerques, saw nine homicides in 2021. Thats the per capita equivalent to 45 homicides in Albuquerque.

As it happens, Albuquerque averaged 40.3 homicides per year from 2006 through 2015. Homicides began to skyrocket only in 2016, the first full year of the Supreme Courts case management order for Bernalillo County.

The order imposes strict deadlines during the pretrial phase of criminal prosecutions. It requires judges to impose sanctions on the state for any tardiness, up to and including suppression of evidence and dismissal of charges.

Of course, neither the state nor individual prosecutors suffer any harm from such sanctions. Only the people of Albuquerque do, and especially the poorest among them.

The case management order applies only in Bernalillo County. By enforcing it, the state already treats Albuquerque as a separate legal system.

If the city is going to be left alone to deal with its crime problem, as Sen. Cervantes advocates, then heres a modest proposal. The Legislature should give Albuquerque authority to enact its own criminal code, enforced in its own criminal courts, with procedural rules written by the City Council and not by the Supreme Court.

Then it truly wouldnt be a matter for state law.

Joel Jacobsen is an author who in 2015 retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com.
Costumer Alexis Reynolds folds army shirts at Southwest Costume Rentals in preparation for an upcoming production. The shop is at 6102 Jefferson NE in Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Southwest Costume Rentals offers a large variety of hats and costumes for productions to rent. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Southwest Costume Rentals manager Douangmaly Sithisane inventories costumes. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Angelique Paull sorts through costumes from the 30s and 40s at Southwest Costume Rentals. The business is designed as a one-stop-shop for film and stage productions. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Prev 1 of 4 Next

New Mexicos film industry is booming and likely to only keep growing, but while the industry expands, some necessities, like easy-to-access costume rentals, remain elusive.

Opened in November at 6102 Jefferson NE, Southwest Costume Rentals intends to fill that gap.

Owned by longtime costumer Paula Rogers, Southwest Costume Rentals is designed as a one-stop-shop for productions in need of costume rentals and supplies.

Though the store primarily caters to film and stage productions, Rogers said her business also focuses on providing sewing classes to the public.

For Rogers, opening Southwest Costume Rentals is the culmination of more than two decades working in the film industry in costume departments  in fact, many of the costumes in her establishment can trace their origins to productions Rogers has worked on.

I started collecting costumes and my collection got so big I decided I needed to do something with it, she said.

Rogers said her collection steadily grew from several items to large storage trucks before moving into the warehouse space.

Currently, Rogers said she has more than 10,000 items available to rent and is adding inventory every day.

Most of the stock is made up of modern dress multiples, uniforms and period pieces, but the company also sells and rents equipment like steamers and sewing kits.

Many productions typically rent costumes from businesses based in Los Angeles, Rogers said, which means it can be difficult for productions filming in New Mexico to get their hands on specific items at the last minute.

There is a need for accessible rentals, she said.

Rogers said that while the store operates during work hours, it also can open by appointment anytime to accommodate those last-minute needs.

Aside from filling a need in the growing film industry, Rogers said she hopes that her business can also provide education, training and support for beginner costumers.

She said the business offers classes for beginner sewing techniques, design, patterning and advanced costuming. Workshop prices range from $60 to $120.

Southwest Costume Rentals is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and after hours and on the weekends by appointment.

For more information, visit southwestcostumerentals.com.
BEIRUT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the Friday missile attack on Iraq's Baghdad International Airport.

"Lebanon stands in solidarity with the brotherly Iraqi government and people in the face of repeated attacks against Iraq," the ministry said in a statement.

At least six Katyusha rockets hit the area of Baghdad International Airport on Friday, damaging a civilian plane belonging to Iraqi Airways. 
In these dire COVID times and amid a massive labor shortage, being known as a family-friendly business can be a big advantage.

It might make the difference between a hire, and the potential employee who walks away.

Were seeing a real need to highlight those things that weve been saying all along, said Giovanna Rossi, founder and CEO of Family Friendly New Mexico. I think it is really being highlighted and it is being embraced in a stronger way right now, which is great.

Aside from that considerable impact, being family friendly as a business policy offers a myriad of other benefits. Employees are happier, it helps with retention, productivity increases, and the bottom line likely will get a boost, said Julianna Silva, the nonprofits chief operating officer.

One thing I can say is businesses are now recognizing in their recruitment strategy that potential employees are coming to them and saying I noticed you are a family-friendly workplace and that is why I decide to apply, Silva said.

Family Friendly, which is seeking applicants for its next group of family-friendly awards, has impacted 247 businesses and 125,623 employees since it was formed in 2015. Awards are platinum, gold, silver and bronze. Companies are measured in such categories as paid leave, health support, work schedules, economic support and compliance with New Mexico laws that support family-friendly processes such as the Nursing Mothers Working Rights Statute, among others.

Policies that address pay equity, diversity and inclusion, and community investment come into play for recipients of the highest award, the platinum level.

At Kei and Molly Textiles in Albuquerque, which has won Family Friendly NMs gold award the last four years, there are plenty of family-friendly benefits for employees. Among them:

 Three weeks of paid vacation between Christmas and New Years Day so staff can have quality time for their families,

 An annual $500 Wellness Benefit for any health or education expenses  that includes paying employees up to two hours per child to attend parent teacher conferences,

 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. work hours that allow moms to start work after they drop off their kids for school and to pick them up after school,

 Investment in leadership development to increase job skills and wages.

Kei and Molly Textiles is not the usual American company. A supporter of immigrants and refugees, it has a staff of 13 women who were born in 10 different countries and in all speak 18 different languages. So other benefits include a monthly potluck to celebrate native foods and cultures, language development on-site to help employees prepare for the test for U.S. citizenship and a volunteer who helps employees when they run into problems, such as help registering their children in school or understanding the U.S. health care system.

I think that when businesses can really think about how to treat their employees in a way that respects their dignity and supports them in their lives is just good business sense to me, co-owner Kei Tsuzuki said.

At multiple platinum award-winning company Albuquerque Plumbing Heating and Cooling, families matter, said Laura Smith, assistant communications editor.

Family comes first at our company, Smith said. Every team member is not just part of the family in the company, but families matter. Everybodys child matters. Because we can support the families here, we can support the families in the community.

The company has about 110 employees, she said, and being family friendly has helped with employee retention.

If my son is sick, I can be with him and not have to be afraid because I am missing a meeting or whether I can make up my hours. I am able to be with my son and be with my family, Smith said. Were all team members. Nobody at our company is an employee.

Were a company that values their team members and wants to invest in them just like the invest in us, Smith said.

Family Friendly New Mexico is also planning to add leadership programs soon, according to Rossi. Thats spurred in part by trends toward four-day work weeks, remote work and flexible scheduling, in part caused by the pandemic, which has meant that managers also face change, Rossi said.

The choice between being able to make a living and being able to care for your family is real and faced by thousands of New Mexicans every day, she said. Family Friendly policies have proven to attract the best workers and engender more loyalty, dedication and productivity in the workplace.

Those policies, she said, will yield enormous long-term benefits for both employees and employers.

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LAS CRUCES  Architect Gary D. Williams may not be a Las Cruces household name, but his designs created some of the citys most notable buildings, including Organ Mountain High School (formerly Onate), the Field of Dreams and Dona Ana Community College East Mesa campus.

Williams, 71, died unexpectedly on Jan. 6.

His wife of 18 years, Judy Williams, said she wants him to be remembered by his hometown of Las Cruces, where he lived and worked for over 30 years.

Id like for people to know that hes passed, Judy said. His employees loved him dearly.

Designing a career

Williams didnt set out to be an architect.

After high school, he went to college for like six months, and his dad was pushing him to be an engineer, Judy said. He didnt like it, so he took off and he backpacked through Europe for six months.

After returning to the United States, Williams worked in construction.

Judy said he realized he could do better design than whoever was creating these projects he was working on. He went to Arizona to study architecture, graduating top of his class. He came to Las Cruces in 1988.

He said, I cant imagine doing anything else, Judy said. He loved it that much, but it was never a lifelong dream.

Williams had a love of travel, adventure and the outdoors. He believed that architecture should accentuate the nature it was built in, not replace it.

He looked up to Frank Lloyd Wright, who was known for his adaptable and sustainable work himself.

With this in mind, Williams had a mission of incorporating sustainability into his projects. His design of the New Mexico State University Alamogordo Health Services building earned LEED Gold status from the U.S. Green Building Council, which is the second-highest ranking awarded for sustainable constructions.

His son, Ian Williams, thought this was one of his favorite projects.

I know that that project had a lot of really deep significance for him in his keen interest in environmental sustainability, Ian said. I think that he viewed that as one of his most important professional accomplishments.

He saw architecture as a way to seamlessly marry an environment and functional use for human beings, so I think he really saw it as the tie in between caring for the Earth and being on the Earth responsibly, he said.

Gary Williams opened his own firm in 2001, Williams Design Group.

His designs of the Dona Ana County East Mesa campus also earned LEED Silver and Gold certifications.

Williams planning and design for Organ Mountain High School, built as Onate High in 1995, were recognized as a finalist for the prestigious MacConnell Award.

Building a family

Apart from being a great architect, Williams was also a dedicated father and husband. He has two children, Ian, 39, and Jessica, 38, who he raised primarily as a single father.

He met Judy on Sept. 25, 2002, and they immediately hit it off on a blind date. They got married on the second anniversary of their first date.

Judy had three children from her previous marriage, and she said that despite most of their children being young adults by the time they blended their families, they all became close.

Williams was known for being close with his employees. Craig Remmington, 74, recalls him as someone you want to get to know.

Remmington first met Williams in 2003 as contractor for one of his projects. He joined Williams Design Group as an employee, overseeing field operations. He worked for Williams for seven years.

He was always fair with me when I was on the contracting side and always fair with me when I went to work for him, Remmington said. He was a mover in this town to say the least.

Williams retired from designing in 2017.

Gary was widely respected among professional clients, community, colleagues and classmates, stated Williams lifetime friend Michael Rennard in a letter. That stoic demeanor belied a great sense of humor and wit. Generous to a fault, he was a consistent supporter and dedicated friend to me and most I know of  I presume all.

Williams other works include the Mustang Village in Silver City, a local soup kitchen on Amador and various chain stores, including several of Circle K convenience store locations that used to be Pik Quiks.

One of his last projects was the East Mesa Public Safety Complex, which was completed in 2017.
Modrall Sperling has hired four new attorneys.

Margaret Hickey has joined the firm as an associate attorney. Hickeys practice will focus on federal and state taxation, tax controversies, estate planning, trust and probate law, business law, nonprofit law, and real property law. Prior to practicing law, she was a licensed land title examiner and has experience with the complexities of real estate transactions. She received her master of law in taxation from New York University School of Law and her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.

Bryce Smith has joined Modrall Sperling as an associate attorney in the litigation department. Smiths practice focuses on litigation and natural resources as well as personal injury claims and commercial disputes. At the Natural Resources Department, his practice includes representing oil and gas clients before the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division. Smith received his undergraduate degrees from New Mexico State University with honors and his Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School, graduating magna cum laude.

Rachel Wisniewski has joined Modrall Sperling as an associate attorney in the firms transactions and litigation departments. Prior to practicing law, Wisniewskis career focused on all aspects of government contracting across aviation, maritime and economic development sectors. She specializes in managing complex procurements as well as contract drafting, administration and compliance. She received her undergraduate degrees from Western Washington University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Tessa Chrisman has joined Modrall Sperling as an associate attorney in the firms litigation department. Chrismans focus will be on labor and employment law, education law, personal injury and commercial disputes. She received her undergraduate degrees from the University of New Mexico, where she graduated with honors, and her Juris Doctor from the Sandra Day OConnor College of Law at Arizona State University, graduating magna cum laude. While in law school, she served as an intern with the Arizona Supreme Court Staff Attorneys Office and as a judicial extern for Judge James O. Browning at the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
Allen Bourne has a keen eye for photography.

As does Allen Morrison.

The photographers met in 2018 when Bourne signed up for a Bisti Wilderness photo tour that Morrison was leading.

That one event has led into a friendship, which has turned into a business partnership, as the pair opened Land of Enchantment Photography Art Gallery in Old Town.

Bourne and his wife made the move from Houston to Placitas three months after meeting Morrison.

Bourne has always been interested in photography.

I was in sixth grade and I was looking at Fortune magazine, Bourne recalls. It was a two-page spread. It was a blue background and it had three or four perfectly white eggs and one was cracked open. There were bright green peas coming out. It was an ad and the photography just caught my eye. It stuck with me.

The idea to open a gallery in Old Town took some planning.

Morrison says in summer 2020, he joined an area photographers co-op gallery and found a market for not only his fine art photos, but other photo services.

I knew Allens work, which tends towards the abstract, would complement mine, so I pitched him on opening a gallery of our own, Morrison says. He bought in to the business concept and we began looking for space.

Talking to some Old Town retailers shortly after that, Bourne found out that the space in Patio Escondido might be coming available. Turns out it was, and the two Allens jumped on the opportunity.

Bourne says as the business name suggests, the focus will be on scenes of New Mexico, providing visitors with the opportunity to take home an affordable, yet unique visual reminder of their visit.

Well also offer images that capture the broader spirit of the Southwest, as well as abstract work that goes beyond those borders, Bourne says. More importantly, we hope to make our historic spot in Old Town a source for local interior designers looking for unique works to enhance their clients living spaces, especially couples who have recently moved into northern New Mexico.

Bourne hopes the gallery will also become a hub where local and visiting photographers come for ideas on how to enliven their own images.

Its about building and being part of the community, Bourne says. Its important to keep communication open with other like-minded creative people.

Inside the gallery, there are portraits of everything New Mexico  flora and fauna, as well as the Rail Yards in Downtown or landscape photography.

Morrison left a job in human relations to spend more time ballooning with his wife, Peggy Billson, who is also a safety director with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Bourne retired from a career in advertising and marketing. He is always carrying his camera with him.

When I got hiking there are times Im like, Wow, look at that,  Bourne says. Ill get inspiration from everything around me. For me, the next phase for me is how to combine other images that I have together. Ive been trying to capture a moonrise over Cabezon Peak. So Ive been watching that for the past couple of weeks.
The movie industry isnt the only thing migrating to New Mexico from the Los Angeles area.

So are tourists, according to state officials.

The New Mexico Department of Tourism announced earlier this month that its New Mexico True media campaign in Los Angeles, which started in May 2021, was a success. According to a news release, the advertising resulted in an estimated 80,000 leisure trips and millions of dollars crossed the borders with them.

Cody Johnson, communications director for the tourism department, said the state conducted a return on investment study to determine whether the advertising had any impact. The state invested $1.9 million into the Los Angeles campaign. Johnson said based on survey responses in the study, the department estimates that trips from Los Angeles visitors generated $107 million in spending in 2021.

Advertising included digital and static billboards, targeted advertising online, and within social media and streaming apps.

The New Mexico Tourism Department is tasked with strategically investing our advertising dollars that yield the greatest return for New Mexico, said tourism secretary Jen Paul Schroer in a news release. And the results from this study demonstrate how our data-driven approach to advertising is delivering for New Mexicans.

Those surveyed liked that the advertising portrayed authentic experiences, highlighted great outdoor adventures and made the state seem welcoming to others.

Although Los Angeles is within a days drive and has a large population, it was not an area the department had been targeting recently, Johnson said. The most recent targeted markets were San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Austin, Texas. The pandemic, Johnson said, put a pause on tourism, but it gave the department time to study perspective markets. That feedback pointed to Los Angeles.

When deciding where to advertise, Johnson said the department looks at a few variables.

It (the market) needs to have direct flight access to New Mexico, he said. Thats important. We also want to make sure there is a healthy amount of travelers there that we want. We want the adventuresome traveler. People that seek cultural experiences off the beaten path and find a lot of appeal in what we (New Mexico) has to offer.

Anecdotally, Johnson said during Balloon Fiesta, they also surveyed people who came to their booth asking where they were from. New Mexico was, of course, first, followed by Texas and then California. Overall, Johnson said visitor spending in New Mexico returned to prepandemic levels in September 2021.

Johnson said the success of the Los Angeles campaign has the department considering expanding its California advertising to the Bay Area, but that will depend on available funding.

New Mexico is adventure steeped in culture, Johnson said. What makes New Mexico different is we have these unparalleled cultural experiences that we can tie to outdoor experiences. If you want to experience those things together, you have to come here.
Mystery writer Mark Edward Langley said he learned about setting from reading Tony Hillerman, about action from Mickey Spillane, about dialogue from Robert B. Parker and about plotting from John D. MacDonald.

And from Ernest Hemingway, well, its Hemingway, the 61-year-old Langley said in a phone interview from his Indiana home.

Langleys novels are set in New Mexico. The third and most recent novel in Langleys Arthur Nakai Mystery series is When Silence Screams.

Nakai, a Navajo, is a newly-minted private investigator. He is hired to track down 19-year-old April Manygoats, who has gone missing. She disappeared in Santa Fe six months earlier when her parents were selling jewelry under the portal at the Palace of the Governors. The mother tells Nakai that April went for some gelato and never returned. That was six months ago.

The search for April leads Nakai to investigate a tangle of sex trafficking and prostitution involving preteen, teenage and 20-something females.

Nakai meets with a Santa Fe cop, then visits a womens shelter in Albuquerque, whose director remembers helping April. She said April ran away from the shelter before contacting her parents. The director tells Nakai to find Jonzell, a porn photographer and hireling of a local prostitution kingpin.

April isnt the only victim of abuse Nakai hears about or encounters.

Theres Lucy Nez, age 15, who disappears while riding her bicycle home after hanging out with a friend on the Navajo Reservation. Lucy and April eventually find themselves sharing a dungeon-like cell.

Theres Alyssa, a young Latina wearing a bralette and panties when Nakai invades Jonzells motel room. Nakai convinces Alyssa, who proclaims shes unloved, to leave just as Jonzell is planning to make a porn flick with her.

Theres Nikki, who hustles drinks and sex in the kingpins bar,  using all the seductive prowess of a 13-year-old professional.

Posing as a client, Nakai meets her at the kingpins den in the North Valley.

A sidebar unrelated to Nakais pursuit of April has Navajo police looking into the murder of Angelina Martinez, a woman in her early 20s, whose body they find at the edge of a lake not far from Shiprock.

The back of her head had been bludgeoned and her forehead, nose and jaw crushed with a vengeance. Whats more, she was pregnant. The baby had been crudely cut out of the womans abdomen and may be alive.

Advisory: The book has a surfeit of scenes using graphic language describing sexual abuse, brutality, captivity, all suffused with degradation.

Langley explained why he felt the need to incorporate so much graphic language.

People need to understand what actually goes on. If it upsets some people, thats fine by me. I cant gloss over the gravity of it, Langley said.

You have to have characters you love to hate and you have to be as real as can be without being super-graphic. I could have gotten more graphic.

The narrative could have benefited from more editing. Late in the novel, Langleys writing solidifies when he turns Nakai into a blazing, heroic action figure with his wolf-dog Akis. He tracks April from truck stops in Albuquerque and Milan to a remote home in northwest New Mexico where he leads a daring rescue operation. A few hours later Nakai is back in the Duke City organizing the police-backed takedown of the prostitution czar.

Langley dedicated When Silence Screams to the 5,712 Indigenous women and girls reported missing or murdered during 2016. He said he is donating a portion of the proceeds of the books sales to the non-profit organization Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA. Its website is mmiwusa.org.

BOOK OF THE WEEK
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The protege of Rich the Kid, whose real name is Dexter Gore Jr., is taken into police custody after violating protective order in a domestic violence case involving his former girlfriend.

Jan 29, 2022

AceShowbiz - Famous Dex will spend his time behind bars anytime soon. Having been arrested for violating a protective order in a domestic violence case involving his former girlfriend, the "Rich Forever" spitter reportedly was sentenced to 180 days in jail.

Bringing up the report was DJ Akademiks on Friday, January 28. "Breaking: Famous Dex taken into custody and will serve 180 days in LA county jail for violating protective order against his ex-girlfriend for a second time," so read the post shared on Twitter and Instagram.

Akademiks went on to note that the protege of Rich the Kid "must wear a GPS ankle monitor that will go off if he ever goes within 500 yards of her home."

Dex, whose real name is Dexter Gore Jr., was previously taken into custody for violating the protective order in June 2021. Later in September, he was sentenced to 364 days behind bars without bail for domestic violence and gun charges.

However, it didn't take long for the "Pick It Up" rapper to get his freedom back. Just a couple of days after he received his prison sentence, the hip-hop star was released from the Men's Central jail in Los Angeles.

Dex had been in and out of trouble with police for the past few years. Following his arrest in March, he's facing a total of 19 criminal counts. At the time, he was busted for carrying a loaded gun, which was found under his passenger seat during a traffic stop in Los Angeles.

Back in November 2020, Dex was also involved in another incident with a woman, when the authorities responded to a call about a domestic disturbance and found his alleged victim with cuts. At the time, S.W.A.T. (special weapons and tactics) officials had to be called in as Dex was suspected to have barricaded himself indoors with guns. He was then charged with domestic violence, weapon possession, dissuading a victim from reporting a crime and defacing property.
WENN/Carrie Devorah/Daniel Dem Celebrity

In her new documentary, Janet Jackson and her brother Randy recall the big parties they had after moving to California and their encounter with the Starman himself.

Jan 29, 2022

AceShowbiz - Michael Jackson almost got introduced to drugs at an early age. According to his brother Randy Jackson (II), David Bowie offered him and his elder brother drugs at one of the parties they had when they were young.

In Janet Jackson's new eponymous documentary that premieres on Lifetime and A&E in two parts over Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, Janet and her brother Randy talk about the culture shock they experienced after their family moved from a two-bedroom house in Gary, Indiana, to a three-acre home in Los Angeles in 1971. They would regularly host parties which were attended by big stars like Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross.

"We had three acres, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a badminton court. We used to have parties all the time, all the entertainers would be there," Janet recalls, before starting the story about their encounter with David.

"I remember one of the parties that we had, [David Bowie] came," she says, before adding, "and I guess to get away from everyone he was looking for a little room." As the English rockstar went in search of a private spot, he ran into two of the Jackson brothers.

Randy then continues the story. "Michael and I are sitting in one of the other rooms away from the party. Bowie walks in and ..." he says with a laugh. "He offered us some of what he was doing to get high. We just looked at each other like, no, we didn't no what it was. 'No thank you!' "

Regardless their big name in the industry, the Jackson family wasn't so welcomed in the neighborhood as they were the first black family to move into the neighborhood. "They had this petition going around, so that we wouldn't be in the neighborhood," Janet shares, before opening up about some of the other racist discrimination she experienced after the Encino transfer.

"I remember walking down the street and being called the N-word, someone driving by, yelling it out, be told to go back home to your country," she says. "Feeling it at school with some of the teachers and some of the kids, touching your hair because your hair was different from theirs. Or your skin, rubbing it. 'Does that come off?' 'No, does yours.' I didn't have a lot of friends. I had a couple. But my closest were my brothers and sisters."
Instagram Celebrity

In addition to calling out his fellow Marvel star in a subtle way, the 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' star urges the media to 'stop highlighting opinions that are not rooted in facts or science.'

Jan 29, 2022

AceShowbiz - Simu Liu appeared to call out Evangeline Lilly for attending an anti-vaccination rally. Just hours after his fellow Marvel star posted in protest of vaccine mandates, the "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" star took to social media to encourage people to get vaccinated.

"I lost my grandparents to COVID last year. They were still waiting for their vaccines," the 32-year-old actor tweeted on Thursday, January 27. He went on to reveal that he recently caught the deadly virus but the vaccine has helped him. "I'm fortunate to have been double-vaccinated and boosted when I got COVID 2 weeks ago. Felt like a cold."

Simu went on to say that the media "needs to stop spotlighting opinions that are not rooted in facts or science." In a following Twitter post, the "One True Loves" star noted, "As a @UNICEFCanada ambassador, I have seen the organization's efforts to deliver vaccines to underprivileged families around the world," adding that it's "a reminder of how lucky we are to be living in places where vaccine delivery and storage are not an issue." He then concluded his post, "Please, PLEASE appreciate that."

Simu Liu seemed to call out Evangeline Lilly after her anti-vax post.

Simu's social media post came just hours after Evangeline spoke out against vaccine mandates. The actress, who joined a protest in Washington D.C. this weekend, wrote in an Instagram post, "I believe nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything, against their will, under threat of: violent attack, arrest or detention without trial, loss of employment, homelessness, starvation, loss of education, alienation from loved ones, excommunication from society under any threat whatsoever."

"This is not the way. This is not safe. This is not healthy. This is not love. I understand the world is in fear, but I don't believe that answering fear with force will fix our problems," Evangeline, who portrays Hope van Dyne / Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stressed. "I was pro choice before COVID and I am still pro choice today."

Evangeline's fans, however, claimed that the actress is not anti vaccine despite protesting vaccine mandates. "She's not anti-vax, she's anti-vax mandate. FYI she is vaccinated," one fan claimed. Another argued, "Evangeline is vaccinated she just doesn't think things should be forced." Someone else similarly said, "She's not against the vaccine. She's against mandates."
Instagram Celebrity

After being accused of making her derriere larger in a social media post, the former star of 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' deletes the alleged photoshopped image.

Jan 29, 2022

AceShowbiz - Kourtney Kardashian has defended herself after facing backlash over her alleged photoshopped racy snapshot. Responding to the accusations, the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum insisted that it was "a fan edit."

On Friday, January 28, the 42-year-old reality TV star reshared a now-deleted image of herself on her Instagram Story. In the photo, the Poosh founder, who sat with a glass of wine in hand, posed with her back to the camera while dressed in a leopard print dress. She appeared to have made her butt look larger than normal in the alleged photoshopped snap.

"OMG R U SERIOUS THIS IS A FAN EDIT," Kourtney wrote over the picture, responding to the criticism. The TV personality then used the opportunity to promote her brand, saying, "FOR BETTER WAYS TO USE YOUR TIME, INSTEAD OF ANALYZING EDITS OF ME, follow @poosh," along with a bunch of laughing with tears emoji.

Kourtney Kardashian denied claims that she photoshopped her sexy snap.

Kourtney decided to delete the initial photo shortly after she faced backlash from social media critics, with many accusing her of heavily editing her body. "What in the what, whyyyy? This has to be a joke," wrote one person, while another added, "At this point the bad photoshop must be intentional."

"She really thought she would get away with this and everyone would be like, 'Yeah that's real Kourtney!' " a separate person pointed out. "This is embarrassing," agreed another. Someone else said, "She has the weirdest body shape, and she did it on purpose."

Kourtney's sexy Instagram post came two days after her sister Kim Kardashian quickly deleted one of her sizzling Instagram snaps after being accused of photoshopping her figure. At the time, the SKIMS founder treated her fans to a series of her bikini images from her recent Bahamas getaway with Pete Davidson.

However, eagle-eyed followers were quick to notice that her back leg looked distorted in one image, with a curve appearing behind her knee. After Kim reuploaded her post without the picture in question, fans flocked to the comment section. "She deleted it on her post that s**t is a diaper," one person remarked. Another added, "She really did and all the comments associated with the tweaked leg. Lol."
SANAA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi militia said it launched a ballistic missile at the Yemeni government army in the southeastern province of Shabwa on Saturday morning, killing and injuring at least 40 soldiers.

The missile targeted the gathering of the soldiers in the Usaylan district in northern Shabwa, Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea said.

There was no comment yet from the government over the Houthi attack.

On Thursday, the Houthi militia claimed responsibility for another ballistic missile attack on the province of Marib to the north of Shabwa, which killed seven people, according to government health officials.

The Houthi militia has intensified missile attacks on Shabwa and Marib after it had lost several strategic districts in both oil-rich provinces this month after deadly fighting against the government army.

The Houthi militia also launched more cross-border ballistic missile attacks on airports and facilities inside Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the latter of which is a key member of a Saudi-led Arab coalition backing the Yemeni army. 
Instagram Celebrity

The Sydney depicter in 'House Party' film series reveals that the incident took place when she was about to go home after filming a project in a place that didn't have Ubers.

Jan 29, 2022

AceShowbiz - Tisha Campbell has taken a look back at the time when she was almost "snatched up" by alleged sex traffickers. The Sydney depicter in "House Party" film series shared her horrifying story in an Instagram video that she posted on Friday, January 28.

"Don't freak out, but I think I almost got snatched up," the 53-year-old said in the clip. "So, they don't have Ubers where I'm filming and I had to call a taxi. So I get this number, but the truck - van that pulls up looks real sketchy. But there's a guy in the back seat, right? So when he jumps out, the guy is just standing there."

"I look inside the car, it's f**ked up. The rubber is pulled up from the bottom, there's dirt everywhere, the back seat looked like it was snatched out and snatched out for a f**king reason," Tisha continued recounting. She said that the driver later told her to enter the car, while the other man suggested she get in the backseat.

After Tisha refused to do so, one of the men told her to "get in the front seat," to which she replied, "I'm not getting in the f**kin' car. F**k y'all." She later fumed, "Yo, this trafficking s**t is real. They got me f**ked up, 'cause I ain't Gina, b***h," referring to her character on "Martin".

In the caption, the "Blindspotting" actress noted, "This was a video I sent to my brother right after it happened but I felt it important for ppl to be aware." She added, "I need for EVERYONE to be overly conscious of themselves and their loved ones. As Tonidrivera says it's SHOPPING SEASON where traffickers try to snatch ppl up!!!"

"If I wasn't from Newark boyyyyy If Tony Rivera hadn't schooled me and my friends on what to look for, S**T would've been real different. PLUS I don't sound like I look," she went on elaborating. "Also I am thankful to the production for their concern and their understanding."

"What's crazy is I went back to the front desk, the guy that gave me the taxi number wasn't there. I asked the woman where he was. She looks at the number and says, 'why would he give you this number? This isn't the normal number,' " Tisha recalled. "It was a set up fo real."
CNBC-TV18 is gearing up once again for the most comprehensive coverage and analysis of the most awaited financial event in the country  the Union Budget 2022, to be presented by the Hon. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, on February 1.

Growth is the underlying theme and expectation from this Budget, and hence the channel has curated its programming under the theme BOOSTER FOR GROWTH. As a run up to the Budget presentation, the channel has presented detailed analysis, views and insights on the nations economic journey, and the expectations from this Budget with CNBC-TV18s own Budget specialists along with the most influential voices in the country.

This years focus areas are - Manufacturing, with the government's productivity linked incentive (PLI) schemes being the crucial point of discussion, along with Infrastructure and Growth. Rural India and Agriculture are another key area of interest with focus on MSME growth, and the outlay for the NREGA scheme. Like every year, Personal Finance and Taxation remain a key area of focus as well.

CNBC-TV18s exclusive pre-Budget shows, namely, What The Market Wants, Budget Brainstorm, Budget Countdown and What The World Wants, have engaged with experts, business personalities, policy-makers, economists and market veterans shedding light on their hopes and predictions from the upcoming Budget. To put the spotlight on the sentiments of India Inc. and businesses at large, the channel has curated CEO Poll specials with research partners. Additionally, the Economic Survey special will offer a comprehensive view of the government's annual survey. Through Budget Caravan, CNBC-TV18s reporters have tapped into the pulse of the country before the Budget with stories around subjects that impact the masses at large.

For the Budget Day, the channel will offer a power-packed line-up of representatives from Government Ministries, Markets, and India Inc., to take a deep-dive into the FMs Budget speech. There will be a star panel of experts such as, Sanjiv Mehta (HUL), Deepak Parekh (HDFC), Raamdeo Agarwal (Motilal Oswal Financial Services), Madhu Kela (MK Ventures), Shankar Sharma (market veteran), TV Narendran (TATA Steel), Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog) and Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Advisor among others, bringing their expertise in decoding the Budget and its implications.

Additionally, to engage with the younger audiences, the channel has been roping in some of the most popular social media financial influencers - Rachana Ranade, Pranjal Kamra, Anmol Sharma and Sharan Hegde  to interact with CNBC-TV18s leading anchors, and break down the jargons and complexities of the Budget for easier understanding.

Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor, CNBC-TV18 said, For over two decades, CNBC-TV18 has analysed the Budget fine print and explained its impact on the economy, business, markets and the common citizen. Leading up to the Budget Day, we have curated exclusive shows with a focus on the Budget promises made last year and the implementation. We have put the spotlight on sectoral wish lists from Manufacturing, Banking, Markets, MSMEs, and more. We have brought together the most credible and influential voices to help draw up an agenda for action to spur economic growth.

Smriti Mehra, CEO - Business News, Network18, said, The Budget period is a great opportunity for us to reinstate our promise of being a trusted investment ally to our audience. With the line-up of shows till date, and the analysis of Budget on February 1, we aim to equip our audience with information that is relevant and useful to them in their financial journey. For Union Budget 2022, we have partnered with some of the most renowned brands such as, Life Insurance Corporation of India - Co-Presenting Sponsor; Mahindra Thar - Driven By Sponsor, and Snapdeal - Co-Powered By Sponsor. Apart from these, we also have on-board State Bank of India, Toshiba, Campus Activewear, Bandhan Bank, Lenovo, ZOOM, AU Small Finance Bank, Biz2X and EaseMyTrip.com as Associate Sponsors.

Tune-in to CNBC-TV18 to catch the FMs Speech LIVE on 1st Feb, 11AM onwards.
Virginia Sharma, Vice President of Brand Solutions, has left JioSaavn. She disclosed her exit via a LinkedIn post.

With more than twenty years of experience in sales and marketing, Sharma has also worked with IBM for more than 15 years in various global and regional roles, including India Vice President of Marketing and Communications before joining LinkedIn Asia Pacific in 2014.

Sharma joined JioSaavn as a Sales Director, Marketing Solutions in May 2020 in the Gurgaon office. Her key responsibility was the companys global digital ad monetisation efforts across platforms, driving the adoption of JioSaavns innovative advertising solutions for brands, simultaneously overseeing agency and client relationships.

Virginia said in her LinkedIn post: "Wrapping up an incredible 2 year journey at JioSaavn for Brands with a little victory dance! Today is my last day, and I am leaving feeling grateful and satisfied with my contributions to the team and our clients. We delivered double digit revenue growth throughout the pandemic and have built a world class full stack digital sales and customer success organization. Thank you to the founders of JioSaavn Vinodh B, Rishi Malhotra, and Paramdeep Singh for giving me this incredible opportunity!"

About her next move, she added: "Over the next few weeks, I will be investing in my mom's recovery after her month-long hospital stay and preparing for my EFPM Doctoral Defense. More on my #nextplay in the coming weeks!"

She holds a Doctorate degree in Business Administration from Indian School of Business specializing in strategy and leadership.
In depth: Lens on BARC  Of transparency, oversight, and global examples

The credibility of BARC has been under the scanner ever since the infamous TRP malpractices came to the fore. What is the way out of the mess? What will it take BARC to be geared to meet the industry expectations regarding news channel ratings? Are there any global practices worth emulating? Adgully takes a deep dive into the issue.

Thums Up starts a new innings in cricket with Jasprit Bumrahs thunder

The strength of this campaign therefore is in grasping his appeal correctly (with all the nuances of his shorter run-up) and making it flow utterly seamless with the iconicity of the brand itself. What it also benefits from is its own Palat De platform that was already set up brilliantly during the last Olympics. Full marks for executing this as per expectation.

Winners of inaugural edition of Leader 2.0 Awards 2022 announced

Winners of the first edition of Leader 2.0 Awards 2022 were announced on January 24, 2022 at a virtual event. Held by Adgully and presented by Times Now Navbharat, Leader 2.0 Awards 2022 seek to recognise emerging leaders of the industry who are charting a trailblazing course. Ankur Media was the Gold Partner, while Gifting Partners were The Beard Story, Gentlemen and The Skin Story.

Q4 2021 records highest ad volumes since 2019 with bumper festive spike: BARC

Over 4,000 brands advertised on television in December 2021, which also witnessed 19% new advertisers and brands on TV. E-commerce, BFSI, Retail & Textiles witnessed the sharpest growth over previous years, which was more than 40% over 2019. Corporate/ Brand Image was up 42% over 2020.

Trust is a new currency of brand differentiation for automobiles: Shashank Srivastava

In conversation with Adgully, Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, speaks at length about the Tarakki Aapki, Saath Hamara campaign, the overview of the automobile sector in 2021, Marutis focus areas and much more.

Speed to market will become a barometer of success: Ajay Kakar

In conversation with Adgully, Ajay Kakar, CMO, Aditya Birla Capital, speaks about the trends that are expected to dominate the FinTech sector in 2022, the challenges and new opportunities emerging in this sector in the year ahead, and more.

Resetting leadership vision in the post-pandemic times

Adgullys latest #GullyChat Twitter chat episode covered the very important topic  Resetting leadership vision in the post-pandemic times.

Todays leadership is about is about influencing the influencers: Ajay Kakar

Speaking on New Leaders, New Opportunities and New world, Ajay Kakar, CMO, Aditya Birla Group, said, Within my generation, I have seen how an STD booth was the tech through which we reached out to speak to people. Its not very far back that we use private telephones to reach out to people and communicate with them.

"Without further Covid interruptions, Indian ad industry will see 35% growth in 2022"

In conversation with Adgully, Anurag Bansal, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer, DDB Mudra Group, speaks about his expectations for the advertising and media sector in 2022, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.

Winning in the zero experience age: Tuhina Pandey

Speaking on the topic Winning in the zero experience age, Tuhina Pandey, Communications Leader, IBM Global Digital Sales and India & South Asia, noted peoples tendency to claim having n number of years of experience in one field or the other, and added that in todays market scenario, no one can claim that they have a lot of experience.

Medibuddys Ashish Bajaj on the New Leadership Rules of the new normal

Sharing his thoughts on inspiring teams working remotely in his keynote address on New Leadership Rules, Ashish Bajaj, Head of Marketing, Medibuddy, spoke about the learning and unlearning experiences in the last two years of the pandemic , accepting the new normal and the digital transformation.

"Thought leaders are an essential component of pharma communication"

In conversation with Adgully, Magline Rufina F R, Director  Communications, Boehringer Ingelheim India, speaks about how pharma communication has evolved over the years and what changes the pandemic period has brought about in this field.

Rooters Piyush Kumar on why product-market fix is crucial for success

Speaking on Finding the product market for your company, Piyush Kumar, Founder & CEO, Rooter, a game streaming platform, said, One of the biggest categories that has come out of the entire Covid situation and the lockdown is gaming, where almost everybody is either playing games or is watching some of the other content, which is where Rooter comes in.

How to prepare Leader 2.0 under the shadow of Web 3.0?

In her keynote address on Fueling aspirations amongst the youth of the nation, Vishakha Singh, Vice President, WazirX NFT Marketplace, touched upon a wide array of current issues such as how the pandemic period has impacted the youth of the nation, Web 3.0, Metaverse, NFTs and more.

The conservative approaches to target rural areas are fast changing

For Mimi Deb, Senior VP, Zenith, hyperlocalisaticon is the way video streaming is going to evolve in the coming years to cater to the 500 million+ audiences which is being predicted by experts by 2026.

De Beers is on a journey to transform itself into a purpose-led brand: Toranj Mehta

Speaking to Adgully, Toranj Mehta, Director - Marketing, De Beers Forevermark, speaks at length about the creation of the I Do campaign, engaging with consumers across geographies, outlook for 2022, and more.

DB Corps Q3 FY2022 revenues up 10.6% at Rs 5,495 mn, but net profit sees decline

EBIDTA stood at Rs 1,459 million (27% margin) as against Rs 1,679 million (margin of 34%), aided by stringent cost control measures and despite large digital business investment for future growth. The EBITDA for the Print Business in Q3 FY2022 came in at Rs 1,590 million (with an EBIDTA margin of 31%). YTD December 21 Print Business EBIDTA grew by around 30% YOY at Rs 3,190 million as against Rs 2,460 million, with EBIDTA margin expanded by 150 basis points YOY.

Poker in India is just entering its golden era and we want to lead the charge

In conversation with Adgully, Varun Ganjoo, Co-Founder & Marketing Director, Baazi Games, about how Baazi Games have positioned itself with Out of the Box Games like Online Poker and Card Games, insights on the growth trajectory of the gaming industry in India, and much more.

Decoding the new wave of leadership in a volatile world

Speaking on the topic New Thoughts, New Wave of Leadership in a volatile world, Gaurav Khatri, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Noise, noted how keeping oneself safe and healthy has now become the most pressing issue that ever before in the last two years.

Using first-party data to create relevant personalised experiences

With Google set to phase out third-party cookie on Chrome browsers by the end of 2022, advertisers and marketers have to bring in newer ways to track data.

This has already led to an increase in the adoption of first party data by advertisers. First party cookies are those that are generated by the host domain or data that is collected directly by the advertisers from the users or their consumers.

How Quora is giving an edge to advertisers with over 100 mn monthly visitors in India

Over 6.2 million students visit Quora monthly, but for many users, education doesnt stop at graduation. In fact, for Quorans in India: 78% of users are interested in upskilling themselves, and 70% of the users use the Internet to learn new things.
Also, on page 129, the answer is clear: The CDC and a 1977 study by McKinlay and McKinlay found: Both CDC and the McKinlays attributed the disappearance of infectious disease mortalities not to doctors and health officials, but to improved nutrition and sanitationthe latter credited to strict regulation of food preparation, electric refrigerators, sewage treatment, and chlorinated water. The McKinlays joined Harvards iconic infectious disease pioneer, Edward Kass, in warning that a self-serving medical cartel would one day try to claim credit for these public health improvements as a pretense for imposing unwarranted medical interventions (e.g., vaccines) on the American public. (That prediction was totally accurate. Most of the public now believes that the vaccines were the saviors because that lie has been repeated ad nauseum.) As the McKinlays and Kass had predicted, vaccinologists successfully hijacked the astonishing success story  the dramatic 74 percent decline in infectious disease mortalities of the first half of the twentieth century  and deployed it to claim for themselves and particularly for vaccines, a revered and sanctified  and scientifically undeserving -- prestige beyond criticism, questioning, or debate. (The winners were better nutrition  fresh fruits and vegetables available year-round  and substantial improvements in sanitation. These factors were responsible for reducing infectious disease mortality to near zero. The claim that vaccines caused this decrease is false but is widely promoted by Big Pharma.)

The answer is no. On page 129, Kennedy provides the evidence: An exhaustive 2000 study by CDC and Johns Hopkins scientists published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, concluded, Thus vaccination does not account for the impressive declines in infectious disease mortality seen in the first half of the [20 th ] century  nearly 90 percent of the decline in infectious disease mortality among U.S. children occurred before 1940, when few antibiotics or vaccines were available.

Kennedy describes Dr. Faucis main focus on page 122: Over the last fifty years at NIH, Dr. Fauci has played a leading role in Big Pharmas engineered demolition of American health and democracy, working hand in glove with pharmaceutical companies to overcome federal regulatory obstacles and transform the NIH and NIAID into a single-minded vehicle for development, promotion, and marketing of patented pharmaceutical products, including vaccines and vaccine-like products.

On page 122, Kennedy describes what has happened: Dr. Fauci has done almost nothing to advance NIAIDs core obligation of researching the causes of the devastating explosions in epidemics of chronic allergic and autoimmune diseases that, under his tenure, have mushroomed to affect 54 percent of children, up from 12.8 percent when he took charge of NIAID in 1984. While ignoring the explosion of allergic conditions, Dr. Fauci has instead reshaped NIAID into the leading incubator for new pharmaceutical products, many of which, ironically, profit from the cascading chronic disease pandemic.

This article covers highlights from the second hundred pages of this 445-page book. Readers are encouraged to use the page references to read before and after the quotes to put things in context and to track down the references if more information is desired. My comments will appear in parentheses.

On pages 130 and 131: That year federal regulators concocted a fake swine flu epidemic that temporarily raised hopes around CDC for the resurrection of its reputation as a life-saving superhero  But the swine flu pandemic was a dud, and HHSs response was a global embarrassment. Only one casualty  a soldier at Fort Dix  succumbed to the pandemic, and Mercks experimental vaccine triggered a national epidemic of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a devastating form of paralysis resembling polio, before regulators recalled the jab  Sixty Minutes aired a scathing segment in which Mike Wallace mercilessly exposed the corruption, incompetence, and cover-ups at HHS that led to the phony swine flu pandemic and the wave of casualties from NIHs experimental vaccine. The scandal forced the resignation of CDC Director David Sencer for his role in concocting the phony pandemic and pushing the dangerous vaccine.

AZT For AIDS

Azidothymidine, known as AZT, was originally developed as a chemotherapy drug to treat leukemia. The story of AZT and how it came to be an AIDS drug is told on pages 148-150: FDA abandoned the toxic chemotherapy compound after it proved ineffective against cancer and breathtakingly lethal in mice. Government researchers deemed it too toxic even for short-term regimen cancer chemotherapy. After HIV was identified as the probable cause of AIDS, Dr. Fauci began to promote AZT as a possible AIDS drug. But it did not go smoothly  AZTs horrendous toxicity hobbled researchers struggling to design study protocols that would make it appear either safe or effective. Meanwhile, Community doctors were achieving promising results with off-label therapeutic drugs that seemed effective against the constellation of symptoms that actually killed and tormented people with AIDS  Despite years of pleading by the HIV community, Dr. Fauci refused to test any of those repurposed drugs. One of NCIs top virologists, Dr. Frank Ruscetti had this to say: We could have saved millions of lives with repurposed and therapeutic drugs. But theres no profit in it. Its all got to be about newly patented antivirals and their mischievous vaccines.

Dallas Buyers Club to the rescue

The movie Dallas Buyers Club with Matthew McConaughey tells the story of this time in history. Melisa Wallack and Craig Borten received Oscar nominations for their script. Page 152-153 picks up the story: Dr. Faucis campaign to sabotage therapeutic remedies played a key role in precipitating the emergence of the underground medical network. So-called Buyers Clubs filled the vacuum by providing treatments that community doctors and their patients considered effective against AIDS, but that FDA refused to approve. Dr. Fauci was a liar. Recalls Wallack, who researched Dr. Fauci intensively for her film. He was utterly beholden to pharmaceutical companies and was hostile to any product that would compete with AZT. He was the real villain of this era. He cost a lot of people their lives.

Discrediting Promising AIDS Drug with Fake Clinical Trial

One of the most promising AIDS drugs was AL 721. Here is the story on page 160: AIDS activists afterward learned that at the same time Dr. Fauci was telling them and Senator Kennedys office that he was finally testing AL 721, Teflon Tony was confiding to his Pharma Pls [Principal Investigators] that he had rigged the AL 721 studies to fail. I wanted to debunk it, he assured them. Just as he would do with hydroxychloroquine during the COVID crisis thirty years later, he designed his AL 721 clinical trials in a way that would ensure their failure and thus discredit the unpatentable medicine. (It is difficult not to feel a sense of deja-vu when we see that the same actions and tactics used during the early AIDS crisis are eerily repeated during the ongoing COVID crisis.)

Template for Getting Dangerous and Ineffective Drugs Approved

On page 172-173: His success at using the AIDS crisis to bring a deadly, toxic, and ineffective AIDS drug to market taught Dr. Fauci some key career lessons that he would faithfully repeat again and again throughout his long regime. During his battle to win FDA approval for AZT, Dr. Fauci pioneered the strategy upon which he would build his career and then showcase for the world during the COVID epidemic. Kennedy then lists 30 bullet points detailing how this strategy was carried out.

The HIV Heresies

In Chapter 5 beginning on page 178, Kennedy covers the ongoing controversy on the relationship of HIV and AIDS. There are many people with AIDS who dont have HIV in their blood and there are many people with HIV who never develop AIDS. There seems to be much more to AIDS than just HIV. More on the HIV/AIDS hypothesis will be covered in Part 3.

I have covered a tiny fraction of the material in the second hundred pages of this fantastic 445-page book. For those interested in this subject, the book is engrossing and highly recommended for page by page cover to cover reading. I hope to cover the rest of the book in two more articles.

About the author: Dr. William H. Gaunt is a retired Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa. He was a U. S. Navy helicopter pilot and later an instructor pilot for the Iranian Navy and the Saudi Arabian Air Force before attending medical school at Bastyr University near Seattle, Washington. Dr. Gaunt graduated with honors in 1983. He has also taught chemistry, biology, and anatomy at high school and college levels and published several articles related to vaccines. Dr. Gaunt and his wife have a blended family of eight boys plus a girl adopted from China. Contact information for the author: billandsusan830@gmail.com



PART 1





The Real Anthony Fauci, from Skyhorse Publishing



By Dr. William H. Gaunt, NMD

Format of this article

This article will cover highlights from the first 100 pages of this 445-page book. Future articles will cover the rest. The plan is to list page numbers so those who have the book can read more about each nugget and look up the references if they want more information. My comments will appear in parenthesis.

An Authors Take on Kennedys Book

Best-selling author James Howard Kunstler ( The Long Emergency and several other books) describes The Real Anthony Fauci as A massive book about Faucis unholy career at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a virtual prosecution manual, meticulously annotated, that will be used in countless lawsuits against Dr. Fauci, his colleagues who outlive him, and the many agencies and NGOs and perhaps in actual criminal trials of these well-known perps. (Is this derogatory quote justified? Read on.)

What is Regulatory Capture?

This quote is from page XV of the introduction. Kennedy explains: Regulatory capture is the process by which the regulator becomes beholden to the industry its meant to regulate ... From the moment of my reluctant entrance into the vaccine debate in 2005, I was astonished to realize that the pervasive web of deep financial entanglements between Pharma and the government health agencies had put regulatory capture on steroids. (The CDC, FDA, and other regulators no longer protect the people from rapacious pharma corporations. They now protect these corporations from the people.)

Early Treatment Options Ignored

On page 8, Dr Peter McCullough, MD observes that We could have dramatically reduced COVID fatalities and hospitalizations using early treatment protocols and repurposed drugs including ivermectin (IVM) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and many, many othersHundreds of peer-reviewed studies now show that early treatment could have averted some 80 percent of deaths attributed to COVIDbut for Dr. Faucis hard-headed tunnel vision on new vaccines and Remdesivir. (We will see that the use of cheap and highly effective drugs was not only ignored but was aggressively suppressed.)

Killing Hydroxychloroquine

On page 19, Kennedy explains that Dr. Fauci led an effort to deliberately derail Americas access to lifesaving drugs and medicines that might have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and dramatically shortened the pandemicFrom the outset, HCQ and other therapeutics posed an existential threat to Dr. Fauci and Bill Gates $48 billion COVID vaccine project, and particularly to their vanity drug Remdesivir, in which Gates has a large stake. On page 21 there is more information on HCQ: Some 200 peer-reviewed studies (C19Study.com) by government and independent researchers deem HCQ safe and effective against Coronavirus, especially when taken prophylactically or when in the initial stages of illness along with zinc and Zithromax. (HCQ and other effective and cheap drugs had to be suppressed in order to sell more vaccines and Remdesivir.)

More on page 26: Dr. Fauci, Bill Gates, and WHO financed a cadre of research mercenaries to concoct a series of nearly 20 studies all employing fraudulent protocols deliberately designed to discredit HCQ as unsafe. Instead of using the standard treatment dose of 400 mg/day, the 17 WHO studies administered a borderline lethal daily dose starting with 2,400 mg on Day 1 and using 800 mg/day thereafter.

Dr. Meryl Nass had this to say about these studies, The purpose seemed, very clearly, to poison the patients and blame the deaths on HCQ. (The correct protocol is to give HCQ, zinc, and Zithromax at a dosage that is safe and effective early in the disease before the patients are critically ill. These studies used borderline lethal doses of HCQ in critically ill patients and did not use zinc and Zithromax. The intent of these studies was to deliberately make HCQ appear ineffective and dangerous.)

Fraudulent studies published by The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine

On page 29, Kennedy describes these studies: Both studies in these respected publications relied on data from the Surgisphere Corporation, an obscure Illinois based medical education company that claimed to somehow control an extraordinary global database boasting access to medical information from 96,000 patients in more than 600 hospitals  The Lancet article portrayed HCQ as ineffective and dangerous  Three European nations immediately banned use of HCQ, and others followed within weeks. (The Surgisphere data was fraudulently conjured up from thin air.)

More on page 30: Both The Lancet and NEJM finally withdrew their studies in shame  To date neither the authors nor the journals have explained who induced them to coauthor and publish the most momentous fraud in the history of scientific publishing The capacity of their Pharma overlords to strong-arm the worlds top two medical journals into condoning deadly research and to simultaneously publish blatantly fraudulent articles in the middle of a pandemic, attests to the cartels breathtaking power and ruthlessness  The headline of a comprehensive expose in the British newspaper The Guardian expressed the global shock among the scientific community of the rank corruption by scientific publishings most formidable pillars: The Lancet has made one of the biggest retractions in modern history. How could this happen? The Guardian writers openly accused The Lancet of promoting fraud. The sheer number and magnitude of the things that went wrong or missing are too enormous to attribute to mere incompetence  Whats incredible is that the editors of these esteemed journals still have a job.

Meanwhile in Other Countries

On page 32 and 33, Kennedy describes what was happening in other countries regarding HCQ: In compliance with the WHO recommendation, Switzerland banned the use of HCQ; however, about two weeks into the ban, Switzerlands death rates tripled, for about 15 days, until Switzerland reintroduced HCQ. COVID deaths then fell back to their baseline. Switzerlands natural experiment had provided yet another potent argument for HCQ  A meta-review of 58 observational studies by physician researchers in Spain, Italy, France, and Saudi Arabia found that HCQ dramatically reduced mortality from COVID, while additional articles by doctors in Turkey, Canada, and the US found that HCQs cardiac toxicity is negligible.

Andrew Schlafly (engineer and lawyer) observed that, The mortality rate from COVID-19 in countries that allow access to HCQ is only one-tenth the mortality rate in countries where there is interference with this medication, such as the United States  In some areas of Central America, officials are even going door to door to distribute HCQ  these countries have been successful in limiting the mortality from COVID-19 to only a fraction of what it is in wealthier countries.

Ivermectin (IVM): Nobel Prize for Effective Treatment of Human Parasites

On page 37, Kennedy covers the remarkable success of IVM: By the summer of 2020, front-line physicians had discovered another COVID remedy that equaled HCQ in its staggering, life-saving efficacy. Five years earlier, two Merck scientists won the Nobel Prize for developing IVM, a drug with unprecedented firepower against a wide range of human parasites, including roundworm, hookworm, river blindness, and lymphatic filariasis. That salute was the Nobel Committees only award to an infectious disease medication in 60 years. FDA approved IVM as safe and effective for human use in 1996. WHO includes IVM (along with HCQ) on its inventory of essential medicines  Millions of people have consumed billions of IVM doses as an anti-parasitic, with minimal side effects

On page 38, the effectiveness of IVM in preventing COVID-19 is covered: In Argentina, for example, in the summer of 2020, Dr. Hector Carvallo conducted a randomized placebo-controlled trial of IVM as a preventive, finding 100 percent efficacy against COVID-19. Carvallos team found no infections in 788 workers who took weekly IVM prophylaxis, whereas 58 percent of the 407 controls had become ill with COVID-19.

As the U.S. Restricts IVM, Other Countries Are Increasing Its Use

On pages 42 and 43, the contrast in the use of IVM in other countries compared to the U.S. is presented: Today, as Dr. Fauci moves the U.S. to eliminate all use of IVM, other countries are using more of it. In February 2021, the head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Association held a press conference to call for adding IVM to its outpatient treatment protocol. Several Indian states had added IVM to their list of essential medications to treat COVID-19. Indonesias government not only authorized the use of the drug but also created a website showing real-time availability  El Salvador distributes IVM for free to all of its citizens. Nations where residents have easy access to IVM invariably see immediate and dramatic declines in COVID deaths. Hospitals in Indonesia started using IVM on July 22, 2021. By the first week of August, cases and deaths were plummeting  New Delhi, India was experiencing a COVID epidemic crisis. The state government obliterated 97 percent of Delhi cases by distributing IVM.

British Physician Dr. Tess Lawries Passionate Support For IVM

On pages 52 and 53, Dr. Lawrie began by endorsing the miraculous efficacy of IVM: Had IVM been employed in 2020 when medical colleagues around the world first alerted the authorities to its efficacy, millions of lives could have been saved, and the pandemic with all its associated suffering and loss brought to a rapid and timely end  The story of IVM has highlighted that we are at a remarkable juncture in medical history. The tools that we use to heal our patients are being systematically undermined by relentless disinformation stemming from corporate greed. The story of IVM shows that we as a public have misplaced our trust in the authorities and have underestimated the extent to which money and power corrupts  Dr. Lawrie called out the corruption of modern medicine by Big Pharma and other interests and attributed the barbaric suppression of IVM to the single-minded obsession with more profitable vaccines.

IVM Works Great/Cant Have That/Got to Do Something

Dr. Pierre Kory is the former Chief of the Critical Care Service and Medical Director of the Trauma and Life Support Center at the University of Wisconsin. On page 54, his testimony before the Senate and what happened next will shock you. When Dr. Korys explosive December 8, 2020 Senate testimony describing the peer-reviewed science supporting IVM went viral, prescriptions for IVM from U.S. doctors exploded. Americans were getting legitimate prescriptions filled at pharmacies, up to 88,000 scripts in a single week. The truth of the drugs benefits was going viral, and the last thing Dr. Fauci et al could tolerate was an effective treatment for COVID. Something needed to be done. The government moved aggressively to block its use  You Tube soon scrubbed Korys video and Facebook blocked him. Then in March 2021 the U.S. FDA, the European Medical Association (EMA), and the WHO issued statements advising against the use of IVM for COVID-19  On July 18, 2021 a front-page Wall Street Journal headline asked, Why is the FDA Attacking a Safe, Effective Drug? On August 16, 2021, two weeks after the Wall Street Journal article, CDC ordered doctors to stop prescribing IVM. (Is it clear yet?)

Remdesivir: Ineffective and Deadly

On pages 63-70: Anthony Fauci needed to use all his moxie and all his esoteric maneuvers mastered during his half-century at NIH, to win FDAs approval for his vanity drug, Remdesivir. Remdesivir has no clinical efficacy against COVID-19 according to every legitimate study. Worse, it is deadly poisonous and expensive, an expensive poison at $3,000 per treatment  Many doctors believe our countrys record COVID-19 fatalities are at least in part due to widespread use of remdesivir in 2020. We had the most deaths worldwide says Dr. Ryan Cole. It is a haunting question: How many of these Americans were remdesivir casualties? Dr. Peter McCullough gives us a stark and clear summary: Remdesivir has two problems. First, it doesnt work. Second, it is toxic and its kills people.

VAERS is Intentionally Flawed

VAERS stands for Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. On page 72 and 73: Dr. Fauci stubbornly refused to fix VAERS which systematically suppresses reporting of most vaccine injuries  A 2010 HHS study concluded that VAERS detects fewer that 1 percent of vaccine injuries. Put another way, VAERS misses OVER 99 percent of vaccine injuries, thereby lending the illusion of safety to even the deadliest inoculations. In 2010, the federal Agency for Health Care Research Quality (AHRQ) designed and field-tested a state-of-the-art machine-counting system as an efficient alternative to VAERS. By testing the system for several years on the Harvard Pilgrim HMO, AHRQ proved that it could capture most vaccine injuries. AHRQ initially planned to roll out the system to all remaining HMOs, but after seeing the AHRQs frightening results- vaccines were causing serious injuries in 1 of every 40 recipients- CDC killed the project and stowed the new system on a dusty shelf. (Which entities benefit from drastic undercounting of vaccine injuries and deaths?)

COVID Vaccines Cause Record Injuries and Deaths

On page 87 and 88: Despite CDCs efforts to hide the carnage in the U.S., even the dysfunctional VAERS system has recorded unprecedented waves of documented deaths following COVID vaccines  Health workers have administered many billions of vaccines during the past thirty-two years, yet in just eight months, the COVID vaccines have injured and killed far more Americans than all other vaccines combined over three decades. (Read this paragraph again and try to take in this shocking truth.)

This article presents only a tiny fraction of the enormously important information in the first 100 pages of Kennedys book. Stay tuned for the nuggets in the next 100 pages soon.

About the author: Dr. William H. Gaunt is a retired Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa. He was a U. S. Navy helicopter pilot and later an instructor pilot for the Iranian Navy and the Saudi Arabian Air Force before attending medical school at Bastyr University near Seattle, Washington. Dr. Gaunt graduated with honors in 1983. He has also taught chemistry, biology, and anatomy at high school and college levels and published several articles related to vaccines.
As farmers inch closer to spring planting, Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension crops economist/marketing specialist, says the market factors hes paying attention to can be divided into three big buckets  short-term supply/demand conditions, longer-term supply/demand conditions, and politics.

Short-term supply/demand conditions

In the shorter-term, over the next 4-6 weeks, all eyes are on whats happening in South America, says Olson, particularly southern Brazil and Argentina, as the two countries are entering some key growth stages for corn and soybeans.

Brazil has two corn crops  the second of which is often referred to as the Safrinha crop.

The first crop corn, whats growing right now in the southern part of Brazil, is very close to pollinating, Olson said. Its very hot and dry in that region. In northern Brazil, theyre actually having a really good year, and that northern region is where the Safrinha crop grows.

Though Brazils second corn crop is the larger of the two, their first corn crop is grown closer to the countrys export facilities, which makes it the easier crop to export.

The northern corn has a long ways to go in order to get to an export facility, so a lot of it is used domestically, Olson said. Corn exports out of Brazil are really impacted by this first corn crop, and if you look at a map, the core growing region for Argentina is a little bit south of Brazil, so a lot of the weather conditions hitting southern Brazil are also hammering Argentina. So short-term, were really focused on the South American weather forecast, how much rain theyre getting and what the yield expectations are for the area.

In terms of demand, Olson is mostly keeping a close watch on Chinese buying.

Because China is still trying to recover from African swine fever (ASF), their livestock feed demand is not growing as fast as it used to, he said. Looking back over the last 20 years, the growth rate for imports of soybeans China has made off the global market has almost been a straight line  up every year until we hit ASF. There was a big cutback, a recovery, and then a rebound, but now its flattened out. Were not seeing that very strong growth in Chinese feed demand for feed grains  corn, feed wheat, barley, sorghum, as well as soybeans. Its still strong, but its not growing.

For Olson, the question going forward is whether China will switch back to importing more corn as we move into that South American harvest. Are the Chinese waiting to see how big the South American corn crop is before deciding what theyll do next? For now, nobody knows exactly.

Longer-term supply/demand conditions

Looking at planting season and into early summer, Olson believes there will be some competition for acres, but he argues that its not going to be the battle for acres that some are making it out to be.

Its more about finding the right balance of acres, he said.

Fertilizer and chemical prices are two things farmers are really paying attention to right now, but Olson believes there are different dynamics as to how those prices will affect things nationally compared to locally in the Northern Plains.

Nationally, in my opinion, I dont think fertilizer or chemical prices will have a big influence on the balance of acres between corn and soybeans, he said. For wheat, the winter wheat is already in the ground. If we look at winter wheat acres, those acres by far dominate the spring wheat and durum acres, so a large portion of our wheat crop has already been seeded. The market is watching that closely and they want to make sure we have the right balance, but were not going to know for sure until that March planning intentions report.

Leading up to that report, Olson expects plenty of volatility in the market.

Between now and then, theres going to be some opportunities to do some pricing before we put seed in the ground, and my opinion is that I would really like to see farmers be more aggressive in forward pricing this year. If we get the acres I think were going to get, and you start plugging in typical average yields, well have a good crop, and prices may start to soften and drift lower as we go into the summer months, he explained.

For farmers in North Dakota and Minnesota, the story is different because of the variety of crops grown throughout the region.

Those small market crops, we grow a lot of those, and if you look at the current contract prices for those, theyre very attractive, Olson said. The other problem we have is that forward pricing or contracting only covers a portion of your total production. You still have to worry about pricing whats not covered. So coming back to fertilizer and chemical prices, I do think there are some acres that will be shifted around in the Northern Plains because of those high prices, but not dramatically.

A lot of farmers I talk to do have a crop rotation for a lot of reasons  disease control, weed control, labor management, he continued. But we always have a certain percentage of acres on the margin that you can flip around depending on whats happening in the marketplace, and right now, spring wheat isnt that competitive compared to these other crops. Its profitable, but the bottom line isnt quite as big as it is for some of the other crops. In my opinion, its going to be very interesting around the end of March to see how many acres of spring wheat well get. I dont know if well get quite as many.

Politics

Political tensions between countries can have a dramatic impact on the global market, and the tension between Russia and Ukraine is one of particular worry, according to Olson.

When I started watching it, I thought it was just saber-rattling, people pushing buttons to test boundaries, but it has started to escalate beyond that  lines have been drawn in the sand, the rhetoric has ramped up, and when you look at Russia and Ukraines potential impact on Europe, its a really big deal for the global economy.

The U.S. is currently the largest economy in the world, with China coming in second, but according to Olson, if you blend together the countries in Europe, they would rank either second or third, depending on what countries you include.

So for the global economy, this is a big deal, he said. Russia and Ukraine export large quantities of wheat, and Ukraine is also the fourth-largest corn exporter, and most of that goes out of some ports not so far apart in the Black Sea, so that could disrupt grain flow.

But in my mind, more importantly, Russia is a major crude oil exporter, as well as a natural gas exporter, and most of the natural gas goes into Europe, Olson continued. Grain prices and ag products are linked to energy prices, as well as general economic growth, so if a major dispute erupted, that could have a major impact. It can be debated if it would be positive or negative  I can make an argument either way  but Im concerned about the direction I see this headed. Hopefully statesmanship will come into play and de-escalate the tensions.

The other situation that bears watching is the tension between mainland China and Taiwan.

The U.S. has an agreement with Taiwan that we will help provide military protection, and mainland China continues to claim Taiwan as part of mainland China, Olson said. So theres been some flexing of muscles  China is pushing some buttons  but it hasnt escalated like Ukraine and Russia, but its something the grain markets are concerned about.

That tension, right now, isnt built into the grain markets for either of those, but it could happen very quickly, he concluded.

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GLENDIVE, Mont.  The 44th annual Glendive Agri-Trade Expo (GATE), comes to the Eastern Plains Event Center (EPEC) in Glendive on Feb. 11-12.

The GATE has historically always had good attendance, with ranchers, farmers, and their families coming every year to the GATE. There is no admittance charge.

Because of COVID, there wasnt a show last year, so folks are excited to come and find out whats coming down the pipeline in new technologies for spring seeding and calving.

We always have a great GATE ag show, and this year we are planning to have some outstanding agribusiness vendors coming to the trade show, said Cody Fulton, president of the GATE committee.

He said there will be the traditional GATE raffle and some of the biggest prizes ever offered will be awarded.

This year, we have some outstanding prizes in the GATE raffle, he said, adding that the raffle helps fund the next GATE show.

Those three prizes include:

 A bronze sculpture, titled "Watering Pup," which was sculpted by Harvey Rattey and donated by Pam Harr from the Bridger Bronze Gallery near Glendive.

 An S240 riding lawn tractor, which is the latest technology in lawn mowers, donated by the John Deere dealership, C&B Operations LLC.

 An igloo-style cooler, which keeps beverages ice cold for a long time.

Raffle tickets are $5 each, and GATE attendees can buy tickets at the door or through contacting the Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the GATE committee, a group of farmers, ranchers, and community members, donate their time and skills to plan the GATE show and arrange for ad educational seminars for producers.

The ag seminars will be held over the two-day show, on Friday and Saturday.

Farmers and ranchers can hear presentations on what is going on in agriculture in Montana right now at the seminar, Fulton said.

While the schedule for the seminars is not out yet as of print time, Dawson County Extension agent Trestin Benson-Seagler has committed to speaking on forage and water analysis. She will talk on Saturday from 10-11 a.m.

The GATE tradeshow is the oldest show in eastern Montana, ongoing for more than 40 years, and considered the place for farmers, ranchers, and their families to network and learn about new and existing ag products and spend time visiting with friends and vendors.

Last year, we had some drought issues, and farmers will be on the lookout for new seed, chemicals, tools and equipment to help put in their crop this year, Fulton said. Hay bales and other feedstocks were short in this part of Montana due to the drought, so ranchers will be checking on what liquid tub or feed supplements are available that could help stretch feed supplies or provide extra nutrition to cows in their third trimester or for new calves.

The GATE is a chance to get away before calving and seeding for some fun, ag education, and a chance to visit with farm neighbors you might not have seen all winter.

It has been bitterly cold out this winter and the GATE show is the cure for those winter blues. There is always some wonderful, delicious food and treats prepared by the Gateway CowBelles, so come and bring the family and enjoy the show, said Kathy McLane, who has been with the GATE for a long time.

The Gateway CowBelles prepare and sell all the food and refreshments for the GATE in the cafe, located at the back of the EPEC building.

There will be homemade cinnamon rolls and fresh, hot coffee in the morning and bars and cookies available all day long. For lunch, there will be hot roast beef sandwiches, as well as mashed potatoes and gravy.

At the tradeshow, vendors come from five surrounding states and Canada.

Ag vendors display products at their booths and some vendors will have displays both inside and outside.

The trade show is a good time for producers to ask questions of the agri-business representatives about what new and more efficient products are out there for fencing, working cattle, planting, harvesting, controlling weeds, using seed treatments and anything else on their minds for spring and the upcoming year, Fulton said.

In addition, during the trade show on Friday, Northern Ag Network will be live from 9-10 a.m.

Well be there with our Voices of Montana live broadcast and we hope everyone stops by. We enjoy talking to producers about agriculture and what they might expect this year, and anything else that is on their minds, said Colter Brown from Northern Ag Network. Both Tom Schultz and I will be in the booth.

At the trade show, the local Dawson County Extension office will be featuring the 4-H booth at the GATE and the FFA members usually also have a booth.

A fixture at every GATE show,Minnesota Pneumatic Products (MPP) buys many booth spaces and fills the entire center of the floor with row after row and box after box of tools for cars, the home, and other specialty uses.

We have been coming to the GATE for more than 17 years. We always purchase at least eight booths worth of space so we can spread out our tools, said Rick Fruth of MPP.

Furth comes from Minnesota and brings the tools in a van to all the ag shows in Montana, including the GATE.

We will have everything a farmer or rancher would need to fix his vehicles, work on woodworking, or work around the shop or in the house, Furth said.

Furth said there is a group of about 10 salesmen who travel to ag shows all over the northern region, especially to Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota.

We keep coming back to the GATE because the shows committee members treat us like we are a member of their family, Fruth said. The farmers and ranchers in the community look forward to us coming and we look forward to seeing them. There is a lot of camaraderie at the GATE.

MPP tools are designed to help work on cars, trucks, boats, planes, and farm and ranch equipment.

We design the tools ourselves, so they have the MPP brand on them, Furth added.

Gates will open on Friday, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. Show hours on Saturday, Feb. 12 are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fulton said the GATE committee makes it easy for vendors to showcase their products at GATE, and then go straight down the interstate to Billings for the MATE show.

Agri-businesses are able to go to both shows, and they really like that. The GATE benefits from having some terrific agri-businesses display their products that normally would not make the trip, so that brings in a lot of vendors and a lot of producers to the show, Fulton said.

Fulton said he hopes that everyone will take time out of their schedules and support agriculture by supporting the GATE show.

The EPEC building is located at 313 South Merrill St. in Glendive.

The GATE show is the place to meet friends and see whats new in agriculture.

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MINSK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko addressed people of Belarus and the National Assembly on Friday to speak about the difficulties Belarus is currently facing and pressing international problems.

With regard to democracy, Lukashenko said that people may have different opinions, but in order to move towards democracy, there must be a common goal.

The American standards of democracy can not be applied to the whole world, he said.

Lukashenko said that Belarus and Russia need each other, and he believes that the integration of Russia and Belarus will increase Belarus' GDP.

Noting that a very tense situation has developed in Ukraine, Lukashenko said that Ukraine is becoming an object of behind-the-scenes bargaining, and the Ukrainian people may be drawn into war.

Lukashenko also criticized Lithuania for its "political adventures," including its threats to ban the export of Belarusian potash fertilizers through Lithuania.

Speaking about the Belarus-China relations, Lukashenko said that China has become one of the most important trade partners of Belarus, and Belarus is ready to actively develop relations with China.

The Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park, a joint project of the two countries, has begun work and opened up new development opportunities for Belarus, he added. 
In Pittburgh, this happened -- just ahead of Joe Biden's visit to the city on Friday:

Screen shot, ABC News, Pittsburgh Public Safety via YouTube

And were going to fix them all, no joke, said President Joe Biden, appearing live on CBS Local, KDKA Television News, from the edge of the drop off in the road where the Fern Hollow Bridge spanned Pittsburghs east end Frick Park ravine just hours earlier, referring to his astonishment about discovering that he never knew, despite being a Pennsylvania Boy, that there are more bridges in Pittsburgh than anywhere else in the world.

Already scheduled today to visit Pittsburgh to tout his infrastructure plan at the Hazelwood former Steel Mill 19, upon arriving in Pittsburgh, the president instead delayed that trip longer, wasting no time detouring directly to the site of the fallen bridge and for a much-needed strong in crisis photo op.

Earlier in the day, along with his tweet about his phone call to the president, Pittsburghs new mayor, Ed Gainey, had this to say about the bridge collapse on Twitter:

Images: Twitter screen shots

He would say later, It made me feel proud that the president of the United States had our back, referring to Mr. Bidens detour to visit the site of the bridge collapse.

Everyone, including the president, no doubt, is genuinely thankful as Mayor Ed Gainey, that the collapse of Pittsburghs Fern Hollow Bridge wasnt more serious, especially that no lives were lost. Thankfully, Pittsburgh City Schools had a snow delay this morning freeing the bridge of its usual school bus traffic, and the cold weather deterred the most of usual joggers and hikers normally found at this hour of the morning on the Frick Park trails which run in the ravine beneath the bridge during warmer months.

A tandem Port Authority of Allegheny Public Transportation Bus did, however, find itself, along its driver and two other persons aboard, stranded on a portion of the bridge that collapsed but luckily did not fall completely to the ground below. They are rescued and reportedly in fair condition at UPMC Hospital.

Of the ten people in who reportedly sustained injuries related to the bridge collapse, apparently only the bus passengers and one other went to the hospital for treatment.

Still, Biden and his staff must have also been at least a little thankful that, if such a tragedy had to occur, it would be today, and in the very city where he was scheduled to tout his infrastructure plan, if for no other reason than it finally provides a lead news story about something that fell faster than Joes approval ratings since January. Progressives are renowned for, engineering reality, but it mustve been even unreal for them to believe such a strike of good luck could occur with any better timing!

The presidents party is after all, the party which prides itself for never letting a crisis go to waste, and what bigger opportunity can one ask for than a chasm of cement rubble and twisted steel, where a bridge stood hours earlier; and a badly needed photo-op of the president looking presidential, echoing tired cliches through his mask, with the kind of over-promising he made there today?

But it wasnt just the president and Mayor Gainey who were talking about the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh this morning.

Appearing on Newsmax TV, Pittsburghs rising conservative star, Wendy Bell, whos been repeatedly forced off-air by one local liberal news outlet after another because her conservative straight talk has offended so many of Pittsburghs liberal viewers, before landing her own show, "Wendy Bell Common Sense" debut[ing] at 4:30 p.m. ET this Saturday on Newsmax, had this to say, "Americans want action, not lip service."

Image: Twitter screen shot

Less well-known Pittsburghers also had something to say about todays events. Responding to the mayors tweets, someone that goes by the name, Freedom Flu Yinzer, sarcastically tweeted this: The collapsed bridge is symbolic of the decades upon decades of strong Democratic city leadership. I posted it above.

A few other Pittsburghers responded as D. Gatcha- Hines, did, tweeting a post of a bridge maintenance report from three years ago that was already alerting to the dangerous condition of the bridge:

Image: City of Pittsburgh

In fact, its been about 87 years since Pittsburghs last Republican mayor, and although the city has slowly rebuilt itself, after years of job losses, property value losses, and massive population losses due to out migration of its residents after the collapse of steel industry jobs in the late 1970s and early 80s, little of that new-found high-tech wealth has gone to repairing its bridges that which could have prevented another potentially much more deadly type of collapse like todays, despite the reality that these bridges are crossed thousands of times every day by adults and children, in cars and buses, on their way to work, school, and play, and Pittsburgh is subject to harsh winter conditions that are hard on infrastructure.

Reportedly, over 100 bridges in Pittsburghs Allegheny County alone have poor condition ratings, while former Democratic Mayor Bill Peduto, the Democrat-led Pittsburgh City Council, and the Democrat-led Allegheny County Council each busied themselves addressing more pressing matters like choking already narrow city streets with bike lanes, and passing the Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Acts, which prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle and protective and cultural hair textures and hairstyles, in October 2020. Most recently, at the end of December, 2021, City Councils passed a bill to prohibit officers from pulling over drivers for secondary violations for things such as a broken tail light, the location of a registration plate or an out-of-date inspection certification. Democratic city council member, Erika Strassburger, has only just recently decided to wait a while so her a bill to eliminate the plastic grocery bags within the city limits, so that as she, said, joking that the bill should be as airtight as a Ziploc bag.

Perhaps the most explosive tweet of the day came from a Richard C. Brown, who responded to the mayors tweet by seeming to allege that the bridge was, a planned demolition by [White House Chief of Staff], Ron Klain.

Now, of course, this tweet suggesting a conspiracy to bring down the bridge by a member of the presidents cabinet was almost certainly written in jest. But, later finally speaking at Hazelwoods Mill 19, a visibly reenergized Biden, likely still unable to believe the fortuitous events of the day that would make for such a perfect lead-in to what he really came to talk about, seemed barely able to contain his excitement while making conciliatory remarks about todays bridge collapse, his gratitude for the first responders, and how its a perfect example of why his infrastructure spending is so necessary to prevent similar collapses and possibly deaths in the future.

Tucked in between his usual folksy banter with the locals, a slurring through of statistics and location names, his always expected moment of feigned outrage, intermingled with two moments of his signature creepy whispering, the president proclaimed proudly how he was going to bring good paying manufacturing jobs back to America, how he is rightly taking credit for the U.S.s higher than predicted fourth quarter economic expansion, and for his successfully passing a bi-partisan infrastructure bill which will rebuild the countrys crumbling roads and bridges, and not add a single dollar to the deficit, (If any of my fellow Pittsburghers are dumb enough to believe this, I know someone who will sell the city the Brooklyn Bridge to replace the one that tumbled into the Citys Fern Hollow this morning).

Now that the dust has finally settled on Bidens big break in Pittsburgh. With the photo-op and speech to the local choir over, all the excitement of the day is over, and the City of Bridges is quiet again, resting peacefully again under a gentle blanket of snow thats been falling off and on all day.

So, nows the time for Pittsburghers, including myself, to reflect on Joes Pittsburgh pitch of promises, whether like the closing chorus of that old song goes, [l]ike a bridge over troubled water, [he] will ease your mind, and actually come through on his pledge to rebuild our bridges, fix them all, no joke.

***************************************************************************

Some local news sources:

Updated after speech:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2022/01/28/President-Biden-will-make-second-visit-of-his-presidency-to-Pittsburgh-today/stories/202201280059 and corroborates Bidens comments a collapse site.

Original story:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2022/01/28/President-Biden-will-make-second-visit-of-his-presidency-to-Pittsburgh-today/stories/202201280059

Wendy Bell Newsmax appearance:

"Americans want action, not lip service." @WendyBellPgh reacts to President Joe Biden's visit to Pittsburgh after a bridge collapse and the COVID response.



"Wendy Bell Common Sense" debuts at 4:30 PM ET this Saturday on Newsmax. pic.twitter.com/FAauHOAOSN  Newsmax (@newsmax) January 28, 2022

https://twitter.com/i/status/1487158538174672904

Reuters Twitter report:

President Joe Biden visited the site of the pre-dawn collapse of a bridge in Pittsburgh just hours before his scheduled visit to the city, dramatically underscoring the urgency of his drive to upgrade America's infrastructure https://t.co/6OHTrInrpJ pic.twitter.com/Sz1OfJggDU  Reuters (@Reuters) January 28, 2022

https://twitter.com/i/status/1487181187386806275

More Post-Gazette Coverage:

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2022/01/28/pittsburgh-bridge-collapse-forbes-braddock-avenue-point-breeze-squirrel-hill/stories/202201280075

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2022/01/28/pittsburgh-bridge-collapse-forbes-braddock-avenue-point-breeze-squirrel-hill/stories/202201280075

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2022/01/28/bridge-collapse-pittsburgh-biden-infrastructure/stories/202201290013

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-promises-make-infrastructure-major-focus

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-campaign-1-trillion-infrastructure-plan-with-no-tax-hike-2016-10
A major gap exists in the contemporary defense of individual rights.

Fortunately, a recent article by Joseph Loconte (A Brief History of Individual Rights) enables us to reconsider on how best to defend the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of individuals in the 21st Century.

In order to follow development of individual rights across the long road from Athens to America with Loconte, it first behooves us to pause and test a critical link in the logical chain proposed between Athens and Rome.

Mr. Loconte traces the idea of individual agency back to the ancient Greeks. Beginning with the trial of Socrates -- the Athenian gadfly -- in Platos Apology, Loconte proceeds straight to Ciceros Republic with the declaration that [w]hat was implicit in Greek philosophy was made explicit by Romes greatest statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero.

While we agree that both sources are important landmarks on the intellectual road from Athens to America, we reject the claim that Cicero simply bears out what is implied by the Greeks (i.e., Plato and Aristotle). Rather, we think that the proposed relationship between Cicero and Greek philosophy actually makes it more difficult to understand and defend human dignity and inalienable individual rights in the modern age.

Lets being by considering one of the most famous passages from Ciceros Republic: the commonwealth, then, is the peoples affair; and the people is not every group of men, associated in any manner, but is the coming together of a considerable number of men who are united by a common agreement about law and rights and by the desire to participate in mutual advantages. The original cause of this coming together is not so much weakness as a kind of social instinct natural to man.

So, what then is a commonwealth, i.e. a republic? The peoples affair, who are united by a common agreement about law and rights and who seek mutual advantages. Granted. The novelty arises in Ciceros account of the original cause of political association as such -- a cause that is not so much weakness but rather is a kind of social instinct natural to man. Significantly, this distinction between weakness and a social instinct as the primary cause of the political order explicitly rejects key components of Aristotles (and implicitly, Platos) argument about the nature of man, the political animal.

What is this weakness? This so-called weakness can be seen in numerous ways in Aristotles Politics and revolves around the problem of self-sufficiency. Simply put, what Cicero rejects as weakness is understood by Aristotle as a basic fact of the human condition -- that no individual as such can be self-sufficient on his or her own.

The insufficiency of any single individual is manifest in the natural longings of the coupling animal (i.e. the instinctually sexual animal) for whom there must of necessity be a conjunction of persons, who cannot exist without one another: on the one hand, male and female, for the sake of reproduction (which occurs not from intentional choice but from a natural striving to leave behind another that is like oneself)... What we see here is that Aristotle traces the origin of the city back to the reliable operation of the sexual instinct which naturally culminates in offspring and provides the spur to form households. Yet, whereas the coupling instinct provides the origin of the city in time, the origin of the city by nature is found in reason and exists for the sake of living-well.

Critical for our case, Cicero rejects the Greek method of tracing the effective cause of the commonwealth back to human sexuality and instead asserts a natural social instinct as the impetus to political life. The ground for Ciceros radical break from Aristotle is found in the supposedly immediate operation of natural law in the conscience, or what Cicero describes as a true law -- namely, right reason -- which is in accordance with nature, applies to all men, and is unchangeable and eternal. By its commands this law summons men to the performance of their duties; by its prohibitions it restrains them from doing wrong. Its commands and prohibitions always influence good men, but are without effect upon the bad.

This reversal of the order of self-sufficiency has major implications for the defense of human dignity and inalienable rights today. Whereas Aristotle sees self-sufficiency as the end and what is best, Ciceros introduction of an immediately effective natural law in the human soul makes man, as it were, politically self-sufficient at our origin. Aristotle begins his account of political things with human insufficiency as the spur to political association and holds that the city belongs among the things that exist by nature, and that man is by nature a political animal because the education to liberty -- learning how to rule and be ruled in turn -- is integral to the telos, or fulfillment of the human potential. In sharp distinction, natural law operates in the conscience pre-politically and independently of the formation and development of a political order. In the language of Aristotle, such a person who intrinsically and effectively knows what is right and wrong, without learning to moderate their passions through an education to liberty, stands as one who is superior to man, i.e., a god.

The elevation of the immediately social instinct of man over the immediately sexual instinct of the potentially political animal has serious cultural consequences. For instance, if we begin from the presumption of natural law operating effectively in the conscience, then we could accept Locontes assertion that there is no coherent view of human personality stripped of the imago Dei. But, considering the all-too-human tendency of the mores of the people to fall apart, we hold instead that it makes more sense to build a coherent view of the human personality upon Aristotles observation that ...without virtue, [man] is the most unholy and the most savage [of the animals], and the worst with regard to sex and food.

The contemporary defense of our inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights requires a rigorous realism which resists making state-of-nature-like mistakes in which we read the outcomes of our cultural habituation back into our primordial becoming. Specifically, we cannot afford to interpret the principle (i.e. the end, or that for the sake of which we do a thing) of human sociality as a self-evident fact.

The larger issue here is how we speak about political things in the first place. If we are going to mount a coherent defense of the West while confronting the actual state of the world in which we live, then we must keep the dark side of the human condition at the forefront of our attention. Least of all can we presume that which we most need to achieve today: the effective summoning of people to the performance of our duties and the restraint from doing wrong (i.e. that which natural law presumes in the first place).

So too, the timeless work of a free people striving toward a common agreement about law and rights requires that we grapple together with the question of what is the proper ideal for a coherent human personality. We believe that a prerequisite to this work is reversing the order of self-sufficiency proposed by Cicero and certain natural law theorists in order to proceed from our reliable, though dangerous, sexual instinct toward reasons beckoning vision of liberty.

Such realism oriented toward the pursuit of noble ends would enable us to defend human dignity and inalienable rights by upbuilding thousands of variations on the apprenticeship to liberty in our households, churches, schools, places of employment, and voluntary associations. In turn, such a cultural small r republican endeavor would enable us to return to the first principle of the American Republic: virtuous self-rule.

Image: Jebulon
I first saw Olavo de Carvalho years ago on a program called Update Brazil, which covered the global fight against communism.

The video is gone now, the whole channel purged by YouTube. The host was Allan dos Santos, an excellent anti-communist journalist who is now being persecuted and blacklisted by Brazil's far-left Supreme Court. Also on the show were the brilliant American analysts, Jeff Nyquist and Diana West.

The fourth person was the only one I didn't recognize. An old and playful Brazilian man. He seemed quirky. Maybe a blogger and friend of Allan's.

It was actually Olavo de Carvalho, who was something of a national hero and incredibly accomplished. I just couldn't tell it from his polite and humble demeanor. If I recall correctly, he went out of his way to promote the books of West and Nyquist, saying how great they are, and what a big fan of theirs he is.

Since then, I have studied Olavo's work, getting it translated into English, and learned something of his career. In my opinion, he was maybe the most brilliant and interesting thinker we had in the world.

Olavo did something incredibly difficult, even borderline impossible. He led the ideological movement to remove communists from power in Brazil. And they did succeed in winning back the presidency.

Over the last couple of decades, Brazil was under the rule of Presidents Lula and Rousseff, who, depending on your point of view, were either far-left or outright communists. Brazilian media are so far to the left that they make American media look tame by comparison.

During that time, Olavo was sounding the warning on TV and in writing. He was explaining how dangerous the leftist movement was and warning of a shadowy international communist movement.

There are clear parallels to all of this in America, but in Brazil, he was specifically investigating and warning about the Sao Paulo Forum. This is kind of like a hangout and planning ground for communists like Castro, Maduro, Chavez, and Lula, among others.

While investigating and talking about the threat of communism, Olavo was hit with death threats and made his way to the United States, where he then resided in Virginia. He was happy to be a part of Virginia's conservative and Christian community.

Nowadays, following the subversive war against Trump, it is somewhat mainstream for Americans to talk about the advance of communism. Back a couple of decades ago, it wasn't. Brazil mainstreamed this talk before Americans. And as the years flowed, by people realized that Olavo was right. The hashtag "#OlavoTemRazao" or "#OlavoIsRight" swept the nation.

The Olavo movement brought Bolsonaro to power, who is arguably the most conservative president in the world. Consider a sampling of headlines on him: "Jair Bolsonaro Wants Every Brazilian to Have a Gun," "The World Leader Who is Far Worse Than Trump," and "Brazil's Bolsonaro Calls Governors 'Tyrants' Over Lockdowns."

I asked Fernando Candia, one of the many students from Olavo's philosophy course, about this. He said: "Despite the fact that Bolsonaro is an independent man, I can say with no error, that without Olavo, he wouldn't have the platform to run for president. During the 2013 protests against the leftist government, people began to share Olavo's work, that gained momentum by presenting proper criticism against the leftists and communists in general."

What Olavo and Bolsonaro did in Brazil is amazing, an inspiration, and worthy of study.

What makes Olavo so instructive isn't just what he said. We have many high-I.Q. pundits who can logically and pedantically explain a position. If he wanted to, Olavo could do it better than anyone. He read the classics, studied Latin, could discourse on the intricacies of Aristotle and walk people through specific passages of Marx, explaining how they're flawed.

But Olavo's style was something else entirely. He combined an extremely deep learning with his own down-to-earth attitude to show how, and bring about, a victory over the left.

Watch this video. His analysis is spot-on, and every Republican in America should be forced to memorize it. It would take us 50% of the way toward solving our problems:

"Politics is about people and means. Never values and ideas. Never.

What deals with values and ideas? Religion. Philosophy. It is we, the intellectuals, the suckers that keep discussing it. And in the meanwhile, those guys come" and...well, sodomize you. You'll have to watch the video to hear the colorful phrasing he uses.

He explained, the key isn't intellectual debate; "it's about destroying the career and power of these people. It's very important not to respect them."

In a lecture, he laid out the necessary tactics to beat the radical left. It's basically just holding them accountable for their own deviant behavior:

"Once I had a debate with two senators from the Worker's Party. ... And they said to me, 'You are disrespecting our governor now.' I replied, 'It's not that I'm disrespecting him now, it's that I never respected him. Because he said in an interview that at 20 years old he was a champion of masturbation, like he was doing a masturbation contest. He wasn't doing that at 12 years old. He was doing that when he was 20 years old and already a man. How can you respect such crap?' This ended his career. After this, everyone was afraid of being together with him."

Incredibly successful as he was, my hunch is that Olavo was only forced into politics and that his real interest was in philosophy and culture. He just had no choice because the communists were attacking everything around him, including meaningful culture.

A couple years ago, I began spamming him with emails requesting that he give me permission to translate and publish his works into English. Olavo said okay.

My proposal was to translate his political stuff. It was best-selling, hot stuff, that dealt with issues of the day.

But, he countered, how about his philosophy book, Machiavelli or the Demonic Confusion, where he laid out the case that Machiavelli waged war against morality and God?

That's pretty telling. His mind didn't run to promotion of his best-selling political work. That was just a means for him to defend what he cared about. His heart was in his philosophical work.

Nyquist read Olavo's book on Machiavelli and wrote, "The English-speaking world has yet to discover Olavo de Carvalho. In Brazil he is an 'event,' and his influence will inevitably be felt beyond Brazil." I agree.

He passed away on Monday. The mainstream media are releasing ghoulish obituaries smearing him. They can't stand the fact that he was smarter than them and wouldn't take their crap.

Olavo used to excoriate journalists who lied about him. From a few years ago, he ended an amazing interview with The Atlantic by ordering the journalist to leave and said, "I wanted you to know that you disgusted my whole family."

He told the journalist about the online philosophy school he founded and ran, where he taught thousands of devoted students. He explained, "My influence on Brazil's culture is infinitely bigger than anything the government is doing. I am changing Brazil's cultural history. Governments go away; the culture stays."

Image: Olavo de Carvalho via YouTube.
It's one thing for a leftist district attorney of Chesa Boudin's stripe to fail to do his job prosecuting violent crime and focus only on prosecuting cops for malfeasance. We know about that part.

It's quite another to frame those cops because you can't find any truly bad ones, in a bid to achieve the grand Sorosian narrative of bad cop, good criminal.

That's what the San Francisco police chief is accusing Boudin of pulling:

JUST IN: @SFPDChief speaks out@chesaboudin's office has been withholding evidence from @SFPD to prevent a domestic violence investigation from moving forward.



Trust with the @SFDAOffice has been lost as the office has repeatedly been caught lying and withholding information. pic.twitter.com/EC2DaD5Wpi  Safer SF Without Boudin (@safersfnoboudin) January 29, 2022

Here's the local NBC report:

Prosecutors at the San Francisco District Attorneys Office are being accused of withholding evidence in hopes of convicting a San Francisco police officer of excessive force. The NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit has learned a criminal investigator for the DAs office, Magen Hayashi, testified Thursday that she was ordered by her own co-workers  attorneys inside the district attorneys office  to withhold evidence, and said she believed she would have been fired if she refused. District Attorney Chesa Boudin and his office did not respond to requests for comment. The allegations stem from the ongoing criminal case against San Francisco Police Officer Terrance Stangel, who is accused of unnecessarily beating a man with his baton more than two years ago.

The character in question was a wife-beater, or girlfriend-beater, some kind of woman-beater, and apparently he claimed he was a case of mistaken ID, when in fact the D.A.'s office knew that witnesses had said he was the right guy. Apparently, he fought the cops after he beat the woman, and then he filed suit with the city for police brutality. The picture given was that the cops just went and beat a non-resisting black guy who wasn't even involved in the crime. The witnesses saw something different, but that part was kept out of the charges, and the employee who wanted that part in was told to clam up and let Chesa prosecute the cop for brutality. The city has since forked out $700,000 in cash to the woman-beater (nothing to the victim, of course).

Turns out it was all a show. And now the police chief has stepped in.

Note that the accuser is the police chief, a notoriously cowardly and politicized office in San Francisco. This was not from the police union, which is dedicated to defending cops and would be expected to put out such a statement. Nope  the cop chief, who you can bet is a Democrat in that town, is the one pushing back at this kind of fraud on his troops.

That means it's got to be bad.

Here's some local law community commentary:

Having spent 7 years in the DAs office, Ive never heard of DAs pressuring staff to withhold evidence and submit misleading warrants to judges. These corrupt practices are further proof that Chesa Boudin must be recalled.  Brooke Jenkins (@BrookeJenkinsSF) January 28, 2022

Sadly, her memory does not go back far enough. Another former San Francisco district attorney, Kamala Harris, has been credibly accused of withholding exculpatory evidence in a death penalty case as California's attorney general. A certain class of leftist thinks this sort of dishonesty is all right.

It's not, and the public mood has shifted. There are now calls to the State Bar of California to investigate and disbar Boudin based on this vile and unethical practice, which could send a police officer to prison. Of course that kind of dishonesty would stir the ranks of the city's police officers and force their chief to make a statement. It actually offends everyone, making the justice system itself a criminal operation.

As for Chesa, his situation-ethics and moral flexibility in the quest to achieve the leftist narrative, the Hugo Chavez and Bill Ayers dream, the end of policing and the triumph of crime, seem to be bottomless. Apparently, there's nothing he won't stoop to, given his absence of a moral compass. If San Francisco's voters don't throw him out in his mid-year recall over this, they'll pretty well deserve what they get from him. This kind of dishonesty should make all innocent people shudder.

Image: Screen shot from NBC Bay Area video, posted on YouTube.
ROME, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Dusan Vlahovic celebrated his 22nd birthday by signing with Juventus on Friday, as the Serie A giant splashed out big money to secure his service from Fiorentina to bolster its scoring ability.

Juve and Vlahovic have signed a contract until 30 June 2026. According to the Old Lady, the transfer fee can be up to 80 million euros, including 70 million fixed fees and 10 million performance-related bonuses. The player will earn 7 million euros per season.

Born in Belgrade on January 28, 2000, Vlahovic became the youngest ever player to appear for his local club Partizan Belgrade. He left Serbia for Italy in the summer of 2018, when he agreed to join Fiorentina.

In the 2019-20 Serie A season, Vlahovic was promoted to the first team and amassed eight goals in all competitions. In the following season, the Serbian upped his game to score 21 goals in the league. And throughout the calendar year of 2021, the starlet churned out 33 league goals, which ranks second in the top-five league, only after Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

Juve is struggling to find the back of the net since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo last summer, only scoring Serie A 34 goals in the current season. The arrival of Vlahovic is expected to be a reinforcement on the forward-line.

Vlahovic has picked up the number 7 jersey and is expected to make his debut for his new club on February 6 in the Serie A game against Hellas Verona. 
Benjamin Franklin had this to say about the American Constitution:

This is likely to be well administered for a number of years and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

What did he mean when he said "need despotic government, being incapable of any other"? Dependence on government and all its "free stuff" has superseded the ability of people to take care of themselves. Without the benevolent largesse of government, the people cannot survive.

This could be said of any government anywhere. Canada, our ally and friend to the north, knowingly or not, is engaged in a reckoning. Have the people become so corrupted as to need despotic government being incapable of any other, or not?

One side, the Freedom Convoy, are saying they are capable of taking care of themselves. They don't need government micromanagement. More importantly, they are reminding themselves and their government, that government governs only with and by the consent of the people.

The other side, the Trudeauists, responded with, "F--- you, you will do as we tell you." No, Trudeau didn't say that. What he said was much worse:

The small fringe minority of people who are on their way to Ottawa who are holding unacceptable views that they're expressing, do not represent the view of Canadians who have been there for each other, who know that following the science and stepping up to protect each other is the best way to continue to insure our freedom, our rights our values.

The leader of Canada is saying over a million citizens are a fringe minority. Worse, the fringe minority's views are unacceptable to the government. Worst of all, the unacceptable views and actions of the fringe minority are harming other citizens, and imperiling everyone's freedom, rights, and values.

The Freedom Convoy has staked its ground. It can't back down because if it does, Canada will forever be a dictatorship of the elites. The people will ever after be nothing more than subjects.

Perhaps Benjamin Franklin explained the current Canadian situation best when he wrote:

Had Newton been Pilot but of a single common Ship, the finest of his Discoveries would scarce have excus'd, or atton'd for his abandoning the Helm one Hour in Time of Danger; how much less if she had carried the Fate of the Commonwealth.

Image: LT Hunter.
George Soros is back, and he's gotten out his checkbook.

According to Politico:

Billionaire mega-donor George Soros is seeding a super PAC with $125 million, an enormous investment that will aid Democratic groups and candidates for the 2022 election cycle and beyond. The group, Democracy PAC, has served as Soros' campaign spending vehicle since 2019, channeling more than $80 million to other Democratic groups and candidates during the 2020 election cycle. The new, nine-figure investment from Soros is aimed at supporting pro-democracy "causes and candidates, regardless of political party" who are invested in "strengthening the infrastructure of American democracy: voting rights and civic participation, civil rights and liberties, and the rule of law," Soros said in a statement shared first with POLITICO.

Those moneybags will go to elect the craziest, most compromised, most surreal-talking leftists, including legislators, secretaries of state, and presumably district attorneys, three types of officials he's been funding for the past few election cycles, as well as Black Lives Mattertype activists. But in the Sorosian style, which means the opposite of what it says, the whole donation is couched in the language of saving "democracy" and promoting non-partisanship. It may be a tax dodge, for one, but it's also how Joe Biden, who gets a lot of Soros cash at least indirectly talks. Wonder why.

Naturally, the cash starts with his mini-me:

Alexander Soros, George Soros' son, will serve as the [Democracy] PAC's president. In his own statement, Alexander Soros cited the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and "ongoing efforts to discredit and undermine our electoral process, reveal the magnitude of the threat to our democracy," adding that this "is a generational threat that cannot be addressed in just one or two election cycles."

Pouring cash into races sometimes succeeds, but only if the public is unaware of what is going on, and even more important, it doesn't have a name attached.

That puts Soros in a bad position on both fronts.

Here's one impact from this Soros funding of so-called democracy and civil society:

The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) analyzed the outcome of dropping conviction rates under six different progressive district attorneys. These district attorneys are cited as "criminal justice reform" prosecutors who seek to use their elected positions to unilaterally end mass incarceration and racial disparities in convictions and reduce recidivism rates. The report found that in each of the six prosecutors' jurisdictions, felony crime rates have increased while their prosecutors' policies are reducing conviction rates. The net results are a lack of justice for victims and rising crime rates. The report concludes, "This signals a troubling trend as these progressive activists attain local prosecutorial roles and may mark a rise in crime in the affected jurisdictions and nearby locales."

Here's another, from a 2007 piece I wrote for Investor's Business Daily, the second item, titled "George Soros: The Man, The Mind And The Money Behind MoveOn":

Soros usually doesn't offer up or endorse specific candidates for office. His chief aim seems to be tearing down [George W.] Bush, driving the Democrats to the far left and enforcing party discipline through fear. In fact, he seems to like keeping Democrats guessing whether or not he's offended. The strategy seems to be working. No Democrat had the courage to cross MoveOn.org after its libelous Petraeus ad. On Thursday, a symbolic vote in Congress censuring MoveOn.org for the Petraeus ad passed, but with the notable absence of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Election looming, neither wants to cross Soros' MoveOn.org.

In other words, Democrat legislators vote as he likes, no matter how unpopular it makes them with voters, because Soros money is more important. Obama? Hillary? Biden? All in very deep based on their inexplicable voting patterns. I wrote about that in the third piece, "A Party Bought and Paid For" at this link here.

I argued in the third piece in the series, "The Soros Threat to Democracy" that the problem with Soros and his moneybags approach was the absence of transparency:

Soros' "shaping public policies," as OSI calls it, is not illegal. But it's a problem for democracy because it drives issues with cash and then only lets the public know about it after it's old news. That means the public makes decisions about issues without understanding the special agendas of groups behind them. Without more transparency, it amounts to political manipulation. This leads to cynicism. As word of these short-term covert ops gets out, the public grows to distrust what it hears and tunes out.

But now the public does know. It knows it by the gamy fraud-filled elections conducted by Soros-backed secretaries of state, the surreal statements from legislators such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the bizarre pronuncimentos from the executive branch, Joe Biden and all his government agencies. It knows it above all by the sudden wave of crime in the streets, brought on by Soros-backed Black Lives Matter rioting and Soros-bankrolled district attorneys. Voters are furious about this and looking for a cause and finding one with the name George Soros on it.

How do I know this? Take a look at what happened in the 2018 San Diego district attorney's race, where a lopsided funding dynamic was going on, with a Soros-backed district attorney candidate went up against a non-Soros-backed one, with much less money. The race was dead even until Summer Stephan, the anti-Soros candidate, ran an ad featuring a huge picture of Soros, Dr. Evil himself, warning that crime, disintegration, and all the other nightmares associated with Soros funding would come to San Diego if her Soros-backed rival were to win the election. Parts of the ad can be viewed in this news segment here. There also was this about the stir it caused.

What happened after that ad? The race decisively shifted in favor of Stephan, despite the fact that she was being outspent four to one. Once Stephan began pointing out the Soros cash of her rival, her fortunes shifted. Soros was the instant kiss of death, even in light blue San Diego.

I wrote about that here and here.

Stephan, as I noted in one piece, understood the dynamic of Soros in the race well. According to the Valley Center Road Runner:

Soros's funding of [Genevieve] Jones-Wright is one of 17 District Attorney races he is pouring funds to using his California Justice & Public Safety PAC. "He is selecting criminal defense attorneys or ACLU affiliated lawyers with the goal of decriminalizing prostitution, drugs and prosecuting law enforcement whether they did anything wrong or not. The target for Soros is the police," says Stephan. Stephan says that Soros-funded DA's elsewhere have led to failure. "This has been a failed social experiment in Houston. The violent crime since his candidate was elected has gone up nine percent. In Florida his candidate refused to prosecute to the full extent of the law a police officer murderer who also murdered a pregnant woman. To the point that the governor has stripped her of her authority to prosecute special circumstance murders." Her opponent, she says, promises the same. "She has pledged to not even consider pursuing the death penalty in any serial murder case or any murder case, whether the case qualifies or not. She has also pledged in writing to not petition the court for any 17 year old  even if they have committed mass murder  to be treated as an adult. Which means they would be released at age 25 no matter what. The money infusion is intended to buy this election and to have our community replace experience and qualifications with a dangerous experiment. That is the challenge for my campaign." Soros has successfully funded 13 out of 17 races, says Stephan. According to iNewssource.org: "Since 2015, Soros-funded PACs have spent more than $10 million to support progressive district attorney candidates around the country. This year, the California Justice PAC has contributed to at least three other DA candidates in the state: Diana Becton in Contra Costa County, Pamela Price in Alameda County and Noah Phillips in Sacramento County." This is a concern, says Stephan. "This is not a normal election of the people by the people but an election of a billionaire trying to buy the election."

She triumphed. And as a result, San Diego is not plagued with the kind of crime that Los Angeles and other blue cities with Soros-backed district attorneys have descended to.

It's a potent example because it suggests that the public knows. Soros cash = hellhole cities. That makes the Soros money pile useless. Soros may think, as Joe Biden does, that slathering more money on will fix the problem, but at this point, it is more likely to backfire as voter sentiment shifts and word gets out about the Soros D.A. records.

Transparency is Soros's worst enemy. It's the kryptonite to his slather-cash money plans. No wonder he doesn't like it.

Image: World Economic Forum http://swiss-image.ch/Photo by Sebastian Derungs (extracted image) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Image enhanced with Graphite by BeCasso.
From the time COVID started, I've been a bit of a maverick. I didn't stay home. I never have worn a mask that wasn't easy to breathe through  one thin layer, and only where I'm forced to wear it. I always believed that science would find drugs that could keep us out of the hospital  and those were, indeed, found early on. I was never scared of COVID itself. I figured if I was making healthy food and other lifestyle choices and got outdoors a lot for exercise (and believe me, it's daunting when you're the only one outdoors, and there's a sign every block saying in big, block letters, DANGER! STAY HOME!), then I'd be healthy.

I watched with fear as we descended into increasing irrational terror. I watched as Trump put the vaccine development on "warp speed" and said to myself, "This germaphobe is putting the cart before the horse, and it scares me." They certainly keyed into his weakness with this virus! I watched as Fauci and Birx self-contradicted and confused every issue. I watched as Trump got COVID, got treated, got over it rapidly  and felt as if my sense of the positive possibility of cure and then immunity was validated.

I also watched as family members succumbed to both the fear and the demands of their jobs and got jabbed. I had begged and pleaded with them not to do so, explaining that the "vaccine" was untested and we had no idea of the long-term effects. I wrote a lot about it. I accused the government of a lot of things, and I knew just as well and certainly as could be that electing Biden would be a disaster in terms of rationally approaching treatment for the virus.

I was always terrified of the unknown effects of the vaccine, far more than the possibility of death from the virus. I watched as this became the only illness in American history where people were told to go home, do nothing, and suffer until they couldn't breathe, and then go to the hospital. I watched them disappear into the maw of the unknown, as visitors and advocates were disallowed. Many never made it out.



Image: Vaccine (Freepik license) and Skull and Crossbones (freeiconspng).

I watched and wondered, as I heard of this or that person who suddenly had bad cancer, heart failure, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Nobody could say for sure why this happened. I worried that we would see all kinds of neurological diseases spike higher, too. From the beginning of COVID, I have found my only solace in voracious reading, trying to understand as well as any layperson could what was going on, and writing about it so I could share my thoughts with others.

We have come to a pivotal point in this process of vaccination and boosters and abject failure to stop COVID. We are learning that we don't have to take this vaccine and that the only rational reason for forcing it upon us is to make us all prey to the fear and get us all signed up for a nefarious digital "medical ID." There is no other reason.

Now we know of some countries, like Israel, where they have 95% of all citizens (except for the frail elderly and babies) taking two, three, and even four shots, yet they're having more and more virus infections. The stuff doesn't work. Period.

This morning, I had this video arrive in my inbox. Talk about chilling! I'll warn you if you're squeamish: it's a bit hard to watch.

In this worldwide exclusive, Dr. Jane Ruby meets with board-certified Embalmer and funeral Director, Richard Hirschman who reveals, for the first time ever, arteries and veins filled with unnatural blood clot combinations with strange fibrous materials that are completely filling the vascular system. Many of the victims reportedly died of heart attacks and strokes. Mr. Hirschman reports that he found resistance when he tried to embalm these jabbed patients, and then found these strange materials and pulled them from the large vessels of the bodies. He also reported that he has gone from seeing 50% of his embalmed cases with these types of blockages rise to almost 80%.

I watched the whole thing, and the part that stuck in my mind the most was when Dr. Ruby asked Hirschman if he talked with the families of the people he embalmed. He said that was not his job; he talked only with the funeral directors. Then he said this: "I don't want to take away hope from all the people who've already taken this vaccine." He imagined how it might be when a wife and husband, for instance, got the vaccination together  and he had to tell her that this is what killed him.

He also said he's in touch with his colleagues, and they're all seeing the same thing. This phenomenon is somewhat corroborated  without the visual proof  by this story from England, which shows that thrombosis deaths are up 500600%.

Hirschman said he hoped, by coming forward, that there might be a way found to stop this seemingly inevitable slide to death. I pray there is. I have never in my life been so regretful of being right and fearful for our future as a civilization.
Spine surgery, and there is a lot of it being performed in the United States, should be performed by spine surgeons. And yet, believe it or not, there has been momentum recently to have non-operative pain specialists perform spinal fusions. It's reached a point where the leading spine organizations in the world had to draft a statement.

This isn't safe for patients. It's not what I would want for a family member. And it's bad policy for the medical system. It's indirect result of the distance between those who pay for care and those who receive it.

Fusion surgery refers to the healing or joining of two different spine levels (vertebra) together. This permanently alters the biomechanics of the spinal column. It has lifelong implications for the patient and, even when performed correctly, increases the chances of needing another surgery in the future. I focus on complex spine revisions and scoliosis in my practice, and approximately 35% of my practice are patients who have had a previous spine fusion.

Any type of fusion surgery should be performed by a trained surgeon fully capable and aware of all anatomical considerations with the ability to manage and treat complications. This includes concepts surrounding the spinal cord, the spine joints, the spine disc space, and the spine's relationship with the pelvis. Any neurosurgeon who has completed a residency or an orthopedic surgeon who has graduated from a spine fellowship has completed the proper pathway for performing spine fusion surgery. These respective surgeons spend years studying scrubbing and studying for surgery. They have dedicated their lives to surgery.

Non-operative specialists such as pain anesthesiologists and pain medicine physicians are not trained to perform spinal fusions. They have not completed a residency in surgery. They do not undergo significant repetitive measured and indexed competency training in the surgical instrumentation of the spine. Yet some of them are starting to perform surgeries in ambulatory surgical centers or even in their offices.

Why?

Minimally invasive techniques have made spine fusion surgery more available to the general public and in certain ways safer. This can include percutaneous or small skin incisions as opposed to traditional open surgery. There is an obvious financial push and incentive for non-surgeons to perform these surgeries, especially in situations where there are ancillary income streams like ambulatory surgical centers or physician offices.

Also, in theory, the companies designing these products would also benefit from as many doctors using them as "safely" as possible. There are only approximately 3,600 active neurosurgeons in the United States. There are approximately 5,700 pain management physicians. The overwhelming majority of physicians just want to help the patient sitting in front of them, and these new devices are another tool in the toolbox. Give more physicians a hammer, and they will find a nail.

For the patient, I just don't think this is a safe idea. The American Association of Neurosurgeons, The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Cervical Spine Research Society, Lumbar Spine Research Society, Scoliosis Research Society, and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine surgery agree.

For the health system, this is the wrong direction. Dramatic increases in spinal fusions occur in the United States annually. This is multi-factorial and layered, but whatever the background is, it's expensive. I think the taxpayers, CMS, and otherwise should demand accountability regarding who actually performs spine surgery. The taxpayer are fronting the bill.

If system had less distance among those who provided care, those who received it, and those who paid for it, there be more conscious consumers and providers. This is the moral hazard of health care.

I want to be very clear that we have some absolutely outstanding pain medicine and non-operative spine colleagues. They are invaluable members of a team-based approach to treating spinal pathology. And they provide many non-operative interventions such as epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency ablations. Thankfully, most patients with degenerative spine conditions will never need surgery. We, the surgeons, would not be able to do what we do without their assistance.

Just as a complex spine cancer pain would not want a surgeon to manage his lifelong complex opioid pathway, a spine patient should have a spine surgeon performing his spine surgery.

Richard Menger, M.D., MPA is an assistant professor of neurosurgery and an assistant professor of political science at the University of South Alabama. He is the lead editor for the textbook The Business, Policy and Economics of Neurosurgery.

Image: Lparis22 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).
Joe Biden and his Democrat allies wasted no time trying to make political hay out of a bridge collapse in Pittsburgh, a city Biden had just arrived in to discuss his infrastructure bill:

The collapse happened just hours before President Biden traveled to the area to speak at a previously scheduled event about the $1 trillion infrastructure bill he signed into law last year. "We have been so far behind on infrastructure for so many years it's just mind-boggling," Mr. Biden told a group of elected officials and first responders during a visit to the collapse site. "...We used to be number one in the world." Earlier, Mayor Ed Gainey told reporters the collapse highlights the need for the federal funding. "With him coming today to talk about this infrastructure bill, to discuss why this funding is so important, today is significant," the mayor told reporters.

One problem: The bridge has already been to that infrastructure well earlier.

Here's a rather amazing tweet thread from a Pittsburgh local:

The bridge that just collapsed in the city of Pittsburgh was set to be restored in 2016. Instead of replacing the completely rusted out supports, they diverted the money to bike lanes, green energy programs and lanes for self driving cars.  LACK (@libertyismetal) January 29, 2022

Instead of repairing the bridge with what likely would have been the Obama-era shovel-ready 2009 infrastructure funds for "roads and bridges," known as the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," the cash went to bike lanes and green boondoggles, and too bad about the actual structure that was decaying and deteriorating. Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg loves those bike lanes. Bridges that stay up? That is for someone else to take care of. And of course, no one did. For local leftwing politicians and federal cash shovelers, it was too attractive to build bike lanes and dedicated lanes, the better for Democrats to show off to all their little lefty friends.

Virtually every infrastructure bill has been like this. The Americans for Prosperity website has a history of these continuous infrastructure bills, all of which left a lot of decaying infrastructure and a lot of greenie gee-whiz idiocies:

In 1998, President Clinton and Congress worked together on a $217 billion transportation bill.

Who can forget President George W. Bushs 2005 bill that included funding for the infamous Bridge to Nowhere.

President Obamas 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act had an $831 billion price tag.

The Trump Administration proposed or endorsed several costly infrastructure plans between 2015-2020.

If President Bidens recent proposal gives you deja vu, youre not alone. His promises sound familiar to us, too.

We know that in California, legislators and executives enjoy lying about spending for infrastructure investment, too. Remember when they hoodwinked voters into approving a gas tax for infrastructure in 2019? Yep, same story, they didnt bother with infrastructure such as roads and bridges. They set up greenie playthings instead and wasted the cash even as gas prices skyrocketed with all those added state taxes.

Now Biden is touting his 'infrastructure' spending, while Democrats have previously tried to sell us on the idea of daycare as infrastructure, education as infrastructure, and bike lanes as infrastructure. The only thing we can be sure of around such a bill as Biden's trillion dollar now-passed infrastructure bill, as well as his presumably dead "Build Back Better" bill that he still wants to get through, is that the cash won't go toward infrastructure that matters. It will go to Democrat pet projects and wasteful boondoggles.

Voters have seen this show before, so one hopes that the Pittsburgh people Biden was addressing and everyone else give it the back of their hands.

Image: Screen shot from CBS video, via YouTube
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was formed as a bulwark against antisemitism, has been helmed for several years by an Obama acolyte. Maybe it shouldn't surprise us, then, that the ADL recently and proudly hired someone who hates Jews.

The ADL was formed in the early 20th century when antisemitism was virulently dangerous. Signally, in 1913, despite the absence of any evidence against him, Leo Max Frank was convicted of murder in Atlanta, Georgia. It was patently clear that the conviction occurred because he was Jewish. Two years later, when his last appeal failed, a crowd seized Frank from the jail and lynched him. It was one of the ugliest antisemitic episodes in a country that had long been a haven for Jews.

Also, in 1913, partially in response to Frank's conviction, B'nai B'rith (a Jewish service organization founded in 1843) formed the Anti-Defamation League to fight back against antisemitism in America. One of the ADL's biggest earliest successes was getting Henry Ford to apologize in 1927 for the virulent antisemitism he routinely published in The Dearborn Independent.

Over the years, the ADL hewed to its mandate to fight back against antisemitism in America. Although it began tilting left some time ago, things really changed in 2015, when it appointed Jonathan Greenblatt as its CEO. Greenblatt, a former special assistant to Barack Obama and director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, expanded the ADL's mandate. Now it stands against "racism" generally.

For example, in April 2021, Greenblatt came out strongly against...Tucker Carlson. Greenblatt did this not because Tucker said anything antisemitic. Instead, he accused Tucker of racism because Tucker spoke out against Biden's illegal open border policy. That policy has, in the last 12 months, welcomed into America almost 2 million unvetted, unknown, probably unhealthy people, many of them drug- and people-traffickers, and secretly used taxpayer money to spread them throughout the U.S. But for Jonathan Greenblatt, Tucker's a racist.



Image: Tema Smith (cropped; edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab.

If you go to the ADL website, you'll discover that the ADL is now an all-purpose organization dedicated to fighting every kind of "hate": "Immigrant & Refugee Rights," LGBTQ Rights," "Race & Racial Justice," "Voting Rights," and "Women's Equity," to name but a few.

In keeping with this generalized woke mindset, Jonathan Greenblatt proudly announced that the ADL's new director of Jewish outreach and partnerships has won an award that sees her as part of a "movement to empower & includes Jews of Color."

.@JProNetwork announced their 2022 JPro Young Professionals awards to include @ADLs new Director of Jewish Outreach and Partnerships. Mazel tov to @temasmith! Kudos for being honored for your vital voice in the movement to empower & include Jews of Color. https://t.co/FChX41fRX2  Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) January 25, 2022

That sounds like a good partnership, given that Blacks, sadly, are among the most antisemitic people in America, with BLM working hard to increase that mindset. Except it turns out that Tema Smith is herself a purveyor of antisemitism by accusing Jews of being...wait for it...racists:

The ADL hired this person as their new director of Jewish Outreach specifically because they dont hear from @SethAMandel enough. pic.twitter.com/4yZuk837ko  Joe Cunningham (@JoePCunningham) January 26, 2022

That'll improve relationships between the two groups...

There's nothing original about Tema Smith. Frankly, she's just another self-loathing leftist Jew.

But how does a group founded to fight antisemitism hire a woman who antisemitically accuses Jews of being racists? By redefining racism in the Marxist way.

Up until the Marxists got a hold of the lexicon, racism meant imputing negative stereotypes to people based upon their race and discriminating against them. The Holocaust was a good example of anti-Jewish racism, just as slavery and Jim Crow were good examples of anti-Black racism.

But for the ADL, as for all Marxists, it's about the economic hierarchy and the Marxist purity of various groups. Thus, we get this from the ADL glossary:

Racism is the marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.

In other words, Jews, whom Marxists consider White, are privileged and can only be racists against Blacks. The corollary is that Blacks can never be antisemitic against Jews.

Congratulations to the ADL for turning itself into a vehicle for antisemitism. Truly, there is nothing that leftists cannot destroy.

Sadly, this is part of a long trend of organizations created to fight antisemitism de-Judaizing themselves and becoming generic, and often antisemitic, leftist organizations.

(Hat tip: Twitchy and Twitchy.)
Something big is happening in Canada, and it's happening in a typically Canadian way. After two years of draconian lockdowns and mandates, truckers are pushing back with a 45-mile-long convoy that pulled into Ottawa yesterday. It's exciting and inspiring. It's also drawing the elites out from cover, as they abandon any pretense of supporting the people they applauded so vigorously almost two years ago when they hid in their offices while "the little people" kept the world working.

The Canadians have been renowned for being an obedient, peaceable people. But perhaps we've forgotten that there's a warrior strain in them. During WWI and WWII, some of the British Empire's most ferocious fighters came from Canada. That blend of warrior and peaceful soul seems to have come together with the massive Freedom Convoy that Canadian (and some American) truckers have driven from Vancouver to Ottawa, Canada's capital.

I wrote about the convoy on Friday, along with lots of videos. It's incredibly inspiring to see these cheerful truckers driving along Canada's frozen lands, cheered on by hundreds and thousands of people wherever they go. Tucker interviewed another trucker on Friday night, and it's moving to see his good spirits and optimism as he and his fellow truckers push back against the effort to make them bow down to the technocracy for which COVID has provided a glide path.

These truckers stand for all the people in the West who have done everything their political leaders forced upon them. While the power class (politicians, media, the professoriate, billionaires, etc.) sheltered at home, these people  whether truckers, store clerks, sanitation people, bus drivers, police, or dozens of other jobs that needed to be done  bravely went out despite the fear of an unknown disease. Back then, the leaders were grateful. Indeed, Justin Trudeau couldn't say enough for truckers:

Now, though, the truckers are getting in the way of the grand plans that the politicians, media types, professors, and billionaires have hatched. The Great Reset, about which leftists, including Trudeau, have been open, requires that every person be tracked and controlled via technology. COVID and vaccine madness provided the perfect way to do that, with many people  mostly from the same class as those pushing the Reset  voluntarily handing over their freedoms.



Image: Trudeau v. the truckers from Reality Bites by Broc Smith.

But in America and around the world, the regular people don't want to become slaves to the state. They don't want to be forced to take experimental medicines, to see their children masked and isolated, to watch the greenies destroy their livelihoods, their access to food, their ability to travel, their AC in the summer and heat in the winter, and everything else that the ruling class has planned and is enforcing through a toxic amalgam of government and the private sector.

By the way, do you know what you call that amalgam? It's called fascism. Communism and fascism are socialism's children. Communism sees the state taking over the means of production and ending private property. Fascism preserves private property but makes the state and private enterprise partners against ordinary citizens.

Until Hitler added genocide and the quest for world domination to his fascism, progressives in America admired him greatly. Progressives still admire fascism as a political principle. So when the ordinary people refuse to yield to the enormous pressure from the government and its giant corporate partners, they're frightened and lash out...and they pervert language and lie.

So it is that Trudeau, the smallest excuse for a human being ever to helm Canada, and his propaganda engine (i.e., the "news") pre-emptively accuse the truckers of being violent extremists. Trudeau, by the way, is hiding, using the risible excuse of a timely COVID exposure.

Meanwhile, the allegedly "small minority" of people who support the truckers has raised 7.6 million Canadian dollars (almost 6 million U.S. dollars).

Here in the U.S., Michael de Adder, a cartoonist for the WaPo, accused the truckers of being fascists:

Unlike American Thinker's knowledgeable and intelligent cartoonists, de Adder is an idiot. The truckers represent neither the state nor large corporations. They are the antithesis of fascism, for they are individuals demanding that the fascists leave them alone.

Cheer on the truckers; remember that the Gdansk shipyard workers started the chain of events that led to the Soviet Union's collapse; and think of uplifting, peaceful ways for Americans to do something as wonderful as those Canadian truckers are doing.

Canadian Mark Steyn calls the truckers' protest "the most inspiring story around the world at the moment."
(Image source from: mid-day.com)

Telangana schools to reopen from February 1st:- The government of Telangana asked the educational institutions to remain closed till January 31st considering the rise in the new cases of coronavirus. With the cases under control, KCR, the Chief Minister of Telangana ordered to reopen all the educational institutions from February 1st. Sabitha Indra Reddy, the Education Minister submitted a report to the Chief Minister yesterday. After chairing a meeting with the Health and Medical Department officials, KCR announced to reopen all the educational institutions and schools from February 1st. All the students and teachers will have to follow the implemented Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing.

Sabitha Indra Reddy, the Education Minister of Telangana announced the news officially today after the meeting got concluded. She said that the precuations should be followed strictly in all the schools and colleges. The teachers and parents should take all the appropriate safety measures. The government also announced that it would be the choice to the students and the parents to attend online or offline classes. Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao too attended the meeting with the Chief Minister KCR today. On January 3rd, the government of Telangana announced the closure of all the educational institutions till January 16th and extended them till January 31st considering the ongoing coronavirus.

(Video Source: V6 News Telugu)
(Image source from: indianexpress.com)

After conducting namaz in class, Karnataka school headmistress suspended:- The Karnataka Education Department officials have suspended the school headmistress of the government school following the outrage of conducting namaz. The Hindu organizations protested after Muslim students are being allowed to offer namaz in the classroom. The members of the Hindu outfit reached the Mulbagal Someswara Palaya Bale Changappa Government Kannada Model Higher Primary School after the video went viral about students conducting namaz in the classes. An inquiry has been ordered and the Block Education Officer (BEO) Girijeswari Devi suspended the school headmistreess Uma Devi.

A team of four members reached the school to conduct an inquiry after which the headmistress was suspended. The Muslim students are given permission for namaz on Fridays during the b breaks but they are never allowed to perform namaz in the school campus. Girijeswari Devi said that the headmistress was suspended after there are no religious prayers allowed in the government schools. Headmistress Uma Devi clarified that she hasn't granted any permission for any student to perform namaz in the classroom and the students did it in her absence. Karnataka Education Minister B C Nagesh ordered an investigation and he asked the teachers and officials not to repeat such incidents in the future.
Tollywood heading for a busy February:- The third wave of coronavirus turned out to be a speed breaker for Tollywood and the Sankranthi biggies are postponed. RRR and Radhe Shyam are hitting the screens in summer and the exact dates will be announced soon. Bangarraju, Hero and Rowdy Boys released during Sankranthi and Keerthy Suresh's Good Luck Sakhi released today. With the cases of coronavirus calming down, all the theatrical markets are getting reopened. States like Delhi lifted restrictions and theatres are asked to operate with 50 percent occupancy. Tollywood too is heading for a series of releases in the month off February.

The makers of Ravi Teja's next film Khiladi announced that the film will release on February 11th. Ramesh Varma is the director and the film is an action thriller. Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Neha Shetty starrer DJ Tillu will release on February 11th or 12th and the announcement will be made. Sudheer Babu's Aa Ammayi Gurinchi Cheppali, a romantic entertainer too will release in February. Mohankrishna Indraganti is the director and Krithi Shetty is the leading lady. Rajasekhar's comeback film Shekar too is gearing up for February release. The makers of Pawan Kalyan's Bheemla Nayak are in plans to push the release from February and the new release date will be announced soon.
SANAA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni honey, whose production has a history of at least 3,000 years, is prized by the locals as "liquid gold" since it is among the best and most expensive honey in the world.

However, as the Yemeni protracted civil war has been grinding on for more than seven years, enormous losses have been inflicted on the industry, with "the cost of transporting the beehives as the biggest problem," Abdullah Nashir, head of the Cooperative League of Yemeni Beekeepers, told Xinhua.

In order to secure enough high-quality flowers for the bees, the beekeepers need to move between different valleys and grasslands, but the war has made travel inside the country difficult and even dangerous, said Nashir, also a professor of the Agriculture Faculty at Sanaa University in the Yemeni capital.

Take Yemen's renowned Sidr honey from the nectar of the namesake trees. The honey usually sells for more than 300 U.S. dollars per kg at the international market, but its production is dwindling year by year, Nashir told Xinhua.

The Yemeni professor also pointed to the fuel shortage as a threat to the honey industry in Yemen.

"To move the beehives around needs vehicles. And vehicles need petrol. But the economic blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition has cut off the fuel supplies," said Nashir.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen since 2015 to support the Hadi government.

The restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on the foreign trade and the closure of Yemen's border crossings have also impeded the export of the Yemeni honey outside the country.

According to the Nashir, Yemen exported at least 900 tonnes of honey every year before the war, but its exports have since plummeted by more than 50 percent.

Fahd Shai, a merchant of the Yemeni honey in Sanaa, told Xinhua that his business has declined significantly since the outbreak of the civil war.

"Since we can't export the honey, we are forced to sell it in the domestic markets. But the price is much lower," Shai lamented. 
Google, a company thats known for software, seems to be in a weird place with its software ventures. While it deals with numerous issues with Android 12, the company wants to bring us a new version of Android called Android 12L. According to 9To5Google, this tablet-friendly version of Android is in its beta stage, and Lenovo just released the 2nd beta version of the software.

Lenovo released the 2nd beta for Android 12L

Right now, the only tablet that you can properly test out the software is the Lenovo P12 Pro tablet. This $700 tablet also received the developer previews. Lenovo just released the 2nd beta Android 12L. However, Lenovo did not provide information on what issues Google fixed or what new features there could be.

While the P12 Pro is the only tablet with the official betas, Pixel phones are also getting the betas. Still, the most useful information about the softwares stability and performance will come from the P12 Pro. There were a handful of issues that users experienced while trying out the 1st beta, but were waiting to see if there are any noticeable improvements to the overall experience with the 2nd one.

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The official launch should be relatively soon

Its January now, so were not far from the projected official release. Google gave us the release schedule last year detailing when we should see Android 12L become official. While the company didnt give us a definite date, it stated that the final version could release sometime in Q1 of 2022 (thats assuming that everything is going as planned). It seems that way because the 2nd beta for Android 12L released in January, as planned.

The 3rd beta could launch sometime next month, so we can look forward to one more beta before the launch. If the launch schedule points to Q1, then we can expect the official version to launch by the end of March.

What is Android 12L?

If you dont recall what Android 12L is, its a version of Android 12 thats formatted to work better with tables and foldable phones. Historically, Android just hasnt been the best software for tablets and foldable phones. The UI merely stretched itself to fit the larger canvas which isnt the best for most scenarios. Android 12L reimagines some of the UI elements in Android 12 so they can better transition to larger screens.

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Google overhauled several aspects of the software with Android 12. The multitasking screen will have a grid pattern, the notification shade will be divided into two columns, and there might be an app dock on the bottom like with Chromebooks.
The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister has indicated that he believes there are landing zones for a deal on the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Simon Coveney spoke with with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Friday, as negotiations between the UK and the EU continue over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Late on Friday, Mr Coveney tweeted that it was good to talk with Ms Truss.

Work to do, but there are landing zones that allow the protocol to be implemented in a way that responds positively to concerns raised in Northern Ireland.

Good to talk again with @trussliz . Work to do, but there are landing zones that allow the protocol to be implemented in a way that responds positively to concerns raised in Northern Ireland. Progress on key issues in February is possible if  &  work in partnership. #Brexit https://t.co/q0hD0fiYto  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 28, 2022

Progress on key issues in February is possible if United Kingdom and European Union work in partnership.

Ms Truss also tweeted following the meeting.

She said it was important that all sides work constructively together to find solutions that address the problems in NI and protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

The Foreign Secretary this week expressed her determination to secure a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol that can command universal support in Northern Ireland.

Ms Truss made the comments after meeting with business and political leaders in Northern Ireland on Thursday.

Good to speak to @simoncoveney about the Northern Ireland Protocol today. Important that    work constructively together to find solutions that address the problems in NI and protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. pic.twitter.com/MdPE11gEdn  Liz Truss (@trussliz) January 28, 2022

She said: What I want is a deal that works for everyone. We are making progress. Were having constructive talks.

I want to make significant progress by February. Thats important but its important that we secure the support of all of the communities in Northern Ireland, including the unionist community.

Recent days have seen renewed warnings from the main unionist party, the DUP, that it will walk away from the devolved institutions at Stormont if major changes to the Irish Sea border trading arrangements are not secured.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of a British technology tycoon to the United States to answer criminal fraud charges.

It comes after Dr Mike Lynch on Friday lost a multibillion-dollar fraud action over the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2011.

He is accused of deliberately overstating the value of his business before it was acquired by the American technology giant.

HP, now Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), sued Dr Lynch and Autonomys former chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, for around five billion US dollars (3.7 billion), following its purchase of the Cambridge-based firm for 11.1 billion US dollars (8.3 billion) more than a decade ago.

Home Secretary Priti Patel was told to make a decision on Dr Lynchs extradition to the US by the end of Friday (Victoria Jones/PA)

Announcing his decision on the case at the High Court in London on Friday, Mr Justice Hildyard said HP had substantially succeeded in its various claims against the two men  but is likely to receive substantially less than the amount claimed in damages.

Dr Lynch has denied all charges against him and has signalled he intends to appeal against the High Court judges decision.

That decision coincided with a deadline for the Home Secretary to decide whether Dr Lynch should be extradited to the US.

A Home Office spokesperson said: Under the Extradition Act 2003, the Secretary of State must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made. Extradition requests are only sent to the Home Secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case.

On January 28, following consideration by the courts, the extradition of Dr Michael Lynch to the US was ordered.

On Wednesday, Ms Patel was given until midnight on Friday to decide on his extradition after a High Court judge ruled against Dr Lynchs legal challenge over a previously set deadline.

Ms Patel had wanted to consider Mr Justice Hildyards ruling on the High Court civil claim before making an extradition decision.

US authorities claim Dr Lynch deliberately overstated the value of his business, which specialised in software to sort through large data sets.

Dr Lynch accused HP of trying to make him a scapegoat for its failures (PA)

Chris Morvillo, of law firm Clifford Chance  representing Dr Lynch, said in a statement after the Home Office announcement: Dr Lynch firmly denies the charges brought against him in the US and will continue to fight to establish his innocence.

He is a British citizen who ran a British company in Britain subject to British laws and rules and that is where the matter should be resolved.

This is not the end of the battle  far from it.

Dr Lynch will now file an appeal to the High Court in London.

Earlier, Kelwin Nicholls, another lawyer at Clifford Chance representing the entrepreneur, said after the High Court judges decision: Todays outcome is disappointing and Dr Lynch intends to appeal.

We will study the full judgment over the coming weeks. We note the judges concerns over the reliability of some of HPs witnesses.

We also note the judges expectation that any loss suffered by HP will be substantially less than the five billion dollars (3.8 billion) claimed.

Mr Justice Hildyard delivered a summary of his conclusions in the case on Friday, more than two years after the start of what was believed to be the UKs biggest civil fraud trial  which was heard over nine months in 2019.

He said Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain gave a misleading picture of the business, including by reselling hardware in order to enable Autonomy to cover shortfalls in software revenue.

The judge said: The purpose of the hardware selling strategy was to meet market expectations of revenue maintenance and growth, by misleading the market as to the true market position of Autonomy.

These loss-making transactions were not commercially justified on any basis.

The justifications advanced by the defendants were no more than pretexts to increase stated revenue in the accounts.

The strategy was not for the purpose of raising software revenue sales. That justification was a pretence, fashioned principally for the audit committee and Deloitte, who would not have approved the accounting treatment without the pretence.

Both concealment of the hardware sales and their true cost in Autonomys accounts and other published information were necessary because revelation of the Autonomys use of hardware sales, and the erosion of gross margin, would have nullified their true purpose.

This would have exposed that Autonomys software business was not generating the accelerating revenue and profits which the market thought it was, and which heavily influenced its price.

The judge said Autonomy was founded in 1996 out of a company called Cambridge Neurodynamics, an early venture into using machine learning to develop software techniques which Dr Lynch had explored in his PhD thesis at Cambridge University.

His full judgment in the case is expected to be published at a later date but remains embargoed until then.

During the civil trial in 2019, HP said the write-down of Autonomys value was because it had found serious accounting improprieties.

Laurence Rabinowitz QC, representing HP, said Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain had knowingly caused Autonomy to engage in a programme of widespread and systematic fraudulent accounting practices ahead of the sale.

He said Autonomy had been meeting its revenue and revenue growth targets by simply buying and selling third-party hardware, without any connection to Autonomy software.

Mr Rabinowitz added the firm also used a variety of other fraudulent devices to either accelerate revenue or to invent revenue that never existed in the first place.

The two men denied the claims and Dr Lynch launched a counter-claim for at least 125 million US dollars (95 million) in damages against HP for a series of false, misleading and unfair public statements about his alleged responsibility for supposed accounting irregularities and misrepresentations at Autonomy.

He accused HP of making a series of far-fetched allegations of fraud and scapegoating, arguing it had destroyed one of the most successful and promising software companies of its time due to management incompetence, politics and infighting.

Dr Lynch, from Suffolk, argued the technology giant was trying to make him a scapegoat for their failures.

Mr Hussain was convicted in April 2018 in the US of wire fraud and other crimes related to Autonomys sale and was sentenced to five years in prison.

In the separate criminal proceedings in the US, Dr Lynch faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy in a federal court over the sale of Autonomy.
Neil Young has praised Amazon Music and offered his fans four months free on the streaming platform just days after removing all of his music from its rival Spotify.

The Grammy award-winning musician said Amazon was leading the pack in high quality audio production and encouraged fans to use the service to access his entire catalogue.

Young reportedly requested his content be removed from Spotify due to its hosting of the Joe Rogan podcast, which has been known to air vaccine-sceptical views.

All folks looking for my music can easily head to AMAZON MUSIC and click here https://t.co/xvhKGMkA36  all new listeners will get four months free. pic.twitter.com/a66GaGUKEk  Neil Young Archives (@NeilYoungNYA) January 28, 2022

The streaming giant said it regretted Youngs decision and hoped to welcome him back soon.

But a Twitter post from the Neil Young Archives on Friday said: All folks looking for my music can easily head to AMAZON MUSICall new listeners will get four months free.

It added: Amazon has been leading the pack in bringing Hi-Res audio to the masses, and its a great place to enjoy my entire catalogue in the highest quality available.

Love earth, be well. Neil.

Young reportedly requested his content be removed from Spotify due to its hosting of the Joe Rogan podcast (Spotify/PA)

Following Youngs reported concerns Spotify said it aimed to balance both safety for listeners and freedom for creators and had removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid since the start of the pandemic.

It acquired The Joe Rogan Experience podcast in 2020, reportedly for more than 100 million dollars (77m).

Stand-up comedian Rogan, 54, has previously attracted controversy for suggesting the young and healthy should not get vaccinated.
Police have apologised after innocent drivers had their tyres destroyed. (Getty/Stock)

Police have apologised after innocent drivers had their tyres destroyed in a police stinger operation gone wrong.

Suffolk Police revealed that "several" cars were damaged on a busy dual-carriageway at around 6.30pm on Thursday.

Officers had deployed a stinger - a spike strip used to puncture tyres - to intercept a suspect vehicle on the A14 near Newmarket.

But they actually burst the tyres of several innocent drivers after the stinger "moved position into the carriageway".

Police said two HGVs travelling past caused the spike strip to move from the side of the road.

Read more: Prisoner on the run for more than 20 years lived low key life with his wife'

Drivers had their tyres destroyed in a police stinger operation. (Getty)

Read more: Heartbreaking moment man dumps seven dogs on street before driving away

No one was injured in the incident and the force has promised to arrange recovery and repair for the damaged vehicles.

Suffolk Police said in a statement: "Police would like to sincerely apologise to all those involved for the inconvenience caused.

"An investigation will take place to determine the full circumstances of the incident."

Read more: Overweight burglar foiled because he was too big to fit through window

Chief Inspector Jonathan Chapman said it was "very rare for incidents like this to happen.

He added: "I would like to extend my apologies to members of the public, not only those who had their vehicles damaged but also to those who were stuck on the A14 as I'm sure there would've been some impact to the road network.

"I would like to apologise to the public for any inconvenience caused and also thank them for their patience."
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The total number of China-Europe freight train trips has topped 50,000, as a cargo train left the city of Chengdu in southwest China for Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.

The value of goods transported by the cargo service skyrocketed from 8 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 to 74.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, surpassing a ninefold increase, said China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

During the six-year period, the number of train services recorded an average annual growth of 55 percent after all railway routes were merged into the China-Europe freight train service brand and given blue branding in June 2016.

With 78 routes planned, the trains now reach 180 cities in 23 European countries, transporting more than 50,000 types of goods including IT products, automobiles and parts, chemicals, and mechanical and electronic products, according to the company.

Since it began operations in 2011, the China-Europe freight train service has served as a crucial link for trade and economic cooperation, propelling interconnectivity and bringing mutual benefits to countries along the routes.

In a smart factory owned by the Chinese equipment manufacturer Sany Group in the Liangjiang New Area of the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing, large excavators have rolled off the assembly line and been loaded onto a China-Europe freight train heading toward Central Asian and European markets.

In the eyes of Li Bing, general manager in charge of Sany Group's business in the southwestern region, major railway channels such as the China-Europe freight train service have brought Chongqing closer to the rest of the world. "We can better expand the Central Asian and European markets based in the municipality," he said.

Once faced with logistics disadvantages, inland Chinese cities such as Chongqing and Chengdu are now emerging as industrial bases for the electronic information, automobile and equipment manufacturing sectors, as global investors voted with their feet after the railway launch.

Agnieszka Maliszewska, director of the Polish Chamber of Milk, said that the export expansion of Polish dairy products to China has much to do with the fast logistics between Poland and China. "We are very happy because it is a very fast and good solution for dairy products and their producers," he said.

As of Saturday, more than 4.55 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods worth a total of 240 billion U.S. dollars have been transported by China-Europe freight trains.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the safe and efficient transport offered by the China-Europe freight train service has helped stabilize global supply chains while offering a lifeline for the distribution of anti-virus materials.

Official data shows that since the pandemic began, over 100,000 tonnes or 13.62 million units of anti-pandemic supplies have been transported by freight trains to European countries including Germany, Poland and Belgium.

By Jan. 19, the city of Wuhan had sent out 11 China-Europe freight trains this year, transporting a total of 921 tonnes of COVID-19 prevention goods.

Looking ahead, the China State Railway Group is working to improve its overseas network by opening new routes that travel across the Caspian Sea, the Baltic Sea, as well as countries such as Ukraine and Finland.

And the China-Europe freight train service is set to play an even bigger role as countries along the routes seek higher-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Official data showed that the total imports and exports between China and the European Union gained 27.5 percent in 2021 to reach 828.11 billion U.S. dollars. China remains the EU's largest trading partner, while the EU is China's second largest trading partner. 
Gusts of up to 80mph could batter northern areas of the UK this weekend as Storm Malik sweeps in.

Yellow weather warnings are in place across all of Scotland, northern England and parts of Northern Ireland for most of Saturday as Storm Malik is expected to bring high winds and rain.

There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services.

 AMBER weather warning issued  Wind across parts of eastern Scotland Saturday 0700  1500 Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #WeatherAware  pic.twitter.com/XA4s3J2ojY  Met Office (@metoffice) January 28, 2022

Power supplies and mobile phone coverage could also be affected.

The Met Office warned: Injuries and danger to life could occur from flying debris as well as from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

SP Energy Networks, the company responsible for electricity transmission in central and southern Scotland, issued safety advice around potential power cuts.

The company said customers should keep a battery or wind-up torch to hand and keep mobile phones fully charged.

People should also beware of fallen power lines, it said.

  We're expecting very heavy rain and gusty winds across much of Scotland over the next few days. We'll use speed restrictions, additional staff & specialist kit to keep you moving safely.@LNER @AvantiWestCoast @CrossCountryUK @TPEassist @ScotRail @CalSleeper @LumoTravel pic.twitter.com/o0vybsH4Qw  Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) January 28, 2022

Network Rail Scotland said it would introduce some speed restrictions for safety, and have additional staff equipped with chainsaws across the network to deal with fallen trees on tracks.

Named by the Danish Meteorological Institute, Storm Malik is expected to bring in gusts reaching up to 80mph in coastal areas, but more widely 60mph, as it tracks eastwards towards Denmark.

Paul Gunderson, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: The impacts of Storm Malik are going to be greatest in Denmark on Sunday, but the track of the storm in the preceding hours means that the UK will be dealt a glancing blow as Malik moves eastwards on Saturday.

For those in the north of the UK there will be high winds and rain on Saturday, with showers possibly turning wintry in the high ground in the north.

The highest winds are expected in exposed coastal areas in the north and east of Scotland, but it will be a windy day for most.

Further south, the weekend weather will feature some blustery winds and some rain.

The storm will also drive a cold front southwards, with temperatures set to come down throughout Saturday and widespread frost expected to form across the UK in the night into Sunday.

More very strong winds are expected as another low pressure system moves across northern areas on Sunday, with some snow possible across parts of Scotland.

Another yellow warning for wind is in place for the northern UK from 6pm on Sunday until noon on Monday.
Jeremy Corbyn said it is an outrage that no-one has been convicted over Bloody Sunday, and condemned the British Government for its controversial plans to ban prosecutions for Troubles killings.

The former Labour Party leader said there are many people, including some in Westminster, who want to put justice beyond the reach of the Northern Ireland population.

He made the comments as he delivered the 2022 Bloody Sunday Memorial Lecture at Derrys Guildhall on Saturday.

A series of events are taking place over the weekend in Londonderry to mark the anniversary of the date when 13 civil rights protesters were shot dead by British soldiers on January 30 1972, in the city.

Another man shot by paratroopers on the day died four months later.

Mr Corbyn, a long time supporter of the Bloody Sunday families, criticised the contentious proposals put forward by the British Government.

Fifty years ago 14 unarmed citizens were murdered in broad daylight by the British Army. It was planned, then covered up at the highest levels of the UK government. That cover up persists. Why is anyone surprised that the police are covering up for Johnson today? #BloodySunday50 pic.twitter.com/aKUiNrigm5  Bloody Sunday 50th Anniversary (@BloodySunday50) January 29, 2022

While we are here today to remember lives lost, there are still some, including many in Westminster, who want to put justice out of reach and secure immunity for those who committed crimes in the service of the British State with a deployment in Northern Ireland, Mr Corbyn said.

Those people stand in defiance of our common humanity.

We must never shrink from holding account apologists for brutality and murder.

There are still others who rally to the side of the killers, who even fly the flag of the Parachute Regiment on the outskirts of Derry.

It is an outrage that nobody has been prosecuted for the deaths of 14 innocent protesters.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Brian Lawless/PA)

It is a double outrage that the British Government is now planning legislation to make it even hard for such an effort to succeed at any time in the future.

That would be the effect of the forthcoming Amnesty Bill, which would stop any prosecution and investigation, judicial review, inquest or civil case connected with killings that occurred before 1998.

Introducing a statue of limitations for the atrocities that took place in Ireland amounts to nothing short of complicity in covering up the truth and ensures that lessons are not fully learned.

Hours after Mr Corbyns speech, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: Tomorrow marks a tragic day in our history, the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

This was one of the darkest days of the Troubles. We must learn from the past, reconcile, and build a peaceful future for people in Northern Ireland.

Mr Corbyn, an MP for Islington North in London gave his lecture at the same location where most of the hearings in the Bloody Sunday Inquiry took place.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville, replaced the verdict of the Widgery Tribunal which had largely cleared the soldiers and British authorities of blame.

Lord Savilles inquiry found that none of the casualties were posing a threat or doing anything that would justify their shooting.

It said no warning was given to any civilians before the soldiers opened fire and that none of the soldiers fired in response to attacks by petrol bombers or stone throwers.

Lord Saville found there was some firing by republican paramilitaries, but that on balance the Army fired first.

Former prime minister David Cameron told the House of Commons in 2010 that the killings were unjustified and unjustifiable.

Among those attending the event on Saturday was SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and former leader Mark Durkan.

Jeremy Corbyn speaking at a Bloody Sunday memorial lecture (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Corbyn added: Half a century ago, in an era when people around the world were rising up to demand civil rights, protesters came onto the streets of this city.

Peaceful protesters to march against the most flagrant denials of those rights.

The protest of January 30, 1972 was against internment without trial. A grotesque example of the discrimination faced by the community at that time.

But one introduced precisely because of their resistance to second class status when it came to jobs, houses, and representation.

Those protesters were gunned down on the streets.

Shot as they fled soldiers intent on killing. Shot as they tried to crawl to safety. Shot as they lay wounded on the cold ground.

Mr Corbyn read out the names of the 14 people killed.

Their names rings out across the years and their young ages still have the power to shock, Mr Corbyn added.

He also criticised the verdict of the Widgery Tribunal which had largely cleared the soldiers and British authorities of blame.

He said this compounded the injustice.

Every single obstacle was put in the way of those seeking justice, trying to find their way to the truth, Mr Corbyn added.

The victims were blamed. The media got hold of the story, the army press releases and briefings that went on.

They were blamed for being victims, as if it was their fault they were there and shot dead by soldiers.

Records and guns were destroyed. De-notices to prevent the discussion in the media were issued and the dead vilified.

(Brian Lawless/PA)

These insults to the bereaved were allowed to continue for decades.

Remember it was 50 years ago tomorrow since Bloody Sunday but its only been 12 years since that unambiguous exoneration of all of those victims.

All of those years, there was a question mark that the victims were the guilty ones.

Tony Doherty, whose father Paddy was killed during Bloody Sunday, presented Mr Corbyn with a plaque of the Free Derry Wall emblazoned with the Palestinian flag.
NEW YORK (AP)  Joni Mitchell said Friday she is seeking to remove all of her music from Spotify in solidarity with Neil Young, who ignited a protest against the streaming service for airing a podcast that featured a figure who has spread misinformation about the coronavirus.

Mitchell, who like Young is a California-based songwriter who had much of her success in the 1970s, is the first prominent musician to join Young's effort.

Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives, Mitchell said Friday in a message posted on her website. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.

Following Young's action this week, Spotify said it had policies in place to remove misleading content from its platform and has removed more than 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

But the service has said nothing about comedian Joe Rogan, whose podcast The Joe Rogan Experience is the centerpiece of the controversy. Last month Rogan interviewed on his podcast Dr. Robert Malone, an infectious disease specialist who has been banned from Twitter for spreading COVID misinformation.

Rogan is one of the streaming service's biggest stars, with a contract that could earn him more than $100 million.

Young had called on other artists to support him following his action. While Mitchell, 78, is not a current hitmaker, the Canadian native's Spotify page said she had 3.7 million monthly listeners to her music. Her songs Big Yellow Taxi and A Case of You have both been streamed more than 100 million times on the service.

In a message on his website Friday, Young said that when I left Spotify, I felt better.

Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information, he wrote. I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Spotify.
Kid Rock won't be playing at venues with COVId vaccine and mask mandates on his upcoming Bad Reputation tour.

Addressing fans in a Facebook video, the 51-year-old singer said Thursday that he's aware of chatter among fans who don't want to go to shows at venues with vaccine mandates. He said he won't be performing at those places  or the rules won't be in place by the time his tour date rolls around. If it comes to a point where there's a vaccine mandate in place at a venue on his list, he won't perform there.

Kid Rock is going on tour  but won't perform at venues with vaccine or mask mandates. (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)

"If there are any of these venues  Im not aware of any  they're gonna be gone by the time we get to your city," Rock, real name Bob Ritchie, said. "If they're not, trust me, you don't have to worry, you'll be getting your money back because I won't be showing up either. If you think I'm going to sit out there and sing, 'Dont Tell Me How to Live' and 'We the People,' while people are holding up their f***ing vaccine cards and wearing masks  that s**t ain't happening."

Rock  who is going on a 25-city tour, kicking off April 6 in Indiana before wrapping up in Michigan in September  said he didn't book shows in Buffalo, N.Y., and Toronto because of vaccine mandates. It's unclear exactly what his criteria is because some venues on his list do, at this point, require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test.

In the video, Rock said he "doesn't want to deal with that s***" and knows his fans don't either.

The Trump supporter added, "By the way, there you go liberal media, there's your clickbait for tomorrow to f*** with me."

Before signing off, Rock thanked his fans for positive feedback for his new songs, which includes the referenced "We the People." That song made headlines this week for its chorus taunting President Biden (he sings "Let's go Brandon" 13 times). It also slams Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Meanwhile, "Don't Tell Me How To Live," which he also mentioned, rails against "snowflakes" and "offended" millennials.

Rock made headlines for disregarding COVID protocols at the start of his pandemic. Over the summer, he said that he was vaccinated.
Businessman Valeriy Averyanov heads a group affiliated with Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces in Mariupol, Ukraine. Averyanov and other civilians are prepared to take part in Ukraine's defense if Russian troops invade. (Nils Adler / For The Times)

In normal life and in normal times, Valeriy Averyanov is a businessman. But these days, his main preoccupation is making preparations for what he and his neighbors would do if Russian troops attacked their hometown, a prosperous but rust-riddled industrial port in southeastern Ukraine.

Averyanov, who cradled a shotgun as he spoke, heads a military-civil group in Mariupol, a city of about half a million people that sits by the strategic Sea of Azov. If Russian forces moved in, either by land or sea, his local militia would transform itself into "partisan groups that could operate behind enemy lines," he said.

"In the event of a brutal invasion, everything that needs to be done will be done," said Averyanov, a short-statured 46-year-old with a ferocious smoking habit and an intense stare.

With more than 100,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraine's borders and tense diplomatic talks unfolding daily, thousands of volunteers across the country are joining Ukraine's newly reconstituted Territorial Defense Forces, which come under the wing of the Ukrainian military but whose ranks are being bolstered by ordinary civilians.

In cities and towns across this country of 40 million people, Ukrainians from all walks of life  accountants and teachers, shopkeepers and software engineers  are making ready for possible war. Under the instruction of regular Ukrainian troops and army veterans, these citizen soldiers stage weekend drills in snowy woods and fields, heft wooden model guns or real ones, rush to offer simulated medical aid, drop to their bellies and crawl through mud.

Senior Ukrainian military officials have welcomed the existence of locally organized groups to support the war effort, should it come to that.

No one must stand aside when it comes to the security of their home, village, city and their country as a whole, Gen. Yuriy Halushkin, the recently appointed commander of the Territorial Defense Forces, told the state news agency Ukrinform this month.

Mariupol, the site of a historic Cossack encampment, could find itself a prime target if hostilities were to break out, military experts say. It is 25 miles from the Russian border, and even closer to the front lines of the years-old conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces. The Sea of Azovs shores touch Ukraine and Russia as well as Crimea, the strategic peninsula Russia invaded in 2014 and then illegally annexed.

In the event of a fresh invasion, an early Russian strike could involve amphibious operations to seize the coastline between Mariupol and Crimea, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, wrote in a recent paper for the Center for European Policy Analysis.

The operational objective in the first days will be the isolation of Ukraine from the Azov Sea and the Black Sea, with main operations focused along both coastlines, Hodges wrote.

Or Russia could target Mariupol under the auspices of separatist forces, thus giving it a measure of deniability of responsibility. Averyanov, for one, believes that such a provocation is likelier than a direct assault.

The Territorial Defense Forces, while operating under new organization, date back to 2014, following the last Russian invasion. Originally set up to train part-time military reservists after the seizure of Crimea, drawing backing and membership from the protest movement that galvanized the countrys pro-democracy revolution, the defense forces were formally expanded last year to encompass civilian participation.

No one thinks these defensive units would have any chance of staving off the Russian army, but military experts say they could form a kind of insurgent rear guard, harassing and disruptive invading forces. Those are precisely the types of guerrilla operations that evoke unhappy memories in Moscow of protracted, bloody conflicts of attrition in the past, like those in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

Ukraine can raise the cost to Russia by preparing for a long war complete with significant guerrilla activity behind Russian lines, T.X. Hammes, a research fellow at the U.S. National Defense University, wrote last month on the Atlantic Councils UkraineAlert blog.

While the Ukraine leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, has sought to present a calm front in the face of the invasion threat, the Biden administration has been far more blunt in assessing the likelihood of Russian President Vladimir Putin making a significant military move.

At the Pentagon on Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said the buildup of troops, armor and artillery along Ukraines borders gave the Russian leader a range of options.

While we dont believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use those forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has the capability, Austin told reporters.

In Mariupol, one of the gargantuan steelworks dominating the port is named for Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Vladimir Lenin, the first head of the Soviet state. But some in this largely Russian-speaking city find it a point of irony that Putin has been an unwitting booster of Ukraines sense of its own sovereignty.

The countrys increasing tilt toward the West, and its aspirations to someday join NATO, are in large measure due to the Kremlins relentless propaganda campaign painting the former Soviet republic as a pit of treachery and a source of aggression, many analysts and observers say.

Ukrainian democracy today, not Ukrainian membership in NATO in some distant future, is the real threat to Putin, Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, wrote on Twitter last week.

While smoke-belching steel, iron and metallurgy plants lend Mariupols industrial zone a dystopian air, the city  a lively metropolis with distinctive architectural features imparted by past waves of Greek immigration  remains economically important as well as strategically significant.

It lies along a potential land bridge from Russia to Crimea, and its port provides a logistical lifeline for whomever controls it. Its defenders  both the regular Ukraine army and the irregular forces mustering for battle  are keenly aware of that.

We are always ready, said Averyanov. To lose this city would really put Ukraine on its knees.

Special correspondent Adler reported from Mariupol and staff writer King from Washington.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Authorities in California are offering a reward for information about a fire intentionally set at the home of two politicians earlier this month.

Flames broke out inside the City Heights residence in San Diego County early the morning of Jan. 12. Former state legislator Lorena Gonzalez and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher, both Democrats, were startled awake by their smoke alarm around 4 a.m. and were able to successfully escape the blaze alongside their children, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

Police and fire crews arrived on the scene almost immediately and quickly extinguished the flames consuming the homes facade. While no one was injured, the incident resulted in some $36,000 in damages.

Authorities have not discussed any leads in the case or a motive for the fire, but a team comprised of police and fire personnel continue to investigate.

Authorities in California are offering a reward for information about a fire intentionally set at the home of two politicians earlier this month.





Authorities in California are offering a reward for information about a fire intentionally set at the home of two politicians earlier this month.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, Gonzalez recalled the incident and how she stumbled out of bed the night of the blaze to find fire engulfing our front porch and door.

I heard my son screaming at the top of his lungs, she wrote. I was confused, kinda blind, and for a too-long moment thought my son was on fire.

Gonzalez added: He wasnt. But it is an image I have spent two weeks trying to free myself from.

The former state legislator is known for authoring a bill aimed at forcing companies like Uber and Lyft, who rely on gig workers, to treat their independent contractors as a full-on employees. She announced her resignation on Jan. 3 and that she would take the top leadership position at the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

Crime Stoppers said in a statement that the citys Metro Arson Strike Team is seeking help in identifying whoever is responsible. A $1,000 reward was offered.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti at the Diego Rivera Performing Arts Community School in Los Angles, where he talked about the launching of a program providing underserved students with job skills training and work experience. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County will receive $53 million as part of a $185-million statewide program aimed at increasing youth employment in underserved communities, helping improve those neighborhoods and assisting in forging career paths for participants.

The California for All Youth Jobs Corps program is primarily intended to reach young adults who are low-income, transitioning out of foster care, formerly incarcerated or those within mental health or substance abuse care systems, officials said. Program funding was included in Gov. Gavin Newsoms 2021-22 California Comeback Plan.

The two-year program, announced during a virtual news conference Thursday that included L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, aims to generate work opportunities for people between the ages of 16 and 30, while addressing major issues such as climate change, food insecurity, and COVID-19 recovery. The program's first phase will make $150 million available to 13 large cities and the second phase will make $35 million available to smaller counties and cities selected through a competitive process.

Cities that are expected to receive funding once grant contracts are signed include Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Riverside and Stockton. The state plans to release its second round of funding for smaller cities and counties to serve unincorporated areas sometime in March.

"This program will allow underserved youth to find employment, gain valuable job skills and give back to their communities to build an ethic of public service," Josh Fryday, the state's chief service officer, said during the online briefing.

The program builds on a long history of federal and state-funded work programs that specifically encourage underserved youth to work in public sector jobs, starting with the federally funded Neighborhood Youth Corps programs in the 1960s, officials said.

Under the state's new program, Fryday said jobs in Los Angeles will include maintenance of the Los Angeles River, assistance at food banks, tutoring for students whose learning was affected by the pandemic and planting new trees in poorer neighborhoods that bear the brunt of extreme heat during the summer.

Other cities such as Riverside and Fresno will offer more technical jobs such as data technicians and accounting clerks, officials said.

The jobs range from summer programs to yearlong positions, paying a minimum of $15 an hour. But cities will be allowed to adjust pay based on need. Fryday said some cities are paying as much $27 an hour for positions.

"The hope is to create real onramps to careers and long-term jobs," Fryday said.

Whether or not such youth work programs actually lead to long-term success for its participants is a contested issue among workforce experts.

Evaluations of such programs since the 1960s showed that there were no dramatic differences in income gains or employment between participants and people who did not participate in the programs, said Michael Bernick, an employment attorney and former head of the state's labor department.

However, Bernick pointed out that programs like the state's provide other positive impacts, such as building work experience that could prove important when looking for future employment.

A 2018 study conducted by researchers at California State University, Northridge looked at a similar youth work program ran by the county and city. Comparing participants and nonparticipants, the study showed participants walked away with a clearer sense of their self-management and communication skills, more knowledge of the labor market and increased enrollment in school.

But Bernick has seen less successful programs: ones where participants lacked proper supervision, were given jobs that didn't give real work experience, weren't kept busy and not given clear tasks.

"Whether the program is effective or not will depend on how it is carried out, whether youth are engaged in purposeful activities, properly supervised and are expected and given the opportunity to provide a real service," Bernick said. "A lack of real work has been a shortcoming in some of the previous public sector job creation programs."

The program will give cities a lot of discretion with how and where the money will be used in meeting the state's main goals. Fresno plans to focus on young people who are former gang members. Santa Ana is focusing on formerly incarcerated youth. San Francisco is looking to find applicants from public housing residents.

Each quarter, cities must show the governor's office and lawmakers how they are using the funds and meeting their program goals, Fryday said.

The state's new program will provide participants with career services like resume preparation and job training.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Planned Parenthood of Utah is shown in 2019. A man accused of a string of BB gun shootings at the healthcare provider's Pasadena clinic faces prison after he allegedly carried a loaded handgun during at least one of the attacks. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)

An Altadena man accused of a string of BB gun shootings aimed at a Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena is facing up to 10 years in federal prison following an investigation by police and the FBI.

Richard Royden Chamberlin, 53, was charged with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm after he allegedly carried a loaded handgun during one of the attacks, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California.

According to an FBI agent's affidavit included with the criminal complaint, Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley reported multiple times that a person shot at the healthcare provider's building with what appeared to be a BB gun from a moving car.

The facility reported 12 such shootings from June 27, 2020, to May 7, 2021, including a series of six that happened in rapid succession on April 9, 10, 11, 15, 25 and May 2, 2021, the agent wrote.

Surveillance videos captured several of the attacks and showed a blue-gray Chevrolet Malibu with a license plate number that was registered to Chamberlin, according to the affidavit. Popping sounds consistent with BB gun shots can be heard in the videos, and multiple pellets were found lodged near the facility's front door.

During a shooting on March 30, a patient's support companion was almost hit while she waited on the facility's front porch, according to the affidavit.

"In addition to incurring the costs of repairs and added security, Planned Parenthood has had to cancel patient appointments and the staff has been emotionally traumatized not knowing when the next shooting will occur," the agent wrote.

The final attack occurred May 7, according to the affidavit. A security guard called police and gave them the Malibu's description and license plate number.

Minutes later, Pasadena motorcycle officers spotted the car on the 210 Freeway and pulled Chamberlin over after they were joined by an officer in a patrol unit, the agent wrote.

Officers who searched the car found BB guns and a backpack in the front passenger seat that contained a .22-caliber handgun loaded with 10 rounds, according to the affidavit.

During an interview with investigators, Chamberlin initially denied carrying out the BB gun shootings and said he was in the area dropping off his girlfriend's child at a class before heading to a friend's house to help install a pool, the agent wrote.

When an officer asked why a BB gun was under the driver's seat, Chamberlin said he taught firearms safety and used BB guns as "teaching tools," claiming he "lost track of it" because he had so many of the guns, according to the affidavit. He also claimed to be part of a YouTube channel dedicated to testing BB guns.

Chamberlin told the officer that all the BB guns were his but that no "real" guns were in the car, the agent wrote.

After further questioning, he "claimed to be an investigative journalist with Project Veritas and admitted trying to create undercover videos in the past showing that Planned Parenthood sold baby parts," according to the affidavit.

"Chamberlin accused Planned Parenthood of 'taking whole babies and selling baby body parts,' but denied knowing where the Pasadena Planned Parenthood was located and denied shooting at it with a BB gun," the agent wrote. "After being told that he was seen on video shooting a BB gun at the building, [he] asked to see the video and added, after a brief silence, 'at least the baby murderers have somebody on their side.'"

When confronted by investigators about the gun and bullets in his backpack, he whispered an expletive, said the gun was "for protection" and admitted he had a prior felony conviction, the agent wrote.

A later review of court records showed Chamberlin was convicted of transporting a narcotic drug for sale in Arizona in 2012, prohibiting him from possessing guns, according to the affidavit.

A law enforcement database check showed he owned nine firearms before his conviction, including the handgun found in his car after the May 7 attack, the agent wrote.

Chamberlin bought that gun, a Phoenix Arms semiautomatic pistol, in Utah in 2002 but failed to register it within 60 days of moving to California as required by law, the records showed.

If convicted, he would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

An investigation into the attacks is ongoing.

Investigators believe he may have had an accomplice for some of the attacks.

According to the affidavit, Planned Parenthood surveillance videos from April 11 and April 25 show a woman sitting in the front passenger seat of Chamberlin's car.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Chinese, Mongolian FMs hold phone call on bilateral ties

Xinhua) 09:23, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday held a phone conversation with Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg.

Wang said that last year marked the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the Mongolian People's Party, which is of great significance to both China and Mongolia.

Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, the two sides have strengthened solidarity and cooperation, overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and made new progress in bilateral relations, Wang said.

Wang recalled that last year he had an in-depth exchange of views with Battsetseg in Tianjin, which enhanced mutual trust and resulted in many consensuses.

China stands ready to work with Mongolia to inject strong impetus into China-Mongolia cooperation and push bilateral relations to a new level, Wang said.

For her part, Battsetseg extended her greetings to China on the Chinese New Year of the Tiger, and thanked China for its strong support at the most difficult time of Mongolia's fight against the pandemic, which has played an important role in helping Mongolia prevail over the pandemic.

Mongolia attaches great importance to strengthening relations with China, and greatly appreciates China's neighborhood policy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, she said.

Mongolia also speaks highly of and supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by Xi, and hopes to strengthen synergy with China to expand their all-round cooperation involving mineral trade, border ports, connectivity, finance and environmental protection, among others, she said.

Mongolia, she said, firmly supports China in successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and has always opposed the politicization of sports.

Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene looks forward to attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, said the minister.

Wang said China values Mongolia's desire to strengthen the synergy of the two countries' development strategies and their practical cooperation, and stands ready to work with Mongolia to step up coordination and implementation to achieve more tangible results in bilateral cooperation.

Noting that the Olympic Games are a symbol of human solidarity and friendship, Wang said that Mongolia, as a good neighbor of China, has always supported China in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene is one of the first foreign leaders to express willingness to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, and has made clear his opposition to the politicization of sports, which China greatly appreciates, said Wang, adding that China attaches great importance to and will make proper arrangements for Oyun-Erdene's trip to China to ensure its great success.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Wu Zhaohui (R), leader of the 16th China Medical Team in Francistown, poses for a photo with the manager of Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown, Botswana, Jan. 28, 2022. The 16th Chinese medical team to Botswana on Friday donated a consignment of personal protective equipment to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, located in Botswana's second largest city Francistown.

The items, including face masks, isolation clothes, disposable protective clothing and face shields, will go a long way in easing the shortage of personal protective clothing at the hospital.

A total of 21 members of the 16th Chinese medical team are working at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. (Photo by Shingirai Madondo/Xinhua)

FRANCISTOWN, Botswana, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The 16th Chinese medical team to Botswana on Friday donated a consignment of personal protective equipment to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, located in Botswana's second largest city Francistown.

The items, including face masks, isolation clothes, disposable protective clothing and face shields, will go a long way in easing the shortage of personal protective clothing at the hospital.

"Shortage of personal protective equipment becomes a bar to the containment of COVID-19," Wu Zhaohui, the leader of the 16th China Medical Team in Francistown, said at the donation ceremony.

He said the donated medical supplies can help protect medical staff and thus are instrumental in controlling the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 21 members of the 16th Chinese medical team are working at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. 

Guo Wen (L), a member of the 16th China Medical Team, talks with a local physician at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown, Botswana, Jan. 28, 2022. The 16th Chinese medical team to Botswana on Friday donated a consignment of personal protective equipment to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, located in Botswana's second largest city Francistown.

The items, including face masks, isolation clothes, disposable protective clothing and face shields, will go a long way in easing the shortage of personal protective clothing at the hospital.

A total of 21 members of the 16th Chinese medical team are working at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. (Photo by Shingirai Madondo/Xinhua)
This Dec. 21, 2010 photo provided by Aldaron Laird shows Tulawat, the site of the Indian Island Massacre, where members of the Wiyot Tribe were killed in 1860. The remains of 20 Native Americans massacred in the 1860s on the Northern California island have been returned to their tribe from a museum where they had been in storage. The tribe's historic preservation officer says the remains will be reunited with their families. (Aldaron Laird via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The most vulnerable members of the Wiyot Tribe were asleep the morning of Feb. 26, 1860, when a band of white men slipped into their Northern California villages under darkness and slaughtered them.

Many of the children, women and elderly slain in what became known as the Indian Island Massacre had their eternal rest disturbed when their graves were later dug up and their skeletons and the artifacts buried with them were placed in a museum.

After nearly 70 years of separation from their tribe, the remains of at least 20 of those believed to have been killed have been returned home.

Theyre going to be at peace and at rest with our other ancestors, Ted Hernandez, the Wiyot Tribe's historic preservation officer, said Tuesday after the repatriation was announced. Theyll be able to reunite with their families.

The return is part of an effort by some institutions to do a better job complying with federal law that requires giving tribes back items looted from sacred burial sites.

Grave robbing was yet another indignity suffered by Native Americans and their descendants long after they were driven from their lands or killed. Hobbyists, collectors and even prominent researchers took part in the desecration of burial sites. Skulls, bones and antiquities were sold, traded, studied and displayed in museums.

Cutcha Risling Baldy, a professor of Native American studies at Humboldt State University, said returning the sacred items provides healing to tribes.

She criticized museums and universities that warehouse items that objectify Native Americans and reduce them to historical objects and artifacts rather than people.

From a spiritual perspective, from a cultural perspective or even a human perspective, its hard to imagine the graves of your ancestors being dug up and then put into a museum, Risling Baldy said. It kind of creates a mythology around Native people that we are somehow specimens, rather than people and human beings.

The bones of the Wiyot were recovered in 1953 after being discovered near where a jetty was constructed outside the city of Eureka, 225 miles (362 kilometers) north of San Francisco, according to a notice last year in the Federal Register.

A team from University of California, Berkeley collected the remains and put them in storage with 136 artifacts buried with them  mainly beads and ornaments made from shells, an arrowhead from a broken bottle fragment, a sinker for a fishing net, bone tools and an elk tooth.

The gravesites were where the Wiyot buried some of their dead following a devastating series of mass slayings at a dozen of their villages over the course of a week in 1860.

The unprovoked killings occurred in the midst of the tribe's World Renewal Ceremony, a 10-day peaceful celebration with food, dance and prayer to return balance to the Earth, Hernandez said.

After the ceremony, the tribe's men left for the night, paddling from the island to the mainland to hunt and fish for food and gather firewood for the next days feast.

In the early morning, raiders arrived by canoe across the bay and stabbed, beat or hacked the victims with knives, clubs and hatchets. Several other attacks were carried out that night, and more killings occurred over the next five days, said Jerry Rohde, a Humboldt County historian.

More than 50 people were killed on the island, and as many as 500 may have been killed in the course of the week, Rohde said. An account in the New York Times put the death toll at 188.

The group of vigilantes were dubbed the Thugs" but never named publicly or held accountable.

A young Bret Harte, who would go on to become one of the most popular writers of the day, wrote a scathing editorial about the bloodshed in The Northern Californian, a newspaper in the city just to the north.

When the bodies were landed at Union, a more shocking and revolting spectacle never was exhibited to the eyes of a Christian and civilized people, he wrote.

But that was not the popular opinion in the area, Rohde said. The Humboldt Times editor had advocated for the removal or extermination of Native people. Harte fled to San Francisco after death threats.

Some of the men bragged about the killings, and two others who were said to take part went on to be elected to the state Legislature, Rohde said.

The Wiyot began seeking return of their ancestors in 2016 under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The act made it illegal to steal from the graves and required government institutions to return items in their possession.

But getting those back has not always been easy.

UC Berkeley, which held the remains at the Hearst Museum of Anthropology, denied the request, citing lack of evidence, said Tom Torma, the university's repatriation coordinator.

Torma was aware of the case because he submitted the request as the Wiyot's historical preservation officer at the time.

A 2020 state audit found the University of California had an inconsistent policy in how it repatriated remains. While the University of California, Los Angeles had returned most eligible remains, Berkeley had returned only 20%.

UC Berkeley, which houses remains of 10,000 Native Americans  the largest collection in the U.S.  also regularly required additional evidence that delayed returns, the audit said.

The campus has had a racial reckoning with the past in recent years, including its history with Native Americans.

Last year, the university stripped the name of Alfred Kroeber from the hall housing the anthropology department and museum. Kroeber, a pioneer in American anthropology, collected or authorized collection of Native Americans remains for research.

He was best known for taking custody of Ishi, called last of the Yahi," who emerged from the wilderness in 1911. The man performed as a living exhibit for museum visitors, demonstrating how to make stone tools and crafts.

The university system revised its repatriation policy, based in part on input from tribes, last year. A new committee at UC Berkeley took a more proactive approach and determined there was enough evidence to return the Wiyot items, Torma said.

The repatriation was jointly made with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which was responsible for the jetty construction that may have unearthed the remains.

For the Wiyot Tribe, the repatriation last fall came two years after the island known now as Tulawat, was returned to the tribe by the city of Eureka.

It's now up to tribal elders to determine what to do with the remains, Hernandez said.

The dead are already a part of their ceremonies. When the dancing and praying is done, the sacred fires are left burning for their forebears.

Theyll be able to continue the ceremonies in the afterlife, Hernandez said.
People rummaging through stuff stolen from cargo containers littered on Union Pacific train tracks in in Lincoln Heights earlier this month. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In August, Los Angeles police officers arrested two people in Lincoln Heights carrying a pair of shiny new .22-caliber handguns.

The guns were clean, as though they came right off the shelf  not at all like the ones typically found following arrests. Just days later, officers patrolling in neighboring Northeast L.A. arrested a person with a similar handgun, in the same pristine condition.

A trace of the weapons revealed they came from a batch of 36 handguns reported missing as they were being shipped by train to Tennessee, Los Angeles Police Department officials said.

One of the suspects arrested revealed that he had bought the weapons on the street  and that they had come from cargo trains in the nearby Lincoln Heights rail yards. He casually mentioned that he could not afford the price of a shotgun being offered for sale, police investigators said. Shortly afterward, LAPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested two other suspects with two of those shotguns and later learned they were part of a missing shipment of 46 shotguns.

The thefts of the weapons offer a sobering peek into the vulnerability of rail networks that are part of the supply routes that help deliver an untold number of guns to stores and consumers every year. Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times they are investigating whether an argument over the stolen weaponry led to the killing of one man.

"I've got 24 years in LAPD, ex-military, secret clearance and I have to wait 10 days to get a new firearm and these guys are going into these containers with no locks and getting guns," said Capt. German Hurtado, who oversees the LAPD's Hollenbeck Division, where the rail yards are located. "These guns were unguarded, unprotected... God knows how many guns have been stolen that way."

Only a handful of the 82 guns known to have been stolen from trains passing through the Eastside neighborhood have been recovered. Investigators are not yet sure how many other weapons may have been pilfered, Hurtado said.

A gang in L.A.'s Eastside orchestrated the thefts, according to LAPD detectives. Feuding over who would profit from the stolen weaponry taken from the Union Pacific train yards appears to have been behind the killing of a person involved in the thefts, according to multiple law enforcement sources who were not authorized to speak publicly.

The realization that so many guns had been taken from trains  and the possibility that many more may have been stolen too  was chilling, Hurtado said.

"This is bigger than we thought. They aren't just stealing shoes and stuff. This is an organized crime to the level they are stealing guns," he said.

The cargo theft gained national attention earlier this month as images of the debris left on the Union Pacific tracks by thieves went viral. Union Pacific said it runs about 275 miles of tracks in Los Angeles County; since December 2020, an average of 90 containers a day have been burglarized. Most of those have occurred in two rail yards, including Lincoln Heights.

Union Pacific, which has police powers along the tracks, and law enforcement officials have squabbled about who is to blame for the cargo thefts. Police and former employees say Union Pacific has downsized its security forces in recent years amid wider cutbacks, leaving freight vulnerable. The company said it has deployed additional agents to Los Angeles County but has refused to specify how many officers are typically assigned to the area.

We need strict accountability measures to stop these thefts, and we need them now, said Councilman Kevin de Leon, who represents the area. The families I represent have enough to worry about with gang violence, air pollution, and a high cost of living; they shouldnt have to worry about dangerous firearms flowing from federal railways into their neighborhoods.

No mention of the stolen guns was made last week when Gov. Gavin Newsom led a cleanup of the rail yards amid a large audience of reporters and other onlookers.

The theft of the weapons from the trains was largely kept under wraps until this week, when LAPD Chief Michel Moore informed the civilian Police Commission. Gun thefts from train cars have become a national issue.

LAPD homicide detectives are investigating whether the predawn death of Leopoldo "Boxer" Esquivel on Aug. 16 at Valley Boulevard and Block Place was tied to a batch of stolen guns.

A friend took the 34-year-old, who had two gunshot wounds to his head and body, to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he died.

Two law enforcement sources say Esquivel was a member of the Metro 13 gang and that he was fatally shot after a disagreement over the stolen weapons. Esquivel had "Metro" tattooed across his chest and "Metro Boys" tattooed on the back of his left hand, autopsy records show.

Hurtado said detectives found a witness who heard the shooting, but there was no physical evidence and later a tag of "RIP Boxer" appeared on the wall nearby. He said homicide detectives are investigating whether the killing was connected to the guns but have not substantiated it.

Esquivel was convicted of carrying a loaded firearm during an arrest on Dec. 20, 2019, and got 16 months in jail, and a year later was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a gun, a criminal case that was pending at the time of his killing.

In the wake of the shooting, the Mexican Mafia prison gang, which wields influence over many gangs, sought to prevent an escalation of violence over the guns, accusing rivals of not sharing the bounty, according to two law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the probe.

It's unclear how much weaponry comes through L.A.'s rail yards, including the well-traveled Lincoln Heights one. Federal and LAPD investigators say intelligence gathered on the street suggests that ammunition may also be among the stolen loot.

Union Pacific declined Friday night to comment on the stolen weapons, citing "an active criminal investigation."

"We can tell you that, like all railroads, we carry a variety of goods and commodities, and we work closely with our customers, state and federal regulators and others to ensure the safety and security of all the commodities that we transport," a spokesperson said in an email to The Times. "We need the support of our law enforcement partners, especially their expertise and investigative skills in addressing the rise of organized criminals targeting our trains in L.A."

Federal firearms licensees are required by law to report the theft or loss of firearms in transit. The federal government instituted new rules in 2016 after data showed that from fiscal years 2010 through 2014, law enforcement recovered more than 6,600 guns that were traced back to dealers who claimed to have never received their delivery but did not report the theft or loss to federal authorities.

But those rules don't require the shipping companies transporting guns to report theft or loss.

Ginger Colbrun, a spokeswoman for the ATF in Los Angeles, said the bureau could not comment on the ongoing investigation but added that the agency is assisting the LAPD.

Since August, the LAPD has been involved in 128 arrests related to thefts at the rail yards, but only a handful of those detained have been prosecuted, according to Hurtado.

In a letter to Union Pacific last year, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon said the rail company had presented 47 cases for filing consideration and more than half were filed by his office.

The day after Newsom showed up to help bag debris and decry the thefts, the LAPD arrested six more people who had been under surveillance for crimes related to the train break-ins.

This week, security cameras were added near the Lincoln Heights rail track. But it hasn't stopped the thefts, said Robert Vega, a Lincoln Heights resident who lives near the tracks.

"You can tell there is still activity," he said. "I see some of the containers are still driving by open."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
"I don't believe Putin has made a final decision" to invade Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said at the Pentagon, "but he clearly now has that capability." (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

The United States' top military and Defense commanders on Friday added their voices to stark warnings that Russia may be about to invade Ukraine, while the president of the former Soviet republic separately worked to calm his citizens and criticized the U.S. for sounding an alarm.

"War is not inevitable," said a stone-faced Gen. Mark A. Milley, the nation's most senior military official. But, he added, "given the type of forces arrayed ... if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties."

A military action would be horrific if Russian troops were to push through dense urban areas in the dead of winter, he said.

Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stood alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III at a news conference at the Pentagon. Their joint address to the media signified the Biden administration's efforts to send messages of unity to NATO and of painful consequences for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The last time the two appeared together in such a forum was last year during the fall of Afghanistan and hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops, ending a 20-year war.

Both Austin and Milley said a Russian invasion might be averted by diplomatic efforts. But they said Putin's amassing of more than 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's borders gives the former KGB officer "a range of options" to pursue.

"While we don't believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine," Austin said, "he clearly now has that capability."

Troops on alert

The U.S. has put 8,500 of its troops on alert, able to deploy to the eastern flank of NATO  not to Ukraine proper  quickly. President Biden told reporters Friday night that he'd be moving troops to Eastern Europe "in the near term." The U.S. and other NATO countries have been shipping millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, with the U.S. sending $650 million in the past year, according to Austin.

Milley noted that Ukraine's military is more capable now than it was in 2014, when Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula and threw its support behind separatist fighters in two eastern Ukrainian regions.

He and Austin listed an array of tactics Putin could employ short of a military invasion, including a destabilizing sabotage campaign or an effort to stage a coup. Putin could try to replace the elected president of Ukraine or recognize breakaway regions of the country to weaken the central government's hold, as Moscow has attempted in the east, Milley and Austin said.

Moscow is already suspected of numerous cyberattacks inside Ukraine and intense disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining the government in Kyiv.

We remain focused on Russian disinformation, including the potential creation of pretext for further invasion or strikes" on the eastern Donbas region, Austin said. "This is straight out of the Russian playbook. Theyre not fooling us.

Leaders and top diplomats from the U.S. and Europe have spent weeks attempting to talk Putin out of invading Ukraine.

The Russians insisted that Washington and NATO provide a written response to Moscow's demands, chief among them that Ukraine never be allowed to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Western officials delivered the missive this week but rejected the proposal out of hand, insisting that all countries should be allowed to apply for NATO membership.

Putin and Macron

Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, listens to French President Emmanuel Macron during a videoconference Friday. (Mikhail Klimentyev / Associated Press)

Putin spoke Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron in the latest round of diplomacy aimed at easing tensions. The exchange was tense, French media reported. The Kremlin said Putin complained to Macron that the U.S. and NATO had failed to take his demands seriously.

The Kremlin also said Putin urged the West to tell Ukraine it had to negotiate with the separatists  a suggestion not likely to be palatable in Kyiv nor among allies.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated his government's position that there are no plans to invade Ukraine. But he also said that because of the U.S. and NATO response to Moscow's position, I dont see any room for compromise here.

There wont be a war as far as it depends on the Russian Federation; we dont want a war, he told Russian radio. But we wont let our interests be rudely trampled on and ignored.

Russia on Friday portrayed a United Nations Security Council meeting scheduled for Monday as a PR ploy. The council will debate what U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield described as Russia's "threatening behavior." As one of five permanent members of the Security Council, Russia can veto any resolution it might adopt.

Pushback from Ukraine

After Biden spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart on Thursday  warning of the "distinct possibility" of a Russian invasion, according to the White House  President Volodymyr Zelensky said he appreciated Western support but cautioned against stoking panic over an invasion, his office said. Officials in Kyiv are worried that talk of war will trigger the flight of both people and capital.

Zelensky held a news conference Friday in Kyiv with locally based international media to plead for help in tamping down fear.

"We don't need this panic," Zelensky said. "There are signals even from respected leaders of states; they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic. How much does it cost for our state?"

Zelensky criticized the U.S. and a few other Western countries for beginning to remove some diplomatic personnel or their families from Kyiv. Those actions are premature, he said, adding, "Ukraine is not the Titanic."





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
U.S. judge annuls Gulf of Mexico oil auction over climate impact FILE PHOTO: Unused oil rigs sit in the Gulf of Mexico near Port Fourchon, Louisiana

By Valerie Volcovici and Nichola Groom

(Reuters) -A federal judge invalidated the results of an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday saying the Biden administration failed to properly account for the auction's climate change impact.

The decision has cast uncertainty over the future of the U.S. federal offshore drilling program, which has been a big source of public revenue for decades but also drawn the ire of activists concerned about its impact on the environment and contribution to global warming.

The Gulf of Mexico accounts for 15% of existing U.S. oil production and 5% of dry natural gas output, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In the decision, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the United States District Court of the District of Columbia ruled to vacate the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Lease Sale 257, which offered about 80 million offshore acres (37.4 million hectares) in the Gulf of Mexico in an auction last November.

The sale generated more than $190 million, the highest since 2019, on 1.7 million acres sold. It drew bids from U.S. oil majors including Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp.

Thursday's decision came after the environmental group Earthjustice challenged the sale on behalf of four other green groups, arguing U.S. President Joe Biden's Interior Department was relying on a years-old environmental analysis that did not accurately consider greenhouse gas emissions that would result from development of the blocks.

Contreras agreed, faulting the administration for excluding foreign consumption from its greenhouse gas emissions analysis and for ignoring the latest science about the role of oil and gas development on global warming.

The Interior Department, which oversees federal oil and gas development, said it was reviewing the decision.

CAMPAIGN PLEDGE

Biden campaigned for the White House partially on a pledge to end federal oil and gas drilling to fight climate change, but efforts to suspend new auctions failed after Gulf Coast states sued.

"We have documented serious deficiencies in the federal oil and gas program," Interior spokesperson Melissa Schwartz said in a statement. "Especially in the face of the climate crisis, we need to take the time to make significant and long overdue programmatic reforms."

Congress has mandated that the United States hold regular auctions of public lands for oil and gas development.

"We are pleased that the court invalidated Interiors illegal lease sale," said Brettny Hardy, Earthjustices senior attorney, in a statement. "We simply cannot continue to make investments in the fossil fuel industry to the peril of our communities and increasingly warming planet."

It was unclear how the ruling would affect the administration's plans to offer more than 300,000 acres of onshore leases to drillers by the end of this quarter. Like the Gulf sale, those auctions were initiated after a federal judge in June ordered the government to resume oil and gas leasing.

The offshore drilling industry slammed the decision.

"Uncertainty around the future of the U.S. federal offshore leasing program may only strengthen the geopolitical influence of higher emitting - and adversarial - nations, such as Russia," National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito said in reaction to the ruling.

Scott Lauermann, a spokesman for oil industry lobby group the American Petroleum Institute (API), said the API was "reviewing the decision and "considering our options."

The decision is not the first time a court has cited faulty environmental analyses in blocking oil and gas development on federal lands. In August, a federal judge reversed the government's approval of a $6 billion ConocoPhillips development in Alaska, a decision that was cited in Contreras' ruling.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom and Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Christian Schmollinger)
A man walks in front of a billboard for Egyptian President Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, with Arabic that reads, Long live Egypt, at the annual Cairo International Book Fair, in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Publishers from 51 countries participate in the 53rd edition of the Cairo International Book Fair from January 26 to February 7, General Egyptian Book Organization said. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration said Friday it is cancelling $130 million in military aid to Egypt over human rights concerns. The announcement comes just days after the administration approved a massive $2.5 billion arms sale to the country.

The State Department said Friday that Egypt had not met the conditions to receive the $130 million in foreign military financing that has been on hold since September. It said the money would be shifted to other programs. It did not elaborate.

In announcing the cancellation, the department made no mention of the $2.5 billion sale of military transport planes and radar systems that it had approved Tuesday without any mention of the frozen $130 million.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September approved the release of $300 million in foreign military financing to Egypt but withheld another $130 million unless the government addressed specific human-rights related conditions by the end of January.

The deadline for meeting those conditions will soon pass, the department said. The (government of Egypt) made notable progress on the conditions but to date has not met them all. Therefore, after January 30, the secretary intends to reprogram the $130 million to other national security priorities.

Asked about the apparent inconsistency, U.S. officials have said the military aid and the arms sale are unrelated. They say Egypt will shoulder the cost of the $2.2 billion purchase of the 12 Super Hercules C-130 transport aircraft and air defense radar systems worth an estimated $355 million.

Congressional Democrats who had urged Blinken not to approve the $130 million were pleased with Friday's decision, but did not address the arms sale that dwarfs the amount of the withheld assistance.

Im glad the Biden administration held the line by reprogramming these funds," said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. "It sends the important message abroad that we will back up our commitment to human rights with action and gone are the days where dictators receive blank checks from America.

On Tuesday, the State Department announced the $2.5 billion arms sale, saying it would support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East."

We maintain that our bilateral relationship with Egypt will be stronger, and Americas interests will be better served, through continued U.S. engagement to advance our national security interests, including addressing our human rights concerns, the department said.

Egypts government has in recent years waged a wide-scale crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of people, mainly Islamists but also secular activists who were involved in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled the countrys longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt imposed a state of emergency in April 2017, following deadly church bombings and attacks on Coptic Christians that killed more than 100 people and wounded scores. It allowed for arrests without warrants, swift prosecution of suspects and the establishment of special courts.

The state of emergency has since been extended several times. However, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi announced in October, when the last extension expired, that his government will no longer renew it.
The Prime Minister is looking at doubling the number of troops deployed to strengthen Europes borders, as he warned an incursion from Russia into Ukraine would be a tragedy.

Boris Johnson said the new offer to Nato currently under consideration would send a clear message to the Kremlin that we will not tolerate their destabilising activity.

In addition to bolstering troop numbers, No 10 said this could involve sending defensive weapons to Estonia.

Fast jets, warships and military specialists could also be sent to protect Nato allies.

Downing Street said the possible deployment would reinforce Natos defences and underpin the UKs support for Nordic and Baltic partners.

The move comes as the Prime Minister is expected to speak to Russian president Vladimir Putin and travel to the troubled region early this week.

If President Putin were to choose the path of bloodshed and destruction in Ukraine, he must realise that it would be both tragic and futile. My full statement: https://t.co/Ff6LatbVu8 pic.twitter.com/aenTopTO5x  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 25, 2022

A second trip to meet Nato member counterparts is being planned for early next month, No 10 said.

The details of the offer will be finalised by UK officials and Nato in Brussels next week, while ministers will discuss the military options on Monday.

Mr Johnson has also directed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to prepare to go to Moscow for talks with their counterparts in the coming days.

They will be asked to improve relationships with the Russian government and encourage de-escalation, Downing Street said.

In addition, Mr Wallace is expected to travel to meet with allies this week in Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia on Mr Johnsons behalf.

Meanwhile, the Mr Johnson has asked the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, to attend Cabinet on Tuesday to brief ministers on the situation in Ukraine.

The UK already has more than 100 troops providing training in Ukraine as part of Operation Orbital.

There are also 900 British military personnel based in Estonia, and a Light Cavalry Squadron of around 150 people is deployed to Poland, No 10 said.

It comes after Mr Johnson asked defence and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe during a high-level intelligence briefing on the situation last week.

Members of Ukraines Territorial Defence Forces train close to Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The Prime Minister said: This package would send a clear message to the Kremlin  we will not tolerate their destabilising activity, and we will always stand with our Nato allies in the face of Russian hostility.

If President Putin chooses a path of bloodshed and destruction, it will be a tragedy for Europe. Ukraine must be free to choose its own future.

I have ordered our Armed Forces to prepare to deploy across Europe next week, ensuring we are able to support our Nato allies on land, at sea and in the air.

Labour earlier accused the Prime Minister of playing catch-up with other world leaders on deterring Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey reiterated calls for the imposition of a register of overseas entities to lift the veil on who owns property and assets in the UK, after it was reported that American officials fear they will not be able to effectively sanction Mr Putin because of Russian money entrenched in London.

The Prime Minister will speak with Mr Putin by phone (Clive Marshall/PA)

The Foreign Office is also expected to announce tougher sanctions on Monday, meaning the UK can target Russias strategic and financial interests.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss previously said Russia would face severe sanctions in the event of an incursion into Ukraine.

We are already supplying support to Ukraine. Were supplying defensive weapons. Were providing economic support, she told Sky News on Wednesday.

We are urging Russia to desist from an incursion and were making it very clear that if they were to do that there would be severe economic cost to Russia  severe sanctions.

On what these sanctions could look like, she said: They would target individuals, they would target financial institutions and they would be co-ordinated with all of our allies across Europe, the United States and others.

Liz Truss and Ben Wallace are preparing to travel to Moscow (Aaron Chown/PA)

Ms Truss also said the UK was not ruling out support for personal sanctions against Mr Putin in the event of a Russian incursion.

She made the comments after US president Joe Biden suggested moving to penalise the Russian president could be an option in the case of an invasion.

When asked on Tuesday if he could see himself sanctioning Mr Putin in those circumstances, Mr Biden told reporters: Yes, I would see that.

Asked if the UK would support personal sanctions against the Russian president, Ms Truss told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Wednesday that the Government had ruled nothing out.

Ms Truss has been forthright in speaking out against Russias threatened invasion of Ukraine, and took the unusual step of declassifying intelligence which suggested Mr Putin was plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the government in Kyiv.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increased pressure to resign over partygate and accusations that he intervened to help evacuate animals from Afghanistan.

Mr Johnson has dismissed the reports that No 10 were involved in the Nowzad charity flight efforts as total rhubarb.

Tom Tugendhat is reportedly favoured by centrist Tory MPs to replace Mr Johnson, with the former soldier and MP for Tonbridge and Malling confirming on Saturday that he would run for leader if there was a contest soon, adding it would be a huge privilege if he became PM.

But who else is being suggested? Here are some of the potential candidates.

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rishi Sunak (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Rishi Sunak has been installed by bookmakers as an early favourite to replace Boris Johnson. He was named Chancellor shortly before the coronavirus pandemic began and created the furlough scheme and other financial support systems during lockdown.

Last week, Mr Sunak said he believed the Prime Ministers words over his knowledge of the alleged Downing Street parties and added that he wasnt going to get into hypotheticals when asked if Mr Johnson should resign if he is found to have lied to Parliament.

Mr Sunak has been out of the media spotlight this week, with reports suggesting he is taking an arms-length approach to the PM.

Liz Truss, Foreign Secretary and Women and Equalities Minister

Liz Truss (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Liz Truss prompted comparisons with former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in November after she was pictured sitting in an Army tank during a trip to Estonia.

The former international trade secretary was promoted to the Foreign Office in September last year after Dominic Raab was criticised for his handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

During an interview on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Ms Truss said she was 100% supportive of the Prime Minister and wants him continuing doing the job.

Jeremy Hunt, chairman of the Health and Social Care Select Committee

Jeremy Hunt (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Jeremy Hunt has held numerous Cabinet roles, his most recent being foreign secretary in Theresa Mays government until May 2019.

He launched a leadership bid in 2019 after Mrs Mays departure but came second to Mr Johnson.

In an interview last week with The House magazine, the former health secretary reportedly denied actively considering a run, before adding: I wont say my ambition has completely vanished, but it would take a lot to persuade me to put my hat into the ring.

Penny Mordaunt, trade minister



Penny Mordaunt (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Penny Mordaunt could be a potential successor for Mr Johnson despite recent legal threats against her and the Government by Tory donor Alexander Temerko.

Mr Temerko said he would bring unspecified legal action against Ms Mordaunt personally, describing her as the biggest threat to security after she successfully campaigned against a 1.2 billion cross-Channel power cable project Aquind, a company he is a director of, has proposed. Her response was: Im happy to be judged on my record.

Ms Mordaunt has held several Cabinet positions including defence secretary and is reportedly well-liked among the so-called Red Wall MPs elected at the 2019 general election.

Sajid Javid, Health Secretary

Sajid Javid (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Sajid Javid is also a seasoned Cabinet member, having served in David Cameron and Theresa Mays governments.

He outlined his political aspirations in 2016 and 2019 by launching leadership bids. In 2016, he ran a joint campaign with Stephen Crabb but the pair later withdrew. In 2019 he came in fourth behind Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt and Michael Gove.

Since his appointment as Health Secretary in June last year, Mr Javid has supported Mr Johnson but admitted on Sky News that Tory grandee David Davis calling for the Prime Minister to step down was damaging for the Government.

Nadhim Zahawi, Education Secretary

Nadhim Zahawi (Aaron Chown/PA)

Nadhim Zahawi has been a familiar face during the pandemic after being appointed vaccine minister in November 2020.

His success in the role  which saw him providing updates to Parliament on the vaccine rollout and hosting Downing Street press conferences  led to a promotion to Education Secretary during the Cabinet reshuffle last September.

He has backed the PM during interviews, and said during an interview on BBC Radio 4s Today programme that he believed Mr Johnson was safe in his role because hes human and we make mistakes.

Michael Gove, Secretary for Levelling Up

Michael Gove (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Like Mr Javid, Michael Gove has held a series of Cabinet positions and launched a leadership bid in 2019 after Theresa May resigned. He finished third.

In 2016, he announced he would back Mr Johnson as new Tory leader and prime minister following Mr Camerons resignation, only to announce he was running himself two hours before Mr Johnson made his leadership pitch official, scuppering his friends chances.

Mr Gove has denied Mr Johnson should tender his resignation over the Downing Street party saga and claimed there is no evidence of any abuse of levelling up funding after Christian Wakeford, an MP who defected to Labour, alleged he was warned funding could be cut for a new school in his constituency if he rebelled in a vote over free school meals.

Mr Gove also told MPs on Monday he was solid, 100%, totally behind the Prime Minister.

Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee

Tom Tugendhat (Niall Carson/PA)

Tom Tugendhat has been critical of the Government, most recently over its handling of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The former soldier, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has been tipped before as a potential option to take over as party leader, with reports of a senior Tory MP describing it as a relief if he took over.

On Saturday, he was asked if he would still like to be PM, after expressing an interest in the past, and said: It would be a huge privilege.
Irelands foreign affairs minister has said that Russia is to move its planned military drills outside the countrys exclusive economic zone.

Simon Coveney said on Saturday he has received assurances from his Russian counterpart that the drills will not take place off the south-west coast of Ireland.

The artillery drills were to take place at the start of February in international waters, but within Irish-controlled airspace and the countrys exclusive economic zone.

The planned drills had caused considerable upset and controversy in Ireland.

Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr Coveney tweeted: This week I wrote to my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of Russia, to request a reconsideration of naval exercises off the Irish coast.

This evening I received a letter confirming the Russian exercises will be relocated outside of Irelands EEZ.

I welcome this response.

In a statement, the Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov said: In response to the requests from the Irish government as well as from the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu has made a decision.

This week I wrote to my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of Russia, to request a reconsideration of naval exercises off the Irish coast. This evening I received a letter confirming the Russian exercises will be relocated outside of Irelands EEZ. I welcome this response.  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 29, 2022

As a gesture of goodwill, to relocate the exercises by the Russian Navy, planned for February 3 to 8, outside the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with the aim not to hinder fishing activities by the Irish vessels in the traditional fishing areas.

Irish fishermen had planned to travel to the area to disrupt the Russian naval plans in a bid to protect their fishing stock.

Representatives of the Irish fishing industry met the Russian ambassador to Ireland on Thursday, later claiming to have been a given a guarantee that their fishing grounds will not be affected by the navy exercises.

That claim was partially disputed by a spokesperson for the Russian embassy, who said it was not true that an agreement had been reached on buffer zones in the area for fishing boats.

The Department of Transport had also issued a marine notice that the Russian navy was set to carry out manoeuvres off the south-west coast of Ireland from next Thursday.

It is not known where the naval exercises will now take place.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Clear skies this evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies this evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ali Hijazi and Sara Rifai, a couple from Lebanon, offered each of their wedding guests a COVID-19 PCR testing kit as an accompaniment to the invitation card, in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

About three years after an engagement, and without seeing the end of the pandemic, the couple decided to throw a small wedding with a small number of invitees who would get free rapid COVID-19 tests in advance.

Rifai told Xinhua that she is excited about the idea as she has been waiting for too long to get married.

As for another couple Rabih Amash and Hala Bayram, they hired three health professionals to do PCR testing for their invitees one day ahead of their wedding.

"I know this is going to cost additional money, but it will bring comfort to our guests," Bayram told Xinhua.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I deserve it," she noted.

Lebanon has seen a steep increase in the daily number of COVID-19 infections following the Christmas and New Year festive season.

Health experts urged citizens to take precautionary measures, such as wearing masks, keeping social distancing, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and conducting regular PCR testing.

Kassem Assaad, a health professional based in the capital Beirut, told Xinhua that many couples in Lebanon who are keen to celebrate their weddings now offer PCR testing for their guests.

PCR testing proved effective in preventing the virus spread, Assaad said, adding he saw several weddings getting cancelled in January after positive cases were detected among relatives of the brides and grooms.

However, Jacques Choucair, head of the infectious diseases department at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut, told Xinhua that conducting PCR testing for guests one day ahead of an event can only partly reduce the risk of infection.

"It is not fully effective because PCR testing must be done at least 48 hours ahead of the event and people who receive the test should quarantine for the next 48 hours to make sure they do not get infected right after the testing," he explained. 
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan will lead a delegation to Dubai, UAE to participate at the Expo 2020 Dubai where the Armenian National Day will be celebrated on January 30.

Kerobyans delegation will include Tourism Committee Chair Sisian Boghossian and other government officials from the Foreign Ministry; High-Tech Industry Ministry; Education, Science, Culture and Sport Ministry and the Investment Support Center.

The Armenian state dance ensemble Barekamutyun (Friendship) will perform an ethnic Armenian dance concert during the event, with many other cultural events planned for the day.
This is the first public meeting in the state to be addressed by any star campaigner of the BJP since the EC announced the Assembly polls

Panaji: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a day-long visit to poll-bound Goa on Sunday, during which he is scheduled to address separate indoor public meetings in three Assembly constituencies in the state, a party functionary said.

Assembly elections in Goa, where the BJP is currently in power, will be held on February 14.

During his visit, Shah will address three public meetings - one each in Ponda, Sanvordem and Vasco Assembly constituencies, BJP's Goa unit president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Saturday.

The Union minister will address the first public meeting in Ponda at 4.30 pm, followed by another such event in Sanvordem at 6.30 pm. He will hold his last public meeting of the day at Vasco at 8 pm.

"All three public meetings will be held indoors with 50 per cent seating capacity and all the protocols related to COVID-19 will be followed during these events," Tanavade said.

The last rally at Vasco will be live-streamed in 10 different Assembly constituencies simultaneously, he added.

The party has fielded Ravi Naik, Ganesh Gaonkar and Daji Salkar from Ponda, Sanvordem and Vasco Assembly constituencies respectively.

This is the first public meeting in the state to be addressed by any star campaigner of the BJP since the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule of the Assembly polls in five states earlier this month.

The BJP has fielded candidates from all 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa.

The ECI had last week extended its ban on physical rallies and roadshows till January 31 in the five poll-going states, but allowed public meetings with a maximum of 500 people in the constituencies where elections will be held in the first phase. It had, however, granted a relaxation for political parties to hold indoor meetings of maximum 300 people or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall.
Channi termed the Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as a 'venal leader'

New Delhi: Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday, calling it a party of thugs and said that because the state already has an aam aadmi at the helm, the AAP is frustrated and trying to discredit him.

Speaking exclusively with The Asian Age, Mr Channi said, AAP is a party of thugs and they are doing cheap politics. They have nothing to use against me. Earlier Arvind Kejriwal presented himself as an aam aadmi but now people of Punjab have got their own common man in me. Therefore, they are now frustrated and leveling baseless allegations against me.

He also termed the Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as a venal leader. The Congress feels that the only competition that it has in Punjab is from AAP. In the last couple of weeks the AAP blitzkrieg has taken Punjab like a storm. After public consultation it has also announced a CM candidate, its Lok Sabha MP Bhagwant Mann. AAP is very confident of wresting power from the Congress which it is resisting.

Mr Channi is pleased that the Congress high command has acceded to his request of announcing a CM candidate before the elections. He said, It was the people's demand that Congress must fight the elections with a CM face and considering the demand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who was in Punjab the other day has also announced to name Congress' CM candidate soon. He added that he has not asked the party high command to name him and that he will abide by the partys decision.

There is stiff competition between Mr Channi and state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu for the post of CM. In the last couple of weeks Mr Sidhu has been critical of the Channi-led government. In the next couple of days the Congress high command will announce its CM candidate. Insiders say that Mr Channi is amongst the frontrunners.
Every economy runs on four fundamentals employment, consumption, savings, and investment

Indias savings rate had touched a 15-year-low as gross domestic savings stood at 30.9 per cent of GDP in financial year 2020-21, down from a peak of 34.6 per cent in the financial year 2012-13. (Representational Image/ DC File)

On January 31, 2022, Parliament would meet for the Budget Session. As the nomenclature suggests this session is usually devoted to examining the finances of the Union government and the general health of the Indian economy. While the finances of the government are more than definitely in the red as evidenced by the yawning gap between its revenues and expenditure or what is colloquially known as the fiscal deficit, it is the overall state of the economy that is rather distressing.

Every economy runs on four fundamentals employment, consumption, savings, and investment. This forms the virtuous cycle of the economy. Livelihoods generate consumption that fires the cylinders of production and savings generate investment. As there is enhanced consumption on account of elevated wage levels or greater levels of employment, production capacity expands and savings get deployed as investment. Higher levels of domestic investment become the catalyst for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).

How does the Indian economy square up on the four fundamentals mentioned above? According to the Centre for monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE) as on January 21, 2022, the 30-day moving average unemployment rate stood at seven per cent. The urban unemployment rate was 8.5 per cent while the rural rate was 6.3 per cent.

What these numbers translate into is that there are 53 million or 5.3 crore unemployed people in India out of which eight million are women. Out of this 53 million, 35 million people were actively seeking means of livelihood while another 17 million were willing to contribute to the economy provided work was available.

This spectre of mass unemployment is also evidenced by the fact that MNREGA work numbers are at a record high. A total of 21.1 million and 24.7 million households, respectively, demanded work under this programme in November and December 2021.

According to numbers put out by the World Bank, the global employment rate stood at 55 per cent during pandemic-ravaged 2020 and 58 per cent in 2019. The corresponding number for India stood at a low of 43 per cent in 2020. CMIE, however, estimates that Indias employment rate could have been touching the nadir at 38 per cent.

The budgetary challenge, therefore, for the finance minister is to find employment for nearly 60 per cent of Indias population. To measure up to the global employment benchmarks India would need to create employment opportunities for an additional 187.5 million people. Given that the current employment numbers stands at around 406 million or 40.6 crores employed, this seems to be an insurmountable objective.

Consumption levels are also down because of the three waves of the Covid-19 pandemic since India imposed its first lockdown on March 24, 2020. These muted levels of consumption are rather obvious from the current assessments; that benchmark private final consumption expenditure (PFCE). This number for 2021-22 stood at Rs 80.81 lakh crore. This represents a marked fall from the 2019-20 number of of Rs 83.22 lakh crore but can be considered as a marginal evolvement over the 2020-21 figure that stood at Rs 75.61 lakh crore.

What do these private consumption numbers indicate? The foremost and most obvious conclusion is that the impetus on infrastructure projects is unfortunately not creating enough employment opportunities. It is having both a negative and a deleterious impact on the spending power of the people. Last but not the least, if this latency continues to hold the field in the immediate future, private sector capital formation will also neither rally and nor would it get boosted. The consequence would be, it would become increasingly challenging to augment GDP growth numbers through the medium of government spending alone.

The World Banks latest forecast on Global Economic Prospects opines rather morosely, Global growth is expected to decelerate markedly from 5.5 per cent in 2021 to 4.1 per cent in 2022 and 3.2 per cent in 2023 as pent-up demand dissipates and fiscal and monetary support is unwound across the world. A direct consequence of this deceleration would be on the Indian exports trajectory.

In the years encompassing the period between 2011-12 and 2019-20 now categorised as the era before the pandemic, the value of Indias merchandise exports grew at a rather low CAGR of 0.32 per cent. Taking the rather tight numbers of global growth predicted by the World Bank for the coming years into consideration and the impact it would have on Indias export profile, this institution estimates Indias real GDP growth to come down to 6.8 per cent in 2023-24. Taking the rather low statistical base into account this could well put GDP growth into negative territory.

Even the savings rate has also been rather adversely impacted as a consequence of people having to dip into their savings to tide over the pandemic induced hardships. Indias savings rate had touched a 15-year-low as gross domestic savings stood at 30.9 per cent of GDP in financial year 2020-21, down from a peak of 34.6 per cent in the financial year 2012-13. However the World Bank estimated that the erosion in gross domestic savings (per cent of GDP) was much deeper and pegged the figure at 28.92 per cent for 2020. What this means is that the funds that are available with banks and other financial institutions like NBFCs for financing investments stand significantly reduced.

Coming to Indias investment profile, investments accounted for 32.5 per cent of its nominal GDP in the quarter ending September 2021, compared with the figure of 28.7 per cent in the previous quarter that ended on June 30, 2021. This number had touched an all-time high of 41.2 per cent in September 2011 and a record low of 21.6 per cent in June 2020. Interestingly, 2011 was the year when the UPA was at the receiving end of the canard of policy paralysis. Gross fixed capital formation was 31.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the fiscal 2020-21 juxtaposed against 32.5 per cent in 2019-20.

Even foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in the July-September quarter of 2021-22 fell a sharp 42 per cent on year on year basis. It stood at $13.5 billion down from $23.4 billion a year ago.

However, the real problem is the growing inequity and inequality in India. This is reflected in the startling numbers put out by the recently released Oxfam report. It shockingly revealed that while the number of Indian billionaires grew from 102 in 2020 to 142 in 2021. The collective riches of Indias one hundred super-affluent climbed to a record high of Rs 57.3 lakh crore; correspondingly the share of the bottom 50 per cent of the population in national wealth to amounted a meagre six per cent.

India is dangerously hurtling towards a period of serious social unrest fuelled by the increased concentration of wealth in a very few hands, deliberately perpetuated religious polarisation and a spectre of hypernationalism aimed at othering the other on a daily basis.
by Fady Noun

The Dutch-born missionary died in 1985 in hatred of the faith. In spite of dangers and war, he pursued his mission like the Tibhirine monks (Algeria). Healing divisions was his greatest challenge. His work sparked a vendetta by pro-Syrian, leftist and Shia parties.

Beirut (AsiaNews)  The process of beatification of Dutch Jesuit priest Nicolas Kluiters, a missionary abducted on 14 March 1985 on a road in the Bekaa, tortured and killed in hatred of the faith, opened last Saturday in Beirut.

The opening session of the ecclesiastical tribunal responsible for investigating his case was held in a room of the great Church of St Joseph of the Jesuit Fathers, presided by the Apostolic Vicar of Beirut for the Latins, Bishop Cesar Essayan.

To mark the event, Bishop Essayan celebrated Mass, on the same day, in the presence of residents of Barqa (northern Bekaa Valley), the Maronite village where Fr Nicholas served as parish priest, and who almost to a man and woman consider him already a saint.

Nicolas Kluiters was born in Delft (Netherlands) in 1940. Initially, he studied Fine Arts, but alter joined the Jesuit order in 1966, giving up the brush like Saint Peter gave up his fishing nets.

Over the next ten years, having completed his theological studies, and was ordained a priest.

He travelled in Lebanon, learnt Arabic, and graduated as a social worker from the Universite Saint-Joseph. In 1976, in consultation with his superiors, in particular with Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Superior General of the Jesuits, he came to Lebanon in mission.

Initially, Fr Kluiters based himself at the convent of Taanayel, in the Bekaa, working with three fellow clergymen: Fathers Hans Putman, Hani Rayess and Tony Aoun.

With the assistance of various female religious congregations (Holy Hearts, Salesians, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, Little Sisters, Nuns of Jabboule), he became involved in a number of traditional apostolates: Masses and confessions, baptisms and funerals, catechism and training for first communion, evangelical evenings, spiritual retreats and youth activities, etc.

In 1981, at the request of Georges Iskandar, Maronite Archbishop of Zahle, he was appointed parish priest in Barqa.

The challenges of the 1980s

Simply put, the pastoral tasks entrusted to the Jesuits in the Bekaa seem unimportant. Tiring, yes, perhaps, but without risks. But this applied only in peace time. This was no longer the case during the civil war that broke out in Lebanon in 1975.

The great work by this extraordinary priest is to have closely associated faith to development.

When he arrived in the village, the big question locals asked themselves was: Should we stay or leave? Impacted by the unwholesome climate of war, the village suffered from its geographical encirclement and the risks associated with travel around the region and to the capital.

In addition, like many other villages, Barqa suffered from economic underdevelopment and parochial quarrels. Feuding families went to Mass in two different churches, St Michael and St. Joseph, located at different ends of the village.

For Fr Nicolas Kluiters, the greatest challenge was first and foremost the local context. In his personal notes, he wrote: The miracle of my vocation in the Bekaa is that I was able to experience a transformation of the residents of a village who were fighting among themselves, and who were turned into people who build their future together.

To achieve this, Fr Kluiters used all his skills as a priest and as a social worker. Halfway between the to chapels that stood at either end of the village, he built a school and pushed the nuns of the Congregation of the Holy Hearts to settle there.

Acquainted with the local form of religiosity, he created an open-air Way of the Cross.

He also began work on various public work projects: earthworks, irrigation channels, water reservoirs, orchards (to counter illegal hashish production), garment workshops (in cooperation with a garment company in Beirut), the construction of road leading to distant orchards, the construction of a church for shepherds, and the establishment of a dispensary (with the Order of Malta).

These unifying projects made him popular among the locals, who were initially surprised by his presence. Over time, people got used to him.

In the beginning, the Dutch priest deliberately accepted the hospitality residents offered him. And he was not afraid to travel, having already crisscrossed the Bekaa several years before.

Every day, he went to Hermel to say Mass at the home of the Little Sisters of Charles de Foucault.

Residents had a hard time to understand his Arabic, but over time, it improved taking local features. He eventually spoke a northern accent, noted Fr Thom Sicking, the vice-postulator of his cause, a smile on his face.

Alas, as time went by, the success of his projects led certain parties  pro-Syrian, left-wing or Shia  to take umbrage at this man who was undermining their influence and their plans. He became a thorn in someones side.

In 1984, a year before his death, Fr Nicholas went to Rome for a period of retreat. He thought his mission in Barqa was accomplished and was considering a mission to Sudan. However, Fr. Kolvenbach thought otherwise.

It was decided that he would return to Barqa to consolidate the work done, despite the very real dangers of his mission.

Fr Sicking compares this decision to that of the monks of Tibherine (Algeria), who chose, out of solidarity with the population, to stay in their monastery despite the risks posed by Islamist groups who were sowing death and destruction in Algeria at the time.

The price they paid for staying was abduction and decapitation. They were beatified on 26 January 2018.

In the words of Fr Kolvenbach, like for the monks of Tibherine, martyrdom arrived for Nicholas Kluiters, not as a surprise, but as the fruit of a long period of ripening, experienced in union with the offering of Christ, his crucified and risen Lord.
The other news of the day: Japans request to have a mine listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site sparks a row with South Korea. Lebanon refuses to hand over Hezbollah's weapons. India allocates US$ 40 billion for food security. In Russia the crackdown against the Memorial civil rights group continues. Clashes break out at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.

MYANMAR  CHINA

Myanmars military has laid landmines along gas and oil pipelines that run to the Chinese province of Yunnan. Ever since last years coup d'etat, which sparked a civil war, Beijing has urged Myanmars ruling junta to protect its vast interests in the country.

HONG KONG

This morning the University of Hong Kong covered up a 33-year-old slogan on a bridge, a tribute to the students slaughtered by the Chinese government in Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing on 4 June 1989. A few weeks ago, the university had removed a statue commemorating the victims of the same massacre.

JAPAN

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his government have applied for the former gold and silver mines on Sado Island to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The request sparked protests in South Korea because during the Second World War, the Japanese used South Korean prisoners at the mine.

LEBANON  PERSIAN GULF

Lebanons foreign minister said that, in today's and tomorrow's meetings with Persian Gulf countries, he would not commit to handing over Hezbollah's weapons. The Sunni monarchies want to reduce the influence of the pro-Iranian Shia party, but Lebanon will only accept to prevent its territory from being used for anti-Arab activities.

INDIA

The Indian government will allocate US$ 40 billion in subsidies for food security and the purchase of agricultural fertilizers. The measure will be included in the government budget for 2022/2023, which will be discussed next week. The amount is essentially the same as last years.

RUSSIA

Dissolved by court order, the Memorial civil rights group was forced to end the annual school competition "Man in history. Russia and the twentieth century". The event began in 1999 and in 22 years saw the participation of more than 50,000 young people, who were asked to study the history of their families, cities and heroes of the last century.

KYRGYZSTAN - TAJIKISTAN

Clashes broke out on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over access to one of the roads in the town of Tort-Koco. Four Kyrgyz were taken to a hospital in Kok-Tas. Eleven Tajiks (three civilians and eight soldiers) were seriously injured. Obidzon Toyciev, 36, a resident of the village of Khodzaj Alo, is reported to have died.
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Buying a vehicle is a great moment for anyone but buying it new is even more special. Knowing youre the first one to drive it (well, not entirely true, but still) and the smell (oh, the smell!...) makes the whole experience unforgettable. And, unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, such moments are truly rare. For some folks, even unique.Youd expect such special moments to be cherished and whoever buys a brand new vehicle to give it all the attention it needs. This means timely service jobs and the best possible parts to keep it running smoothly for as long as possible. And yet, not all people are the same, and some might think cutting some corners, saving some money is nothing bad. Until it is, and the money saved proves not to be enough to cover the repairs.This is something Moses Fosuo, a Canadian from Ontario, found out after his three-year-old Ram 1500 truck broke on the side of the highway. Engine breakdowns are rare events these days, but they do happen and when they do, it might be a costly affair. The Canadian did not despair, knowing his vehicle was still under the warranty. The truck was brought to a local Ram dealer and from there the disaster followed.They informed me the engine was no longer working and I was looking at having to have the engine replaced, Fosuo said on CTV News . After the initial shock passed, the man was relieved to know his truck was still under warranty . Only it didnt, as the dealer informed Fosuo he failed to change the oil at the recommended time. When I asked them why it was not covered under warranty, they mentioned at 50,000 kilometers the oil switch came on and I didn't get an oil change done right away, said Fosuo.Fosuo says he did have the oil changed, but at a third-party garage that told him the truck could drive for 24,000 km (around 15,000 miles) between oil changes . This is considerably more than the manufacturers recommendation of 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or 12 months, whichever comes first.The truck probably would have made it past that 24,000 km, had the engine not broken down, leaving Fosuo in hot waters. Of course, Ram refused to cover the engine replacement because the Canadian had not followed the manufacturers recommendations.As indicated in the vehicle's Owner's Manual, under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 16,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first. Our authorized Ram dealers reported that said maintenance was not performed to these parameters, a Ram spokesperson said.Ram quoted Fosuo 19,000 CAD (14,900 USD) for the engine replacement but unfortunately, he cannot afford to pay. The truck will have to be scrapped unless Fosuo finds a buyer interested to repair it himself. With the sky-high prices on the used-car market today , this could be a good deal, actually.Moses Fosuo had to pay a steep price to learn his lesson, being left without his three-year-old truck that he bought new. It sure was a huge loss for the Canadian and a stark reminder to anyone that a vehicles warranty comes with strings attached. Follow the maintenance schedule to the letter, especially when the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself from trouble down the road.
Canoos CEO may be pushing talent away from the company and fundamentally changing what it stood for. Former and current employees also told Business Insider that he is trying to run the company as if it was involved in the software industry. Curiously, that mixes two business models: one that killed the first iteration of Aptera, and another that put Tesla in its current troubled situation.Regarding Aptera , Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro conceived the company to produce the most energy-efficient car ever sold. New investors kicked them out of the project and tried to turn it into something else. The company went bankrupt shortly after that. Luckily, Anthony and Fambro managed to buy back the assets, and are now trying to resurrect the idea.In Tesla's case, running the company as if it was making something software-related proved to be a mistake. Theres no such thing as a beta vehicle unless it is for validation tests. If you put a beta in mass production, all the defects that were not detected with proper testing will show up and carry a heavy financial burden with them. Teslas recent recalls and its belief that OTA (over-the-air) updates will fix everything is proving to be a costly slip.Aquilas previous experience was with a software company called Solera. He became executive chairman and CEO at Canoo as the companys leading investor. Thats similar to what Elon Musk did with Tesla. Even ousting the true founders of Canoo followed the same script. Aquila told Business Insider that the people who do not pursue what he wants for the company will either be asked to leave or will leave on their own.Former and current Canoo workers are worried. They told Business Insider they do not believe the company will be able to produce as many vehicles as it said it would in 2022. The plan was to manufacture between 3,000 and 6,000 EVs in Q4, but that included having VDL Nedcar as a partner. The deal has allegedly been dropped.In June 2021, Canoo said it would have a Phase 1 in manufacturing, in which VDL Nedcar would help, and a Phase 2, when its own factory in Oklahoma would take care of pumping out these vehicles. It seems Canoo decided its Oklahoma factory will be enough. The problem is that it has no executives with experience in car manufacturing.Canoo was originally a company that would not sell its cars. They would be marketed by subscription, meaning that people would pay a fee to use them. Such a fee would include registering, servicing, insurance, and even charging. Riversimple will follow precisely this business model.As unusual as that may sound, it frees customers from concerns with depreciation, battery pack life, and reliability, to name a few. All of them rest upon the vehicle owner  in this case, the manufacturer. Canoo gave up on all that to sell the EVs and adopt the same business plan companies like Ford, GM, or Tesla have. Curiously, Aquila told Business Insider he did not want to make a new Ford or GM.The market has not reacted well to the changes in the company. Share prices have dropped. If it ever fails, as Aptera once did, Canoos founders may try to repurchase it as Anthony and Fambro did with Aptera. If it sells vehicles following Teslas steps, it may find itself learning the hard way what mass production really represents. At this point, it can dodge these traps. It would be wise to learn from other peoples mistakes.
Back in the Summer of 2020, Chevrolet even introduced an upgraded version of the LS7, which is referred to as the LS427/570 , and delivered up to 570 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque.It was a modified LS7 that came with a high-lift camshaft, newly designed cylinder heads, high-rate valve springs to prevent valve float at high rpm, a Camaro Z/28 exhaust manifold, and a wet-sump oiling system instead of the dry-sump setup of the LS7.Needless to say, the LS 427/570, with part number 19421004 , was a popular conversion among GM enthusiasts, even though Chevy never shared sales figures. Since it is an LS7 after all, the LS427/570 has also been discontinued. In case you were wondering, the part number of an LS7 is 19329246.Both motors were cut from the portfolio in silence, and their end has been noticed by a Reddit user. From there, the folks at Road and Track reached out to Chevrolet for clarification.Representatives of the bowtie brand replied that all current orders for the LS7 and LS427/570 will be fulfilled until the full inventory of these engines has been depleted. As R&T notes, while the LS7 was known to have a due date for the end of production, the same was not expected for its wet-sump derivative.Chevrolet's representatives have not mentioned any successor of the LS7 or its LS427/570 sibling. It is likely that no such successor will ever come, so get one while you still can, if an LS7 was what you were looking for your next engine swap . Otherwise, you still have plenty of units to choose from. Too bad you did not get to build your own LS7 , but the LS9 is still available.Even the Cadillac Blackwing twin-turbo V8 is reportedly still available, but in limited numbers, and you can scoop one up if you can find GM Part number 12662913. Supply is extremely limited on the Blackwing motor, and these are meant to be replacement units for CT6-V cars, so make sure to leave a few in stock for Cadillac owners.
Lets look back to the 1961 Pontiac Catalina . A young engineer gave it perfect weight balance by mounting the transmission under the trunk. Connected to the engine by a torque tube, it was one of the worlds most advanced sedana and it was the brainchild of John DeLorean. The man was a pragmatist with an IQ that was off the charts.After introducing the Super Duty Pontiac engines along with the GTO , he was promoted to run Chevrolet in the late '60s. Living the high life, he flew private to the biggest auto events around the world, always dressed to the 9s. GM had been ruled by Stooges put in power by the duPont family (until 1997). Therefore, he breathed fresh air into the worlds largest automaker.What did he do with this newfound fame? He gave us the rust bucket Vega, Monza, and influenced the X-Chassis that should never be mentioned again. After running Chevrolet into the ground, he walked away with an idea to build a gullwing sportscar. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so he sought the best designers and engineers to join him in Northern Ireland.These power plays caught the eye of the Iron Lady, just as Margaret Thatcher sought to bring manufacturing back to the United Kingdom. Therein lies the dissention that ultimately killed the DMC-12. England and Ireland have hated each other since my Protest ancestors were given dominion over Catholic property. The war was sparked in 1606 in County Down, and by 1916, tanks and mail bombs were the weapons of the day.The border between English lands in Northern Ireland has seen 500 years of blood, in the name of God. By the early 1960s, the Irish Republican Army built the best car bombs, often outsourcing their expertise to other nations (like in Patriot Games by Tom Clancy). Lady Thatcher gave DeLorean a massive loan to help secure the land for the factory, but Catholics across the border in Southern Ireland objected.So, what is a great way to settle a blood feud? The only logical answer is to build a massive assembly plant with the border running through it. Listen, I give DeLorean credit for trying to be a peacemaker. But he didnt know how dark the war would become. Catholics and Protestants would not work together, let alone speak to one another. So the new DeLorean plant was forced to rebuild with twice the employee support areas.At the DeLorean plant, there were separate entrances, parking lots, bathrooms, and ancillary facilities. Any logical business model would fail at this tipping point, however JD had mortgaged everything to keep going. This meant sourcing a turd of an engine, the Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6. Perhaps the most vile element of this story revolved around Colin Chapman The genius behind Lotus Cars had delivered a perfect chassis for DeLorean to form the backbone of the C4 Corvette. GM refused once DeLorean walked out, but Chapmans brilliance prompted them to buy Lotus Group in the meantime. Because JD was bankrupt, the FBI entrapped him with promises of cocaine shipping to Northern Ireland.Needless to say, Colin Chapman was never paid by DeLorean, and his mysterious death happened soon after. Was Chapman extinguished for knowing the gig was up? This hypothesis is sickening to say the least, but perhaps some of the adversity would have been avoided if the factory was placed anywhere else than a 500 year-old battleground.
Often, the fastest way to pick up a victim from an accident is with a rescue basket. The pilot has to lower it, and a team on the ground will place the victim inside. Then the helicopter rises and moves on. Unfortunately, sometimes things may go wrong. Due to the draft created by the rotor, the basket may start spinning faster and faster, to the point when the victim may be thrown out due to lateral acceleration.This phenomenon is well-known by pilots, and they are trying to bring the victims on board before moving on. But this is not always an option. Hovering in a mountain area is challenging due to winds and drafts that could overthrow the helicopter. Also, the aircraft cannot stay too long in a fixed position in a war zone since it may become a clear target and be shot down. Sometimes, risks have to be taken.A small company from Colorado called Vita Inclinata developed the Vita Rescue System Litter Attachment (VRSLA), which can balance automatically and prevent the lifted stretcher from spinning. But the basic module proved that it may be useful in other activities, such as construction, where it can be attached to a load and stabilize while lifting . The company joined forces with Schubeler, the producer of the electric ducted fans (EDF). These devices were used to create a system that reacts in 100 milliseconds and promises complete stabilization in just three seconds.In 1992, former Colonel and pilot Ken Bowling experienced a near-death experience when his plane crashed due to an engine failure near San Bernardino. He suffered severe injuries, with a broken leg, both hands, and an arm, and was strapped in the recovery basket. Yet, all that was not enough. As the helicopter started climbing, the basket began to spin, and he hung for his life. His story is revealed in the video below.The system proved its efficiency last year while parallel testing with two UH-60 Black Hawks . Last year, the Montana National Guard tried it against a classic stretcher, with a man on the ground guiding and helping stabilize the basket. Meanwhile, thanks to the VRSLA, the stretcher fitted with it could be lowered and raised quicker. Moreover, it allowed the pilot to fly up to 80 knots (92 mph/149 kph), which is a significant advantage on a battlefield. Last but not least, there was no need for a ground member for guidance. As a result, in November 2021, the U.S. Army purchased 15 such systems.By adding a Vita Rescue System Litter Attachment at both ends of the basket, the fans work together in a coordinated way, blowing on the sides. Thus, they create lateral thrust and counteract the spinning movement. These fans can rotate the basket or the attached object as needed. Thanks to the VRSLA, the helicopter doesn't need to align with the medical kit. It just needs to be lowered, pick up the patient from the location, and clear the area. Thus, the helicopter's hovering time may be reduced to under 40 seconds, as the exercise shown in the video below proved.The improved lift basket weighs only 50 lbs (22.6 kg) and is powered by a 4.8 Ah battery pack. It is known that electric motors have a minimal latency response, and they can easily rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise almost instantly. That helps the operator who can control and turn the basket as needed from up to 1,000 ft (304 m). Also, the system reacts automatically to help keep the attached cargo on a steady route.Apart from this life-saving solution, the company works on heavier systems that can stabilize a beam or a panel. This could be useful on construction sites, especially when a crane needs to lift a beam, for instance, and the winds might spin that, thus creating a potentially hazardous situation.
NEW DELHI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan granted a visa to a 74-year-old Indian national for him to meet his family on Friday after a separation of over seven decades.

Earlier this month, Sika Khan met his brother Muhammed Siddique, a Pakistani national, at the Kartarpur Corridor (a religious shrine situated at the border between the two neighboring countries) in an emotional reunion arranged by a Pakistan-based Youtube channel.

The two countries have been separated since 1947 amid conflicts and violence.

After granting the visa to Khan, the Pakistan High Commission in India tweeted "The story of the two brothers is a powerful illustration of how the historic opening of the visa-free Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in November 2019 by Pakistan is bringing people closer to each other."

Khan's picture of holding the Pakistani visa was also tweeted by the Pakistan High Commission.

India is celebrating its 75th year of independence this year.

Khan lives in Phulewala village of Bathinda district in India's Punjab state. The two brothers had established contact with each other through a video call in 2019 because of the efforts of a popular Pakistan-based YouTube channel "Punjabi Lehar," which highlighted their story.

Earlier this month, the channel facilitated a meeting between the brothers during a visit to the Gurdwara Kartarpur in Pakistan's Punjab province.

Indian nationals are able to visit the Sikh shrine without visas by traveling through a special cross-border corridor. 
EV

In its turn, the technology that automakers out there need so much wouldnt be possible without the companies investing millions of dollars in making it happen. And some of these companies rapidly noticed an opportunity that most arent willing to ignore.Building cars is no longer exclusive to traditional automakers, and its this increased commitment to technology, the one thats fueling a transformation nobody would have predicted a decade ago.Tech companies themselves are now spending big on automotive R&D, as theyre no longer willing to just build the software and services supposed to power cars built by others. They want their own cars running on their own software.In theory, their biggest advantage is, without a doubt, the technological know-how. They have the resources to develop capabilities powered by systems traditional carmakers wouldnt be able to design on their own. On the other hand, tech firms have little to no knowledge of what producing a car means.This is why theyre all trying different approaches whose outcome is hard to anticipate.Without a doubt, the biggest name in the tech industry thats now exploring a debut in the automotive market is Apple. The iPhone maker is already working on the Apple Car, and if we are to trust all the rumors fueled by people familiar with the matter, the vehicle should be here by 2025, at the earliest.Codenamed Project Titan, the Apple Car is supposed to be a self-drivingwith a huge focus on technology. But as said earlier, Apple is now struggling to find someone to build the car, and after failed talks with a series of traditional carmakers, including Hyundai and others, the Cupertino-based firm is now seeking a deal with a contract manufacturer.A joint venture between Magna and LG is likely to eventually build the Apple Car, with a prototype expected in 2023.Apple has never confirmed its car project, but on the other hand, its believed CEO Tim Cook considers it a top-priority product. In other words, while theres a chance Apple would give up on the idea overnight, this is very unlikely to happen.As a long-time Apple rival in the mobile business, Xiaomi aims to compete against the iPhone maker in the automotive business.But as compared to Apple, Xiaomi has already confirmed its automotive ambitions. The company wants to invest no less than $10 billion in an EV unit supposed to bring a Xiaomi car to the market by 2024.Xiaomi is also expected to bet big on technology for its first car, but the company has one big advantage: its likely to work together with a Chinese carmaker for the production of the vehicle.So while Apple is still struggling to find a partner on this front, Xiaomi benefits from its strong ties with Chinese carmakers, who are willing to provide not only the know-how to make it happen but also the production resources an inexperienced player in this side of the market would need.Xiaomi is likely to also present a prototype of its car either in 2022 or in 2023, with the launch expected in 2024.While Apple and Xiaomi are building their own cars, Huawei is trying a different approach.First of all, its the one the company has already confirmed. Huawei wants to be in charge of developing the software and services for new-generation cars, so at first glance, its not necessarily interested in building its own vehicle.The company has already worked together with Chinese automakers for such projects. Living proof is the recently released Aito M5, which runs on Huaweis Harmony OS and uses technology developed by the tech company.Second of all, its believed Huawei is also eyeing an in-house-built vehicle that would compete against the Apple Car. The company, however, has one big problem. Due to the U.S. sanctions announced in mid-May 2019, Huaweis international push has declined substantially, so building an Apple Car rival that would be available beyond the borders of China is ambitious, to say the least.Just like Apple, Huawei has also remained tight-lipped on a potential plan to build a full car.Joining Xiaomi in the group of tech firms that have already confirmed their automotive expansion is none other than Sony, the maker of the famous PlayStation console.Sony joined this years CES with a concept that many believe could see the daylight in production form at some point in 2024, once again with a major focus on technology.Sony, on the other hand, is hitting the same roadblock as Apple, as its trying to find a partner to manufacture its vehicle.This is going to be quite a challenge, especially because Sony is unlikely to end up working with a traditional carmaker. Its current concepts have been built by Magna.Youd normally expect Google to be eyeing a similar strategy as well, but the search giant wants to stick with what it does best. The company is therefore sticking with services, as it hopes that Android Auto and Android Automotive will end up making their way to more and more cars out there.Googles winning card here is rather simple. Android Automotive comes with deep integration of Google services, and we all know what this means for the company.OPPO is currently one of the largest phone makers in the world, and unsurprisingly, its believed its also considering a car of its own. Sources with knowledge of these plans revealed that the CEO of the company himself wants to be in charge of an EV project scheduled to see daylight in the second half of the decade. The development, however, is still in its early days.
This is because more and more people with nefarious intents turn to Apples GPS tracker to monitor their victims by placing the device in areas where its impossible to see it.Nicole Parker from Medford, Oregon, has recently revealed her horror story after being warned that an AirTag might be tracking her.The woman explains that she received the notification on her iPhone, and after looking closely at the information provided on the phone, she came across the map. It was the moment she realized someone used the AirTag to watch her every move across the city, eventually tracking her location as she headed back home.Parker then connected to the AirTag to figure out where it was and eventually spotted it underneath the car.It goes without saying the woman was terrified, pretty much because she didnt know why she was tracked. She went as far as thinking that someone wanted to steal her kid, so she eventually reached out to law enforcement.The police are currently investigating the case, and in theory, the officers should be able to find the owner of the AirTag using the serial number on the device and reach out to Apple.The AirTag comes with several stalking protections, so users can be notified on their iPhones if the device is moving with them. Apple has also released a dedicated Android app that can scan for nearby AirTags and help prevent such cases, but this time, the whole thing needs to be conducted manually.Apple advises users out there to reach out to the police if they believe theyre in danger when getting a notification that someone is tracking their location, as law enforcement can work together with the company on finding the owner of the device.
Farm workers milk dairy cows in the milking parlor at the Welcome Stock Farms Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Schuylerville, N.Y. New York state is now looking at lowering the farm worker overtime threshold from 60 hours a week. Some workers and their advocates say the change would bring long-delayed justice to agricultural workers in New York. But the prospect is alarming farmers. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Friday a AU$1 billion ($703 million) investment plan for the Great Barrier Reef.

Why it matters: The nine-year plan for projects including water quality improvement, reef conservation and supporting some 64,000 tourism jobs comes months ahead of this year's federal election. It has been criticized by scientists and environmental groups for failing to tackle climate change.

The world's largest coral reef ecosystem has lost more than half of its coral populations in the past three decades due to ocean warming and it has experienced massive coral bleaching events in recent years.

By the numbers: Morrison said in a statement that the pledge would extend his government's investment under the Reef 2050 Plan to more than $3 billion.

The big picture: Australia has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases since the Omicron variant arrived in the country. Morrison has faced criticism of his recent handling of the pandemic and angered some aged care sector officials for suggesting Australians "push through" the Omicron outbreak.

The country recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic so far on Friday, with 98 people confirmed to have died from the coronavirus.

The northeast state of Queensland, where the reef is located, is set to be a key battleground in the election, which must be held no later than May 21.

Morrison said in his statement, "We are backing the health of the reef and the economic future of tourism operators, hospitality providers and Queensland communities that are at the heart of the reef economy."

What they're saying: The independent nonprofit Australian Climate Council issued a statement Friday comparing the government's reef plan to putting a "Band-aid on a broken leg."

"Unless you are cutting emissions deeply this decade the situation on the Reef will only get worse," said climate scientist and Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, Professor Lesley Hughes in the statement.

"Any additional funding for the environment in Australia is welcome, as it is severely under-resourced. However, handing out cash for the Great Barrier Reef with one hand, while funding the very industry  fossil fuels  that's driving devastating climate impacts like marine heatwaves and coral bleaching, means they are adding to the very problem they are claiming they want to fix."

 Professor Lesley Hughes

Greenpeace Australia's Martin Zavan accused the government in a statement of "ignoring the number one driver" of the Great Barrier Reef's decline: "climate change caused by burning fossil fuels."

"A marine heatwave is causing coral bleaching in parts of the Reef right now," Zavan said. "If a mass bleaching event is declared it would be the fourth in six years when these events previously happened once in a generation."

The other side: Environment Minister Sussan Ley  who last year successfully campaigned for the reef not to be included on UNESCO's World Heritage Committee "in danger" list despite recommendations  on Friday pushed back on such concerns.

"You can see the reef from outer space, but not from an office in Paris," Ley said, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"Our farmers, tourism operators and fishers are our reef champions and we are supporting them through practical water and land-based strategies that will contribute significantly to the health of the reef," she added.

What's next: The Australian government is due to update the United Nations within days on its plans to protect the reef, the BBC notes.
A federal court on Friday blocked Texas from enforcing its anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions law against a Palestinian-American contractor.

Driving the news: U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen granted an injunction, blocking the state from enforcing the anti-boycott law against Rasmy Hassouna, the owner of Houston-based A&R Engineering and Testing Inc.

"The speech contemplated by [Rasmys company] may make some individuals  especially those who identify with Israel  uncomfortable, anxious, or even angry," Hanen wrote in the ruling.

"Nevertheless, speech  even speech that upsets other segments of the population  is protected by the First Amendment unless it escalates into violence and misconduct."

Catch up quick: Hassouna's company in October filed suit, arguing that the state's anti-boycott law violated the First Amendment, Al Jazeera reports.

Hassouna, who has worked with the city of Houston for 17 years, refused to sign a renewal of his contract with the city after lawyers demanded he agree to its terms prohibiting any BDS activity, per Al Jazeera.

"Texass ban on contracting with any boycotter of Israel constitutes viewpoint discrimination that chills constitutionally protected political advocacy in support of Palestine," attorneys for A&R Engineering wrote in the complaint.

What they're saying: The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which worked with Hassouna to file the suit, said the court ruling is "a major victory of the First Amendment against Texass repeated attempts to suppress speech in support of Palestine."
Israel is planning a campaign to discredit a UN commission formed to investigate the violence in Gaza last May and the root causes of the protracted conflict in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, according to an Israeli Foreign Ministry cable seen by Axios.

Why it matters: Israeli officials say they are highly concerned that the commissions report will refer to Israel as an "Apartheid state" and that its findings could damage Israel's reputation, particularly among progressives in the West. The report is expected in June.

The backstory: The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva voted narrowly last May to form the Commission of Inquiry. The Western democracies on the committee objected to the fact that the commission's mandate was unusually broad when it came to investigating Israel, and didn't specifically mention investigating Hamas.

Rights groups accused both Israel and Hamas of international law violations during two weeks of fighting last May, in which over 250 people were killed in the Gaza Strip and 13 in Israel.

The commission is designed to be ongoing, with reports due every June to the council in Geneva and every September to the UN General Assembly in New York.

In addition to probing conflicts in the West Bank and Gaza, the commission was also tasked with investigating human rights violations in Israel.

Details: The commission is headed by former UN commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay, former UN special rapporteur Miloon Kothari and human rights law expert Chris Sidoti.

Israel has declined to cooperate with the inquiry and claimed the commission's mandate and membership are biased against Israel. The Biden administration doesnt support the inquiry and played a central role in cutting its funding by 25% in UN budget negotiations.

Behind the scenes: Last week, the international organizations department of Israel's Foreign Ministry sent a classified cable to all Israeli diplomatic missions around the world. It designated the commission of inquiry as its top priority at the UN in 2022.

The cable said the Foreign Ministry was about to start a diplomatic campaign on the issue that will be increased ahead of the UN Human Rights Council meeting in March.

Israel has had some partial successes in the past when seeking to discredit UN commissions. In some cases, UN investigators have resigned, and the judge behind a probe of the 2008 Gaza war later backtracked on some of his conclusions.

The other side: A spokesperson for the commission of inquiry declined to comment directly on Israels criticism but said the commission was comprised of three independent and impartial experts who are not paid for their work and will investigate allegations of international law violations by all parties  state or non-state  without distinction.
HANOI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam attracted an estimated foreign investment of 2.1 billion U.S. dollars in January 2022, up 4.2 percent year on year, the country's General Statistics Office said Saturday.

Specifically, Vietnam licensed 103 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total registered capital of 388 million dollars, up 119.1 percent in quantity but down 70.7 percent in capital year on year.

Among countries and regions with newly licensed investment projects in Vietnam in January, Singapore was the largest source of registered capital with 198.1 million dollars, accounting for 51.1 percent of the total, followed by China's Hong Kong with 103.3 million dollars, accounting for 26.6 percent, said the office.

During the period, Vietnam also saw 71 operational FDI projects raise capital by 1.27 billion dollars in total, up 169 percent year on year.

In January, disbursed FDI capital totaled 1.61 billion dollars, up 6.8 percent year on year, and 75.4 percent were for the processing and manufacturing sector.

In 2021, Vietnam attracted a total foreign investment of 31.15 billion dollars, up 9.2 percent year on year, according to the office. 
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The large, two-story vacancy left behind when Sears pulled out of Valley Plaza mall in early 2019 will soon be filled by a furniture store cha
KIEV, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss a recent meeting of the Normandy format on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky's press service reported Saturday.

At the talks, the two leaders welcomed the meeting of advisors to the Normandy Four leaders, which marked the intensification of the Normandy format, said the press service.

Zelensky and Macron welcomed the joint statement between the participants of the meeting.

Advisors to the heads of state and government of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia met on Wednesday in Paris under the Normandy format and called for an unconditional ceasefire in the Donbas region of Ukraine, where an armed conflict has been underway since April 2014.

During the talks that lasted for about eight hours, the parties agreed on a joint statement, the first since December 2019, and decided to hold the next meeting in Berlin in two weeks.

The two presidents had agreed to push forward the work in the Normandy format and speed up the next meeting of political advisors to the Normandy Four leaders.

Zelensky and Macron also emphasized the need to intensify the work of the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the situation in Ukraine to make rapid progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

The group, consisting of representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, was formed to facilitate a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Donbas.

"As long as there is a favorable climate for dialogue, we need to fill time with meetings and talks. As long as diplomatic efforts continue, the risk of further escalation is decreasing," Zelensky said. 
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ORANGE  Orange County Judge John Gothia searched for the words he would say at Mondays groundbreaking for Orange Countys new hospital  the Gisela Houseman Medical Campus.

Flipping the TV channels in between sports this weekend, he came upon a dominoes tournament.

It was the perfect analogy for the years of work and community effort that is bringing much-needed healthcare back to Orange County after the closure of Baptist Hospital Orange in 2017.

All the dominoes need to hit one another, and if any one domino fails to fall, the picture is incomplete. This (hospital project) was a perfect example of the domino effect, Gothia said.

But for that effect to happen, a critical piece is the movement of that very first domino.

The hospitals first domino was Gisela Houseman.

Houseman donated the 55,000-acre parcel of land along Interstate 10 east of Texas 62  land that was a rice field when Gothia was a boy, he said.

The community is planting a different kind of seed today.

They always say seeds need a little water to begin growing, joked Kevin Parsley, Vice President of Strategy and Development with Christus Southeast Texas, as he addressed those gathered beneath the tent amid the rain and cold.

This investment to Orange and surrounding communities is vital, he said, noting that it will provide a 24-7 emergency room, imaging and diagnostics, a full lab and a womens center.

Eighty-thousand people and no hospital; its incredible, said U.S. Congressman Bruce Babin, who was among the elected officials at Mondays event. You need a hospital, and thank God Orange County has visionaries. It will truly save countless lives.

Among those visionaries was Dr. Marty Rutledge, who worried for years that Orange would lose its sole hospital.

When his fears were realized, he set out on a mission to bring healthcare back to the residents of Orange County.

Rutledge reached out to Houseman, a 35-year resident of Orange.

He was convinced we could make it happen, Houseman said.

She was less sure, but after donating the land, the City of Orange committed $1 million to building the necessary roads, and from there we were off and running.We knew we had hit a home run when NexCore  a renowned national developer  offered to build the hospital, she said.

When building costs for the facility and the roads exceeded initial estimates, Gothia worked to raise the additional capital.

Everyone turns around when they see me coming now, he joked.

Next, they looked for the hospitals health care provider, Houseman said, and when Christus agreed to run it, we not only hit a home run, we hit a grand slam.

Paul Trevino, president and CEO of Christus Southeast of Texas Health said the system looks for two things when starting a new program: Community support and an invitation.

When the hospital creators reached out for their participation, we began to look at all the different aspects of the community, and the developers and even ourselves  can we do this, we asked? The answer was a resounding yes, Trevino said.

It was the unbelievable commitment of the leadership of Orange and surrounding communities that got them on board, he said. It came from the Orange EDC, the Chamber of Commerce and all levels of local government.

It was a call we really could not pass up, he said, recounting the original calling to build a needed hospital in Galveston by Christus founders, the Sisters of Charity.

It was their mission to serve the needs of underserved communities and one todays leadership hope to be furthering with the opening of GHMC in Spring 2023.

Its a need Orange Mayor Larry Spears knows all too well.

Its unfathomable to gauge what this means to our community, to know that we now have a place where someone in a crisis can go to get care, he said.

No matter what (local government) accomplish, we hear, But you dont have a hospital. We can build roads, we can make improvements, but still, Theres no hospital is a constant criticism, he said.

Its a message theyll be glad to hear no more, and no one is perhaps more relieved than Rutledge.

Its been a few years, but it was worth waiting for, he said before presenting Houseman with an honorary plaque.

What a glorious day this is, she said. Im so humbled by all the kind words today and just thank you for giving me the opportunity to give back to the citizens of Orange County.

Its the spirit of working together that Bishop David Toups, with the Diocese of Beaumont, highlighted in his blessing, asking Houseman to read a passage from Pauls first letter to the Corinthians.

When a community comes together to build our world and help those in need, we are Gods own co-workers, Toups said.

kbrent@beaumont

enterprise.com
ROME, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- During Italy's first wave of COVID-19 back in March 2020, 63-year-old Niccolo San Filippo, a postal worker at the time, was among the first Italians hit really hard by coronavirus. His life-threatening journey with the virus left him with indelible memories.

NIGHTMARE IN PANDEMIC WAVE

San Filippo, who lives in the northern Italian town of Leffe, reckons that he was infected in the first days of March, a mere ten days after the first clusters of cases were officially identified in a few neighboring cities and towns, and roughly a week before the Italian government ordered the first national lockdown.

Leffe is around 20 km northeast of Bergamo, which was a coronavirus hotspot at the time.

"We simply didn't know how serious the coronavirus was," San Filippo told Xinhua.

His symptoms started with fever and gastrointestinal issues that lasted 12 days. When the breathing difficulties began, his family took him to hospital in the nearby town of Treviglio, where he was treated with intravenous (IV) infusion. However, his condition worsened.

Eventually, he was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe. Then, a dozen long days later, he woke up in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Niguarda Hospital in Milan. He never realized he had been moved. Later he learned that he had to be moved because the hospital in Treviglio had run out of ICU beds.

"When I first woke up, things were foggy," he recalled. "A nurse asked me my name just to see how aware I was. Then they asked how long I'd been in the hospital, and I was sure I got there the night before. But it had been 12 days!"

That was not even the worst of it, San Filippo said. He recalled having disturbing dreams, including one where he was living inside a giant lung, and another that left him thinking that his wife and mother had both died.

"I was so convinced that my wife had died that I didn't believe she was alive until I saw her in a video call while I was still in recovery," he said.

MORE CASES, FEWER ICU PATIENTS

San Filippo was one of the victims of the deadliest of Italy's multiple coronavirus waves. In late March 2020, the daily number of new infections peaked at just above 6,000 and the number of deaths approached 1,000. In January this year, the country logged 200,000 daily new coronavirus cases and over 300 deaths.

Early in the pandemic, the number of coronavirus patients requiring treatment in ICU topped 4,000, while last week it was around 1,700. The average ICU length of stay has also dropped dramatically.

"In those early days, testing was less frequent, vaccines didn't exist yet, and we were still figuring out how to treat patients," Fabrizio Pregliasco, a virologist and director of Milan's Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute, told Xinhua. "Those who were infected and in ICUs at the start of the pandemic were at much higher risk than those today."

ERASED POPULATION

For San Filippo, the story is far from over. A survivor of Italy's first coronavirus wave and now fully vaccinated, he said he doubts whether he will ever regain the health and energy he had two years ago. Having retired from his job at the post office, he said he feels far more fragile than before.

"I used to be in good shape and I played sports," he said. "Now I get tired walking up the stairs. I'm thinner and I've lost muscle mass. My bones hurt. My back hurts."

The communities around Leffe and Bergamo were hurt even more than he was, he lamented.

"I think being in good physical shape helped me," he said. "But if you look around, the 80-plus population has more or less been erased. These communities have been changed forever." 
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A dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is prepared at Lurie Children's hospital in Chicago in 2021. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming COVID-19 vaccines are facilitating omicrons infectiousness and mass vaccination might spur the development of new mutations.
A car pulls into the emergency room entrance at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Jan. 5. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming vaccines only reduce hospitalizations in the U.S., not in other countries.
In this Jan. 4, 2021 file photo, members of the state Assembly rise for prayer during the first 2021-22 legislative session in the Assembly Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming the Wisconsin Assembly voted this week to withdraw its 10 electoral votes for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
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.
During what lawmakers consider to be one of the busiest stretches atop Beacon Hill, work on the budget is underway as lawmakers hustle to build support for their proposals ahead of a Feb. 2 deadline.
Volunteer Melissa Howe puts potatoes into a shopping bag for a resident in need in this March 2020 file photo. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts comes to Community Health Programs in Great Barrington on the first Tuesday of each month to hand out food donated from a variety of sources including local supermarkets.
File photo taken on Jan. 29, 2021 shows Sergio Mattarella (Front) speaking to the media at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome, Italy. Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term by the parliament gathered in a joint session in the eighth round of voting on Jan. 29, 2022. (Pool via Xinhua)

ROME, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term, Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico announced late Saturday, after the parliament gathered in a joint session and concluded its eighth round of voting.

Mattarella was reconfirmed with a broad majority, namely 759 votes in favor from a total of 983 lawmakers and regional representatives actively taking part in the ballot.

"I wish to thank lawmakers and regional representatives for the faith they have put in me," Mattarella, 80, said in a declaration broadcast live from the Quirinale presidential palace immediately after receiving the official notice of his re-election.

"The difficult days of this election, taking place during the serious health, economic, and social emergency we are still going through, call for a sense of responsibility and for the respect of the parliament's decisions," he said.

"These conditions require (us) to not avoid duties, which must prevail over other thoughts and different personal perspectives," he added.

Mattarella's candidacy emerged prominently at the end of a tense week in which the two major political blocs -- the center-left and the center-right -- failed to agree on a different common candidature.

As a consequence, seven rounds of voting were held since Monday, all delivering inconclusive results and exposing deep fractures within both coalitions.

After the leaders of the largest parties from center-right and center-left acknowledged the stalemate on Saturday morning, and agreed on Mattarella's possible second term, a direct request was submitted to the president by all parties' whips.

After a brief talk with Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Mattarella made himself available, despite having repeatedly made clear prior to the election that he would not serve a second term.

The re-election of a head of state is rare in Italy. So far, only Giorgio Napolitano, Mattarella's predecessor, had served a second term, and only for less than two years.

All major political leaders thanked Mattarella for his availability. "This is a great news for Italians, and I am grateful to the president for choosing to oblige to the strong will expressed by the parliament to reconfirm him to a second term," Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in a note.

Enrico Letta, leader of center-left Democratic Party, hailed Mattarella for taking a choice "of great generosity toward the country."

Meanwhile, Letta noted the fact that parties were unable to find an alternative common candidature should not be neglected.

Right-wing League's leader Matteo Salvini said he was "comforted" by Mattarella's choice. "I also feel very serene, because I have made (prior to the re-election) all possible proposals."

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, also a leading figure of the Five Star Movement, told reporters the re-election was "a victory for the country."

The pledging ceremony to reconfirm Mattarella is expected to take place next Thursday, when his first term officially ends. 

Members of Italy's parliament celebrate after Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term at the end of the eighth round of voting in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 29, 2022. Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term by the parliament gathered in a joint session in the eighth round of voting on Saturday. (Str/Xinhua)

Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati (2nd L, Front), president of the Italian Senate, and Roberto Fico (2nd R, Front), president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, count ballots during the eighth round of voting to elect Italy's new president in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 29, 2022. Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term by the parliament gathered in a joint session in the eighth round of voting on Saturday. (Str/Xinhua)

Members of Italy's parliament celebrate after Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term at the end of the eighth round of voting in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 29, 2022. Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term by the parliament gathered in a joint session in the eighth round of voting on Saturday. (Str/Xinhua)

Staff members count ballots during the eighth round of voting to elect Italy's new president in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 29, 2022. Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected to a second term by the parliament gathered in a joint session in the eighth round of voting on Saturday. (Str/Xinhua)
This is the story of a woman. In telling her story  from slave to free woman  we also tell the story of a place  from colony to country. Lewis Carroll said, Begin at the beginning, go on until you reach the end, then stop. Just this once, let us begin at the end.

Her tombstone reads: Elizabeth Freeman, also known by the name of MumBet died December 28th 1829. Her supposed age was 85 Years. She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years; she could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal. She neither wasted time nor property. She never violated a trust, nor failed to perform a duty. In every situation of domestic trial, she was the most efficient helper and the tenderest friend. Good mother, farewell. (Attributed to Catharine Sedgwick.)

In the end, Elizabeth Freeman was revered; in the beginning, MumBet was treated as less than human  a possession. In her article Slavery in New England, published in Bentleys Miscellany in 1853, Catharine Sedgwick fills in the middle. Sedgwick writes of the outstanding events in MumBets life  or the events in an outstanding life.

Suing for freedom

In 1780, at approximately 36 years old, MumBet was a slave in Colonel John Ashleys house in Sheffield. Early in the Revolution, Massachusetts wrote John Adams and asked how the colony should be governed. They did not want to leave the British laws or the kings appointees in place. Shall they write a state constitution? Adams at first said no, but upon reflection Adams said yes and drafted it. In 1780, the Massachusetts Constitution was done. As part of the ratification process, it was carried around and read in town squares and at town meetings.

MumBet likely heard a reading in Sheffield town square; it was less likely that a slave attended Sheffield town meeting. Wherever she heard it, it echoed sentiments in a document read in her household. The Sheffield Resolves were debated and approved in January 1773 by a committee in the home of the moderator: Col. John Ashley.

Written by committee member Theodore Sedgwick, the Sheffield Resolves begin, Mankind in a state of nature are equal, free, and independent of each other, and have a right to the undisturbed enjoyment of their lives, their liberty and property. MumBet believed that Sedgwicks words and those in the proposed Massachusetts Constitution meant she was entitled to be freed. She sought the help of attorney Sedgwick, a neighbor. She could walk to Sedgwicks house. She knew him and approached him. She stated her case, and he accepted it. The case, captioned Brom and Bett v. John Ashley, was heard Aug. 21, 1781.

Sedgwicks argument in court was essentially what he wrote in the Sheffield Resolves. It was an argument which Ashley literally endorsed. It is hard to believe that the legal action was brought without Ashleys tacit approval, a conclusion reinforced by the fact that Ashley did not pursue an appeal when MumBet won.

Others say Ashley filed an appeal and only dropped it when a second slave, Quock Walker, was freed, and Supreme Judicial Court Justice Cushing found, the idea of slavery is inconsistent with our conduct and constitution.

From 1781 to the end of her life, Freeman was a paid servant in the Sedgwick household. She moved to Stockbridge with the family in 1785. Catharine, writer and daughter of the house, told the story of MumBet (Mother Betty).

The following vignettes come from Sedgwicks pen.

Freemans fortitude

According to an early census, the Ashley household had five slaves. Among them was a woman Sedgwick describes as a remarkable woman of pure unmixed African race. About her name, she writes, Her name was Elizabeth Freeman  transmuted to Betty. Later she was called Mammy or Mother Bet which was shortened to MumBet.

In support of the hypothesis that Ashley was in accord with the lawsuit, Catharine writes, Madam A [Hannah Hogeboom Ashley] who lived in Sheffield a border-town in the western part of Massachusetts  belonged to the provincial gentry.  Her husband [John Ashley] combined the duties of soldier and magistrate and honorably discharged both.  He was the gentlest, most benign of men, she a shrew untamable.  He was the kindest of masters to his slaves, she the most despotic of mistresses.

Sedgwick also describes MumBets sister Lirry; others claim Lirry was her daughter and call her Lizzy or Libby. Lirry was a sickly timid creature over whom she [MumBet] watched as the Lioness does over her cub.

Lirry was accused by Madame A of the theft of food. In punishment, Madame A raised a hot poker prepared to strike the child. MumBet stepped between them. Catharine writes, she imposed her brawny arm and took the blow. MumBet protected the child, but her arm was permanently injured.

MumBet was not above a bit of clever revenge. She refused to cover the wound and when people asked her what happened she replied, Ask Misses.

Last November, state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli and the Sheffield Historical Society announced plans to pay homage to a slave who sued for and won her freedom in 1781, more than 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation became law.

This is the story of a woman and a place  appropriately the Elizabeth Mum Bett Freeman monument will stand on Sheffields Village Green.
LENOX  During the Tri-Town Health Boards virtual public forum Wednesday on whether it might be worth considering vaccine passport guidance for indoor dining at Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge restaurants, the anger, factual misrepresentations and invocations of the Holocaust voiced by some members of the public was on full display.

Clearly, the passport idea is off the table. First presented informally at a board meeting last month by Dr. Charles Wohl, a Lenox resident who retired from a practice in Pittsfield, he deemed it a reasonable notion since variations on the mandate theme are in place in Boston, New York City, California and other locales.

But, restaurant owners, town officials, and chamber of commerce leaders presented their case for why the mandate would be impractical, unenforceable and unnecessary.

As Dr. Charles Kenny, who chairs the Tri-Town Health Boards, told me on Thursday: Other board members and I had met with restaurant groups from Lenox and Stockbridge, select board members, and health care system leadership, and also had discussed and researched the idea extensively before the meeting. We also had had considerable public input prior to the meeting.

But, sadly, A lot of the public pushback at the meeting, although earnest, was illogical and misinformed, he pointed out.

Tri-Town Healths Executive Director Jim Wilusz offered this thought via e-mail: One thing that got really confusing to the public is the fact that Tri-Towns boards actually didnt have an actual proposal on the table at all nor were they getting ready to put in a mandate.

We received 50-plus emails from people thinking we were going to take a vote to implement it. Our goal was to bring people together to talk about the idea. We are also committed to really digging deep to see what the new normal will look like as we will need to live with COVID for quite some time.

My problem with the Wednesday forum is with members of the public who promoted conspiracy theories, misinformation and comparisons to the Holocaust during their allotted 3-minutes at the virtual podium.

Here are some examples:

 Anyone who complies with such an order is forging the chains of his children and grandchildren, said Frederick Gillette, of Hinsdale. Tyranny is built plank by plank. The Nazis didnt just show up one day with railcars to start loading Jews in. It started with multiple small infringements, Jews were not allowed to sit on public park benches and they complied all the way up to the final solution. 

 Pittsfield resident Micah Mortali, who works in Stockbridge, warned against people having to show their papers in exchange for participating in society. It crosses a frightening line. Well have to become a profit center for Big Pharma for an endless series of experimental injections. There are no long-term safety studies of these products.

 Asserting that theres no scientific basis for a vaccine passport requirement, Anastasia Blaisdell argued that the effect would amount to segregation and discrimination. That really scares me, we have worked a lot in this country to get rid of segregation and discrimination, to get to the place were at right now, which is fairly good. Its a dangerous road were going down, and Nazi Germany didnt show up doing Nazi Germany overnight. Its one little step, then another little step, and it goes on and on.

 Heres Noah Lauzon of Pittsfield: After this whole lockdown situation globally, I will never be voting for anybody whos sitting in office at the national or state level again. Not a single person we voted into our government offered to give up their pay when they were locking down the entire economy, and I thought that was very, very shameful, and I feel similar about local board members. I was raised Jewish, I had relatives and friends who showed tattoos on their arms, Ive grown up in this history and I will never show a passport.

 Lev Natan, who said hes not vaccinated, offered this: I also am of the Jewish heritage, and right when this started with the vaccines, I thought about Nazi Germany, I thought about yellow stars on your shirt. This is the beginning right now, you have to show a card and then at some point theyll put it on our arm and then theres a digital chip thats being talked about.

Others offered different objections to the idea of a vaccine passport.

 The board should understand they do not have the authority to put these mandates on the people, there will be recourse, people will push back, the town of Lee does not need any more litigation, said Andrew Wiley, a Lee resident. We cannot discriminate against the people who have natural immunity. There are people getting sick from the vaccine.

 This idea of passports is people taking our power to take care of ourselves because you think that we cannot do that. Thats not true, we do know how to take care of ourselves, Carol Gillette, of New Marlborough, asserted. This would be a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

One commenter described the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) as profit-driven in the business of vaccine sales, a privately held corporation with shares in the Big Pharma companies and it does not hold any medical authority through any government institution. Actually, the CDC is a U.S. federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services.

The mainstream media was described as 70 percent funded by Big Pharma. Thats an absurd and false claim.

Tri-Towns commitment to hold a public discussion was praiseworthy. Some commenters made valid, reasonable points. But its a shame that others distorted the truth, and history, to promote their cause.
District Attorney Andrea Harrington sees her role as Berkshire Countys minister of justice.

With that power comes great responsibility, Ms. Harrington wrote in a commentary The Eagle published last month. The people that I serve elected me to do more than win at all costs in an adversarial legal system. The role of elected district attorney as a minister of justice calls on my office to exercise our discretion wisely and in the public interest.

So when the minister of justice attacks the integrity of the justice system in support of a federally indicted public official, which Ms. Harrington did in a Jan. 14 tweet, the people have reason to wonder if, in reality, that discretion is wise and in the publics interest.

Seeing the justice system used against @MarilynMosbyEsq is scary for those of us taking on the status quo, Ms. Harringtons tweet stated.

Ms. Harringtons tweet was made in support of her colleague Marilyn Mosby, the states attorney in Baltimore. This month, a federal grand jury indicted Ms. Mosby who now faces charges of perjury and making false mortgage applications. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Ms. Mosby lied on federal forms in order to finance two Florida vacation homes she bought in 2020. Ms. Mosby maintains her innocence and says the charges against her are retaliation for bringing criminal charges against six Baltimore police officers in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray.

Ms. Harringtons tweet raised serious questions. But Ms. Harrington isnt seriously answering. Instead, Ms. Harrington punted questions about this to her campaign strategist who provided a well-crafted response without providing an actual answer.

Ms. Mosby and Ms. Harrington are friends, political allies and members of Fair and Just Prosecution, a movement of local prosecutors seeking a justice system grounded in fairness, equity, compassion, and fiscal responsibility. Perhaps Ms. Harrington supports her friend in a difficult time. Nevertheless, it is difficult to understand why the chief law enforcement officer of Berkshire County would attack the justice system for bringing these particular charges against Ms. Mosby.

Though Ms. Harrington has since deleted the tweet, the serious questions remain. Ms. Harrington owes the citizens of Berkshire County a full explanation as to why she attacked the integrity of the justice system for pursuing this case.

Does Ms. Harrington perceive that perjury or filing a false statement to obtain a bank loan is such a minor offense that it should never be prosecuted?

Does she believe that people taking on the status quo, including public officials whose job is to enforce the law, are entitled to a pass on telling the truth as a condition to receiving government benefits?

In the absence of a full explanation, we are left wondering if Ms. Harrington actually read the indictment before choosing to publicly and baselessly cast doubt on this federal case outside of her jurisdiction. A reading of the indictment would lead most to dispel the contention that the charges against Mosby are frivolous or political. A political enemy might have brought the underlying facts to the attention of the U.S. attorney in Maryland, but what else could that U.S. attorney do after being presented with such compelling evidence that an important, elected official blatantly broke the law to her own advantage?

It has been suggested that what Ms. Harrington tweets about a friend or a colleague on a Saturday morning is not a matter of serious concern. That contention could have merit, except that the Berkshire district attorney is a powerful enforcement officer. The position comes with the broadest discretion as to who will be charged and with what offenses. As Ms. Harrington wrote in her column, with the minister of justices power comes great responsibility.

It is fair to ask whether someone who can make light of credible charges of fraud and perjury has the good judgment and moral authority to exercise such discretion.

This editorial page has suggested that Ms. Harrington spend more time attending to the business of being district attorney and less on political activity. It is ironic that the DA is so willing to weigh in on an open case brought by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Maryland given her offices repeated stonewalling on critical questions relevant to open cases in the county she is supposed to serve.

There is persuasive evidence that the district attorneys office is foundering under Andrea Harrington. It took her office two years to charge the men involved in a high-speed automobile accident that killed a man driving to church. Her office was forced to delay or abandon the trials of several longstanding, important cases because witnesses were unavailable. So, to our entreaty that Ms. Harrington focus on her deadly serious duties, we must add that it is time for her to forthrightly answer questions raised by her behavior.
NEW YORK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A nor'easter has delivered a mix of heavy snow and fierce winds along much of the East Coast of the United States with more to come into Saturday night.

More than 10 million people in some coastal areas from Virginia into New England are under blizzard warnings, with heavy snow and strong winds, with predicted gusts up to 70 mph in some areas, reported CNN.

Some governments in the Northeast have banned vehicle travel for parts of the day, including Rhode Island through to 8 p.m., with a tractor-trailer ban until midnight. And many are urging people to stay home.

Ten inches of snow or more already had fallen in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Long Island as of 10 a.m. ET., according to CNN.

More than 1 foot of snow could fall by Sunday morning from Long Island through Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, it added.

A Nor'easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America, so called because the winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast, according to the National Weather Service.

These storms may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April. Nor'easters usually develop in the latitudes between Georgia and New Jersey. 
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable.
BOVILL - 47-year-old Bradley Winans, of Bovill, was taken into custody on a warrant for aggravated assault, after the Latah County Regional SWAT team and the Idaho State Police SWAT team responded to a stand-off incident that began with a report of a suicidal man late Friday morning.

Students at the nearby Bovill Elementary School were taken to a Deary School where they were picked up by their parents. Residents on 2nd Avenue in Bovill were also evacuated. Residents were able to return to their homes around midnight.

"After many hours, were able to take Mr. Winans into custody. The Latah County Sheriffs Office would like to thank the members of the regional SWAT team and the ISP SWAT team, Idaho Fish and Game, Deary Ambulance and Bovill Fire for their assistance in this situation," said a Latah County Sheriff's Office statement. The incident is still under investigation.
JEROME  Rep. Laurie Lickley has announced she will run for Idaho Senate in the new District 26.

The Republican from Jerome made the announcement a day after the Idaho Supreme Court upheld new voting district maps which combine Jerome, Lincoln and Blaine counties into the new District 26.

Lickley is serving her second term as representative for District 25, which for the last decade has been comprised of Jerome County and the rural part of Twin Falls County. Under the new map, Lickleys home county of Jerome is combined with Blaine County, which for the last several election cycles has elected Democrats and is currently served by the Senate minority leader, Sen. Michelle Stennett. Stennett has not announced if she plans to run for reelection.

I did not make the decision to run for the senate lightly, Lickley said in an interview with the Times-News.

Its time for me to take in maybe a different demographic than Ive worked with in the past, Lickley said. My background in resources positions me very well to represent my new constituents in the Blaine County area after this next election cycle.

Agricultural and resource issues will continue to be at the top of her priorities, Lickley said. Lickley said she is a solid conservative Republican, who is pro-life, pro-family, and will continue to craft policy on the shared resources of southern Idaho, as well as supporting education, and mental and behavioral health.

Ive run on a platform of our families, Ive been pro-education and early childhood development, as well as supporting not only K-12 but higher education, supporting our families as well as our communities and working with our local leaders to facilitate meaningful public policy that really benefits them.

Rapid growth in the state has touched both Jerome and Blaine counties, and Lickley said solutions for new challenges will take collaborative effort from policy makers.

Idaho was the fastest growing state in the nation in 2021 Lickley said. Were going to see continued challenges and needs for affordable housing, capacity on our roadways, as well as addressing educational needs, Lickley said, noting that the rapid growth means more solutions need to be developed to keep the state from falling behind. Weve got to make sure we put a roadmap in to take care of some of those issues.
Described as a cheerleading squad in the Jewish Insider by its co-chair, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), the caucuss stated goals include expanding the Abraham Accords agreements and fostering regional peace. The groups other co-chairs are Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), David Trone (D-MD), Ann Wagner (R-MO), and Brad Schneider (D-IL).

The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) speculated that one of the caucus top priorities may be passing the Israel Relations Normalization Act, a bill requiring the United States Department of State to promote normalization between Israel and Arab countries. The IMEU also outlined why the new caucus is particularly controversial, highlighting how the group could be used to crack down on criticism of the Israeli government.

IMEU said in its policy analysis:

In addition to the problematic nature of reifying Trump-administration deals with authoritarian regimes, this legislation is controversial for additional reasons, among which are: A statement of policy to oppose efforts to delegitimize the state of Israel. In other legislative initiatives, this vague phraseology has been used as coded language to propose the suppression and even criminalization of freedom of expression to criticize Israeli policies.

The idea that the Abraham Accords need a cheerleading squad is particularly fitting in this political climate in which traditional bipartisan support is waning, Zaha Hassan, a policy analyst at Palestinian think tank Al-Shabaka, explained to MintPress News, adding:

The folks that started the Abraham Accords Caucus decided to pursue this because they see that the U.S. administration isnt being active enough in expanding and deepening the Abraham Accords.

As Congress votes this week on expanding #AbrahamAccords & putting it on steriods, this thread is critical context for understanding why #Israel Relations #Normalization Act is more about entrenching Israel's illegal settlements than abt peacebuilding & #Palestinian prosperity. https://t.co/7e8z5oPk4L  Zaha Hassan   (@zahahassan) January 24, 2022

Hassan noted that the timing of the caucuss debut is important to note as well, as politicians  specifically Democratic members of Congress  and the public have started questioning or even condemning Israels actions. She explained:

We have organizations like Human Rights Watch and various Israeli legal and human rights organizations talking about an apartheid situation in Israel-Palestine. And just at that moment when were having that conversation, theres all this uptick in activity around talking about peace, prosperity, regional economic integration, and expanding the Abraham Accords, and thats now become the focus of attention.

With a failed peace process and congressional members calling for greater accountability for Israel, Hassan said the conversation around Palestine-Israel is shifting, and thats where the new caucus steps in to act as a diversionary tactic:

Its trying to find a new direction for the conversation to go in, recognizing the peace process can no longer be used as an excuse. The idea is that since there isnt a possibility in Israel or among Palestinians for a peace agreement, we should focus instead on bettering the economic situation of Palestinians and the region writ large.

Deceptive praise

The announcement of the Abraham Accords Caucus was met with a flurry of enthusiasm in the press and among politicians, as noted by the founder and president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, Lara Friedman, in the organizations Legislative Round-Up, where she wrote:

The announcement of the new caucus was accompanied by praise and welcome from the Biden Administration, from the Bahraini government (among others), and a burst of giddy articles/op-eds/editorials promoting the Abraham Accords and/or the caucus, and pressing the Biden Administration to do more to expand normalization.

Friedman emphasized in her analysis the clear congressional hypocrisy when it came to this ecstatic round of approval for the new caucus:

This bipartisan congressional enthusiasm for expanding Arab normalization with Israel stands in stark contrast to decades of Congress demonstrated apathy, timidity, antipathy, and outright obstructionism with respect to anything related to trying to secure normal rights for Palestinians.

She suggested that these various gestures of support were simply tactics to encourage the Biden administration  whose response to the Abraham Accords has been tepid  to warm up to the Accords.

Friedman said in her report:

This sudden burst of enthusiasm/support/pressure around the Abraham Accords all appears aimed at pressuring the Biden Administration not only to more strongly support the Accords but to follow in the footsteps of the Trump Administration in using U.S. sweeteners to achieve normalization deals  sweeteners that under Trump meant that the accords were paid for via U.S. arms deals and by the U.S. changing policy on a critical geopolitical/legal question (i.e., recognizing Moroccos claims to the Western Sahara).

Trumps Deal of the Century unraveling

In less than two years, former President Donald Trumps Middle East peace agreement is in shambles. The deal with the United Arab Emirates  the first country to normalize relations with Israel as part of the Accords  is at an impasse. The UAE decided to buy aircraft from France instead of purchasing American F-35 jet fighters, which purportedly was the straw that broke the camels back.

According to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, the Abraham Accords were a key legislative agenda item for the American Israel Public Relations Committee (AIPAC). With the F-35 sale now off the table, the Accords are proving to be a failure.

The Accords and its new caucus claim their objective is to foster regional stability, including achieving a peaceful solution for Palestine and Israel. From Hassans perspective, however, normalization with Israel is actually about normalizing and cementing Israeli settlements.

Some of the first follow-on agreements [between Israel and the UAE] involved settler enterprises, Hassan said, mentioning the established trade partnerships between businesses operating in illegal Israeli settlements and the UAE, and how delegations of settler councils visited the Gulf state following normalization. So Israels incentive with the Abraham Accords is to really solidify its control over the West Bank.

Backed by the Israel lobby

While the caucus boasted of its bipartisan representation, the groups backing it are anything but politically divided. FMEPs Friedman wrote:

A serious investment of time and effort (and possibly funding) has clearly gone into establishing the caucus and getting its establishment/objectives maximum attention, managing to pull together a caucus that is bipartisan and bicameral, and that enjoys support from an array of mainly center/right-wing pro-Israel groups (both Jewish and Christian), as well as one mainstream think tank.

According to a congressional press release, the caucus is supported by:

The Atlantic Council

The Abraham Accords Peace Institute

AIPAC

The Anti-Defamation League

The American Jewish Committee

Hadassah  The Womens Zionist Organization of America

The US-Israel Education Association

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

The Israel Policy Forum

Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Action

The Jewish Federations of North America

Bnai Brith International

The money sources behind the groups establishment and promotional materials are largely unknown. MintPress News reached out to the aforementioned organizations to determine if their organizational support translated to financial backing, but those requests havent been answered.

However, being supported by a majority of pro-Israel groups suggests the caucuss goals may not be as peace-oriented as its PR suggests. Al-Shabakas Hassan explained:

The ones leading the caucus establishment arent necessarily the most actively supportive of a two-state solution. So its difficult to imagine this group is going to be prioritizing that as a part of their support for the Abraham Accords. Folks in this Abraham Accords Caucus are less interested in an Israeli-Palestinian political solution than in recognizing Israeli sovereignty. If you have organizations like CUFI backing this caucus, you get the idea of what kind of place Palestinian sovereignty or statehood is going to play in the work of the caucus.

Feature photo | Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., listens during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, June 8, 2021. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | Pool via AP
NewsGuard, a controversial service that ranks news sources read by clients online based on how trustworthy it considers them to be, will soon be available for free to millions of schoolchildren in the US.

The New York-based company signed a licensing agreement with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teachers union in the country, making the service available to members and their students, the two said this week.

AFT President Randi Weingarten called the deal a game-changer when it comes to helping kids, particularly our middle, high school and postsecondary students, separate fact from fiction.

She called NewsGuard a beacon of clarity to expose the dark depths of the internet and uplift those outlets committed to truth and honesty rather than falsehoods and fabrications.

The service was launched in 2018, when the position that Big Tech should openly censor information that it deemed undesirable was not as pervasive in the US as it is today. NewsGuard ranks thousands of news sources with a street light color code, and puts a nutrition label-like explanation on each one to explain the score.

The service comes in the form of a browser plug-in and costs $2.95/month, except for users of Microsoft Edge, since Microsoft licensed it to be a built-in feature of its browser in 2019.

NewsGuard claims to be apolitical and to apply a rigorous process when assessing the integrity of news outlets. After its launch, skeptics, however, questioned the abundance of people linked to the US government among its advisory board.

One of them, Richard Stengel, who served under Barack Obama as the Department of States public affairs chief, said on the record that state propaganda was fine and that all nations subjected their citizens to it.

The ranking of legacy US publications issued by NewsGuard tend to be safely in the green zone, while outlets associated with Americas global adversaries are usually marked red.

The service was co-founded by former publisher of The Wall Street Journal Louis Crovitz and Court TV cable station founder Steven Brill. Last year, the firm doubled its revenue after sealing a number of licensing deals and started to make a profit, they told CNN Business earlier this month.

It has also expanded into other lines of businesses, like consulting advertisers who dont want to take a reputation hit for inadvertently running ads on problematic websites. But it couldnt get a foothold in the lucrative business of third party fact-checking for big social media companies like Twitter and Facebook, the report said.
In reference to anti-lockdown activists and mandatory vaxx opponents, the Deep State bureaucracy recently declared all-out war on anti-authority ideologies and mainstream conservatives (Well report more on this topic in-depth in February):

We have seen a growing threat from those who ascribe to extremist anti-government and anti-authority ideologies  I have decided to establish a Domestic Terrorism Unit to augment our existing approach  this group of dedicated attorneys will focus on the domestic terrorism threat, helping to ensure that these cases are properly handled and effectively coordinated across DOJ and around the country.

-Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, Jan. 11, 2022

The political landscape is quickly evolving from a civil dispute over policy into an active (but unconventional) warzone.

-

Lets first establish pertinent facts:

Essential Fact #1 : The COVID vaccines are not vaccines by any conventional definition (thats why the CDC changed their official definition overnight); they are experimental mRNA gene therapies with no long-term safety data

: The COVID vaccines are not vaccines by any conventional definition (thats why the CDC changed their official definition overnight); they are experimental mRNA gene therapies with no long-term safety data Essential Fact #2: The agents of state, starting at the very top with Joe Biden but very much including the entire permanent bureaucracy (the Deep State), now advocate forced masking and injecting of the entire population, including children who have an infinitesimally small risk of death or severe illness.

.@GovKathyHochul on forcing small children to wear facemasks despite no data showing its helpful in combatting Covid:

"All the children in the state have been wearing masks since the beginning, its not that big a deal" pic.twitter.com/5SNGfcoI3m  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 18, 2021

Essential Fact #3: Mandating experimental medical treatments amounts to war crimes under the first principle of the Nuremberg Code: The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion .

Fauci: "I would prefer, and we all would prefer that people would be voluntarily getting vaccinated, but if they're not gonna do that, sometimes you've got to do things that are unpopular, but that clearly supersede individual choices" pic.twitter.com/yxbOw9cwKw  The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 8, 2021

Australia's leaders are dumb and authoritarian. A very bad combo. pic.twitter.com/NfHPVifaVL  Justin Hart * covidreason.substack.com (@justin_hart) November 22, 2021

Does it look like the globalist bureaucrats abide by the Nuremberg Code?

Essential Fact #4: The problem isnt just the vaccines. The lockdowns  especially the targeting of children  is tantamount to torture:

The severe and often irreparable psychological and physical consequences of solitary confinement and social exclusion are well documented and can range from progressively severe forms of anxiety, stress, and depression to cognitive impairment and suicidal tendencies This deliberate infliction of severe mental pain or suffering may well amount to psychological torture.

Essential Fact #5 : Violating the Nuremberg Code on a mass scale against a captive civilian population is a war crime.

: Violating the Nuremberg Code on a mass scale against a captive civilian population is a war crime. Essential Fact #6 : Those war crimes constitute what international diplomats call casus belli (justifiable cause for war).

: Those war crimes constitute what international diplomats call casus belli (justifiable cause for war). Essential Fact #7: The corporate media and Deep State bureaucracy have gone full bore to declare a state of civil war  the establishment pitted against any subject (who can no longer be rightfully called functional citizens) who challenges its grip on power.

If civil war is what the power structure insists on, civil war it will be. Even if we wanted to appease the technocrats, what realistic means do we have as average people to deescalate if their sights are set, as they unequivocally publicly state, on war?

The battlefield, though, wont look like the wars of yesteryear  large formations of uniformed troops shooting and maiming each other.

It will look a lot more like what the Chinese term unrestricted warfare. The combat will be asymmetrical, and much of the weapons will be informational/digital, not kinetic.

(The Deep State, with all the capabilities of the $800 billion/year US military at its disposal, enjoys the unquestioned advantage in kinetic capabilities. Storming the US capitol with a ragtag group of guerillas role-playing commandos isnt going to cut mustard.)

The 10,000-foot view will look something like the Iraqi insurgency against the fully corrupt US-backed government installed in the wake of Saddam Husseins deposal.

This is no longer, in the governments own estimation as we have shown, a civil disagreement. This is literal asymmetric warfare  only instead of bombs and bullets (yet), the killshots have thus far been delivered via subcutaneous needle.

Given Those Facts

Heres a modest proposal.

The Bush/Cheney administration attempted to legalize the extrajudicial killing/detainment of US citizens abroad and at home by moving them into a newly-created legal category called enemy combatant.

Accordingly, these newly created legal entities called enemy combatants were no longer entitled to Constitutional guarantees of due process  i.e., the legal protections that underpin the entire US legal system.

And the Supreme Court upheld the Bush efforts to suspend the Constitution:

The Supreme Court in 2004 issued three decisions related to the detention of enemy combatants, including two that deal with U.S. citizens in military custody on American soil The decisions affirm the Presidents powers to detain enemy combatants, including those who are U.S. citizens , as part of the necessary force authorized by Congress after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Given that precedent, now is the time we need to consider applying the same enemy combatant label to the lockdown/vaxx agents of state  who reasonably qualify as terrorists by conventional definition.

Heres how Merriam-Webster defines terrorism:

the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.

And the accompanying definition of terror:

a state of intense or overwhelming fear

Weaponized fear and coercion? That sounds familiar:

Fauci: I dont think well ever stop forcing Americans to wear masks on airplanes pic.twitter.com/d2BmaGF0Ay  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 20, 2021

https://twitter.com/KatieDaviscourt/status/1468719471418216450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1468719471418216450%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailystormer.su%2Fpsaki-endorses-forcing-small-school-children-to-eat-outside-in-freezing-cold-to-avoid-deadly-virus%2F

Fauci: "I would prefer, and we all would prefer that people would be voluntarily getting vaccinated, but if they're not gonna do that, sometimes you've got to do things that are unpopular, but that clearly supersede individual choices" pic.twitter.com/yxbOw9cwKw  The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 8, 2021

The agents of state overseeing the vaxx/lockdown regime are, by any reasonable interpretation of the word, terrorists targeting a civilian population. They have forfeited any claim to normal civil legal consideration.

And never forget: there are far more of us than them.

If we, in an act of undeserved mercy, merely ship Fauci off to Gitmo, he should thank his lucky stars. He and his minions have earned a far worse fate.

Ben Bartee is a Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff via his blog, Armageddon Prose, Substack, Patreon, Gab, and Twitter.
China to boost satellite services, space technology application

Xinhua) 09:28, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to boost public services with satellites and promote the application and transfer of space technology in the next five years, according to a white paper on the country's space program.

The white paper, titled "China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective," was issued Friday by the State Council Information Office.

In the coming five years, China will cultivate and strengthen its space application industry by integrating it with the digital economy, and deepening the integration of communications technology, satellite navigation, and remote-sensing information, Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), made the remarks at a press conference on the white paper.

China will intensify the integration of satellite applications with the development of industries and regions and space information with new-generation information technology such as big data and the Internet of Things, the white paper said.

The country will extend the integrated application of remote-sensing satellite data for land, oceans, and meteorology. China will also advance infrastructure construction for the integrated application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), satellite communications, and the ground communications network to improve its capacity to tailor and refine professional services.

All these efforts will help achieve the goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, revitalize rural areas, and realize new-type urbanization, coordinated development between regions, and eco-environmental progress.

The significant role of satellites is evident in resource and eco-environment protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, management of emergencies, weather forecasting, and climate change response. It is also apparent in social management and public services, urbanization, coordinated regional development, and poverty eradication.

The satellite remote-sensing system has been used by almost all departments at national and provincial levels to conduct emergency monitoring of over 100 severe natural disasters countrywide.

The communication and broadcasting satellite network has made direct services available to over 140 million households in China's rural and remote areas.

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has guaranteed the safety of more than seven million operating vehicles, provided positioning and short message communication services to over 40,000 seagoing fishing vessels, and offered precise positioning services for the freighting of supplies and tracking of individual movement for COVID-19 control and hospital construction.

"The space applications have been extensively serving all socio-economical fields and helping to improve people's lives," Zhao Jian, director of the Earth Observation System and Data Center of the CNSA, said at the press conference.

They have covered diverse fields such as the land and resource survey, agricultural development, forest and grassland monitoring, disaster prevention and mitigation, weather forecasting, transportation, education, and construction, said Zhao.

In the next five years, China's space industry will seize opportunities from the expanding digital industry and the digital transformation of traditional industries to promote the application and transfer of space technology.

More efforts would expand and extend the scope for applying satellite remote-sensing and satellite communications technologies and realizing the industrialized operation of the BDS.

"This will provide more advanced, cost-effective, high-quality products and convenient services for all industries and sectors and mass consumption," the document noted.

New business models for upscaling the space economy such as travel, biomedicine, debris removal, and experiment services will develop to expand the industry, it said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
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Prairie Mountain Health officials recently unveiled their upcoming COVID-19 vaccination schedule for the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6, which includes clinics in both Dauphin and Sandy Lake.

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Prairie Mountain Health officials recently unveiled their upcoming COVID-19 vaccination schedule for the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6, which includes clinics in both Dauphin and Sandy Lake.

According to a Thursday news release from PMH, the Dauphin vaccination site will be set up at the Ukrainian Orthodox Hall (304 Whitmore Ave. East) on Feb. 2 between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The Sandy Lake clinic is taking place at the communitys drop-in centre (100 Main St.) on Feb. 3 between 2 and 4 p.m. This clinic is walk-in only.

At Brandons Keystone Centre, clinics will take place Feb. 2 (noon to 7 p.m.), Feb. 3 (noon to 7 p.m.) and Feb. 5 (10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).

Due to a shortage of Pfizer vaccines, next weeks clinics will recommend the Moderna vaccine for eligible Westman residents aged 30 years old and up. Individuals aged 12 to 29 will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

For the clinics that require bookings ahead of time, appointments can be registered online at patient.petal-health.com/login?groupId=6032 or by calling 1-844-626-8222.

 The Brandon Sun
From Errol Flynn onwards, for nearly a century now, Australia has provided a rich seam of chisel-jawed hunks from which Hollywood studios have mined.

Over the years movie bosses have polished these rough diamonds  but not too much  into sparkling showbiz jewels and, for better or worse, created a pretty narrow definition of masculinity for the Australian man to aspire to.

Kodi Smit-McPhees character in The Power Of The Dog likes to make paper flowers. Credit:

But thanks to the extraordinary success and talents of one young, introverted, pale and whippet-thin Aussie actor Kodi Smit-McPhee, perhaps our expectations of what we look for in a leading man from Down Under is finally changing.

Smit-McPhee follows a well-worn path in Hollywood, with fellow Aussies exports George Lazenby, Rod Taylor, Peter Finch, Mel Gibson, Bryan Brown, Simon Baker, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe (yes, were claiming him), Heath Ledger, Sam Worthington, and of course, the Hemsworths: brothers Chris, Liam and Luke.
The NSW government is warning consumers against buying from Swiss-based reseller viagogo, which it claims has sold fake tickets, failed to supply tickets that were purchased and sold tickets at more than 10 times their retail value.

NSW Fair Trading has received 510 complaints about the offshore ticket seller since 2018, including consumers paying $287 for two tickets to Paw Patrol LIVE! valued at $29 each and $707 for four tickets to The Wiggles when the face value of the tickets was $43.70 each.

Tickets for a family of four to see The Wiggles was up for sale on viagogo for more than $700. Credit:

NSW Fair Trading alleges viagogo has breached the Fair Trading Act (1987) and Australian Consumer Law, Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said.

When it comes to transactions between Australian-based consumers and off-shore businesses, I urge consumers to heed our warnings and refrain from doing business with companies such as viagogo that refuse to comply with Australian law, Ms Petinos said.
Children across NSW return to school over the next two weeks, but seven-year-old Naomi Baumgartner wont be among them.

Her mother Dalal Baumgartner, from Hornsby, said the school pushed for Naomi to attend in term 4 last year but ultimately accepted the medical paperwork the family provided.

Dalal Baumgartner with her daughter Naomi, 7, who has a rare genetic condition Credit:Oscar Colman

Its been quite distressing to have added pressure put on us as parents trying to do the best thing for our daughter  trying to keep her healthy, trying to keep her safe  and not expose her to a virus that we dont really know anything about yet, she said.

While public health experts say schools are safe for most children, many families have made their own risk assessment and want to wait for the Omicron wave to abate and their children to be fully vaccinated. For some families of children with disabilities or serious health problems, this decision is based on individual medical advice.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size A gold coin donation is a small price to pay to browse the stalls at the local markets held in the picturesque town of Molong in the Central West of NSW. But the thousands of dollars raised by the Molong Advancement Group, a community organisation led by volunteers including Sue Wilde, has become a heavy burden since the closure of the towns Commonwealth Bank branch last year. Safety concerns: Sue Wilde, a volunteer with the Molong Advancement Group, is forced to drive to Orange to bank up to $3000 in cash raised from fundraising events. Credit:Nick Moir Wilde, the groups treasurer, is forced to drive to Orange to bank up to $3000 in cash raised from fundraising events. Its a big safety concern because coins are heavy, she says. You almost need a trolley to carry it. Its a lot of coins. Similar stories of inconvenience, hardship and safety concerns prompted the federal government to set up a taskforce last year to assess the impact of regional bank closures. Data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority shows banks, building societies and credit unions closed 575 branches in regional Australia between June 2017 and June 2021.

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More bank branches have closed in the past six months, including the Westpac in Morisset in NSW and Wendouree in Victoria. ANZ also revealed plans to close branches in regional Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory in early 2022. Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said in a press conference in Mildura that the point of the Regional Banking Taskforce is to come up with tangible expectations that we will be making clear to the banks on what regional communities expect. Sukkar said people in regional Australia should within reason have access to the banking services provided in major cities. The federal government had the option, Sukkar said, of forcing banks to act if we dont see a voluntary movement in the direction that this taskforce is really directing the banks. Yet the major banks and their lobby group, the Australian Banking Association, paint a sunny picture of customers embracing digital banking services and shunning over-the-counter transactions. A Commonwealth Bank statement says it welcomed the opportunity to work with the taskforce to continue to support regional communities. Our branches in regional Australia play an important role in delivering great service to our customers which is part of our commitment to maintain the largest bank branch network in the country.

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That view is not shared by Mary Mulhall, the president of the Molong RSL Club, who says the closure of bank branches was motivated by pure greed. When the bank announced their half-yearly profit I had a tear in my eye to think that the bank made all that profit and closed our bank, Mulhall says. Mary Mulhall, president of the Molong RSL Club, said the closure of bank branches was motivated by pure greed. Credit:Nick Moir The Commonwealth Bank had no loyalty to small regional towns and no consideration for the impact the closure makes on peoples lives, Mulhall says. An issues paper released by the taskforce says the closure of bank branches can affect the liveability of towns, especially for residents who are unable to use online banking. High transaction costs, inconvenience and extra travel time were among the other negative impacts identified by the taskforce. If a person or business is forced to travel to the next town to do their banking, they are likely to buy other goods and services in that town as well. Rural communities are not impressed by the taskforce, with the issues paper labelled quite insulting by Berrigan Shire Council, which also questioned whether it appreciates the financial, export-oriented commodity-based economic reality of regional and remote Australia.

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The southern Riverina councils submission says banks offered incentives to retain profitable clients after they closed a regional branch, while abandoning the elderly, the disabled, the illiterate and other vulnerable and disadvantaged community groups. SA and NT secretary of the Finance Sector Union Jason Hall says the taskforce was a cynical attempt to buy votes and curry favour with regional communities. The closure of bank branches and pushing customers into digital banking has become a major cost-saving strategy banks use to increase their already massive profits, he says. The closure of bank branches had a knock-on effect with people more likely to do their shopping in larger towns when they did their banking. A joint submission from consumer group CHOICE, financial counsellors and community legal centres called for a moratorium on regional bank branch closures, fee-free ATMs, more mobile banking services and specialist assistance for First Nations communities. Bank branch closures have created banking deserts in regional Australia, the submission says. Consumers, small business and community organisations are unable to conduct basic banking services in person, including establishing accounts, paying bills, depositing money or cashing cheques. A CHOICE survey of more than 6000 people found farmers forced to drive a five-hour round trip to access face-to-face banking services; older Australians having to pay a $3 fee every time they withdrew money; and people having to take time off work and losing income to conduct their banking.

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The submission also says the use of cash remained important in regional areas, especially places with poor internet, to pay tradespeople, maintain a float for small businesses and for the operation of churches and local community groups. With the rise in financial scams, there was a deep sense of worry and fear in the community about conducting banking online. NAB executive general manager of retail Krissie Jones says the banking giant was spending money on improving its digital platform. Whilst our physical branch presence is changing, we will still be there for our customers  just in different ways, she says. Jones says the banks branch network had an important role for more complex customer conversations and supporting customers with education on evolving digital channels. APRA data shows banks, building societies and credit unions cut the number of branches across Australia from 5816 in June 2017 to 4491 in June 2021. More than 400 branches in NSW were closed between 2017 and 2021, while the number of branches in Victoria dropped from 1389 to 1085 over the same four-year period.

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Twelve more Queenslanders have died in the past 24 hours from COVID-19, Treasurer Cameron Dick reported on Saturday.

One of the fatalities was aged in their 60s, two in their 70s, six in their 80s and three in their 90s.

We think of their families. We know it is a great loss for their families. It is a very, very, sad thing, Mr Dick said.

He said four of the 12 fatalities were not vaccinated. Two people had received a single dose of a vaccine, five had received two doses, and none had received a booster shot.
Many aged care providers were battling outbreaks with few staff available to work, and little or no assistance from the federal governments surge workforce, providers say. The number of Victorian aged care homes with active coronavirus cases has risen from seven to 296 since late December. Credit:Virginia Star Many of these agencies say they have gone without the required PPE and rapid antigen tests while trying to control outbreaks. The supplies had been promised to them by the federal government. We were flying blind, said Andrew Kinnersly, chief executive of not-for-profit age care provider Uniting AgeWell, describing the management of 12 outbreaks at his 12 facilities in Victoria without adequate PPE and testing. Leading Age Services Australia chief executive Sean Rooney said the size and scale of the outbreak made it difficult for the federal government to keep up with demand for resources, but it was still unacceptable that those working on the frontlines were not adequately resourced.

Melbourne woman Rosy Clarkson said her mother, Maria Loro, had been confined to her room at a private aged care home for two weeks this month as coronavirus ripped through the facility, infecting nearly all the staff and almost a quarter of the residents. The facility was unable to find enough agency staff to fill the shortages, and at one point, only two registered nurses were there to care for all the residents across three floors, Ms Clarkson said. Over the 14 days, 91-year-old Maria, who has dementia, grew increasingly distressed, developed acute delirium, stopped eating and communicating, and became depressed and withdrawn. On Friday, Maria, who is a diabetic, was rushed to hospital by ambulance and doctors later diagnosed her with a serious infection and high blood-sugar levels. Ms Clarkson said she was now questioning whether her mothers care in recent weeks could have contributed to her declining health.

I feel like she is just being robbed of her final years, Ms Clarkson said. Loading It was like a war zone in there. One staff member began to cry when she was talking to my sister over the phone. The staff were doing double shifts, no breaks, working 12 days straight just to care for the residents. Ms Clarkson said while she does not blame the operators of the facility her mother lives, she is distressed that aged care homes across Australia have again been left with severe staffing shortages and another vaccine program that is lagging behind. They let COVID rip before we are ready and we have no support in our aged care facilities, she said. We are not protecting our most vulnerable and defenceless.

A federal Health Department spokesman said where there is an outbreak, the department works with vaccine providers to prioritise affected care homes. The Australian government has been using rapid antigen tests in aged care since last August, having delivered 7 million and further deliveries are under way to all outbreak sites. Additional PPE is also being provided and a surge workforce which has covered more than 77,000 shifts. Mr Kinnersly said while most outbreaks in his facilities were cleared in fewer than seven days, some lasted for three weeks and residents in designated COVID-19 areas had been locked down over that time. He said more than 80 per cent of residents have had their booster shots, but only 50 per cent of staff. PPE and rapid antigen tests were not made available when outbreaks were occurring, but supply had started to improve this week, he said.

It was diabolical for the sector, if we go back through from Christmas through to the first couple of weeks of January where we just couldnt access them. Corporate and administrative staff at many aged care providers, including those run by Uniting AgeWell, have tried to help plug worker gaps, while some city-based workers have moved to regional areas to assist under-resourced facilities, with the federal governments surge workforce virtually non-existent, Mr Kinnersly said. Meanwhile, the deadline for the federal governments plan to deliver booster shots to all 2650 aged care homes nationwide by the end of January appears to have been postponed, with 500 facilities yet to receive their shots. Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck has said the governments plan to deliver booster shots to all aged care homes has been delayed. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Federal Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck told the heads of the sector in a briefing on Thursday that this would be delayed by a week, and that the booster uptake among aged care residents was about 80 per cent, according to people in the briefing.

The federal government, which is responsible for most aged care facilities in Victoria, confirmed the booster shots would be delivered next week. Labors aged care spokeswoman, Clare ONeil, slammed the federal government for failing to prepare the sector for the consequences of widespread Omicron infection. The lack of available rapid antigen tests had left providers in the dark about how many of their residents had contracted COVID-19, while mass furloughing of staff had terrible repercussions for residents care, Ms ONeil said. It affects every fundamental aspect of care, showering, wound management, managing incontinence ... people are spending significantly longer in pads that have been used. Victoria recorded 12,250 cases of COVID-19 and 31 deaths on Saturday, bringing the total number of active infections in the state to 79,836.

Of the new infections reported by authorities on Saturday, 6244 came from PCR tests, while 6006 were self-reported from rapid antigen tests. A total of 953 Victorians infected with coronavirus are being cared for in hospital, including 114 in intensive care and 39 on ventilators. Australia recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began on Friday with 98 deaths reported nationwide. Of those, 39 were in Victoria  the highest number of fatalities recorded on a single day in the state since the outbreak of either the Delta or Omicron strains of the virus. All reported deaths announced in Victoria on Saturday occurred in the past week, with the majority taking place over the last three days. They were aged in their 30s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Ms Jeremiah picked up their supply of rapid antigen tests from Footscray City Primary school on Friday in preparation for the twice-weekly testing regime for both the kids while they were in the classroom. Weve got a great supply of free RATs that were going to do on a periodic basis. So, that should really lessen their transmission and make sure that everyones just sort of staying away from school when they are unlucky enough to have it, she said. If there is a positive case  were just more concerned about the welfare of the child and not pointing fingers. On Saturday afternoon at the Exhibition Building, families filed in and out of the mass vaccination centre. Children emerged clutching lollipops with a small sticking plaster on their shoulder. There were few tears. To date, 231,286 children aged five to 11 in Victoria have been vaccinated with one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, which equates to almost 40 per cent of that age group. Another 12,991 children are booked in to get the jab at state-run clinics over the next week.

Loading Victorias COVID-19 response commander, Jeroen Weimar, acknowledged that there was apprehension among some parents and children about returning to school, but schools were well-prepared. There is so much work that the whole education system ... has done, that our teachers have done, that our Education Department has done, to get schools ready to make sure we can have a normal educational year, Mr Weimar said on Saturday. He said authorities do expect to see a spike in cases next week, but that hospitals arent seeing high numbers of young people in hospital with COVID-19. I think that were all a bit concerned as we step back into a world where weve got such high levels of activity.

Infectious Disease paediatrician at Sydney University Robert Booy said primary school children already have robust immune systems, which results in less than 5 per cent developing severe medical issues from the Omicron variant. Raf, 10, puts a green sticker on a branch at the Royal Exhibition Centre in Carlton. Credit:Scott McNaughton There is a minority of children, 5 per cent or fewer, who have major medical problems, which means chronic issue with immune system  for example cancer or leukaemia or a transplant, a chronic problem with their heart, lung, liver, kidneys  and those are the children who can get it severely, he said. He said children also got rid of the virus quicker than adults when they caught it. Loading

Primary school aged children have a viral load for a shorter period and are less likely to transmit, teachers and parents are more likely to contract COVID-19 from another person in the community than a child who came from school, he said. The spread of the disease will also depend on factors like class size and the extent to which the community embraced the mitigation measures, said Fiona Russell, a leading vaccine expert based at the University of Melbourne. Infectious will occur in the school, but with mitigation matters, were hoping to reduce that and the risk to kids is lower, she said. We would think there would be an increase, but if the RAT testing is implemented and family uptake is high, then we hope it will be minimised. We really are very reliant on community compliance to do testing as recommended. Vaccination clinics at Dandenong Plaza, Caroline Springs, Sunshine Hospital, and Campbellfield Ford opened up to walk-up appointments for children in a bid to speed up the process and authorities plan to set up another 15 pop-up sites at schools next week.

To date, authorities have delivered 4.5 million rapid antigen tests to state, Catholic and independent schools in preparation for the start of the year, with another 2 million to be delivered in coming days. Father Kartik Roa holds daughter Harper, six, dressed as an angel, with mum Elisa and baby Micah. Credit:Scott McNaughton For mum Elisa Rao, whose six-year-old daughter Harper starts year 1 on Monday, a bigger consideration was the ongoing impact of isolation on her children, and her desire to see her kids become more independent. Harper was also jabbed at the Royal Exhibition Building on Saturday afternoon, dressed in attire she picked: an angel. We can do what we can do to protect ourselves and others, which is what we are doing by getting vaccinated. But on other hand? Ive seen my children suffer being at home from the virus as well, she said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned global music superstar Kanye West that he will have to be fully vaccinated if he wants to go ahead with his Australian concert tour.

The warning comes just weeks after the deportation of tennis champion Novak Djokovic, who initially had his visa cancelled because his vaccine medical exemption was considered invalid.

Kanye West performs in Melbourne in 2008 Credit:Getty Images

That decision was overturned, but the Federal Court then validated the governments decision to deport him because his stance on vaccination posed a risk to public health and the good order of Australian society.

West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, has a series of concerts planned for March but his vaccination status is unclear. In November, he said he had received one dose but in another interview he likened vaccines to the devils work.
The government has not listened to the concerns I expressed and has refused to negotiate the terms of reference. The sanitisation of the inquiry in this way all but guarantees the government the positive view of history in relation to these events which suits its agenda, its view of the world and its immediate political interests, she said. The governments rush to judgment and sanitising of the terms of reference smacks of a political fix. What other reason dictates this Inquiry being done and dusted in this way, on these terms, before the start of the parliamentary year? The government also declined to assure me I will receive a complete copy of any report Dr Thom makes, which wholly ignores a specific recommendation of the Jenkins Report [into Parliaments workplace culture]. It will also allow for Mr Tudge to do precisely as he did after the Sparke Helmore report and claim he has been vindicated, whatever the report may say. This government did not listen to a single word I had to say...on issues affecting women, the more this government professes to change, the more it stays the same. Ms Miller also criticised the tight timeframe and January 28 deadline for the report to be completed, comparing it to the inquiry Dr Thom led into former High Court Justice Dyson Hedyon, which took nearly a year.

Last week, several colleagues of Mr Tudge, who asked not to be identified so they could speak freely, told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age they believed the former education minister would be able to return to the frontbench. I think he will and can almost certainly come back, one ministerial colleague said, expressing sentiments echoed by colleagues, I cant see how the allegations withstand the scrutiny of the process. He shouldnt have been with a staff member, but we knew that 12 months ago. Rachelle Miller and Alan Tudge arrive for the Midwinter Ball at Parliament House in 2017. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age asked the Prime Ministers Office if the report had been received on January 28, as scheduled, whether it would be released publicly and when a decision would be taken on Mr Tudges political future. A spokeswoman for the government said: the matter is still in progress.

Loading In response to Ms Millers claim that the inquiry was political, the spokeswoman said: The Prime Minister commissioned an independent inquiry. The inquiry is being conducted by independent investigator Dr Vivian Thom AM. Given the seriousness of the claims made by Ms Miller, its important these matters be considered fairly and expeditiously and completely independent from government. The fact that Ms Miller did not speak to Dr Thom complicates the situation. In a dozen letters and emails between Peter Gordon, Ms Millers lawyer, John Kunkel, Mr Morrisons chief of staff, Dr Thom and Matthew Blunn from the Australian Government Solicitors office  seen by The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald  the roadblocks to Ms Millers participation were discussed at length. In the exchanges between Mr Blunn and Mr Gordon, the Government Solicitor argued Dr Thom could not investigate conduct that she determined might amount to a criminal offence and that Ms Miller would receive a complete copy of the report subject to any claim for confidentiality, privacy or privilege that might be asserted by a third party  conditions deemed unacceptable by Mr Gordon and Ms Miller.

Loading On January 5, Mr Gordon wrote that Ms Miller would formally withdraw, because of the concerns over the terms of reference. He also claimed the inquiry perpetuates key flaws that the Foster Review and Jenkins Reports [reports into workplace culture and harassment delivered in 2021] identified, being outdated and old-fashioned investigation processes, masked by self-serving claims for confidentiality and privilege which protect perpetrators to the detriment of victims. Mr Blunn rejected that assertion on January 7 and said Dr Thoms inquiry drew on the best practices recommended by the Jenkins and Foster reviews. He added that it is always open to Ms Miller to refer her allegations to the police but Ms Thom cannot make findings as to whether a factual matter is a breach of the criminal law. The Government Solicitor then asked for a meeting of representatives of Mr Tudge, Ms Miller and Dr Thom to thrash out the outstanding concerns  but Mr Gordon rejected the proposed fireside chat.
With Melbournes temperatures continuing to heat up to resemble a climate more like Dubbos, some species of trees will thrive while others will struggle to survive.

The citys streetscapes are set to change with large plane trees and English oaks making way for more indigenous trees and species suited to warmer climates like jacarandas and South American leopard trees.

Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria chief executive Tim Entwisle said gardens staff had changed their method of planting in response to climate change, with every tree now assessed on the temperature and rainfall of its native environment compared with Melbournes predicted climate.

Tim Entwisle, chief executive of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Credit:Simon Schluter

In the next 70 years, we know there is going to be less rainfall and our climate is going to be more like Dubbo and so we have to reorientate our plantings to fit that, he said. Were actually not going to plant certain trees if they come up as looking like they wont survive in the modern climate.
International fugitive Michael Menghong Gu fled the country 18 months ago, leaving behind some $350 million worth of debts owed by his iProsperity property empire, but the trappings of his former lavish lifestyle are still being sold off by receivers.

One of the best three-bedroom apartments in the luxury Opera Residences development at Circular Quay settled on Christmas Eve to a corporate entity controlled by Mr Gu and his associate Harry Zhouxiang Huang.

iProsperitys Michael Gu fled the country 18 months ago, leaving millions of dollars in debt. Credit:James Alcock

Records show it was purchased off-the-plan five years earlier for more than $6.4 million, back when Mr Gu was making his name as the founder of his financial advisory firm for wealthy Asian investors.

By 2018, iProsperity was one of the biggest players in the federal governments Significant Investor Visa program, with about $1.8 billion worth of real estate under its control, and Mr Gu looked every bit the successful businessman.
There are plenty of dream homes on Mornington Peninsula, but not many of the ones that come up for sale are brand new.

A five-bedroom house inspired by mid-century architecture is one of the few newly built places for sale where the owners have never lived.

16a Back Beach Road, Portsea, a newly built mid-century inspired home, has hit the market. Credit:One Agency Peninsula

Theres not many homes that come up for sale down there that are brand new, One Agency Peninsula selling agent Lloyd Robinson said.

Usually the owners will buy an old house and push it over to build a new one to use themselves.
Loading Today, it is the overhaul of the conventional forces that has provided leverage in the Ukraine crisis. The T-72B3 tanks amassed on Ukraines border have a new thermal optics system for nighttime fighting as well as guided missiles with twice the range of other tanks, according to Robert Lee, a US Marine Corps veteran and PhD candidate at Kings College in London, who is a Russian military expert. Kalibr cruise missiles deployed on ships and submarines in the Black Sea and Iskander-M rockets arrayed along the border can hit targets just about anywhere inside Ukraine, Lee says. In the past decade, the Russian air force has acquired more than 1000 new aircraft, according to a 2020 article by Alexei Krivoruchko, a deputy defence minister. This includes the countrys most advanced fighters, the SU-35S; a squadron of these has been deployed to Belarus before joint military exercises next month. The new capabilities were evident in Russias intervention in Syria in 2015. They were not only effective, but caught some in the US military off guard.

Im embarrassed to admit, I was surprised a few years ago when Kalibr missiles came flying out of the Caspian Sea, hitting targets in Syria, says Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of the US Army in Europe. That was a surprise to me, not only the capability, but I didnt even know they were there. Kremlin thinking has also evolved over the size of the armed forces. The military relies less on a dwindling number of conscripts and more on a slimmed-down, well-trained core of roughly 400,000 contract soldiers. These soldiers receive better treatment. Visiting the Defence Ministry in December, Putin boasted that the average lieutenant now made just over the equivalent of US$1,000 per month, better than the average salary in other sectors. The federal government, he added, was spending about US$1.5 billion on subsidising private housing for service members. And all Russian soldiers are now required to be deployed with thick, military issued socks. What is new is not just Russias upgraded equipment, but the evolving theory of how the Kremlin uses it. The military has honed an approach that Dmitry Adamsky, a scholar of international security at Reichman University in Israel, calls cross-domain coercion  blending the real or threatened use of force with diplomacy, cyberattacks and propaganda to achieve political aims.

That blended strategy is playing out in the current crisis around Ukraine. Russia is pushing for immediate wide-ranging concessions from the West. Russian troop movements into allied Belarus put a potential invasion force within 160 kilometres of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian state media is warning that Ukrainian forces are the ones preparing acts of aggression. And on January 14, hackers brought down dozens of Ukrainian government websites and posted a message on one stating, Be afraid and expect the worst. You see some cyber, you see diplomacy, you see military exercises, Adamsky says. They are all related by design. Not all the forces arrayed along the Ukrainian border are Russias most advanced. The ones amassed in the north have older weaponry and are mostly there to intimidate and stretch Ukrainian resources, according to Oleksiy Arestovych, a former Ukrainian military intelligence officer who is now a political and military analyst. The more well-equipped and modernised units, he says, have moved into the area close to two breakaway provinces in Ukraines east, where Russia instigated a separatist war in 2014 that continues today.

Russias military modernisation is also, increasingly, meant to send a message to the United States, projecting power beyond Eastern Europe, frustrating and sometimes surprising US officials. It took Russias military transport planes only hours, for instance, to start ferrying about 2000 Russian peacekeeping troops, along with heavy armor, to the Southern Caucasus after Putin brokered an end to the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In Syria, where Russia intervened in 2015 using devastating airstrikes and limited ground troops to protect President Bashar Assad, Russias advancements showed it could effectively deploy precision-guided weaponry, long an edge that Western armed forces had held over Russia. Russia used the war in Syria, experts say, as a laboratory to refine tactics and weaponry, and to gain combat experience for much of its force. More responsibility was delegated to lower-level officers, a degree of autonomy that contrasts with the civilian government structure in the Putin era. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said last month that all ground troop commanders, 92 per cent of air force pilots and 62 per cent of the navy had combat experience. They showed to themselves and the whole world they are able to wage large-scale operations with precision weapons, and long-range weapons, and intelligence capability to support it, Adamsky, the expert based in Israel, says.

For all its strides in recent years, Russias military retains a critical weakness of its Soviet predecessor: the civilian side of the countrys economy, nearly devoid of high-tech manufacturing and corporate investment in research and development. Army expenditures amount to a far higher percentage of the gross domestic product than in most European countries, starving other sectors. When Ukraines military shot down Russian reconnaissance drones, for example, they discovered electronics and motors bought from hobby drone companies in Western Europe, according to a report published in November by Conflict Armament Research, a company based in Britain that specialises in tracing weaponry. Russia possesses few new weapons systems fully created from the ground up, analysts say. Much of its modernisation consists of refurbishments of older equipment. But individual weapons systems are less important than the militarys innovative use of knowledge gained in each of the engagements of Putins tenure, says General Philip Breedlove, who was NATO commander when war broke out in Ukraine in 2014. The compliment that we have to pay to Russia is that they are a learning and adaptive force, Breedlove says. Every time we see them in conflict, they get a little better and a little better.

In this video grab provided by the RU-RTR Russian television via APTN , Russia rescue personnel return from a dive in a mini submarine to the Kursk on the sea bed in the Barents Sea. Credit:RU-RTR Russian Television via AP Putin was only a few months into his first presidential term when he faced a military catastrophe. On August 12, 2000, a torpedo exploded inside the nuclear submarine Kursk, sending it to the Barents Sea floor with 118 sailors. The Russian navys failed rescue mission, leading to the deaths of all aboard and an uncharacteristic mea culpa from Putin, underscored the militarys ineptitude. The sinking came to define Putins first term, along with a vicious and bloody war in Chechnya where the Russian military struggled for years to quash an Islamic insurgency. A major turning point came in 2008 when a long-simmering conflict over disputed territories in the Republic of Georgia exploded into war. Russian forces quickly overwhelmed their much smaller Georgian neighbours, but the war uncovered deep deficiencies in the Russian military. Ground troops were not in radio contact with the air force, leading to several serious friendly fire attacks. Communications were so bad that some officers had to use their personal mobiles. Tanks and armoured personnel carriers broke down frequently.

The failures prompted a massive shake-up of the Russian armed forces. The Soviet militarys prowess at land warfare was revived, with improvements such as revamped artillery technology, according to Mathieu Boulegue, a research fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House in London. Just over a decade later, Russias tools of electronic warfare, which can be used to intercept or jam enemy communications and knock drones off course and out of the sky, are believed far superior to the US militarys, analysts said. Were playing catch-up now, Hodges says. For the last 20 years, we were focused on iPhones or cellphones and terrorist networks, while they continued to develop substantial, powerful jamming and intercept capabilities. There have been some setbacks for Moscow, including unsettling weapons failures. In 2019, a prototype of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile - hailed by Putin as the centrepiece of a new arms race with the United States - blew up during a test, killing at least seven people and spewing radiation for miles. But as the Kremlins rhetoric increasingly cast Russia as locked in an existential conflict with the West, little expense was spared. The investment in the military was accompanied by a militarisation of Russian society under Putin, entrenching the concept of a motherland surrounded by enemies and the possibility of a coming war.
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Several scientists have claimed that a Covid variant-specific is not needed, and that the existing shots are well effective against all variants, including .

However, global makers have raced ahead to develop shots against the highly-mutated and transmissible variant.

This week, both pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and biotechnology company Moderna announced that they have initiated clinical trials in which they are dosing people with Omicron-based vaccines.

But according to public-health authorities and infectious-disease specialists, whether rolling out these jabs is necessary, or even practical, is unclear, Nature reported.

According to some, an Omicron-specific jab may not be worthwhile because cases could plummet before the manufacturers could finalise the vaccines.

Others point out that it's difficult to predict whether the next SARS-CoV-2 variant will be like Omicron, calling into question the utility of an Omicron-specific shot.

"We have a lot of confidence in the [current] vaccines, but we must now discuss whether to update the composition," Kanta Subbarao, who chairs the Technical Advisory Group on Covid-19 Composition for the World Health Organization (WHO), was quoted as saying.

Even if Pfizer is able to meet its ambitious goal -- just months from strain identification to clinical trial results -- it might still be too late to be useful, added Paul Bieniasz, a virologist at Rockefeller University in New York City.

Omicron's dominance as a variant could be waning by then, Subbarao said.

Such a vaccine might work against the variant that dominates after -- especially if the virus continues on that genetic trajectory. But no one knows how the virus will evolve, Bieniasz noted.

Covid vaccine boosters are also proving useful against Omicron, but scientists say that endless boosting might not be a practical or sustainable strategy.

Meanwhile, several scientists, including from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), are funding research for developing a pan- vaccine, the report said.

A pan- vaccine can broadly protect against many strains of SARS-CoV-2 and other types of .

The World Health Organization is also working to devise a central system to update Covid vaccines, much like the current process used for flu jabs.

The strategy emulates a system currently used to decide on "strain updates" for flu shots, which are updated every six months, The Telegraph reported.

(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.)
Hundreds of owners on Saturday took out a protest march to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here to oppose the DDMA's decision to keep fitness centres closed even as the number of Covid cases have come down in the city.

Demanding that gyms and spas be allowed to reopen, and raising slogans against the government, demonstrators started their march from the Chandgi Ram Akhara to Flagstaff Road in the Civil Lines.

They, however, were stopped by police a few metres away from the chief minister's residence.

Though the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday lifted the weekend curfew and also allowed restaurants, bars and cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity, gyms and schools in the city are still shut.

Restrictions had come into force under a 'yellow alert' issued by the authority in December last year when the Covid positivity rate had crossed 0.5 per cent in the capital.

"We took out the protest march to make the government and the Delhi lieutenant governor (L-G) hear the plight of owners and others engaged in this business," said Chirag Sethi, the president of the Delhi Association (DGA), under which the agitation was organised.

"The fitness industry has already suffered a lot due to the Covid pandemic in the last two years and not allowing our establishments to reopen will prove to be a death warrant for our businesses," he told PTI.

He said that Covid cases in the city have come down drastically and other business establishments such as multiplexes, restaurants and bars have been allowed to open. Then why are fitness centres not being permitted to function, Sethi asked.

"This is a genuine demand. The government and the DDMA should consider it in its next meeting as soon as possible," Sethi said.

The DGA on Friday had said that gym owners and its members would be staging a protest near the L-G's residence, but, according to it, they were not granted permission.

Sethi had earlier said that the DDMA's decision to keep gyms shut is affecting the livelihood of over 1 lakh people. There are around 5,500 gyms in the city, he had said.

The number of daily cases in Delhi has been on the decline after touching a record high of 28,867 on January 13.

Delhi on Friday reported 4,044 fresh COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths.

The positivity rate, which was 30.6 per cent on January 14, now, according to data released on Friday, stands at 8.6 per cent for the city.

(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.)
Retirement fund body has onboarded Ltd for social security benefits like PF, pension and insurance and has received contributions for about 7,453 employees for the month of December from the airline, a labour ministry statement said on Saturday.

The Tata Group took over the debt-ridden airline from the Government of India. had applied for coverage, which has been allowed, the retirement fund body said.

" (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) onboards for social security coverage to service the social security needs of their employees. Air India Ltd applied for voluntarily covered u/s 1(4) of the EPF & MP Act, 1952 which has been allowed vide gazette notification on January 13, 2022 -- with effect from December 1, 2021," the ministry statement said.

The social security benefits will be provided to around 7,453 employees for whom contributions have been filed by Air India with EPFO for the month of December 2021, it added.

These employees of Air India now will be entitled to benefits like extra 2 per cent employer's contributions in their provident fund (PF) accounts at 12 per cent of their wages.

Earlier they were covered under the PF Act of 1925, where the contributions to the PF was at 10 per cent by employer and 10 per cent by employee.

The EPF Scheme 1952, EPS 1995 (employees pension scheme) and EDLI 1976 (group insurance) will now be applicable to the employees.

A guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month will be available to employees and pensions to family and dependents in case of death of employee.

An assured insurance benefit in case of death of member will be available in the range of minimum Rs 2.50 lakh and maximum 7 lakh.

No premium is charged to the EPFO covered employees for this benefit.

The ministry informed that since 1952-53, Air India and Indian Airlines were two separate companies that were covered under PF Act, 1925. In 2007, both the companies merged into one company, Air India Ltd.

Under the PF Act, 1925, benefit of provident fund was available but there was no statutory pension scheme or insurance scheme. The employees used to participate in self-contributory annuity-based pension scheme.

Based on the scheme parameters, the accumulations used to be paid to the employees. There was no minimum pension guarantee and no extra benefit in case of death of a member.

(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 Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will virtually review the COVID-19 situation, public health preparedness as well as response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh today at 3 pm.

Earlier on Friday, Mandaviya conducted a high-level meeting with Southern states and UT's Health Minister's and stressed upon e-Sanjeevani, teleconsultation, Monitoring home isolation and increasing RTPCR in States which are reporting lower percentage testing.

The State Health Ministers who joined the high-level review meeting included Dr K Sudhakar (Karnataka), Dr Veena George (Kerala), Ma Subramaniam (Tamil Nadu) and Thanneeru Harish Rao (Telangana).

He also requested the states to accelerate the pace of vaccination of the 15-17 years age group and those whose second dose is due.

Earlier, he conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States and UTs and advised them to send COVID testing and vaccination data timely.

The Union Health Minister also said that testing should be ramped up in the States where it has gone down.

He also advised states and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation are efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines.

He said, "This will ensure that the vulnerable categories of active cases in home isolation get the required medical help in a timely manner."

Mandaviya said that with our past experience, 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour' along with monitoring of cases remains crucial for COVID management.The Union Health Minister also urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model for teleconsultation.

Mandaviya also urged the nine States and UTs to review and expedite the implementation of activities under the India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II (ECRP-II package) for strengthening the health infrastructure, an amount of Rs 23,123 Crores which was approved by Union Cabinet in view of the second wave of the pandemic.

"Health Ministers and the State authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilizing the amount sanctioned for various infra projects. With strengthened health infrastructure, we can meet any health emergency and public health crisis with better preparedness," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There is still a need to be vigilant and not lower the guard even though the active cases of COVID-19 in most of the states and the positivity rate have shown a fall in the last two weeks, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in an interaction with five eastern states on Saturday.

State health ministers, principal secretaries/ additional chief secretaries and information commissioners of Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal participated in the meeting, according to an official release.

Mandaviya urged them to monitor the case positivity rate on a daily basis and increase the RT-PCR testing rate as most of the states exhibited a lower share of such tests.

While the active cases in most of the states and the positivity rate have shown a fall in the last two weeks, we still need to be vigilant and not lower our guard, he stated.

The states were also advised to keep a close watch on the number of hospitalisations and deaths.

It is important to analyse at the state level the proportion of vaccinated and unvaccinated of the hospitalised cases, the deaths and those on ventilators and oxygen support, he advised them.

Mandaviya said that irrespective of the COVID variants, 'test-track-treat-vaccinate and adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour' continue to remain the tested strategy for COVID-19 management.

He reiterated his advice for all states to fully and effectively utilise the ECRP-II funds for strengthening the existing healthcare infrastructure and create new as per requirement.

As the located funds under ECRP-II shall lapse on March 31, 2022, states were requested to review the progress on a regular basis, as this healthcare infrastructure will not only be utilised during the present pandemic, but will serve the people in the future too.

He reminded them to complete installation and commissioning of the PSA plants, LMO storage tanks and MGPS expeditiously.

Noting that vaccination is a critical tool for pandemic management, Mandaviya advised the states to accelerate vaccination of all eligible populations, especially of the 15-17 age group and those whose second dose is due.

Highlighting the importance of teleconsultation through platforms such as eSanjeevani, he suggested establishing teleconsultation hubs in every district hospital.

He also mooted ramping up the creation of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers (AB-HWCs) at the earliest as it will help the masses and enable healthcare access to the remote areas of the country. These can be used not only during the ongoing pandemic but also for non-COVID healthcare, he said.

There was a comprehensive and detailed discussion on various aspects of COVID management including ramping up of hospital infrastructure; increased testing, stress on COVID-appropriate behaviour and stringent restrictive measures for breaking the chain of transmission.

The states shared their best practices at the review meeting.

Jharkhand informed about collecting data of migrant workers for vaccination. Chhattisgarh mentioned that a proper analysis of vaccinated and non-vaccinated people who tested positive is being made, while Bihar highlighted their initiative of doorstep delivery of medicines to COVID-19 positive patients in home isolation through Speed Post.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated the COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit developed by a private company in Odisha.

The kit has been developed by IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd, Bhubaneswar with intellectual input from Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC). The kit can detect various variants of COVID-19 by using nasopharyngeal swab samples.

RMRC director Dr Sanghamitra Pati said: The IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd, Bhubaneswar first started developing the kit and RMRC Bhubaneswar provided intellectual support for in-house testing and validation. Subsequently, we submitted the proposal for approval.

She said the kit ImCOV-Ag has very high sensitivity and specificity and can detect all variants of COVID-19.

The ICMR has approved the test kits based on the RMRC's internal validation and a third party's (an expert group from Kerala) report on efficacy and accuracy.

IMGENEX, CEO, Dr Sujay Singh said they started work on the kit in June 2021 and ICMR has approved it on Thursday following certain procedures.

He said with existing facilities, the firm can manufacture 2 lakh kits which can be ramped up to 20 lakh kits per month. Singh said that the kit is likely to be available in the market in two months.

Since it is the first such kit in eastern India, the states in this region can easily avail the facility. Singh said the market price of the kit will be lower than others now available in the market.

The ICMR, has so far validated as many as 150 Antigen based Rapid Test Kits (including 31 revalidations), sources in the health department 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.)
Three quarters of Americans are tired of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 77% assume that most people will eventually catch the disease, including 77% of those vaccinated and 74% of those who are not, a poll by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) revealed.

Less than a half of respondents are optimistic about the situation with COVID-19, but 40% said that they are "angry" and 29% feel "confused," according to the poll, published on Friday.

As many as 62% of people believe that vaccination against COVID-19 protect from the disease despite reports on vaccinated people being infected with the Omicron variant, KFF found out.

About a half of the US citizens blame the US Food and Drug Administration for limited availability of COVID-19 tests, and 44% said that President Joe Biden is to blame for that. Those who put the blame on test manufacturers make up 41%, the poll showed.

The survey was held by phone from January 11-23, 2022, and involved 1,536 adults in the US. The margin error is 3 percentage points.

(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 Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the centerpieces of a roughly USD 2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017, according to a report in The New York Times.

A massive controversy erupted last year when the NSO Group hit the headlines with the alleged use of its Pegasus software by some governments to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a number of countries, including India, triggered concerns over issues relating to privacy.

The NYT, in a report titled The Battle for the World's Most Powerful Cyberweapon', said that the Israeli firm NSO Group had for nearly a decade been selling its surveillance software on a subscription basis to law-enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world, promising that it could do what no one else -- not a private company, not even a state intelligence service -- could do: consistently and reliably crack the encrypted communications of any iPhone or Android smartphone.

The report also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - to become the first Indian prime minister to visit the country.

For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called commitment to the Palestinian cause, and relations with Israel were frosty. The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and (then Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach, it said.

They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion -- with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces.

Months later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the UN's Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation, a first for the nation, the report said.

PTI has reached out to the government for a reaction to the NYT report but there was no immediate response.

Last year, a row erupted over Israeli spyware Pegasus allegedly being used for targeted surveillance in India.

The government, however, dismissed allegations of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people, saying it "has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever".

In October last year, the Supreme Court set up a 3-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India, observing the state cannot get a "free pass" every time the spectre of security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a "mute spectator" and be the bugbear it shies away from.

The NYT report said that the FBI too had bought a version of Pegasus, NSO's premier spying tool.

It was around last summer that the FBI decided not to deploy the NSO weapons. It was around this time that a consortium of news organisations called Forbidden Stories brought forward new revelations about NSO cyberweapons and their use against journalists and political dissidents. The Pegasus system currently lies dormant at the facility in New Jersey.

An international investigative consortium had claimed that many Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by the NSO Group's phone hacking software.

The report said that since 2011 when NSO introduced Pegasus to the global market, it had helped Mexican authorities capture Joaqun Guzmn Loera, the drug lord known as El Chapo.

European investigators have quietly used Pegasus to thwart terrorist plots, fight organised crime and, in one case, take down a global child-abuse ring, identifying dozens of suspects in more than 40 countries, it said.

In a broader sense, NSO's products seemed to solve one of the biggest problems facing law-enforcement and intelligence agencies in the 21st century: that criminals and terrorists had better technology for encrypting their communications than investigators had to decrypt them. The criminal world had gone dark even as it was increasingly going global, according to the report.

However, over the years, "the many abuses of Pegasus had also been well documented.

Mexico deployed the software not just against gangsters but also against journalists and political dissidents. The United Arab Emirates used the software to hack the phone of a civil rights activist whom the government threw in jail.

Saudi Arabia used it against women's rights activists and, according to a lawsuit filed by a Saudi dissident, to spy on communications with Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, whom Saudi operatives killed and dismembered in Istanbul in 2018, the NYT report said.

The report said that its yearlong investigation, which included interviews with government officials, leaders of intelligence and law-enforcement agencies, cyberweapons experts, business executives and privacy activists in a dozen countries, shows how Israel's ability to approve or deny access to NSO's cyberweapons has become entangled with its diplomacy.

Countries like Mexico and Panama have shifted their positions toward Israel in key votes at the United Nations after winning access to Pegasus, the report added.

Amidst a raging controversy worldwide, Israel established a committee in July to review the allegations of misuse of the NSO group's surveillance software and hinted at a possible "review of the whole matter of giving licences".

NSO's then chief executive, Shalev Hulio, had then welcomed the move saying would be "very pleased if there were an investigation so that we'd be able to clear our name.

Hulio also claimed that there was an effort to smear the whole Israeli cyber industry".

Israel, in November last year, distanced itself from the controversy triggered by the NSO Group after the US blacklisted the technology firm, which had developed the Pegasus spyware that was allegedly used to target government officials, activists and journalists globally, saying that it is a private company and it has nothing to do with the policies of the Israeli government.

The US sanctioned the Herzliya-based company over alleged misuse of its phone-hacking spyware in countries across the world, including in India.

(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 Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced on Friday that it will observe January 31 as a 'Day of Betrayal across India with large-scale protest demonstrations at district and block levels.

"All the farm unions associated with the Morcha will observe this protest with great fervour. It is expected that this programme will be organised in at least 500 districts of the country," SKM, a consortium of farmers' organisations, said in a statement after the meeting of its coordination committee.

"In the protest demonstrations on January 31, a memorandum will also be submitted to the Union government. The preparation for this programme was reviewed during the meeting," the statement said.

The SKM had taken a decision to this effect in its review meeting held on January 15. The farmers claimed that the government has handed them deceit.

The farmers had agitated for more than a year, demanding repeal of the three contentious farm laws.

After the agitation was called off following the government's decision to repeal the three farm laws, SKM had declared that the agitation could resume if the government fails to meet their other demands, prominent being legal backing for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all farmers.

The anti-farmer stand of the government is evident from the fact that even after the meeting of SKM on January 15, the government did not fulfil any of the promises made in its letter dated December 9, 2021.

"No action has been taken in the last two weeks on the promise of immediate withdrawal of cases filed against the protesters, or on compensation to the families of the martyrs (who died during the yearlong agitation). The government has not announced the formation of a committee on the issue of MSP either," SKM said, adding, "Therefore, the Morcha has called upon the farmers across the country to convey their anger to the government through the 'Day of Betrayal'."

The SKM also made it clear that 'Mission Uttar Pradesh' will continue, through which "this anti-farmer regime will be taught a lesson".

"A call will be made to the people of Uttar Pradesh to punish the Bhartiya Janata Party for not sacking and arresting Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son was allegedly involved in the tragic incident at Lakhimpur Khiri last year," the SKM statement said.

To operationalise this campaign, a new phase of the mission will be announced through a press conference on February 3. Under this, a message to punish the BJP will be conveyed by all the organisations under SKM through literature distribution, press conference, social media, and public meetings throughout Uttar Pradesh.

The first phase of voting for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is to be held on February 10.

The SKM reiterated that it fully endorses and supports the nationwide strike called by the Central Trade Unions on February 23 and 24 for issues such as the withdrawal of four anti-labour codes, as well as for MSP for farmers.

The SKM also reiterated that the name, banner or platform of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will not be used by any political party or candidate in the run-up to the Assembly polls in Punjab, scheduled on February 20.

--IANS

niv/arm

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Around three weeks after Sterlite Copper hinted about the hands of 'external forces' behind the anti- Sterlite protests, a study on the air quality of the coastal city has indicated that there was no significant change in the air quality and sulphur dioxide (SO2) contribution to pollution in the city before and after the closure of the plant in 2018.

It was in May 2018 that 13 people were killed and around 102 left injured in a police firing at . "It discovered that during the operation of the plant, the sulphur dioxide (SO2) level of the air had gone up by just 1 micron per cubic meter at various sites. The decrease in the concentration levels of SO2 by about 1 (g m-3) after the closing of plants, is not conclusive and statistically insignificant considering the dynamic of the coastal environment and uncertainties in the monitoring and analysis methodology of SO2, the latest study conducted by a team of experts from Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok and Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur.

Moreover, SO2 emissions from the operation of Sterlite Copper and its associated industries are less than 10 percent of the total SO2 emissions in . Therefore, the closure of plants may not make any change in the ambient concentration levels of SO2 in Thoothukudi. Additionally, no significant change in the concentration levels of NO2 was observed before and after the closing of plants, the study indicated.

The study looked at the air quality and air quality index (AQI) of Thoothukudi (former Tuticorin) and compared it with three industrial clusters of Tamil Nadu -- Cuddalore, Coimbatore, and Manali-- and those of the four major metros.

For Thoothukudi, the scientists used data from three Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AAQMS), namely, AVM Jewellery, Raja Agency, and State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT). For Cuddalore, they gleaned the data from SIPCOT and for Coimbatore, and Manali, the relevant information came from the Small Industries Development Corporations (SIDCO). AAQM data of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai were downloaded from the portal maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board.

The study (Ambient Air Quality and Air Quality Index Trend in Thoothukudi and Comparison with Major Cities of India) found the concentration levels of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in Thoothukudi between 2015 and 2020 were not only comparable to those observed in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, which were coastal cities like Thoothukudi, but were also comparable with those at Manali, Cuddalore, and Coimbatore.

Only Delhi was an outlier with double the concentration level of pollutants, clearly proving that the local meteorology plays an important role in the ambient concentration levels of air pollutants other than emissions. Even the AQI of Thoothukudi like other metros (except Delhi) and other industrial hubs was less than 100, which is good quality air.

The allegation that air pollutants emission from the operationalisation of Sterlite Copper and the 160 MW thermal power plant, were significantly impacting the air quality of Thoothukudi, too was looked into. The scientists compared the level of air pollution one year before the closing of the plant (May 2017  April 2018) and a year after its closing (May 2018  April 2019).

Even the lesser concentration levels of PM10 after closing of plant, according to the authors could be attributed to less movement of traffic including heavy-duty trucks in and around the plants and other economic activities surrounding the plants and other economic activities surrounding the plants. The lesser PM 10 concentration in the air quality between 2016-17 and 2020-21 could be probably because of the decrease in import and export and closing of economic activities at the V O Chidambaranar Port Trust and fewer movements of ships, cargos, heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks at the port.

The copper smelter, with a capacity of 400,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA), was contributing up to 36 per cent of the countrys demand for refined copper and included a refinery and copper rod plant, a sulphuric acid plant of more than 12,00,000 million tonne per annum (MTPA) and a phosphoric acid plant of 220,000 MTPA. It also had a 160 mega watt (MW) coal-based power plant to power the copper smelter.

The incident turned violent when protesters alleging that the pollution generated by the 25-year-old unit had contaminated the water bodies in the region, and caused severe health problems, tried to storm the factory premises and were prevented by the police. Environmental activists had expressed concern because copper smelting leads to various kinds of pollution, and hence, must be located far away from the residential areas.

R L Verma of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, J. S. Kamyotra, freelance consultant, New Delhi and Dr. Balram Ambade, Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand were the key experts who worked on the report.
is among the top five concerns on the minds of CEOs, as per PwCs Annual Global CEO Survey 2022, released a few days ago. The survey also revealed that as many as 22% global and 27% Indian companies have made a net-zero commitment. Irrespective of who drives the climate-change agenda, be it the board, shareholders, the Government or non-governmental organisations, investors or consumers, it is clear that there is an unequivocal commitment from India Inc towards this goal as part of their overall ESG strategy.

At the COP 26 summit in Glasgow on 2 November 2021, the Prime Minister proclaimed the five-nectared strategy of Panchamrit as Indias path towards addressing . While four of these, namely the push for renewable energy usage, enhancing the non-fossil fuel energy capacity, reduction in carbon emissions and carbon intensity would be achieved by 2030, India would achieve the target of Net Zero by 2070. Given that Indias Net Zero target was clearly laid down by none other than the PM himself, it is anticipated that the entire Government machinery would abide by this commitment.

The Government of India has been supporting the drive towards clean energy by developing regulatory frameworks as well as providing incentives. Schemes like FAME 1 and FAME 2 for electric vehicles as well as PLI schemes for EVs, solar PV modules and advanced chemistry cell batteries are playing a vital role. Notwithstanding these, there is also a dire need to formulate a holistic and predictable tax policy which is in sync with Indias agenda.

Indias transition from carbon subsidy towards carbon taxes was examined in the Economic Survey 201415. However, as Indias journey towards Net Zero progresses, a revenue re-calibration is indeed needed to maintain sustainable levels in the future. Some developed countries have already started feeling the adverse impact of declining revenue from fuel taxes and gas-guzzling vehicles, as EVs gain ground. These countries are exploring alternative methods of revenue augmentation in a near Net Zero world, such as higher taxes on high-end, luxury EVs. India too should re-strategize accordingly and also move towards a comprehensive carbon pricing policy.

The tax treatment meted out to goods and services, which are relevant to promote Indias commitment towards greater usage of non-fossil fuel, does not appear to follow a coherent and consistent path. For instance, while the GST rate on EVs and EV chargers is 5%, there is a levy of 18% on EV charging services, which acts as a dampener to the quicker adoption of EVs. There is also some ambiguity regarding the SAC classification in GST for this service, which needs to be clarified by the GST Council. Interestingly, the current debate on consistency in tax treatment in the UK is also about the differential rate of VAT on EV charging. The UKs public charging VAT rate is 20% (standard rate) as against the domestic charging rate of 5%, which some say could potentially lead to overloading the domestic power grid.

Given the current prevalent in the renewable energy sector, a thorough relook is needed to match the Governments goal. Indias proclaimed ambition is to meet 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030. In fact, the NDC target for 2022 is set at 175GW, while India hopes to achieve 500GW by 2030 instead of the 450GW proposed earlier. Indias tax rates on goods and services in this sector need to be in sync with these ambitious targets. Solar power generation is targeted at 100GW by 2022 and is bound to increase steeply to around 280GW by 2030. So, while the solar energy transition is gaining momentum, the GST treatment on solar power generating goods and services also needs to be suitably aligned to match this aggressive growth. The sudden increase in GST rate on critical components from 5% to 12% with contentious valuation principles may impact energy prices. No doubt, the customs duty hike on solar power modules and solar cells from 1 April 2022 is a step towards building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. A calibrated increase would perhaps have helped in a smoother transition towards renewable energy.

The story is similar in the wind power sector, which is gearing up to touch 60GW by 2022. Recently, the CBIC published a stakeholder consultation note for a proposal, without citing any reasons, to increase the customs duties on several wind-operated electric generator equipment and parts. Such proposals could be perceived as a lack of policy coherence and may not inspire much confidence among the climate finance community.



Regulatory bottlenecks such as obtaining a Customs Duty Exemption Certificate for each import consignment from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) need to be replaced with simpler import procedures such as those under the Import of Goods on Concessional Rates (IGCR) rules.

Indias power minister claimed that the renewable sector has fetched USD 70 billion worth of FDI in the last seven years. Last year, in the UN High Level Dialogue on Energy, it was a proud moment when India was declared as a Global Champion for Energy Transition. Yet, the heady transition to Net Zero by 2070 will call for greater investments in India. It is imperative for the Ministry of Finance to prepare a strategic roadmap in sync with the Panchamrit goals with very clear and stable to win the hearts and wallets of potential investors in the renewable energy space. What better time than Union Budget 202223 to set this in motion? Lets wait and watch.

The author is managing director, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP and former chairman, CBIC. Views expressed are personal.
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To boost the morale of party workers ahead of the assembly polls, Congress leader will campaign in Goa on February 2 and will hold a virtual rally in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's constituency Sanquelim.

Notably, this will be the first visit of in the state since the announcement of the date of the elections by the .

Congress and Goa Forward Party are in an alliance for the upcoming assembly elections.

The party has so far announced 36 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Goa.

BJP has fielded Goa Chief Minister from the Sanquelim Assembly constituency.

As many as 587 candidates have filed their nominations for the 40 assembly seats in Goa that will go to the polls on February 14, said an official statement by the Chief Electoral Officer on Friday.

The filing of nominations for the polls had begun on January 21 and ended on Friday afternoon.

The scrutiny of the nominations would be done today and the last date of withdrawal of candidature would be on January 31, 2022.

Goa is scheduled to go to the Assembly polls on February 14. The counting of votes will be on March 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.)
New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hit battleground Uttar Pradesh by holding a virtual rally on January 31, ahead of Assembly elections in the state.

This rally by the Prime Minister will cover five districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Shamli, Muzzafarnagar, Baghpat, Saharanpur, Gautambuddh Nagar (Dadri/Jewar) And it will cover 21 Vidhan Sabhas.

Keeping the directions of the election commission in mind the total physical mobilization arrangements have been made to listen to the Prime Minister's address at 100 locations cutting across 98 mandals and covering 21 Vidhan Sabhas.

The total physical presence will be 50,000 covering 500 people per location. There will be LED screens and campaign vans that will be dispatched to these locations for people to listen to the Prime Minister's address.

The BJP which has a massive digital footprint is likely to use all its platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc, and is hoping to reach over 10 lakh people across these 21 assembly constituencies.

This will be the first address by the Prime Minister for the BJP after the dates were announced for the assembly elections.

The state of Uttar Pradesh goes into elections in seven phases. The first phase of the election will take place on February 10 and the last phase on March 7. The counting will take place on March 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.)
A day after the is tabled in the Parliament, Prime Minister will address Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers across the country virtually on February 2 at about 11 AM, sources said.

Sources privy to the development told ANI that the Prime Minister will speak about the 2022 during his address.

The preparations for the same are underway. It is being said that LED screens will be set up across several districts in the country for people to listen to the Prime Minister's address.

Sources say that the Prime Minister is expected to highlight that the Central government is working towards the welfare for all cutting across sections of society and the is a reflection of that commitment.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting the Union Budget on February 1.

PM Modi's address comes at a time when five states are going to polls next month.

Uttar Pradesh is going for seven-phase assembly election from February 10, Manipur to go for two-phase election from February 27 and Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand to face elections on February 14.

The polling in Manipur on February 27 and March 3 will coincide with the fifth and sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh election. The counting of votes in all states will take place on March 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.)
Filing nomination from the Amritsar East seat, Punjab chief on Saturday dared his bte noir Amarinder Singh to leave Patiala and take on him.

He also challenged Shiromani Akali Dal's Bikram Singh Majithia to fight only from the Amritsar East seat and leave the Majitha assembly constituency.

Apart from the Majitha seat, Majithia, a former Punjab minister, has also entered the fray from Amritsar East from where Sidhu is seeking re-election.

"If you have so much guts and have faith in people then leave Majitha and fight from one seat here. Do you have the guts?" Sidhu dared while interacting with reporters after filing his nomination.

About former chief minister Amarinder Singh's comment that he would not let Sidhu win, the Punjab president dared him to leave Patiala and contest from Amritsar East.

"Come to Amritsar," Sidhu said.

Amarinder Singh, who was made to resign as chief minister and later exited the Congress, has floated the Punjab Lok and entered into an electoral tie-up with the BJP. He will fight from the Patiala Urban seat.

Over Majithia entering the fray from two seats, including Amritsar East, Sidhu said, "They (SAD) have come only to play spoilsport. But in this 'Dharam Yudh', they will not succeed. Yato Dharmastato Jayah (Where there is 'Dharma', there will be victory)."

Targeting the Akalis, he alleged that they are the people who "looted" Punjab.

Sidhu also hit out at his political opponents for bringing up the reference of his mother, who died over 30 years ago, and accused them of playing dirty politics over it.

"They stooped so low that they brought my mother into it to play politics. I ask them to prove the allegation. You want to bring my mother, who died 35 years ago, for her testimony."

A day ago, Suman Toor, who claimed to be Sidhu's elder sister, levelled various allegations against the Punjab Congress chief, including that he had "deserted" their mother after the death of their father in 1986.

However, the Congress leader's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu had come forward to issue a clarification. She claimed that Navjot Kaur Sidhu's father had married the woman who had two daughters from her previous marriage.

"These two girls (Toor and her sister) along with their mother left the house after taking divorce when was seven-year-old," she had said.

Meanwhile, said that after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the party would go to the polls with chief ministerial faces, they were in a shock, he said.

Seeking to target his political rivals, Sithu said, "These days even in their dreams they are seeing me and getting scared. A pack of jackals want to hunt a lion."

He hit out at the Akalis saying how could they think of undertaking developmental works when they "always harassed" people by registering false cases. "Has Sidhu ever got any case registered against anyone in Punjab in the last 17 years," Sidhu posed.

He also spoke about his cricketing career and stint on television as he attacked the Akalis accusing him of amassing "ill-gotten" wealth. "Sidhu today does not earn even 5 per cent of what he was earning earlier," he said.

Accusing the SAD of diverting the attention of people from the pressing issues of the state, the Punjab Congress chief alleged that they "mortgaged" the state and it under a burden of Rs 3 lakh crore of outstanding debt.

He also said the public support for the Akalis in Amritsar could be gauged "from the fact that despite their assurance of a huge win for BJP leader Arun Jaitley from Amritsar in the 2014 general elections he still suffered defeat".

Sidhu, who switched over to the Congress from BJP ahead of the 2017 assembly polls, said he was asked to fight the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Kurukshetra, but he had refused as he did not want to shift from Amritsar.

(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.)
After dealing with China for many years Pakistan's ruling elite has discovered that it cannot replace the US, meanwhile Prime Minister and his team continue to promote the China- Economic Corridor terming it "beneficial to the country", said Dr Shabir Choudhry in his blog.

The Pakistanis believe that China is a good neighbour with some common interests with Islamabad, and that relationship should continue, but Pakistan's ruling elite has many more things in common with America and the West.

China has been involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea as part of a USD 60 billion CPEC under Beijing's Belt and Road infrastructure project. According to Dr Choudhry, a writer and an activist from occupied Kashmir (PoK), China with its military and economic power will not let the CPEC die, as it is fundamental to the success of the BRI.

It must be noted that the BRI is very carefully planned and ruthlessly executed by China to achieve its ambition of becoming a great military and economic power which enables it to call economic, military and strategic shots in certain areas of the world.

"Now, and his team are propagating that the CPEC is beneficial to and that they will start the CPEC with new determination. Also, they will restart the "one window" service for all the CPEC operations, which was established by Nawaz Sharif. In view of the Pakistani analysts, Beijing is not inclined to meet or discuss anything related to the CPEC. The best the Chinese leadership can do is to "honour Pakistan" by having a photo session with Imran Khan," Dr Shabir Choudhry wrote on January 27.

The blogger also said that it will be foolish for Pakistan to put all eggs in Beijing's basket, which has different culture, aspirations and future ambitions, as that may not be inconsonant with the lifestyle, culture and agenda of the ruling elite of the country.

He pointed out that two major attacks last year angered the Chinese, one was the attack on a bus carrying the Chinese workers from the Dasu hydropower plant in July 2021. The other incident was an attack on a hotel in Quetta in April, where the Chinese envoy was also staying during his visit to Balochistan.

China was furious that their workers, despite many promises of fool proof security, were not safe in Pakistan. They demanded better security arrangements and compensation for the killed and injured employees. Pakistan, in principle, has agreed to pay compensation for the dead and injured employees, but no compensation plan is finalised yet.

However, in a recent meeting with Nong Rong, China's envoy, General Bajwa reiterated Pakistan's strong commitment to provide full security to the Chinese workers, and ensure that there will be a "safe and secure environment" for employees of all CPEC projects.

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The Taliban-led government in has reached an agreement with a joint Qatari and Turkish venture over the management of five airports in the war-torn nation, an official said here.

In a statement on Friday, spokesman for the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Imamuddin Ahmadi said: "The details have been discussed, a series of general decisions have been taken, but the talks are still ongoing and we are moving in a positive direction," TOLO News reported.

Meanwhile, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that a trilateral meeting between Turkey, Qatar, and members on the issue was held in Doha on Thursday.

The Ministry said the three-party delegation agreed on "several key issues" on how to manage and operate Kabul Airport, without providing further details, reports TOLO News.

Mohammad Qasem Wafayeezada, former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA), called on the to prepare the terms of the agreement in such a way as to provide a fair and equal basis for Qatari and Turkish companies to operate with domestic companies.

"If the contract is to be regulated from the beginning for the operating contract, the liability of the airlines should become a supervisory role over a period of two to three years," TOLO News quoted Wafayeezada as saying.

Since the takeover of by the Taliban, regular commercial flights have been suspended in the country.

Now with the handover of the Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar, and Mazar airports to foreign companies, optimism about the resumption of these flights has increased.

--iANS

ksk/

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Eight US lawmakers have come forward to push mining companies into revealing how much electricity they use for crypto mining, as cryptocurrency mining's impact on energy is being felt across the globe.

The US Senators have sent letters to six companies that mine in the US, asking them about how much electricity they use, where it comes from, and how they plan to grow.

"Given the extraordinarily high energy usage and carbon emissions associated with mining, mining operations raise concerns about their impacts on the global environment, local ecosystems, and consumer electricity costs," according to the letters.

The letters were signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), and Ed Markey (D-MA), Katie Porter (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Jared Huffman (D-CA).

The letters were sent amid an oversight hearing on crypto miningas impact on energy by the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

Cryptocurrency mining threatens targets to limit global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius under the 2015 Paris Agreement, according to the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

The most common method for producing crypto-assets requires enormous amounts of electricity and generates large CO2 emissions.

"Crypto assets have a significant negative impact on the climate as mining leads to both large emissions of greenhouse gases and threatens the climate transition that needs to happen urgently. This is alarming, and crypto-assets therefore need to be regulated," according to Erik Thedeen, director of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority.

Bitcoin mining relies on an energy-intensive process called "proof of work" to keep ledgers secure.

The University of Cambridge and Digiconomist estimate that the two largest crypto-assets, Bitcoin and Ethereum, together use around twice as much electricity in one year as the whole of Sweden.

Digiconomist estimates that crypto-assets at their current market value lead to release of up to 120 million tonnes of CO2 in the atmosphere per year.

--IANS

na/ksk/

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A Connecticut doctor who has surrendered his medical license pleaded guilty to a controlled substance offense related to his illegal distribution of prescription medication, according to federal authorities.

David Ciancimino, 62, of Trumbull waived his right to be indicted and recently pleaded guilty via videoconference before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams, according to federal authorities.

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Ciancimino was a sole practitioner practicing psychiatry and neurology/psychiatry from an office at 4 Corporate Drive in Shelton and, in October 2020, law enforcement began investigating his prescribing practices of various benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, and stimulants, such as Adderall, federal authorities said in a statement, citing court documents and statements made in court.

Federal task force officers acting in an undercover capacity paid Ciancimino $200 during visits to receive a prescriptions for Xanax or Adderall, or their generic equivalents, with little to no medical examination, federal authorities said in the statement.

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Ciancimino pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the scope of professional practice, federal authorities said. The offense carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Ciancimino has agreed to forfeit $175,773.45 as part of his plea, federal authorities said in the statement.

Ciancimino is free on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. Federal authorities said it was disclosed during court proceedings that Ciancimino surrendered his medical license last week.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and HHS-OIGs Office of Investigations, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division, and the Middlebury Police Department. The DEAs Tactical Diversion Squad includes personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Glastonbury, Hamden, Manchester, New Britain, Newington, Watertown and West Haven police departments.
Russian President and French President held a phone conversation on Friday to discuss the establishment of long-term and legally binding security guarantees between Russia and the West.

Putin told Macron that Russia will carefully study the written responses from the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to Moscow's draft agreements on security guarantees, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by Kremlin.

Putin stressed that the US and NATO responses did not take into account such fundamental concerns of Russia as stopping NATO's expansion and refraining from deploying offensive weapons near Russian borders, among others.

In addition, a key concept was also ignored in the responses, namely the "indivisibility of security" or the principle that no state should strengthen its own security at the expense of the security of others, Putin said.

When discussing the situation in Ukraine, the Russian leader emphasized the importance of Kiev's strict compliance with the 2015 Minsk Agreements and other deals.

As France presides over the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year, Macron and Putin agreed to continue the French-Russian dialogue on the entire range of European security issues.

--IANS

int/shs

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The small finance bank's net profit fell 2.34% to Rs 108.11 crore on 2.30% increase in total income to Rs 1,035.01 crore in Q3 December 2021 over Q3 December 2020.

Profit before tax (PBT) fell 1.77% to Rs 146.31 crore in Q3 December 2021 over Q3 December 2020. Net Interest Income for Q3FY22 stood at Rs 541 crore as against Rs 484 crore in Q3FY21. Net Interest Margin (NIM) during the quarter stood at 9.09% as against 8.14% in Q2FY22 and 8.48% in Q3FY21.

Pre Provisioning Operating Profit (PPoP) for Q3FY22 at Rs 225 crore as against Rs 283 crore in Q3FY21.

Gross non-performing assets (GNPA) stood at 4.39% in Q3FY22 as against 4.64% in Q2FY22 and 4.16% in Q3FY21. Net non-performing assets (NNPA) stood at 2.38% in Q3FY22 compared with 2.37% in Q2FY22 and 1.71% in Q3FY21. Provision coverage ratio stood at 46.81%.

The banks advances as of Q3FY22 were at Rs 19,687 crore, a growth of 13% YoY. 81% of advances are secured loans. Quarterly disbursement of Rs 2,861 crore were reported in Q3FY22.

Total deposits excluding CD were at Rs 17,884 crore, up 13% YoY. The bank's cost of funds reduced to 6.47% from 6.81% in Q2FY22 and 7.27% in Q3Y21. Savings account deposits were at Rs 8,554 crore, growth of 143% YoY and 11% QoQ. During the quarter, CASA stood at Rs 9,085 crore. CASA is 50.80% of total deposits.

Cost to Income ratio stood at 66.71% in Q3FY22 as against 68.72% in Q2FY22 and 55.63% in Q3FY21.

The bank currently maintains 'surplus' liquidity in the form of High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA). Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) as on 31 December 2021 at 125%.

P N Vasudevan, managing director and CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank said: "The business environment is slowly but surely coming back to normal. The Wave 3 of covid is a matter of concern, but at this point in time, we see that normal life has not been impacted much due to this. Our flagship product, Small Business Loans remains resilient and affordable housing loans and new commercial vehicle loans are primed for growth in the coming quarters. Deposits continue to perform well and during the quarter the Bank has been able to significantly improve its retail focus and moderate the excess liquidity. An over 50% CASA ratio is something we would be focussed to retain going forward."

Equitas Small Finance Bank is one of the largest small finance banks in India. It offers a bouquet of products and services tailored to meet the needs of individuals, as well as affluent and mass affluent, Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and corporates.

Shares of Equitas Small Finance Bank rose 1.38% to Rs 55.10 on Friday, 28 January 2022.

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The Congress on Saturday attacked the Centre over a New York Times report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel, alleging that the government indulged in illegal snooping using the spyware which amounts to "treason".

According to the report in The New York Times, the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly USD 2-billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

Slamming the Centre, Congress leader alleged that the Modi government "bought" Pegasus to spy on the primary "institutions of our democracy, leaders and the public".

"By tapping phones, they have targeted all including the ruling party, the opposition, the army, the judiciary. This is treason," he said on Twitter.

"The Modi government has committed treason," he alleged in his tweet in Hindi.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter, "Why did Modi Govt act like the enemies of India and use a warfare weapon against Indian citizens?"



"Illegal snooping using Pegasus amounts to treason. No one is above the law and we will ensure that justice is served," he said.

PTI has reached out to the government for a reaction to the NYT report but there was no immediate response.

Citing the media report, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammed said this is "irrefutable proof" that the government used military grade spyware to snoop on the citizens of India, including former Congress president .

There must be accountability, she demanded.

Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil alleged that the "revelations" in the report imply that the government "misled" the Supreme Court and Parliament on the issue.

"Why @narendramodi is silent? It is @PMOIndia's duty to clarify. New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of ? 300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company," he tweeted.

"This implies our Govt misled Supreme Court & Parliament," Gohil said.

Youth Congress chief Srinivas B V also cited the media report and tweeted, "Hence Proved! Chowkidar Hi Jasoos Hai.."



In a tweet, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged the spyware was used not for defence purposes but to snoop on opposition and journalists.

"If there is BJP, it is possible. They have made the country into a Bigg Boss show," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

MP Subramanian Swamy said, "Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of ? 300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company.

"This implies prima facie our Govt misled Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate?" he tweeted.

An international investigative consortium had claimed last year that many people including Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by the NSO Group's phone hacking software.

The Supreme Court had set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India.

The government had denied all allegations made against it in the matter.

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New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI/PRNewswire): After the huge success of YCO 2021 on the virtual platform, YCO 2022 will once again capture the online platform with another exhilarating edition of the World's Biggest Virtual Culinary Battle, the 8th International IIHM Young Chef Olympiad.

The competition will commence with a grand virtual opening ceremony on January 30th and will continue with a nail-biting competition till the closing ceremony on February 5th, 2022. YCO 2022 promises to rekindle the spirit and excitement of this culinary extravaganza through the virtual platform. Organised by the International Hospitality Council, London in association with the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), the 8th edition of YCO is all set to be another grand event with more variety as over 40 countries will compete with each other from their respective geographical locations. Carrying an important theme of Global Goals, YCO 2022 attempts to promote the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals that aim to make the world a better place to live.

The top 10 finalists of the culinary competition will be vying for the coveted Best Young Chef title that will include prize money of $5,000 and a digital certificate. The next best ranking from 11 to 20, will compete for the Plate Trophy. The other category of awards include three Best Knife Skills in the Allocated time, Best Creme Caramel, Best Vegetarian Dish, three Best Hygiene and kitchen practice awards, six Ambassador Awards, six Mentor Awards, Best Use of Kitchen Cut Management Award, Spirit of Young Chef Olympiad International Award and International Diamond Research Award.

The Competition Schedule:

Calculating and co-ordinating all the time zones of the participants, all the countries have been divided into eight groups. The culinary competition will start with four groups of five participants competing in Round 1 of the event for the first two days. Day 3 will be reserved for the International Diamond Research Award Symposium, A General Symposium with 8 Panel Discussions with speakers from around the World on various interesting topics and United World of the Young Chefs where each of the participating countries prepares their National Dish and shares the recipe as well for all online viewers followed by Q & A. The results of the preliminary round and the qualifiers to the Plate Trophy and the Grand Finale will be announced on this day. Day 4 and 5 will have the Plate Trophy and Grand Finale competitions for Groups 1 and 2 . The Closing Ceremony and Prize Distribution ceremony will be held on February 5th.

A strong Technical back-up:

Beside the culinary extravaganza, YCO 2022 will be an equally great technologically feat. The participants will be cooking from their institute kitchens or their own homes after making ample arrangements in keeping with the competition rules and regulations. They will have to cook under the watchful eyes of four cameras placed at strategic angles so that their workstation is in clear view of the judges. The competition will be conducted through video conferencing.

All kitchens of the World have been connected through 4 Cameras each, to be viewed LIVE and monitored from the YCO control room across 24 Time zones and 7 days making this one of the most complex systems of web created to make this 8th Virtual International Young Chef Olympiad possible.

Along with this, every day YCO will also be broadcasting LIVE 27 Guest Expert Sessions from around the World for global student audiences.

The panel of judges has been split into teams of five with a nominated lead judge to coordinate the judging of each group and to gather and collate feedback on each competitor.

Separate breakout rooms for the judges and adjudicators have been designed so that they can discuss and review their marks and comments within themselves before declaring results.

This rather tedious task of setting up the technical backup for the competition has started almost three months before the competition as participants are having to prepare the competition areas in their college kitchens and the Olympiad team is having to review the same to avoid last minute glitches.

The Judging Process:

YCO 2022 will have a panel of distinguished experts from the culinary world as judges led by the Chairman of the Jury, Prof David Foskett MBE. Eminent chefs and personalities from the international culinary and hospitality industry including Sicilian Chef Enzo Oliveri, Michelin-star and founder of Kitchen Cut, Chef John Wood, Michelin star chef and co-founder of Galvin Restaurants Chris Galvin, Chef Stuart Littlejohn, Executive Chef of the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Club, London, Chef Anton Edelmann, cookery writer and maitre chef des cuisines, Hotel Savoy, London, Chef Stefan Hogan, Executive Head Chef - Corinthian Palace Hotel, Malta, Chef David Graham, Chef Steven Carter and many other renowned personalities from the international culinary world will judge the competition on the virtual platform. On the virtual platform, they will be able to judge the presentation, colour and cooking process. At the local level, participants will have to invite three judges who must be registered chefs, to judge the nutritional value and taste of the food being prepared. These marks will add up to the final marks.

The Principal judge and mentor Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will also be present in the judging rounds. Indian celebrity chefs like Chef Abhijit Saha and YCO Brand Ambassador, Chef Ranveer Brar will be present online to judge the competition at different levels.

The Awards:

Beside winning the title and other culinary awards, there are a number of other important awards that are given to the participants that reflect the essence and spirit of the Young Chef Olympiad. These include the Ambassadors Award where all participants must write a 500-word statement about their ambitions of becoming a chef and how they wish to develop themselves as good chefs.

Kitchen Cut Chef Management Award - this award will go the participant who will have best recipe nutrition analysis and recipe costings. This will be marked by Chef John Wood.

International Diamond Research Award - YCO 2022 is joining the IIHM Global Centre for Hospitality and Tourism Research in a new initiative this year. It has decided to extend research opportunities to culinary students and teachers in the field of global hospitality and tourism industry. Colleges and universities have been asked to submit a research paper of not more than 5000 words on the theme of YCO 2022, THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. The International Diamond Research Award with a substantial cash prize will go to the best research paper.

Dr Suborno Bose, the Chairman of the YCO Global Council and CEO of IHC, said, "YCO 2022 is going to be another culinary and technological extravaganza for the world to see and experience. The competition is getting bigger and better each year and despite the constraints, we are successfully upholding the feeling of global brotherhood and camaraderie. This year we have notched up a step further in making the UN Sustainable Development Goals the theme of YCO 2022. Through this platform we are opening up research opportunities for students from all over the world to do research on this subject and bring out ideas that will help to achieve these SDGs."

To View the World's Biggest Competition LIVE Register Here :- Register :- (https://iihm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvcumvpzMiE91eCuR_UibPZSb5VYsbJeJe)

Opening Ceremony Highlights of last year may be viewed at (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NOowDXZE_w & t=8s)

Latest Updates for the entire event may be viewed at (http://www.facebook.com/iihmhotelschool)

History of YCO may be viewed at (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Chef_Olympiad)

IIHM (International Institute of Hotel Management) is the largest chain of premier hospitality and hotel management schools across India that started its journey in 1994 at Kolkata. IIHM is a part of Indismart Group, the conglomerate that operates the Indismart Hotels. IIHM campuses are located across eleven National and International cities with the associate institute IAM-IHM located in Kolkata, and Guwahati.

Students passing out of IIHM are armed with an international degree from the University of West London and equipped with global hospitality skills that enable easy placements in any hospitality brand across the world. IIHM is dedicated to its pursuit of excellence in teaching and placements. Real time experience is the key to success in hospitality and that makes the institute popular.

In recent years, IIHM has been instrumental in organizing the World's biggest Culinary Olympiad Young Chef Olympiad, with participation of over 50 countries, a unique idea and initiative inviting young culinary talents across the world. It has MOU's with over 50 countries for student and faculty exchange bringing the best of education for its students from around the World.

The institute has bagged several prestigious awards in the past 24 years. The list includes the Best Education Brand Award from Economic Times consecutively in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. It was also featured in Forbes Magazine as Great Indian Institute and Great Place to Study consecutively in the year 2018 - 2019 and 2019 - 2020. IIHM was also awarded as one among the World's Greatest Brands & Leaders 2015-16 by URS International (IMEA - Process Reviewer PriceWaterhouseCoopers PL) and also received the Best Institute in Hospitality Education 2017 Award by Assocham from Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon'ble Minister of State for HRD (Higher Education), Govt. of India.

This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)

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causaLens, the London deep tech company delivering the future of AI, has raised a $45m Series A round.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220126005888/en/

The causaLens co-founders, Dr. Maksim Sipos, CTO, on the left, and Dr. Darko Matovski, CEO, on the right. (Photo: Business Wire)

causaLens is the pioneer of Causal AI - the only AI technology quantifying cause-and-effect relationships to reason alongside humans in a manner that is trustworthy, explainable, and fair. Causal AI represents a giant leap ahead of current correlation-based AI technologies, which blindly extrapolate historical data and are unable to ask counterfactual questions  the what ifs at the core of human imagination and creativity. causaLenss no-code platform delivers far more accurate and reliable results, and allows humans and machines to work together for the first time. It is trusted by decision makers across finance, industry, technology, and government.

The round was led by Dorilton Ventures and Molten Ventures, with sizable participation from existing investors Generation Ventures and IQ Capital. GP Bullhound and others also joined the round, which was oversubscribed. Daniel Freeman of Dorilton Ventures has joined causaLenss board of directors.

Since emerging from stealth mode in January 2021, causaLens has seen annual revenue grow by more than 500%, winning marquee clients including Tier1 banks, hedge funds, governments and Fortune 500 companies.

After considering more than 50,000 CVs, causaLens has the strongest group of AI scientists and engineers ever assembled to implement Causal AI. The new funding will allow causaLens to double its team in 2022 while investing aggressively to maintain its competitive technology lead.

causaLens CEO and co-founder, Darko Matovski, said:

Our vision is to create a world in which humans can trust machines with the greatest challenges in the economy, society, and healthcare. Our customers are seeing transformative results with our no-code platform and we now have the resources to bring our platform to everyone.

causaLens is delivering transformational outcomes across a range of sectors. In financial services, the insurer and asset manager Aviva uses the companys platform to improve portfolio returns. Pension funds, including TIAA, with $1T under management, also trust causaLens with some of its most important decisions. Beyond financial services, causaLens platform has helped mitigate supply chain disruptions, navigate public health crises and discover novel biomarkers for cancer.

Supported by $45M in the first close of this Series A round, causaLens is now able to help organizations across more sectors and geographies to create human-centered AI systems they can fully trust.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220126005888/en/
- The positive opinion is based on the landmark EMPEROR-Preserved Phase III trial, which showed significant outcomes in patients with heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction over 40%1 - If approved, Jardiance would be the first and only clinically proven treatment approved for all adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure including those with preserved ejection fraction - Heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalization in Europe.2 Its prevalence is increasing, and it is estimated to affect over 60 million people worldwide.3

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted a positive opinion recommending Jardiance (empagliflozin) for the treatment of adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company announced today.1 Empagliflozin was previously approved for the treatment of adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).4 If approved, the positive opinion would expand this indication to be applicable for adults across the full spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), including preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220127005861/en/

For the very first time, we now have a treatment that will improve clinical results across the full spectrum of heart failure patients  regardless of ejection fraction, said Professor Stefan Anker, Heart Failure Cardiologist at Charite Berlin, Germany, and EMPEROR-Preserved Principal Investigator. Half of all heart failure patients are those with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. They suffer symptomatically and have poor outcomes due to the absence of any approved beneficial therapies. Todays positive opinion of EMA is a significant step forward in redefining clinical practice and will provide an additional lifeline to the millions of patients in Europe diagnosed with HFpEF.

The positive opinion is based on results from the landmark EMPEROR-Preserved Phase III trial, which investigated the effect of empagliflozin 10 mg compared with placebo once-daily, both added to standard of care, in 5,988 adults with heart failure with LVEF over 40%.5 In the trial, empagliflozin demonstrated an impressive 21% relative risk reduction (3.3% absolute risk reduction, 0.79 HR, 0.69-0.90 95% CI) for the composite primary endpoint of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure. The benefit was regardless of ejection fraction or diabetes status.5

We are delighted with the CHMPs decision to recommend empagliflozin as a treatment for adults with chronic heart failure, said Waheed Jamal, M.D., Corporate Vice President and Head of CardioMetabolic Medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim. Understanding of the interconnected cardio, renal and metabolic systems enabled us to broaden from diabetes to heart failure, following the science to provide solutions to medicines greatest challenge. We are proud to provide renewed hope to underserved patients, underscored by the unprecedented clinical benefit seen in the EMPEROR-Preserved clinical trial.

Todays positive opinion addresses the single largest unmet need in cardiovascular medicine, confirming the potential of empagliflozin across the full spectrum of ejection fraction. We are committed to ongoing research in these underserved areas, and look forward to the results from the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, exploring the potential of empagliflozin in chronic kidney disease, continued Jeff Emmick, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Product Development, Lilly.

The EMPEROR-Preserved trial is part of the EMPOWER clinical program, the broadest and most comprehensive of any SGLT2 inhibitor, exploring the impact of empagliflozin on the lives of people across the spectrum of cardio-renal-metabolic conditions.

# ENDS #

About the EMPEROR heart failure clinical trials6,7

The EMPEROR (EMPagliflozin outcomE tRial in patients with chrOnic heaRt failure) chronic heart failure trials were two Phase III, randomized, double-blind trials that investigated once-daily empagliflozin compared to placebo in adults with chronic HFrEF or HFpEF, with or without diabetes:

EMPEROR-Reduced [NCT03057977] investigated the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin in patients with chronic HFrEF. Primary endpoint: time to first event of adjudicated cardiovascular death or adjudicated hospitalization for heart failure Number of patients: 3,730 Completion: 2020

[NCT03057977] investigated the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin in patients with chronic HFrEF.

EMPEROR-Preserved [NCT03057951] investigated the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin in patients with chronic HFpEF. Primary endpoint: time to first event of adjudicated cardiovascular death or adjudicated hospitalization for heart failure Number of patients: 5,988 Completion: 2021

[NCT03057951] investigated the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin in patients with chronic HFpEF.

About the EMPOWER program

The Alliance has developed the EMPOWER program to explore the impact of empagliflozin on major clinical cardiovascular and renal outcomes in a spectrum of cardio-renal-metabolic conditions. Cardio-renal-metabolic conditions are the leading cause of mortality worldwide and account for up to 20 million deaths annually.8 Through the EMPOWER program, Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly are working to advance knowledge of these interconnected systems and create care which offers integrated, multi-organ benefits. Comprised of nine clinical trials and two real-world evidence studies, EMPOWER reinforces the long-term commitment of the Alliance to improve outcomes for people living with cardio-renal-metabolic conditions. With more than 400,000 adults enrolled worldwide in clinical trials, it is one of the broadest and most comprehensive clinical programs for an SGLT2 inhibitor to date.

About Heart Failure

Heart failure is a progressive, debilitating and potentially fatal condition that occurs when the heart cannot supply adequate circulation to meet the bodys demands for oxygenated blood, or to do so, requires increased blood volume leading to fluid accumulation (congestion) in the lungs and peripheral tissues.9,10 It is a widespread condition affecting over 60 million people worldwide and expected to increase as the population ages. 3,11 Heart failure is highly prevalent in people with diabetes; however, approximately half of all people with heart failure do not have diabetes.12,13

About cardio-renal-metabolic conditions

Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly are driven to transform care for people with cardio-renal-metabolic conditions, a group of interconnected disorders that affect more than one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of death.11,14

The cardiovascular, renal and metabolic systems are interconnected, and share many of the same risk factors and pathological pathways along the disease continuum. Dysfunction in one system may accelerate the onset of others, resulting in progression of interconnected diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and kidney disease, which in turn leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular death. Conversely, improvements in one system can lead to positive effects throughout the others. 14,15,16

Through our research and treatments, our goal is to support peoples health, restoring the balance between the interconnected cardio-renal-metabolic systems and reducing their risk of serious complications. As part of our commitment to those whose health is jeopardized by cardio-renal-metabolic conditions, we will continue embracing a multidisciplinary approach towards care and focusing our resources on filling treatment gaps.

About empagliflozin

Empagliflozin (marketed as Jardiance) is an oral, once-daily, highly selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor and the first type 2 diabetes medicine to include cardiovascular death risk reduction data in its label in several countries.17,18

Please click on the following link for Notes to Editors and References https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/human-health/heart-diseases/heart-failure/emperor-preserved-chmp-positive-opinion

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Eczacbas-Monrol Nuclear Products Co. (Monrol) has today announced it has signed an agreement with Curium Netherlands B.V (Curium) to license its GMP grade medical radioisotope, no-carrier-added 177Lu (n.c.a. 177Lu) cutting-edge production technology LuMagic. This agreement will enable transfer of relevant equipment and supply from Monrol to Curium.

Monrol is one of the few producers of Lutetium-177 n.c.a worldwide, having uninterrupted worldwide supply capabilities. Monrol Lu-177 n.c.a production process is an exclusive processing technology having cleaner and safer production method with stable isotope enrichment capability. Curium planning to manufacture the product Lu-177 n.c.a in its Petten production facility, Netherlands. This licence is offering significant opportunities both for Curium; one of the worlds largest nuclear medicine companies and Monrol; a company which develops, manufactures, and distributes world-class radiopharmaceutical products, radioisotopes to improve quality of life of cancer patients globally.

Lutetium-177 n.c.a is a radioisotope of choice for targeted radionuclide therapy. Lu-177 n.c.a production process enables treatment options that have the potential to improve treatment outcomes for certain cancer patients today and more potential treatment options in future under clinical development. Unique properties of Lutetium-177 n.c.a makes it a theranostically desirable radioisotope for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) to treat certain cancers like Neuro Endocrine Tumors (NET) and Prostate cancer.

In line with our mission to improve the quality of life of cancer patients globally, Monrol is establishing strategic partnerships with multinational pharmaceutical companies and constructing a new production facility compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 211 quality standards which will have an annual production capacity of 60 thousand doses. With its location close to Istanbul's transportation hub, the new facility will benefit from a worldwide logistics network and agreements with cargo services to 320 destinations worldwide.

"Lu-177 n.c.a contributes to our mission to improve quality of life of cancer patients globally. Our new GMP certified facility exclusively designed for theranostic R&D and production with cutting edge technology will enable us to maximize supply of high-quality Lutetium. We are committed to working closely with Curium to potentially bring new therapeutic radiopharmaceutical agents into market soon to improve patients lives having life threatening diseases said Monrol General Manager Aydn Kucuk.

John Sylvester CEO of Curiums SPECT and International businesses commented We are delighted with Monrol as a technology partner, after extensive benchmarking this technology gave both the highest quality product with the most efficient process, as it is already proven and plug and play in nature the time to market will be very short.

About Monrol

Monrol is one of the worlds largest nuclear medicine companies leading innovation for the development and manufacturing of GMP grade radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals having headquarters in Istanbul. Monrol is distributing its world-class radiopharmaceutical products portfolio with excellence in global markets. Monrol is a CDMO, providing early development support to its customers as well as offering fully integrated services for todays nimble, lean, virtual companies effectively taking new product concepts into clinical trials and demonstrating proof of concept and going into first-in-human studies. Monrol is committed to transform and improve patient journey in cancer treatment with its radiopharmaceutical products portfolio distributing to more than 50 countries around the globe. To learn more, visit www.monrol.com

About Curium

Curium is the worlds largest nuclear medicine company. We develop, manufacture and distribute world-class radiopharmaceutical products to help patients around the globe. Our proven heritage combined with a pioneering approach are the hallmarks to deliver innovation, excellence and unparalleled service. With manufacturing facilities across Europe and the United States, Curium delivers SPECT, PET and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical solutions for life-threatening diseases to over 14 million patients annually. The name Curium honors the legacy of pioneering radioactive materials researchers Marie and Pierre Curie, after whom the radioactive element curium was named and emphasizes our focus on nuclear medicine. To learn more, visit www.curiumpharma.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220128005174/en/
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Short-distance rural tourism grew more popular in Chinas capital during this years Labor Day holiday amid curbs on travel to control the pandemic. Bookings for hotels and homestays outside urban areas started earlier than usual for this years five-day national holiday, with volumes climbing since April 10. Despite Covid control measures, most scenic spots in suburban areas remain open, though visitors are required to present negative Covid-19 test results to enter

May 04, 2022 03:50 PM
Some of the 32 snow plows in the Town of Middletown's fleet are filled with sand Friday ahead of the storm. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

As a severe winter storm with blizzard conditions is anticipated to impact Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamon said he is implementing a travel ban on tractor trailers for all limited-access highways statewide effective at 3 a.m. on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

The ban will remain in effect until further notice, Lamont said in a statement.

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The tractor trailer travel ban is being implemented in coordination with neighboring states that are also anticipating severe conditions, the statement said.

The Connecticut State Emergency Operations Center will be activated at 6 a.m. Saturday, and staffed virtually and/or in person with personnel from several state agencies, such as the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, including the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, State Police, and the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, and Connecticut National Guard, as well as liaisons from Eversource and United Illuminating, the statement said.

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Forecasts are projecting blizzard conditions for much of Connecticut on Saturday, with snowfall amounts currently expected to reach 12 to 18 inches in the western portion of the state and going up to 18 to 24 inches in eastern portions, particularly near the Rhode Island border.

As snowfall will be extremely heavy with rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour expected, causing whiteout conditions that will make visibility very limited, Lamont is advising everyone in Connecticut to anticipate sheltering in place beginning Friday night through Saturday evening. He is encouraging everyone to avoid all unnecessary travel throughout the duration of storm.

[ Updated weather forecast: Saturday snowstorm will bring more than 2 feet of snow -- and blizzard conditions -- to parts of Connecticu ]

The forecast right now is projecting blizzard conditions for a significant portion of the state on Saturday, which is why I am urging everyone statewide to plan to shelter in place beginning Friday night and remaining there throughout the day on Saturday until the storm is over, Lamont said in the statement. At times, snowfall rates will reach whiteout conditions, making visibility extremely limited, and when this happens, we cannot safely send plows to clear the roads for the safety of the drivers and anyone else in their vicinity. During the height of the storm, travel will be treacherous, and we are strongly urging everyone to remain off the roads to the greatest extent possible.

The state has 634 plow trucks, 18 industrial loader-mounted snow blowers, and more than 100 front-end loaders that are prepared for deployment, in addition to roughly 200 contractors that are on standby and ready to supplement the state plowing fleet, the statement said.

The New Haven Line will operate a storm schedule (Metro-North schedule Z), while all other bus and rail services statewide are suspended on Saturday. The last trains and buses will run as scheduled on Friday.
With an eye toward developing the next generation of federal mental health reform legislation, Sen. Chris Murphy met with the leadership of Connecticut Childrens Medical Center Friday morning to discuss the ongoing crisis in childrens psychiatric care and brainstorm solutions.

Were at the tip of the iceberg and we need to acknowledge this at a national level, Dr. Juan Salazar, the hospitals physician-in-chief and chair of pediatrics, told Murphy, assembled around a table with other hospital directors at the hospitals Hartford offices.

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Encountering an 8-year-old who has attempted suicide is beyond my ability to understand, Salazar added, and yet, it happens almost daily.

In 2016, President Barack Obama signed the Mental Health Reform Act, co-authored by Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, into law. The law expanded federal resources for addressing mental health issues and bolstered community treatment services. Six years later, Murphy is hoping to be a little bit bolder with a revised mental health bill, including by focusing on childrens mental health and potentially tackling reimbursement issues.

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Were not adapting, Murphy said. Were seeing this increase in childrens mental health cases, but the system isnt adapting fast enough to this new reality and I hope this legislation will force that adaption.

Addressing childrens mental health care has emerged as a priority for state and federal lawmakers in recent months. In Connecticut, Childrens reached a crisis point last fall, as its emergency department was deluged with children seeking urgent behavioral health care. More recently, behavioral health experts, doctors and community providers have stressed to state lawmakers that staffing shortages, reimbursement rate disparities and lack of throughput  the ability to move patients through the flow of medical services  remain critical issues.

The system was under-resourced before the pandemic, and this has just surfaced all the gaps that existed, said Howard Sovronsky, the chief behavioral health officer at Childrens. The [intensive outpatient programs] were insufficiently resourced to begin with  there werent enough slots. Now, the need has quadrupled.

Allison Matthews-Wilson, the director of care coordination for Childrens, told Murphy that her teams work in the emergency department to move children through various levels of care. But often the required level of care cannot be obtained, forcing the hospital to patch together solutions.

Breaking News As it happens Get the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut >

We create bandaids and wrap these kids in less-than services, she said. We try to make up for it with some of the safety nets that the state of Connecticut has  emergency mobile psychiatric services, bringing in the pediatrician  but the reality is, is that if services were available, they would require a higher level of care.

At the same time, hospital leaders said, high volumes of children continue to arrive at the emergency department with acute behavioral health needs. Some children have symptoms that have worsened over the course of the pandemic; others had no prior mental health history and are now in crisis. A similar dynamic also plays out in outpatient settings and pediatricians offices.

Were letting them go home with a higher level of symptoms than weve ever let them go home with before, because we know that theres no other option for care, Melissa Santos, the division chief of pediatric psychology of Childrens, said of outpatient care.

David Krol, a pediatrician and the medical director of the hospitals Care Network, said that pediatricians are also struggling to contend with greater numbers of children presenting with behavioral health needs. Many pediatricians would be eager to embed behavioral health clinicians in their offices, he said, but often payment issues stand in the way, or there arent enough clinicians to fill those roles.

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Murphy expressed support for bolstering care coordination, as well as an idea floated by Salazar to expand medical residencies in pediatrics to include an additional year focused on child psychiatry. Funding such a program, Salazar argued, would train the next generation of pediatricians and rapidly create a workforce equipped to handle childrens behavioral health needs.

Thats one of the clear ideas that Im going to send my team to work on, Murphy said following the meeting.

Eliza Fawcett can be reached at elfawcett@courant.com.
In what seems to be a regular occurrence at this point, Mazda has announced a product stoppage anew at their Japanese factories this May.
County public school students, such as these at Bogue Sound Elementary School, met or exceeded state standards on the 2020-21 Education Value-Added Assessment for North Carolina. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Beaufort officials and Stewart Consulting staff present information Thursday in an online meeting on the ongoing Resilient Beaufort program. (Mike Shutak photo)
Photo: Wayne Moore/file

Municipalities across B.C. are unified in their belief the current fiscal framework between the province and municipalities is broken.

The BC Urban Mayor's Caucus, representing 13 of the larger municipalities in the province, are applauding efforts announced this week to look at ways of fixing it.

Earlier this week, the Union of BC Municipalities and provincial ministers of finance and municipal affairs signed a memorandum of understanding to review the local government finance system.

Municipalities across the province are bearing the burden of escalating costs that are further intensified by the ongoing health pandemic and the downloading of federal and provincial responsibilities by default rather than design, said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, the co-chair of the mayor's caucus.

A new, collaborative, and modernized fiscal relationship model that goes beyond property taxes is critical to the economic, social and environmental health of our communities. We look forward to a new model emerging that is fair and ensures the financial security and sustainability of communities across the province.

"While we recognize the need to get it right, we see the need for the work to be completed in a timely fashion to best serve B.C.s communities.

According to the province, the review will include discussions about cost pressures local governments may be experiencing around attainable housing, community safety and climate change, and the impact of the new economy.

Progress under the MOU will be made through a local government financial review working group made up of staff from the province and UBCM.

The group will review the local government finance system in B.C., analyze the recommendations in the UBCM report and discuss matters of mutual interest.
Photo: The Canadian Press A sign opposing coal development in the eastern slopes of the Livingston range southwest of Longview, Alta., Wednesday, June 16, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta's top court has rejected a request to appeal a regulatory decision that denied permits for the Grassy Mountain coal mine in the province's Rocky Mountains.

In a decision released Friday, the Alberta Court of Appeal turned down the request from Benga Mining and two area First Nations.

"The permission to appeal applications of Stoney Nakoda and Piikani are dismissed as the proposed grounds of appeal have no arguable merit," the decision reads. "Benga is similarly denied permission."

Benga Mining had proposed to resume mining for steelmaking coal at Grassy Mountain near Crowsnest Pass in southwestern Alberta on a site that had been previously mined.

But in June, a joint federal-provincial review panel said the mine's likely environmental effects on fish and water quality would outweigh what it called the low to moderate economic impacts of the project. Alberta's regulatory agency denied Benga's permit application and the federal government followed soon after.

Both Benga and the two First Nations, which had signed benefits agreements with the company, asked the court for leave to appeal the decision.

Two other southern Alberta First Nations, the Kainai and the Siksika, did not request an appeal.

In its filings, Benga argued the panel erred by ignoring relevant evidence from the company on water quality, fish habitat and the project's economics.

The Piikani and Stoney Nakoda both argued the panel didn't adequately consult them on matters that affected their economic interests related to the exercise of their constitutional rights.

The court concluded that Benga was asking the justices to reconsider evidence, not correct an error in law.

"At its core, Benga's argument is that the panel should have preferred Benga's expert evidence," wrote Justice Bernette Ho. "It is not an error of law for a decision-maker to accept or reject evidence before it."

The decision also found the panel had plenty of information on Indigenous economic benefits and pointed out both First Nations had been free to file whatever information on those benefits they wanted  including the agreements they signed with Benga.

"I disagree with any suggestion the panel did not understand that many, if not all, of the benefits that might accrue to Stoney Nakoda or Piikani from Benga would be lost in the event that the panel did not recommend the project proceed," Ho wrote.

Grassy Mountain was the first of a series of possible open-pit coal mines to go before an environmental review. Several others have been suggested since spring 2020, when Alberta's United Conservative government suddenly revoked a policy that had protected the summits and foothills of the Rockies from such development since 1976.

Within weeks of that move, thousands of hectares were leased for coal exploration.

Expansion of the industry has been highly controversial. Albertans are currently awaiting the release of reports from a committee that canvassed the province for public opinion and recommendations.

The government has not said when the reports will be released.
It is interesting, and somewhat disturbing, to see the protesters cheering the truckers on as blue collar knights riding off to protect our freedom.

What particular freedoms are this group interested in defending? Freedom to overload our hospitals with unvaccinated Covid-19 patients? Freedom to block so many hospital beds that none are available for surgery patients and delaying critical surgeries from taking place? Freedom to keep our ICUs at full capacity? Freedom to ensure Covid-19 continues to circulate longer than was ever necessary?

The protesters cry tyranny while allowing Covid infections to circulate continuously in our long-term care homes. As the zealots continue to hold the rest of the population hostage, I have to ask, who are the real tyrants? And, are the vaccinated among us not those who are being denied freedom?

Layton Carefoot, Kelowna
Connecticut Senate Republicans are calling for making it easier to get the overdose-reversal drug Narcan into the public schools so that nurses can help students. The death of a Connecticut seventh-grader from an apparent fentanyl overdose has renewed calls for schools to carry the opioid antidote naloxone. (Matt Rourke/AP)

HARTFORD  Prompted by the death of a 13-year-old boy in Hartford, Senate Republicans are calling for increased penalties for selling fentanyl, a particularly lethal substance that is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

The lawmakers are offering a three-pronged plan that also calls for establishing guidelines to place Narcan in public schools in order to revive students who have overdosed. They are also seeking to create a public awareness campaign about the dangers of the drug by using money from the $300 million opioid settlement in Connecticut.

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The opioid epidemic is a public health and public safety crisis in Connecticut, said Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford. Fentanyl is a deadly poison, and it must be treated as such.

Concern about the fentanyl crisis was renewed by the stunning death of a seventh-grader at the Sport and Medical Sciences Academy in Hartford. Lawmakers also noted the recent death of Lauren Smith-Fields, a 23-year-old Bridgeport woman whose death was not immediately reported to her family. An autopsy by the chief state medical examiners office said that her death was caused by acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine and alcohol.

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Sen. John Kissel, the ranking senator on the legislatures judiciary committee, and others said Republican lawmakers were offering a multifaceted package of proposals and not simply resorting only to a tough-on-crime approach.

To those folks who say, Oh, you Republicans, you only say increase penalties and mandatory minimums, " Kissel said. In this instance, this is a deadly serious situation. And yes, were proposing that we increase penalties for fentanyl.

Kissel added, We believe in second chances. This isnt about the victim. This isnt about the users. This is about the sellers.

The criminal penalties need to be increased, he said, because one bag of fentanyl could have the potency of 50 bags of heroin.

The precise penalties were not disclosed Thursday as Kissel said the issue needs to be discussed with attorneys and fellow lawmakers in advance of the legislative session that starts on Feb. 9. The issue would then be subject to public hearings and votes before the session ends on May 4.

Senators also said they will work to establish guidance for allowing school districts to decide whether they should keep Narcan  a medication that quickly reverses overdoses  in the school buildings. After the incident in Hartford, officials announced that all public schools in the city will have access to Narcan, and school employees are being trained in the proper use of the life-saving reversal drug.

After the student overdosed, police and drug-detecting dogs searched the magnet school before finding nearly 40 small bags of fentanyl  in multiple locations  that was in powder form and packaged for sales on the street. Investigators with a search warrant later found 100 bags in the boys bedroom that were packaged in similar fashion.

The boys death has captured the attention of city officials, lawmakers, and Gov. Ned Lamont. Lamont recently said he would consider the idea of stocking Narcan at schools.

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We know we made Narcan more widely available than ever before, Lamont said. I know that all our first responders have access to Narcan. I know theyre trained in Narcan. But if the public health people tell me Narcan at the nurses office at the school can save lives, thats something were going to do.

Lamonts spokesman, Anthony Anthony, said Thursday that the governor is open to further discussions on the issue.

In 2019, Gov. Lamont signed into law stiffer penalties against people illegally dealing fentanyl, Anthony said. As Gov. Lamont has repeatedly said before, his door is always open for good, constructive, and smart proposals. However, what we do not want to do is double up our resources in one place, instead spreading them around for other preventive measures.

Statewide, lawmakers said that 1,374 people died in 2020 in Connecticut from accidental drug overdoses  and fentanyl was involved in 84% of them.

When the final numbers are released for 2021, there could be nearly 1,500 overdose deaths in Connecticut, officials said.

Despite the rise in fatal overdoses overall, children are rarely in that group. Of the more than 7,500 people who died from drug overdoses in Connecticut between 2015 and Dec. 9, 2021, only one was younger than 14, officials said. Slightly more than 6% were between 15 and 24.

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The state education department will be conducting a survey to learn how many school nurses currently have access to Narcan, the brand name for naloxone, a powerful medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. In a similar survey in 2019, 48% of public school nurses in the survey responded that they had access to the drug.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
Photo: The Canadian Press Jagdish Patel (left to right), son Dharmik Patel, wife and mother Vaishaliben Patel and daughter Vihangi Patel are shown in a handout photo. A relative of the Patels who froze to death in southern Manitoba while trying to cross the United States border says it's expected that their bodies will not be flown home to India for a funeral. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Amritbhai Vakil

A relative of a family that froze to death in southern Manitoba while trying to cross the United States border says it's expected the bodies will not be flown home to India for a funeral.

Amritbhai Vakil said family members have decided it would be emotionally difficult to see the couple and their two children and too expensive to transport the bodies.

"Can you imagine what will happen to the parents when they see four bodies all at once?" he said.

They hope there might be a funeral in Canada, Vakil added.

RCMP and diplomatic officials Thursday released the names of the dead: Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi Patel; and their three-year-old son, Dharmik Patel.

The family, from the Dingucha village in India's western state of Gujarat, had travelled to Toronto on Jan. 12, Mounties said. Their frozen bodies were found in the snow, just metres from the border, seven days later.

A man on the U.S. side was arrested and charged with human smuggling. U.S. officials allege he is part of an organized human-smuggling enterprise.

U.S. court documents allege Steve Shand of Deltona, Fla., was driving a van with two Indian nationals just south of the border on Jan. 19.

The documents say five others from India were soon after spotted in the snow walking in the direction of the van. They told border officers that they had been walking for more than 11 hours in the freezing cold and that four others had become separated from the group overnight.

One man in the group also said he had paid a large amount of money to get a fake student visa in Canada and was expecting a ride to a relative's home in Chicago after he crossed the border, the documents say.

A statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs said the High Commission in Ottawa and Consulate General in Toronto are working closely with Canadian authorities.

Anil Pratham, additional director general of police in Gujarat, said he is waiting on information and guidance from External Affairs to move ahead with his investigation. Pratham said he believes the Patels used a local travel agent to get visas to Canada.

Vakil, in a phone interview from Dingucha, said family in India had wondered for several days if the bodies found in Canada were their relatives. Family knew the four had travelled to Canada, he said, but no one had been able to reach them.

The family is going through complex emotions, he said.

"They knew in their heart of hearts that it was their kids, but they didn't want to believe it," Vakil said.

"They had some hope, but knew it was false hope. It's also shocking and sad when what you fear most comes true."

The week that it took for authorities to identify the Patels helped cushion the blow, he added. "It's given time to process our thoughts and emotions."

He said the family is holding a 15-day mourning and prayer service in the village.

A separate service was to take place Friday night in Winnipeg. The president of the India Association of Manitoba said it worked with local organizations to put together an hour-long virtual one for community members. The group had worked with consulate officials from Toronto to help identify the Patels.

Ramandeep Grewal said the wish was to give community members a way to deal with their grief. With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the groups decided to hold something online.

Since news of the deaths, people have been reaching out to share their own stories of immigrating to the U.S. or Canada, Grewal said.

"I think it's very important everybody get together and talk about it. It's a little bit soothing for everyone, he said.

Otherwise people are just thinking about it ... (and) what went wrong."
Photo: CTV News

A new survey says more than a million Canadians would pay $100 or more for a COVID-19 rapid antigen test.

The survey from Finder.com found that cost is a barrier for a million Canadians and 4.5 million Canadians say they rely on free tests, while some 29 per cent, or just over 9 million Canadians indicate they would pay $5 to $25 on a rapid antigen test.

Nicole McKnight, manager at Finder.com, says with schools open to young children who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated, anxiety among parents, the elderly, and the immunocompromised, is high, resulting in demand for rapid antigen tests skyrocketing since the Omicron variant took hold in Canada back in December.

Traffic to Finders Covid-19 testing page has increased by 592 per cent. There is clearly a massive demand for these tests and it makes sense that certain at-risk groups in the community would want to obtain a personal supply of rapid antigen tests to keep their families and friends safe.

The survey found that reasons to buy tests are varied, but most want instant results or peace of mind.

There have already been reports and complaints of price gouging by some outlets selling rapid antigen tests in B.C.

While the federal government has promised an additional 140 million rapid tests to the province in January, provinces have cited delays in receiving federal shipments. These delays could mean those relying on free tests could be left empty-handed, we do anticipate demand to continue to outpace supply in the near term says McKnight.

Suppliers are also sounding the alarm about potential scams and how Canadians should do a little research before buying a test to avoid being fooled.

Sadly we are hearing countless reports of sellers willing to exploit frustrated shoppers looking for Covid-19 tests. Typically these people will run a scam where they will offer tests, accept payment, and then stop all communication, says Mike Schwarz of MyZone Health.

Its important to buy from a reputable supplier, especially when spending more on bulk orders, and always be sure to first check the product is in stock and ready to ship to you before you click to purchase.

Daniel Gurman, President of Go Test Rapide, explains how to source tests for those looking for more official and accurate results, whether for travel or other reasons.

While the testing focus of the Omicron wave is mainly rapid antigens for quick answers, no doubt there will be millions of Canadian travellers in the coming months who will require official results for their upcoming 2022 trips. We encourage Canadian travellers and other groups who need highly accurate rapid antigen or PCR tests, and speedy verifiable results, to use services that provide the help and guidance of a medical professional. This way Canadians dont experience any at-home testing errors that can put their plans at risk.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Short-term rental company Airbnb is going to court to block the release of identifying information behind its operators under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

In a petition filed in BC Supreme Court on January 28, Airbnb Ireland UC claims the Information and Privacy Commissioner unreasonably ordered the City of Vancouver to release license numbers and addresses associated with short-term rental licenses in response to an FOI request by an unidentified John Doe Requester. The petition names the City of Vancouver, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, the Attorney General of British Columbia and John Doe as respondents.

Airbnb claims the commissioner wrongfully held that the records were not subject to sections of the act allowing public bodies to refuse disclosure where release of such records could reasonably be expected to threaten an individuals safety or mental or physical health. Moreover, the company claims disclosing the records would unreasonably invade a third partys privacy.

According to the petition, after Vancouver inked a deal with the company to license operators, Airbnb began providing the city with identifying information including names, license numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses which the City can use to regulate STRs via its bylaws. However, due to safety and privacy concerns, the municipal government does not post names, addresses, or contact information on its public open data portal.

Airbnb claims the John Doe Requester made two bids for information about short-term rental operators in March 2019. The City of Vancouver originally declined to release the information and the requestor sought a review of the decision by the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The commissioner ordered the records disclosed, finding the City couldnt refuse access to the information with the exception of records relating to one Airbnb host who is being stalked. However, the order required the city to withhold operators names and addresses.

In seeking to quash the order for disclosure, Airbnb claims the commissioner didnt properly determine whether there was a reasonable expectation of probable harm to personal safety or property. Both the city and the company submitted evidence about a host who had feared that her stalker could locate her if her address and/or name were disclosed on the Citys Open Data Portal.

Furthermore, the company claims the commissioner ignored the threat of online harassment and cyberbullying despite finding that disclosure of the records to the requestor would be disclosure to the world. The requestor, according to the petition, disparaged Airbnb operators in social media posts and is expected to publicize the information which could be used to harass, threaten or abuse short-term rental operators should their names and addresses become public.

Airbnb seeks an order quashing the commissioners decision and an order to prohibit the City of Vancouver from releasing the records. The petitions factual basis has not been tested in court and the respondents had not filed replies to case by press time.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King speaks with media as bags of potatoes sit on a table, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The federal agriculture minister is optimistic the United States could approve the resumption of shipments of Prince Edward Island potatoes to the key market of Puerto Rico within weeks.

Marie-Claude Bibeau and Island MP Lawrence MacAulay met with U.S. officials in Washington Thursday to discuss the ban imposed by Canada on exports of the potatoes in November following the discovery of potato wart in two P.E.I. fields.

The fungal parasite spreads through the movement of infected potatoes, soil and farm equipment and poses no threat to human health but leaves the potatoes disfigured and can greatly decrease crop yields.

"I'm very optimistic," Bibeau said in an interview Friday. "It went very well. We got the best outcome we could at this point in time."

Bibeau said American officials have agreed to look at Canada's mitigation measures and make a decision on shipments of table-stock potatoes to Puerto Rico  where potatoes are not farmed  in the next week or two, followed by a decision on shipments to the continental United States.

Puerto Rico usually gets 80 to 85 per cent of its potatoes from Prince Edward Island, representing about a quarter of the province's exports to the United States.

Bibeau said she's confident American officials will agree that P.E.I.'s table-stock potatoes  potatoes used for food not planting  pose no risk.

"These potatoes come from fields that are not known for ever having potato wart. Then the potatoes are washed, brushed, graded, given a visual inspection and then they are treated with a sprout inhibitor," she said.

Originally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) were going to conduct a thorough investigation of both table-stock and seed potatoes from P.E.I.  a process that some officials estimated could take until 2023 to complete.

Bibeau said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack directed those groups to deal with table-stock potatoes first.

"Having the head of APHIS around the table yesterday, I think brought a message that they were in solution mode. They were there to find a solution to this situation," Bibeau said.

However the minister said the investigation into seed potatoes will take longer and will involve the examination of about 35,000 soil samples.

Canada banned shipments of P.E.I. fresh potatoes to the U.S. on Nov. 22. At the time, Bibeau said if Canada had not issued the suspension voluntarily, the Americans would have imposed their own ban. Subsequently the U.S. decided to block imports until Canada provides the technical data to show the potatoes are safe.

Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board, says the ban is in its 10th week and losses to farmers are around $25 million dollars so far, but Thursday's meeting has provided a glimmer of hope.

"At least there's a timeline. We want to hold them accountable to those timelines, because this never should have happened, and it shouldn't have continued as long as it has," Donald said Friday.

He said if there is a favourable decision concerning Puerto Rico, it will take some time for farmers to get shipments ready. He said the potatoes have to be trucked to Halifax for shipments that depart each Monday.

"As soon as there's any indication, they're going to get geared up and get potatoes loaded, ready and waiting. That does take a few days," he said.

Donald said so far, Island farmers have avoided having to destroy any potatoes in storage. Instead they've been looking for new markets and have sent potatoes to food banks across the country.

The P.E.I. Potato Board is working with two of the biggest food bank organizations in Canada, with funding through the federal Agriculture Department.

Board marketing specialist Mark Phillips says Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest will work to distribute the potatoes through their national networks. The federal funding covers the cost of buying and transporting the potatoes. Phillips said the price paid to farmers is below market value.

"It's a small bright spot in a pretty dark time, so it's pretty great for people to put all the effort in to make this happen," Phillips said during a recent interview. "It is certainly helping lift the spirits of growers and keeping some money flowing (where) it might otherwise not be."

About 300 trucks are expected to leave the province, he said, each loaded with more than 27 tonnes of potatoes.

Kirstin Beardsley, chief network services officer with Food Banks Canada, said in an interview Friday the organization will start shipping out potatoes beginning next week, starting in New Brunswick and going out towards British Columbia.

Food Banks Canada has been eager to support growers on P.E.I. in putting their crops to good use, she said, especially as food banks are dealing with higher demand during the pandemic.

"People are definitely falling on tough times, and many people are turning to the food banks for the first time," said Beardsley. "We're always appreciative of opportunities to work with producer groups and generous farmers who want to support the food bank system."
Photo: Ottawalks YouTube Protesters jam downtown Ottawa Saturday evening.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.

The crowd on Parliament Hill protesting vaccine mandates is thinning out as the sun has set on the national capital.

But the convoy of trucks that caused gridlock downtown and traffic snarls around much of Ottawa remains parked by the parliamentary buildings.

Truckers parked along Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill say they're prepared to stay beyond today, with some saying they'll be there as long as it takes for vaccine mandates to be lifted.

Trucker Luke Winkels says he is well-stocked after people gave him food to eat, including a crate of oranges.

Others say they have been receiving donations and gift cards from those at the protest.

Many, including Winkels, say they'll be sleeping in their cabs overnight.

While the federal government oversees mandates at the Canada-U.S. border and for federally regulated workers, almost all COVID-19 restrictions fall to provincial jurisdiction. Those include mask mandates, business and school closures, and other public and private gathering limits.

UPDATE 3:15 p.m.

One of the main organizers of the trucker convoy to Ottawa has addressed the crowd, suggesting that he believes their concerns cant be ignored.

Patrick King says despite meeting with several Conservative politicians during a previous convoy to the capital years ago, none ever acted on concerns.

King was part of the yellow vest protests in 2019, a global movement that claimed to represent the economic concerns of its members but also devolved into Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-immigrant views.

Speaking to demonstrators outside the Prime Ministers Office, he asked the crowd, do you think they hear us now? and garnered a round of applause.

He adds that watching people arrive in Ottawa to say no to vaccine mandates is the most amazing thing Ive seen yet.

King has been called out in the past for espousing misinformation about COVID-19.

UPDATE: 12:35 p.m.

Ottawa police say the city's downtown core has no more room for vehicles, other than first responders.

Local residents are once again being warned to avoid the area as streets are closed due to the gridlock caused by the truckers' protest on Parliament Hill.

Police say in a statement that vehicles are being redirected away from the core even as more trucks are trying to make their way downtown.

The Ontario Provincial Police, who are responsible for Hwy. 417, the main east-west artery through Ottawa, are telling drivers to avoid the westbound lanes because of traffic backlogs linked to the demonstration.

The sheer size of the protest, which was expected to attract thousands to Ottawa, led local police to ask for backup from nearby forces.

Ottawa police say they have officers from forces in Ontario including Toronto, Durham Region and London, as well as officers from the OPP and RCMP.

Ottawa police also say that several vehicles parked at the National War Memorial this morning were immediately towed, adding that cars are not allowed to park and people will not be allowed to desecrate the memorial.

UPDATE: 10:40 a.m.

Sidewalks in front of Parliament Hill are jammed as protestors weave between the semis parked for blocks in Ottawas downtown core.

The crowd on the lawn in front of the Centre Block has swelled in size since earlier this morning, with people mostly shoulder to shoulder as movement slows.

Some people are standing on the fence ringing Parliament Hill, which is awash in cold air and the unmistakable smell of marijuana.

The atmosphere is that of a party or festival.

Many have Canadian flags or those with an expletive aimed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Several signs also say, We are the fringe minority, playing on comments Trudeau made a few days ago that characterized some in the convoy crowd.

Others are also mockingly shouting the same words amid sporadic chants of freedom.

More trucks are still on their way as organizers try to keep everyone moving and note where traffic has stopped, or exits blocked.

Outside of the core, people have lined pedestrian overpasses, including one in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata over Highway 417 that has people cheering as big rigs pass underneath on their way downtown.

UPDATE: 9:15 a.m.

The sounds of honking horns are echoing around Ottawa's downtown core.

About 100 vehicles are idling around the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa, with more trucks and personal vehicles packed on Wellington Street stretching west past Parliament Hill.

Hundreds of demonstrators are marching up and down Wellington Street, which runs right in front of Parliament Hill and the Prime Minister's Office.

The national flag is flying from some vehicles, or draped around the shoulders of some protestors, many of whom appear to be unmasked.

Some are carrying copies of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

David Santos says he came from Montreal for the protest because he believes the vaccine mandates are not health-related but what he calls a "control thing" by governments.

The event is peaceful and Ottawa police say there are no incidents to report.

In a tweet, the force also says that police resources are in place and will remain downtown until crowds disperse.

Officers are keeping emergency lanes open and plan to continue to tow vehicles obstructing those lanes and any other places police need to keep clear for public safety.

ORIGINAL: 7 a.m.

Thousands of protesters are expected to continue a weekend-long rally to oppose COVID-19 restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government in Ottawa's downtown core on Saturday.

Protesters descended on Parliament Hill Friday morning, and the crowd grew steadily in size throughout the day as big rigs rolled into downtown to oppose vaccine mandates, including cross-border requirements for truckers.

Police have warned their intelligence is flagging the potential for violence.

But the atmosphere Friday was more like a festival, as protesters danced in front of the Centennial Flame to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," carrying signs that read "coercion does not equal consent" and "mandate freedom."

The noise at times was overwhelming, with people cheering, car horns blaring, music blasting and vehicles circling in a constant parade. Expletive-laden signs and decals targeting Trudeau were a dominant theme around downtown.

Meanwhile Ottawa residents have been told by police to avoid the downtown core this weekend if possible.

Hundreds more vehicles are expected by Saturday, from Western Canada, Quebec, and the Maritimes and the Parliamentary Protective Service expects as many as 10,000 protesters.

Ottawa police are working with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, RCMP and other agencies to identify any potential threats to public safety.

Though the aim of the protest is ostensibly to oppose vaccine mandates for truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border, attendees said that is only a small part of their demands.

"Were not going to allow a small group of scumbags to control our bloodstream and health," said Jason Estey over a loudspeaker as protesters circled around him on Parliament Hill Friday.

After his impromptu speech, Estey said he feels the vaccine mandates imposed by Trudeau's government infringe on people's rights.

"Im honoured and privileged  to be out with this amazing positive vibe, to feel and experience it, and to know we are going to crush the establishment, this deep state shadow government here in Canada and were going to have our rights restored," he said.

Organizers of the group that mainly planned the truckers' convoy, Canada Unity, are expected to address the crowds Saturday.

The memo being pushed by Canada Unity unlawfully demands Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and the Senate force the federal and provincial governments to lift all COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccine mandates. It does not mention truckers, and was initially sent to the Senate and Simon on Dec. 11.

Fatigue and frustration about the pandemic measures were a theme of Friday's demonstration.

George Broharov said he was drawn to the protest in Ottawa from his home in Hamilton because of the repeating cycles of lockdowns and public-health restrictions.

"It's about people being mandated, obligated to do what they don't want to do. I disagree with that," he said.

While the federal government has imposed a vaccine mandate for federally regulated workers and at the border, almost all COVID-19 restrictions fall to provincial jurisdiction. That includes mask mandates, business and school closures, and other public and private gathering limits.

It's unclear how long protesters intend to stay on Parliament Hill.

Some protesters said they wouldn't leave until public-health restrictions and mandates are lifted, or Trudeau is forced out as prime minister.

Others are not so optimistic the government will fold to their demands.

"It's a nice thought, but I don't think anything will happen immediately," said Phil Powers, a truck driver from Oshawa, Ont., who parked his trailer truck in front of Parliament Hill on Wellington Street for the weekend.

"This is the Canadian space to have the debate, so that's why we're here."
Chino, CA (91710)

Today

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 57F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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Clear to partly cloudy. Low 57F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Maxine Fogg prepares an order at Chic-A-Sea on Friday in Newport News. The restaurant is closing. (Kaitlin McKeown/The Virginian-Pilot)

Newport News  Chic-A-Sea was once a fried chicken kingdom with more than 50 franchised stores throughout Virginia.

Now, just two remain.

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William Sledd, owner of the family-operated business, publicly announced that the 2702 Chestnut Ave. location in the Newport News Southeast Community was closing its doors. The other locations at 4400 Jefferson Ave. and 1417 W. Pembroke Ave. in Hampton remain in operation.

The no-frills fast-food chain best known for its fried chicken sandwiches  above all the Big Chic  also serves up mixed greens, corn fritters and breaded and deep-fried okra.

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Throughout the years, it has become not only a beloved spot for Black community in Newport News, but also integral.

Linda Joyner, Chic-A-Seas regional manager said a combination of rising costs for products and labor shortages led to the closure.

I wish we could keep it  but we got to do what we got to do to keep from losing the other ones, she said.

Joyners late father, Wadell Parker, operated the business and brought several of his children on board. Joyners twin sister, Brenda Wiggins, manages the Jefferson Avenue store and sister Maxine Fogg joined the family business to manage the Chestnut Avenue location. Parkers granddaughter, Lisa Parker, manages the West Pembroke Avenue spot.

Joyner, with the company for 50 years, said the coronavirus pandemic led to the difficult decision.

Prices have tripled on us and its hurt the bottom line; they cant operate it like that, she said.

At one point the business had 35 employees among the three locations, but has 17 now, Joyner said. Employees from the Chestnut Avenue store will merge into the other stores, she said.

Andrew Shannon, community organizer, said Chic-A-Sea has been a wonderful partner for more than three decades  always helping with his annual event, Feeding 5000.

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Its really devastating; its an anchor business on that corridor, Shannon said. Its a rallying cry to the community that they must support our area regional businesses.

Word of the closing spread quickly on social media and loyal customers such as Jon Kelly found themselves speechless. Kelly said he was shocked that the Chestnut Avenue location was closing because it was always the one to go to.

The real sad part is this is another Black business in downtown Newport News thats closing thats been here for years and nobody is up in arms to say, What can we do to help them? Kelly said.

Now, Kelly said he hopes the community will rally to support the two remaining Chic-A-Seas.

That is Shannons hope, too.

Chic-A-Sea has been there for the community, and Im asking the community to be there for Chic-A-Sea in the future even more, Shannon said. They are the heart and soul of the community.

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Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com
Here is the upcoming City Council agenda for Tuesday:

I. Call to Order by Chairman Henderson.



II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilman Ledford).



III. Special Presentation.



IV. Minute Approval.



V. Ordinances  Final Reading: (None)



VI. Ordinances  First Reading:



PLANNING



a. 2021-0213 PBD Development GP, Gunbarrel Partners, Chattanooga Hotel Properties Investment, LLC, and Napier Associates (Lift Conditions).

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to lift conditions of #11B and #11C from Ordinance No. 13110 of previous Case No. 2016-0060, from the properties located in the 2300 and 2400 blocks of Elam Lane, and the 2300 through 2500 blocks of Gunbarrel Road, 2321 Lifestyle Way, and 7344 McCutcheon Road. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission) (Staff recommends deferral for sixty (60) days). (Deferred from 12-21-2021)VII. Resolutions:ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTa. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Non-Profit Lease Standard Form Agreement with the Forgotten Child Fund, Inc., in substantially the form attached, to lease approximately 19,516 sq. ft. of warehouse space at 1815 E. Main Street, identified as Tax Map No. 156B-D-009, for the three (3) month term of February 1, 2022, through April 30, 2022, for the rent of $1 per term, with the option to renew for three (3) additional terms of three (3) months each. (District 8)b. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Non-Profit Lease Standard Form Agreement with the Forgotten Child Fund, Inc., in substantially the form attached, to lease approximately 1,142 sq. ft. of office space at 1715 E. Main Street, identified as Tax Map No. 156B-D-011, for the three (3) month term of February 1, 2022, through April 30, 2022, for the rent of $1 per term, with the option to renew for three (3) additional terms of three (3) months each. (District 8)c. A resolution to amend Resolution No. 30619 to authorize the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Donation Agreement, in substantially the form attached, with the A.I.M. Center, Inc., for the development of affordable housing on the property located at 1815 E. Main Street, identified as Tax Parcel No. 156B-D-009, and to execute all documents necessary to complete the transaction. (District 8)FAMILY JUSTICE CENTERd. A resolution authorizing the Family Justice Center to apply for, and if awarded, accept a grant for an amount not to exceed $160,000.00 to support the services provided to victims living within Hamilton County, for a grant period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.POLICEe. A resolution authorizing the Chief of the Chattanooga Police Department to enter into a contract with Safeware, in substantially the form attached and approved by the Office of the City Attorney, for a Nomad Mobile Command Vehicle, with an original vehicle purchase price of $342,000.00 based upon OMNIA Contract #4400008468 from Lead Agency Fairfax County, VA, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, less a $20,000.00 trade-in credit of an International 4700, with an expected delivery of 310 calendar days after receipt of order, for a final total amount of $322,000.00. (Added with permission of Chairman Henderson) (Revised)PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKSParksf. A resolution authorizing the waiver of park rental fees for Friends of the Festival in support of Riverfront Nights for the dates of July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, August 20, and August 27, 2022, in the amount of $18,000.00. (District 7)Public Worksg. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to execute a federal U.S. Communities Contract #4400008468 with Safeware to assist local communities in procurement of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Equipment and Related Services and leverage this contract to install a system of Automated High Water Road Closures at Flood Prone Streets within the City, for an amount of $256,357.19.h. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to authorize On-Call Blanket Contract(s) for On-Call Design and Plan Production Services, Contract No. S-20-004-100, for year two (2) of a five (5) year term, with the following firms: (1) WK Dickson; (2) Volkert; (3) Barge Design; (4) S&ME; (5) RK&K; (6) Geosyntec; (7) CTI; (8) Croy; (9) Chazen/LaBella Associates; (10) Brown & Caldwell; and (11) Arcadis, that each consultant qualified for, the renewal of the five (5), one (1) year blanket contracts for professional services estimated at $250,000.00 total annually, for all eleven (11) professional firms for use by all departments.VIII. Purchases.IX. Committee Reports.X. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.XI. Adjournment.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 6:00 PM1. Call to Order by Chairman Henderson.2. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilman Hester).3. Special Presentation.4. Minute Approval.Order of Business for City Council5. Ordinances - Final Reading:PLANNINGa. 2021-0213 PBD Development GP, Gunbarrel Partners, Chattanooga Hotel Properties Investment, LLC, and Napier Associates (Lift Conditions). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to lift conditions of #11B and #11C from Ordinance No. 13110 of previous Case No. 2016-0060, from the properties located in the 2300 and 2400 blocks of Elam Lane, and the 2300 through 2500 blocks of Gunbarrel Road, 2321 Lifestyle Way, and 7344 McCutcheon Road. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission) (Staff recommends deferral for sixty (60) days). (Deferred from 12-21-2021)6. Ordinances - First Reading:PLANNINGa. 2021-0233 ASA Engineering (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1145, 1149, and 1157 Mountain Creek Road and an unaddressed tract of land located in the 1100 block of Mountain Creek Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 1) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2021-0233 ASA Engineering (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1145, 1149, and 1157 Mountain Creek Road and an unaddressed tract of land located in the 1100 block of Mountain Creek Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone. (Applicant Version)b. 2022-006 John K. Mazzie (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 4721 Tessie Lane, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone. (District 2) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2022-006 John K. Mazzie (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 4721 Tessie Lane, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone. (Applicant Version) (Recommended for denial by Planning Commission and Staff)c. 2022-0014 Tyrone Byrd (R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 3838 and 3840 Hixson Pike, from R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 2) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2022-0014 Tyrone Byrd (R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 3838 and 3840 Hixson Pike, from R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)d. 2021-0230 Tuba Warden (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1030, 1031, and 1037 Wilcox Drive and 8247 Patterson Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse Zero Lot Line Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff) (Tabled on 01-11-2022)2021-0230 Tuba Warden (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1030, 1031, and 1037 Wilcox Drive and 8247 Patterson Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse Zero Lot Line Zone. (Applicant Version)e. 2022-009 ASA Engineering c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone for properties located at 7440, 7444, 7446, and 7448 Pinewood Drive, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission)2022-009 ASA Engineering c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone for properties located at 7440, 7444, 7446, and 7448 Pinewood Drive, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone. (Applicant Version) (Recommended for denial by Planning Commission and Staff)f. 2021-0184 BKY Enterprises, GP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-1 Residential Zone and R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 4541 Peckinpaugh Drive, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-1 Residential Zone and R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone with conditions. (District 5) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission) (Denied on 01-04-2022)2021-0184 BKY Enterprises, GP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-1 Residential Zone and R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 4541 Peckinpaugh Drive, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-1 Residential Zone and R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone with conditions. (Staff Version)g. 2022-0015 Brand Properties, LLC c/o Michael Hoath (Lift All Conditions). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to lift all Condition Nos. 1 through 4 from Ordinance No. 10610 of previous Case No. 1996-278 from the properties located at 1188, 1200, 1204, 1206, 1208, 1209, 1210, 1218, 1232, 1290, and 1300 Premier Drive. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)h. 2022-0016 Jay Floyd (Amend and Lift All Conditions). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to amend Condition No. 1 of Ordinance No. 12183 of previous Case No. 2008-0178 to Office Uses (including Medical) only and to lift Condition Nos. 2 through 6 from Ordinance No. 12183. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)i. 2022-005 Jerrell Reynolds, CEO of ATJ Prime Service, LLC (M-1 Manufacturing ZonetoR-1ResidentialZone). AnordinancetoamendChattanoogaCityCode,Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 2901 and 2903 Dodson Avenue, from M-1 Manufacturing Zone to R-1 Residential Zone. (District 8) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)j. 2022-007 David Fidati (R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone three (3) unaddressed properties in the 1200 block of North Holtzclaw Avenue, from R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 8) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2022-007 David Fidati (R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone three (3) unaddressed properties in the 1200 block of North Holtzclaw Avenue, from R-4 Special Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)k. 2022-0017 Jerry Isaksen, MBI (R-2 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1508 and 1510 Old Ringgold Road, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 9) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)7. Resolutions:PARKS AND OUTDOORSa. A resolution authorizing the waiver of park rental fees for River City Company in support of Impulse for the dates of March 2, 2022, through April 4, 2022, in the amount of $64,000.00. (District 7) (Added with permission of Chairman Henderson)8. Purchases.9. Committee Reports.10. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.11. Adjournment.
Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk has been named to handle the prosecution of a shooting case in Soddy Daisy in which DA Neal Pinkston asked the TBI to look into the involvement in the case of attorney Coty Wamp, who is running against him in the current election.

Soddy Daisy Judge Marty Lasley signed the order on the appointment of the district attorney pro temp.

DA Pinkston had asked the Board of Professional Responsibility for a ruling on if he had a conflict in handling the case. the BPR replied that there could be a conflict. DA Pinkston then recused himself.

DA Pinkston said he brought in the TBI after Soddy Daisy Police said witnesses in the case had changed their story from the initial statements.

Ms. Wamp said she had received a call from local businessman Jeff Cannon saying the state had the wrong man. He said she talked to witnesses on the phone who insisted that was true.

In the case, Hugo Garcia Padilla is charged. Soddy Daisy Police said they were given that name and his Hixson address and he and his truck were at his home.

Witnesses now say the shooter was Hugo Garcia Robles.

A motion to appoint a district attorney pro temp says DA Pinkston on Jan. 6 to look into the facts of the case as well as "possible issues of witness tampering and obstruction of justice."

It says the issues of witness tampering and obstruction of justice "may involve a political opponent of District Attorney Neal Pinkston in the upcoming May 2022 primary election for district attorney general."
Gee whiz, listening to all the wailing going on about the book, "Maus," one would think it is the only book ever written about the Holocaust. According to Google there have been over 20,000 books written about the event with more coming every year. Scholastic Magazine recommends no less than 24 books for instructing students in grades 1-12 of the events surrounding this horrible event and "Maus," is not one of them.

And to my knowledge, despite the screeching about book burning, not one book has been burned or even banned to the general public in McMinn County. You want little Joey or Buffy to learn about the Holocaust? Give them, "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," by William L Shirer, the "Diary of Anne Frank," or Herman Wouk's magnificent works of historical fiction, "The Winds of War," and "War and Remembrance".

Hitler was a monster. Most historians hold him responsible for 17 million deaths during his reign of terror. Stalin was worse, killing between 20-30 million Russians. But the biggest killer of all time was Mao who is generally believed to have killed 70 million during his time.

This brings up an interesting question, how many books on the Mao and Stalin holocausts are in school libraries?

Douglas Jones

Ooltewah

* * *

Good information from Doug Jones. My suggestion to parents and guardians is this: If you want your child / ward to read a certain book, you buy it and let them read it at home. Pretty simple to me.

Ernie McCarson
A woman on Grace Avenue told police she was in an accident and the vehicle was towed and she allowed the vehicle to be sold. She said she left her license plate on the vehicle when sold. She said she has now received a speeding ticket for that vehicle with her license plate still on it. She does not know who bought the vehicle and wants them to stop using her license plate. Police

entered the license plate as stolen into NCIC. There is no suspect information.

* * *

An employee at Walgreens, 2104 McCallie Ave., told police someone had shoplifted beer. They said the person was the same one who is believed to have shoplifted there before. The suspect was described as a black male between 40-50 years old wearing a red ball cap, black and gray jacket, black pants and a red and yellow backpack. They said the person came in and loaded two cases and some individual beers into the bag before walking out the front door. The person was last seen headed north on Willow Street. Police searched the area, but were unable to locate the man.

* * *

A woman on Shallowford Road told police she noticed some scratches on the passenger side front door handle that appear as if someone was trying to get into her vehicle. She said these scratches were not there the day before. There is no suspect information. She told police that within the last two weeks someone had entered the vehicle and rummaged through the glove box, but they did not take anything. She said she did not report that incident. Police are placing this address on the Watch List.

* * *

A man on Pierce Avenue told police his son was refusing to leave. The son agreed to leave and went to the sidewalk to wait for his ride. The disorder was over.

* * *

A woman on South Lyerly Street told police that she and her husband live there and one of their vehicles was entered sometime overnight. She said they last saw it around 7 p.m. the night before and discovered this around 7:45 a.m. She said the vehicle was left locked, but there was no damage, so she's not sure how someone got in it. She said the bill of aale (pink slip) was taken, along with her husband's wallet, which contained some of her belongings as well.

* * *

A man reported a disorder on Moss Drive between him and his girlfriend. He called again to say he and his girlfriend were in a verbal disorder; however, he no longer needed police, due to him going back to work. When police arrived, he told them that the disagreement was only verbal and no physical altercation took place. Police then spoke to his girlfriend and she said that the argument was only verbal and that, "He didn't touch me."

* * *

An employee at Boss Burgers, 620 E. Martin Luther King Blvd., told police that he walked to the back of the property and saw a man sleeping next door. The man woke up and was startled. The employee said the man had a few choice words to share with him. The employee said that he has known the man for a long time and he has never acted like this before. Police spoke to the man and he apologized and explained he was asleep and was startled.

* * *

An employee of Metro Lawn Care told police they were working at the First Horizon Bank, 4757 Hwy. 58, and while at the bank someone stole two backpack leaf blowers from the back of his work truck. The employee said he did not see anyone take the items. He said the blowers were made by Stihl and worth around $1,200. Police checked with the bank about accessing the security cameras. Police were informed the security officer would review the footage and notify police of anything suspicious. The employee was told to contact police if he had anything further to add.

* * *

The owner of Splendid Printing, 1506 Wilder St., told police that someone stole the catalytic converter and license plate off of their vehicle, a Ford F150. He said they had not driven the truck in a week, so it is unknown when the theft occurred. There is no suspect information. Police entered the plate as stolen into NCIC.



* * *

Police spoke with a man and woman who were seen possibly shoplifting from Dillards, 7001 Shallowford Road. Both were questioned about the incident. After speaking with the couple and Dillards' employees, both the man and woman were trespassed from Dillards.

* * *



A man on East 5th Street told police he was alerted by his landlord that his vehicle had been vandalized. He discovered that someone had broken the passenger side window of his Infiniti G35. The man said nothing was taken. Another vehicle in the lot was also vandalized, but no victim was located. Security doing rounds initially noticed the damage at 8:30 a.m. Security's previous round at 7 a.m. did not notice the damage. There is no suspect information.

* * *

A woman on 5th Avenue told police about some suspicious activity that has been happening at her house. She said she often will have people knock on her doors and windows and then run away.

She said that she does not know who they are and that she wants her house to be put on the Watch List for two weeks. Police told her that the next time this occurs she should call police back so these people can be identified. This residence has been placed on the Watch List for two weeks.
The Photographic Society of Chattanooga will present Tom and Pat Cory on Thursday, Feb. 17.

The Corys are semi-retired nature and travel photographers who have been members of PSC for many years. For 35 years they led photography tours throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. Tom and Pat have spent extensive time in Iceland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Faroe Islands. In addition to their travels, they have published three photography books and had their work featured in numerous publications such as Outdoor Photography, Nature Photographer, the PSA Journal and Sierra Club Calendars.

The Corys presentation will be, Iceland and Beyond: The Art and Technique of Travel Photography and it will begin at 7 p.m. Visitors are always welcome.

Boot Camp will begin at 6 p.m. with Patricia Wilkins discussing, Shooting Fireworks.

The event will be at the St. John United Methodist Church, 3921 Murray Hills Dr.

For more information call 344-5643 or e-mail Louann Smith at president@chattanoogaphoto.org. For more information about the Photographic Society of Chattanooga, visit https://chattanoogaphoto.org.
During a special called meeting Thursday at Edwards Park Community Center, the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners took a major step toward solving that problem, unanimously approving a measure to allocate $900,000 to extend sewer to the edge of a major new housing development planned off Cleveland Highway.

After more than a year of working on the housing issue, the board reached an agreement with Three Point Development, a home builder in the Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tennessee area that is now moving into Whitfield County, to extend the sewer line north about three miles on Cleveland Highway to the development in the Strain Road area, according to Commission Chairman Jevin Jensen.

Camden Farms will be the largest new subdivision this century and likely the largest planned community ever in Whitfield County, Commissioner Jensen said.

By the time it completes multiple phases, the company plans to build 1,135 homes on the site that covers more than 400 acres, with a likely total investment of more than $300 million. The typical home will feature four bedrooms and three baths and have a starting price around $300,000, including community amenities such as playgrounds and pool.

The development meets the countys master plan to build and grow residential homes in the north end of the county where new middle and high schools are already open and will provide jobs for skilled craftsmen from carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and others for years to come, Commissioner Jensen added.

Once the developer closes on the property and starts engineering work, the county will outlay the funds for the sewer line from the $20.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding the county is receiving. The developer will then be responsible for connecting each home to the sewer extension as well as funding any lift stations needed inside the new subdivision.

This year will mark the start of the largest expansion of sewer outside the city of Dalton in Whitfield County history. In December, the board voted to apply for a sewer infrastructure grant from the State Fiscal Recovery Grant Fund to extend sewer along Cleveland Highway, Carbondale Road, Command Drive, Connector 3, Crider Road, and Tibbs Bridge Road to Riverbend Road. In addition, the county is using $4.9 million from the 2020 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for sewer expansion to the Carbondale interchange, the Connector 3 interchange, and north along Cleveland Highway to about Frontier Trail to encourage economic development in those areas.

In remarks at the meeting, Commissioner Jensen pointed out that thousands of workers from Bradley, Catoosa, Murray and other neighboring counties commute into Whitfield County every morning. After 5 p.m., they all leave us because we lack the quantity and quality of homes, he said, pointing out that as of Thursday afternoon, only 92 Whitfield homes were listed in the MLS for a county with more than 102,000 residents.

Besides offering new homes for commuters who might prefer living in Whitfield County, the new Camden Farms development will help other young couples already living here who are eager to start and grow their families and now have to live in apartments or older, smaller homes built well before the turn of the century because of the lack of inventory, Jensen said. As their families grow, they often have been forced to move outside the county to find larger houses.

The sewer expansion projects will also help the county attract businesses such as hotels and restaurants, Commissioner Jensen said.












Netflixs All of Us Are Dead has a long list of actors from industry veterans to rising stars. The K-dramas director cast young actors like Park Solomon and Cho Yi-hyun as high school students to make an effective storyline. The main cast for All of Us Are Dead is famous among fans and will likely continue to gain momentum. Here is everything about the cast from Instagram handles, their ages, and previous work.

Main cast of All of Us Are Dead press event | via Netflix

Lee Eun-saem joins the young cast of actors in All of Us Are Dead

Actor Lee is just on the cusp of being considered a 90s baby. She was born in 1999 and is 21-years-old. She plays high school student Park Mi-jin trying to survive the viral outbreak. Fans of MBCs The Red Sleeve would recognize her in the supporting role as Son Young-hee.

She also played Lee So-eun in the teen K-drama Sweet Revenge starring Park Solomon. Fans can follow her on Instagram @2eunsaem.

Cast member Son Sang-yeon plays Jung Woo-jin in All of Us Are Dead

RELATED: All of Us Are Dead: How Does the Virus Work? And What Does It Mean for Nam-Ra?

For fans born in the 90s, be prepared to learn Son was born in 2002 and is 19-years-old. The rising actor started his career in 2017 and has had many supporting roles in Chicago Typewriter, Suspicious Partner, and Level Up. He gained fame from his leading role in Racket Boys.

Son has his own Instagram account under @04s_sy. The actor has limited posts, but fans can see him and the cast on the set of All of Us Are Dead.

Ham Sung-min stars as Han Gyeong-su in the K-drama

In the main cast for All of Us Are Dead is actor Ham. He plays the role of Gyeong-su and best friend to one of the main characters. The actor was born on March 14, 1998. He has appeared in many movies, and series from Sweet Home, Doctor John, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, and Sweet Revenge.

For anyone who wants small tidbits into his life, they can follow his Instagram at @hm_0314_vv. With only 57 posts, Ham has over 10 thousand followers.

Ahn Seung-kyun plays the role of Oh Joon-yeong in All of Us Are Dead

RELATED: How Happiness Parallels Netflixs Sweet Home Apocalyptic K-Drama

One of the students battling to survive a zombie plague is Joon-yeong, played by actor Ahn. Do not let his young facial features fool you. Despite playing a high schooler, Ahn was born in 1994, making him 28-years-old.

Before joining the cast of All of Us Are Dead, he starred in Catch the Ghost, My Mister, and School 2017. Fans can follow him on Instagram @tmdrbs782.

Ha Seung-ri plays student and archer Jang Ha-ri in the K-drama

Among the cast of All of Us Are Dead is well-recognized actor Ha Seung-ri. Many K-drama fans will recognize her for her roles in Search: WWW, School 2017, and Good Manager with Lee Junho. She plays Ha-ri, an archer and sister to Woo-jin in the Netflix K-drama.

Has Instagram, @seung_lee.vv, has very few posts. The actor did promote the new drama and has over 36 thousand followers. Ha was born in 1995 and is 26-years-old.

All of Us Are Dead is Lim Jae-hyuks first major K-drama role

One of the main characters in Netflixs zombie K-drama that fans adored was Yang Dae-su. The role is played by fresh new actor Lim Jae-hyuk. Before All of Us Are Dead, Lim has only starred in one other K-drama. He had a role in the 2020 drama, Alice.

Lim was born in May 1994 and is 27-years-old. Fans can get to know the actor through his Instagram @jhyuk.im. The actor has 11 thousand followers so far. He has posted many photos with his co-stars, the All of Us Are Dead set, and more.

Lee Yoo-mi starred in the global K-drama Squid Game

RELATED: 3 of Park Hyung-siks Most Recognized K-Dramas Besides Happiness

Actor Lee went from trying to survive childhood games in Squid Game to trying and staying alive in All of Us Are Dead. In the main cast, she plays snobby high school student Lee Na-yeon.

The actor was born in 1994 and is 27-years-old. Before gaining fame for Squid Game, she starred as Na Kyung-ah in Doctor John. Fans can follow her on Instagram at @leeyoum262. She posts a closer look into her life from acting, brand ambassador for Miu Miu, and more.

Cho Yi-hyun plays a class president in All of Us Are Dead

K-drama fans would have recognized Cho for another coming-of-age K-drama titled School 2021 on Viki. Cho was born in 1999 and is 22-years-old. She made her acting debut in 2017 and has since starred in Less Than Evil, My Country: The New Age with Woo Do-hwan, and Hospital Playlist.

As part of the main cast for All of Us Are Dead, she plays Choi Nam-ra, the class president. Fans can follow her official Instagram account @yihyun_1208. The rising actor has 285 thousand followers.

Yoon Chan-young started out as a child actor

RELATED: Happiness: K-drama Combines Blood Thirsty Monsters With Coronavirus Pandemic

In the leading role as Lee Chung-san is actor Yoon. He started his career early and has since starred in many movie and TV works compared to his co-stars. He has played younger versions of the main characters in The Bride of Habaek, Dr. Romantic, and Still 17.

K-drama fans know Yoon from his role in Doctor John, and Nobody Knows. The actor was born in April of 2001 and is 20-years-old. Yoon has posted multiple photos of him on the set of All of Us Are Dead with his co-stars on Instagram @yooncy1.

Park Ji-Hu plays protagonist Nam On-jo in All of Us Are Dead

All of Us Are Dead cast member Park gained fame for her role in the critically acclaimed movie House of the Hummingbird. She stars as narrator and leading character On-jo in the Netflix K-drama.

Park is one of the youngest cast members at 18-years-old and was born in November 2003. With over 47 thousand followers, fans can visit her Instagram @03_hu. She posts photos from photoshoots, her upcoming dramas, and cast members.

Yoo In-soo plays a ruthless bully in the zombie K-drama

RELATED: Netflix Unleashes Plethora of Upcoming K-Dramas for 2022 Like A Model Family

All of Us Are Dead has a fun twist with a leading antagonist and bully named Yoon Gwi-nam, played by actor Yoo. Like some of his co-stars, Yoo also played a role in Sweet Revenge. He has also starred in Stranger 2, Chocolate, Life, and My ID is Gangnam Beauty.

Yoo was born in 1998 and is 23-years-old. He has over 47 thousand followers on Instagram @k.a_innsoo. The All of Us Are Dead cast member has posted photos on set and promotional photoshoots.

Park Solomon is everyones new K-drama crush

Park Solomon is known among long-time K-drama fans for his first leading role in Sweet Revenge in 2017. The 22-year-old actor is still relatively new to the industry, having roles in Lookout, Doctors, and The Legendary Witch.

All of Us Are Dead is Parks second leading role with the internet in a frenzy. He has fans falling in love with his character Lee Soo-hyuk. For fans who want a sneak peek into his life, they can follow his Instagram @lomon991111.
Shortly after season 3 of Too Hot to Handle premiered, Big Brother 23 houseguest, Whitney Williams claimed cast member Gerrie Labuschagne proposed to her only a month before filming the dating show.

Big Brother 23 houseguest, Whitney Williams; Too Hot to Handle Season 3 cast member, Gerrie Labuschagne | Cliff Lipson/CBS/Getty Images

Big Brother star Whitney Williams detailed relationship with ex Gerrie Labuschagne before Too Hot to Handle

A few days after the reality dating series Too Hot to Handle premiered on Netflix, Big Brother 23 houseguest Whitney Williams, 31, opened up about a previous relationship she had with late arrival Gerrie Labuschagne.

Speaking to US Magazine, she explained the two started communicating following a 2020 TikTok video in which she listed possible reasons for her being single. According to Williams, he sent her a message, and the two began talking on the phone for up to 12 hours a day.

RELATED: Big Brother: Whitney Williams Planned to Call the Guys out for Misogynistic Comments During Finale

Although he lived in Japan as a rugby player as the two dated, he reportedly proposed to the Big Brother houseguest in November 2020 by sending her a ring and talking to her two sons about the potential marriage.

Williams noted they broke up a couple of weeks after the proposal and then realized he flew to Turks and Caicos to film season 3 of Too Hot to Handle. Although the reality star pointed out her ex previously told her about the show, which he initially thought was Beyond Parties of Paradise, when they first began talking, she insisted he left without telling her.

Williams also says she felt her ex-boyfriend love bombed her

In January 2021, Williams thought Labuschagne, 26, dropped off the face of the earth as he ceased communication with her after previously telling her he dealt with depression following their split.

Reportedly concerned about her ex, the Big Brother houseguest reached out to his friends before eventually finding out he had left for the reality show. After returning from filming in February 2021, Williams claims she received a FaceTime call from her ex sitting in a bathtub.

According to the 31-year-old, she heard a females voice before he quickly hung up on her. The two continued dating on and off, including around the time she appeared on the CBS competition show before permanently splitting due to his partying behavior caught on video. Williams admitted she felt he love bombed the s out of me and thought he intentionally said things he knew she wanted to hear.

Pointing out a comment he made on the show about wanting to settle down with a family, the reality star noted it sounded all too familiar and thought he only wanted her interested in him. Labuschagne has not yet publicly responded to her claims.

Gerrie Labuschagne fell for Georgia Hassarati during Too Hot to Handle Season 3

The South African-based rugby player entered the villa during Episode 6, following the eliminations of Jaz Holloway and Robert Truth DuVaun.

He and Australian native Georgia Hassarati, 26, shared a mutual interest in each other and didnt waste time breaching the rules. Many viewers initially enjoyed their connection and thought Hassarati would finally find her match after already turning down several guys.

#BBWhitney dishes on who she would have gone after, who is playing the best game, and much more! #BB23 pic.twitter.com/s8oghgyERQ  Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) August 7, 2021

However, while he seemed focused on settling down and starting a family, she didnt want a serious relationship at the time. Therefore, she respectfully cut it off, and they amicably co-existed in the house until the end.

Due to her growth exhibited in the villa, Hassarati finished third for the prize fund. Too Hot to Handle is streaming on Netflix.

RELATED: Too Hot to Handle: Many Fans Think Melinda and Another Cast Member (Not Marvin) Are Dating
Tibet strives to further improve lives of people with disabilities

Xinhua) 09:32, January 29, 2022

LHASA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has released a development guideline on ramping up support and assistance for people with disabilities.

The enrollment rate of compulsory education for the region's disabled children is expected to reach 98 percent by 2025, up from 97.1 percent by the end of 2020, according to the guideline.

The region plans to invest 200 million yuan (about 31.4 million U.S. dollars) in building comprehensive disability rehabilitation facilities in 22 counties and prefectures, and another 214 million yuan to improve basic public infrastructure and services for the disabled.

According to the guideline, the living conditions of people with disabilities in the region had greatly improved during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

All registered impoverished disabled people in the region were lifted out of poverty during the period, and vocational training and employment of disabled people saw remarkable advancement.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
A federal court has ordered Steadfast Medical Staffing, which operates in offices at the building pictured here at 5750 Chesapeake Blvd. in Norfolk, to pay more than $7.2 million in back wages and damages to workers after a Department of Labor investigation, the department announced. (Trevor Metcalfe / The Virginian-Pilot)

A federal court ordered a Norfolk medical staffing agency to pay more than $7.2 million in back pay and damages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Steadfast Medical Staffing, a Norfolk-based agency for nurses and nurses aides, was ordered to pay about $3.6 million in back wages and another $3.6 million in damages after the company intentionally misclassified employees and denied them overtime pay, according to the court order.

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When employers misclassify employees as independent contractors and fail to pay workers their hard-earned wages, the U.S. Department of Labor will hold them legally accountable, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh said in a news release.

Walsh said the company violated the law and shortchanged 1,105 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing aides of their rightful wages. According to the Department of Labor investigation, Steadfast willfully misclassified the workers as independent contractors since at least August 2015. By misclassifying the employees, the company paid them regular wages instead of time-and-a-half overtime pay.

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The court also ordered the Solicitor of Labor to update the back wages to the present, which will likely substantially increase the back wage and damage amounts, according to the Department of Labor.

The Department of Labor originally filed a complaint against the staffing agency in 2018, which said owner Lisa Ann Pitts misclassified employees and failed to compensate them for overtime. Additionally, the complaint said Pitts failed to accurately keep and maintain accurate records of overtime hours and compensation.

Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in the news release that the court order sent a message to all employers that the Department of Labor will work to recover stolen wages when they violate the law.

Pitts did not respond to a request for comment by Friday afternoon.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
Though Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac is legendary for the constant relationship drama, the band had its issues from the start. The band dynamics impacted everyones personal lives, and vocalist Christine McVie was drawn in even before she began performing with them. She shared that when she married John McVie, only one band member attended the wedding.

Christine McVie | Davidson/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Christine McVie worked as a musician before joining Fleetwood Mac

McVie was part of Fleetwood Mac several years before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined, but she had a career as a musician before joining the band. Growing up, she was a talented classical pianist who made a genre shift when she heard some of the new music coming in from the United States.

I found some sheet music in the piano store, and it was goodbye, Chopin, she told Rolling Stone.

This one is going out to all of you Christine McVie heads out there  pic.twitter.com/thTTwreR8u  COSMO BAKER (@CosmoBaker) October 24, 2021

She played in a band in college but dedicated herself to music full-time after she graduated, joining the band Chicken Shack.

I was bored, not doing much of anything and not earning any money at all, she said, explaining why she was eager to join the group.

Only 1 bandmate attended Christine McVies wedding

While in Chicken Shack, McVie became a fan of the British blues band Fleetwood Mac. At that point, the members were Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie.

They just had tremendous charisma  especially Peter Green  and Jeremy Spencer was such an outrageous little guy onstage, McVie explained. I used to go and see them when I wasnt working.

Soon, she developed more than just professional appreciation for John McVie. Not long after they got involved, he proposed.

John was engaged when I first met him. And then the engagement was broken off, she said. He had a wonderful sense of humor, the most endearing person. I loved him. He loved me. Good reason.

Given the brevity of their relationship, nearly everyone around her thought marriage was a mistake.

Peter Green phoned me up the night before the wedding and said, Youre crazy, you dont even know this guy, McVie explained. In fact, though, he was the only member of Fleetwood Mac that came to the wedding.

Green was the best man, but none of John McVies other bandmates attended.

Peter Green eventually quit Fleetwood Mac

Not long after the wedding, Fleetwood Macs original line-up crumbled. Green was first to leave, following an ill-fated tour in Germany. According to McVie, Green met some weird characters in Munich, the Munich jet set. They all went up to some old chateau and they pumped acid down his throat and he came back not the same.

The bands sound was not the same after losing one of their most dynamic members. They invited McVie to replace him.

Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie.  pic.twitter.com/KHkmVpwkr4  Gabe Ortiz (@TUSK81) October 11, 2021

I had ten days to rehearse and the first gig I did was in New Orleans, she said. It was a nerve-racking experience, playing with my favorite band onstage.

The band continued losing members until 1975, when Nicks and Buckingham joined, forming the most famous version of Fleetwood Mac.

RELATED: Stevie Nicks Told Christine McVie She Needed to Get in Shape If She Wanted to Rejoin Fleetwood Mac
Leonardo DiCaprio might be best-known to fans around the world as an award-winning actor  but to the scientific community, hes a force to be reckoned with. DiCaprio, who has received acclaim for his ability to throw himself completely into a role, has dedicated a great deal of his time and energy to causes that he believes in. As one of the most active celebrities in the climate change movement, DiCaprio regularly takes to social media to entreat fans to protect the environment. Recently, DiCaprio was honored for his work by a group of scientists who named an endangered plant after the beloved actor.

Leonardo DiCaprio has been instrumental in protecting the Ebo Forest in Cameroon

DiCaprio has long been invested in helping to save the tropical Ebo Forest, located in Cameroon. The forest, which is home to a variety of critically endangered species such as forest elephants and western gorillas, was in danger of being used for logging in 2020, according to Smithsonian Magazine. After the logging initiative was announced, scientists and researchers panicked, calling upon anyone who was in a position of power to help.

Fortunately, DiCaprio sprang into action, taking to social media to post a petition against the logging. The petition DiCaprio shared to Twitter received an incredible wave of support, and three weeks after the initial announcement, the government of Cameroon stated that the logging initiative would be suspended. Theres no doubt that DiCaprios social media influence helped to save the tropical forest from deforestation and damage.

What honor did Leonardo DiCaprio just receive from scientists?

Leonardo DiCaprio | Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for Turner

In early 2022, the scientific community found a way to thank DiCaprio for his work in saving the Ebo Forest. Botanists named the first plant species described by science this year after DiCaprio, dubbing an evergreen tree that grows in the Ebo Forest with the name Uvariopsis dicaprio. According to a recently-published PeerJ article, the plant reaches about 13 feet in height and has glossy, yellow-green leaves that grow in bunches around the trunk.

Smithsonian Magazine notes that the plant is a spectacular species that is considered to be critically endangered. Martin Cheek, one of the researchers on the project, said We very much appreciated the support Leo gave us in campaigning to protect Ebo last year so it seemed fitting to honor him in this way, naming a species unique only to this forest, after him. Cheek also said that now that scientists know that the plant species exists, they can work even harder to protect it.

Leonardo DiCaprio is a dedicated environmental activist

Congrats to the Government of Bangladesh, local communities & NGOs on a newly established Marine Protected Area around Saint Martins Island that will protect an incredible community of biodiversity and provide key habitat for Bangladeshs only coral reef.

( : courtesy of WCS) pic.twitter.com/T286nurs7b  Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) January 21, 2022

DiCaprio has used his celebrity influence for years to advocate for protecting the environment. Not only is DiCaprio a board member of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, but in 1998, he established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which has the mission of protecting the Earths last wild places and implementing solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.

A few of DiCaprios particular passion projects include protecting and promoting biodiversity, working on behalf of ocean and forest conservation, and raising awareness of climate change. Not only does DiCaprio work directly with environmental organizations around the world, but he also uses his own social media accounts to post about causes that he believes in such as in the case of the Ebo Forest. Certainly, fans havent heard the last of DiCaprios work on behalf of the environment, and the honor granted to him by the scientific community likely wont be the last that the actor receives.

RELATED: 10 Times the Oscars Got Political
A number of exciting anime series are planned for winter 2022, Shenmue the Animation among them. Based on the popular video game series, Shenmues anime adaptation will give fans of the franchise the chance to experience its characters and story in a new medium. What can we expect from Shenmue the Animation, and when does it come out?

What is Shenmue the Animation about?

Key art for Shenmue the Animation | Sega/Shenmue Project/Elation, LLC/Cartoon Network

RELATED: 10 of the Most Anticipated Anime Series Returning in 2022

Shenmue the Animation brings the story from 1999s SEGA game, Shenmue, to life. A Crunchyroll and Adult Swim original, the series promises to build on the world, storylines, and characters introduced in the cult classic and its sequels.

Set in Yokosuka in 1986, it will follow Ryo Hazuki, a martial arts student determined to avenge his fathers death. According to the official synopsis for the series, his quest for revenge will find him wrapped up in feuds between a number of gangs:

Ryo Hazuki has trained to master the Hazuki Style Jujitsu under his strict father in the Hazuki Dojo from his childhood. However, one day a mysterious man named Lan Di murders his father and takes the mirror his father was protecting. Ryo is determined to find the truth behind his fathers murder, but soon finds himself getting stuck in a war between the underground organizations . Traveling from Yokosuka to Hong Kong, Ryos long journey begins!

Blending action and mystery, Shenmue the Animation is one of those adaptations that promises to enhance the source material further. And the trailer already has fans excited about whats to come.

The Shenmue trailer has fans pumped for the anime adaptation

Crunchyroll and Adult Swim released the trailer for Shenmue the Animation in January 2022, and it has fans of the franchise pumped for the anime adaptation.

The first look introduces Ryo right before shifting its focus to his fathers death. Emotions are high as Ryo realizes he may not know his father as well as he believed. And his journey to find answers looks suspenseful and action-packed.

The YouTube comments beneath the trailer are full of fans hoping the series gets a solid run. The enthusiasm is palpable after just one look at the show. Hopefully, it lives up to longtime fans expectations.

Whos in the voice cast of Crunchyroll and Adult Swims new anime?

An anime is nothing without its voice cast, and Shenmue the Animation boasts a number of impressive talents in its lineup. Crunchyroll and Adult Swim havent released the full casting details for the show just yet. However, an email from Crunchyroll revealed some familiar names would appear in the credits:

Ryo Hazuki voiced by Masaya Matsukaze (Japanese) and Austin Tindle (English)

Lan Di voiced by Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese) and Scott Gibbs (English)

Shenhua voiced by Natalie Rial (English)

Nozomi Harasaki voiced by Cat Thomas (English)

Guizhang Chen voiced by Jeremy Gee (English)

Chai  voiced by Greg Ayres (English)

Wong voiced by Bryson Baugus (English)

Joy voiced by Luci Christian (English)

Xiuying Hong voiced by Christine Auten (English)

Ren voiced by Cody House (English)

Dou Niu voiced by Joe Daniels (English)

Many of the voice actors on this list will be familiar to anime lovers. Its especially comforting to know Ryo and Lan Di will be portrayed by seasoned stars in both the English and Japanese versions of the series. Austin Tindle is known for roles in Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul, and Scott Gibbs has held prominent parts in Food Wars! and Haikyuu!

Meanwhile, Japanese voice actor Masaya Matsukaze has worked on Attack on Titan, One Punch Man, and even the Shenmue III video game. Takahiro Sakurai has an equally impressive resume, including Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen.

According to Crunchyroll, more talent will be announced later on.

Shenmue the Animation, a Crunchyroll and @AdultSwim Original, begins February 5th!! pic.twitter.com/rN2lMJyNay  Shenmue the Animation (@ShenmueAnime) January 21, 2022

So, when are Crunchyroll and Adult Swim bringing the Shenmue anime to the small screen? The companies recently announced a winter 2022 release date for the series. The anime debuts on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 9:30 p.m. PST.

The English dubbed and Japanese subtitled versions of the show will premiere on the same date. The former will air on Toonami in North America, while the latter streams on Crunchyroll worldwide (outside of Japan and China).

The anime will be comprised of 13 episodes in total, and theres no word on whether it could receive a season 2. Either way, its release seems like a great way to celebrate more than 20 years of the video game series. Hopefully, it proves just as compelling.

RELATED: 10 of the Most Anticipated New Anime Coming Out in 2022
Looking back now, its probably wild for some Tom Hanks fans to realize how much of a comedy star the actor was. For years early on, he was known almost exclusively for getting laughs. With the exception of his first film role  a forgotten slasher flick called He Knows Youre Alone  Hanks spent his first several years in the business in comedic roles. Then in 2000s Cast Away, he made audiences emotional over a volleyball. Thankfully, Wilsons real-life fate is much more lucrative than what happens in that hit movie.

Tom Hanks | 20th Century Fox

Wilson is 1 of Tom Hanks most famous co-stars

Cast Away stars Hanks as Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee who winds up stranded on a deserted island after a company plane crashes. His only company are the many packages that wash ashore. And while some of the items Chuck finds are useful, perhaps the most vital turns out to be a Wilson brand volleyball. After Chuck injures himself, he grabs the ball in a fit of rage and throws it, leaving a bloody handprint.

As the isolation of his circumstances sets in, Chuck ultimately turns that bloody stain into a face for Wilson. In order to stave off loneliness, he begins talking to Wilson as if it is his closest friend. After four years on the island, Chuck gets more than a little attached to Wilson. And one of the most heart-wrenching moments of Cast Away  for which Hanks received an Oscar nomination  comes when Wilson is lost at sea during Chucks escape from the island.

RELATED: Tom Hanks Turned Down The Lost Symbol for a Totally Sensible Reason

The iconic volleyball was auctioned off for a huge sum

In the film, thats the last audiences see of Wilson. But in real life, the volleyball became an iconic bit of movie memorabilia. After all, its not often a piece of sporting equipment plays a key dramatic role in a major Hollywood release. And according to the BBC, the Wilson volleyball used in Cast Away sold at auction for $308,000. Considering the items tattered appearance, its sale price is even more impressive.

Prop House, the auction house behind the sale, said the volleyball was heavily distressed with paint applied to create a worn, dirtied appearance. Moreover, the dark brown and red face remains intact, with the top torn open and replaced with tobacco stalks. In Cast Away, Hanks character gives Wilson this makeover to simulate hair and make his friend seem more human. Heres hoping Chuck can rest in peace knowing Wilson went to a good home.

Tom Hanks considers Cast Away among his best movies

Given how much of its runtime Hanks spends alone (or with Wilson), Cast Away is definitely one of the actors most memorable movies. And in an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, he included it among his three favorite moviemaking experiences.

We had just bold adventures when we were making that movie. [On Cast Away,] we were out in the middle of the ocean just trying to grab shots. We were off in Fiji on two different occasions There was nothing but adventures every single day, every single night.

In addition, Hanks included another classic from his filmography, 1992s A League of Their Own, in his top three. And he gave a nod to Cloud Atlas, the wildly ambitious and commercially disappointing 2012 sci-fi film from directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski.

RELATED: Tom Hanks Almost Lost 1 of His First Lead Roles to Another Future A-Lister
Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of Marvels most successful movies of all time, and director Jon Watts and Spider-Man star Tom Holland can both claim credit for that. The duo has been working together since Spider-Man: Homecoming entered production. And Holland recently reflected on how far theyve come since that first film.

Jon Watts directed all of Tom Hollands Spider-Man movies

Tom Holland and Jon Watts | Visual China Group via Getty Images

RELATED: Where Can You Watch the Spider-Man Movies Ahead of Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Jon Watts directed the entirety of Tom Hollands Spider-Man trilogy, taking the Marvel Cinematic Universes web-slinger from his origins in Homecoming to his biggest adventure yet in No Way Home.

Naturally, Watts has spent plenty of time with actor Tom Holland while working on the MCU films. And the pair had something in common when they first signed on for the franchise: neither of them had prior experience working on anything of this scale.

Holland reflected on their first film during a recent interview, and he emphasized how far theyve both come since Homecoming.

Tom Holland recalls his first time working with Jon Watts

RELATED: Tom Holland Reveals the 1 Aspect of Tobey Maguires Spider-Man He Wishes the MCU Movies Captured

Deadlines Pete Hammond recently sat down with all three Spider-Man actors, asking Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland to speak on their experience filming Spider-Man: No Way Home.

On the topic of working with director Jon Watts, Holland looked back on his first outing as Peter Parker. He revealed how nerve-wracking it was for himself and Watts, both of whom were new to the franchise (and huge blockbusters in general).

According to Holland, they both expressed awe over how far theyve taken their Spider-Man movies during a recent conversation:

We were both kind of in disbelief of whats happened and what weve achieved. You know, Im talking to him like, I remember meeting you for the first time in my trailer. I was 18 years old, and you had never directed a movie like this before. And both of us hadnt a f***ing clue what we were doing. I was petrified. He was petrified.

Holland compared the experience to No Way Home, emphasizing how differently he feels now that hes done this before:

On this movie, we were able to put our best foot forward, go there [on] day one and feel confident in our capabilities.

Of course, their growth shines through in the latest installment, which truly sees Hollands Peter Parker coming into his own. Is there a chance hell return to the big screen in another movie, and will Watts continue directing?

Will the duo team up on future Spider-Man movies?

Peters world will never be the same. #SpiderManNoWayHome is now playing exclusively in movie theaters. pic.twitter.com/5qGEFUkKYB  Spider-Man: No Way Home (@SpiderManMovie) January 21, 2022

Clearly, Jon Watts and Tom Holland have formed a meaningful relationship during their time working on the MCUs Spider-Man movies. But will either of them return for more?

According to Tom Holland, hes not sure about his next adventure as Marvels web-slinger. Although Marvel Studios and Sony seem eager to bring him back, he told Deadline he isnt sure what the future holds:

I dont know. I know I love this character, and I know that I am not ready to say goodbye. But if its time for me to say goodbye, then I will do so proudly, knowing that Ive achieved everything I wanted to with this character.

As for Watts, its unclear if hed be game to direct more of these movies  though he is working on Fantastic Four for Marvel Studios. At the very least, hell still be involved with the MCU. Only time will tell if that means more Spidey movies, though.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently playing in theaters.

RELATED: Tom Holland Faced a Walk of Shame After Fumbling 1 of Avengers: Endgames Most Iconic Scenes
Leonardo DiCaprio is known for sometimes doing extensive research and preparation to embody his characters. So when it came to portraying The Wolf of Wall Streets Jordan Belfort, there were some aspects of his character DiCaprio needed help nailing down.

One of those aspects was the real-life Belforts constant use of drugs. To make sure DiCaprio did him justice, Belfort showed DiCaprio how to do drugs .

Why Leonardo DiCaprio never did drugs

Leonardo DiCaprio | Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Unlike The Wolf Of Wall Streets Jordan Belfort, DiCaprio himself shared he abstained from taking drugs. This was in no small part due to the environment the Oscar-winner grew up in.

Never done it, DiCaprio said in a revealing interview with the LA Times. Thats because I literally saw this stuff every day when I was 3 or 4 years old. So Hollywood was a walk in the park for me.

But because its Hollywood, encountering others who indulged in drugs was unavoidable. And hes seen firsthand how thats taken a toll on others.

Id go to parties and it was there and, yeah, theres that temptation. Hollywood is a very volatile place where artists come in and they essentially say they want to belong, DiCaprio continued. Its incredibly vulnerable to be an actor and also get criticism at a young age when youre formulating who you are. Weve seen a lot of people fall victim to that, and its very unfortunate.

Jordan Belfort had to teach Leonardo DiCaprio how to look high

For The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprios method acting meant that he had to learn what it was like to be under the influence. This required assistance from Jordan Belfort himself. In an interview with the New York Post, Belfort described how he helped DiCaprio capture Belforts constant drug use.

Leo had never done drugs, Belfort said. So I showed him what it looks and feels like when you are high on quaaludes. Istarted crawling around. We were both on the floor, drooling. His father walked into the room and asked us what the f*** we were doing.

In an interview with Shortlist, The Revenant star confirmed that he requested Belforts help personally with the scene.

Yeah, with the luudes sequence  they dont exist, so I needed to ask Jordan, DiCaprio explained. I have a whole video chronology of him rolling around on the floor for me.

DiCaprio also complimented Belfort on the authors honesty, which further helped DiCaprios performance.

What I appreciated most about his book was that he was unflinching in how honest he was. There was some incredibly embarrassing stuff, DiCaprio continued. When I sat down with him, he said: You know, it wasnt this bad. It was even worse at times and Im going to tell you why That made him a great partner. I would call him between takes.

Martin Scorsese had a drug expert on set for The Wolf of Wall Street

Apart from Belfort, iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese also made sure that Jonah Hill and DiCaprio delivered in their performances. He did this by providing a drug expert to help the two actors on set, which the Superbad actor asserted was a tremendous help.

Because we were on these really strong Quaaludes, we had a drug expert and I would ask a lot of questions about what the drug felt like, Hill told Vibe. The way she expressed it about being on that many Quaaludes is that your finger feels like it weighs 10 pounds. So I imagined that there was a tiny version of myself actually in my body having to move around dead weight.

RELATED: Former Boy Meets World Star Had to Teach The Wolf of Wall Street Cast How to Do Drugs
This undated photo provided by Save the Redwoods League shows some of the 523 acres of redwood forestland in Mendocino County, Calif., which was donated to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council for lasting protection and ongoing stewardship. The conservation group is turning over a historic redwood grove on the Northern California coast to the descendants of the original Native American inhabitants.
Ashley Walsh started at a division of consulting firm Navigant writing reports. But the University of Illinois grad realized she preferred the nitty-gritty of running a business and switched to operations. When Mohan Rao, head of Navigant Economics, decided to leave the firm in 2015 to start his own shop, Walsh became one of the new venture's four founders and the director of operations.

Since then, headcount has grown to 30 and revenue is on track to hit $17 million this year. Epsilon Economics provides expert witness testimony to value damages in intellectual property lawsuits, involving companies such as Apple, Abbott Laboratories and Baxter. Walsh wrote Epsilon's maternity and vacation policies, selected vendors for health benefits and IT, and conducts biweekly business development training sessions for the firm's experts. Epsilon hopes to open offices in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta this year; she'll scout locations and recruit for them.

Walsh, who raises money for Lurie Children's Hospital in her spare time, prefers operations because she loves influencing the decisions that determine the company's growth. At Epsilon, she says she has touched "everything from the carpet on the floor to our website to the external brand."

Her boss, CEO Rao, confirms that: "I don't know if there's anybody else who's involved in more things, including myself. I often find out things that are going on through her."
Martin Wolberg-Stok joined Discover more than a year ago to launch the credit card company's first center to monitor risk worldwide. It's staffed by 10 people who provide around-the-clock security services to Discover's employees.

CRAIN'S: Tell me a little about your roots.

WOLBERG-STOK: I was born in Argentina and lived there for the first couple of years of my life. My dad was a journalist working for Reuters, so we pretty much moved back and forth between Argentina and Europe for my first 12 years. Then when I turned 12, my parents and I moved to the U.S., and it was a bit of a culture shock.

What was your first impression of the U.S.?

We moved to Florida, of all places. The first thing that hits you is the heat. We moved in June or July of 2001, so in the middle of summer. Also, we weren't used to people blasting their AC. That was only a few months before Sept. 11. I think one of the things that struck me most was how the country came together for something like thatwhere, all of a sudden, overnight, everyone had their little U.S. flags on their cars, and there was a sense of community. That's something that I'd never really seen before. That really felt like, yeah, this is our country now. We're not citizenswe weren't at the timebut this is where we live now. And we put the U.S. flag up in our car.

In college and grad school, did you have in mind something like what you're doing now?

That's funny. I actually didn't even know that a job like what I have now existed. What I really wanted to do was join the Foreign Service or do something with really an international affairs bent to it.

How did it come together?

I got a job (in LA) with a company called Control Risks. Part of what they do is security advice for companies and geopolitical consulting. When I moved to Chicago, I was working on a contract for Control Risks with a pharmaceutical company. I met one of the directors of the security department, and when he moved to Discover, he called me and offered me a job.

Why did Discover create this office you head?

I think the realization that a lot of companies are coming to is that, from a security perspectiveand this goes for both your physical security and your information security as wellyou can't wait for things to happen. You really have to be proactive, you really have to be intelligence-driven. And it's not just abroad. That could be anything in the U.S., whether it's a mass shooter incident somewhere, a terrorist attack.

Tell me how your operation dealt with a terrorist attack last year.

There had been what looked like a terrorist attack at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. This was 10 or 10:30 p.m. local time. It turned out we did have a couple of travelers on company business that were set to fly out the next morning. Once we confirmed they were safe, we got them rebooked on flights out of Istanbul from a different airport and worked with one of our vendors to get secure transportation from their hotel to that new airport. All of this was before a lot of the country had woken up and found out about the attack.
A 10-year-old who later died of COVID-19 complications accompanied a student to the nurses clinic for an injury and an inhaler two days before she reported a headache to the nurse, according to an investigation completed by Suffolk Public Schools.

Teresa Sperrys parents, Nicole and Jeff Sperry, obtained the three-page report via a Freedom of Information Act request.

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Suffolk Public Schools officials looked into whether a Hillpoint Elementary School teacher had Teresa Sperry escort sick students to the nurses clinic, against the staffs COVID-19 protocol, in the week leading to her death.

They made her do this job without parental consent, Jeff Sperry said. Having a child walk students to the nurse during the pandemic? It is nonsense. It is insane. Had anybody asked me or informed me, I would have said no.

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The report did not indicate any instances in which Teresa may have come into contact with coronavirus while acting as the class nurse, a helper role she was assigned Sept. 21  the week she contracted the virus. She died Sept. 27.

Teresas parents maintain the investigation was not thorough and failed to properly contact trace.

I feel that the investigation report is incredibly incomplete, Jeff Sperry said. How do they know who she was around while she sat outside the nurses clinic? They did not look at the cameras. There is nothing in it about interviewing the security guard, who would have seen my daughter going to the clinic. They did not interview anyone else that would have seen her.

If you print it out, it is three pages, Nicole Sperry added. If they really wanted to do contact tracing they would have done more.

According to the report, the school nurse and Teresas teacher, a long-term substitute, were interviewed. The nurse and the teacher stated Teresa walked one student to the nurses clinic on Sept. 21 after the student sustained an arm injury. Teresa walked that student to the nurses clinic again that same day to retrieve an inhaler.

Neither time did the student display COVID-19-like symptoms, the report reads.

The Virginian-Pilot previously reported that Teresa had walked a student with an injured ankle to the nurses office. The report cites a Sept. 29 email to Hillpoints principal, in which Teresas teacher wrote, She walked one student on Wednesday who twisted her ankle on the playground to the office. I had to stay outside with the other 24 students. I had her hand out band aides. I never sent her with a sick child.

The school nurse stated Teresa did not come inside the clinic, as she sat outside in the main office, and a review of clinic referrals reflected that there were no students with suspected COVID-19 symptoms sent to the clinic between Sept. 7 and Sept. 23, the report reads.

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Students who were escorted to the clinic were for injuries that happened at recess and for things like band aides. Teresa never escorted students to the clinic who exhibited COVID-19-like symptoms, the report reads.

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In a statement, Suffolk Public Schools detailed its protocols if a student is suspected of having coronavirus.

Students who attend Hillpoint Elementary School who are suspected of having COVID symptoms are reported to the nurse or office with a phone call to indicate a suspected Code C. Students with COVID-19 symptoms are monitored in an isolated area while waiting for a parent/guardian to pick them up, the school division said.

According to the protocols in place at the time, students were considered to have COVID-like symptoms if they experienced one of the following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, recent loss of taste or smell; or two of the following: headache, fever, chills, rigors, muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, congestion or runny nose and if there was no alternative more likely diagnosis.

While Teresa was at the clinic for a headache, the nurse checked her for a fever, logging her temperature at 97.4 degrees. According to the clinic referral, Teresa rested in the clinic before returning to class.

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Teresa is one of 18 children under 19 who has died from COVID-19 statewide, according to the Virginia Department of Health. More than 250,000 children have been diagnosed with the disease, and close to 1,500 have been hospitalized with serious illnesses.

Caitlyn Burchett, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com
In December, Florida governor Ron DeSantis issued an emergency rule blocking the issuance and renewal of state licenses for organizations that serve unaccompanied migrant children, including many faith-based organizations.

Recently, Floridian evangelical pastors joined other religious leaders and laypeople in urging the governor to reconsider this decision, which both puts vulnerable children at risk and impinges on the religious liberty of Floridians.

Governor DeSantiss stated rationale for the order is focused on preventing the resettlement of illegal aliens to the state, but the reality is that the unaccompanied migrant children at the center of this debate are being treated precisely how US law requires.

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act is a law that President Bush signed after significant advocacy from evangelical leaders in 2008.

It states that when the Border Patrol identifies a child from a noncontiguous country seeking protection at the US-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian, the patrol is to transfer the child to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure the child is kept safe.

From there, HHS works with a network of childcare providerswhich are required to be licensed by the state to ensure they meet appropriate standards. These providers care for the kids until a sponsor is identified, which is usually the childs mother or father who already lives in the US, or another relative.

The child is eventually required to report to an immigration court to determine whether he or she lawfully qualifies to stay in the US.

Christians may agree or disagree with whether this is the best process for responding to these uniquely vulnerable kids, but it is the law of the landand the federal government is not doing anything illegal or nefarious by complying with its mandates.

Faith-based organizations like Bethany Christian Services, Lutheran Services, and ministries of the Catholic Church have agreed to partner with the federal government to provide care for these children. In many cases, that includes Christian foster parents who partner with them by opening their homes to help the kids.

In doing so, such Christian individuals and organizations are being faithful to the Biblical command to care for foreigners who reside among us (Lev. 19:34).

Pro-life Christians who believe that every human life is made in Gods image (Gen. 1:27)and therefore possess inherent dignity and worthhave a clear direct scriptural directive to ensure that such children are protected from harm. Jesus reserved some of his harshest words of judgment for those who would cause children to stumble (Matt. 18:6).

In fact, is a very practical application of the Golden Rule to care for someone elses child the way I would want a brother or sister in Christ to care for my child if he or she ended up stranded alone in a foreign country (Matt. 7:12).

Thats why Gov. DeSantiss policy presents a startling threat to religious freedom.

By withdrawing a required state license, foster parents cannot care for unaccompanied children and ministries cannot operate a temporary shelter while they search for the childs family. Therefore this new policy actively blocks Christians (and those of other religions) from exercising their freedom of faith.

After all, religious liberty is more than just the right to worship in a church building on Sunday. It is the freedom to follow and obey all the tenets of ones religion, including caring for vulnerable children.

Gov. DeSantis also said that the policy is designed to prioritize the care of Floridian children. But he knows very well that the unaccompanied migrant program is fully paid for by federal (not state) fundsand therefore does not divert from the care of local children in need of foster care.

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In fact, many of the organizations that partner with the federal government to care for migrant children also partner with the state of Florida to care for domestic children in need. Which means that withdrawing these licenses could end up harming many vulnerable US citizen children as well.

The governors decision is part of a troubling national trend of politicians one-upping one another to demonstrate how heavy-handed they can be toward particular immigrant populations. It apparently banks on the assumption that doing so is more politically salient than standing up for religious freedom and the dignified care of children.

Whats particularly troubling to me as an evangelical Christian is when such politicians seem to think these kinds of measures will appeal to a voter base that is largely composed of fellow evangelicals.

In this case, I hope Governor DeSantiss political calculations are proven wrongand that evangelicals in Florida and beyond will speak up forcefully against his recent actions.

Whatever their views on immigration policy more generally, American Christians should agree that innocent children waiting for a decision on their immigration case should be protected during their stay in our country.

Moreover, no government should interfere with the ministries and individuals who are obeying a biblical mandate by providing compassionate care for vulnerable kids.

Matthew Soerens is the US Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy for World Relief, the national coordinator of the Evangelical Immigration Table, and coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate and the forthcoming Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church.

Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication.
Is there any hope for Chicago?: Pastor pleads for end to violence after 8-year-old girl shot in the head

Is there any hope for Chicago? A local pastor is asking the question in response to an 8-year-old girl being shot in that city, a week after six other children were killed in a span of 24 hours.

Shes in surgery now fighting for her life, and the question is, is there any hope for Chicago? asked Pastor Corey Brooks, founder and senior pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago, in his video column on Fox News.

The pastor later learned that the girl did not survive.

The girl, identified as Melissa Ortega, and her mother were walking down a street in Chicagos Little Village area last Saturday when a vehicle pulled up and fired at a man but it also hit the girl, FOX 32 reported.

The chaos, the lawlessness is so bad in Chicago that the criminals openly mock our police and our city leaders, and even our governor, the pastor said, noting that two criminals broke into two stores and stole the cash registers ... drove over to Governor Pritzkers home in Chicago, and  left the empty registers on his front lawn.

If that isnt a message that the criminals are running the city, he continued, I dont know what is.

Then, the same criminals joined other criminals and began to rob other stores, Brooks added.

According to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiners Office, 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century.

The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City last year, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire.

These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq.

Earlier this month, Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence was horrendous and heartbreaking.

At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week? Paintsil asked. This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable.

Brooks says he has been working to counter violence and despair through Project H.O.O.D. and his community center on the second floor of his church.

Before we started (the project), this very area was ranked as the most dangerous neighborhood in all of Chicago, he said. Now, because of our work, it doesnt even make the list. You know why? Because we gave people in our community the most valuable thing you can give anyone: hope.

The pastor explained that the project gave them hope by building a relationship with the police to get the criminals off the street  by giving them a way out through trades and vocational training and rehab . by helping them to get off drugs  by showing young men how to be fathers so they could break the cycle of fatherlessness in their families. ... We gave single mothers hope by providing male role models for their young boys, their young daughters.

He then lamented that our leaders are mocking our efforts with their wishy-washy ideas, like defund the police.

The police are not our enemy. Equity initiatives? Come on, we need equality of opportunity. All of this race talk in the classrooms? We need traditional and rigorous education, he asserted.

Yes, there is hope in Chicago. It starts with the people. Not our leaders  all of them  I take what we know, what we must do to get the job done. We must continue to put it to work  there is hope in Chicago, and it starts with all of us.
The rising tide of sexual abuse in churches and ministries

The recent trial of Ghislaine Maxwell brought to the forefront just how far defense attorneys will go to discredit the survivors of sexual abuse. As a former violent crime detective, and someone who has spent 30 years working to end violence against women and children, I was relieved when the verdict came back guilty in 5 of the 6 charges.

Yet there was something about this trial that continues to bother me  the silencing and discrediting of the survivors. Its not something new that I have seen. In my opinion, in our society its usually the norm to believe the perpetrator of sexual abuse rather than the survivor. And Maxwells defense team did more than try to discredit the survivors  they shamed and blamed them for what took place; indicating that they were active participants in the crimes committed by Maxwell and Epstein.

In the days following the trial, Christian leaders applauded the guilty verdict and commented on their social media. I was glad to see that. And I especially appreciated the comment from Ed Stetzer, head of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton and Executive Editor at Outreach Magazine, who said, Thankful for the Ghislaine Maxwell conviction, but also worth remembering that they almost got away with it. Thanks to local news reporters who continued on the case, believed the survivors, and eventually shed more light on these crimes.

Stetzer is right! The perpetrator almost did get away with it. Why? Because people were more distrusting of the survivors than of the perpetrators.

While some Christian leaders are shocked by this, too many in the church take the same position as Maxwells defense attorneys. Every day I am inundated with news about sexual abuse at churches, Christian camps, or Christian ministries by youth pastors, volunteers, elders, senior leadership, or the senior pastor himself. And far too often, I have seen church and ministry leadership deny or cover up the charges.

Recently, in my home state of Indiana, a pastor and three elders were forced to resign after failing to address reports that the pastors underaged family member had sexually abused up to 15 children.

The American public has watched entire denominations fight against each other over the decision to protect abuse survivors or not. We have witnessed large Christian camps exposed for allowing predators to operate for decades. We have seen youth pastors hop from church to church after leaving a trail of traumatized kids due to the sexual abuse that was inflicted on them. We have seen congregations fall apart because the senior pastor was caught sexually harassing or abusing the very people he was entrusted to lead. And we have been shocked by the revelations of sexual abuse among well-respected and well-known ministry leaders which left the organizations they led in complete shambles.

Though its all tragic, what breaks my heart is knowing that in all these instances, these crimes against women and children, are indeed preventable. As the leader of an organization that works tirelessly to keep places of employment, schools, churches, and youth-serving organizations safe (including providing sexual abuse prevention training by experts in the field that are survivor centric)  Im often perplexed why Christian leadership and organizations dont do everything they can to place prevention at the top of their list.

Ray Ortlund, a long-time Christian leader and the President of Renewal Ministries, tweeted after the Maxwell trial verdict, Justice in our society means, among other things, that children so deserve to be protected that we rightly demand that of one another.

A late pastor once said, If the Devil cant beat the church, he will join the church! How prophetic his statement was, and how sad that we are seeing the proliferation of sexual abuse in the very places that should be safe and trustworthy.

We are now at a crossroads in our churches and ministries. And like so many other sectors of society, churches and youth-serving organizations need to make violence and sexual abuse prevention a priority. This can be done by investing their heart, their time, and their resources in education, training, and policy. By doing this, not only will they protect the people  especially women and children  that they serve, but they will also protect their mission and their God-given witness.

If you have been abused or are in an abusive situation, please reach out to the following Abuse Hotline who will come alongside you and assist you in your path to freedom. https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
The economics of Genesis vs the economics of Marx

David Bahnsen is one of Americas top financial advisers and one of our most prominent economic thought leaders. Recently he joined me on my podcast Meeting of Minds to discuss the origins of modern economic theory, how genesis responds to Marx, and his newest book There's No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths. To listen to the full podcast, click below.

Here are a few highlights from that discussion, lightly edited for clarity and length:

Jerry: Last time we spoke, you talked about what Genesis 1 has to say about the old controversies of labor theory of value, and of subjective utility, which is the foundation of Austrian economic theory.

David: I think that well back up into Genesis 1 but by historical precedent. In classical economics, Adam Smith loosely wrote. It wasnt exhaustive, it wasn't systematic, but he loosely wrote in a way that even Marx credited Smith with some of this concept of value coming from the labor that is put into it. And David Ricardo, a 19th century classical economist, also heavily influenced by the 18th century Adam Smith, elaborated on this labor theory of value and believed that there was a product or a good and that then labor was added to it, and the end result was the value of the product. The cost of raw materials, plus the labor imputed, equaled the value of the product. Its very hard for me, Jerry, to believe that these men believed this, because they were so intelligent, had so much value, have done so much to inform my understanding of economics and of philosophy. And yet, you and I know intuitively that if someone comes to your house with a table that they worked on for 1,000 hours and we just think the tables ugly, we probably wouldn't give them 20 bucks for it. The notion that they imputed significant amounts of Labor does nothing to our appetite for ascribing it value.

Why is this dangerous? Because Marx took the classical concept of labor theory from Smith, Ricardo (and by the way, there was some precedent for this even in Thomas Aquinas) and Marx said, well, this is dehumanizing to the laborer to have the value theyre imputing to the product be removed from the laborer and given to the capitalist, who is then essentially stripping the laborer of his dignity because he's removing value from what belonged to him. Why is this a problem economically? Because it was never true, that value is connected to the labor added to it. And this is now full circle back to Genesis 1. To what Carl Menger, a lot of the Austrian School, and really most economists today outside of Marxland agree with - that value is subjective, that producers and consumers come together and through a process of price discovery we find value and it reflects the taste and appetites and needs of time and place market conditions.

Where did this idea that that one person just might not like a table and another person really believes this table is beautiful come from? I think it came from our nature. And what is our nature? It was that given to us by our Creator. He created us in His image. And how did God Himself, declare value? Did he quantify it? Did he mark up his labor that he put into creation? Did he create a spreadsheet? Or rather, did he declare? It is good. It is good, about the Sun, the moon, the stars, each day of creation. He subjectively projected value. And now we as His creation and His Image do the same.

Jerry: Wow, theory matters. You might think it's some arcane little thing, but get that wrong and youre going to end up with is the absurd conclusion that all profit is theft. And since a great deal of private property comes about from profit, then private property is theft. You just make those few intellectual mistakes and 100 million people die.

David: That's exactly right. And then on the inverse, to bring it back to the positive side, theory matters and ideas have consequences. Carl Menger into Von Mises and into Friedrich Hayek, there did become a 20th century counteract to both the hardcore central planning that we call Marxism and soft core central planning that we'd call Keynesianism. Keynes became academically respectable. It did not have bloodshed attached to it, but it was committed to the notion of the central planner and it required a philosophical refutation: Hayek came around with price discovery, with the knowledge problem, with the fatal conceit, and you got this intellectual battle that is played out.

Yet one thing was missing from it for people like you and me, the leading truth tellers were not Christians. The Christian church was absent from the great economic debate of the 20th century, so I won't take away anything thing that in common grace Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek or Ludwig von Mises contributed to 20th century dialogue. Thank God they were there to participate in the great intellectual journey of counteracting that I think was the very misbegotten economic theory of Keynes.
Pope Francis tells parents of kids who identify as LGBT not to 'hide in an attitude of condemnation'

Pope Francis has called on parents of children who identify as LGBT to accompany them and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.

Speaking before a general audience Wednesday, the pontiff discussed the four dreams of St. Joseph. He remarked that God does not promise us that we will never have fear, but that, with His help, it will not be the criterion for our decisions. Francis emphasized that Joseph experiences fear, but God guides him through it, adding: The power of prayer brings light to dark situations.

At this moment, I am thinking of so many people who are crushed by the weight of life and can no longer hope and pray, he said. I am thinking, too, of parents who are facing their childrens problems: children with many illnesses, children who are sick, even with permanent illnesses  how much pain is there  parents who see different sexual orientations in their children; how to deal with this and accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.

While the pope touched upon so many parental problems in his remarks, his comments advising parents to accompany their children who identify as LGBT received particular attention. Critics saw the comments as the latest example of mixed messaging coming from the Vatican regarding the contentious topic of human sexuality.

In a 2020 documentary, the pontiff asserted that homosexual people have a right to be in a family. In addition to suggesting that they are children of God and have a right to a family, he appeared to express support for the creation of a civil union law.

Upon receiving criticism, a Vatican official insisted that the pontiff's comments were edited and missing necessary contextualization. According to the Vatican Secretariat of State, Pope Francis was referring to particular state religions, certainly not the doctrine of the church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.

Last year, several months after the controversy surrounding the popes comments about civil unions, the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a statement proclaiming that It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage. The statement indicated that the Catholic Church cannot bless unions between persons of the same sex because they exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creators plan.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which contains all the churchs teachings, teaches that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and under no circumstances can they be approved. The Catechism calls on those who have same-sex attraction to practice chastity just like all the baptized.

Additionally, the Catechism maintains that individuals who are attracted to members of the same sex must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity and that every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. This wording in the Catechism is very similar to the popes encouragement to avoid an attitude of condemnation when it comes to individuals who identify as LGBT.

However, another action taken by the pope last month also raised eyebrows. He wrote a letter to a Catholic nun who had previously been banned by the Vaticans Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith from doing any pastoral work related to LGBT people because her ministry and efforts to reach out to the community did not accurately portray the intrinsic evil of homosexual acts and the objective disorder of the homosexual inclination. However, the pontiff thanked the nun for her closeness, compassion and tenderness.

In addition to his messaging on LGBT issues, Francis stance on the Traditional Latin Mass has also angered many Catholics. Last year, the pontiff published an apostolic letter imposing restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, which many Catholic Churches across the world continue to celebrate more than a half-century after most churches began to conduct masses in the local vernacular.

Francis cited a desire for church unity when calling on bishops who lead dioceses where Traditional Latin Masses are held to set aside locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes). In addition to implying that church facilities could no longer hold Latin masses, the guidance instructed bishops not to allow the establishment of new groups that celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

The apostolic letter received swift backlash and more than 36,000 Catholics have signed a petition designed to Show Pope Francis the Latin Mass will survive any suppression in the six months since it was published. According to the Latin Mass Directory, there are currently 651 Catholic churches in the United States that celebrate at least one Traditional Latin Mass at some point during the week.
Groups raise concerns over 19 federal agencies plans to track religious objectors to COVID-19 vaccines

Some conservative groups are raising concerns over the Biden administration's reported tracking of federal employees who have requested religious exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Heritage Foundation released a report last week that found at least 19 federal agencies had created or proposed a list tracking religious objectors to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sarah Parshall Perry and GianCarlo Canaparo, legal fellows at Heritages Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, wrote in the report that, based on researching the Federal Register, there were at least 19 total federal agencies  including five cabinet level agencies  that have created or proposed to create these tracking lists for religious-exemption requests from their employees.

As the nations largest employer, with over four million civilian and military employees, the federal government has received tens of thousands of religious exemption requests, stated Perry and Canaparo.

It now appears that an increasing number of federal agencies are keeping and preserving those individuals names, religious information, personally identifying information, and other data stored in lists across multiple government agencies.

Perry and Canaparo noted that the lists will be shared between federal agencies and include information such as religious affiliation, the reasons and support given for religious accommodation requests, names, contact information, date of birth, aliases, home address, contact information, and other identifying information.

The Heritage commentary quoted a public comment by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who said he believed there was a chilling effect on a citizens exercise of religion due to the creation of this Database.

The First Liberty Institute, a conservative law firm based in Planio, Texas, released a statement Friday in response to The Heritage Foundation's report, calling the objector lists alarming.

These policies could negatively impact religious freedom for people of all faiths across the country. Its incredibly dangerous (indeed, dystopian) for the government to have a list of religious citizens at its disposal, wrote Jorge Gomez of First Liberty.

Tyranny and repression arent too far away when the state begins to actively track the faithful. Religious liberty is greatly endangered once the state monitors religious citizens in order to get them to conform to the governments sanctioned viewpoint.

Earlier this month, Perry and Canaparo reported that the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia had announced the creation of the Employee Religious Exception Request Information System.

According to the announcement, the system sought to maintain personal religious information collected in response to religious accommodation requests for religious exception from the federally mandated vaccination requirement in the context of a public health emergency or similar health and safety incident.

The system of records will assist the Agency in the collection, storing, dissemination, and disposal of employee religious exemption request information collected and maintained by the Agency, stated the announcement.

Although the agency in question was a small federal body, Perry and Canaparo expressed concern about the list, and believed that the new system would serve as a model for a whole-of-government push to assemble lists of Americans who object on religious grounds to a COVID-19 vaccine.

The announcement also does not say what the agency will do with this information after it has decided an employees religious accommodation request, wrote the legal fellows.

And neither does the announcement explain why the Biden administration chose to test this policy in an agency with a majority-black staff, who are both more religious and less vaccinated than other groups.
Supreme Court to review affirmative action admissions policies at Harvard, UNC

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a pair of cases that may result in the striking down of race-based affirmative action programs in higher education.

In an orders list released Monday morning, the high court agreed to hear Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, consolidating the two cases.

The advocacy group contends that Harvard and UNC's admissions system is discriminatory to Asian American and white students.

However, those challenges were struck down in lower courts, which have ruled that the schools policies are based on government interests to promote diversity.

A federal court in Boston ruled in favor of Harvard in 2018, a decision that was affirmed by the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in November 2020. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court last February.

After a federal court ruled against the groups UNC lawsuit last year, the SFFA petitioned the Supreme Court in November for both cases to be heard together.

We are grateful the Supreme Court accepted these important cases for review, SFFA President Edward Blum said in a statement. It is our hope that the justices will end the use of race as an admissions factor at Harvard, UNC and all colleges and universities.

Both cases center on whether to overturn the 2003 Supreme Court ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, which upheld an affirmative action policy at the University of Michigan Law School.

In the 2003 case, a white Michigan resident sued the university after being rejected, claiming that the law school policy violated the federal Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

A majority of the Supreme Court justices concluded at the time that the Michigan policy was not unlawful, as the racial preference was only one of many parameters for acceptance to the school.

Justice Sandra Day OConnor, a Reagan appointee, authored the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and David Souter.

When race-based action is necessary to further a compelling governmental interest, such action does not violate the constitutional guarantee of equal protection so long as the narrow-tailoring requirement is also satisfied, wrote OConnor.

Universities can  consider race or ethnicity more flexibly as a plus factor in the context of individualized consideration of each and every applicant.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a fellow Reagan nominee, authored a dissenting opinion to the 2003 ruling. He was joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas.

We have said that when it comes to the use of race, the connection between the ends and the means used to attain them must be precise, wrote Rehnquist.

But here the flaw is deeper than that; it is not merely a question of fit between ends and means. Here the means actually used are forbidden by the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

In 2016, the high court issued a 4-3 decision upholding the right of the University of Texas to have a program that included race as a factor for admissions, with Justice Anthony Kennedy authoring the majority opinion.

In a July 2021 piece for Forbes, political science professor Evan Gerstmann argued that, given the current makeup of the Supreme Court, race-based affirmative action may be labeled unlawful.

The court has a 6-3 conservative majority with the recent confirmations of Trump nominees Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Its decisions have not been uniformly conservative so far, but even the more centrist Justices, such as Chief Justice Roberts, have expressed a lot of doubt about the use of race in university admissions, wrote Gerstmann.

Furthermore, in 2003, the majority of the Supreme Court signed on to a decision stating the Court expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary. That clock has almost run down.
Defeat the Mandates protesters: We're not 'anti-vaxxers,' this is about coercion

WASHINGTON  Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the nation's capital Sunday to protest what they consider extreme COVID-19 vaccine mandates, specifically objecting to government and employer mandates.

At stake are fundamental liberties outlined in the U.S. Constitution, according to several who spoke with The Christian Post, and the right to determine what's best for their health in accordance with the dictates of their conscience.

The Defeat the Mandates rally, which featured critics of both COVID-19 vaccines and the mandatory measures being implemented across the country, began with a procession from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial.

Among the long line-up of speakers were several figures who've been outspoken critics of certain COVID-19 policies in both the private and public sectors. They included Robert F. Kennedy Jr., author of The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health; Dr. Peter McCullough, a Dallas-based cardiologist; Dr. Robert Malone, a virologist and co-inventor of mRNA vaccine technology; and Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a psychiatrist and medical ethicist who believes natural immunity should be recognized and was summarily fired from his professorship at UC-Irvine.

While considerable attention was given to those who've suffered health complications and injuries from COVID-19 injections, speakers also detailed the ways in which people's rights are being abrogated by public health authorities.

"The minute they hand you that vaccine passport, every right that you have is transformed into a privilege contingent on your obedience to arbitrary government dictates. It will make you a slave," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared while speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Several demonstrators who spoke with CP expressed their frustration with how they were being portrayed by corporate media, which frequently referred to attendees as "anti-vaxxers."

When asked by this reporter if she was an anti-vaxxer, Sherry Walker, a Houston-based captain for United Airlines and the co-founder of Airline Employees for Health Freedom, said: "No way."

"In fact, my mom got the [COVID-19] vaccine. We believe in choice, that which is between you and your doctor and you and your God," she said.

Walker added that both she and her now 16-year-old son have received immunizations for various diseases. But she felt obligated to counter company mandates on their employees. Walker said she also objects to the use of fetal cell lines in the development and production of the various COVID-19 shots.

"This is not an anti-vax rally," she maintained. "This is a rally to tell our government that we're going to hold them accountable to illegal mandates, and in our specific case with Title VII with our employer."

Walker went on to explain that United Airlines initially started incentivizing their employees to get the vaccine by offering extra pay and other benefits. When management didn't receive the response they'd hoped for last summer, they imposed a mandate. Objecting to this, Walker and a cadre of employees who held religious objections or had medically-based reasons for not getting the jab felt that Title VII granted them reasonable accommodations and started applying for them.

But as the process unfolded, "it became apparent that they were going to terminate us no matter what," Walker said.

United employees summarily filed a lawsuit against the airline and are asking the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for a preliminary injunction.

"We believe that our powers emanate from God, not man," she said, noting the sincere faith of many of their members. "And the problem we have right now with this mandate is that we give an inch, what's next?

"In 10 years when my 16 year old looks at me and says: 'Mom, I don't have the right to do, fill in the blank, why didn't you stand up when you had a chance?' That's what we're standing up for  our faith and our bodily autonomy. If we acquiesce now, the woke media and mainstream would just as soon erase our faithfulness."

Danielle Runyan, an attorney who's one of the co-founders of the group and whose husband is a pilot for the commercial airline, said that even though the Supreme Court struck down the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate requiring COVID-19 shots for certain private companies, in practice, both private and government employers have not honored employees' religious and medical exemptions. In the court's 6-3 ruling last week, it concluded that Congress gave OSHA the power to regulate workplace dangers but not healthcare.

Provisions and processes within the Americans with Disabilities Act and in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act related to religious and medical exemptions have been largely ignored on this issue, she said.

"It's a process of coercion to get jabs in people's arms, which then ultimately leads to firing people, which is just further coercion," she told CP.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James C. Ho, a Trump appointee, held in his dissenting opinion in the United Airlines case that this was the ultimate "crisis of conscience" and the quintessential irreparable harm and was thus worthy of an injunction.

"People have bought into the narrative that has come from the leadership at the federal level on down," Runyan said, noting that the prevailing narrative has been "if you don't do this, you don't respect your fellow American citizens."

Runyan insists that is not true and recounted that she recently got a flu shot and that many in her group, who are mostly in their 30s and 40s, have all likely received many vaccines as children. But after she did some of her own research and identified a potential harm in the COVID-19 shot, she decided not to take the risk.

"And as a Christian, my body is my temple," she added, referencing 1 Corinthians 6:19, "and I'm not willing to harm that."

On Friday, a federal judge in Texas blocked the Biden administrations vaccine mandate for federal workers.

One group that has obtained the kind of injunction the airline health freedom group is seeking is Feds for Medical Freedom, a group of federal government employees and contractors resisting the mandates. The group's website states that they believe the government "should not fire workers because of their health conditions or medically-informed health care decisions."

"Many of our members in our group are fully vaccinated with the COVID vaccine. But they believe that this is a private matter for them in their medical providers and that their employer has no role in it and certainly that it shouldn't be a condition of employment for them to disclose that information or to make that private medical decision," Marcus Thornton, the group's founder and president, told CP.

"We're going to stay in the fight until we win it," he said. "The DOJ already appealed that decision and so we'll have to see how this process plays out. But I'm confident that justice will prevail," he added, noting that he believes it's fundamentally "a question of bodily autonomy and human rights and each person should have the right to decide what to put in their body or not."

Reggie Littlejohn, a longtime activist who has been exposing the horrors of forced abortions in China with her organization Women's Rights Without Frontiers, is co-chairing the Stop Vaccine Passports Task Force. Littlejohn told CP that what many don't realize is that the digital technology being employed to administer the COVID-19 vax passports is a precursor to a much more nefarious endgame.

"Getting everybody to be really afraid of the virus, and then mandating that everybody get the vaccine is what gives the excuse for the institution of these digital passports that are on people's smartphones. And these can incorporate the same functionality as China's social credit system," Littlejohn explained.

"And the goal of the social credit system is mass surveillance and totalitarian control."

In China, the health pass turns green if a person is vaccinated and healthy, yellow if they have COVID symptoms, and red if not vaccinated or not healthy. This is how dissidents are controlled, she said. If a health passport turns from green to yellow, freedom of movement is severely impeded. The Chinese health passes are also being used to track other information such as social media posts, financial history, and online searches.

"I am not an anti-vaxxer. I have traveled twice around the world. My vaccination card is as long as my arm. Many of the people speaking at this march are vaccinated for not just anything, but for COVID [too]. We have very specifically said that this is not an anti-vax march. This an anti-coercion, an anti-vaccine passport march," she emphasized.

"It's one thing to say that you think the vaccine could be good for certain demographics, say if you're elderly or immuno-compromised," Littlejohn added. "You can be in favor of the vaccine in those circumstances and be absolutely opposed to mandating it for children and everybody else who is healthy."

Standing up publicly against the vax passports is important in light of alarming polarization, Littlejohn continued, pointing to recent Rasmussen polling data showing that 59% of Democratic voters want unvaccinated people to be confined at home, 45% want the unvaccinated in designated facilities, and 48% desiring fines or imprisonment for anyone who questions vaccine efficacy.

Aaron Lewis, a pastor from Connecticut who serves as a spiritual liaison for Children's Health Defense, believes the federal government has usurped its authority to the point that it has confused millions of people in the United States, and hundreds of millions more across the world, as to who God is.

"We are at the point now that if someone doesn't turn the ship around, millions of people of faith will be giving their total allegiance and reliance to the government and abandoning everything that has to do with the true and living God," he told CP.

"I believe that a lot of people who appear to be very good-hearted and loving ... have been deceived. Why? Because we have gone through a system and a cycle and a process of giving attention and more of our heart to government and not God."

Lewis, who is African American, believes it's problematic that the pharmaceutical industry is immune from legal liability in cases of vaccine injury and spurns the use of the term anti-vaxxer, saying it amounts to "a new N-word" and is wielded to divide people and segregate society.

"Not only have people had a lot of immunizations, some people take the position that 'I don't want it for me and my family but if you do it for you, I respect that.' But the agenda says that if you don't 100 percent accept it for you, your family, all your friends, or anyone you meet, then you're an 'anti-vaxxer.' That's a derogatory term," he said.
The bad bank was envisaged by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech on February1, 2021.  RS TV/PTI

Mumbai: Decks have been cleared for India to have its own bad bank with all requisite approvals in place, including from the RBI. The bad bank, or the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL), will acquire bad loans from banks to help clean up their books, while the India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL) will handle the debt resolution process of these loans.

The bad bank was envisaged by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech on February1, 2021.

State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Dinesh Khara on Friday told reporters in a virtual press conference that a total of 38 large stressed accounts aggregating to Rs 82,845 crore have been identified for transfer to the NARCL, but the transfer will happen in a phased manner.

Under phase-I, about 15 accounts, aggregating to Rs 50,335 crore are expected to be transferred in the current financial year, i.e. on or before March 31. Banks have provided fully for the identified accounts.

The RBIs final nod for the bad bank was received after a new structure was proposed by the Indian Banks Association.

Banks will get 15 per cent cash upfront while transferring bad loans to the NARCL, and the remaining 85 per cent in the form of security receipts. The auction will be conducted in a Swiss Challenge method, and other asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) will be allowed to participate and offer competitive bids. While the public sector banks will have a majority stake in the NARCL, private banks will have a notable stake in the IDRCL.

The Union Cabinet had also approved Rs 30,600 crore government guarantee for the NARCL in September 2021. As of March 2021, the total bad loans in the banking system amounted to Rs 8.35 lakh crore.

Both the companies have their respective boards in place. To start with both companies are having their MD & CEOs on a secondment basis.
3 deceptive tactics employed by abortion advocates

In the early start of 2022, Gov. Phil Murphy from New Jersey signed a bill affirming abortion rights into law.

The new law (a scaled-back version of The Freedom Reproductive Choice Act) gives women access to more contraception, abortion services, and assistance to caring a pregnancy to term.

I watched the press conference held by Gov. Murphy and Planned Parenthood. And while watching, I detected three tactics strategically employed by abortion advocates that I want you to be aware of so you dont get tripped up by them.

First deceptive tactic: All lives matter

Gov. Murphy starts his press conference by acknowledging people who died of COVID. Good for Murphy to take a moment to extend his heartfelt sympathy to the many families who lost a loved one due to COVID.

However, while Murphy recognizes the tragic death of humans to COVID, why doesnt he show that same regard for the unborn? The irony is that Murphy is about to sign into law the rights of women in New Jersey to have abortions  even to full term!

Thats the thing about abortion advocates. They have no problem acknowledging life outside of the womb  but will never admit the precious life inside the womb.

To avoid admitting the unborn are human, abortion advocates accuse pro-lifers of being the ones who dont care about life. They argue that pro-lifers care only about ending safe and legal abortions and have little regard for refugees, the poor, and the incarcerated.

While caring for refugees, feeding the poor, and fighting for equal justice in our legal system are important issues, thats not the topic in question. The immediate concern is protecting the life of an unborn baby who is about to be aborted.

It doesnt follow that because pro-lifers defend the fundamental rights of the unborn means they dont care about other segments of the population. There are many organizations that specialize in a particular group of people. Take, for example, the Alzheimers Foundation of America (AFA). Would it be proper to assume that the people at the AFA who provide support, services, and education to individuals, families, and caregivers affected by Alzheimers disease arent truly in the business of caring for people?

Of course not. The AFA was created to meet specific needs relating to a particular disease.

The same truth applies to pro-lifers.

Pro-lifers believe that it is morally wrong to take the life of an innocent human being. And thats what abortion does. It is the unjust taking of innocent human life.

Now, abortion advocates can dodge and deny that abortion is the killing of a precious human life. Yet, according to the science of embryology, life begins at conception. Dr. Jerome Lejeune, nicknamed The Father of Modern Genetics, confirmed, To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place, a new human has come into being is no longer a matter of taste or opinion it is plain experimental evidence. Each individual has a very neat beginning, at conception.

Therefore, it is pro-lifers who consistently uphold the intrinsic value of every human being and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. Not abortion advocates.

Second deceptive tactic: Bodily autonomy is a fundamental right

Its important to point out that nowhere in The Freedom Reproductive Choice Act does it mention abortion.

The language abortion advocates use in place of abortion is reproductive justice, reproductive healthcare, and reproductive freedom. They also refer to abortion or reproductive rights as life-saving healthcare.

The International Encyclopedia of Public Health defines reproductive rights as human rights intended to protect the inherent dignity of the individual.

Several deceptive ploys are evident in the bodily autonomy argument.

First, the renaming efforts commissioned by abortion advocates are misleading and a blatant attempt to conceal their real agenda. Changing the term abortion to sly-medical phraseology (for instance, life-saving healthcare) doesnt make it any more safe or acceptable.

Second, how is it morally right for the bodily rights of the expected mother to override the rights of a human embryo that is a genetically distinct living human being? The fact of the matter is the bodily autonomy argument gives the woman an unprecedented right to determine what life is and if it is worth living. Not only is that presumptuous. It is outright contemptuous and mocking of the life inside the womb. No human being (neither the expected mother, a doctor, or a politician) has the power to determine the nature of human life and its worth.

Third, just because an unborn baby doesnt share the same traits as the expected mother  doesnt mean she is more valuable than the unborn baby. If abortion advocates want to apply that reasoning to the unborn, it must be applied to every other human person. In other words, people of higher intelligence, skill, and abilities would be of greater value than those with less intelligence, skill, and abilities. But we know that is not the case. Our value as human beings isnt tied to our physical development or performance.

Fourth, substituting abortion for reproductive rights doesnt automatically certify it as a constitutional right, and therefore, a fundamental right. Nowhere in the Constitution does it mention abortion or reproductive anything as a human or natural right.

Many abortion-rights activists and legal scholars go so far as to admit that Roe was an overreach of the 14th amendment. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had this to say, Roe, I believe, would have been more acceptable as a judicial decision if it had not gone beyond a ruling on the extreme statute before the courtHeavy-handed judicial intervention was difficult to justify and appears to have provoked, not resolved, conflict.

Fifth, how is an abortion procedure considered life-saving healthcare if it places the mothers life in jeopardy while deliberately taking the life of the unborn child?

Third deceptive tactic: Abortion is a personal choice

The last deceptive ploy I want to point out that Gov. Murphy leaned on to justify his pro-abortion stance (and this happens to be the most used argument made by abortion advocates) is that abortion is a personal choice  and as such, no person, creed, or religion has the power to overrule a womans right to an abortion.

Gov. Murphy, a professed-practicing Catholic, said in his press conference that its not been easy trying to reconcile his faith with abortion and being a governor. He expressed that he didnt want to force his religious views on anyone and certainly doesnt want to prevent a woman from having an abortion.

But then Murphy goes on to add that his faith has played an integral role in shaping his beliefs and values. And it was those same values that have helped him resolve that advancing a womans right to have an abortion is the greater good.

Forgive me for saying this, but Gov. Murphy is speaking out of both sides of his mouth.

But thats what abortion advocates do. They contradict themselves all the time because their entire line of reasoning is built on moral relativism.

Gov. Murphy makes a moral judgment that he admits isnt based on science, religion, or objective truth. He supports abortion because he personally believes a woman has a right to abort her unborn child.

That, my friends, is moral relativism.

Abortion isnt right or wrong because someone says so.

As someone who is pro-life, I dont oppose a womans right to have an abortion because I find it revolting. Thats simply a matter of personal preference. I oppose abortion because it violates moral principles. It is morally wrong to kill an innocent human being.

Therefore, when Gov. Murphy and abortion advocates like him say abortion is a personal choice, thats not based on morality. Thats according to subjectivity.

So, dont allow yourself to be subjected to this kind of nonsense pushed by abortion advocates.

I pray you will stand up and be a voice of reason to abortion advocates, and hopefully, lead the way to save more unborn babies. As it says in Psalm 127:3-5:

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of ones youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Abortion is a spiritual battle

A national group of Satanists is putting their cards on the table. They are opposing abortion restrictions and adamantly defending abortion as worship of their god.

Meanwhile, a group of liberal pastors in Maine claims that abortion can supposedly be the Christian thing to do. In an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News, Why a Christian minister supports abortion rights, their leader writes of the importance of reproductive justice.

Abortion is a spiritual battle. So, what does the Biblehas to say about abortion?

I write this shortly after the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade (and its companion decision, Doe v. Bolton) of January 22, 1973, that gave us abortion on demand. And here we are 63 million abortions later. Thats nothing to celebrate  but much to mourn.

Psalm 106:37 speaks of a time of disobedient Israelites, noting, They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood  and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did.

Did Christ ever address abortion? Not directly. But note how His brilliant statement on human relations, the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), has direct application to the subject of abortion.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, He said in the Sermon on the Mount. You were once an unborn baby. Would you have wanted your mother to kill you in utero? The majority of those mothers feel forced, against their will, to abort.

When Ronald Reagan was running for president in 1980, he was asked why he wasnt pro-choice. He responded, Ive noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born. Touche.

Dr. D. James Kennedy once said, If youre pro-choice, you should get down on your knees and thank God that your mother wasnt pro-choice.

Some people say that abortion doesnt kill human beings. And yet everything you and I are  our sex, how tall we will be, the color of our eyes  all of these things were determined at the moment of conception.

And from conception to birth, its all one continuous period of growth. The Mayo Clinic documents the humanity and growth of the preborn baby in the womb until birth.

We look back at previous generations, and we say, How could they have been slave-owners? Well, I believe future generations will look back at us and ask, How could they have been so complacent about abortion  especially when they had 3-D sonograms, giving them a window to the womb?

Many times when a pregnant woman who is contemplating an abortion gets to see the sonogram of her unborn baby, she changes her mind.

David states in Psalm 139, For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

The prophet Jeremiah says this in the very opening of his book: The word of the Lord came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. So, heres this little unborn baby being appointed a prophet of the nations by God Himself.

Jumping ahead to the New Testament, in Luke 1, we read of two pregnant relatives visiting with each other. Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, and Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth says, As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Baby?

Luke 2:12 says: The angels told the shepherds, This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The same Greek word brephos, is used there for baby. Thus, whether in English or in Greek, the word baby is used for born and unborn alike.

The Bible also says that God has made human beings in His image. He has made us a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5). But many people today believe that were essentially a little higher than the apes. As the abortion ethic has spread in our culture, like a cancer, it has cheapened human life all the way around.

Its time we follow the biblical ethic and treat the unborn as we ourselves would want to be treated. Let them live.
Ontario school board punishes teacher for raising concerns over trans books in libraries

An Ontario teacher was placed on leave after being accused of using transphobic language for voicing concern during a board meeting last Monday about the presence of books that celebrate medical gender transition in school libraries.

The teacher, Carolyn Burjoski, claims she is being bullied, slandered and abused for arguing that some books in libraries were inappropriate for children.

The Waterloo Region District School Board Chair Scott Piatkowski cut short Burjoskis presentation after she said the school libraries have books that make the medical transition seem "simple" and cool" available to kindergartners through sixth-grade students, The National Post reported.

The board, which oversees over 100 schools in the region, voted 5-4 to back up the chairs decision.

In a video posted on Twitter, Burjoski said that she was informed the following morning by human resources that she was immediately assigned to home, pending a formal investigation and banned from contacting my colleagues and students.

This was particularly upsetting to me because I love my students, and I have not seen them since December, she said. When my students excitedly returned to school on Tuesday  the first day of in-class learning after yet another lockdown  their teacher was not there, and they did not know why. I have been silenced and punished.

My response to the events that transpired this week regarding my presentation to the school board. You can read more about the story here:https://t.co/VdLwhejXGZ#WRDSB#wrdsbmtgpic.twitter.com/Y5cX3684zX  Carolyn Burjoski (@carolynburjoski) January 21, 2022

During her presentation, the teacher started reading from the book Rick by Alex Gina, in which the protagonist discovers that he is asexual.

While reading this book, I was thinking: Maybe Rick doesnt have sexual feelings yet because he is a child, she said in the meeting, according to CTV News. It concerns me that it leaves young boys wondering if there is something wrong with them if they arent thinking about naked girls all the time. What message does this send to girls in Grade 3 or 4? They are children. Let them grow up in their own time and stop pressuring them to be sexual so soon.

The teacher contends that she is not a transphobic person.

Its crazy that just because you ask a question, the first thing people do is call you that, she told The National Post.

In her social media video, Burjoski said that board members have taken to radio, television, social media to grossly misrepresent my remarks.

I feel bullied, slandered and abused, she said. The school board has removed the video of the meeting from their YouTube channel, so people are not able to hear what I actually said.

Most of the video is me reading excerpts from two books available to any young child who is able to read, she continued. My few comments expressed concern about age-inappropriate sexual content. I did not and do not question the rights of trans persons to exist in any way. I fully support the human rights of transgender people.

She argues that cancel culture needs to stop.

We need to recover our ability to listen to each other and speak with one another with open mind. Respectful dialogue is the core of democracy.

Piatkowski was quoted as saying that it was unfortunate that it was necessary, but it was necessary.

Im hearing from school board chairs and other boards that they would not have allowed that either. Im hearing from past chairs of this board.

Burjoskis case comes as parents in the United States have raised concerns about the content that their children are being exposed to in their school districts.

Last November, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, the largest school district in the U.S., said it was reinstating two books  Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison and Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe  to its high school libraries after a review into concerns raised by a mother that they contain pornography with graphic descriptions of sex acts between men and boys.

At a school board meeting in September, Stacy Langton, a parent of a student at Fairfax High School, said, both of these books include pedophilia, [and] sex between men and boys.

Both books describe different acts. One book describes a fourth-grade boy performing oral sex on an adult male, she said. The other book has detailed illustrations of a man having sex with a boy The illustrations include fellatio, sex toys, masturbation and violent nudity.

Last August, the highest court in Virginia rejected a request by the Loudoun County School Board to uphold the suspension of a Christian teacher, Byron Tanner Cross, who was punished for criticizing a proposed policy requiring teachers to use trans students preferred names and pronouns. A lower court had struck down the school districts suspension of the teacher.

Looking to federal precedent as persuasive, it is settled law that the government may not take adverse employment actions against its employees in reprisal for their exercising their right to speak on matters of public concern, read the order in part.
home World Pope Francis tells parents of kids who identify as LGBT not to 'hide in an attitude of condemnation'



Pope Francis has called on parents of children who identify as LGBT to accompany them and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.

Speaking before a general audience Wednesday, the pontiff discussed the four dreams of St. Joseph. He remarked that God does not promise us that we will never have fear, but that, with His help, it will not be the criterion for our decisions. Francis emphasized that Joseph experiences fear, but God guides him through it, adding: The power of prayer brings light to dark situations.

At this moment, I am thinking of so many people who are crushed by the weight of life and can no longer hope and pray, he said. I am thinking, too, of parents who are facing their childrens problems: children with many illnesses, children who are sick, even with permanent illnesses  how much pain is there  parents who see different sexual orientations in their children; how to deal with this and accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.

While the pope touched upon so many parental problems in his remarks, his comments advising parents to accompany their children who identify as LGBT received particular attention. Critics saw the comments as the latest example of mixed messaging coming from the Vatican regarding the contentious topic of human sexuality.

In a 2020 documentary, the pontiff asserted that homosexual people have a right to be in a family. In addition to suggesting that they are children of God and have a right to a family, he appeared to express support for the creation of a civil union law.

Upon receiving criticism, a Vatican official insisted that the pontiff's comments were edited and missing necessary contextualization. According to the Vatican Secretariat of State, Pope Francis was referring to particular state religions, certainly not the doctrine of the church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.

Last year, several months after the controversy surrounding the popes comments about civil unions, the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a statement proclaiming that It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage. The statement indicated that the Catholic Church cannot bless unions between persons of the same sex because they exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creators plan.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which contains all the churchs teachings, teaches that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and under no circumstances can they be approved. The Catechism calls on those who have same-sex attraction to practice chastity just like all the baptized.

Additionally, the Catechism maintains that individuals who are attracted to members of the same sex must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity and that every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. This wording in the Catechism is very similar to the popes encouragement to avoid an attitude of condemnation when it comes to individuals who identify as LGBT.

However, another action taken by the pope last month also raised eyebrows. He wrote a letter to a Catholic nun who had previously been banned by the Vaticans Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith from doing any pastoral work related to LGBT people because her ministry and efforts to reach out to the community did not accurately portray the intrinsic evil of homosexual acts and the objective disorder of the homosexual inclination. However, the pontiff thanked the nun for her closeness, compassion and tenderness.

In addition to his messaging on LGBT issues, Francis stance on the Traditional Latin Mass has also angered many Catholics. Last year, the pontiff published an apostolic letter imposing restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, which many Catholic Churches across the world continue to celebrate more than a half-century after most churches began to conduct masses in the local vernacular.

Francis cited a desire for church unity when calling on bishops who lead dioceses where Traditional Latin Masses are held to set aside locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes). In addition to implying that church facilities could no longer hold Latin masses, the guidance instructed bishops not to allow the establishment of new groups that celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

The apostolic letter received swift backlash and more than 36,000 Catholics have signed a petition designed to Show Pope Francis the Latin Mass will survive any suppression in the six months since it was published. According to the Latin Mass Directory, there are currently 651 Catholic churches in the United States that celebrate at least one Traditional Latin Mass at some point during the week.



Originally published in The Christian Post.
Washington Post photo by Drea Cornejo. RIGHT: Kamryn Thompson, second from right, huddles with El Campo Impact teammates before a youth volleyball tournament on Jan. 15. MUST CREDIT: Photo for The Washington Post by Mark Felix

HOUSTON - The El Campo Impact 13-and-under girls volleyball team was down by one point in their opening tournament of the year. It was Kamryn Thompson's turn to serve, and it was a winner. Cheers and screams rose from the packed crowd of hundreds of maskless coaches, parents and siblings in a mid-January gathering that felt as if the coronavirus had never hit.

About 15 miles away, Gabriela Hernandez was trapped behind a glass partition in a pediatric intensive care unit jammed with severely ill children battling covid-19. Her daughter, Kimberly, who is immunocompromised, had tested positive for the virus, and now her body was going haywire. Hernandez and the hospital's medical teams were frustrated about the choices that have helped propel the virus' spread and put vulnerable people like Kimberly at risk.

The split-screen reality of American life amid a pandemic has never been as stark as at this moment, in the 23rd month of a crisis that people had expected would long be over.

"I know people who have died because of this and people don't believe it," Hernandez said. "You have to believe it. You have to know that this is happening."

The point at which a pandemic ends is not a discrete event marked by a celebration in the streets like at the conclusion of a war. It's more of a gradual process in which humans who have developed some immunity learn to live alongside a virus that has become less lethal. Some argue that time has come, citing evidence omicron is causing less severe disease than delta in many people. Others point to overwhelmed hospitals and a climbing death toll to implore people to continue taking precautions to get through this surge and then reassess.

Those dueling perspectives are playing out as the United States set a record for new coronavirus infections this month, surpassing 800,000 a day for the first time, according to The Post's seven-day tracking average. The number has fallen to just below 550,000 as of Friday. Hospitalizations have plateaued but deaths are rising - surpassing more than 2,300 a day on average. The last time the numbers were so high was in February 2021 when the country was emerging from the worst of last winter's wave.

Both sides blame the other for elongating the pandemic, but the debate is in some ways less polarized than in the past.

Six former health advisers to President Joe Biden have argued that it is time the country stopped being in a "perpetual state of emergency" and adopt a "new normal" strategy of living with covid that would curb its worst effects but not seek to eradicate it. Even Democratic governors who ordered strict closures in earlier waves are not doing so now, citing tools such as vaccines and treatments; businesses and schools remain open in most places nationwide. After nearly two years of restrictions, even the most compliant Americans, who got their shots, meticulously wore masks and avoided crowded places, express exhaustion.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Friday found that big majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans said they feel "tired" and "frustrated" about the state of the pandemic. People were more worried about omicron's impact on the economy and local hospitals, than about its impact on their personal lives, the poll found.

Fear is giving away to inevitability, both among those who feel protected from the virus' worst effects because they are vaccinated, as well as those who believe covid's risks are exaggerated. Empathy toward the vulnerable is giving way to worries about jobs and the strain on family and friends.

- - -

Finishing up a snack from the concession stand at the volleyball tournament, Misty Dehoyos, 43, said enough is enough. She's vaccinated and wore a mask for over a year. She and her husband Felipe were infected with the coronavirus shortly before Christmas and their symptoms were pretty much like a cold. The couple decided they wouldn't isolate from their unvaccinated children - ages 11, 16 and 19. Even if the children got the virus, they figured their illnesses would likely be mild, and as a bonus, might help protect them against a more severe variant in the future. The kids never felt sick or tested positive.

"It's time," Dehoyos said. "We have to adapt. There's no way to eradicate it."

Dehoyos said she's happy most things in Texas are fully open. At the volleyball tournament last year, everyone had to wear masks, spectators were limited and the ball had to be wiped with disinfectant before every serve. Now those restrictions are gone with only one remaining covid-related quirk - the teams don't switch courts after each set.

But Dehoyos said she's frustrated the rest of the country hasn't followed suit. A friend had a trip planned to San Francisco, she said, but may cancel after learning California has an indoor mask mandate, and that San Francisco, along with nearby Oakland, Berkeley and Contra Costa County, require proof of vaccination at restaurants - none of which sounded very fun for a vacation getaway, she said.

From the pandemic's earliest days, Texas - like some other Republican-controlled states - has been looser with covid restrictions than those on the East and West coasts. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has banned mask and vaccine mandates as an infringement on personal rights - measures criticized by the Biden administration and being fought in court by cities and school districts as necessary for public safety.

But despite Abbott's at times combative tone against U.S. public health officials, a number of parents here who decline to wear masks, or get themselves or their children vaccinated, insisted their decisions had little to do with politics.

Deep in the back of the gym, on the sidelines of Court No. 6, Brooke Smith, 30, said it came down to a lack of trust in government leaders - on both sides of the aisle.

For the past two years, she said, she feels information given to the public has been twisted to fit a political or public health goal. At the beginning of the pandemic, top Trump administration officials including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and Anthony S. Fauci discouraged people from wearing masks - a posture they acknowledged later was due in part to concerns about the inadequate supply for health workers. Later, under President Biden, public health officials repeatedly touted the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine as equal to other two-shot vaccines that were made using a different technology. Studies have since shown the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are more protective.

In both these cases, Smith acknowledged, scientific knowledge had evolved. But she said the situation does not inspire her confidence in the vaccines. "They developed it too fast," Smith said. "I feel like they keep talking about new issues." Hundreds of millions of Americans have received the shots under the most rigorous monitoring in U.S. history, and serious safety problems have been extremely rare.

She said that neither she, nor any of her five children, who range in age from 2 to 13 are vaccinated. The family got covid in early January, but had mild cases, and everyone recovered quickly.

While Smith said she worries about immunocompromised neighbors and friends, she also worries about those who have lost jobs as a result of the economic turmoil stemming from pandemic restrictions and uncertainties. "They took it too far in my opinion," she said.

Tanya Burrow, 46, an El Campo team mom with four children, was unfazed by the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Schools opened in her area without masks so her daughter Abby is used to it. No one in the family is vaccinated, and they don't regularly use masks. She gave Abby, 13, a choice as to whether to wear one while she is playing, and the girl said no.

"I get to play volleyball, and we don't have to wear masks like last year," Abby chimed in. "That was treacherous."

Kamryn's mom, Keshia Hardway, an administrative assistant for a home health company, is one of only a few parents interviewed who said they are vaccinated. She said it was required for her job, but she has no plans to vaccinate her two oldest children, Kamryn, 12 and an 11-year-old son. She's still trying to decide about her 7-year-old daughter who has allergies and may be at greater risk for complications.

She's also worried about long-term effects since the vaccines have not been around very long. The most concerning issue reported has been the exceedingly rare cases of myocarditis, a kind of heart inflammation. The CDC has said the cases were mostly mild and largely affected male teenagers and young men. In the case of her two girls, Hardway worries more about fertility. She knows the information circulated early on about vaccines impacting pregnancy was false, and that millions of vaccinated women have gotten pregnant and given birth. A study this month funded by the National Institutes for Health showed no evidence vaccines make it harder to conceive.

Yet Hardway remains hesitant. "I feel like we're all going to get it," she says of coronavirus infections. "It doesn't matter what precautions we take . . . People are weighing freedom versus what's probably going to be mild symptoms. Is it worth it?"

- - -

The 2.1 square miles around Texas Children's Hospital known as a "super neighborhood" with 60 hospitals, medical schools and related businesses feels like a different world from that of the nearby volleyball tournament. The streets here are filled with masked people trying to keep socially distant as they rush to and from appointments, surgeries and labs that are at the center of the fight against the coronavirus.

After more than 30 years in medicine, Lara Shekerdemian, chief of critical care at Texas Children's, is no stranger to tragedy. But what has frustrated her lately is to "see a child suffering that would not need intensive care, had the clock been turned back" and the child been vaccinated. Earlier this month, the number of children with covid being cared for at the hospital hit a record of more than 85 in one day. The previous high during the delta wave in the summer was 65.

"We didn't think this is what 2022 was going to be like for us. We thought it was going to be a new day, a new year . . . And of course, it's not very different," Shekerdemian said. "We're kind of disheartened."

Nicole Leathers, an intensive care nurse, said during the pandemic's early days, they had a lot of staff and few pediatric patients. Now, they are inundated with sick children, and short staffed due to burnout and colleagues leaving the industry or out sick with covid. She said it has been jolting to see so many young children, especially those under age 5 who are not yet eligible for vaccines, coming in to the hospital lately.

She described her anguish after she and her team performed CPR on a child with covid. The doctors and nurses were in full protective gear, which made it hot and difficult to see and hear. On top of worrying about the child, her heart was breaking for the family member next to them who was terrified but unable to leave the room due to infection precautions. They got the child stabilized, but she remembers "walking out of that and ringing my shirt out as sweat dripped out, physically exhausted, emotionally exhausted, and thinking, 'This would have been hard without a pandemic. It's just now ten times harder.' "

"We're just really kind of getting to this point of max exhaustion and grief and, you know, pulling up our boot straps to see how can we just keep going," she said.

Chris Crouch, 38, has been on both sides of the pandemic's split reality. Until his pregnant wife found herself in intensive care battling covid, he had been adamantly anti-vaccine and only wore a mask when required. Now, after nearly losing her, he is angry about people who not only refuse to wear masks themselves but mock others for doing so.

"We don't know their reason on why they're socially distancing or why they're wearing a mask. So don't judge them," he said. "Just accept it and just respect it because you don't know what they've gone through or what their family members are going through."

Kimberly Garcia Hernandez, 13, and her family have also suffered from the world opening up around them.

The seventh grader is vaccinated, but has an autoimmune condition that likely means the shots don't spur her body to develop a full immune response - if any at all. She had come to the hospital on Jan. 4 with diarrhea and tested positive for covid and her condition spiraled downward from there. She had a colon infection. Her kidneys started to fail so she was put on dialysis. Then she developed life-threatening clots. Doctors said it was difficult to tell what was due to covid and what was due to her immune condition, but the combination was terrifying.

Ten days after she came to the hospital, Kimberly was conscious and her condition more stable, but she remained in intensive care due to sky-high blood pressure. Besides her severe illness, her mother said Kimberly has become hopeless and depressed in the hospital, although she had always been a "happy, cheerful girl," singing and dancing and joking that her favorite subject in school is "boys."

"There are days when she doesn't want anything anymore, she doesn't talk to anyone, she doesn't say anything," Gabriela Hernandez said.

The worst part, her mother said, is that both of them are in strict isolation, unable to leave the hospital room at all because of the risk of spreading the virus, despite having done everything right - masking, using antibacterial gel and being fully vaccinated. Gabriela is presumed to have covid due to her close contact with her daughter. It feels like "a prison," she said.

Her family had taken the virus seriously, she said, but it wasn't until her daughter was hospitalized that she came to understand the far-reaching complications of covid-19: I didn't really know the ravages it caused . . . I thought it was just a flu."

The isolation, on top of her daughter's frightening condition, has been at times unbearable.

"That is a very ugly thing people should know, that it causes fear when you already have it . . ." she said. Everyone who comes into the room, from the doctors and nurses to the cleaning staff, "becomes an astronaut" with full protective gear.

"I see them and I say, 'Wow, can I be so scary for having covid?' "

- - -

The Washington Post's Drea Cornejo, Jacqueline Dupree and Emily Guskin contributed to this report. Dupree and Guskin reported from Washington.
Chand-rashekar Rao chaired a meeting with the top police and excise officialsto chalk out an action plan to eliminate the drug menace, following his decision earlier this week to form the Narcotic and Organised Crime Control Cell. (Photo: Twitter)

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is likely to take a decision on Saturday on the reopening of educational institutions. Schools were declared shut from January 10 to 16 initially, and the closure was extended to January 30.

A report has been submitted to the Chief Minister by education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy with details of students accessing digital sessions as well as those who are not. It details the difficulties faced by teachers, students from low-income families and managements and staff who are unable to run schools due to shortage of fee collection, said Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA) state president Y. Shekar Rao.

The health department has submitted reports on Covid-19 cases among children and the daily fever survey reports to the Chief Minister to take into consideration.

In Medak, the TRSMA staged a dharna at the collectorate, saying students were habituated to carefree behaviour and it would be difficult to control them if schools were shut for a longer time. They added that because of frequent power cuts, online classes were hindered.

On Saturday, the Chief Minister ordered a crackdown on the use, sale, production, cultivation and illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs. Chand-rashekar Rao chaired a meeting with the top police and excise officials at Pragathi Bhavan to chalk out an action plan to eliminate the drug menace, following his decision earlier this week to form the Narcotic and Organised Crime Control Cell (NOCCC).

Addressing the conference, the Chief Minister directed the officials to adopt a two-pronged strategy  to identify those addicted to drugs and facilitate de-addiction with the support of their family and to identify and eliminate the drug supply network.

The Chief Minister asked the police to follow the methods being adopted by Scotland Yard in the UK and the Punjab police to curb the drug menace. He asked them to visit the UK and Punjab for the purpose.

On the lines of Greyhounds, a specialist unit must be established to work against the drug abuse, the Chief Minister told the meeting.

Chandrashekar Rao directed Director General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy to set up a state-of-the-art counter intelligence cell, constituted with 1,000 personnel drawn from police and excise.

Incentives will be provided to officers who display exemplary services in drug control. Funds would not be an issue, he said. The Chief Minister stated that the state government would give a free hand to officials to deal sternly with those involved in drug cases.

The Chief Minister said with effective implementation of law and order, the state was put on the development track within a short span. The menace of narcotic substances which was increasing around the world was disturbing the atmosphere. "We must address the issue tactfully. There is no use of any amount of development that we will achieve or any amount of wealth we will create if our people are addicted to narcotic drugs," he said.

The use of narcotic drugs like cannabis, cocaine and LSD in Telangana is at a nascent stage. But studies show that young people are increasingly attracted to drug use. Hence, the family members, regardless of their financial condition, must be vigilant and focus on their children's habits, the Chief Minister urged.

Home minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, excise minister V. Srinivas Goud, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, home secretary Ravi Gupta, DGP M. Mahendar Reddy, excise and prohibition director Sarfaraz Ahmad, CID DGP Govind Singh, Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand, DGs, district SPs, commissioners, DCPs and the excise SPs were present in the meeting.

The Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary to stop Rythu Bandhu and other incentives to the entire village if they failed to inform the authorities concerned of ganja cultivation. He wanted the officials concerned to treat drug control as a social responsibility rather than considering it as a job. The police were instructed to register cases under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against those involved in the crime.

The Chief Minister said there should not be hukka centres. He warned the police, the excise and the enforcement officials and staff with severe consequences if they were found to be hand in glove with illegal drug traders or antisocial elements. He instructed officials to call for a meeting with the owners of all pubs located in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionerates and give strict directions to them against usage or sale of drugs on their premises.
In the dead of winter in 1933, one of the biggest manhunts in western Michigan took place, involving several counties in a 60-hour pursuit of four bank robbers with murder on their hands.

This incident was recorded in the Jan. 12, 1933 issue of the Osceola County Herald, as well as other newspapers throughout the state.

On Thursday, Jan. 5, 1933, four bandits held up the state bank in the town of Kaleva in Manistee County. They escaped with more than $2,000 in currency, gold and bonds.

The bank cashier, Ellsworth Billman, was shot and killed in the mixup.

Around 60 troopers, with the aid of countless numbers of county and city officers, and vigilantes, searched for the robbers. This was stated in the Osceola County Herald to be "probably the most extensive and concentrated manhunt in the history of western Michigan."

During the manhunt, tourists, salesmen and truck drivers in western Michigan had an "endless number of shotguns and rifles stuck up at them" as troopers and other officers stopped all traffic in an effort to catch the bandits, the Osceola County Herald stated. Officers were spread from Manistee County, east to Gladwin, south to Grand Rapids and Kelloggsville and west back to Muskegon. All bridges over the Muskegon River were guarded, with the idea the bandits would cross the river if they made a getaway.

After fleeing from the Kaleva bank, the bandits turned down a sand road south from Kaleva, passing through Wellston, and then Irons and Peacock. At this point, their stolen Buick Sedan, taken from an Indianapolis garage the day before, broke down, and they abandoned it three miles north of Baldwin, north of the intersection of M-37 and U.S. 10 west.

Capt. Hathaway and other troopers came upon the car while the motor still warm on Thursday evening.

It was presumed the quartet knew the area, as they were next seen at Whalen Lake, 1 1/2 miles east of Baldwin, and probably came cross-country to reach this point. They knocked on the cottage door of Peter A. Hollenbeck along the lakefront, and held him at gunpoint.

They demanded that he hand over the keys to his car in the garage. They also took a rifle and shotgun and some ammunition from Hollenbeck. Before leaving they asked him if he had any money. Upon being told he had none, one of the trio stepped forward and laid two $5 bills on the table, according to the Osceola County Herald.

They went to the garage and backed out the car, a maroon-colored Chevrolet Coupe, to U.S. 10. On the way they had passed a state police patrol car which was stopped at Brook's cottage. They passed another patrol car on the way to Baldwin. At Baldwin they drove down Michigan Avenue while about 10 state police cars were being dispatched to various points.

On M-37, heading south of Baldwin, the bandits flashed their lights when they saw a state police car ahead of them. They got through the barrier, but shot at the police. The officers recognized the people in the car which passed them were indeed the bandits. The officers started a pursuit, but were slowed-up when their large cruiser had to turn around on the highway. When they caught up with the bandits, the officer's machine gun jammed. The quartet was able to make a get-away.

The bandits soon saw a patrol car ahead of them blocking M-37 near Bitely, and turned off to the west of the highway, where it was later found by the Newaygo County sheriff on Sunday, 30 rods off into the brush.

"As there were only three-gallons of gasoline in the Couple when the bandits secured it from Mr. Hollenbeck, they knew they could not drive far, but probably had the intentions of driving to White Cloud" and from there, west, to head back down to Indiana.

On Friday and Saturday, many tips were investigated by troopers of maroon-colored Chevrolet Coupes in various parts of the state, and "their trails were run down until each was proved not to be the bandit quartet."

Among those stopped by state troopers was the new rural mail carrier out of Reed City, Clarence Trimner, in his maroon-colored Chevrolet Coupe, although it had quantities of mail. Several state police patrol cars were stationed at Hawkins, between Reed City and Big Rapids, Baldwin, Bitely and White Cloud. Police cruisers were equipped with multi-machine guns.

By late Saturday afternoon, Jan. 7, a farmer's wife called the state police to report four men crossing a field near her house, and the state police, through a radio broadcast from East Lansing, ordered 17 patrol cars and cruisers to the Walkerville area.

Benny McGahan, a farmer living 6 1/2 miles northeast of Walkerville, heard the broadcast about the bandits in that area. He went out for a look around his farm and soon saw four men walking into the Colfax Swamp, figuring they would come out the other side. He went around the swamp to intercept them and soon he saw them. He opened fire, and and refusing to halt, they kept running, but the farmer didn't realize one man went down.

A few minutes later state officers arrived and following the sound of groaning, found bandit Wayne Thompson in the swamp. Thompson was rushed to the hospital at Hart, and on the way confessed to having robbed the Kaleva bank, and that his three partners were still in the swamp. After a medical examination, a bullet was found lodged near his pelvic bone, also having pierced his intestines and bladder. Physicians gave him a 50-50 chance of survival.

After it was reported one of the bandits was shot, troopers Lewis Cook and William Marsengetti of the Jackson post, who had been sent Thursday to watch the intersection of U.S. 131 and U.S. 10, were ordered to Riverton in Mason County. More cars were then ordered to the Colfax Swamp by dispatchers at East Lansing, and the state troopers, accompanied by vigilantes and sheriff forces, began closing in on the three men in the swamp.

The trio was finally captured about 10 p.m. that night after a four-mile chase through the swamp "frequently falling in deep pools of icy water as they made their way through the inch-deep snow."

The three bandits were Elmer "Mike" Zellers, 28, of Laporte, Ind., Henry Shelton, 25, and Robert Veneman, 25, both of Indianapolis.

They threw down their guns when confronted by Newaygo County Sheriff William Bird. Also instrumental in their capture was State Police Corp. Joseph Pristas and Capt. W.D. Hansen of the Jackson Post and troopers Louis Miller, Vincent Newman and Jerry Kinkema.

The Osceola County Herald also told of "several carloads of Reed City people going to the Colfax swamp, getting to see the bandit trio before they were whisked away to White Cloud."

When the men were arrested, two were without shoes, having to take them off when their feet swelled from exposure to the icy swamp. They were said to be "quite docile at the time of their capture, as they had nothing to eat since Thursday, and were exhausted and suffering from exposure."

The trio was taken to the hardware store in Walkerville and then were rushed to the county jail at White Cloud.

On Sunday, Veneman confessed it was his gun which was used to kill the cashier. He said "someone bumped into him, turning him part way around, and his finger on the hair trigger of the gun discharged the weapon."

On Sunday, it also was discovered three residents of Brethren, Walter Danks, and Henry and William Gaw, were connected with the Kaleva bandits, and were arrested. They recently moved to Brethren from Indiana. It was noted that Zellers had been at their home and told them, "We'll get Al Winekee out of the Cadillac Jail if his bail isn't over $200,000 to $300,000."

Winekee was arrested on charges of robbing the Harmon Drug Store in Cadillac on Nov. 4, 1932, of $100. Zellers admitted he was involved in that robbery, and had been around Manistee and Wexford counties since that last fall, and had been "hunted by police" since then. He said the Kaleva money was taken to free Winekee, according to the Osceola County Herald.

The trio was taken to Manistee on Monday, Jan. 9, 1933, where they were bound over to circuit court. Judge Hal Cutler sentenced each man to Marquette Prison for life. They were charged with armed robbery, and the charge of first-degree murder loomed over them in the event any or all three were paroled from prison.

Public thanks was given to all who helped in the manhunt, especially the state troopers, who had practically no sleep from about 11 a.m. Thursday morning when the first call came in, until Saturday night, except short half-hour catnaps in the late mornings, by one officer, and then the other, who were in pairs.

The robbers were no match for a well-worked system of law-enforcement and volunteers spanning many counties to attain justice.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday directed the state government to show some concern for the victims of child marriages.

The court asked the government to provide the best educational facilities, skill development and health services to them, as most of them were destitute and none to take care of them.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, was dealing with the taken-up PIL related to hardships of child-marriage victims.

K. Mahalatha and 10 others wrote a letter to the High Court explaining the sad plight of the victims, especially when it came to eking out a living.

The petitioners said that there were many cases in which the victims were abused and tortured by family members. They pointed out that there was no social protection scheme for such victims because they were minors. Taking the letter as PIL, the court directed the concerned public authorities to file a detailed report about how they were assisting such victims.

Meanwhile, the director of women and child welfare filed a counter stating that they were facilitating such victims by way of shelter in swadhar gruhas, taking care of their education, skill development and empowerment training programmes in institutions like Kasturibhai Balika Vidyalayas and Durgabai Deshmukh Polytechnic College at Ameerpet.

After perusing the counter, the court observed that it would be in the fitness of things if some reservation was provided to such victims in all educational courses and asked the government to pursue it.
As the family of a young Houston mother killed during a Jan. 12 high-speed chase prepares to bury her this weekend, records obtained by Chron reveal the checkered disciplinary history of the deputy who was behind the wheel and survived the crash.

Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) deputy Dontre Thomas, the 24-year-old patrol cop who crashed while chasing a man suspected in a string of robberies that evening, was reprimanded six months prior for violating HCSO's policies during a pursuit on March 24, 2021, according to a copy of Thomas' personnel file. The violation was a relatively small infraction  Thomas failed to put his patrol car in park at the end of a chase in the 13900 block of Ella Boulevard, which caused the cruiser to roll back into another car and pole as Thomas took the driver into custody.

In a July 12 letter of reprimand, Thomas, who joined HCSO in October 2019, was ordered to take a two-day Driver Safety Course required for any deputy involved in an at-fault crash that causes at least $400 in damage. Thomas Gilliland, a deputy and spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said the reprimanded cop completed the refresher course on Aug. 5, a little less than five months before the deadly crash.

That night, Thomas collided into 22-year-old Autrey Davis' Kia Borrego and smashed several other vehicles at the intersection of Laura Koppe Road and Lockwood Drive, killing Davis and severely injuring her 3-year-old son, Kyle Johnson. Six others were also injured after Thomas' cruiser careened into a nearby parking lot in a ball of flames.

Thomas was in pursuit of a man later identified by police as 29-year-old DaVonte Williams, who is accused of holding up two stores immediately before the deputy spotted him around 10:40 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 59 and Tidwell Road. Following the alleged robberies, Williams got into a Lincoln Town Car and sped away as Thomas tried to pull him over, police said.

Thomas continued to chase the driver "at a high rate of speed," according to archived police radio traffic, for about a mile before winding up eastbound on Laura Koppe Road. At the same time, Davis was in her Kia heading northbound on Lockwood Drive with her two children in the back seat. A witness told police they saw the driver of the Lincoln narrowly miss hitting Davis in the intersection before the deputy slammed into her SUV, according to a crash report filed Friday morning by the Houston Police Department.

Davis was ejected from her car as it flipped onto its side. She was pronounced dead on scene, while 3-year-old Kyle was rushed to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. The driver of the Lincoln sped away unscathed.

OnScene.TV

HPD's crash report detailing the wreck does not specify which driver, Thomas or Davis, had a green light at the intersection of Laura Koppe and Lockwood. A diagram of the crash and statements from witnesses suggest that Davis was already in the intersection when the pursuit blew through. Investigators in the report officially stated both drivers "disregarded a stop and go signal" while noting that Thomas was driving at an "unsafe speed."

Investigators noted that Thomas' in-car dashboard camera was recording and captured the crash, which would likely indicate which light was showing at the time he entered the intersection. The Houston Police Department typically releases footage from critical incidents involving its own officers, including two recent cases where on-duty HPD officers crashed and killed civilians. Representatives for both HPD and HCSO said Friday that the footage they have of the Jan. 12 crash would only be shown if its release was ordered through a public information request  requests that are typically denied when they involve open investigations.

"I want to see that dashcam," said Andy Rubenstein, a Houston attorney hired to represent Davis' family. "It's not determinative, but I do want to know what the facts are."

OnScene.TV

Prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney's Office plan to take the case against Thomas to a grand jury sometime soon but exactly when is unclear. Sean Teare, who heads the DA's vehicular crimes division, previously said the investigation will be lengthy and could last months. Two other cases, one from a Dec. 4 crash where HPD officer Orlando Hernandez crashed and killed 66-year-old pedestrian Michael Wayne Jackson and another from Dec. 26 where HPD officer Christopher Cabrera crashed into and killed 75-year-old motorist Charles Michael Payne, will likely be presented to a grand jury before Thomas' case, Teare said.

Williams was only later identified through evidence recovered at the two robbery scenes as well as an anonymous tip, according to a federal criminal complaint. When comparing archived police radio traffic, information from HPD's crash report and details in the federal criminal charges filed against Williams, it appears Thomas misread and gave dispatchers the wrong license plate number for the Lincoln before initiating the pursuit.

Rubenstein, who is calling for a change in HCSO's pursuit policy, said the policing method is archaic and puts police, those suspected of a crime and the public in grave danger.

"They're operating like it's the year 1950 when they didn't have any other resources," Rubenstein said. "We're still chasing people around like Eliot Ness. It doesn't make any sense... In these situations, there's not a good reason to do it. There has to be a change in policy from up top. There wasn't an absolute need to capture this person right then and there. The window would have remained open, and it did remain open, and they did catch him without incident within a day. It shows it didn't have to happen."

Courtesy Andy Rubenstein

For Davis' family, the road to recovery is far from over on multiple fronts. Her surviving son Kyle continues to fight for his life, Rubenstein said. He suffered significant head trauma and is forced to use a feeding tube. In footage of the crash's aftermath shot by OnScene.TV, Kyle appeared unconscious as paramedics loaded him into an ambulance. He's currently at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital but will be soon transferred to Texas Children's Hospital.

Davis' 2-year-old daughter, who was also in the car at the time of the crash, was jostled but uninjured, Rubenstein said.

"She does not appear to be injured physically in any way," Rubenstein said of the younger sibling. "She's talkative. She's being loved by all the family around her. Everyone's taking care of her."

Davis' funeral will be held 10 a.m. Saturday morning at the Brookside Funeral Home at 13747 Eastex Freeway. Thomas remains on paid administrative leave.
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump will be raking in some dough for his campaign before making an appearance at his "Save America" rally in Conroe Saturday with Gov. Greg Abbott and a host of other Texas officials.

The former president is allegedly charging $100,000 per couple to attend a private luncheon  where Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is listed as chairman  at an undisclosed location prior to the event, according to Jeremy Wallace of the Houston Chronicle.
In the latest air travel news, the United Kingdom and Ireland are making it easier for vaccinated Americans to enter their countries, while France is starting to require a COVID-19 booster for some visitors who want to get into restaurants and museums; the Federal Aviation Administration continues to clear more aircraft types from concerns about 5G interference, but Alaska Airlines and JetBlue say problems remain for some smaller aircraft; U.S. blocks dozens of flights by Chinese carriers as aviation spat continues; Hong Kongs tough COVID-19 rules have decimated Cathay Pacifics business; the head of an Asia-Pacific airline association calls the regions ongoing traffic slump the groups worst crisis ever; United Airlines simplifies Wi-Fi fees for domestic flights; Southwest cites a first-quarter bookings drop as cancellations increase due to omicron; CDC puts 15 more foreign destinations on its do not travel list; Spirit Airlines adds Salt Lake City to its route map and American and British Airways plan to consolidate operations at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport later this year.

Travel to the United Kingdom is getting easier for vaccinated Americans and other vaccinated foreigners. A few weeks ago, the U.K. ended its requirement that vaccinated visitors must get a negative result on a COVID-19 test before departing their home countries, and now the U.K. announced that effective Feb. 11, vaccinated visitors will no longer be required to submit to a PCR test within two days after arrival. The only thing vaccinated visitors will have to do is to fill out a passenger locator form, which is being simplified to require only their vaccine status, travel history and contact information, the government said. The U.K. is also ending the mandatory quarantine for non-vaccinated visitors, assuming they get negative results on a pre-departure COVID test and a PCR test within two days of arrival. The changes mean that the U.K. has one of the most free-flowing borders across Europe in addition to having the most open economy and society, according to a statement from the U.K. Department for Transport. U.S. travelers should remember that if they do fly to the U.K. (or any other foreign destination), theyll still need to get a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 24 hours before their return flight.

Earlier this month, Ireland also eased up on entry restrictions, canceling its requirement that inbound foreign visitors who are vaccinated get a negative COVID-19 test result before departing from home. The testing rule still applies to the unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, travelers headed to France should be aware that as of this week, the French government changed the rules for its Health Activity Pass (Pass Sanitaire), which is required of anyone who wants to enter most public venues, including restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, ski lifts, trade fairs, large shopping centers and for inter-regional travel on planes, buses and trains. The former Health Activity Pass is now called a Vaccine Pass (Pass Vaccinal)  a certificate showing two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (one for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine). But under the new rules, if the latest dose was received more than seven months ago, a booster is now required. And starting Feb. 15, a booster will be required if the most recent dose was more than four months ago. Americans can pick up an official Vaccine Pass at select pharmacies in Paris and around France by showing their passport and CDC vaccination card and paying a fee of no more than 36 euros.

The Federal Aviation Administration is continuing to expand its approvals of U.S. airliners that are safe to land during bad visibility at airports where their altimeters might face interference from new 5G C-band signals being deployed by Verizon and AT&T. The FAA said 90% of the U.S. commercial fleet has now been cleared to operate at such airports, including some smaller planes. Most major U.S. airports (including San Francisco International Airport) have been deemed safe for operations due to the telecom giants agreeing to scale back their 5G deployments nearby. But the FAA this week issued a rule barring certain widebodies  including 777s and 747-8s  from landing at airports where 5G interference is still possible. On Friday, the FAA said it has reached an agreement with Verizon and AT&T on steps that will enable more aircraft to safely use key airports while also enabling more towers to deploy 5G service.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines this week said that although its mainline Boeing and Airbus jets are approved for low-visibility landings, some of our regional jets have not yet been cleared at certain airports and are still subject to restrictions on landing/takeoff during low visibility conditions (such as dense fog or winter weather) that were put in place before the agreement to limit 5G. This is causing cancellations, delays and diversions. It advised customers to check their flights status before heading to the airport. Early this week, Alaska canceled almost two dozen Embraer E175 fights at the state of Washingtons Paine Field operated by Horizon Air and SkyWest. That concern was echoed by JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes, who said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts this week that some of his airlines Embraer E190s are still unable to land during limited visibility at some airports. We cant assume that we are completely out of the 5G woods yet, he said, according to Skift. Emirates, which last week suspended some U.S. routes including SFO due to 5G concerns, has since resumed service on all of them.

All the fuss about 5G and airlines has been over C-band rollouts by Verizon and AT&T. But what about T-Mobile? T-Mobiles nationwide 5G network does not use the C-band spectrum that the FAA is concerned about, a spokesperson said, and we dont anticipate any limitations when we are ready to deploy it in late 2023. T-Mobile already covers 210 million people nationwide with Ultra Capacity 5G and 310 million with Extended Range 5G.

Zaha Hadid Architects

A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. warned China that it might face retaliation if it continued to order the suspension of some transpacific flights by U.S. airlines, and last week the U.S. delivered on that threat. The Transportation Department ordered a halt to 44 flights from China after the Chinese blocked more flights from the U.S. operated by American, Delta and United. China orders the temporary suspension of service when it determines that foreign airlines carried passengers into the country who later test positive for COVID. The number of flights between the U.S. and China had already been drastically reduced due to COVID-19 and a lack of demand, and to the Chinese governments restrictions on foreign arrivals (which include a minimum 14-day quarantine upon arrival). That might seem like it would be a problem with the Beijing Winter Olympics coming up next month, but China said last week that no Olympics tickets will be available for the general public. Most U.S. athletes heading to the Winter Games arent flying commercial  they left the U.S. this week on a Delta A350 charter flight.

If flying into China is tough, getting into Hong Kong could be even tougher, especially because it has adopted super-strict rules for airline flight crews, requiring them to quarantine for three days even if they are vaccinated. That rule is playing havoc with airlines scheduling of Hong Kong flights  if they havent already been suspended  and it has had a huge impact on hometown carrier Cathay Pacific. During January of this year, Cathays total passenger capacity was down 98% from pre-pandemic 2019 levels  even worse than 2021, when Cathays capacity was 62% below 2019 levels. Hong Kong has banned flights from several nations it considers to be high-risk for COVID, including the U.S. and the U.K. This week, it extended that ban through Feb. 18. On a positive note, for anyone who manages to find a way into Hong Kong, the government on Feb. 5 is reducing the mandatory quarantine after arrival from 21 days to 14.

The huge decline in air travel to and within China and Hong Kong is typical of the entire Asia-Pacific region. While travel between the U.S. and Europe started to recover in recent months as governments eased up on their COVID-related entry restrictions, the same has not been true across the Pacific, where foreign visitors are subjected to onerous entry rules including multiple testing requirements, quarantines, or even outright bans. This week, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, which includes dozens of carriers in the region, reported that in 2021 its members carried just 16.7 million international passengers  a mere 4.4% of the number in pre-pandemic 2019  at a load factor (percentage of seats occupied) of just 32%. AAPA Director General Subhas Menon blamed the severely depressed traffic levels on government travel restrictions throughout the region. It is the worst crisis the regions airlines have ever faced in terms of duration and depth, he said. Late in 2021, he said, some governments began to ease up on restrictions, leading to slightly higher passenger numbers. However, the emergence of the Omicron variant has put the brakes on recovery, Menon said.

United Airlines charges for using its in-flight Wi-Fi service, which previously varied wildly depending on routing and flight length, have been simplified to a single flat fee for all domestic and short-haul international routes, according to a report in The Points Guy. The new rates are $8 per flight segment for MileagePlus members (regardless of status level) and $10 for non-members. (Last year, United started to offer free messaging on chat platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp.) Long-haul international flights will continue to have varied pricing. The Points Guy noted that before the flat fee, Wi-Fi fees for certain domestic routes like San Francisco-Newark could cost more than $40.

The latest U.S. carrier to document the near-term negative effect of the coronavirus is Southwest Airlines, which said this week it is facing a revenue headwind in the first quarter due to a softness in bookings and an increase in trip cancellations associated with the omicron variant. That softness, combined with lower than expected business travel demand, will reduce the companys operating revenues in January and February by $330 million, Southwest said. But it added that it is seeing improved booking trends for March and for spring break travel. Southwest also noted that after going through some big surges of flight cancellations late last year, over the last two weeks we have returned to solid operational performance, and that it expects to hire at least 8,000 new employees this year. In other news, Southwest said it is pushing back the resumption of in-flight alcohol service until late March or early April. The only other major airline still not serving booze in the main cabin is American Airlines, which is currently due to resume that service on March 18.

Island nations in the Caribbean continue to be targeted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the agency updates its list of Level 4 countries  places where the agency urges Americans not to travel because of high COVID risks. In its latest update this week, the CDC put 15 more destinations on its Level 4 do not travel list, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, St. Barts and the French Saint-Martin. (A week earlier, it added Bermuda, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks & Caicos to Level 4, which already included Haiti and the Dutch St. Maarten.) Also going onto the do not travel list this week were Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Kuwait, Mongolia, Niger, Peru, Romania, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. The CDC doesnt have the authority to ban Americans from traveling to Level 4 nations  only to make recommendations based on public health considerations.

RICARDO ARDUENGO / AFP via Getty Images

Spirit Airlines next expansion will bring it to Salt Lake City  a Delta hub  starting this spring. The low-cost carrier said that on May 26, it will launch its first flights out of SLC, including twice-daily service to Las Vegas and daily flights to Los Angeles and Orlando. Meanwhile, American Airlines plans to introduce a few new leisure routes on June 11, including weekly Saturday flights from Austin to Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico; and weekly service from Chicago OHare to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts.

In airport news, joint venture partners American Airlines and British Airways are targeting Dec. 1 of this year for the consolidation of their operations into AAs Terminal 8 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. For the past two years, a $400 million expansion and improvement of T8 has been underway in preparation for the move, including the addition of five new widebody aircraft gates, a better baggage handling system, more amenities for passengers and expanded services for premium customers. That last element will include a co-branded AA/BA premium check-in area with concierge-style service for top-tier guests, replacing AAs Flagship First Check-In; a new check-in space for business class travelers; and three new post-security lounges, with admission based on cabin class and loyalty program status. The most exclusive lounge, AA said, will offer a champagne bar and an a la carte dining room, while an adjacent premium lounge will feature airfield views, a wine bar, cocktail lounge, library and buffet. Americans existing Flagship Lounge and Concourse A Admirals Club will be repurposed into a contiguous lounge for eligible business class customers, the airline said. To accommodate construction, AAs Flagship First check-in will close Feb. 1. All T8 lounges will stay open this year but after the project is finished, the Admirals Club on Concourse B will close.
Last week, the 20th season of Real Time With Bill Maher kicked off with guest Bari Weiss controversially declaring herself over with the pandemic. That debate loomed large over the latest episode, with Maher discussing the matter further with his guests and expanding on his own feelings on how the government should and shouldnt respond to the pandemic.

But Mahers opening monologue headed into slightly different territory. Specifically, Maher opened with a riff on cryptocurrencys turbulent week. Not surprisingly, Maher isnt a fan of it, given its environmental effects. That it also allowed him to get in a dig at millennials seemed like an added bonus.

He pivoted from there to a discussion of the week in candy. Dont get me started on M&Ms, Maher said. Ive realized how much I didnt know about M&Ms until this week. By his own admission, Maher had not followed the legion of ad campaigns that preceded this weeks announced reinvention of the characters. It led to one of the funnier moments of the episode, as Maher seemed genuinely bewildered by the concept of sexy M&Ms. Is this really the biggest thing we have to worry about? he asked.

From there, Maher segued to a riff on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. And while there was a much more substantive conversation about this later in this episode, at this stage in the episode it just led to an awful punchline about transgender athletes.

Thankfully, the remainder of the monologue managed to be funny rather than cringe-inducing. It included riffs on the bridge that fell in Pittsburgh before President Biden visited the city, and Maher mocking the faux-anger of a Republican member of Congress critical of Bidens hot-mic dismissal of a Fox News reporter.

The evenings first guest was Ira Glasser, the onetime head of the ACLU and the subject of the documentary Mighty Ira. Maher referred to him as one of his heroes, and his admiration for the man was clear throughout. For his part, Glasser was critical of the policies the organization adopted a few years ago regarding case selection. Most of the speech we defended didnt reflect our values, Glasser said, regarding his time at the ACLU. That was the point.

That, in turn, led to a more detailed conversation on free speech. Everybody has an exception to it, Glasser pointed out. It doesnt work if there are exceptions, Maher said. But while Glasser seemed less than thrilled by some aspects of the current ACLU, he stopped short of a fiery critique of the organization he once headed.

Maher brought up a quote from the ACLUs current director, Anthony Romero, and asked Glasser for his reaction. Organizations have the right to change, Glasser said, but the problem is  there isnt any other ACLU. He went on to express concern over the government getting to determine what you can or cant say, and cited Rudy Giulianis time as mayor of New York as an example. We filed more First Amendment lawsuits against Rudy Giuliani than any mayor in the history of New York.

Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing For You Here and a recent op-ed on the situation in Ukraine, and Matt Welch of Reason and its podcast, joined Maher for the panel discussion. Maher began by addressing criticism of him for last weeks comments on COVID. Im in good company if Im crazy, he said, citing Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfs recent comments on pandemic fatigue.

Why cant we protect the people who are particularly vulnerable and let society come back? Maher asked. Hills response linked up with something Maher had brought up earlier, which is to say the increased partisan reaction to the pandemic. Hill shared an anecdote about a Wisconsin resident who declared that they wouldnt get vaccinated for a simple reason: they were a Republican. Welch sought a middle path  hailing Democrats for getting vaccinated and Republicans for keeping schools open.

Both Welch and Hill spoke about the possibility of removing regulations after Omicron dropped  and it was here that Maher pointed out that there would almost certainly be another variant, and another, and another. This was at the center of his argument: waiting for COVID to subside might keep us all waiting for a long time. Is there something more we could do? Unfortunately, there was little the trio could invoke as a path forward on which they all agreed.

The current standoff with Russia prompted Maher to ask why NATO had endured after the end of the Cold War, with both Hill and Welch discussing the reasons why many Eastern European nations sought to join NATO after the fall of the Soviet Union.

From there, the panel shifted gears to partisan divisions in the United States. Hill has theorized that the US is less in a civil war than a cold war, akin to the Troubles. She shared her experiences of growing up during it, and the mood of paranoia that was felt acutely over the course of decades. Wed look at someone, and wed immediately get suspicious about  are they on the other side? Hill said.

Glasser joined the panel for Overtime, which largely consisted of stories about childhood and parenting. One got the impression that Maher, Welch and Hill would have been fine to hear Glassers stories of growing up in mid-century Brooklyn; the man is a talented raconteur.

New Rules opened with riffs on Barry Bonds (Maher thinks he should be in the Hall of Fame) and a cafe that lets you experience being born. For the bulk of the segment, he addressed a Fox News commentator arguing that Maher should be the next Democratic nominee for President.

It allowed Maher a moment to articulate just where he is, politically speaking. Its not me whos changed  its the Left. he said. The oath of office I took was to comedy, and if you do goofy sh*t, wherever you are on the spectrum, Im going to make fun of you.

Heres what was frustrating about the segment: it followed the pattern of many of Mahers critiques, where he began by critiquing elected Democrats (some DAs, some members of Congress), but eventually moved on to things that elected officials have nothing to do with, like the existence of a pregnant man emoji and all things Mr. Potato Head. It begs the question: is Maher angry at the Democratic Party, or at the current state of left-of-center thought in the country? Theres certainly overlap there, but the two are not one and the same.

When Maher argued that Democrats are focusing on regulating too many things, he struck a few more resonant points. Did Maher bring up his solar shed, a running theme from last season? He did. And the same point has been made by others, including a much-discussed Ezra Klein piece in the New York Times. But thats where the issue comes up: Maher is, by his own admission, a comedian first, rather than a political writer like Klein. But sometimes, going for the biggest laughs can dilute a point rather than bolster it, and this segment served as a prime example of that.

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Mangaluru: The Kerala government has written to the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority, about the steps taken to safeguard the interests of Kannada linguistic minorities in the Kasargod district.

This is following Karnataka Border Area Development Authority chairman Dr. C Somasekharas letter to the Kerala government a few days ago.

The Kerala government has reacted positively and replied to the Ministry of Minority Affairs and has marked a copy to us. This is a victory for our effort, a press statement from the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority reads.

In the letter, the Kerala government has stated that a Kannada and Malayalam knowing clerk has been appointed in the District Police Chiefs office to deal with the Kannada language. The grievances of Kannada linguistic minorities in Kasargod district will addressed through Additional SP Harishchandra Naik.

The letter added that a Kannada-speaking police officer is posted at the police stations in the areas where Kannada minorities reside and complaints received in the Kannada language are being resolved. The signboards of police stations, names of the stations are written in Kannada and directions have been issued to display the rate chart in Kannada for the public at all Akshaya Centers in Kasargod and Manjeshwaram Taluk limits. The Kerala State IT Mission Director will also be informed about the inclusion of the Kannada language in the e-District portal.

The letter stated that there is shortage of teachers proficient in the Kannada language in Kannada medium schools in areas bordering Karnataka. The Deputy Director of Education has stated that the appointment of teachers who do not know Kannada will be strictly avoided in such areas.
Canadian immigration minister talks backlogs, international students and PGP in TV interview Immigration Minister Sean Fraser appeared on Prime Asia TV Canada to discuss topical issues in Canadian immigration.

Canadian immigration minister talks backlogs, international students and PGP in TV interview Immigration Minister Sean Fraser appeared on Prime Asia TV Canada to discuss topical issues in Canadian immigration.

Canadian immigration minister talks backlogs, international students and PGP in TV interview Immigration Minister Sean Fraser appeared on Prime Asia TV Canada to discuss topical issues in Canadian immigration. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadas minister of immigration, Sean Fraser, sat down to talk about Canadian immigration with Prime Asia TV business head, Deepinder Singh.



The interview covered a number of topics relating to challenges brought on by the pandemic and possible solutions for the future. Among other things, Fraser spoke about his mandate to support immigration pathways for international students and temporary foreign workers, and the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

Singh began the interview asking about the backlog of 1.8 million people waiting to get a decision on their applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). He noted that the impending applications are enough to exceed the current immigration targets for this year. As per the 2021-2023 Multi-year Immigration Levels plan, Canada is expected to land 411,000 newcomers this year, although that could change when the new targets are released in February.

Fraser said the problem began with the pandemic. In order to exceed their 2021 target of 401,000 newcomers amid travel restrictions, Canada had to land people who were already in the country. He also noted that there was an increase in the number of people who applied to come to Canada. As a result, they ended with two normal years worth of applications in the inventory, but it does not mean IRCC will not consider new applications.

Express Entry draws and programs for international students

Given that there have been no Express Entry draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates since September, people who would normally be eligible to apply for immigration are seeing their temporary statuses expire, forcing them to quit their jobs or even leave Canada. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates, who are largely outland candidates but also inland, have not had a draw since December 2020.

Fraser did not say if there were any work permit extensions being made for these candidates. He did reference his mandate letter, which calls for him to find pathways to permanent residence for international students and temporary foreign workers. He said there have been no final decisions on what those different programs will look like.

Fraser said the pause in FSWP draws is temporary, and that Canada does intend to resume draws for this program. He did not give a timeline.

He also said he was interested in exploring new ways to make it easier for international students to consider their studies a springboard to Canadian permanent residency.

Theres some work that needs to be done to get there, but Im committed to doing that work, Fraser said.

Express Entry backlogs

It has been recently revealed through an internal memo that some Express Entry candidates could wait up to 20 months, almost three years, to get a decision on their file.

In response to Singhs question on the topic, Fraser said, to suggest everyone is going to be waiting three years is not a fair assessment.

The memo had referenced specifically that FSWP candidates were looking at processing times of about 20 months, and CEC candidates were facing wait times of nearly eight.

Fraser said that the government would continue to to have Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-specific Express Entry draws.

The minister also said he is looking to increase the number of newcomers who arrive in Canadaboth as temporary residents and permanent residentsand make it easier for temporary residents to gain permanent residency status over the long term.

Canada needs immigrants to support labour shortages

Fraser noted that Canada is short one million workers, and that 100% of labour force growth comes from foreign workers.

The issue of slow work-permit processing is one of the five areas covered in Canadas $85 million budget to improve the immigration system. Fraser also says he anticipates the Trusted Employer Stream will reduce barriers for employers that have a good track record of hiring foreign workers.

Plans for special health care worker programs

Fraser confirmed there were plans to allow more foreign health care workers move to Canada. He said the issues is important as there are currently only three health care workers for every senior in Canada, and the labour shortage issue will only keep growing.

He said Canada is prioritizing the processing of foreign health care workers, an initiative which started doing during the pandemic.

Fraser also said that some of the other options they have is to work with the PNPs, and improve foreign credential recognition.

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)

Fraser called the PGP his biggest challenge as immigration minister.

One of the thing that makes this the most challenging stream is the demand we have given the spaces that are traditionally available, Fraser said.

The immigration minister said in a given year there are about 200,000 applicants applying for some 10,000 spaces.

In 2020 and 2021, the PGP was once again a lottery system. Critics say the lottery system is unfair to those who have been waiting in the pool of candidates for years. In defence of the lottery system, Fraser said, although it does not work out for everyone it does put everyone on equal footing.

Fraser said he is actively seeking feedback from colleagues, but did not say one way or the other if the methodology would change for PGP applications this year.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
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Elk Grove, CA (95624)

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If a visitor to Israel had the time to take a month to really get to know the country, I would recommend the period that has just concluded  from Passover through Israeli Independence Day. Its Israel in a nutshell. And it also happens to be a time of year when most of the days are picture-
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Sacramento County District 5 supervisor candidate Jaclyn Moreno is shown with her 14-year-old daughter. They both tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Aimee Ferolino on Friday asked the poll body to "review" the actions of fellow Commissioner Rowena Guanzon who had disclosed her vote on the disqualification case against Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.

In a letter addressed to chairman Sheriff Abas  a copy of which was obtained by CNN Philippines  Ferolino urged the Comelec to look into Guanzon's media guestings and social media posts in relation to the case.

"Her excitement and eagerness have taken over her that she may have forgotten the sub judice rule," Ferolino said of Guanzon, the presiding commissioner of the First Division handling the consolidated petitions against Marcos.

Ferolino also expressed concern over Guanzon's public revelation that she was the one tasked to pen the much-awaited ruling.

"Her disclosure will expose me to possible pressure from different personalities and organizations and will pose a threat to my safety and security," she said.

Guanzon on Thursday went on the record and disclosed that she voted to disqualify Marcos from the 2022 presidential race, citing his conviction for failure to file income tax returns, among others.

RELATED: Petitioners laud Guanzon's disqualification vote, but Marcos party seeks penalty

The presiding commissioner also called out the "unreasonable" delay in the release of the resolution, which she said has been "hijacked by the ponente." She said the decision can be written in a matter of hours.

Guanzon also hinted that a "powerful" politician may be meddling in the case.

'Well within the timeline'

Ferolino, however, refuted claims that she had been delaying the resolution.

For one, she said there was no internal agreement within the First Division to release the ruling by Jan. 17. She said the deadline Guanzon earlier announced to the public was imposed upon the other poll officials.

"It was the Presiding Commissioner (Guanzon) herself who set that date and imposed the same upon me and Commissioner Marlon Casquejo," Ferolino's letter further read. "It was Twitter and not the Commissioners who first knew of the promulgation date."

Ferolino added it's impossible to draft a complete decision only three days after the last set of evidence was delivered to her office.

She also reiterated that she underwent quarantine earlier this month after close contact with a COVID-positive lawyer assigned to the case.

"I cannot risk the health and well-being of my lawyers and staff especially those who are COVID positive and those experiencing symptoms," Ferolino said. "In resolving the Marcos case, my office is well within the timelines, and well within the bounds of the rules."

Ferolino also accused Guanzon of putting pressure and "trying to influence" her decision on the disqualification case.

"The Presiding Commissioner of the First Division is putting the cart before the horse to justify her demands. In doing so, one thing is clear to me, she is trying to influence my decision and trying hard to persuade me to her direction," she said.

Guanzon demands explanation

The same day, Guanzon wrote a letter to Ferolino asking her to explain why the case decision took long.

The presiding commissioner gave the ponente until Monday to submit a written explanation.

"I have no other conclusion that you are deliberately delaying the release of your ponencia until after I retire in order to defeat my vote," read Guanzon's memorandum  which she shared on Saturday.

Marcos is facing a string of petitions challenging his presidential bid. Last week, the Comelec Second Division junked for lack of merit a petition of civic leaders, which sought to cancel his certificate of candidacy. A plea looking to declare the son and namesake of the late dictator a nuisance bet was also earlier dismissed.

CNN Philippines' Melissa Lopez and Alyssa Rola contributed to this report.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28)  Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao will push for responsible mining if he wins the presidency.

"Okay naman 'yun basta responsible at hindi ka nakakasira ng kalikasan (It's okay as long as it's responsible and it will not hurt the environment)," Pacquiao told talk show host Boy Abunda on Friday.

The boxer-turned-politician admitted small scale and open pit mining are harmful to the environment, but he emphasized mining permits should be heavily scrutinized to see their effects on communities.

"In that area, isang license lang magmina tapos may limit lang (only one license should be granted and there should be a limit). Kailangan nakatutok ang ating gobyerno para bantayan ang mga (The government must be focused in monitoring) open pit mining," Pacquiao said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently lifted the nationwide ban on open pit mining, which was previously halted by the late Environment Secretary Gina Lopez in 2017.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  If elected, presidential aspirant Isko Moreno said he will appoint a former Navy flag officer as defense secretary.

The Manila Mayor explained a Navy commander possesses the expertise in guarding the country's borders, especially in preventing the entry of illegal drugs.

"Kaya alam mo (You know what) for the first time in history, mag-appoint ako (I will appoint someone) from the Navy as secretary of national defense. Why? Because we are an archipelagic country," Moreno told television host Boy Abunda.

Moreno gave credit to President Rodrigo Duterte for halting the production of illegal drugs, which led to less supply being sold on the streets.

However, Moreno pointed out the illegal drug trade continued to flourish in the country during Duterte's time.

"So, there must be something wrong with our borders," he said. "There must be something wrong with our ports kasi kung wala na yung manufacturing, hirap na magbenta, bakit kung dumating at mahuli namin (because if manufacturing has been stopped and it is hard to sell illegal drugs, why are there shipments of), 48 kilos, 40 kilos, five kilos? I think it's high time for us to address our boundaries, our entries, the port or entries."

The Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer reiterated his earlier pronouncements that he will continue Duterte's war on illegal drugs, but he will not have a "bloody" approach on it.

Moreno is running with Dr. Willie Ong as his vice president, along with three senatorial hopefuls.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday reported 17,382 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the nationwide tally to 3,528,796.

The DOH said 77% or 13,298 of the new infections were detected within the last 14 days. Metro Manila is the top contributing region with 1,520, followed by Calabarzon with 1,426, and Davao Region with 1,331.

Active cases or the number of people currently sick went down to 213,587 - which is 6.1% of the total case count.

Among the active cases, 199,893 are considered mild; 8,736 have no symptoms; 3,114 are moderate; 1,526 are severe; and 318 are critical, according to the DOH.

The department also announced 35,382 recoveries, raising the survivor count to 3,261,338 - or 92.4% of the nationwide tally.

The death toll also climbed to 53,871 - or 1.53% of the COVID-19 count - after 70 more people lost their lives to the disease.

Of the new deaths, 65 occurred in January; two each in August and November 2021; and one in July 2021.

The country also recorded a positivity rate - or percentage of tested people who yielded positive results - of 33.3% based on 56,447 tests reported on Jan. 27.

A rate of above 20% is "critical" while below 3% indicates there is adequate testing, according to US nonprofit Covid Act Now. The World Health Organization suggests a positivity rate of below 5% for an area that has controlled the infection.

The DOH said 77 duplicates - including 52 recoveries - were deleted from the tally. It also reclassified 24 recoveries into deaths.

The total excludes data from three laboratories that failed to submit their reports on time. Those laboratories contributed an average of 0.6% of tested samples and 0.7% of positive individuals in the last 14 days, according to the DOH.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) As the campaign season for the May elections begins, the government has appointed focal persons within the police force to serve as "vanguards" to protect media workers, an official said on Saturday.

"Sa pag-aaral namin, nagkakaroon ng spike sa media violence before, during, and after elections," Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco of the Presidential Communications Operations Office told a Laging Handa briefing.

[Translation: In our research, there have been spikes in media violence before, during, and after elections]

In the Philippine National Police (PNP), there are 133 of these "media security vanguards" from public information offices who will serve as point persons for media workers to reach out to in case they need security assistance.

"Halimbawa, may threat or risk sa kanilang buhay, of course, we have the mechanism na tulungan ang ating kababayan, 'di lamang ang members ng media; but this time around, there is a dedication and focus na kailangan talagang mabigyan sila ng atensyon," said Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba, speaking for the PNP in the same briefing.

[Translation: If they face a threat or risk to their lives, of course, we have the mechanisms to help our people, not just members of the media; but this time around, there is a dedication to give them the attention they need.]

Alba explained that he will be the chief focal person for media safety assistance nationwide and will be joined by regional and local public information officers. The police stations will be the operating arm that will confirm and validate complaints, he added.

He said authorities are prepared to carry out arrests if needed.

"[K]ung kailangang hulihin iyong mga taong nire-reklamo, mayroon tayong enough evidence ay we could do warrantless arrest or kung mayroong nag-file ng kaso, may warrant of arrest ay pwede po nating hulihin," Alba said.

[Translation: If we need to apprehend them, if there's enough evidence, we could do warrantless arrest, or if someone filed a case and there's a warrant of arrest, we can arrest them.]

Gun ban exemption

Egco said media workers may also apply for exemption to the gun ban.

He explained that these measures are necessary to avoid another deadly incident such as the Maguindanao massacre in 2009, wherein 58 people were killed, including 32 media workers, due to an election-related attack.

National candidates for the elections (president, vice president, senator, and party-list groups) may officially start campaigning on Feb. 8, while local candidates (members of House of Representatives, provincial, city, and municipal officials) may begin on March 25.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded eight "very weak" phreatomagmatic bursts at Taal Volcano on Saturday.

Phivolcs said the bursts - which happened between 1:18 p.m. and 9:57 p.m. - lasted for only 10 seconds to two minutes.

Volcanic plumes measuring 400 to 900 meters tall were also detected by thermal cameras around the Taal Lake, according to Phivolcs.

Taal remains under Alert Level 2, which means gas-driven explosions and emission of volcanic gas can happen, and may affect areas within the volcano.

Human activities in Taal Lake and in the volcano's main crater are also still prohibited.

Phivolcs said the volcano located in Batangas tallied daily average of 10,668 tonnes of sulfur dioxide emission this year. The highest so far was last Jan. 27 with 18,705 tonnes.

The agency, however, added there were no volcanic earthquakes recorded since Dec. 19 last year.

"Taal Volcano Island has been deflating since October 2021, based on continuous GPS monitoring," Phivolcs said.
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.
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As the Cubs were beating the Braves 6-3 Wednesday night Steve left to see the game with his mom and dad, Reva and Harold, brother Ron and baby niece Elizabeth Henney. He left behind to run the store his wife Kathleen (Knight), Amelia (27), Nathan (24) and his beloved cat Lewis Black. His sis
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This CoolSocial report was updated on 2020-07-23, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.


The judge also wouldn't let Gotti lawyer Albert Krieger ask about a jailhouse conversation Gravano had with



Pitera allegedly told Gravano that the government offered him a plea bargain deal if he testified against Gotti.

The judge also wouldn't let Gotti lawyer Albert Krieger ask about a jailhouse conversation Gravano had with Thomas Pitera, a Bonanno mobster later convicted of committing multiple murders, most of which involved dismemberment.Pitera allegedly told Gravano that the government offered him a plea bargain deal if he testified against Gotti.





Pitera rejected the offer.





Chin ordered the murder of Genovese soldier Pappa Bear.





Before he became an inducted Mafia member, Gravano and an associate were both nearly shot to death after stealing a car. Gerard Pappa, aka Pappa Bear, who was affiliated with the Genovese crime family, saved both their lives. In return, Sammy the Bull named his son after Pappa.



Gravano mentions this fascinating but apparently forgotten incident in



The young to-be Gambino underboss and the criminal cohort were both members of the Rampers street gang, as was Pappa. Based in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the Rampers churned out street-hardened tough guy recruits for the Five New York Mafia Families. Gravano mentions this fascinating but apparently forgotten incident in Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia The young to-be Gambino underboss and the criminal cohort were both members of the Rampers street gang, as was Pappa. Based in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the Rampers churned out street-hardened tough guy recruits for the Five New York Mafia Families.



One night, Gravano, packing a .45 and a ski mask, and Joe V. hotwired a car that was to be used on a subsequent armed robbery and drove off when another car pulled up alongside:



We were about four or five blocks from where we took (the car). We stopped at a light and another car comes right up to us. Theres a guy driving and another guy half-hanging out the window with, like, a rifle and hes yelling, Pull over, you cocksucker, or Ill fucking kill you!



Right away, I say, Whoa, take it easy. Relax. Whats the problem? and hes screaming, You stole my fucking car!



All right, all right, now take it easy, I said again. Dont do anything crazy.



As Im putting up a hand saying this, I reached down for the .45. I see this bum turn towards the driver for a second, telling him something. I bring up the .45 and pull the trigger. I pulled it three times. Click, click, click. Nothing. Believe me, beads of sweat start coming down my forehead. He hears the clicks and he swings his rifle back towards us.



Joes sitting next to me and hes screaming, Hit it. Hit it. And Im hitting it. Ive got this thing floored. Theyre right behind us. We hear shots.



Then I hear Joe groan, Ooh. Hes clutching his stomach. A bullet has gone through the rear of the car, through the backseat, then the front seat, hits him in his back, comes out of his stomach, hits his knee and winds up hitting the dashboard. Im turning and wheeling, driving like a bastard, and all of a sudden, bang! Another one blasts through the window and hits me in the back of my head. It blows out a whole section of my head on the right side. Joe is bent over, holding himself. Theres blood all over his lap. Theres blood all over me. I make a turn. Im starting to get dizzy. Im doing maybe seventy miles an hour and I hit like six or seven parked cars. Im ramming into them, bouncing off them. The car Im driving spins around and now this car is headed right for us. Forget it. Its over. But now I hear the police sirens. And this oth oooer guy jams on his brakes. I see him backing up. Whoever they are, they dont want nothing to do with the cops...



After a desperate attempt to hail a cab fails, the seriously wounded Gravano drives to Pappa's house for help:



Pap helps get a bandage on Joe to stop the bleeding. I tell Pap, We need a doctor, or something, right away. We cant go to a hospital. Well be pinched. Maybe Dutchie could help. (Anthony [Dutchie] Tuzzo was a Genovese wiseguy whom Pappa was around at the time.)



All right, Sammy, Pap says. Ill drive. Finally, he locates Dutchie. Me and Joe are laying in the backseat. By this time were just about out of it. I remember opening my eyes and seeing Dutchie staring at us and I hear him say, Pap, theyre dead. What the fuck can I do? Look at them.



Pap gets back in the car and says, What Im gonna do, Im drivin you to Coney Island Hospital and you jump out and try and walk in. Joe was moaning real bad now. But I said, Fuck the hospital. I aint going.



He says, Joell die.



Well, take Joe there then. And thats what happened. We pull up to the emergency entrance and open the door and push Joe out. He just flops there. That was all we could do.



Pappa told Sammy that he could end up bleeding to death himself.



But Sammy said, You know, I think Ill be all right. I feel dizzy and weak, but Im still conscious. The bleeding is stopping.



That same night Pappa drove Sammy some distance to a doctor in upstate New York who could be relied on for his discretion. According to the doctor, the bullet, instead of plunging into his brain, had taken off a small piece of his skull behind and slightly above his ear.



In the hospital, Joe V also miraculously survived. They took out his spleen and I dont know what else, Sammy said. He knew the police had been alerted by the hospital about joes gunshot wound and he stayed out of sight until his own wound healed. There are all sorts of rumors in the neighborhood about me and Joe, and what did or didnt happen. I hear the cops are looking for me, so I go in. They tell me that they know I shot Joe. What the fuck are you talking about, I shot him? I said. Hes my friend.





Later, according to Underboss, then-inpatient Joe V. explains his gunshot wound by telling police that he had been "walking down the street and this bullet hit him in the back, just like that. He didnt know who did it or why. He didnt know how he got to the hospital, who brought him. He was out of it."







The same year Pappa was straightened out, he partnered up with Pete (Black Pete) Savino, a Genovese associate who was an old pal. Pappa taught him the drug trafficking business, and they both earned fortunes from a cigarette smuggling operation.





Savino operated window-manufacturing and installation companies and was the originator of a long-running, multimillion-dollar scheme that leveraged a new Federally financed program into a jackpot opportunity that involved rigging bids around the installation of windows in New York City Housing Authority projects. The racket, which involved four of the New York families (and sent the Luchese boss and underboss on the lam), became known as "the Windows Case."





























retells the story of the rise and fall of former Gambino underboss Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano from 30 years later and includes focus on his podcast platform as well as the drug trafficking crimes he committed in Arizona post-Gambino crime family.
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Tim O'Hara took this drone photograph of Elk Grove Police Officer Ty Lenehan's procession when it traveled on Elk Grove Boulevard on Jan. 25.
Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 62F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 62F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tomorrow

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Xinjiang's Zhaosu improves living conditions in Akyaz valley for herdsmen

Xinhua) 09:42, January 29, 2022

A herdsmen family have breakfast at home in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Veterinarians make a round of visits in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Herdsmen herd sheep in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

A herdsman herds sheep in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 25, 2022 shows herdsmen herding sheep in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

A herdsmen family have breakfast at home in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Children play at home in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 24, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 25, 2022 shows the Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Photo taken on Jan. 26, 2022 shows a herdsmen's house in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Two children play around their house in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

A veterinarian makes a round of visits in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

A veterinarian makes a round of visits in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

A woman makes tea at home in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 24, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2022 shows the Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Photo taken on Jan. 24, 2022 shows sheep in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Li Zhihao)

Veterinarians talk to a herdsman during a round of visits in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 25, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

A herdsman rides on a horse in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2022. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Li Zhihao)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 25, 2022 shows herdsmen herding sheep in Akyaz Valley in Zhaosu County, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Akyaz Valley is an important winter pasture for herdsmen in Zhaosu. Every year, herdsmen would migrate along the Akyaz River, driving over 500,000 cattle with them to settle in the valley for the winter. With an average altitude of 3,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has abundant grass, water and a warmer climate, thanks to the surrounding mountains which block the cold winds. In recent years, while protecting the nomadic tradition, the local government has tried to improve the living conditions in the valley by upgrading the roads, building new communication facilities, installing photovoltaic generators for herdsmen's houses, and constructing animal husbandry hospitals. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

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Several inches of snow accumulated Saturday as a powerful noreaster hit Connecticut, bringing heavy snowfall and possible blizzard-like conditions to parts of the state.

The entire state received anywhere from two inches to two feet of snow, as well as wind speeds up to 48 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for New London County and a winter storm warning for the rest of the state. Both were in effect until 7 p.m.

The weather service confirmed a blizzard in New London County.

Additionally, experts estimated more than 100,000 customers could lose power during the storm, though few outages have occurred.

For updated outage information, visit our map.

Heres what you need to know:

Live updates

10 a.m.  Outages resolved

Both major electricity providers, Eversource and United Illuminating, were reporting no outages through the morning on Sunday after a powerful noreaster swept through Connecticut.

9:45 p.m.  Wind Chill Advisory remains in effect for parts of state

The National Weather Service extended its Wind Chill Advisory for Litchfield County until 10 a.m. Sunday.

Residents in Litchfield County and the surrounding areas can expect wind chills as low as 15 to 25 below zero.

The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, the weather service said.

8:30 p.m.  Preparations pay off for Valley Shore region

Greg Prevost, a Captain with the Westbrook Fire Department and Chief of the Westbrook Ambulance Association, serves as the supervisor for Valley Shore Emergency Communications, which services the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme and Westbrook.

He said throughout the Valley Shore area today there were a handful of power outages and a few motor vehicle accidents due to the storm, but nothing too serious.

Its been busy today, but nothing too crazy, Prevost said.

He said the region received between 12 and 18 inches of snow, which wasnt a problem because crews were preparing for two feet. Emergency crews were able to respond to incidents swiftly, and no serious injuries occurred in any incident, Prevost said.

As of 8:30 p.m., he said all of the roads in the Valley Shore region are passable, but some of the backroads are still a bit icy.

Only go out if you have to, Prevost said. Just to be safe.

He also reminded resident to be cognizant of downed power lines, and to report them when spotted.

7:45 p.m.  Update from NWS

The National Weather Service issued weather statements for parts of Connecticut, detailing what to expect for the rest of the night.

For Middlesex and New London counties, the weather service said to expect minor additional accumulations of snow, and that wind blowing the existing snow will cause hazardous conditions.

At times, areas of blowing and drifting snow will limit visibility and further cover portions of roadways, weather service officials said. Wind chills will be around -5 to -10 tonight into early Sunday morning.

Fairfield and New Haven counties can expect the same wind patterns.

Anyone outside is advised to wear appropriate clothing, including a hat and gloves in order to minimize exposure to the wind.

7:15 p.m.  Danbury to lift parking ban

Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito announced that the city would be lifting its parking ban at 8 p.m.

All vehicles parked in city garages during the ban must be removed by 10 a.m., Sunday, or fees will apply.

The city is not expected to receive much more snow after 9 p.m., according to the weather service.

6:45 p.m.  Tractor-trailer travel ban to end at midnight

Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Twitter that the travel ban for tractor-trailers would be lifted at the end of the day on Saturday.

In coordination with our neighboring states, we will be lifting the previously implemented tractor trailer travel ban at 11:59 p.m. tonight, Lamont tweeted.

The roads are still slick, and we encourage everyone who can to stay home tonight while state and local plow crews clear them, he said.

6:15 p.m.  Crews restoring power as others lose it

Eversource and United Illuminating crews worked throughout the storm to restore power to customers that lost it due to the storm.

More than 300 Stamford residents all had their power restored by 6:15 p.m.

Meanwhile, 88 customers in Bridgeport, 84 in Easton, 52 in New Haven and 42 in Danbury are currently without power.

5:45 p.m.  Vehicle stuck in snow?

The states Department of Transportation shared a tip for anyone whos car ends up stuck in the snow.

The following items/materials can be utilized to help your tires gain traction; Sand, kitty litter, floor mats and cardboard.

This advice could be useful as DOT and town public works crews continue to work to remove snow from the states roads.

5 p.m.  Metro-North Railroad announces regular schedule for Sunday

Metro-North Railroad officials announced that transportation services would be operating on a regular schedule Sunday.

If you are traveling tomorrow, please use extra caution on platforms and hold on to handrails when using stairs as surfaces may be slippery, officials said Saturday.

Service was suspended Saturday for the Wassaic, Danbury, New Canaan and Waterbury branches.

Trains are still running once an hour on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines.

4:40 p.m.  Naugatuck, Union, Eastford hit with more power outages

Dozens of residents in Union and Eastford, and hundreds in Naugatuck lost power on Saturday, according to Eversource.

As of 4:30 p.m., 67 households were without power in Eastford and 36 were without power in Union.

Naugatuck so far had the most outages of any municipality with 258, followed by Stamford with 65.

4:05 p.m.  Winter storm warning extended

The Winter Storm Warning in place for parts of the state has been extended until midnight Saturday for Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties, the National Weather Service announced.

Additional snow accumulations of up to three inches is expected, with wind gusts up to 40 mph.

3:40 p.m.  NWS issues update for southeastern CT

The National Weather Service issued an update for New London County and its surrounding area, saying blizzard conditions are expected to continue through the afternoon.

Just before 3 p.m., radar showed one last heavy snow band extending from near Voluntown southward to Mystic across Long Island Sound.

This snow band could produce a snowfall of up to two inches per hour, the weather service said.

Residents in and around New London County can expect a combination of moderate, blowing and drifting snow and up to 50 mph winds that will reduce visibility to below one quarter mile at times.

3:15 p.m.  So far, so good in Trumbull

Trumbull First Selectman Vicki Tesoro issued an update Saturday afternoon, saying that everything, thank goodness, has been pretty smooth so far.

She said her emergency management team has been meeting all week about this and had gathered twice earlier Saturday, with another meeting scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Obviously the storm, the way it was forecast, nobody really knew what (it) was going to do, Tesoro said.

Though impactful, Tesoro said Trumbull has been through worse, noting there were so far no power outages.

Weve had pretty bad storms with a lot of outages, she said. Thank goodness that has not materialized. And hopefully it wont - its so cold outside.

Leigh Goodman, chief of Trumbulls emergency medical services, agreed that she and her staff have not had to deal with any major crises.

I dont want to jinx it but, so far, everythings going well, Goodman said. Weve gone through some big and challenging storms in the past and this one doesnt seem to be impacting our access in and out of calls at the moment.

3 p.m.  Road plowing may take longer than expected

The state Department of Transportation reported some issues trying to clear the snow Saturday due to its smaller workforce, weather conditions and other drivers behaviors.

We are still short-staffed and the plowing and clearing of the highways and roads may take longer than expected, said DOT spokesperson Kafi Rouse.

The state Department of Transportation prepared for a long-lasting, changing storm. Its crews got ready days before the storm and have been closely monitoring the weather forecast.

We came in prepared and if conditions change, we will adjust accordingly and well be ready, Rouse said.

State DOT crews have been working to clear the roadways since last night, and will continue throughout Saturday evening.

Crews have also had issues with visibility as well as motorists who pass and crowd the plows.

Our fleets are large and we need the room to work, Rouse said, adding that its helpful when there is less traffic on the roads. If a car does need to be on the road, Rouse said it should never pass the plows and give it space.

2:30 p.m.  Fewer than 60 residents without power

Eversource reported 56 outages as of 2:15 p.m. Of those, there are 15 in New Milford, 14 in Ashford, 11 in Branford, seven in Stamford, and five or fewer each in Bristol, Glastonbury, Ledyard, Madison, Manchester, Stonington,

United Illuminating, which serves 342,000 customers in Connecticut, reported no outages as of 2:20 p.m.

Were thankful the storm has had minimal impacts on our electrical grid, but were prepared for any impacts, said UIs Vice President of Electrical Operations Chuck Eves. The combination of snow and strong, sustained winds make being outdoors dangerous for anyone, but our crews have the right equipment and gear to stay warm and be prepared if they need to be outside.

2:15 p.m.  Four-car crash in New Haven

A four-car collision on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in New Haven left one person seriously injured, according to Rick Fontana, the citys director of emergency operations.

The crash was called in shortly before 10 a.m. and occurred amid poor road conditions, he said.

There was one serious injury and then there were three other individuals that had minor injuries and refused transport to the hospital, Fontana said. There was a firefighter on scene from Bridgeport who provided some care before responders arrived.

The crash occurred on the northbound side of the parkway near exit 59 and the Woodbridge town line, according to Fontana.

2 p.m.  Fairfield crews got early start clearing the roads

Fairfield First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said despite the tough storm conditions, Were good.

Listen, everybody had a full heads up on this thing. You knew it was gonna snow. If you werent prepared, shame on you, she said.

Public works crews arrived at the municipal garage between 1 and 2 a.m. and slept on cots to be ready for early shifts.

Kupchick also noted that, for the first time ever, Fairfield issued a parking ban that was recently approved by the police commission with required alternate side parking to ensure the plows have room to work.

People are listening and staying home, Kupchick said, noting there have been just a couple of minor accidents. That makes the job easier for the Department of Public Works guys. They can just get it done.

Kupchick was also thankful that the power is, so far, holding out.

UI (United Illuminating) had a lot of crews here, ready, because of the winds, she said.

1:45 p.m. Norwalk warns of icy roads

Snow plows remained busy as the snow continued to fall on Saturday, with snowfall totals ranging from five to eight inches due to blowing snow.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and the Norwalk Police Department are cautioning residents to stay home as road conditions are icy and slick. The police asked residents to allow the citys public works and the states Department of Transportation plows to clear the roads before venturing out.

The storm is predicted to continue throughout the day. If you must go out, please remember to drive with your headlights on, clear all snow from your windows and roof, and leave additional space between you and other vehicles. Stay safe and warm! Rilling said in statement.

The city reported no coastal or tidal flooding. No accidents were reported nor any power outages.

No specific problem areas reported or observed, but drivers are encouraged to avoid travel, especially hills, curves and pavement surfaces that tend to be colder north of the Merritt Parkway, city spokesperson Laoise King said.

1:30 p.m.  Wind presents challenges in Ridgefield cleanup

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi said the snowstorm has been uneventful in town, with a light snowfall and about eight inches on the ground as of 11:30 a.m.

We have been fortunate, Marconi said. We have no power outages, no power lines are down and no emergencies. With potential outages expected we were especially concerned with cold weather tomorrow (Sunday) and were preparing shelters in case they were needed.

The wind has been more of a factor for us. Talking to our director of Public Works he said when a road is plowed the wind blows the snow back into the road causing snow drifts. Fortunately, few people are out and that helps. I dont want to jinx it but so far it has been a safe New England snowstorm for us.

1:15 p.m.  Bridgeport following parking ban

Rowena White, Bridgeports communications director, said just after 12:30 p.m. that the majority of residents were following the storm parking rules in order to keep streets passable for the plow crews.

For the most party everybodys off the streets, which is good. Its allowing the guys to do the work they need to do. So a big thank you to both the residents (and) the guys, she said.

White said officials were also thankful that, so far, there are no power outages.

Were very fortunate to see there have not been any issues related to power or any other utility, she said.

1 p.m.  Blizzard confirmed in New London County

The National Weather Services New York office confirmed a blizzard in New London County Saturday.

The National Weather Service in New York, NY can preliminarily confirm that blizzard criteria was met this morning across SuffolkCounty, New York and New London County, Connecticut, the agency said. Further analysis will be conducted in the days ahead to determine which additional zones, if any, reached blizzard criteria during this evening. Further analysis will also be conducted to determine the exact start and end times of blizzard conditions in the areas where such conditions have already been confirmed.

Starting at 9 a.m., New London County had three hours of visibility at a quarter mile or less, as well as sustained winds of 35 mph, according to Gary Lessor, the chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

As of 1 p.m., Lessor said the blizzard conditions are still occurring in the area.

12:45 p.m.  Crashes reported on Wilbur Cross Parkway

By late morning, officials in New Haven and neighboring towns reported that around six inches of snow had fallen, though wind gusts made it difficult to measure accumulation.

Fifty trucks were working to clear the roads in New Haven, said Rick Fontana, the citys director of emergency operations. The crews were working in 12-hour shifts, he said, with the first lasting from about midnight to noon.

People are listening, people are staying off the roads, which is a key element to get the roads plowed, Fontana said.

As of 11 a.m., no power outages or downed trees had been reported.

The good thing is, no power outages, Fontana said. We havent had any downed power lines. We havent even had any downed tree branches.

But there were five motor vehicle collisions that morning, according to Fontana, who said a three-car crash on the Wilbur Cross Parkway at the Hamden line resulted in one severe injury.

The city was expected to receive another five to six inches, Fontana said.

12:30 p.m.  A wicked New England storm

In a news conference Saturday, Gov. Ned Lamont reiterated his plea for drivers to stay off the roads.

Were urging everybody to stay safe at home, he said.

As snow heavily coats the state  at three inches an hour in some locations - Lamont said, Snow plows cant come around fast enough to get that cleared.

Snow plows have been out on the roads for more than 12 hours. Lamont said he has been extremely impressed with the emergency operations crew.

This is not our first rodeo, he said. Weve been through these storms before.

The snow accumulations seem to be lighter than previously predicted, but Lamont said the wind will pick up later which could pose issues and cause more outages.

Its a wicked New England storm, Lamont added.

The storm should lighten up in western Connecticut by the early afternoon and in eastern Connecticut by mid-evening, Lamont said.

Lamont issued a tractor trailer ban on highways starting at 3 a.m. There have been some incidents, but state police have been enforcing the ban.

James Rovella, the Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said there are exceptions to the ban, including trucks delivering medical and COVID-19 supplies. Since 6 a.m., state police have received more than 500 calls for service.

12:15 p.m.  Despite few outages, 'There's still a lot of storm to come'

Though Eversource had only about 40 outages as of 11:45 a.m., spokesperson Mitch Gross said Theres still a lot of storm to come.

The power company has prepared with about 1,000 line and tree crews around the state.

So far, Gross said the biggest issue has been travel conditions.

Heavy snow and near whiteout conditions can hamper a crews response time, as they want to get to the site quickly but also safely. Once at a job location, unsafe weather conditions could also delay or interrupt a job, Gross said.

Customers can report outages or other issues either online or by texting OUT to 23129. Customers should call 911 if its an emergency, like downed power lines or poles, damaged electrical equipment or the smell of gasoline.

12 p.m.  Gov. Lamont giving storm update

Gov. Ned Lamont is providing an update on the winter storm and the state's response.

To watch the stream, click here.

11:45 a.m.  Performance canceled

The 2 p.m. performance of What the Constitution Means to Me at the Bushnell in Hartford is canceled due to the weather. The theater said the 8 p.m. performance will go on as scheduled.

Ticket holders will receive an email with refund and exchange information. The theater encouraged ticket holders to exchange their 2 p.m. ticket for tonight or one of Sundays performances.

Anyone with questions can go to Bushnell.org/Contact.

11:30 a.m.  Danbury officials report no major issues or outages

Roughly five inches accumulated in Danbury as of 11 a.m., with more snow expected before the end of the day for an expected total of six to 12 inches, according to weather predictions.

I feel that were not going to get that heavy number in snowfall, said Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito. So, really positive for us in addressing the storm.

The city had submitted a Level 3 snow emergency alert last night in preparation for a worse storm, and specifically for high wind speeds and low visibility, Esposito said. The declaration puts a parking ban in effect and requires vehicles without four-wheel drive to remain off the road.

By mid-morning, the mayor had not heard reports of major outages or issues in the city. Emergency Services Director Matthew Cassavecchia has stayed in constant contact with Esposito and his team throughout the storm.

11:15 a.m.  Outages reported

Power companies are reporting fewer than 30 outages throughout the state.

Eversource has 27 total outages as of 11 a.m. There were fewer than three outages in Stamford and fewer than two outages in Greenwich, Hartford, Killingworth, Meriden, Middletown, Prospect, Washington, Weston, Windsor.

United Illuminating has one outage in New Haven as of 10:45 a.m.

11 a.m.  Wind makes it hard to measure accumulation in Hamden, North Haven

Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett said the town is not expecting as much snow as originally predicted, but advised residents to still stay off the roads as snow continued to fall. Winds made it difficult to determine precisely how much snow had aready accumulated in the area.

Its definitely coming down. Theres a lot of blowing and drifting, said Garrett, who lives in northern Hamden. My road is completely covered  and an interior road  but there are spots where you can see the pavementand then there are other places where it looks like its snowed a foot.

Those conditions also made it tough to say just how much snow had fallen in North Haven, but officials estimated the town had received six inches by 10 a.m., according to First Selectman Michael Freda.

This storms a little bit difficult to measure, he said. We might see two inches on one street, eight inches on another because of the swirling winds.

The town could receive up to a foot of snow, he said, and plows would work throughout the day to clear roads.

The plows are still out there, Freda said. People seem to be staying home, which is good. People are complying with the parking ban.

10:45 a.m.  Governor hosting briefing at noon

Gov. Ned Lamont is holding a news briefing at noon to discuss updates on the winter storm.

Around 9 a.m., Lamont tweeted that there is still heavy snow and dangerous wind ahead.

Please stay off the road, he added.

10:30 a.m.  Stamford and Greenwich report no issues despite several inches

Officials were reporting four to five inches of snow in Stamford and Greenwich Saturday morning  with more on the way.

Stamford officials reported approximately five inches of snow just after 7:30 a.m., just short of the totals estimated by meteorologists Friday. However, Director of Public Safety Ted Jankowski added that the city still expects eight to 12 inches by mid-afternoon, with the snow beginning to taper off by 2:00 p.m.

Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella told Hearst Connecticut Media Group that officers were seeing four to give inches throughout the town.

But despite the accumulations, neither place logged serious emergencies or threats to residents.

As of the early Saturday, Eversource logged no power outages in Greenwich and fewer than three in Stamford. Jankowski said there had been two minor motor vehicle accidents in Stamford which did not result in any injuries; Zuccerella reported no collisions.

10:15 a.m.  Closures and parking bans in Norwalk

Norwalk Public Libraries, the transfer station and yard waste site are closed Saturday and Sunday due to the storm, as are Saturdays COVID vaccination and testing at Veterans Park and Shady Beach.

There is no off-street parking on Saturday. The city is providing free parking in the Maritime and Yankee Doodle garages.

10 a.m.  Hospital providing rides to employees who need help getting home

St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport has been providing rides to staff who need assistance getting home in the storm. As of 9:40 a.m., 14 people have needed help getting home, according to a hospital spokesperson.

9:50 a.m.  Wind speeds are picking up

Wind speeds are staying consistent as heavy snow continues to fall. Connecticut saw anywhere from 17 to 38 mph wind gusts at 9 a.m. Meanwhile, around 5 a.m., the state saw gusts ranging from 18 to 43 mph, according to data from the National Weather Service office in New York.

Eversource says winds are expected to pick up as the strongest part of the storm moves in. The power company anticipates more tree damage to come.

Heres the complete list of wind speeds at 9 a.m. from the National Weather Service office in New York:

Bridgeport: 18 mph winds with 30 mph gusts

Chester: 18 mph winds with 28 mph gusts

Danbury: 8 mph winds with 17 mph gusts

Groton: 25 mph winds with 38 mph gusts

Hartford: 15 mph winds with 28 mph gusts

Meriden: 14 mph winds with 29 mph gusts

New Haven: 23 mph winds with 31 mph gusts

Norwalk: 20 mph winds with 35 mph gusts

Waterbury: 25 mph wind with 32 mph gusts

Williamantic: 17 mph winds with 28 mph gusts

9:30 a.m.  Some outages restored, more than 80 without power

United Illuminating has restored power to the 23 power outages in Bridgeport. As of 9:10 a.m., UI is reporting one outage each in Derby and Shelton.

As of 9:15 a.m., Eversource is reporting 64 outages. Most of those, 41, are in Bethany. There are also 17 outages in Montville, and fewer than three outages each in Ledyard, New London, Stamford, Stonington and Windsor.

9:15 a.m.  Snowfall predictions dropping in western CT

Predictions for the big snowstorm expected to hit throughout Connecticut have now dropped, specifically in the western part of the state, from peaks of 17 inches of snow to a maximum of 12 as of Saturday morning.

Roughly four inches accumulated in Danbury as of 9 a.m., with about four to six more inches expected by the end of the day for a total between six to 12 inches, according to weather predictions.

The heaviest should be over by 2 p.m., and the storm should be over completely by 4 p.m., according to Gary Lessor, a meteorologist with the Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University.

As of 7 a.m., Bethel was reporting three inches of snow, Lessor said. New Milford Mayor Pete Bass reported that on average, the town was getting about 3.5 inches. No other towns had posted measurements as of 8:30 a.m.

Wind gusts are expected to hit 40 mph and possibly 45 for the peak.

Our concern is also the winds that will be winding up to 45 mph wind gusts through tonight, said Basss notice to residents sent out Saturday morning. This may cause trees to fall and bring down power lines which may cause power outages. We have been in contact with our Eversource liaison and continue to monitor the storm.

Bass said that fire department has responded to a few calls so far, but no major power outages have been reported.

9 a.m.  Snowfall totals

The National Weather Service has released snowfall reports for Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Here are Connecticuts numbers:

Fairfield County:

Bridgeport: 6.9 inches as of 7 a.m.

Norwalk: 3.7 inches as of 7 a.m.

Bethel: 3 inches as of 7:10 a.m.

New Haven County:

Madison: 5 inches as of 7:20 a.m.

Waterbury: 2.3 inches as of 6:45 a.m.

New London County:

Niantic: 5.7 inches as of 6:45 a.m.

Norwich: 5 inches as of 7:30 a.m.

Ledyard: 3 inches as of 6 a.m.

8:45 a.m.  Bradley International Airport cancels all flights

All arriving and departing flights today at Bradley International Airport have been canceled, according to the airports website.

The airport is open and snow removal operations are ongoing, according to airport spokesperson Ryan Terry.

Terry anticipates flights to resume tomorrow, but passengers scheduled to travel this weekend are strongly advised to contact their airline to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport, Terry said.

8:30 a.m. Less than 100 without power

As of 8:13 a.m., United Illuminating reported 23 customers out of power in Bridgeport. The company serves 61,541 customers in the city. UI was also reporting one outage each in Derby and Shelton at that time.

Eversource is reporting 72 outages  41 in Bethany, 17 in Montville, 10 in Meriden and fewer than two outages in Cromwell, New London, Stamford and Waterbury.

8:20 a.m.  Five inches reported in Stamford

Stamford officials reported approximately five inches of snow just after 7:30 a.m., just short of the totals estimated by meteorologists Friday.

However, Director of Public Safety Ted Jankowski added that the city still expects up to eight to 12 inches by mid-afternoon, with the snow beginning to taper off by 2 p.m. As of the early morning, energy provider Eversource logged no power outages in Stamford.

8:05 a.m.  Highways mostly empty

Highways this morning are mostly barren of cars and covered in snow, according to state Department of Transportation traffic cameras.

There are handfuls of cars driving on Interstate 84 near Waterbury, Hartford and Manchester, as well as Interstate 91 near New Haven, Wethersfield and Hartford, Interstate 95 near Stamford, Norwalk, Westport, Branford and Darien and Interstate 691 near Meriden.

There is slight congestion reported on Interstate 84 near Southbury and Waterbury, on Interstate 691 near Meriden, on Route 20 near Windsor Locks and on Interstate 395 from Montville to Norwich.

8 a.m.  Snow picks up in New Haven area

Morning NWS forecasts for New Haven predicted six to 11 inches for the city, with most falling before 8 p.m.

In southern Hamden, snowfall was light during the early morning hours, though noisy winds battered trees and kicked up snow.

It began to pick up as the sun rose. The occasional plow drove along Whitney Avenue, which at 7 a.m. was clear enough to accommodate the occasional car.

Fog and light snowfall were recorded at Tweed at 6:53 a.m., according to the a NWS forecast. The temperature was 24 degrees and expected to drop to 16 degrees by late afternoon.

7:50 a.m.  Danbury snow emergency

Danbury issued a level 3 snow emergency beginning Friday night ahead of the expected snowstorm.

The declaration prohibits parking on city streets. Residents were required to move their vehicles to off-street parking by 10 p.m. Friday. Free parking is available at the Patriot Parking Garage at 1 Patriot Drive.

Because of the expected snowfall totals, wind and rate of the falling snow, travel is also being limited throughout the city. Only emergency vehicles, public works vehicles, those with four-wheel drive and emergency personnel were allowed to be on the roads Saturday.

7:45 a.m.  Overnight tractor trailer wrecks

After a statewide tractor trailer ban on all limited access highways, state police have reported three incidents that partially or completely shut down highways overnight.

Gov. Ned Lamont issued the ban, which went into effect at 3 a.m. Saturday.

Interstate 84 westbound near Exit 40 in West Hartford is partially closed. Only the right lane is open. Crews have been working to remove a jackknifed tractor trailer since 3 a.m., according to state police.

The westbound part of the highway has been shut down between exits 67 and 68 in Tolland since 2 a.m. for a separate tractor trailer incident, according to state police and the Department of Transportation.

Around 2:30 a.m., a tractor trailer rolled over on Interstate 95 northbound before Exit 74 in East Lyme. The area reopened around 3:30 a.m., state police said.

7:30 a.m.  Outages reported

Eversource is reporting 42 outages in Bethany as of 7:15 a.m.

United Illuminating is reporting zero outages as of 7:20 a.m.

To check the latest outage map, click here.

7 a.m.  Plows out, but few cars

Few cars were on the streets in Norwalk Saturday morning while plows were out clearing the roads.

So no major accidents or road closures were reported in the city.

5:45 a.m.  Updated weather forecast

The region is now expected to get a little less snow than previously anticipated. The Danbury area should see 5 to 10 inches, while Bridgeport will see 6 to 12 inches. The New Haven and Hartford areas will get about 10 to 20 inches, according to Gary Lessor, the chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

Windham and New London counties are expected to get the most snow in the state at 16 to 26 inches, Lessor said.

There arent many snow observations out yet. However, Staffordville has seen 2.4 inches and Westbrook has seen 3 inches as of 3:30 a.m., according to Lessor.

The National Weather Service also said it observed 3 inches in Upton, N.Y. as of 1 a.m. Saturday.

The bands of the storm are packing their punch east of the Connecticut River, bringing especially heavy snow in Norwich up to Storrs, Lessor added.

Snowfall throughout the day is going to come sporadically as bands of the storm move through the region.

The worst of the snow will be over by 2 p.m. in western Connecticut near Danbury, and will completely stop by 4 p.m. in that area. By 8 p.m., the snow should completely stop in New London county, Lessor said.

9:30 p.m.  Snow starting to fall

The National Weather Service said light snow is starting to fall down on the region. The intensity of both the snow and wind will increase closer to midnight.

8:30 p.m.  Flight cancellations to New Haven

Avelo Airlines has canceled 15 arriving and departing flights at Tweed-New Haven Airport for Saturday and Sunday. The airline said it has contacted customers with flight reservations and rebooked them on the next available flight.

Customers with reservations to travel to or from the Tweed-New Haven Airport with Avelo on Friday, Saturday or Sunday can change their flights for no difference in air fare. To change a flight, contact the Avelo Customer Care Center at 346-616-9500. Customers can also check the status of their flights at AveloAir.com/Flight-Status.

7 p.m.  Gov. Ned Lamont issues tractor trailer ban

Gov. Ned Lamont is implementing a travel ban on tractor trailers for all limited access highways statewide starting at 3 a.m. Saturday. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.

The governor also said the states Emergency Operations Center will be active starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.

6:30 p.m.  Fairfield parking ban

Fairfield has ordered a parking ban, effective at midnight. Street parking will only be allowed on even-numbered sides of any street.

5:53 p.m.  Connecticut Transit buses canceled

All Connecticut Transit bus service will be canceled Saturday ahead of the storm. The service is the state Department of Transportation-owned bus system. Bus service is scheduled to end at 2 a.m. Saturday and resume at 3 a.m. Sunday.

5:30 p.m.  Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport will remain open, though most of the airlines there have canceled the majority of the flights for Saturday, according to airport spokesperson Ryan Tenny.

Tenny anticipates further cancellations as the storm approaches.

Passengers scheduled to travel this weekend are strongly advised to contact their airline to confirm the status of their specific flight before heading to the airport, Tenny said.

5 p.m.  State parks and forests will be closed Saturday

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is closing all state parks and forests Saturday. The areas will remain closed Sunday until snow removal is completed.

3 p.m.  Parking bans

A Bridgeport parking ban is in effect starting at 4 p.m. Residents must park on the even-numbred side of the street. Vehicles cannot park on snow emergency routes. Violations and towing will start shortly after 4 p.m.

A parking ban went into effect in Norwalk at 3 p.m.

Parking bans in Ansonia and East Hartford go into effect at 6 p.m. Parking bans in Hamden and Hartford start at 8 p.m., in Winchester at 9 p.m. and in New Haven at 10 p.m.

By midnight, Manchester, New London, Wallingford and Torrington will have parking bans in place.

Bristol will have a parking ban starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.

The parking ban in East Haven will go into effect once the snowfall starts.

There are also parking bans in effect in Derby, South Windsor and Fairfield, though no specific times were stated.

Weather warnings

The National Weather Services New York office has issued a blizzard warning for New London County, as well as the eastern two-thirds of Long Island, all of Rhode Island, parts of eastern Massachusetts and eastern New Hampshire. The warning is in effect until Saturday. Those areas could see wind gusts of up to 60 mph, as well as 11 to 15 inches of snow.

The weather service has issued a winter storm warning for the rest of Connecticut. The storm is expected to last about 20 hours, bringing heavy snowfall through Saturday afternoon and evening.

Check here for more detailed weather updates and information.

Power outages

Up to 125,0000 customers could lose power during the storm, according to the Eversource Energy Center at the University of Connecticut.

Eversource customers can report outages online or by texting OUT to 23129.

United Illuminating customers can report power outages online, on the UI mobile app or call 800-722-5584.

Heres an interactive map that shows the latest outages in Connecticut.

If you need shelter

The states severe cold weather protocol is in effect through Feb. 3. Anyone in need of emergency shelter or a place to stay warm should call 211 to be connected with a shelter. Lists of warming centers and homeless shelters can also be found online.

Parking bans and closures

Check here to see if your town or city has issued a parking ban or other announcements.

Emily Morgan contributed to this report.
Dr. Peter Hotez, a Texas doctor who has co-developed a low-cost COVID vaccine, credits part of his interest in science to reading at a Connecticut library as a child.

I used to have my father drive me to the big public library in Hartford because I needed I needed more books, said Hotez, the pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

The Connecticut native was one of the leaders behind the low-cost COVID-19 vaccine developed by Texas Childrens Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.

Unlike the MRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, or the one produced by Johnson & Johnson, which uses a modified adenovirus, CORBEVAX is a recombinant protein vaccine. The technology has been around since the 1970s, when it was used to develop a vaccine against hepatitis B. The technique involved loading the genetic code for the viral protein into yeast cells.

It's made through microbial fermentation of yeast, Hotez said Thursday during a virtual news conference hosted by Hartford HealthCare.

And  its a vegan vaccine, he added. No human or animal cells or animal proteins.

Hotez has appeared as a regular commentator on the pandemic in Houston, where he and his wife live.

He has emerged as an outspoken proponent of vaccines, authoring a book about his experiences raising his daughter Rachel, who has autism, and its origins in fetal brain development  not vaccines, as some in the anti-vaccine movement have claimed.

Hotez said the book, released in 2018, made him a target of the anti-vaccine movement.

I've also become an expert, therefore, not only at the vaccine science, but the anti-science, the 1980 Yale University graduate said.

The vaccine was also built on Baylor College of Medicines previous work developing two vaccines using the same technology against the coronaviruses that caused SARS and MERS.

In 2020 when the coronavirus outbreak started, we already knew exactly what to do in that lab, said Maria Elena Botazzi, who co-directs the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Childrens Hospital alongside Hotez.

To be honest, in three months we were able to create a prototype of a COVID-19 vaccine, which now is going to be deployed in billions of doses around the world, she said in a video produced by the hospital announcing the vaccine.

News of the development came as Connecticut, along with the rest of the country, saw a rapid spike in cases associated with the omicron variant. Hotez noted that surge, which first emerged in South Africa, and an earlier one caused by the delta variant that was first detected in India, both came from nations with low vaccination rates. That underscores the need for a vaccine for the worlds poorest countries, he argued.

Definitely the only way we're going to get around this is by vaccinating the global population, he said.

In the Northeast, including Connecticut, cases and hospitalizations have fallen as the surge appears to be subsiding.

In trials involving 3,000 participants, the vaccine was shown to be more than 90 percent effective against symptomatic infection of the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, and more than 80 percent effective against the delta variant. None of the participants in the trials had serious side effects from the vaccine, according to Texas Childrens hospital.

Last month, the CORBEVAX vaccine was granted emergency-use authorization in India, where it will be manufactured by Biological E. Limited, a pharmaceutical company based in Hyderabad.

The vaccines development was aided by money from private donors  we were kind of cut out of Operation Warp Speed, Hotez said, referring to the Trump administrations effort to fund the development of vaccine in record time. One of the donors was Titos Vodka, a Texas company that gave the team $1 million, and also produced and donated hand sanitizer during the pandemic.

The technology to make the vaccine locally is already available in low-income nations such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, India and Brazil, Hotez said.

So if you're going to make a vaccine for the world that can be made locally, this is the technology to do that, he said.

Hotez said the vaccine should cost around $2 to $3 per-dose  making it cheaper than the cost of AstraZenecas vaccine at around $3.16 to $7, and much less expensive than the price the U.S. and European governments paid for the MRNA vaccines.

He also sees promise for the vaccines use in children, because, he said, the same type of shots have been given to infants for decades in the form of the hepatitis B vaccine.

While the vaccine wasnt originally developed for use in the United States, Hotez said he and Botazzi receive around a dozen emails a day asking if it will become available here. Some of the messages are from skeptics who do not want to take an MRNA vaccine, he said.

So for now, it's more of a theoretical idea, Hotez said. I think it could find a use in the U.S., especially among kids, I think could help close the vaccine hesitancy gap.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect Titos Vodka produced and donated hand sanitizer.
Through the height of the latest COVID-19 wave, more than a quarter-million Connecticut residents received a booster vaccination, but the state still lags behind others nationwide in getting those fully vaccinated another round of shots, data shows.

The latest wave, driven by the omicron variant, appears to be waning, but the daily positive rate of COVID-19 tests and hospitalizations remain higher than previous peaks during the pandemic. Officials have responded by continuing to urge residents to get booster shots to address waning immunity from earlier doses of vaccine.

In the states weekly COVID report released Thursday, all major metrics dropped. The daily positivity rate fell to 9.73 percent, the first time it was below 10 percent since Dec. 23. Hospitalizations fell by a net of 76 patients for a total of 1,210. The weekly deaths of 225 were 16 fewer than the 241 reported last Thursday.

The state reported Thursday that 1.2 million residents have received boosters, just shy of 50 percent of all those who are fully vaccinated.

Despite having one the nations highest fully vaccinated populations, Connecticut trails 12 other states, including several from New England, in percent of those individuals who have gotten a booster, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows.

The CDC figures, which are updated daily, show the pace of boosters have mostly slowed, despite the persistent threat of COVID-19. The data shows new doses administered weekly have dropped from highs seen ahead of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

In the seven days leading up to Christmas, about 129,000 Connecticut residents received a booster, compared with about 83,000 who got a booster during some of the worst seven days of this recent wave between Jan. 3 and Jan. 10.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health continues to recommend that all eligible Connecticut residents receive the COVID-19 booster. The number of doses administered has decreased since the peak of omicron, likely because many people were infected during this most recent wave, DPH spokesperson Christopher Boyle said Thursday in a statement.

DPH stressed the CDC guidance, which states people do not need to wait after an infection to get a booster shot. DPH continues to stress that the best strategies to combat this virus are vaccination/boosters, masking and testing, Boyle said.

Dr. Peter Hotez, a Connecticut native and director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, said it was disappointing to see low uptake of boosters not just in Connecticut, but across the country.

I think part of that was self-inflicted," he said. "Clearly, part of it is from the anti-vaccine movement and the fake messages that they're putting out there. But part of it was self-inflicted  I think there was a lot of confusion from the CDC, FDA and the federal advisory committees that kept on insisting that we call two doses fully vaccinated, Hotez said during a news conference Thursday with doctors from Hartford HealthCare.

While there was growing pressure for state officials to take strict measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this latest wave, they opted instead to focus their message on encouraging residents to get a booster shot.

Along with a spike in infections and positivity rate, hospitalizations jumped significantly during the latest wave, but doctors from the states major health networks said those with booster shots fared well against the delta and omicron variants.

What weve learned and what we are learning, boosters do enhance that vaccine effectiveness, especially against omicron. I think what we saw during the surge being boosted really did decrease the risk of ending up in the hospital with COVID, said Dr. Asha Shah, director of infectious diseases of Stamford Health.

During the latest wave, there has been an uptick in the number of breakthrough COVID-19 cases, which are those reported in individuals who have been fully vaccinated for more than two weeks. Over the past week, 9,547 new breakthrough cases were reported.

Shah said booster coverage, while lagging in Connecticut, likely led to fewer severe cases amid the latest surge.

The unvaccinated have reason to be scared. For people who are vaccinated, we are looking at a better future. ... People who have not been boosted are having more symptomatic disease, state DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said during the height of this wave.

With concern growing over waning immunity from the initial course of vaccine, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order this month requiring those working in nursing homes to get a booster by the middle of February. The state worked with Connecticuts hospitals to ensure their staff, who were among the earliest eligible for vaccines in late 2020, were required to get boosters.

Thats how we keep our hospitals safe, Lamont said at the time. Thats how we have the capacity to take care of each and every one of you.
Connecticuts largest electricity provider is predicting up to 125,000 outages during the noreaster that is expected to bring heavy snowfall and blizzard-like conditions starting Friday night.

The utility plans to declare a Level 5 emergency at midnight, meaning up to 125,000 customers could lose power for one to three days.

The Eversource Energy Center at the University of Connecticut said earlier it was predicting between 50,000 and 100,000 customers could lose power during the storm, which weather experts say could produce a bomb cyclone and wind gusts up to 60 mph. That outage range was based on an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 trouble spots that may occur as the storm is forecast to strike with strong wind and snowfall of several inches per hour. Each trouble spot on average produces around 50 outages, according to the center.

Ahead of the storm, Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced a ban on tractor trailer trucks from all limited access highways starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.

Were ready for what could be a really rough storm, Lamont said, speaking Friday at a state Department of Transportation maintenance garage in Wethersfield.

The governor said the DOT has more than 600 plows ready to clear roads.

However, the agency is still experiencing a 30 percent staffing shortage due to vacancies and 12 COVID-19 absences, DOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said. The agency has 700 employees responding to the storm and will be bring in additional contractors to assist.

Giulietti said crews can handle snowfall of up to 1 inch per hour, but the latest forecast calls for rates up to 3 or 5 inches per hour.

Giulietti and Lamont urged residents to stay off the roads during the storm.

Metro-North rail lines will operate on limited service while Amtrak will suspend service after its last trains Friday night.

Steve Sullivan, Eversource president of Connecticut Electric Operations, said the company began hiring workers from out of state on Monday who started arriving Wednesday.

The bulk of workers have already been positioned in eastern Connecticut, which is expected to get hit the hardest. But Sullivan said workers would be moved around as needed. COVID has not resulted in any significant staffing shortages for the storm, Sullivan said.

High winds, especially in southeastern Connecticut, have the potential to bring down trees and limbs, resulting in power outages, Sullivan said.

On the plus side, it looks like its going to be dry snow, and dry snow should cause less damage to the trees, he said. Its the trees that really cause damage to our system.

But other forecasts call for wet snow, potentially exacerbating outages.

Mark Wysocki, a senior lecturer at Cornell University and New York state climatologist, said the storm could produce a wide area outage  not only for Connecticut, but for parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and south into New York City.

This will be a dangerous situation for power outages for two reasons, he said. A very long period of gusty wind, especially along the coast, coupled with wet snow that adds a lot of wet snow that could bring down trees and power lines with them.

With the amount of snow left behind, thats going to impede the ability for the utility workers to get in there and fix things real fast, he added.

In preparation of the storm, United Illuminating, which serves more than 340,000 customers in Connecticut, said it has increased its work crews by 50 percent.

This storm is going to bring a lot of snow and strong winds. Its crucial everyone have a plan to stay safe and stay warm, said Frank Reynolds, UIs president and CEO.

Customers should prepare for the possibility of weather-related outages and have a plan in case of an extended loss of service, UI added.

Hospitals, already under strain from the pandemic, are also preparing for the storm.

During a virtual press conference Friday morning, Hartford HealthCare officials said the organization would continue to provide care during the storm, but ambulatory services may be affected.

Ahead of the storm, the organization has closed COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites, as well as some other services.

Patrick Turek, the organizations system director for emergency management, said the hospital systems work crews are prepared for the storm.

You know weve used the term so many times, but our colleagues really are heroes, he said. Some will come in eight hours before their shift to make sure they arrive on time, and even after storm passes us some colleagues may actually remain in the hospitals to help other colleagues coming in.
Emporia, KS (66801)

Today

Periods of rain. Low around 50F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low around 50F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
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Connecticut is testing local white-tailed deer for the coronavirus, a state official confirmed Friday.

Earlier this month, two white-tailed deer tested positive for the coronavirus in New Jersey, according to that states Department of Environmental Protection.

The coronavirus has already been documented in deer in six other states  Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Connecticut state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesperson Will Healey confirmed that a dozen or so deer in Fairfield County have been tested,  but we are still awaiting the results.

An additional dozen or so deer in the south central coast region of Connecticut will be tested next week, Healey said.

A study published in December in the journal Nature showed that white-tailed deer are susceptible to the coronavirus, possibly becoming a reservoir for the virus.

Humans have infected a wide range of animals with SARS-CoV-2 viruses, but the establishment of a new natural animal reservoir has not been observed, the study stated. Here, we document that free-ranging white-tailed deer are highly susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus, are exposed to a range of viral diversity from humans, and are capable of sustaining transmission in nature.

Rick Martinello, Yale New Haven Healths director of infection prevention, said this evidence is another reason why the coronavirus will never be completely eradicated.

We know that animals can get infected with this virus. Dogs, cats, tigers, gorillas, and there's wild animals getting sick with it that we're just unaware of right now, he said. It really creates a situation where this virus is not going to be eradicated from the earth any time soon.

Though it has been shown that deer can contract the coronavirus, how they became infected is still a mystery.

Scientists still do not fully understand how wild deer were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or how new variants may impact transmissibility among species, DEEP wrote on its website.
Weekend Review: Pulling the String; Foxconn Shines; Autonomy, HP and Michael Lynch

By Graham K. Rogers





Apple has reported another record quarter with sales of most products increasing, apart from the iPad as there were supply constraints. Wall Street is purring. Several OS updates were released by Apple this week. A number of bug fixes were included. NVidia is probably not about to buy ARM with pressure from authorities in China, EU and USA. HP and others sued the former CEO and CFO of Autonomy, the purchase of which led to the ouster of Leo Apotheker. It seems they cooked the books.



It was nice to see the return of Patently Apple this week. Recently Jack Purcher posted a note about attending hospital because of Covid. There is always a pause after this. I saw nothing more until this week. Without fanfare, Patently Apple started posting again. I note the patent discussed concerns Apple's continuing focus on health with a patent for a blood pressure measuring device. Details are in the article.

Apple announced a record quarter this week. It was not really a surprise if you had been reading between the lines, like the report out of Foxconn a short time ago (below) and the way in which iPhones were being sold in China. Despite the usual flak from analysts and pundits, Apple has reported another record quarter, beating the street: those varying predictions from the so-called experts. Revenue was up 11% compared with the same quarter last year. It will be interesting to read Philip Elmer-DeWitt's score card later. It is only available to subscribers right now, but the introduction mentions that "once again the indies clobbered the pros". Why am I not surprised? I have also found some comments and questions from the conference call (below) including a breakdown of sales information. First, however, here are the main points from Apple's own release. Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2022 first quarter ended December 25, 2021. The Company posted an all-time revenue record of $123.9 billion (more than General Motors makes in a year MacDaily News), up 11 percent year over year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.10. "This quarter's record results were made possible by our most innovative lineup of products and services ever," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We are gratified to see the response from customers around the world at a time when staying connected has never been more important. We are doing all we can to help build a better world - making progress toward our goal of becoming carbon neutral across our supply chain and products by 2030, and pushing forward with our work in education and racial equity and justice." "The very strong customer response to our recent launch of new products and services drove double-digit growth in revenue and earnings, and helped set an all-time high for our installed base of active devices," said Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO. "These record operating results allowed us to return nearly $27 billion to our shareholders during the quarter, as we maintain our target of reaching a net cash neutral position over time." Apple's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.22 per share of the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable on February 10, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2022.

An interesting display of graphs and tables was provided by John Voorhees on MacStories. It is often useful to have a quick, visual reference to trends and breakdowns. Eric Slivka (MacRumors) also had a couple of visuals and noted that "Gross margin for the quarter was 43.8 percent, compared to 39.8 percent in the year-ago quarter". Jason Snell (Six Colors) had some visual information too, but there were some important points in the general content: "Mac revenue also reached a new all-time high at $10.9 billion, and iPhone revenue also peaked at $71.6 billion. The iPad's revenue was $7.2 billion, down sequentially and year-over-year, but still among the five best iPad quarters in recent years." He add that "Services kept its upward growth path, setting a new record at $19.5 billion, and Wearables/Home/Accessories likewise set a new record at $14.7 billion." Evan Selleck (iDownloadBlog) broke down some of the figures into an easily-digestible list, adding general comments about the presentation. The press release and the figures only tell part of the story. Also useful are the extended (prepared) remarks from Tim Cook and CFO, Luca Maestri which are reported by Christine Chan (iMore). There was an expanded version of this from Jason Snell (Six Colors), in which Cook and Maestri fielded questions from the analysts. This is always uninteresting, with the occasional revelation (such as the record sales of Macs) and once or twice in the past some testiness. There was none of that this time. Cook and Maestri made comments about the products and services, adding little snippets on occasion. As ever, they were guarded, particularly when asked about the future. I particularly liked one comment from Cook right at the end when asked about future Health directions. Reading the text it appears almost whimsical: "we can continue to kind of pull the string and see where it takes us." This could apply to many things that Apple does. One of those comments from Cook was that there are now 1.8 billion active devices around the world. That will clearly have an effect on Services in the near and long-term future. In the hours following, the financial analysts grudgingly admitted that Apple had done it again; some noting how the chip shortages that had hit other manufacturers had had less of an effect on Apple: supply chain. Apple's way of organizing its downstream suppliers had reduced the potential damage, with the exception of the iPad, although that still saw sales of $7.2 billion. There was no guidance for the next quarter as has been the case in recent quarters with the Covid uncertainties. The shares did not fall (Wall Street was also happy with Microsoft this week), but sooner or later, we are going to hear the idea, What goes up, must come down. Apple has a few strings to pull before doom sets in. The current share price is just over $170, giving a market capitalisation of $2.78 trillion. Some analysts have revised their predictions to give a $200 price on the stock.



During the week, Apple released updates for all of its operating systems and a number of problems were fixed. Not only were there iOS and macOS updates, but Apple's security for the Mac, XProtect, was also updated. Both Mr Macintosh and hoakley at The Eclectic Light Company have information about the releases. As well as Monterey there was also a macOS Big Sur 11.6.3 update. Several sources also reported that there was an update to tvOS (15.3) and watchOS (8.4). I also saw that there was an update for the Home Pod (15.3), but that is still not available here. The iOS and iPadOS updates also had fixes for the Safari bug that could reveal a user's browser history. The next morning I saw reports from several sources that the next round of beta releases had begun. It is widely reported that Universal Control, announced last year when the systems were outlined at WWDC, appears to be coming in the next updates. I updated tvOS to 15.3 at the weekend. Apple has had a busy week as, on MacRumors, Juli Clover reports that an "iCloud server issue that was causing some apps that have implemented iCloud support to fail to sync properly" has been fixed. Unrelated apparently is a current iCloud sync problem that some users are experiencing.

Earlier, in a key guide to what was expected from Apple this week, Foxconn, its major supplier reported that it expects its Q1 2022 performance to be exceptionally strong ( Jonny Evans, Apple Must). Foxconn chairman Young Liu "said first quarter performance would likely "outperform" typical years" which was a pointer to what could be expected from Apple. Other reports had already hinted at this. Evans's also comments on the overtime being worked at Foxconn, particularly with the restricted time off at Chinese New Year. There was a lot of fuss from financial analysts this week concerning Netflix which has seen its market share slip. At the same time, Apple has been chipping away at its TV service which, with almost 100% unique content has some advantage, particularly when there is a firm favorite, like Foundation or the highly-regarded MacBeth. Viewers can only see that using the Apple service and that could be a hook to draw them in. Netflix content comes and goes, while also depending on location. Here for example, something in the region of 20% of US content is available. Of course, the price is far less too, but I sometimes feel as if I am missing out. With the Wall Street hand-wringing, the price of Netflix shares fell opening up a vulnerability that one savvy investor dived on. Oliver Haslam (iMore) reports that Pershing Square Capital Management bought 3.1 million shares for around $1.1 billion. They immediately saw their investment increase in value by 5%. With 442.5 million shares outstanding, that 3 million or so is less than 1% but it still sends a message.

It was widely reported that NVidia had been blocked from making its purchase of ARM. There had been comments from several companies regarding the potential monopoly, perhaps heightened by recent chip shortages, and generally the authorities in China, the EU and USA had frowned on the merger. Facing pressure on a number of fronts, NVidia bowed out and SoftBank is now said to be preparing an IPO. A lot of patents will be up for grabs. Bloomberg et al).

The company previously known as Autonomy (earlier Cambridge Neurodynamics) was sold to Hewlett-Packard a while back for $11.1 billion. The former head of the company, Dr. Michael Lynch, joined HP but continued to run Autonomy. However, it was later claimed that there was fraud in respect of statements or omissions in the information HP used in making the decision. CEO Leo Apotheker was fired for the acquisition. A reason for inflating what appeared to be the revenues of its software business involved substantial hardware sales. There were also questions concerning predicted growth. Lynch was fired by HP who sued him and CFO Hussain. Other related companies were also lined up against the to defendants. In his decision there are a number of useful comments from Judge Hildyard. Note, for example, paragraph 63 of the 103 in the judgement. "The VAR strategy was directed by Mr Hussain and encouraged and presided over by Dr Lynch. Both knew that the VAR transactions were not being accounted for according to their true substance. Both knew that the recognition of revenue on the sale to the VAR was improper, and that the accounts were thus false." There were several other comments in the judgement on the dishonest dealings. These include "I have found that both Defendants knew that the accounts and the representations they made in this regard gave a misleading picture of Autonomy's OEM business. They did so because they knew revenues were included from transactions lacking the characteristics associated with OEM business. They knew that such revenues were considered in the market to generate a particularly dependable and valuable revenue stream" (Para 82). And later, ". . . I have reached clear conclusions in these proceedings on the civil liability of Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain for fraud under FSMA, common law, and the Misrepresentation Act 1967, applying, of course, the civil standard of proof of the balance of probabilities" (Para 102). Lynch now faces extradition to the USA for criminal liability but is appealing both the civil case (above) and the extradition order (Paul Sandle and Kate Holton, Reuters). Lynch denies fraud and claims that HP did not understand the technology. More information is available from JDSupra and it is noted that Hussein, Lynch's co-defendant in these proceedings (and former CFO of Autonomy) was last year convicted of 16 counts of securities and wire fraud.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on Twitter (@extensions_th)
Emily Kenricks has to eat soft foods, just like her grandfather. Although shes only 18, shes missing six teeth due to her parents dental neglect, advocates say.

Her mother ignored her, excluded her from meals, and did not return urgent calls from Kenricks school guidance counselor, so Kenricks left home and moved in with a friends family. Despite efforts to bring Kenricks case to the attention of the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) by that counselor and her friends mother starting a few weeks after her 17th birthday, DCF did not take Kenricks into state care until shortly before her 18th birthday.

There was a long period of time where I couldnt understand why DCF didnt help, Kenricks said. I felt very alone. I didnt know what to do.  There were so many times where I didnt know if I should have just gone home and dealt with being ignored by my family.

The closer to their 18th birthday that teens get, the harder they and their advocates have to work to prove neglect to DCF, according to lawyers with the Center for Childrens Advocacy (CCA).

Ken Mysogland, DCFs external affairs bureau chief, said that the older the teen, the more proof DCF needs that they face imminent danger before DCF will bring them into custody. The impact on the child may decrease as the child is older, Mysogland said. The 15-year-old is more vulnerable than the 17-year-old. Were not making a determination simply because of the childs age. Were using age as a factor in our assessment.

Three years ago, DCF changed its policy to reduce the number of children taken from their homes by increasing the wrap-around support services to families, including parenting classes, family therapy and referrals, Mysogland said.

But this does not excuse how difficult it is to get DCF to step in to help older teens, said lawyer Stacy Schleif, director of the Child Welfare Advocacy Project at CCA. Even if many of these kids can fend for themselves, at age 16 and 17, couch surfing or finding a friend to stay with until they turn 18, thats not a long-term solution to line them up for success in life. And in the meantime, they have no one to pay for their medical needs  or otherwise sign authorizations on their behalf.

DCF data from 2010 to 2020 show reports of abuse and neglect involving teens decrease gradually between ages 15, 16 and 17, yet the average percentage of substantiated cases also drops each year. In that period, DCF substantiated 43 percent of reports of neglect for 15-year-olds, 40 percent of neglect reports for 16-year-olds and just 37 percent for 17-year-olds.

DCF straddles a line to balance parental rights with childrens welfare. We have to prove that the parent has abused or neglected that child to the point where the child is not safe to be there. The proof of that is difficult, said DCF Deputy Commissioner Michael Williams. Safety and neglect are the determining factors. If a child is unsafe, uncared for, they can come into care before their 18th birthday.

Then there are teens like Kenricks, who said she left home and moved in with a friends family in April of 2020 to escape neglect and emotional abuse. Her mother was angry with her and blamed her after Ashley Barton, her school guidance counselor, reported parental neglect to DCF in early April, she said.

Barton said she called Kenricks mother repeatedly to raise multiple concerns about her wellbeing, and her calls were not returned.

Kenricks said that after Barton contacted DCF, her mother ignored her and excluded her from meals, and she had little to eat. Her friends mother picked her up to spend the weekend in late April, and she ended up living in their Bloomfield home for more than a year.

Jennifer Torres, her friends mother, tried to get Kenricks parents to take her to the dentist so an abscessed tooth could be removed or to authorize Torres to take her, but they refused, Torres said. Torres asked a DCF social worker to intervene.

Within days of Kenricks moving into Torres house, DCF got involved, but the social worker would not respond to Torres, she said. The social worker was only focused on the tooth. DCF was OK she was left here in my care in the middle of a pandemic. I couldnt sign for anything, Torres said.

By late May of 2020, Kenricks said, DCF staff persuaded her mother to consent to emergency dental care, and her infected tooth was removed. Since then, she has had a total of six teeth extracted because they were rotted due to dental neglect, she said. Kenricks needs extensive dental work but is awaiting government approval for dental implants, Schleif, the CCA lawyer, said.

Torres said she had to fight hard to get Kenricks the care she needed. DCF is saying to me, You got this. They said, We dont know if DCF will want to pick up this case because shes almost 18. She had just turned 17 in March.

Torres, a mother of five, said, I could change my mind tomorrow. They didnt recommend going through the licensing procedure to become a foster parent. They didnt ask whether I could afford to feed her. She needed new clothes, new shoes, she said.

While DCF investigated and tried to work with Kenricks parents, Torres said, DCF left her on her own to try to help Kenricks. She came with a lot of trauma, she said. Im not equipped to help her. Im not trained.

The Village for Children and Families staff provided five free counseling sessions without parental consent under a temporary provision, but their requests for parental consent to provide further counseling and medications were disregarded, Torres said.

For months, Torres, Kenricks therapist and school guidance counselor tried to get DCF to take Kenricks case, Torres and Barton said. One DCF social worker was really trying hard to get his supervisor to take the case, Torres said. Eventually, they took the case in late November of 2020, and it wasnt until January of 2021 that they filed [a petition with the court] to take custody.

Meanwhile, Kenricks said, she fell into a depression and lost a lot of weight, dropping to 89 pounds.

Kenricks is grateful the state petitioned a court to sever parental rights and take her into state custody because it ended nearly a year of uncertainty. Still, she wishes it hadn't taken so long.

I feel like they could have stepped in sooner, she said. My family had so many run-ins with DCF. Her parents relinquished their parental rights without a fight, Barton and Kenricks said.

Teens like Kenricks are entitled to a stable home. If they dont know where theyll be sleeping, that affects their education and mental health, said Martha Stone, executive director of the Center for Childrens Advocacy.

When we call DCF, in cases where older teens left home because of some kind of abuse or neglect, thats when DCF will sometimes say No, theyre going to be turning 18 very soon; were not going to get involved. We ask them to open a case. The problem is the older kids sometimes fall through the cracks. They dont open a case because they dont have foster homes for older kids, or they dont have a place to place the kid. A lot of times, the kid finds a place to stay, Stone said. Theres no person or legal guardian to sign for them for their health, mental health or education.

Schleif said, If a child is reaching out asking for assistance, thats not someone who I think should be turned away. I appreciate that DCF doesnt take children away from families easily. It seems inexcusable to not get involved sometimes.

There are always going to be children, like Emily Kenricks, she said, who are better off under DCF care.

Barton is still in touch with Kenricks and is glad shes attending cosmetology school and living with other young women under DCFs supervision in a program that supports young adults while theyre in school.

Shes grateful the teen had an advocate like Jennifer Torres. Thank God for Jennifer, Barton said. I dont know what Emily would have done without her.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team , a nonprofit news organization
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BRIDGEPORT  About mid-afternoon Saturday, while people other than plow drivers and other essential workers were hunkering down, Bill Jennings was keeping a tradition.

While chief executive officer of Bridgeport Hospital, Jennings was known for pitching in during winter storms to help pick up staff stuck at home. Now that he is in charge of St. Vincents Medical Center, Jennings was back at it behind the wheel of his Ford Raptor.

It is an absolute beast. It can get through anything, Jennings, president of Hartford Healthcares Fairfield region, said as he maneuvered through Bridgeports streets to his next stop.

Theyre pretty treacherous right now, Jennings reported. Almost all of them have been plowed but they're definitely not clear. You cant really see the black top or cement. And it is blowing. ... It is serious wind.

By late afternoon Saturday, the National Weather Service was reporting anywhere from 6 to 10 inches had fallen in greater Bridgeport.

Jennings joined maintenance crews dispatched to pick up St. Vincents personnel who, for various reasons, were unable to report to work on their own Saturday because of the severe weather.

We need them and they want to work, help their patients and not let down colleagues, he said. I love it. I get to bond and meet colleagues who otherwise Id never have the chance to spend any amount of time with.

Meanwhile, throughout Bridgeport and neighboring towns, most residents who had the luxury of staying home, did, and also followed local regulations in place to make the plow crews work easier.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim had ordered a snow emergency as of 4 p.m. Friday, requiring residents with cars move their vehicles to even-numbered sides of the streets to ensure plow crews could get through.

The majority of people have, Rowena White, Ganims spokesperson, said Saturday. For the most part everybodys off the streets, which is good. Its allowing the guys to do the work they need to do. So a big thank you to both residents ... and our (public facilities) guys.

Meanwhile in neighboring Fairfield this storm marked the first use of that towns brand new, even-side-of-the-street parking rule, according to First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick.

People are listening, staying off the roads, she said, noting there had only been three minor accidents. That makes the job easier for the Department of Public Works. They can just get it done.

She said public works employees reported to the municipal garage between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. and slept on cots in order to get an early start.

Kupchick and White said officials were also grateful that, so far, the power was holding out. As of just before 2 p.m. there were no outages being reported by the major electric utilities  United Illuminating and Eversource.

Were very fortunate, White said.

They (UI) had a lot of crews here, ready, because of the winds, Kupchick said.

Trumbull First Selectwoman Vicki Tesoro said that everything, thank goodness, has been pretty smooth there as well.

She said her emergency management team has been meeting all week about this, had gathered twice earlier Saturday and would reconvene later in the afternoon.

Obviously the storm, the way it was forecast, nobody really knew what (it) was going to do, Tesoro said.

Though impactful, Tesoro said Trumbull has been through worse.

Weve had pretty bad storms with a lot of outages, she said. Thank goodness that has not materialized. And hopefully it wont - its so cold outside.

Leigh Goodman, chief of Trumbulls emergency medical services, agreed that she and her staff have not had to deal with any major crises.

I dont want to jinx it but, so far, everythings going well, Goodman said in the afternoon. Weve gone through some big and challenging storms in the past and this one doesnt seem to be impacting our access in and out of calls at the moment.
Connecticut State Police announced Friday they arrested a Voluntown man in connection with the robbery of the Eastern Connecticut Savings Bank in Griswold earlier this week.

The agency said 55-year-old Ronald Arthur Speed was charged with third-degree larceny and third-degree robbery. He was taken into custody at his home Thursday evening. He was held on $100,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in Norwich Superior Court on Friday morning.

It was not immediately clear from online court records whether he remained in custody or had entered a plea.

State police said troopers from Troop E were called to the bank on Slater Avenue in Griswold Tuesday afternoon after an employee called 911 and reported a robbery.

A K-9 bloodhound team was called to the scene shortly after the first troopers arrived, but was unable to locate the male suspect in the robbery, according to the warrant for Speeds arrest.

The teller who spoke with the robber told police the man handed her two handwritten notes after telling her he needed to make a withdrawal. One of the notes read, I need Help, while the other read, Dont press no alarm This is not a bank robbery, its just a loan I need 5000.00 dollars please thank you, the warrant states.

When the teller told the man she didnt have that much money, he asked for as much as she could give him, according to the warrant. The teller gave the man all of the cash in her drawer  $2,087  before he left the bank, the warrant stated.

Investigators identified Speed as a suspect in the robbery after a state police detective who used to be assigned to the Troop E barracks recognized a photo of the vehicle in the robbery that was released by law enforcement, according to the warrant.

State police went to speak to Speed at his home on Wednesday. During an interview, Speed did not outright admit to the robbery, but was concerned if he did he would be arrested immediately, the warrant stated. Speed told police the money was gone after he used it to pay bills and people he borrowed money from, the warrant stated.

When police asked if he committed the robbery, Speed said, Im gonna plead the fifth on that one, but you already know and I know, the warrant stated.

Speed was also seen on surveillance footage at another location two minutes before the robbery not wearing a mask, but in the same clothes as the suspect in the bank, according to the warrant.

Police also said they found a pen from the bank in Speeds home, the warrant stated. Bank employees had said the robber had left with one of their pens, the warrant stated.
Cullman, AL (35055)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Funeral Service for Brenda Joyce Wright, 71, of Cullman, will be 3 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2022 at Northbrook Baptist Church. A viewing will be on Friday from 2-3 p.m. prior to the service. The visitation will be 5:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday night, May 5, 2022 at Cullman Funeral Home. Rev. Keith Warde
Local

CPA: City needs to switch auditors, upgrade software to fix financial accounting woes

jeure / By Julian Eure Isley

Switching outside auditors and updating financial software are a certified public accounting firms recommendations for fixing Elizabeth Citys financial accounting problems over the past 19 months.

Greg Isley of the Raleigh-based Greg Isley CPA firm told City Council earlier this week that the city needs to make those two changes if it wants to straighten out the citys financial statements.

Interim City Manager Ralph Clark also told councilors the city may need to explore different options if it cant find a qualified finance director. That position has been vacant for almost six months.

There is some urgency to getting the financial problems fixed. The Local Government Commission placed Elizabeth City on its Unit Assistance last September after the city filed its 2019-20 financial statements over six months past the Jan. 31, 2021 deadline.

The city also has not been able to have its books audited for the 2020-21 fiscal year, missing a Nov. 1 deadline, because of its internal accounting problems. That deficiency was noted late last year in a review by the N.C. League of Municipalities of the citys financial practices.

City Council agreed in October to hire Isley to help straighten out its financial statements. The city is paying the firm $100 an hour for its help and Isley said Monday he has billed the city around $60,000 since being hired.

Hiring the Isley firm is part of the corrective action plan the city filed with the LGC after being placed on the Unit Assistance list.

When Isley was hired last October the city had not reconciled its bank accounts since June 30, 2020. Those accounts have now been reconciled through June 2021, Isley said.

Isley said the city needs to upgrade its computer software to help with its future financial statements.

Your accounting department is still operating like a 1984 mode, Isley said. The past leadership hasnt come to you (City Council) to get to a more efficient operation from the accounting perspective.

Isley said an affordable option could be integrating finance into the Tyler system the city currently utilizes in the utilities department.

You just have to get the rest of the package, Isley said. Right now, you are doing a lot of manual transactions (in finance department).

Turnover in the managers office and the finance directors position has compounded the problem.

Since former manager Rich Olson left 18 months ago, the city has had one permanent manager and three different interim managers  former city Public Safety director Eddie Buffaloe twice and now Clark.

Former Finance Director Suzanne Tungate resigned in October 2020 after being director since 2017. She was replaced by assistant director Evelyn Benton, who retired this past fall. The position has been vacant since.

Isley said smaller communities also are finding it difficult to hire higher quality audit firms.

The current firm of Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams and Company billed the city $18,000 for the last city audit, which he said was low. He said an audit should take around 450 hours. Given the city paid only $18,000 for the audit, it was charged only $40 an hour, which he also said was low.

My recommendation based on my experience with the firm you have engaged right now is not good, Isley said. In fact, the state auditor (Beth Wood) is now going to take a look at audits of towns of similar size. When she sees a price of $18,000 on a town your size there is going to be a conversation.

A CPA is not going to work for that low rate (of $40 an hour), Clark added.

Isley also suggested that some audit firms may not help or assist you from Jan. 1 to May 1 because that is tax season and theyre busy with other clients.

I see my job is to tell you what you need to hear, which may not always what you want to hear, Isley said.

Clark said Tuesday that he is recommending that City Council hire Newport News-based PBMares to conduct the citys next audit at a cost of around $50,000.

We need a firm in here that can get on the audit, Clark said. Its a more expensive audit, but we are trying to look at quality and delivery. Apparently, we were not getting either one. An audit is a requirement by law but it also shows we are fiscally responsible.

The LGC must approve the city borrowing money for periods longer than 59 months and Clark said that is why the city needs to get its financial practices in order quickly. The city is facing several major sewer capital projects that may require financing.

We are trying to get our house in order so the auditors can come in and do their job and get (the audit) to the Local Government Commission, Clark said. City government is just like anybody else, we cant live on a cash basis. We have to borrow and (LGC) controls all the borrowing that we do that exceeds 59 months.

The city needs a finance director with a high-level of accounting experience and Clark said those people are scarce. Clark said his interpretation of a state law requiring the city to have a financial officer is that the person doesnt necessarily have to be a city employee.

It has to be someone that is responsible for the finances, Clark said. It makes no stipulation that it has to be an employee of the city. You could actually contract that out.

Clark said the city may look at having Isley continue its work through the end of the year.

Isley said the firm has 19 CPAs on his staff and the firm has built a model to help serve rural communities.

Rural areas are having a hard time finding qualified (finance directors) they can keep, Isley said.
The Biden administration is looking at options for Medicare users to acquire free COVID-19 testing over-the-counter and at home.

If a client asks for reimbursement, the White House is forcing private insurance companies to cover the cost of eight at-home COVID-19 tests per individual every month.

As a result of the enormous increase in infections caused by the Omicron variant, the requirement was enacted. However, the regulation does not apply to Medicare recipients, and the exclusion of 64 million elderly and disabled Americans has sparked outrage, as per The Hill.

Lawmakers, citizens urge Biden to amend Medicare restrictions

Several Democratic senators and supporters have pressured the administration to amend the restrictions in recent days, but their choices are limited because Medicare does not normally pay home-use diagnostic tests.

Currently, only laboratory-based COVID-19 diagnostic techniques, such as PCR and antigen testing, are covered by standard Medicare. There is no cost to the recipient if the test is ordered by a physician, pharmacist, or "approved health care professional." Officials from Biden's health department have stated that they are working hard to find a solution to the problem.

Thousands of community health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics will get 50 million testing kits for distribution to patients and community members. Beneficiaries can also buy four tests per household via the federal website CovidTests.gov, which will be sent by the US Postal Service.

When the Biden administration mandated that insurers cover at-home coronavirus testing, it left out a group of people who are most vulnerable to the virus. Medicare, the government insurance system that covers 64 million elderly and disabled Americans, was left out of the directive, prompting a barrage of criticism.

Read Also: Kim Jong Un Visits Arms Factory as North Korea Confirms Series of Missile Launches, Vows To Bolster Diverse Arsenal

Medicare should cover at-home testing, says advocates

In recent days, members of Congress and advocates for the elderly have sent vehement letters to President Joe Biden and his health secretary, pressing the government to change Medicare's guidelines so that it will pay for antigen testing performed at home universally.

According to the Seattle Times, hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries have phoned a government hotline to inquire about the tests, since they are unsure of what is covered. Officials in the government are "working around the clock, trying to find out what is viable" under such duress, according to Meena Seshamani, Medicare director at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Advocates argue that the government, which has made it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to visit doctors via telehealth during the pandemic, should also be flexible when it comes to covering at-home testing. Meanwhile, as a consequence of President Joe Biden's administration's order, millions of health-care employees across the United States must now get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The vaccine requirement for Medicare and Medicaid providers was one of several restrictions put on private-sector employers by Biden's administration in an attempt to boost vaccination rates and halt the spread of the coronavirus. By Thursday, health workers in around half of the states had to have received their first dosage of the vaccine, while the remainder will have to fulfill February deadlines. Biden's other high-profile requests have been put on hold.

The Supreme Court struck down a provision that required firms with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis. A lower court recently struck down a mandate that government contractors' workers be vaccinated.

Republican-led states, conservative groups, and some companies fought Biden's multiple vaccination mandates in court. The complaints claimed, among other things, that the regulations exceeded federal executive authority and infringed on states' rights to control public health, as per WFMJ.

Related Article: Joe Biden Faces Mounting Pressure To Cancel $10,000 in Student Loan Debt; Sen. Elizabeth Warren Urges Release of Nearly Year-Old Memo

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Barbara Faye Boyles, 75, of Raceland, Kentucky passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at her residence. Barbara was born August 1, 1946, in Load, Kentucky a daughter of the late Homer and Gladys Johnson Boyles. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one nephew Robert Boyles. Bar
Sunbury, PA (17801)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
A woman who was targeted by keyboard warriors for working on a building site, has clapped back at sexist comments.

Darcie Richards, 26, said she is sick of blokes feeling like they can judge her appearance just because she does a job typically done by men.

So, the bricklayer from Old Buckenham, Norfolk, created a TikTok video just to slam them for shaming her.

Darcie has 204,000 followers on the social media platform and often uses it to bust stereotypes about women working in construction.

After going travelling, Darcie joined her dad Ricky's construction company, Richards Builders, and worked alongside him and her brothers Louis and Jody

Darcie Richards hit back at trolls after getting a torrent of abuse for being a female construction worker

The 5ft 2ins, size eight, worker got increasingly annoyed after hearing trolls she's 'not strong enough', 'too slow' for a traditionally male job

She responded to one user who wrote on one of her videos: 'Well this has to be the most unattractive thing I've seen a woman do today.'

Posting a video showing her lifting bricks and climbing ladders at work, she blasted back: 'Just because you feel emasculated, doesn't make me unattractive! #iambeautiful #letmebeme #bricktok #empowering.'

Darcie set up her bricklaying account in 2020 and has earned a legion of fans who love hearing about the trials and tribulations of being a woman on site.

The 5ft 2ins, size eight, worker had gone travelling after finishing school and did a variety of admin jobs as well as waitressing.

After showing off what she does for work online, one man called it the most 'unattractive' thing he's seen all day. Pictured hard at work

But when she returned she joined her dad Ricky's construction company, Richards Builders, working alongside him and her brothers Louis and Jody.

However she became increasingly annoyed by blokes who think it's fine to call her 'not strong enough' and 'too slow' for doing a traditionally male job.

In fact, her social media has become so successful young women have told her that she has inspired them to think about getting into construction work.

She has also become an ambassador for Scruff's workwear after they released their first women's line of clothing.

Darcie now works for Ley Brickwork and says she will not be put off - and that other women should 'go for it' too

She said: 'There have been so many girls, hundreds, who have come to me and said how much of an inspiration I am to them.

'They think it's awesome and they are going to do the same.

'But it's not just women, half of my followers are men, who are also really happy to see us entering the trade.

'Luckily, the positivity outweighs the negatives in the hundreds of thousands. But I do get some negative comments from people online too. If I do, it is always from men.

Darcie revealed some men are happy to see women entering the trade business and the positive outweighs the negative

Darcie received 16,000 comments from women on one of her videos supporting her and telling her she's beautiful

'They just see a girl and think it's pathetic or that I want attention; they don't think I'm strong enough or I am too slow. One man even said it was unattractive.

'But I did a video replying to that and I got 16,000 comments from girls all in support.'

She now works for Ley Brickwork and says she will not be put off - and that other women should 'go for it' too.

She added: 'I have gone to up 6.1 million like on TikTok.'

After getting a following online, Darcie has also become an ambassador for Scruff's workwear after they released their first women's line of clothing

'I am really proud of myself. I did not think I would ever be in a position to help anybody.'

'Now I have a platform and something to say and people are listening.'

Other people supported her against the trolls' comments.

Former TikTok postie Laura Orgill said: 'Love this. You go girl!'

Darcie has an astonishing 204,000 followers on the social media platform and often uses it to get the message across that women can work in construction too

One said: 'What's attractive about a female is seeing her do what she wants to do.'

Dottie said: 'Hilarious when other people are offended by inspiring, independent, hard-working women doing what they do and doing it well.'

And another added: 'I think this is the most awesome and attractive thing I've seen all day.

'She's healthy, fit and strong and puts many couch potatoes to shame.'

Women make up just 14 per cent of the UK's construction workforce.
A woman has provoked a fierce debate after asking if she should break up with her boyfriend of four-and-a-half years because he hasn't proposed yet.

Posting on US-based forum Reddit, the anonymous woman, 27, explained that her partner previously promised to consider getting married after completing his medical training.

But the milestone came and went eight months ago and he still hasn't proposed, leaving her feeling like she isn't good enough for him and should move on.

She added that she's brought it up with him and he told her that marriage is still the 'end goal', but that he 'wasnt sure and needed more time to see more about our relationship'.

Responses to the thread were dividied, with some arguing that the boyfriend wanted to get married he would've proposed by now, while others claimed they had to wait longer than five years and are now happily wed.

A US woman has revealed she's having doubts about the future of her relationship because her boyfriend hasn't proposed (file image)

The woman penned a lengthy post explaining that her relationship has been amazing for most of their 4.5 years together and they discussed their future together in the first few months.

She said there aren't high expectations for an expensive wedding that's preventing them from getting married, writing: 'When we talked about our futures in the past it was made clear we would get married when he finished his medical program.

'Fast forward to him finishing his medical program (over a year ago)  still no engagement. I thought maybe he is just waiting to be done with residency and to secure a permanent position  alas that has been achieved as well  still no engagement.

'I have gotten very anxious over the last couple months and decided to bring up the conversation or marriage goals up again (a little over 3.5 years into the relationship at that point). He said that was still his end goal, but also mentioned he wasnt sure and needed more time to see more about our relationship.'

The woman admitted the delay in getting engaged has made her lose confidence and left her feeling that their time together has been wasted.

She continued: 'Im getting to the point where its hard for me to function and I have doubts about our future. If someone is still unsure about you after nearly 4.5 years of dating is that I sign I need to move on? Ive tried to understand why this is and am left with no answers.

The woman explained on Reddit, that her boyfriend completed his medical residency 8 months ago but is still unsure about getting married

'He doesnt have student loans, he has mentioned he has decent savings, etc. and Im just left lost and confused why this relationship feels like it is falling apart and has run its course. Have I done something to make him so unsure?

'Its been so long and I have brought up my thoughts on marriage two more times since the 3.5 year talk and no longer feel excited about the prospect of getting engaged and married. Im worried that this behavior will continue in into our future together (potential issues/delays planning a wedding, making life decisions, etc.). At this point I feel like a proposal (if it were to even happen) would be more of an event to keep me quiet and not because its something he wants.

'I feel like I am not the one for him (even though I have dreamed of spending the rest of my life with him for a long time now). The love feels so one sided.

'He has a handful of close friends that have gotten engaged and married in the last two years too. I have just started to think that I am not good enough and am strongly considering moving on. But I dont want to make a mistake.'

The majority of responses to the post urged the woman to leave her boyfriend and warned she will be wasting time if they stay together because they will never get married.

One person wrote: 'I think the line where he said he wasn't sure and needed more time to see about our relationship is really telling that he probably wants to get married, but not to you.

'Like, if you've been with someone for nearly five years, what's there to "see"? Especially when you guys talked about your goals in year one. Maybe he's thinking the grass is greener...'

A stream of responses to the thread warned the woman that she is wasting her time by staying with someone who has no intentions of getting married

Another said: 'You need to leave. If he was going to marry you, he certainly would have done so by now. My husband said that he knew after four months of dating that I was the one. That was 30 years ago.

'By staying with him, hoping that he proposes, you are doing yourself a disservice. You cannot find the perfect one for you, who will love, appreciate and respect you if you are tied up with someone that has no future intentions towards you.'

However, others argued not everyone is ready to get married within the same length of time and told how they waited longer than five years for a proposal.

One wrote: 'My husband and I dated 10 years before we got married. It's now 24 years we are together.'

One commenter suggested that the woman take matters into her own hands and pop the question herself

'Seems like everyone on here expects that everyone has to be ready for marriage on the exact same timeline, or else they're somehow evil and plotting to waste their partner's time before leaving them. Marriage is a huge decision and four years is really not long to know someone at all.

'I have had friends I thought were forever at four years only to find out I didn't even know the personal at all a couple years after. Everyone is ready at their own pace, for some that's two years, some at 10,' another said.

A third added: '4.5 year is not enough. You youngins think this is such a long time. It's not. Especially not with a 50 per cent chance of divorce. It's 10 per cent of a 40 year relationship. Take your time and actually get to know someone. '
The House Select Committee has issued subpoenas to the fake Electoral Colleges that were allegedly involved in former United States President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

It was discovered that the Republican businessman installed fraudulent GOP electors in seven swing states to subvert the Electoral College process. The controversy is far more complicated than it seems because it involves arcane laws governing the presidential transition process and Trump's attempts to exploit the weaknesses in the system.

Fake Electors

The issue occurred more than a year ago during the tumultuous time of the 2020 presidential elections. However, the case is still extremely relevant because both state and federal prosecutors are investigating the incident.

The fake Electoral College issue was allegedly led by Trump's then-attorney Rudy Giuliani in what others call was an attempted coup. It was reported last week that the former president's campaign officials were leading the scheme under Giuliani's orders.

The fake electors are believed to have pretended to do all the things that the real electors are required to do under the Constitution. However, all of it was just for show because Trump allegedly had allies on the inside, hoping to gin up coverage on the right-wing OAN network, CNN reported.

The House Select Committee has decided to step in and investigate the issue by issuing subpoenas to the "chairperson" and "secretary" for each of the fake elector certificates. The swing states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Read Also: Biden Camp Withdraws COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Businesses; But OSHA Warns Need for Vaccination Amid Omicron Variant

All of the involved states were won by President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential elections but still submitted false slates of electors to the National Archives. They claimed that Republican Trump was the actual winner in their states. Additionally, the fake electors said that Mike Pence won as vice president.

Furthermore, Trump's scheme allegedly tried to delay or block Congress from certifying the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6. The committee said in a statement that the panel was seeking "information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme," Forbes reported.

Committee's Subpoenas

The committee's chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, said that the individuals they have subpoenaed are believed to have information regarding the scheme. The fake electors allegedly met on Dec. 14, 2020, in the seven swing states that Trump lost.

The House Select Committee issued the subpoenas on Friday and were sent to 14 individuals: Nancy Cottle and Loraine Pellegrino from Arizona, David Shafer and Shawn Still from Georgia, Kathy Berden and Mayra Rodriguez from Michigan, Jewll Powdrell and Deborah Maestas from New Mexico, Michael McDonald and James DeGraffenreid from Nevada, Bill Blachenberg and Lisa Patton from Pennsylvania, and Andrew Hitt and Kelly Ruh from Wisconsin.

The panel's subpoenas are requiring the alleged fake electors, all of whom claim to be either a chairperson or secretary of the slates, to turn over documents and sit for depositions in February. The people who signed up to be fake electors for Trump were mostly state-level officials in the Republican Party, the New York Times reported.



Related Article: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency?

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Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photos. This week it's the Queen's former press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, 81.

Dickie Arbiter, 81, the Queen's former press secretary shares the stories behind his favourite photographs

1946: This is me aged six with my dad Hans on Hampstead Heath three or four months before he died at just 37 from tuberculosis; he was also a diabetic  I'd watch him stick insulin into his leg with a two-inch needle. Both my parents were German Jewish  my father came to England in 1930, setting up a belt-making business, my mother Ruth in 1938. Sadly they went their separate ways during the war

1980: I returned to the UK in 1974 and went to work for LBC Radio in London. I separated from my first wife, who I'd married in Rhodesia, and became a single dad to my daughter Victoria. After doing an interview on LBC, I was asked to take part in a charity horse ride, and having ridden since I was nine, leapt at the chance of getting into the saddle on a Household Cavalry horse at Stag Meadow in Windsor. This is me in action on that day. I still ride twice a week in Wimbledon

1970: In 1957 my mother and I moved to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she had an uncle. I ended up working for the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, making documentaries and presenting the news. This is me and Mum in Salisbury, now Harare. She died in 2018 aged 97. With luck I'll make it to 100  it would be nice to get a card from the sovereign!

1988: I love this photo on the Long Walk at Windsor  I'm with Victoria, then 14, my second wife Rosemary, and my English bull terrier Kim. It was taken after the announcement that I was to become one of the Queen's press secretaries. I'd been a court correspondent for ten years when out of the blue I was asked if I'd be interested in joining The Firm as a spokesman; naturally I said yes. I was ready to make the move from poacher to gamekeeper

1989: During my years as a royal spokesman I did 'his tours' with the Prince of Wales, 'her tours' with Princess Diana and 'their tours' with them together  about 22 in total. Diana was a good sport and always willing to have a go at things. Here she's playing bowls on a visit to Indonesia (that's me with the bright tie). Her first official overseas tour on her own, to New York, was earlier in 1989. At the end of it she gave all her aides, including me, a silver apple as a memento

1990: This was taken at a 50th birthday party given for me by Diana in her Kensington Palace apartment. I was allowed to have 20 guests including my wife, daughter and mother. It was a jolly, informal occasion. I was known for always having a mobile phone with me, so for fun Diana commissioned her chef to make a mobile phone birthday cake for me, seen here. It was reflective of her impish sense of humour

1992: I'll never forget the day Windsor Castle caught fire, that's why I look so glum. The Queen showed great resilience and was very complimentary about the fire brigade, which did a terrific job in fighting the blaze and preventing the entire building going up in smoke. Prince Philip, ably assisted by Prince Charles, did a magnificent job in overseeing the restoration work, which was completed for around 37m, most of it raised from royal palace tourist visits rather than the public purse
Dear Bel

I'm sure you get thousands of pleading letters each day, but please read mine. I'm 33 years old. I read your column every week and always feel in awe of your wisdom and kindness. I'm a mental health nurse, so I take great inspiration in the way you reflect your compassion onto others and I hope my patients would say I do the same.

Now please, Bel, speak out on the unethical mandate that is about to pass within the NHS. So many of us do not wish to be vaccinated. But many members of the public still believe we are selfish, despite Omicron confirming this is not an illness of the unvaccinated.

It is unfair to think of us this way. We have been holding the NHS up for the past two years. I have worked relentlessly for 14 years caring for the seriously mentally unwell. Having already had Covid, I do not need three Covid vaccines to be safe to do my job. There is no reasonable, scientific, ethical or logical reason to be forcing this upon NHS staff.

At one point, many believed transmission was an issue of the unvaccinated. We now know this is untrue.

I'm beginning to feel that 'Because I've had the jabs, you should have them' has become the reason to force this on others. Please use your compassionate words, Bel, to steer people in the right direction.

We are already so understaffed. NHS staff are prepared to leave in their thousands. They will not sacrifice their bodily rights for any career. Nor would anyone else. Please help us!

JEN

This week Bel Mooney advises a 33-year-old reader who works as an NHS mental health nurse and doesn't want to be vaccinated

All your very kind comments to me are left in here (I usually edit such compliments out, for obvious reasons) because my honest response to your email will certainly be disappointing  and that's a great pity.

I fear you will find me lacking in the very 'compassion' you praise  but what can I do?

The person writing this column (which occupies my mind a great deal of the time) is a human being with her own strong views and feelings. Otherwise, I couldn't do the job. Your heartfelt letter reveals one of the good, sincere, hardworking individuals (many in the NHS, many not) without whom this society would founder. I must  and do  respect what you write and can easily imagine the affection you have won from those you have helped.

It's painful to read through the lines of your email and realise how this is affecting you. Yet I, too, have equally sincere views about vaccination  so find myself at odds with yours.

Thought of the day 'You have to hold on, Mal. This is all there is, this life. If something is gone out of it for you it's your job to replace it.' from Elegy For April: Quirke Mysteries Book 3 by Benjamin Black  the pseudonym of John Banville (Irish novelist and Booker Prize winner, b 1945) Advertisement

When I was a child growing up in Liverpool in the 1950s it was commonplace to see children with legs in irons because they had contracted polio. They were viewed with universal pity and, of course, our parents were terrified that as vulnerable children we would catch poliomyelitis.

So when the polio vaccine programme began in 1957 (when I was 11) I've no doubt that the vast majority of parents were grateful.

I remember getting the jab  and us all feeling rather excited. Did people complain that it was too much of 'an unknown'? Probably.

What I do know is that the disease has been almost completely wiped out across the globe. There were only 33 reported cases in 2018, representing a 99 per cent drop over 30 years.

Tetanus, measles, influenza, hepatitis A and B, rubella, whooping cough, mumps, chickenpox, diphtheria . . . you are a nurse and I am not, but we both know the nation's health has been immeasurably improved over the years by vaccines of many types.

Each year I am glad to get my flu jab. In this age of travel, people accepted that certain countries required vaccines against Yellow Fever  to name but one. Did they ask what was in the magic potion going into their arms? No.

So why all the fuss about the vaccine against Covid? I simply do not understand.

During 2020, my friends and family pinned our hopes on a vaccine. What brilliant news it was when it came. I am proud of this country's vaccination programme and wholeheartedly praise Boris Johnson for the part he played. I was glad and relieved to have my booster and, if there's another jab going, I will happily stick out my arm.

Would you call me stupid/deluded/ill-informed, Jen? I doubt you could possibly read my words over months and make that accusation.

It worries me that the NHS march at the weekend was joined by more than 1,000 anti-vaxxers and activists spouting ludicrous theories, like saying the jabs are part of a global plot to control and/or kill the population.

Never mind anti-jabs, this is the sort of stupid conspiracy chatter, fed by the contagious derangement of social media, that has infected the western world as perniciously as any virus.

As far as I am concerned, such people are as bad as the far-Right groups to which many of them have links.

Let me be clear. I am not talking about you or the NHS colleagues who feel as you do. Nor would I accuse anybody of 'selfishness' when they are expressing views they hold dear. What's more, I am instinctively opposed to coercion, which does leave me somewhat confused, I admit.

But just as this issue distresses you, so it distresses me to realise that good people like you may now even choose to give up their jobs. Why? Because refusing the vaccination which the rest of us have willingly and gratefully received is more important to them than ministering to the sick people they were trained to help.

That is a sad choice, yet I think it a bad one, too. But I have, in fairness, printed your letter because if there are readers who think the same, they can read your words and be glad of a kindred spirit.

You ask me to 'steer people in the right direction'  and wrote in good faith clearly expecting me to agree with you. But in equally good faith, I reply that for me the right direction is to be sure you are vaccinated, for your own sake and for the sake of your families, friends and communities.

And also, in your case, for those all-important patients, too. I view the anti-vax marches and the self-consciously dramatic shedding of uniforms by NHS staff with sadness and disbelief, but also with quite a lot of distaste, too. I'm really sorry, but there it is.

My ex has moved 500 yards away

Dear Bel

In last week's column your words 'if people seem on top of the world remember they may in fact be feeling the weight of the whole globe crushing their spirits' jumped out of the page at me. I have been putting on a brave face for the past nine years and everyone thinks I'm fine.

My husband and I were married for 32 years. We ran a business and had two sons. It was hard and I was promised a better future when the firm was sold in 2006. We moved back to our home county and had lovely holidays.

Then, in 2012, he packed his bags (I was at work) and left to live with a colleague. But he insisted I was still his 'first choice' and said he'd be coming back because he'd made a big mistake.'

We divorced four years later after he made 'another big mistake' when he bought a house with her three miles away. I stayed in our home. However, six months ago they sold their house and bought one 500 yards from mine.

Contact Bel Bel answers readers' questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. Names are changed to protect identities. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement

My question is what kind of woman can tear another's life apart then move so close? What kind of man, knowing he broke his wife's heart, can come back to live so near the home they once shared?

IRIS

The direct answer to your final questions  so well-expressed but full of anger and heartbreak  is: 'Any sort of man and any sort of woman.'

I've long ceased to be surprised at the hurt people inflict on one another, while giving an appearance of kindness and thoughtfulness to the rest of the world.

A man I respected and liked ended his 40-year marriage in an email, then lied through his teeth for months, denying another woman.

He then caused his shocked wife untold additional stress and pain by driving a viciously hard bargain over their assets. But a good man, a responsible man, a pillar of society . . . and so on.

What made him act in such a cruel way? Why, love . . . of course.

He wanted a new marriage with a much younger woman  and got it. And your husband went on lying after he left, holding out false hope that he'd one day return. Perhaps he was in denial, but it added insult to injury.

I'm afraid people behave in this way when they know they have done something hurtful and 'wrong' and turn their back on that self-awareness. In the end, they put their own happiness first.

It's just awful for you that they have chosen to move so near  a fresh, harsh, selfish blow you do not deserve. To me, it's inconceivable that they'd want to, but there's no end to people's capacity to shock. What can you do but go on being brave?

In your uncut email, you tell me you have been promoted in a very good job and you do sound remarkably composed, in spite of the pain. Let your independence and friendships focus your mind. Let that couple witness you living your best life.

And finally... Lets focus on giving, not taking

At the moment, I have three friends who are suffering from cancer and I find it has concentrated my mind on how to live. Im not talking about trying to keep healthy, although that matters. No, its about how to live the best life possible.

Each of my three friends is a role model. One (whom I think of as the sister I never had) had her operation yesterday and will (I know) continue to blaze, warming the hearts of those lucky enough to know her.

My second friend has been treated for a long time, but never complains or allows it to hamper her extraordinary, creative life.

The third friend, an Italian, is the oldest  both in age and the length of our friendship. I first met A in 1971 when I was a young journalist and, although she was more than 12 years my senior, we formed a deep bond.

A gentle, sweet soul, she lives in North Norfolk, which makes it hard to visit. And the other day her email made me cry. She wrote: I am psychologically all right  and grateful that I am still here to love my dear friends.

She wrote in a similar vein many months ago: I am so glad that I have wonderful friends to love.

So please join me in marvelling at her emphasis  active, not passive. Not about being loved, but about having love to give. Not about clinging to life for her own sake, but because it enables her to love others.

Writing this column Ive become used to people longing to be loved  indeed, bewailing the fact that they are not.

I dont say that critically, just as a statement of fact. Nor do I want to imply that I have become indifferent to their needs, because I havent.

But my friend A inspires the thought that if only the wish could be flipped, making it about giving not taking, about generosity not need  then the world might turn out to be more embracing.

The vast energy of love can sustain us unto death  and work miracles.
BBC podcast host Deborah James, who has incurable bowel cancer, has revealed her liver functioning is 'improving' in a 'baby step' toward recovery after she nearly died of an acute medical emergency earlier this month.

The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner, 40, from London, has been living with stage four bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn.

At the start of the year, the mother-of-two announced she had 'nearly died' in hospital, calling it the 'hardest' part of her 5-year cancer battle.

However yesterday, she shared some positive news with her followers on her Instagram story as she wrote: 'The face of someone who just got told her liver functioning is improving! I mean it's still totally out but heading in the right direction!

BBC podcast host Deborah James, who has incurable bowel cancer, has revealed her liver functioning is 'improving' in a 'baby step' toward recovery after she nearly died of an acute medical emergency earlier this month

'I'm still weak as anything, trying to gain weight and exhausted - but baby steps are baby steps! Whoop!'

It's good news for Deborah, who has been emotionally documenting her latest health battle with fans in recent weeks.

Days ago, she said the 'trauma' of nearly dying was still 'very raw and real' as she returned home after three weeks in hospital.

She told how she had been discharged as an in-patient, and said it had been 'the scariest period' her life, adding: 'Two and a half weeks ago it was touch and go if I made it through the night.

Last week, Deborah said there had been 'a lot of tears' for days while she was in hospital (pictured)

'Today after 18 days across two hospitals I walked down the steps of the @royalmarsden discharged from life as an in-patient.

'Im not out of the woods yet, and Ill be back in soon, but Ive reach a point that seemed insurmountable weeks ago. I cried on my last IV treatment today.

'The trauma of it all is very raw and real. Im realising Ive been through a lot.

'A lot of everything - seeing my life slip away, being brought back to life, hairy moments, operations, general anaesthesia, antibiotics, pain relief, nervously awaiting blood tests, failured canulars, curve balls, tears.

'Its been the scariest time of my life - of my whole families lives.'

Last week Deborah said the 'trauma' of nearly dying in an acute medical emergency is still 'very raw and real' as she returned home after three weeks in hospital

She continued: 'I dont even know where to begin to thank every single medical person who saved me, who got me through the days, the nights, who did all they can to give me more time. Thank you doesnt even touch the sides.

'Im unsure right now of my next steps, but I have options. And I have to recover first. Get some normality, see the outside world! Eat!

'But right now, Im back home, a place I left not thinking Id see it again. For that, I feel beyond greatful.'

She went on to share a series of images and clips as she was discharged from hospital, including as she was wheeled along a hospital corridor and having an IV canular removed.

The mother-of-two also posted a snapshot of her dog as she relaxed on her sofa at home, saying: 'I have to say I'm shattered. Think I have weeks of sleep to catch up on.

The mother-of-two posted a snapshot of her dog as she relaxed on her sofa at home, and confessed she felt 'shattered'

Deborah shared a selection of clips as she was discharged from hospital, but said she is 'not out of the woods yet'

'And I'm still taking lots of meds. Already had three naps today. And that's after waking up at 10am!'

While in hospital, Deborah filmed herself walking down a hallway. She said she is 'making progress' and tasking her recovery step by step after enduring the 'hardest, most heartbreaking and scariest' period of her cancer battle in the last week, which has involved three operations and 'a lot more procedures' to come.

Sharing the video on Instagram, Deborah wrote: 'Today I walked - its the first time in nine days Ive been able to try.

'Its never been so hard to muster the strength and conviction to do so. Ive had four operations this week (with more to come), am beyond shattered with a very weak body,' she revealed.

In the video, Deborah can be seen walking tentatively in a hospital hallway.

'But somehow my body is still ploughing on. Sometimes all we can do is take things step by step. The nurses and doctors are being incredible - Ive cried on pretty much everyone that pops their head around the door,' she went on in her post.

Deborah, who has incurable bowel cancer, revealed how she 'nearly died' last month in an 'acute medical emergency'. She shared this photo from hospital

'Im making progress, its slow, but steady. Im still being monitored very closely. No idea what the next plan is- its just taking things bit by bit.

'Its hard when you just want a plan, but the plan is really to try to get me better, whatever pathway that takes. My drains are to do with my bile duct - which they finally stented (well we are in the middle of that process), and acities, which Ive had 10 litres drained already hence why Im dont look pregnant anymore,' she explained.

Posting on Instagram earlier this month, the mother-of-two spoke of enduring the 'hardest, most heartbreaking and scariest' period of her cancer battle in the last week, which has involved three operations and 'a lot more procedures' to come.

She told how her husband watched as doctors fought to save her life after she 'crashed' in resuscitation.

The mother-of-two was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn (pictured)

'A week ago at this time in the evening I nearly died in what was an acute medical emergency,' she wrote. 'I'm not ready to discuss what happened yet as the trauma of it all has been incredibly intense - but it's thanks to an unbelievable team of NHS specialists who worked all through the night and the next day to save me.

'I cannot be more grateful. I'm still not out of danger and I have a lot more procedures to deal with. But I'm now out of intensive care. And for the first time felt able to briefly update you.'

Sharing a photo of her giving a thumbs up from a hospital bed, she continued: 'This is me yesterday having just come round from my 3rd operation this week. I have another operation tomorrow.

'In 5 years of having stage 4 Cancer - this has been the hardest, most heartbreaking and scariest of them all. I'd always prepared for my death, but I wasn't prepared for something so blindsiding and traumatic to happen.

'I can't quite believe I'm here to write this. A week ago my whole family was praying I'd pull through the night. I'm getting a lot of help and support to come to terms with the trauma I've been through.

'My family have been incredible. I don't know how my husband held it together seeing me crash as an army of doctors stabilised me in resus.'

In new series of cancer podcast, You, Me and the Big C, Deborah revealed she had to learn how to walk again after being bed-bound with colitis in December

Posting on Instagram overnight, the mother-of-two spoke of enduring the 'hardest, most heartbreaking and scariest' period of her cancer battle in the last week, which has involved three operations and 'a lot more procedures' to come

After thanking followers for their support, she added: 'Do me a favour and go tell your loved ones how much you love them. To realise in a sudden split moment that you are unlikely to see the next day is utterly heartbreaking. Have no regrets.'

It comes days after Deborah returned to her popular podcast You, me and the Big C and revealed how she'd been 'absolutely floored' by 'big gun chemo' during the summer and then a serious infection at the year's end - which saw her carried into a London hospital at 1am by her husband for treatment.

She told co-hosts Lauren Mahon and Steve Bland on the newest episode of the BBC podcast that she'd had to learn to walk again after being forced to remain in bed for almost a month.

She said: 'After colitis, I had to relearn to walk again because I had so much fluid.

'I'd been bed-bound for three weeks and just learning how to walk to the end of the drive or whatever, is just impossible essentially.'

Discussing how difficult the last six months have been, James said while she was really happy that the 'big gun chemo' she endured has slowed her cancer's growth, which had been 'on the march', it had been an exhausting time.

James marked five years since her 2016 diagnosis - a milestone she thought she wouldn't make - in December but was in hospital with infectious colitis

She explained: 'I have to be honest with you, going from targeted therapy back onto chemo, it was hardcore, big gun chemo, and it absolutely utterly floored me.

BOWEL CANCER: THE SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. Symptoms include: Bleeding from the bottom

Blood in stools

A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks

Unexplained weight loss

Extreme, unexplained tiredness

Abdominal pain Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they: Are over 50

Have a family history of the condition

Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel

Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease

Lead an unhealthy lifestyle Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy. More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis. This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages. According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute. Advertisement

'I would say my quality of life was just hideous.'

Updating listeners on the current state of her health, she said: 'Some days I feel fine, my quality of life is OK right now, but I'm not the person people have known for the past four years where I'm running around exercising everyday.'

'It's just stable in a really b****y awkward place.'

The campaigner revealed that because of her reduced liver function and the colitis, she's not likely to qualify for a clinical trial.

She admitted she'd been 'procrastinating' over potential treatment options during the Christmas break.

In the summer, James was told she had an aggressive new tumour that had wrapped itself around her bile duct - requiring a life-saving stay in hospital - and a stent fitted to stop her liver from failing.

The stent fitted to stop her liver failing 'stopped working' in December.

She explained to her followers at the time how hopes at having a 'quick replacement operation' had turned into a 'nightmare'.

She said: 'I'm now at the mercy of hopefully some super 'magic medicine miracle' - but then I always have been, and any chance is a chance right?

'All I ever say Is all I want is hope and options.'

In April, James shared that her cancer, which has been kept at bay by pioneering treatment, was back again and she was forced to endure a 12th operation.

The West London mother-of-two, a deputy head, was diagnosed 'late' with incurable bowel cancer in 2016.

She has frequently said that as a vegetarian runner, she was the last person doctors expected to get the disease.

After sharing her experiences on living with the disease on social media, Deborah became known as the 'Bowel Babe' and began writing a column for the Sun.

In 2018, Deborah joined Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live.

Bland tragically died of breast cancer on September 5th that year; her husband Steve Bland now co-presents the show.
Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex are looking for a new member of staff to help manage their diaries and coordinate their royal visits.

The Queen's youngest son, 57, and his wife have advertised for the role of Programme Co-ordinator at the Royal Household online.

The listing explains the successful candidate will be based at Bagshot Park and will be part of a 'small team responsible for the planning, co-ordination and circulation of TRH's official programmes and briefing materials.'

Depending on experience, the salary being offered is up to 26,500 per year for working Monday to Friday.

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex are looking for a new member of staff to help manage their diaries and coordinate their royal visits

The job advert explains: 'Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex have busy working schedules in the UK and abroad in support of Her Majesty The Queen and their own Patronages and areas of focus.'

The role involves 'liaising with internal stakeholders and official engagement organisers' as well as 'shaping and assisting with the design of visits and engagements' and 'playing an important role in ensuring that the final programme is to a high standard.

'You will provide varied administrative and logistical support to the office, including managing travel and visa arrangements, organising accommodation, responding to general enquiries and preparing correspondence.

'By joining the team, you will have the opportunity to expand your existing administrative skills in a truly unique environment.

The role is based at the couple's home of Bagshot Park and, depending on experience, the salary being offered is up to 26,500 per year

Searching for the perfect candidate, the advert describes their ideal employee: 'Ideally with some previous experience in a similar role, you will be a skilled administrator.

'With excellent IT and written skills, and a meticulous eye for detail, you will be confident accurately drafting varied correspondence and documents.

'You'll also be efficient, extremely organised and able to prioritise multiple tasks.

'With confident and professional verbal communication, you'll liaise easily with a wide range of individuals and organisations.'

The Queen's youngest son and his wife have advertised for the role of Programme Co-ordinator at the Royal Household online

'Enthusiastic and with abundant initiative, you will enjoy a varied workload and working collaboratively as part of a small team.'

It continued: 'In return, you will be rewarded with a comprehensive package, including 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays), a 15 per cent employer contribution pension scheme (with the option for flexibility - to increase contributions or draw down as salary), and support for your continued professional development.'

The job advert comes days after the Countess of Wessex spent her birthday volunteering at an NHS vaccination centre in Surrey as part of her work with St John Ambulance.

Sophie, who turned 57 last week, has been Grand President of the charity, which provides first-aid training, and disaster and humanitarian relief worldwide, since 2004.

During her shift, she was photographed working with fellow volunteers to greet patients, take their details, and look after their wellbeing.

Sophie, picture here with the Queen in 2019, as the pair visited the Guide Dogs National Centre in Leamington Spa, is thought to be the monarch's favourite family member

This isn't the first time the Countess has worked at one of the vaccination centres; she trained as a Care Volunteer last year before volunteering with the charity to help the Covid-19 jab rollout across the country.

Sophie is thought to be the monarch's 'favourite' family member and closest confidante.

She, and her husband Edward, Earl of Wessex, the Queen's youngest son, often visit the Queen in Windsor, and live a just a short drive away at Bagshot Park with their two children.

Sophie and The Queen are said to speak at least once a day and enjoy regular Saturday movie afternoons when they watch old films together.
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Princess Eugenie sported an sleek black dress and trendy jacket as she headed out of Maison Estelle members' club in Mayfair earlier this week.

The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, 31, was all smiles as she left at the exclusive venue in London last Wednesday after enjoying a night on the town.

Showing off her sartorial prowess, the mother-of-one wrapped up in a trendy black dress with a chic white jacket and 'shrobed' a tartan coat to match.

Keeping a natural look, Eugenie opted for minimal make-up with just a light layer of foundation and lick of mascara to emphasise her good looks.

The outing came just hours after news broke that her father Prince Andrew had demanded a trial by jury in the Virginia Roberts sex abuse lawsuit.

Princess Eugenie, 33, sported an sleek black dress and trendy jacket as she headed out of Maison Estelle members club in Mayfair earlier this week

The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was all smiles as she left at the exclusive venue in London last Wednesday after enjoying a night on the town

The royal could be seen carrying a tote bag emblazoned with her employer's name Hauser and Wirth on the front of it.

Private member's club Maison Estelle is the newest hotspot from hospitality group the Ennismore, and attendees since it opened have included Angelina Jolie and Idris Elba.

It was founded by the power couple Sharan Pasricha, who bought Gleneagles for 200 million in 2015, and his heiress wife Eiesha Mittal, the daughter of billionaire Sunil Mittal.

The club is to be housed in a Grade I-listed building, designed by Sir Robert Taylor in 1772, on Grafton Street.

The royal could be seen carrying a tote bag emblazoned with the name of the gallery she works for, Hauser and Wirth

Keeping a natural look, Eugenie opted for minimal make-up with just a light layer of foundation and lick of mascara to emphasise her good looks

Showing off her sartorial prowess, the mother-of-one wrapped up in a trendy black dress with a chic white jacket and 'shrobed' a tartan coat to match

The venue, which is the brand's first private members' club - offers restaurants, bars, lounges, retail, and a nightclub space with a curated programme of events.

There is a wine cellar bar in the basement, while on the third floor there is also a library.

The night out comes after Princess Eugenie announced plans to follow in the footsteps of her cousin Prince Harry by launching a podcast for her anti-slavery charity.

The Queen's granddaughter, who founded The Anti-Slavery Collective charity foundation with her close friend Julia de Boinville, shared a snap as the pair recorded an episode from her home Frogmore Cottage.

The Queen's granddaughter has been snapped visiting the exclusive member's club on several occasions over the last few months (pictured left and right, last week)

Royal fan account Gert's Royals tweeted: 'Princess Eugenie & Jules reveal they are recording a podcast for The Anti-slavery Collective @TASC_org, a charity they co-founded to end human trafficking. Recording started in 2021 at Eugenies home, and will be released later this year.'

It comes amid a difficult period for Eugenie, whose father Prince Andrew demanded a 'trial by jury' earlier this week as he hit back at accusations of rape and sexual assault made by Jeffrey Epstein 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts.

In his official response to claims made against him by Ms Roberts five months ago, the Queen's son issued 41 denials, rejecting all allegations of wrongdoing  but said a further 40 times that he 'lacks sufficient information to admit or deny' other claims.

He also submitted 11 defences calling for the case to be dismissed, including that Miss Roberts' claims should be barred by 'her own wrongful conduct' and 'unclean hands'.

She appeared jubilant as she hopped into a waiting car after her night out in London last week (pictured)

The mother-of-one dropped her bags into the vehicle alongside her son August's baby car seat (pictured)

His decision to go ahead with the case puts him in contravention with the Royal Family who, sources say, are 'desperate' for him to settle and avoid the spectacle of a trial in New York later this year during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

A source said: 'Andrew is on collision course with the Palace over this.'

Earlier this month the Queen 'swiftly and ruthlessly' forced Andrew to step down from his remaining royal patronages and demanded he fight the case as a 'private citizen'.

But experts have suggested his hard line could be a 'bluff' and a desperate bid to 'buy time' to reach an out-of-court settlement with his accuser.
It was the long-awaited operation that was finally going to give Ronda Windsor her life back.

The routine procedure, which she underwent in 2018, would at long last confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis.

Her doctors suspected the condition, in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, was causing agonising pain. And a pelvic investigation would help confirm it.

But far from providing a resolution, the surgery marked the beginning of a devastating health condition, with no end in sight.

Ronda contracted a urinary tract infection on the operating table that should have been easy to treat.

But she is one of a growing number of patients who simply can't be cured because they have diseases that are resistant to all known antibiotics.

And she is still suffering the consequences, more than three years later.

'The night after I was discharged following the operation I felt something wasn't right,' says Ronda, 41, a food writer from South London.

Ronda Windsor (pictured), 40, from south London, developed a urinary tract infection from a catheter during a routine procedure for endometriosis in hospital in November 2018. Two days later, she was rushed back to hospital after developing sepsis. Ronda has been told she may have to take antibiotics for the rest of her life to prevent another bout of the infection.

'Oddly, I found I was in pain when I went to the toilet. Then I woke up shaking uncontrollably, with my skin going from freezing cold to boiling hot in 20 seconds.'

Ronda's partner called an ambulance, and paramedics confirmed her symptoms were indicative of deadly sepsis  where the immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to attack healthy tissue.

Later, in the hospital, despite doctors' best efforts to destroy the underlying bacterial infection with various antibiotics, the bug remained in her system. Soon doctors ran out of treatments.

Ronda has been told she may have to take antibiotics for the rest of her life to prevent another bout of sepsis.

'I never expected to come out of hospital worse off than when I went in,' says Ronda.

'Now I have swelling in my legs and suffer pain when I go to the toilet. Plus I have to take pills for the foreseeable future.

'I never know when these could stop working  I'm told there's no antibiotic on earth that can kill it off fully. I feel this constant sense of dread about getting really ill again.

'This is not how I imagined the rest of my life would be.'

To anyone who has suffered an infection after surgery  a complication that follows between ten and 15 per cent of operations  Ronda's story will make alarming reading.

Lisa Jones (pictured), 41, from Salford, has lived with an infection in her esophagus for three years after doctors concluded it could not be treated with antibiotics

Perhaps even more concerning is that doctors say cases such as this are becoming ever more common with the rise of drug-resistant bacteria.

Decades ago, most commonplace infections were straightforward to treat with antibiotic medicines. But over time, for a variety of reasons, the pathogens that cause them have evolved and become impervious to even the strongest of these treatments.

NHS data in 2020 shows that more than 135 cases of antibiotic-resistant infections were being detected in hospitals every day  a rise of about 30 per cent over five years.

Government figures also suggest superbugs are responsible for about 5,000 deaths annually  yet experts say this is undoubtedly lower than the actual number.

Dame Sally Davies, the Government's Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, has claimed doctors often fail to report drug-resistant infections on death certificates for fear of being blamed, as these bugs are often picked up by patients in operating theatres or on wards.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, the number of cases of MRSA  one of the most common superbugs in NHS hospitals  rose by 35 per cent in 2021, the largest annual increase ever recorded.

And at least 12,000 of the 45,000 patients who die each year from sepsis in the UK are believed be suffering drug-resistant forms, according to intensive care specialist Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust.

'We are already seeing sepsis deaths rise, and this is in part because of antibiotic-resistant infections,' he says. 'It's likely, at this pace, we could begin seeing 100,000 sepsis deaths a year within a decade.'

Drug-resistant sexually transmitted diseases are also becoming ever more prevalent. Super-gonorrhoea  caused by strains of bacteria that can't be treated with usual antibiotics  was once seen only in Western Pacific and African regions. But in recent years it has been detected in the UK, Europe, America and Australia.

Last month the UK Health Security Agency recorded a single case in a heterosexual man in his 20s who was thought to have picked it up in London.

He was said to have been isolated, so he didn't pass it on, and was successfully treated, but the story highlights the steady march of these difficult-to-treat illnesses.

And last week, health officials also raised the alarm over a worrying increase in 'extremely antibiotic-resistant' shigella, a bacterial infection that causes diarrhoea, fever and cramps, and can lead to hospitalisation. It can be caught by eating contaminated food, or sexually transmitted.

Since September, 47 cases have been identified in England, mainly in gay or bisexual men, which is a significant rise on the 16 cases in the year before.

Last week, health officials also raised the alarm over a worrying increase in 'extremely antibiotic-resistant' shigella (pictured in computer illustration), a bacterial infection that causes diarrhoea, fever and cramps, and can lead to hospitalisation. It can be caught by eating contaminated food, or sexually transmitted

And resistance isn't simply confined to bacterial infections. Some fungal lung infections are becoming increasingly hard to treat using standard anti-fungal medicines.

Even head lice, a common parasite found in children, are now resistant to most insecticide treatments, meaning parents are often told the best method to remove them is using a comb.

Arlene Brailey, from the charity Antibiotic Research UK, which supports patients suffering with resistant superbugs, says: 'The number of patients we deal with has risen pretty quickly over the past few years.

'The NHS isn't equipped to handle this. There's no database that keeps track of how many Britons are living with these infections, and there's no alternative treatment options when antibiotics fail. Many of these people are living in fear, wondering when the drugs will stop working completely.'

According to Dr Indran Balakrishnan, a consultant microbiologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, roughly a quarter of all infections seen in English hospitals are now resistant to at least one antibiotic.

Cancer patients, and those with long-term conditions that affect the immune system, will be hit first.

'More and more cancer patients in hospital are not responding to antibiotics,' says Dr Tim Wigmore, an intensive care consultant at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

'Strong drugs that ten years ago we used maybe three or four times a year, we now use three or four times a week for these patients.

'We're reaching a point where there's not much further we can go with the drugs we have available.'

Babies and new mothers are also extremely vulnerable to infections. About 25,000 children, mostly infants, develop sepsis every year in the UK. And maternal sepsis  which develops in the six weeks after giving birth  affects about 300 pregnant women a year and kills around nine, making it a leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK.

These figures are expected to rise as antibiotic-resistant bugs become more prevalent, say experts.

'Things we take for granted like childbirth could soon become a risk,' says Dr David Sweetnam, a surgeon and adviser to the Ineos Institute at the University of Oxford, which specialises in antibiotic resistance.

'There is a very real chance that in our lifetime we will be living in a post-antibiotic world, where young children die of coughs and chest infections, which we see as mild illnesses right now.'

The warnings come following a major report last week published in The Lancet medical journal, which revealed that more than 1.2 million people worldwide died in 2019 due to superbugs  more people than died of AIDS or malaria.

Previously, the World Health Organisation has said that more than 10 million people a year will die worldwide due to superbugs by 2050.

The warnings come following a major report last week published in The Lancet medical journal, which revealed that more than 1.2 million people worldwide died in 2019 due to superbugs  more people than died of AIDS or malaria. (file photo)

But scientists involved in the recent Lancet study now believe, based on their findings, that this figure will be larger.

'The 10 million by 2050 figure is probably optimistic,' agrees Professor Tim Walsh, microbiologist and academic lead of the Ineos Institute.

So why does drug resistance occur? And, more importantly, what can be done about it?

Antibiotic, antifungal and anti-parasitic medicines work by killing off the bugs that cause infections. But sometimes, some bugs remain, and these can become tougher, having survived the medication.

They go on to reproduce, spread and cause new infections  and so new variants and strains emerge.

This process of evolution has happened rapidly since the first antibiotic  penicillin  was discovered in 1928. One solution is to use the drugs less, so bugs have less of a chance to develop resistance.

In the UK, there has been a significant push to avoid inappropriate prescriptions for antibiotics over the past decade.

As a result, use of these drugs fell by more than ten per cent between 2016 and 2020  but the pandemic has presented challenges.

Roughly 85 per cent of 690,000 people hospitalised with Covid received antibiotics, according to studies. And overall, the number of prescriptions given out between April and August 2020 alone was five per cent higher than in the same three month period the year prior.

Experts have blamed the move to remote consultations in GP clinics for the increase. But, overall, while the UK has led the way in reducing antibiotic use, other countries  such as India, where even the most powerful antibiotics can be bought over-the-counter  have a bigger problem.

At present, most common infections, even if resistant to some drugs, can be fought with more powerful medications. But, as we have seen with the emergence and spread of Covid variants, it would take very little for a new, completely drug-resistant strain to make its way around the world.

There is another simple step people could take to combat the problem: not throwing away  or worse, flushing  unused antibiotics.

In 2020, Pakistani scientists discovered antibiotics can cause bacteria in waste water and landfill to mutate and develop resistance. Indeed, strongly resistant variants of certain bugs have been first identified in soil, in India, then later detected in hospital patients.

According to guidance from the World Health Organisation, people should either take their entire prescription or return the unused medication to their doctor or pharmacist. However, drugs taken by humans aren't solely to blame for the problem.

Farming is another contributory factor  with many countries around the world injecting animals with antibiotics to save their produce. The practice is commonplace in Europe and USA, where 75 per cent of antibiotic use is in agriculture.

Britain is known for its track record of comparatively low use of antibiotics in animals, due to tight regulations that require farmers to document every time they use the drugs.

But data collected by the Bureau for Investigative Journalism showed that the number of antibiotics prescribed on pig farms has doubled since 2015.

Without a concerted effort to reduce use in agriculture, alongside slowing human use, experts say resistance will continue to worsen rapidly.

A major snag in the fight against superbugs is the fact there have been no new antibiotics developed since the late 1980s.

And experts warn this might not change any time soon. Industry estimates suggest that the cost of developing one new antibiotic is more than 1 billion  while the estimated revenue generated by the sale of such a drug is roughly 35 million a year.

This is because new antibiotics will not be designed for regular use, but held back as a last resort.

'There's very little motivation for big pharmaceutical companies to fund these projects when drugs for long-term conditions such as blood pressure or cancer carry larger financial returns,' says Prof Walsh.

David Sweetnam, a surgeon and antibiotic-resistance expert, says there are clear parallels with the development of the Covid vaccines: 'Everyone was amazed at how fast scientists created these incredibly effective vaccines, but the truth is it didn't happen overnight.

'The technology behind the jabs was in development for close to 15 years, so all the building blocks were ready to go when Covid arrived.'

It took the pandemic to finally get drug companies to properly fund research, and push the vaccines over the line.

Despite the millions of deaths worldwide, the problem of antibiotic resistance simply isn't bad enough yet to make the research needed worthwhile to pharmaceutical bosses, suggests Dr Sweetnam.

These words will be particularly galling for patients such as Lisa Jones, 41, from Salford, who has lived with an incurable infection in her oesophagus for the past three years.

Born with complex medical problems, when Lisa was in her 20s doctors were forced to insert what is known as a PEG tube  a feeding tube that passes through the abdominal wall into the stomach so that food, water and medication can be given without swallowing.

In 2019, this PEG tube became infected with bacteria  and Lisa developed pneumonia.

She says: 'I was in hospital for a week or so, but although they got me well enough to go home, the doctors told me the infection was still inside me.

'Since then they've tried everything. I've been given six or seven different antibiotics, they've cleaned out the tube, and even replaced parts of it, but the infection never fully goes away.'

The effect of this for Lisa, who lives with her parents and volunteers as a NHS patient advocate, is recurrent illnesses that can happen every few weeks.

'It will flare up and get really sore in my chest,' she adds. 'I'll get really poorly and have to spend days in bed.

'You think, if you get an infection, you just take antibiotics and you're back to normal. But that isn't always the case now.'
In this series, we bust the jargon and explain a popular investing term or theme. Here it's share buybacks.

Why do firms buy back shares?

Dividends are forecast to be less generous this year. Link Group, the data business, predicts payouts will be 87.5billion, 7 per cent less than in 2021, a bumper year, following the pandemic dividend drought.

However, many billions are expected to be handed out in the form of share buybacks by such companies as BP, Shell, HSBC and Diageo.

The drinks maker is to accelerate its 4.5billion buyback programme.

Boost: Like dividends, share buybacks are a means of rewarding shareholders

How do buybacks work?

Like dividends, share buybacks are a means of rewarding shareholders, allowing them to own more of the business.

The company buys back some of its shares, reducing the number on the market, so potentially boosting the share price.

If there are fewer shares, this increases the earnings per share, which should be good for investors. This metric, which is used by many investors to assess the value of a share, is calculated by dividing the company's net profit by the number of shares outstanding.

Are they becoming more popular?

Definitely. Companies that hoarded cash during the pandemic appear keen to distribute these funds. This includes the banks, which were prohibited from paying out dividends during that time.

Taylor Wimpey, for example, told shareholders this month to prepare for a 100m buyback. Shell's $7billion buyback drive, funded by the sale of its Permian Basin business in the US, will continue this year.

US companies awash with cash, including many Big Tech names, carried out a record level of share buybacks in 2021, returning $870billion (643billion) to investors in this way.

Why do companies like buybacks?

Paying a dividend is great but the risk is of having to cut it at some point, which will make you unpopular with shareholders. Reducing buybacks seems to attract less publicity, maybe because they are less well understood.

Is there a buyback leader?

Apple, which sits on a $196billion pile of cash, may be the buyback's most enthusiastic proponent. Under its capital return programme, it spent $85.5billion on buybacks last year, bringing the total since 2011 to $467billion.

This strategy is apparently designed to underline the giant's status as a 'quality trade' that is a solid and reliable enterprise.

Could anything stop buybacks?

There is mounting controversy over buybacks in the US. Some argue that they enrich executives if their bonuses are based on share price performance or growth in earnings per share.

Bosses are also being accused of opting for buybacks rather than embarking on long-term capital investment projects. As a result, President Biden is proposing to impose a 1 per cent tax on companies undertaking buybacks.
Shell and BP could find it 'impossible' to work in Russia if it invades Ukraine, experts have warned.

Western countries have threatened to impose crippling sanctions on Moscow after it began building up troops on the Ukrainian border.

The US, UK and EU are drawing up plans to hit Russian gas projects with severe restrictions. This could put a stranglehold on one of the country's most important industries. But it could also deepen the energy crisis gripping Europe.

The sanctions could still put important company partnerships in jeopardy and deprive them of cash in the long-term.

Analysts said soaring oil prices could cushion the blow for Shell, BP and other firms affected by the rules.

Crude prices hit fresh seven-year highs of almost $92 a barrel last night.

Shell works in Russia with energy giant Gazprom and BP with state-backed oil firm Rosneft, in which the British group owns an almost 20 per cent stake.

Shell became a 'strategic partner' of Gazprom when it first signed on to develop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The energy giant is working on Sakhalin-2, a huge oil and gas project in the Sea of Okhotsk off Siberia with Gazprom, Mitsui and Mitsubishi.

Berlin-based energy market expert Dr Thomas O'Donnell said if Russia invaded and sanctions were imposed 'any company's business in Russia will be difficult to maintain'.

James Waddell, head of European gas at Energy Aspects, said: 'Europe looking to hit long-term Russian gas production capacity would likely be a step up from anything we've seen before.'

Politicians and analysts believe Russia is purposely sending less gas to Europe to pressure Germany into approving the opening of the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, which runs through Ukraine.

Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, said: 'Sanctions have the potential to pose a notable threat to the oil giants operating in Russia, including BP and Shell.'

But, Scholar added, high oil prices mean it could 'weather' sanctions, 'provided that oil prices continue to go up'.

A BP spokesman said: 'BP's stake in Rosneft is an important part of our portfolio.'

Shell declined to comment.
H&M set out plans yesterday to double sales by 2030 as it drew a line under the pandemic.

The Swedish fashion giant hailed a 'strong recovery' from the coronavirus crisis driven by a healthy bounce back in the UK.

The company, which was founded in 1947 and is the world's second biggest fashion retailer behind Zara-owner Inditex, said in an update that profits in the year to November 30 rose seven-fold to 1.1billion.

Boost: H&M hailed a 'strong recovery' from the coronavirus crisis driven by a healthy bounce back in the UK

It was boosted by its 4,800-strong store estate being open for much more of the year and a 24 per cent jump in online sales.

Overall sales rose 6 per cent to 15.8billion  meaning if the company hits its new target, sales would top 30billion by 2030.

In the last three months of the year, sales were up 8 per cent at 4.5billion.

They were boosted by its UK arm, where it has 289 stores, as sales jumped 36 per cent from a year earlier to 430.5m.

To reach its ambitious target, it is opening shops in six countries, Ecuador, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Cambodia. It will add online stores in five countries. The fashion group also promised to halve its carbon footprint by the same time.

Shore Capital retail analyst Clive Black said the target was 'exceptionally bold' but added it is 'there to be done'.

He said: 'It is a big and demanding target and they are going to be constantly measured by this now. So they need to make sure this doesn't become a millstone and you hope the target is something they feel very confident about hitting.'

Sales over the year were hit by supply chain disruption, but H&M said it offset any losses by selling less clothing at a discount.

Chief executive Helena Helmersson said Covid-related disruption would continue, but she was optimistic about the group going forward. The firm's shares in Stockholm jumped 5 per cent on the news.
Women's careers could be damaged if they continue to work from home, the boss of one of the City's biggest institutions has warned.

As increasing numbers return to the office following the end of Covid restrictions, Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc said working mothers who take on the brunt of childcare duties could miss out if they are at their desks less often than their male peers.

Calling for an end to the 'hokey-cokey' in-out working-from-home guidance, the mother-of-two said: 'If what you see is that all the men come back to the office and the women don't, then obviously the women are not going to be around when some of the conversations are being had and they're going to miss out on opportunities.

Warning: Amanda Blanc said working mothers who take on the brunt of childcare duties could miss out if they are at their desks less often than their male peers

'So that's what I'm calling out  I don't want that to happen. We know that the progression of women in financial services is simply not good enough  women are not moving into more senior roles quickly enough.

'We just need to make sure that, in the way that we work, we don't jeopardise women's opportunities.'

The comments came as millions of workers return to the office following the lifting of Covid restrictions.

Several leading City institutions are hauling their staff back in.

A briefing note from one team at investment bank JP Morgan, seen by the Mail, said staff must be in the office for three days, including a Monday or Friday. This would stop many workers being at their desks on their preferred days of just Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Goldman Sachs has also asked its 6,500 London staff to head back in, and rival Citigroup is expecting staff to be in 'at least three days a week'.

Blanc said her staff were expected to be in the office three days a week.

She told the BBC: 'I'm really keen that we do have some physical presence in the office, even though I think the way we work in the office will be different to how it was pre-Covid.'

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the Tory party, said: 'There's a whole ecosystem in Britain's town and city centres that depends on people working in them. If people don't come in for work, it won't be there for their social activities. There are a lot of people who depend on jobs in bars, restaurants, shops. If workers don't go back into their offices, this ecosystem won't survive.'

Many firms are cautiously easing their office workers back into their commute, pushing staff to be in just three days a week. Blanc has previously spoken about a 'motherhood penalty', which many women face in their career after returning from maternity leave.

Blanc: 'Ditch EU pension rules to unlock billions'

The Government must ditch EU rules which restrict where pension funds can invest, the boss of Aviva has urged.

Amanda Blanc said Chancellor Rishi Sunak should scrap so-called Solvency II regulations, which limit the types of assets which pension funds can hold.

This could unlock billions of pounds to invest in areas such as renewable energy plants, improved transport systems and nascent industries, she said.

Solvency II was introduced to ensure the safety of investors' money, and make sure their pensions were protected in the case of a downturn. But Aviva continually performed stress tests and had plenty of capital to cover a crisis.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine would not rule out an overblown conflict with Russia on Friday but claimed his nation was not a sinking Titanic and blamed Washington and the media of instilling fear in the economy despite "no tanks in the streets."

He commented after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the US and NATO had failed to meet the Kremlin's fundamental security concerns in the Ukraine standoff, but that Moscow was willing to keep negotiating.

West's exaggeration with Ukraine-Russia issue is a "mistake"

Per SCMP, Zelensky claimed the White House was making a "mistake" by exaggerating the potential of a large-scale conflict, and that he conveyed this warning to US President Joe Biden during their phone call on Thursday.

While he claimed that Russia was attempting to frighten and destabilize Ukraine, he also claimed that Kyiv was bolstering its hryvnia currency with foreign exchange reserves and sought military, diplomatic, and economic assistance from the West.

He said the nation required $4 billion to $5 billion in foreign investments to restore its economy, and he welcomed a US$1.34 billion aid package from the European Union. By consenting to a prisoner swap, Zelensky believes Russia can demonstrate that it is not pursuing a confrontation with Ukraine. However, he stated that the biggest urgent threat to his country was internal disorder, ranging from cyberattacks to an economic downturn.

He said that NATO was the only guarantee of hard security Ukraine has in its standoff with Russia but warned that the military alliance's eastern members may be subjected to Moscow's unfriendly actions.

He chastised Germany for promoting the Nord Stream 2 gas project, accusing it of putting Russia's financial interests ahead of Ukraine's security and territorial integrity. He also mentioned Britain as one of the nations that allows Russians and billionaires to launder money from countries like Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Read Also: Boris Johnson Faces Police Interview Over No10 COVID-19 Lockdown Parties; Can The Prime Minister Save His Career?

Ukraine denies dispute over phone call with US

Kyiv has denied that President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelensky had a tense phone conversation on Thursday. A CNN report citing an anonymous Kyiv source said the leaders disagreed on the possibility of a Moscow-led strike on Ukraine, which was widely reported in Ukraine and Russia.

The person told the network that Biden had informed Zelensky that a Russian invasion was "almost probable" after the ground froze in late February, according to the network.

According to CNN, Zelensky reiterated Kyiv's position that Russia's threat remains "dangerous but ambiguous" in a call that did not go well, according to the official. However, Zelensky's spokesman, Sergii Nykyforov, said in a statement shared on social media that the official's comments "are absolutely not true."

What truly transpired at the discussion "is only contained in official papers from the Ukrainian and American parties," he said on Facebook.

As foreign leaders warn about the threat presented by Russian forces massed in Ukraine, the Kyiv administration is concerned about the impact on the economy and public morale of categorical remarks about the certainty of a Moscow-led invasion. While there is a serious fear of invasion, Kyiv claims it is no more so than in prior months.

Emily Horne, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, disputed the senior Ukrainian official's account of the call, telling CNN that anonymous sources are leaking falsehoods. Horne also claimed that Biden has been warning for months that Moscow-led forces could invade Ukraine in February, as per Newsweek via MSN.

Related Article: US Scrambles To Replace Europe Fuel for Possibility of Cutting Off Gas Supply After Russia Invades Ukraine

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Georgetown University's Black Law Students Association is demanding an incoming professor's job offer be rescinded after he tweeted that President Biden's promise to pick a black female to replace U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is racist.

Ilya Shapiro, who is currently director of the Cato Institute's Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, is supposed to be joining Georgetown's law faculty in Washington, D.C., on February 1 as executive director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution.

But his tweets' suggestion that the best Supreme Court nominee could not be a black woman has drawn outrage from the student body and other Twitter users.

After news spread of Breyer's retirement on Wednesday, President Biden confirmed that he intends to nominate a black woman to the high court, calling it 'long overdue.'

It led to Shapiro tweeting: 'Objectively best pick for Biden is Sri Srinivasan, who is solid prog & v smart [sic]. Even has identify politics benefit of being first Asian (Indian) American. But alas doesn't fit into the latest intersectionality hierarchy so we'll get lesser black woman. Thank heaven for small favors?'

Ilya Shapiro, who due to join Georgetown Law school next week, has been rebuked over social media posts

Shapiro posted on Twitter questioning the qualifications of any black woman that President Joe Biden may nominate to replace Justice Stephen Breyer

Another tweet then stated: 'Because Biden said he's only consider[ing] black women for SCOTUS, his nominee will always have an asterisk attached. Fitting that the Court takes up affirmative action next term.'

But Shapiro still wasn't finished and decided to post a poll with the question: 'Is Joe Biden racist and sexist for saying his Supreme Court nominee will be a black woman?'

Shapiro has since deleted the messages. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment but apologized on Twitter.

'I meant no offense, but it was an inartful tweet,' he wrote.

Another tweet stated: 'Because Biden said he's only consider[ing] black women for SCOTUS, his nominee will always have an asterisk attached. Fitting that the Court takes up affirmative action next term.'

Shapiro still wasn't finished and in a third tweet decided to post a poll asking whether Joe Biden was racist

The Black Law Students Association at the university is now demanding that Shapiro not be allowed to take up his post next week.

'Our concern and frustration is not rooted in Shapiro's opinion that someone else is more qualified for the position. Instead, our anger stems from Shapiro's suggestion that any black woman, regardless of their qualifications, would be a "lesser" choice for the Court,' the Association began.

'Shapiro's racist rhetoric and continued association with the University sends the visceral message that even if black women attend the best law schools, hold the highest clerkships, and serve on the most prestigious courts, they still are not good enough. Time and time again, black law students at Georgetown are left defending their legitimacy at this institution and place in the law.

'I meant no offense, but it was an inartful tweet,' Shapiro wrote, inflaming the situation futher

Georgetown University's Black Law Students Association is demanding his offer of a post at the Law School be rescinded

Georgetown University Law Center is one of the top law schools in the nation and the most prestigious law school in Washington, D.C.

The dean of Georgetown University Law Center William M. Treanor condemned Shapiro's posts questioning the qualifications of any black woman that President Joe Biden may nominate to replace retiring Justice Breyer. But then Treanor's response also came under fire

'Only after students, professors, and the media denounced Shapiro did he delete and regard his tweet as "inartful." But Shapiro's statements were not just "inartful." They were offensive, racist, sexist, misogynistic, inflammatory, deplorable, insensitive, and unprofessional. We are disappointed and frustrated but not surprised.'

The dean of Georgetown University Law Center condemned Shapiro's posts questioning the qualifications of any black woman that President Joe Biden may nominate to replace retiring Justice Breyer.

'The tweets suggestion that the best Supreme Court nominee could not be a black woman and their use of demeaning language are appalling. The tweets are at odds with everything we stand for at Georgetown Law and are damaging to the culture of equity and inclusion that Georgetown Law is building every day.

But his tweets' suggestion that the best Supreme Court nominee could not be a black woman and their use of demeaning language are appalling,' wrote dean William M. Treanor in a message to the law school community.

'The tweets are at odds with everything we stand for at Georgetown Law and are damaging to the culture of equity and inclusion that Georgetown Law is building every day,' he added.

President Joe Biden (right) grabs the hand of retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

Justice Breyer (right) holds up a copy of the U.S. Constitution as he briefly addressed the press during Thursday's event in the Roosevelt Room

But the Black Law Students Association then took aim at Treanor over a similar lack of 'apology or action plan.'

'His bare-bones email acknowledging Shapiro's recent appointment and offensive statements offered no apology or action plan. Nor did it speak to the perpetual issue of inadequate hiring practices. Treanor noted that Shapiro's rhetoric is in opposition to Georgetown Law's values and is "damaging to the culture of equity and inclusion that Georgetown Law is building every day." While we find Shapiro's rhetoric offensive, the thrust of this demand is not to put him on trial for tweeting it - it is to question whether, in light of these tweets, he deserves to hold a space as a leader and educator in the Georgetown community. We believe that he does not,' the associated concluded.

Later, Shapiro posted a more lengthy statement back on Twitter in which he attempted to clarify his earlier remarks.

'I regret my poor choice of words, which undermined my message that nobody should be discriminated against for his or her skin color. A person's dignity and worth simply do not, and should not, depend on race, gender, or any other immutable characteristic,' Shapiro wrote.

Later, Shapiro posted a more lengthy statement back on Twitter in which he attempted to clarify his earlier remarks

'While it's important that a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds be represented in the judiciary, so blatantly using identity politics in choosing Supreme Court justices is discrediting to a vital institution. Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan is, in my mind, the most qualified nominee a Democratic president could choose. Reasonable people can disagree on that particular assessment, but it's a shame that he and other men and women of every race are excluded from the outset of the selection process,' he explained.

Shapiro also penned something similar in an apology that was sent directly into the inboxes of the Georgetown community.

'In seeking to join the Georgetown community, I wanted to contribute to your worthy mission to educate students, inform the public, and engage in the battle of legal ideas that lead to justice and fairness. I still want to do that. Recklessly framed tweets like this week's obviously don't advance that mission, for which I am also truly sorry. Regardless of whether anyone agrees or disagrees with me on a host of legal and policy issues, I can and will do better with regard to how I communicate my positions,' he wrote.

On social media, Shapiro's apology carried little weight as he came in for sharp criticism

On social media, Shapiro's apology carried little weight.

'If you are trying to prove you have no idea how racist your original tweet was youre doing great! Otherwise Id workshop this a bit more,' wrote lawyer Mirriam Zary.

'Not as racist as declaring Sri Srinivasan ineligible because she is not of the preferred race,' said another Twitter user.

'This response isnt going to please anyone,' tweeted Joe Vols.

'A good lawyer wouldve had this statement a lot faster with a lot better apology,' said Stephen Choloula.

'That's a lot of words to use just to reaffirm your original position that there isn't a single black woman in the whole United States who's qualified to sit on the Supreme Court,' added another user.

'The most non-apology apology. I'm going to enjoy you being CANCELED,' wrote one more.

'Dude how can you screw up an apology multiple times. I guess when youre not actually sorry,' surmised Justin Saddle.

'In other words, I meant what I said,' inferred Alvin Burney.

'You had two days to draft a response and it sucks,' concluded another.
Karl Stefanovic is rarely seen far from a can of his beloved XXXX Gold when he's away from the Today set.

But the TV star's regular plugging of the iconic Queensland drop over the years is behind speculation there could be more to his love of XXXX than meets the eye.

On Australia Day, a beaming Karl in a Crocodile Dundee hat and a banana print shirt proudly posted a picture of the family enjoying a day on the water with a XXXX in hand.

And earlier in the week, Karl was spotted with a conspicuous pair of XXXX beer magnets on his Toyota Prado.

Karl's plugs for XXXX are nothing his 367,000 followers across his Instagram and Facebook accounts haven't seen before.

But brewing giant Castlemaine XXXX on Friday was quick to hose down rumours the company had any formal relationship with Karl.

Karl Stefanovic and wife Jasmine Yarbrough celebrate Australia Day with cold XXXX and rum

Karl ensures his beloved XXXX Gold always travels with him on the back of his 4WD

A spokesperson for Castlemaine XXXX- which is controlled by the Chinese-owned parent company Lion - told Daily Mail Australia that the Nine star is merely a 'proud Queenslander' who plugs the beer to his massive social media following for free.

But it is not surprising the public would jump to conclusions.

An insider within the lucrative beer market in Queensland claims the major brewers regularly offer cash deals and free booze to celebrities and influencers in exchange for 'positive endorsement'.

Rugby league legend Gordan Tallis is one of XXXX's more highest profile ambassadors along with retired AFL great Michael Voss.

Wally Lewis, too, is rumoured to be an ambassador for the beer.

However a XXXX spokesperson denied Stefanovic is on their books despite his regular endorsements, saying he is just a fan.

'XXXX and Karl have no formal ambassador relationship,' the spokesperson said.

'He is a proud Queenslander and genuine fan of the brand'.

The happy couple went public back in 2016 and later posed up with their favourite beer

Stefanovic's bosses at Nine, meanwhile, declined to weigh in on the matter saying only: 'We won't be commenting on this one or going on the record.'

Asked if an alcohol ambassadorial role is something that an on-air presenter would be required to disclose to the network, the Nine spokesman also declined to comment.

Karl, with wife Jasmine Yarbrough and 18-month old daughter Harper, happily held aloft a can of XXXX Gold during his Australia Day celebrations in Sydney's Sutherland Shire on Wednesday - just days after he was spotted unloading groceries with two large XXXX Gold stickers proudly displayed on his 4WD's rear bumper.

And in one of their first posts as a couple back in 2017, Karl and Jasmine posed on a Noosa beach - XXXX Gold bottles in hand - in a snap which an alcohol branding insider suggests could have garnered the TV presenter 'tens of thousands'.

'These kinds of influencer deals are extremely commonplace and someone with Karl's profile and following could easily earn anything from $10,000 to $50,000 per post,' the insider told The Daily Mail.

'A company like Lion relies heavily on celebrity brand endorsement.

'Advertising and branding budgets for a company of its size and scale are astronomical.'

Proud Queenslander Karl was born in Sydney but makes no secret of where his loyalties lie

Along with XXXX, China-owned Lion is also the parent company of a slew of well-known Aussie beer brands including Tooheys, Furphy, James Squire, Hahn, Little Creatures, Iron Jack and Byron Bay Brewery.

A former marketing and licensing executive for one of Australia's biggest brewers outlined the demands of 'ambassadors' saying contracts varied depending on a celebrities social media presence.

But often ambassadors are selected purely as they're seen as a 'good fit'.

'We would look for someone who fits in with the culture of the brand and what kind of potential they have in terms of appeal,' said the insider.

'Someone like Karl would one-hundred percent be a great fit for a brand like XXXX.

'He obviously wears and flies his Queensland flag pretty high.'
Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards was revealed to have known about a trooper's 'violent, lengthy struggle' with Ronald Greene that had taken place during a traffic stop in 2019.

Edwards, 55, was notified of the circumstances of Greene's death within hours of his May 2019 arrest, according to text messages The Associated Press obtained through a public records request.

But he managed to keep quiet as police told a different version of events to Greene's family, saying he died in a crash following a high-speed chase.

Video footage revealed that white troopers had jolted Greene with stun guns, punched him in the face and dragged him by his ankle shackles as he pleaded for mercy and wailed 'I'm your brother! I'm scared! I'm scared!'

The governor has rebuffed repeated interview requests and his spokesperson would not say what steps, if any, Edwards took in the immediate aftermath of Greene's death.

'The governor does not direct disciplinary or criminal investigations nor would it be appropriate for him to do so,' his spokesperson Christina Stephens said.

The details regarding what Edwards knew and what action he took are currently still being questioned in a federal civil rights investigation.

'The question is: When did he find out the truth?' Baton Rouge Democrat Senator Cleo Fields asked.

Even after Greene's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit that brought attention to the case in late 2020, Edwards declined to characterize the actions of the troopers and refused calls to release their body-camera video, citing his concern for not interfering with the federal investigation.

Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, 55, was reported to have known about the 'violent, lengthy struggle' Ronald Greene faced from white troopers after he was pulled over in a traffic stop in May 2019

Video footage revealed Greene after he had jolted with stun guns, punched in the face and dragged by his ankle shackles

Edwards had been notified about the circumstances of Greene's death via text message but kept silent over it for over two years

Edwards received word of the Greene case in a text from then-Louisiana State Police Superintendent Kevin Reeves on May 10, 2019, at 10 a.m., about nine hours after the deadly arrest.

'Good morning. An FYI,' the message read. 'Early this morning, troopers attempted to stop a vehicle in Ouachita Parish. The driver fled thru two parishes in excess of 110 mph, eventually crashing. Troopers attempted to place the driver under arrest. But, a violent, lengthy struggle took place. After some time struggling with the suspect, troopers were joined by a Union Parish deputy and were able to take the suspect into custody. ... The suspect remained combative but became unresponsive shortly before EMS arrived.'

The explanation given to Edwards, which his spokesperson called a 'standard notification,' was far different from what Greenes family says it was being told by troopers at almost the same time which is that the 49-year-old died on impact in a car crash at the end of a chase.

A coroner's report that day indicates Greene was killed in a motor vehicle accident and a state police crash report makes no mention of troopers using force.

Reeves ended his text by telling the governor that the man's death was under investigation.

'Thank you,' Edwards responded.

Those words were among the few statements from Edwards himself released in response to an extensive public-records request the AP filed in June for materials relating to Greenes death.

The governor's office has not released any messages from Edwards to his staff and has yet to fully respond to a separate December request for his texts with three top police officials.

Hundreds of other emails and text messages released by the governor's office show that while he has publicly distanced himself from the case and issues of state police violence, his staff has been more engaged behind the scenes, including his top lawyer repeatedly contacting state and federal prosecutors about the Greene case.

Greene's family had filed a wrongful death lawsuit which brought attention to the case in 2020

Louisiana State Police Trooper Dakota DeMoss' body-worn camera video shows troopers holding up Ronald Greene before paramedics arrived on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La

Edwards has since condemned the officer's behavior calling it 'deeply unprofessional and incredibly disturbing'

The FBI has questioned people in recent months about Edwards' awareness of various aspects of the case, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

Investigators have focused in part on an influential lawmaker saying the governor downplayed the need for a legislative inquiry.

The governor's spokesperson said he is not under investigation and neither is any member of his staff.

Edwards kept quiet about the Greene case through his reelection campaign in 2019 and through a summer of protests in 2020 over racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's killing.

But when the AP obtained and published the long-withheld footage of the encounter that left Greene bloody, motionless and limp on a dark road near Monroe, Edwards finally spoke out.

Edwards condemned the troopers, calling their actions 'deeply unprofessional and incredibly disturbing.'

'I am disappointed in them and in any officer who stood by and did not intervene,' the governor said in a statement. He later called the troopers' actions 'criminal.'

But Edwards, a lawyer from a long family line of Louisiana sheriffs, also has made comments since the release of the video that downplay troopers' actions, even reprising the narrative that Greene may have been killed by a car crash.

'Did he die from injuries sustained in the accident?' Edwards said in response to a question on a radio show in September.

'Obviously he didn't die in the accident itself because he was still alive when the troopers were engaging with him. But what was the cause of death? I dont know that that was falsely portrayed.'

Weeks after those remarks, a reexamined autopsy commissioned by the FBI rejected the crash theory outright, attributing Greene's death to 'physical struggle,' troopers repeatedly stunning him, striking him in the head, restraining him at length and Greene's use of cocaine.

The combination of photos provided by the Ouachita Correctional Center and Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office shows the troopers (L-R) Jacob Brown, Randall Dickerson, George Harper and Dakota DeMoss

The federal investigators have taken interest in a conversation Edwards had last June with state Rep. Clay Schexnayder, the powerful Republican House speaker who was considering a legislative inquiry into the Greene case following the release of the video.

Schexnayder said this week that the governor told him there was no need for further action from the legislature because 'Greene died in a wreck.'

The speaker said he never moved forward with the investigation to avoid interfering with the federal probe.

The governor's spokesperson acknowledged he briefed the legislative leadership on his 'understanding of the Greene investigation' and said his remarks were consistent with his public statements.

'Its time to find out what happened, who knew what and when, and if anyone has covered it up,' Schexnayder told the AP. 'The Greene family deserves to know the truth.'

This undated photo shows the injuries Greene sustained on his body after he had been brutally attacked by the troopers

Family members of Ronald Greene are seen listening to speakers and demonstrators gather for the 57th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have A Dream Speech'

Alexander Van Hook, who until December oversaw the civil rights investigation into Greenes death as the acting U.S. attorney in Shreveport, said in November there has been no attempt by the governor to influence the investigation.

'That wouldnt go over very well with us if there had been,' Van Hook told AP.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, said Edwards had a duty to at least follow up with the head of the state police after being informed of Greene's death.

'When something goes wrong ... hes shocked,' Landry said, 'when behind the scenes he is intimately involved in trying to control the message and distort it from the public.'

Meanwhile, state police recently acknowledged that the department "sanitized" the cellphone of Reeves, intentionally erasing messages after he abruptly retired in 2020 amid APs initial reporting on Greenes death.

The agency said it did the same to the phone of another former police commander, Mike Noel, who resigned from a regulatory post last year as he was set to be questioned about the case by lawmakers. Police said such erasures are policy.

Edwards' office said the governor first learned of the 'allegations surrounding Mr. Greenes death' in September 2020 which was the same month in which a state senator sent Edwards' lawyers a copy of the Greene family's wrongful-death lawsuit that had been filed a few months earlier.

No one has yet been charged with a crime in Greene's death and only one of the troopers involved in his arrest has been fired.

Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth, who was recorded saying he 'beat the ever-living f*** out of' Greene, died in a car crash in 2020 soon after learning he would lose his job.

In early October 2020, after AP published audio of Hollingsworths comments, the governor reviewed video of Greenes fatal arrest, his spokesperson said.

Some observers of Edwards' response to the Greene case see it as partly political calculation.

At the time of the deadly arrest, the centrist Democrat was in a tough reelection campaign in a deeply conservative state against a Republican backed by Donald Trump.

His path to reelection depended on high Black turnout and crossover support from law enforcement

Greene's death and the footage that ultimately went viral would have 'politically threatened both voting groups simultaneously,' said Joshua Stockley, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

But the first public indications that Greene had been abused did not emerge until months after Edwards eked out 51 percent of the vote over businessman Eddie Rispone.

He won in large part due to massive turnout by Black voters in urban areas, taking 90 percent of the vote in Orleans Parish, the 60 percent Black parish that includes New Orleans.

'I find it hard to believe that the release of this video during the election would not have had a profound consequence,' Stockley said. 'It would have been enormous.'
The admissions director of a Michigan university has lost her job after mistakenly awarding scholarships worth over $28,000 each to 58 high school students.

Lee Furbeck, executive director of admissions, is no longer employed by Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant after the fiasco. It was unclear if she was fired or quit.

Students who were logged in at the weekend were erroneously sent a message saying they had been awarded the Centralis Scholars Award, which includes full tuition, room and board, money toward books and supplies and a $5,000 'study away award.'

The university does not say how much the scholarship is worth, but states on their website that tuition costs $12,510 a year, and room and board is $10,676 annually.

By Sunday, the university was having to explain to the 58 students that the message had been sent by mistake.

Aaron Mills, spokesman for the CMU, said the mistake occurred while the school was testing a messaging system over the weekend.

Lee Furbeck, admissions director of Central Michigan University, has left her job after 58 students were mistakenly awarded $28,000 scholarships

The Central Michigan University campus is pictured in Mount Pleasant, Michigan

'CMU deeply regrets the disappointment and frustration this mistake caused for students and their families,' Mills said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the university offered the 58 students some money toward their costs, as a gesture of goodwill.

But on Friday, Bob Davies, the president of the university, said they had decided to honor the full value of the $12,000 scholarship - a cost of $725,600 a year, or $2.9 million in total.

'We made a mistake, and we needed to make it right,' Davies wrote on the university's website.

'At CMU, we hold ourselves accountable for our actions - integrity leads the list of our core values.

'Our leadership standards require us to be responsible and accountable; so when we err, we own our mistakes and we take corrective action.

'In this instance, this meant honoring our offer.'

Bob Davies, president of CMU, said they had decided to offer the 58 scholarships worth $12,500 a year to cover their tuition

Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, where tuition and accommodation costs almost $25,000 a year

Davies said that the students were already classed as talented, and so merited the assistance.

The scholarships are awarded to high school seniors, and only students who have a minimum 3.7 GPA and have already been admitted to the university are eligible.

'Let me be clear: These are outstanding prospective students, and each of them is deserving of scholarship support,' he said, noting that every applicant to the Centralis competition was already eligible to receive other CMU scholarships.

'They were chosen to compete for Centralis because they demonstrated exceptional scholarly achievement and a passion for learning, service and leadership.

'Each will make a wonderful addition to our community of scholars if they choose to attend CMU.'

Davies said the decision will cost the university financially, but he was confident they would find a way to balance the books.

'I can tell you with confidence that we will award these scholarships from our general fund without using donor dollars or shifting resources away from the budget for any division or department on campus,' he said.

'This will not negatively impact current students or employees, or other future students.'

On Friday, a second Michigan university - Oakland University, north of Detroit in Rochester Hills - erroneously notified students that they would receive top tuition awards.

They said that, due to human error, its undergraduate student application system sent email notifications to some admitted students that they were entitled to receive the school's Platinum Presidential Scholar Award.

The Platinum Presidential Scholar award is worth $12,000 per year for four years.

The average tuition for freshman and sophomores is $13,934. Room and board averages about $11,192 per year.

The school said about 5,500 students received the erroneous notification, meaning that the scholarships would have cost the university $264 million.

The university apologized for the error, and will not be awarding the scholarships to all those mistakenly informed.

Oakland University, north of Detroit, mistakenly offered scholarships at the beginning of the year worth $264 million. They have rescinded the 5,500 offers

The award is Oakland University's highest, but the students who received the notification do not meet eligibility requirements for the award.

The email was intended for students who had already been sent notice of their Presidential Scholar award through an official scholarship award letter, the university said.

'An immediate correction update was sent within two hours to the students who received the scholarship messages in error,' the school said.

'Our Undergraduate Admissions team also scheduled phone calls to explain the situation for those who contacted us.'

A follow-up apology notice was sent January 5.
A man who used a high-powered hunting crossbow to shoot and injure two people in random and unprovoked attacks in west London has been given a hospital order.

Andrew Ramdeen, 30, shot a 33-year-old man in the torso from six feet with a crossbow bolt in Pield Heath Road, Uxbridge, just after 8pm on September 14, 2020.

He suffered a ruptured aortic artery and punctured internal organs, losing five litres of blood. The Metropolitan Police said his life was 'undoubtedly saved' due to the expertise and skill of medical staff.

A month earlier, Ramdeen shot a 19-year-old man from 146ft at just before 10.30pm in The Greenway, with a bolt slicing the victim's ear before striking a parked car.

Police said the victim's injury was not life-threatening but a slight variation in the course of the bolt 'could have been fatal'.

A man who used a high-powered hunting crossbow to shoot and injure two people in random and unprovoked attacks in west London has been given a hospital order

The hunting crossbow used by Ramdeen in the unprovoked attacks

Andrew Ramdeen, 30, (pictured) shot a 33-year-old man in the torso from six feet with a crossbow bolt in Pield Heath Road, Uxbridge, just after 8pm on September 14, 2020

A month earlier, Ramdeen shot a 19-year-old man from 146ft at just before 10.30pm in The Greenway, with a bolt slicing the victim's ear (pictured left and right) before striking a parked car

On Friday, Ramdeen, of Green Lane, Northwood, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court to a section 37 hospital order after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent following the attacks, according to the force.

The judge said he considered Ramdeen dangerous and that, had a hospital order not been an option, he would have passed a sentence of 14 years and nine months.

Detectives linked the two incidents due to the location and weapon used, with witnesses describing a white van without a registration number leaving the scene on both occasions.

They discovered that it was a company delivery vehicle fitted with a tracking device, which identified Ramdeen as the attacker.

After arresting Ramdeen on September 21, 2020, officers searched his address and found an Anglo Arms Panther 175lb hunting crossbow - with bolts matching those from the attacks.

CCTV also revealed him entering the property with the weapon.

The Met said the motivation behind the attacks has never been fully established.

After arresting Ramdeen on September 21, 2020, officers searched his address and found an Anglo Arms Panther 175lb hunting crossbow - with bolts matching those from the attacks. Pictured: CCTV of Ramdeen entering the property with the weapon

Under current legislation, it is an offence for anyone under 18 to purchase or possess a crossbow and for anyone to sell a crossbow to someone aged under 18.

Crossbows may also be considered offensive weapons and are prohibited from being carried in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered the Home Office to look at strengthening controls on owning the lethal weapons after a 19-year-old man was arrested at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day while allegedly in possession of a crossbow.

Detectives linked the two incidents due to the location and weapon used, with witnesses describing a white van (pictured) without a registration number leaving the scene on both occasions

Detective Inspector Daniel McInerney said: 'It's no exaggeration to say that in both instances the difference between life and death was but a matter of millimetres.

'If the variation of the bolts had been ever so slightly different, two sets of families would have lost a loved one and we'd have been looking at two very different investigations.

'It's pure good fortune that the second victim was so close to a hospital. The doctors and nurses saved this man's life.'

He added: 'Though Ramdeen's motive has never been established, the judge has been clear that he is considered a danger to the public and he has been sentenced appropriately.'
A man has reportedly died inside a Thai 'happy ending' massage parlour after falling asleep and choking during the experience.

Police arrived at the 'Lovely Massage' shop in Bang Lamung, Pattaya City in Thailand to find John Swain, 70, had died, according to Newsflare reports.

He was pronounced dead at the scene before his body was moved to a hospital.

Staff covered John Swain's body with a towel when it became clear they could not revive him

Police arrived and searched the parlour for signs of foul play but did not find them inside

Mr Swain had reportedly removed his clothes and was being rubbed by a masseuse named 'Miss Oraya', 39, shortly after 3pm.

Oraya told reporters: 'Everything was going normally then I noticed he was sleeping,' she said.

'Suddenly he started struggling to breathe. He was gasping and choking.'

'I called the other girls for help and we started pumping his heart.'

Pattaya city has struggled in recent years to clean up its image as Thailand's 'Sin City'

Staff covered his body with a towel when it became clear they could not revive him.

When police arrived they searched the parlour for signs of foul play but did not find any, according to reports.

Pattaya city has struggled in recent years to clean up its image as Thailand's 'Sin City'.

Authorities in the city on Thailand's east coast have been trying to shake the image of the destination as a place for sex tourism.

Tourism officials told the New York Times in 2010: 'Now we just ignore them and try to promote other activities such as the Thai martial arts and traditional dance performances.'
A Pennsylvania motorist spoke out about the moment he warned other drivers about the Pittsburgh bridge collapse before one of the cars rolled down into the debris.

Driver Jeremy Habowski considers himself lucky to be a survivor after he and other motorists were unable to stop their vehicles in time during the collapse.

'The scariest part was definitely going over the edge because there was a gap and my car left the ground,' Habowski told CNN.

He then checked on another driver following the collapse and attempted to stop other vehicles from driving into the debris.

'I got off the bridge and started crawling up the hill to warn other drivers,' he continued. 'But the silver car ended up going over when I neared the top.'

Other vehicles, however, managed to stop in time after the silver car went drove over the edge.

During the collapse, four vehicles were on the bridge at the time with only 10 minor injuries reported at the scene, according to Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones.

'It was a lot to take in,' Habowski added.

His car is now resting on top of the remains of the collapsed bridge.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation and emergency crews are continuing to check if anyone was beneath the bridge at the time.

President Joe Biden visited the site of the collapse on Friday morning; he had already planned to spend Friday afternoon in Western Pennsylvania to the city to discuss infrastructure plans.

Pennsylvania driver Jeremy Habowski said he is lucky to be alive after he was one of the motorists who was on the Pittsburgh bridge this morning when it collapsed

Habowski and other motorists were unable to stop in time before the bridge collapsed. After the collapse, he then warned other drivers to prevent them from driving into the debris.

Vehicles are visible on the remains of the collapsed bridge that affected four vehicles and injured 10 people on the scene

'I've been coming to Pittsburgh a long time, and as a former Pennsylvanian, but I didn't realize they're literally more bridges in Pittsburgh than any other city in the world. Did you know? More than in Venice,' Biden remarked at the site.

'We're going to fix them all. Not a joke, this is going to be a gigantic change,' he promised. 'There's 43,000 nationwide. And we're sending the money.'

Later, he opened his planned speech by talking about what he had just witnessed.

'We've got to get it on with it, we've gotta move,' he urged. 'Next time we don't need headlines saying that someone was killed when the next bridge collapses.'

'It literally can threaten lives,' the president added.

Photographs from the scene showed the bus - which had three passengers and a driver on board - perched upright on the edge of the bridge, which was was determined to be in poor overall condition by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in 2019.

Biden toured the damaged bridge accompanied by Senator Bob Casey, Rep. Conor Lamb, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and others, where he spoke with first responders and local and state officials for an impromptu briefing,.

Putting his hand on the shoulder of a police officer the president said, 'these guys deserve an incredible amount of credit.'

'And, by the way, were going to give you guys more money too - cops,' the president said.

The scene smelled of gas.

The two-lane span, on Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park - one of Pittsburgh's largest parks - caved in around 7 a.m, taking multiple vehicles with it.

The red Port Authority bus could still be seen from the edge, which hours after the collapse was roped off with yellow police tape, as well as a damaged pickup truck, a black sedan and two other overturned cars

President Joe Biden addressed the bridge collapse at the top of his remarks at Mill 19 Friday afternoon

An overhead shot of the two-lane span, on Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park- one of Pittsburgh's largest parks- came down around 7 a.m, taking multiple vehicles with it

Dramatic photos show the Port Authority bus- which had three passengers and a driver on board - perched upright on the edge of the bridge. Other rescuers rappelled nearly 150ft to help with the rescue.

A Port Authority bus that had three passengers and a driver inside was on the bridge when it collapsed, miraculously no one was injured

A red pick up truck with an overturned vehicle is visible following the collapse of a bridge in Pittsburgh early Friday morning

Emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the collapse and had to form a human chain to help rescue multiple people from a dangling bus

Biden toured the damaged bridge accompanied by local leaders and visited one end of the collapsed bridge where he spoke with first responders and local and state officials for an impromptu briefing (pictured with Mayor Ed Gainey)

President Joe Biden's first stop in Pittsburgh was to the collapsed bridge site. On the scene he was joined by Sen. Bob Casey (left), as well as Rep. Conor Lamb (second from right) and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (right)

Pittsburgh Police blocks access at the opposite side of the Fern Hollow Bridge bridge collapse. Several safety crew members who slipped or fell during the rescue were treated for injuries

An overturned car remains on a Pittsburgh bridge that overturned on Friday morning. Authorities said the cause of the collapse of the 'vital' bridge in the Frick Park are is still unknown

Councilman Corey O'Connor said that the collapse of the vital bridge could effect traffic in the area for years: 'This is a vital road, artery, in our area,' he said.

A passerby takes pictures of the aftermath of the bridge collapse which resulted in 10 injuries and no fatalities, according to officials

The Fern Hollow bridge was vital to connecting the Eastern community in Squirrel Hill into the city of Pittsburgh

The deck' condition was rated '4 - Poor,' the superstructure condition was also '4 - Poor,' and the substructure condition was rated '6 - Satisfactory,' by the Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory.

The bridge, located about a quarter-mile from the Reynolds Street entrance to Frick Park, goes over a wooded ravine and a creek that are part of the park

At the time of the collapse, there were just four vehicles on the bridge, Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones said

A commuter bus with three people and the driver on board is perched upright on the wreckage of the collapsed bridge in Pittsburgh's Frick Park neighborhood.

A photo from the scene shows the commuter bus upright on a section of the collapsed bridge while another vehicle is shown dangling near the edge

The steel span, built in 1970, carried about 14,500 vehicles a day and is posted with a 26-ton weight limit, collapsed Friday morning

The bus and several cars went down with the bridge when it collapsed around 6am.

It is not yet known what caused the span - built in 1970 - to give out, but it is one of 123 bridges rated 'poor' in Allegheny County, according to the U.S. Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory.

Sam Wasserman, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, said the most recent inspection occurred in September but the report was not immediately available.

A September 2019 inspection of the city-owned bridge revealed the deck and superstructure to be in poor condition, according to the U.S. Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory.

The department's website says the deck condition was rated '4 - Poor,' the superstructure condition was also '4 - Poor,' and the substructure condition was rated '6 - Satisfactory,' CNN reported.

The bridge, owned by the city of Pittsburgh, was about 470 feet long and carried about 14,500 vehicles a day and had a posted a 26-ton weight limit because of its poor condition.

However, at the time of the collapse, there were just four vehicles on the bridge, Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones said.

He added that everyone who had been trapped was rescued by crew who had to rappel 100 to 150 feet down the ravine to rescue motorists.

'They also did like a daisy chain with just hands, grabbing people and pulling them up,' Jones said.

Authorities reported 10 minor injuries but no fatalities. Three people were taken to hospital.

Crews say two people who were on the bus were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and the other injuries are obtained by safety crew members who slipped or fell during the rescue.

Fern Hollow Bride collapse The two-lane span, on Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park - one of Pittsburgh's largest parks opened in 1973. The steel span carried about 14,500 vehicles a day and had a posted a 26-ton weight limit because of its poor condition. It is not yet known what caused the span to give out, but it is one of 123 bridges rated 'poor' in Allegheny County, according to the U.S. Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory. A September 2019 inspection of the city-owned bridge revealed the deck and superstructure to be in poor condition, according to the U.S. Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory. Advertisement

City officials said the collapse caused a gas leak but the gas has since been shut off.

The bridge, located about a quarter-mile from the Reynolds Street entrance to Frick Park, goes over a wooded ravine and a creek that are part of the park.

People were in the park around the time of the collapse, but authorities have not reported any injuries from those on the trail.

During his visit Biden inquired if it was too early for there to be joggers on the trail and an officer said there were a few and that one of them actually helped get people out of the cars.

'Well, Ill be damned,' Biden said amazed.

Another officer remarked: 'Its a miracle, Mr. President. Its a miracle.'

'It really is. It really is. Its astounding,' Biden said.

Fetterman stopped by the site shortly after the collapse and called it 'just an awful, surreal scene.'

'This collapse is just the latest in a long line of preventable, man-made disasters that prove what so many of us in Pennsylvania and around the country have been saying for years: Our infrastructure is failing our people. Our roads and bridges, which are supposed to connect us and bring us together, are increasingly putting us in danger,' he said.

'I hope it's a wake-up call to the nation that we need to make these infrastructure investments,' Fetterman added.

Pennsylvania's bridges were ranked the fifth-worst in the nation in 2020, by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association in its most recent annual survey, the Washington Post reported.

The state had almost 12,000 bridges in need of repair, according to the group's analysis of federal data.

Biden's new infrastructure law includes $27 billion in funding to help states and cities fix aging bridges, with Pennsylvania set to receive $1.6 billion of that money in the next five years, the Post reported.

On Friday transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said the collapse illustrated the necessity of federal investment in the nation's infrastructure.

Speaking in Kansas City, Buttigieg said safety problems with bridges and roads across the nation was a result of disinvestment in public infrastructure, Kansasreflector.com reported.

'Bottom line is this shouldn't happen in the United States of America,' he said. 'It is a very blunt reminder, among many reminders, of just how urgent the need is to invest in American infrastructure.'

Councilman Corey O'Connor told CBS Pittsburgh that the collapse of the vital bridge could effect traffic in the area for years.

'This is a vital road, artery, in our area,' he said. 'This is a road that a lot use in the east end, going around the tunnel. We're looking at a couple-year closure here possibly.'

Fetterman said the bridge was vital to connecting the Eastern community in Squirrel Hill into the city of Pittsburgh.

The two-lane span, on Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park - one of Pittsburgh's largest parks - was called a was vital to connecting the Eastern community in Squirrel Hill into the city of Pittsburgh

A September 2019 inspection of the city-owned bridge revealed the deck and superstructure to be in poor condition, according to the U.S. Department of Transportations National Bridge Inventory

First responders load an empty stretcher into an ambulance at the scene where a bridge collapsed. Authorities confirmed 10 injuries

Crews say two people who were on the bus were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and the other injuries are obtained by safety crew members who slipped or fell during the rescue

A law enforcement official told Biden, seen near the scene with Mayor Ed Gainey, that officials were still not sure if the collapse was caused by a gas leak or if the smell of gas was a result of the collapse

The collapse came hours before President Joe Biden was due to visit Pittsburgh to tout his $1.2 billion infrastructure bill.

Built in 1970, the 447-foot-long span is rated in poor condition and is posted with a 26-ton weight limit

City officials said the bridge had just been inspected a few months back in September, but did not say if there were any issues discovered during that inspection

The bridge is about a quarter-mile from the Reynolds Street entrance to Frick Park. It goes over a wooded ravine and a creek that are part of the park

Howard Seltman, 67, who lives nearby on Briarcliff Road, called 911 after he heard the collapse.

'That bridge carries a lot of traffic every day,' he told triblive.com. 'How does this happen?'

Neighbor Wendy Stroh, who lives nearby, told CBS Pittsburgh that the collapse sounded like 'a huge snow plow  pushing along the surface with no snow'. She added: 'I didn't know what it was  It was very frightening.'

After reports of a strong smell of gas in the air a natural gas line was cut and nearby homes were evacuated, Pittsburgh Public Safety said.

A law enforcement official told Biden during a tour of the damage that officials were still not sure if the collapse was caused by a gas leak or if the smell of gas was a result of the collapse.

The president asked how long it took for the gas company to shut the gas and he was told it was turned off after about a half an hour.

Authorities have warned motorists to avoid the area.

Earlier in the day the White House confirmed that Biden would proceed with his planned trip.

'Our team is in touch with state and local officials on the ground as they continue to gather information about the cause of the collapse,' the statement said. 'The President is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time.'

As part of his trip, the president will visit the research and development hub of Mill 19, which was part of the infrastructure deal passed by Congress last year, the Washington Post reported.

The collapse comes three years after an unfinished 950-ton bridge collapsed in Miami, killing six people.

The unfinished bridge collapsed onto Southwest Eighth Street, crushing cars that had been waiting at a red light and was one of the deadliest structural failures in South Florida history before the June 2021 Surfside condo collapse, the Miami Herald reported.

The National Transportation and Safety Board later concluded the 'catastrophic failure' stemmed from a flawed design with 'significant errors.'

The feds also criticized FIU, the Florida Department of Transportation and the project's design team for lacking judgment and common sense when failing to close the busy road underneath the bridge while a construction crew performed emergency work.
New York's largest police union has condemned the release on bail of a teenage charged with shooting a police officer in the Bronx, saying that his treatment is 'why we have a crisis of violence in this city.'

Camrin Williams, a 16-year-old aspiring rapper who goes by C Blu, shot NYPD Officer Kaseem Pennant, 27, in the leg during a scuffle in the Bronx on January 18.

Williams - who was out on a 2020 probation for gun possession at the time - was immediately arrested and held in jail.

Yet he was released on Thursday, using the money from his Interscope record deal to pay the $250,000 bond.

Pat Lynch, head of the Police Benevolent Association, reacted with fury to Williams's release, noting that two NYPD officers were shot and killed last week - the first since July 2017. Five officers have been shot in New York City so far this year.

'If anybody wants to know why we have a crisis of violence in this city, or why we're about to bury two hero police officers, look no further than this disgraceful bail release,' said Lynch.

'This individual chose to carry illegal guns twice.

'He chose to fight with and shoot a New York City police officer. There's no reason to believe he won't do the exact same thing when he's out on the street tonight.

'Shame on Judge Denis Boyle for allowing this to happen.

'The people of the Bronx won't be safe as long as he's on the bench.'

Camrin Williams - aka C Blu - was locked up in Brooklyn on gun and assault charges, but released on Thursday

NYC PBA President Pat Lynch blamed the rise in city crime on things like Williams' ability to walk free on bond

Williams fought with police officers when they responded to reports of unrest, and refused to comply with their orders to remove his hands from his pockets.

He began fighting with one of the officers and during the tussle, he accidentally shot Pennant - a single bullet struck and wounded Pennant and hit Williams in the groin.

Pennant was released from the hospital just hours later on January 19.

Williams, identified as a member of a subset of the Crips, was also taken to hospital before being taken to juvenile detention.

Williams, seen here in the hospital, is free on bail after his gun went off and hit both himself and an NYPD officer in a scuffle

Officer Kaseem Pennant left the hospital to the cheers of his fellow officers a day after the shooting

The weapon recovered that allegedly went off, firing one bullet, during the fracas

Police on the scene on East 187th Street in the Bronx

Boyle, an Acting Bronx Supreme Court Justice, who previously was soft on a 16-year-old who went on to murder a 34-year-old father of two in May of 2021.

Boyle has a reputation for being overly lenient on young offenders and set bail at $250,000 despite prosecutors call for Williams to be held without bail.

Williams accepted the services of 'bail bondsman to the stars' Ira Judelson, who has in the past worked with the likes of DMX, Ja Rule, Harvey Weinstein and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

The state office of court administration responded in a statement Thursday.

'The ire that the PBA president is projecting on the judge, who is following the law, should be directed at the individuals who promulgate those laws,' said spokesman Lucian Chalfen.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former cop, has promised to be tougher on crime

Ira Judelson is one of New York's most prominent licensed bail bondsmen

Williams walked out just before 7 p.m. on Thursday evening.

'Camrin has been released and will be back to his regular productive life of focusing on schoolwork and his music career,' said his attorney, Dawn Florio.

Florio, much like Judelson, has a history with famous clients, including fellow troubled rapper 6ix9ine, formerly Tekashi69.

During the case, Florio touted Williams' potential.

'He has a very promising career,' Florio told Judge Boyle.

'Not only does he sing, rap, he writes his own music.

'One of his songs on YouTube has 8 million views.'

During the hearing, Williams told Florio: 'Please tell the judge I'll come back to court every time.'
A millionaire stock trader's involuntary manslaughter conviction over the death of a man who was helping him dig tunnels under his home for nuclear bunkers was upheld in Maryland's highest court on Friday.

The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that the evidence was sufficient to support Daniel Beckwitt's conviction in the September 2017 death of 21-year-old Askia Khafra.

Khafra had been found burned beyond recognition under Beckwitt's Bethesda home after a fire broke out above the tunnels where he later died as a result of smoke inhalation and the heat injuries he sustained.

Beckwitt's failure to provide Khafra with a reasonably safe workplace in the tunnels constituted gross negligence, the appeals court said.

'Beckwitt's conduct was likely to result in harm to Khafra at any moment and an ordinarily prudent person under similar circumstances would have been conscious of the risk to Khafra,' the court's 76-page opinion reads.

He was sentenced in 2019 to nine years in prison after a jury convicted him on charges of second-degree 'depraved heart' murder and involuntary manslaughter.

The Court of Special Appeals ruled in January 2021 that the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction for involuntary manslaughter, but a three-judge panel had overturned Beckwitt's murder conviction.

The Court of Appeals said in its ruling that while his actions showed 'a wanton and reckless disregard for human life,' it wasn't the kind of conduct that was likely to have caused death and therefore didn't demonstrate 'an extreme indifference to the value of human life.'

Beckwitt will need to be resentenced now that the Court of Appeals has tossed the murder conviction. He has been imprisoned since his April 2019 conviction.

Maryland millionaire stock trader Daniel Beckwitt has his involuntary manslaughter conviction upheld in court on Friday over the fiery death of a young man who was helping him dig tunnels for a nuclear bunker underneath his Bethesda home

Askia Khafra, 21, was burnt beyond recognition as the result of a fire that broke out above the tunnels in September 2017

Khafra died from smoke inhalation and the heat injuries he sustained on September 10

Khafra's father, Dia, said the ruling by the state's high court is 'illustrative of a flawed judicial system' and believes Beckwitt's nine-year prison sentence already was too lenient.

'As a father who has lost his son at the tender age of 21 years in a most gruesome manner, I'm very, very disappointed,' Khafra added.

Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said Beckwitt faces up to nine years in prison when he is resentenced.

McCarthy said his office will seek that maximum sentence 'to hold the defendant accountable for his blatant disregard for the life of (Khafra).'

Megan Coleman, one of Beckwitt's lawyers, said the sentencing guidelines are significantly lower for involuntary manslaughter than for a murder conviction.

'Both appellate courts have said that there was no malice in this case,' Coleman said. 'To us, that would warrant a lower sentence.'

Khafra worked in the tunnels for days at a time, eating and sleeping there and urinating and defecating into a bucket that Beckwitt lowered down to him

Khafa's father Dia said that the court's recent ruling was 'illustrative of a flawed judicial system' and believed that Beckwitt's initial nine-year sentence was already considered to be too lenient

Khafra was burned beyond recognition in the fire at Beckwitt's home in Bethesda, a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C.

Firefighters found Khafra's naked, charred body in the basement of the trash-filled house.

Prosecutors said the extreme hoarding conditions in the home prevented him from escaping.

At trial, Montgomery County prosecutor Marybeth Ayres said Beckwitt sacrificed safety for secrecy and created the 'death trap' conditions that prevented Khafra from escaping the house.

Defense attorney Robert Bonsib told jurors the fire was an accident, not a crime.

The lawyer said Beckwitt screamed for help from neighbors after the fire broke out and risked his own safety in a failed attempt to rescue his friend.

Khafra met Beckwitt who had invested money in a company he was trying to launch as he helped the stock trader to dig the network of tunnels.

Beckwitt is seen posing in the secret bunker and tunnel network under his home that he started to build in fear over nuclear attacks from North Korea

Firefighters found Khafra's naked, charred body in the basement of the trash-filled house

Prosecutors said the extreme hoarding conditions in the home prevented him from escaping

A prosecutor described Beckwitt as a skilled computer hacker who had a paranoid fixation on a possible nuclear attack by North Korea.

Beckwitt went to elaborate lengths to keep the project a secret, prosecutors said.

He tried to trick Khafra into thinking they were digging the tunnels in Virginia instead of Maryland by having him don 'blackout glasses' before taking him on a long drive.

Beckwitt also used internet 'spoofing' to make it appear they were digging in Virginia, according to prosecutors.

Khafra worked in the tunnels for days at a time, eating and sleeping there and urinating and defecating into a bucket that Beckwitt lowered down to him. The tunnels had lights, an air circulation system and a heater.

A hole in the concrete basement floor led to a shaft that dropped down 20 feet into tunnels that branched out roughly 200 feet in length.

Investigators concluded the blaze was ignited by a defective electrical outlet in the basement.

Beckwitt didn't testify at his trial.
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Boris Johnson may get to see Sue Grays much-anticipated Partygate report today or tomorrow, but it will not be revealed to the public until at least next week.

Mr Johnson is facing the threat of an imminent no-confidence vote as he awaits the results of an official inquiry into alleged lockdown-busting gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall during the pandemic.

But MPs are urging Miss Gray to release an uncensored version of her report immediately, after Scotland Yard admitted it had asked Whitehalls ethics tsar to water down her document while the force conducts a criminal probe that may not conclude for months.

The highly controversial move has seen Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick accused of an abuse of power by interfering with the investigation and demanding that Miss Gray remove key details which are central to the row over parties in No10.

It is understood that the senior civil servant will give Mr Johnson a redacted version of her report within days, rather than wait for the Mets inquiry to end.

But Conservative MPs are now urging Miss Gray to make her report available to the public in full today, in a bid to end this madness.

And in the latest twist of the lockdown party drama enveloping Westminster, it emerged that Miss Grays probe has been told about alleged messages from Carrie Johnson offering to organise a cake for the PMs 56th birthday party in June 2020.

Adam Holloway, a Johnson ally and member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, told Radio 4s Today programme: The fact is were not getting a full and rounded view from what were getting from the media and thats why I  and probably Boris too  would like to see the whole of Sue Grays report and as soon as possible, so we can end this madness.

The Member of Parliament for Gravesham also called the PM a really remarkable guy, insisting: I think if I was Boris I would really be quite desperate for the truth to get out and for some transparency.

Tory backbencher Sir Christopher Chope accused Scotland Yard of overstepping its duties and of committing an abuse of power.

He told the BBC: I dont think its any of their business. This is a Cabinet Office inquiry and the findings have been concluded, and theyve been shared  I dont know why  with the Metropolitan Police. Now the Metropolitan Police seem to be interfering both in the content of the report and trying to prevent it being published in an unredacted form.

Under the rules of law which apply in our country, this is not sub judice. If they were about to bring charges, or had brought charges against individuals, then it obviously would have been sub judice and it wouldnt even be able to be discussed in the House of Commons. But its not sub judice, and thats why I think this is an abuse of power by the Metropolitan Police.

It comes amid reports of a potential outside challenger for the Tory leadership if the PM is overthrown following the publication of the report.

It is widely believed that either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss are frontrunners to win the top job if the Prime Minister is ousted. But centrist Tories are reportedly backing ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat to be Mr Johnsons successor. Some MPs believe the Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairman, a China hawk and longstanding foe of Mr Johnson, represents the best chance for a fresh start.

As questions loom over the future of his premiership, it is understood that Mr Johnson will travel to eastern Europe to ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed between Russia and Ukraine amid rising fears of an all-out war in the region.

The row came as:

The police revealed that suspects would be asked to give evidence in writing, undermining claims that the PM could face an interview under caution;

The Met warned it would consider taking offenders to court if they refused to pay fines handed out by officers;

Downing Street risked angering Tory MPs by playing down hopes of delay to the planned hike in national insurance;

Mr Johnson prepared for talks with Putin next week in which he will warn the Russian president he faces a heavy price if he invades Ukraine;

The PM was said to have told wavering MPs he is ready to scrap plans to ban junk food ads in return for their support.

MPs are demanding that Sue Gray (right) release her much-anticipated Partygate report immediately amid reports that Boris Johnson (left) could finally get sight of the document as early as this weekend

In the latest twist of the drama enveloping Westminster, it emerged that Miss Grays probe has been told about messages from Mr Johnsons wife Carrie Johnson offering to organise a cake for a gathering in June 2020

METROPOLITAN POLICE SAYS 'MINIMAL REFERENCE' WILL BE MADE TO NO 10 EVENTS IN SUE GRAY REPORT Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, said: 'My officers will now examine this material in detail to establish whether individuals attending the events in question may have breached the regulations. They will do so without fear or favour following our normal processes. 'In order to protect the integrity of the police investigation, as is appropriate in any case, and to be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it, the Met has asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report to the relevant events. 'This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately. 'We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team. 'The offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice; accordingly our investigative actions will be proportionate to the nature of these offences. 'Individuals who are identified as having potentially breached these regulations will normally be contacted in writing, and invited to explain their actions including whether they feel they had a reasonable excuse. 'Following this process, and where there is sufficient evidence that individuals have breached the regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide if enforcement action is appropriate. If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed. 'Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates' court. 'As the Commissioner said, we will not be giving a running commentary but we will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigative process.' Advertisement

Lord Morris of Aberavon, a former attorney general, said that any prejudice that might result in fines would be a disproportionate concern.

He said: I am dismayed with the vacillation of the Metropolitan Police. Surely it is in the public interest that major concerns over events in Downing Street be investigated and reported on. Any prejudice that might result in fines would be a disproportionate concern.

And Lord Sumption, a former Supreme Court justice and opponent of lockdown measures, said that the police have no legal right to demand that Sue Gray delay publication of her report and it is constitutionally undesirable that they have done so. He added that it was very surprising that the Met has intervened in this way as the main purpose of commissioning the Gray report was so Parliament could hold the Executive to account.

The publication of the long-awaited Gray report into alleged lockdown-busting parties was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when Cressida Dick, who had long resisted calls to investigate, announced her officers had opened a criminal probe.

Scotland Yard confirmed last night that it had received the material requested from the Cabinet Office to support its investigation.

The force said officers would now examine this without fear or favour to establish whether any rules were broken.

The Met had been criticised by legal experts and Tory MPs for urging Ms Gray to limit the publication of her investigation into allegations of lockdown-breaking parties in No10. But the force insisted on Friday evening that it had not delayed publication of the report.

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Mets Central Specialist Crime Command, said the timing of the documents release was a matter for the Cabinet Office.

It is understood that the Prime Minister could receive a copy of the report over the weekend, or in the coming week. It is expected it will be sent to No 10 shortly, as opposed to in a matter of weeks or months. But it is understood that it will comply with any police requests, meaning certain details could be excluded.

Downing Street declined to comment on the Met statement. The Cabinet Office did not offer further comment on when the report would be published.

It said Miss Grays investigation continues, there is ongoing contact with the police and the findings will be made public. The department added that it would not speculate further on the inquiry being carried out by the senior official.

Miss Roper said the force had asked for minimal reference to be made in the report to the relevant events, in order to protect the integrity of the police investigation and be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it.

This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately, she said.

We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team.

SNP Westminster group leader Ian Blackford tweeted: No one will accept a Westminster cover-up. If the UK government refuses to publish the full unredacted report it will prove, yet again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and broken beyond repair. It won't save Boris Johnson's skin. It will only add to the calls for him to go.

And Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: Anything short of the full report would be a Whitehall whitewash not worth the paper it is written on.

The Met previously argued the constraints on the Cabinet Office report into Partygate were necessary to avoid any prejudice to our investigation, indicating it faced being watered down or a lengthy delay.

Rivals' wild claims of report 'stitch-up' Opposition leaders yesterday lined up to make a string of incendiary claims about a so-called 'stitch-up' between No 10 and the Metropolitan Police over Partygate. They tried to stoke claims Commissioner Cressida Dick had intervened to suppress the full publication of the Sue Gray report to let Boris Johnson off the hook. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, tweeted: 'A stitch-up between the Met leadership and No 10 will damage our politics for generations and it looks like it is happening right in front of our eyes.' This prompted Tory MP Michael Fabricant to reply: 'The Lib Dems called for a police investigation and now they're accusing the police of corruption.' Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon said the situation was getting 'murkier by the minute', and the rapid conclusion and full publication of inquiries was 'now essential for public trust'. Sir Keir Starmer said that 'any issues of prejudice have got to be worked through'. The Labour leader added the 'whole of government' had become 'paralysed because the police are looking at what the Prime Minister was getting up to in Downing Street'. Advertisement

The new statement, issued on Friday evening, contained no mention of the term prejudice.

Miss Roper said the offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice.

Individuals who are identified as having potentially breached these regulations will normally be contacted in writing and invited to explain their actions including whether they feel they had a reasonable excuse, she said.

Following this process, and where there is sufficient evidence that individuals have breached the regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide if enforcement action is appropriate.

If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.

Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates' court.

As the Commissioner said, we will not be giving a running commentary but we will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigative process.

Loyalist Tories have conceded the situation is a 'mess', saying it should have been obvious the report would have to be put on hold during a criminal investigation.

Conservative MP Christopher Chope accused the force of 'usurping its position by seeking to interfere in the affairs of state'. And another veteran backbencher, Sir Roger Gale, a long-term critic of the PM, branded the manoeuvring 'ridiculous'.

He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: 'This has all the hallmarks of a Whitehall farce written in Scotland Yard. A while back the Met Police were saying they weren't going to investigate, then they said they would investigate and the sigh of relief from Downing Street could be heard in the Palace of Westminster as the can was kicked down the road.

'Then they said it would be OK for Sue Gray to publish her report and now this morning they're saying it's not OK, or it is OK but she can't publish anything that anybody is likely to be interested in  which is ridiculous.

'Unless there is a legal barrier to Sue Gray publishing her report then I believe that it should be published now and in full.'

Downing Street insisted there had been no contact with the Met about the its inquiry, and Ms Gray's team were in charge of the contents of her report.

One police source told MailOnline of the backlash: 'It's almost like there are some people unhappy that a criminal inquiry is under way.'

Meanwhile, Theresa May has waded into the Partygate row by expressing her anger at the alleged flouting of lockdown and swiping that 'nobody is above the law'.

Theresa May wades into Partygate saying 'nobody is above the law' Theresa May has said she is 'angry' at the allegations of parties held in Downing Street during coronavirus restrictions. The reported comments mark the former prime minister's first intervention over the partygate scandal. Mrs May, who has so far not publicly commented on the saga engulfing No 10, told constituents that 'nobody is above the law', in a letter seen by her local newspaper. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported that Mrs May wrote: 'I have said previously that it is vital that those who set the rules, follow the rules. Nobody is above the law. 'This is important for ensuring the necessary degree of trust between the public and Government. 'Like so many, I was angry to hear stories of those in Number 10, who are responsible for setting the coronavirus rules, not properly following the rules.' The letter  sent before the Metropolitan Police launched an inquiry into the alleged parties  referred to senior official Sue Gray's investigation, which has now been delayed due to the criminal probe. Mrs May said that 'if there is evidence of deliberate or premeditated wrongdoing, I expect full accountability to follow'. She added: 'All those working at the heart of Government should conduct themselves with the highest of standards which befits the work they do, and this applies as much to those working in Number 10 as to other parts of Government.' Mrs May has been a critic of Boris Johnson's policies in the Commons. Mr Johnson's resignation from Mrs May's Cabinet was seen as one of the blows to her authority that led to her leaving No 10 in 2019. Advertisement

In a letter to constituents seen by her local newspaper the Maidenhead Advertiser, Mrs May wrote: 'I have said previously that it is vital that those who set the rules, follow the rules. Nobody is above the law.

'This is important for ensuring the necessary degree of trust between the public and Government.'

The campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said: 'Tragically, it seems here that the Metropolitan Police have broken the trust of the public by first refusing to investigate flagrant law breaking, and now demanding any other investigation's hide the most serious illegalities happening at Downing Street.'

Facing criticism from all sides, the Met issued a second statement late last night saying it had 'not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team'. The force also insisted its inquiry would be conducted 'promptly, fairly and proportionately'.

Tory MP Sir Roger Gale described the police intervention as 'a farce', adding: 'Unless there is a legal barrier to Sue Gray publishing her report, then I believe that it should be published now and in full.'

Senior legal figures also questioned the Met's suggestion that the release of Miss Gray's inquiry could 'prejudice' the criminal investigation.

Ken Macdonald, a former director of public prosecutions, said the move seemed 'disproportionate' in the face of 'very powerful' public interest in the report's swift publication.

Lord Macdonald told the BBC: 'The risk of the police intervention this morning is that this leaves things hanging in the air for weeks and months, and that seems obviously not to be in the public interest.

'If we're talking about fixed penalty notices  like parking tickets, essentially  if we're talking about that kind of resolution, then to take the rather grave step to delay a report that is going to shed public light on the subject matter of what may be a major public scandal, I think that is undesirable and I think it may be a misjudgment.

'But only police know what it is that is really at play here.

'It is really to say that if we are simply talking about lockdown breaches and fixed penalty notices, this move by the police this morning seems to be disproportionate.'

The crossbench peer said that what was not known was whether Ms Gray had uncovered 'slightly more complex behaviour that the police believes needs more sense of investigation', offering the example of 'the co-ordinated deletion of emails or text messages' that had possibly 'raised the stakes and brought forward the consideration of more serious offending into play'.

Nazir Afzal, a former chief Crown prosecutor for the North West, said on Twitter: 'This is absolute nonsense from the Met Police. A purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation.

'They just have to follow the evidence, of which the report will be a part.'

The Met's position was further weakened last night after the police acknowledged that the inquiry  forecast to cost as much as 1 million  was looking only at potential Covid breaches dealt with by fixed-penalty notices, typically of 100.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'I'm puzzled why the police at first said they wouldn't look at this, and then they have now chosen to do so.

'It's not a criminal case at all (or) worth all the man hours that it is taking up.'

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, last night dismissed speculation that detectives were investigating more serious offences than simple breaches of Covid regulations.

'The offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed-penalty notice; accordingly our investigative actions will be proportionate to the nature of these offences,' she said.

Keir Starmer (pictured) said the Government had been 'paralysed' by the Sue Gray investigation - but stopped short of criticising the Met

May warns: Nobody is above the law Theresa May stepped up her campaign against the Prime Minister as she demanded 'full accountability' over the Partygate allegations. Mrs May said she was angry at the revelations and remarked that 'nobody is above the law'. The comments  first reported in the Maidenhead Advertiser, her constituency newspaper  are the former prime minister's first intervention in the party row  although she has repeatedly taken aim at Boris Johnson since stepping down. The letter, which was sent before details about Mr Johnson's birthday party in 2020 were revealed, urged 'if there is evidence of deliberate or premeditated wrongdoing, I expect full accountability to follow'. Advertisement

The 'matter will be considered closed' if offenders paid their fines, she added, but if they failed to pay, the Met will consider taking them to court.

The publication of Miss Gray's report had been seen as a possible trigger for mutinous Tory MPs to try to force a leadership challenge.

Several have said privately that they plan to submit letters of no confidence in Mr Johnson unless he is cleared by the report.

The delay potentially buys more time for the PM and his allies to rebuild support within the parliamentary party.

But it also scuppers plans for a government 'reset' designed to reassure the country that the PM is back on track following a string of revelations that have brought his poll ratings to a record low.

Downing Street denied Labour claims that the Government is 'paralysed' by the affair.

But ministers say the massive distraction caused by Miss Gray's inquiry had made it difficult to get decisions out of No 10. Key meetings, including a crunch summit between the PM and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, have also been delayed.

The Met yesterday moved to clarify its position after the Mail revealed that Whitehall officials blamed the announcement of the police probe for delays to Miss Gray's report.

Scotland Yard said: 'For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.

'The Met did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation.'

Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope accused the Met of 'usurping its position by seeking to interfere in the affairs of state'.

In the Commons, he said: 'There is no reason for the Metropolitan Police to be able to require Sue Gray not to issue her report in an unamended way for the benefit of the Prime Minister who ordered that report, and for this House, which is eager to see that report.'

He added: 'There is no reason for the Metropolitan Police to be able to require Sue Gray not to issue her report in an unamended way for the benefit of the Prime Minister who ordered that report, and for this House, which is eager to see that report.

'It seems that the Metropolitan Police is usurping its position by seeking to interfere in the affairs of state without there being any criminal offences or any grounds for them carrying out such interference.'

Amid the Met Police probe, senior figures who attended the parties, including Boris Johnson (pictured), and those believed to have organised parties despite knowing they would contravene Covid rules, may well face police interviews

Downing Street said it was not the case that No 10 had asked Ms Gray's team to go back to the Metropolitan Police to ensure her report did not interfere with police investigations.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: 'No, you'll be aware that the terms of reference clearly set out that the Cabinet Office would keep in contact with the police and again it's an independent investigation. we haven't been privy to the details of that investigation or any of its content.

Lawyers puzzled by Met's push to water down Sue Gray report Lawyers have questioned how publishing the findings of Sue Gray's inquiry could prejudice the police investigation into allegations of lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. Scotland Yard has asked for the Whitehall inquiry to only make 'minimal reference' to the events it is investigating as it seeks to avoid any prejudice to its probe. But it insisted it has not asked senior civil servant Ms Gray to delay her report or place any further restrictions on other events. The Metropolitan Police's statement indicates that Ms Gray will either have to make significant changes to her report before publication or delay it until after the force's inquiry concludes. But some legal figures have questioned why publishing the report would prejudice the police investigation. Nazir Afzal, a former chief Crown prosecutor for the North West, said on Twitter: 'This is absolute nonsense from the Met Police. A purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation. 'They just have to follow the evidence, of which the report will be a part.' Human rights barrister Adam Wagner, who has spent the pandemic interpreting complex coronavirus laws and explaining them to the public on social media, said on Twitter: 'I am not a criminal lawyer so perhaps I am missing something. How would a factual civil service report about events the police is investigating 'prejudice' their investigation?' The anonymous lawyer and author known as The Secret Barrister then added: 'I am a criminal lawyer, and I too must be missing something, because there is no reason I can see as to why an independent police criminal investigation would in any way be influenced by, or would seek to influence, a civil service report.' But Nick Aldworth, a former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent and counter-terrorism national co-ordinator, said the report could prejudice the police investigation 'by disclosing the evidence that they will gather and thereby giving the potential defendants an opportunity to conceal or alter evidence'. Publication of official reports and other inquiries can often be delayed until a police investigation and any subsequent court case or inquest is concluded, typically to avoid the risk of prejudicing a jury if a criminal trial was to take place. But in this instance, if police investigate under the provisions of the coronavirus regulations then there would be little risk of prejudice as the penalty for breaching lockdown rules is a fixed-penalty notice and it is highly unlikely to result in a prosecution. Advertisement

'So that would be a matter for the investigations team and the Met.'

Asked if No 10 had any conversations with the Met about the Gray report and what could be published, the spokesman said: 'Not that I'm aware of, no.'

Pushed to clarify that there had been no No10 involvement in the Met's position, the spokesman said: 'I believe that's correct.'

Keir Starmer said the Government had been 'paralysed' by the Sue Gray investigation - but stopped short of criticising the Met.

The Labour leader told broadcasters he wanted to 'see Sue Gray's report in full and the investigation finished as quickly as possible, because we're in this situation where the whole of Government is paralysed because the police are looking at what the Prime Minister was getting up to in Downing Street'.

Sir Keir added: 'We've got a criminal investigation into the behaviour of the Prime Minister and what went on in Downing Street. There are bound to be process issues along the way, but this is caused by one thing, and that's the behaviour of the Prime Minister.'

Asked whether, with his legal background, he saw any issues of prejudice, Sir Keir said: 'Any issues of prejudice have got to be worked through but this whole mess, this whole of paralysing of politics, is being caused by the Prime Minister and his wrongdoing.'

Dame Cressida said on Tuesday that it would 'not normally be' a proportionate use of the force's resources to investigate historic allegations of Covid breaches. But, in an ominous comment, she said investigations were carried out for 'the most serious and flagrant type of breach' where there was evidence of wrongdoing and no 'reasonable defence'  and where failure to act would 'undermine the legitimacy of the law'.

Despite the Met's stance, a former chief superintendent Dal Babu said yesterday that there was no reason the report could not be published in full.

He told Sky News: 'It is not a judge-led inquiry, she doesn't have any specific powers to call people to give evidence. So her report will be no different to a human resources report.'

Mr Babu pointed out that the sanction for breaching lockdown rules is a fixed-penalty notice  something he described as an 'entry-level crime'.

Former chief whip Mark Harper, a vocal critic of the PM, said he had been moved by 'heartbreaking' testimonials from members of the public who were unable to see dying loved ones at a time when No10 staff are said to have held parties.

He said: 'The report must be published in full. Any attempt to conceal or suppress crucial details would be wrong.'

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would 'pursue every option to make sure that report is out in full'.

The rule-breakers are likely to face fines of up to 100, as people who flouted Covid restrictions during lockdowns in England were charged 100 for the first offence.

Individuals that police believe they can prove attended the gatherings at Downing Street will be contacted in the near future and issued with fixed penalty notices, according to The Telegraph.

They will be forced to pay unless they are able to successfully challenge the fine with a reasonable explanation or evidence as to why they should not be charged.

Under lockdown rules and the Health Protection Act, people who broke Covid restrictions could be awarded fines up to 3,200 for repeated offences, though it is unclear whether people who attended multiple gatherings will face higher fines.

Many of the individuals expected to receive a fixed penalty notice will not be interviewed by police and will not have their names disclosed to the public.

But senior figures who attended the parties, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and those believed to have organised parties despite knowing they would contravene Covid rules, may well face police interviews.

What details are contained in Sue Gray's report is for the senior civil servant and the police to 'work out between them', a Government minister has said.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has demanded the report be published 'in full and as soon as possible', adding: 'After what everybody in the country's been through in the last year or two with the pandemic, huge sacrifices have been made, the least that they're entitled to is the truth about what the Prime Minister was up to.'

On a visit to Wales yesterday, Mr Johnson said he was 'absolutely not' trying to influence the outcome. 'I am afraid we have got to let the independent inquiry go on,' he said, adding that the government was 'getting on with our work'.

Downing Street said: 'We are in no way seeking to block the report nor are we seeking to do as Mark Harper suggests. It remains our intention to publish the report as it is received from the investigation.'

Aides have raised concerns that Ms Gray was determined to punish politicians and special advisers, suggesting she is on a 'power trip'.

Mr Johnson is bracing to acknowledge 'serious mistakes' and voice regret for lax enforcement of lockdown rules in No10 if and when the conclusions finally appear. Senior Conservatives are demanding he stages a major clearout of Downing Street staff as the price of staying in power.

One ally told the Mail yesterday: 'He knows he has made serious mistakes, but he believes he is still the right man to lead this country.'

Now the Met threatens to take No10 staff to court: Police warn they will haul anyone breaking Covid rules at Downing Street before magistrates if they contest fines - as utter farce behind probe is exposed

Scotland Yard threatened this evening to take anyone breaching Covid rules at Downing Street to court if they contest their fines.

Head of the 'celebrity squad', Commander Catherine Roper, announced officers had received the full folder of material gathered during the Cabinet Office probe  and said officers would be writing to those who attended events asking them to explain themselves.

Anyone without a 'reasonable excuse' for flouting the rules faces the prospect of 'enforcement action', she warned.

Commander Roper said: 'If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice.

Scotland Yard threatened this evening to take anyone breaching Covid rules at Downing Street to court if they contest their fines. Pictured: Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick

'Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.'

But she added: 'Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met, where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates' court.'

The letters to partygoers could save Boris Johnson from the embarrassing prospect of being interviewed under caution. In an extraordinary late statement, the force hit back at criticism over its intervention in the publication of the Sue Gray report.

Earlier, the Met suggested the report be redacted to make 'minimal reference' to No10 events to 'avoid any prejudice to our investigation'. But the reference to 'prejudice'  implying it could go before a jury  was scorned by lawyers, and later dropped.

Commander Roper said: 'We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.

'We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team.'

When news first broke that Boris Johnson and his staff apparently held boozy parties at Downing Street while millions endured strict lockdown rules, Scotland Yard quickly dismissed calls to mount an investigation

This week was meant to finally draw a line under the scandal that has dogged the PM for months. Here, the Mail exposes the recent shambolic process of the inquiry:

Dame Cressida's bombshell

Commissioner Cressida Dick announced to stunned London Assembly members on Tuesday that officers were mounting a full-scale criminal inquiry, effectively lobbying a hand grenade into the process. It was a complete reversal of what the Met had said up until then.

When news first broke that Boris Johnson and his staff apparently held boozy parties at Downing Street while millions endured strict lockdown rules, Scotland Yard quickly dismissed calls to mount an investigation.

The force insisted detectives would wait for the conclusion of Miss Gray's inquiry and only act if there was evidence of criminality.

In an extraordinary late statement, the force hit back at criticism over its intervention in the publication of the Sue Gray (pictured) report

Her explanation

Justifying the spectacular volte face, Britain's most senior police officer revealed her officers had already carried out an assessment on a dossier of evidence handed over by Miss Gray on Sunday.

Dame Cressida announced the threshold for a criminal investigation had been met. She said: 'The guidelines suggested we should potentially investigate further.'

How chaos unfolded

The last-minute intervention by Scotland Yard threw Miss Gray's inquiry into disarray. It appeared at first that her report would still be published after Scotland Yard briefed on Tuesday that it was not seeking to cover up her findings.

But then yesterday, to widespread scorn, the force announced it had instructed the Cabinet Office team to limit publication of any potentially criminal events and behaviour, casting uncertainty on when the report will surface and how extensive it will be.

Fiasco over 'prejudice'

Scotland Yard at first argued that redactions  with only 'minimal reference' to No10 events  were necessary to 'avoid any prejudice to our investigation'.

But the reference to 'prejudice', implying the matter could go before a jury, astonished lawyers who pointed out this is a non-indictable offence punishable only by a fixed penalty notice.

The Yard later dropped the reference to prejudice, with the aim instead being to avoid forewarning suspects. Nazir Afzal, a former chief crown prosecutor for the North West, said: 'This is absolute nonsense from the Met. A purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation.'

The legal quagmire

Any statements provided to the Cabinet Office probe and interviews undertaken of those who attended or organised events cannot be used as definitive proof in a criminal investigation.

Former Met chief superintendent Dal Babu pointed out that the civil inquiry is 'no different' to a human resources report and has no legal standing.

Another ex-chief superintendent Dai Davies suggested staff who have been interviewed could retract their testimony.

He added: 'Now it's a legal quagmire. Anyone who has spoken to her inquiry could retract their evidence, arguing they did not know it could be used against them in a criminal inquiry.'

Dilemma facing Gray

Sue Gray could publish a watered down version of her inquiry that complies with the Met's demands, but is shorn of key conclusions promised at the outset.

It could open up the respected civil servant to allegations of participating in a whitewash if she cannot go into all the details that she has unearthed.

Alternatively, the Whitehall inquisitor could hold off on publishing anything until after the Met returns its verdict on the saga.

But this could see the wait turn from days to months  with potentially disastrous consequences for trust in both the Prime Minster and policing.

What happens now?

The seismic Cabinet Office report also has the potential to topple the Prime Minister, with some Tory MPs holding off calling for a vote of no confidence in him until after its release.

The delay risks leaving Boris Johnson's Government in paralysis for months.

He will be unable to make the changes he wants to his top team, and leaves many people inside the building worrying about the police investigation and their own futures.

The fiasco could not come at a worse time as it threatens to impact more widely on Britain's international standing, as Russia inches ever closer to invading Ukraine.
United States President Joe Biden has announced that American citizens can start getting their free coronavirus test kits as the kits begin to arrive at doorsteps across the nation and here's how to get yours if you're from New York, Illinois, or other states.

Furthermore, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released an update on Friday as the government continues to send the test kits to the American people. Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy released a statement saying that the agency was proud to fulfill its mission of providing service to the nation.

Free COVID Test Kits

The USPS said that it aimed to deliver COVID test kits to the American public as part of the important public health initiative of the Biden administration. Residents from various states, including New York and Illinois, can apply for free COVID test kits from the COVIDtests.gov website.

Some people have already shared on social media platforms on Tuesday that they have received their tests in the mail. On the other hand, others received emailed delivery updates that notified them that their orders were expected to arrive later this week, NBC Chicago reported.

The Biden administration announced on Jan. 14 that American citizens will be able to order the free coronavirus test kits starting on Jan. 19. The announcement noted that each household can order a total of four kits using the website. Additionally, the federal government has set up a phone number so people who have no access to the internet can still order the kits.

Read Also: Joe Biden's Dilemma on COVID-19 Puts More Pressure as Lack of Medicare Coverage for At-Home Tests Sparks Outcry

The White House previously said tests will usually be shipped within seven to 12 days after a person has ordered them. This means that many Americans will not receive them at least until the end of January.

Americans who are ordering the free COVID test kits will be required to input their name and mailing address on the COVIDtests.gov website. They will also be prompted to share an email address that they will receive updates on regarding their order, officials said, NPR reported.

Distribution to the Public

Biden's announcement on Twitter comes after the Democrat signed contracts with a COVID-19 test manufacturer as part of his efforts to distribute half a billion free rapid tests throughout the country. The Department of Defense paid $51 million for a contract to Goldbelt Security, LLC, for the delivery of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits.

Under the contract, the federal government would purchase existing test kits that the company has in stock. Furthermore, the Biden administration plans to sign other contracts for the manufacture of more test kits to distribute to the American people.

The U.S. Department of Defense in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced earlier this month that the Biden administration made a deal with Revival Health to have 13.3 million over-the-country COVID-19 test kits.

The agencies said in a news release that the Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) was leading the efforts. The plan was made in coordination with the Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell (DA2), Army Contracting Command, and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), CNN reported.



Related Article: Growing Calls To Remove Mask Mandate in Schools Amid US Gov't Free N95 Distribution

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Tech tycoon Mike Lynch has lost the UKs biggest civil fraud claim in a battle with US giant Hewlett Packard over his former company Autonomy.

The 3.7 billion defeat makes it more likely the scandal- hit entrepreneur will now be extradited to the US  where he faces more than a dozen charges.

A High Court judge yesterday ruled that Dr Lynch masterminded an elaborate scheme to cook Autonomys books before it was sold to HP in 2011 for 8.3 billion. HP was forced to write down the value of the company by 6.8 billion a few months later.

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch has lost the UKs biggest civil fraud claim in a battle with US giant Hewlett Packard over his former company Autonomy

The judgment was delivered hours before Priti Patel was due to decide whether to extradite Dr Lynch. The Home Secretary had until midnight to make a decision.

Dr Lynch, 56, could spend up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty in the US. He denies all the charges against him and claims HP failed to do proper research when it bought Autonomy.

Dr Lynchs team has called for the extradition to be blocked on grounds that the claims against him mostly concern actions in the UK and must be dealt with by the British justice system.

His team has also argued he could suffer inhumane conditions that would take a severe toll on his health if he was transferred.

But lawyers for the US government say he aimed dishonest activities at the US on a monumental scale and should not be immune from the American justice system.

If Miss Patel agrees to extradite Dr Lynch, he would have 14 days to appeal  which could lead to another lengthy court process.

It is a dramatic fall from grace for the UKs most successful tech entrepreneur, who was previously dubbed Britains answer to Bill Gates.

HP, now Hewlett Packard Enterprise, sued Dr Lynch and Autonomys former finance boss Sushovan Hussain for 3.7 billion.

Hussain was convicted in the US in 2019 and jailed for five years. He has subsequently lost an appeal against that conviction.

Yesterdays ruling is the latest stage in a ten-year legal wrangle over who was to blame for the disastrous takeover, which cost HPs shareholders billions of pounds. Kelwin Nicholls, of law firm Clifford Chance, representing Dr Lynch, said he was already planning to appeal against the civil ruling. Mr Nicholls said: Todays outcome is disappointing and Dr Lynch intends to appeal.

We will study the full judgment over the coming weeks. We note the judges concerns over the reliability of some of HPs witnesses.

The judge said HP had substantially succeeded in its various claims against the two men  but added that the company was likely to receive substantially less than the 3.7 billion it claimed in damages.

Justice Robert Hildyard said Dr Lynch was aware that Autonomy was engaged in dishonest practices and its accounts were false.

The judgment was delivered hours before Priti Patel was due to decide whether to extradite Dr Lynch

The married father of two turned ground-breaking research made during his PhD at Cambridge University into the foundation of Autonomy, which became a FTSE 100-listed company.

The civil judgment was not expected to be released yesterday. Its outcome is a particularly hard blow for Dr Lynch as he had been hoping it would exonerate him and increase his chances of Miss Patel ruling in his favour.

The Home Secretary was supposed to decide on Dr Lynchs fate last year but requested an extension until March specifically so she could consider the outcome of the case.

She was refused the extension, but Dr Lynch launched his own appeal.

A judge ruled against the extension earlier this week  but yesterdays surprise announcement meant Miss Patel could take it into account.
How on earth has it come to this? The heart of government paralysed for weeks, if not months, as police crawl over Downing Street hunting for evidence of illicit cheese and wine parties.

The rest of the world was already looking on in bemused wonder at our baffling lack of perspective.

Yesterday the situation was made infinitely worse.

Police investigating 'Partygate' effectively blocked full publication of mandarin Sue Gray's Cabinet Office inquiry into the affair until they have finished their deliberations.

So instead of being able to draw a line and move on, British politics is to be kept in suspended animation indefinitely.

How on earth has it come to this? The heart of government paralysed for weeks, if not months, as police crawl over Downing Street hunting for evidence of illicit cheese and wine parties

Yesterday the situation was made infinitely worse. Police investigating 'Partygate' effectively blocked full publication of mandarin Sue Gray's Cabinet Office inquiry into the affair until they have finished their deliberations

This sorry saga that could and should have been dealt with by the Gray inquiry has morphed into a grotesque perversion of natural justice and common sense.

Meanwhile, small matters like the imminent threat of war in Europe and cost of living crisis are thrust on to the back burner, as No 10 staff consult lawyers, prepare statements and look for new jobs in order to escape the madhouse.

What a complete shambles!

By pre-emptively referring her inquiry findings to the Metropolitan Police, Sue Gray has passed the buck.

She could easily have published her report in full and left the police to decide for themselves if laws had been broken. Sadly, she seems to have been unwilling to take that responsibility.

Now Met Commissioner Cressida Dick is on the case, who knows where it will end up. If experience is anything to go by, down a blind alley at an eye-watering cost in time and resources.

Why she wasn't sacked years ago for her own many failings is one of the great mysteries of our time.

Her reputation for competence is roughly on a par with the hapless Frank Spencer, of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em fame.

Yet here she is, passing judgment on the Prime Minister and his staff over matters that may be politically incendiary but in strict legal terms are trivial.

Now Met Commissioner Cressida Dick is on the case, who knows where it will end up. If experience is anything to go by, down a blind alley at an eye-watering cost in time and resources

With risible pomposity Commissioner Dick says her officers will go 'where the evidence takes them', as if they were investigating some major criminal conspiracy.

Yet the Yard has confirmed that it is not looking at anything more than basic Covid breaches, which usually carry a fixed 100 penalty.

They are misdemeanours at the very bottom of the scale; non-recordable summary offences akin to parking violations. So why are the police shelling out an estimated 1 million they can ill afford to investigate them?

The inquiry is already showing inconsistencies. At first, Dick said there was no need to delay publication of the Gray report on her account.

By yesterday, she had changed tack. Sue Gray is now being warned not to publish the report in full.

In essence, she has been given permission to release inconsequential material, but to make only 'minimal reference' to any of the matters under investigation.

What would be the earthly point of that? The country needs to see the whole report in its proper context, not some half-baked, redacted version. What's more we need it now.

Placing it under a sub-judice blanket is a ludicrous over-reaction. But it's depressingly predictable.

Remember the VIP paedophile travesty and the millions Commissioner Dick poured down the drain in failed prosecutions of journalists? Here we go again.

After all, what are we talking about here? Dozens of mainly young, hard-working civil servants and advisers sharing food and drink in a work setting. Some scandal.

Far more reprehensible was the behaviour of Dominic Cummings, the biggest lockdown hypocrite of them all. His journey from London to Durham and then Barnard Castle was not only in flagrant breach of the then restrictions, but he shamelessly lied about his reasons for being there

Yes, they appear to have overstepped the mark and should have been better supervised. People were hurt and offended, but this is not some malign conspiracy.

Dripping with fake emotion, Sir Keir Starmer (no stranger to glaring lockdown breaches himself) loves to claim that Downing Street staff were whooping it up, while ordinary folk couldn't visit dying relatives in care homes, attend funerals and so on. It is a bogus comparison and he knows it. There is simply no equivalence.

Hundreds of people work in Downing Street, and were straining every sinew for up to 16 hours a day during lockdown to help combat the worst global pandemic in living memory.

Many of them would also have been unable to see close relatives for months on end and almost certainly will have suffered family tragedy themselves, including bereavements.

Does Sir Keir think they were crashing into locked-down care homes with party hats and streamers? Or inviting 100 people to bring their own bottle to a funeral reception? Of course not.

There isn't the slightest evidence these public servants weren't observing Covid rules outside Downing Street.

And even inside, the Mail has no doubt they thought their gatherings were permissible within a work 'bubble'.

Far more reprehensible was the behaviour of Dominic Cummings, the biggest lockdown hypocrite of them all.

His journey from London to Durham and then Barnard Castle was not only in flagrant breach of the then restrictions, but he shamelessly lied about his reasons for being there.

Dripping with fake emotion, Sir Keir Starmer (no stranger to glaring lockdown breaches himself) loves to claim that Downing Street staff were whooping it up, while ordinary folk couldn't visit dying relatives in care homes, attend funerals and so on. It is a bogus comparison and he knows it. There is simply no equivalence

Yet he is now slinging mud at his former colleagues and desperately trying to destroy his former boss. He's like a Mafioso pursuing a blood vendetta.

So let's look at where the police might take this inquiry. Anything staff told Sue Gray, while available to detectives, carries little legal force as it was said during an internal inquiry, not a criminal one.

They could interview dozens of staff members under caution about every alleged party and possibly even ask for laptop and mobile phone data.

But for such minor offences that would be a grotesque waste of time and money  as well as a blatant abuse of power.

While Partygate has profound political implications, the worst punishment anyone deemed to have breached the rules will get is a fixed penalty notice. Where is the sense of proportion?

And before throwing stones at Downing Street, Commissioner Dick might first look inside her own rickety glass house.

The cruel hounding of elderly public servants on trumped up paedophile charges, the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by one of her officers, the sharing of pictures of murder victims on sick WhatsApp groups all suggest she should be paying attention to the troubling culture closer to home.

Then there is the terrifyingly low clear-up rate for serious crime in the Met area, a blade epidemic, a sinister underbelly of terrorism and much else. Instead of political posturing, she should get back to some grass-roots policing.

The biggest question, of course, is where all this leaves Boris Johnson. There has been speculation that Sue Gray has found fresh evidence that he may have knowingly broken the rules, which is why she called in the Yard.

If that's true, he's in trouble. But is it? Who knows?

Almost any other finding would be of little importance. Modest fines for a few obscure civil servants is hardly likely to create a political earthquake.

But we won't now know the truth for months, leaving the Government under a cloud when it should be devoting all its energies to our post-Covid recovery.

It's almost exactly 50 years since the great reforming Commissioner and Normandy veteran Sir Robert Mark took over at the Yard, cleaned out the dead wood, ended the institutionalised corruption and laid the foundations of modern policing.

He must be spinning in his grave like a centrifuge at the way his legacy is being mocked.

If she wants to retrieve any shred of credibility, Commissioner Dick should sanction the full publication of the Gray report immediately. The country needs to see all the facts, achieve closure  and move on. Not in three months' time, or even three weeks. Now!
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Friday said he was 'grieving and praying' for the two NYPD officers murdered last week and would take a tough line on cop killers - despite being condemned by name in the widow's eulogy.

Jason Rivera, 22, was shot and killed on January 21 alongside his partner Wilbert Mora, 27.

On Friday, Rivera's widow, Dominique, told a packed St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan that Bragg had failed them all.

Bragg - absent from Friday's service - tweeted that he will 'vigorously prosecute cases of violence against police.'

He tweeted: 'I am grieving and praying for Detective Rivera and Officer Mora today and every day, and my thoughts are with their families and the NYPD.

'Violence against police officers will never be tolerated, and my office will vigorously prosecute cases of violence against the police.'

Earlier, Rivera told the congregation: 'This system continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service.

'I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he's watching you speak through me right now.

'I'm sure all of our blue family is tired, too. But I promise, we promise, that your death won't be in vain.'

Alvin Bragg, the new Manhattan district attorney, was singled out by Jason Rivera's widow as being soft on crime. Bragg in a tweet later defended his policies

Dominique Rivera spoke about her last interaction with Jason just hours before his death. She said they had an argument and she called an Uber instead of letting him drive her. He told her: 'it might be the last ride I give you'

Jason Rivera, 22, was shot and killed last week in Harlem

After the service, Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, met Bragg in her office and told him that 'safety and justice must go hand-in-hand,' her team said.

'My highest priority is protecting the safety of New Yorkers,' Hochul said in a prepared statement afterward.

'I reiterated my belief that safety and justice must go hand-in-hand.'

Hochul also said she would 'continue to work with all of our District Attorneys, Mayor Adams, the NYPD and every New Yorker who is working to restore our sense of security and enforce our laws.'

Bragg, on taking office, said offenses like marijuana misdemeanors, prostitution, resisting arrest and fare dodging will no longer be prosecuted.

Bragg instructed prosecutors to stop seeking prison sentences for crimes except for homicides, assaults resulting in serious injury, domestic violence felonies, sex offenses, public corruption, and 'major economic crimes'.

The directive comes despite New York City seeing a surge in violent crime.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has unveiled a sweeping new policy to only seek prison sentences for a handful of offenses, and downgrade or dismiss charges for many crimes

New York City is currently experiencing soaring crime rates and an increase in shooting incidents not seen since the mid-2000s

New Yorks new DA unveils revised charges for crimes including armed robbery and drug dealing Among other woke proposals from Bragg's memo, the DA recommended: Robbers wielding guns or other deadly weapons to steal from stores and businesses will be prosecuted only for petty larceny - a misdemeanor - provided no victims were injured and there is no 'genuine risk of physical harm.' Armed robbery is a class B felony, usually punishable by up to 25 years in jail. Convicts who are caught with weapons other than guns will have their charges downgraded to misdemeanors, as long as they are not also charged with more serious offenses. The felony would normally see crooks jailed for seven years. Burglars who loot residential storage areas, parts of homes that are not 'accessible to a living area' and businesses located in mixed-use buildings, will be prosecuted for a minor class D felony, where they would normally face class B and class C charges punishable by up to 25 and 15 years in prison respectively. Drug dealers suspected of 'acting as a low-level agent of a seller' will only be charged with misdemeanor possession. Advertisement

Aside from the same list of offenses, Bragg's prosecutors have also been told not to seek bail requirements for suspects awaiting trial.

The memo also outlines a number of circumstances in which charges should be downgraded, including certain cases of armed robbery and drug dealing.

Bragg also vowed to stop prosecuting many low-level offenses including subway turnstile jumping, prostitution, and trespassing. He will continue his predecessor Cyrus Vance Jr's policy of declining to prosecute marijuana possession.

Bragg regularly gives speeches about his childhood, recalling that cops and civilians pointed guns at him a half dozen times, and says it's his hardships growing up in Harlem that make him the right man for the moment.

But critics familiar with his upbringing have told DailyMail.com that he actually enjoyed quite a cushy existence, and should stop distorting his past to justify reforms that would keep all but the most serious felons out of jail.

Bragg, the first black Manhattan DA, grew up in Harlem but on one of the safest blocks around, an upper middle-class enclave of brownstones known as Strivers Row, and since age 4 commuted to the elite Trinity School on Manhattan's Upper West Side - details he conveniently leaves out when he makes his case.

'He's made his biography his moral compass, making it seem like there's something magic about his life story that gives him the wisdom to establish policies that affect over one million people,' one insider told DailyMall.com.

'I'm not saying he hasn't experienced racism, but there's lots of privilege he leaves out of his story.'

Bragg painted a far different picture of himself back in 1995, when he was a student at Harvard University and was featured in a college newspaper profile headlined 'The Anointed One' that mentioned nothing about the violence he now says he experienced.

In fact, Bragg, who served as president of the Black Students Association, acknowledged his privilege in that article, telling the school paper that others in Harlem 'wouldn't have the same kind of potential, walking to P.S. whatever and trying to learn from a teacher who might not be as concerned.'

In the article, Bragg stated that he was well protected by his block and his parents, who sent him away from the city ever summer to stay with relatives in Virginia.

An NYPD detective, who's worked the streets of Harlem, said Bragg these days is 'trying to score cool points in the hood, but he's not Tupac Shakur. More like Baby Face.'

'He keeps throwing up Harlem, Harlem, Harlem,' the detective said, 'but he went to the best schools with a silver spoon in his mouth. When you're privileged like he is, you don't go through the troubles that the average kids go through in an urban neighborhood.'

Bragg sparked outrage when he announced his office will stop prosecuting many low-level crimes. He kicked off his introductory 10-page memo with his own hard-knocks story.

'Growing up in Harlem in the 1980s, I saw every side of the criminal justice system from a young age,' his first sentence reads. 'Before I was 21 years old, I had a gun pointed at me six times: three by police officers and three by people who were not police officers. I had a knife to my neck, a semi-automatic gun to my head and a homicide victim on my doorstep.'

Bragg also shared 'perhaps the most sobering experience of my life: seeing  through the eyes of my children  the aftermath of a shooting directly in front of our home, as we walked together past yellow crime scene tape, seemingly countless shell casings, and a gun, just to get home.'

Bragg is from the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, and grew up on Striver's Row

He was raised in this brownstone worth $2,100,000 in an upper middle-class enclave

An early photo of the Bragg family. Alvin Sr, Sadie, Alvin Jr and his brother. His mother was a dedicated public school teacher and his father ran homeless shelters

Bragg, 48, a former federal prosecutor, wrote that in large part because of those experiences, he's dedicated his career to achieving 'safety and fairness.' He then proceeded to outline new charging, bail, plea and sentencing guidelines he claimed will meet those goals, while dismissing public safety advocates who argue his more lenient policies will cause a spike in crime.

Bragg made his past a central part of his campaign, helping him beat out seven Democrats primary opponents before defeating Republican Thomas Kenniff in November. He succeeded Cyrus Vance, who did not seek reelection.

Bragg convinced a liberal electorate that he was the right man for the moment because of his urban roots.

'There wasn't such a big difference between the candidates on policies, but he was the only Black man running and he distinguished himself by talking about his biography, a lot,' the insider told DailyMail.com.

But in a campaign that received little press coverage, Bragg curated his own image with little resistance.

He barely mentioned the fact he didn't have to attend public school or hang out in the projects. Waking up on Strivers Row, he commuted out of Harlem to the now $57,000-a-year Trinity School on West 91st Street, where children have less a chance gaining admission than getting into Harvard. He currently sends his two children to the private school, where legacy students have a decidedly upper hand.

The school boasts of the success of its graduates, who include everyone from Eric Trump to John McEnroe.

His policies have been greeted with dismay by the NYPD.

Earlier on Friday, stunning scenes unfolded outside St Patrick's Cathedral on a snowy morning as a sea of police officers in their dress blues surged towards the iconic Manhattan church to honor their murdered brother.

Mourners filling the pews of the historic cathedral heard emotional eulogies from Rivera's family members, including his young wife, who revealed, while choking back tears, that on the day of her husband's killing, the couple had an argument and she refused to let him drive her - even after Rivera told her, prophetically, that this might be the last ride he gives her.

The widow, wearing a silver pendant in the shape of her husband's police shield, called her decision 'the biggest mistake of my life.'

She also used the solemn occasion to vent some of her anger at the city and state's leaders, many of whom were seated in the audience before her, accusing them of failing to protect her husband and his partner, Officer Wilbert Mora.

Rivera and Mora were fatally wounded by a career criminal who ambushed them in a hallway as they responded to a family dispute in Harlem.

Mora's funeral is being held next week, also at St. Patrick's.

Rivera, who had joined the NYPD less than a year ago, was posthumously promoted to detective first grade - the highest rank for a detective.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan presided over Rivera's service, held in Spanish and English in recognition of his Dominican heritage.

Many of the city's top leaders were attending, including Mayor Eric Adams, Senator Chuck Schumer and Governor Kathy Hochul.

Adams, himself a retired police captain, told those gathered that he saw an echo of himself in the slain officer who had joined a department he had seen as flawed in hopes of improving it.

'He did it for the right reasons  he wanted to make a difference,' said Adams.

He went on: 'there were days when I felt the public did not understand and appreciate the job we were [doing], and I want to tell you officers: They do. They do. These two fine men watered the tree of safety that allows us to sit under the shade from the hot sun of violence.'

Scroll down to read powerful eulogy by slain NYPD officer's widow

New York Police pall bearers carry the casket of Officer Jason Rivera out of St. Patrick's Cathedral after his funeral service in St Patrick's Cathedral. Rivera was shot dead in Harlem on Friday January 21 when he and fellow officer Wilbert Mora, who also died from his injuries, responded to a domestic violence call and were shot by man trying to escape

A sea of police officers in their finest dress blues stood in tribute outside Manhattan's iconic St Patrick's Cathedral to honor their murdered brother Jason Rivera. Rivera, who had joined the NYPD less than a year ago, was posthumously promoted to detective first grade - the highest rank for a detective.

Jason Rivera's widow Dominique holds the flag from his casket while watching the funeral procession leave St. Patrick's Cathedral. In her heartbreaking eulogy, the young widow delivered a powerful message condemning the new Manhattan DA's woke policies and a system that 'continues to fail us'

Slain cop Jason Rivera's mother clutches a crucifix and blows a kiss to his casket as it's removed from St Patrick's Cathedral

An overhead view of Police Officers saluting the hearse of carrying the casket of NYPD Officer Jason Rivera out of St. Patrick's Cathedral after his funeral service in New York

Hochul, a Democrat, said flags at state buildings would fly at half-staff from sunrise the day of Rivera's funeral until sunset the day of Mora's funeral on Wednesday.

The officers came from near and far to honor Rivera, who, at age 22, was recently married and barely into his second year of service on the force.

His wife Dominique, often struggling to speak, recounted her final conversation with her husband the day he died. She said with regret that the two had an argument about Jason's use of his work cellphone while off duty, and as a result she refused to let him drive her, and instead summoned an Uber - because she did not want to continue arguing.

'You said it might be the last ride I give you,' Dominique quoted Jason. 'I said no  and that was probably the biggest mistake I ever made.'

Hours later, she saw to her horror a Citizen app alert on her phone about two officers being shot in Harlem and then worriedly texting and calling her husband.

Her messages went unanswered, until she got a call summoning her to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

'I'm still in this nightmare that I wish I never had, full of rage and anger, hurt and sad, torn,' she said.

'WE'LL TAKE THE WATCH FROM HERE': FULL TEXT OF DOMINIQUE RIVERA'S POWERFUL EULOGY Dominique Rivera delivers a eulogy for her husband, New York City Police Department officer Jason Rivera, during the funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan I would say good morning to you all, but, in fact, that's the worst morning ever. I can't believe I'm standing in front of thousands of people in the cathedral we planned to visit later this year. All of this seems so unreal, like I'm having one of those nightmares that you never thought you'd have. Friday morning, we were together eating breakfast and drinking some Starbucks. Eating was probably our favorite hobby. Maybe that's why we gained those extra pounds. Friday morning began just like every other morning before work. You were always my 'big spoon,' watching Netflix, YouTube law enforcement shorts, read me your emails, and wait for your mom to come home. You packed your bookbag because we had to leave before 2. And really, before 2, sharp, because of your ICO [Integrity Control Officer] sergeant. You would drive me home and say goodbye with three kisses, all the time, and text me when you were 84. That was our routine. At around 1500, 1515, I received the BRB roll call text. And throughout our day, you told me about your jobs, till it was EOT (End of Tour]. This Friday was different. We had an argument. You know, it's hard being a cop wife sometimes. It's hard being patient when plans are canceled, or we would go days without seeing each other, or when you had to write a report that would take forever because you had to vouch on so many things, so you did OT [Overtime]. Or when you had a bad day at work because an EDP drove you nuts. But you always reminded me that it was going to be alright. We were going to get through it. This Friday, we were arguing because I didn't want you to use your job phone while we were together. You were so mad that you took the Lebron jersey down, gave me your chain, and put the lotions I gave you for your ashy hands in the bag, and said, 'Here, take them.' We left your apartment, and because I didn't want to continue to argue, I ordered an Uber. You asked me if 'you are sure that you don't me to take you home? It might be the last ride I give you.' I said 'no,' and it was probably the biggest mistake I ever made. Later that day, I received the call I wish none of you that are sitting here with me will ever receive. I had gotten a notification from the Citizen app, which was my Central, and I saw that police officers were shot in Harlem. My heart dropped. I immediately texted you and asked you: 'are you OK? Please tell me you're OK. I know that you're mad right now, but just text me you're OK, at least tell me you're busy.' I get no response. We used to share locations on Find My iPhone, and when I checked yours, I see you're at Harlem Hospital. I thought maybe you're sitting on a perp, but still, nothing. I called and then called again, and then called one more time, and this time I felt that something wasn't right. I messaged PO Cadavid and Joe because I knew they were your friends from the 32. And I get no response. Then I get a call asking if I'm Jason's wife, and then I had to rush to the hospital. Walking all those steps, seeing everybody staring at me, was the scariest moment I've experienced. Nobody was telling me everything. Dozens of people were surrounding me, yet I felt alone. I couldn't believe you left me. Seeing you in a hospital bed wrapped up in sheets, not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me. I asked why. I said to you: 'wake up, baby. I'm here.' The little bit of hope I had that you would come back to life just to say 'goodbye' or to say 'I love you' one more time had left. I was lost. I'm still lost. Today, I'm still in this nightmare that I wish I never had, full of rage and anger, hurt and sad, torn. Although I gained thousands of blue brothers and sisters, I'm the loneliest without you. I know you're looking at me and beside me, telling me I could do this, and I'm trying. Trust me, I am. But I didn't prepare for this. None of us did. Jason I and met in elementary school. Amistad. All the way up to eighth grade. We had the time of our lives. He was part of the cool kids' crew. There was never a dull moment with him around. He was the class clown, got me in trouble couple of times, had our teacher sit us away from each other because we couldn't focus. And we never thought that our innocent childhood love would lead us to marriage. Even when we said 'I do,' we couldn't believe we said it. October 9th was the happiest day of our lives. I know I drove you crazy saying 'I love you' so many times that you would stop replying 'I love you more.' But you made me feel alive. You make me feel alive. And Jason is so happy right now that all of you are here. Through pain and sorrow, this is exactly how he would have wanted to be remembered: like a true hero. Or like I used to call him: big PO Rivera. You have the whole nation on lock. And although you won't be here anymore, I want you to live through me. This system continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service. I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he's watching you speak through me right now. I'm sure all of our blue family is tired too. But I promise, we promise, that your death won't be in vain. I love you to the end of time. We'll take the watch from here. Advertisement

Dominique shared a photo of her late husband's new detective badge, which he received posthumously

An enormous crowd of police officers are gathered outside St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue at the conclusion of the funeral Mass for fallen Officer Jason Rivera on Friday

A sea of officers are standing shoulder to shoulder outside St Patrick's Cathedral on a snowy Friday morning in Manhattan to honor their slain brother

Fallen NYPD officer Jason Rivera's flag-draped casket is carried from St Patrick's Cathedral after his funeral

A procession of bagpipers march ahead of the hearse carrying NYPD rookie Jason Rivera as hundreds of NYPD officers in their dress blues salute in honor of their fallen brother

Bagpipers accompany the hearse down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue after the funeral service for NYPD officer Jason Rivera, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence call

The family of Officer Rivera, including his widow, seen clutching an American flag, and his mother, seen doubled over, stand outside St Patrick's Cathedral after the funeral, surrounded by a sea of blue

Dominique Rivera breaks down in tears while clutching the crucifix that rested on the shroud covering her husband Jason's casket during the service

Dominique Rivera is comforted by family members and is saluted by an officer at the end of the service at St Patrick's Cathedral

Jason Rivera's mother breaks down in sobs as she watched her son's casket being removed from the cathedral after the funeral service on Friday

Rivera's casket, draped in a green, white and blue NYPD flag, is carried out on the shoulders of police officers outside St Patrick's Cathedral

Police officers waited patiently outside during the two-and-a-half-hour funeral Mass to see Officer Rivera off on his final journey to his resting place

Inspector Amir Yakatally, the commanding officer of Rivera's and Mora's precinct, said that Rivera began a police career at a difficult time  amid the coronavirus pandemic and protests over policing and other issues  and was so excited to get to work that he double-parked in front of the stationhouse his first day and showed up early every workday after.

'Jason saw the need and had the desire to foster a positive relationship between police and his community,' he said. 'He was what we all want in a cop.'

Jeffrey Rivera recalled that as a youngster, his brother  'Tata' to his family  listened to police radio transmissions, watched police dramas on TV and became 'obsessed' with a law enforcement career.

'My brother's first love was policing. That was his first love,' Jeffrey said.

After the funeral, Rivera's casket, draped in a green, white and blue NYPD flag, was taken via funeral procession, including family, colleagues and a massive police motorcycle entourage, to Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York, where the officer will be cremated and laid to rest.

Over the years, more than 500 New York police officers have died in gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

'It's an emotional time,' said retired NYPD Officer Sean Flanagan, who played the bagpipes outside the cathedral. 'We honor our own, we take care of our own.'

On Thursday, ordinary citizens joined thousands of uniformed officers at the cathedral for Rivera's wake.

Patty Marsibilio, 61, traveled an hour by subway from the Bronx to pay her respects and pray for the safety of other New York City police officers.

This is something that was so terrible,' she said. 'He was 22 years old, married not even four months.'

An overhead view of a line of motorcycle police officers before the casket of NYPD Officer Jason Rivera leaves St. Patrick's Cathedral en route to a cemetery

Thousands of NYPD officers gathered in sub-zero temperatures to honor their fallen brother

Bagpipers in their full regalia march down Fifth Avenue behind Rivera's casket

Rivera's widow, Dominique Rivera, walks behind her newlywed husband's coffin as it is being carried out of the cathedral at the conclusion of the Mass

Dominique Rivera walks past her husband's casket after eulogizing him during his funeral mass at St. Patricks Cathedral

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, (center facing camera), hugs family members of Officer Rivera, with his widow Dominique standing to the side

New York City Police Officer Jason Rivera's brother Jeffrey touches his casket after eulogizing him

Members of the NYPD were out in full force to salute one of their own. Rivera and Wilbert Mora became the first officers to be killed in the line of duty by a gunman since 2017

Thousands of NYPD officers in their dress blues arrive at St Patrick's Cathedral to honor the 22-year-old rookie who was killed in the line of duty last week

Members of New York Police Department arrive to attend the funeral service, a week after Rivera and his partner, Wilbert Mora, were fatally shot in the line of duty

A pries hugs Dominique Rivera, the widow of Jason Rivera. In a touching tribute on Thursday, the 22-year-old woman called her husband of just three months her 'sweet angel'

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is seen comforting family members of the slain officer during his funeral Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral

Officer Rivera's open casket is seen at the foot of the altar at St Patrick's Cathedral

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, left, walks back to her seat during the funeral. She said flags at state buildings would fly at half-staff from sunrise the day of Rivera's funeral until sunset the day of Mora's funeral on Wednesday

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former police detective who was voted into office after promising to crack down on gun violence, addresses mourners during Rivera's funeral

A female officer breaks down in tears while standing in line during Rivera's funeral in Manhattan on Friday

Mourner Tracy Kelly cries as she arrives for Rivera's funeral service at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Taps is performed by a trio of NYPD officers outside St. Patrick's Cathedral in honor of Rivera

Heavily armed police officers in tactical gear stand guard outside the church during Rivera's funeral service on Fifth Avenue

Jeffrey Rivera said that his younger brother, known in the family as 'Tata' was 'obsessed' with his career in law enforcement, and that his first love was policing

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell delivers a eulogy at Rivera's funeral. She announced that he has been posthumously promoted to detective first grade

Rivera's partner, Wilbert Mora, 27, died of his injuries on Tuesday. His wake and funeral will take place at St Patrick's Cathedral next week

Throughout the week, friends and fellow police officers remembered Rivera and Mora as caring and dedicated. Both grew up in the city's ethnic enclaves and, by many accounts, had hoped to help the department build bridges with the community.

The gunman, 47-year-old career criminal Lashawn McNeil, who was shot by a third officer, died earlier in the week. Authorities are still investigating why he fired at the officers as they responded to a domestic violence call in Harlem.

Rivera had been an NYPD police officer for less than a year. He leaves behind his newlywed wife, Dominique.

The couple met in kindergarten at age 5 and began dating each other when they were 15 years old. They got married on October 9, 2021.

'That was her first love, her only love,' Carmen Suarez, a fellow NYPD widow, told PIX11.

Mora was in his fourth year on the job. His wake and funeral Mass were planned for next week, also at the iconic Roman Catholic cathedral.

An overhead view of members of the New York City Police Department arriving to St. Patrick's Cathedral for Rivera's funeral service on Friday

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) arrives for the funeral of Officer Rivera at St. Patrick's Cathedral, a day after he attended the hero cop's wake

Mayor Eric Adams (left) and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell (right) were on hand on Friday to pay their final respects to Rivera

New York State Attorney General Latisha James arrives for the funeral of Officer Jason Rivera at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Officer Rivera's emotional family members arrive at his funeral at St Patrick's Cathedral on Friday

A bagpipe player is seen arriving at the cathedral on Fifth Avenue for Rivera's funeral Mass

Mourners in dress blues and white gloves embrace ahead of the funeral service Friday

Lashawn McNeil, 47, who was shot by a third officer, died on Monday

Before Friday, the last NYPD officer killed in the line of duty was Anastasios Tsakos, who was struck by a suspected drunken driver in May 2021 while assisting officers at the scene of an earlier crash on a Queens highway.

The last NYPD officer fatally shot in the line of duty, Brian Mulkeen, was hit by friendly fire while struggling with an armed man after chasing and shooting at him in the Bronx in September 2019.

In 2015, Officer Randolph Holder was shot and killed by a man riding a stolen bicycle in Manhattan and Officer Brian Moore died after he was shot by a man in Queens.

The year before, Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were fatally shot by a man who ambushed them as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn.

President Joe Biden will visit New York City next week to discuss combating gun crime with Mayor Adams.

There have been 73 shooting incidents so far this year in the city - an increase of 23.7 per cent compared to last year. A total of 82 people have been shot as of January 23, up from 67 in the first three weeks of 2021.
A Kansas man has been charged with making threats against President Joe Biden after he was tracked down by Secret Service agents at a Cracker Barrel in Maryland prior to making a series of threatening phone calls and disturbing social media posts.

Construction contractor Scott Merryman told the agents who intercepted him on Wednesday that he was on a mission from God, whom he claimed told him 'to lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation,' according to a criminal complaint first obtained by the Daily Beast.

Merryman was driving from Independence, Kansas, en route to Washington, D.C., where he was allegedly headed to talk to Biden and claimed he had to deliver a message to him.

He also made a series of Facebook posts after he began interacting with Secret Service agents, deeming Biden the 'antichrist' and calling one of the Secret Service agents 'Lucifer.'

He also wrote, 'I believe Joe Biden is the AntiChrist now and will suffer a fatal head wound,' according to the complaint.

A Secret Service agent tracked him down at the Cracker Barrel on Wednesday after Merryman told local police he was headed to D.C. He was found with ammunition and a small telescope that he claimed he was using for 'recon,' according to the complaint.

In a conversation with one of the agents, he also stated 'I'm coming for his b**ch a** Sleepy Joe. I'm talking about President Biden and you can quote me,' and 'I'm coming with three bullets no gun.'

Merryman now faces charges of making threats against the President of the United States and of interstate communication containing a threat to harm.

Construction contractor Scott Merryman has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Biden after he claimed he was 'on a mission from God'

Merryman was intercepted by a Secret Service agent at a Cracker Barrel in Hagerstown, Maryland

Merryman claims he was on his way to DC to talk to Biden and said he was 'told by God to lop off the head of the serpent in DC'

According to the complaint, Merryman told Independence police officers he was on his way to D.C. to see Biden on Tuesday.

A day later, Agent Greg Tiano spoke on the phone with Merryman, who told him he was traveling to D.C. to 'lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation.'

Merryman denied that the serpent was the President but said he had information about the Book of Revelation that he was going to give to Biden, according to the complaint.

Tiano conducted two phone interviews with Merryman on Wednesday, with Merryman insisting on speaking to Biden or anyone else at the White House.

Merryman was later located by Agent Tim Hackler in the parking lot of the Hagerstown Cracker Barrel, after he had spoken on the phone to Tiano.

According to the complaint, Merryman told Hackler he 'had to deliver a message to President Biden, and advise him that people were fed up with the divisiveness in the country and to turn back to God (or go to hell).'

Merryman made a series of social posts on Facebook calling Biden the 'antichrist' and one of the Secret Service agents 'Lucifer'

Hackler then did a search of Merryman's backpack where he found a loaded magazine containing three rounds of .45 ammunition and a spotting scope, or a telescope, the complaint says.

Merryman then claimed that God told him to bring it and said that the rounds belonged to a Ruger 1911 despite not having a weapon on him at the time, according to the criminal complaint.

He then later spoke with Tiano again on the phone and told him he finished talking with Hackler. Merryman claimed the agent 'had sent for him and that they had given him the answer,' the complaint states.

After he was told not to bring the bullets to the White House, Merryman allegedly said, 'Well I have a bullet with your name on it' and 'I'm coming for you b**ch, I'm coming to cut the head off the serpent in the heart of America.'

Tiano asked Merryman if he was threatening an agent to which he responded, 'Yes I am'.

On Thursday, Merryman called the White House Switchboard and made threats against Biden where he stated he was 'coming to the White House, and was going to cut off the head of the snake/anti-Christ,' according to the criminal complaint.

The operator then contacted Special Agent James MacDonald claiming that Merryman made the threats against the President.

MacDonald then spoke with Merryman who made a series of disturbing threats such as 'I'm coming for his b**ch a** Sleepy Joe' and I'm coming with three bullets no guns.'
French president Emmanuel Macron has backed down on threats to sue Britain over post-Brexit fishing licences.

The Elysee Palace insisted before Christmas it would take the Government to court over the long-running row.

But the Daily Mail understands the European Commission told France to step back from potentially dragging the EU into a trade war. Germany's government, under chancellor Olaf Scholz, is uneasy about the prospect of a cross-Channel dispute between Britain and the 27-member bloc.

'We hope the quarrel can be settled without further disruption,' said a senior EU source. A diplomat said the spat 'remains a Franco-British issue'.

The Elysee Palace insisted before Christmas it would take the Government to court over the long-running row but Macron has backed down

The post-Brexit rules mean French skippers no longer have unfettered access to UK waters and must apply for permission.

Ministers considered Brexit at a closed-door meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. Sources present said the possibility of legal action over fishing 'was not part of the discussion'.

In post-Brexit arbitration, victory for France would have seen heavy tariffs on British fish exports to the EU. It could also have meant UK trawlers banned from fishing in bloc waters.

The outcome is another climbdown for France, which has repeatedly missed deadlines for action against Britain.
A pregnant insurance broker was sacked after she was caught looking for prams online during work hours and snooping on colleagues' emails.

Paige Mowatt spent more than ten-and-a-half hours viewing non work-related material over just 15 days, an employment tribunal heard.

As well as researching baby-related products, she also carried out a 'sustained and calculated' search of her colleagues' private messages.

Miss Mowatt worked at One Call Insurance in Doncaster.

Pregnant insurance broker Paige Mowatt was sacked by One Call Insurance after she was caught looking for prams online during work hours and snooping on colleagues' emails, a tribunal heard

The tribunal said: 'It was found that Miss Mowatt had accessed websites relating to the sale of prams and other children's items during working hours.

'During 15 working days, it was noted that Miss Mowatt had spent 10 hours and 36 minutes viewing non-work-related matters.

'Miss Mowatt admitted to looking at websites for her personal purposes and using her WhatsApp account for personal messages during working hours.

'She was not sure of the time she looked at the various websites, but stated that they could have been during her breaks.'

Ms Mowatt spent more than ten-and-a-half hours viewing non work-related material over just 15 days. As well as researching baby-related products, she also carried out a 'sustained and calculated' search of her colleagues' private messages

Ms Mowatt was fired but later sued her employer for victimisation and unfair dismissal after viewing emails between managers in which one called her a 'f***ing muppet'.

A disciplinary investigation was launched, during which she admitted to checking the emails of colleagues, including managers, and adding inboxes to her own Outlook account.

The tribunal said: 'Miss Mowatt explained that she had started this from just before she stepped down as manager as she felt she was being left out of things such as emails and WhatsApp groups.'

The tribunal heard many of the emails she viewed had nothing to do with her and included return to work after sickness documents from other members of staff.

The panel found: 'She had not searched for herself in the emails by name but was conducting a general browsing where she did not appear to be looking for anything specific.

A disciplinary investigation was launched by One Call Insurance in Doncaster (pictured), during which she admitted to checking the emails of colleagues, including managers, and adding inboxes to her own Outlook account

'The emails were viewed at multiple points throughout the working day.'

She was fired but later sued her employer for victimisation and unfair dismissal after viewing emails between managers in which one called her a 'f***ing muppet'.

But the tribunal threw out her claims.

Employment Judge Neil Maidment said: 'Miss Mowatt's viewing of colleagues' emails was calculated, sustained and extremely wide ranging involving her not simply in searching for references to herself but viewing correspondence which had nothing whatsoever to do with her and which in some cases was of a private nature.

'One Call Insurance did not act outside the band of reasonable responses in considering that there was such a loss of faith and trust in Miss Mowatt that it could no longer sustain her employment.'
The health commissioner under disgraced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed Thursday that thousands more nursing home residents died of COVID-19 than the state's official tallies had previously acknowledged, dealing another blow to his image as a pandemic hero.

The surprise development, after the state for months refused to divulge its true numbers, showed that at least 12,743 long-term care residents have died of the virus as of January 19 this year - far greater than the previous official tally of 8,505 as of that day. The 49 percent jump in deaths from what was originally reported marks New York's toll as one of the highest in the nation.

Those numbers are consistent with a report released just hours earlier by state Attorney General Letitia James charging that the nursing home death count could be off by 49 percent, largely because New York is one of the only states to count just those who died on facility grounds, not those who later died in the hospital.

The report also announced that James was putting 20 state nursing homes under extra scrutiny as the investigation continues.

'While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves,' James said in a statement.

The 76-page report from a fellow Democratic official undercut Cuomo's frequent argument that the criticism of his handling of the virus in nursing homes was part of a political 'blame game,' and it was a vindication for thousands of families who believed their loved ones were being omitted from counts to advance the governor's image.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo undercounted nursing home deaths during the pandemic

The report was put together by New York Attorney General Letitia James, long seen as an antagonist to Cuomo

'It's important to me that my mom was counted,' said Vivian Zayas, whose 78-year-old mother died in April after contracting COVID-19 at a nursing home in West Islip, New York.

'Families like mine knew these numbers were not correct.'

Gov. Kathy Hochul's office referred all questions to the state health department. Cuomo was replaced by then-lieutenant governor Hochul after a sex harassment scandal in August 2021.

Several hours after the report on Thursday, State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker released a lengthy statement attempting to refute James' report but which essentially confirmed its central finding.

Zucker's figure of 12,743 nursing home resident deaths included for the first time 3,829 confirmed COVID-19 fatalities of those residents who had been transported to hospitals.

Those figures could be even higher, but the health department said its audit was ongoing, didn't break out deaths presumed but not confirmed to be caused by the virus, and omitted those in assisted living or other types of long-term care facilities.

Zucker, however, still took issue with James' characterization of his department's official tally as an 'undercount.' He said 'DOH was always clear that the data on its website pertains to in-facility fatalities.'

'The word ''undercount'' implies there are more fatalities than have been reported; this is factually wrong. In fact, the OAG report itself repudiates the suggestion that there was any 'undercount' of the total death number,' he said.

New York Republicans have called for Zucker to resign in the past.

Dr. Howard A. Zucker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health

Cuomo was replaced by his lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, after a sex harassment scandal in August 2021

James has for months been examining discrepancies between the number of deaths being reported by the state's Department of Health, and the number of deaths reported by the homes themselves.

Her investigators looked at a sample of 62 of the state's roughly 600 nursing homes. They reported 1,914 deaths of residents from COVID-19, while the state Department of Health logged only 1,229 deaths at those same facilities.

Thursday's release backed up the findings of an Associated Press investigation last year that concluded that the state could be understating deaths by as much as 65%.

State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Democrat who has blasted the Cuomo administration for its incomplete death count, said he was 'sadly unsurprised' by the report.

'Families who lost loved ones deserve honest answers,' Rivera said. 'For their sake, I hope that this report will help us unveil the truth and put policies in place to prevent such tragedies in the future.'

Disgraced alleged sex harasser, abuser and former New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has been ordered to pay back all money, totaling about $5 million, that he made from the writing and sale of 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.'

Cuomo, who last fall released a book touting his leadership in dealing with the virus, has not been shy about using New York's lower nursing home death count to make the argument that his state is doing better than others in caring for those in such facilities.

The ex-governor has been ordered to pay back all money, totaling about $5 million, that he made from the writing and sale of 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.'

Cuomo's book extolled his supposed leadership in the early days of the pandemic, as the chief executive of the Empire State.

The wildly profitable New York Times bestseller stuck in the caw of many as Cuomo is also accused of rampant sexual harassment and worse as governor, as well as, supposedly covering up the full scope of pandemic-related nursing home deaths on his watch.

'There's also no doubt that we're in this hyper-political environment so everybody wants to point fingers,' Cuomo told CBS 'This Morning' in October. 'New York, actually, we're number 46 out of 50 in terms of percentage of deaths in nursing homes ... it's not a predominantly New York problem.'

The attorney general's report also took aim at New York's controversial March 25 policy that sought to create more space in hospitals by releasing recovering COVID-19 patients into nursing homes, which critics contended was a driving factor in causing nursing home outbreaks.

James' report said those admissions 'may have contributed to increased risk of nursing home resident infection and subsequent fatalities,' noting that at least 4,000 nursing home residents with COVID-19 died after that guidance. But James report said the issue would require further study to conclusively prove such a link.

New York's health department released a much-criticized report last summer that claimed the March 25 policy, which was reversed in May, was 'not a significant factor' in deaths.

James' review also found that a lack of infection controls at nursing homes put residents at increased risk of harm, that homes with lower federal scores for staffing had higher fatality rates, and that a broad measure Cuomo signed in April shielding nursing homes and other health care providers from lawsuits may have actually encouraged homes to hold back on hiring and training.

'As the pandemic and our investigations continue,' she wrote, 'it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate.'
Theodore Agnew was the model of a modern Tory oligarch. A successful businessman, he made enough to dabble in the new politics. He did all the right things.

He backed a chain of academy schools and joined a Conservative think tank, Policy Exchange. He donated a dutiful 134,000 to the Tory Party between 2007 and 2009.

Part-owner of an AI consultancy called Faculty, Agnew set it to work for Johnson's Vote Leave campaign.

He received a knighthood, then a peerage, and was then offered a ministerial post in Boris Johnson's government, at the time being advised by the former Vote Leave director, Dominic Cummings.

Faculty won a fistful of government contracts worth almost 1 million. All in all, Agnew could feature in any satire on Boris's Britain.

Lord Agnew of Oulton, pictured, resigned from his role as Treasury minister in protest against the level of fraud associated with Covid business loans

Then this week, Agnew went bang. Even he'd had enough.

In February 2020, he was given the Yes, Minister title of 'efficiency and transformation', and in a speech on Monday in the House of Lords he was supposed to congratulate himself on his work.

He had been one of the custodians of the 47 billion of public money that had been dished out to private companies and banks in bounce-back loans between 2020 and 2021.

However, of this sum, Agnew reckoned 17 billion may never be repaid and at least 5 billion of that had been lost to fraud, or 1p on income tax. He clearly choked on the task asked of him.

And then something unprecedented took place. A Johnson minister proceeded to tell the truth and resign on the spot.

The scheme had been chaos, he said. 'Schoolboy errors' had been made by the Covid loans scheme, such as bounce-back loans being given to more than 1,000 companies that had not even been trading when Covid struck.

As for the Government's 100 per cent guarantee to banks that it would underwrite any losses, this had led to gross indiscipline by lenders. By the time checks came in to weed out fraudulent duplicate applications, 60 per cent of the 47 billion had already been paid out.

Agnew estimated that a quarter of the money lost through the scheme would be down to fraudulent claims rather than credit failure. Many fraudsters had simply claimed the loans, then dissolved their businesses months later.

Lord Agnew walked out of government after providing a statement to the House of Lords

Agnew's speech was scathing. He declared the Government's record as guardian of the country's resources was 'desperately inadequate'.

The business department and its cash-gushing British Business Bank (BBB) had been 'woeful' in their oversight and auditing of the scheme.

The Treasury had shown 'no knowledge of, or little interest in' the level of fraud. Using his words with care, Agnew accused them of refusing to 'lift their game', even when warned of the scale of the scandal.

As for the resistance of the system to policing itself, the BBB, a government agency, would not even share fraud data with Agnew, the counter-fraud minister.

A presumably desperate letter from Agnew to the bank, released this week, was sent on December 16 but went unanswered.

The BBB fobbed off enquirers by saying it had been 'held up in the House of Lords IT system'.

Agnew estimated that total fraud across the public sector now ran at 29 billion a year, or about 5p on income tax. The bounce-back loan fraud is estimated to have cost a third of the annual revenue of the new National Insurance levy of 1.25 per cent, due in April.

Some picture of this scandal is already emerging from the mundane world of the courts, from crimes and insolvency records.

A Manchester judge last week was reportedly aghast at bounce-back loans having been granted under Treasury guarantee to two serial fraudsters to the tune of 145,000.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already responded by promising to do 'everything we can to get that money back'

Loans went to known gangsters involved in expensive car theft. Other loans went into paying off gambling debts or into buying a 2,400 watch, according to The Times newspaper.

Clearly much of this money will have gone to deserving businesses caught out by lockdown and genuinely faced with bankruptcy.

Most world governments caught up in the pandemic felt entitled to print money to relieve what was assumed to be temporary  and unprecedented  financial hardship.

This mostly took the form of 'helicopter money', disbursed to those in the furlough scheme and totalling 70 billion.

The bounce-back loan scheme was more like B-52 money. It carpet-bombed the ever murkier financial no man's land that separates productive business and the City.

The 47 billion must explain why banks and other financial services survived the lockdowns in remarkably healthy shape.

It would seem that what Cummings termed a 'madhouse' extended far more widely across Whitehall than just Downing Street. It embraced the Treasury and the business department in what appears to have been a conspiracy of high-spending anarchy.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already responded by promising to do 'everything we can to get that money back'.

So far, though, HMRC investigators have recovered a mere 536 million of stolen money, and 4.3 billion has reportedly been written off.

While Agnew in his resignation speech was kind to the Prime Minister, he conspicuously did not mention Sunak. It is hard to escape the suspicion that his wrath was directly largely at the Treasury.

While Sunak has been desperate to distance himself from Johnson's spendthrift tendencies, his leadership pitch, of seeking a responsible and fiscally stable Toryism, must be damaged by these revelations.

When Covid is over, there is to be an awesome day of reckoning on many fronts. Ministers can reasonably protest that they faced a wholly exceptional crisis in 2020.

From this, Britain emerged hesitantly at first but with some panache later on. Surely it should not suffer comparison with banana republics or kleptocracies?

Last November, the website Politico published a leaked list of 47 firms that were awarded PPE contracts early in the pandemic through the so-called VIP lane.

These went mostly with no competition or serious checking of their often dubious qualifications. The list of those who referred companies to the scheme dripped with the names of Conservative ministers, MPs, peers and party donors (including Lord Agnew himself).

According to the National Audit Office, clearly now a broken reed in Whitehall, this afforded them a ten-times-better chance of a contract.

All British politics relies on clubs. To the 19th-century political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville it was this that saved democracy from the tyranny of the majority.

The ties of friendship and mutual support that hold communities together also cohere political parties in their shared ideas and interests. Debts are generated, and it is probably as well they are honoured.

But such debts require absolute transparency and audit. Public trust depends on those put in charge of the nation's wealth being seen to distribute it competently, openly and fairly.

The coronavirus has been to many Britons a traumatic experience. The fury of the reaction to 'partygate' shows the delicacy of the public mood.

That the club of those in power should not only party while the nation suffers but should casually line its pockets and those of its friends is intolerable.

To this there can be only one answer: ruthless inquiry and, insofar as is possible, restitution. At very least if Sunak knows what is good for him, his penance is to say goodbye to April's stinging rise in National Insurance.

This article originally appeared in The Guardian.
Queensland recorded 10,391 new Covid cases and 12 deaths on Saturday - as the state's chief health officer ominously warned the Omicron strain of the virus is far from over.

Four of the people who died were unvaccinated, with CHO John Gerrard confirming two had only received a single vaccine dose - and none had a booster shot.

'This is the peak, not the end, we are in the middle,' he said. 'That third (booster) dose is quite critical.

'The virus has clearly spread through the younger age group and now (the older) age group are most vulnerable.

'The epidemic is progressing, and so far, the outcomes in terms of hospitalisations and complications is significantly lower than what we were expecting.'

Queensland recorded 10,391 new Covid cases and 12 deaths on Saturday (pictured, a woman wearing a face mask in Brisbane's CBD)

The state's chief health officer John Gerrard (pictured) has warned the Omicron strain of the virus is far from over

Dr Gerrard (pictured left, with Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath) stressed on Saturday that booster shots are highly recommended for people of all ages

Dr Gerrard added the Sunshine State hope to see a further drop in Covid case numbers over the next few weeks.

'The unknown is what happens as those numbers decline, what the tail of that looks like,' he said.

'It's not totally clear what the next phase is, but the numbers will decline substantially.'

The state's health leader also dismissed concerns about the new Covid variation, dubbed the 'son of Omicron'.

He said it was similar to the Omicron strain of the virus and initial information indicates the vaccine is working.

Queensland health authorities initially feared there would be thousands of residents infected with Covid-19 by the end of January, with hundreds more in ICU.

With 833 people currently in hospital and 53 in ICU, Queensland was tracking well, the Courier Mail reported.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the worst-case scenario was 'quite frightening at the time', but the current situation was 'very heartening'.

'In saying that, we haven't been past the peak yet, that peak is upon us now in the southeast,' she said.

Dr Gerrard also warned against communities becoming complacent.

'This is not over,' he said. 'The news is good so far, but don't go out and celebrate just yet.

'Generally the situation is stable.'

The latest figures show that 91.93 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one dose of a vaccine, while 89.40 per cent have had two jabs.

In NSW, a record 49 deaths were recorded on Saturday, with 31 in Victoria.

Queensland health authorities initially feared there would be thousands of residents infected with Covid-19 by the end of January, with hundreds more in ICU (pictured, people waiting for a Covid test on the Gold Coast)
Complaints about veterinary practices have soared by 64 per cent in just two years, a Daily Mail investigation reveals today.

But despite horror stories suggesting that our pets are being put at risk by corporate giants swallowing up the sector, a shocking 99 per cent of professional misconduct claims were not upheld in 2020.

A multi-billion pound takeover spree, starting when ownership rules were relaxed in 1999, means more than half of the 6,000 veterinary practices are owned by just six companies. And three of them are private equity firms.

It has led to concerns that profit-hungry firms are creating monopolies, leaving customers with nowhere else to go, potentially having to pay inflated fees  and putting animal welfare at risk.

Referral: Lynne Bowley was told that Eva should have been sent to specialists earlier

And when something does go wrong, some pet owners say the process in the big-money era is stacked against them.

Take the story of Crufts winner Eva, a five-year-old Bracco Italiano, who fell ill ten days after winning Best of Breed in 2019. Owner Lynne Bowley, 56, took her to her local vet, owned by CVS, a publicly-listed company that owns about 500 surgeries, but Eva died several days after emergency treatment for a suspected intestinal blockage.

Another vet believed Eva should have been referred to pet hospital for specialist treatment much earlier, but her complaint to CVS was dismissed.

So too was her approach to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which deals with complaints about professional misconduct. Some 99 per cent of such complaints were not upheld in 2020.

And Trace Brown, 33, claims she was gaslighted and stonewalled by lawyers for 17 months after her dog Honey nearly died after she lost 16 inches of intestine in botched surgery. Miss Brown is traumatised and unable to move on.

Trace Brown was offered just 120 after she had paid 12,000 for corrective treatment after mistakes she claims were made by a corporate vet

A scroll through Facebook reveals a host of stories about vets missing warning signs about pets health, and claims of management bullying when owners raise concerns. Experts characterise the state of the industry as a David and Goliath battle  putting standards at risk as firms cant be held to account.

Since the rules changed in 1999 investors have been quick to cash in on a booming industry, which saw spending on services reach 4.5 billion in 2019, up by 57 per cent since 2015.

But there are now fears that takeovers are behind a rise in complaints as pet owners lose faith in faceless corporations. The Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) recorded 3,151 complaints in 2019-20, up from 1,941 in 2017-18. The VCMS, set up in 2016, says the rise could be partly due to more awareness of the service and a boom in pet ownership.

Hospital help was too late Lynne Bowley says her Crufts prize-winning dog Eva died because of mistakes at her local veterinary practice. When Eva, a five-year-old Bracco Italiano, fell ill the CVS-owned surgery operated on her for an intestinal blockage. Four days later blood poured from her wound and the vet, in Elgin, Scotland, said it was a reaction to stitches. Eva had a second operation but went downhill. She was then taken to an animal hospital in Edinburgh but died after surgery. Mrs Bowley, 56, says she was told Eva should have been referred to hospital earlier, but that was rejected. CVS said it was committed to providing the highest quality clinical services. Advertisement

120 payout for 12k bill Trace Brown was offered just 120 after she had paid 12,000 for corrective treatment after mistakes she claims were made by a corporate vet. Her rescue dog Honey needed five operations, and she was told the first vet, a locum at VetPartners, had made mistakes. Miss Brown, 53, from Tranent, near Edinburgh, went to mediation where she got 120. Advertisement

But Chris Deadman, of The Good Vet & Pet Guide, says the buyout of independent practices has caused a genuine diminution of quality and increased complaints. About 55 per cent of complaints to the VCMS related to corporate groups, compared to 30 per cent for independent vets.

This reflects market share  two thirds of practices belong to a group of three or more. But pet lovers are angry at the reaction of big firms to complaints. The VCMS is voluntary and practices declined mediation in around one in ten cases last year, although its data shows no difference in engagement between independents and corporates.

Mr Deadman said he had been threatened with legal action over negative reviews on his website. He added: The corporate culture is to shut things down and threaten people because there is no kind of bond with the individual client.

He said the only way pet owners could get redress is via a civil case, but the costs are prohibitive.

Theres a complete disparity of arms. Its David and Goliath, he said. Critics also fear firms are taking advantage of a complaints process stacked in their favour. David Anderson, founder of the Facebook group Vets, Vets Now & RCVS Complaints, says this is partly because the RCVS requires complainants to prove misconduct beyond all reasonable doubt. Most regulators work on the balance of probabilities.

Mr Anderson says corporate practices know complaints are likely to be rejected and so have little incentive to admit mistakes.

He added: Groups like Vets Now, who have a monopoly of practices in certain areas, have so little to lose because customers have no choice but to keep coming back.

Vets Now is the leading provider of emergency veterinary care. In 2019, it was bought by private-equity backed IVC Evidensia, which owns 993 practices, almost 20 per cent of the market.

The RCVS has approved a plan to introduce a standard of proof based on balance of probabilities in future. A spokesman said: We investigate all concerns that are raised with us about veterinary professionals, irrespective of the type of practice or workplace they work in. IVC Evidensia declined to comment.
SpaceX canceled its second attempt at launching the Italian satellite on Friday due to bad weather conditions. They rescheduled its launch to Saturday at 6:11 PM EST. Livestream will be available on selected channels.

Aerospace company SpaceX is facing serious problems with current weather conditions. It had to halt its Falcon 9 flight due to thick clouds and upper-level winds. The delay is causing setbacks to other scheduled flights.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch Delayed

Note that the fourth Falcon 9 flight of the year should have happened on Thursday at 6:11 PM EST. SpaceX tweeted the weather at the Space Launch Complex 40 was 60 percent favorable. Unfortunately, a massive spike of winds ruined their expectations.

Falcon 9 and COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 are vertical on Space Launch Complex 40. Weather is 60% favorable for tonights launch at 6:11 p.m. EST. Webcast will go live ~15 minutes before liftoff  https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK pic.twitter.com/haZOJj3xje  SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 27, 2022

SpaceX had to reschedule the launch to Friday.

Due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Friday, January 28 at 6:11 p.m. EST for launch of COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2  SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 27, 2022



The company live streamed on Friday, hoping they could finally beat the odds and launch their rocket. But at 11:35 of the video clip, the announcer said SpaceX had canceled its plans yet again. This is because of a "strong cold front approaching Florida."

Watch Falcon 9 launch COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 to orbit  https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK https://t.co/jUXuOD57LK  SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 28, 2022

SpaceX concluded poor weather conditions and rescheduled the flight to the "next opportunity," which is Saturday at 6:11 PM EST.

This shift sets up back-to-back targeted Falcon 9 launches in Florida this weekend with our next Starlink mission set to lift off from LC-39A on Sunday, January 30  SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 28, 2022



SpaceX noted that this launch delay affected many of its plans. They said the "sets up back-to-back targeted Falcon 9 launches in Florida this weekend with our next Starlink mission set to lift off from LC-39A on Sunday, January 30."

Read Also: 'EndeavorRX' To Go Public: FDA Approves ADHD Treatment in Video Game Form

SpaceX Launch Today: Italian Satellite

For reference, the important package SpaceX is launching is the Italian Earth-observation satellite, called COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation 2.

According to Telespazio, the Italian space services company behind this project, the new satellites will "complete operative continuity of the entire COSMO-SkyMed constellation, which has been in orbit for more than 15 years," per UPI.

The satellite is also capable of providing high-resolution images around Earth's surface. This can be used to map topographical features, provide defense and security intelligence, search for resources, track shipping, and monitor disasters, forests and agriculture.

If SpaceX gets lucky, this amazing satellite can finally launch from the Cape Canaveral Force Station on Saturday. After launch, the SpaceX first-stage booster will land at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. The event might be livestreamed on their Twitter page.

SpaceX Rocket is on a Collision Course with the Moon

On a different topic, space fans might also be interested in watching one of SpaceX's rockets crashing on the Moon's surface. This exciting event is scheduled to happen on March 4.

Note that this is an uncontrolled and unplanned rocket collision with the Moon. The event is happening because of an incident back in 2015, where one of the rockets lack fuel and ended up drifting space debris.

Gravitational pull attracted its towards the Moon, which should end up as a collision course. Full details for this event are available on this article.



Related Article: Radian Aerospace Confirms It's Building a Single-Stage-To-Orbit Spaceplane: The Next Generation of Space Travel?
The City watchdog has launched an investigation into soaring insurance for leaseholders in flats wrapped in flammable cladding following a Daily Mail campaign.

Premiums have increased by up to 2,000 per cent, while some residents have lost their cover.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove yesterday told the Financial Conduct Authority he was 'extremely concerned' about 'crippling costs' faced by hundreds of thousands of families.

In a letter to the watchdog, he said: 'It is clear to me that the insurance market is failing some leaseholders.'

Housing Secretary Michael Gove yesterday told the Financial Conduct Authority he was 'extremely concerned' about 'crippling costs' faced by hundreds of thousands of families

He added: 'The market lacks transparency and there is not currently useful data to explain the rationale behind the increasing premiums charged by insurers and the conditions associated with the cover.' The letter called on the FCA to investigate and report within six months.

In response, the FCA said it would be asking the industry what it could do to help leaseholders.

Premiums have increased by an average 350 per cent for those living in firetrap flats, according to the End Our Cladding Scandal group. The Mail has campaigned for justice for cladding victims.
Prince Andrew allegedly wants disgraced actor Kevin Spacey to help clear his name by telling a jury in the Virginia Roberts sex assault lawsuit that Ghislaine Maxwell was Spacey's guest during a guided tour of Buckingham Palace in 2002.

A photo taken during the private tour, which was organised by the Duke, shows Maxwell and Spacey smiling as they sit on the Queen's and Prince Philip's Coronation thrones.

'Andrew had invited Spacey for the tour of the Palace. [Ghislaine Maxwell] came with him - not as a guest of Andrew's,' a source told The Sun.

The tour, which showed Maxwell and the American Beauty actor larking around in the Throne Room, was arranged for former US president Bill Clinton - who was a friend of Spacey - and other VIPs.

The Duke of York wants to distance himself from Maxwell, who is set to be sentenced on sex trafficking crimes on June 28.

The source added: 'If Kevin can convince a jury he was the crucial link with Ghislaine, rather than Andrew, it distances the Prince from her somewhat - and that's crucial.

Prince Andrew allegedly wants disgraced actor Kevin Spacey to help clear his name by telling a jury that Ghislaine Maxwell was Spacey's guest during a guided tour of Buckingham Palace in 2002. (Above, the Duke with now-disgraced actor Spacey at a benefit party for the Old Vic theatre in February 2003)

The Duke of York wants to distance himself from Ghislaine Maxwell, who is set to be sentenced on sex trafficking crimes on June 28

Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's townhouse in London. Roberts, who is referred to in case documents by her married name Virginia Giuffre, filed a civil suit against Prince Andrew in August 2021, in which she formally accused the Royal of sexual abuse while she was being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

'Andrew also believes such a gifted actor and public speaker could be a very compelling asset in front of a jury.'

Kevin Spacey's reputation was left in tatters after he was accused of making unwanted sexual advances towards actor Anthony Rapp when he was just 14.

Other men subsequently came forward alleging that Spacey had made unwanted advances and sexually harassed them. Spacey has continued to deny all assault allegations.

Earlier this week, Prince Andrew demanded a 'trial by jury' as he hit back at accusations of rape and sexual assault made by Jeffrey Epstein 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts.

In his official response to claims made against him by Ms Roberts five months ago, the Queen's son issued 41 denials, rejecting all allegations of wrongdoing  but said a further 40 times that he 'lacks sufficient information to admit or deny' other claims.

Over 15 pages of court documents filed at New York's southern district court, Roberts, also referred to by her married name Giuffre (pictured in 2019 following a hearing in the Epstein case), claimed that the Duke of York 'committed sexual assault and battery' against her while she was aged just 17, requesting that a judge award 'punitive damages' for the 'physical and psychological' injuries she suffered

He also submitted 11 defences calling for the case to be dismissed, including that Miss Roberts' claims should be barred by 'her own wrongful conduct' and 'unclean hands'.

His decision to go ahead with the case puts him in contravention with the Royal Family who, sources say, are 'desperate' for him to settle and avoid the spectacle of a trial in New York later this year during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

A source said: 'Andrew is on collision course with the Palace over this.'

Earlier this month the Queen 'swiftly and ruthlessly' forced Andrew to step down from his remaining royal patronages and demanded he fight the case as a 'private citizen'.

Andrew had not officially responded to the 73-point civil claim as his lawyers almost immediately applied to a New York judge for it to be thrown out.

That was dismissed earlier this month, meaning he now needs to formally answer the accusations against him, including claims that Miss Roberts, suing under her married name of Giuffre, was trafficked to him by his friend, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and forced to have sex with the duke on three occasions when she was 17.

She says this amounts to rape, sexual assault and battery as she seeks unspecified damages, thought to be in the millions of pounds.

Andrew's eight admissions were limited to information already public, such as that he is a UK citizen and resides at Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate.

Prince Andrew's legal team has filed legal papers in which the Royal denied all of Virginia Roberts' sex abuse allegations as he prepares for a bitter court battle in the United States (Pictured: Andrew and ex wife Sarah Duchess Of York leaving Royal Lodge on January 22)

He admits his walk with Epstein in Central Park in 2010 and staying at the paedophile's Manhattan mansion on the same trip, both caught on camera.

But in his rebuttal of Miss Roberts' complaint, Andrew denies he ever sexually abused her and refuses to 'admit or deny' her assertions that she was a victim of Epstein.

He even  quite remarkably given photographic evidence of their relationship over the years  denies being a 'close friend' of Epstein's girlfriend and now convicted sex trafficker, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew's legal team also reject Miss Roberts' accusation that he has refused to co-operate with US authorities in their investigation of Epstein and his co-conspirators, despite officials claiming he has done just that.

Andrew makes clear he continues to dispute Miss Roberts is resident in the state of Colorado, which allows her to bring the case in the US.

Now a 38-year-old mother-of-three, she lives in Perth, Australia, and it is understood Andrew's legal team still intend to pursue this in a bid to get the case thrown out.

MailOnline has contacted Kevin Spacey and Buckingham Palace for comment.
Boris Johnson is to issue a direct warning to Vladimir Putin about the consequences of invading Ukraine.

In a phone call next week the Prime Minister is expected to demand the Kremlin steps back from the brink of war in eastern Europe.

Mr Johnson will warn Mr Putin of the unprecedented economic sanctions that will be imposed should he send tens of thousands of troops across the border into his pro-Western neighbour.

Boris Johnson to issue direct warning to Vladimir Putin about the consequences of invading Ukraine

Mr Johnson will warn Mr Putin (pictured) of the unprecedented economic sanctions that will be imposed should he send tens of thousands of troops across the border into his pro-Western neighbour

And on Monday, government sources said last night, the Foreign Office will announce a tough crackdown on Russian money flowing through the UK.

The development came as President Putin moved thousands of soldiers and surface-to-air missiles to Belarus  where they could launch attacks on Ukraine.

Last night a Downing Street spokesman said Mr Johnson was determined to accelerate diplomatic efforts and ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed.

An announcement on sending additional British military resources to former eastern bloc states and Soviet republics is expected early next week. But the Government will first target Russias strategic and financial interests in the UK following heavy criticism.

US diplomatic sources yesterday questioned how effective sanctions could be against oligarchs who support Mr Putin given the estimated 70billion of Russian dirty money in London, which officials have dubbed Moscow-on-Thames.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace are expected to visit Moscow in the coming weeks as Britain continues to spearhead diplomatic and military efforts to support Ukraine, following its provision last week of 2,000 anti-tank weapons.

Russian BMP-3 armoured troop carriers are pictured on manoeuvres in the Rostov region of southern Russia on Thursday

Russian T-72 tanks take part in 'combat readiness' drills held Thursday near Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukraine border

Russian armoured troop carriers are pictured taking part in military drills near Rostov-on-Don, located in southern Russia and just a few dozen miles from the Ukraine border

Russia could attack Ukraine within weeks, intelligence sources have said, after Biden shared a phone call with President Zelensky last night during which he warned an attack is likely to come in February

On Monday the UK will also join discussions at the United Nations Security Council in New York in a bid to apply further pressure on Russia to commit itself to an exclusively peaceful approach to solving the Ukrainian crisis.

In a phone call with French leader Emmanuel Macron yesterday, Mr Putin said the West had ignored Moscows security concerns over Nato expansion and Ukraine.

The Kremlin wants Ukraine to be excluded from ever joining the Nato security alliance, plus a withdrawal of western troops from Eastern Europe.

A Kremlin spokesman insisted the Wests stance left little room for compromise  but Russia would not start a war.

In a series of tit-for-tat developments yesterday, Russia sent thousands of soldiers and missiles to Belarus while Nato pledged more troops would head East.

Moscow sent troops and hardware on the pretext of holding military exercises next month. But Nato is concerned the men and machinery will be within striking distance of Ukraines capital Kiev.

US sources claim Russia is stepping up war plans by shipping blood supplies and other medical materials to the frontline.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has demanded MPs stop 'screaming and shouting' in the House of Commons after a Conservative backbencher yelled and stamped his feet during PMQs.

The Speaker, 64, said he wanted behaviour in the Commons to be more 'well mannered' after a video of Jonathan Gullis shouting was shared online.

Gullis, who has been the MP for Stoke-on-Trent North since 2019, was filmed yelling and stamping his feet in a show of support for Boris Johnson during PMQs on Wednesday.

But Sir Hoyle has hit back at MPs' behaviour and language in the chamber, saying that screaming over ministers or shadow ministers at the dispatch box was 'disrespectful'.

At PMQs on Wednesday, exchanges between Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Prime Minister were inaudible, despite Sir Hoyle's threats to move MPs who shouted over the debate.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he wanted behaviour in the Commons to be more 'well mannered' after a video of Jonathan Gullis (pictured without a face mask on) shouting was shared online

Sir Hoyle, who intervened four times during this week's PMQs, said he wanted behaviour in the chamber to be 'more tolerant and well mannered'.

He told The Times: 'I want a House of Commons that is respected across the world, which means our discourse needs to be kinder, more tolerant and well mannered.

'In other words, we should be setting an example in the way we debate and the way we behave.'

Sir Hoyle, the MP for Chorley, also said constituents want to hear what is being said during the debate, warning that any shouting or screaming makes it 'impossible' to do so.

It comes after a video circulated online showing Mr Gullis shouting and stamping his feet while Mr Johnson spoke during PMQs.

Other MPs joined in with the shouting and cheering, while the Prime Minister continued to try and make his argument over the noise.

Mr Gullis was not wearing a face mask during the debate and while masks are not compulsory in the Commons, many MPs began wearing coverings in October after Sir Hoyle said they should do so to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Sir Hoyle (pictured) has hit back at MPs behaviour and language in the chamber, saying that screaming over ministers or shadow ministers at the dispatch box was 'disrespectful'

Gullis (pictured) was elected in 2019 as the first Conservative to represent Stock-on-Trent North, but recent polling suggests the Tories could lose the seat at the next election

People took to Twitter following the incident to criticise his behaviour, with some Twitter users claiming that he had 'embarrassed himself'.

One person fumed: 'The behaviour of Jonathan Gullis MP yesterday in the House of Commons was appalling.

'Gullis is the very worst of the Tory party. Shouting, jeering and braying all without a mask.'

Another wrote: 'Watched Jonathan Gullis at PMQ's. Was animated like a small child playing pass the parcel.

'Could hardly contain himself, mouth agape, red faced, loudly whooping and yelling.'

A third said: 'Imagine how 155,000 bereaved families feel looking at this.'

A fourth commented: 'Who's that joker?'

Mr Gullis was elected in 2019 as the first Conservative to represent Stock-on-Trent North, but recent polling suggests the Tories could lose the seat at the next election.

Last February, Mr Gullis was prevented from taking part in a House of Commons debate over Zoom for being inappropriately dressed.

Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing took one look at the MP's sweater before stating that he needed to dress as if he was physically at the House of Commons.

Mr Gullis, who used to be a secondary school teacher in Birmingham, was later able to make his virtual contribution to Parliament after putting on a jacket and tie.
The countrys biggest double glazing installer has been hit by a cyber attack as spies warn of a threat from Russian hackers linked to fears of military action against Ukraine.

Safestyle UK  known for its You buy one, you get one free advertising campaign  is understood to have been targeted in a ransomware attack.

Hackers, suspected of being from Russia, stole as many as 400,000 customer details, sources said, and threatened to sell the data on the dark web unless the firm handed over 4million in Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency.

Safestyle UK  known for its You buy one, you get one free advertising campaign  is understood to have been targeted in a ransomware attack

The information is thought to include names, email addresses and phone numbers. Safestyle UK said it was working with police and regulators as it investigated a cyber-incident. It stressed that customers financial details were not compromised.

The Bradford-based company took part of its website and IT system offline, leaving angry customers taking to social media to demand when their windows would be delivered.

Jake Moore, of ESET, a cyber security firm, said that ransomware attacks had surged during the pandemic. Online retailers are attractive to cyber-criminals because they have highly sensitive data about customers, he said. Companies being held to ransom are also losing revenue because systems are down, so they have to decide quickly what the least worst option is. Often, that is to pay up.

Unfortunately it means it is a lucrative activity for such gangs. Mr Moore said firms could reduce risks with better IT security and by asking staff not to open links or attachments on emails from senders they do not trust.

The attack comes after the National Cyber Security Centre  part of GCHQ  warned yesterday that malicious cyber incidents in Ukraine could have an impact in the UK

Police can find hunting down the hackers almost impossible as ransom payments made in cryptocurrency leave no electronic trace.

Angry Safestyle UK customers began complaining about being unable to contact the company at the start of the week, with one saying he had spent the last 24 hours plus calling and emailing and getting no replies.

A company source said that staff had no emails, their phones arent working and its been like that for three or four days.

Safestyle UK could be fined 17.5million from the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for the data breach, but experts said that the regulator would be lenient if criminals were to blame.

The attack comes after the National Cyber Security Centre  part of GCHQ  warned yesterday that malicious cyber incidents in Ukraine could have an impact in the UK.
The number of civil servants working in some Whitehall departments more than tripled this week after being told to return to the office, according to a Daily Mail audit.

Around a third of Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy workers returned to their desks on Thursday, with 611 employees recorded arriving through the main entrance between 7.30 and 11am, up from 170 on Monday.

At the Westminster Treasury offices, which also house employees from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, at least 571 workers arrived on Thursday morning.

At the Westminster Treasury offices, which also house employees from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, at least 571 workers arrived on Thursday morning

This was around a quarter of the grand buildings 2,200 capacity but more than double the 215 employees recorded arriving on Monday.

At the seven-floor Westminster headquarters of the Department for Education, at least 383 employees arrived for work on Thursday  up from just 63 people last Friday  filling 20 per cent of the offices 2,000-person capacity.

At the Department for Work and Pensions 238 people were recorded arriving through the main entrance, up from 94 a week earlier.

However, at the 6,500-capacity HMRC building in Longbenton, North Tyneside, just 224 staff were recorded turning up for work on Thursday.
The Metropolitan Police are under fire after messages revealed officers knew two years ago about the abuse of a mother-of-two stabbed to death in Maida Vale this week.

Yasmin Wafah Chkaifi, 43, died after the horrific attack by her ex-husband Leon McCaskie, 41, despite the efforts of a motorist called 'Abraham' who intervened by ploughing into McCaskie in Maida Vale, west London, on Monday.

The latest revelation comes as the hero driver who tried to stop the frenzied attack remains a murder suspect in the police investigation.

The police watchdog is investigating how police handled the case and how much contact there was from officers.

While McCaskie broke a stalking protection order almost a month ago, Chkaifi told police two years ago about her ex-husband.

Yasmin Wafah Chkaifi (pictured), 43, died after the horrific attack by Leon McCaskie (right), 41, in Maida Vale, West London

Yasmin Wafah Chkaifi said of Leon McCaskie (pictured), 41: 'He's stolen my mail, my phone, has access to all my personal data. I think he will kill me. I've tried everything'

Police officers and emergency services cordon off the scene in Maida Vale, West London, on Monday

Her friend Adele-Sara Richards, who knew her as Yaz, said that in April 2020, Ms Chkaifi messaged her to say: 'Hes had cameras in my house recording me for months'

She told a friend on Twitter that she had said to police she was 'on edge', The Times reported. She reportedly added: 'He tried to force his way in this morning. There's a warrant out for him. He's not home.'

Two years ago she also told a friend she thought McCaskie would kill her.

Her friend Adele-Sara Richards, who knew her as Yaz, said that in April 2020, Ms Chkaifi messaged her to say: 'He's had cameras in my house recording me for months.'

She went on: 'He's stolen my mail, my phone, has access to all my personal data. I think he will kill me. I've tried everything.'

Miss Chkaifi's relatives place flowers at the scene of the killing in Maida Vale, West London, on Tuesday

Friends of the 26-year-old hero driver, a Chechen electrician who was arrested on suspicion of murder after he drove his Renault Clio into McCaskie to try to stop the carnage, said he has been 'living a nightmare' ever since.

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition calling for him not to face criminal charges  and relatives and friends of Miss Chkaifi have called for the police probe to be dropped and for him to be honoured for his bravery.

Abraham said he does 'not see why I as the person who tried to assist in the defence of other human beings remain arrested and on bail under suspicion of murder' and urged police to instead treat him as a witness.

Yet the Metropolitan Police insisted that it must consider all 'available evidence' before taking any action, saying in a statement: 'We are investigating the deaths of two people in this incident.

'Two families are bereaved and looking for answers.

'It is therefore essential that the investigation proceeds in an objective and professional manner.

Forensic officers stand near a blue Renault Clio as they carry out investigations in Maida Vale, West London, on Monday

'As with all investigations into violent deaths, we will gather all the available evidence, and this can take time. Only when we are satisfied that we have all the facts can we fully understand the circumstances that led to the deaths and consider the most appropriate course of action.'

Tributes have been paid to Ms Chkaifi, who was a qualified childminder, had worked in a school and was studying for a master's degree.

Ms Richards, who described how she supported her after her mother died, said: 'She was a good soul. It's very rare in life you come across a good soul. She always had a happy disposition. She was just a lovely person.'

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition calling for the driver not to face criminal charges over Monday's incident

Another friend, American PhD student Olivia Jones, 30, who lives in Brent, said: 'I didn't know Yasmin well, but she made me feel as though I did. A year ago, Yasmin opened her doors to my partner and I at the time and hosted us for a meal.

'She was incredibly kind, hospitable and an amazing cook and dancer. She had a bubbly personality and a confidence about her that was so attractive.

'She was proud of her Moroccan heritage and a spiritual woman. We spoke about Islam, identity and social justice. She was a good person.'

Family members paid tribute to Miss Chkaifi, who was also known as Wafat, in a statement on Facebook.

They said: 'She was full of life, always stayed positive and always saw the best in everyone.

'Wafat loved to laugh, dance and leave a special impact on everyone's life that got to share it with her. She has indeed left many broken from this awful and tragic news.

'Wafat was the most pure and genuine soul you would meet. She has left two amazing boys who will continue her legacy of being pure souls.'

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment but confirmed it had referred its handling of the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The gun that was allegedly used to shoot and kill nine-year-old schoolgirl Charlise Mutten has yet to be found.

Detectives are still searching for the vital piece of evidence since launching their investigation after discovering the girl's body by the Colo River, in NSW's Blue Mountains, on January 18.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said there was no doubt the little girl had died after receiving a gunshot wound.

'That's how she died, so we are disclosing this for investigative reasons but also to clear up any ambiguity to make sure we have some clarity for the investigation,' he said.

'And any other thoughts that this may not be anything but what this is  an alleged murder of a nine-year-old girl.'

The gun that was allegedly used to shoot and kill nine-year-old schoolgirl Charlise Mutten has yet to be found

Stein has been charged with murder and is currently being kept in the Silverwater Correctional Complex

Investigators have failed to find the missing weapon, traces of blood or gunshot residue despite scouring rivers, bushland and the accused killer stepfather Justin Stein's family estate Wildenstein, in Mount Wilson

Investigators have failed to find the missing weapon, traces of blood or gunshot residue despite scouring rivers, bushland and the accused killer stepfather Justin Stein's family estate Wildenstein, in Mount Wilson.

Stein has been charged with murder and is currently being kept in the Silverwater Correctional Complex. Detective Doherty said Stein was not a registered gun owner.

'The inquiries and evidence and information we've received suggests that the alleged murder happened at Mount Wilson at the property,' he said.

'The time frames and evidence we've gathered so far suggest that's where the alleged murder happened.'

The search comes as a resident recalled the distressing moment she heard Kallista Mutten screaming and crying in the corridor of a western Sydney unit block after discovering the shocking details of how her nine-year-old daughter died.

The woman, who asked not to be named, was at home on Tuesday when she heard a neighbour crying out in distress.

'I heard her yelling and crying...she was saying 'I just found out my daughter was killed by a gun shot',' the neighbour said.

The neighbour said she looked out her front door and saw a 'larger woman with pink hair', who matched the pictures she had seen in the media of schoolgirl Charlise Mutten's mother.

Charlise's body was found stuffed in a barrel and dumped near the Colo River, in the Hawkesbury region, on January 18, five days after she was reported missing.

Ms Mutten's fiance Justin Stein has been charged with murder.

Mutten was consoled by another resident in the flat - which is owned and operated by a charity - as she tearfully revealed she was expecting a child with Stein

But it was on Tuesday that police announced the findings of a post-mortem and that the little girl died from a gunshot wound.

'She was saying police never told her how her daughter actually died...until it was on the news,' the neighbour said.

Ms Mutten only moved into the building this week following a lengthy stint in hospital under medical supervision after she suffered an 'episode' in the hours after reporting Charlise missing.

The charity-run building houses single parents, pregnant women and vulnerable people needing urgent temporary accommodation.

The neighbour said she then heard another woman in the building comfort Ms Mutten, who then tearfully revealed she was pregnant.

'I heard her say she's pregnant,' the neighbour said.

Nine-year-old Charlise was allegedly shot once before her body was stuffed into a barrel and dumped in scrub near the Colo River

Charlise was visiting her mother for the summer holidays when she was allegedly murdered by her mother's fiance

Mutten only moved into the building this week following a lengthy stint in hospital under medical supervision after she suffered an 'episode' in the hours after reporting Charlise missing

Kallista Mutten (above) seen at Wildenstein after having a 'medical episode' which resulted in her being taken to Katoomba Hopsital for a week

Daily Mail Australia can reveal Mutten started 'yelling and crying' in the corridors of the western Sydney unit where she's staying after police said in a press conference that Charlise died by bullet wound

Ms Mutten was then spoken to by caretakers in the building, before going back inside her unit.

Residents said they had not seen Ms Mutten in the days afterwards, but that it wasn't uncommon not to see people coming and going with so many entrances and exits.

Detectives confirmed Ms Mutten is being treated as a witness in her daughter's tragic death, and had provided a lengthy statement.

Charlise was allegedly murdered while holidaying with her mother in the NSW Blue Mountains.

The mother and daughter had been staying with Stein at his family's estate Wildenstein in Mount Wilson, and partly at a caravan 50 minutes away.

Mutten was unavailable to be interviewed in the early stages of the murder investigation because she was too traumatised and 'difficult to reach'. Her fiance, Stein (pictured together) was charged with murder

Charlise usually resided with her doting grandmother (pictured together) in Coolangatta but was visiting her mother for the summer holidays

Police said Charlise was alone in the care of Stein on the night of January 11 when she was allegedly murdered, and her body dumped in a blue barrel.

Stein was arrested in the hours after the young girl's body was discovered, where he was staying with a mate in a block of 20 flats in Sydney's Surry Hills.

The complex is strewn with furniture - and a series of bizarre handwritten notes are displayed on residents' front doors.

Jason Tucker said Stein had not seemed stressed when he arrived at his home after Charlise's death, but told him he wanted to stay for a few days.

'Justin's never got a bad thing to say, he hasn't got a bad bone in his body,' Mr Tucker said.

Justin Stein's friend Jason Tucker (pictured) who housed the alleged murderer for days said the accused killer was 'relaxed' and 'unconcerned' in the days leading to his arrest

He said Stein's stay at the housing block, w was uneventful until police arrived to arrest him last Tuesday night.

When officers stormed through Mr Tucker's front door to arrest Stein, it was 'scary' and 'alarming', he said.

But the drama was quickly over.

Stein was placed in handcuffs without commotion before asking his friend to call his mother to tell her to arrange a lawyer.

Jason Tucker said Justin Stein just 'basically ate and slept' in the days after he left Mount Wilson. Above is the complex Mr Tucker lives in - and where Stein stayed in the days before Charlise's body was found

The housing block in Surry Hills where Justin Stein stayed in the days before his arrest has forbidding signs and rubbish littering the halls of the 20 unit block

When police arrived and stormed through the front door to come up to his flat (pictured) to arrest Stein, it had been 'scary' and 'alarming', Mr Tucker said
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, a former legislator and the state's longest-serving attorney general, died aged 68, his office announced Friday, just hours after he was taken to a hospital.

Stenehjem died about 6:20 p.m. at a Bismarck hospital, his spokeswoman Liz Brocker said. His cause of death was not released.

Stenehjem's brother, Allan, told KFYR-TV that Stenehjem had been taken to a hospital Friday morning after calling an ambulance to his home after falling.

Allan Stenehjem told KFYR that his brother had been dealing with an ulcer that may have become inflamed, possibly leading to the fall, and that his brother's condition was not related to COVID-19.

Stenehjem spent 24 years in the Legislature before being elected attorney general in 2000, then winning five more times and holding the position for 21 years.

In that long career, he supported an overhaul of North Dakota's court system, laws against domestic violence, consumer protection measures and legislation to keep North Dakota's government meetings and records open to the public.

North Dakota's Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem died at 68 on Friday. He was the longest-serving AG and held the position for 21 years

He won the position in 2000 and held it six terms. He was taken to the hospital on Friday morning after reportedly falling and was dealing with an ulcer. His brother said his death was not COVID-19 related

Governor Doug Burgum said his fellow Republican 'embodied public service' both as a legislator and as the longest-serving attorney general in the state.

'Like so many North Dakotans who treasured his friendship and admired him for his more than four decades of exceptional service to our state, we are absolutely devastated' by Stenehjem's death, Burgum said on Twitter.

More tributes poured in for the AG, with Senator Kevin Cramer wrote on Twitter: 'I considered him a close friend and trusted colleague. Wayne was a true patriot, dedicating his life to public service and our great state. He always fought for what was right.'

Reuters correspondent Ernest Scheyder wrote: 'This is horrible news. Wayne Stenehjem was one of a kind & truly cared about North Dakota. When I was based in Williston, we would run into each other more often than not in the Minneapolis airport and catch up on oil industry gossip. My condolences to his entire family.'

Former US Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who knew the AG back in college, wrote on Twitter: 'I have known Wayne since our time together as students at UND. I can only imagine how tragic this is for Beth and Andrew, his amazing extended close family, and the staff at the AGs office.'

Stenehjem had announced last month he would not seek another term. He said he wanted to spend more time traveling and with his family. He echoed concerns from several other retiring politicians about an increase in vitriolic social media criticism of politicians.

Stenehjem told the Tribune at the time that fighting illegal drugs was a top challenge of his tenure. Among his proudest accomplishments, he cited getting a $30million settlement following a diesel spill in Mandan in 1985, establishing a 24/7 sobriety program for people convicted of subsequent DUIs, establishing the state crime lab and improving the training of state crime bureau agents.

Many tributes poured in for the AG, with many remembering him as kind and for his dedication to public service

Stenehjem ran for governor in 2016 and was his party's choice to replace Jack Dalrymple, who didn't seek a second term. But Burgum, a wealthy former Microsoft executive, bucked party tradition to challenge him and won the primary easily, then went on to win the general election.

The intraparty battle between Burgum and Stenehjem featured a spirited and expensive debate about which candidate was better suited to revive a state economy that was slumping due to depressed oil and crop prices.

Burgum tried to paint Stenehjem as part of an establishment that had done a poor job at managing money and put the states future in doubt. Stenehjem argued that North Dakota was well-positioned to handle the downturn in oil and farm prices and the state needed an experienced hand at the helm.

Stenehjem was born in Mohall. He attended high school in Bismarck and graduated from the University of North Dakota and received his law degree from the UND School of Law in 1977.
An Australian woman who was abducted as a child and went missing for three days has been reunited with one of the men who found her.

Kathleen Wrethman was just three years old when she was taken from her Sydney home in 1968.

Police believed she was kidnapped by a unknown man. A desperate search was launched but there was no sign of the toddler.

The situation was looking desperate when three teenage boys discovered little Kathy wandering in a creek with her hair cut.

In 1968 three-year-old Kathleen Wrethman was taken from her Sydney home and was missing for three days before she was discovered by three teenage boys wandering a creek

Kathy said she has no memory of her abductor harming her.

Now Kathy is grown and has a family of her own but she has never forgotten the three boys that saved her.

In an emotional interview, Kathy told BBC journalist Jon Kay that she's always wanted to reunite with her rescuers and thank them.

'I would wrap my arms around them,' she said.

In yet another happy twist she was able to do just that.

'I want to introduce you to somebody,' Mr Kay said.

In an emotional interview published Thursday Kathy was able to reunite with one of her rescuers, Mark Byrne, and thank him

Kathy gasped as a smiley Mark Byrne appeared on the screen and said hello.

'Long time no see,' Mark said.

After a round of introductions - and tears - Mark gave a bit more insight into what happened that day in 1968.

He said the boys had been 'wagging school'.

'We weren't good boys but we had a good outcome that day,' he said.

After the video finished Mark showed Kathy the watch her parents had bought him to say thank you for finding her back in 1968.

On the back the watch is engraved with the words 'Thank you from Kathy to Mark.'

Mark revealed the three boys had been 'wagging school' when they discovered little Kathy and the watch he was given as a thank you is still working to this day

Mark proudly told Kathy the watch still works to this day.

The reunion was put together after Mr Kay had spoken to Kathy about her abduction as part of his investigation into the disappearance of another NSW girl.

Cheryl Grimmer had been taken from Sydney's Fairy Meadow beach changing room in 1970 and has not been seen since.

It is believed the two cases are unrelated despite striking similarities in Kathy and Cheryl's stories.

Both girls had moved to Australia from the UK, were similar in age, and had lived in migrant hostels just an hour apart from one another.

In 2017 a man was charged for the abduction and murder of little Cheryl but the case was dropped.

Both Kathy and Cheryl's cases remain unsolved.

Anyone with relevant information on either case is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Two national treasures, Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year, left, and Portable Shrine of Gilt-bronze Buddha Triad, were put up for auction but failed to find new homes, Thursday. Courtesy of K Auction



By Park Han-sol



Two state-designated national treasures from the collection of the Kansong Art Museum have been put up for auction but failed to find new homes, stirring controversy over the implications of the museum's decision to commercially trade in artifacts of significant cultural and historical value.



The sixth-century Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year and the 11th- or 12th-century Portable Shrine of Gilt-bronze Buddha Triad marked the grand finale of K Auction in southern Seoul, Thursday evening, as the first-ever national treasures to be brought under the gavel in the country.



"It is an honor to just call out the name of the national treasure at this podium as an auctioneer," said Kwak Jong-woo as he started the bidding of the standing Buddha triad at the price of 3.1 billion won ($2.57 million). But its fate was quickly sealed, along with the portable shrine of the Buddha triad that started at 2.7 billion won, as no bids were made for either of the articles.



Prior to the auction, many predicted the National Museum of Korea (NMK) would be the high-profile prospective buyer of the two Buddhist statues, as it purchased two of Kansong's rare treasures  a rank lower than the national treasure status  for nearly 3 billion won when they similarly failed to find new owners at an auction in 2020.



In Korea, all state-designated cultural artifacts are banned from being shipped or sold overseas, with only domestic transactions authorized  provided that the items are reported in advance to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA).



Although the national museum expressed its interest in the artifacts in consideration of their evident historical values, the starting price of the two items far exceeded its annual budget of 4 billion won, which likely prevented it from making a bid in the auction.



Another factor of consideration for the NMK was the fact that if the state-run institution declares its intent to commercially bid for a relic as rare as a national treasure, such an announcement itself could set the unexpected precedent by affecting the pricing of the artifact, one museum official told the local daily Dong-A Ilbo.





The auction of the Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year begins, with the starting price of 3.1 billion won, at K Auction in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of K Auction
A Long Island pediatric nurse practitioner and her employee are accused of making $1.5 million from selling fake COVID-19 vaccine cards, and her NYPD officer husband is reportedly facing an internal probe for his potential involvement.

Nurse practitioner Julie DeVuono, 49, who owns Wild Child Pediatrics Healthcare on Long Island, and her employee Marissa Urraro, 44, a practical nurse, are accused of selling fake vaccination cards after undercover detectives obtained one 'on one or more occasions.'

DeVuono allegedly charged $220 for adults and $85 for children to enter falsified information to the New York State Immunization Information System - reportedly making $1.5 million in just three months, according to CBS New York.

Despite receiving vaccines and syringes being sent to the practice from the government, patients never received a vaccine.

When police searched the DeVuono's home in Amityville, they found $900,000 in cash, some of it found in NYPD-issued helmet bags, sources told the New York Daily News, drawing suspicion to her husband Derin, a police officer at Brooklyn's 60th Precinct.

Both nurse practitioners have been charged with forgery, and DeVuono for offering a false instrument for filing.

Both women were seen leaving Suffolk County Court on Friday where they pleaded not guilty at their arraignment hearing and they were both released without bail.

Derin is now reportedly under an internal investigation to see if he was involved in his wife's fraudulent business. In 2020, Derin had lost five vacation days after he was accused of making a penis-shaped flight path in an NYPD plane in 2017 when he was a part of the force's Aviation Unit.

Julie DeVuono, 49 (left), who owns Wild Child Pediatrics Healthcare on Long Island, was charged with forgery and offering a false instrument for filing for fake vaccination cards. Practical nurse and Wild Child Pediatrics employee, Marissa Urraro, 44 (right), was also charged with forgery

Her husband Derin, an NYPD officer, is now facing an internal probe after money was found in NYPD-issued helmet bags

Police found $900,000 in cash inside NYPD-issued helmet bags

When police searched the DeVuono household, they found a ledger (pictured) that appeared to show the women made $1.5million in three months time

Local business owners reportedly became suspicious after seeing increased foot traffic at the health care center, CBS New York reported.

'It's frightening beyond words,' Erin Bevilacqua from Park Avenue Grill told CBS New York.

'I'm grateful it's been put to an end. Break laws, give fake vaccines, it's very disheartening.'

'As nurses, these two individuals should understand the importance of legitimate vaccination cards as we all work together to protect public health,' Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said in a statement.

Urraro's lawyer called her 'a respected license practical nurse' and said there were 'defects' in the prosecutor's investigations.

'From our preliminary investigation, there are defects in the [prosecutors] investigation and legal impediments to how the case came about,' her Michael Alber told the New York Daily News.

DeVuono (pictured in a hat) and Urraro both pleaded not guilty at the Suffolk County Court on Friday and were released with no bail

Local businesses noticed more foot traffic inside the pediatrics center (pictured), causing suspicion

The revelation comes shortly after parents marching in a Parents Rights Rally on Long Island recently, where many took their children out of school to protest mask wearing.

'They don't care, they don't believe that this is something that is real. They see an opportunity and take it.'

In addition, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, 63, made fraudulent vaccine cards a crime. Falsifying vaccine cards will now be classified as a misdemeanor in the state, and using a computer to tamper with vaccination cards will now be classified as a felony.
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A huge convoy of up to 50,000 Canadian truck drivers arrived in Ottawa on Friday night ahead of a planned protest this weekend against vaccine mandates for drivers.

Since January 15, all Canadian truck drivers who are unvaccinated must take a COVID-19 test and quarantine when driving back from the United States.

They are not allowed into the U.S. unless they are vaccinated, and American drivers are not allowed into Canada unless they show their certificate.

American drivers returning to the U.S., however, do not need to take a test and quarantine.

Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, has dismissed the protest from the truckers as a disgruntled few, pointing out that almost 90 percent of his country is vaccinated.

Yet the drivers in the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' are angry at his mandate, and plan this weekend on showing the strength of their sentiment in the Canadian capital at the end of a 2,000 mile protest rally.

Canadian truck drivers are seen in Ottawa on Friday ahead of a planned weekend of protest against COVID-19 vaccine rules

The convoy - at times comprising of 50,000 vehicles, organizers said - is seen on Friday beginning to arrive in Ottawa

A truck driver flying the Canadian flag is seen driving into the capital on Friday

A vehicle from the convoy is seen on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday

Ottawa's residents are bracing themselves for a weekend of snarled traffic as the truckers arrive

Truckers demanding that Canada remain 'glorious and free' arrive in Ottawa on Friday

The convoy assembled in British Columbia on Sunday, and were joined by other protesters driving from the east and the south of the country.

Truckers from the US - who are only allowed into Canada if they are vaccinated - have also joined the massive convoy.

Canadian Trucking Magazine publisher Dave Mackenzie, who is a working long-haul trucker, told West Standard Online that some U.S. truckers were driving from North Dakota to Portal Saskatchewan, where they intend to cross the border and join the group.

Some of the group's leaders are calling for a peaceful event, but statements from some associated with the group have included threats of violence.

Ottawa police said they would be out in force and ready to arrest anyone who breaks the law.

They said on Friday that they have also called in 'reinforcements'.

A top Parliament official warned lawmakers to avoid the protest and to lock their doors amid reports their private homes may be targeted.

'It's 70 kilometers long,' Benjamin Dichter, a spokesman for the Freedom Convoy 2022, told the Toronto Sun after it passed Calgary heading west on Wednesday.

'I have seen footage from an airplane. It's impressive.'

Elon Musk also tweeted praise for the truckers, saying: 'If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny.'

He'd earlier tweeted that 'Canadian truckers rule'.

In September 2020, the Tesla CEO said that he and his family would not be getting vaccinated because they are not at risk.

As many as 32,000, or 20 percent, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads due to the mandate, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates.

Hundreds of Canadians have lined the TransCanada Highway 20 to cheer on a 45-mile-long convoy of up to 50,000 truckers who are heading to Ottawa to protest the government's covid vaccine mandate for drivers crossing the US-Canada border

The convoy assembled in British Columbia on Sunday, and are seen on January 28 being cheered on in Levis, Quebec by supporters

50,000 truckers are making their way across Canada in a 45-mile-long convoy in protest of vaccine mandates that now prohibit truckers from crossing the US-Canadian border without proof of vaccination

Canadians standing on an overpass in Kingston, Ontario cheer the truck drivers on. One pickup truck is seen pulling a trailer with a sign saying: 'Freedom doesn't require permission'

A driver gets his pickup truck, with a sign saying 'Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee Freedom', ready for the convoy line in Kingston, Ontario on Friday

50,000 truckers are making their way across Canada in a 45-mile-long convoy in protest of vaccine mandates that would prohibit truckers from crossing the US-Canadian border without proof of vaccination

Canadians gather on a bridge over Highway 400 in Vaughan, Ontario, to support the Freedom Convoy

Pickup trucks with Canadian flags and 'freedom' signs get ready to join the convoy in Kingston on Friday

Truckers left from British Columbia on Sunday and will be met in the nation's capital on Saturday by other protesters driving from the east and the south of the country. The convoy has been joined by US truckers

The Toronto Sun estimated that up to 50,000 trucks could be participating - this convoy could exceed the existing record for the world's longest by 10 times if it stays intact until its intended destination

'It's 70 kilometers long,' Benjamin Dichter, a spokesman for the Freedom Convoy 2022, told the Toronto Sun. 'I have seen footage from an airplane. It's impressive'

In a list of demands, the organizers of the Freedom Convoy are calling for an end to vaccine passports and for the federal government to respect the rights of the unvaccinated

Hutterites have shown out in numbers not just greet the truckers with signs as they drive by, but to keep them fed

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured) has characterized the protesters as a 'small fringe minority who are on the way to Ottawa who are holding unacceptable views'

The convoy has picked up steam and supporters as it traveled along the snow-filled TransCanada Highway.

The longest convoy in history was just five miles long, consisted of 480 trucks, and took place in Egypt in 2020, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Toronto Sun estimated that up to 50,000 trucks could be participating - which would exceed the existing record by 10 times if it stays intact until its intended destination.

The convoy is not considered a record, however, because it has not been strictly monitored to comply with the Guinness World Records criteria.

In a list of demands, the organizers of the Freedom Convoy are calling for an end to vaccine passports and for the federal government to respect the rights of the unvaccinated.

Trudeau hit the brakes on their demands.

'What we are hearing from some people associated with this convoy is completely unacceptable,' he said.

'We know the way through this pandemic is to get everyone vaccinated.

'The overwhelming majority, close to 90 percent of Canadians, have done exactly that.'

'A lot of people are trying to say that these type of things are done out of anger, but this is actually being done out of frustration towards the things the government is imposing upon Canadian citizens,' a man named Trevor told Global News when the convoy passed through the Balgonie area, declining to give his surname

The Freedom Convoy left from Vancouver to Ottawa on Sunday in protest. They intend to hold a protest in Ottawa upon arriving on January 29

A GoFundMe initiative has already raised $6,365,040 towards the protest since it was launched on January 14, with organizers saying that the money will go toward the gas, food and shelter of the participating truckers

But supporters of the convoy disagree, with one driver saying that 'the amount of trucks involved and the amount of people showing up here, this shows the frustrations of Canadians and it's going to continue to grow.'

'A lot of people are trying to say that these type of things are done out of anger, but this is actually being done out of frustration towards the things the government is imposing upon Canadian citizens,' a man named Trevor told Global News when the convoy passed through the Balgonie area, declining to give his surname.

The Canadian government ended the truckers' exemption to the vaccine mandate, meaning Canadian truck drivers need to be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a two-week quarantine and pre-arrival molecular test for COVID-19 before crossing into Canada.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign national truck drivers who do not have a right to re-enter are turned away at the border and directed back to the United States.

The U.S. now also requires Canadian truckers to provide proof of vaccination to enter.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has disavowed the protest and said more than 85 percent of truckers are vaccinated.

Many truckers have also posted on social media they continue to do their jobs and that the convoy does not speak for them.

Canada has enacted some of the most strict COVID-19 protocols worldwide.

Ontario will only closed its restaurants, gyms and movie theaters early this month, and will only reopen them at the beginning of February.

Vaccinations were mandated in for federal workers last year, and the premier of Quebec announced plans to penalize unvaccinated residents that don't have a medical reason not to get the shot.

On Thursday night, Elon Musk tweeted: 'If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny'

He also praised the protesters, tweeting on Thursday that 'Canadian truckers rule'

Musk stated in September of 2020 that he and his family would not be getting vaccinated because they are not at risk, and said he most likely had a mild case of the virus in November

The Freedom Convoy left from Vancouver to Ottawa on Sunday in protest. They intend to hold a protest in Ottawa upon arriving on January 29
Police believe two young children were killed by their father before he took his own life at a home in Perth's southeast.

A family member called police to an address on at Huntingdale in Perth's south-east about 6.35pm on Friday.

The call was made as their mother had planned to pick up the children a pre-determined location but they had not been there.

On arrival, officers found the bodies of a four-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy inside the house.

A man, 40, was also found dead inside a garage at the back of the property.

WA Police Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams confirmed the shocking news that it was likely the father, who had mental issues, had murdered his own children.

Police confirmed two young children were killed by their father before he took his own life at a home in Perth's southeast on Friday

WA Assistant commissioner for the metropolitan region Allan Adams said on Saturday a man, 40, was also located in the same home with two children aged 4 and 6 - he was later identified as their father

Police taped off the area on Friday night, where WA Police confirmed there was a murder suicide

'The 40-year-old man is the father of the two children,' WA Police Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams told reporters on Saturday.

'The exact cause of death and the circumstances will be thoroughly investigated and this will take some time, but I can tell you at this stage we are treating this incident as a double murder suicide.'

Asst Comm Adams described the incident as an 'extreme tragedy'.

'It's extremely difficult to comprehend what's occurred. We can only begin to imagine the trauma caused to the family,' he said.

He said the first responders to the scene will be provided with 'the highest level of care and support'.

'Obviously it's extremely traumatic for them to be confronted with these scenes,' he said.

Police have set up a crime scene and are continuing to investigate the circumstances, but they are not looking for anyone else over the deaths.

'The early assessment is that this is a domestic homicide suicide,' Asst Comm Adams said.

'Investigations will determine ultimately whether that scenario is what they were confronted with or whether there is some other issues at play.'

Fairfax reported that in mid-December, the father posted a video on Facebook in which he spoke of his own mental health problems and warned others suicide is 'not the solution'.

'It's been a while since I posted anything on Facebook... I've had my personal reasons for it,' he said in the video.

A family member phoned 000 about 6.35pm on Friday, with police arriving shortly after at the home on Essington Street (pictured), in Huntingdale in Perth's southeast - three bodies were soon located, including children aged 6 and 4

Two police officers were seen being comforted while detectives scoured the scene in Perth's southeast (file image)

'To those who felt a difference and reached out, I thank them. A lot of those calls and messages have gone unanswered and I do apologise but the care and concern shown is appreciated.

'People who have known me well enough for long enough, I would feel quite certain they may not think of me as someone going through depression.

'But I have recently been diagnosed with depression.'

The father said he was on medication and warned: 'The unpleasant signs of mental health issues or even depression is not only does it affect you, it affects the people around you.

'Suiciding is possibly not the solution... reach out to people, try and talk to people, seek help, see what you can do before you make that drastic decision where if you are successful there is no coming back.'

Two police officers were seen being comforted at the Perth home on Friday night while detectives scoured the scene.

A neighbour said the street was usually quiet and there had never been any signs of trouble.

'I've never really heard of any issues (on this street),' the neighbour said.

'We know our neighbours, we say hello to them.'

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1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
More than twice as many men are dying from Covid in Queensland than the state's female residents, leaving medical experts baffled.

The Sunshine State has recorded 171 deaths from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 - with men accounting for 115 fatalities compared to the 56 deaths among women.

While a similar phenomenon has been observed in places like Italy, China and some US states, researchers are no closer to understanding what makes men more at risk.

More than double the number of men are dying from Covid-19 than women in Queensland, leaving medical experts baffled as they struggle to figure out why. Pictured: A couple is seen at a Covid testing clinic in Brisbane

The Sunshine State has sadly recorded 171 deaths from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 with men accounting for 115 fatalities compared to women at just 56. Pictured: A Covid testing clinic in Brisbane

University of Queensland infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Griffin speculated because men are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like heart obesity - which are increased morbidity factors for Covid - it may mean they are more vulnerable.

But he said the correlation has 'not been firmly established' by the medical community, ABC News reported.

Nigel McMillan, an infectious disease expert at Griffith University has his own theory.

'We know that the immune systems function differently in men and women, and women tend to have a stronger immune system,' Professor McMillan said.

'Females have higher numbers of some of the white blood cells that fight disease and they have increased antibody production.'

Researchers in the US, who have seen the strange trend pop up in some states, argue 'social factors' and not just biological differences between men and women are likely to be a major underlying reason.

Researchers in the US argue 'social factors' and not just biological differences between men and women are likely to be a major factor. Pictured: A Covid testing clinic in Brisbane

A similar phenomenon has been observed in places like Italy, China and some US states, but researchers are no closer to understanding what makes men more at risk. Pictured: A Brisbane Covid vaccination clinic

A recent study in the Social Science and Medicine Journal found behavioural patterns, underlying health conditions and the type of job a Covid sufferer has may be a large part of the reason why men are dying at a faster rate.

Male-dominated industries like transportation, factories, meatpacking plants, agriculture and construction have suffered higher mortality rates from Covid.

But the answers remain unclear.

'You can't attribute observations about things like mortality from a complex disease like Covid and say it's all biology,' Sabra Klein, a microbiologist and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Women's Health, Sex and Gender Research told the New York Times.

'But I also don't think you can say it's all social and it's all behavioral, either.'
Republican Senator Mitt Romney has tested positive for COVID-19 and will isolate and work remotely, his office has confirmed, adding that the 74-year-old is not showing any symptoms.

Romney, who was governor of Massachusetts before running for president in 2012, unsuccessfully challenging Barack Obama, is currently a senator for Utah.

His wife Ann, 72, has tested negative, Romney's office said.

'Senator Romney tested positive today for COVID-19. He is currently asymptomatic and will be isolating and working remotely for the recommended period of time,' they said in a statement.

'Mrs. Romney has tested negative.

'Both Senator and Mrs. Romney have been fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus.'

Mitt Romney, pictured on December 8, has tested positive for COVID, his office said on Friday

Romney is pictured with his wife Ann, arriving for the funeral of Senator John McCain in September 2018. Romney challenged McCain for the 2008 Republican nomination in the presidential election

In May 2020, doctors directed both Romney and Mike Lee, his fellow Utah senator, to self-quarantine after being around Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Romney, who said he did not experience any symptoms, tested negative for the virus at that time.

Earlier this month, Romney criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough to supply sufficient COVID tests. He said that he himself was frequently tested, and thought everyone should have access to the tests.

'I think, unfortunately, the administration was wrong in not building testing capacity at a time when we all thought COVID was going away,' he said in a Senate hearing.

'I think a lot of individuals, myself included, get tested when there's no indication that I need to get tested, other than to just want to make sure I'm not sick.

'There's huge demand for tests which are in short supply, in part because of that.'

Romney's infection comes after that of Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, who on Monday tested positive multiple times.

On Tuesday night and on Wednesday night, she defied scientific recommendations to eat out at Manhattan restaurants, despite being infected.

She is unvaccinated.

The Omicron coronavirus variant is driving the daily American death toll higher than during last autumn's Delta wave, with deaths likely to keep rising for days or even weeks.

The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the US has been climbing since mid-November, reaching 2,267 on Thursday and surpassing a September peak of 2,100 when Delta was the dominant variant.

Now Omicron is estimated to account for nearly all the virus circulating in the nation.

And even though it causes less severe disease for most people, the fact that it is more transmissible means more people are falling ill and dying.

'Omicron will push us over a million deaths,' said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine.

'That will cause a lot of soul searching. There will be a lot of discussion about what we could have done differently, how many of the deaths were preventable.'

Omicron symptoms are often milder, and some infected people show no symptoms, researchers agree.

But like the flu, it can be deadly, especially for people who are older, have other health problems or who are unvaccinated.

'Importantly, 'milder' does not mean 'mild',' said Dr Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during a White House briefing.

At one hospital in Kansas, 50 COVID-19 patients have died this month and more than 200 are being treated.

University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, posted a video from its morgue showing bagged bodies in a refrigeration unit and a worker marking one white body bag with the word 'COVID'.

'This is real,' said Ciara Wright, the hospital's decedent affairs coordinator.

'Our concerns are, 'Are the funeral homes going to come fast enough?' We do have access to a refrigerated truck. We don't want to use it if we don't have to.'

Dr Katie Dennis, a pathologist who does autopsies for the health system, said the morgue has been at or above capacity almost every day in January, 'which is definitely unusual'.

With more than 882,000 deaths, the United States has the largest COVID-19 toll of any nation.

During the coming week, almost every US state will see a faster increase in deaths, although deaths have peaked in a few states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Maryland, Alaska and Georgia, according to the COVID-19 Forecast Hub.

New hospital admissions have started to fall for all age groups, according to CDC data, and a drop in deaths is expected to follow.

'In a pre-pandemic world, during some flu seasons, we see 10,000 or 15,000 deaths,' said Nicholas Reich, who aggregates coronavirus projections for the hub in collaboration with the CDC.

'We see that in the course of a week sometimes with COVID.'
A father who police believe killed his two young children before taking his own life in a suspected murder-suicide has been identified.

Indika Gunathilaka, 40, and the bodies of his four-year-old daughter and six-year-old son were found at a home in Essington Street, Huntingdale in Perth's south-east on Friday evening.

A family member had called police to the address at about 6.35pm on Friday.

The frantic call was made after their mother went to pick up the children at a pre-determined location only to find they weren't there.

On arrival, officers found the bodies of a four-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy inside the house.

A man was also found dead inside a garage at the back of the property.

WA Police Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams confirmed the shocking news that it was likely Mr Gunathilaka, who had mental health issues, had murdered his own children.

Indika Gunathilaka, 40, and the bodies of his four-year-old daughter and six-year-old son were found at a home in Essington Street, Huntingdale in Perth's south-east on Friday evening

Police believe two young children were killed by their father before he took his own life at a home in Perth's southeast on Friday

WA Assistant commissioner for the metropolitan region Allan Adams said on Saturday a man, 40, was also located in the same home with two children aged 4 and 6 - he was later identified as their father

'The 40-year-old man is the father of the two children,' WA Police Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams told reporters on Saturday.

'The exact cause of death and the circumstances will be thoroughly investigated and this will take some time, but I can tell you at this stage we are treating this incident as a double murder suicide.'

Asst Comm Adams described the incident as an 'extreme tragedy'.

'It's extremely difficult to comprehend what's occurred. We can only begin to imagine the trauma caused to the family,' he said.

He said the first responders to the scene will be provided with 'the highest level of care and support'.

Two officers reportedly had to be comforted away from the scene.

'Obviously it's extremely traumatic for them to be confronted with these scenes,' he said.

Police have set up a crime scene and are continuing to investigate the circumstances, but they are not looking for anyone else over the deaths.

'The early assessment is that this is a domestic homicide suicide,' Asst Comm Adams said.

'Investigations will determine ultimately whether that scenario is what they were confronted with or whether there is some other issues at play.'

Fairfax reported that in mid-December, Mr Gunathilaka posted a video on Facebook in which he spoke of his own mental health problems and warned others suicide is 'not the solution'.

'It's been a while since I posted anything on Facebook... I've had my personal reasons for it,' he said in the video.

Teddy bears and flowers are seen left on Essington Street where three bodies were found in a home

'To those who felt a difference and reached out, I thank them. A lot of those calls and messages have gone unanswered and I do apologise but the care and concern shown is appreciated.

'People who have known me well enough for long enough, I would feel quite certain they may not think of me as someone going through depression.

'But I have recently been diagnosed with depression.'

The father said he was on medication and warned: 'The unpleasant signs of mental health issues or even depression is not only does it affect you, it affects the people around you.

'Suiciding is possibly not the solution... reach out to people, try and talk to people, seek help, see what you can do before you make that drastic decision where if you are successful there is no coming back.'

After the incident, a neighbour said the street was usually quiet and there had never been any signs of trouble.

'I've never really heard of any issues (on this street),' the neighbour said.

'We know our neighbours, we say hello to them.'

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1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Nearly two in five people currently working from home say they will never return to the office.

A new survey carried out this week shows 71 per cent of people prefer to work from home and 58 per cent believe they are more productive when they do so.

The poll carried out by YouGov on behalf of The Times shows the scale of the challenge employers face in getting staff back to the office.

Nearly two in face people currently working from home say they will never return to the office

Only nine per cent of workers have permanently returned to their desks since the government changed WFH advice last week.

A quarter of those surveyed say they have returned part time, while 63 per cent are working remotely and 39 per cent will stay at home for good.

The results will come as a concern to ministers who are keen to return to pre-pandemic levels of office work amid concerns over city centres and public transport systems.

Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay has written to each department's permanent secretary, urging them to force civil servants back into the office.

Separate figures by technology company Freespace revealed offices were busier on Tuesdays to Thursdays but largely empty on Mondays and Fridays in the past year.

It comes after one of Britain's top female bosses warned women risk missing out on career opportunities by staying at home.

Only nine per cent of workers have permanently returned to their desks since the government changed WFH advice last week

Surveys carried out in recent months have found more men than women in London never want to WFH once the pandemic ends, while only one in ten women across the UK who are WFH plan to return to the office.

Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc, said she feared that if women continue to stay at home it would mean they are 'not around when some of the conversations are being had'.

Ms Blanc, who is the Government's Women in Finance champion and was in the top 30 of Forbes' 100 most powerful women last year, said she wanted to 'create the right environment for women to flourish' in the sector.

She added that it was complex for the insurance giant's 20,000 employees to come back into the office 'because they've got to plan their lives around how they're going to work, so the changing back and forth makes it difficult'.

Meanwhile psychology expert Sir Cary Cooper told MailOnline that he was concerned that women were less likely than men to go back into the office because being at home made family life and childcare more straightforward.

The Government's Women in Finance champion Amanda Blanc, chief executive of Aviva, said today that she feared that if women continue to stay at home it would mean they are 'not around when some of the conversations are being had'

Tax loophole allowing WFH staff to claim up to 125 a year for extra costs 'will be closed after costing Treasury 500m during the pandemic' A tax loophole allowing people working from home to claim for extra costs is set to be closed after it reportedly cost the Treasury nearly 500million during the pandemic. HM Revenue and Customs is said to be reviewing the scheme which allows anyone who has worked just one day at home in a year to claim an annual sum of up to 125 in tax relief. Before Covid, the scheme - which has existed since 2003 and is designed to help with the extra costs of home working such as internet, electricity and gas bills - cost the Treasury about 2million a year. But at the beginning of the pandemic, when everyone had to work from home where possible, the rules were relaxed so that people no longer had to prove they worked from home regularly to claim. Instead, working from home for just one day during the tax year was enough to claim the whole yearly sum. The tax-free relief was also raised from 4 to 6. Over a year, this adds up to 62.40 for basic-rate payers and 124.80 for higher earners. The update was due to end in April 2021 but was extended for a year. HMRC said 4.9 million successful claims for the tax break have been made since March 2020. The changes meant the cost rose to nearly half a billion pounds over the two years of the pandemic, The Daily Telegraph reported. Advertisement

Working from home guidance was lifted on Wednesday last week having been in place since December 13 last year as part of Boris Johnson's Plan B measures to help fight the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

It comes as a tax break allowing anyone WFH to claim for extra costs is set to be closed by HM Revenue and Customs after the benefit reportedly cost the Treasury nearly 500million during the pandemic.

HMRC is said to be reviewing the scheme, which allows anyone who has worked just one day at home in a year to claim an annual sum of up to 125. Some 4.9million successful claims have been made since March 2020.

Talking about how women are being impacted differently by being brought back into the office, Ms Blanc told BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday: 'I do think that we need to think about what happens.

'Because if what you see is that all the men come back into the office and the women don't, then obviously the women are not around when some of the conversations are being had and they could miss out on opportunities and so that's what I'm calling out, really, that I don't want to happen.

'We know that the progression of women in the financial services is just simply not good enough. We're not moving women into more senior roles quickly enough  and I think it's my role as the Government's Women in Finance champion but also as a woman leading an organisation to make sure that we create the right environment for women to flourish and for women to be given the same opportunities as men.

'So we just need to make sure that in the way that we work, we don't jeopardise women's opportunities.'

Speaking about the return to work of Aviva employees, she added: 'My view is that we would like people to be in the office around three days a week. There's going to be big flexibility around that.

'I'm really keen that we do have some physical presence in the office, even though I think the way that we'll work in the office will be different to pre-Covid.'

Meanwhile Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Manchester Business School, told MailOnline this morning that women were more likely to work at home because it was 'easier for them' if they have children.

He said: 'Men are more into their careers and getting ahead and play organisational politics more than women.

'My real worry is that men will go back into the office and women, because they have the primary care responsibility still, won't go back into the office as much because it's easier for them, they can do the school run, and that by not going in as often - they will go in two or three days a week in hybrid working, which is what I think will happen with a lot of people, men will go in more than women - and it will disadvantage women because if you're there, just showing facetime, men are still in the senior roles still, this will disadvantage your career.

'Unfortunately I think that will happen, unless men during this two-year period have understood the value of children and understood the nature of their role in the family and got some benefit from being with kids - other than home schooling because no one liked that, it's hard, it's really hard work and should make us appreciate teachers more - but if men did, and there will be some who did, there would have been some men who were full time in the office but didn't take up flexible working options, even then it was women who took it and men didn't.

'The reason was they thought it would adversely affect their career. Now it won't but they're still very ambitious on balance, their identity comes from work, and they understand the significance of organisational politics.

'I'm just hoping that men learn something during this period of time and develop much more of a role within the family and their kids.'
Psychologists have warned the Government manipulated fear tactics in a manner akin to China to coerce a terrified public into following strict Covid rules.

MPs are set to launch a probe into the behaviour of the civil servants behind No 10's Covid messaging campaigns amid fears they employed 'grossly unethical' tactics in a manner similar to those seen in authoritarian states.

40 psychologists co-signed a letter to Parliament's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, warning of amoral adverts that used slogans like: 'Stay home to save lives' and 'if you go out and spread it, people will die'.

The use of televised images that showed 'the acutely unwell in intensive care units' and the 'macabre mono focus on the number of Covid-19 deaths without mention of mortality from other causes' were also singled out for criticism by the group, led by retired clinical psycholoist, Dr Gary Sidley.

A government memo shared in March 2020 that suggested the 'perceived level of personal threat needs to be increased among those who are complacent' was also noted in the psychologists' remarks.

The letter added: 'Shaming and scapegoating have emboldened some people to harass those unable or unwilling to wear a face covering.

'More disturbingly, the inflated fear levels will have significantly contributed to the many thousands of excess non-Covid deaths that have occurred in people's homes, the strategically-increased anxieties discouraging many from seeking help for other illnesses.

'Government scientists deploying fear, shame and scapegoating to change minds is an ethically dubious practice that in some respects resembles the tactics used by totalitarian regimes such as China, where the state inflicts pain on a subset of its population in an attempt to eliminate beliefs and behaviour they perceive to be deviant.'

40 psychologists co-signed a letter to Parliament's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, warning of amoral adverts that used slogans like: 'Stay home to save lives' and 'if you go out and spread it, people will die'

The use televised images that showed 'the acutely unwell in intensive care units' and the 'macabre mono focus on the number of Covid-19 deaths without mention of mortality from other causes' were also singled out for criticism by the group

Parliament's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee are now set to investigate the Government's use of scare ads during the pandemic.

William Wragg, the committee's chairman, told the Telegraph: 'The central issue is how 'nudge' sits within parliamentary democracy and ministerial accountability.

'Normally, it's quite straightforward to know where lines of accountability are between the law, parliamentarians scrutinising the law and the public following it.

'And this is a wider question of how much, in a parliamentary democracy, sits outside of that approach.'

Mr Sidley and the letter's other signatories blamed the involvement of so-called 'nudge unit' - or Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) - for the tactics.

The BIT was originally based in the Cabinet Office but became a private company in 2014. It has had no involvement in the adverts and says it opposes the use of fear in campaigns.

Earlier this month the group's co-founder, behavioural scientist Simon Ruda, accused the 'nudge unit' of overemphasising 'propagandistic' modelling and data.

'That fear seems to have subsequently driven policy decisions in a worrying feed-back loop,' said Mr Ruda, who help set up No10's Behavioural Insights Team in 2010.

'In my mind, the most egregious and far-reaching mistake made in responding to the pandemic has been the level of fear willingly conveyed on the public.'

Ministers have been criticised for putting too much stock in 'worst-case' Covid scenarios from modelling by its advisers.

The Government has used these projections of cases and deaths to justify restrictive measures to the public or to encourage people to change their behaviours.

One of the more recent models warned of 6,000 daily Covid deaths and 10,000 hospitalisations this winter in a pessimistic scenario.

No10's chief modeller has previously said that the committee does not consider optimistic scenarios because 'that doesn't get decisions made'.

While no new restrictions were brought in in England, people were told to cancel their Christmas parties and 'prioritise' who they met.

More restrictive measures were reintroduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

But Mr Ruda suggested that there were not enough experts within Downing Street's scientific ranks who challenged the data or advice.

Referencing the Government's now-famous 'following the science' line, Mr Ruda said: 'As we've learned over the past two years, focusing on 'the science' is blinkered...

Simon Ruda, co-founder of No10's 'Nudge Unit', accused ministers of using scare tactics during the pandemic

'Placing all value on data risks de-prioritising reflection, reason and debate  and obscuring the limitations of that data as a depiction of reality...which is why we need multidisciplinary teams, a strong culture of intellectual humility and designed-in cognitive diversity to tackle problems, especially in times of uncertainty.'

Many experts have called for the daily publication of Covid cases, deaths and hospital admissions to be scrapped or put into context with other illnesses.

'The more we measure something, like Covid infections, the more prominent it becomes and so the more it matters,' Mr Ruda wrote.

He also raised concerns about the longer-term effects of the campaign of fear deployed during the pandemic.

A Government spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Since the start of the pandemic we have followed the advice of our world-leading scientists and medical experts, taking the right measures at the right time to defeat coronavirus.

'As a responsible government, we have informed the public through every means possible as to the severity of Covid-19, providing clear information and guidance about the behaviours they should take to protect themselves, their families and others, including most recently encouraging everyone eligible to get boosted.'
Australians who suffer long-term effects from Covid could be locked out from life insurance policies or forced to pay more in premiums, experts have warned.

Jane Tiller from Monash University's Public Health Genomics Program said coronavirus victims who suffer 'long Covid' may be deemed by insurers to have a pre-existing condition.

That could mean Covid victims will have to pay hefty premiums to insurance companies decades after first being infected with the virus.

Australians who suffer long term effects from Covid could be locked out from getting life insurance or forced to pay more, experts say

Ms Tiller said insurers may also look at what variant a person was infected with when deciding whether to offer them a policy.

'If it becomes possible to find out what variants you had, then it's possible that they could try and distinguish between them,' she told the ABC.

'As long as there's evidence to support a differential risk, an insurer can use that to discriminate against someone who had that risk factor.'

Ms Tiller said she was concerned there may be a 'divide' between those who caught the virus and experienced lasting health impacts which were out of their control.

Some effects from long Covid include fatigue, difficulty remembering things and the inability to taste or smell.

However Policy Director for Life insurance at Financial Services Australia Nick Kirwan said there was nothing to suggest Covid victims would struggle to secure life insurance.

As some insurers won't cover specific pre-existing health conditions, Aussies with long-lasting impacts from Covid may not be covered by insurance companies in the future (file image)

He said insurers may look at Covid victims with long-lasting impacts and treat them similar to Australians with diabetes or heart conditions.

'We would expect that to be treated in the same way as if they have long-lasting and ongoing symptoms,' Mr Kirwin told the publication.

It's understood Covid infections would have no impact on those with existing life insurance policies.
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Thousands of punters took to dance floors across England for a wild Friday night without needing to show Covid passes or use masks for the first time since Plan B measures were brought to an end.

What are the rules for clubbers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland? ENGLAND: Covid passes no longer mandatory

Covid passes no longer mandatory Face coverings not required

No imposed limits on attendance. SCOTLAND: Face coverings still required

Social distancing at one-metre where people are exempt from wearing face coverings

Table service and attendance limits both scrapped. WALES: Social distancing and 'rule of six' lifted

Face coverings not required

Table service and attendance limits scrapped. NORTHERN IRELAND: Covid passes only required in indoor venues of 500+ people

Two-metre social distancing rule scrapped

Face coverings still required. Advertisement

Revellers packed out clubs, bars and pubs across England for boozy celebrations yesterday evening as the nation fully embraced its first weekend of partying without Plan B measures in place.

Hundreds of people were pictured queuing to get into bustling venues in Newcastle and Leeds, while young people also made the most of the end of social distancing and the rule of six in Swansea and Cardiff.

And last night, Wales finally re-legalised the opening of nightclubs after they were shut for more than a month under First Minister Mark Drakeford's draconian Covid curbs.

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the end of Plan B measures in England, which included work from home guidance, masks in schools and public places, and the use of Covid passports in large venues.

Clubbers in England will enjoy by far the fewest amount of restrictions of all the home nations upon their return to bars, pubs and nightclubs from this weekend.

Meanwhile, Scotland's night life came back with a bang on Monday, January 24 after Nicola Sturgeon lifted an array of strict measures to curb the number of people allowed at indoor events in the country.

Table service requirements, closures and attendance limits for indoor events were all scrapped, but face masks are still required in nightclubs.

Restrictions on late night venues, the use Covid passes and social distancing were all relaxed in Northern Ireland from Wednesday.

The home nations came under fire for their collective decisions to force embattled hospitality businesses to close over the busy festive period under draconian measures, while England remained restriction-free.

Though most restrictions in England were lifted earlier this month, England officially moved from Plan B to Plan A on Thursday.

The move included the ditching of masks in indoor areas, such as pubs, bars and hospitality venues. Work from home guidance was also lifted earlier this week.

Daily Covid cases, deaths and hospital admissions have all tumbled in the past 24 hours as the country's Omicron wave continues to recede.

Revellers enjoy the first full weekend of partying in Newcastle without draconian Plan B measures in place

Hundreds of people were pictured queuing to get into bustling venues in Newcastle without needing to show Covid passes or use masks for the first time

It was the first weekend that young people were able to go to nightclubs in England and Wales with the reduction in Covid numbers

These three girls were photographed last night in Leeds City Centre, celebrating the first weekend of freedom from Covid-19

A man is arrested by police on Friday evening in Newcastle as revellers packed out clubs, bars and pubs across England for boozy celebrations yesterday evening

These friends in Leeds also celebrated the end of the Plan B Covid-19 rules which were removed during the week

England's Plan A Covid measures explained: Now that England has reverted to Plan A measures, which Covid rules are still in place? Self-isolation is still mandatory for those testing positive for Covid-19. The 10-day period can end early after five full days with two negative lateral flow tests.

Masks are no longer a legal requirement for indoor venues, although they are still required in health and care settings.

Local directors of public health are still able to recommend face coverings in communal areas only in education settings within their area.

Use of Covid passes for large events and late night venues is no longer required by law.

Work from home guidance has now ended, although individual employers can implement their own rules. Advertisement

Revellers in England were pictured celebrating the first full weekend without significant Covid restrictions.

Showing proof of Covid vaccination is no longer a mandatory requirement upon entry to a nightclub and face coverings will not be used anymore.

But in Scotland, face masks are still to be used in all indoor settings, while physical social distancing rules remain in place for the majority of businesses.

In Wales, the rule of six and social distancing have both been scrapped, and face masks are not required in nightclubs.

But in Northern Ireland, revellers must still show proof of full vaccination at indoor venues with more than 500 people. Face coverings are still also required.

Government dashboard data shows there were another 89,176 positive tests across the country in the past 24 hours, marking a 7 per cent decrease on last Friday.

Daily infections hit a plateau last week - which was attributed to rising cases in primary schools and people returning to work - after coming down rapidly from a peak of over 200,000 earlier in the month.

But they have started to fall again this week, albeit gradually, despite compulsory face masks and vaccine passports being scrapped in England.

Health officials said there were 277 more coronavirus deaths registered in the UK on Friday - down by around 4 per cent in a week.

Despite Covid infections in Scotland plummeting since the New Year, rules on outdoor events were only lifted last week.

Scots are still being urged to take Covid tests before meeting people, while ministers say face masks rules could continue for months and maybe years.

In Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford moved to Covid alert level zero yesterday, allowing nightclubs to reopen and cancelling social distancing rules.

Last week, crowds were permitted to return to outdoor sporting events in Wales and limits were removed from taking part in outdoor activities.

But the Covid pass will continue to be required for entry to larger outdoor events attended by more than 4,000 people, if unseated, or 10,000 people when seated.

Covid passes will still be required in all Welsh cinemas, theatres and concert halls which are currently open.

Last night, nightclubs reopened and the requirement for two-metre social distancing and the rule of six ended.

But Welsh businesses, employers and other organisations must continue to undertake a specific coronavirus risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the spread of coronavirus.

Nightclubs reopened in Wales for the first time in 2022 after First Minister Mark Drakeford downgraded the nation's Covid alert status, allowing this girls in Wind Street, Swansea to enjoy a night out on the town

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford moved to Covid alert level zero yesterday, allowing nightclubs to reopen and cancelling social distancing rules. These five girls used bin bags to protect themselves from the rain in Cardiff on Friday night

Large groups of people queued up outside Pryzm nightclub in Cardiff upon the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions

Clubbers improvised with plastic bags to protect themselves from the wet and windy weather as Covid rules were finally relaxed in Wales

Hundreds of people stood waiting to get into the Live Lounge in Cardiff, which was allowing patrons in for the first time this year

Despite the threat of rain, partygoers stood outside nightclubs in cities like Cardiff, pictured, after nightclubs reopened

Hundreds of young people were pictured queuing to get into Pryzm nightclub in Cardiff for a wild Friday night

Scotland has lifted the vast majority of its remaining Covid restrictions this week - with nightclubs set to reopen and social distancing rules at indoor events scrapped

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced last week nightclubs would be able to reopen, while the caps on indoor events, table service requirements for venues selling alcohol and social distancing will also be removed

Working from home will remain part of the advice from the Welsh Government but it will no longer be a legal requirement.

Everyone must also continue to self-isolate if they test positive for coronavirus but the Welsh Government has reduced the self-isolation period from seven to five full days.

Face-covering rules, which apply on public transport and in most public indoor places remain in place.

Mr Drakeford said: 'We have passed the peak of this Omicron wave and there are encouraging signs that cases of coronavirus may be starting to stabilise.

'But we all need to continue taking steps to stay safe - unfortunately the pandemic is not over yet.

'We are moving to alert level zero and we will retain some important protections, such as face coverings in most indoor public places and risk assessments.

'We can do this thanks to the hard work and efforts of everyone in Wales and the remarkable success of our vaccine and booster programmes. Thank you all.'

It comes as Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, said that face coverings were 'not the biggest handicap' that people were having to endure as the country attempts to recover from Covid.

A range of measures introduced on Boxing Day to deal with the Omicron variant will be scrapped from tomorrow, but laws making masks mandatory in shops and other settings with remain.

In contrast, the Prime Minister has unveiled a bonfire of almost all restrictions in England by March, including guidance on masks.

Asked on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme today if she can see people wearing masks for 'months or years to come', in Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said: 'I hope not. I don't want any of these measures to be in place for any longer than is necessary.

'But masks  are something we can do. None of us enjoy wearing them but they are perhaps not the biggest handicap to endure in order to try to stem transmission.

'So while they can make a difference to controlling the virus then i think it is something we should do.

Again I would suggest that it is England that is the outlier here, not Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, or many countries across the world.'

Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for Covid recovery, Murdo Fraser said: 'Nicola Sturgeon still can't bring herself to admit the restrictions she imposed over Christmas were unnecessary.
Interview: RCEP of great significance for global trade amid anti-globalization sentiment, scholar says

Xinhua) 09:49, January 29, 2022

LONDON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- As the world's largest free trade deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement has great significance for fostering the global economy and trade in the face of counter-globalization sentiment these years, an Oxford scholar has said.

"In recent years, the counter-globalization movement, the trade war launched by the Trump administration, and Brexit have dealt a huge blow to globalization, the opening up of world economy and global exchange, and the international trading system," said Fu Xiaolan, founding director of the Technology and Management Center for Development at the University of Oxford, in a recent written interview with Xinhua.

In contrast to the setbacks, Fu said, "the RCEP has played a role at the critical moment in bolstering the global trade and economic system that has taken the big hit."

Having entered into force since Jan. 1, the RCEP agreement groups 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, and China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. More than 90 percent of merchandise trade among the members is expected to be subject to zero tariffs.

The RCEP covers about 30 percent of the world's population and economy, the expert said. "Across the global economies, the region has been the fastest developing and most dynamic in the past one decade or two and seen its technological innovation activities growing rapidly."

"Not only can it vigorously drive forward the trade among member countries, but it is expected to greatly facilitate the international investment between companies through uniform rules in this aspect," Fu said. "Benefits also include the facilitation of the movement of people, and the RCEP encourages regional knowledge exchange."

Besides, "the partnership has seen breakthroughs in the opening up to trade in services, e-commerce, the free flow of data and others," the scholar noted, adding that the members have been exploring more possibilities in the frontier areas of international trade as well, which is conducive to the development in this regard.

As the world's largest market and an engine of the world economy, Fu said, China's demand "drives the development of other countries," and its participation in the agreement also "provides an institutional guarantee for its adherence to high-standard opening up."

Overall, the deal would underpin the economic recovery of Asia as well as the whole world, Fu said. "The partnership would promote the economy, trade, investment and innovation in China and beyond."

While some other free trade areas established earlier have been ramping up their exclusion efforts with protectionist tendencies, she noted, "the RCEP comes when Asia-Pacific, especially ASEAN, countries unite to help each other, choose their own development path, build a community with a shared future to deal with the changes in the world economy."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Much of England however is set for one-day break from winter chill with temperatures up to at least 11C (52F)

The Met Office has issued a 'danger to life' warning from 'flying debris' and potential power outages

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A nine-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree as powerful gusts nearing 150mph from Storm Malik battered Britain yesterday, while a 60-year-old woman was also killed, as Storm Corrie is expected to bring further devastation later today.

Falling trees in the gale-force winds have cost the life of a nine-year-old boy, who was hit by a tree in Winnothdale, Staffordshire, and a 60-year-old woman, who was struck in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Winds topping 100mph were recorded in parts of Scotland on Saturday, with one meteorologist claiming to have seen speeds of 147mph at Cairngorm summit in the Scottish Highlands.

Pictures taken in South Shields, Tyneside also showed the devastation Storm Malik wreaked on Saturday morning, with one stunned motorist discovering his 25,000 Range Rover destroyed by debris caused by strong winds.

Father-of-two Russel Choudary, 40, had just moved his pristine white car to the opposite side of his street in South Shields to protect it from slates which had plummeted to the ground from his neighbour's house.

But as soon as he parked the Range Rover, gale force winds caused dozens of bricks to cascade onto his 4x4, completely destroying it and leaving him distraught.

'If I had moved it a minute earlier, I would have been killed', he explained.

'No sooner did I reach my front door, the bricks came crashing down. I could have been inside that car. It doesn't bear thinking about.

'There's no way I would have survived. I feel very lucky to be alive.'

A Jet2 flight from Malaga was also forced to abandon its landing at Manchester Airport amid the gale force winds, and had to divert to East Midlands Airport, where it was able to successfully land.

Northern Powergrid also warned of severe disruption to energy supplies and mobile phone coverage throughout Saturday, with safety advice around potential power cuts also being issued by Scotland's provider SP Energy.

More than 60,000 homes have already suffered some form of loss of power on Saturday, according to Northern Powergrid. Its live update map also appeared to crash at points throughout the day due to a surge in online traffic.

The Met Office has issued a 'danger to life' warning as gusts of up to 80mph could batter northern areas of the UK this weekend as Storm Malik sweeps in. Pictured: A fallen tree on top of a car in West Ralnton, near Durham this morning

A car was crushed under a fallen tree in Huddersfield on Saturday as strong winds continued to sweep the country

Elsewhere, a woman was also rescued from her Peugeot in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, after she became trapped inside when her vehicle was crushed by a huge falling tree

Dramatic pictures show a car crushed beneath hundreds of bricks, which fell from a residential property in Slaithwaite as Storm Malik battered West Yorkshire

A Russel Choudary, 40, looks on at the remains of his 25,000 Range Rover in South Shields, Tyneside after debris collapsed on top of the vehicle following strong winds brought by Storm Malik

Tense video footage showed a Jet 2 plane attempting to land at Manchester Airport, with the plane appearing to bounce and sway as the jet's wheels touched the runway, before it abandoned the landing and diverted to East Midlands Airport

Waves have drenched the promenade in Greenock, on Scotland's west coast this morning

There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services. Pictured: Wheelie bins lie on the ground and bricks litter a pathway after a wall collapsed in a back lane in North Shields, North Tyneside this morning

The Met Office has placed an amber warning on eastern Scotland until 3pm on Saturday for 'very strong winds and disruption' that could affect road, rail, air and ferry services. A yellow weather warning remains in place for Scotland and much of northern England until Monday

More than 60,000 homes have already suffered some form of loss of power on Saturday, according to Northern Powergrid. Its live update map (pictured) also appeared to crash at points throughout the day due to a surge in online traffic

An overturned lorry that was blown over amid high winds caused by Storm Malik lies on its side on the A1 south of Durham

It follows prolonged power outages lasting up to a fortnight in the Scottish Highlands following a spate of bad weather over the December period.

Elsewhere, a nine-year-old boy has died in hospital after being hit by a falling tree in Winnothdale, near to Tean, in Staffordshire on Saturday.

Police received reports at 1pm that a tree had fallen on a boy and a man, who were both rushed to the Royal Stoke University Hospital, where the boy sadly died while the man remains in hospital.

A statement from Staffordshire Police said: 'Sadly, despite the best efforts of medical staff, a nine-year-old boy passed away.

'The boy's family are being supported by specially-trained officers. The man remains in hospital.

'A scene remains at the location, where people are asked to avoid the area.

'The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.'

In another incident, a woman had to be rescued from her car in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, after she became trapped inside when her vehicle was crushed by a huge falling tree.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 11.55am on Saturday, where firefighters had to cut the woman free from the wreckage.

She was given first aid and a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Dramatic images showed the ginormous tree completely crushed the roof of the woman's black Peugeot, while eyewitnesses said the road was closed for several hours as emergency services attended, according to Manchester Evening News.

Hundreds of bricks crushed a parked car in Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, on Saturday. The bricks collapsed from a property as Storm Malik swept Britain

Passengers wait on the concourse at Euston Station on Saturday as trains were cancelled and the railway timetable was amended amid Storm Malik

A pair of dogwalkers brave the elements as they take their pooch for a quick walk around Tynemouth Beach, North Tyneside on Saturday

A fallen tree blocks part of the road in Woodlesford, West Yorkshire, as Storm Malik battered Britain on Saturday

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: 'At around 11.55am today (29 January 2022), two fire engines from Altrincham and Sale and two technical response units from Leigh and Ashton-under-Lyne attended a road traffic collision on Dunham Road, Altrincham.

'The collision involved a large tree, which had fallen on the roof of a car. Firefighters rescued one woman using cutting gear and specialist equipment.

'First aid was administered by a fire service trauma technician before the woman was transferred to the care of North West Ambulance Service. Crews were in attendance for approximately one hour.

'Strong winds will persist throughout the afternoon, so we advise people to check local weather warnings and to plan journeys accordingly.'

Meanwhile, Police Scotland confirmed that a 60-year-old woman was fatally wounded by an uprooted tree in Aberdeen.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Emergency services were called to Deveron Road in Aberdeen around 10.30am on Saturday January 29 to reports of a sudden death of a 60-year-old woman.

'There are no suspicious circumstances. A report will now be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.'

Yellow weather warnings remain in place across all of Scotland, northern England and parts of Northern Ireland for most of Saturday as Storm Malik is expected to bring high winds and rain.

Amid the gale force winds, a Jet2 flight from Malaga was forced to abandon its landing into Manchester Airport at 2pm on Saturday and instead divert to East Midlands Airport in Derby, where it was able to land.

Tense video footage showed the plane coming in to land in the fierce conditions, with the plane appearing to bounce and sway as the jet's wheels touched the runway.

The pilot abandoned the landing attempt and the plane was seen soaring back into the skies, where it was then diverted to East Midlands Airport. Flight tracker showed the jet made a full loop in the air around Manchester Airport, before heading south to Derby.

Describing the footage, Aviation Upclose said: 'The pilots aborted their first approach due to the wind and then on the second, the plane bounced twice, nearly scraping the tail on the Runway before the pilots climbed away and diverted to East Midlands Airport.'

Elsewhere, a cyclist said he was 'very lucky' to escape with just cuts and bruises after a van was crushed by a falling tree as Storm Malik swept Britain.

Firefighters rescued a woman after a tree had fallen onto a car roof. The woman received first aid from a fire service technician before being transferred to the care of North West Ambulance Service

A person tries to walk their dog as a sandstorm is whipped up on a blustery morning at Tynemouth Beach on the north east coast on Saturday morning

Amid the gale force winds, a Jet2 flight from Malaga was forced to abandon its landing into Manchester Airport at 2pm on Saturday and instead divert to East Midlands Airport, where it was able to land

A flight tracker showed the plane made a full loop in the air around Manchester Airport, before heading south to Derby, where it landed at East Midlands Airport

Video footage showed the plane coming in to land in the fierce conditions, with the plane appearing to bounce and sway as the jet's wheels touched the runway

Richard Nutter was getting changed in the back of a van after cycling when a tree crushed the vehicle in Apperley Bridge, Bradford.

The roof of the van was left completely destroyed and Mr Nutter was initially trapped in the back of the van, before his friend Lee Warriner was able to pull him out of the wreckage.

Describing the moment the van was crushed, Mr Nutter told the BBC: 'I was sat in between the two back seats, just crouching down and it pushed me further down. I lay on the floor and my friend pulled me out the back of the van.'

Mr Warriner said they were both 'lucky' and 'fortunate' not to have been more seriously injured during the incident.

There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services.

Some Scots could be without power for the rest of the weekend as the impact of another storm due to hit on Sunday could be worse than anticipated, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Ms Sturgeon chaired a Scottish Government resilience meeting on Saturday as winds of more than 100mph were recorded.

On Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said the impact of Storm Malik had been 'severe', but that Storm Corrie - due to hit from Sunday afternoon - 'may be more severe for parts of Scotland'.

'Unfortunately as Malik subsides, Storm Corrie is about to hit from this afternoon & may be more severe for parts of Scotland - eg Highlands, Grampian, Tayside than anticipated,' she said.

'Please follow @metoffice for any updates to the weather warnings in place.'

There are currently 209 power outages across Scotland, most of which are in the north-east or north of the country, according to the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

Residents in the west end of Glasgow were also evacuated from there homes over fears the high winds had exacerbated existing structural issues with the towers of Old Trinity College.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council told the PA news agency that it would likely be 'considerably longer than 24 hours' before residents could return home.

The council spokesman said: 'There's three towers on the building... the condition of that had deteriorated to the point where the owner's contractors and our building standards team thought immediate evacuation was necessary.

'As it stands, those residents who are needing support are directed to the rest centre at the Kelvin Hall.'

Four young men take the plunge in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday morning as they hit the beach in Newquay, Cornwall before Storm Malik brought gusts of up to 80mph in coastal parts of Britain

Dark clouds moves over Wimbledon Common on Saturday afternoon as high winds of up to 80mph are expected to hit a large part of the UK over the coming days causing building damage, power cuts and travel disruption

A picture shows a pair of trees in one person's back garden in Leeds after they were uprooted by powerful 80mph gusts brought by Storm Malik on Saturday

Storm Malik is expected to bring in gusts reaching up to 80mph in coastal areas, but more widely 60mph, as it tracks eastwards towards Denmark. Pictured: A driver had a narrow escape on the A1 near Musselburgh after Storm Malik blew down a large tree onto the road.

He added: 'Residents are likely to be out for some time.'

It is understood the owners of the building were seeking to address cracks that already existed in the building's towers before the storm hit.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: 'Around 12.55pm on Saturday 29 January 2022, police assistance was sought from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to assist with traffic management at Lynedoch Street, Glasgow (near Park Circus).

'The Fire Service is currently dealing with an unsafe structure and officers are in attendance due to several roads being closed. A number of properties are also being evacuated.'

The fire service confirmed two appliances had been sent to the scene.

Police were called to the building last year - which was previously used as a training school for Church of Scotland ministers - when stone fell from one of the towers, according to the Glasgow Times.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has named a low-pressure system expected to bring fresh devastation to Britain on Sunday with gusts of up to 90mph as Storm Corrie.

The Met Office said Storm Corrie is set to move eastwards across Scotland on Sunday and push across the North Sea in the early hours of Monday.

Chief Meteorologist, Dan Suri, said: 'Storm Corrie will bring very strong winds to the north of the UK, especially northern Scotland, on Sunday. This follows just one day after Storm Malik moves though also bringing a spell of very strong winds.

'Storm Corrie will bring gusts of up to 90mph in exposed coastal locations in northern Scotland, with 70-80mph gusts more widely in the north. With back-to-back storms there could be updates to severe weather warnings, so keep an eye on the Met Office forecast.'

Restaurant boss Mr Choudary is now waiting to see if he will be able to claim for his car, which has a personalised number plate, on his insurance. He had only had the Range Rover Evoke for two years.

He added: 'I really hope it gets sorted soon because my vehicle is essential for work.

'I need it to transport food, and also for my staff. But really, things could have been so much worse.'

On Saturday, dramatic photographs showed a tree blocking a lane on the A1 near Musselburgh, Scotland that narrowly missed a motorist.

Large waves have battered the west coast, with promenades in Blackpool, Lancs., and Greenock in Scotland getting drenched.

Power supplies and mobile phone coverage could also be affected.

Northern Powergrid's website implemented a queue system at points on Saturday to manage a surge in online traffic

There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services. Pictured: Larges waves on Blackpool's north shore

Paul Gunderson, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: 'For those in the north of the UK there will be high winds and rain on Saturday, with showers possibly turning wintry in the high ground in the north.' Pictured: Greenock on Scotland's west coast

Dark clouds move across Wimbledon Common at sunset on a blustery day in London as the Met Office has issued yellow warnings for Storm Malik

On Saturday morning, meteorologist for the broadcaster STV Sean Batty tweeted: 'Had an extreme gust of 147mph recorded on the Cairngorm summit an hour ago.

'This is an incredible strength, but still a way off from the record of 173mph recorded back in 1986.'

Power supplies and mobile phone coverage has been affected, with Northern Powergrid Director, Paul Glendinning saying: 'Storm Malik is causing disruption to our network as it continues to move across our operating area.

'Our teams are responding, restoring power through alternative routes on our network where possible, assessing damage and co-ordinating repairs wherever conditions permit

'We have mobilised our customer support vehicles immediately to ensure we have welfare arrangements in place and we are keeping local resilience partners informed of the communities worst affected as a result of Storm Malik.

'We thank our customers for their patience and would like to reassure them that we are doing all we can to provide updates about when we will be able to get their power safely back on.'

SP Energy Networks, the company responsible for electricity transmission in central and southern Scotland, issued safety advice around potential power cuts.

It said customers should keep a battery or wind-up torch to hand and keep mobile phones fully charged, and people should also beware of fallen power lines.

Network Rail Scotland said it would introduce some speed restrictions for safety, and have additional staff equipped with chainsaws across the network to deal with blocked tracks.

On Saturday morning it said fallen trees had caused numerous services to be cancelled, including Inverness to Thurso, Perth to Aberdeen, Aberdeen to Dundee and Glasgow Queen Street to Oban.

Two Scottish Premiership games were postponed, with matches between Aberdeen and St Johnstone and Dundee and St Mirren called off due to safety concerns around the stadiums.

A statement on Aberdeen's website read: 'Today's match against St Johnstone has been postponed due to Storm Malik and safety concerns around the stadium.

'We have been working closely with emergency services and the SPFL throughout the morning, closely monitoring the situation in the hope that conditions might improve to allow the game to be staged, but ultimately the safety of supporters, players and staff is our paramount concern and we would ask everyone to continue to adhere to the guidance being given by Police Scotland.'

The Scottish Premiership confirmed that Dundee's game at Dens Park was off due to high winds.

The Championship game between Arbroath and Partick Thistle was also cancelled with no new dates set for the games.

Pictured: Uprooted trees lie fallen on the ground in North Shields, North Tyneside this morning as Storm Malik arrives

Pictured: Wheelie bins lie on the ground in a back lane in North Shields, North Tyneside this morning

Pictured: Beachgoers in rough conditions as a sand storm hits Tynemouth beach this morning

Paul Gunderson, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: 'The impacts of Storm Malik are going to be greatest in Denmark on Sunday, but the track of the storm in the preceding hours means that the UK will be dealt a glancing blow as Malik moves eastwards on Saturday.

'For those in the north of the UK there will be high winds and rain on Saturday, with showers possibly turning wintry in the high ground in the north.

'The highest winds are expected in exposed coastal areas in the north and east of Scotland, but it will be a windy day for most.'

More very strong winds are expected as another low pressure system moves across northern areas on Sunday, with some snow possible across parts of Scotland.

Another yellow warning for wind is in place for the northern UK from 6pm on Sunday until noon on Monday.

'The highest winds are expected in exposed coastal areas in the north and east of Scotland, but it will be a windy day for most.'

Further south, the weekend weather will feature some blustery winds and some rain.

The storm will also drive a cold front southwards, with temperatures set to come down throughout Saturday and widespread frost expected to form across the UK in the night into Sunday.

More very strong winds are expected as another low pressure system moves across northern areas on Sunday, with some snow possible across parts of Scotland.

Another yellow warning for wind is in place for the northern UK from 6pm on Sunday until noon on Monday.
A pregnant New Zealand journalist stranded in Afghanistan has turned to the Taliban for help after being unable to return to her homeland because of Jacinda Ardern's draconian Covid curbs.

Charlotte Bellis, a broadcast journalist, said she has repeatedly tried to return to New Zealand since she learned she was pregnant in September.

She has submitted 59 documents to New Zealand officials in Afghanistan in an attempt to secure an emergency return home, but her bid was turned down and led her to turn to the Taliban, one of the world's most oppressive regimes, for sympathy.

It's a particularly cruel twist of fate for the woman who was revered worldwide for her fearless questioning of the jihadist group's previous record on women's rights.

To add insult to injury, Ms Bellis has warned that pregnancy can be a death sentence in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan because of the poor state of maternity care and lack of surgical capabilities.

Speaking to 1News about her situation, Ms Bellis asked: 'To the NZ Government, I ask what do you want me to do? I have done nothing wrong I got pregnant and I am a New Zealander.

'At what point did we get so bogged down in these rules we've come up with that we can't see that she's a Kiwi in need of help and she needs to come home?'

Although the spread of Covid-19 has been limited in New Zealand and just 52 deaths have been reported since the start of the pandemic, the nation still requires citizens to spend 10 days in isolation hotels run by the military.

The 'zero Covid' policy has repeatedly come under fire and the strict self-isolation restrictions have now caused a backlog of thousands of people desperate to return home.

Ms Bellis has become one of the most high-profile Kiwis to fall victim to New Zealand's extreme border controls, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her government face further embarrassment over their own policies.

Pregnant New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis (pictured) is stranded in Afghanistan and has turned to the Taliban for help as she remains unable to return to her homeland because of Jacinda Ardern's draconian Covid curbs

Ms Bellis said she has repeatedly tried to return to New Zealand since she learned she was pregnant in September

Ms Bellis (believed to be pictured in Afghanistan, above) has submitted 59 documents to New Zealand officials in Afghanistan in an attempt to secure an emergency return home, but each has been rejected

Now Jacinda Ardern is forced into self-isolation after coming into 'close-contact' with a virus carrier New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is self-isolating after coming into close contact with a person infected with the coronavirus. The exposure came on a flight from the town of Kerikeri to the largest city of Auckland. New Zealand's Governor-General Cindy Kiro was also on the Jan. 22 flight and has also gone into isolation. Both women had been in the Northland region to do some filming ahead of New Zealand's national day, Waitangi Day, on Feb. 6. 'The Prime Minister is asymptomatic and is feeling well,' her office said in a statement. 'In line with Ministry of Health advice she will be tested immediately tomorrow and will isolate until Tuesday.' New Zealand has managed to stamp out or contain the virus for much of the pandemic, and has reported just 52 virus deaths among its population of 5 million. But an outbreak of the omicron variant is starting to take hold and is expected to rapidly grow over the coming weeks. About 77% of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. That figure rises to 93% of those aged 12 and over, according to New Zealand officials. Advertisement

Writing in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday, Ms Bellis said it was 'brutally ironic' that while she had once questioned the Taliban about their treatment of women, she was now asking the same questions of her own government.

'When the Taliban offers you - a pregnant, unmarried woman - safe haven, you know your situation is messed up,' she wrote.

Jacinda Ardern has faced a slew of criticism from campaigners and members of the public after imposing strict Covid curbs since the start of the pandemic.

International borders were promptly closed on March 19, with a nationwide lockdown enforced on March 25 after 102 cases, and no deaths, were recorded in the country.

New Zealand has managed to keep the spread of the virus to a minimum during the pandemic and has reported just 52 deaths among its population of five million.

Stories of citizens stranded abroad in dire circumstances have caused embarrassment for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her government, but Ms Bellis's situation is particularly striking.

Last year, Bellis was working for Al Jazeera covering the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan when she gained international attention by questioning Taliban leaders about their treatment of women and girls.

In her column on Saturday, she said she returned to Qatar in September and discovered she was expecting a baby with her partner, freelance photographer Jim Huylebroek, a contributor to the New York Times.

She described the pregnancy as a 'miracle' after earlier being told by doctors she could not have children. She is due to give birth to a girl in May.

Extramarital sex is illegal in Qatar and Ms Bellis said she realised she needed to leave. She repeatedly tried to get back to New Zealand in a lottery-style system for returning citizens but without success.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has faced a slew of criticism from campaigners and members of the public after imposing strict Covid curbs since the start of the pandemic

Journalist Charlotte Bellis won the hearts of women all over the world after she directly asked the Taliban what rights would be afforded to the thousands of terrified Afghan women

Writing in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday, Ms Bellis (right) said it was 'brutally ironic' that while she had once questioned the Taliban about their treatment of women, she was now asking the same questions of her own government

Covid curbs introduced by New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern March 16, 2020: Mandatory self-isolation for all new arrivals, including New Zealanders into the country. March 19: All non-residents or citizens are banned from entering the country under an international border ban. March 25: Nationwide lockdown enforced, with only essential services allowed to open. At this stage, NZ has recorded 102 cases and 0 deaths. June 8, 2020: Ardern announces no new community transmissions within the past fortnight and says NZ has eliminated transmission of Covid. August-September 2020: Auckland's 1.7million residents endure two months of lockdown measures after 4 new cases are initially recorded. February-March 2021: Auckland re-enters lockdown as three new Covid cases are recorded in the community. 17 August: All of New Zealand re-enters Level 4 lockdown measures for two weeks as one new community case is recorded. October: Traffic light system is created, barring unvaccinated residents from entering businesses, gyms and barbers in 'red' or 'amber' alert areas. January 2022: Public backlash as major events and sporting fixtures are capped at a maximum of 100 people under Covid Red Alert measures. January: Ardern announces she has cancelled her own wedding after nine new Omicron cases were recorded. Advertisement

She said she resigned from Al Jazeera in November and the couple moved to Mr Huylebroek's native Belgium, but she could not stay long because she was not a resident. She said the only other place the couple had visas to live was Afghanistan.

Ms Bellis said she spoke with senior Taliban contacts who told her she would be fine if she returned to Afghanistan.

'Just tell people you're married and if it escalates, call us. Don't worry,' she said they told her.

She said she sent 59 documents to New Zealand authorities in Afghanistan but they rejected her application for an emergency return.

New Zealand's Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins told the Herald his office had asked officials to check whether they followed the proper procedures in Ms Bellis's case, 'which appeared at first sight to warrant further explanation'.

Chris Bunny, the joint head of New Zealand's Managed Isolation and Quarantine system, told the Herald that Ms Bellis's emergency application did not fit a requirement that she travel within 14 days.

He said staff had contacted her about making another application that would fit the requirements.

'This is not uncommon and is an example of the team being helpful to New Zealanders who are in distressing situations,' he wrote.

Ms Bellis said pregnancy can be a death sentence in Afghanistan because of the poor state of maternity care and lack of surgical capabilities.

She added that after talking to lawyers, politicians and public relations people in New Zealand, her case seems to be moving forward, although she has yet to be approved passage home.

It comes after Ardern announced a swathe of new measures under the country's Covid Red Alert system, meaning a return to universal mask-wearing and stricter quarantine requirements for New Zealanders.

The PM rolled out the restrictions after just nine cases of the Omicron variant were detected in a single family that flew to Auckland for a wedding earlier this month.

Under limits incurred by New Zealand's My Vaccine Pass, those who are unvaccinated will be unable to eat at indoor restaurants or visit gyms or hairdressers.

Any Kiwis working in health and disability, education, fire and emergency, police, defence, and corrections must be able to show proof of having vaccines.

From February 3, the wearing of bandanas, scarves or t-shirts pulled over the nose in public places such as gyms and cafes will be banned.

And under new Covid curbs enforced by Ardern, all residents must wear face masks in public areas such as shops and there are limits on gatherings to a maximum of 100 people from Monday after a cluster of Omicron cases were detected in the country.

Critics warn the extreme Zero Covid policy is 'unworkable' and could lead to more cases with greater number refusing to be tested in order to avoid the lengthy quarantine period (pictured, anti-vaxxer protesters at a Covid vaccination clinic in Auckland)

The changes mean Ardern was forced to postpone her own wedding.

Anyone testing positive must now isolate for 14 instead of ten days - and household contacts have to isolate for an additional ten days on top, leaving them to stay indoors for 24 days.

Ardern has faced a slew of criticism from campaigners and members of the public after imposing strict Covid curbs since the start of the pandemic.

International borders were promptly closed on March 19, with a nationwide lockdown enforced on March 25 after 102 cases, and no deaths, were recorded in the country.

On June 8, the PM announced there had been no new community transmissions within the past fortnight and says she is 'confident New Zealand has eliminated community transmission of Covid'.

But within two months, Auckland was placed under strict lockdown measures after just four new cases were recorded in the city area.

A draconian 'Zero Covid' goal was then implemented across the country, with New Zealand aiming to completely eradicate the virus from its shores.

But this policy was met with ridicule as the Delta variant ripped through the world in the summer of 2021, prompting a return to multiple weeks of lockdown for Auckland's 1.7million residents.

Critics slammed the return of draconian curbs on everyday life, pointing to the fact other countries have started to reopen despite reporting thousands of new cases.

MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton hit out at the 'terror and paranoia' that has enveloped New Zealand since implementing its drastic zero-Covid policy while the rest of the world learns to live alongside the virus.

His deeply personal column prompted support from a host of British and New Zealand readers, including former All Black star Zinzan Brooke, who tweeted: 'Completely agree with Dan here'.
Little Star Hobsons vile killer was handed more than 10,000 in public money for a lawyer at the trial where she lied that she did not murder the 16-month-old toddler, it has emerged.

Savannah Brockhill, 28, was branded pure evil by Stars relatives as she was jailed for life last month after being convicted of murdering the child at home in Keighley, West Yorkshire following months of abuse.

It has now emerged that the bouncer and security guard was given more than 10,290.24 in legal aid, which is awarded to people who cannot afford representation in criminal trials, The Sun reports.

Just four weeks inside jail as a convicted murderer, Brockhill  who was dating Stars mother Frankie Smith  then splurged 9,000 on diamond-studded Rolex watches and boasted about her cushy cell.

She plans to appeal her conviction, claiming that it was Smith who, albeit accidentally, delivered the fatal blow.

Smith, 20, was also awarded 10,482.01 for the cost of a barrister, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed. She was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child and jailed for eight years.

The little girl was killed when Brockhill kicked or punched her in the stomach  with all the force of a crashing car, according to a medical expert. As doctors fought to save her, they found half her blood supply pooling in her abdomen and damage to her liver, pancreas and kidneys.

Yet by then, Star had suffered many serious injuries, skull and rib fractures, and a twice-fractured leg.

The couple would punish the toddler by making her face the wall, though she could barely stand. They took sadistic pleasure in videoing her as they abused her, filming her from different angles as she dozed off in her chair, toppled out, and hit her head on the floor.

Brockhill set the footage to music and sent it to friends with the caption: Ive laughed so hard.

Savannah Brockhill, pictured with Star Hobson, was jailed for life last month after being convicted of murdering the 16-month-old toddler at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire following months of abuse during the Covid lockdown

Social services missed five opportunities to stop Stars killers in the months before her death on September 22, 2020

Jurors heard that Smiths family and friends had growing fears about bruising they saw on the little girl in the months before she died and made a series of complaints to social services

Star's mother Smith (left) was cleared of murder, but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. Brockhill (right) was convicted by a jury unanimously of murder

TIMELINE OF STAR HOBSON'S SHORT LIFE Star Hobson was only 16-months-old when she was killed at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Here are some of the key events in her short life: 2019 May 21 - Star Hobson is born November - Savannah Brockhill and Frankie Smith begin a relationship. 2020 January 23 - Smith's friend Holly Jones makes the first contact with social services over concerns about domestic violence and how much time she is left looking after Star. Police and social workers visit Star but no concerns are raised. Early February - Star goes to live with her great-grandparents, David Fawcett and Anita Smith at their home in Baildon, Bradford, after Smith says she has split up with Brockhill. April 26 - Star is removed from Anita Smith's house by her mother and taken to live with Smith and Brockhill. May 4 - Anita Smith contacts social services after she is told about Brockhill 'slam-choking' Star. June - David Fawcett posts a picture of Star with bruises on Facebook alongside a happier shot and with the caption 'From this to this in five weeks, what's going on Frankie?' June 21 - Star's father, Jordan Hobson, contacts social services. Police take Star for a hospital examination. Smith says her daughter had hit her face on a coffee table. June 23 - Another friend of the Smith family contacts social services with concerns. August 14 - David Fawcett and Anita Smith see Frankie and Star for the last time. August 28 - David Fawcett is sent a video of Star with bruises and confronts Brockhill. September 2 - Another of Star's great-grandfathers, Frank Smith, contacts social services after seeing video of bruises on the youngster's face. Social workers make an unannounced visit. September 15 - Social services closes the case after concluding the referral to be 'malicious'. September 22 - Star is seriously injured at the flat in Wesley Place, Keighley, and dies later in hospital. 2021 December 14 - Following a trial at Bradford Crown Court Brockhill is convicted of Star's murder while Smith is convicted of causing or allowing the toddler's death. Advertisement

For her part in this depravity, Smith was convicted of allowing her daughters death and jailed for just eight years.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman insisted: Criminals dont get a penny of legal aid, payments are means tested and sent directly to solicitors and barristers who represent them to ensure a fair trial.

Without legal representation criminals could argue their trial was unfair and convictions could be quashed.

Social services missed five opportunities to stop Stars killers in the months before her death on September 22, 2020, a court heard.

Prosecutors described the injuries she suffered as utterly catastrophic and unsurvivable.

Jurors heard that Smiths family and friends had growing fears about bruising they saw on the little girl in the months before she died and made a series of complaints to social services.

In each case, Brockhill and Smith managed to convince social workers that marks on Star were accidental or that the complaints were made maliciously by people who did not like their relationship.

Prosecutors described how the injuries that caused Stars death involved extensive damage to her abdominal cavity caused by a severe and forceful blow or blows, either in the form of punching, stamping or kicking to the abdomen.

Jurors also heard there were other injuries on her body which meant that in the course of her short life, Star had suffered a number of significant injuries at different times.

Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald QC said there had been two fractures to Stars right leg caused by forceful twisting.

He also described a fracture to the back of the skull and bruising to Star, much of which is considered to be non-accidental in origin.

Boris Johnson vowed to protect more children from barbaric crimes and ensure lessons are learned, calling the case shocking and heartbreaking.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: We will never hesitate to take robust steps to prevent tragic cases like this happening.

However, a report into the contact agencies had with Star before she was murdered has been delayed.

A Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review was due to be published before the end of this month but the Bradford Partnership said further work was needed. The Government then dramatically stripped the council of its right to run childrens social services

The verdicts fuelled mounting calls for sweeping reform, amid widespread outcry over the case of murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes by his cruel stepmother.

Former Childrens Commissioner for England Anne Longfield, the chairwoman of the Commission on Young Lives, warned that the Covid lockdown has brought its own opportunities for those who harm, groom and abuse children.

It is time we made improving children's social care and protection as big a priority as reforming adult social care, she said.

I hope the Government will act swiftly on the proposals that come out of the forthcoming independent review into children's social care.

The horrific murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson are a stark and tragic reminder that our children's social services system is facing a perfect storm after years of under investment and the diminishing of early intervention and family support.

The current Childrens Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, added: It is clear that there are serious lessons that need to be learnt. Applying these lessons across the country is the biggest challenge facing us.

It is incumbent on all of us working with children to step up to that challenge. The beautiful, smiling picture of Star Hobson reminds us how precious the life of each child is. What she endured is unspeakable but it must not be unthinkable. We need to ask the hard questions about how this happened, and the even harder questions about how this is the second case in recent weeks.

The NSPCC said we must do all we can to prevent cruelty and abuse to children.

Asked about the response of social services outside court last month, Stars great-grandfather David Fawcett said: It's disgusting because there were five referrals. Not one of them did anything. It's just beyond belief, really.

No appeal is being made against the sentence of Frankie Smiths girlfriend Savannah Brockhill, who will spend at least 25 years behind bars for murder

Stars great-grandfather branded Brockhill pure evil and ascended from the bowels of hell

Asked whether social services had missed the blindingly obvious, Mr Fawcett said: Yes.

He added: I'm just pleased we got a murder conviction for Savannah Brockhill. To me she was just pure evil. I just can't believe she could do something like that to a baby girl.

We were just a quiet, lovely family and she ascended from the bowels of hell and just completely devastated and wrecked our family.

Earlier this month, the Attorney General asked the Court of Appeal to increase Smiths unduly lenient eight-year jail sentence.

Suella Braverman said the shocking case was tragic and extremely upsetting and announced she has referred it for appeal judges to reconsider the sentence given to the 20-year-old.

In a statement, Miss Braverman said: I can only challenge a sentence if it is not just lenient but unduly so, such that the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence. The threshold is a high one, and the test was not met in this case.

She added: This is a tragic and extremely upsetting case and my thoughts are with all those who loved Star Hobson.

This vulnerable and innocent child was subjected to continued physical abuse, and her mother, Frankie Smith, allowed it to happen.

This case will have caused upset to anyone who read about it, but my job is to decide if a sentence appears to be too low based solely on the facts of the case.

I have carefully considered the details of this case, and I concluded that I can refer Frankie Smith's sentence to the Court of Appeal as I believe it is unduly lenient. However, I have concluded that I cannot refer Savannah Brockhill's sentence.
A legal argument by Prince Andrew's lawyers to dismiss Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit based on 'consent' has been called 'dangerous' and 'cruel' and could backfire in front of a jury, according to legal experts.

In an official response to claims made against him by Ms Giuffre five months ago, the Duke of York this week issued 41 denials, rejecting all allegations of wrongdoing, and said a further 40 times that he 'lacks sufficient information to admit or deny' other claims.

His lawyers also demanded a 'trial by jury' in the New York civil case.

Andrew has submitted 11 defences calling for the case to be dismissed, including that Ms Giuffre's claims should be barred by 'her own wrongful conduct' and 'unclean hands'.

Legal experts have however questioned two of the arguments put forward by the defence, marked as Affirmative Defense, in which his lawyers argue, without admitting guilt, that any 'injury or damages' to Ms Giuffre could be ruled out because of her 'consent'.

A legal argument by Prince Andrew's lawyers to dismiss Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit based on 'consent' has been called 'dangerous' and 'cruel' and could backfire in front of a jury, according to legal experts. Pictured: An image appearing to show Prince Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre (then Roberts) beside Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew's lawyers says he 'lacks sufficient evidence to confirm or deny' if the photograph is real

In one, named Damages Contributed to by Others, his attorneys write: 'Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage, Giuffre and/or others, who are not Prince Andrew, contributed in whole or in part to the alleged damage.'

In the other, titled Consent, they wrote: 'Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the Complaint, Giuffres claims are barred by the doctrine of consent.'

The arguments by Andrew's legal team effectively claim that Giuffre, a victim of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, consented to having sex while being trafficked at the age of 17.

Wendy Murphy, a former sex crimes prosecutor and New England Law professor told The Guardian: 'To say that she was acting of her own volitions and causing herself to be raped by a man with so much more power is  a dangerous thing to do.'

'It's going to cause enormous negative publicity for the prince, as it should, and if you ask a jury to blame a kid, they're going to come back at you with a vengeance.'

Eric Baum of Eisenberg & Baum Law Center agreed with Murphy, suggesting it was a dangerous game for Andrew following his previous denials of having even met Giuffre.

Wendy Murphy (pictured), a former sex crimes prosecutor, has said Andrew's legal team's suggestions Ms Giuffre 'was acting of her own volitions and causing herself to be raped by a man with so much more power is  a dangerous thing to do'

'Now in his answer to the court, he is still denying [ever meeting or having sexual contact with Ms Giuffre], but unbelievably says if the acts occurred, they were consensual,' he said.

Andrew is fighting the case as a private citizen after being forced to step down from royal duties, but his decision to demand a 'trial by jury' is set to 'put him on a collision course with the Palace', royal sources told the Mail earlier this week.

The spectacle of a trial in New York later this year threatens to overshadow the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations scheduled for June.

Andrew had not officially responded to the 73-point civil claim as his lawyers almost immediately applied to a New York judge for it to be thrown out.

Over 15 pages of court documents filed at New York's southern district court, Roberts, also referred to by her married name Giuffre (pictured in 2019 following a hearing in the Epstein case), claimed that the Duke of York 'committed sexual assault and battery' against her while she was aged just 17, requesting that a judge award 'punitive damages' for the 'physical and psychological' injuries she suffered

That was dismissed earlier this month, meaning he now needs to formally answer the accusations against him, including claims that Ms Giuffre, was trafficked to him by his friend Mr Epstein, and forced to have sex with the duke on three occasions when she was 17.

She says this amounts to rape, sexual assault and battery as she seeks unspecified damages, thought to be in the millions of pounds.

Andrew's eight admissions were limited to information already public, such as that he is a UK citizen and resides at Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate.

He admits his walk with Epstein in Central Park in 2010 and staying at the paedophile's Manhattan mansion on the same trip, both caught on camera.

But in his rebuttal of Miss Roberts' complaint, Andrew denies he ever sexually abused her and refuses to 'admit or deny' her assertions that she was a victim of Epstein.

Prince Andrew's legal team has filed legal papers in which the Royal denied all of Virginia Roberts' sex abuse allegations as he prepares for a bitter court battle in the United States (Pictured: Andrew and ex wife Sarah Duchess Of York leaving Royal Lodge on January 22)

He even  quite remarkably given photographic evidence of their relationship over the years  denies being a 'close friend' of Epstein's girlfriend and now convicted sex trafficker, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew's legal team also reject Miss Roberts' accusation that he has refused to co-operate with US authorities in their investigation of Epstein and his co-conspirators, despite officials claiming he has done just that.

Andrew makes clear he continues to dispute Miss Roberts is resident in the state of Colorado, which allows her to bring the case in the US.

Now a 38-year-old mother-of-three, she lives in Perth, Australia, and it is understood Andrew's legal team still intend to pursue this in a bid to get the case thrown out.

Andrew says he cannot admit or deny flight logs put him on Epstein's private jet or that he visited his private island.

He confirms Epstein and Maxwell attended his 40th birthday party in 2000  but denies throwing Maxwell a birthday party at the Sandringham estate that year.

Andrew says he 'lacks sufficient evidence to confirm or deny' if photographic evidence of his alleged meeting with Giuffre even 'exists'. Friends of his had suggested the infamous picture could have been doctored.
Detectives have launched a murder probe after a woman was stabbed to death late last night.

The woman, who was in her 40s, was discovered with 'significant injuries' on Garrison Lane, a suburban street in Birmingham on Friday evening.

Paramedics rushed to the scene, but despite their best efforts she died on the pavement before reaching a hospital.

The road has been cordoned off by West Midlands Police as forensic teams scour the surrounding area for evidence in their murder inquiry.

It is understood the woman, who has not been named by police, suffered fatal stab and slash wounds. No arrests have yet been made.

Forensic teams carry out their investigation after a woman in her 40s was stabbed to death in Garrison Lane, Birmingham on Friday evening

It is understood the woman, who has not been named by police, suffered fatal stab and slash wounds. No arrests have yet been made. Pictured: The scene in North Holme, Birmingham on Saturday morning

Police are now urgently appealing for any information surrounding the woman's murder.

Any potential witnesses are being encouraged to come forward to aid the police's investigation.

DI Jim Colclough from West Midlands Police's homicide unit said: 'Our thoughts are with the woman's family at this really sad time.

'They are now being supported by specialist officers as they come to terms with what has happened.

The surrounding area remains cordoned off by West Midlands Police on Saturday morning

'Our investigations are in the early stages, and a scene is currently being held around Garrison Lane as we continue to forensically examine the area. So we thank members of the public for their patience.

'We know this is a busy area and we are appealing for anyone with dash cam footage or CCTV, or anyone who witnessed anything to contact us.'

On social media a witness told how she tried to help the woman. She wrote: 'Unknown if she made it or not I pray she has - this world is so messed up I hope for change.'

The woman, who was in her 40s, was discovered with 'significant injuries' on Garrison Lane, a suburban street in Birmingham on Friday evening

Inspector Harjit Ubhi from Birmingham West station said: 'This is truly a tragic incident and my heart goes out to the woman's family'

'We know this will be a huge shock to neighbours and the local community. There will be an increase in police presence around the area to offer reassurance to people with concerns.'

Anyone with information can contact police via Live Chat or by calling 101, quoting log 3492 of 28/01/22.
Kazakhstan, the world's second largest miner of Bitcoin, has shut down its crypto mines until the end of January.

The state electricity provider KEGOC made the decision to cut the supply to the miners after millions were affected by power outages across three countries in Central Asia last week.

But crypto miners have accused KEGOC of placing the blame over power supply issues on them, estimating losses from inactivity amounting to around $1 million a day.

Blackout across Central Asia last week left millions without electricity, which affected traffic control in several areas. Pictured, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Shoppers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan during a mass blackout across Central Asia, which caused chaos across the region for several hours

Bitcoins are created through a process known as 'mining' which involves computers solving difficult maths problems with a 64-digit solution. Every time a new maths problem is solved a fresh Bitcoin is produced. Some people create powerful computers for the sole purpose of creating Bitcoins, which can require a huge amount of energy to run. (File image)

Sergey Putra, vice-president of the Blockchain and Data Center Industry Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NABDC) told state-run news agency Khabar: 'Miners do not provide some fantastic load.

'They did not increase electricity consumption by two or three times.

'This is only 7% of the entire market of Kazakhstan, all miners.

'The equipment is standing, and it is constantly working. It does not happen that this equipment works at this hour and consumes three kW, two the next hour and then consumes 10 kW for two minutes.

'No, it always has consistent power consumption.'

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the three nations which suffered blackouts and lost heating supply, have systems linked together by Soviet-era power grid.

The blackout caused chaos across the region for several hours, with subway trains stuck in tunnels and skiers on lifts, airports closing, district heating and tap water pumps going idle and traffic lights switching off.

While the power is mostly back up and the technical cause of the issue has yet to be determined, Kazakh crypto miners have accused KEGOC of using them as a scapegoat, Eurasianet reports.

Alan Dorjiyev, NABDC president told the news site that KEGOC cut off miners' electricity supply as early as January 17.

He said: 'Every time there is a problem in the countrys power grid, KEGOC points their finger at the miners. Now they have an alibi.'

People look through a glass door in a store following a huge blackout after an unspecified accident in electricity grids in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on January 25

A copy of KEGOC's notice announcing the outage from January 24 to January 31 was posted to Telegram by Kazakh journalist Serikzhan Mauletbay.

It was captioned: 'All 69 companies that are officially registered as "miners" in the Republic of Kazakhstan received notification letters from KEGOC.

'The reason for the shutdown, which is indicated in the letter, is called "a tense situation with maintaining a balance of electricity and capacity."'

Earlier this month the price of Bitcoin slumped to lows not seen since September amid rolling internet blackouts in crisis-hit Kazakhstan.

Jaran Mellerud, an analyst at cryptocurrency insights company Arcane Research, told Wired he estimates that the internet shutdowns in the midst of political unrest earlier this month may have cost Kazakh miners around $20 million; $4.8 million for every 24 hours without any internet.

The world's most used cryptocurrency lost as much as eight per cent in value and tumbled to under $41,000 (30,100), as investors dumped their crypto coins, partly spurred on by ongoing events in the Central Asian nation.

Hundreds died, with public buildings across Kazakhstan ransacked and torched in the worst violence experienced by the former Soviet republic in 30 years of independence.

An estimated 5,000 were arrested following the unrest which had been fuelled by public anger over the country of 19 million's former ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev and his family amassing a huge fortune, and over a hike in gas prices.

Around 2,500 Russian 'peacekeepers' from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) were requested by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Dozens have died and public buildings across Kazakhstan have been ransacked and torched in the worst violence experienced by the former Soviet republic in 30 years of independence

An estimated 5,000 were arrested following the political unrest in Kazakhstan earlier this month

The chaos in the country, which saw rolling internet blackouts, had a huge ripple effect in the Bitcoin network.

According to cybersecurity watchdog Netblocks, Kazakhstan's national internet connectivity was just five per cent of ordinary levels on January 7 - making mining for Bitcoin impossible.

Bitcoin mining is the process by which people can create new coins. It is also how new transactions are confirmed by the Bitcoin network.

It works by using a sophisticated hardware which contains an extremely complex computational math problem.

Kazakhstan, which has become a popular hub for Bitcoin since last May when China outlawed crypto mining, has been struggling with power outages and inadequate facilities for the past few months, the Financial Times reports.

Estimate's from the country's ministry of energy saw electricity demand increase by 8 per cent since the beginning of 2021, compared with an annual rise of 1-2 per cent in past years.

Power-intensive mining machines had been causing blackouts and power outages in regions as far back as October.

As well as struggling with the power grid, some miners speaking to Wired have also complained that when inactive, the machines can freeze solid as winter temperatures in the country can drop as low as -40F (-40C).
A teacher who was banned from working in schools after it was discovered he had been posting images of students onto a Russian website used by paedophiles has landed a job as a lecturer at Lancaster University.

Steven Birkett, who was Head of History at Chenderit School, Middleton Cheyney, in Oxfordshire, admitted to sharing pictures of students in their uniform on the website without permission of the school or parents between 2007 and 2017.

The former Labour councillor for the New Bilton ward admitted to posting photographs of at least two pupils - which he had taken from Facebook without their knowledge - for at least ten days, having set up an account using an email address containing the name of another pupil.

Steven Birkett, pictured, admitted to sharing pictures of students in their uniform on a Russian website without permission of the school or parents between 2007 and 2017

A Teacher Disciplinary Panel heard none of the pictures were sexual or indecent but that Birkett would have been aware the site was used by paedophiles.

A TRA panel recommended a ban, after finding his actions 'may bring the profession into disrepute', despite the fact that police were unable to press charges as no criminal laws had been broken.

Despite the ban on Birkett to teach at any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or childrens home in England, he has been employed by Lancaster University since 2019, The Tab has revealed.

The University has said it is satisfied there are no safeguarding concerns with him teaching undergraduate students.

The University has said it is satisfied there are no safeguarding concerns with him teaching undergraduate students.

According to a statement from the University, Birkett is working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant as part of his PhD studies

According to a statement from the University, Birkett is working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant as part of his PhD studies.

His online profile on the University's website shows that he is working in the History Department.

'His appointment has been fully investigated in consultation with the Department for Education and General Teaching Council and we are satisfied that there are no safeguarding concerns with him teaching undergraduate students,' the University said in a statement.
A robber who helped rob a luxury watch shop while wielding a zombie knife in a gang raid in broad daylight in central London has been jailed for four years.

Wayne Russell, 23, and five other men on three mopeds and a motorbike attacked the Watches of Switzerland shop on Regent Street in June 2018.

They rammed into the shop on the bikes before rushing in armed with sledgehammers to steal 35 designer watches worth 440,000.

Russell kept watch outside the shop armed with a knife, stopping security or members of the public entering it, with staff left 'fearing for their lives'.

A gang of six men smashed into the shop in London on the bikes before rushing in armed with sledgehammers to steal 35 designer watches worth 440,000

Wayne Russell, 23, was part of the gang of six men on three mopeds and a motorbike who attacked the Watches of Switzerland London in June 2018

LUXURY WATCH SHOP IS A REPEAT VICTIM OF ARMED ROBBERIES In March 2018 the same branch of Watches of Switzerland was attacked by masked moped raiders, with thieves using knives, sledgehammers and a Samurai sword-style blade to break in. A number of weapons were recovered from the pavement outside, with a picture on Twitter showing a blade resembling a samurai sword lying outside the shop. Watches of Switzerland also has branch on nearby Oxford Street, which was also raided by moped thugs in April 2018. Advertisement

The gang smashed display cases to get the watches, triggering an alarm that caused them to flee on the bikes.

Police in a passing van who saw what happened chased Russell and he jumped off to evade them on foot.

He managed to escape but one of his accomplices Jamie Farrell, 31, of Islington, north London, was caught by passersby and arrested.

Farrell was jailed for eight years the following month.

Police found Russell's discarded knife on the busy shopping street at the time and saw him take off his jacket and gloves and bin them on CCTV footage.

His picture from the scene was circulated as part of a media appeal and in 2020 he was identified and arrested.

He appeared at Southwark Crown Court yesterday and was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.

He was also sentenced to 16 months for possession of an offensive weapon, to run concurrently.

Detective Sergeant Gary Taylor, from the Met's Central Specialist Crime, said: 'This was a brazen robbery which not only left the store significantly out of profit but also left staff fearing for their lives.

'I hope this result demonstrates our commitment to tackling violent crime and disrupting criminal gangs who think they can get away with this kind of behaviour.

'We will do everything in our power to identify those involved and bring them to justice so that they can cause no further harm on the streets of the capital.'
Tommy Robinsons ex-wife has allegedly set up a firm to help raise funds for the bankrupt far-Right activist, it has been claimed.

The English Defence League founder is being pursued by creditors for an estimated 2million after he was ordered to compensate a Syrian schoolboy he wrongly accused of attacking a girl.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, declared bankruptcy during a High Court libel battle brought against him last year by teenage refugee Jamal Hijazi.

However, anti-racism campaigners have accused the convicted fraudster of hiding millions to avoid paying the teenager.

It is now claimed that Robinsons ex-wife Jenna Lennon set up a firm in August last year to help raise funds for him.

The Independent alleges that Robinsons account on messenger service Telegram has posted links to a Square FT donations website in recent weeks. He has apparently appealed to followers for security costs via the website for what he has called an investigation into grooming gangs.

A Companies House filing shows that Mrs Lennon is the sole director of Square FT Ltd, which appears to be linked to the funding website.

There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Mrs Lennon or Square FT. Robinson is entitled to receive funds whilst bankrupt, but they must be declared. MailOnline has not seen any evidence suggesting that Robinson is acting as a shadow director of Square FT, or has failed to declare income.

It is not known how much, if any, money has been donated via the Square FT website and details for who registered the website have not been made public.

Tommy Robinson is being pursued by creditors for an estimated 2million after he was ordered to compensate a Syrian schoolboy he wrongly accused of attacking a girl

It is now claimed that Robinsons ex-wife Jenna Lennon (pictured) set up a firm in August last year to help raise funds for the English Defence League founder

Tommy Robinson is pursued for 2m by creditors after declaring himself bankrupt Campaigners claim that Robinson is hiding millions to avoid paying the teenager. Creditors including HMRC, a former business partner and Barrow-In-Furness Borough Council, have asked an independent insolvency expert to investigate whether Robinsons claim is genuine or whether he is hiding assets to avoid paying his debts. Hope Not Hate allege that Robinson has access to assets worth up to about 3million through property acquisitions, investments, donations and book sales. Campaigners claim a Bedfordshire mansion worth 1.2million is owned by Robinsons ex-wife Jenna Lennon, but that Robinson is often seen at the property chatting to builders. They have launched a crowdfunder to pay insolvency expert Heath Sinclair, of Richard Long & Co. The expert has until March 3 to try to find any assets or money that Robinson could be hiding, otherwise he will come out of bankruptcy and it may then become harder to recover the money he owes. Advertisement

MailOnline has approached Robinson for comment.

Robinson is due to protest in the Blue Willow Car Park in Telford town centre from 2pm today, where he plans to screen a documentary.

Extra police patrols will take place over the planned demonstration, West Mercia Police said.

Conditions have been imposed on the organisers under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, Chief Superintendent Paul Moxley added.

Robinson was sued by Jamal after he made false allegations against the Syrian schoolboy on Facebook in November 2018.

After a video showing the teenager being attacked at school went viral, the far-Right activist wrongly claimed that Jamal was not innocent and he violently attacks young English girls in his school.

He also wrongly claimed that Jamal had beat a girl black and blue and threatened to stab another boy at his school.

Jamal denied the claims and told the High Court that the slurs had had a devastating effect on the lives of him and his family, who had come to the UK as refugees from Homs in Syria.

The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, said the consequences of Robinsons falsehoods had been particularly severe for Jamal and the scars would likely last for many years, if not a lifetime.

Robinson was ordered to pay Jamal 100,000 in libel damages plus an estimated 1.5million in legal costs, but the teenager has not yet seen a penny due to the activists bankruptcy claim.

During his years as an activist, Robinson used crowdfunding techniques and advertising on his social media channels to earn money, but this dried up when he was banned by Facebook and other big tech companies.

His main outlet is now on Gettr, a platform set up by Jason Miller, a former aide to Donald Trump.

In November 2013, Robinson pleaded guilty to fraud and was jailed for 18 months. He also has convictions for stalking, assault, using someone elses passport, using threatening behaviour, and contempt of court.

According to The Independent, Robinsons account on Telegram has recently posted links to a Square FT donations website.

On December 22, for example, Robinson posted a video on his Telegram channel in which he said he was having dinner at his ex-wifes house, joking that she was lucky he had already divorced her as she had run out of ketchup.

In the clip, he encouraged followers to download GETTR and follow him. An accompanying post included a link to the Square FT page, adding: If you want to help me help a grooming victim so she can move into a safe area then please CLICK HERE to donate!!!.

In another Telegram post on January 3, Robinsons account linked to another page on the Square FT website. It stated: Please help us with security. Donate by CLICKING HERE!!!!.

Robinson was sued by teenage refugee Jamal Hijazi after he made false allegations against the Syrian schoolboy on Facebook in November 2018

A video showing Jamal being pushed to the ground and 'waterboarded' on the field at his secondary school in Huddersfield was shared nationwide in November 2018

The Square FT website page makes no mention of Robinson, but one page invites browsers to donate between 5 and 100.

The homepage for Square FT says underneath a picture showing silhouettes of people set against a city skyline: Become the very best freelancer you can be  break the chains of corporate journalism.

Underneath, it states: At Square FT we provide solutions for independent and freelance journalists. We will work with you to help with crowdfunding, campaigns, collaboration and networking to reach your goal.

As an independent freelance journalist you can put your audience in a position of power, where you cover the topics they are interested in, topics that can get left behind by mainstream media due to advertisement/sponsorship conflicts etc etc.

Journalists who crowdfund strongly believe in the journalistic norm of autonomy, so by raising your profile and gaining the trust and support of those who want to watch or read stories that are avoided by the mainstream, then Square FT is the best place to start your journey of independence and free thinking.

Break the shackles of corporate journalism and provide something fresh, original and cover stories that stuffy corporate bosses tend to avoid. Welcome to the brand new world of autonomous journalism.

The firms business activity is described as Other information service activities not elsewhere classified.

Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in Jamal's favour and granted him 100,000 in damages

It emerged this month that creditors including HMRC, a former business partner and Barrow-In-Furness Borough Council, have asked an independent insolvency expert to investigate whether Robinsons claim is genuine or whether he is hiding assets to avoid paying his debts.

Campaign group Hope Not Hate allege that Robinson has access to assets worth up to about 3million through property acquisitions, investments, donations and book sales.

They have launched a crowdfunder to pay insolvency expert Heath Sinclair, of Richard Long & Co.

The expert has until March 3 to try to find any assets or money that Robinson could be hiding, otherwise he will come out of bankruptcy and it may then become harder to recover the money he owes.

Bankruptcies are usually for 12 months, but the independent expert can apply to court to have the discharge from bankruptcy suspended.

Until now the work has been done by the official receiver, but the creditors hope the expert will uncover more assets.

He has the power to look at Robinsons bank records, to interview people under oath and apply for search warrants if necessary.

Campaigners claim a Bedfordshire mansion worth 1.2million is owned by Mrs Lennon, but that Robinson is often seen at the property chatting to builders.

Hope Not Hates chief executive Nick Lowles said: Jamal Hijazi is a victim of Tommy Robinsons vitriol, and it is important that Robinson is held to account.

It is wholly unjust that while his victims life has been turned upside down, Tommy Robinson carries on his life as before.

Tommy Robinson has to understand that there are real consequences to his hate. It is time to make him pay up and ensure that his victims get proper justice.
The Biden administration confirmed a U.S. South Carolina District Court judge backed by U.S. Rep. James Clyburn is among those considered to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

Michelle Childs, 55, was tapped for a promotion last month by President Joe Biden to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but the nomination has been postponed as she is now in consideration for the highest court in America after Biden vowed to nominate a black woman for the Supreme Court in February.

It came as part of a deal Biden struck with Clyburn, who previously chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and offered his endorsement for Biden in 2020 with a caveat  that the then-candidate publicly pledge to place a black woman on the Supreme Court should he get the chance in his tenure.

White House spokesman Andrew Bate said in a statement: 'Judge Childs is among multiple individuals under consideration for the Supreme Court, and we are not going to move her nomination on the Court of Appeals while the President is considering her for this vacancy.'

Michelle Childs, 55, a US South Carolina District Court judge, was confirmed to be among the candidates to replace Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

The South Carolina judge has a key ally in Rep. James Clyburn (center), a longtime friend of Biden's who offered his endorsement in 2020 to the then-presidential candidate in exchange that Biden publicly vow to nominate a black woman for the Supreme Court if given the chance

Biden said he would name his nomination for the Supreme Court in February

Childs had earned criticism after her September 2020 decision to kill a measure in South Carolina's new elections bill that would have tightened security on mail-in ballots, which was believed to tip the favor for Democrats.

Before the 2020 election, the South Carolina legislature passed a bill allowing all voters to vote absentee regardless of their reason in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but an amendment to remove a provision requiring a witness signature failed.

Childs upheld the law but struck down the signature requirement in a decisive victory for state and national Democrats who voted by mail at a higher rate than Republicans.

It was swiftly overturned by the Supreme Court in early October.

Childs had also demonstrated a significant deference to Congress during her 2010 confirmation hearing the the South Carolina US District Court - indicating she may give federal lawmakers the benefit of the doubt on some occasions.

When asked by Senator Dianne Feinstein about her understanding of Congressional authority as given by the Constitution, the Childs had said: 'With respect to any laws respecting your Congressional powers, I would presume that anything that you all are doing is constitutional and would approach it with that mindset, knowing that you would only enact laws that you have had due deliberance over and consider deliberation over.'

But despite her progressive resume, Childs revealed her view on interpreting the Constitution is more in line with conservatives.

Childs replied 'no' when asked on her nomination questionnaire whether she thought the Constitution is a 'living' document - meaning its interpretation cannot be changed while society changes.

Childs' objective take is similar to how Justice Amy Coney Barrett described her 'Originalist' interpretation of the nation's laws.

Childs' nomination received backing by Rep. Clyburn, of South Carolina, who said Child's background, as a graduate of state universities in Florida and South Caroline, were sorely needed in the Supreme Court which has eight justices that went to Ivy League schools.

Child spent a decade in private practice and as a state court trial judge in the South Carolina Circuit. Also in her tenure she was deputy director of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and commissioner on the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission.

US Rep. James Clyburn, of South Carolina, is backing Childs and said her background is sorely needed in the US Supreme Court

Justice Stephen Breyer, on of the liberal justices, announced his retirement on Thursday

Biden announced liberal Justice Breyer's retirement after nearly 30 years on the court on Thursday, with the 83-year-old standing by his side.

Getting a new young liberal on the high court would be a badly-needed win for Biden, whose first year in office was marked by foreign policy crises, legislative setbacks and plummeting poll numbers.

During his remarks on Thursday Biden promised to hear recommendations from both sides of the aisle, and confirmed that he would use his task to shape the U.S. judicial system for his political promise.

'Our process is going to be rigorous. I will select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer's legacy of excellence and decency,' Biden said. 'While I've been studying candidates' backgrounds and writings, I've made no decision except one: the person I will nominate will be someone of extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity.'

'And that person will be the first black woman ever nominated to the Supreme Court,' the president added.

Biden said it was 'long overdue' and noted how he had made that commitment during the 2020 campaign - as part of a pledge to secure a key endorsement from South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most powerful black member of Congress. 'And I will keep that commitment,' Biden said.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell immediately seized on Biden's remarks, pointing to the razor-thin margin in the U.S. Senate, where the nominee will have to be confirmed.

'Looking ahead - the American people elected a Senate that is evenly split at 50-50. To the degree that President Biden received a mandate, it was to govern from the middle, steward our institutions, and unite America,' McConnell said. 'The President must not outsource this important decision to the radical left. The American people deserve a nominee with demonstrated reverence for the written text of our laws and our Constitution,' the Kentucky Republican added.

Among the leading contenders for the Supreme Court nomination include D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Jackson, 51, widely thought to be Biden's top pick, was elevated from her previous post as a judge on the federal district court in Washington, D.C., where she remained from 2013-2021.

Jackson, widely seen as Biden's top pick, was a lawyer for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign

During her confirmation hearing for the highly influential D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Jackson told the Senate Judiciary Committee that her race would add 'value' to the bench when trying to explain how it would not play a role in her decisions.

'I'm looking at the arguments, the facts and the law. I'm methodically and intentionally setting aside personal views, any other inappropriate considerations, and I would think that race would be the kind of thing that would be inappropriate to inject into my evaluation of a case,' she said.

Then Jackson added: 'I've experienced life in perhaps a different way than some of my colleagues because of who I am, and that might be valuable - I hope it would be valuable - if I was confirmed to the court.'

Jackson had also served as a lawyer for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Another judge widely favored to earn the nomination is California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger.

Kruger is the youngest prospective pick being reported at just 45 years old, though she's already turned down Biden's offer for Solicitor General twice

Kruger would be a younger choice at 45, and is widely seen as a moderate to liberal judge in the Golden State.

She served under Obama as acting Principal Deputy Solicitor General from May 2010 - June 2011 where she argued 12 cases in front of the Supreme Court. During her time at the Department of Justice, Kruger earned in both 2013 and 2014 the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service, which is the agencys highest employee award.

She also clerked for late Justice John Paul Stevens who served on the Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010 and died in 2019.

Kruger was also the youngest person appointed to the California Supreme Court when then-Governor Jerry Brown nominated her in 2014.

'The President must not outsource this important decision to the radical left': McConnell warns Biden not to pick a super liberal for SCOTUS moments after he confirmed he would replace Justice Breyer with the court's first black woman

President Joe Biden delivered remarks Thursday on the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer - and confirmed he would select a black woman to be Breyer's replacement, which prompted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to immediately stoke fears the president would select someone endorsed by the 'radical left.'

'Our process is going to be rigorous. I will select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer's legacy of excellence and decency,' Biden said. 'While I've been studying candidates' backgrounds and writings, I've made no decision except one: the person I will nominate will be someone of extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity.'

'And that person will be the first black woman ever nominated to the Supreme Court,' the president added.

Biden said it was 'long overdue' and noted how he had made that commitment during the 2020 campaign - as part of a pledge to secure a key endorsement from South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most powerful black member of Congress. 'And I will keep that commitment,' Biden said.

'I'm going to invite senators from both parties to offer their ideas and points of view. I'll also consult with leading scholars and lawyers. And I'm fortunate to have advising me in this selection process, Vice President Kamala Harris,' Biden continued. 'She's an exceptional lawyer, former attorney general of the state of California, former member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.'

Biden said he planned to make his decision before the end of February.

He asked that the Senate move on his choice 'promptly,' as Democrats could lose control of the Senate after the November midterms.

Directly after Biden made his remarks, McConnell pointed to the razor-thin margin in the U.S. Senate, where the nominee will have to be confirmed.

'Looking ahead - the American people elected a Senate that is evenly split at 50-50. To the degree that President Biden received a mandate, it was to govern from the middle, steward our institutions, and unite America,' McConnell said. 'The President must not outsource this important decision to the radical left. The American people deserve a nominee with demonstrated reverence for the written text of our laws and our Constitution,' the Kentucky Republican added.

Press secretary Jen Psaki seemingly took a swipe at McConnell at the Thursday afternoon press briefing, complimenting those Republicans who said they'd work with the White House while chastising those who plan to play 'games.'

'We have not mentioned a single name. We have not put out a list. The president made very clear he has not made a selection,' Psaki said. 'And if anyone is saying they plan to characterize whoever he nominates after thorough consideration with both parties as "radical" before they no literally anything about who she is, they just obliterated their own credibility.'

President Joe Biden delivered remarks Thursday on the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer - and confirmed he would select a black woman for Breyer's replacement

Justice Breyer (right) holds up a copy of the U.S. Constitution as he briefly addressed the press during Thursday's event in the Roosevelt Room

Dr. Joanna Breyer (left) and Dr. Jill Biden (right) listen at an event announcing Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement from the Supreme Court

First Lady Jill Biden (second from right) escorts Joanna Breyer (right) from the Roosevelt Room as Justice Stephen Breyer (left) and President Joe Biden (upper right) conclude their remarks at an event Thursday

Speaking about Breyer in the Roosevelt Room, Biden said, 'this is sort of a bittersweet day for me,' noting how he and the 83-year-old justice 'go back a long way, all the way back to the 70s when he first came on the Judiciary Committee.'

'Today Justice Breyer announces his intention to step down from active service after four decades, four decades on the federal bench and 28 years on the United States Supreme Court,' Biden announced.

Biden opened up his remarks by saying hello to 'Dr. Breyer,' the justice's wife, Joanna, and his own wife, Dr. Jill Biden.

The president then walked people through Breyer's life of public service, from enlisting in the U.S. Army as a teenager, and serving in 'all three branches of the federal government before he turned 40.' Breyer was a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg, a prosecutor in the Department of Justice and a member of the Watergate prosecution team.

Biden said he first encountered Breyer when the president was a senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee and Breyer served as a lawyer under then Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Ted Kennedy.

'Beyond his intellect and hard work and legal insight, he was famous for biking across Washington virtually every day for a face-to-face meeting with a Republican chief counsel, a ranking Republican counsel - and over breakfast they discussed what they would do for the country together,' Biden noted. 'Because in those days we tried to do things together.'

'That spirit stuck with me when I took over the Judiciary Committee as chair after Sen. Kennedy's tenure,' Biden added.

Biden called it an 'honor' to promote Breyer to the federal bench in 1980.

Senate confirmation process for new Justice After President Joe Biden names his pick for the Supreme Court, his nominee must be Senate confirmed. Democrats hold the advantage given their control of 50-50 split chamber. The first step in the process is for the nominee to make visits to senators' office. Then the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold confirmation hearings. The entire Senate would then vote for or against the nominee's confirmation. Democrats will be expected to toe the line and support Biden's pick, even rogue Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema would be expected to be 'yes' votes. If all Republican senators oppose the nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the tie-breaking vote. And Republicans won't be able to filibuster the nominee thanks to their own actions. In April 2017, then-Senate leader Mitch McConnell ended the filibuster rule for Supreme Court nominees, letting them advance to a final vote on a simple majority. He did it to help the confirmation of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Advertisement

'And then 14 years later, in 1994, I got to preside as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee over his Supreme Court confirmation hearings,' Biden continued.

'We were joking with one another when he walked in - would we ever think that he would have served decades on the court and I'd be president of the United States the day he came and retired,' Biden added.

When it was Breyer's turn to speak, he called the president's comments 'terribly nice.'

Breyer then gave free-wheeling remarks about how the U.S. is a 'complicated country' with 'every point of view possible.'

'And yet they decided to help solve their major differences under law,' Breyer remarked. 'And when my students get too cynical I say go look at what happens in countries that don't do that.'

Later, Biden invited the Breyers to spend the night in the White House's Lincoln Bedroom.

'I don't know if you've ever been to the White House in the Lincoln Bedroom. But I invite both of you to come and stay. The Lincoln Bedroom has against the wall between the windows looking out, a hand-written copy of the Gettysburg Address, written by Lincoln,' Biden said. 'So you've got to come and see it and even if you can't come and stay, bring your grandchildren so they can see it as well.'

Breyer had remarked that he and his wife had paid 'each of our grandchildren a certain amount of money to memorize the Gettysburg Address.'

As Biden wrapped up the event, he told the reporters in the room he wouldn't be taking questions because it wasn't 'appropriate.'

It would be a badly needed victory for Biden if he manages to get a new left-leaning justice confirmed with a razor thin 50-50 split in the Senate.

The president is already reportedly considering multiple potential replacements.

Three candidates generating serious buzz are DC Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger and South Carolina District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs.

Jackson and Childs were both tapped for promotions by Biden in 2021. Jackson was confirmed to her DC Circuit Court role in June, while Childs was nominated to the same bench in December.

Some conservative commentators have objected to Biden narrowing his choice for the high court by race and gender.

Asked about their complaints in the Thursday briefing, Psaki replied that 'the fact that no black woman has been nominated shows a deficiency of the past selection processes not a lack of qualified candidates to be nominated to the Supreme Court.'

Psaki also pointed out that Republican President Ronald Reagan purposely selected the first female Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.

She refused to say when Biden found out Breyer was retiring.

'This was Justice Breyer's decision to make, on his own timeline and through his own conditions he determined,' Psaki said. 'So we aren't going to lay out more specifics from here in terms of when the president was aware.'

Democrats are already racing against the clock to get whoever Biden chooses onto the bench, with the 2022 midterm elections looming at the end of the year.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Judiciary Chair Richard Durbin released statements on Wednesday that stressed their preferred short timeline.

'President Bidens nominee will receive a prompt hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be considered and confirmed by the full United States Senate with all deliberate speed,' Schumer said.

Durbin added that he looked 'forward to moving the Presidents nominee expeditiously through the Committee.'

On the White House side, Psaki said Harris will play a 'central role' in the process, as well as Chief of Staff Ron Klain, White House Counsel Dana Remus, Senior Advisor Cedric Richmond, Paige Herwig, who works in the counsel's office and Louisa Terrell, the director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

Breyer is one of three liberals on the Supreme Court, alongside Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

Former President Donald Trump was able to fill three empty slots during his four-year term, giving the court a decisive conservative supermajority.

Calls for the octogenarian justice to retire increased after Biden won the 2020 election.

The reported pressure on Breyer increased as Republicans' chances of taking back the Congressional majority in November 2022 swelled.

Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in April 2021

Breyer was appointed to the high court by President Bill Clinton, who announced his decision in 1994

Democrats have faced significant GOP roadblocks to the high court in the past - after late Justice Antonin Scalia's passing, McConnell, then the majority leader, successfully blocked Barack Obama's nominee, now Attorney General Merrick Garland, from even getting a hearing in 2015.

Obama had reportedly tried to convince late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to retire in 2013 to give him an earlier chance at getting another liberal on the court.

She apparently rebuffed calls to step down, before dying on the bench under the Trump administration and enabling him to appoint young conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Confirming judicial nominees only requires a simply majority vote in the Senate, thanks to rules changes that started in 2013 - for non-SCOTUS nominees - and then for SCOTUS judges in 2017.

Biden will simply have to hold together his Senate Democratic caucus to get his pick appointed to the high court.

All eyes are now turned to Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, whose reservations led to the deaths or at least indefinite pauses to two key Biden agenda items: the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill and voting rights legislation, as the moderates were against meddling with the Senate filibuster.

But historically, he should have more luck getting them on board here. Neither Manchin nor Sinema have voted against one of the president's judicial picks so far.

Manchin released a statement on Wednesday signaling he was open to considering Breyer's replacement, but it was noticeably void of the rushed language in Schumer and Durbin's sentiments.

'I take my Constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on a nominee to the Supreme Court very seriously,' Manchin said.

'I look forward to meeting with and evaluating the qualifications of President Bidens nominee to fill this Supreme Court vacancy.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to both Manchin and Sinema's offices.
A Ukrainian serviceman holds ammunition hanging at a front line position in the Luhansk area of eastern Ukraine, Jan. 28. AP-Yonhap





The foreign ministry said Saturday it will send three officials to the South Korean Embassy in Ukraine to prepare contingency plans for Korean nationals in the country amid the escalating geopolitical tension.







The decision came after Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held a virtual meeting with the chiefs of South Korea's diplomatic missions in Russia, Ukraine and other nations the previous day amid tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.







The embassy in Ukraine also plans to update information on means of transportation and land evacuation routes on its website, while holding meetings with Korean residents and companies.






As Putin continues to mount pressure with accumulating forces, tanks and missiles along the Ukrainian border, volunteer army unit members in Kyiv were pictured training with fake wooden guns today.

Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces were seen wielding the cutout props in unusual training drills as dozens of civilians have been joining army reserves.

However this is unlikely to inspire fear in the Russian president, as Ukraine now estimates Russia's manpower is up to 130,000, with a top US army general calling it the biggest accumulation of forces since the Cold War.

Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, train with fake wooden guns close to Kyiv, Ukraine today

Russian servicemen of the 150th division of the Southern Military District shooting from howitzers 2A65 Msta-B during a training in the Rostov region, Russia yesterday

A civilian army volunteer with a fake gun in Kyiv today as Putin continues to mount pressure with accumulating forces, tanks and missiles along the Ukrainian border

Videos seen of Russian army drills include intimidating tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and ships amongst other things.

Nervous over the threat of some 120,000 Russian troops massed near the border with Ukraine, Kyiv has launched a new Territorial Defence force this year, which it wants to build up into a corps of up to 130,000 people.

While they may stand little chance against the much bigger and better-equipped professional Russian army, reservists like them could be tasked with protecting civilian sites in Kyiv amid any conflict.

Saturday's training brought together about 70 locals, some in full infantry gear with hunting rifles and with combat experience from back when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and then backed rebels fighting government troops in eastern Ukraine.

Others in sneakers and casual sportswear were handed mock wooden rifles.

Konstantin Sevchuk, a 43-year-old freelancer who said he had so far avoided any contact with the military after serving a year in the eastern Donbass region in 2014/15 during Ukraine's general mobilisation, said he is 'worried'.

He added: 'It doesn't really fit into my life, I didn't really want it. But now the situation is such that it's needed.'

While IT programmer Alexander took part in the 2013/14 'Maidan' mass pro-democracy protests in Kyiv, he said he did not feel ready to fight when Moscow reacted to the overthrow of Ukraine's pro-Russian president by annexing Crimea.

'Now I'm in my mid-30s and it's time for me to join,' he said, his face covered with a blue scarf. 'It's better to join now than when it's too late. I want to be prepared.'

Breathing heavily after getting up and dropping to the snow-covered ground numerous times with his heavy equipment, Mykhaylo, 39, was enthusiastic about going to fight.

'My inclination towards war craft has been there long before the war. Now it makes perfect sense to do it,' he said during the showcase exercises.

The motley crew of reservists - arriving in everything from a small Suzuki to 4x4 vehicles and even an electric Tesla - were sometimes critical of Zelensky and had differing views on NATO.

But they shared a feeling that Ukraine, formerly a Soviet republic, wanted to decide its own fate independently of its old overlord Moscow.

Mykhaylo said he wanted his children 'to be born and live their lives in a law-abiding and democratic country. That they know what freedom is and are ready to fight for it.'

While Putin has, while gradually building up forces, not confirmed anything about a full-scale invasion, an ally close to him today also claimed it would take 48 hours 'maximum' to invade the 'outnumbered' Kyiv and take Ukraine.

Speaking to Znak media, Konstantin Malofeev - who runs an investment group and a staunchly pro-Kremlin media added: 'Open military conflict between Russia and Ukraine cannot be a war, or, at least, a long-term war, because the difference in military potential is so big that there can be only an operation for forcing the peace.'

However a new video from today shows Ukrainian soldiers training with British NLAW anti-tank weapons for the first time.

Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces were seen wielding the cutout props in unusual training drills as dozens of civilians have been joining army reserves.

The drills in Lviv region come as Russia continues to tighten its military noose around Ukraine while officially denying any intention to invade.

Earlier this week another video online also showed volunteer forces maintaining a Soviet-era pre-World War II machine gun.

The instructor demonstrated the use of a DP-27 light machine gun to the volunteer army unit, which consists of some 80,000 volunteers in 25 brigades across the country, The Drive reports.

In contrast Putin's arsenal of weapons boasts devastating manpower and potential danger.

A Ukrainian service member fires a next generation light anti-tank weapon (NLAW) supplied by Britain during drills at Ukraine's International Peacekeeping Security Centre near Yavoriv in the Lviv region, Ukraine yesterday

Tanks of the Russian Southern Military District's 150th Rifle Division take part in a military exercise at Kadamovsky Range on Thursday

During a Pentagon press briefing yesterday, Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley told reporters that while it's not definite that Russia will go through with an attack, the consequences of offensive action could be devastating.

He said: 'We don't think final decisions have been made to conduct any sort of offensive operation into Ukraine by the Russians, and we firmly believe there's still room for a diplomatic outcome here.

'Having said that, given the type of forces that are arrayed - the ground maneuver forces, the artillery, the ballistic missiles, the air forces - all of it packaged together, if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and would result in a significant amount of casualties.

'And you can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads and so on and so forth. It would be horrific. It would be terrible.'
A Texas sheriff condemned a judge's decision to allow an alleged drunk driver to be released on bail after she hit and killed an off-duty deputy and was charged with manslaughter.

Harris County Texas Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez, 45, was killed on Monday after he was struck by a suspected drunk driver who hit him and then speed off.

Lavilla Spry, 40, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer, failure to stop and render aid resulting in death and evading in a motor vehicle. She has since been released on a $275,000 bail.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez was 'disappointed' to learn that Spry had been released on bond.

Lavilla Spry, 40, for the alleged 'hit and run' which killed a Houston officer on Monday. She has been accused of driving under the influence and has since been released on a $275,000 bond

Harris County Texas Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez, 45, was a 20-year veteran

Gutierrez was working an off-duty job diverting traffic along the highway when he was struck (Pictured: A vigil for Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez was held on Thursday)

'At a personal level I'm disappointed,' the sheriff said Thursday morning before Gutierrez's funeral. 'You know impaired driving... The suspicion of impaired driving... The killing of a peace officer is all extremely serious and should be handled accordingly to that same magnitude within our court, so I hope that's the ultimate outcome.'

Sgt. Gutierrez was killed early Monday while working an off-duty job helping direct traffic to help escort an oversized load on the East Beltway 8.

The officer parked his police motorcycle along the highway with all the emergency lights and was diverting traffic from the area while wearing a bright reflective vest.

Spry allegedly drove around the police motorcycle and towards Gutierrez when she hit him. The suspected drunk driver allegedly kept driving while dragging the deputy 'for quite a while and then just continued as if nothing happened,' according to reports.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has expressed his 'disappointment' at Spry's release

Gutierrez was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition before being pronounced dead.

Spry was chased down by another officer for over a mile before being arrested around 1:30 am when she displayed signs of intoxication, according to court records.

'There had been numerous cars that heeded his [Gutierrez] warning, and not come down that exit, but sadly, Mr. Spry was too intoxicated to pay attention or quite frankly to care, and Sergeant Gutierrez is dead because of it,' Harris County Vehicular Crimes Division Chief Sean Teare said.

The alleged drunk driver made bail on Wednesday. Along with her fee, she must have an interlock device on any vehicle she drives, get permission to drive anywhere, not leave Harris County, not have contact with the victim's family, not go anywhere alcohol is served and is subject to alcohol and drug testing.

Reports claim that Spry hit the deputy and continued driving as she dragged him along (Pictured: The funeral procession for Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez)

Spry was chased down by an officer for over a mile before being arrested when she appeared intoxicated (Pictured: Mourners gathered at a vigil for Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez on Thursday)

Gutierrez was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition before being pronounced dead at the hospital (Pictured: Colleagues and loved ones held a vigil to honor Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez on Thursday)

The long-time officer is survived by his wife and three children (Pictured: Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez with his family)

Gutierrez was a veteran of 20 years, has served in the Vehicular Crimes Division for the last 13 years and was recently promoted to supervisor.

'Anytime we lose a law enforcement hero, it is not just the department that suffers but the entire community's loss,' the sheriff said.

He was married to his high school sweetheart, with whom he had three children, according to Gonzalez. The father-of-three had recently begun picking up extra off-duty shifts to help pay for his daughter's wedding which is scheduled to take place in a few months.

A vigil was held for Gutierrez in Houston Thursday and the funeral will take place on February 3.
A Washington State trooper who had to retire early because he refused to get the vaccine despite the state mandate and signed off his final shift by telling Governor Jay Inslee to kiss my a**, has died of Covid.

Robert LaMay, 51, who resigned in October after serving 22 years with the State Patrol, died on Friday.

Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste released a statement praising LaMay for his service and said he 'will be long remembered and appreciated.'

'I am deeply saddened over the news that our former friend and colleague Trooper Robert LaMay has passed away,' Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste said of LaMay's passing.

'This agency's prayers and remembrances are with his family and loved ones. Rob served honorably for over two decades, and we were disappointed to see him leave the agency this past October.'

Pictured: former Trooper Robert LaMay, 51, who retired in October after serving 22 years with the State Patrol, died on Friday from COVID-19

In video footage posted to Twitter, LaMay, pictured, signed off over the police radio to explain why he was retiring from the force adding: 'Governor Jay Inslee can kiss my a**'

LaMay, pictured in a video where he blasted Washington State Governor Jay Inslee for his sweeping COVID-19 vaccine mandates for state employees

LaMay, pictured, spoke to Fox News following his forced resignation in October, after Washington State Governor Jay Inslee implemented statewide vaccine mandates

This is the last time youll hear me in a patrol car and Jay Inslee can kiss my ass.



Washington State Trooper in Yakima, Wash. signs off after 22 years  fired by @GovInslee for being unvaccinated. pic.twitter.com/RGLDs5BZxg  Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 17, 2021

'His service to this state and agency will be long remembered and appreciated,' Batiste went on to say.

'Let us now remember our old friend, support his family and loved ones, give thanks for his service, and resolve to meet the challenges ahead with continuing duty, dignity and respect,' the patrol chief added.

LaMay's last shift was in October 2021, when Governor Inslee's mandate ordering most state employees to be vaccinated went into effect on October 18.

LaMay had appeared on Fox News shortly after his resignation, and claimed there were 'several hundred' people that were initially willing to get fired over the vaccine mandate, however many ended up getting the jab to keep their jobs.

'When we started off this program, there was several hundred that were willing to get fired,' LaMay stated.

'Well, then they started looking at their finances.'

'They looked at what they can do and they decided to take the vaccination.'

'The people who have taken the vaccination in the state of Washington,' LaMay explained at the time.

'They really did it long enough to finish off their careers the few months or to find another job.'

LaMay went viral where he took aim at Governor Jay Inslee for the sweeping statewide vaccine mandates in a video recorded on his final shift.

'This is my final sign-off after 22 years serving the citizens of the state of Washington, I've been asked to leave because I am dirty,' LaMay said in a video.

'Numerous fatalities, injuries, I've worked sick, I've played sick, buried lots of friends over these years.'

'I'd like to thank you guys, as well as the citizens of Yakima County as well as my fellow officers within the valley. Without you guys I wouldn't have been very successful.'

LaMay had appeared on Fox News after resigning, and claimed there were 'several hundred' that were willing to get fired, however many ended up getting the jab to keep their jobs

Washington Governor Jay Inslee, pictured issued the sweeping order over the summer

He continued: 'You've kept me safe and got me home to my family every night. Thank you for that. I wish I could say more, but this is it.

'So State 1034 this is the last time you'll hear me in a state patrol car... And Jay Inslee can kiss my a**.'

LaMay had received a response from the radio operator thanking him for his years of loyal service and listing off a list of accomplishments.

She said: '1034 thank you for your 22 years of service to the citizens of Washington State.

'Youve taken on many roles in your time with the patrol. In your first year, you delivered a baby while on patrol. Youve been a theory instructor and part of the chaplaincy board.

'Youve been a great role model and a mentor for all the young troopers serving in the area by sharing your knowledge and experience throughout the years.

People fill the Capitol campus in Olympia, Washington state to rally against the COVID-19 vaccination mandate by Gov. Jay Inlsee which threatens the jobs of thousands of state employees who may not comply

'Thank you for your service.'

The deadline for most state government, health care and school workers in Washington state to get their COVID-19 vaccination was on October 18, but those who refused to get the jab had plenty of time to prepare.

Governor Inslee had issued the sweeping order in August with a clear directive: 'Show proof of vaccination on or before October 18 or lose your job'.

Thousands of workers requested exemptions and there was also extensions made for some employees.

However, more than 92 percent of Washington state government workers are now said to have been fully vaccinated as of Saturday, according to the Washington State government website.

LaMay received an outpouring of support on social media at the time of his mandate-forced retirement.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks as he gives his annual State of the State address, January 11. Due to cautions against COVID-19, Inslee's speech was shown to lawmakers remotely

'He has more support than he knows,' wrote one user at the time. 'His strength is admirable. His public service appreciated and commended.'

'Heartbreaking. 20 years of experience is not replaceable,' added another.

In September, President Joe Biden ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans  private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors  in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant.

At the time, Biden sharply criticized the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated, despite months of availability and incentives.

'We've been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,' he said, all but biting off his words. The unvaccinated minority 'can cause a lot of damage, and they are.'

Republican leaders  and some union chiefs, too  said Biden was going too far in trying to muscle private companies and workers, a certain sign of legal challenges to come.
Goldman Sachs doubled CEO David Solomons pay in 2021 to $35 million after the investment back reported record profits last year.

Solomon, 59, received a $35 million pay package for 2021, up from the $17.5 million he earned in 2020 after the Wall Street firm posted significant profits last year.

In 2021 the bank reported a net income of $21.64 billion, compared with $9.46 billion a year earlier and reported a 23% increase in fourth-quarter operating expenses, mainly due to higher compensation and benefits costs, Reuters reported.

David Solomon (pictured) received a $35 million pay package for 2021, up from the $17.5 million he earned in 2020 after the Wall Street firm posted significant profit last year

In 2021 Goldman Sachs reported a net income of $21.64 billion, compared with $9.46 billion a year earlier

Solomon's total pay for 2021 includes an annual base salary of $2 million and a variable compensation of $33 million, 70% of which is in the form of goal-based stock compensation or restricted stock units.

He is not the only Wall Street CEO who saw a pay raise last year, Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman also raked in $35 million and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon earned $34.5 million in 2021.

Solomon's raise comes after his salary was slashed by $10 million in 2020 after earning $27.5 million the year before.

Solomon's pay, along with that of Chief Financial Officer Stephen Scherr and Chief Operating Officer John Waldron were reduced because of the companys involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.

Goldman Sachs raised $6.5 billion in three bond sales for the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund, between 2012 and 2013. Malaysian and U.S. authorities found in 2015 that $4.5 billion from the fund was siphoned by its leaders and used for a variety of personal, luxury expenses. Goldman Sachs reached a $2.9 billion settlement for its involvement in raising the money.

Despite a record year in 2021, earlier this month Goldman reported a 13 percent dip in profit as trading revenue slumped

When he is not running the Wall Street giant, Solomon performs under the name DJ D-Sol at some of the most elite nightclubs in the world

Goldman Sachs paid out more than $5 billion in fines in the scandal, in which former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (above) and his cronies looted billions from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a supposed government investment fund

Despite a record year in 2021, earlier this month Goldman reported a 13 percent dip in profit as trading revenue slumped, the New York Post reported.

Goldman Sachs posted $3.94 billion in profit, or $10.81 per share for the quarter ending Dec. 31- which fell short of the $11.76 analysts predicted.

DAVID SOLOMON: THE GOLDMAN SACHS CEO WITH A DJING SIDE HUSTLE As well as working as a top Goldman Sachs executive, Solomon spends his nights DJing super clubs all over the world David Solomon, 59, has served as CEO of Goldman Sachs since October 2018. The New Yorker has also been chairman of the bank since January 2019. Prior to this, he was president and chief operating officer from January 2017 to September 2018. And worked as the joint head of the investment banking division from July 2006 to December 2016. As well as working as a top Goldman Sachs executive, Solomon spends his nights DJing super clubs all over the world. The divorced 59-year-old performs under the name DJ D-Sol and has even performed at the MTV Europe Music Awards in London His side hustle was outed by the New York Times in 2017 amid his campaign to be named Goldman CEO. Solomon has said he also likes to ride the subway to work, fetch his own coffee in the office, and relaxed the firms dress code making suits and ties optional. In 2020 Solomon's annual pay fell by $10million, or 36 percent. It came after the firm clawed back executive pay after it agreed to pay nearly $3billion in fines to the Department of Justice for its role in a Malaysian bribery scandal. His personal life has been just as tumultuous. According to CNBC, his divorce was finalized in 2018. And in his second week as CEO, Solomons former assistant killed himself after being charged with stealing $1.2 million worth of wine from Solomons collection. Advertisement

As of 2022 Goldmans shares are down more than 12 percent, which is worse than the market as a whole, which is down about 7.6 percent, the Post reported.

Solomon joined Goldman Sachs in 1999 as a partner and climbed the corporate ladder until becoming its CEO in October 2018 and chairman in January 2019.

Since taking over from Lloyd Blankfein in 2018, Solomon has looked to diversify the bank's revenue, with more focus on consumer banking, mass-market wealth management and cash management.

In February 2021 Solomon slammed working from home as an 'aberration' and said it is not the 'new normal' as he revealed the company is not likely to be offering it as a permanent option.

Solomon said he was particularly worried about the incoming class of 3,000 new recruits who he fears won't get the 'direct mentorship' and 'direct contact' that they need.

He added that he is a 'big believer in personal connectivity' and so foresees that Goldman's pre-pandemic operating style will return.

'I am very focused on the fact that I don't want another class of young people arriving at Goldman Sachs in the summer remotely,' he told the conference.

'I don't think as we get out of the pandemic the overall operating mode of the way a business like ours operates will be vastly different.

The firm had allowed a 'significant portion' of employees to shift to working remotely during the pandemic.

The CEO revealed that Goldman Sachs operated throughout 2020 with 'less than 10% of our people' on average working from offices throughout the firm's various global bases.

Goldman Sachs drew public criticism and backlash throughout 2021.

In January, a former intern named Emily shared a YouTube video describing her experience interning there in 2016 as being the internship from hell. She called it a traumatic and cutthroat program that included working from 5:40 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. without having her own desk.

Then, in March, a group of junior bankers made a PowerPoint presentation complaining of conditions like working 100 hours a week. A number of the 13 analysts who made the presentation said that they would quit by the summer if conditions didnt improve. One claimed that his experience at Goldman was 'arguably worse' than his childhood in foster care. The PowerPoint leaked to the media and, days later, Solomon vowed to employees that he would work harder to give them Saturdays off.

Employees said that it only rubs salt in the wound to see Solomon riding the heels of his EDM career and playing opulent gigs in the Hamptons, while they struggle to get a full day off work.

When he is not running the Wall Street giant, Solomon performs under the name DJ D-Sol at some of the most elite nightclubs in the world.
A woman who once lived in Kansas has been arrested after federal prosecutors charged her with joining the Islamic State group and leading an all-female battalion of AK-47 wielding militants.

The U.S. Attorney in Alexandria, Virginia, announced Saturday that Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, has been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization.

The criminal complaint was filed under seal back in 2019 but made public Saturday after Fluke-Ekren was brought back to the U.S. Friday to face charges. Her alleged participation in the Islamic State had not been publicly known before Saturday's announcement.

Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, has been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization

Prosecutors say Fluke-Ekren (pictured) wanted to recruit operatives to attack a college campus in the U.S. and discussed a terrorist attack on a shopping mall

Prosecutors say Fluke-Ekren wanted to recruit operatives to attack a college campus in the U.S. and discussed a terrorist attack on a shopping mall. She told one witness that 'she considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources,' according to an FBI affidavit.

That affidavit from FBI Special Agent David Robins also alleges that Fluke-Ekren became leader of an Islamic State unit called 'Khatiba Nusaybah' in the Syrian city of Raqqa in late 2016.

She also allegedly provided ISIS and ISIS members with services, which included providing lodging, translating speeches made by ISIS leaders, training children on the use of AK-47 assault rifles and suicide belts and teaching extremist ISIS doctrine, prosecutors said.

A detention memo stated that Fluke-Ekren trained children how to use assault rifles, and that at least one witness saw one of Fluke-Ekren's children, approximately 5 or 6 years old, holding a machine gun in the family's home in Syria.

In all, the affidavit cites observations from six different witnesses, including some who have been charged with terrorism offenses and some who were held at prison camps for former Islamic state members.

The FBI alleges that Fluke-Ekren became leader of an Islamic State unit called 'Khatiba Nusaybah' in the Syrian city of Raqqa in late 2016

Four months after her hubands' death, Fluke-Ekren remarried a prominent Islamic state leader who was responsible for the Islamic State group's defense of Raqqa

'Fluke-Ekren has been a fervent believer in the radical terrorist ideology of ISIS for many years, having traveled to Syria to commit or support violent jihad. Fluke-Ekren translated her extremist beliefs into action by serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, directly training women and children in the use of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts to support the Islamic States murderous aims,' Parekh wrote.

According to court papers, Fluke-Ekren moved to Egypt in 2008 and traveled frequently between Egypt and the U.S. over the next three years. She has not been in the U.S. since 2011.

Prosecutors believe she moved to Syria around 2012. In early 2016, her husband was killed in the Syrian city of Tell Abyad while trying to carry out a terrorist attack, prosecutors said. Later that year, prosecutors say she married a Bangladeshi ISIS member who specialized in drones, but he died in late 2016 or early 2017.

Four months after that man's death, she again remarried a prominent Islamic state leader who was responsible for the Islamic State group's defense of Raqqa.

She told one witness in 2018 that she instructed a person in Syria to tell Fluke-Ekren's family she was dead so the U.S. government would not try to find her, according to Parekh's memo.

Photos from a family blog called 4KansasKids show her and her children in the years they traveled between Kansas and Egypt, posing at the base of the pyramids in Egypt and playing in the snow in the U.S.

A 2004 article about homeschooling in the Lawrence Journal-World featured Fluke-Ekren and her children. She told the paper she pulled her kids from public school because she was dissatisfied with how her children were performing in public and private schools. Homeschooling allowed her to teach Arabic to her kids.

Court papers do not indicate how she was captured, or how long she was in custody before being turned over to the FBI Friday.

She is scheduled to make an initial appearance at U.S. District Court in Alexandria on Monday, at which time she would likely be appointed an attorney.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to hold talks with Germany, France and Ukraine as NATO fails to take action on the rising conflict in Easter Europe and President Joe Biden's announcement on Friday that he would deploy troops 'in the near term' without backing from NATO.

The blow to NATO and exclusion of America in negotiation talks on the Russian-Ukraine crisis came after Putin accused the U.S. and NATO of ignoring the Kremlin's 'fundamental concerns' over NATO's growth during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

During the call, Putin argued that the West had refused Russians demands of 'preventing NATO expansion, refusing to deploy strike weapons systems near Russian borders' and withdrawing allied forces to positions they held in 1997, prior to NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe, Politico reported.

Rather than meet with NATO, Putin has agreed to discuss the issue with the European-led Normandy Format, a grouping that includes France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. Their meetings center on the cease-fire agreement that the countries brokered in eastern Ukraine in 2015, and it also offers a path to a broader settlement.

Putin said he had 'no offensive plans' in eastern Ukraine, according to Macron, who said the nations' talks would focus on 'de-escalation' along the Ukraine-Russian border, the New York Times reported.

The Normandy Format will meet in Berlin in two weeks, after Russia has already amassed over 100,000 troops at the Ukraine border.

Although the scheduled talks between the European nations raises hopes for peace, it undermines America's involvement by excluding the U.S, and NATO as Ukrainian officials said they were annoyed by Biden's vow to mobilize troops in the area without NATO's backing.

'I'll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many,' Biden said as he got off Air Force One after a trip to Pittsburgh.

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley had warned of mass casualties in the Ukraine and Eastern Europe should Russia attack with such a large force.

'This is larger in scale and scope, and the massing of forces than anything we've seen in recent memory,' Milley said.

Given the forces Putin has at his disposal, 'if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties,' he added.

'You can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads, and so on and so forth. It would be horrific. It would be terrible. And it's not necessary. And we think a diplomatic outcome is the way to go here.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured in 2020, spoke over the phone on Friday and agreed to meet with the Normandy Format in Berlin in two week, which excludes the US and NATO, to discuss the crisis in the Ukraine

The new negotiate Biden said he would deploy troops to the Ukraine-Russian border, a move that NATO has yet to endorse or reject

'There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning,' assessed General Mark Milley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who warned of 'horrific' consequences should Russia mobilize it's 100,000 troops already at the Ukraine border

Biden will be excluded from the newest peace talks on the Ukraine-Russian conflict

NORMANDY FORMAT The Normandy Format was established between Germany, France, Russia and the Ukraine in 2014. It was formed to broker a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine following Russia's annexation of Crimea. A cease-fire was agreed on in 2015, but continued talks between the nations stalled from 2016 to 2019. In 2019, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who ran on a promise to bring peace between his nation and Russia, criticized the Normandy Format of 'continuing bickering' and described the support of France and Germany as 'lukewarm.' The group's March 2020 summit was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Normandy Format met during a video call on January 26, 2022, to discuss the current crisis at the Ukraine-Russian border. The group has agreed to meet in two weeks in Berlin, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying that the talks would focus on 'de-escalation' along the border. Advertisement

NATO has failed to come up with a common position on deploying troops to the region with many of its 30-strong members against military action.

Member countries located closer to Russia fear antagonizing Putin while countries such as Germany rely on Russia for 50 per cent of their gas.

Just one country can veto any action by the entire alliance.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon told 8,500 troops in the U.S. to be on high alert for a potential deployment to Eastern Europe, as Russia has already amassed over 100,000 troops at the Ukraine border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the global media in Kiev Friday and pushed back on world leaders who have publicly stressed the prospect of Russian invasion  following a call with President Biden where the president raised the 'distinct possibility' Russian troops would soon overrun his country.

'There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic - how much does it cost for our state?' said Zelensky.

He indirectly criticized the decision by the U.S. to pull family members of diplomats out of the country as yet another measure that could feed 'panic' that could be counterproductive.

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said.

'I don't consider the situation now more tense than before. There is a feeling abroad that there is war here. That's not the case,' said Zelensky. 'I am not saying an escalation is not possible...(but) we don't need this panic,' he said.

He even made a 'Don't Look Up' reference after the Leonardo DiCaprio film on Netflix about an imminent asteroid heading for the planet, after he was compared to hapless leaders online, the Guardian reported.

With Britain withdrawing diplomats even as the Greeks maintained their presence, Zelensky said: 'The captains should not leave the ship. I don't think we have a Titanic here.'

His reassurances came on a day when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley warned of the stakes and spoke to U.S. military preparations to assist NATO allies.

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Amid public talk of a Russian invasion, he said: 'We don't need this panic'

Asked whether Putin has enough troops for a full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Austin replied: 'I mean, you've heard the chairman say earlier that he's got north of 100,000 troops in the border region. That gives him a number of options. What he's done as he's continued to move troops and resources into the region is increased his options. And so, we won't predict where his decisions will take him, but we remain concerned about the range of options that that he could pursue and will stay focused on this problem set.'

Milley said the pair do not believe Putin has made a decision. But he added: 'Sure, with 1000 troops. You've got combined arms formations, ground maneuver, artillery, rockets, you got air and all the other piece parts that go with it. There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning. That's possible. And there's a wide scale of options that are available to Russian leadership. The best option they should pick, in my view, is a diplomatic solution to resolve whatever differences they have,' he said.

'If war were to break out on the scale and scope that is possible, the civilian population would suffer immensely,' Milley said at the Pentagon. Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said

Zelensky sought to downplay reports of a split with President Joe Biden following reports it did not go well. State officials 'don't have any misunderstandings' with Biden, he said, Politico reported. 'I just deeply understand what is going on in my country, just as [Biden] understands perfectly well what is going on in the United States.'

Zelensky's cautioning came even as U.S. officials sought to digest yet another metric: with Russia's military buildup now including supplies of blood along and medical equipment, in yet another sign Russian President Vladimir Putin could be preparing for an invasion.

Zelensky Thursday urged President Joe Biden in a call on Thursday to tone down his rhetoric about the brewing situation between Ukraine and Russia, amid fears it could cause panic or a run on supplies, according to a report.

Zelensky made the plea in a call that 'did not go well,' CNN reported, citing a Ukrainian source. It included a plea by Zelensky for Biden to 'calm down the messaging' amid complex maneuverings over the potential invasion.

The urging came in a call where Biden told Zelensky Russia could invade within weeks.

It followed pushback earlier this week from Ukraine as the U.S. told family members of American diplomats to leave. Ukrainian officials maintained the move was unnecessary with a situation that is still uncertain, even as Russia continues to move troops and equipment to positions around Ukraine.

The White House disputed the read on the call, with National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne pushing back on a report that a Ukrainian official said Biden warned Kiev could be 'sacked' and to 'prepare for impact.'

'This is not true,' she tweeted. 'President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.'

She also tweeted out a statement by Ukraine's U.S. embassy stating 'that some reports regarding today's conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false. He also encouraged to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources.'

Russia could attack Ukraine within weeks, intelligence sources have said, after Biden shared a phone call with President Zelensky last night during which he warned an attack is likely to come in February

Horne was even more blunt in a statement to CNN. 'Also, no one said 'sacked.' The only person who should be 'sacked' is the anonymous source who is circulating an inaccurate portrayal of this conversation,' she said.

The statement the White put out after the call said the U.S. and allies were ready to 'respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine.'

The administration's series of public statements about a potential invasion puts international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and could press allies to stiffen their response  although the Ukrainians are seeking to avoid statements that contribute to panic  even as they seek additional aid and arms support.

Amid the fear of an all-out invasion that could seek to cleave Ukrainian positions, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. response in writing to Russia's security demands had 'some grains of reason.'

Zelensky on January 19th urged the Ukrainian public not to panic, telling his countrymen: 'Take a deep breath, calm down' amid the talk of an imminent invasion.

If Russia did invade in February, it would time the invasion to coincide with the coldest weeks in eastern Europe, when the ground will be frozen solid allowing tanks and artillery to maneuver easily. US officials have previously said that an unseasonably mild winter appears to have delayed Putin's attack plans by turning the region into a quagmire.

Separately, a senior British intelligence official warned that Putin is likely to launch an attack on Kiev from Belarus in the north using war games set to take place there next month as cover.

The official, speaking to The Times of London , said this could coincide with an amphibious assault from Crimea on the southern port city of Odessa using transport ships seen sailing around Europe last week in an effort to split the Ukrainian military across two fronts, hundreds of miles apart.

Tens of thousands of troops could then move in from the east, potentially with the aim of capturing the entire country. While Russia's current troop numbers at the border are insufficient for this operation, the official said, Putin could mass a force large enough to get the job done in 'two to three weeks'.

Russia is thought to have between 100,000 and 120,000 troops currently massed at the border, which have been recently reinforced with medical teams and logistical support of the kind that is needed to sustain an invading force. Tens of thousands more troops could arrive in the coming weeks, the official said.

'Some estimates are another 60,000 will come, if not greater than that. It's certainly not just a negotiating tactic or an idle threat when you deploy this many troops with this capability,' they said.

But, amid the increasingly alarming rhetoric from the West, Zelensky and his senior staff have been calling for calm - insisting that while the risk of an attack is high, it is far from certain and unlikely to come soon.

Zelensky used his call with Biden to ask him to 'calm down the messaging', CNN reported, after using a public address last week to tell Ukrainians to 'stay calm' and avoid pulling money from banks or stockpiling supplies.

Several high-ranking Ukrainian officials have also spoken out this week in an attempt to tone down the rhetoric.

Russian armoured troop carriers are pictured taking part in military drills near Rostov-on-Don, located in southern Russia and just a few dozen miles from the Ukraine border

Russian T-72 tanks take part in 'combat readiness' drills held Thursday near Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukraine border

US analysts believe that Putin is waiting for the weather to turn cold enough to freeze the ground solid, paving the way for an invasion because it would allow his tanks to manoeuvre easily (pictured, Russian tanks in drills near Ukraine on Thursday)

Russian BMP-3 armoured troop carriers are pictured on manoeuvres in the Rostov region of southern Russia on Thursday

Russian artillery units stationed in the Rostov region, near the border with Ukraine, take part in live fire exercises today

Artillery units based in Russia's Rostov region take part in live-fire exercises on Friday, just one of several simultaneous drills taking place as Putin continues his sabre-rattling

Russian artillery crews fire their gun during live-fire drills in Rostov region, just a few dozen miles from the Ukraine border

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, is pictured on a phone call with President Biden - during which the US leader is thought to have warned him that a Russian invasion is just weeks away

The National Security Council's spokesperson Emily Horne publicly disputed CNN's reporting in a tweet Thursday night, saying in a statement to the network that 'no one said 'sacked''

An NSC official also retweeted a statement by Ukraine's embassy in Washington

The defence minister has insisted there has been no change in the threat Russia poses since an initial build-up of forces took place last spring; the head of the national security council accused the West of ramping up the danger for geopolitical purposes; and the foreign ministry criticised the UK and US for withdrawing diplomats.

Following Zelensky's call with Biden, there was a briefing war between an unnamed Ukrainian source who claimed the call 'did not go well' because the US President had insisted an attack was imminent while Zelensky was keen to downplay the threat.

CNN initially reported that Biden had told Zelesnky that an attack was 'certain' once the ground freezes over and that Kiev is directly threatened, though US and Ukrainian officials later denied that conversation had taken place.

Never-the-less, signs that Ukraine and America are signing from two different hymn sheets will create fears about the strength of their alliance if Putin decides to march his forces across the border.

It could also undermine Biden's hardline stance against Russia if it emerges that Us intelligence has over-stated the threat, especially with allies such as Germany that have urged him to take a softer line.

The call came just a day after two letters were sent to Vladimir Putin, rejecting his demands that Ukraine be banned from joining NATO and that the alliance withdraw all its forces from ex-Soviet states.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent one letter, while the other was sent by NATO chief Jens Stoltenburg. Neither missive has been made public, but both men have said no ground was given on Putin's key demands. Instead, Blinken said 'serious' counter-offers were made that he hopes will tempt the Kremlin into continuing talks.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said yesterday that there is 'little ground for optimism' after reading the letters - but left the door to more talks open and said Russia will not rush to give a response.

Tensions have soared in recent weeks, as the United States and its NATO allies expressed concern that a buildup of about 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine signaled that Moscow planned to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Russia denies having any such designs - and has laid out a series of demands it says will improve security in Europe.

But as expected, the U.S. and the Western alliance firmly rejected any concessions on Moscow's main points Wednesday, refusing to permanently ban Ukraine from joining NATO and saying allied deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe are nonnegotiable.

The U.S. did outline areas in which some of Russia's concerns might be addressed, possibly offering a path to de-escalation.

But, as it has done repeatedly for the past several weeks, Washington also warned Moscow of devastating sanctions if it invades Ukraine.

Biden used the call with Zelensky to repeat his support for the country in the form of sanctions and military aid, though stopping short of putting boots on the ground

Russian rocket artillery take part in live-fire drills on a military base near Moscow on Friday, as fears of war in Ukraine grow

A Russian rocket artillery battery lets off a volley during live-fire exercises at the Golovenki training ground, near Moscow

Rocket artillery of the Russian armed forces take part in live-fire exercises on a training ground near Moscow today

A Russian-backed rebel fighter is seen moving through a trench in eastern Ukraine, where fighting with government forces has been ongoing since 2014

A Moscow-backed rebel soldier aims a machinegun through a peep-hole in his trench, just yards from the frontline with Ukrainian forces in the country's east

Mosco-backed rebel troops armed with Kalashnikov rifles stand guard in a trench near the frontlines with Ukraine

In addition to penalties targeting Russian people and key economic sectors, several senior U.S. officials said Thursday with certainty that Germany would not allow a newly constructed gas pipeline to begin operations in the event of an incursion.

All eyes are now on Putin, who will decide how Russia will respond amid fears that Europe could again be plunged into war.

In the meantime, Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid.

Biden warned Zelenskyy that the U.S. believed there was a high degree of likelihood that Russia could invade when the ground freezes and Russian forces could attack Ukrainian territory from north of Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the conversation who were not authorized to comment publicly.

Military experts have said Russia may be waiting for optimal ground conditions to move heavy equipment into Kyiv as part of any invasion. Eight years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in late February.

Zelenskyy tweeted that he and Biden also discussed the possibility of additional financial support for Ukraine.

The White House said Biden told Zelenskyy he was 'exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine's economy' as it comes under pressure as a result of Russia's military buildup.

Meanwhile, the United States announced that the U.N. Security Council will hold an open meeting Monday on what U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called Russia's 'threatening behavior.' She said the deployment of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine's border and other destabilizing acts pose 'a clear threat to international peace and security and the U.N. Charter.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier that the response from the U.S. - and a similar one from NATO - left 'little ground for optimism.' But he added that 'there always are prospects for continuing a dialogue, it's in the interests of both us and the Americans.'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was circumspect when asked whether the Biden administration saw a sliver of hope in that the Russians said they would keep communications open even as they said that they lacked optimism..

'We don't know if the Russians are playing games on diplomacy. We hope not,' Psaki said.

A man crosses himself while kneeling in front of a memorial commemorating those who died fighting in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region, outside military headquarters in Kiev

Ukrainian soldiers are seen saluting through a mock bullet-hole in a memorial to those who died fighting in the Donbass region against Moscow-backed rebel groups

Honour guards fire a salute during a ceremony in tribute to fallen defenders of Ukraine during a ceremony in Kiev today

Ukrainian servicemen of the 24th Brigade are seen outside of Zolote, close to the frontlines with Moscow-backed rebels

A Ukrainian soldier walks through a trench close to the town of Zolote, in the country's unstable eastern regions

A Ukrainian soldier uses a periscope to examine enemy positions on the frontlines with Russian-backed rebel forces

An Ukrainian serviceman heads to an advanced position on the front line in the Luhansk area, eastern Ukraine

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S. response contained some elements that could lead to 'the start of a serious talk on secondary issues,' but emphasized that 'the document contains no positive response on the main issue.' Those are Moscow's demands that NATO not expand and that the alliance refrain from deploying weapons that might threaten Russia.

Lavrov said top officials will submit proposals to Putin. Peskov said the Russian reaction would come soon.

The evasive official comments reflect the fact that it is Putin who will single-handedly determine Russia's next moves. He has warned of unspecified 'military-technical measures' if the West refuses to heed the demands.

Peskov added that Putin and Biden will decide whether they need to have another conversation following two calls last month.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv had seen the U.S. response before it was delivered to Russia and had no objections. He tweeted it was 'important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia.'

On a visit to Denmark, Kuleba emphasized his country's need to strengthen its defenses.

'This crisis is a moment of truth, and this is why we speak about weapons,' he said. 'This is why we speak about economic sanctions. This is why we speak about the consolidated position of all of us, so that President Putin sees that there are no weak links in our defensive chain.'

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a parliamentary debate on Ukraine that her government is closely coordinating its policy with allies, considering a range of options that could include the new Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany.

While the diplomacy sputters on, so too do maneuvers that have escalated tensions. Russia has launched a series of military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.

NATO said it was bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region, and the U.S. ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert for potential deployment to Europe.

As war fears mounted, thousands of Ukrainians expressed their resolve to stand up to the Russian pressure under the hashtag (hash)UkrainiansWillResist on Twitter and Facebook.

An American fighter jet takes part in pre-deployment training drills including coming under NATO command off the US coast

US naval forces prepare for deployment after President Biden put 8,500 troops on alert to deploy to eastern Europe

'No one will force Ukrainians to accept the Kremlin ultimatum,' wrote Andrii Levus, who initiated the campaign.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry has organized training on acting in emergency situations, with an emphasis on dealing with explosives.

Beyond concerns about a possible Russian offensive in Ukraine, there also has been speculation that Moscow's response could include military deployments to the Western Hemisphere.

While a senior Russian diplomat recently refused to rule out such deployments to Cuba and Venezuela, a top Putin associate expressed skepticism Thursday at that prospect.

'Cuba and Venezuela are aiming to come out of isolation and restore normal relations with the U.S. to a certain extent, so there can't be any talk about setting up a base there as happened during the Soviet times,' Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy head of Russia's Security Council, told Russian media.

While he charged that the West is using Ukraine as a way to contain Russia, he somberly acknowledged that a Russia-NATO conflict 'would be the most dramatic and simply catastrophic scenario, and I hope it will never happen.'

While concerns about a possible Russian attack linger, a separatist conflict simmers in Ukraine. Following the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in the country's eastern industrial heartland.

Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels has killed over 14,000 people, and efforts to reach a settlement have stalled.

Since the conflict began, Russia has been accused of sending troops and weapons to the separatists, something it has denied.

On Thursday, Peskov wouldn't comment on a proposal from the Kremlin's main political party, United Russia, which suggested that Moscow respond to the delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine by sending arms to the rebels.

He added that Putin is aware of the proposal but had no immediate reaction.
Pigeon pirates are illegally catching the birds on the streets of Manhattan to sell them out of state gun clubs to be killed for sport, animal rights activists claim after two incidents were reported this month.

On the morning of January 16, Hell's Kitchen residents Susan Tang and her husband, Nicholas, witnessed two men in a Dodge Caravan bearing New York plates as they tossed seeds along 10th Avenue between 58th and 59th streets, according to the New York Post.

The poachers ended up capturing about 50 pigeons with nets before throwing them into the van and fleeing the scene.

'We followed the van as much as we could to try to focus on the license plate, which was obscured by a plastic cover of some sort,' Susan Tang told the Post.

'The driver was aware he was being followed and was blowing red lights and almost struck a group of pedestrians.'

While it has been illegal to capture and sell pigeons for years in New York City, punishment for the crime was not streamlined until 2019, when a new bill made it a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1000 fine.

A permit is required in order to trap pigeons citywide.

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Pictured: a pigeon pirate spotted on January 8 along Broome and Norfolk streets in the Lower East Side, captured in a photo posted to Instagram by food blogger Mike Chau

The pigeon poachers, one pictured with a net full of pigeons above, are known to sell the birds to hunting and gun clubs for live shoots

The couple, who took a photo of the van prior to losing sight of it, filed a complaint with both 311 and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as notified the NYPD.

'It was over and done with from start to finish in 20 seconds,' Tang recalled.

'It was deeply disturbing. I'm a born and raised New Yorker. I love everything about this city. The pigeons are as New York City as you can possibly get.'

According to Tang, investigators with the Department of Environmental Conservation already 'know the suspects name and address and located the van complete with tons of feathers and pigeon poop inside.'

'I have told him that my husband and I will testify if the case progresses,' she added.

Animal rights activists hold a rally in support of a bill to ban the sale of foie gras on June 18, 2019 at New York City Hall in New York

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Elsewhere in the city, another pigeon pirate was spotted on January 8 along Broome and Norfolk streets in the Lower East Side, and was captured in a photo posted to Instagram by food blogger Mike Chau.

'New York or Nowhere (yes that's a whole flock of pigeons caught in a net being stuffed into the trunk of a car),' Chau captioned the post.

As in the Hell's Kitchen incident, the avian poacher made off with the birds without issue.

The incidents are currently 'under investigation by the Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad,' according to an NYPD spokesman.

Authorities believe they are a part of a group known for selling pigeons to various hunting and gun clubs for live shoots in Pennsylvania.

Instagram post from musician and pigeon activist Rachel Trachtenburg, featuring pigeons from Washington Square Park, where roughly 300 pigeons were netted and captured in 2015

'These helpless pigeons are sitting ducks. They are New Yorkers like you and I,' said animal advocate John DiLeonardo.

The issue of pigeon pirates is hardly a new one in the Big Apple.

In 2008, animal rights activists accused a Brooklyn man of selling pigeons he caught for $5 to $10 to shooting contests out of state.

In 2015, roughly 300 pigeons were netted and captured from Washington Square Park, which were similarly sold to Pennsylvania live shoots.
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The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron is 1.5 more infectious than the current dominant strain in the UK, scientist have claimed.

The strain has already become dominant in Denmark and the country's top infectious disease authority, Statens Serum Institut (SSI), said preliminary calculations suggest BA.2 could be 1.5 times more infectious than its predecessor BA.1  which currently makes up most of the cases in Britain.

However, an initial analysis by the institute showed no difference in the risk of hospitalisation for BA.2 compared to BA.1.

'There is some indication that it is more contagious, especially for the unvaccinated, but that it can also infect people who have been vaccinated to a greater extent,' SSI's technical director Tyra Grove Krause said at a briefing.

The variant is now circulating in more than half of US states, with at least 127 known cases nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) revealed yesterday.

A report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found the strain accounted for 3.4 per cent of England's new infections by January 16  and it is doubling every week. The growth advantage of the new variant is 'substantial', the health agency claimed.

Scientists believe it may have evolved to be slightly more transmissible than the ancestral strain of Omicron and could slowly become the UK's dominant Covid virus. It is already outcompeting its parent variant in Denmark but the country's Government deemed the strain such a non-threat it this week announced it was ending all Covid restrictions.

And Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline there was no reason to panic about BA.2. He said it was not causing a 'substantial difference to our current threat estimates'.

The highly infectious BA.2 variant (orange in bottom right) already makes up 3.4 per cent of all new Covid infections in England, official data showed today. Graph shows: The proportion of all Covid cases made up by different variants over time

Covid cases fall another 5.3 per cent to 72,727 infections Britain's Covid cases continued to fall today by 5.3 per cent in a week, official figures show as the Omicron wave recedes across the country. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data show there 72,727 positive tests over the last 24 hours, down from the 76,807 recorded last week. It was the fifth day in a row cases have fallen  after briefly picking up on Sunday and Monday. However, the UK-wide figures do not include cases in Scotland today so the actual drop-off is may not be as steep as it appears. The number of people dying with the virus also continued to fall slightly today, reducing 0.3 per cent to 296 from the 297 recorded last week. The figures come after thousands of punters took to dance floors across England without needing to show Covid passes or use masks for the first time since Plan B measures were brought to an end last night. Revellers packed out clubs, bars and pubs across England for boozy celebrations yesterday evening as the nation fully embraced its first weekend of partying without Plan B measures in place. Hundreds of people were pictured queuing to get into bustling venues in Newcastle and Leeds, while young people also made the most of the end of social distancing and the rule of six in Swansea and Cardiff. And last night, Wales finally re-legalised the opening of nightclubs after they were shut for more than a month under First Minister Mark Drakeford's draconian Covid curbs. Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the end of Plan B measures in England, which included work from home guidance, masks in schools and public places, and the use of Covid passports in large venues. Advertisement

Last week BA.2 was designated a variant under investigation and on Friday UKHSA said that as of January 24 there had been 1,072 confirmed cases identified in England.

The agency said that BA.2 had an increased growth rate compared to BA.1 in all regions of England where there were enough cases to assess it.

It added that while growth rates can be overestimated in early analyses of a new variant, 'the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial'.

Contact tracing analysis suggests that between December 27 and January 11 transmission was likely to be higher among contacts of BA.2 cases in households at 13.4 per cent, than those for contacts of other Omicron cases (10.3 per cent).

But the agency warned that the findings should be interpreted with caution as early findings can change quickly when new variants are identified.

A preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for BA.2.

There is currently no data on the severity of the strain.

Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for UKHSA, said: 'We now know that BA.2 has an increased growth rate which can be seen in all regions in England.

'We have also learnt that BA.2 has a slightly higher secondary attack rate than BA.1 in households.

'Although hospitalisations and deaths remain low, cases are still high in some areas and some age groups so it's important that we continue to act cautiously as restrictions are lifted.

'Consider wearing a face covering when in crowded places. Take a vaccine to protect yourself against Covid-19. If you have any symptoms, take a test.'

UKHSA also published analyses related to the original Omicron strain BA.1.

Where variant information was available, the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from November 24 last year to January 19 were for Delta.

The data further suggested that overall numbers of ICU admissions have decreased over time, but where Omicron admissions data was available, they increased from 9% to more than 50% in the most recent week.

According to UKHSA, while there was a rapid increase in infections in care homes during December, there has not been an associated increase in hospital admissions.

UKHSA said the findings suggest the current wave of Omicron infections is unlikely to lead to a major surge in severe disease in care home populations with high levels of vaccine coverage and/or natural immunity.

The numbers of BA.2 in this study were limited and no inferences can be made regarding the strain, it added.

Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology, University of Nottingham, said: 'It's still early days, but the evidence so far suggests that BA.2 may be more transmissible than its close relative Omicron.

'However, the key issues are whether this variant is associated with more severe disease and if it can escape immunity delivered by vaccines.

'Early indicators suggest that the vaccines will provide similar levels of protection as we have seen for Omicron, so this is good news.

'Whether or not it causes more severe disease will become apparent as more data is collected.'
If the man who snapped the most famous picture of the Loch Ness Monster were still alive, he'd be startled by the sight of this eerie photograph.

It's a dead ringer for the photo taken by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson in 1934 - but this one was taken recently in Wimbledon Park Lake, in south-west London... 600 miles away.

The photo, shot by construction site manager Arek Chytros, captures a black outline in the water that looks like the mythical monster but also not unlike a wheelbarrow, car exhaust, or indeed, a tree branch.

And just like the one taken by Colonel Wilson, a surgeon by trade - hence its name the 'surgeon's photograph' - it appears to show the monster's neck and head.

Arek Chytros, 35, took this photo of what appears to be the Loch Ness Monster - but 600 miles away in Wimbledon Park Lake, in south-west London, during a morning stroll

The construction site manager's photo (above) is a dead ringer for the one taken by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson in 1934. Online commenters thought it looked suspiciously like a wheelbarrow, car exhaust or cat. ('It's a tree,' said Mr Chytros)

Mr Chytros, 35, said he took the picture while strolling by the lake one morning.

Since he posted it online, it has garnered hundreds of likes and dozens of comments.

'My goodness,' wrote one person. 'Awesome,' said another.

But it was not taken so seriously by others.

One Londoner wrote: 'That's an escaped elephant. Anyone missing any?' Another said: 'F***ing wild swimmers!'

Colonel Wilson, a surgeon by trade, took this famous picture (the 'surgeon's photograph') of the 'monster' in Loch Ness in 1934, which appears to show its neck and head

Meanwhile, one Scot commented: 'On behalf of all Invernessians living in London, I can confirm that we endorse this message.'

Others proposed that Mr Chytros had seen a cat, an exhaust system, a wheelbarrow or a Boris bike - with one quipping that Nessie 'took a holiday'.

The 'surgeon's photograph' made headlines at the time, but is now said to have been an elaborate hoax.

It was apparently created using a toy submarine with wood putty attached, fashioned into a head and neck.

For Mr Chytros, however, the hoax is not so elaborate.

'It's a tree,' he said. 'As soon as I spotted, it I thought of Nessie hence I snapped a picture.'

But Mr Chytros is keeping an open mind as to whether an actual Loch Ness Monster exists.

'You never know what's hiding in the unknown,' he said.

'If a real Nessie exists then it's got to be some dinosaur that refused to go extinct. I'd like to think that it does exist.'

The Loch Ness monster is believed to resemble a prehistoric swimming reptile such as the plesiosaur (illustrated here)
Former President Donald Trump said the US should not be involved in the Ukraine-Russian crisis, calling it a 'European problem' after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to hold talks with Germany, France and Ukraine while Joe Biden said he would deploy troops to the area 'in the near term' without backing from NATO.

Speaking with conservative radio host Glenn Beck on Saturday, Trump said the US should keep out of Europe but doubted Germany could help broker a peace agreement due to its gas dependence with Russia through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline deal.

'They're getting their energy from Russia, so Russia has total control over Germany,' Trump said. 'And Germany's saying, 'Oh, we don't want to fight them.' They can't fight them.

'Russia owns Germany,' he reiterated.

The $11 million Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was designed to double the gas flowing directly from Russia to Germany, a project that has faced criticism in Europe and the US as it provides the Kremlin dangerous leverage over Europe.

Trump called it 'one of the dumbest moves I've ever seen,' and said he warned then-German Chancellor Angela Merkle of the implications.

'And I'm the one that brought that up. Nobody even knew about it,' Trump said. 'I used to talk about it all the time.

He added that when Germany agreed to the pipeline deal, he sent over a white flag to Merkle.

'It's a white flag of surrender,' Trump said. 'I told Angela, you're turning your whole country into Russia.'

Trump's comments come a day after Biden vowed to mobilize troops in the Eastern Europe without NATO's backing.

'I'll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many,' Biden said as he got off Air Force One after a trip to Pittsburgh.

Donald Trump (left) advised the US to keep out of the Ukraine-Russian crisis, calling it a 'European problem' but added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had strong leverage on the continent due to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Trump had opposed

Trump (right) said he warned former German Chancellor Angela Merkle (left) that Russia would own Germany should the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline open

Russian exports made up 45 per cent of Europe's total gas supplies in the first half of 2021. The $11 million pipeline would double the gas flowing directly from Russia to Germany, undermining the Ukraine and increasing Europe's dependency on Russian gas

Should America be involved in the Ukraine/Russia conflict? I asked former President Donald Trump: "Russia OWNS Germany ... This is a European problem." pic.twitter.com/yw25L4lJd9  Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) January 28, 2022

Along with increasing Europe's dependency on Russian gas, the pipeline also served to further undermine the Ukraine, as it bypasses the country and deprives it of billions in gas transit fees.

Trump had approved sanctions against the firms building the controversial pipeline, but Biden waived those sanction in May.

The project was finished in September but is not yet operational until Germany approves to open it.

Russian exports made up 30 per cent of Europe's total gas supplies in 2010, but in the first half of 2021, it made up more than 45 per cent according to data gathered by Statista - with the main customers being Germany, Italy, France and Austria.

Despite that, Germany is pressing ahead with plans to mothball its nuclear plants this year - viewing them as damaging to the environment - despite multiple studies warning similar moves in the past have increased the country's reliance on fossil fuels.

Mike Bradshaw, Professor of Global Energy at Warwick Business School, has said Russia has a tight grip on Europe's energy market.

He said: 'Europe is dependent on imports of Russian oil and gas, but Europe is also Russia's most important market for those exports that are a critical source of income for the Russian Government. However, the Russian Government has been building up a 'war chest' in terms of financial reserves.

'Yes, Europeand the UKwould suffer even higher prices and potential physical shortages if supplies of Russian oil and gas were constrained, either because of actions by the Kremlin or western sanctions.'

Trump's remarks come after Putin accused the U.S. and NATO of ignoring the Kremlin's 'fundamental concerns' over NATO's growth during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

During the call, Putin argued that the West had refused Russians demands of 'preventing NATO expansion, refusing to deploy strike weapons systems near Russian borders' and withdrawing allied forces to positions they held in 1997, prior to NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe, Politico reported.

Rather than meet with NATO, Putin has agreed to discuss the issue with the European-led Normandy Format, a grouping that includes France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. Their meetings center on the cease-fire agreement that the countries brokered in eastern Ukraine in 2015, and it also offers a path to a broader settlement.

Putin said he had 'no offensive plans' in eastern Ukraine, according to Macron, who said the nations' talks would focus on 'de-escalation' along the Ukraine-Russian border, the New York Times reported.

The Normandy Format will meet in Berlin in two weeks, after Russia has already amassed over 100,000 troops at the Ukraine border.

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley had warned of mass casualties in the Ukraine and Eastern Europe should Russia attack with such a large force.

'This is larger in scale and scope, and the massing of forces than anything we've seen in recent memory,' Milley said.

Given the forces Putin has at his disposal, 'if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties,' he added.

'You can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads, and so on and so forth. It would be horrific. It would be terrible. And it's not necessary. And we think a diplomatic outcome is the way to go here.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured in 2020, spoke over the phone on Friday and agreed to meet with the Normandy Format in Berlin in two week, which excludes the US and NATO, to discuss the crisis in the Ukraine

The new negotiate Biden said he would deploy troops to the Ukraine-Russian border, a move that NATO has yet to endorse or reject

'There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning,' assessed General Mark Milley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who warned of 'horrific' consequences should Russia mobilize it's 100,000 troops already at the Ukraine border

Biden will be excluded from the newest peace talks on the Ukraine-Russian conflict

NORMANDY FORMAT The Normandy Format was established between Germany, France, Russia and the Ukraine in 2014. It was formed to broker a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine following Russia's annexation of Crimea. A cease-fire was agreed on in 2015, but continued talks between the nations stalled from 2016 to 2019. In 2019, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who ran on a promise to bring peace between his nation and Russia, criticized the Normandy Format of 'continuing bickering' and described the support of France and Germany as 'lukewarm.' The group's March 2020 summit was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Normandy Format met during a video call on January 26, 2022, to discuss the current crisis at the Ukraine-Russian border. The group has agreed to meet in two weeks in Berlin, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying that the talks would focus on 'de-escalation' along the border. Advertisement

Although the talks raise hopes for peace, it undermines America's involvement by excluding the U.S, and NATO as Ukrainian officials said they were annoyed by Biden's decision to deploy troops in the area.

NATO has failed to come up with a common position on deploying troops to the region with many of its 30-strong members against military action.

Member countries located closer to Russia fear antagonizing Putin while countries such as Germany rely on Russia for 50 per cent of their gas.

Just one country can veto any action by the entire alliance.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon told 8,500 troops in the U.S. to be on high alert for a potential deployment to Eastern Europe, as Russia has already amassed over 100,000 troops at the Ukraine border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the global media in Kiev Friday and pushed back on world leaders who have publicly stressed the prospect of Russian invasion  following a call with President Biden where the president raised the 'distinct possibility' Russian troops would soon overrun his country.

'There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic - how much does it cost for our state?' said Zelensky.

He indirectly criticized the decision by the U.S. to pull family members of diplomats out of the country as yet another measure that could feed 'panic' that could be counterproductive.

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said.

'I don't consider the situation now more tense than before. There is a feeling abroad that there is war here. That's not the case,' said Zelensky. 'I am not saying an escalation is not possible...(but) we don't need this panic,' he said.

He even made a 'Don't Look Up' reference after the Leonardo DiCaprio film on Netflix about an imminent asteroid heading for the planet, after he was compared to hapless leaders online, the Guardian reported.

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Amid public talk of a Russian invasion, he said: 'We don't need this panic'

With Britain withdrawing diplomats even as the Greeks maintained their presence, Zelensky said: 'The captains should not leave the ship. I don't think we have a Titanic here.'

His reassurances came on a day when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley warned of the stakes and spoke to U.S. military preparations to assist NATO allies.

Asked whether Putin has enough troops for a full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Austin replied: 'I mean, you've heard the chairman say earlier that he's got north of 100,000 troops in the border region. That gives him a number of options. What he's done as he's continued to move troops and resources into the region is increased his options. And so, we won't predict where his decisions will take him, but we remain concerned about the range of options that that he could pursue and will stay focused on this problem set.'

Milley said the pair do not believe Putin has made a decision. But he added: 'Sure, with 1000 troops. You've got combined arms formations, ground maneuver, artillery, rockets, you got air and all the other piece parts that go with it. There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning. That's possible. And there's a wide scale of options that are available to Russian leadership. The best option they should pick, in my view, is a diplomatic solution to resolve whatever differences they have,' he said.

'If war were to break out on the scale and scope that is possible, the civilian population would suffer immensely,' Milley said at the Pentagon. Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said

Zelensky sought to downplay reports of a split with President Joe Biden following reports it did not go well. State officials 'don't have any misunderstandings' with Biden, he said, Politico reported. 'I just deeply understand what is going on in my country, just as [Biden] understands perfectly well what is going on in the United States.'

Zelensky's cautioning came even as U.S. officials sought to digest yet another metric: with Russia's military buildup now including supplies of blood along and medical equipment, in yet another sign Russian President Vladimir Putin could be preparing for an invasion.

Zelensky Thursday urged President Joe Biden in a call on Thursday to tone down his rhetoric about the brewing situation between Ukraine and Russia, amid fears it could cause panic or a run on supplies, according to a report.

Zelensky made the plea in a call that 'did not go well,' CNN reported, citing a Ukrainian source. It included a plea by Zelensky for Biden to 'calm down the messaging' amid complex maneuverings over the potential invasion.

The urging came in a call where Biden told Zelensky Russia could invade within weeks.

It followed pushback earlier this week from Ukraine as the U.S. told family members of American diplomats to leave. Ukrainian officials maintained the move was unnecessary with a situation that is still uncertain, even as Russia continues to move troops and equipment to positions around Ukraine.

The White House disputed the read on the call, with National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne pushing back on a report that a Ukrainian official said Biden warned Kiev could be 'sacked' and to 'prepare for impact.'

'This is not true,' she tweeted. 'President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.'

She also tweeted out a statement by Ukraine's U.S. embassy stating 'that some reports regarding today's conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false. He also encouraged to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources.'

Russia could attack Ukraine within weeks, intelligence sources have said, after Biden shared a phone call with President Zelensky last night during which he warned an attack is likely to come in February

Horne was even more blunt in a statement to CNN. 'Also, no one said 'sacked.' The only person who should be 'sacked' is the anonymous source who is circulating an inaccurate portrayal of this conversation,' she said.

The statement the White put out after the call said the U.S. and allies were ready to 'respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine.'

The administration's series of public statements about a potential invasion puts international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and could press allies to stiffen their response  although the Ukrainians are seeking to avoid statements that contribute to panic  even as they seek additional aid and arms support.

Amid the fear of an all-out invasion that could seek to cleave Ukrainian positions, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. response in writing to Russia's security demands had 'some grains of reason.'

Zelensky on January 19th urged the Ukrainian public not to panic, telling his countrymen: 'Take a deep breath, calm down' amid the talk of an imminent invasion.

If Russia did invade in February, it would time the invasion to coincide with the coldest weeks in eastern Europe, when the ground will be frozen solid allowing tanks and artillery to maneuver easily. US officials have previously said that an unseasonably mild winter appears to have delayed Putin's attack plans by turning the region into a quagmire.

Separately, a senior British intelligence official warned that Putin is likely to launch an attack on Kiev from Belarus in the north using war games set to take place there next month as cover.

The official, speaking to The Times of London , said this could coincide with an amphibious assault from Crimea on the southern port city of Odessa using transport ships seen sailing around Europe last week in an effort to split the Ukrainian military across two fronts, hundreds of miles apart.

Tens of thousands of troops could then move in from the east, potentially with the aim of capturing the entire country. While Russia's current troop numbers at the border are insufficient for this operation, the official said, Putin could mass a force large enough to get the job done in 'two to three weeks'.

Russia is thought to have between 100,000 and 120,000 troops currently massed at the border, which have been recently reinforced with medical teams and logistical support of the kind that is needed to sustain an invading force. Tens of thousands more troops could arrive in the coming weeks, the official said.

'Some estimates are another 60,000 will come, if not greater than that. It's certainly not just a negotiating tactic or an idle threat when you deploy this many troops with this capability,' they said.

But, amid the increasingly alarming rhetoric from the West, Zelensky and his senior staff have been calling for calm - insisting that while the risk of an attack is high, it is far from certain and unlikely to come soon.

Zelensky used his call with Biden to ask him to 'calm down the messaging', CNN reported, after using a public address last week to tell Ukrainians to 'stay calm' and avoid pulling money from banks or stockpiling supplies.

Several high-ranking Ukrainian officials have also spoken out this week in an attempt to tone down the rhetoric.

Russian armoured troop carriers are pictured taking part in military drills near Rostov-on-Don, located in southern Russia and just a few dozen miles from the Ukraine border

Russian T-72 tanks take part in 'combat readiness' drills held Thursday near Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukraine border

US analysts believe that Putin is waiting for the weather to turn cold enough to freeze the ground solid, paving the way for an invasion because it would allow his tanks to manoeuvre easily (pictured, Russian tanks in drills near Ukraine on Thursday)

Russian BMP-3 armoured troop carriers are pictured on manoeuvres in the Rostov region of southern Russia on Thursday

Russian artillery units stationed in the Rostov region, near the border with Ukraine, take part in live fire exercises today

Artillery units based in Russia's Rostov region take part in live-fire exercises on Friday, just one of several simultaneous drills taking place as Putin continues his sabre-rattling

Russian artillery crews fire their gun during live-fire drills in Rostov region, just a few dozen miles from the Ukraine border

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, is pictured on a phone call with President Biden - during which the US leader is thought to have warned him that a Russian invasion is just weeks away

The National Security Council's spokesperson Emily Horne publicly disputed CNN's reporting in a tweet Thursday night, saying in a statement to the network that 'no one said 'sacked''

An NSC official also retweeted a statement by Ukraine's embassy in Washington

The defence minister has insisted there has been no change in the threat Russia poses since an initial build-up of forces took place last spring; the head of the national security council accused the West of ramping up the danger for geopolitical purposes; and the foreign ministry criticised the UK and US for withdrawing diplomats.

Following Zelensky's call with Biden, there was a briefing war between an unnamed Ukrainian source who claimed the call 'did not go well' because the US President had insisted an attack was imminent while Zelensky was keen to downplay the threat.

CNN initially reported that Biden had told Zelesnky that an attack was 'certain' once the ground freezes over and that Kiev is directly threatened, though US and Ukrainian officials later denied that conversation had taken place.

Never-the-less, signs that Ukraine and America are signing from two different hymn sheets will create fears about the strength of their alliance if Putin decides to march his forces across the border.

It could also undermine Biden's hardline stance against Russia if it emerges that Us intelligence has over-stated the threat, especially with allies such as Germany that have urged him to take a softer line.

The call came just a day after two letters were sent to Vladimir Putin, rejecting his demands that Ukraine be banned from joining NATO and that the alliance withdraw all its forces from ex-Soviet states.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent one letter, while the other was sent by NATO chief Jens Stoltenburg. Neither missive has been made public, but both men have said no ground was given on Putin's key demands. Instead, Blinken said 'serious' counter-offers were made that he hopes will tempt the Kremlin into continuing talks.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said yesterday that there is 'little ground for optimism' after reading the letters - but left the door to more talks open and said Russia will not rush to give a response.

Tensions have soared in recent weeks, as the United States and its NATO allies expressed concern that a buildup of about 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine signaled that Moscow planned to invade its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Russia denies having any such designs - and has laid out a series of demands it says will improve security in Europe.

But as expected, the U.S. and the Western alliance firmly rejected any concessions on Moscow's main points Wednesday, refusing to permanently ban Ukraine from joining NATO and saying allied deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe are nonnegotiable.

The U.S. did outline areas in which some of Russia's concerns might be addressed, possibly offering a path to de-escalation.

But, as it has done repeatedly for the past several weeks, Washington also warned Moscow of devastating sanctions if it invades Ukraine.

Biden used the call with Zelensky to repeat his support for the country in the form of sanctions and military aid, though stopping short of putting boots on the ground

Russian rocket artillery take part in live-fire drills on a military base near Moscow on Friday, as fears of war in Ukraine grow

A Russian rocket artillery battery lets off a volley during live-fire exercises at the Golovenki training ground, near Moscow

Rocket artillery of the Russian armed forces take part in live-fire exercises on a training ground near Moscow today

A Russian-backed rebel fighter is seen moving through a trench in eastern Ukraine, where fighting with government forces has been ongoing since 2014

A Moscow-backed rebel soldier aims a machinegun through a peep-hole in his trench, just yards from the frontline with Ukrainian forces in the country's east

Mosco-backed rebel troops armed with Kalashnikov rifles stand guard in a trench near the frontlines with Ukraine

In addition to penalties targeting Russian people and key economic sectors, several senior U.S. officials said Thursday with certainty that Germany would not allow a newly constructed gas pipeline to begin operations in the event of an incursion.

All eyes are now on Putin, who will decide how Russia will respond amid fears that Europe could again be plunged into war.

In the meantime, Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy on Thursday to reiterate American and allied support, including recent deliveries of U.S. military aid.

Biden warned Zelenskyy that the U.S. believed there was a high degree of likelihood that Russia could invade when the ground freezes and Russian forces could attack Ukrainian territory from north of Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the conversation who were not authorized to comment publicly.

Military experts have said Russia may be waiting for optimal ground conditions to move heavy equipment into Kyiv as part of any invasion. Eight years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in late February.

Zelenskyy tweeted that he and Biden also discussed the possibility of additional financial support for Ukraine.

The White House said Biden told Zelenskyy he was 'exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine's economy' as it comes under pressure as a result of Russia's military buildup.

Meanwhile, the United States announced that the U.N. Security Council will hold an open meeting Monday on what U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called Russia's 'threatening behavior.' She said the deployment of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine's border and other destabilizing acts pose 'a clear threat to international peace and security and the U.N. Charter.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier that the response from the U.S. - and a similar one from NATO - left 'little ground for optimism.' But he added that 'there always are prospects for continuing a dialogue, it's in the interests of both us and the Americans.'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was circumspect when asked whether the Biden administration saw a sliver of hope in that the Russians said they would keep communications open even as they said that they lacked optimism..

'We don't know if the Russians are playing games on diplomacy. We hope not,' Psaki said.

A man crosses himself while kneeling in front of a memorial commemorating those who died fighting in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region, outside military headquarters in Kiev

Ukrainian soldiers are seen saluting through a mock bullet-hole in a memorial to those who died fighting in the Donbass region against Moscow-backed rebel groups

Honour guards fire a salute during a ceremony in tribute to fallen defenders of Ukraine during a ceremony in Kiev today

Ukrainian servicemen of the 24th Brigade are seen outside of Zolote, close to the frontlines with Moscow-backed rebels

A Ukrainian soldier walks through a trench close to the town of Zolote, in the country's unstable eastern regions

A Ukrainian soldier uses a periscope to examine enemy positions on the frontlines with Russian-backed rebel forces

An Ukrainian serviceman heads to an advanced position on the front line in the Luhansk area, eastern Ukraine

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S. response contained some elements that could lead to 'the start of a serious talk on secondary issues,' but emphasized that 'the document contains no positive response on the main issue.' Those are Moscow's demands that NATO not expand and that the alliance refrain from deploying weapons that might threaten Russia.

Lavrov said top officials will submit proposals to Putin. Peskov said the Russian reaction would come soon.

The evasive official comments reflect the fact that it is Putin who will single-handedly determine Russia's next moves. He has warned of unspecified 'military-technical measures' if the West refuses to heed the demands.

Peskov added that Putin and Biden will decide whether they need to have another conversation following two calls last month.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv had seen the U.S. response before it was delivered to Russia and had no objections. He tweeted it was 'important that the U.S. remains in close contact with Ukraine before and after all contacts with Russia.'

On a visit to Denmark, Kuleba emphasized his country's need to strengthen its defenses.

'This crisis is a moment of truth, and this is why we speak about weapons,' he said. 'This is why we speak about economic sanctions. This is why we speak about the consolidated position of all of us, so that President Putin sees that there are no weak links in our defensive chain.'

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a parliamentary debate on Ukraine that her government is closely coordinating its policy with allies, considering a range of options that could include the new Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany.

While the diplomacy sputters on, so too do maneuvers that have escalated tensions. Russia has launched a series of military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.

NATO said it was bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region, and the U.S. ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert for potential deployment to Europe.

As war fears mounted, thousands of Ukrainians expressed their resolve to stand up to the Russian pressure under the hashtag (hash)UkrainiansWillResist on Twitter and Facebook.

An American fighter jet takes part in pre-deployment training drills including coming under NATO command off the US coast

US naval forces prepare for deployment after President Biden put 8,500 troops on alert to deploy to eastern Europe

'No one will force Ukrainians to accept the Kremlin ultimatum,' wrote Andrii Levus, who initiated the campaign.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry has organized training on acting in emergency situations, with an emphasis on dealing with explosives.

Beyond concerns about a possible Russian offensive in Ukraine, there also has been speculation that Moscow's response could include military deployments to the Western Hemisphere.

While a senior Russian diplomat recently refused to rule out such deployments to Cuba and Venezuela, a top Putin associate expressed skepticism Thursday at that prospect.

'Cuba and Venezuela are aiming to come out of isolation and restore normal relations with the U.S. to a certain extent, so there can't be any talk about setting up a base there as happened during the Soviet times,' Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy head of Russia's Security Council, told Russian media.

While he charged that the West is using Ukraine as a way to contain Russia, he somberly acknowledged that a Russia-NATO conflict 'would be the most dramatic and simply catastrophic scenario, and I hope it will never happen.'

While concerns about a possible Russian attack linger, a separatist conflict simmers in Ukraine. Following the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backed an insurgency in the country's eastern industrial heartland.

Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed rebels has killed over 14,000 people, and efforts to reach a settlement have stalled.

Since the conflict began, Russia has been accused of sending troops and weapons to the separatists, something it has denied.

On Thursday, Peskov wouldn't comment on a proposal from the Kremlin's main political party, United Russia, which suggested that Moscow respond to the delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine by sending arms to the rebels.

He added that Putin is aware of the proposal but had no immediate reaction.
Getty images



By Peter Y. Paik




They have scuttled through Scandinavian waters and muscled their way into Britain.

Now invasive king crabs have landed in the pots of Yorkshire fisherman off the coast of Bridlington.

There are fears that the native brown crab could be under threat with the arrival of the red king crabs which can grow close to 6ft across and weigh up to 28lb.

The species, which are native to North America, came to Russia in the 1960s after scientists aimed to introduce a new, lucrative market.

Invasive red king crabs, which can grow close to 6ft across and weigh up to 28lb, have landed in the pots of Yorkshire fisherman off the coast of Bridlington. [File picture]

There are fears that the north east's native brown crab (pictured) population could be under threat

The king crabs then headed to Norway, spiking a fishing industry boom before finding their way to Britain.

Despite fears for the native population, the invaders have proved a winner with London restaurants so far with many snapping up the haul for their menus.

Will Murray, a chef at sustainable central London restaurant Fallow, told The Daily Telegraph: Theyre quite a tricky crab to prep, they have got very long spines on, but the meat is just sublime.

Despite fears for the native population, the Scandinavian king crab (pictured) invaders have proved a winner with London restaurants so far with many snapping up the haul for their menus

Shaun Henderson, of Henderson Seafood, said he is planning to sell more than 200 crabs to London restaurants and the public.

His company plans to sell them for 30 a kilo, a similar price to that charged for lobster, and roughly three times the expected price for a brown crab.

But he added: Im excited about it but they seem like quite an invasive species, so I feel wary.

'They seem to be eating up the scallops at the bottom and they could outcompete brown crabs. I am a bit worried about our native seafood.
Energy bills are set to rise by nearly half to 1,900 from April under new plans, as calls for Rishi Sunak to end VAT on gas and electricity increase.

The energy price cap is set to rise in April, with industry analysts predicting that the cap will rocket to 1,897 for average users, in increase of 48 per cent from its current level of 1,277.

After plans are finalised this week, energy regulator Ofgem will announce the energy price cap increase, which will come into force from April 1, at 7am on Monday, according to The Telegraph.

The energy price cap limits the amount that suppliers can charge for their default electricity and gas tariffs in England, Scotland and Wales.

It comes after Rishi Sunak has come under increasing pressure on Friday to agree on measures to help families amid fears that energy bills could spark a cost-of-living crisis.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Boris Johnson will consider slashing VAT on energy bills despite appearing to rule it out just three weeks ago.

The energy price cap is set to rise in April, with industry analysts predicting that the cap will rocket to 1,897 for average users, in increase of 48 per cent (file photo)

Meanwhile, Cornwall Insight, an energy market analysis firm, reportedly predicted the increase to the energy price cap with soar by almost 50 per cent, increasing from 1,277 to 1,897 for average users.

Based on forecasts for the gas cost from February to July, Cornwall Insight also believes that the price cap is likely to soar again in October, to an estimated 2,054.

Energy firms, Labour and some Tory MPs have piled pressure on ministers to axe the 5 per cent VAT rate on domestic fuel this winter.

It is believed that slashing the levy would cost the Treasury 2.5billion and knock around 90 off an average household fuel bill.

This week, it was reported that Boris Johnson will consider slashing VAT on energy bills to help struggling families despite appearing to rule it out just three weeks ago.

Mr Johnson warned earlier this month that scrapping the disliked tax on domestic fuel could prove a 'blunt instrument' that would benefit better-off families more than the needy.

A government source said earlier this week the proposed VAT cut has 'never not been one of several options' under consideration despite Mr Johnson's comments, but stressed that no decisions have been made.

It is understood that the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak were hoping to meet to discuss the options and intend to make an announcement before February 7.

Ministers are understood to be increasingly keen for a 'broad brush' measure which will help middle-income families as well as those on lower wages.

During the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, Mr Johnson and Michael Gove pledged to scrap VAT on energy bills if the UK left the EU.

Earlier this week, Labour reiterated its call to slash the tax as it warned that a million more disabled people are now 'trapped in hardship' and poverty than in 2010.

An analysis of Department for Work and Pensions figures by the Party found the number of disabled people living in poverty is currently 3.8 million  increasing from 2.6 million in 2010 when the Conservative Party came to power.

Anneliese Dodds, Labour's women and equalities spokesman, warned that the cost of living crisis 'has seen poverty explode' and called on the Government to adopt Labour calls to cut VAT on energy bills.

Miss Dodds said: 'Instead of taking action to help [disabled people], the Tories slashed Universal Credit, cut 70million in disability benefits and voted against Labour's measure to reduce energy bills.

'Labour's contract with the British people will ensure disabled people are treated with respect and our fully-costed energy plan would see those most in need getting up to 600 off their energy bills.'

Labour has claimed that the cost of living crisis has disproportionately affected disabled people, adding that the 'overall rate of disability poverty' now stands at 27 per cent  growing by a fifth since 2010.

Age UK revealed that 24 per cent of older people believe they will be forced to choose between heating their home and the food they buy if their energy bills increase substantially.

It is understood that the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak (both pictured) were hoping to meet to discuss the options - including whether to slash VAT on energy bills

More than half of over-65s said they would have to heat their home less if their bills increase, a survey for Age UK found.

And 43 per cent said they would have to cut back, go into debt or simply will not be able to afford to pay their bill, according to the research among over-65s.

One 69-year-old woman told Age UK: 'I am currently in bed keeping warm today as it's so cold and I can't afford to have my heating on for the whole day.

'I'm reduced to showering on alternate days, which I hate, and I'm eating food that's microwaveable to avoid heating my oven.'

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'Many older people are reliant on the state pension as their main source of income and simply do not have the flex in their finances to cope with such enormous price rises.

'At Age UK, we are being contacted every day by desperate older people in this position, people for whom there are only 'bad choices'  ration your energy use, cut back on food or other essentials, or go into debt.'

She added: 'Any older person who is finding it difficult to pay their bills, or who is worried about staying warm, can call us today  if we help you to submit a successful claim it could make all the difference.

'There really is no downside to checking you are receiving everything you are entitled to, so please come forward and let us help you make sure.'

A Government spokesperson said: 'We know this has been a challenging time for many people, which is why we're providing support worth around 12 billion this financial year and next to help households across the country with the cost of living.

'Our winter fuel payments are supporting over 11 million pensioners with their energy bills and we are continuing to encourage those eligible for Pension Credit, and the wide range of other benefits it can provide, to make a claim.'

Elsewhere, Downing Street insisted the 12billion national insurance tax rise will go ahead in April 'no ifs, no buts' after a minister stoked the speculation by saying the PM is in 'listening mode' on the issue.

Despite Rishi Sunak and multiple Cabinet ministers publicly confirming the NI rise to fund the NHS and social care reforms, there have been claims that Mr Johnson is 'wobbling' and could either delay the increase or drop it altogether to help defuse a backlash.

Speaking on BBC Question Time last night, defence minister James Heappey stressed the importance of raising more revenue for services and he was not 'privy' to the high-level discussions. But he said: 'You will have noticed that the top of the government is in listening mode at the moment.'

When it was put to Mr Heappey that a majority of the audience appeared to be against the rise, he said: 'I think it is absolute. Everybody in the room is against it. Everybody is feeling the squeeze.'

A spokesman for the PM gave the most categorical statement yet this afternoon, telling journalists: 'The PM and Chancellor are fully committed to introducing the Health and Social Care levy in April.'

Pushed repeatedly on whether there was any wriggle room, the spokesman said: 'We are introducing it in April.'

And asked if that meant the NICs rise was coming in April 'no ifs no buts', they replied: 'Yep.'

Any shift on NI would cause immense frustration among senior ministers, who have been repeatedly sent out to endorse the policy despite often harbouring doubts.

Mr Sunak has insisted the government must act to balance the books after the pandemic.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted last night that there will be 'no U-turn', while technology minister Chris Philp delivered the same message in interviews this morning.

One senior Tory MP told MailOnline that they would welcome a shift on issues such as national insurance. But they warned: 'We've got to have a lot more stability than this.'
Leaked video shows Border Patrol agents as they got into a heated exchange with leadership on Friday during a visit from Department of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas.

US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz could be heard in the video speaking to fellow agents in a tense conversation at the Border Patrol station in Laredo, Texas.

Ortiz told Fox News that 'morale is at an all-time low' in response to the video, which was obtained by the network from a Border Patrol source.

'For evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,' one agent interjected.

'That's exactly whats happening here. Good men are doing nothing. You're allowing illegal aliens to be dropped off in communities.'

Ortiz acknowledged the border patrol agents' frustration.

US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, pictured center, could be heard in the video, taken in Laredo, Texas on Friday, in a tense conversation after Mayorkas paid a visit to the Border Patrol station

'For evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,' one agent interjected in the leaked video, a screenshot of which pictured above

'That's exactly whats happening here. Good men are doing nothing. You're allowing illegal aliens to be dropped off in communities' an agent interjected

US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas listens during a briefing on the tornado devastation, in Mayfield, Kentucky, on December 15, 2021

'I get it,' Ortiz told the group of patrol agents.

'You come to work, you're frustrated. You're upset because you didn't get the desired outcome that you want. Doesn't mean you give up.'

'We're not,' one agent responded.

'I know you're not,' Ortiz replied. 'Thats why I'm saying, we don't give up. We stay focused, we continue to do the job and the mission that we signed up for. We all signed up for it, we all raised our hand.'

The conversation then begins to take a heated turn, when one agent brings up the politics of policing the border.

'It's kinda hard to say that when' one agent started to say.

'It's not hard to say it,' Ortiz fires back. 'It may be hard for you to say it, I've been doing this for 31 years. It's not hard for me to say it.'

'Youre getting bogged down in the policies and the politics,' Ortiz added.

Several agents then began to complain, stating they can't use the term 'illegal aliens' while working on the job.

'You just said it,' Ortiz responded.

'Ain't nothing gonna happen to you.'

'Why are you guys getting caught up in semantics?  I've been doing this job as long as y'all,' Ortiz said.

Ortiz went on to say that border patrol agents are doing good work, while citing the fact that the agency is getting fentanyl and methamphetamine off the streets and rescuing people along the way in the process.

Several agents then began to complain, stating they can't use the term 'illegal aliens' while working on the job

'Why are you guys getting caught up in semantics?  I've been doing this job as long as y'all,' Ortiz responded

'And under this administration, in the last year, weve got the highest fentanyl deaths in the history of our country,' one agent replied.

Ortiz responded by adding that the US has seized more fentanyl coming across the southern border last year compared to 2020.

However, one agent asked how much is not being caught.

'I don't know,' Ortiz said. 'We're working on it.'

'And that's the problem,' the agent said.

Issues at the border have remained tense in recent months.

On Tuesday, a large number of single, adult illegal immigrants were released from federal custody in Texas.

The group of young male immigrants were filmed by Fox News getting transported on buses in Brownsville, Texas, into a small office in a parking lot marked 'border patrol drop off' after being released by ICE on Tuesday.

A large group of men were transported on buses to a 'border patrol drop off' station in Brownsville, Texas, on Tuesday before being taxied to the airport where they were flown to Houston, San Antonio, Miami, and Atlanta

They were released by ICE and no women or children were seen among the group

After emerging from the office, the migrants were seen being put into taxis that took them to Harlingen Airport - roughly 250 miles away from San Antonio - where the men were flown to places like Houston, Miami, and Atlanta.

They are now being transported to their final destinations, the City of Brownsville told Fox News.

No women or children were seen among the migrants in Brownsville.

Some of the migrants reportedly said that they paid $2,000 to illegally cross the border through cartel smugglers, Fox News reported.

Almost 180,000 migrants crossed the US border in December, surpassing previous December numbers. Only around 75,000 crossed the border in December 2020.

The Biden administration has been struggling to control the border, which saw thousands camping out earlier this year and recent images of overcrowded facilities in Arizona.

A senior border patrol agent, who recently retired, told Fox News' Hannity show that 'what is happening on the border is being purposely done by the Biden administration and their hands are tied behind their backs.'
The young widow of rookie NYPD officer Jason Rivera who was killed in an attack last week said she learned of her husband's fatal shooting through the Citizen app.

Officer Rivera, 22, was shot and killed on January 21 alongside his partner Officer Wilbert Mora, 27. Rivera died on the scene while medics battled to save Mora before he was pronounced dead on Tuesday at NYU Langone.

Their killer, Lashawn McNeil, 47 - whose mother had called the officers to her home reporting that he was threatening her - was shot in the head by a third officer after shooting Mora and Rivera, and died on Monday.

Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera's 'nightmare' began when she received a notification from the Citizen app, which sends users real-time notifications about crime and police activity in the area.

Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera (pictured) gave an emotional eulogy on in honor of her late husband Officer Jason Rivera, 22, who was killed last week alongside his partner Officer Wilbert Mora

River and Mora were ambushed when responding to a domestic violence call on January 21

'I saw that two police officers were shot in Harlem. My heart dropped,' she recalled when she spoke at her late husband's funeral service on Friday.

Hundreds of fellow officers, loved ones and NYC residents packed into the pews at St. Patrick's Cathedral and lined the streets to honor the fallen officer. The widow, wearing a silver pendant in the shape of her husband's police shield, struggled through tears as she spoke.

'I immediately texted you and asked you, 'Are you OK? Please tell me you're OK. I know that you're mad right now but just text me you're OK. At least tell me you're busy.'

In a panic, she checked his location on Apple's Find My iPhone when she found that he was at Harlem Hospital.

Dominique considered that he might have been waiting for a crime suspect, she explained: 'But still, nothing.'

'I called, and then called again and then called one more time. And this time I felt something wasn't right,' she added.

She then began trying to reach her husband's fellow officers when someone contacted her and told her to rush to the hospital.

'Walking up those steps, seeing everybody staring at me was the scariest moment I've experienced,' Dominique said. 'Nobody was telling me anything. Dozens of people were surrounding me. And yet I felt alone.'

'I couldn't believe you left me. Seeing you in a hospital bed, wrapped up in sheets, not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me. I asked why. I said to you, 'Wake up, baby. I'm here.'

The young widow wore a silver pendant in the shape of her husband's police shield as she attended her husband's funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral a week after his killing

Dominique cradled the flag from his casket while watching the funeral procession leave St. Patrick's Cathedral on Friday

Rivera's mother clutches a crucifix and blows a kiss to his casket as it was driven away

A sea of police officers in their finest dress blues stood in tribute outside the church

'The little bit of hope I had that you would come back to life, just to say goodbye or say, 'I love you,' one more time had left. I was lost. I'm still lost.'

Citizen app spokesperson Mikey Light told Fox News Digital Friday the company's 'thoughts are with Dominique Luzuriaga and her family as they grieve the tragic loss of' Officer Rivera.

On Monday, the mourning widow shared several touching tributes to him on Instagram posting a heartfelt letter he had sent her.

'Dear Dominique, I don't know where to start. You are my best friend in the whole entire school. I really love you but you never believe me when I say I love you,' the letter read.

'Every night, I always say to myself, how will life be without you...I want you to know that I will always trust you/love you...I want to be married to you...I don't know if I have told you this but I am in love with [you].'

Another letter which appeared to be addressed to Rivera from his widow read: 'I hope you do good in school and you better not drop out cuz I'll kick your cake. Lmao Good luck baby! I love you just a little.'

Luzuriaga also shared pictures of her and her husband on their prom night and after their wedding, adding that she wished she had taken more pictures with him.

On Friday, Dominique also used the solemn gathering to vent some of her anger at the city and state's leaders, many of whom were seated in the audience before her, accusing them of failing to protect her husband and his partner.

Mora's funeral is being held next week, also at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Rivera, who had joined the NYPD less than a year ago, was posthumously promoted to detective first grade - the highest rank for a detective.

Rivera and Luzuriaga were married on October 9, 2021 after being childhood sweethearts

Rivera, who had joined the NYPD less than a year ago, was posthumously promoted to detective first grade - the highest rank for a detective

Cardinal Timothy Dolan presided over Rivera's service, held in Spanish and English in recognition of his Dominican heritage.

Many of the city's top leaders were attending, including Mayor Eric Adams, Senator Chuck Schumer and Governor Kathy Hochul.

Adams, himself a retired police captain, told those gathered that he saw an echo of himself in the slain officer who had joined a department he had seen as flawed in hopes of improving it.

'He did it for the right reasons  he wanted to make a difference,' said Adams.

Following Rivera's death last week, letters to the police academy about his aspirations were shared online, which revealed the 22-year-old had hopes of helping the police connect with his local community.

Rivera, 22, was a rookie cop who had been on the force in New York City for less than a year

In his 2020 letter to the police academy, Rivera wrote: 'Coming from an immigrant family, I will be the first to say that I am a member of the NYPD - the greatest police force in the world.'

'Growing up in Inwood, Manhattan, the community's relationship between the police and community was not great,' Rivera wrote in a letter to the police academy after he became a cop in November 2020.

'I remember my brother being stopped and frisked... I was too young to know that during that time, the NYPD was pulling over and frisking people at a high rate.

'Growing up in New York City, I knew how impactful my role as a police officer would go in this chaotic city of about 10 million people.

'I know that something as small as helping a tourist with directions, or helping a couple resolve an issue, would put a smile on someone's face.'

Rivera said he was bothered by how he viewed the police and how they viewed him and his community, and he saw the NYPD trying to reform, and he wanted to be part of the change.

'My perspective on police and the way they police really bothered me.'

'This is when I realized that I wanted to be part of the men in blue; better the relationship between the community and the police.'
Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has remained loyal to the Prime Minister during the Partygate scandal, called him an 'exceptional leader' who is 'good at thinking things others aren't thinking' - but is no Churchill.

The Leader of the House of Commons told The Telegraph: 'Churchill always had new ideas. Johnson is good at thinking things others aren't thinking and not just going along politely with conventional thought.'

He added: 'I'm not comparing him to Churchill, I'm just saying that the politicians who succeed are the ones with a willingness to make decisions and to then persuade people.'

The MP for North East Somerset also said Johnson was an 'exceptional leader' who 'unlocked' the country when others refused to do so.

Earlier this week, Rees-Mogg, 52, claimed there would need to be a general election if Johnson were to be ousted as Prime Minister.

He argued on Tuesday's Newsnight that any would-be successor should call an election to receive the public's backing.

It comes as the PM and the Tory party await the findings of Whitehall ethics inquisitor Sue Gray's report into 'partygate' and the alleged lockdown-breaking No10 gatherings.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has remained loyal to the Prime Minister during the Partygate scandal, has called him an 'exceptional leader' who is 'good at thinking things others aren't thinking'

During his interview with The Telegraph, Rees-Mogg also revealed how his wife, Helena, got him a bracelet of hair from the Duke of Wellington's horse, Copenhagen, for Christmas.

The Duke of Wellington rode the liver chestnut stallion during the 1815 Battle of Waterloo.

Rees-Mogg said he had bought his wife, 45, 'a little necklace' from fine jewellers J McCarthy Ltd of Westminster as a festive gift.

And she gave him 'the best present: a bracelet made from the hair of Copenhagen's mane'.

Rees-Mogg had noticed it at auction, where it was inscribed with: 'From the mane of Wellington's charger, Copenhagen at Waterloo'.

He is said to have told Helena: 'If you're short of a present for me, this is absolutely the thing.'

Earlier this week, Rees-Mogg, 52, claimed there would need to be a general election if Johnson were to be ousted as Prime Minister. He argued on Tuesday's Newsnight (above) that any would-be successor should call an election to receive the public's backing

Like the Prime Minister, Rees-Mogg has a large family.

He and his wife last had a child in 2017, with the arrival of son Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher.

The other children's full names are Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius, Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan, Peter Theodore Alphege, Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam and Mary Anne Charlotte Emma Rees-Mogg.

Despite having so many children, Mr Rees-Mogg has previously revealed that he has never changed a nappy.

The following year, he ruled himself out from running to replace Theresa May as prime minister, saying he had too many children to do the job.

He admitted taking charge of No10 would be 'very difficult' because he is a 'family man'.

Rees-Mogg also revealed how his wife, Helena, got him a bracelet of hair from the Duke of Wellington's horse, Copenhagen, for Christmas. Above, is the bracelet she is believed to have given him

The MP for North East Somerset and his wife last had a child in 2017, with the arrival of son Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher. The other children's full names are Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius, Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan, Peter Theodore Alphege, Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam and Mary Anne Charlotte Emma Rees-Mogg (all pictured)

The Duke of Wellington rode the liver chestnut stallion during the 1815 Battle of Waterloo

Above, part of Copenhagen's mane - seen in 2015 - which had a pre-auction estimate of 3,000 to 5,000

Rees-Mogg's musings come as Boris Johnson could become the first PM to be interviewed under police caution after it emerged that Scotland Yard is opening a criminal investigation into the pandemic lockdown parties.

News of the Metropolitan Police's investigation into Partygate broke as the Cabinet held its weekly meeting in Downing Street.

Jacob Rees-Mogg walked out of No10 and straight over to cameras to vow loyalty to Johnson.

'The leadership of this country that Boris Johnson has had, has been so brilliant that he has got us through this incredibly difficult period,' he said.

'He has got all the big decisions right and we have opened up faster than any other European country thanks to the Prime Minister and I'm honoured to be under his leadership.'

Some Conservative MPs have already publicly called for Johnson's resignation, but others have said they will await the publication of the Gray report before trying to trigger a vote of no confidence.

But Rees-Mogg's Newsnight interview suggests that supporters of Johnson among the party are keen to dissuade any attempts from rebel Tory MPs to bring down the Prime Minister by piling on the pressure of a potential general election.

The Commons leader said: 'It is my view that we have moved, for better or worse, to essentially a presidential system and that therefore the mandate is personal rather than entirely party, and that any Prime Minister would be very well advised to seek a fresh mandate.'

When asked whether the Prime Minister should resign if there is a photograph of him at a drinks party in No 10, Rees-Mogg urged people to wait for Gray's report to be published and denounced what he described as 'gossip' around the issue.

'Trying to speculate on bits of gossip and tittle-tattle around the report doesn't really get us anywhere,' he added.

Rees-Mogg's public support for any would-be Tory leader to call an election is likely the latest step in a ploy designed to help Boris Johnson maintain some stability amid the 'partygate' scandal threatening his premiership.
The BBC will use 'disinformation specialists' to vet its Question Time audience after Fiona Bruce appealed for vaccine refuseniks to take part.

An episode airing next week will feature individuals in the audience who are unvaccinated.

Question Time chose to appeal to vaccine refuseniks to take part in the show because there were concerns at the broadcaster that it was not representing the views of the 10 per cent in the British adult population who are unjabbed.

People have been encouraged to apply to the BBC programme on one of the main social media channels used by anti-vaxxers, according to the Guardian.

One user wrote on the anti-vaccine Telegram channel 'applied', confirming that the BBC had received their application to be in the audience.

The channel featured replies and comments from other users, who said they would also apply to be in the audience.

Question Time chose to appeal to vaccine refuseniks to take part in the show because there were concerns at the broadcaster that it was not representing the views of the unjabbed adult population. Pictured: Fiona Bruce on Question Time (stock image)

Question Time has asked people who apply to be in the audience online if they are jabbed since the show returned last year with members of the public.

The practice appears to have deterred those who are not vaccinated from going on the show and there have rarely been questions from unjabbed people as a result.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'There are still substantial numbers of the British public who are not vaccinated, especially in particular areas and communities.

'We think this is an interesting part of the debate which is worthy of discussion. Question Time always strives to discuss each side of every argument.

'This is about listening to, and understanding, our audience members. The BBC has always made the scientific consensus on vaccination very clear.'

The broadcaster is facing the task of seeking unjabbed people who are not 'obsessive activists'.

It also risks televising medical misinformation to millions of viewers.

Bosses have decided to employ disinformation specialists who will vet audience members but it is not clear which criteria will be used for this process.

Question Time next week is being filmed in an area of London which has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Medical experts are due to sit on the panel to discuss and answer questions about vaccinations.

Instead of spending the whole show discussing jabs, the topic will be mentioned alongside a range of other issues.

Instead of spending the whole show discussing jabs, the topic will be mentioned alongside a range of other issues. Pictured: The BBC building in London (stock image)

The Guardian asked a BBC spokesperson about the health implications of inviting unvaccinated people into the audience when cases remain high.

The spokesperson said those invited will have to show information about a recent negative test to be allowed into the audience.

Question Time's decision to ask unjabbed people to be in the audiences comes amid the backdrop of a debate on BBC impartiality and what views should be considered.

David Jordan, the BBC's editorial standards boss, this month tried to define which views should be discussed on the channel.

During the parliamentary hearing, he said he opposed 'cancel culture' and was 'committed to ensuring that viewpoints are heard from all different sorts of perspectives.'

Mr Jordan said the broadcaster should represent a wide range of views.

He said: 'It's critical to the BBC that we represent all points of view and give them due weight.'

'Flat Earthers are not going to get as much space as people who believe the Earth is round, but very occasionally it might be appropriate to interview a flat-Earther. And if a lot of people believed in flat Earth we'd need to address it more.'
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family have fled their home in the national's capital Ottawa for a secret location truckers and thousands of demonstrators gathered to protest against the country's vaccine mandate and Covid lockdowns.

Hundreds of truckers drove their giant rigs into the Canadian capital Ottawa on Saturday as part of a self-titled 'Freedom Convoy' which started as a protest against vaccine mandates required to cross the US border.

Days earlier, the Prime Minister had called the truckers headed for the city a 'small fringe minority' before the convoy of hundreds of vehicles grew up to 45 miles long as it made its way to the capital .

Trudeau's office has not commented on the Prime Minister's location for security reasons and the Canadian Parliament's Sergeant-at-Arms has warned that demonstrators could show up at the homes of officials, CBC News reported.

The prime minister's office told the Ottawa Citizen that Trudeau was continuing to 'isolate in the National Capital Region and work remotely.'

Despite security concerns, there have been no incidents at the rally, Ottawa Police said in a tweet.

Flying the Canadian flag, waving banners demanding 'Freedom' and chanting slogans against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the truckers were joined by thousands of other protesters angered not only by Covid-19 restrictions but by broader discontent with the government.

There was an enormous clamor as hundreds of big trucks, their engines rumbling, sounded their air horns non-stop.

Hundreds of truckers drove their giant rigs into the Canadian capital Ottawa on Saturday as part of a self-titled 'Freedom Convoy' which started as a protest against vaccine mandates required to cross the US border

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family have left their home in the national's capital Ottawa for a secret location as hundreds of truckers gather to protest against the country's vaccine mandate and Covid lockdowns

Near Canada's Parliament, families calmly marched on a bitterly cold day, while young people chanted and older people in the crowd banged pots to protest vaccine mandates

Days earlier, he had called the truckers headed for the city a 'small fringe minority' before the convoy of hundreds of vehicles grew up to 45 miles long as it made its way to the capital .

A satellite image shows Parliament Hill and crowds as truckers and supporters take part in a convoy to protest covid vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Maxar collected new satellite imagery this morning of Ottawa, Canada and the protests (known as the Freedom Convoy) against COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truck driver

The movement received an endorsement Thursday from Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk , who tweeted, 'Canadian truckers rule' and the movement has become a causse celbre for many on the right in the United States

Truckers and people part of the Freedom Convoy 2022 block the street in front of the Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Canada

Protestors gather in front of Parliament Hill as truckers and supporters take part in a convoy to protest vaccine mandates

People stand and cheer on top of a logging truck parked on Wellington Street near Parliament Hill during a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, in Ottawa

The Freedom Convoy 2022 started with truckers from across Canada who oppose the vaccine mandate for truckers to be vaccinated to return to Canada and was joined by other opponents of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau

Truckers and people part of the Freedom Convoy 2022 block the street in front of the Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Canada

Trucks block a downtown road as truckers and supporters take part in a convoy to protest vaccine mandates for truckers

A trucker convoy driving to Parliament Hill in Ottawa to participate in a cross-country truck convoy, pictured near Kanata, Ontario, Canada

People gather along the trans-Canadian highway near the Quebec city of Rigaud to support a cross-country convoy of truckers protesting Covid-19 restrictions

Closer to Parliament, families calmly marched on a bitterly cold day, while young people chanted and older people in the crowd banged pots and pans in protest under Trudeau's office windows.

Canadian media said the prime minister and his family had been escorted out of their home and taken to a secret location in the capital, with much of the protesters' wrath directed at Trudeau.

'I want it all to stop -- these measures are unjustified,' said one demonstrator, 31-year-old businessman Philippe Castonguay, outside the Parliament building.

He had driven seven hours from northern Quebec province to make his feelings known: 'The vaccination requirements are taking us toward a new society we never voted for,' he said.

Trudeau said Friday that the truckers' views -- which he described as anti-science, anti-government and anti-society -- posed a risk not only to themselves but to other Canadians as well.

To date, 82 percent of Canadians aged five or older have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Among adults, the figure is 90 percent.

The protest originated last week in western Canada, where dozens of truckers organized a convoy to drive from Vancouver to Ottawa to demonstrate against Covid-related restrictions, particularly a vaccination requirement for truck drivers.

Flying the Canadian flag, waving banners demanding 'Freedom' and chanting slogans against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the truckers were joined by thousands of other protesters angered not only by Covid-19 restrictions but by broader discontent with the government

There was an enormous clamor as hundreds of big trucks, their engines rumbling, sounded their air horns non-stop. Estimates of the number of truckers range from 10-20,000

Closer to Parliament, families calmly marched on a bitterly cold day, while young people chanted and older people in the crowd banged pots and pans in protest under Trudeau's office windows

Canadian media said the prime minister and his family had been escorted out of their home and taken to a secret location in the capital, with much of the protesters' wrath directed at Trudeau.

On Saturday morning demonstrators marched up and down the streets in front Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office waving the Canadian flag in protest of the vaccine mandate for Canadian truckers crossing the U.S border

Trucks sit parked on Wellington Street near the Parliament Buildings in Ottowa as truckers and their supporters take part in a convoy to protest vaccine mandates on Saturday

Hundreds of truckers drove their giant rigs into the Canadian capital Ottawa on Saturday as part of a self-titled 'Freedom Convoy' to protest vaccine mandates required to cross the US border

While their trucks were parked in front of the parliamentary buildings, protestors marched carrying copies of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, while others carried signs reading 'God keep our land glorious and free,' 'Make Canada great again,' and 'we are here for our freedom,' the Toronto Sun reported.

Ottawa Police were at the scene warning truckers that any vehicles blocking emergency lanes or other locations that must be kept clear for public safety reasons would be towed.

Officers planned to remain downtown until crowds disperse, but hundreds more vehicles from Western Canada, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces were expected to arrive on Sunday.

Since January 15, all Canadian truck drivers who are unvaccinated must take a COVID-19 test and quarantine when driving back from the United States.

They are not allowed into the U.S. unless they are vaccinated, and American drivers are not allowed into Canada unless they show their vaccination card.

A man carried a US Confederate flag with a semi-truck during the Freedom Convoy protesting Covid-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions in front of Parliament on Saturday

A protestor carried a 'United Against Tyranny' sign during Saturday's protest against vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers in Ottawa

A protestor carries a cut out of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau who has dismissed the protest from the truckers as a disgruntled few, pointing out that almost 90 percent of his country is vaccinated

American drivers returning to the U.S., however, do not need to take a test and quarantine.

Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, has dismissed the protest from the truckers as 'a disgruntled few', pointing out that almost 90 percent of his country is vaccinated.

But truckers in the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' are angry at his mandate, and plan on using this weekend's rally to show the strength of their sentiment in the Canadian capital.

At the protest was Tom Pappin, 53, who came from just outside Ottawa.

'I can travel freely through the border, and not be in contact with anyone. Yet I'm locked into my own country right now,' he said. 'I can't go on a holiday. I can't go to a restaurant, I can't go bowling. I can't go to a movie. You know, these are things that it's just gotten out of control.'

Both Canada and the United States imposed that requirement in mid-January, affecting drivers who cross the 5,500-mile border -- the world's longest.

The movement rapidly gained steam as the original cross-country convoy was joined by others en route to the federal capital. Their rallying point was Parliament Hill, in the heart of Ottawa.

Stephen Penderness, an unvaccinated 28-year-old trucker from Ontario, said he was protesting for all Canadians, not just his fellow drivers.

'It's actually for every single person... everybody on the road,' he said. 'It's all about your free choice.'

Quebec resident Louise -- who had come to support the truckers but declined to give her full name -- agreed. 'We shouldn't be forced to get vaccinated, regardless of the vaccine.'

She said vaccine passports 'represent an intrusion in our personal lives.'

There was a strong police presence around the federal capital, amid fears the protest could turn violent.

Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly described the situation as 'unique, fluid, risky and significant.'

'Let me be very clear,' he told reporters on Friday, 'we are prepared to investigate, arrest if necessary, charge and prosecute anyone who acts violently or breaks the law.'

Supporters of the Freedom Convoy protest in front of Parliament in Ottawa on Saturday. One protestor proudly wave a 'F**k Trudeau' flag

A protestor at the Freedom Convoy protest in front of Parliament wears a 'Freedom' hat as she joins thousands of Canadian truckers against the Covid-19 vaccine mandate

On Saturday morning demonstrators marched up and down the streets in front Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office waving flags- including the Canadian flag marked with the word 'Liberte'

Pappin told the Toronto Sun that attendees are likely to stay parked by Parliament until vaccine mandates are lifted.

Other protestors were more realistic about what the protest would accomplish.

'It's a nice thought, but I don't think anything will happen immediately,' Phil Powers, a truck driver from Oshawa, Ontario told the Toronto Sun.

'This is the Canadian space to have the debate, so that's why we're here,' Powers, who parked his trailer truck in front of Parliament Hill on Wellington Street for the weekend, said.

The convoy assembled in British Columbia on Sunday, and were joined by other protesters driving from the east and the south of the country.

Truckers from the US - who are only allowed into Canada if they are vaccinated - have also joined the massive convoy.

Elon Musk also tweeted praise for the truckers, saying: 'If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny.'

He'd earlier tweeted that 'Canadian truckers rule'.

In September 2020, the Tesla CEO said that he and his family would not be getting vaccinated because they are not at risk.

As many as 32,000, or 20 percent, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads due to the mandate, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates.

Hundreds of Canadians have lined the TransCanada Highway 20 to cheer on a 45-mile-long convoy of truckers who are heading to Ottawa to protest the government's covid vaccine mandate for drivers crossing the US-Canada border

The convoy assembled in British Columbia on Sunday, and are seen on January 28 being cheered on in Levis, Quebec by supporters

Truckers are making their way across Canada in a 45-mile-long convoy in protest of vaccine mandates that now prohibit truckers from crossing the US-Canadian border without proof of vaccination

Canadians standing on an overpass in Kingston, Ontario cheer the truck drivers on. One pickup truck is seen pulling a trailer with a sign saying: 'Freedom doesn't require permission'

A driver gets his pickup truck, with a sign saying 'Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee Freedom', ready for the convoy line in Kingston, Ontario on Friday

Truckers are making their way across Canada in a 45-mile-long convoy in protest of vaccine mandates that would prohibit truckers from crossing the US-Canadian border without proof of vaccination

Canadians gather on a bridge over Highway 400 in Vaughan, Ontario, to support the Freedom Convoy

Pickup trucks with Canadian flags and 'freedom' signs get ready to join the convoy in Kingston on Friday

Truckers left from British Columbia on Sunday and will be met in the nation's capital on Saturday by other protesters driving from the east and the south of the country. The convoy has been joined by US truckers

The Toronto Sun estimated that up to 50,000 trucks could be participating - this convoy could exceed the existing record for the world's longest by 10 times if it stays intact until its intended destination

'It's 70 kilometers long,' Benjamin Dichter, a spokesman for the Freedom Convoy 2022, told the Toronto Sun. 'I have seen footage from an airplane. It's impressive'

In a list of demands, the organizers of the Freedom Convoy are calling for an end to vaccine passports and for the federal government to respect the rights of the unvaccinated

Hutterites have shown out in numbers not just greet the truckers with signs as they drive by, but to keep them fed

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured) has characterized the protesters as a 'small fringe minority who are on the way to Ottawa who are holding unacceptable views'

The convoy has picked up steam and supporters as it traveled along the snow-filled TransCanada Highway.

The longest convoy in history was a whopping five miles long, consisted of 480 trucks, and took place in Egypt in 2020, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

In a list of demands, the organizers of the Freedom Convoy are calling for an end to vaccine passports and for the federal government to respect the rights of the unvaccinated.

Trudeau hit the brakes on their demands.

'What we are hearing from some people associated with this convoy is completely unacceptable,' he said.

'We know the way through this pandemic is to get everyone vaccinated.

'The overwhelming majority, close to 90 percent of Canadians, have done exactly that.'

But supporters of the convoy disagree, with one driver saying that 'the amount of trucks involved and the amount of people showing up here, this shows the frustrations of Canadians and it's going to continue to grow.'

'A lot of people are trying to say that these type of things are done out of anger, but this is actually being done out of frustration towards the things the government is imposing upon Canadian citizens,' a man named Trevor told Global News when the convoy passed through the Balgonie area, declining to give his surname.

'A lot of people are trying to say that these type of things are done out of anger, but this is actually being done out of frustration towards the things the government is imposing upon Canadian citizens,' a man named Trevor told Global News when the convoy passed through the Balgonie area, declining to give his surname

The Freedom Convoy left from Vancouver to Ottawa on Sunday in protest. They intend to hold a protest in Ottawa upon arriving on January 29

A GoFundMe initiative has already raised $6,365,040 towards the protest since it was launched on January 14, with organizers saying that the money will go toward the gas, food and shelter of the participating truckers

The Canadian government ended the truckers' exemption to the vaccine mandate, meaning Canadian truck drivers need to be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a two-week quarantine and pre-arrival molecular test for COVID-19 before crossing into Canada.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign national truck drivers who do not have a right to re-enter are turned away at the border and directed back to the United States.

The U.S. now also requires Canadian truckers to provide proof of vaccination to enter.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has disavowed the protest and said more than 85 percent of truckers are vaccinated.

Many truckers have also posted on social media they continue to do their jobs and that the convoy does not speak for them.

Canada has enacted some of the most strict COVID-19 protocols worldwide.

Ontario will only closed its restaurants, gyms and movie theaters early this month, and will only reopen them at the beginning of February.

Vaccinations were mandated in for federal workers last year, and the premier of Quebec announced plans to penalize unvaccinated residents that don't have a medical reason not to get the shot.

On Thursday night, Elon Musk tweeted: 'If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny'

He also praised the protesters, tweeting on Thursday that 'Canadian truckers rule'

Musk stated in September of 2020 that he and his family would not be getting vaccinated because they are not at risk, and said he most likely had a mild case of the virus in November

The Freedom Convoy left from Vancouver to Ottawa on Sunday in protest. They intend to hold a protest in Ottawa upon arriving on January 29
A mother has described how a gang sexually assaulted her less than a minute after she entered Facebooks virtual online world.

Nina Jane Patel watched and listened in horror through a virtual-reality headset as her avatar  a moving, talking, computer-generated version of herself  was groped aggressively in a sustained attack by three realistic male characters.

Her braying assailants struck in full view of others who had logged into Facebooks version of the metaverse  an online world in which users avatars meet and interact and explore a fast-growing network of virtual locations such as cities, country scenes or cafes.

Looking forward to experiencing this immersive, animated world on her computer, the 43-year-old from Lambeth, South London, had logged into the Horizon Venues metaverse and created her avatar.

Nina Jane Patel watched and listened in horror through a virtual-reality headset as her avatar  a moving, talking, computer-generated version of herself  was groped aggressively in a sustained attack by three realistic male characters

On a visit this month, the mother-of-four entered the lobby  a virtual space serving as an entry point. But within seconds she was pursued by the mens avatars, who groped her, subjected her to a stream of sexual innuendo and took screen shots of the attack for several minutes as she tried to flee.

She had to tear off her headset  which covers her eyes and allows her to see the metaverse as her avatar sees it  to end the ordeal.

While she could not actually feel the avatars hands, Mrs Patel has suffered from anxiety since the attack  and fears for the safety of her three teenage girls and other women in this lawless virtual world.

She said: I entered the Horizon Venues metaverse as an avatar who looked just like me  middle-aged, blonde and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved top.

The space you enter is a lobby, like a theatre foyer. Within 60 seconds, three male avatars  who all had male voices  came towards me and touched me inappropriately.

Before I knew what was happening, they were taking screen shots of them touching my avatar, both my upper and lower body. While doing that, they said things like, Dont pretend you dont love it.

I tried to move away but they followed me. I didnt know who these people were or have the time to stay and investigate.

On a visit this month, the mother-of-four entered the lobby  a virtual space serving as an entry point. But within seconds she was pursued by the mens avatars, who groped her, subjected her to a stream of sexual innuendo and took screen shots of the attack for several minutes as she tried to flee

Mrs Patels experience will heighten fears that the metaverse, which experts predict could be worth up to 500 billion a year by 2024, will become a haunt for sex attackers and paedophiles.

A senior lawyer said the attack was not an offence, but suggested Ministers may have to consider how to protect those entering the metaverse. Nick Brett, of London law firm Brett Wilson, said: Where a woman has been sexually assaulted virtually, that itself possibly ought to be illegal but isnt at present.

He said the Sexual Offences Act 2003 may need to be amended to prosecute people who hide behind avatars, adding: There have previously been amendments  most recently on up-skirting  so there is no reason why it couldnt be.

The attack wasnt the first time Mrs Patel had seen the darker side of the metaverse.

Referring to one of her first visits to Horizon Venues in December, she said: There was what sounded like a young girl, maybe about ten, being accosted by what sounded and looked like a male. The male avatar was forcing his face on to hers and she was yelling, Stop it. Get off me. Other avatars just stood by.

Venues has introduced a safe zone  a bubble that avatars enter to avoid interaction with others  but Mrs Patel says the websites protection is still woefully inadequate.

Friends and colleagues have experienced racism, sexism and other forms of assault on the metaverse, she said. Ive heard many damaging experiences from women where their avatars have been sexually and verbally abused.

Users of Venues must be aged at least 18, but critics say it is easy for youngsters to lie about their age.

Mrs Patel said: I am a mother of three daughters and a son and I have many concerns about letting them go into this seemingly fun, inviting area only to encounter dangerous and damaging behaviour.

Mrs Patels experience will heighten fears that the metaverse, which experts predict could be worth up to 500 billion a year by 2024, will become a haunt for sex attackers and paedophiles. A senior lawyer said the attack was not an offence, but suggested Ministers may have to consider how to protect those entering the metaverse

She is now creating Kabuni, her own educational metaverse for children aged eight to 16, with stricter parental controls.

This technology will be prevalent in our childrens futures, so my mission is to create safe and secure virtual-reality experiences, she said.

A spokesman for Meta, Facebooks parent company, said of Mrs Patels experience: Were sorry to hear this happened. Horizon Venues should be safe and we are committed to building it that way. We will continue to make improvements as we learn more about how people interact in these spaces, especially helping people report things easily and reliably.

However, Mrs Patel is not the only user to have been abused, if reviews on the Venues website are anything to go by. Darren627025 said: Within minutes I was getting abuse.

DamicodNov said: Horrible experience. It is overwhelming to be harassed as soon as you enter.

Ladybug137 said: Was sexually harassed within 30 seconds!
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The latest shipment of weapons from the U.S. arrived in Ukraine on Friday ahead of President Joe Biden's commitment to deploy troops to Eastern Europe without NATO's backing as Russia amassed more than 100,000 troops at its border.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that a plane loaded with Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-armor weapons, grenade launches, artillery, small arms and ammunition has arrived in Ukraine.

It is the fourth part of a $200 million shipment of American military aid that is being sent to help its ally as Biden warned that U.S, troops would be sent near the Russian-Ukraine border 'in the near term'.

However, he said, they would not necessarily be deployed as part of a NATO force.

'I'll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many,' Biden said as he got off Air Force One after a trip to Pittsburgh.

NATO has failed to come up with a common position on deploying troops to the region with many of its 30-strong members against military action.

A US cargo plan carrying Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-armor weapons, grenade launches, artillery, small arms and ammunition arrived in Ukraine on Friday.

It is the fourth part of a $200 million shipment of American military aid that is being sent to help its ally after Russia mobilized more than 100,000 troops to its border with Ukraine

Among the weapons are the Javelins, American-made missiles that use infrared technology to lock on to targets, rising high into the air before slamming down

The shipment was delivered to Kiev ahead of possible Russian aggression ahead of Biden's announcement that he would deploy troops to Eastern Europe

As the weapons were delivered in the Ukraine, a local serviceman showed American allies a mortar shell he says was fired by hostile Russians

President Joe Biden has said he would deploy US troops to Eastern Europe

The latest delivery of arms comes after an 80-tonne shipment of US anti-tank missiles worth some $50 million arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday.

The shipment also contained grenade launchers and ammunition, as well as other non-lethal weapons systems, and comes in addition to anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons already sent by the UK, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Javelins are American-made missiles that use infrared technology to lock on to targets, rising high into the air before slamming down - making them especially deadly against tanks because their armor is thinnest on top, though Javelins can also be used to blow up buildings.

In addition to the Javelins, Ukraine has been given American Stinger missiles which use similar technology to take out aircraft and helicopters, as well as British-made NLAWs - another kind of anti-tank rocket.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov had tweeted on Sunday night that the government had received a second shipment of weapons from the United States.

'The second bird in Kyiv! More than 80 tons of weapons to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities from our friends in the USA! And this is not the end,' Reznikov tweeted, together with photos of the incendiary cargo.

While such weapons are unlikely to tip any conflict decisively in Ukraine's favor, they are designed to inflict punishing losses on Putin's forces to make any invasion as costly and bloody for Moscow as possible.

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley had warned of mass casualties in Ukraine and Eastern Europe should Russia attack with such a large force.

'This is larger in scale and scope, and the massing of forces than anything we've seen in recent memory,' Milley said.

Given the forces Putin has at his disposal, 'if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties,' he added.

'You can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads, and so on and so forth. It would be horrific. It would be terrible. And it's not necessary. And we think a diplomatic outcome is the way to go here.'

Russia could attack Ukraine within weeks, intelligence sources have said, after Biden shared a phone call with President Zelensky last night during which he warned an attack is likely to come in February

An American shipment of 300 anti-tank Javelin missiles worth $50million landed in Kiev on Tuesday, the third batch of a $200million military aid package designed to bring death and destruction to Russia's forces if Putin invades

American Javelin missiles are unloaded from an American transport plane in Kiev, designed to inflict punishing losses on Putin's force if he decides to invade

'Javelins in Kyiv! A new cargo of security aid - launchers & missiles - with a total weight of about 80 tons,' Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted

US Javelin missile vs Russian T-72 tank: How 'curveball' killer is designed to destroy Putin's war machines The FGM-148 Javelin is a US-made missile that is primarily designed to destroy tanks, using a combination of 'curveball' attack - meaning it comes down on its targets from above - and dual high explosive warheads to take them out. Javelins, which cost $175,000 each just for the missile, were developed in the 1990s and have been in service since 1996 - coming up against Russian-designed T-72 tanks during the Second Iraq War, where they proved particularly effective. Russia still uses T-72 tanks - with dozens of T-72Bs now deployed near Ukraine - and while they have undergone several rounds of improvements since Saddam's day, they are still thought to be vulnerable to the missile. Javelins work by using infrared systems to lock on to their targets, meaning troops do not need to keep aiming after pulling the trigger. Once the missile is fired, it ejects from the tube using a small charge - so it can be fired in a confined space - before the main rockets ignite. The missile then flies up to 490ft into the air before slamming down on its target from above - known as a 'curveball' shot. Javelin missiles use a 'curveball' shot - approaching their target from above - which makes them especially deadly against tanks which have less armor on the top. They also have two warheads which are designed to overcome 'reactive' armor that Russia uses A Russian T-72 tank is pictured on training exercises near Ukraine last week. Visible on the turret are 'reactive' armor plates - the rectangular boxes filled with explosives that detonate when struck, throwing incoming missiles off course Russian T-72s are known to be fitted with up to 850mm of armor on their bodies, with the Javelin only able to penetrate through 800mm. But the armor on the top is significantly thinner, meaning the Javelin is easily able to breach it. In order to combat this weakness, Russian tank turrets are typically fitted with 'reactive' armor, made of metal sheets layered with small explosive charges that detonate when they are struck. Simply fitting thicker armor would make the tanks too heavy and slow. Explosions from 'reactive' armor are too small to damage the tank, but large enough to throw incoming projectiles off course. The system is thought to add as much protection as up to 800mm of conventional armor. But the Javelin has an answer to this, in the form of a high-explosive 'tandem' warhead. This means it is fitted with two charges that strike the exact same spot in quick succession. The first is a small charge designed to set off the reactive armor, which is then ineffective. Then a second, much-larger charge, punches through the conventional armor underneath. Putin's generals are clearly worried about this, because last November T-72 tanks began appearing on the frontlines with Ukraine with strange umbrella-like modifications over their main turrets - seemingly designed to defeat Javelins. It is unclear whether such armor would even work, and what effects it might have on the tank's ability to maneuver and shoot, but most tanks seen on the Russian frontlines in recent weeks don't appear to have it fitted - meaning they are still vulnerable to attack. Javelins can also be fired conventionally with a range of up to two and a half miles, meaning they can also be used to blow up buildings, shoot troops hiding in tunnels or caves, and can even attack low-flying or hovering helicopters. And because Javelins are relatively small, lightweight, and can be carried by troops, it means they can be quickly transported to battlefields and deployed without the need to move or deploy accompanying vehicles. Putin's generals are clearly worried they are vulnerable to Javelins, because in recent months tanks have appeared on the frontlines fitted with makeshift armour over the main turret that appears designed to protect against them - though it is not clear this will work A Ukrainian soldier aims a Javelin launcher from the top of an armoured vehicle during a military parade in Kiev in 2018. The weapons can also be carried into battle by troops and fired over-the-shoulder Advertisement

As the Ukraine continues to receive supply support from its allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to hold talks with Ukraine, Germany, and France, cutting out NATO and the US from the peace negotiations.

The blow to NATO and exclusion of America in the peace talks on the Russian-Ukraine crisis came after Putin accused the U.S. and NATO of ignoring the Kremlin's 'fundamental concerns' over NATO's growth during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

During the call, Putin argued that the West had refused Russians demands of 'preventing NATO expansion, refusing to deploy strike weapons systems near Russian borders' and withdrawing allied forces to positions they held in 1997, prior to NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe, Politico reported.

Rather than meet with NATO, Putin has agreed to discuss the issue with the European-led Normandy Format, a grouping that includes France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. Their meetings center on the cease-fire agreement that the countries brokered in eastern Ukraine in 2015, and it also offers a path to a broader settlement.

Putin said he had 'no offensive plans' in eastern Ukraine, according to Macron, who said the nations' talks would focus on 'de-escalation' along the Ukraine-Russian border, the New York Times reported.

The Normandy Format will meet in Berlin in two weeks..

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured in 2020, spoke over the phone on Friday and agreed to meet with the Normandy Format in Berlin in two week, which excludes the US and NATO, to discuss the crisis in the Ukraine

The new negotiate Biden said he would deploy troops to the Ukraine-Russian border, a move that NATO has yet to endorse or reject

NATO member countries located closer to Russia fear antagonizing Putin while countries such as Germany rely on Russia for 50 per cent of their gas.

Just one country can veto any action by the entire alliance.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon told 8,500 troops in the U.S. to be on high alert for a potential deployment to Eastern Europe, as Russia has already amassed over 100,000 troops at the Ukraine border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the global media in Kiev Friday and pushed back on world leaders who have publicly stressed the prospect of Russian invasion  following a call with President Biden where the president raised the 'distinct possibility' Russian troops would soon overrun his country.

'There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic - how much does it cost for our state?' said Zelensky.

He indirectly criticized the decision by the U.S. to pull family members of diplomats out of the country as yet another measure that could feed 'panic' that could be counterproductive.

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said.

'I don't consider the situation now more tense than before. There is a feeling abroad that there is war here. That's not the case,' said Zelensky. 'I am not saying an escalation is not possible...(but) we don't need this panic,' he said.

He even made a 'Don't Look Up' reference after the Leonardo DiCaprio film on Netflix about an imminent asteroid heading for the planet, after he was compared to hapless leaders online, the Guardian reported.

With Britain withdrawing diplomats even as the Greeks maintained their presence, Zelensky said: 'The captains should not leave the ship. I don't think we have a Titanic here.'

His reassurances came on a day when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley warned of the stakes and spoke to U.S. military preparations to assist NATO allies.

'There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning,' assessed General Mark Milley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who warned of 'horrific' consequences should Russia mobilize it's 100,000 troops already at the Ukraine border

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said

'We don't have a Titanic here,' he said Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Amid public talk of a Russian invasion, he said: 'We don't need this panic'

Asked whether Putin has enough troops for a full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Austin replied: 'I mean, you've heard the chairman say earlier that he's got north of 100,000 troops in the border region. That gives him a number of options. What he's done as he's continued to move troops and resources into the region is increased his options. And so, we won't predict where his decisions will take him, but we remain concerned about the range of options that that he could pursue and will stay focused on this problem set.'

Milley said the pair do not believe Putin has made a decision. But he added: 'Sure, with 1000 troops. You've got combined arms formations, ground maneuver, artillery, rockets, you got air and all the other piece parts that go with it. There's a potential that they could launch on very, very little warning. That's possible. And there's a wide scale of options that are available to Russian leadership. The best option they should pick, in my view, is a diplomatic solution to resolve whatever differences they have,' he said.

'If war were to break out on the scale and scope that is possible, the civilian population would suffer immensely,' Milley said at the Pentagon. Austin said the 100,000-plus Troops Russia has positioned 'far and away exceeds what we typically see them do for exercises. 'It's very concerning,' he said.
A former Royal Marine is due to stand trial charged with plotting to plant a bomb in the heart of Londons legal district.

Michael Broddle, 45, allegedly conspired with a 17-year-old boy last September to place a device at Grays Inn, one of the four historic Inns of Court in London.

It is claimed the pair intended to induce another to believe it was likely to explode or ignite thereby causing injury to person or property.

Broddle faces two further charges of possessing an explosive substance. The pair have pleaded not guilty to all the charges and face a two-week trial later this year.

It is claimed the pair intended to induce another to believe it was likely to explode or ignite thereby causing injury to person or property. Gray's Inn square is pictured above

The case has gone largely unreported, but The Mail on Sunday understands it is likely to attract interest due to Broddles former career in the Armed Forces and the iconic location where the device was allegedly placed.

Broddle, from Hounslow, West London, served as a Royal Marine commando for more than 11 years between 1994 and 2005.

He appeared last November at a hearing at the Old Bailey in London via videolink from Wandsworth prison, while the teenager attended in person.

Broddle and the youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly placed an object described as Device 1 at Grays Inn on or before September 17.

The teenager is accused of having the device in such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion he did not have it for a lawful purpose.

Broddle is also accused of possessing an explosive substance referred to as Device one and Device two on September 14.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC, the Recorder of London, has set a two-week trial to start on October 24.

Broddle remains in custody. The youth remains on conditional bail.
Russian army self-propelled howitzers fire during military drills near Orenburg in the Urals, Russia, Dec. 16, 2021, in this screen capture from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service. With tens of thousands of Russian troops positioned near Ukraine, the Kremlin has kept the U.S. and its allies guessing about its next moves in the worst Russia-West security crisis since the Cold War. AP-Yonhap





Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday the buildup of Russian forces along Ukraine's border has reached the point where President Vladimir Putin now has a complete range of military options, including actions short of a full-scale invasion.







''While we don't believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has the capability,'' Austin told a Pentagon news conference.







In Moscow, the Kremlin said Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron that the West has failed to take Russian security concerns into account, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a radio interviewer that Russia doesn't want war but sees no room for compromise on its demands.







Austin said Putin could use any portion of his force of an estimated 100,000 troops to seize Ukrainian cities and ''significant territories'' or to launch ''coercive acts or provocative political acts'' such as the recognition of breakaway territories inside Ukraine. He urged Putin to de-escalate the tensions.







Austin spoke alongside Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said Russian forces near Ukraine include not only ground troops and naval and air forces, but also cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as special operations troops. He urged Putin to choose a diplomatic path over conflict.







''If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, it will not be cost-free, in terms of casualties and other significant effects,'' Milley said. He was referring to Russian costs, while also noting that Ukraine's armed forces are more capable today than in 2014 when Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and intervened in support of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern industrial heartland.







The comments by Austin and Milley were their first extensive public statements about Ukraine this year. The news conference itself marked a subtle shift in the administration's approach to public communications about the months-long Ukraine crisis, which until now has focused on the White House and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has spearheaded the administration's diplomatic efforts. Milley and Austin have consulted regularly in recent weeks with their counterparts in allied countries and in Ukraine but have revealed little about the content of those communications or about their views of the crisis.







Earlier Friday, the Kremlin said Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron that the West has failed to consider Russia's key conditions of halting further NATO expansion, stopping the deployment of alliance weapons near Russian borders, and rolling back its forces from Eastern Europe.







The U.S. and NATO formally rejected those demands this week, although Washington outlined areas where discussions are possible, offering hope that there could be a way to avoid war amid the troop buildup near Ukraine.







Service members of the 35th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces take part in troops deployment drills in Odessa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released Jan. 28. Reuters-Yonhap





Despite that, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Thursday, that there was a ''distinct possibility'' that Russia could take military action against the former Soviet state in February. Russia has repeatedly denied having any such plans.







Zelenskyy, however, sought to play down the war fears, saying Western alarm over an imminent invasion has prompted many investors in the country's financial markets to cash out.







''We don't need this panic,'' he said at a news conference. ''It costs Ukrainians dearly.''







Putin told Macron that Moscow will study the U.S. and NATO response before deciding its next move, according to a Kremlin account of their call. Earlier in the day, Putin held a weekly meeting of his Security Council, saying only that it would address foreign policy issues.







Putin has made no public remarks about the Western response, but Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it leaves little chance for reaching agreement.







''While they say they won't change their positions, we won't change ours,'' Lavrov told Russian radio stations in a live interview. ''I don't see any room for compromise here.''






A private hire driver has admitted raping a woman in Croydon, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.

Homayon Ahmadi, 33, from Uxbridge, West London also pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court.

On April 19, 2021, a 41-year-old woman called police and said she had been picked up by a cab earlier that evening. She told officers that during the journey, the driver pulled over to the side of the road and raped her.

According to Scotland Yard Ahmadi pleaded guilty to raping the woman at Croydon Crown Court.

Homayon Ahmadi, 33, from Uxbridge, West London also pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court.

He is due to be sentenced a the court on March 3, according to the Metropolitan Police

He is due to be sentenced at the same court on March 3.

According to police: 'While the investigation was ongoing, a 21-year-old women called police on July 25, 2021, saying that she and a friend had been picked up by a cab in central London.'

The woman told detectives that during the journey, Ahmadi stopped off at an off licence and bought some whisky.

One victim said Ahmadi offered the women the alcohol and asked that they came back to his house.

The women told detectives that they felt threatened while on Hornsey Street, N7 and attempted to leave the car.

Ahmadi grabbed and sexually assaulted both women as they tried to leave the car.

Officers were able to track him down using cell data analysis and images from CCTV.

Once he was arrested, a DNA sample linked him to the earlier rape.

Officers searching Ahmadi's car found a purple pencil case filled with condoms and baby oil in his glove box.

Detective Constable Natalie Alchin, who led the investigation, said: 'Ahmadi is a dangerous and predatory offender who used his position as a private hire driver to target vulnerable women as they made their way home.

'The victims in this case showed great courage in coming forward to police. They have played a vital part in his conviction and we hope that this case encourages other women who have been subject to sexual offences to come forward.

'There may be other victims of Ahmadi who until now have not spoken to police. If you believe this is you, please contact us on 101. We have specialist officers who will support you.

'Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers completely anonymously on 0800 555 111.'
Police have appealed for help in finding a teenager who was last seen on a bus in north London three days ago, as his mother said she is 'absolutely worried sick'.

Kameron Parchment, 14, from Barnet, has been missing since around 5pm on Wednesday when his friend saw him on the 134 bus heading towards North Finchley.

The teenager was described as wearing black trousers, a white Nike top and black jumper when he was last seen.

Despite multiple appeals on social media, Kameron has not been heard or since Wednesday, with his mother saying it was 'really out of character for him'.

Kameron Parchment (pictured), 14, from Barnet, has been missing since around 5pm on Wednesday when his friend saw him on the 134 bus heading towards North Finchley

In a statement issued by the Metropolitan Police on Saturday, his mother, who was not named, said: 'I am absolutely worried sick about Kameron.

'It is really out of character for him.'

'All I want is for him to contact me, just so I know he is alright,' she added.

She then appealed directly to her son, urging him to get in touch if he read her message.

'We all love you very much, we just want to know you're safe,' she said.

Kameron is said to have some knowledge of the Hornsey and Wood Green areas and may have been in the Friern Barnet and Finchley areas, the Met Police said.

Despite multiple appeals on social media, Kameron (pictured) has not been heard or since Wednesday, with his mother saying it was 'really out of character for him'

Detective Inspector Jon Moseling, of the North West Command Unit, which covers Barnet, said: 'Kameron has been missing for a significant period of time and the longer this goes on, the more concerning it is.

'I would appeal to anyone who has information about Kameron's whereabouts to get in touch immediately.

'At the heart of this is a young boy whose family are in shock about him going missing - if you can help us find their son and brother, please don't hesitate to get in touch.'

Anyone with information is urged to call 101 and quote CAD 5391/26JAN or dial 999 in an emergency or to report an immediate sighting of Kameron.
Oliver Twist may have wanted more, but university academics think the Charles Dickens classic is too much for some students.

The novel has become the latest recipient of a 'trigger warning' amid fears its depictions of poverty and crime-ridden London could cause 'anxiety' or 'distress'.

Staff at Royal Holloway, the University of London, have issued a content note for the book, alerting its readers to themes of 'child abuse', 'domestic violence' and 'racial prejudice'.

One chapter which could be deemed to be upsetting for some is the workhouse scene, where the orphan Oliver delivers the infamous line, 'Please, sir, I want some more'  only to be hit with a ladle by the master, Mr Bumble.

The details of the warning on the Victorian Literature, Art and Culture MA course emerged in a Freedom of Information request by The Mail on Sunday.

The novel Oliver Twist has become the latest recipient of a 'trigger warning' amid fears its depictions of poverty and crime-ridden London could cause 'anxiety' or 'distress'. (Above, a scene from the 1968 film version, Oliver!)

Staff at Royal Holloway, the University of London, have issued a content note for the book, alerting its readers to themes of 'child abuse', 'domestic violence' and 'racial prejudice'

The book has inspired an Oscar-winning musical, a Disney cartoon film and countless family-friendly TV and film adaptations. (Above, Tom Hardy, as Bill Sikes, and Sophie Okonedo as Nancy in a BBC TV version from 2007)

The details of the warning on the Victorian Literature, Art and Culture MA course emerged in a Freedom of Information request by The Mail on Sunday

Royal Holloway last night defended the content note, saying it was sometimes necessary to alert students to 'potentially sensitive topics' which could cause them 'anxiety or distress, perhaps as a consequence of past experience'.

Set against the backdrop of London's criminal underworld, the novel  published in 1838  features some of English literature's most colourful characters including the master thief Fagin, the young pickpocket the Artful Dodger and violent robber Bill Sikes.

While it does not hide from the horrors of the period, critics have pointed out its enduring popularity with school children.

Jeremy Black, emeritus professor of history at the University of Exeter and the author of England In The Age Of Dickens, said: 'All novels share the characteristics of life itself. They can disturb, but that is an aspect of maturity.

'Oliver Twist is a moral tale that along the way throws light on the need for family and the dynamics of gang life. It is also part of our literary heritage.'

The book has inspired an Oscar-winning musical, a Disney cartoon film and countless family-friendly TV and film adaptations.

Sir David Lean's big screen adaptation in 1948 has a U certificate and the 1968 musical Oliver! is rated PG.

The MoS last week revealed staff at the University of Northampton had issued an alert about George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four  a classic which warns against the dangers of censorship. Salford University has issued warnings for Dickens's Great Expectations and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

Royal Holloway's trigger warning is the latest in a series introduced by universities across the country.

The MoS last week revealed staff at the University of Northampton had issued an alert about George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four  a classic which warns against the dangers of censorship.

Salford University has issued warnings for Dickens's Great Expectations and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.

A spokesman for Royal Holloway, University of London said: 'We recognise our responsibility to support the mental health and wellbeing of our students and content warnings are part of this.

'Their use is a standard and accepted practice within academia, and they exist to educate and inform students in advance around potentially sensitive topics which could cause them anxiety or distress, perhaps as a consequence of past experience.'
The lawyer representing Prince Andrews accuser Virginia Roberts is set to quiz the Duke of York in London for up to two days  but says he will not require evidence from his former wife, daughters or the Queen.

David Boies, 80, one of Americas most renowned attorneys, yesterday suggested Andrew will find the experience of being questioned under oath a little uncomfortable  but held out the possibility that a financial deal could be done.

Ms Roberts claims in a civil suit that she was trafficked by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17.

David Boies, 80, one of Americas most renowned attorneys, yesterday suggested Andrew will find the experience of being questioned under oath a little uncomfortable  but held out the possibility that a financial deal could be done

The Duke last week issued 41 denials, rejecting all allegations of wrongdoing. In his official response, he stated a further 40 times that he lacks sufficient information to admit or deny other claims.

Mr Boies is preparing to fly to Britain later this year to take a legal deposition from the Duke, which he expects to last a day, or probably two.

Im going to try to get him to understand that this is not going to be combative, he told The Daily Telegraph. Obviously, Im going to ask him a lot of questions.

And although some of the questions may be uncomfortable, Im not going to be aggressive or in any way offensive to him. Im going to be respectful.

Mr Boies is known as the greatest deposition taker in America and has secured or won for clients nine settlements of more than a billion dollars. He represented Presidential candidate Al Gore after the disputed 2000 election and helped change the law in California to allow gay people to marry.

Andrews deposition must be taken before a July 14 deadline set by the judge. Should the case go to court, Mr Boies said he doesnt think we would need Andrews ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, or his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to testify.

Mr Boies is preparing to fly to Britain later this year to take a legal deposition from the Duke, which he expects to last a day, or probably two, though he says he probably will not need to speak to Prince Andrew's wider family

The Duke says he has no recollection of ever meeting Ms Roberts, who now uses her married name Giuffre, and last week said he lacks sufficient information to admit or deny whether a famous photograph of him with his arm around her waist in March 2001 exists

He added that while conversations Andrew had had with the Queen could be used, its hard to get at those, because hes probably not going to admit to them, and were not going to depose her.

The Duke says he has no recollection of ever meeting Ms Roberts, who now uses her married name Giuffre, and last week said he lacks sufficient information to admit or deny whether a famous photograph of him with his arm around her waist in March 2001 exists.

Mr Boies claimed he had tried to avoid litigation and remains perplexed at the Dukes legal strategy. He could have said, I didnt know she was underage. He could have said, This was an entirely consensual affair. There are a number of things he could have said that would have been hard to attack. But this is incomprehensible.

Legal experts have widely predicted that Andrew will be forced to settle the case out of court with a financial payment.

While Mr Boies said his client will not want to settle if Andrew continued to deny knowing her and suggesting the 2001 photograph was fake, he did accept that she will consider a financial offer if it was large enough to be a vindication.

He said: We would be unlikely to settle in a situation in which somebody just handed over a cheque. So if Prince Andrew maintains Ive never heard of this person, I dont know who she is, The photographs are fake, then I dont think we would settle on that basis.

That said, if you had a settlement that was large enough to be, in effect, a vindication, then its something we would obviously look at.
Energy giants have doubled the amount of gas sourced from the North Sea and the Irish Sea being sold to foreign buyers, even as millions of families here struggle with soaring bills.

The surge in exports, at a time when wholesale gas prices have been hitting record highs, will spark fresh accusations that companies are profiteering from the crisis.

It is also likely to lead to louder calls for a multi-billion-pound windfall tax on companies such as BP and Shell, with the money going to help hard-pressed consumers.

Domestic gas and electricity bills are set to rise by nearly 50 per cent to an average 1,900 this year under plans by regulator Ofgem to raise its cap on prices.

Energy giants have doubled the amount of gas sourced from the North Sea and the Irish Sea being sold to foreign buyers, even as millions of families here struggle with soaring bills. (File photo)

Some in the Government want VAT cut on energy bills, but the Treasury is opposed because it would help rich households as well as poorer ones.

There is no data on which firms have been cashing in on the export boom. However, energy giants have been openly delighted by the rise in prices of both gas and oil.

In November, BP chief executive Bernard Looney described his company as 'literally like a cash machine' as he handed out billions of pounds to shareholders.

Information on natural gas exports is tucked away in statistics compiled by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

They show that sales of British gas to foreign buyers between September and November 2021 were double the same period the year before.

Total exports amounted to 31,975 gigawatt hours for the three-month period, compared with 15,380 in 2020 and 19,633 in 2019.

The surge in exports, at a time when wholesale gas prices have been hitting record highs, will spark fresh accusations that companies are profiteering from the crisis. It is also likely to lead to louder calls for a multi-billion-pound windfall tax on companies such as BP and Shell, with the money going to help hard-pressed consumers

The largest recipients of gas from the UK were Belgium, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland.

Richard Black, founder of the independent Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: 'It will probably come as a surprise to many people that when gas is eye-wateringly expensive, millions are struggling with bills and warnings of shortages are everywhere, gas exports from Britain to the Continent have been unusually high  at least 50 per cent higher than usual for the time of year.

'The reason is very simple. The gas doesn't belong to Britain or the British people  it's extracted by commercial companies that sell to the highest bidder, wherever that may be.'

One reason for the exports is that the UK has very limited capacity to store gas compared with other European countries.

The Netherlands has nine times the storage, while Germany has 16 times.

Will Webster, energy policy manager for industry body Oil & Gas UK, said: 'We don't have much gas storage capacity in the UK, so at times when demand is low and we have too much gas in the UK system, it is exported to Europe, where the market is larger and more storage is available.

'This gas often flows back to the UK later when it is needed.'

Britain produces about half the gas it uses domestically from fields under the North Sea and Irish Sea.

A Government spokesperson said: The Energy Price Cap is currently insulating millions of consumers from high global gas prices. Well continue to listen to consumers and businesses on how to manage the costs of energy.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to launch a charm offensive in the Caribbean as part of a tour to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year.

Belize, where the Queen is head of state and Prince William once trained with the Welsh Guards, is understood to be among the destinations on a trip that would have 'a focus on ecological issues'.

Representatives for the Cambridges were spotted last week on the Central American nation's paradise island of Ambergris Caye in what locals said was an 'advance party' preparing for a Royal tour in the spring.

A source on the island said: 'Their people were very secretive and kept saying this had to be kept very quiet, but on a small island like Ambergris Caye it's impossible to keep anything quiet for very long.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to launch a charm offensive in the Caribbean as part of a tour to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year

Belize (pictured), where the Queen is head of state and Prince William once trained with the Welsh Guards, is understood to be among the destinations on a trip that would have 'a focus on ecological issues'

In November, Prince Charles visited Barbados (above) for a ceremony to mark its historic decision to remove the Queen as head of state

The last high-profile Royal visit to Belize was made by Prince Harry in 2012 to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (above)

'They were talking about a four-day visit to Belize in March as part of a longer trip to this part of the world. They said William and Kate might visit the Caye and also go to mainland Belize. It's all anyone here is talking about. We are so excited.'

A visit from two of the most glamorous Royals would shore up crucial support for the Monarchy in the region.

In November, Prince Charles visited Barbados for a ceremony to mark its historic decision to remove the Queen as head of state.

Other Commonwealth countries in the region, including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Dominica, already have their own heads of state.

Last year, John Briceno, the Prime Minister of Belize, did not rule out his nation following suit, saying: 'We need to find what fits Belize best.'

The last high-profile Royal visit to Belize was made by Prince Harry in 2012 to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

He attended a street party, sampled the local rum and opened a road renamed in his grandmother's honour.

The Queen is pictured in Belize in 1985. A visit from two of the most glamorous Royals would shore up crucial support for the Monarchy in the region

Prince Charles attends a Prince's Trust International engagement in Bridgetown, Barbados, last November

A decade on, with Harry and Prince Andrew having stepped back from Royal responsibilities, there are far fewer members of the family able to carry out official duties on behalf of the 95-year-old Queen.

'This leaves more work for the Cambridges, and Charles and Camilla,' said a Palace insider.

'You can't underestimate the importance of a visit by Charles, because the heir to the throne will always outrank other senior Royals, but at the same time you can't deny that the Cambridges have a certain stardust.'

A source in Belize said: 'When Barbados declared independence there was a lot of talk in Belize about us going the same way. But we love the Queen.

'We have photographs of her in every government building and there is a great deal of affection for her as a person, even if some of the younger generation are leaning away from the Monarchy. William and Kate coming to visit us would be a huge triumph.'

The Belize trip might form part of a much wider Caribbean tour taking in other Commonwealth nations such as St Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, and St Lucia. Kensington Palace declined to comment.
Prince Andrew made eight trips to China as a guest of an organisation accused of being a puppet for the Chinese Communist Partys feared intelligence agency.

During the visits  most made on behalf of his Pitch@Palace business mentoring initiative  the Duke of York heralded closer UK-China co-operation, prompting critics to this weekend accuse him of being a useful idiot for Beijing.

The visits, made between 2010 and 2019, were at the invitation of the Chinese Peoples Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA).

It is alleged the group answers to the United Front Work Department (UFWD), the Communist regimes intelligence and propaganda unit. This month, MI5 said the UFWD was involved in foreign interference and was seeking to corrupt and coerce British politicians.

Prince Andrew, pictured left, has been described as a 'useful idiot' over his willingness to facilitate contact the Chinese regime and President Xi, right

Senior Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: It is unfortunate that Prince Andrew appears to have been used this way'

Senior Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: It is unfortunate that Prince Andrew appears to have been used this way. Questioning the advice provided to the Prince by the security services, he added: Did they advise him of the dangers in dealing with these organisations and, if not, why not? If they didnt, this is a second failing of them after not gripping the original infiltration of Westminster.

When Prince Andrews trips began in 2010, UK relations with China were warm. But by 2016, British policy had started to shift amid troubling reports of the repression of the Muslim Uighur minority and crackdowns on pro-democracy campaigners. Despite that, Andrew made five visits between 2016 and 2019 on behalf of Pitch@Palace, the Dragons Den-style company he established after losing his UK trade envoy role because of his friendship with US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

As recently as December 2020, Andrew wrote to CPIFA to apologise for not being able to visit.

During a visit in May 2018, the Duke reportedly extolled the virtues of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The policy, which sees China build infrastructure projects in developing countries, has been criticised because the regime can seize assets in the event of a debt default or exert influence over these countries.

Later that year, the Duke unveiled the multiple-language editions of President Xis propaganda book, The Governance Of China, at an event in London.

Mareike Ohlberg, co-author of Hidden Hand, a book that details the Chinese Communist Partys efforts to influence opinion overseas, said: Prince Andrew is a classic useful idiot and seemingly allows himself to be used.

US think-tanks the Hoover Institution and the Asia Society have both accused CPIFA of being a part of the broader United Front work groups that seek to influence foreign elites.

It is understood the Princes visits were funded by Pitch@Palace, which established a Chinese arm in 2016. The Royal Court Circular lists his visits to China but does not mention CPIFA or its invitations.

The UK arm of Pitch@Palace is to be wound up in the wake of Andrew stepping back from Royal duties, but it is believed its global operations will continue.

Last night, a source close to the Duke said: Any foreign dignitary would always be hosted by the CPIFA.

The Duke was in attendance on behalf of Pitch@Palace Global.

The Chinese Embassy in London did not respond to requests for comment.
NSW has recorded 13,524 new cases and 52 deaths on Sunday marking the states deadliest day of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Victoria hit 10,589 new infections and 20 deaths - down from the 39 fatalities reported on Friday and the 31 announced on Saturday.

The state continues to experience a dip in new infections and deaths while cases in NSW rose very slightly - up from 13,354 cases the previous day.

Hospitalisations were steady with 2,663 patients in NSW hospitals and 889 in Victoria, with ICU numbers in the two states hitting 182 and 35.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said 31 of the 52 deaths were nursing home residents, including 21 who died in the aged care facilities.

Just two had received booster shots, 20 were vaccinated, two had only one dose, and seven were unvaccinated.

NSW has recorded 13,524 new cases and 52 deaths on Sunday marking the states deadliest day of the pandemic (pictured, pedestrians in Melbourne)

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured) is scheduled to make an announcement on financial support for businesses on Sunday morning

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Sunday announced $1 billion in financial support for businesses.

Mr Perrottet told Sky News on Sunday morning he expected the number of people dying with the virus would stay steady as the country braced for flu season.

He predicted it could be 'difficult' to curtail new cases in upcoming cooler months.

'This is the new world,' the premier said. 'We expect those (death) numbers to stay pretty consistent.

'We look at the evidence in front of us and find a balance between the health impact, economic impact, mental health impacts and tailor our settings.'

More than eight million rapid antigen tests have been distributed to over 3,000 NSW schools ahead of the return of term one of the year.

Education secretary Georgina Harrisson says the test distribution has been 'one of the most challenging logistical undertakings in recent memory'.

More than eight million rapid antigen tests have been distributed to over 3,000 NSW schools ahead of the return of term one of the year (pictured, a Sydney testing clinic)

Parents should already have been informed about how they can pick up RATs before the first day of term for public school students begins on Tuesday.

Those attending private schools returned to school on Thursday.

The government released its back-to-school plan on Sunday, with advice that all students take a rapid test before the first day of term one.

As criticism grew over the distribution of tests, Mr Perrottet said on Thursday there was 'never a requirement' for students to be rapid tested on day one of term.

The government released its back-to-school plan on Sunday, with advice that all students take a rapid test before the first day of term one (pictured, a shopper walks in Sydney)

Department staff have been volunteering their time, some of them delivering tests to schools using their own cars, while one school used a ferry to get kits to families.

The back-to-school plan says testing will continue twice a week for the first four weeks of the term in a bid to reduce the number of infections entering classrooms.

Meanwhile, about one third of eligible five to 11-year-olds in NSW have received a dose of a Covid vaccine as the rollout enters its fourth week.

The premier said on Friday as school returned and people went back to the office there was 'no doubt' case numbers would increase.

He added our 'health care system, hospitalisations and ICU' were in a 'strong position' to handle a possible rise in cases.

The premier said on Friday as school returned and people went back to the office there was 'no doubt' case numbers would increase (pictured, pedestrians in Chinatown, Sydney)

'Living alongside the virus means there will be cases of the virus in the community each and every day.

'When mobility increases, case numbers increase. That is the model we've moved to in NSW, Australia and around the world.'

It comes as a new variant dubbed 'the son' of Omicron has touched down on Australian shores, health authorities have confirmed.

The new BA.2 subvariant has swept across Europe and already makes up 45 per cent of all cases in Denmark. So far the 'stealth' variant doesn't appear to be more dangerous.

However scientists fear it could also be even harder to track than previous strains as it can only be confirmed through lab analysis rather than a PCR test.
The senior civil servant investigating Partygate has taken evidence about a 'Winner Takes It All' Abba party to mark the resignation of Dominic Cummings, The Mail on Sunday has been told.

It is understood that as part of her inquiry into socialising in Boris Johnson's No 10 flat, Sue Gray has been told about a 'victory party' held by friends of the Prime Minister's then fiancee Carrie Symonds on the night of November 13, 2020, after Mr Cummings had left with his belongings in a box.

He had allegedly lost a power struggle with Ms Symonds and other advisers.

'There was the sound of lots of banging and dancing and drinking, and a number of Abba tracks  including a triumphalist Winner Takes It All,' a source said.

The party was first reported by The Mail on Sunday two days later  although it was not then known about the Abba tracks.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson said: 'It is totally untrue to suggest Mrs Johnson held a party in the Downing Street flat on November 13, 2020.'

The Metropolitan Police could now investigate the party as part of its probe, and call on Mrs Johnson to provide written evidence.

The Sue Gray report is expected to bu published next week in redacted form. Boris Johnson is pictured being updated on the situation in Ukraine by the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Charles Stickland

Power struggle: Carrie Johnson, who may have to give evidence to the police inquiry

Over and out: Cummings leaving No10

Tunes: Abba songs were allegedly played in the No10 flat

Last week the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced officers have launched a criminal inquiry after assessing a dossier of evidence compiled by Ms Gray.

The police inquiry will reportedly focus on eight out of 17 parties looked at by Ms Gray.

The force then clarified it was looking at potential Covid breaches that are dealt with by fixed-term penalty notices.

It is understood that the Prime Minister's wife has not been interviewed by Ms Gray's inquiry or approached by the police.

Partygate? Nothing more than a sophomore slump BY ANNA MIKHAILOVA, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Partygate is nothing more than a 'sophomore slump' for Boris Johnson, a senior Downing Street adviser told Tory donors last week. The American expression, used by Isaac Levido, the No 10 strategist, describes students who are less successful in their second year than their first. It's similar to 'midterm blues' in US politics, where incumbents lose support but pick it up as an election nears. Mr Levido, credited with helping mastermind Mr Johnson's successful 2019 election campaign, was a protege of strategist Sir Lynton Crosby and worked in Washington. Sources on the call to donors said Mr Levido told them: 'It's all going to be fine, we have time.' The Conservative Party was in a 'better position than Labour', he said. Tory MP Adam Holloway yesterday defended Mr Johnson over lockdown-breaking party allegations. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'He's the PM of a nuclear-armed state, operating in a Downing Street that at the time was [on] a war footing with 300-plus passholders virtually working... 24/7. 'He's not the office manager. And if he's asked to go outside and thank some staff, I'm not sure what the crime is there.' Advertisement

Mr Cummings resigned as Mr Johnson's de facto chief of staff after losing the alleged power struggle with Mrs Johnson.

He has previously claimed there was a 'party' in the Downing Street flat on the night of his departure.

Civil servants in the building at the time were advised by officials to go to the Downing Street flat to apologise for not sufficiently supporting the Prime Minister's then-fiancee.

'They were ordered to go up and kiss the ring,' one said.

It comes as a former senior policeman suggested Downing Street staff who have been interviewed by Ms Gray could retract their testimony.

Former chief superintendent Dai Davies, who was in charge of Royal Protection, told the Daily Mail: 'Now it's a legal quagmire.

'Anyone who has spoken to her inquiry could retract their evidence, arguing they did not know it could be used against them in a criminal inquiry.'

Sources said this was possible but any change of evidence would likely be sent directly to the police, rather than Ms Gray amending her report.

A source close to Ms Gray's inquiry said the evidence she presented to police should be seen as a 'starting point'.

The Met Police said suspects will be asked to give written evidence as part of its inquiry, which appeared to undermine reports the Prime Minister could be interviewed under caution.

Ms Gray's long-awaited report is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister within days.

The Met is under fire for its 'farcical' handling of Partygate. After first refusing to investigate, last week it announced a criminal inquiry days before the Sue Gray report was due to be published  and asking her to make 'minimal references' to parties at the centre of the row.

Former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption said the police had 'no legal right to demand that Sue Gray delay publication of her report and it is constitutionally undesirable that they have done so'.

Meanwhile, speculation mounted over an expected leadership contest to replace Mr Johnson, should he be deposed.

Yesterday Tom Tugendhat became the first Conservative MP to declare his intention to run in a leadership contest.

Asked in a Times Radio interview which will air today whether he would like to be Prime Minister, the Tonbridge & Malling MP said: 'It would be a huge privilege.'

He added: 'It's up to all of us to put ourselves forward. And it's up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose.'

The former soldier added: 'There isn't a vacancy at the moment', and insisted he had not been canvassing support.

Jeremy Hunt, the former Foreign Secretary who came second to Mr Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, recently said his ambition to be leader had not 'completely vanished'.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are expected to be the frontrunners in a contest, with other potential contenders including Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

A No 10 spokeswoman said last night she could not comment on the Gray inquiry.
A woman who was found dead in a house in Birmingham along with a man has been named by locals as Lucy Powell.

Officers forced their way into the house in Stechford, east Birmingham, at 9.30pm on Thursday and found the bodies of a man, 47, and woman, 21.

Police attended the scene after the couple were not responding to calls from worried friends and relatives. The man has not been named.

Friends of Lucy flocked to social media to pay tribute to the 'amazing' mother-of-two, describing her as a 'wonderful soul'.

A woman who was found dead in a house in Stechford, east Birmingham, at 9.30pm on Thursday has been named by locals as Lucy Powell

Friends of Lucy flocked to social media to pay tribute to the 'amazing' mother-of-two, describing her as a 'wonderful soul'

One person wrote: 'So Heartbreaking R.I.P. Lucy how can the world just take a amazing girl and mom to both her children. Always in our thoughts'

Another said: 'My thoughts and prayers go out to u all R.I.P lucy'

While a third commented: 'Thinking of you all absolutely heartbreaking RIP Lucy xxx'

And a fourth penned: 'Im sorry for your loss, Lucy was a wonderful soul to work with. I'm in shock' (sic)

MailOnline has contacted West Midlands Police for further comment.

The force described it as an 'isolated incident' and confirmed they had sealed off the address to conduct thorough forensic examinations of the scene.

Officers forced their way into the house in Stechford, in east Birmingham at 9.30pm on Thursday where they found the bodies of a 47-year-old man and 21-year-old woman inside

Police attended the scene after the couple were not responding to calls from worried friends and relatives

West Midlands Police said the couple's family were being supported by specially trained family liaison officers and a post mortem will be carried out.

Chief Superintendent Mat Shaer, from Birmingham East Police, said: 'This is truly awful and my heart goes out to the couple's family and friends.

'It was clear that nothing could be done to save the man or woman.

'No doubt this will come as a huge shock to neighbours and the local community.

'But we believe this is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the wider public.'

West Midlands Ambulance Service said they were not required at the scene.
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Boris Johnson was forced to abandon his plans to cancel Christmas after a revolt by furious Cabinet colleagues who warned that the idea was 'insane', anti-lockdown Ministers have told The Mail on Sunday.

They described how a three-pronged attack by former Brexit Minister David Frost, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg forced the Prime Minister to ignore demands by his scientific advisers for families to be banned from mixing over the festive period.

Their account of how close the country came to another lockdown in December can be revealed now for the first time, at the end of a week in which the Cabinet's anti-restriction Ministers have been vindicated.

A Cabinet coup in December stopped Boris Johnson cancelling Christmas for millions of British people

Plan B restrictions such as compulsory face masks in indoor venues have now been lifted in England and new economic data predicts the UK will have the fastest growth of any of the world's leading economies this year.

Allies of Mr Johnson contest the claims that the PM was determined to lock down the country, insisting that he kept an open mind throughout the discussions.

But other insiders have painted a detailed picture of how political pressure from Cabinet colleagues ultimately persuaded him to overrule dire warnings from experts.

The drama started on December 15 when the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, used a press conference to warn that the NHS faced being overwhelmed because of the 'absolutely phenomenal pace' at which the new Omicron variant was spreading.

Prof Whitty also claimed that there would be an 'inevitable increase in hospitalisations', because cases were doubling every two days. Although there was evidence from South Africa, where Omicron had first been identified, that the variant was actually linked to a substantial reduction in the number of patients ending up in hospital, the adviser urged 'really serious caution' over those reports.

Prof Whitty, in tandem with Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), stands accused by senior Whitehall figures of taking a selective approach to the data which was emerging at the time.

Former Brexit Minister David Frost, Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) and Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg forced the Prime Minister to ignore demands by his scientific advisers for families to be banned from mixing over the festive period

As oneinsider said: 'When the early evidence from South Africa suggested that Omicron cases were rising dangerously fast, Whitty and the scientists took it seriously, saying 'the South Africans are very good at data'.

The actual evidence showed that it wasn't translating in hospital admissions or into deaths. Despite this, the advice was to lock down.

'But when subsequent data then indicated that rates of hospitalisation and deaths were not increasing, their stance changed: they argued that the data was highly unreliable, and we should look instead at the increase in our own hospitalisation rates.'

The anti-lockdown Ministers  known as Covid 'hawks'  were particularly angered by Prof Whitty's advice to limit social mixing in the run-up to Christmas, which they knew would have an immediate impact on the hospitality industry.

When Prof Whitty made his remarks, Mr Sunak was 5,000 miles away in California, having flown out the previous day for his first holiday in two years.

Fearing that the Prime Minister would cave in to the scientists and cancel Christmas, the Chancellor rang Mr Johnson to urge restraint; he then made immediate arrangements to fly back to London.

Mr Sunak, who has been the most consistent opponent of Covid restrictions since the pandemic first broke out, arrived back in the UK on Friday December 17.

He went straight in to No 10 to see the Prime Minister, who was, it is claimed, preparing to use a press conference that weekend to impose new restrictions on social interactions.

The scientists' advice over Christmas was to lock the county down as it had the year before. Pictured: Prof Chris Whitty

Mr Sunak insisted that the data did not justify such draconian action, because deeper analysis of the evidence showed that a large proportion of registered Covid admissions to hospitals were actually only detected when patients came in to be treated for a different condition. Mr Johnson agreed to hold off his announcement.

The main advocate for harsher lockdown measures in the Cabinet was Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.

Despite his reputation as a buccaneering champion of the free market, Mr Gove has been a safety-first, pro-lockdown 'dove' in Cabinet since Ministers first met to discuss the response to Covid in early 2020.

It has led his colleagues to speculate that Mr Gove's 'phobic' personality lies behind the impulse  having conquered a fear of flying, they openly ask if he might suffer from mysophobia, a pathological fear of contamination and germs.

The Chancellor had his hand strengthened by the secret resignation of Lord Frost a week earlier over the 'political direction of the Government', including 'coercive' Covid measures.

The Chancellor had his hand strengthened by the secret resignation of Lord Frost (pictured) a week earlier over the 'political direction of the Government', including 'coercive' Covid measures

Lord Frost had agreed to keep his move quiet until January, but his actions hung over Mr Johnson that Saturday, December 18, as the Cabinet were briefed on the data at midday.

At 7.40pm that evening, The Mail on Sunday broke the news of Lord Frost's resignation  galvanising the dozens of Tory backbenchers opposed to tighter restrictions. Four days earlier, 99 Conservative MPs  around one third of the Tories in the Commons  had voted against the Government on plans to introduce Covid passes for selected venues in England. Their WhatsApp groups buzzed with news of his resignation, which they said was a 'hammer blow' for Mr Johnson.

The Prime Minister now feared that if he cancelled Christmas, as advisers were telling him, other Ministers could follow Lord Frost out of the Cabinet. On Sunday December 19, Mr Sunak spoke to Mr Johnson again to warn him that he didn't have 'the political capital' to push through any such measures.

By the time the Cabinet met on Monday afternoon, Mr Johnson had already decided to go with the rebellious 'hawks'.

In a TV interview, he announced: 'We've had a long discussion in Cabinet for a couple of hours now, a very good discussion, at which we agreed that the situation is extremely difficult and the arguments either way are very, very finely balanced.

'I must say to people we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public ... and we won't hesitate to take that action. But in the meantime, what I would say to everybody is please exercise caution as you go about your lives.'

Once Christmas had passed, the pressure from Prof Whitty and the scientists started to ease off because by then it was becoming clear that their doom-laden predictions about a swamped NHS had failed to materialise.

Says an insider: 'That is when they flipped their message to argue that the NHS was resilient and coping.' The decision not to lock down appears to have paid an economic dividend. Research published last week concluded that Britain is more attractive to global financial services businesses as than at any time since the Brexit referendum.

A survey of senior decision-makers at international banks, insurers and asset managers found that 87 per cent planned to expand their operations in the UK or to establish a first operation here, the highest number since 2016.

The Prime Minister now feared that if he cancelled Christmas, as advisers were telling him, other Ministers could follow Lord Frost out of the Cabinet. On Sunday December 19, Mr Sunak spoke to Mr Johnson again to warn him that he didn't have 'the political capital' to push through any such measures

In addition, the International Monetary Fund forecast that the UK economy would grow by 4.7 per cent this year, the highest rate amongst the G7 nations.

Lord Frost  now free to reveal the battle which raged in the run-up to Christmas  told The Mail on Sunday last night: 'I was very concerned in December that we were heading back down the slope to a new lockdown on minimal evidence.

'I regarded Plan B as pointless, damaging, and dangerous to the country's ability to recover from the economic and social trauma of the last two years. That's why I told the PM I couldn't support it and submitted my resignation.

'As we had agreed to delay my departure till January, I was still a Minister when I became aware on December 17 that, as I feared, a new lockdown was being considered. I told the PM this was 'insane' and that I doubted he'd have the party's support for this. I know the Chancellor was also instrumental in opposing further measures.

'The day afterwards, my resignation became public and I left Government. Accordingly I wasn't in the meetings that finally decided against lockdown. But I believe my initial refusal to accept further measures strengthened the wider opposition in Cabinet and helped prevent another ruined Christmas.

'Subsequent events have shown this was the right decision. The country is now on the right path again and we must never again consider lockdowns or indeed take any pandemic measures without full and informed public debate.'

Allies of the Prime Minister dispute that he had to be talked out of cancelling Christmas. One said: 'Boris never wanted to do it  he was keen to have sceptics like Frost in the meetings so that they could make the arguments against a lockdown and he could then use them to face down the scientists.'

Carrie Johnson's friends 'held a Downing St Winner Takes It All Abba party' on the day Dominic Cummings quit and left with his belongings in a box... and as Boris STILL awaits the Partygate report, is that why maverick ex-aide is so vengeful?

By Glen Owen, Dan Hodges and Anna Mikhailova for the Mail on Sunday

The senior civil servant investigating Partygate has taken evidence about a 'Winner Takes It All' Abba party to mark the resignation of Dominic Cummings, The Mail on Sunday has been told.

It is understood that as part of her inquiry into socialising in Boris Johnson's No 10 flat, Sue Gray has been told about a 'victory party' held by friends of the Prime Minister's then fiancee Carrie Symonds on the night of November 13, 2020, after Mr Cummings had left with his belongings in a box.

He had allegedly lost a power struggle with Ms Symonds and other advisers.

Power struggle: Carrie Johnson, who may have to give evidence to the police inquiry

'There was the sound of lots of banging and dancing and drinking, and a number of Abba tracks  including a triumphalist Winner Takes It All,' a source said.

The party was first reported by The Mail on Sunday two days later  although it was not then known about the Abba tracks.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson said: 'It is totally untrue to suggest Mrs Johnson held a party in the Downing Street flat on November 13, 2020.'

The Metropolitan Police could now investigate the party as part of its probe, and call on Mrs Johnson to provide written evidence.

Over and out: Cummings leaving No10

Tunes: Abba songs were allegedly played in the No10 flat

Last week the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced officers have launched a criminal inquiry after assessing a dossier of evidence compiled by Ms Gray.

The police inquiry will reportedly focus on eight out of 17 parties looked at by Ms Gray.

The force then clarified it was looking at potential Covid breaches that are dealt with by fixed-term penalty notices.

It is understood that the Prime Minister's wife has not been interviewed by Ms Gray's inquiry or approached by the police.

Partygate? Nothing more than a sophomore slump BY ANNA MIKHAILOVA, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Partygate is nothing more than a 'sophomore slump' for Boris Johnson, a senior Downing Street adviser told Tory donors last week. The American expression, used by Isaac Levido, the No 10 strategist, describes students who are less successful in their second year than their first. It's similar to 'midterm blues' in US politics, where incumbents lose support but pick it up as an election nears. Mr Levido, credited with helping mastermind Mr Johnson's successful 2019 election campaign, was a protege of strategist Sir Lynton Crosby and worked in Washington. Sources on the call to donors said Mr Levido told them: 'It's all going to be fine, we have time.' The Conservative Party was in a 'better position than Labour', he said. Tory MP Adam Holloway yesterday defended Mr Johnson over lockdown-breaking party allegations. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'He's the PM of a nuclear-armed state, operating in a Downing Street that at the time was [on] a war footing with 300-plus passholders virtually working... 24/7. 'He's not the office manager. And if he's asked to go outside and thank some staff, I'm not sure what the crime is there.' Advertisement

Mr Cummings resigned as Mr Johnson's de facto chief of staff after losing the alleged power struggle with Mrs Johnson.

He has previously claimed there was a 'party' in the Downing Street flat on the night of his departure.

Civil servants in the building at the time were advised by officials to go to the Downing Street flat to apologise for not sufficiently supporting the Prime Minister's then-fiancee.

'They were ordered to go up and kiss the ring,' one said.

It comes as a former senior policeman suggested Downing Street staff who have been interviewed by Ms Gray could retract their testimony.

Former chief superintendent Dai Davies, who was in charge of Royal Protection, told the Daily Mail: 'Now it's a legal quagmire.

'Anyone who has spoken to her inquiry could retract their evidence, arguing they did not know it could be used against them in a criminal inquiry.'

Sources said this was possible but any change of evidence would likely be sent directly to the police, rather than Ms Gray amending her report.

A source close to Ms Gray's inquiry said the evidence she presented to police should be seen as a 'starting point'.

The Met Police said suspects will be asked to give written evidence as part of its inquiry, which appeared to undermine reports the Prime Minister could be interviewed under caution.

Ms Gray's long-awaited report is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister within days.

The Met is under fire for its 'farcical' handling of Partygate. After first refusing to investigate, last week it announced a criminal inquiry days before the Sue Gray report was due to be published  and asking her to make 'minimal references' to parties at the centre of the row.

Former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption said the police had 'no legal right to demand that Sue Gray delay publication of her report and it is constitutionally undesirable that they have done so'.

Meanwhile, speculation mounted over an expected leadership contest to replace Mr Johnson, should he be deposed.

Yesterday Tom Tugendhat became the first Conservative MP to declare his intention to run in a leadership contest.

Asked in a Times Radio interview which will air today whether he would like to be Prime Minister, the Tonbridge & Malling MP said: 'It would be a huge privilege.'

He added: 'It's up to all of us to put ourselves forward. And it's up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose.'

The former soldier added: 'There isn't a vacancy at the moment', and insisted he had not been canvassing support.

Jeremy Hunt, the former Foreign Secretary who came second to Mr Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, recently said his ambition to be leader had not 'completely vanished'.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are expected to be the frontrunners in a contest, with other potential contenders including Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

A No 10 spokeswoman said last night she could not comment on the Gray inquiry.
Britain should overhaul its daily coronavirus death figures to split them up by vaccination status, MPs have said.

And the casualty toll should be divided into how many had received a booster shot, how many were double-jabbed and how many were unvaccinated.

A similar model is used by Switzerland and is seen as a way to encourage the unvaccinated to come forward.

Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the UK's methods of calculating Covid deaths figures are 'terrible' and 'have told a pretty false story'.

'We should break it down  did people die jabbed or unjabbed.

'I'm sure it would encourage better vaccine take-up. You'd be able to say to people for certain  these are your odds of dying if you don't have the jab.'

Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith (pictured) said the UK's methods of calculating Covid deaths figures are 'terrible' and 'have told a pretty false story'

The Chingford and Woodford Green MP also called for the deaths data to be broken down to split out people who died of Covid from those who died infected with Covid, but died for other reasons. He added that, at present: 'We have no way of knowing how many died of Covid, rather than with Covid.'

Splitting it up in this way 'would give us an indication of where exactly the death toll is'.

More than 37 million people in the UK have had their booster jab. And 48million have had their first two jabs.

Sir Iain spoke of a case in his constituency where the family of a man who died in hospital suspected Covid was written on his death certificate to cover up a hospital error. 'When there is a chance they may have made a wrong decision, they slip Covid on the death certificate,' Sir Iain said. 'A lot of questions need to be asked.'

David Davis (pictured), the Conservative MP and former Brexit Secretary, backed the proposals and also called for other breakdowns in the data, including by age and co-morbidities

The MP said he has raised his suggestion to break down the data with Ministers. David Davis, the Conservative MP and former Brexit Secretary, backed the proposals and also called for other breakdowns in the data, including by age and co-morbidities.

'I favour reporting the statistics more accurately than they are now,' he said. 'We need to see what strategies are working, who is actually at serious risk.'

Marcus Fysh, another Conservative MP, backed the proposals and said a breakdown to clarify who died of Covid or of other co-morbidities is needed. 'You need to make sure you are comparing apples with apples,' he added.

The UK Health Security Agency publishes breakdowns by vaccination status in its weekly vaccine surveillance reports but warns the data should be interpreted 'with caution'.
Michael Gove today unveils a radical blueprint to turbo-charge the economy in deprived areas  and help reset Boris Johnsons struggling premiership in the process.

The Levelling Up Secretary uses an article in todays Mail on Sunday to vow that he will take the steps necessary to power up every part of the country and stop the economy being like a jet firing on only one engine.

In a new White Paper he will set out plans to deliver on Mr Johnsons key policy commitment to unleash the productive power of every corner of the country and answer the plea of Britains left-behind towns.

Michael Gove today unveils a radical blueprint to turbo-charge the economy in deprived areas  and help reset Boris Johnsons struggling premiership in the process

The pledge is seen as critical to the Prime Ministers hopes of holding on to the swathe of Red Wall seats the Tories seized from Labour in the 2019 Election.

Mr Gove also today unveils plans for 20 new Boris Boroughs to regenerate low-income areas  including Wolverhampton and Sheffield  with billions of pounds of investment across housing, business and leisure facilities as well as roads and railways.

There will also be a string of new mayors and other forms of delegated powers across the regions of the UK.

But Mr Goves intervention comes with Mr Johnson facing a barrage of allegations about Partygate events in No 10  with some of those same Red Wall Tories now plotting to sack him in protest at claims of Covid rule-breaking at the heart of Government.

The Prime Minister is also facing a growing Tory rebellion over the proposed 1.25 percentage point hike in National Insurance, due to be introduced in April at a time when families are facing a severe cost-of-living squeeze.

Mr Goves long-awaited White Paper, to be published on Wednesday, is designed to put flesh on the Tory manifesto commitment to levelling up all parts of the United Kingdom.

But it comes with Downing Street steeling itself for another week of tensions and revelations over parties, with a report by senior civil servant Sue Gray expected to be delivered to No 10 imminently.

Mr Gove also today unveils plans for 20 new Boris Boroughs to regenerate low-income areas  including Wolverhampton and Sheffield  with billions of pounds of investment across housing, business and leisure facilities as well as roads and railways

To the fury of many Tory MPs, Scotland Yard is also now carrying out a separate investigation into the events.

Downing Street is braced for unhappy Tory MPs to force a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson if Ms Grays report damns the PMs stewardship of No 10. However, there are also predictions that her inquiry will now be heavily redacted to avoid prejudicing the police inquiry announced last week by Metropolitan Commissioner Cressida Dick.

In his MoS article, Mr Gove says: After two long Covid years we need to get this country moving at top speed again.

We need faster growth, quicker public services, higher wages, and a power shift to the people.

The Levelling Up Secretary adds: While talent is spread equally across the UK, opportunity is not. Our country is a success story, but not everyone is sharing in it. The further you are from one of our great capitals  whether its London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast  the tougher life can be. That has to change. We need to tackle, and reverse, the inequality that is limiting so many horizons, and which also harms our economy.

The gap between much of the South East and the rest of the country  in productivity, health outcomes, wages, school results and job opportunities  must be closed. That is what levelling up means.

Levelling up is, however, about much more than just addressing economic inequality by backing British business. Its also about shifting power closer to local people and setting ambitious missions to improve schools, life expectancy, scientific innovation, home ownership and other vital areas of our common life.

In his MoS article, Mr Gove says: After two long Covid years we need to get this country moving at top speed again'

He also vowed: Levelling up means not only investing in communities that have been overlooked but overcoming the metropolitan condescension that has meant working people and their values have been neglected and patronised.

Insiders have dubbed the 20 regeneration zones Boris Boroughs because they are modelled on the regeneration projects which Mr Johnson oversaw as Mayor of London in Stratford and Kings Cross.

The Levelling Up White Paper has been delayed several times because Chancellor Rishi Sunak objected to the cost of some of the measures, leaving the document looking thin according to sources. As part of the strategy, Government departments are increasingly basing staff in Northern cities, while City institutions are being offered tax breaks as an incentive to base workers outside of London.

The Government is also investing more than 96 billion in infrastructure, with the lions share directed at deprived areas in the Midlands and the North.

This includes 12 billion in affordable housing, a 4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund and a 2.6 billion Shared Prosperity Fund.

Last night, Labour set out the targets it insisted the Governments levelling up paper must deliver  citing new data which they say reveals that nearly every place in the country is still worse off after a decade of the Tories

Lisa Nandy, Labours Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up said: The places that used to power our country have only got the crumbs from the table.

That has created huge inequalities which Labour will focus on fixing.

MICHAEL GOVE: Britain's a jet plane that needs to be firing on all its engines... not just the one in the South East and London

It's time for change. After two long Covid years we need to get this country moving at top speed again. We need faster growth, quicker public services, higher wages, and a power shift to the people. There is talent everywhere in the UK ready to be harnessed. But one thing still holds us back.

While talent is spread equally across the UK, opportunity is not. Our country is a success story, but not everyone is sharing in it. The further you are from one of our great capitals  whether its London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast  the tougher life can be.

That has to change. We need to tackle, and reverse, the inequality that is limiting so many horizons, and which also harms our economy. The gap between much of the South East and the rest of the country  in productivity, health outcomes, wages, school results and job opportunities  must be closed. That is what levelling up means.

It doesnt mean neglecting those areas of deprivation in the South East where problems persist, it doesnt mean doing anything to undermine the economic success of London, Europes premier city, nor does it mean dampening down the animal spirits of those already powering innovation and enterprise.

But it does mean recognising that the UK economy is like a jet firing on only one engine. And taking the steps necessary to power up every part of the country.

That means clearing the path for the businesses and investors who will bring new jobs and wealth, ensuring the Northern Powerhouse becomes a manufacturing mecca once again and giving the makers of the Midlands the support they need to succeed.

Well make it easier for the private sector to invest and grow. Outside the EU we can change the rules currently holding back pension funds and private sector bodies from investing in the productive capital that industry needs. And also, as a direct result of Brexit, we can change the procurement rules which were designed to support the EU single market and instead invest British money in British firms and British jobs.

Levelling up will only succeed if we unleash the power of business to grow. Thats why weve been working with entrepreneurs as well as big industry players in Humberside and Teesside to lay the ground for high-wage, high-skill jobs growth.

Levelling up is, however, about much more than just addressing economic inequality by backing British business. Its also about shifting power closer to local people and setting ambitious missions to improve schools, life expectancy, scientific innovation, home ownership and other vital areas of our common life.

Next week the Prime Minister and I will launch the Governments Levelling Up White Paper which sets out those missions as part of a decade-long plan to see the potential of every corner of the United Kingdom fulfilled.

Underpinning those missions will be a decisive shift of power away from Whitehall and an equally powerful deployment of more money for the North, Midlands and other areas overlooked and undervalued in the past. We will give existing mayors in our great cities new powers, create new mayors and strengthen the hand of local leaders across the country with new powers. Well also give them control of the funds to improve local communities which the EU used to manage and free them from the European bureaucracy that controlled how that cash was spent.

And we will also ensure the billions the Chancellor made available in the Spending Review are directed to the North, Midlands, coastal towns, and other areas neglected in the past.

Research and development money  the cash which sparks innovation  is going up. Well use that extra investment to support scientists, researchers and innovators outside London and the South East. This will mean billions of pounds of investment that can turbo-charge growth in the North and Midlands. Thats alongside the largest and most ambitious Government programme of investment ever in the railway, with a 96 billion plan delivering faster rail in the Midlands and the North.

There is also extra funding for schools, and housing cash will go North as well.

Since 2015, because of an absurd set of rules I inherited, we have spent over 1.6 billion of public money on land and infrastructure for housing in the South East, and less than 150 million in the North East. I am scrapping these rules and focusing on transforming brownfield sites in the North and Midlands which will help relieve the pressure on the green fields and infrastructure of the South East as well.

As part of this, we will regenerate the centres of 20 great, historic towns and cities, starting with Wolverhampton and Sheffield.

Government offices, and officials, and the spending power they bring are moving north too. My departments second headquarters is in Wolverhampton, with other departments to follow in North Wales and Teesside.

Well also ensure the money working people have invested on their behalf for their retirement helps create jobs in their communities, not rake-offs for the already rich. We will set out a new plan to get the 16 billion of council pensions invested in local projects, not foreign corporations.

The money we spend on culture has been over-concentrated in London and the South East for too long as well. My brilliant colleague the Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, is ending that.

The new funding shes secured for the arts will go to communities in the North and Midlands, not Not-ting Hill and Marylebone. And Nadine will make sure that its the values of working people, not just the preferences of Primrose Hill, that drive how taxpayers money is spent on culture.

Levelling up means not only investing in communities that have been overlooked but overcoming the metropolitan condescension that has meant working people and their values have been neglected and patronised.

In 1974, a Labour Government promised an irreversible shift of wealth and power in favour of working people and their families. It never happened on their watch. Margaret Thatcher did effect that change, though, with more and more people owning their own homes, owning shares and taking control of their lives.

Its time now for a similar blast of radical energy to ensure oppor-tunity is spread even further and faster  and to show that for working people and their families that this Conservative Government is on their side.
Carole Middleton risks raising Royal eyebrows by using Marie Antoinettes Let them eat cake! cry to cash in on the Queens Platinum Jubilee.

Party Pieces, the company founded and run by the Duchess of Cambridges mother, is selling 4.99 Best of British Cupcake Sets to celebrate the Monarchs 70-year reign, featuring the phrase on cake-toppers.

The party paraphernalia firms website does not mention the Queen directly, but does boast that each set would make a perfect addition for the Platinum Jubilee.

Party Pieces, the company founded and run by the Duchess of Cambridges mother, is selling 4.99 Best of British Cupcake Sets to celebrate the Monarchs 70-year reign

With planning under way for street parties and family celebrations to mark the milestone, Party Pieces is keen to assure shoppers it can meet the needs of a nation gripped by patriotic pride.

Its website says: Get ready for the Platinum Jubilee and celebrate all things British with our range of red, blue and white party supplies!

Our Great Britain party supplies are ideal for any patriotic occasion. From Union Jack bunting to balloons and tableware, our Great Britain party decorations will add the perfect touch.

But the firms inspiration for its decorations may ruffle Royal feathers, given the historical significance of the saying.

The luxury-loving French queen, who was executed by guillotine in 1793, is claimed to have had such little regard for her countrys starving masses that she said Let them eat cake! when told they had no bread.

The phrase has become shorthand for the attitudes of an out-of-touch elite, although historians say there is no evidence Marie Antoinette uttered the words.

While the current Party Pieces range may attract comment, the items on sale are unlikely to prompt the tacky jibes drawn by the trinkets sold for the Queens Diamond Jubilee ten years ago.

The phrase 'Let Them Eat Cake' has become shorthand for the attitudes of an out-of-touch elite, although historians say there is no evidence Marie Antoinette uttered the words

Then the firm offered state-carriage-shaped vases made out of cardboard, coat-of-arms cups with the words Long Live G & T and canape flags featuring crown-wearing corgis.

Royal biographer Margaret Holder said: I dont think that the Queen will be annoyed about it. She has a sense of humour and the Queen is very fond of Kate.

Party Pieces, which celebrates its own jubilee  coral or jade  this year, marking 35 years in business, was approached for comment.
The Whitehall row over whether Boris Johnson intervened in the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan took an extraordinary turn last night after the BBC was accused of accidentally blowing the cover of a Foreign Office whistleblower.

Sima Kotecha, a journalist on BBC2's Newsnight, published on Twitter a photograph of a computer screen showing an email from Nigel Casey, the Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan.

The email said FCO officials were seeking 'clear guidance for us from No 10 ASAP on what they would like us to do' about the airlift of Pen Farthing's animals from Kabul last August.

The toolbar at the bottom of the screen showed that the computer may have been linked to the email account of a senior mandarin at the Foreign Office.

Oops: BBC journalist Sima Kotecha, whose tweet is at the centre of the row

The tweet was swiftly deleted  but not before the staff member's name had been spotted by keen-eyed Twitter followers.

The leak is now the subject of a formal process by the Civil Service, but it is understood the alleged leaker denies responsibility.

The row came after Mr Johnson denied claims that he authorised the evacuation, describing the idea that animals were prioritised over people as 'total rhubarb'.

Sir Philip Barton, the Foreign Office's permanent undersecretary, had to apologise for misleading MPs over whether Mr Johnson had intervened when he said that Mr Casey had not received any correspondence referring to an intervention by the Prime Minister.

The Newsnight emails blew apart this claim, forcing Sir Philip to write to the committee's chairman, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, to apologise for giving 'inadvertently inaccurate answers'.

The email said FCO officials were seeking 'clear guidance for us from No 10 ASAP on what they would like us to do' about the airlift of Pen Farthing's (pictured) animals from Kabul last August

The civil servant, who is said to be passionate about civil rights and poverty alleviation, is believed to have worked in aid programmes in northern Africa before joining the Civil Service around six years ago.

Their career has seen them work across projects at the Department for International Development.

Ms Kotecha was appointed Newsnight's UK editor less than two months ago. She had previously been the centre of a court case after a man admitted to harassing her as she prepared to broadcast live on television.

Ms Kotecha, who once described herself as 'ambitious, enthusiastic and giggly' in a reporter profile on the BBC's website, was hailed for her bravery during the incident.

A Foreign Office spokesman said it took 'all allegations of security breaches extremely seriously', adding: 'We are currently conducting an internal investigation into allegations of improper disclosure of sensitive communications. It would be inappropriate to comment further while that inquiry is ongoing.'

A BBC spokesman declined to comment last night.
A tipsy Downing Street staffer boasted to No 10's security guards after leaving an allegedly lockdown-breaking booze-up, it has been claimed.

The aide allegedly told security guards 'we're the only ones allowed to party' to officers as a group of people left No 10 in the early hours of the morning, according to The Sun.

A witness is claimed to have reported the jibe to Sue Gray's 'Partygate' inquiry, which is investigating allegedly lockdown-breaking gatherings that took place at No 10 and Whitehall during the pandemic.

MailOnline has contacted No 10 for comment.

MPs have urged Miss Gray to release an uncensored version of her report immediately, after Scotland Yard admitted it had asked Whitehall's ethics tsar to 'water down' her document while the force conducts a criminal probe that may not conclude for months.

The aide allegedly told security guards 'we're the only ones allowed to party' to officers as a group of people left No 10 in the early hours of the morning (file photo)

A witness is claimed to have reported the jibe to Sue Gray's (pictured) 'Partygate' inquiry, which is investigating allegedly lockdown-breaking gatherings that took place at No 10

MPs have urged Miss Gray to release an uncensored version of her report immediately, after Scotland Yard admitted it had asked Whitehall's ethics tsar to 'water down' her document while the force conducts a criminal probe that may not conclude for months

The highly controversial move has seen Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick accused of 'an abuse of power' by 'interfering' with the investigation and demanding that Miss Gray remove key details which are central to the row over 'parties' in No10.

It is understood that the senior civil servant will give Mr Johnson a redacted version of her report within days, rather than wait for the Met's inquiry to end.

But Conservative MPs are now urging Miss Gray to make her report available to the public in full, in a bid to 'end this madness'.

Meanwhile, Miss Gray has taken evidence about a 'Winner Takes It All' Abba party to mark the resignation of Dominic Cummings, The Mail on Sunday has been told.

It is understood that as part of her inquiry into socialising in Boris Johnson's No 10 flat, Sue Gray has been told about a 'victory party' held by friends of the Prime Minister's then fiancee Carrie Symonds on the night of November 13, 2020, after Mr Cummings had left with his belongings in a box.

He had allegedly lost a power struggle with Ms Symonds and other advisers.

'There was the sound of lots of banging and dancing and drinking, and a number of Abba tracks  including a triumphalist Winner Takes It All,' a source said.

The party was first reported by The Mail on Sunday two days later  although it was not then known about the Abba tracks.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson said: 'It is totally untrue to suggest Mrs Johnson held a party in the Downing Street flat on November 13, 2020.'

The Metropolitan Police could now investigate the party as part of its probe, and call on Mrs Johnson to provide written evidence.

Last week the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced officers have launched a criminal inquiry after assessing a dossier of evidence compiled by Ms Gray.

The police inquiry will reportedly focus on eight out of 17 parties looked at by Ms Gray.

The force then clarified it was looking at potential Covid breaches that are dealt with by fixed-term penalty notices.

It is understood that the Prime Minister's wife has not been interviewed by Ms Gray's inquiry or approached by the police.

Mr Cummings resigned as Mr Johnson's de facto chief of staff after losing the alleged power struggle with Mrs Johnson.

He has previously claimed there was a 'party' in the Downing Street flat on the night of his departure.

Civil servants in the building at the time were advised by officials to go to the Downing Street flat to apologise for not sufficiently supporting the Prime Minister's then-fiancee.

'They were ordered to go up and kiss the ring,' one said.

It comes as a former senior policeman suggested Downing Street staff who have been interviewed by Ms Gray could retract their testimony.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Miss Gray has taken evidence about a 'Winner Takes It All' Abba party held by friends of the Prime Minister's then fiancee Carrie Symonds (pictured)

Former chief superintendent Dai Davies, who was in charge of Royal Protection, told the Daily Mail: 'Now it's a legal quagmire.

'Anyone who has spoken to her inquiry could retract their evidence, arguing they did not know it could be used against them in a criminal inquiry.'

Sources said this was possible but any change of evidence would likely be sent directly to the police, rather than Ms Gray amending her report.

A source close to Ms Gray's inquiry said the evidence she presented to police should be seen as a 'starting point'.

The Met Police said suspects will be asked to give written evidence as part of its inquiry, which appeared to undermine reports the Prime Minister could be interviewed under caution.

Ms Gray's long-awaited report is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister within days.

In another twist, it emerged that Miss Gray's probe has been told about alleged messages from Carrie Johnson offering to organise a cake for the PM's 56th birthday party in June 2020.

The Met is under fire for its 'farcical' handling of Partygate.

After first refusing to investigate, last week it announced a criminal inquiry days before the Sue Gray report was due to be published  and asking her to make 'minimal references' to parties at the centre of the row.

Former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption said the police had 'no legal right to demand that Sue Gray delay publication of her report and it is constitutionally undesirable that they have done so'.

On Friday night, Commander Catherine Roper, who is leading the police investigation into allegations of Covid breaches, confirmed the Met Police had received evidence from the Cabinet Office.

The party was first reported by The Mail on Sunday two days later  although it was not then known about the Abba tracks

However, she confirmed that Scotland Yard had asked the Cabinet Office to only make 'minimal reference' to potential lockdown breaches in the long-awaited document.

Commander Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, said: 'In order to protect the integrity of the police investigation, as is appropriate in any case, and to be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it, the Met has asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report to the relevant events.

'This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.

'We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team.'

Peter Bleksley, a veteran detective, said Dame Cressida had shown a 'staggering lack of judgement'.

'Cressida Dick has shown a staggering lack of judgement by not announcing an investigation as soon as the evidence was made public,' he said.

'She's gone too late. A cabinet office investigation should have followed a police investigation, not the other way round.

'It's a huge misjudgment and of course it could be perceived as as staggering lack of independence as well. Conspiracy theorists will now think: 'Of course she's trying to protect Downing Street'.'

A former director of public prosecutions suggested the Metropolitan Police stance was 'disproportionate'.

Lord Macdonald told the BBC: 'The risk of the police intervention this morning is that this leaves things hanging in the air for weeks and months, and that seems obviously not to be in the public interest.

'If we're talking about fixed penalty notices  like parking tickets, essentially  if we're talking about that kind of resolution, then to take the rather grave step to delay a report that is going to shed public light on the subject matter of what may be a major public scandal, I think that is undesirable and I think it may be a misjudgment.

The 'victory party' held by friends of Ms Symonds is believed to have come on the night of November 13, 2020, after Mr Cummings had left with his belongings in a box

'But only police know what it is that is really at play here.

'It is really to say that if we are simply talking about lockdown breaches and fixed penalty notices, this move by the police this morning seems to be disproportionate.'

The crossbench peer said that what was not known was whether Ms Gray had uncovered 'slightly more complex behaviour that the police believes needs more sense of investigation', offering the example of 'the co-ordinated deletion of emails or text messages' that had possibly 'raised the stakes and brought forward the consideration of more serious offending into play'.

Partygate? Nothing more than a sophomore slump BY ANNA MIKHAILOVA, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Partygate is nothing more than a 'sophomore slump' for Boris Johnson, a senior Downing Street adviser told Tory donors last week. The American expression, used by Isaac Levido, the No 10 strategist, describes students who are less successful in their second year than their first. It's similar to 'midterm blues' in US politics, where incumbents lose support but pick it up as an election nears. Mr Levido, credited with helping mastermind Mr Johnson's successful 2019 election campaign, was a protege of strategist Sir Lynton Crosby and worked in Washington. Sources on the call to donors said Mr Levido told them: 'It's all going to be fine, we have time.' The Conservative Party was in a 'better position than Labour', he said. Tory MP Adam Holloway yesterday defended Mr Johnson over lockdown-breaking party allegations. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'He's the PM of a nuclear-armed state, operating in a Downing Street that at the time was [on] a war footing with 300-plus passholders virtually working... 24/7. 'He's not the office manager. And if he's asked to go outside and thank some staff, I'm not sure what the crime is there.' Advertisement

Nazir Afzal, a former chief Crown prosecutor for the North West, said on Twitter: 'This is absolute nonsense from the Met Police. A purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation.

'They just have to follow the evidence, of which the report will be a part.'

Human rights barrister Adam Wagner, who has spent the pandemic interpreting complex coronavirus laws and explaining them to the public on social media, said on Twitter: 'I am not a criminal lawyer so perhaps I am missing something. How would a factual civil service report about events the police is investigating 'prejudice' their investigation?'

The anonymous lawyer and author known as The Secret Barrister then added: 'I am a criminal lawyer, and I too must be missing something, because there is no reason I can see as to why an independent police criminal investigation would in any way be influenced by, or would seek to influence, a civil service report.'

But Nick Aldworth, a former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent and counter-terrorism national co-ordinator, said the report could prejudice the police investigation 'by disclosing the evidence that they will gather and thereby giving the potential defendants an opportunity to conceal or alter evidence'.

Publication of official reports and other inquiries can often be delayed until a police investigation and any subsequent court case or inquest is concluded, typically to avoid the risk of prejudicing a jury if a criminal trial was to take place.

But in this instance, if police investigate under the provisions of the coronavirus regulations then there would be little risk of prejudice as the penalty for breaching lockdown rules is a fixed-penalty notice and it is highly unlikely to result in a prosecution.

The Met previously argued the constraints on the Cabinet Office report into 'Partygate' were necessary to 'avoid any prejudice to our investigation', indicating it faced being watered down or a lengthy delay.

The new statement, issued on Friday evening, contained no mention of the term 'prejudice'.

Miss Roper said the offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice.

'Individuals who are identified as having potentially breached these regulations will normally be contacted in writing and invited to explain their actions including whether they feel they had a reasonable excuse,' she said.

'Following this process, and where there is sufficient evidence that individuals have breached the regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide if enforcement action is appropriate.

'If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.

Yesterday Tom Tugendhat (pictured) became the first Conservative MP to declare his intention to run in a leadership contest

'Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates' court.

'As the Commissioner said, we will not be giving a running commentary but we will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigative process.'

Meanwhile, speculation mounted over an expected leadership contest to replace Mr Johnson, should he be deposed.

Yesterday Tom Tugendhat became the first Conservative MP to declare his intention to run in a leadership contest.

Asked in a Times Radio interview which will air today whether he would like to be Prime Minister, the Tonbridge & Malling MP said: 'It would be a huge privilege.'

He added: 'It's up to all of us to put ourselves forward. And it's up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose.'

The former soldier added: 'There isn't a vacancy at the moment', and insisted he had not been canvassing support.

Jeremy Hunt, the former Foreign Secretary who came second to Mr Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, recently said his ambition to be leader had not 'completely vanished'.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are expected to be the frontrunners in a contest, with other potential contenders including Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

A No 10 spokeswoman said last night she could not comment on the Gray inquiry.
The Prime Minister is looking at doubling the number of troops deployed to strengthen Europe's borders with another 1,000 troops, as he warns an incursion from Russia into Ukraine would be a "tragedy".

Boris Johnson said the new offer to Nato currently under consideration would "send a clear message to the Kremlin" that "we will not tolerate their destabilising activity".

In addition to bolstering troop numbers, No 10 said this could involve sending defensive weapons to Estonia.

Fast jets, warships and military specialists could also be sent to protect Nato allies.

The measures will see a squadron of RAF jets sent to Cyprus to patrol Romanian and Bulgarian air space.

A Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer and patrol vessel will be sent to the Black Sea and rocket launchers deployed in Estonia. Several Apache attack helicopters will also be sent to the Baltic.

Latest US intelligence shows that Mr Putin now has 127,000 troops on the border of Ukraine. Russia is also supporting 35,000 pro-Kremlin separatists operating in the war-torn Donbass region in the east of the country.

Britain already has 900 troops in Estonia, with 150 in Poland and more than 100 inside Ukraine as part of Operation Orbital, which has trained 22,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015.

The Prime Minister is looking at doubling the number of troops deployed to strengthen Europe's borders with another 1,000 troops. He is pictured with commaders on the 26th of January

Boris Johnson said the new offer to Nato currently under consideration would "send a clear message to the Kremlin" that "we will not tolerate their destabilising activity".

Downing Street said the possible deployment would "reinforce Nato's defences and underpin the UK's support for Nordic and Baltic partners".

The move comes as the Prime Minister is expected to speak to Russian president Vladimir Putin and travel to the troubled region early this week.

A second trip to meet Nato member counterparts is being planned for early next month, No 10 said.

The details of the offer will be finalised by UK officials and Nato in Brussels next week, while ministers will discuss the military options on Monday.

Mr Johnson has also directed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to prepare to go to Moscow for talks with their counterparts in the coming days.

They will be asked to improve relationships with the Russian government and encourage de-escalation, Downing Street said.

In addition, Mr Wallace is expected to travel to meet with allies this week in Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia on Mr Johnson's behalf.

Meanwhile, the Mr Johnson has asked the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, to attend Cabinet on Tuesday to brief ministers on the situation in Ukraine.

The UK already has more than 100 troops providing training in Ukraine as part of Operation Orbital.

There are also 900 British military personnel based in Estonia, and a Light Cavalry Squadron of around 150 people is deployed to Poland, No 10 said.

It comes after Mr Johnson asked defence and security chiefs to consider further defensive military options in Europe during a high-level intelligence briefing on the situation last week.

Ukrainian military vessels are seen during naval drills in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Ukraine

The Prime Minister said: "This package would send a clear message to the Kremlin - we will not tolerate their destabilising activity, and we will always stand with our Nato allies in the face of Russian hostility.

"If President Putin chooses a path of bloodshed and destruction, it will be a tragedy for Europe. Ukraine must be free to choose its own future.

"I have ordered our Armed Forces to prepare to deploy across Europe next week, ensuring we are able to support our Nato allies on land, at sea and in the air."

Labour earlier accused the Prime Minister of "playing catch-up with other world leaders" on deterring Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey reiterated calls for the imposition of a "register of overseas entities" to "lift the veil on who owns property and assets in the UK", after it was reported that American officials fear they will not be able to effectively sanction Mr Putin because of Russian money "entrenched" in London.

The Foreign Office is also expected to announce tougher sanctions on Monday, meaning the UK can target Russia's strategic and financial interests.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss previously said Russia would face "severe sanctions" in the event of an incursion into Ukraine.

"We are already supplying support to Ukraine. We're supplying defensive weapons. We're providing economic support," she told Sky News on Wednesday.

"We are urging Russia to desist from an incursion and we're making it very clear that if they were to do that there would be severe economic cost to Russia - severe sanctions."

On what these sanctions could look like, she said: "They would target individuals, they would target financial institutions and they would be co-ordinated with all of our allies across Europe, the United States and others."

Ms Truss also said the UK was not ruling out support for personal sanctions against Mr Putin in the event of a Russian incursion.

She made the comments after US president Joe Biden suggested moving to penalise the Russian president could be an option in the case of an invasion.

When asked on Tuesday if he could see himself sanctioning Mr Putin in those circumstances, Mr Biden told reporters: "Yes, I would see that."

Asked if the UK would support personal sanctions against the Russian president, Ms Truss told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday that the Government had "ruled nothing out".

Ms Truss has been forthright in speaking out against Russia's threatened invasion of Ukraine, and took the unusual step of declassifying intelligence which suggested Mr Putin was plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the government in Kyiv.
We may be battling our way through the midst of winter, but the trend of decorating our homes in soothing pastels heralds a fresh start for spring.

The new collections are positively bursting with the gorgeous, sugary palette of pinks, blues, yellow and green.

Until recently, pastels were associated with nurseries and a vintage 1950s look but, when used in a contemporary way, they can be incredibly fashionable.

An array of pastel hues in a sitting room. When used in a contemporary way, tones such as lilac, pale blue and pink can be incredibly fashionable

'Pastel colours are wonderful because they tend to work so well with each other. A pastel pink sits comfortably next to a pastel blue or green in a way that primary colours don't,' says interior designer Brandon Schubert.

Looking for inspiration? Head to the Victoria and Albert Museum, which has a new exhibition entitled Faberge In London.

Here the gorgeous works of master Russian goldsmith Carl Faberge are shown off in all their glory.

His elegant eggs created for the Russian imperial family between 1885 and 1916 are excellent inspiration for the colour palette of the moment.

'Bright and clear shades of colour, including pastels, induce a feeling of happiness and playfulness,' says Schubert.

Pretty in pink: There are lots of ways to introduce pastels into a home - whether through pieces of furniture, wallpaper or artfully-placed accessories

'That's what the Faberge creations were all about; they were colourful works of art designed to delight and surprise.

'That feeling starts with the colours of the creations themselves and then goes on to the wonderful craftsmanship.'

There are many ways to introduce pastels into your home, whether it's through artfully placed accessories or in a more dramatic way with large pieces of furniture, wallpaper or paint.

Wallpapers inspired by Marie Antoinette

Manuel Canovas's new Anastasia wallpaper at Colefax & Fowler couldn't be more timely, with its patterned Faberge eggs depicted in wonderful citron, powder blues, pistachio green and raspberry colours.

The designs refer 'to the splendour of Marie Antoinette's decor', according to Manuel Canovas's design director Olivia Deruelle, adding that the wallpaper would be 'perfectly complemented by satins and sartorial stripes' (158 per roll).

Sophisticated: The London Basin Company's minty green Sophia basin costs 849

Others look to the ceiling when introducing pastels. Jena Quinn, co-founder of Studio QD, says: 'Painted or papered ceilings provide a stronger subtle dash [of pastels], our preferred shade being blue and papers of playful geometrics.'

She adds: 'Equally, walls of certain pale hues of blue and rose, such as Farrow & Ball Light Blue or Dead Salmon, can lift a space adding warmth and interest.'

Patrick O'Donnell, Farrow & Ball's international brand ambassador, recommends Potted Shrimp, which he described as 'a pale pink with a lot of yellow in the base, that makes it feel really familiar and comforting' (from 52).

If you're looking to add pastels to a bedroom, try de Gournay's Butterflies wallpaper in Icarus design colours. It looks gorgeous layered with pink and white (from 318 per metre).

Pastel furniture freshens up a room

Be bold with furniture  'with neutral walls you might choose a pink sofa to sit next to a pale blue pastel armchair in front of bright-green curtains,' says Brandon Schubert.

The Florence Sofa in Pale Rose from Designers Guild is an interesting mauve/pink with sleek lines (940).

Atkin and Thyme's Calvin armchair in pink velvet and linen, meanwhile, has satisfying curves that add a soothing touch to a bedroom or living room (499).

Using pastels in the bathroom and kitchen freshens things up  Eames shell chairs in pale blue give some design edge and are the antitheses of granny chic (410, John Lewis).

The London Basin Company's minty green Sophia basin shows how pastels can be introduced into your home in the most sophisticated way.

The porcelain circular basin decorated in a bamboo pattern is perfection (849).

Easy extras add a pop of colour

Pastel pendant lights are a whimsical addition. The Soho Lighting Company has a wide selection of hand-painted lights in a variety of shapes in duck egg blue (from 79).

Coloured pots and vases placed together in clusters or on their own are a clever way to use pastels.

Bernadette's light pink and cream handcrafted floral stoneware vase by ceramist Mervyn Gers adds a pop of ice-cream shades (315, Matches Fashion).

The sky may be grey outside but why not get some inspiration from the charming colours so loved by Marie Antoinette and Carl Faberge?

Faberge In London: Romance to Revolution is on at The V&A until May 8. Tickets 20.
Luis Diaz cut a forlorn figure as Liverpool thrashed Porto 5-1 at the Estadio do Dragao in the Champions League back in September.

The Reds' fearsome front three, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were all on the scoresheet that night but now Diaz could be set to join them.

Liverpool have made a dramatic late move to swoop in and sign Diaz from right under then noses of Tottenham and Manchester United by sending a team to Argentina to finalise a move.

Diaz, the Colombia international who has been with the Portuguese club since 2019, would cost Liverpool in the region of 37million. Add-ons could take that closer to 50m.

Liverpool have made a dramatic late move to hijack Tottenham's move for Porto's Luis Diaz

Jurgen Klopp has developed a fearsome front three in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino that has fired Liverpool to their sixth Champions League victory and their first league title in 30 years in the last few seasons.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp (pictured) has built star-studded front three at Anfield

But there is a cloud over the trio's future at Anfield with Mane, Firmino and - most worryingly of all for Liverpool fans - Salah all currently embroiled in contract negotiations.

All three will see their contracts expire in the summer of 2023, and so far no agreement has been reached with them.

The thought of Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi on the bench doesn't exactly instil confidence into the Anfield faithful, despite their regular important cameos.

The Japanese star has also been the subject of interest from Leeds and Monaco this month, while Atalanta are keen on the Belgium striker.

But the Reds have proven previously that they have a strategy in place for most eventualities.

Klopp had already begun preparing for a future without Liverpool's mega-stars with the arrival of Diogo Jota in September 2020.

The Portugal international has been a revelation on Merseyside since joining from Wolves, proving his 40million price tag to be worth the value.

The 25-year-old has been vital for the Reds while they have been without to key members of their attacking machine, Salah and Mane, due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah (left) and Sadio Mane (right) have been absent for Liverpool due to AFCON

His two goals in Liverpool's 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final win over Arsenal - taking his tally in all competitions this season to 14 in 28 games - were a case in point.

Now, Diaz could be the next jigsaw piece as Klopp builds his next generation of attacking Reds.

The pursuit of the Colombia international is the biggest hint yet that Liverpool are preparing for life without their trademark front three.

He suits Liverpool's 'heavy metal' style of attack, already netting 16 goals in 28 appearances this season and could also easily slip into the Reds' fluid, link-up style of play as his six assists so far this term suggest.

A standout performer at the Copa America 2021, Diaz finished as top-scorer alongside Lionel Messi with four goals.

Diaz was a standout performer for Colombia at Copa America 2021, finishing joint top scorer

Porto generally operate in a 4-4-2 formation meaning Diaz often finds himself in a deeper role than Liverpool's wingers.

But if unleashed further forward in Klopp's side,he would only boost his already impressive output.

His quick, direct and accurate style of play is almost synonymous with the profile of a Liverpool forward and as a right-footed left winger he only boosts his value to the Reds.

Mane has been a loyal and lovable servant to the Kop faithful since his arrival from Southampton in 2016.

The Senegal international has been a loyal and lovable servant to Liverpool since his arrival

But his goalscoring output has been on a slight decline in recent seasons as he has failed to replicate his blistering form from the 2018-19 season which saw him bag 26.

He has netted 10 times this season and remains a vital member of Klopp's squad but with his future at the club still up in the air, Liverpool could look to bring in Mane 2.0.

The Senegalese star has looked the only bright spark for his country at the Africa Cup of Nations - scoring two of their three goals in the tournament to date - but even he would admit he has underperformed in Cameroon so far.

But as a left winger, Diaz would be a perfect substitute for Mane, replicating the Senegalese's ability to cut in from the left.

While Klopp is loyal to his players and will no doubt stand by Mane, Diaz's arrival would also put Anfield chiefs in the driving seat when it came to the Senegalese's contract negotiations.

The emergence of Jota as a consistent goalscorer has already provided competition for the front three, bumping Firmino to the bench at times.

The Brazilian has started in just six of his 13 Premier League appearances this term, and Luiz could also introduce further healthy rivalry for a starting spot.

The emergence of Diogo Jota (left) has already bumped Roberto Firmino (right) to the bench

Both Jota and Luiz are four or five years younger than the Reds' infamous front line and still have their prime ahead of them.

While, Mane and Firmino's attacking numbers are on a decline Luiz is only improving.

He has scored 14 goals in 18 Primeira Liga matches this season, compared to just six in 30 in the previous term.

Luiz would be a solution for Liverpool's short-term dilemmas, filling the goalscoring void left by Mane and Salah during AFCON and cushioning the bench with a confident backup.

But primarily, Luiz would be the Reds' greatest asset by providing a long-term option in preserving Klopp's dynasty.

As the Reds' famous front three near their 30s, it is imperative that Liverpool begin preparing for the future and at 25, Diaz could have a long, bright future ahead of him at Anfield.
Sam Allardyce has slammed Manchester United for their 'mind-boggling' failure to sign Erling Haaland in 2020.

The Red Devils looked set to secure the Norwegian's signature in 2020 but Borussia Dortmund swooped in and sealed a move for him in the January window.

United reportedly also had a chance to snatch up the 21-year-old in 2018 but a mix up in time zones between Norway and England ultimately was the club's downfall and Red Bull Salzburg secured the deal.

Sam Allardyce (left) has slammed Man United's failure to sign Erling Haaland (right) in 2020

Haaland has since gone on to establish himself as one of Europe's most coveted strikers and with his 64million release clause set to be triggered in summer, a number of top-slight clubs are circling.

United are said to once again be in the hunt but they face stiff competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City.

But Allardyce has slammed United's 'mind-boggling' failure to sign him on both previous occasions and he believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would still have his job at Old Trafford if they did.

'Manchester United, I still think that, had they secured him, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would still be in the job,' Allardyce admitted to Genting Casino, via The Mirror.

Allardyce believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (pictured) would still be in charge if United had secured Haaland's signature

'And why Manchester United decided to let him go has been mind-boggling for me ever since it happened. And Ole had worked with him.

'Allegedly, it came down to finance, then that is the biggest mistake that Manchester United  not Ole  made. I think Ole would still be in a job if he actually signed him.'

The Red Devils missed out on a goalmining opportunity as Haaland has scored 80 times in 79 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit since joining in January 2020.

A host of clubs are now chasing his signature with the likes of City and Barcelona interested but the Norway international is said to have his heart set on Real Madrid.

'Whoever gets him is going to be getting a huge boost to the team,' Allardyce declared.

Haaland has scored 80 times in 79 appearances for Borussia Dortmund since joining in 2020

'When you go to 30 goals  touch wood, he stays injury-free  you've got 30 goals every season for seven or eight years, if you keep him.

'You're never really going to get into trouble, but the rest of the team have to live up to his expectation as well, because he'll want to win things.'

Despite, Haaland's preference for Madrid, Allardyce believes United have the upper hand due to the two LaLiga sides' financial situation.

'I think the best chance Manchester United have is based on the whole financial package simply because Real Madrid and Barcelona haven't got enough in the coffers at the moment,' he added.

'They have never been as skint as they are now.'

.
The Holiday Guru is always on hand to answer your questions.

Here, he helps one reader with a query about the tests that are required to enter France, and advises another on the new duty free limits in the UK.

Q. I plan to go to Italy on May 2 and am concerned about an Italian government rule, coming into effect on February 1, that UK visitors must have had their last vaccine within 180 days to travel. I was fully vaccinated, including the booster, in mid-October so will exceed this. Can this be right?

- Charlotte Smith, via email.

New rules: Visitors to Massa Marittima (pictured) in Italy must follow the new vaccine certificate regulations that are coming into effect on February 1, says the Holiday Guru

A. Yes. You will have to self-isolate for five days, inform local authorities of your arrival and take a test with a negative result at the end of your quarantine.

However, travel experts expect this to be dropped when the damaging effect on tourism is realised. Monitor entry requirements at gov.uk.

Q. France says we need antigen lateral flow tests to enter. Will it accept home self-tests if done with a private laboratory? And if you fly to Geneva to go to France, must you comply with Swiss and French regulations?

- Nigel Moore, via email.

One reader, who is flying to France via Geneva (pictured), wonders if they need to comply with both Swiss and French regulations when it comes to fit-to-fly tests

A. Such tests are fine for France if paid for privately. If you fly to Geneva (a Swiss-French airport) for France, it is best to fill in the Swiss passenger locator form as well as the French forms. See gov.uk.

Q. With the new duty free limits, for example, 18 litres of wine, is that per person or per car?

- John Tempest, via email.

The Holiday Guru explains that the new duty free limits on goods like wine are per person, rather than per car

A. Limits are per person; see Bringing goods into the UK for personal use at gov.uk.

Q. Ive heard flights are being cancelled to the U.S. due to interference from new 5G masts. Im set to fly next month. Will the disruption last till then?

- Ben Greene, via email.

A. No. It was found that 5G masts, switched on in America this month, can interfere with radar altimeters on some planes, and BA and other airlines cancelled flights on one day. Towers have since been switched off within two miles of airports to ensure landing is safe. Services are back to normal now.

WERE HERE TO HELP

The Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions. Email us at holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk.
Katie Price's ex-husband Kieran Hayler is reportedly fuming after his children were featured in the debut episode of her Mucky Mansion reality show on Wednesday.

The former stripper, 34, has also claimed that Channel 4 did not request his permission to include Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven, who he shares with the glamour model, 43, in the series.

A source told The Mirror: 'Kieran was very unhappy the children are featured and paraded around on screen without his consent. It's unacceptable.'

'It's unacceptable': Kieran Hayler 'is fuming that Channel 4 didn't request his permission for children Jett, 8, and Bunny, 7, to appear in his ex-wife Katie Price's Mucky Mansion reality show'

His spokesperson said: 'Mr Hayler did not receive any communication from Channel 4 seeking his consent to sign off the children's appearance before the airing of this week's programme.

'One would expect protocol to be adhered to especially in light of children being filmed without consent of both parties involved, as per Channel 4's own guidelines.'

The network's rules state that 'ideally both parents' consents should be sought' before recording minors, however it has been claimed this was not the case on this occasion.

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: 'The production company obtained the appropriate permissions for all minors in the series.'

Family: While customising a mirror alongside Jett and Katie, Bunny (left) said: 'Mum, did you know, it's not about spending money... it's about what you can make'

Representatives for Kieran and Katie have been contacted for comment by MailOnline.

Katie's controversial documentary finally reached screens earlier this week, documenting the star's attempts to transform her 2 million West Sussex home.

While customising a mirror alongside Jett and Katie, Bunny said: 'Mum, did you know, it's not about spending money... it's about what you can make.'

Princess, Katie's 14-year-old daughter with her ex-husband Peter Andre, also stars in the show.

Protective: A source said: 'Kieran was very unhappy the children are featured and paraded around on screen without his consent. It's unacceptable'

The reality star took centre stage in the three-part series, which was filmed months earlier, but has been broadcast just five days after she was arrested on suspicion of breaching her restraining order.

She had allegedly branded her ex-husband Kieran Hayler's fiancee Michelle Penticost a 'gutter sl*g' in 'abusive messages'.

In the documentary, Katie reflected on a string of woes that led to her stint in The Priory in 2019, admitting she was in 'such a bad place,' and 'couldn't even walk into the front door without getting anxiety.

Meanwhile, Kieran is to be quizzed over historic rape allegations relating to another woman after a complaint to the police by the former model.

He voluntarily agreed to be questioned by detectives over three alleged incidents with a woman, known to the couple, in 2016, while they were still married.

The construction worker denies what he describes as 'false allegations' and insists he will cooperate with police inquiries to clear his name, The Sun reported.

A spokesperson from Sussex Police said: 'We are investigating a report that in 2016 a woman was raped by an adult male known to her at a location in West Sussex.

'No arrest has been made. The woman is receiving support from specially trained officers.'

The claim is said to have been made to police by Katie herself, who was married to Kieran from 2013 to 2018.
She completed filming for season four of Brassic on Friday.

And Michelle Keegan, 34, marked the completion of her work on the beloved Sky series, with a slew of behind the scenes snaps.

'We came, we saw, we WRAPPED', Michelle revealed as she shared fun images with the show's cast, adding that the next series will reach screens 'later this year.'

That's a wrap! Michelle Keegan, 34, celebrated with a slew of behind the scenes snaps as she completed filming for season four of Brassic on Friday

Michelle could be seen in a hilarious backstage photo as she put her feet up in between takes in the back of a car, complete with feet warmers.

Michelle looked stunning as her brunette locks tumbled down past her shoulders and she smiled for the photo.

She showcased her toned legs in a pair of skintight faux leather leggings and layered over a black fur coat.

Costume: In another photo, Michelle could be seen alongside her co-stars, dressed as her character Erin Croft

She added: 'Thankyou to all the cast & crew who work so hard to make this show so special! BRASSIC Season 4 will be out later on this year.'

In another photo, Michelle could be seen alongside her co-stars, dressed as her character Erin Croft.

The brunette beauty donned a hot pink and navy vintage bomber jacket with tapered cargo trousers and lace-up boots.

Her hair was styled with flashes of blonde highlights in a curled half-up half-down look as she posed with her arms crossed for the fun snap.

Complete! She added: 'Thankyou to all the cast & crew who work so hard to make this show so special! BRASSIC Season 4 will be out later on this year'

Fun! In further behind the scenes snaps she posed for a Charlie's Angels-esque shoot with Bronagh Gallagher and Joanna Higson

Later, she dressed down in dirty overalls and Nike trainers for another photo with the rest of the cast.

In further behind the scenes snaps she posed for a Charlie's Angels-esque shoot with Bronagh Gallagher and Joanna Higson.

The upcoming season will explore the relationship between single mum Erin and Vinnie, as fans are desperate to know if the pair will make a go of their romance, after Vinnie was seen declaring his love for Erin.

Brassic is a Sky original comedy series and follows Vinnie and his friends causing havoc in the town of Hawley as they commit petty crimes.

Coming soon: The upcoming season will explore the relationship between single mum Erin and Vinnie as fans are dying to know if the pair will make a go of their romance

The series also stars Damien Molony and Ryan Sampson and features a predominantly male cast - something Michelle has previously said she has 'no issues' with as she is the 'blokiest one' on set.

It comes as Michelle will be taking a break after wrapping the fourth season of Brassic, according to reports.

It's been a hectic few months for Michelle who has been travelling to and from London and Manchester for filming.

A source told The Sun: 'Michelle barely had any time off after Our Girl before she started Brassic, but is expected to take a little step back before she announces her next big project. She just hasn't decided how long for yet.'

MailOnline has reached out to Michelle's representative for comment.
Actress Tisha Campbell is warning fans of how she was nearly a victim of alleged human traffickers after a scary run-in with two men in the town where she's been filming.

'Don't freak out but I think I almost got snatched up,' she revealed in an intense post on Instagram on Friday, January 28.

According to TMZ, the Martin star has been filming an independent movie, which includes elements of alleged human trafficking, in Brownsville, Texas, about a 10 minute drive from the Mexican border.

Scary tale: Actress Tisha Campbell, 53, revealed she was almost 'snatched up' by alleged human traffickers after a scary run-in with two men in a Texas border town where she's been filming

The incident began just after she ended a day of filming on set, and needed a ride, but there weren't any Ubers and Lyfts available.

As Campbell explains, she was given a phone number of a taxi by a man who was at the front desk, presumably of the production team for the project.

Not long later, two men pulled up in what she describes as 'a sketchy van' and demanded that she get in the vehicle.

'The guy is just standing there; I just thought he was getting dropped off, but he's just standing there, and he goes "get in", and I go, "what", and he goes, "get in', and I say "no", she explains, before continuing, 'And then I look inside the car and it's all f***ed up. The rubber is pulled up from the bottom; there's dirt everywhere; the backseat looked like it was snatched out, and snatched out for a f***ing reason.'

The incident began just after Campbell ended a day of filming on set, and needed a ride, but there weren't any Ubers and Lyfts available in Brownsville, Texas

As Campbell explains, she was given a phone number of a taxi by a man who was at the front desk, presumably of the production team for the project

The man in the driver's seat then jumps into the conversation and demands that she get in the vehicle.

Sensing something's wrong, Campbell then tells the driver that she's 'not getting in that f***ing car, f**k y'all, get the f**k out of here.'

From there, the actress went back to the front desk and asked a woman who was there where she could find the man who had given her that phone number.

That front desk worker was confused and indicated that the phone number wasn't the normal one for the taxi company.

Somethings off: Campbell refused to get in what she described as 'a sketchy' van with two men inside; after refusing their demands, the Martin star went back to the front desk but never found the man who had giver her a phone number for the taxi

Campbell, who never did find the man who had given her that phone number, acknowledged she was shaken up by the incident, and convinced that 'trafficking' was at play.

'Yo this trafficking s**t is real but they got me f***ed up,' the Boomerang star said two times over before ending with, 'Because I ain't Gina b**ch.'

'I felt it important for ppl to be aware. I need for EVERYONE to be overly conscious of themselves and their loved ones,' she wrote on Instagram, adding, 'I am thankful to the production for their concern and their understanding.'

She ended her post by writing that the incident 'was a set up for real.'
Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand SKIMS has doubled in value to a whopping $3.2billion after a new round of fundraising, increasing her net worth by $600 million.

And the 41-year-old businesswoman's net worth has jumped to an estimated $1.8 billion, according to Forbes.

On Wednesday it emerged another $240 million had been poured into the company after Kim, 41, and her business managers sourced new investors, taking the value of the company to $3.2 billion - up from last April's $1.6 billion estimate.

CEO: Kim Kardashian 's shapewear brand SKIMS has doubled in value to a whopping $3.2billion after a new round of fundraising, increasing her net worth by 600 million. And the 41-year-old businesswoman's net worth has jumped to an estimated $1.8 billion, according to Forbes

The outlet reported in April 2021 that the reality star was estimated to be worth $1 billion, up from $780 million in October 2020.

On Friday, Forbes revealed that Kim's net worth has jumped $600 million to an estimated $1.8 billion after the funding for SKIMs doubled its value to $3.2 billion.

The brand secured $240 million in financing due to hedge fund Lone Pine Capital's financing round, including participation from investors Alliance Consumer Grown, Thrive Capital Imaginary Ventures and D1 Capital Partners, according to Bloomberg via Forbes.

Kim owns approximately 35% stake, which is worth $900 million, per Forbes.

Successful woman: On Wednesday it emerged another $240 million had been poured into the company after Kim, 41, and her business managers sourced new investors, taking the value of the company to $3.2 billion - up from last April's $1.6 billion estimate

This is due to her multiple brands - KKW Beauty, KKW Fragrance and the lucrative SKIMS label - as well as her reality TV, endorsement deals and other investments.

Kim's worth increased from $780 million October 2020 to $1 billion after she cashed in on KKW Beauty by selling 20 percent of the business to Coty for $200 million; the deal was finalized January 2021.

Kim has also filed a trademark for a skincare line SKKN in March 2021.

In August, Kim seemingly confirmed she is expanding her hugely successful Skims loungewear and intimates label into swimwear.

That same month, Kim also temporarily shut done her KKW Beauty brand for a complete re-haul, with no return date as of yet.

The underwear label, which was launched in 2019 and has been modeled by the likes of Kate Moss and Megan Fox, powered through the pandemic, with the business being worth twice as much today than it was last April.

Success story: Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand SKIMS has doubled in value to a whopping $3.2billion after a new round of fundraising

SKIMS brings in annual sales of $274 million and is the latest venture to be launched by the star, who also started cosmetics company KKW Beauty in 2017.

Items from the SKIMS range even featured at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics last year as they were worn by Team USA athletes, with the clothing also being donned at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Kim for comment.

Resilient: The underwear label, which was launched in 2019, powered through the pandemic, with the business being worth twice as much today than it was last April

Moving on up: On Wednesday it emerged another $234million had been poured into the company after Kim, 41, and her business managers sourced new investors

Looking good: Kim's sister Kourtney Kardashian has modelled underwear by the brand alongside Megan Fox

Kim rose to fame on television show Keeping Up With the Kardashians alongside her family and she is now said to be worth $1 billion.

The TV juggernaut recently left its home on channel E! to move to streaming service Hulu as The Kardashians.

Chief executive Jens Grede said: 'We see an opportunity with SKIMS to create our own category in retail, just like how we believe Lululemon and Starbucks created their own categories in their respective areas.

'Thats really why were doing this  to make sure were best prepared for the future.'

The news comes after Kim flaunted her hourglass curves in a pair of skimpy black bikini bottoms from her SKIMS range as she reminisced on a tropical vacation in shots shared with her 282million followers on Tuesday evening.

Versatile: Items from the SKIMS range even featured at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics last year as they were worn by Team USA athletes

She kept somewhat protected from the harsh sunrays with a black, long-sleeved rash guard as she splashed around in the water.

The star topped up her tan wearing a pair of cheeky bottoms while wading in the ocean and let her long, dark brown hair cascade down her back in natural curls.

Kim rocked a pair of rectangular sunglasses and wore a pale pink shade of lipstick to complement her already flawless complexion.
The marriage may not have ended on harmonious terms.

But Anthea Turner has remained good friends with her stepchildren  and has been spotted beaming with pride as she accompanied her stepdaughter Amelia Bovey for a bridal fitting.

The event manager, whose father is Miss Turner's second ex-husband Grant Bovey, was all smiles as she arrived at Suzanne Neville in Belgravia.

Miss Turner, who made her name presenting Blue Peter, took pictures of her stepdaughter as she tried on pieces by the British designer.

Anthea Turner has remained good friends with her stepchildren  and has been spotted beaming with pride as she accompanied her stepdaughter Amelia Bovey for a bridal fitting

The event manager, whose father is Miss Turner's second ex-husband Grant Bovey, was all smiles as she arrived at Suzanne Neville in Belgravia

Miss Bovey, whose biological mother is Delia Chapman, is gearing up to tie the knot with her rugby player fiance Freddie Clarke, 29.

The couple, who have been dating for ten years, got engaged in Cornwall in November.

Mr Clarke, who plays for Gloucester, shared pictures of his future wife showing her new ring on Instagram.

'A day we will never forget,' he wrote. 'Love you @ameliabovey.'

And Miss Turner, 61, will be looking to buy more than one wedding hat, with Amelia's sister Lily, 29, also planning to tie the knot soon.

The girls' sister Claudia, 25, is dating broadcaster Gloria Hunniford's grandson, Gabriel Lindsay.

Miss Turner married Bovey, 60, in August 2000, with the nuptials doubling as a PR stunt for a magazine deal  the pair were pictured eating a Cadbury's chocolate bar.

Anthea Turner divorced her estranged husband Grant Bovey, pictured together on their wedding day in 2000

They split in 2012 following allegations that Bovey had been unfaithful, before finalising their divorce in 2015.

The former GMTV presenter remained close with Bovey's daughters, even attending therapy with Lily after their split.

'Had it not been for them, I might have pushed for more IVF. But one day I thought, 'Why am I doing this to myself when I have these three amazing kids',' she said.

Miss Turner has been engaged to Mark Armstrong since 2019.
Stassi Schroeder has written a second book and recently took to Instagram to announce that it's available for pre-order.

The 33-year-old's follow-up to her 2019 literary debut Next Level Basic is titled Off With My Head: The Definitive Basic B---h Handbook to Surviving Rock Bottom.

It will take readers through her journey following her firing from Vanderpump Rules for racially insensitive behavior.

Announcement: Stassi Schroeder has written a second book and recently took to Instagram to announce that it's available for pre-order

Earlier this week the former Bravo TV star appeared on social media to share the book cover with her 2.4 million followers.

It features a themed photo of the mother-of-one dressed in a blue off-the-shoulder Victorian-era style dress.

She wears white stockings and black lace-up platform heels as she tilts and scratches her head in befuddlement.

Along with the photos, Stassi included a lengthy caption letting readers know what to expect from the forthcoming project.

Sophomore book: The follow-up to her literary debut Next Level Basic is titled Off With My Head: The Definitive Basic B---h Handbook to Surviving Rock Bottom

The blonde bombshell started with reflection: 'The last couple of years have been a freaking rollercoaster for everyone - theres been a lot of loss, a lot of big realizations, and a lot of unexpected changes - for most of us, anyway.'

She indirectly referenced her past mistake - alluding to her Vanderpump Rules ousting after a racially-motivated incident resurfaced.

It involved her reporting a Black co-star to the police in 2018 for a crime she did not commit.

She continued, 'Off With My Head is the Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook to Surviving Rock Bottom. And rock bottom looks different to everyone.'

Reflection: In an excerpt from the unreleased book Stassi compared herself to Marie Antoinette

Teaser: Stassi later took the app's Stories feature to share a snippet from her latest podcast episode with her husband

Schroeder, who's married to casting director Beau Clark, added, 'By writing this book, I hope to shed some light on what happened with me, but my real hope is that my stories can help someone else find their way out of their own worst times.'

She ended the caption with a call-to-action, directing her followers to preorder the book via the link in her bio.

Stassi later took the app's Stories feature to share a snippet from her latest podcast episode with her husband.

In the clip the two-time author wore a pair of white headphones and a black shirt with a deep v-neck.

Accomplishment: 'I just really hope that people love it. I hope people want to read it,' she said. 'I'm more proud of this book than I am of Next Level Basic'

Family: She and Beau officially welcomed their first child together, daughter Hartford, on January 8 2021, but did not reveal their child's arrival on social media until January 21 of that year

She pulled her blonde tresses into a bun as she spoked passionately about her forthcoming memoir.

'I just really hope that people love it. I hope people want to read it,' she said. 'I'm more proud of this book than I am of Next Level Basic.'

She and Beau officially welcomed their first child together, daughter Hartford, on January 8 2021, but did not reveal their child's arrival on social media until January 21 of that year.

Schroeder was famously fired from the cast of Vanderpump Rules after her past racially insensitive was exposed in 2020.

Axed: Schroeder was famously fired from the cast of Vanderpump Rules after her past racially insensitive behavior was exposed in 2020; Stassi pictured in 2021

Former castmate Faith Stowers had revealed that Schroeder and fellow SUR regular Kristen Doute had once falsely reported her to the police.

Not only did she lose her part on the hit reality show, but Stassi's podcast Straight Up With Stassi was dropped from endorsement deals and she was let go by her PR agency.

Following the backlash, the New York Times Bestselling author addressed her behavior in a social media statement.

Controversy: Former castmate Faith Stowers had also revealed that Schroeder and fellow SUR regular Kristen Doute had once falsely reported her to the police; Faith pictured in 2017

'Racially insensitive comments from my past have resurfaced. It is important that I continue to take accountability for what I have said and done, while pushing myself to do better,' she wrote.

'I have grown significantly from the person I was then, and I am still filled with remorse and regret for the hurt I caused.'

'I am grateful for the people in my life that continue to check me and push me to evolve into a more educated person.'
Ellen Pompeo has remained one of television's highest paid actors thanks to her leading role on the long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which is set to premiere its 19th season on ABC.

And while enjoying some apparent downtime from the set, the 52-year-old actress spent some quality time with her seven-year-old daughter Sienna on Friday.

Missing from the action was Pompeo's eldest daughter Stella, 12, and son Eli, five. She shares all three children with husband and record producer Chris Ivery.

Bonding: Ellen Pompeo spent some quality time with her seven-year-old daughter Sienna on Friday

The mother-daughter dup soaked up the sun in Los Angeles' Larchmont Village, which is known for its quaint old-town shopping street and well-maintained historic homes.

The actress dressed conservatively in baggy black slacks, a peach-colored sweater and black shoes.

She also donned some retro sunglasses and wore her strawberry blonde locks down and styled in a precise middle part.

Ellen's baby girl looked adorable in a black dress and a black and a patterned bomber jacket.

Conservative: The actress dressed conservatively in baggy black slacks, a peach-colored sweater and black shoes

Fashionista: The proud mom joked that she 'created a monster' with Sienna in a post on May 27, 2021

With the dangers of COVID-19 still apparent, the protective mother had her daughter wear a mask over her mouth and nose whenever they were out in the public.

Pompeo is due to reprise her role as Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy for what some have speculated could be the final season of the long-running medical drama.

The actress signed on for one year deal, which includes also serving as executive producer, earlier in January.

She and showrunner Krista Vernoff and creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes are expected to make a decision on whether to carry on with the show later in the year, according to Deadline.

MIA: Missing from the action was Pompeo's eldest daughter Stella, 12, and son Eli, five. She shares all three children with husband and record producer Chris Ivery

According to Forbes in 2020, Pompeo makes $550,000 per episode. She also receives about $6 million per year from her share of syndication profits, which overall translates to about $19 million per year.

Pompeo met her husband Chris Ivery, in 2003, about two years before she scored the role of Meredith Grey.

After dating for a few years, the pair married in 2007 during a private ceremony.

Although they met in Los Angeles, both Pompeo and Ivery are originally from Massachusetts.
Jasmine Yarbrough is celebrating her 38th Birthday.

And on Saturday, her husband Karl Stefanovic led the way with social media tributes by sharing a touching post dedicated to his wife.

'Happy birthday my love. What a gift you are,' he wrote in the caption.

Birthday girl! On Saturday, Jasmine Yarbrough turned 38. And to celebrate the shoe designer's birthday, her husband Karl Stefanovic shared a sweet tribute to her on Instagram

Alongside his sweet words, he shared a throwback photo of the couple taken during a European trip.

Meanwhile, her brother-in-law and Sky News Reporter Peter Stefanovic also shared a picture in celebration of Jasmine's big day.

'Happy birthday sissy!' he wrote on his Instagram Stories.

Family love: Meanwhile, her brother-in-law and Sky News Reporter Peter Stefanovic also shared a picture in celebration of Jasmine's big day

In the picture, Peter is laughing hysterically, while Jasmine was undertaking a salute gesture.

Peter's wife and TODAY Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys also paid tribute to Jasmine, sharing a picture of the sister-in-laws beaming.

'Happy birthday to the Jazziest of all Jazzies,' she captioned the image alongside kissing emojis.

Sister-in-laws! Peter's wife and TODAY Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys (left) also paid tribute to Jasmine, sharing a picture of the sister-in-laws beaming

Jasmine is the wife of Channel 9 journalist and TODAY show presenter Karl Stefanovic.

The two met through mutual friends in December 2016.

Two years later, they married at the five-star One&Only Palmilla resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, in December 2018.

Karl and Jasmine then went on to welcome their daughter Harper on May 1, 2020. She was born at North Shore Private Hospital in Sydney.
Rob Riggle accused his estranged wife Tiffany Riggle of planting a hidden camera in his home back in June, and now he plans to sue her for it.

A lawsuit acquired by TMZ states that the 51-year-old actor got the sneaking suspicion that he was being recorded not long before his ex filed for divorce in October 2020.

Now he intends to take legal action for damages and is seeking an injunction to force her to turn over the alleged recordings, including any copies.

Follow-up: Rob Riggle accused his estranged wife Tiffany Riggle of planting a hidden camera in his home back in June, and now he plans to sue her for it; Riggle pictured in 2019

Before the discovery of the 'hidden camera' Riggle had been staying at their smaller home while Tiffany stayed with their two children in the main family home.

Around that time Rob also noticed he was missing cash and confronted his former partner about it. She denied having anything to do with it.

Around the same time the actor alleged that Tiffany had hacked into his Apple account and downloaded his emails, texts, contacts, and photos.

Rob claimed in court documents that Tiffany somehow had knowledge of private conversations he'd had in his home office either with or about his girlfriend and assistant, and she - or other anonymous sources - would text or email them referencing the private information.

Parting ways: Things began to get very interesting after the filing as $28,000 from his own home office went missing and he began to feel like he was being watched according to court documents obtained by TMZ; the former couple pictured in 2014

Due to the alleged data leaks, the actor claimed that he and his girlfriend would form a misinformation scheme by planting false information to test whether any of it would leak out and that his suspicions were confirmed.

According to the court documents obtained by TMZ, Rob went on to have his home electronically swept for devices in April and claims that a hidden spy camera was found in his smoke detector.

Rob claims that the device had a memory card with more than 10,000 videos with sound on it and that he believes that it had been installed in August 2020 and possibly monitored him until it was discovered.

The actor also claimed that one of the videos shows Tiffany standing on a ladder to install the disguised camera while another clip showed her sitting on the floor in his home office counting money, which he believes is the $28K that went missing.

Moving on: His wife Tiffany filed for divorce from the 51-year-old actor in October2020 after 21 years of marriage as she cited 'irreconcilable differences' at the time; the former couple pictured in March 2012

Rob was granted a temporary restraining order against Tiffany.

Tiffany filed for divorce citing 'irreconcilable differences'. After 21 years of marriage, the former couple reportedly separated on May 2, 2020.

In addition to checking off the box asking for spousal support and seeking joint custody of their two children, the star's wife listed her car, purchased in 2014, as separate property.

Meanwhile, she marked two of their homes, 'several bank accounts' and 'interest in vodka and whiskey companies' under community property, according to TMZ.

The two, who share their 16-year-old daughter Abigail and 12-year-old son George, first met in 1997, as Rob was preparing to move to New York City.

After quitting flight school to pursue his comedy dreams, Rob was introduced to Tiffany by a mutual friend.

Divorcing: The actor alleged that Tiffany had hacked into his Apple account and downloaded his emails, texts, contacts, and photos; pictured in 2012

'I was so impressed, then I got nervous and squirrely. But I got her laughing, and that's all that mattered,' he recalled to the Kansas City Star in 2013.

Rob, who is known for his roles in The Hangover and Step Brothers, was a Marine for 23 years, 'with deployments to Liberia, Kosovo and Afghanistan before retiring in 2013 as a lieutenant colonel,' according to People.

Most recently, Rob appeared in The War with Grandpa, alongside Robert De Niro and Uma Thurman, which was released last June.
Shooting has resumed for MasterChef Australia's upcoming Fans vs Favourites season after a Covid outbreak forced production to abruptly shut down.

Channel 10's hit cooking show closed shop last Saturday when the virus spread amongst the cast and crew on set and several members tested positive.

A green light was given on Friday for filming to continue at the MasterChef camp in Ascot Vale, Victoria.

Back to the kitchen: MasterChef has resumed filming again for the upcoming Fans vs Favourites season after production was shut down due to a Covid outbreak. Pictured are judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen

Cast and crew members shared several photos from the set to their individual social media accounts, confirming that the cameras were rolling on the series once again.

Production was initially forced to wait almost a week until those who were infected recovered from Covid and followed the mandatory isolation period.

Endemol Shine Australia, the company producing MasterChef Fans Vs Favourites, confirmed that production had shut last Saturday when it was revealed there had been an outbreak.

Halted: Production has been halted on MasterChef Australia's Fans vs Favourites season after several contestants and crew members tested positive for Covid

'Shooting on the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites has been temporarily suspended due to several positive COVID cases within the production,' an Endemol Shine Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'Our judges, cast and crew are fully vaccinated, and we look forward to resuming filming shortly.'

The 2022 season of MasterChef will see 12 amateur 'foodies' facing off against franchise 'favourites', several of whom are professional chefs.

Among those set to return to the series are Julie Goodwin, Michael Weldon, Tommy Pham, Alvin Quah and Sashi Cheliah.

'Shooting on the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites has been temporarily suspended due to several positive COVID cases within the production,' an Endemol Shine Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia

In an interview with Yahoo! in November, Julie admitted she was worried about returning to the MasterChef kitchen, despite winning the 2009 season.

'I'm quite petrified about it,' she confessed. 'I watch [MasterChef] every year and I've just watched the standard rise and rise and the food get more and more amazing.'

But she added that she's curious to see if she measures up to the recent batch of cooks that have passed through the MasterChef Australia kitchen.

New season: The 2022 season will see 12 amateur 'foodies' facing off against franchise 'favourites', several of whom are professional chefs. Among those set to return to the series are Julie Goodwin (pictured), Michael Weldon, Tommy Pham, Alvin Quah and Sashi Cheliah

'It'll be really interesting to see if my style will cut it these days in the MasterChef kitchen,' she admitted.

Julie said she was 'grateful to have been given another chance' to return to the beloved cooking show and was 'looking forward to it', describing it as 'a lot of fun'.

Little else is known about the series except that it's set to air on Channel 10 sometime this year.
Matthew Wolfenden and Isabel Hodgins returned to Emmerdale on Friday night following a three-month absence after they became embroiled in an alleged race row.

Actor Matthew, 41, who plays David Metcalfe, and Isabel, 28, who portrays Victoria Sugden, had been off screen following claims 'the accent of a mixed-raced actress was mimicked' on set, with the characters' absence being explained by the pair taking an extended Portuguese holiday after Meena Jutlas (Paige Sandhu) attempt to kill Victoria last year.

In Friday's scenes, the pair were seen returning to the village shop to surprise Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant).

Comeback: Matthew Wolfenden, 41, and Isabel Hodgins, 28, returned to Emmerdale on Friday night following a three-month absence after they became embroiled in an alleged race row

The couple told Jacob their relationship was now so strong they wanted to become a 'proper family' with Jacob and their young children.

David was later seen reacting with shock after learning the extent of Meena's crimes after she was exposed as a serial killer before going on the run.

Matthew and Isabel had been absent following claims that 'the accent of a mixed-raced actress was mimicked' on set.

Shock: In Friday's scenes, the pair were seen returning to the village shop to surprise Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant)

The unnamed actress was upset following an inappropriate comment made towards her, before it was claimed her accent was mocked during the fall out.

According to The Sun, ITV bosses accepted Matthew and Isabel's explanation that the alleged remark and mimicry were 'misheard', with no formal action to be taken against them.

A source told the publication: 'ITV have conducted a rigorous enquiry into the allegations made, with witness statements taken. Bosses accepted Matthew and Isabel's explanation and agreed they can return to work.

Claims: Matthew, who plays David Metcalfe, and Isabel, who portrays Victoria Sugden, had been off screen following claims 'the accent of a mixed-raced actress was mimicked' on set

On a break: The characters' absence being explained by the pair taking an extended Portuguese holiday after Meena Jutlas (Paige Sandhu) attempt to kill Victoria last year

Plans: The couple told Jacob on Friday that their relationship was now so strong they wanted to become a 'proper family' with Jacob and their young children

'However, it has been made very clear that racism and bullying will not be tolerated by ITV. They have also offered the subject of their alleged remarks guidance about how to deal with the pair's return.'

MailOnline contacted an Emmerdale spokesperson for comment at the time.

Neither cast member had been formally suspended by the producers of the Yorkshire-based soap, but they had not filmed scenes since September.

Exciting: It recently emerged Matthew and Isabel would return to Emmerdale 'as soon as possible'

Shock: The fictional couple hadn't featured in the ITV soap since September, after jetting out to Portugal to visit Victoria's step-mum Diane

Back in November, it was claimed Matthew and Isabel were facing allegations.

Both stars - who joined the soap in 2006 - categorically denied claims of racism and suggested the whole thing was a misunderstanding.

An Emmerdale spokesman told MailOnline at the time: 'While we would never comment on individual cases, Emmerdale has robust policies in place to deal with any allegations brought to our attention and take the appropriate steps.'

Gripping: Their characters made their way back to the Dales after David's ex Meena Jutla was revealed to be a murderer (Paige Sandhu is pictured in-character)

It was also reported that following the alleged incident, Matthew is said to have rowed with co-star Aaron Anthony, who plays Ellis Chapman.

A source told The Sun: 'It is common knowledge on set that Matthew and Isabel are not filming at the moment following a complaint.

'This all came about after a conversation between them and another actress - during which the alleged remark was made.

Controversial: Matthew and Isabel had been absent following claims that 'the accent of a mixed-raced actress was mimicked' on set (pictured in-character)

'An accusation was also made that the actress's accent had been mimicked.'

The source went on to say that Matthew and Aaron subsequently had a 'tense conversation', adding that afterwards, Matthew and Isabel 'stopped filming'.

The insider said that 'emotions have been running high' on the set since the incident, with cast unsure 'what to believe'.

Meanwhile, it was said the female cast member at the centre of the race row was continuing to film 'as normal', though she wished she 'wasn't entangled in it'.

The publication reported that the 'issue was far from solved' and as two of Emmerdale's biggest stars their sudden absence from set caused major 'production issues'.
Montana Cox was enjoying the steamy, sunny weather in Sydney on Saturday.

The model and actress took a dip at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, accompanied by a male friend.

The stunning 28-year-old showed off her incredible figure in a black, string bikini as she splashed in the waves.

Sunny! Montana Cox (pictured) was enjoying the steamy, sunny weather in Sydney on Saturday

The flirty swimwear, which featured dangling ties at the sides, perfectly showcased the statuesque beauty's slender physique.

Montana appeared to go makeup free for the outing, and wore her brunette locks down around her face.

She took a little swim break in the shallows near the shore, where she was joined by a muscular male friend.

Wet wet wet: The model and actress took a dip at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach

Wow: The stunning 28-year-old showed off her incredible figure in a black, string bikini

Stunner: The flirty swimwear featured dangling ties at the sides

A look: It perfectly showcased the statuesque beauty's slender physique

The pal helpfully wiped water off Montana's forehead as she appeared to inspect something that had gotten in her eye.

The model then headed back to the shore, where her belongings, including her hat, were waiting for her, to towel herself off.

Montana returned to Australia recently, and she is now busy getting her acting career off the ground.

Casual: Montana appeared to go makeup free for the outing

Water baby: She wore her brunette locks down around her face

Oops! At one point, she appeared to get something in her eye

A hand: She took a little swim break in the shallows near the shore, where she was joined by a muscular male friend

Last year, Montana revealed her jet-setter lifestyle led to her contracting Covid-19 twice.

She said that after her ordeal she was so eager to return home that she left her belongings overseas and fled Down Under.

'I have half of my apartment in New York, half of my stuff still back in London. I came back [to Australia] quickly,' she told Stellar Magazine.

Eyes on her: The pal helpfully wiped water off Montana's forehead as she appeared to inspect something that had gotten in her eye

Are you okay? He checked in to make sure she was alright after her little accident

Back in town: Montana returned to Australia recently, and she is now busy getting her TV career off the ground

Auditions: Montana used her time in lockdown to fine-tune her acting skills

Cast: In June, Channel Ten announced Montana was joining Neighbours

'I was in London when Covid happened and I still had my New York apartment. I got rid of the lease and got someone to pack all of my stuff.'

Since returning to Australia, Montana used her time in lockdown to fine-tune her acting skills.

In June, Channel Ten announced Montana was joining Neighbours.

Did well! The leggy stunner recently made her acting debut on Ramsay Street as Brittany Barnes

Star: Montana first rose to fame on the 2011 season of Australia's Next Top Model

The leggy stunner recently made her acting debut on Ramsay Street as Brittany Barnes.

Montana first rose to fame on the 2011 season of Australia's Next Top Model.

She has walked for high-end fashion houses including Givenchy, Chanel, Tom Ford, and Mugler.
She only uses products from the finest fashion, makeup and hair brands to retain her looks and figure.

And on Friday, Kim Kardashian, 41, chose to use a new hair waver from local Australian hair brand Mermade Hair.

The reality TV star was discovered using the hair waver when she uploaded an image to her Instagram Stories alongside social media influencers Natalie Halcro and Olivia Pierson.

Aussie made: Kim Kardashian (pictured) has been spotted using a hair waver from the Mermade Hair brand. Pictured with Kardashian's hair stylist Chris Appleton and social media influencers Natalie Halcro and Olivia Pierson

In the photo, Kim, 41, relaxes in a chair and looks through her phone as her hair stylist Chris Appleton is seen in the background styling her hair with the Mermaid Hair waver.

Pierson, 32, takes off her sunglasses and peers off to the side as Halcro, 33, sits on the arm of her chair drinking from a coconut.

Mermade Hair is an Australian hair brand that was founded by Perth businesswoman Tara Simich in 2018.

The woman behind the waver: Mermade Hair is an Australian hair brand that was founded by Perth businesswoman Tara Simich (pictured) in 2018

In 2020, the Australian mother-of-two was making AUD $66,750 (USD $46,659) a day with a new hair tool that promises soft curls in less than 10 seconds - without causing breakage.

The AUD $89 (USD $62) 'PRO Waver' from Mermade Hair claims to twist hair of every length into 'lush, bouncy waves' with three over-sized ceramic barrels coated in a protective film, which are less damaging than other heated tools on the market.

The tool, which is available online from the Mermade Hair website, has four power outlets compatible with most regions and can be shipped worldwide.

Wow! The AUD $89 (USD $62) 'PRO Waver' from Mermade Hair claims to twist hair of every length into 'lush, bouncy waves' in ten seconds

Simich is not the only Aussie Kim has relied on when it comes to her looks.

Last May, swimwear designer Olivia Haidenbauer, 22, became an overnight success when Kim wore one of the designs from her Ooh the Label brand in an Instagram image.

The young Aussie had only launched her swimwear brand just six months prior.

Wow! Last May, young swimwear designer Olivia Haidenbauer, 21, became an overnight success when Kim wore one of the designs from her Ooh the Label brand in an Instagram image. Kim is pictured in the bikini with La La Anthony

In Kardashian's photo, the TV superstar is pictured with her longtime friend La La Anthony, 39, who also had on a version of the swimwear set.

The boost of having her wares shown to Kim's 283 million followers, and La La's 12 million followers, was a shock to the young designer.

'It is just so crazy. I put all of my savings into this. I couldn't sleep for a few nights after she posted,' Olivia told The Daily Telegraph at the time.

Success! The boost of having her wares shown to Kim's 219 million followers, and La La's 11.9 million followers, was a shock to the young designer

'I didn't know what to do. My mum woke me up in the morning screaming and I thought she was screaming at me because the dog had gone to the toilet inside but it was because Kim Kardashian had posted.

'I looked at my phone and there were all of these sales coming through,' she added.

Olivia got the bikini sent to Kim thanks to, 'a friend of a friend' who works for the reality show icon.
Katie Price was taken out for a spin in the car by fiance Carl Woods early on Saturday morning as the pair started their day after a busy work week.

The couple have have been on the go this week after Katie launched her OnlyFans account while dressed in a nun's habit on Wednesday before they visited a fertility clinic together days later.

This weekend, Carl took to his Instagram Stories after climbing in his car to post a picture of the dashboard, which he captioned: 'Early morning road tripping.'

Ready to roll: On the move: Katie Price was taken out for a spin in the car by fiance Carl Woods early on Saturday morning as the pair started their day after a busy work week

Letting off some steam: The pair were unwinding after a busy work week, during which they both launched separate OnlyFans accounts

Car dealer Carl shared a snap of the view out the back of the car as he travelled with Katie, who is banned from driving after she admitted drink-driving while disqualified and without insurance after a crash near her home in Sussex last year.

The pair have had a busy week, with Katie announcing her step back into glamour work with the opening of her OnlyFans account.

And Carl was quick to jump on the bandwagon, starting up a channel of his own on the platform.

On Wednesday, Katie appeared at a press call while dressed as a nun, wearing a pink and purple sash with the words 'my body, my rules' emblazoned across it.

She launched the new business venture offering fans exclusive content for 11 a month.

Carl, who was in attendance at the press call, has since announced on Thursday that he has also launched his own page - with racier content.

Early birds: Car dealer Carl shared a snap of the view out the back of the car as the couple travelled down the road

Revealing the news on Instagram, Carl shared a picture of his face and wrote: 'That's it! I'm on OnlyFans and you can be too! Start your very own journey and join up by using my unique referral. Subscribe to me on...'

A look at Carl's OnlyFans reveals that his snaps are more X-rated than his wife-to-be's as he poses completely nude with just an emoji covering his modesty in some snaps.

Meanwhile, Katie has so far shared some conservative underwear shots which are a far cry from her Page 3 heyday.

Plans: The couple have had a busy week after Katie launched her OnlyFans account while dressed in a nun's habit on Wednesday before they visited a fertility clinic together days later

New launch: 'I see my OnlyFans channel as a place I can feel empowered ' Katie said as her page launched on Wednesday

Katie said that she won't be sharing any nudes or porn content and most of her snaps will give a behind the scenes look at her life.

'This will be an insight to me. It's raw content. It's not manufactured, it's not edited. My perception of OnlyFans, I thought it was all nudes, porn, all stuff like that. It's certainly not what I'll be doing.

'This is about empowering women. It's not just a photoshoot, it's an insight to my life.'

Following her lead: The outing comes as Carl revealed he has followed in Katie's footsteps and joined OnlyFans, launching a page for the price tag of $8.99 (6.70) per month

Welcome: Carl, who was in attendance at the press call, has since announced on Thursday that he has also launched his own page - with racier content

Asked if she would be posing with all her clothes on, she teased: 'You'll have to subscribe and see. I'm in my 40s. I'm actually a woman now. It's not all slutty. You certainly won't be seeing that slutty stuff.'

Katie also noted how Carl supported the new venture.

She said: 'Carl is my massive supporter, he's excited as well because we'll be travelling to different countries, it's all an adventure, so his support and my family's support is amazing.'

She added that her children are equally as supportive and have 'seen everything' she plans to post.

Looking ahead: There could soon be a new addition to the family after Katie and Carl were seen at the Fertility and Gynaecology Clinic near Harley Street in London this week

Katie shares son Harvey, 19, with ex Dwight Yorke; Junior, 16, and Princess, 14, with ex-husband Peter Andre, and Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven, with former spouse Kieran Hayler.

And there could soon be a new addition to the family after Katie and Carl were seen at the Fertility and Gynaecology Clinic near Harley Street in London this week.

At her press conference on Wednesday, reality star Katie insisted she wasn't expecting just yet, but hopes to welcome a new addition soon.

Detailing her plans for the year, Katie said: 'Having a baby - no I'm not pregnant - but hopefully I will be, and definitely getting married.'
Kanye West kissed his latest girlfriend Julia Fox for a smoldering picture that surfaced on Instagram this week.

Photographer Danielle Levitt posted an album from a star-studded Paris Fashion Week party where Julia, 31, and Kanye, 44, locked lips.

The showbiz hot couple appeared unable to keep their hands off each other throughout the pictures included.

Public display: Kanye West kissed his latest girlfriend Julia Fox for a smoldering picture that surfaced on Instagram this week

Kanye wore a pair of contact lenses that made him seem as though he had white irises, resulting in a distinctly eerie effect.

Meanwhile Julia's look, which included a skintight red PVC dress and black opera gloves, featured wacky black eye makeup.

Julia could be seen in the album mingling with the rest of the celebrity-strewn guest list, such as Richie Shazam and Briana Andalore.

Years ago Briana and Julia launched a womenswear line together called Franziska Fox that was based out of New York.

Wow: Kanye wore a pair of contact lenses that made him seem as though he had white irises, resulting in a distinctly eerie effect

Julia, who became an It Girl in New York after starring in the Adam Sandler vehicle Uncut Gems, posed up a storm for the photographer at the party.

Other guests included French clotheshorse Michele Lamy, who could be spotted wrapping German painter Anselm Kiefer in a warm embrace.

The glamorous Paris Fashion Week party was thrown in honor of Michele's beau Rick Owens, as well as for Anselm and Kanye.

Pusha T was a member of the star-studded guest list and could be spotted in the new Instagram album with Kanye and Rick.

Meanwhile: Julia's look, which included a skintight red PVC dress and black opera gloves, featured wacky black eye makeup

Julia's latest outing with Kanye comes after rumors swirled that she briefly used to date his professional rival Drake.

She is said to have become involved with Drake after her split from her ex Peter Artemiev, with whom she shares her one-year-old son Valentino.

Drake is alleged to have contacted her via Instagram DMs to praise her performance in Uncut Gems while she was still with Peter.

Once she became single again 'she got back in touch with Drake on the social media app,' an insider gossiped to Page Six.

Place to be: Photographer Danielle Levitt posted an album from a star-studded Paris Fashion Week party attended by Julia, 31, and Kanye, 44

Drake is said to have 'showered her with gifts including two Birkin bags' around Valentine's Day 2020 while they briefly dated in the early part of that year.

Julia recently alluded to all the rich men she has previously dated in order to deflect rumors that she is only dating Kanye for clout.

'It's funny cause I'm getting all of this attention, but I really couldn't care,' the star said of her three-week romance on an of her Forbidden Fruits podcast.

'People are like "Oh, you're only in it for the fame, you're in it for the clout, you're in it for the money,"' she began.

Trio: Julia could be seen in the album mingling with the rest of the celebrity-strewn guest list, such as Richie Shazam and Briana Andalore

'Honey, I've dated billionaires my entire adult life, let's keep it real,' she bragged during the podcast episode.

'Watch my movie, read my book. That is more thrilling to me now than eyes on me. I couldn't care less,' Julia went on.

Kanye, who is in the process of divorcing his wife Kim Kardashian with whom he shares four children, met Julia while partying in Miami on New Year's Eve.

After just two dates Kanye and Julia posed up for a raunchy Interview magazine photo-shoot that inspired widespread mockery online.

All together now: Pusha T was a member of the star-studded guest list and could be spotted in the new Instagram album with Kanye and Rick Owens

'I met Ye in Miami on New Years Eve and it was an instant connection. His energy is so fun to be around,' she spilled.

She gushed that he surprised her with a hotel suite full of clothes, which was 'every girl's dream come true' and 'felt like a real Cinderella moment.'

Kanye has recently stirred up fresh outbreaks of drama with Kim, who is currently running around with Saturday Night Live lothario Pete Davidson.

So sweet: Other guests included French clotheshorse Michele Lamy, who could be spotted wrapping German painter Anselm Kiefer in a warm embrace

In a recent single he vamped that he would 'beat Pete Davidson's a**,' and now speculation is circulating that Kanye is telling people Pete has AIDS.

An insider spilled to TMZ that Kanye has been spreading the AIDS rumor to 'everybody within earshot,' leaving his friends perplexed.

However a source in Kanye's camp has dismissed the claim that he is saying Pete has AIDS, saying the accusation is 'nonsense.'
They welcomed their first child, who they named after Phoenix's late musician brother, in September 2020.

And Joaquin Phoenix and his fiancee Rooney Mara were seen arriving in London at St Pancras station on Friday night, where they doted on their little one.

The Joker actor, 47, puffed on a cigarette as he stood outside the station, while Rooney held River.

Parents: Joaquin Phoenix and his fiancee Rooney Mara were seen arriving in London at St Pancras station on Friday night, where they doted on their baby son River, 18 months

He cut a casual figure and wrapped up warm in a black jacket and wore shades and beanie hat.

Meanwhile Rooney wore a long dark coat and wore a face covering over her nose and mouth as they were picked up by a car and put River's pram in the boot.

Joaquin was seen laded down with bags as he pushed them through the station after the evening arrival.

Star: The Joker actor, 47, puffed on a cigarette as he stood outside the station, while Rooney held River

Out and about: He cut a casual figure and wrapped up warm in a black jacket and wore shades and beanie hat

Mum: Meanwhile Rooney wore a long dark coat and wore a face covering over her nose and mouth as they were picked up by a car and put River's pram in the boot

The couple welcomed their son in September 2020, naming him after Joaquin's late brother River Phoenix, who died at 23 years old in 1993.

Director Victor Kossakovsky spilled the beans at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival in September, after a screening of the film Gunda, on which Joaquin served as executive producer.

He slipped in the news during a Q&A, after he was asked how he got the new dad involved in the film: 'He just got a baby by the way... A beautiful son called River.'

Emotional: They welcomed their first child, whom they named after Phoenix's late musician brother, in September 2020

Private: Director Victor Kossakovsky spilled the beans at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival in September, after a screening of the film Gunda, on which Joaquin served as executive producer

River died at the peak of his career, with memorable roles in Stand By Me (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho (1991) already under his belt.

Last September, Joaquin opened up about his late brother's legacy in a rare interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes.

The actor said: 'I feel like in virtually every movie that I made, there was a connection to River in some way. And I think that we've all felt his presence and guidance in our lives in numerous ways.'

News: He slipped in the news during a Q&A, after he was asked how he got the new dad involved in the film: 'He just got a baby by the way... A beautiful son called River'

Sad: River died at the peak of his career, with memorable roles in Stand By Me (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho (1991) already under his belt

Travel: Joaquin was seen laded down with bags as he pushed them through the station after the evening arrival

Tough: Last September, Joaquin opened up about his late brother's legacy in a rare interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes

They subtly confirmed the news of their firstborn's arrival in November, when they mentioned him in an op-ed for People about the migrant children crisis.

Rooney began dating her Her (2013) costar in late 2016, and they later starred together in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene, both of which premiered in 2018.

The animal rights advocates live in the Hollywood Hills with their two dogs Soda and Oskar, and their engagement was confirmed in July of 2019, a few months after she was first spotted wearing her engagement ring.

Low-key: They subtly confirmed the news of their firstborn's arrival in November, when they mentioned him in an op-ed for People about the migrant children crisis

Romance: Rooney began dating her Her (2013) costar in late 2016, and they later starred together in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene, both of which premiered in 2018

Cute: The animal rights advocates live in the Hollywood Hills with their two dogs Soda and Oskar, and their engagement was confirmed in July of 2019

Bags: The award-winning actor carried his own bags through the station

Stepping out: Despite being a vegan activist Phoenix was puffing on a cigarette
He dropped down to one knee and asked his longtime love to be his wife in November.

And Taylor Lautner admitted he 'did it big' when it came to planning the ultimate proposal for his fiancee Tay Dome at their home.

The 29-year-old actor chatted with Access Hollywood about the big night and how he made sure her wishes for something low-key were taken into account.

Grand gesture: Taylor Lautner admitted he 'did it big' when it came to planning the ultimate proposal for his fiancee Tay Dome at their home

'She always has said "I dont want anything special. I dont want anything big and grand. Do it in the kitchen. I love cooking so I make us food all the time in the kitchen and we just eat at the counter. One night after we eat in the kitchen [propose], thats all I want. Simple,"' he explained. 'So, I did do it in the kitchen.'

Taylor added his own touch to the proposal: 'I did it big in the kitchen.'

'She was away and I got tons of flowers and candles and a sign. So she came home at the end of the day, after a long day of work, and walked into that. It was a lovely surprise. It actually did take her a little longer than expected to say "yes" because she was weeping so hard.'

Taylor looked dapper in a suit and tie while his bride-to-be went barefoot for the amorous display shared to Instagram in November from the surprise engagement.

'She always has said "I dont want anything special. I dont want anything big and grand. Do it in the kitchen. I love cooking so I make us food all the time in the kitchen and we just eat at the counter. One night after we eat in the kitchen [propose], thats all I want. Simple,"' he explained. 'So, I did do it in the kitchen'

Lucky in love: Taylor Lautner dropped down to one knee and asked longtime love Tay Dome to be his wife

'11.11.2021. And just like that, all of my wishes came true,' Taylor captioned the post shared to his nearly seven million followers.

Tay looked completely in shock as she held her hands to her face while standing in a candlelit room surrounded by gorgeous red roses.

A neon red Lautner sign illuminated the couple from behind as Taylor held open a ring box for his new wife, who is a registered nurse in the state of California.

Bliss: The 29-year-old actor looked dapper in a suit and tie while his bride-to-be went barefoot for the amorous display shared to Instagram

So excited: Tay shared in her excitement with her followers as she professed her love for her new fiance

Tay shared in her excitement with her followers as she professed her love for her new fiance.

'My absolute best friend,' she captioned the gorgeous photo from their special night. 'I CANNOT WAIT TO SPEND FOREVER WITH YOU.'

Lautner quickly fired back: 'Got news for you, the feeling is mutual.'

Cuties: They were rumored to be an item in 2018 when they were spotted together at a wedding, and later went Instagram official

They were rumored to be an item in 2018 when they were spotted together at a wedding, and later went Instagram official.

Taylor found fame starring alongside Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the Twilight teen vampire saga.

He later took his talents to television, starring in Scream Queens and Cuckoo, and will soon be back on the silver screen for the Happy Madison production of Home Team.
Peter Andre's wife Emily appeared to be in her element as she shared a slew of rare snaps from a 'lovely' afternoon at the park with her children on Saturday.

The doctor, 32, beamed from ear-to-ear as she posed for a stunning Instagram selfie while wrapping up in a black beanie hat and a matching padded jacket.

Emily has maintained a dignified silence after Peter's ex-wife Katie Price, 43, branded her 'disgusting' over comments about parenting in a scathing rant.

Stunning: Peter Andre's wife Emily appeared to be in her element as she shared a slew of rare snaps from a 'lovely' afternoon at the park with her children on Saturday

Her little ones, Amelia, eight, and Theodore, five, who she shares with the Mysterious Girl songster, 48, looked like they were having a blast during the fun day out as they attempted to do pull-ups and climb trees.

In her caption, the TV personality wrote: 'Lovely afternoon with the kids and their friends at the park  with amazing views of London (which I only realised after Theo pointed it out to me) #outdoors @jesselizabethmodel @sweetamy45.'

The sweet post from Emily comes a week after Katie branded her 'disgusting' and 'jealous' in a social media rant.

Happy: Her little ones, Amelia, eight, and Theodore, five, who she shares with the Mysterious Girl songster, 48, looked like they were having a blast during the fun day out

Mesmerising: 'Amazing views of London (which I only realised after Theo pointed it out to me) #outdoors @jesselizabethmodel @sweetamy45'

Doting mum: In her caption, the TV personality wrote: 'Lovely afternoon with the kids and their friends at the park 

Katie, who shares son Junior, 16 and daughter Princess, 14 with Peter - accused Emily of not allowing Princess to visit her during her stint in rehab.

In a now deleted post, the glamour model wrote: 'My mouth has been shut for so long but I've had enough of people selling stories on me and particularly this so called woman @dr_emily_official.'

'So cringe she has used my children to make money in photo shoots yet covers her own children's faces up!'

Scathing attack: She has maintained a dignified silence after Peter's ex-wife Katie Price, 43, (pictured) branded her 'disgusting' over comments about parenting in a scathing rant

'She is so jealous of my relationship I have with Princess and puts me down... I think you're a disgusting person so stop trying to interfere in my life.'

Unlike Peter's older children, the couple have decided to keep Theo and Amelia out of the limelight, refusing to show their faces on social media.

Peter previously told The Sun this was Emily's decision, saying: 'They weren't born into the media - no one has ever seen their faces so she doesn't really want anyone to see their faces.'
She announced earlier this month she's expecting her first child with husband Alex Bowen.

And Olivia Bowen looked every inch the glowing mum-to-be on Saturday as she dressed her baby bump in an emerald green jumper and low-rise maternity jeans.

The Love Island star, 28, nailed maternity chic in the stylish outfit as she posed for cute weekend snaps on Instagram.

Bumping along nicely: Olivia Bowen looked every inch the glowing mum-to-be on Saturday as she dressed her baby bump in an emerald green jumper and low-rise maternity jeans

Olivia styled her roll neck top with a coordinating coat and accessorised with gold chains and box-fresh white trainers.

The beauty swept her blonde tresses into a simple ponytail, while upping the glam with a sleek make-up palette.

The expectant star appeared in great spirits as she cradled her growing stomach for the mobile selfies before heading out.

Looking good: The Love Island star, 28, nailed maternity chic in the stylish outfit as she posed for cute weekend snaps on Instagram

Captioning her post, she penned: 'First time Ive worn low rise trousers in a good ten years, I mean they are maternity ones but let me live. I am feeling it.'

Olivia recently told MailOnline of her pregnancy: 'I'm so excited to become a Mum. It feels very surreal still to even say it, but we both can't wait for the next part of our lives. Alex is going to be the best dad - he's so caring, kind and a big kid at heart.'

'My pregnancy is going really fast; We still both can't quite believe it's happening. We're having to stop ourselves buying all the baby clothes at the moment, we just get too excited.'

'Our family and friends were so shocked when we told them, but I just knew very early on, you know your body. We're not going to find out what we're having, I think the surprise will make it extra special.'

Green Goddess: Olivia styled her roll neck top with a coordinating coat and accessorised with gold chains and box-fresh white trainers

Earlier this month, Olivia took to Instagram to share the news that she is expecting.

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.

Congratulations! Earlier this month, Olivia took to Instagram to share the news that she is expecting

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.
Heather Rae Young and Tarek El Moussa weren't shy about showing each other affection as they enjoyed a picnic in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.

The 34-year-old Selling Sunset Realtor and the 40-year-old Flip or Flop star shared a sweet kiss before digging into their In-N-Out burgers.

Tarek and Heather appeared to be in newlywed bliss only months after their star-studded nuptials as they tucked into lunch before meeting up with his six-year-old son Brayden outside his school.

Lovely: Heather Rae Young and Tarek El Moussa weren't shy about showing each other affection as they shared a sweet kiss and enjoyed a picnic at his son's school on Friday

Heather looked chic for the occasion, sporting a white shearling coat and blue denim with a fringe hem.

The Netflix star sported a pair of crisp white sneakers and wore her long platinum blonde strands pulled back into a stylish half-ponytail.

She shielded her eyes from the bright sun with a pair of dark sunglasses and carried a taupe leather purse with a gold chain.

Stylish pair: The 34-year-old Selling Sunset star and the 40-year-old Flip or Flop star looked chic for the outing, with Heather sporting a white shearling coat and light denim

Heather flashed a wide grin before biting into her burger, as her sizable engagement ring sparkled on her finger.

Continuing with the fast food theme, she later shared on her Instagram that the trio had pizza for dinner.

Meanwhile Tarek sported a casual outfit consisting of dark blue jeans and a grey T-shirt.

Yummy: The glamorous real estate agent - who had her long platinum blonde strands pulled into a chic half-ponytail - smiled before digging into her In-N-Out burger

He spruced up his look with a black hat, sunglasses, a silver chain, and matching sneakers.

The reality TV star started dating Heather in 2019, and the two got married on October 23, 2021.

The doting dad - who shares sons Taylor, 11, and Brayden with ex-wife Christina Haack - posted his own photos from the day for his 1.1M Instagram followers.

Sweet: The doting dad - who shares sons Taylor, 11, and Brayden, 6, with ex-wife Christina Haack - posted his own photos from the day, smiling at the camera with Heather and Brayden

Adorable: Heather also shared a cute video of the trio to her Instagram stories as Tarek asked his son if he was excited for some yummy fast food

Fun dad: 'Our "IN-N-OUT for lunch" faces!! Went to Bray Brays school today and had a little lunch picnic,' Tarek wrote on his Instagram

'Our IN-N-OUT for lunch faces!! Went to Bray Brays school today and had a little lunch picnic then ran around on the playground, played on the swings, and showed Bray that his dads still got it,' he wrote in the caption.

'Days like these are my favorite. Theres something so special about being at school and having the best time with your family. Hoping these are the moments that he remembers forever,' he said, adding a red heart emoji.

In the sweet family snaps the trio smile and pull funny faces at the camera as they enjoy their lunch.

Heather has been honest about her family planning efforts with Tarek, and recently shared that her fertility specialist retrieved five embryos which are now off for testing.
On her only visit to Moscow, the Queen told the Russian people, newly free of the Soviet regime: 'In future, we shall work together; together, we shall build a better future.'

Such noble ambition now seems remote, given the build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, as does any Royal visit to Moscow.

But last week the historic 1994 visit was recreated  with Imelda Staunton standing in for the monarch and a disused former magistrates' court in edgy Camberwell, South London, playing the part of the drab, authoritarian buildings of the former Soviet Union.

It was, of course, a scene for the next series of The Crown, with Ms Staunton, 66, dressed just as the Queen was 28 years ago in a blue coat, matching hat and black gloves, being greeted by children waving Union Jacks for her visit to Moscow School No 20.

Changing times: Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II at a Moscow school opening while filming for The Crown in Camberwell, London

Historical: The Queen talks to President Boris Yeltsin in the Kremlin on October 18 1994 as the first British Sovereign to visit the Russian State

Extras donned the grey uniforms of the Russian military while classic cars were brought on set for the shoot, which took place close to where Karl Marx lived for a period in the 1850s.

One onlooker said: 'Imelda is really great casting for the Queen. She has the same mannerisms and a real aura about her. She is also very friendly and happy to chat and have a laugh with the crew members and the children between filming.'

Season five of the Netflix drama focuses on tumultuous events the Queen navigated during the 1990s, including the Windsor Castle fire, the divorces of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne and the death of Princess Diana.

Five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, she became the first British sovereign to visit the Russian state, at the invitation of President Boris Yeltsin. It was a dizzying trip in which she saw the treasures of the Kremlin, watched a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre, strolled across Red Square and drove through the city in a Rolls-Royce shipped in from Britain.

Flags: Imelda Staunton stands with extras holding banners and flags at the filming of The Crown in Camberwell, London

During a State Banquet, at which she was served caviar, salmon and vodka, she said: 'The process of change has brought uncertainty and not all are convinced that this great effort will be rewarded with the success it deserves. I firmly believe it will be.' Given the current crisis, such grand hopes now seem unrealistically optimistic.

Ms Staunton has taken over the role of the Queen from Olivia Colman. Jonathan Pryce, 74, who replaces Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, was not required for this shoot  though the Duke of Edinburgh did accompany his wife to Moscow for the first full state visit since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution. Philip was a descendant of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, who was executed along with his wife and five children in 1918.

In a characteristically blunt comment before the trip, Philip said: 'I would like to go to Russia even though the b******s murdered half my family.'
If Victoria had stayed at home that day, it's likely she would have haemorrhaged and died, she admitted, adding that the hospital staff feared Skye wouldn't be able to breathe if they took her out too soon

It was only last Friday when Victoria woke up in blood-soaked sheets alongside Sid, having suffered a miscarriage only a year prior

He said 'I couldn't cope with losing Vic, I was more concerned about her. I'm still trying to process the trauma of it. It was the toughest moment I have ever experienced

Sid Owen has revealed his partner Victoria Shores lost two litres of blood and nearly died while giving birth to their daughter Skye last week.

The actor, 50, revealed the waitress, 42, needed a transfusion before enduring an emergency C-section four weeks early - following a placenta previa diagnosis, where a low-lying placenta covers the cervix.

He told The Sun: 'I couldn't cope with losing Vic, I was more concerned about her. I'm still trying to process the trauma of it. It was the toughest moment I have ever experienced.'

'I'm still processing the trauma': Sid Owen has revealed his partner Victoria Shores lost two litres of blood and nearly died while giving birth to their daughter Skye last week

'I did say to doctors at one point, "All that matters is Vic, make sure she's OK and survives." I was imagining horror stories.'

The soap star admitted he was consumed by flashbacks of traumatic stillbirth scenes which he filmed for EastEnders in 1997 as he begged doctors to save both their lives.

Sid was wearing scrubs for the first time since his character Ricky's girlfriend Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer, gave birth to a deceased baby diagnosed with spina bifida on the BBC soap.

He said: 'It was surreal as I'd only experienced moments like this on camera when it was the worst case scenario. All that s**t was going through my head. '

Shocking! The actor, 50, revealed the waitress, 42, needed a transfusion before enduring an emergency C-section four weeks early following a placenta previa diagnosis

It was only last Friday when Victoria woke up in blood-soaked sheets alongside Sid, having suffered a miscarriage only a year prior.

Immediately calling the NHS for an ambulance, they were whisked off to Epsom And St Helier Hospital in Surrey where they nine members of staff greeted them.

After discovering her placenta could erupt any second, causing the immediate death of their unborn child, the pair were filled with anxiety and upset.

If Victoria had stayed at home that day, it's likely she would have haemorrhaged and died, she admitted, adding the hospital staff feared Skye wouldn't be able to breathe if they took her out too soon.

She was regularly monitored by medics for 24 hours as the bleeding continued, before enduring painful Braxton Hicks contractions, which mimic labour pains.

Emotional: He said: 'I couldn't cope with losing Vic, I was more concerned about her. I'm still trying to process the trauma of it. It was the toughest moment I have ever experienced'

The couple's fears went from bad to worse when they were warned that Victoria could lose her womb - which would have been devastating since they had planned to have more children.

On Sunday, steroid injections were delivered to help Skye breathe before an emergency C-section took place.

When the 5lbs 5oz was successfully delivered, Victoria began to lose blood, causing doctors to provide her with two litres of blood.

The arrival of their baby comes a year after the couple suffered a 'heartbreaking' miscarriage.

Sharing a picture of himself in scrubs, kissing Victoria, Sid wrote: 'Been a long a day. But. Can I say. I love you Victoria. Thank you for our baby.'

Tragic: He was wearing scrubs for the first time since his character Ricky's girlfriend Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer, gave birth to a deceased baby on the BBC soap (pictured in-character)

The post was flooded with comments from Sid's EastEnders co-stars, with Patsy Palmer, who played his on-screen partner Bianca, writing 'Congratulations to you all.'

Dean Gaffney, who played Robbie Jackson, commented: 'Congrats brother.'

While Danniella Westbrook added: 'Congratulations daddy  and well done Victoria .'

In December the couple appeared on Loose Women where the waitress revealed their baby was due on Valentine's Day, before speaking about their devastating miscarriage.

Victoria, who claimed she was in a 'state of shock', said: 'For me, it's about the support after. You feel very low. I found it difficult to concentrate on anything.'

Loss: In December the couple appeared on Loose Women where the waitress revealed their baby was due on Valentine's Day, before speaking about their devastating miscarriage

'I'm a bit older and it wasn't my first experience but it was Sid's. When you're in your 40s you've coped with things in life.'

Her other-half added: 'It was really difficult. When it happened during Covid we went to hospital and I wasn't allowed in. I was on the phone checking up. I knew what had happened but I didn't want to believe it.'

The actor went on to outline how the pair lay down afterwards holding hands as Victoria wept.

He said: 'You just want to be strong for a partner. I can't even imagine what it's like for a woman internally.

'It was the first time I'd got someone pregnant. It was all that excitement. For years all of my brothers were telling me I was a Jaffar.'

Emotional: The actor went on to outline how the pair lay down afterwards holding hands as Victoria wept

Victoria, who has two children, shared the 'miracle' news that she'd fallen pregnant again, after originally planning to try IVF in their quest to start a family.

Sid reconnected with restaurant worker Victoria and fell in love, having previously met 23 years ago.

The soap star has previously been engaged twice. First to dancer Carty Hubbard, 41, in 2000, then to TV host Polly Parsons, 37.

Sid first announced his baby news back in September in an interview with the Sunday Mirror.

He told the publication at the time: 'I never ever dreamt I would have kids. The older you get the more distant that idea seems.

Moving forward: Sid first announced his baby news back in September, claiming: 'I never ever dreamt I would have kids'

'You give up hope sometimes, so it is a miracle it has happened. We'd spoken about it when we talked about marriage but I just didn't think it was going to happen. I was completely shocked and over the moon.'

He later took to Instagram to share a picture from the sonogram.

He has promised to try and keep his child grounded, after he revealed in his memoir From Rags To Riches that he had grown up in severe poverty after his father went to prison and his mother died when he was eight-years-old.

The couple first started dating in 1998 when they met at Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood's party, which was also attended by Kate Moss, John Galliano, Noel Gallagher, Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger.

They started flirting over a glass of wine in the kitchen and it wasn't long before Sid had wooed Victoria with his charm.

The pair then jetted off to see the Rolling Stones play in Amsterdam and subsequently dated for a year.

However, their romance eventually dwindled and Victoria moved on, married and had two children while Sid remained single.

Sid proposed to Victoria in the bridal suite of Eastwell Manor spa in Kent, and have now booked the manor's picturesque grounds for their wedding venue.

If you have been affected by the subject of this story please call the Miscarriage Association Helpline on 01924 200799.
Syrian Doctor Alaa Mousa, 36, who has been on trial in Germany for the past one year, has refuted all allegations of torture against his patients. Mousa denied the prosecution's charge that said he had tortured his patients at military hospitals in Damascus and Homs, Syria, in 2011-12.

In a hearing in Germanys Frankfurt Higher Regional Court, Mousa said that he did work at the military hospitals, but did not torture the detained prisoners. He also denied the allegation of killing a patient and operating upon another patient without anesthesia, which the prosecution had accused him of. The case is now lined up for 13 hearings, which may conclude by the end of March 2022.

But why is the case? Here's what you need to know:

1. SYRIA TO GERMANY

Alaa Mousa arrived in Germany in 2015 on a skilled workers visa. He had applied for the German visa at the German Embassy in Lebanon. Prior to that, Mousa had worked at several places. The doctor was arrested in June 2020 in Germany, and placed in pre-trial detention.

2. THE CHARGES AGAINST MOUSA (TRIGGER WARNING: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF VIOLENCE)

Syrian doctor Alaa Mousa in a German Court. Photo: Reuters

Syrian doctor Alaa Mousa is accused on 18 counts of torturing prisoners in Damascus and Homs in 2011-12. At one count, he is accused of the murder of a patient by administering him a lethal injection when the patient resisted the beatings. The doctor is also accused of a bone fracture correction surgery without giving anaesthesia to the patient.

In one such crime of his highlighted by the prosecution, he is accused of dousing the genitals of a teenage boy by alcohol and lighting it on fire with his cigarette at military hospital no 608 in Homs. Along with this, Mousa is also accused of depriving the patients of their reproductive capacity in two cases.

According to federal prosceutors, Mousa had tortured nine other people in the detention centre. In one case, he beat up a man who had epileptic seizure. After a few days, Mousa gave a medicine to that patient and the latter died, with the cause of his death unknown.

One of his crimes listed by the prosceution is hanging people from the ceiling and beating them up with a plastic baton. In one case, he is accused of kicking the infected wound of a prisoner, pouring disinfectant over it, and then setting it on fire.

3. THE PRISONERS-CUM-PATIENTS

In 2011-12, civilian protests against the Bashar Al Assad government intensified. In a bid to quell the dissent, the government went harsh against the civilians, which also included political oppnents of Assad. They were arrested and brought to the military service hospital in Damascus and Homs, where it is alleged that the doctors committed severe atrocities on the prisoners. There were several cases of torture against the Assad regime, and it is only when the witnesses started coming forward that torture cases saw the light of day.

4. MOUSA, IN HIS DEFENCE

Alaa Mousa. Photo: Reuters

The Syrian doctor refuted all the allegations of torture against him in a latest court hearing, and only acknowledged that he did work at the military hospital in Syria. Mousa pinned the blame of torture on the Military Secret Service of Syria, who he said was in full control of the hospital.

According to Mousa, the Military Secret Service was behind the atrocities, and being a doctor, he didnt ask questions because if he did, it would have been him instead of the patients. He added that he was scared of the military staff and also the hospital staff that had just joined in.

He also denied torture to a patient by dousing the gentials with fire. He said he did not do that and felt sorry for the patients who were being blindfolded by the military staff.

In his defence to the court, he said that the protests though started slow, became radical in the later days. He himself denied his and his familys involvement in any political activism, and said that as a doctor, he felt bad for the atrocities committed on the prisoners.

5. WHAT THE PROSECUTION SAYS

Syrian lawyer Anwar Al Bunni, who also heads a human rights group in Berlin, has built a strong case against Mousa. There are at least 9 planned eye witnesses which the prosecution claims will depose against the doctor.

Bunni has also labelled an accusation against the Syrian Embassy in Berlin for providing forged documents to Mousa to deny his presence at the military hospital. The staff even tried to help Mousa escape Germany.

Moreover, Bunni said that one of the nine witnesses was being threatened of dire consequences - that of seeing a family member killed - if the witness gave a testimony in court.

6. WHY A TRIAL IN GERMANY

Alaa Mousa . Photo: Reuters

The German trial of the Syrian doctor for his war-related crimes is enabled by the legal principle of universal jurisdiction. This allows crimes of exceptional gravity to be prosecuted by a country even if they were committed in a different country.

Also, this is not the first trial involving Syrian war crimes. Earlier this month, in one such ruling, a former Syrian colonel was sentenced by the court for overseeing the murder of 27 people and torture of 4,000 prisoners at the Damascus detention centre.

A February 2021 report by The Guardian says a German court had convicted Eyad Al- Gharib, a member of Assad's secret police, for facilitating torture of prisoners in detention centres in Syria. The court sentenced him to four and a half years in prison. This was also the first landmark ruling that set precedents for other crimes against humanity cases in Syria.

Other cases involving Syrian convicts have also been taken up in France, Norway, Sweden and Austria.
Rick Thomason is the 2021-22 president of the Tennessee Press Association and publisher of the Kingsport Times News and Johnson City Press.
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Local

Candidates spar over future of GOP

The battle for the future of the Nacogdoches County Republican Party escalated this week as the two men seeking to lead the local GOP sparred publicly for the first time.

Incumbent GOP Chairman Bradley Reynolds took jabs at challenger Albert Lasaters voting record and endorsement of a primary candidate while Lasater accused the party of meeting only the minimum standard under Reynolds leadership.

Much of their exchange centered on a large sign promoting Texas House candidate Greg Caldwell outside Lasaters business on North Street. Under local party bylaws, party leaders may not endorse a primary candidate.

Why would someone who makes it clear that they do not support county party bylaws want to lead our party? Its so they can undo our bylaws, Reynolds said.

Lasater and his wife are active in Nacogdoches Conservative Watch, a group trying to push the local GOP further right and did not dispute that he favors endorsing primary candidates.

Instead, he focused largely on wanting to increase outreach efforts and fill vacant precinct chairmanships while criticizing the party for poor outreach efforts.

I think thats what we can do as a party. There is a big difference between whats required. Thats what getting done right now. Thats the minimum standard. We need to focus on growing and doing a better job, he said.

Nine of 20 local GOP precinct chairmanships are currently vacant.

Though he spoke about party growth, Reynolds said Lasaters voting record is lacking. Public records show Lasater cast a Republican Primary ballot only twice since 2010.

My opponent does not like the fact that we do not endorse candidates in the primary election. Maybe he should try voting in some, Reynolds said.

More outreach is needed because the Republican hold over Nacogdoches County is slipping, Lasater said.

The county is successfully Republican by a margin, but that margin is decreasing. Weve lost the city of Nacogdoches in the presidential election to the Democrats, he said.

Nacogdoches County has two Democrats who hold office in partisan positions.

Weve got to grow the party. Weve got to get our message out, Lasater said. We need to educate voters on whats going on.

Joe Biden did outperform Donald Trump within the Nacogdoches City Limits. Reynolds says thats not a warning of the citys conservatives waning.

There are a lot of folks who just couldnt take our presidential candidate. Whether you like it or not, that did not help us in Nacogdoches County, Reynolds said.

Statewide election results from 2020 show many voters rejected Donald Trumps re-election bid while supporting Republicans down the ballot. U.S. Senator John Cornyn received more than 71,000 votes than Trump across the state and outperformed Trump within the city limits.
Nacogdoches, TX (75965)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SSE 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 around 70F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Jamaicas Dancehall Dance Association (DDA) has taken umbrage to non-Jamaicans conducting Dancehall lectures and dance moves classes in exchange for cash on Jamaican soil, to tourists who travel to the island unwittingly believing they are paying for the authentic stuff.

The 200-member DDA, which is a global organization representing Jamaican Dancehall dancers, teachers, choreographers, lecturers, advocates, ambassadors and their related content and products including classes, tours, workshops, seminars and performances, issued a notice about the matter, via its social media pages a few days ago.

It noted that the practice of non-Jamaicans teaching Dancehall dancing is not only prohibited, but is infringing on, and expropriating Jamaicans Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as taking away well-needed earnings from Jamaican nationals.

The Dancehall Dance Association (DDA) hereby explicitly states that NO NON-JAMAICAN is permitted to teach Dancehall classes or conduct Dancehall lectures in Jamaica, the notice read.

To do so goes against the respect for and preservation of Dancehall Culture, and undermines the welfare and livelihood of Jamaican Dancehall Dancers and Teachers. As originators and creators, we have a duty to protect the cultural authenticity of Dancehall Dance in its home, and secure the jobs of these Jamaican originators/creators/citizens, the group added.

In furtherance of their opposition to cultural appropriation, the DDA urged visitors to the country to come to Jamaica and learn from a Jamaican.

We consider the teaching of Dancehall Dance in Jamaica, by a non-Jamaican, to be an offensive act that strikes at the heart of our culture and identity. The DDA and all its members stand together and will challenge anyone whose actions contravene the welfare of all Jamaican dancers, the organisation stated.

The concerns of the DDA has attracted the attention of the Dancehall Doctor, University of the West Indies Professor, Donna P. Hope, who shared the post and contended that we must protect our culture at the source. Jamaican Dancehall Dancers united.

Professor Hope who is Professor of Culture, Gender and Society at the UWI, is the author of several books on Jamaican Dancehall and Reggae including Inna di Dancehall: Popular Culture and Politics of Identity in Jamaica and Man Vibes: Masculinities in Jamaican Dancehall said, among other things, that the Dancehall Dancers have work to do to tackle this current situation.

See more

Also expressing consternation was acclaimed Jamaican dancer, Maria A. Hitchins, founder of Dancers of Jamaica and who also teaches a dancehall dance as a course at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance.

The position of @dancehalldanceassociation has been expressed respectfully & certainly is not unreasonable. They are simply asking for non-Jamaicans to STOP disregarding them while visiting Jamaica and profiting from their culture!! she stated unequivocally on her Instagram page.

A conversation must be sought with @mcgesjamaica @hon.oliviagrange to see what protection is there for Jamaican dancers in regards to earning from their own culture in their own country. The DDA will seek clarity, she added.

See more

The Dancehall Dance Association describes itself as having a growing membership of more than 200 committed dancers, including respected industry dance veterans and crews as well as emerging talents. The group meets monthly, to share and celebrate their success stories, while strategizing ways to combat existing challenges.

The issue of work permits being issued by Jamaicas Ministry of Labour, has been thrust again into the spotlight, with the new developments.

As far back as 2007, then Minister of Labour Pearnel Charles had warned that employers applying for work permits, must first advertise job openings in the newspapers, and submit a copy of the advertisement along with the application to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, as no work permit will be used to deny any Jamaican a job at no level whatsoever.

Charles had said that permits for overseas workers will only be granted when we are satisfied that the worker is not in Jamaica and that an official from the National Training Agency would be appointed to verify whether the skills sought for the work permit is available in Jamaica.

However, Hitchins pointed out on the Professor Hope-led discussion that the non-Jamican choreographers were circumventing the Labour Ministry.

Thus far no one is hiring them, they hire themselves by taking up residency on the island and illegally working without a permit putting on their own tours with their fellow countrymen effectively blocking Jamaicans from earning from their own culture in their own country, she explained.

And we know from experience like many other laws in Jamaica they are not strictly adhered to, keep in mind that immigration ought to be picking up these people pattern even before Labour laws would get any notification they easily take up residence and no one seems to care and once they get through with that they take it a step further, she said.

Over on the DDAs Instagram page, there was strong support for their statement, by Jamaican nationals, including those domiciled overseas, as well as foreigners who said it was senseless to visit Jamaica to be taught Jamaican culture by non-Jamaicans.

But who wants to learn dancehall from non-Jamaican dancers in Jamaica anyway??????? You go to Jamaica to learn culture, history, music, dancehall from the source. Show love, respect and support the culture and JA dancers!! , dancehalllovenyc said.

The only way it should be and if anyone has a problem, they were never in it for the correct reasons to begin with , missroseuk, said.

To spend money and travel all the way to JA to take a Dancehall Dance class from a non-Jamaican!!!just doesnt make sense , 1983kimsimgilch added.

Another follower said that the non-nationals were disguising the trips to Jamaica as Dancehall-trips and would make people pay package prices.

They usually include some Jamaican dancers as well to hold work shops, but 90% of the profit goes to the non-Jamaican organizers They do this in different African countries as well, one woman said.

Other commenters said that the appropriation of traditional folk forms by foreigners for personal gain, was widespread.

Okay But can yall make this global cause its tiresome watching people who arent even Caribbean teaching shit world wide, paandoora said.

Its colonizer mentality to think anything different and its sad this statement is even needed. I dont think ppl understand their privilege or even what it is, especially those who choose to make Jamaica their residence. That is privilege alone, alai_lux said.
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PHD Chamber President suggested for extension in the timeline of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for another year till 31st March 2023. (Representational Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Steps should be taken in the upcoming Union Budget to ensure hassle-free credit availability to industry, particularly for MSMEs, and reduce the costs of doing business, said Pradeep Multani, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In an interview with ANI, Multani suggested that the reforms should be undertaken to bolster the MSME sector given its significant contribution to the economic and social development of the country.

Multani said that the union budget 2022-23 is being presented at a very crucial juncture when the Indian economy is recovering from the daunting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and expectations of a positive growth trajectory is strengthening on the back of a string of bold economic reforms announced by the Government since April 2020.

PHD Chamber President suggested for extension in the timeline of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for another year till 31st March 2023.

On the taxation front, Multani suggested a reduction in Tax on MSME firms working as Proprietorship/ Partnerships as it will benefit the entire MSME sector. For such businesses, it is suggested that the maximum tax slab be brought down to 25 per cent, he said.

Multani said that for the new units, the effective rate of tax is around 17 per cent. "So we suggest enabling the entities to take benefit of Section 115BAB the time limit allowed to start manufacturing by a new unit may be extended by 31st March 2025."

To give great momentum to exports, PHD Chamber suggested that export income should be made tax-free for MSMEs for 3 years and income of large enterprises from incremental exports (Y-o-Y) be made tax-free. This will help in partly compensating the additional cost of logistics and other bottlenecks which Indian exporters face.

Multani said that applicable Basic Custom Duty (BCD) needs to be reduced by 50 per cent on raw materials for manufacturers, increase the public investments in agriculture infrastructure from the current level of 6 per cent of the total Gross Capital Formation to at least 10 per cent in the next 3 years with an enhancement of 1.5 percentage points every year. This will also reduce the agri-wastages from more than 25 per cent to less than 10 per cent in the coming times.

On Health Infrastructure Multani said that like last year government enhanced health expenditure by 137 per cent, we suggest the continued focus on the expenditure on health infrastructure as new variants of Coronavirus are hitting the country again and again.

Talking about the Direct Taxes Multani suggested increasing the tax base by encouraging people to pay the taxes with lucrative tax-paying benefits such as providing a threshold of pension (after their retirement above the age of 60 years) for those who pay taxes continuously and honestly. This will increase the tax base in the country. In a nutshell, the Budget should be vibrant and reform-oriented with a focus on refueling the consumption demand; enhancing private investments, and creating avenues for employment creation.
Chennai: The ruling DMK on Saturday strongly objected to Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's remark on National Eligibility cum Entrance Test and asserted that if he tried to do politics by following a 'big brother attitude', it would not succeed.

Sometimes, a question arose if Ravi went beyond the limits of his powers, DMK's Tamil daily 'Murasoli' said referring to criticisms against him when he was the Governor of Nagaland. Citing Ravi's reference to NEET in his Republic Day Address, the ruling party mouthpiece said the remark appeared to have an idea to 'graze' the self-respect of the people of Tamil Nadu.

A Bill adopted by the Assembly to exempt NEET is pending with the Governor for his consideration and when the entire state is opposed to the test for medical admissions barring a few 'Sanghis', the DMK organ asked if it was fair for Ravi to comment (appearing to defend NEET) that the enrollment of government school students in state-run medical colleges has increased following the test's introduction.

Also, the fate of the Bill passed in September 2021 is not known yet, the write-up in Saturday's edition said.

Governor Ravi should first realise that Tamil Nadu is not similar to other states and here, people living even in remote villages have political clarity. Before conveying his views, if Ravi 'understands Tamil Nadu and its history clearly', it would bring repute to the office he holds, the article said.

Ravi should let people know if it was fair to not make any comment on the pending Bill by hiding under legal intricacies. The TN Assembly represents about 7 crore Tamil people and the Bill was passed by the House, the DMK mouthpiece underscored.

The Governor had said in his Republic Day address: "Improving the quality of education in our government schools is the crying need of the time. The negative differential in the educational outputs between the government and private schools is worrisome. The poor cannot afford expensive private schools. Government schools are their only hope."

"Before introduction of NEET, the share of students from government schools to the seats in government medical colleges was hardly 1 percent. Thanks to the affirmative action of 7.5 percent reservation for government school students that number has improved significantly," Ravi said. The 7.5 per cent reservation was introduced during the previous AIADMK regime.

"However, there is urgent need to improve the quality of education also in the government schools. Similarly in higher education too, we must work hard to restore the once enviable reputation of our universities," the Governor said in the address.

The DMK said a party captures power by explaining to the people its policies and the public too expect the party that wins polls to fulfill their aspirations. DMK had all along staunchly opposed NEET on several grounds including infringement of state's rights. Also, the party had time and again said that the test went against students belonging to backward classes and rural regions.

The ruling party further said in the write-up that the Governor should realise that giving cold shoulder to the Bill passed by the Assembly to fulfill the people's aspirations meant insulting them.

Listing previous Governors of Tamil Nadu including those who had been politicians and others as well, the DMK said those who confined themselves to the realms of power conferred by the Constitution on the office of Governor had won praise. However, there were also others who had 'trampled' Constitutional norms and became a blot on the institution.

"We accept that the Governor is a representative of the Union government," the article said and wanted Ravi to understand that his paramount duty was to convey to the Centre the opinion of Tamil Nadu people and make the Union government understand it and not impose the Central government's decision on the people.

Be it opposition to NEET which is based on the state's right and the two-language policy of only Tamil and English, the entire state of Tamil Nadu is united transcending party lines, the DMK said. In such matters, there is no difference in the stand of either the ruling or principal opposition parties, Murasoli said.

By understanding this aspect, Ravi should make efforts to get recognition from the Centre for the state's 'voice of right', the DMK said apparently urging the Governor to forward to the Union government, the Bill -- to exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of NEET -- and work towards getting Presidential assent for it.

Rather than pursuing such a line, if Ravi thought of doing politics by clinging on to a 'big brother attitude', he would do well to realise that it would not succeed and Tamil Nadu is not Nagaland, his previous state of posting, the ruling party said.

To underscore that point, the Murasoli article used a popular Tamil phrase 'Kokkendru Ninaithayo Konganava', from a Shaivite Siddhar (the enlightened) tradition folktale. The phrase also formed part of the headline for the write-up.

The story emphasises full devotion to one's duty and says that not even a saint who is endowed with supernatural powers could do anything to such a committed person. In the folklore, the 'Kokkendru' phrase was used by a devoted homemaker who tells a saint, Konganar to not underestimate her. She conveys to him that he cannot burn her to ashes the way he burnt a crane through his mere gaze.

Ravi, a senior police officer, was appointed governor following his retirement and he was not a leader who understood political dynamics, the article said. The TN Governor should grasp that 'intimidatory tactics' is needed sometimes by police department and it may help them too to an extent, but such an approach would not help achieve anything in politics.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu has already opposed the Governor's comment on NEET.

This is the first time the DMK has crossed swords with Ravi after he assumed office as Governor in September last year. The DMK had opposed Ravi's predecessor Banwarilal Purohit as well when he had embarked on a state-wide tour holding that it went against democratic ethos and infringed on the rights of a duly-elected government.
This is Budget Explained from DH Radio. Answering your frequently asked questions on Union Budget 2022. In this episode, we look at the concept of vote on account, what it entails, the significance of it and more. A vote on account is a grant in advance for the central government to meet short-term expenditure needs from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Tune in to know more.
A day after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai celebrated six months in office, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah slammed the BJP government saying failure and corruption were its only achievements.

Addressing a news conference, Siddaramaiah said the Bommai administration is merely an extension of the one that BS Yediyurappa headed previously. Corruption and failures are their only achievements. The previous government was corrupt and so is this, Siddaramaiah said, referring to the kickback allegations levelled by the contractors association. There are no achievements in the last six months or in the last 2.5 years.

The Congress leader said his party will consider raising corruption issues against the BJP government in the upcoming session of the legislature. We wanted to raise [corruption] issues in the previous session. Lets see this time. Since its the governors address, the sky's the limit and we can raise any issue, he said.

Also Read  Bommai, Siddaramaiah in verbal duel over defections to Congress

Giving statistics to elaborate his claims, Siddaramaiah said the BJP had promised to spend Rs 1.5 lakh crore on irrigation if it came to power. That means Rs 30,000 crore a year. But, this year, the government has spent only Rs 6,300 crore, he said.

The governments achievement book is filled with assurances. Schemes to upgrade 25 district hospitals, facelift for 750 schools by spending Rs 10 lakh each, construction of five lakh homes, creation of Amrit villages...there are many old schemes with new names, he said. For example, when we were in power and HK Patil was the RDPR minister, we started Grameen Seva Kendras. Now, that has been named Grama One. Is this an achievement?

The former chief minister accused the BJP of stopping Congress schemes on one hand and starting new ones on the other. For example, Bommai has started the Raitha Vidyanidhi scholarship scheme by stopping the Vidyasiri scheme that we had started, he said.

He also mocked the governments claim of having effectively handled the Covid-19 pandemic. People died in the second wave as they couldnt find hospital beds, ventilators, oxygen, ambulance and life-saving drugs. The government is lying by showing 38,000 deaths. According to us, 3.5-4 lakh people have died, he said.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday filed his nomination papers from the Amritsar East and dared the SAD's Bikram Singh Majithia to fight only from this constituency, and not also from the Majitha seat.

Alongside the Amritsar East assembly constituency, the Shiromani Akali Dal leader is contesting from the Majitha seat, which he currently holds.

Talking to reporters after filing his nomination papers from the Amritsar East, Sidhu said, "If you (Majithia) have so much guts, and have faith in people then leave Majitha and fight from one seat here. Fight! Do you have the guts?

Also read: 78 days in jail gave opportunity to introspect: Congress candidate in Punjab

Hitting out at the Akalis which has fielded Majithia from his constituency, Sidhu said, "They have come only to play the spoilsport. But in this 'Dharam Yudh', they will not succeed because where there is 'Dharma' there is victory".

"Yato Dharmastato Jayah (Where there is dharma there is victory), said Sidhu, accusing the SAD of "looting" Punjab.

Voting for Punjab's 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20 and the result will be announced on March 10.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal says that the Kairana model, which led to an RLD win in the 2018 byelection, will be up for the show in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh as the RLD joins hands with the Samajwadi Party. Edited excerpts:

Your partys win in Kairana in 2018 made waves because it brought together the Opposition, but a year later BJP clinched the seat. How does it look like this year?

Our election pitch in that election was, ganna jitega ya Jinnah jitega (either sugarcane or Jinnah will win). The BJP is now talking about Jinnah, so that will help us pick up real world issues. Thats our basic campaign pitch. For instance, sugarcane farmers have not been paid their dues in two years. The government is very miserly in increasing the sugarcane SAP rate -- only Rs 35 in five years. The costs have soared. Im confident about the Kairana model, a grassroots-oriented campaign. I did over 200 poll meetings. Thats the strategy for this time.

How do you think the year-long farmers unrest will play out electorally for the SP-RLD alliance and the BJP?

Farmers movement sustained for 13 months, it was unprecedented. There is deep-rooted anger and resentment in the farming class and communities against the government. There are asking the hard question that why was this reform needed. The government should have handled this in a sensitive; instead there were stubborn and arrogant. In this time 700 of our brothers and sisters died. And Lakhimpur Kheri was not a tragedy; it was actually a crime of the severest form. That angst is deep-rooted, and the movement has catalysed a larger form of social awareness, even urban middle class has solidarity with the farming community. They have realised that they are nor pro farmer or pro-citizen. Within farmers, the division on caste, religion and class, is closing. Emotions are very strong now, and SP and the RLD alliance will be able to work our traditional vote banks, and bring on other elements.

Also read: Ayodhya saints yearn for a political career

The other day, UP CM Yogi Adityanath coined a new term -- tamancha-ism. How will RLD work around the Samajwadi Partys tag of hooliganism?

This is just part of propaganda; the harsh reality is that for citizens of Uttar Pradesh law and order has not improved. You may categorise kidnaping and looting as petty crimes, but it is not petty for those who face it. The Central government has acknowledged it, too. They have said that cases have gone up. For instance, crimes against women have increased and dowry deaths are ten times the national average. You had the horror of Unnao where Yogiji and his government were shielding a rape-accused because he was a sitting MLA aligned with BJP. Was he not a goonda? Is Ajay Teni not a goonda for Yogiji? These questions will also be asked by the people. There is no roadmap, no vision, no policy that the BJP has shown, and no commitment to change the situation.

Speaking of representation, Mayawati has given tickets to several Muslim candidates in Western UP, an area where the RLD has a strong Jat support. How will you counter that?

Traditionally, she has been giving tickets in the same pattern in these regions. But she has not been active, and she has been largely missing from this current election. Therefore, people who are aligned to her, who want to defeat BJP, are going to very consciously think about their vote.

You met Priyanka Gandhi in November leading to a lot of speculation. Are we looking at a post-poll alliance with the Congress if the need arises?

Post-poll we will have to look at what the numbers are. Im confident that we will be able to muster the numbers that are required. Of course, if there is any like-minded party, opposed to the BJP, and if we have to form the government, then those decisions will be taken at that point.

Also Read  Uttar Pradesh polls to decide future of the state and country: Amit Shah

You have spoken on how the BJP has sought to divide the farmers into Muslim and Jat farmers. How will the RLD-SP alliance counter that?

They divide in many ways -- Jat and non-Jat, Hindu and Muslim, poor and rich farmer, etc. They have tried to create the impression that the new bills would have favoured the small farmer and hurt the landowning class, which is not the case. I feel we have done enough to combat these charges, there are programmes like Bhai-chara Zindabad, theres the Bahujan Uday Abhiyan, we have reached out to the most backward and giving them roles and tickets.

The Jat vote bank in the region, which has traditionally voted for your family, has lately inched closer to the BJP. Which way do you see them swaying this time?

Jats have an affinity for RLD, but our party is not just a Jat-oriented party. The farmer identity is our main pitch and thrust. I feel Jats, like other farmers, are angry with BJP and they are with us. They have a sense that, after Chaudhary Ajit Singh jis passing, they want to revive this party.

Two men were running the show in 2017 when Akhilesh Yadav allied with Rahul Gandhi. This year, too, two men are the face of the SP-RLD alliance. Will you be proven lucky?

Theres more than the two of us in the alliance. Theres Om Prakash Rajbhar and smaller outfits. It is a rainbow coalition. For the last five years, RLD workers have shown exemplary courage and faith, and stuck by us. We were the first to land in Lakhimpur, or stand with the Hathras rape victims family, or stand in solidarity with the farmers. We organised more than 50 kisan panchayats when we realised that farmer leader organisations do not want politicians to share stage with them. We decided it is our duty to support this social movement. Im sure they will vote for change.

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Jats were a crucial addition to the BJP's social coalition that propelled it to unprecedented success in the last Uttar Pradesh assembly polls but as the party gears up for the coming elections, signs of discontent in the agrarian community against it are visible.

Issues like stray cattle menace for farmers and unemployment among the younger population seem to have found traction, even as the BJP government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath receives praise from a big section of voters on its handling of law and order while welfare measures are also helping the ruling party among the poorest sections of society.

But if the 2017 polls were a no-contest for the BJP in western Uttar Pradesh like most of the state, the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance here is banking on a coalition of a big section of Jats and Muslims, whose numbers are higher in the region than any other part of UP, besides incremental votes to turn the tables on the ruling party.

In the panchayat office in Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, two village heads, Raushan Singh Sehrawat of Nona and Ashok Rathi of Dudhaheri, are joined by other Jats in their lament that they are not heard in the local administration while BJP leaders wield influence.

"Both Akhilesh Yadav (SP president) and Jayant Chaudhary (RLD chief) are young, educated and well-meaning. They deserve a chance," Rathi says and cite the menace of stray cattle, who often destroy crops in farms, as big trouble for farmers.

Also read: The melody vs the gutter speech of UP's Kairana

The resentment with the BJP over farm issues spill across the caste divide in some cases. Yogesh Kumar and Rantek Kumar, both farmers from the Gurjar community, lament that urea supply has become low and jobs scarce for their children.

However, not far from the panchayat office is Vedpal Prajapati, a BJP admirer who comes from one of the most impoverished backward communities.

"My family has been getting free ration, or we would have found it difficult to survive. We have also got pension benefits. Five years ago, you could not have thought about venturing out at night, especially women in the family. Things are much better now," Prajapati, a tailor, says.

He says he is all for "Dilli mein Modi, UP mein Yogi", a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi helming the central government and Adityanath heading the state government.

Balvir Singh Saini, an elderly citizen from Bhangela village, says robbery used to be rife on and near highways. "Bade bade lut gaye. Ab aisa nahi hota hai (Even big people got robbed. It does not happen now)," he says, professing his support to the BJP. They have built so many roads and highways, he adds.

In the neighbouring Meerut district, a group of Jat youngsters in Nangla Tashi village are vocal in slamming the BJP. That some of them participated in the year-long farmer protests against three farm laws, now repealed, at the UP-Delhi border has ensured that their strong sentiments run deep. "We are for gathbandhan," Vipul Kumar Johal says, referring to the SP-RLD alliance.

Also read: Ayodhya saints yearn for a political career

They dismiss the recent overtures by Home Minister Amit Shah to Jats as he held a meeting with its community leaders, claiming no big "khap chaudhary" (clan leader) was present there.

Amid the rumbling of discontent against the BJP and support mostly for the alliance, however, it is also not uncommon to hear voices of support for the ruling party from members of the community. In village after village, there are those who speak approvingly of the BJP's "rashtrawad" (nationalism) and perceived absence of corruption in central and state governments at higher levels among other issues.

Also Read  Uttar Pradesh polls to decide future of the state and country: Amit Shah

In Meerut, Prashant Chaudhary and his young friends mock another group of young men from the community for their grouse against the BJP. Electricity is much better, and the law and order situation is good so these people are getting bored in the village and have become complaining, he says.

While many pooh-pooh reports that Jats will be wary of voting for Samajwadi Party candidates or Muslims if they are the alliance's nominees, calling it deliberate BJP propaganda, there are some like 23-year-old Akshay Ahlawat who says his vote is only for the hand pump, the RLD symbol. Incidentally, it is Samajwadi Partys Atul Pradhan who is the alliance's candidate in his constituency of Sardhana, whose incumbent MLA is firebrand BJP leader Sangeet Som.

Polls will be held in 113 seats of the region in the first two phases on February 10 and 14. The BJP won nearly 89 of these seats in 2017.

The Jat factor will be more at work in the first phase, when 58 seats go to the polls, including in districts with a sizeable population of the community like Mathura, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat.

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Chinese Ski Association advocates use of fluorine-free ski wax in Beijing 2022

Xinhua) 09:50, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The vice president of the Chinese Ski Association, Zheng Liangcheng said both the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the Chinese Ski association urge athletes to use fluorine-free ski wax at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games to protect the environment.

Zheng, also FIS council member, said FIS has yet to develop a mature device to detect fluoride in ski wax and called for the athletes to take an active role in using fluorine-free ski wax in an effort to protect the environment.

In line with European Union environmental standards, the FIS plans to ban fluoride ski wax from all FIS competitions.

"All of our decisions need to be made with prudence. The equipment must be able to provide accurate test results to ensure a fair platform for all athletes," said Zheng.

Concerns about this device's accuracy include the possibility that the detection could be affected by the presence of fluoride in the environment, for example, that one has already existed on piste.

A basic understanding is, on the occasion of the competition scene, there's no possibility to fairly detect the fluoride without a piece of accurate portable equipment. This is because waxing is the top secret of athletes.

"If you visit a waxing workshop, you'll find that all the labels on ski wax have been removed, because the waxing technicians just don't want other people to know how they work.

"Waxing sometimes can really make a huge difference to performance, let's say the difference between the champion and the 20th," Zheng added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
How did we ever get through this last year? For sure not one of the best. Im totally fine if we dont have one like it ever again!

Moving on to 2022, it made me take a moment to recall all the impact years in my life and what it meant to our country and our world. I used to tell my daughters that 80 percent of your life will be good, 10 percent amazing, and 10 percent will challenge you more than you thought you could ever handle. As much as I hate to admit it, its those tough times when we grow the most. The old whatever doesnt kill you will make you stronger.

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Tony Iannelli, president and CEO of Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / Greater LV Chamber of Commerce)

So, here are the most impactful years that stand out in my life.

1958: The year I started kindergarten at the former St. Catherines of Siena School. Catholic school in those days was a lot about discipline, and as unforgiving as it could be, I loved it. It was very structured, and coming from a somewhat crazy large family, the caring nuns and boundaries were a welcomed comfort.

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1963: By this time, I was in public school being bused downtown with all sixth-graders to The Sheridan School. Public school seemed so freeing, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe a little too much. By far, my most vivid memory was an early dismissal one day in November. I remember seeing teachers and students crying as they were loaded on the bus to go home. Our beloved President Kennedy had been assassinated. People revered our president back then and together we wept as a country, no matter the party affiliation.

1968: By this time, Im lovin my high school days. I remember the lunch food was so good and the woman who served it was so kind. Pizza, barbeque, tater tots  I was in 16-year-old culinary heaven! Unfortunately, that joy was shattered as we lost two great leaders in the same year: Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. For me it was a confusing mix of a life so happy, so simple, and yet suddenly so tragic.

1972: I started my first real job on the Mack Truck assembly line. Eight-fifty an hour meant I was on the fast track to the American dream. I bought a new Toyota Celica for $2,900 and a gorgeous quaint row home for $18,000. My monthly car payment was $97 and my mortgage was $129. I was a very nervous man, feeling maybe I overdid it. Funny how these numbers seem so minuscule by todays standards.

1980s: I bundled this as an entire decade of mostly just fun. Good shallow music, lots of crazy hair, Reagans we got this confidence, and the birth of my daughters, Chrissy and Alex. Its funny how life oftentimes seems better in the rearview mirror.

1997: The year I started at The Chamber. I was pleading, praying for a different plan but, despite that, I got the job of my lifetime. Im not too good at, nor do I talk much about, my faith, but God has been better to me than I ever deserved. Maybe its why I stumbled upon my favorite bible verse, Humble yourselves, therefore, under Gods mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Business Buzz Daily The daily update for the Lehigh Valley business person. >

2000: The year of the new millennium. Who could forget all the excitement and worry about the turn of a century. Would computers cease to operate? Would the grid shut down? Would planes fall from the sky? Turned out to be much ado about nothing and optimistically, the 21st century began.

2001: The pain and fear we all felt over the 9/11 attack. Never will we all forget.

2020: My Phantoms bobblehead night. I mean, whats left in life after you get your own bobblehead? Very typical of my life, the moment I get even close to being full of myself, thankfully it ends quickly. After the incredible night at the Phantoms, COVID literally shut the world down the very next day.

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So, heres my hope for 2022. How about the end of COVID, more love for each other, and a big dose of the forgiveness required for imperfect humans.

As I watched TV this morning, I was struck by the words of a first-generation American being featured on a program. When asked what he thought of his new country, he replied, America is not perfect, but its by far the best of all imperfect nations.

This country is worth working to save and you can for sure count me in for that!

Tony Iannelli is president and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at tonyi@lehighvalleychamber.org.
Wary of a backlash from the electorally influential 'Jat' community and the farmers in the western Uttar Pradesh, which will go to the polls in the first phase of polling on February 10, the BJP has virtually carpet-bombed the region with top party leaders launching door-to-door campaigning and holding interactive programs with the electorate.

On Saturday, as many as four senior leaders of the saffron party, including union home minister Amit Shah, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Smriti Irani and UP deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma campaigned for the party candidates in different parts of the region.

All these leaders, except Sharma, raked up the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots and virtually warned the electorate that riots could happen again if the Samajwadi Party (SP) was voted to power. Besides the riots, the BJP leaders also raked up the killing of the two youths from the 'Jat' community in Muzaffarnagar which had resulted in the communal flare-up in the region in 2013.

Also read: Welfare measures may come handy as BJP faces agitated farmers

"Have you forgotten the 2013 communal riots in Muzaffarnagar?" Shah asked the electorate during an interaction in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday even as he alleged that the victims were charged as rioters while the rioters were made victims.

Smriti Irani, who campaigned in Meerut, went a step further and asked the electorate if they could ever forget the sacrifice of Sachin and Gaurav (the two brothers who were allegedly killed by the members of the other community when the duo protested bid to molest their sister) in Muzaffarnagar in 2013, which led to communal violence which claimed 63 lives and displaced thousands of others.

"The brothers died while trying to save their sister... you must remember their sacrifice," Smriti said while interacting with the electorate in Meerut.

Adityanath, who campaigned in Ghaziabad and 'Jat' dominated Baghpat, also raked up the communal riots and cautioned the people against voting for the SP-RLD alliance.

Also read: The melody vs the gutter speech of UP's Kairana

"We gave you (people) riot free state... we renovated Hindu religious places like Kashi and Mathura... they (SP) constructed kabristan (graveyards)... Do you remember the 2013 riots?" Adityanath asked during the interaction.

Political analysts said that the aggressive 'Hindutva' push in the western region by the BJP reflected that it was wary of the 'Jat' backlash and also that its efforts to placate the community and the farmers had not yielded the desired results.

"It seems the BJP has realised that it may not repeat the 2017 performance in the region unless the polls are polarised along communal lines and hence the aggressive Hindutva push," remarked a Lucknow based political analyst.

SP leaders also said that flooding the region by so many senior leaders by the BJP clearly showed that the saffron party had seen the writing on the wall. "BJP appears to have conceded defeat... therefore they are resorting to Hindutva and polarisation," said an SP leader here.

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Nearly a year after his son was last seen being hauled away by Myanmar junta troops, 66-year-old Win Hlaing says he just wants to know whether he is alive.

One night last April, a neighbour phoned to tell him his son, Wai Soe Hlaing, a young father who ran a phone shop in Yangon, had been detained in connection with protests against the Feb. 1 military coup. They traced the 31-year-old to a local police station, according to Win Hlaing and The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a non-profit that has been documenting arrests and killings.

Then the trail went cold. He had vanished.

Reuters called the police station but was unable to determine the whereabouts of Wai Soe Hlaing, or the missing relatives of two other people who were interviewed for this article. A spokesman for the junta did not respond to emailed requests for comment and did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

Wai Soe Hlaing is among many people, who, activists and families say have disappeared since Myanmar was plunged into turmoil after the military overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Also Read  Myanmar's year of turmoil, from junta coup to jailing of Aung San Suu Kyi

The AAPP estimates more than 8,000 people are detained in prisons and interrogation centres, including Suu Kyi and most of her cabinet, while about 1,500 have been killed. Reuters was unable to independently verify the figures from the AAPP.

They say hundreds have died after being detained. The junta has said the figures are exaggerated and that the AAPP spreads false information. The junta has not disclosed the number of people in detention.

Search for loved ones

The military does not notify relatives when a person is arrested and prison officials often do not do so when they arrive in jail, so families laboriously search for their relatives by calling and visiting police stations and prisons or relying on accounts from local media or human rights groups.

Sometimes, they send food parcels and take it as a sign their relative is being held there if the package is accepted, a Human Rights Watch report said.

In many cases, AAPP co-founder Bo Kyi said, the organisation has been able to determine someone has been detained but not where. Tae-Ung Baik, chair of the United Nations' working group on enforced disappearances told Reuters the group had received reports from families in Myanmar of enforced disappearances since last February and was "seriously alarmed" by the situation.

In a border town, 43-year-old activist Aung Nay Myo, who fled there from the northwestern Sagaing region, said junta troops took his parents and siblings from their home in mid-December and he does not know where they were.

He believes they were detained because of his work as a satirical writer. Among them is his 74-year-old father, left disabled by a stroke. "There is nothing I can do but worry every moment," Aung Nay Myo said.

Two police stations in the town of Monywa, their hometown in Sagaing region, did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

In some areas, resistance to the junta has spiralled into conflict, with fighting displacing tens of thousands of people across the country, according to the UN. Thousands have fled across borders to Thailand and India.

Viral image

In the northeastern Kayah state, where fighting has been fierce, Banyar Khun Naung, director of the non-profit Karenni Human Rights Group, said at least 50 people were missing.

The group is trying to help families search, asking recently released prisoners any names they remembered. "The families of missing people are in great pain, especially mentally, as it is exhausting not to know where their loved ones are," he said.

Also Read  Myanmar's Suu Kyi: Prisoner of generals

Myint Aung, in his mid-50s and now living in a camp for internally displaced people in Kayah, said his 17-year-old son Pascalal disappeared in September. The teenager told his father he was going to travel to their home in the state capital Loikaw to check on the situation, but never came back, Myint Aung said.

Instead, he was detained by security forces, Myint Aung told Reuters by phone, saying that local villagers told him. When he visited the station to deliver food, he found soldiers guarding the area and ran away.

Since then, Myint Aung has heard nothing of his son, but the rights group told him he was no longer at the police station, citing conversations with several people recently freed. Reuters was unable to independently verify this information.

Banyar Khun Naung, the Karenni rights group director, said the teenager was one of two young men pictured making the "Hunger Games" salute adopted by protesters as they were detained kneeling by the side of a road, lashed together with a rope by a soldier, in an image widely circulated on social media. His sister confirmed by phone it was Pascalal.

The photo appeared in a viral post from an account that appeared to belong to a high-ranking soldier, with the caption, "While we let them do what they want before we put bullets through their heads". The account was subsequently deleted and Reuters was not able to reach its owner for comment.

"He's an underage civilian boy and he didn't do anything wrong," his father Myint Aung said.

Police in Loikaw did not answer phone calls from Reuters seeking comment.

In Yangon, the family of Wai Soe Hlaing tell his four-year-old daughter her father is working somewhere far away. Sometimes, Win Hlaing said, she murmurs about him: "My papa has been gone too long."

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Ahead of his visit to China, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that for "enduring peace" in South Asia, it is contingent that a "strategic balance" in the region is maintained and all "outstanding issues" like border questions and the Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and according to norms of international law.

In an article published in Chinas state-run Global Times, Khan briefly referred to the resolution of the Kashmir issue besides the border disputes as key to maintaining peace in South Asia.

It is our common vision that enduring peace in South Asia is contingent on maintaining a strategic balance in the region and all outstanding issues like border questions and the Kashmir dispute should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and as per norms of international law, he wrote, amidst a chill in bilateral ties between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism.

Prime Minister Khan also gave a clean chit to China over human rights allegations against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang ahead of his visit to China to take part in the February 4 Beijing Winter Olympics' inaugural ceremony, that faced a diplomatic boycott by the US and allies over the Xinjiang issue, saying his country's envoy after a visit to the province reported that charges were not true.

There is a lot of criticism of the treatment of Uygurs by China in the West. But our Ambassador went there (and) he sent information that it is not actually true on the ground, Khan told Chinese journalists in an interview in Islamabad on Saturday ahead of his visit to Beijing.

While giving the clean chit to China over the restive region of Xinjiang, Khan, however, blamed the "selective silence" of the Western countries on alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and shall forever" remain an integral part of the country. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

India has emphasised that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.

During a previous interview with Chinese journalists in July 2021, Khan deflected criticism of Pakistan's silence on allegations of rights abuses by China against Uygur Muslims.

Khan, according to Pakistan daily Dawn, said that Pakistan had accepted Beijing's version regarding the treatment of Uyghurs due to "our extreme proximity and relationship".

Besides taking part in the inaugural ceremony, Khan will be holding the key meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials to discuss the state of the all-weather ties, the problems faced by the $60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Chinese loans and investments to shore up Pakistans sagging economy.

The $60 billion CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Also read: Pakistan PM to attend opening ceremony of Beijing Winter Olympics

India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

China currently has launched a diplomatic offensive to mobilise world leaders to attend February 4 opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as the US, European Union and several western countries announced a boycott of the event by their diplomats to highlight their allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang, including incarceration of over a million Uygur Muslim men and women in camps.

As per the list released by China, 32 world leaders, including Khan, Russian President Vladimir Putin besides UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the ceremony.

In his article, Khan said the security of the scores of Chinese personnel working in CPEC projects is Pakistans top priority.

Pakistan has approved an unprecedented $11.6 million in compensation for the families of Chinese engineers who were killed and wounded in a terrorist attack last year at the Dasu Dam hydropower project, The Express Tribune reported recently.

Safety and security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan remains our top priority. Our people and state institutions are determined to safeguard CPEC from the detractors of Pakistan-China friendship and bring to justice those responsible for harming our interests, Khan said in his article.

Khan recently directed authorities to remove all bottlenecks for investors in an attempt to address the Chinese investors' concerns of slow pace of CPEC projects.

Khan in his article also said that CPEC has been instrumental in addressing Pakistan's chronic energy crisis and improving connectivity through infrastructure development.

We are also making rapid progress on the development of Gwadar Port and Special Economic Zones which would benefit the entire region, he said.

As the flagship project of the BRI, CPEC has immense economic and strategic significance for our two countries. There is complete consensus in Pakistan on CPEC's indispensability for Pakistan's national development. My government is fully committed to making CPEC a High Quality Demonstration Project of BRI, he said.

Khan in his interview with the Chinese journalists hailed and stressed the "deep relationship" between the two countries, saying it had only strengthened over time.

There is a feeling in Pakistan that China always stood with us in times of need and supported us during difficult times. Similarly, Pakistan also always stood with China," he said.

Asked about Afghanistan, Khan said that foreign forces cannot just leave the country without thinking of its people, and warned the country could see the "worst humanitarian crisis" if everyone abandoned it.

"The international community should just think of the 40 million Afghans. Whether they like the Taliban government or not should be secondary," he said.

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With Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border, US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is trying to break through a "wall of Russian propaganda", its director for Europe told AFP.

Based in Prague, RFE/RL was founded in 1950 as an anti-communist outlet to beam programmes into the Soviet bloc, helping topple those totalitarian regimes nearly four decades later. These days, it still broadcasts in 27 languages -- including Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian -- to 23 countries, many where media freedoms face severe restrictions.

It has more than 200 journalists in Ukraine and plays a major role in covering the looming conflict on the Ukrainian border, according to Kiryl Sukhotski, regional director for Europe and TV production. "Our role is to provide objective and impartial information from both sides of the conflict to our audiences. We're a surrogate broadcaster and we don't take sides," Sukhotski said in an interview. "We are penetrating the wall of Russian propaganda."

The West has repeatedly accused Russia of spreading disinformation to justify its cause, while Russia says the Western view of the crisis is distorted. Most recently, the Russian foreign ministry slammed as "nonsense" and "provocative" reports from Britain about Moscow planning to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv.

RFE/RL, which has a target audience of 37 million people, stepped up activities in the region following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the occupation of eastern Ukraine by pro-Moscow rebel forces. It launched the Current Time TV channel in Russian, as well as programmes targeting audiences in the Donbass and Crimea regions.

Also Read  Russian invasion of Ukraine would be 'horrific': Pentagon

The radio station's journalists -- staff and freelancers alike -- face constant threats from Russian and rebel authorities. Some have already ended up in prison, such as Vladyslav Yesypenko, who is facing 15 years in jail on espionage charges.

Their coverage methods vary, from on-the-ground reporting to journalism based on open sources.

Last week, an RFE/RL journalist gave an account of how Russian troops are gathering on the Ukrainian border by following scores of TikTok accounts. "Soldiers were sharing TikTok videos of how they go towards the border, and then there were hundreds of comments saying, 'Oh, my son is going there', or 'My son is on that train', or 'My boyfriend is there'," said Sukhotski.

"And we started talking to their families posting those comments and suddenly this whole picture of dozens of thousands of troops moving to Belarus, towards the Ukrainian border, we were able to do it just by looking at TikTok accounts," he said.

Funded by the US Congress, RFE/RL is also setting out to battle what it says is Russian disinformation. "We are creating a new unit in Kyiv that will do same-day rapid reactions to fake news, disinfo, propaganda -- just saying OK, this is true, this is not true," Sukhotski said.

"Russia very quickly understood that it is not necessary to lie to make successful propaganda. All you need is to withhold context and create white noise. Our task is to present the context and for our audiences to make their own decisions, and this is what the Russian authorities perceive as a threat," he said.

Recalling Moscow's attempts to jam RFE/RL broadcasts during the Cold War, Sukhotski said variety was key.

The radio is present on Facebook, Twitter, and also on Russian social media including VKontakte and Odnoklassniki. "The whole digital landscape is changing fast and if we are not changing with it, we will be left behind," he said. "You can block a website but it would be very difficult to block Facebook or YouTube. Russia is not yet there. It is the beauty of social media that can get us there despite any attempts by the authorities to block us."

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By Mukesh Kapila for The Conversation

In 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) appointed Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as its director-general, making him the first African and the first person from the global south to occupy this high office.

His election process was equally historic: a secret ballot that gave equal voting opportunity to all member states for the first time in WHOs 70-year history. The post had been filled previously by a vote of the executive board. Tedros  as he is popularly known  got an overwhelming two-thirds majority.

This triggered great jubilation in his home country of Ethiopia, which he had served with distinction as health and foreign minister. But now, the mood in Addis Ababa has turned toxic.

Also Read  WHO 'sets aside' Ethiopia's request to probe Tedros over Tigray links

As Tedros stood poised to renew his mandate at WHO, the Ethiopian government launched a blistering attack on him, accusing him of gross misconduct by interfering in the countrys internal affairs. Ethiopias endorsement is not needed to re-elect Tedros as his first-term performance stands on its own merits, and no candidates oppose him.

Nevertheless, Ethiopia is determined to embarrass him, as a distracting political manoeuvre on the global stage.

What has drawn such ire?

Addis was acutely embarrassed when Tedros drew attention to the catastrophic health and humanitarian situation in Tigray: a hell that is an insult to humanity.

The civil war includes ethnically-directed war crimes against civilians and a blockade on medicines and food into Tigray. The egregious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights conventions have been likened to genocide. Colouring the picture is Tedross own Tigrayan identity and history as a prominent member of Ethiopias previous administration dominated by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. This is now the bitter enemy of current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Tedross own family and friends have been targeted in the conflict. This is quite unprecedented for a UN agency head but not unknown among other senior staff.

Tedros is well-known worldwide because of his strong health leadership, especially in relation to Ebola and Covid-19. As a prominent global influencer, what he says matters.

Speak up or stay silent?

The vilification of the elected head of a United Nations agency raises disturbing wider issues. Should the leaders of international organisations speak up or stay silent when they see gross abuses by member states against agreed norms and laws they are duty-bound to uphold?

The WHO is a multilateral development agency but its health work is substantially humanitarian. And never more so than in our pandemic age.

Also Read  Ethiopia accuses WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of backing Tigray rebels

Tedross dilemma is well-known to all humanitarians. They are damned by governments if they speak up for victims of their abuse or oppression. They are also damned by rights advocates if they dont because giving voice to the voiceless is a cardinal element of their mission.

But what should be voiced loudly and what can only be whispered privately? They are allowed to beg for resources for the hungry and sick, but not to challenge the inhumanities that generate suffering.

Because that violates the bedrock humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality. And in the case of multilaterals, it trespasses into the no-go zone of national sovereignty, the last defence of states violating the international norms they have signed.

Old rules dont work

The humanitarian space is rapidly shrinking in war theatres such as Ethiopia, Yemen, and Myanmar. The old rules and associated civilities dont work. The defence shield of a multilateral system of frameworks and institutions such as the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council, International Criminal Court or the African Union and African Court on Human and Peoples Rights is punctured by the geopolitics of powerful states with impunity to disregard or undermine them.

Idealists hold on to the myth that humanitarianism is a non-political enterprise. Yet it is shamelessly manipulated and blatantly shackled to partisan objectives, as graphically shown by current Afghanistan and Ethiopian experiences.

The political economy of humanitarian work is undergoing a tectonic shift as authoritarian superpowers and their dependent client states in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia challenge the dispensations of a retreating liberal order.

Also Read  Afghan talks focus on aid, women's rights as hunger grows

Humanitarian bodies  multilateral and civil society  dont know how to respond to the wicked new world. Ethiopia provides a telling illustration.

Before Dr Tedros put his head above the parapet, Addis had already suspended humanitarian agencies such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, MSF and Al Maktoum Foundation, and expelled UN humanitarian staff.

Nowadays, humanitarians may only operate in Ethiopia if they submit to the will of the national authorities. The new rules are see no evil, hear no evil, speak of no evil. Even this could be swallowed if it meant that the desperate victims of famine and disease received help. But that is not happening and, instead, humanitarians risk getting co-opted into the total war on Tigray through their enforced passivity.

Shrinking impact

In past difficult circumstances, aid workers took inspiration from the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement that includes the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies, and national societies in almost every country. They pioneered the modern humanitarian enterprise, giving us the Geneva Conventions and the fundamental humanitarian principles.

But their collective impact shrinks worldwide as their noble vision collides with the realities of a harsher world.

Perhaps this explains why, unlike the voices of courageous leaders of some UN agencies such as OCHA, UNICEF and OHCHR that have rung out over Ethiopia, the leaders of ICRC and IFRC are strangely muted.

The Ethiopian Red Cross, which once championed humanity through many previous cycles of violence, is heavily constrained by its controlling government. Despite their self-restraint, there is little to suggest that the Red Cross in Ethiopia has any privileged access to the neediest and vulnerable, especially in Tigray.

Under such circumstances, if speaking up or not doesnt make a difference to whether or not humanitarians can succour the vulnerable, what should they do? The question should be posed to the recipients. Research is limited but experience indicates that potential beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance are not naive.

Also Read  Ethiopia govt says no further advance into Tigray

They are aware of what agencies cannot do if they are denied access by vengeful or cruel authorities. Under such circumstances, they are desperate not to be abandoned or forgotten, even if they cant be practically helped.

They still get huge comfort and courage when caring people of influence speak up because they cant speak for themselves or wont be heeded.

Tedros found himself between the devil of a situation in Tigray and the deep blue sea of his constraints as a top international civil servant. His compassion and conscience provided the rock from which he spoke for humanity, without fear or favour.

Other leaders in responsible positions must do the same. Over the longer term, that may perhaps save more lives and even humanitarianism itself.

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Hrystyna Zanyk, one of an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians living in neighbouring Poland, said the fear that Russia will invade her homeland has left the community rattled.

"There's anxiety, concern," said Zanyk, who has been living in neighbouring Poland for nine years.

"We fear for our loved ones who stayed behind in Ukraine," she told AFP.

The news from back home is far from reassuring: Russia has deployed over 100,000 troops and heavy armour along Ukraine's borders, according to the West, which fears that the Kremlin will stage an incursion.

"Us over here, we're safe, far from the whole thing. But everyone is grappling with how to respond to the situation," said Zanyk, editor-in-chief of "Our Word", a Ukrainian weekly in Poland.

Also Read | As Russian troops mass in Belarus, Ukraine border remains undefended

There is a longstanding minority population of 50,000 people in Poland and around 300,000 Ukrainians have Polish residence permits but the actual number living there is estimated to be much higher.

"We send home money so that they can make rent, pay the electricity bill, buy medication and food," said Lessia Savchyn, a cashier in Warsaw.

"I'm never going back to Ukraine... It's unlivable over there," the 26-year-old added.

But Dmytro Dovzhenko, a veteran of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, said he was ready to return if Russia attacks.

Dovzhenko heads up a mutual aid foundation for Ukrainian veterans who have settled in EU member states.

He himself served in battle from 2014 to 2019 but now lives with his family in Wroclaw, a city in the southwest of Poland.

"Seventy percent of us are ready to return to Ukraine the moment we're needed," he told AFP.

Also Read | Biden to send troops to eastern Europe amid Ukraine diplomacy push

"If there's a big war, we'll re-enlist and we'll do what's required."

Dovzhenko admits however that he "no longer feels anything" in response to the news coming from the Russia-Ukraine border.

"This war, it's been going on for eight years. Nothing has changed," he said.

"Things are actually a little better now because we're getting help from other countries," he added in reference to international efforts to defuse the security situation.

The West's involvement "is a good thing, even if it's a little late," said Miroslaw Kupicz from the Association of Ukrainians in Poland.

He recalls that the conflict has already claimed the lives of 13,000 people "not to mention the wounded, the expelled."

Also Read | Ukraine crisis: What to know amid the fears of war

Far from home, migrants are often at the mercy of social media, which abounds in fake news and questionably sourced information sowing confusion.

Galina, who hails from the region of Ternopil in western Ukraine, has been coming to Poland regularly for the last decade to work as a cleaner, just like her mother.

Anxious about what is happening back home, she no longer wants to watch the news. But the rumours continue to circulate.

One rumour she heard was that all Ukrainian women must register to be called up if necessary.

"What will we do in this war? Cook for the troops? Swap our vacuum cleaners for Kalashnikovs?" she asked.

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On the other side of this border in northern Ukraine, not visible through the thick pine and birch forests that crowd the E-95 highway but noticeable to passing truckers, a force is gathering in Belarus more potent than anything seen in the country since the fall of the Soviet Union, officials and military analysts say.

Russia has deployed tanks and artillery, fighter jets and helicopters, advanced rocket systems and troops by the thousands all across Belarus, augmenting a fighting force that will soon envelop Ukraine like a horseshoe on three sides. Russia says the troops have deployed for military exercises scheduled to commence next month, but the buildup in Belarus could presage an attack from a new vector, one in proximity to Ukraines capital, Kyiv.

With much of Ukraines military might concentrated in the countrys east  where a war with Russian-backed separatists has raged for eight years  military analysts and Ukraines own generals say it will be difficult for the country to muster the forces necessary to defend its northern border.

Also Read | Russian invasion of Ukraine would be 'horrific': Pentagon

As a result of Russia taking control over Belarus, 1,070 kilometers of our border with Belarus became a threat, said Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraines defence minister, referring to a distance of about 665 miles. This is not a threat from Belarus  Ukraine has a very warm attitude toward the Belarusian people  but a threat from Russia moving through Belarus.

The Novi Yarylovychi border crossing is a fast, 140-mile drive straight from the Belarus border south to Kyiv on a highway that is mostly freshly paved thanks to efforts by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the poor state of Ukrainian roads. It would be an easy ride for any Russian tank driver so long as Russian forces take out Ukrainian air power and artillery first and the Javelin anti-tank missiles provided to the Ukrainian military by the United States stay deployed in eastern Ukraine.

On the Ukrainian side of the border, preparations to repel a potential military incursion are largely nonexistent. Last fall, Ukraine deployed 8,500 troops to its northern border, a mix of border police, national guard forces and military that were mostly directed at preventing Belarus from sending Middle Eastern migrants over the border the way it had in Poland and Lithuania.

Also Read | Ukraine crisis: What to know amid the fears of war

Although that force remains in the border region, its members have left the vicinity of Novi Yarylovychi. There is now just a handful of border guards, armed with automatic rifles, stationed at the post  little deterrence should a Russian tank unit make a sudden thrust toward the capital. A truck driver ferrying candle wax who had just crossed into Ukraine and would give only his first name, Yevgeni, said he had seen columns of military vehicles including armoured personnel carriers with license plates indicating they had come from the Ryazan region southeast of Moscow.

There are kilometer-long columns there, escorted by police, he said.

Indeed, new troops, armour and equipment have been pouring into Belarus daily. News reports from within Belarus have shown local officials flanked by Belarusian women in traditional dress, greeting Russian military commanders with loaves of bread and salt, a traditional welcome.

Russia is deploying some of its most advanced and well-equipped forces to nine different bases and airfields around Belarus, the Russian Defense Ministry says. Already, highly trained special forces units and airborne troops, together with powerful S-400 anti-aircraft systems and hundreds of aircraft, have begun to arrive at bases around the country, Ukrainian and Western officials say.

Also Read | We don't want wars: Russia sends less hawkish message on Ukraine

The goal of the exercises, named Allied Resolve, is to develop different options for jointly neutralising threats and stabilizing the situation on the borders, Russias deputy defence minister, Alexander Fomin, said in a meeting with foreign military attaches in Moscow this month.

Dressed in green camouflage, Alexei Shevchuk, the all-business first deputy commander of the border post, said that he and his comrades would be ready to put up a fight should Russian forces appear on the border. But he acknowledged that there would be little they could do against Russian tanks.

Visually, we dont see anything  not equipment, not people and not Belarusian armed forces near the post, he said. In the case of invasion or other nonstandard situation on the state border, we shall act, but for the moment everything is going according to plan.

Historically, Belarus has given Ukraine little trouble. Although its authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, is perhaps closer to Moscow than any other post-Soviet head of state, he had in the past largely avoided picking sides in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. That changed after the presidential elections in August 2020, when the Russian intelligence services were forced to come to his rescue amid an outbreak of sprawling protests against his rule.

Also Read | Biden to send troops to eastern Europe amid Ukraine diplomacy push

Since then, he has recognised Russias annexation of Crimea and vowed to support Moscow in any military action involving Ukraine. Like his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, he has, without providing evidence, accused Ukraine of escalating tensions and threatening war.

Ten years ago, we could not have imagined that a moment like today would arrive when we would have to establish military units and a whole union in defence of our southern border, Lukashenko said on a visit to Belarusian military bases last week. And in an address to the nation Friday, Lukashenko accused the West of seeking to drown the Russian-Ukrainian brotherhood in blood.

Reznikov, the Ukrainian defence minister, assessed that Russia could use the territory of Belarus to threaten not only Ukraine but all of Europe, though he expressed hope that diplomacy and de-escalation would prevail.

Some European leaders are less optimistic. While military analysts say there is little chance at the moment that Lukashenko, let alone Putin, would risk open warfare with a NATO country, leaders in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and the Baltic countries, are growing increasingly nervous.

Also Read | US radio sets out to break Russian 'propaganda wall'

We are reaching the point where continuous Russian and Belarusian military buildup in Europe needs to be addressed by appropriate NATO countermeasures, Edgars Rinkevics, Latvias foreign minister, tweeted this week. On Tuesday the Pentagon put 8,500 troops on heightened alert as President Joe Biden weighed sending more assets to reinforce NATO units in Eastern Europe.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATOs secretary-general, accused Russia this week of pursuing a military buildup in Belarus under the disguise of an exercise.

These are highly capable, combat-ready troops, and there is no transparency on these deployments, he said. It adds to the tensions, and it shows that there is no de-escalation. On the contrary, its actually more troops, more capabilities in more countries.

Some in Ukraine have criticised the government for not doing enough to shore up the countrys defences  on the Belarus border or elsewhere.

The biggest danger is that Ukrainian forces are mainly concentrated in the east of Ukraine, but the closest route to Kyiv is from Belarus, said Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who was prime minister of Ukraine when war broke out in 2014. Its just as urgent to send additional military units to protect Kyiv as the capital, to make military roadblocks. Thats what we did in 2014.

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US President Joe Biden on Friday sought to maintain pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, announcing a small troop deployment to eastern Europe even as top Pentagon officials backed a renewed push for diplomacy.

As President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western leaders to avoid stirring "panic" over the massive Russian troop buildup on his country's borders, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on the need for de-escalation.

Neither Putin nor his Western counterparts had until now appeared ready to give ground in the weeks-long crisis, the worst in decades in the region between Russia and Western Europe.

But according to a Macron aide, Putin told the French leader in a call lasting more than an hour that he had "no offensive plans."

Also Read | Ukraine crisis: What to know amid the fears of war

In Washington, Biden nevertheless said he would soon send a small number of US troops -- "not too many" -- to bolster the NATO presence in eastern Europe as tensions remain heightened.

The United States already has tens of thousands of troops stationed across mostly Western Europe.

At the Pentagon, top officials urged a focus on diplomacy while saying that Russia now had enough troops and equipment in place to threaten the whole of Ukraine.

Any such conflict, warned the top US general, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, would be "horrific" for both sides.

"If that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties," Milley said.

Also Read | Russian invasion of Ukraine would be 'horrific': Pentagon

"It would be horrific, it will be terrible," he said.

But speaking alongside Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said war in Ukraine could still be avoided.

"Conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy," said Austin.

"Mr Putin can do the right thing as well," said Austin. "There is no reason that this situation has to devolve into conflict. He can choose to de-escalate. He can order his troops away."

During his talks with Macron, Putin "expressed no offensive plans and said he wanted to continue the talks with France and our allies," the aide to the French president said.

Their conversation "enabled us to agree on the need for a de-escalation," the aide told journalists. Putin "said very clearly that he did not want confrontation."

Since October, Russia has amassed more than 100,000 combat troops and equipment, as well as support forces, along its frontier with Ukraine and more recently in Belarus, which borders Ukraine on the north.

Western officials say Russia has also mustered more air and sea assets in the region, creating a complex threat like none seen since the Cold War.

Moscow has demanded wide-ranging security guarantees from the West, including that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO.

Those demands have been the subject of intensive negotiations, with the West warning of far-reaching consequences if diplomacy fails and Russia attacks.

"We don't need this panic," Zelensky told a news conference with foreign media, insisting he wanted to avoid hurting his country's already battered economy.

"There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic -- how much does it cost for our state?" he asked.

In talks with Macron, the Ukrainian leader called for more meetings and talks "while a propitious climate for dialogue exists."

Putin also made clear to Macron that the written responses from the West to his demands this week had fallen short of Russia's expectations, the Kremlin said.

"The US and NATO responses did not take into account Russia's fundamental concerns including preventing NATO's expansion," Putin said, according to the Kremlin's readout of the call.

He added that the West had ignored the "key question," that no country should strengthen its security at the expense of others, adding Russia would "carefully study" the responses, "after which it will decide on further actions."

Russia has also demanded a pullback of NATO forces deployed to eastern European and ex-Soviet countries that joined the alliance after the Cold War.

In a sign of continued tensions, Russia announced Friday evening it had added several EU officials to a list of people banned from entering the country, saying they were responsible for "anti-Russian policies."

The Putin-Macron phone call followed talks in Paris this week between Russia and Ukraine, with France and Germany alongside, which produced a joint statement to preserve a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between government forces and pro-Moscow separatists.

They also agreed to hold new talks in Berlin in February.

"Taking into account the results of the meeting" in Paris, the Kremlin said, "the mood for further work of Russia and France in this format was confirmed."

In tandem with the diplomacy, the West has upped its threats of a tough response to an invasion.

Washington and Berlin warned that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to double supplies of Russian natural gas to Germany, was at stake.

Milley said Russia itself would be hurt by war.

"If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, it will not be cost-free, in terms of casualties or other significant effects," he said.

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Singapore is facing an epidemic of scams with victims having lost more than $712 million in the last five-and-a-half years as fake love on the internet remains one the most lucrative online cheating formats since 2011, according to a media report on Saturday.

Authorities have acknowledged difficulties in tackling the problem, pointing out that many of the perpetrators are based overseas, and once the money is transferred, its recovery is difficult, The Straits Times reported.

In the last five-and-a-half years, victims have lost 965 million Singapore dollars (over $712 million), it said.

The police, meanwhile, have had some success with their Anti-Scam Centre saying that of the 7,400 scams involving losses of over 201.7 million Singapore dollars ($148 million) last year, it was able to recover 66 million Singapore dollars ($48 million), the report said, highlighting an epidemic of scams, given the recent phishing saga involving customers of OCBC Bank, one of the largest banks in Singapore.

Scammers pocketed a record 268.4 million Singapore dollars ($198 million) in 2020, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said in a written response to a parliamentary question on scams. It was nearly triple the 89.7 million Singapore dollars ($66 million) stolen in 2016.

The report said that internet love scams have remained one of the most lucrative scams in Singapore since 2011.

The amount duped from lovelorn victims has grown from 2.3 million Singapore dollars ($1.6 million) in 2011 to 8.8 million Singapore dollars ($6.4 million) in 2014 and 33.1 million Singapore dollars ($24 million) in 2020.

The police said that 90 per cent of the scams in Singapore had originated from overseas, adding that they have worked closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to monitor and share information on emerging scams and conduct joint operations to cripple syndicates.

The police said that last year, the Anti-Scam Division (ASD) of the Commercial Affairs Department worked with the Royal Malaysia Police, Hong Kong Police Force and the police force in Taiwan.

"Ten transnational syndicates perpetrating job scams, internet love scams and impersonation scams were busted," the police said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) of Police Aileen Yap said that the Singapore Police Force had worked with their overseas counterparts to bust 16 syndicates operating outside of Singapore last year.

It led to the arrest of 230 suspected syndicate members, said the officer, who is the assistant director of the Commercial Affairs Department's ASD.

In Singapore, police also arrested and investigated more than 7,000 scammers and money mules last year.

Some are believed to have rented out their bank accounts to scammers or assisted them by carrying out bank transfers and withdrawals.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not slowed down the syndicates, with more victims falling for job scams, the Anti-Scam Centre said.

In the first six months of last year, there were 658 cases of job scams, a 16-fold increase from just 40 in the same period in 2020.

"Scammers are quick to adapt their tactics and scripts to keep up with the current climate.

"During the pandemic, scammers have impersonated government officials to phish for personal particulars from victims," the broadsheet newspaper quoted the police as saying.

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The Pentagon said Friday that the destruction and human cost of a full-scale incursion by Russian forces into Ukraine would be "horrific," but that there was still time for diplomacy to avoid a war.

"If that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said.

"And you can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads and so on and so forth. It would be horrific, it will be terrible."

Speaking alongside Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said conflict in Ukraine could still be avoided, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin amassing more than 100,000 troops along their shared border.

Also Read | Ukraine crisis: What to know amid the fears of war

"Conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy," said Austin.

"Mr. Putin can do the right thing as well," he added. "There is no reason that this situation has to devolve into conflict. He can choose to de-escalate. He can order his troops away," he said.

The remarks of the US military's two top officials, who had been quiet in recent days over the rise in tensions in Eastern Europe, came as there was no sign of a breakthrough in diplomatic efforts to avoid open conflict.

They said Russia continues to add to its forces pointed at Ukraine, with a range of offensive units and capabilities including armor, air power, naval power, missiles, and cyber and political operations.

Also Read | We don't want wars: Russia sends less hawkish message on Ukraine

While the Pentagon officials said they do not believe Putin has made a decision to go to war, they said his options have expanded, from provocations that could lead to an attack in the restive southeast Donbass region, to an attempt to overrun the entire country, attacking urban centers like the capital Kyiv.

"If war were to break out on a scale and scope that is possible, the civilian population will suffer immensely," Milley said.

Russia itself will suffer, he added.

"If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine it will not be cost-free, in terms of casualties or other significant effects."

Austin and Milley stressed that Washington has no intention of sending US troops to Ukraine to defend it, but will continue to support the Ukraine military with arms and other materials.

However, they stressed, the United States was prepared to send troops to reinforce and protect NATO allies in eastern Europe that faced a potential threat from a Russian attack on Ukraine, which is not part of the Atlantic alliance.

"An attack on one NATO ally is an attack against all," Milley warned.

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Airmidian Natural Remedies co-owner Amanda Knitter-Williams poses with her 10-month-old son, Benjamin, in her newly opened store at 352 Blue Valley Drive in Washington Township, Northampton County. The business offers organic and locally sourced food, tea, body care items and more. (RYAN KNELLER / The Morning Call)

Looking to lead a healthier lifestyle in 2022? A new Slate Belt shop has you covered.

Airmidian Natural Remedies, carrying organic and locally sourced food, tea, spices, body care items and more, opened Dec. 20 at 352 Blue Valley Drive in Washington Township, Northampton County.

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The shop, near the Capitol Plaza between Bangor and Pen Argyl, is operated by husband and wife Nicholas Williams and Amanda Knitter-Williams.

Airmidian Natural Remedies, at 352 Blue Valley Drive in Washington Township, Northampton County, offers organic and locally sourced food, tea, body care items and more. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

The Bangor couple makes much of the merchandise, including natural deodorant, sunscreen, herbal teas and salves (for acne, diaper rash, itch relief and other health conditions), on-site.

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Other products include natural hand-sanitizing spray, anxiety relief spray, coffee scrub, eucalyptus chest rub, sore muscle rub, anti-inflammatory tinctures, baby teething gel and bug balm with tick repellent.

Our concept is all-natural goods, Knitter-Williams said. The intention is to assist people who are leading or want to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, if someones looking to make better choices when it comes to what they consume or what they put on their body, this is the place for them.

The renovated shop, which previously housed an eye doctors office, also partners with about a dozen local and regional vendors.

Items include potatoes from Twin Maple Farms in Bath; granola from Apple Ridge Farm in Saylorsburg; CBD gummies, tinctures and other products from Mindleaf in Easton; cheese and yogurt smoothies from Klein Farms Dairy & Creamery in Forks Township; hot cocoa bombs and chocolate and strawberry lollipops from Colleens Country Shop in Bangor; natural dog treats from Bandit Bones in Stroudsburg; pure maple syrup from Dutch Hill Preserves Co. in Canadensis, Monroe County; pickles from Kilhaneys Pickles in Hackettstown, N.J.; and pork and other meats from Four Fields Farm in Great Meadows, N.J.

Airmidian Natural Remedies, carrying organic and locally sourced food, tea, body care items and more, opened Dec. 20 at 352 Blue Valley Drive in Washington Township, Northampton County. (RYAN KNELLER / The Morning Call)

A nearby farmer is currently providing the shop with fruits and vegetables that he obtains from a Philadelphia supplier, but during the warmer months, the shop has plans to partner with around a half dozen local farms for produce.

Additionally, Knitter-Williams parents have a Plainfield Township farm, which will supply the shop with chicken, turkey and other proteins.

We want to be a convenient destination for all of your healthful needs, Knitter-Williams said. Our teas, for example, are all made for specific purposes, like headache relief, tummy soothing and cough and sinus issues.

Airmidian, which also sells items at the Monroe Farmers Market in Stroudsburg on Saturdays, was established in 2013 by Erin Kershaw. Williams and Knitter-Williams took control in 2017.

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[Kershaw] spent so much time perfecting these wonderful recipes, and we are forever grateful for her, Knitter-Williams said.

Airmidian, which will be introducing a bulk section with gluten-free pasta, flour, oats and more in the coming months, is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Info: 484-515-6306; airmidian.com.

Foodie finds

The owners of a blossoming Thai-French fusion restaurant in the Easton area have cooked up another tasty venture in Northampton County.

Nakkarawoot Krueawong, Ratchaphol Rojratana and Visanu Kiewkajee, who opened La Kang Thai-French Cuisine in April 2020 at 190 S. Greenwood Ave. in Palmer Township, on Jan. 20 opened La Kang Thai Noodles Bar at 620 Main St. in Hellertown.

The borough space previously housed Sagra Bistro, which closed in 2019 after 11 years of business.

La Kang Thai Noodles Bar, with seating for around 50 guests, specializes in authentic Thai noodle dishes, including sukhothai pork noodle soup, duck confit leg noodle soup, drunken noodle, pad Thai and pad see ew (latter three available with choice of chicken, vegetable/tofu, shrimp, flank steak or crispy duck leg).

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La Kang Thai Noodles Bar opened Jan. 20 at 620 Main St. in Hellertown. (RYAN KNELLER / The Morning Call)

The full-service restaurant uses various types of noodles, including handmade egg and thin rice noodles, with most dishes priced between $16 and $19.

We are using family recipes as well as making dishes from restaurants that we liked from our time spent in Thailand, said Krueawong, who moved to the United States from Thailand in 2014.

In addition to noodle selections, other menu highlights include triple mushroom spring rolls, jumbo lump crab fried rice and moo yang (grilled coconut marinated pork sirloin with spicy tamarind sauce).

Rojratana, who studied culinary arts at Northampton Community College, previously worked as a chef at other Lehigh Valley restaurants such as House & Barn in Emmaus and the former Roar Social House in Allentown.

Krueawong credits his culinary skills to his mother, Pattharaporn Wasilewski, while Visanu is following in the footsteps of his father, Charlie Kiewkajee, who operates the 13-year-old Thai Thai II restaurant on Main Street in Bethlehem. Info: 484-851-3232.

Several readers have inquired about work at the former Hi-Way Family Restaurant at 5470 Route 145 in the Laurys Station section of North Whitehall Township.

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Brothers Johnny and Richard Schafer in July purchased the longstanding restaurant with plans to open a new eatery, Laurys Station American Grill, in the coming months.

Laurys Station American Grill is expected to open within the next few months at the former Hi-Way Family Restaurant at 5470 Route 145 in the Laurys Station section of North Whitehall Township. Brothers Johnny and Richard Schafer have been renovating the landmark dining spot since purchasing the property last summer. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

[ This place has such a following: Brothers breathing new life into decades-old dining spot in Lehigh County ]

The duo has been renovating the decades-old property since mid-summer, adding new everything in the kitchen  including lighting, plumbing and tile flooring  and giving the dining room a heavy refresh with new wall paint, ceiling tiles, restored teal booths and more, Johnny said.

Unfortunately, delays with kitchen equipment arriving have pushed back previous tentative opening dates of September and November. The Schafers now hope to open their establishment in March, Johnny said.

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer, he added. The dining room is all done, and we have everything but one piece of kitchen equipment in place.

Hi-Way, which was operated by brothers Nick and Mike Gentis, closed in July after more than 40 years of business.

At the new restaurant, menu highlights will include Hi-Way mainstays such as burgers, steak sandwiches and breakfast favorites like French toast and omelettes. More than two dozen entrees will include pork chops, broiled scallops, crab imperial, chicken carbonara and 12-ounce New York strip and T-bone steaks. Info: laurysstationamericangrill.com.

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One last bit of foodie news: Honeygrow, a fast-casual chain specializing in wholesome and customizable salads, stir-fry dishes and honeybar desserts, is planning to open its first area outpost in the spring on North West End Boulevard in the Quakertown Plaza (next to Chipotle), according to a post on the business Instagram page.

[ Fast-casual chain specializing in salads, stir-fry dishes and honeybar desserts to open first Lehigh Valley area location ]

Honeygrow, founded by Justin Rosenberg in Philadelphia in 2012, has 26 locations in seven states.

Customers can choose from signature salads and stir-frys or create their own with their choice of freshly made noodles, greens, garnishes, signature dressings and sauces and proteins such as roasted shrimp, chicken and tofu.

Honeybar cups feature fresh fruit, garnishes and local honey or maple syrup. Info: instagram.com/honeygrow.

Odds and ends

About seven miles north of Quakertown, Wawa, the Delaware County-based convenience store and gas station chain with more than 860 stores in six states and Washington, D.C., is set to open its newest area location 8 a.m. Thursday at 6680 Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township, according to a news release.

Wawa Goose Vibes Only T-shirts will be distributed to the first 100 customers, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Wawas mascot, Wally Goose, will be held at 9 a.m.

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A few homes, the former Truly Fine furniture and home furnishings store and the former Peppercorn Pub-turned apartment building were razed to make way for the project.

[ Lehigh Valleys newest Wawa set to open next week ]

The site also will feature a newly constructed McDonalds restaurant, which is set to open within the next few months.

Wawa, which started out as a New Jersey iron foundry in 1803, has been expanding its Lehigh Valley footprint over the past year with plans to open more area locations in 2022.

Other outposts have been proposed or are under construction at 364 Susquehanna St., Allentown (set to open this winter); 774-784 Hellertown Road (Route 412), Bethlehem; 40890 Jandy Blvd., Lower Nazareth Township; 90 Highland Ave., Hanover Township, Northampton County; and Route 309 and Chapmans Road, South Whitehall Township. Info: wawa.com.

From fuel to fashion, Designer Consigner, a high-end designer consignment boutique, last weekend moved from 521 Main St. in Bethlehem to 77 W. Broad St. Unit 19 in Bethlehem (next to The Joint Coffee Co.), manager Ashley Marsh said.

The business, carrying fashions and accessories from top designers such as Chanel, Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton, was established by mother and daughter Gail and Alexandra Fly in 2011.

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At its new location, customers can continue to shop a wide selection of clothing and footwear, including boots, pumps, sweaters and coats, along with accessories such as hats, handbags and sunglasses.

Designer Consigner, a high-end designer consignment boutique, this past weekend moved from 521 Main St. to 77 W. Broad St. Unit 19 (between The Joint Coffee Co. and Steel District Barbershop) in downtown Bethlehem. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

Many items are brand new and come with their original box and dust bag, Marsh said. Other items are in good and excellent used conditioned.

The boutique also offers buyouts, where customers can get cash for their designer items, along with styling assistance. Info: 610-419-0913; designerconsignerbethlehem.com.

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Lastly, Shangys, Emmaus longstanding specialty beer wholesaler and retailer, is planning to open a second location in mid- to late-March at 6480 Alburtis Road in Lower Macungie Township, owner Nima Hadian said.

The new location, at the intersection of Alburtis Road and Route 100 (next to McDonalds), is about 5 miles west of the business original location, which opened in 1980 at 40 E. Main St. in Emmaus.

Hadian purchased the Lower Macungie property, which previously housed an O2 OxyFit gym, about 10 months ago and has been working with Upper Macungie Townships Jerdon Construction to outfit the space with improvements.

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[ Emmaus beer authority Shangys opening second Lehigh Valley location ]

The self-described beer authority, with around 4,200 varieties, is planning to offer the same expansive selection, including IPAs, lagers and stouts available in single bottles, packs and cases.

There will be around 15,000 square feet of retail space  nearly identical to that of the Emmaus store  housing domestics, imports and selections from Lehigh Valley breweries such as Fegleys Brew Works and Separatist Beer Project.

As is the case in Emmaus, the Lower Macungie spot also will have a large mix-a-six area, where customers can create their own six-packs; an alcoholic slushie bar, featuring around 30 flavors of spiked slushies; and a growler/crowler bar, featuring more than 20 domestic and international draft beers to-go, including craft varieties from Allentowns Sherman Street Beer Co. and other local breweries. Info: facebook.com/shangysthebeerauthority.

Retail Watch, appearing every weekend, keeps track of retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.
Houthi fire from Yemen this month on the UAE, traditionally a haven of security in a turbulent Middle East, stirred alarm at home and abroad, but for many Saudis it's nothing new.

In the Jizan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia, the local population has had to live for years with the threat of sometimes deadly cross-border fire by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Saudi defences have intercepted most of the Houthi missiles and drones targeting airports and oil infrastructure in retaliation for air strikes since 2015 in support of Yemen's embattled government by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition.

But the ones that made it through have caused casualties and damage.

Also Read | US calls for de-escalation of Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen

"The first two or three times it was strange because that kind of thing doesn't happen in Saudi Arabia. But it's become a normal thing," said a Jizan resident, a woman in her 30s clad in a black abaya robe, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject inside the conservative Gulf kingdom.

Thunderous blasts have "rocked the house", she told AFP. "After our scare from the noise, we return to our normal lives as if nothing happened."

Two people were killed and seven wounded in late December in the first deadly Houthi-claimed strike in more than three years on Jizan, the most frequent target of attacks inside the oil-rich country.

Jizan remains a tranquil Red Sea coastal region where families picnic on the beach as children play in the sand.

"With time we've learnt to sleep peacefully," said a young man from behind the wheel of his car waiting in line outside a drive-through fast-food joint.

On the wall of a nearby building, giant portraits of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, architect of the Saudi intervention in Yemen's war, proclaim: "God, keep this country in security".

Last month, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced that the Houthis have fired more than 400 ballistic missiles and launched over 850 attack drones at Saudi Arabia over the past seven years, killing a total of 59 civilians.

"There's no reason to be afraid, the army is on guard 24 hours a day and our military equipment is ready," said another Jizan resident.

In Al-Dayer, a town in Jizan province separated from the border with Yemen by a mountain chain, Houthi attacks have not deterred young men in pickups from wadi-bashing amid the sand dunes.

As tit-for-tat attacks took another grim turn last week, the UN and NGOs accused the anti-Houthi coalition of having killed at least 70 people in an air raid that pulverised a detention centre in the Houthi heartland of Saada in northern Yemen.

In a surprise escalation in the United Arab Emirates, three oil workers were killed in a drone-and-missile assault on Abu Dhabi on January 17.

In Yemen's seven years of conflict, more than 150,000 people have been directly killed by fighting and millions displaced, according to the United Nations, which calls it the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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China's UN ambassador said Friday the UN Security Council's primary goal in strife-torn Myanmar should be to avoid more violence and a civil war.

Zhang Jun told several reporters after the council heard closed-door briefings from the new Myanmar envoys for the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the United Nations that he hopes their efforts and others can really continue to calm the situation.

Almost a year ago  on February 1, 2021  Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Its takeover was quickly met by nonviolent nationwide demonstrations, which security forces quashed with deadly force, killing over 1,400 civilians, according to a detailed list compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Also Read | Myanmar's year of turmoil, from junta coup to jailing of Aung San Suu Kyi

Peaceful protests have continued, but amid the severe crackdown, an armed resistance has also grown, to the point that UN experts have warned the country could be sliding into civil war.

The southeast Asian regional group ASEAN, which includes Myanmar, has sought to play a mediating role in Myanmar's crisis given concerns over how it could affect regional peace, and ambassador Zhang said China believes it should play a crucial role.

In April, ASEAN reached consensus on a five-point plan to try to help restore peace and stability including an immediate halt to violence, starting a dialogue among all parties, and appointment of an ASEAN special envoy who would visit Myanmar to meet all concerned parties. But Myanmar has made little effort to implement it.

ASEAN also took months to choose Brunei's Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof as its envoy, but he never visited Myanmar because the military would not allow him to meet Suu Kyi. In October, Cambodia took over ASEAN's presidency and in mid-December Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed the country's foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn to be the regional group's Myanmar envoy.

Also Read | 'Living in a dark era': One year since Myanmar's coup

Hun Sen himself became the first foreign leader to visit Myanmar since the military takeover, a visit that sparked protests at home and criticism abroad. Opponents said his visit earlier this month legitimized the military takeover and broke the generals' near-total diplomatic isolation  and he didn't meet Suu Kyi.

But Cambodian foreign minister Sokhonn said afterward that the talks between Hun Sen and Myanmar's military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, achieved a very good, positive result with a progressive step forward on implementing the ASEAN agreement.

China's Zhang said Friday that Beijing welcomes the efforts made by Hun Sen, calling his visit quite good, quite fruitful,"" and saying we asked them to continue to make further efforts.

Zhang said Sokhoon told the council Friday that members have to understand Myanmar's historic background, unique political structure and the role the military plays in that structure -- and only based on that, we can find a solution.

Some people do not like the kind of situation (now), but I think what we have to also bear in mind is that we should avoid the worsening of the situation, to avoid more violence, to avoid a civil war, Zhang said.

That's, the primary goal we should have bearing in our mind.

He said China also welcomes the appointment of Noeleen Heyzer as the new UN special envoy for Myanmar. She is talking to key parties and has requested to visit Myanmar, he said, and let's hope that she can get it done.

Britain's deputy UN ambassador James Kariuki said Heyzer will try to go to Myanmar soon, but the condition has to be right.

He said it was important for the council to hear for the first time from the two envoys, stressing that they have the council's full support.

He said the council is working on a press statement on Myanmar reflecting areas of agreement.

As the council heard today, 14 million people are in desperate need of life-saving aid now, compared with 1 million before the coup, Kariuki told The Associated Press. The longer this goes, the worse it will get. The military need to stop blocking humanitarian access and start honoring their own commitment to implement the five-point consensus.  There can be no further delay.

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An American woman who allegedly led an all-female Islamic State battalion in Syria has been charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist group, the US Justice Department announced Saturday.

The woman, identified as Allison Fluke-Ekren, formerly of the US state of Kansas, had been named in a sealed criminal complaint filed in 2019 in a federal Virginia court, the government statement said.

Among other things, it said she had planned an attack on a US college campus and spoke of organising a devastating attack on an American shopping mall.

The statement said the 42-year-old Fluke-Ekren -- who has used at least five aliases -- had been apprehended previously in Syria but was transferred into FBI custody on Friday.

She is expected to make her initial appearance before the US District Court for Eastern Virginia, in the Washington suburb of Alexandria, on Monday at 2:00 pm (1900 GMT), the statement said.

Fluke-Ekren travelled to Syria "several years ago for the purpose of committing or supporting terrorism," the government statement said, adding that she had "allegedly been involved with a number of terrorism-related activities on behalf of ISIS from at least 2014."

Those activities included planning and recruiting operatives for a possible attack on a US college campus, the statement said, though it provided no further details.

It also said she was the appointed leader and organiser of an all-female IS military battalion, where she trained women in using AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts. Called the Khatiba Nusaybah, the members were all married to male IS fighters.

As battalion leader, the Justice Department alleges, she prepared the women to defend themselves during the 2017 siege of the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria.

Her other work for IS, the department said, included training children in the use of AK-47 rifles and suicide belts.

The statement said at least six individuals had observed Fluke-Ekren's "alleged terrorist conduct from at least 2014 through approximately 2017."

They said she had spoken of her desire to attack an American shopping mall by parking an explosives-packed vehicle in a basement garage.

"Fluke-Ekren allegedly considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources," the statement said.

ABC News, citing court papers, said Fluke-Ekren had moved to Egypt in 2008. She traveled frequently to the United States over the next three years but had not been back since 2011.

If convicted of the charges, Fluke-Ekren faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Women make up only about 10 per cent of people charged by the United States with supporting the Islamic State group, according to a study by the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. This is the first case involving someone accused of holding such a powerful position in IS.

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The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to SBI seeking withdrawal of its new rules wherein a woman who is over three months pregnant will be considered "temporarily unfit" and may be allowed to rejoin within four months after delivery.

State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, could not immediately be reached for comment.

"State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as temporarily unfit. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule," DCW Chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.

State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as temporarily unfit. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule. pic.twitter.com/mUtpoCHCWq  Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) January 29, 2022

In the notice, the panel sought a copy of the new guidelines as well as a copy of the similar rules operational before this. It has also sought an action taken report in the matter. The bank's move has elicited criticism from some quarters, including from the All India State Bank of India Employees' Association.

In its latest medical fitness guidelines for new recruits or promotees, the bank said a candidate would be considered fit in case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months. "However, if pregnancy is of more than three months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery of child," as per the medical fitness and ophthalmological standards for new recruits and promotees dated December 31, 2021.

Earlier, women candidates with up to six months of pregnancy were allowed to continue working in the bank, subject to various conditions.

The conditions include furnishing a certificate from a specialist gynaecologist that her taking up bank's employment at that stage is in no way likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus, or is not likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health.

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Air India is finally back to its original home, 68 years after it was nationalised, as the Narendra Modi government formally handed over the airline to the new owner Tata Sons, completing the privatisation process of a public entity for the first time in 20 years.

The takeover by the salt-to-software conglomerate comes three months after it won the bid quoting Rs 18,000 crore -- which includes taking over of Rs 15,300 crore of Air India's debt and a payment of Rs 2,700 crore in cash. Air India was founded by JRD Tata and was nationalised by the Jawaharlal Nehru government in 1953.

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A new incident of imposters making calls and extracting bank details over the phone with criminal intent has come to light in Kolkata.

Two persons have been arrested from Jharkhands Jamtara and its adjacent area for having money siphoned off from a university professor whose confidential bank account information they managed to procure over the phone.

A professor associated with a well-known university lodged a complaint with Kolkata Police alleging that Rs 3.6 lakh were transferred out of her account using mobile banking. The two accused persons allegedly contacted the professor over the phone and procured her SBI account details.

During the investigation, it was discovered that money was transferred from the complainant's account through a payment gateway. Subsequently, money was transferred to different bank accounts.

Following up with investigation, police conducted raids and the two accused were arrested from Jamtara and its adjacent area in neighbouring Jharkhand. The two are said to have direct involvement in the case. Police arrested Pradip Bauri and Milan Dan.

During the investigation, it was found that a portion of the amount was transferred to Pradips bank account. He withdrew and handed over the money to Milan who had called the professor and availed bank account information over the phone and transferred the fund.

Both the accused were produced in court and subsequently sent to police custody till February 8. An amount of Rs 2.40 lakh could be blocked, according to a senior police official.

Police forces across the country, and banks, have been asking citizens to be cautious, as fraudsters continue to look for the gullible section with an intent to cheat.

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As Covid-19 situation remains serious ahead of Assembly elections in Manipur, Governor La Ganesan on Saturday met several spiritual leaders seeking their help to ramp up vaccination.

In a meeting with 18 church leaders and 17 imams, the Governor requested them to encourage people to take both doses of the Covid-19 vaccination as the state is also gearing up for the elections. "As the spiritual leaders enjoy a lot of respect in their respective society, they can help the ongoing anti-Covid vaccination drive by encouraging people to take both doses of the vaccine," said a government official.

The Governor highlighted the serious Covid-19 situation in the state and how vaccination has remained low in many areas, particularly in the hill districts.

The official said only 52 per cent of people in the state have taken both doses of the vaccine and vaccine hesitancy has affected the state health department's drive to go for vaccination, mainly in the hill districts.

The Covid-19 positivity rate in Manipur remained 16.3 per cent on Saturday.

The vaccination (both doses) stood at as low as 13.87 per cent in Kangpokpi, Ukhrul (19.77 per cent), Senapati (25.35 per cent) and Kamjong (35.01 per cent) districts.

The state health department started targetted vaccination across the state since Election Commission earlier this month expressed concern over low vaccination in the poll-bound state. The EC asked the state government to carry out vaccination of all to conduct the polling.

Elections for 60-member Assembly are scheduled on February 27 and March 3.

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The Kerala High Court on Saturday ordered actor Dileep and others accused in the case pertaining to hatching conspiracy to murder police officers to surrender their mobile phones.

Even as the actor raised objections against the demand of the investigation team for the mobile phones, the court rejected the objections and asked Dileep and the others accused to surrender six mobile phones.

Dileep's counsel even raised suspicions over the ongoing investigation and also stated that the actor himself had sent the phones for forensic examination by experts in Mumbai to ensure that the data in it was not tampered with. But the court rejected the contention as the police maintained that it was for them to subject the phones to forensic examination to collect evidence.

The court directed Dileep and others accused to hand over the phones to the High Court registrar by Monday.

The police maintained that Dileep and the others accused, who are his close relatives and friends, changed their mobile phones by January. It was suspected that those phones were used hatching the conspiracy to attack and even kill police officers who probed the actor's assault case.

Dileep filed an anticipatory bail plea maintaining that the fresh case against him was a ploy of the police to delay the ongoing trial in the actress assault case.

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With the New York Times reporting that India bought the controversial Israeli spyware Pegasus, the Opposition on Saturday mounted an attack on Narendra Modi government with the Congress calling it a "brazen hijack of democracy" and "act of treason", besides claiming that they "duped the Parliament and misled the Supreme Court".

Not just the Opposition, the Modi government also came under the radar of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy who said the NYT report implied that the government misled the Supreme Court and Parliament and asked whether it was another 'Watergate' scandal.

Also Read  Pegasus spyware and missile system 'centrepieces' of $2-billion deal between India and Israel: Report

"Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of  300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company. This implies prima facie our Govt misled the Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate?" Swamy said.

Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of  300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company. This implies prima facie our Govt misled Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate ?  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) January 29, 2022

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Modi government bought Pegasus to spy on the primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. "Government functionaries, Opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason. Modi government has committed treason," he tweeted.

Modi Govt bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason. Modi Govt has committed treason.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 29, 2022

Trinamool Congress termed it state-sponsored surveillance and said the BJP government was blatantly abusing the rights of Indians. PM Narendra Modis little secret is out in the open after reports show that the Pegasus Spyware was the centrepiece in the USD 2 billion deal with Israel in 2017. SHAME! Trinamool tweeted.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Pegasus has been procured on public money to destroy India's democracy. "Spying on the Election Commission, political leaders, Supreme Court and Officers conducting sensitive investigations is a serious subversion of democracy. Unacceptable. This government must go," he tweeted.

Yechury also said that the government should explain in an affidavit why it bought this cyber weapon, who gave the permission for its usage, how were the targets selected and who got these reports.

Modi government must explain on affidavit why it bought this cyber weapon, who gave the permission for its usage, how were the targets selected and who got these reports?

Silence on such a critical issue only means an acceptance of its criminal activity.https://t.co/saxWit3qij  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) January 29, 2022

The NYT claimed in its report that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spyware in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel, alleging that the government indulged in illegal snooping using the spyware which amounts to "treason". It also said the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the "centrepieces" of a roughly $ 2-billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

Addressing a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that it is now clear that the Modi government led by the Prime Minister himself "purchased the software, duped the Parliament, misled the Supreme Court, used public money to spy and snoop upon its own people, hijacked democracy in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and committed treason".

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge asked why the Modi government acted like the enemies of the country and used a warfare weapon against Indian citizens.

Why did Modi Govt act like the enemies of India and use a warfare weapon against Indian citizens? Illegal snooping using Pegasus amounts to treason. No one is above the law and we will ensure that justice is served.https://t.co/qTIqg3yNdq  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 29, 2022

Surjewala claimed that the "shocking new expose" has now confirmed what the Congress has long asserted that Modi government is the "deployer and executor of the illegal and unconstitutional snooping and spying racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus and the Prime Minister is himself involved."

Referring to Information and Technology Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw telling the Parliament that the reports of Indias Pegasus use as baseless and highly sensational, he said the government has "duped" the Parliament. He also cited responses to questions denying the purchase of Pegasus.

He alleged that the Modi government misled the Supreme Court by claiming in an affidavit that the government unequivocally deny any and all of the allegations made against the (Government).

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge asked why the Modi government acted like the enemies of the country and used a warfare weapon against Indian citizens.

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The importance of India-Israel relations grew even further with the changing global scenario, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, even as the opposition parties sharpened attack on his government for allegedly buying the Pegasus spyware from the NSO Group Technologies based in the Jewish nation in West Asia.

Today, when the world is witnessing important changes, the importance of India-Israel relations has increased even more, Modi said in a video message on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. I am fully confident that the India-Israel friendship will achieve new milestones in mutual cooperation in the coming decades, the Prime Minister added.

Also read: Pegasus spyware and missile system 'centrepieces' of $2-billion deal between India and Israel: Report

The two nations celebrated the anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations on a day the New York Times reported that the Government of India had bought the spyware called Pegasus from Israeli company NSO Group Technologies in July 2017 in order to carry out targeted surveillance on citizens. The investigative report by the New York Times triggered a political storm in India, with the opposition parties accusing the Modi Government that it had misled Parliament and the Supreme Court by denying its purchase of the spyware.

The Modi Government had last year dismissed the allegation that it had used Pegasus for snooping on journalists, activists and politicians.

There cannot be a better opportunity than now for setting new targets for mutual cooperation between the two nations, when India is celebrating 75 years of its Independence and Israel will do so next year and they are also observing 30th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic ties, the Prime Minister said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also delivered a video message on the occasion. He said that India and Israel shared much in common. He said that the ties between the two nations were strong and would together grow stronger.

Several monuments in India and Israel were lit up on the occasion.
A man accused of trying to run over state police in Monroe County has been arrested after a two-day manhunt.

Pennsylvania state police say Tyler C. Deihl, 27, of Kunkletown, was taken into custody Saturday morning and was being held at the Monroe County jail.

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Police didnt say where or how Deihl was caught, nor was there information regarding Deihls bail.

The incident began Thursday, when troopers attempted to arrest Deihl for several felony arrest warrants in Polk Township.

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Troopers say Deihl, who was in his vehicle, ignored commands and then rammed marked and unmarked PSP vehicles multiple times. Troopers say they shot at Deihl, but missed him, and he was able to drive away.

His vehicle was later found abandoned, and there was no evidence he was hurt.

Deihl faces charges including aggravated assault, fleeing or attempted to elude police and resisting arrest, in addition to the outstanding warrants.
The general strike called by ten central trade unions against the Narendra Modi government scheduled for February 23-24 has now been shifted to March 28-29 following the third wave of Covid-19, upcoming Assembly elections and local polls in Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

The decision to postpone the general strike "against the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies" of the Modi government was taken at a meeting of ten central trade unions -- INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC -- held on Friday.

Preparations for the strike had taken off in several states and sectors with joint state-level conventions and even district-level conventions having taken place in some states but some states informed about the constraints they are facing on preparing for the strike due to the third wave of Covid-19.

The trade union leaders also considered the fact that the fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections fell on February 23 as well as local body elections in Tamilnadu, Odisha and West Bengal around the same time.

"Therefore the Joint Platform of the CTUs and Sectoral Federations/Associations have decided to defer the General Strike dates to 28-29 March, 2022, when the second phase of the Budget Session of Parliament will actually be in session," a statement said.

The Joint Platform of central trade unions urged working people and their unions irrespective of affiliations to intensify the ongoing preparatory campaign and activities to make the General Strike a massive success to assert their pledge to "Save the People and Save the Nation from the destructive, anti-national policy regime".

They also called upon workers and their trade unions in the election-bound states to "vigorously campaign for defeating the BJP government whose policies have forced the National Convention of Workers to give a call for two days countrywide strike".

The demands of the ten central trade unions -- INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC -- include scrapping the Labour Codes, scrapping of Essential Defence Services Act, accepting the six-point charter of demands of the SKM, no to privatisation in any form and scrap the National Monetisation Pipeline, food and income support of Rs 7500 per month to non-income taxpaying households and increased allocation for MNREGA and extension of Employment guarantee Scheme to urban areas among others.

It is also demanding universal social security for all informal sector workers, statutory minimum wage and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other scheme workers, proper protection and insurance facilities for frontline workers serving the people in the midst of pandemic and an increase in public investment in agriculture, education, health and other crucial public utilities by taxing the rich through wealth tax in order to revive and revamp the national economy.

Substantial reduction in central excise duty on petroleum product and concrete remedial measure to arrest price rise, regularisation of contract workers, scheme workers and equal pay for equal work for all, cancellation of National Pension Scheme and restoration of old pension and substantial increase in minimum pension under Employees' Pension Scheme are also among the demands.

In the run-up to the general strike, the unions and associations will organise state conventions, human chains, torchlight processions, signature campaigns, sectoral and area-based joint campaigns and agitation to expose the consequences of the "anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people, pro-corporate and anti-national destructive policies" by Modi government.

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Delhi Police prosecutor on Friday compared the alleged planning of the February 2020 riots to that of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US while opposing former JNU student Umar Khalid's bail plea.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad drew the parallels while accusing Khalid of organising a conspiracy meeting and supervising the site of protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. He said that a facade of secular protest was created whereas the protest was planned and tested.

Opposing his bail plea before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, the prosecutor said, "Just before 9/11 happened, when all the people were involved, they reached a particular place and took training. A month before that, they moved to their respective positions. That is what is relevant in this case also."

Also Read | L-G, Centre defend before HC appointment of SPPs in 2020 riots, R-day violence cases

He went on to say, "The reference to the 9/11 episode is very relevant. The person who was behind 9/11 never visited the US. The conspiracy meeting happened in Malaysia. There were not WhatsApp chats available at the time. Today we have documents available that he was part of the group. There is foundation to show that violence is likely to happen."

He further told the court that the issue regarding the 2020 protests was not CAA or NRC but to embarrass the government and take such steps that it gets highlighted in international media.

"Issue was not CAA-NRC. The issue was you had to somehow embarrass the government. In the process of embarrassing the government, you take steps which will reflect in the international media," SPP Prasad said.

On the last date of hearing, the prosecutor told the court that all the protest sites were picked because of their proximity to mosques, but were purposefully given secular names.

Khalid and several others have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a stringent anti-terror law, and are accused of being the "masterminds" of the riots which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

The arguments on their bail pleas have been going on for more than five months.

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The Ashok Gehlot government on Saturday sacked the chairman of Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, Ajmer, D P Jaroli, in connection with the paper leak during the teachers' recruitment exam (REET) in September.

The suspension order of the Board Secretary, Arvind Kumar Sengwa, an RAS officer, was also issued by the department of personnel. The development came after a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday night.

Irregularities in the conduct of Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) 2021 in September led to protests. The opposition BJP has been demanding a CBI inquiry in the matter.

Gehlot in the meeting on Friday night also decided to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge of the high court to give suggestions for ensuring that papers leak incidents do not take place and exams are conducted in a fair manner, official sources said.

Also Read  Rajasthan BYJM holds protests, demands cancellation of REET

Education minister BD Kalla, Minister of State for Home Rajendra Singh Yadav and senior officers were present in the meeting.

The Special Operation Group (SOG) has arrested several persons in the case. It recently arrested Ramkripal Meena and Udaram Vishnoi. Meena was employed by the district coordinator for the purpose of security of papers at Shiksha Sankul in Jaipur.

Shiksha Sankul is a building where the offices of the education department are located. Meena allegedly stole the paper from Shiksha Sankul and gave it to Udaram Vishnoi, who is accused of circulating the paper. After it was confirmed that the paper was leaked from Shiksha Sankul, the role of the board chairman, secretary, and other officers came under the scanner.

When the irregularities in the conduct of exams had emerged in September, the state government had suspended one RAS and two RPS officers, 13 personnel of the education department, and three other policemen.

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Militants hurled a grenade on security personnel in the Maharaj Bazar area of the city here on Saturday, but there was no immediate report of any casualty, police said.

At about 4:30 PM, terrorists lobbed the grenade targeting a team of CRPF and police personnel at Maharaja Bazar Chowk here, a police official said.

He said no loss of life or injury in the explosion has been reported.

The area has been cordoned off and a hunt has been launched to nab the attackers, the official said.

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India on Saturday reported 2,35,532 Covid-19 cases and 871 deaths. The active case count was at 20,04,333. Karnataka's active Covid caseload is currently the highest in the country, higher than even Maharashtra. On Friday, the state had 3,28,711 active cases, much more than Maharashtras 2,87,397. Stay tuned to DH for live updates.
Religion is not just about taking gods name and preaching compassion but about serving people, says Acharya Chandna, Jain sadhvi, change-maker and thinker who helped force a revolution by introducing the concept of compassion in action to those who have renounced the material world.

Chandna, 86, was the first Jain woman to receive the title of Acharya in 1987 and is also the first first Jain sadhvi to be conferred the Padma Shri.

I have always felt religion is not just about taking god's name and that is why sadhus and sadhvis could not physically contribute in making a difference to society. For me, religion is about striving to resolve the everyday challenges of people and bringing peace to their lives. It is about serving people rather than preaching about compassion," Chandna told PTI in a phone interview from Rajgir in Bihar.

She embraced diksha (renunciation of the material world) when she was just 14 and has since broken many stereotypes, adding to the traditional Jain school of thought and also helping it evolve.

Belonging to a small village in Maharashtras Ahmednagar district, Chandna is the driving force behind Veerayatan, a philanthropic organisation based in Rajgir with centres in several parts of the world, including the US, Kenya, United Arab Emirates, UK and Singapore.

Veerayatan operates hospitals, schools, colleges and vocational training programmes. It has also initiated rehabilitation and emergency relief programmes in the wake of calamities such as the 2004 tsunami, the 2006 Surat floods and the Covid pandemic.

Referring to her award, Chandna said, This award is not for me alone. There are thousands of doctors, teachers, volunteers and people who have been working tirelessly to serve humankind, whether in the form of education or medical treatment or taking care of the poor and underprivileged.

I am just part of the movement called Veerayatan, added the spiritual guru who has been instrumental in transforming lives by providing education and medical care and has faced numerous challenges, including financial constraints and an attack by dacoits.

Recalling the details, her colleague, Sadhvi Yasha said a group of women monks, including Chandna, were beaten and burgled by a group of 15-20 musclemen in the early days of Veerayatan. When police asked for details, Chandna refused to divulge any, saying they are the followers of Mahavir and have forgiven their attackers.

Chandna, who once took a maun vrat (a vow of silence) for 12 years to study Jain sculptures and different religions, chose Rajgir as the headquarters of Veerayatan in 1973. Dharma is incomplete without satkarma (good deeds).Religion accepts life in its entirety. To work towards getting rid of any physical or mental suffering is true religion. Service is no different from spirituality, service is spirituality, she said.

Explaining her non-conformist way of thought, Chandna added,If a boy has fallen in front of me and I do not lend him a helping hand thinking that touching a boy is prohibited in my religion I dont believe in such a thought.

Humanity for her, she stressed, is the biggest religion and she will work for humankind till her last breath.

My vision has not changed and never will, she asserted.

Chandna is at equal ease, delivering lectures on spirituality or Jainism in the US or working in the dusty grounds of Bihar surrounded by the poor and sick. Her day begins at 4 am and she works till late at this age too. I am happy with my life journey so far as I could bring a little change in people's life. I want to keep working hard till I am alive and want to inspire others too. I am 86 and I am so tied up that I dont feel my age," said the sadhvi. I have never felt disappointed or let the magnitude of our work affect me or put me under pressure. I never lost my confidence and courage and people supported me in a big way," she said. Chandna leads a dedicated team of highly educated sadhvis who have been assigned different duties or projects.

Being a woman, was it very difficult to choose a nontraditional path being a woman?

I dont think that women are inferior to men in any sense. Today, women are scaling new heights. Yes, initially I had to alter mindsets and gain the confidence, trust and belief of people to justify my work for the greater good. But gradually everyone supported us in our endeavour, she said.

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A 22-year-old member of the infamous Sonu Dariyapur gang was arrested from north Delhi's Bawana after a brief exchange of fire with police, which left him injured, officials said on Saturday.

Kuldeep alias Aslam, a resident of Pooth Khurd, was arrested based on a tip-off, they said, adding he was wanted in two cases of robbery and theft registered at the Bawana police station.

The police said a country-made pistol, a live and an empty cartridge and a motorcycle, allegedly robbed, were recovered from his possession.

A senior police officer said that based on the secret information a trap was laid in Bawana Sector-3 where the accused was intercepted on his motorcycle.

As he saw the police, he fired a bullet which was retaliated by the forces with five rounds of fire before he was nabbed, the official said.

Kuldeep has received a bullet injury in his leg and his condition is stated to be out of danger, the officer said.

Kuldeep was previously involved in nine other cases and currently working on the direction of the Sonu Daryipur gang, facilitating it with stolen bikes, arms etc, they added.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was scheduled to return from the US after his treatment on Saturday, will now spend few days in Dubai before heading home, as per sources.

According to sources, instead of Kerala, now he will land in Dubai on Saturday.

There was no mention of his change of plan even when he presided over the on-line cabinet meeting a few days back.

As per reports, after a few days' rest, Vijayan will inaugurate the Kerala pavilion at the ongoing Expo in Dubai and he is understood to have lined up meetings with the top echelons of power in the UAE.

Contrary to reports, it was not his personal assistant but a young bureaucrat from his office who had accompanied the CM and his wife to the US.

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A fire broke out in a four-storey building located in the thickly-populated Bhendi Bazar area of south Mumbai on Saturday but no casualty was reported, an official said.

Fire Brigade personnel rushed out at least 50 residents to safety after the blaze erupted in the metre box of the building, located on the Duncan Road, due to a short circuit around 3 PM, he said.

The fire was extinguished after an hour, he added.

Bhendi Bazaar is a market area between Mohammed Ali Road and Khetwadi. The bazaar is popular for shopping, mainly antique and hardware items. Crawford Market (Phule Market), Chor Bazaar, Nul Bazaar, and other smaller markets are located around the Bhendi Bazar.

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Shops remained shut and streets were deserted in Dingucha village in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district on Saturday as villagers paid homage to the four members of a family, who died of the extreme cold near the Canada-US border recently.

Villagers shared the grief of the Patel family, who lost their four members, including two children, by suspending work and downing the shutters of the shops in the market, a local office-bearer of the village said.

The village, from where a significant number of people have migrated abroad, mainly to the US, Canada and Australia over the past many decades, wore a deserted look on Saturday, locals said.

A majority of the local residents belong to the Patidar community. Initially, the village was not ready to believe that the four persons, including a baby, who died on the US-Canada border belonged to the family of Baldevbhai Patel, they said.

However, they later came to terms with the hard fact that the deceased were his son Jagdish Patel (39), daughter-in-law Vaishali (37), grand daughter Vihangi (11), and grandson Dharmik (3), after Canadian authorities confirmed their identities.

Following the confirmation of identity, relatives and some local women had gathered at the Patel family's ancestral house at Dingucha on Friday to mourn the deaths.

As per the Canadian authorities, the Patel family had arrived in Toronto on January 12, 2022. From there, they made their way to Manitoba and eventually to Emerson around January 18, a day before they tragically died near the border due to exposure to extreme weather conditions.

The relatives had on Friday said that the bodies of the four deceased would not be brought back to India. "The entire family is in deep shock...As of now, we all have decided not to bring the bodies here for cremation. Last rites will be conducted in Canada itself," Jaswant Patel, a cousin of Jagdish Patel, had said.

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick, left, shakes hands with Bill Bachenberg, owner of Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays, during a rally with Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call )

WASHINGTON  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack has subpoenaed a Lehigh Valley business owner and 13 other people who it says falsely claimed to be electors for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Bill Bachenberg, owner of Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township, which has hosted numerous rallies for prominent conservative Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas earlier this week, is one of two Pennsylvanians on the list. He is listed as the chairperson of the electors. Lisa Patton is the other, and is listed as the secretary.

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The panel is demanding information and testimony from 14 people who it says allegedly met and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to a letter from Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committees Democratic chairman. President Joe Biden won all seven states.

We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme, Thompson said in the letter. We encourage them to cooperate with the Select Committees investigation to get answers about January 6th for the American people and help ensure nothing like that day ever happens again.

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Bachenberg could not be reached for comment Saturday, but he has played a prominent role in conservative politics in the Lehigh Valley.

In October 2020, just eight days before the election, Bachenberg played a key role in a Trump visit to HoverTech International in Hanover Township, Northampton County. He called David T. Davis, owner of HoverTech, the day before the visit, saying the president needs a favor.

You dont say no to that kind of request, Davis said at the time.

On Tuesday, Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays was the site of a Ted Cruz visit in support of fellow Republican Dave McCormick, who was making his first official appearance in his bid for Pat Toomeys soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat.

In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays for a rally in support of his father.

Along with Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays, Bachenberg and his wife, Laura, run the nonprofit Camp Freedom in Lackawanna and Wayne counties. Camp Freedom is a year-round day and overnight camp for individuals with disabilities and their families that provides quality hunting, fishing and outdoor related activities for veterans and first responders with disabilities and their families, according to Bill Bachenbergs LinkedIn page.

On his Linkedin page, Bachenberg lists himself as a trustee for the National Rifle Association since 2013 and a member since 2003.

The nine-member Jan. 6 panel said it has obtained information that groups of individuals met on Dec. 14, 2020  more than a month after Election Day  in the seven states. The individuals, according to the congressional investigation, then submitted fake slates of Electoral College votes for Trump. Then alternate electors from those seven states sent those certificates to Congress, where several of Trumps advisers used them to justify delaying or blocking the certification of the election during the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021.

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Lies about election fraud from the former president and his allies fueled the deadly insurrection on the Capitol building that day, as a violent mob interrupted the certification of the Electoral College results.

Last March, American Oversight, a watchdog group, obtained the certificates in question that were submitted by Republicans in the seven states. In two of them, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, the fake electors added a caveat saying the certificate was submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors. That would only have been possible if Trump had won any of the several dozens of legal battles he waged against those states in the weeks after the election.

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In the other five states, however, Republicans certified that they were their states duly elected and qualified electors.

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a CNN interview this week that the Justice Department has received referrals from lawmakers regarding the fake certifications, and that prosecutors were now looking at those.

An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six of the battleground states disputed by Trump has found fewer than 475  a number that would have made no difference in the 2020 presidential election.

Biden won Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and their 79 Electoral College votes by a combined 311,257 votes out of 25.5 million ballots cast for president. The disputed ballots represent just 0.15% of his victory margin in those states.

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The fake electors are the latest subpoenaed in the large-scale investigation the committee has been pursuing since it came together last summer. The congressional probe has scrutinized Trump family members and allies, members of Congress and even social media groups accused of perpetuating election misinformation and allowing it to spread rampantly.

The committee plans to move into a more public-facing phase of its work in the next few months. Lawmakers will be holding hearings to document to the American public the most detailed and complete look into the individuals and events that led to the Capitol insurrection.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Schools and colleges in Maharashtra's Pune will reopen for physical classes from February 1, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after attending a meeting to review the Covid-19 situation, Pawar said school timings for Classes 1 to 8 will be for half day so that the lunch hour gets excluded and students eat their meals at home.

"The final decision to send children to schools and colleges will be on the parents. But the administration will reopen schools," said Pawar, who is also the guardian minister of the district.

Colleges and schools for Classes 9 and up will be full-time, while schools for Classes 1 to 8 will be for half day so that lunch time gets excluded and students wont have to take off their masks to eat, he said.

Also read: Karnataka to withdraw night curfew from January 31, Bengaluru schools to reopen

Talking about Covid-19 vaccination for children in the 15-18 age group, the minister said, "College students should get both doses of vaccines. We plan to have mobile vans and make other arrangements so that vaccines can be administered in schools and colleges."

At least 86 per cent of eligible children have taken the vaccine in the rural areas, while in Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad, the number is less, he said. The number of infections has come down in Pune in the last three days, Pawar said, refuting rumours about relaxation in mask rule.

Pune on Friday recorded 7,166 new Covid-19 cases and 12 casualties that raised the tally of infections to 13,88,687 and toll to 19,429. The district currently has 2,261 active cases

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The violent protests that took place in UP and Bihar against the Railways recruitment process are a sign of the rising anxieties in the country over unemployment. The protests are continuing in Bihar and a bandh has been called. Though the grievance of the protesters is mainly about the recruitment procedure and the alleged irregularities in the conduct of a test held by the Railways, the real issue is the lack of jobs in the economy. The tests are being held for non-technical popular categories of posts which have always invoked much interest in UP and Bihar. The demand for the jobs can be seen from the fact that about 1.25 crore candidates, which is about one out of every 100 Indians, applied for 35,281 jobs. One main demand of the protesters is that candidates with higher qualifications should not be allowed to compete for jobs that demand lower qualifications.

Of all the serious problems faced by the economy, unemployment is the most serious. It has social as well as economic consequences. It is not just the Covid effect on jobs. There have been bleak signals from the employment scene ever since demonetisation. The National Sample Survey Office had reported  but the government did not make it public until after the 2019 elections  that in 2017-18, Indias unemployment rate was 6.1%, the highest since 1972-73. That situation only worsened with the pandemic. According to the CMIEs estimates, labour market participation has fallen to about 40%. With joblessness rising, employment rate at the national level fell from 43% in December 2016 to 37% in December 2021. The fall has been sharper in UP. Large numbers of people have dropped out of the job market, and not many fresh jobs have been created. There is also a shift from regular jobs to casual jobs, which affects the wages, welfare and job security of workers.

The job situation has naturally affected the youth more than others. The situation in states like Bihar and UP is more serious because job opportunities are fewer there, and job aspirants -- especially the young -- more. The concern and the unrest seen in these states should open the eyes of the government. The Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014 promising development, jobs and increase in the incomes of people. Its record speaks of a massive failure in this regard. The annual income of the poorest 20% households dropped by 53% between 2015-16 and 2020-21 even as the income of the richest segment rose by about 40%. The job situation is the worst among the low-skilled population, and the Bihar and UP protests show that.
The absence of adequate infrastructure is to blame for South Asia's appalling level of regional integration, which stands at just five per cent according to the World Bank. As a result, logistics costs have risen, raising the overall cost of trading in the region. Different types of border management infrastructure, such as Land Customs Stations (LCSs), Immigration Check Posts (ImCPs), and consolidated facilities, like Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), and other border-trade centres, help India's land border trade with Bangladesh.

The ICPs are land border entrance and departure points that house a variety of facilities, like customs, immigration, border security, and quarantine, among others, all inside a single facilitation zone. In 2019-20, the ICPs accounted for 40 per cent of India's entire commerce with Bangladesh.

Status of India  Bangladesh ICPs

Bangladesh is currently India's fifth-largest trading partner, with land trade accounting for almost 75 per cent of total trade. The four active ICPs located at Petrapole, Agartala, Sutarkandi, and Srimantapur handle most of this commerce. Two ICPs (in Agartala and Petrapole, respectively) were formally launched in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

Also Read  India-Bangladesh ties deeper than any other strategic partnership: Shringla

The ICP Petrapole is the largest land port in South Asia, located along the international boundary between India and Bangladesh. It is located about 80 kilometres from Kolkata, West Bengal's capital. In terms of trade and passenger traffic, Petrapole (India)-Benapole (Bangladesh) is a major land border crossing for India and Bangladesh. The ICP Petrapole is responsible for over 30 per cent of land-based traffic between India and Bangladesh. Since its launch in February 2016, it has seen a steady increase in passenger traffic, with an average of 2.2 million persons crossing the border post each year on both sides.

The ICP Agartala is the most important international trading land port in northeast India, with an average of 80-100 trucks filled with various trade commodities arriving in Tripura from Bangladesh daily. On average, Rs 3 to 4 crore worth of trades takes place through the ICP Agartala.

Impact and challenges

By combining all relevant agencies under one roof and therefore significantly organising the processes, the ICPs have altered border crossings between India and Bangladesh. Cross-border transportation has grown easier and less time-consuming where the facilities are operational. Passengers at the checks in Agartala and Petrapole have reported better conditions.

It is also important to overcome several existing problems at the India-Bangladesh ICPs that obstruct smooth connectivity. These issues include a lack of digitisation at both countries' ICPs, port limits due to a lack of cargo-handling infrastructure, and quarantine restrictions, among others.

Also Read  Portal to facilitate business between Bangladesh, NE India launched

In particular, the lack of a mirror ICP infrastructure increases trade hurdles, limiting the convenience of conducting business.

Way Forward

The ICPs on the IndiaBangladesh border show India's desire to provide world-class amenities at the border checkpoints to boost trade and connectivity with its neighbour. The Agartala and Petrapole ICPs have resulted in significant progress, but there is still much more work to be done. The government may learn from current ICPs to avoid repeating their weaknesses and, as a result, improve those that are still being constructed. Effective ICPs will be critical for India's trade and connection with Bangladesh in the future. As a result, India must concentrate on modernising facilities on a regular basis.

(The writer is an independent researcher of South Asian affairs)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.

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Kairana, the small town in west Uttar Pradesh, has a glorious and melodious linkage to the most influential gharana of Hindustani classical music. The name, Kairana gharana, which thrives in Maharashtra and Karnataka, comes from the west UP town where the founder of the gharana, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, was born in 1872. He is acknowledged as one of the artists who defined Hindustani classical music (he died in 1937).

The journey of the gharana begins with the Ustad being employed as a court musician by the Gaekwads of Baroda. There he would meet Tarabai Mane, a member of the royal family, and the two fell in love. Because the family disapproved, they left the state and moved to Bombay (today, this would be called 'Love Jihad'). The couple would separate in 1922, but five children were born of that union, all accomplished musicians, particularly Hirabai Barodekar. The personal life of Abdul Karim Khan was colourful and, in every sense, a synthesis of the Hindu and the Muslim.

He left a musical legacy that would travel to Maharashtra and the Hubli-Dharwad belt of Karnataka, where this great school of music is still nurtured. One of the most famous students of the Ustad would be Ramachandra Kundgolkar Saunshi, popularly known as Pandit Sawai Gandharva, who would, in turn, be the guru of Bhimsen Joshi and Gangubai Hangal, among others. As the anecdotes about great musicians go, Bhimsen Joshi is said to have once heard a recording of Abdul Karim Khan singing a thumri on the radio and would say that inspired him to want to pursue singing seriously.

Also read: Ayodhya saints yearn for a political career

The same Kairana is often in the news for all the wrong reasons now that election season is upon us. On January 23, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made an important gesture in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh election when he arrived in Kairana that votes in the first phase on February 10. The second most important individual in the command structure of the BJP then went door to door to campaign. One may ask, why Kairana?

Possibly because since 2016, Kairana has been part of the narrative of polarisation between Hindus and Muslims in the region, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its lawmakers claiming that about 250 Hindu families migrated out of Kairana due to fear of "Muslims and criminals". It is a highly contested claim. Kairana is currently part of the Shamli district that was created out of the Muzaffarnagar district: it is indeed a constituency with a substantial Muslim population. It's hard to get the demographics of the entire constituency, but Kairana town, according to data drawn from the 2011 Census, has an 80 per cent Muslim population.

Presumably, the home minister went there because the narrative of "Hindu in danger" is essential to the BJP's strategy for the first two phases of voting in west UP, on February 10 and 14. This is the region with the highest percentage of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. Kairana is also part of the belt severely hit by the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 that set Jats against Muslims. Link this up to the fact that three days after visiting Kairana, the home minister summoned the BJP's Jat leaders. At the meeting, he even suggested that the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Jayant Chaudhary, has been misled into going into an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and has chosen "a wrong home", implying that the doors of the BJP are open to that party. (The RLD is traditionally seen as the party of the Jat community).

But Kairana itself is a seat dominated by the Gujjar OBC community, and both the Muslim candidate of the SP and the Hindu candidate of the BJP are Gujjars who historically belong to the same clan and family, with one wing having converted to Islam. We can therefore see the glass as empty and imply that there is some great hatred among the Gujjars of Kairana. Or we can see the glass as half full and note that after posturing during elections, the two political clans of Kairana get back to living quite peacefully, side by side. As the locals say, "they are all related to each other".

Also Read  Uttar Pradesh polls to decide future of the state and country: Amit Shah

Here is a quick wrap of the two political Gujjar Muslim and Gujjar Hindu "dynasties" of Kairana. The BJP candidate is Mriganka Singh, the daughter of the late BJP lawmaker Hukum Singh, who first raised the "exodus" question and later implied it was more about law and order than religion but there was a certain ambiguity in his positions. He became the MP from Kairana, winning in the 2014 wave that brought Narendra Modi to power.

But after his death in 2018, a Lok Sabha byelection took place that was won by Tabassum Hasan, who had also won that seat in the 2009 general election as a member of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). (She would lose to the BJP in 2019). Tabassum Hasan is the wife of the late Chaudhary Munawar Hasan, who is seen as the founder of the Gujjar Muslim political dynasty of Kairana. Before his death in 2008, he had been both an MP and an MLA from Kairana from the SP. The current candidate of the SP-RLD, Nahid Hasan, is the son of Tabassum and Munawar Hasan. He is also the sitting MLA and has cases against him under the gangster act that the family insist are all political. (Akhilesh Yadav has also stated that the cases against Nahid Hasan were all lodged by the current BJP regime).

Nahid Hasan will be facing Mriganka Singh of the BJP, who has lost previous elections to him, but she gets the BJP ticket because father Hukum Singh was the only individual who could get the better of the Hasan family's apparent political dominance in the seat. Both families incidentally originally belonged to the same Khap about a century ago. Another interesting nugget is that when Tabassum Hasan won the byelection in 2018 as an RLD candidate, she was briefly the only Muslim MP from UP. In the current election, Kairana is considered a safe seat for the SP-RLD. It's a seat that has many stories to tell, some of hate but also those that invoke harmony in melody.

(Saba Naqvi is a journalist and an author)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday hit out at the Samajwadi Party and its president Akhilesh Yadav, calling them supporters of Pakistan and "worshippers of Jinnah".

Adityanath's remark ostensibly refers to the SP president's recent statements on Pakistan and its founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

"They are worshippers of Jinnah, we are worshippers of Sardar Patel. Pakistan is dear to them, we will sacrifice our life for Maa Bharati (Mother India)," Adityanath said in the Hindi tweet without taking any name.

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Film posters have come a long way, starting out as hand-drawn, hand-painted bills in the silent era and galloping to digital motion teasers now. However, designers say the secret to a good poster lies first in the concept. They illustrate with examples.

Make it unique

One of Indias leading designers Jayaram Ramachandran says a poster has to be unique, a concept taught in MBA classrooms with the story of a purple elephant. Jayaram learnt of the concept from the producer of 2015 Malayalam film Ennu Ninte Moideen, for which he designed posters.

The story is about a man who saw a lot of elephants in a jungle. When he reached home, he remembered only a purple elephant from the herd. The bottom line is, you have to stand out for people to notice you, Jayaram recalls. He put the purple elephant theory into practice with a poster of Ennu Ninte Moideen, a tragic romance based on a true story.

Using Photoshop, he juxtaposed a torn paper on a still from the film. The paper had a dialogue written on it. A torn-paper effect would make people curious, he knew. Plus it hinted at the premise: The couple is forced apart by parents.

Snapshot of film

Well-known publicity designer from the Tamil film industry, Gopi Prasannaa, says a poster must capture the soul of the film. He showed how it is done with the poster of the cult romantic Tamil film 96, which released in 2018.

In the film, the lead pair reminisces about their days as childhood sweethearts. I created the logo with the elements of the 90s," he points out. It was a period marked by video games, Doordarshan, Coca-cola, and Ilayaraja and the logo captured the 90s mood well.

Set trends

Gopi made heads turn with the posters of the 2010 Tamil neo-noir film Aaranya Kandam. They were fully illustrated in yellow and black, a first for the Tamil industry. We took an illustrated graphic novel route for the campaign and it worked out well in every medium, he shares.

In 2014, he introduced the trend of first-look posters in Tamil cinema with Kaththi, a social drama. Interestingly, Gopi did not use the photograph of the films protagonist, superstar Vijay, in the design. I created a newspaper collage to resemble Vijays face. The film fraternity was skeptical of the idea but it was a terrific hit, he says.

Unconventional concepts

Going against the norm, Jayaram made the poster of Mammoottys 2009 film Pazhassi Raja in black. People mocked that one would be able to see the posters along the road only when a vehicles lights fell on them. It was high time we used the dark texture with confidence as the posters of Harry Potter and Jurassic Park had proved its power, he reasons.

With the poster of the highly-acclaimed film Super Deluxe (2019), Gopi proved that hand-drawn posters are just as relevant today. The poster was included in the Oscars library recently.

The film has many layers. I recreated (the concept) on the poster by hand. When you touch the poster, you can feel the 12 layers of UV printed on it, and every strand of hair. Some elements are glossy gold while some have a matt gold finish, he says.

Software only as good as an idea

The rapid advancement of technology has pushed the limits of their craft. The tools, colour palettes, and layouts have undergone a massive change, and experiments are happening aplenty.

Posters of Satyajit Ray films had conceptual art. Today, we have broken new ground in conceptual poster designs with out-of-the-box thinking, says Jayaram.

Technology is just a tool. How you use it matters, say these designers.

Cover basics

While a designers creativity is mostly tied to the films concept and the directors vision, some parameters are critical.

A rightly chosen colour palette defines the mood of the film. The poster should be conceptualised around the story or the central character. A well-planned photoshoot is important, says a representative of Kaani Studios in Bengaluru.

The studios design aesthetics for posters of pan-India hits like KGF: Chapter 1, Avanne Srimannarayana, and Vikrant Rona have been appreciated.

Hollywood v/s Indian films

Hollywood movie studios curtail the freedom of designers by asking them to follow specific templates. The Indian film industries offer great room for experiments, these designers say.

Tribute posters

Jallikattu (2019) was Indias official entry to the Oscars. Within 15 minutes of the release of the films trailer, Jayaram made a tribute poster. The movie had an aerial shot of a crowd running with fire sticks. I took that and juxtaposed it on the image of a bulls head, says Jayaram. The poster was a massive hit.

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Sakkari Balacharya, a famous poet and dramatist, popularly known as Shantakavi, lit the light of Kannada identity through theatre, and other literary and cultural experiments.

He is known as Adya Natakakar or the architect of modern Kannada theatre. He authored 75 literary works which include 20 plays, with an aim to rebuild Kannadattva or Kannada identity.

Shantakavi was born in 1856. There is no clarity on the place of his birth.

During his childhood, he was attracted towards folk arts like doddata, Radhanata, shadow puppetry etc. During the time, Marathi was the dominant language in the region which was under the Bombay Presidency. Even though Marathi was the medium of education, he grew up in a family of pandits who were well-versed in Kannada and Sanskrit. He learnt the nuances of Kannada dialects through folk art.

After education, Shantakavi became a primary school teacher and soon he put in efforts to bring modern theatre to Kannada-speaking people. He wrote plays in Kannada to achieve this. He wrote his first play Ushaharana in the 1870s.

It is said that he drew inspiration from his family deity Satenhalli Shantesh, which is reflected in his pen name  Shantakavi.

He is said to be the first playwright to write original Kannada plays. Before him, there were only translations and adaptations from Sanskrit dramas or Shakespeares plays.

He also promoted the first professional theatre company of Karnataka, formed by theatre enthusiasts of the time, Veeranarayana Prasadita Kritapur Nataka Mandali (1877).

He was also a keertanakara (one who sings devotional songs). He sung keertanas and raised funds for the fourth Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Dharwad in 1918, which was about to be called off due to the shortage of funds.

He considered himself as Kannadada dasayya (servant of Kannada language). When he was working in Gadag town, higher officials didnt approve of his involvement in theatre. They alleged that Shantakavi was spreading hatred among people of different languages. But he firmly believed that one need not hate other languages to strengthen one language.

Due to this, Shantakavi was transferred from Gadag to Hombal, a village 10 km away. But that didnt demotivate Shantakavi. He would come to Gadag after duty hours and do the rehearsals.

He chose themes from mythology and used the local dialect of North Karnataka for dialogues. Shrungara (romance), veera (valour) and hasya (comedy) rasa are the key elements of his plays. The dialogues are marked by elaborate rhetoric. His books have interesting titles, Vasappa Nayakana Farce (Vasappa Nayaka's Farce), Adda Kathegala Booku (A book of anecdotes) are just two examples.

He translated a few literary works from Sanskrit including Kalidasas Meghadoota, Ritusamhara, and Raghuvamsha.

Ahead of his time

His literary and theatre experiments show that he was ahead of his time and modern in approach.

Shantakavi was self-assertive and uncompromising. He joined as primary school teacher at the age of 16 with a payment Rs 12 in 1872 and retired in 1912 with pension Rs 11.

He took to farming after retirement and formed a cooperative society of farmers in 1917 at Varanagalavi village near Dharwad. He also wrote a few poems on the importance of agriculture.

His 10-year stint in Agadi village of Haveri district in the early years of the 20th century is considered a golden period of his work.

He wrote Vidyaranya Vijaya, the first keertana in Kannada with a historical theme, in 1918.

It is said that Sufi saint Shishunala Sharif appreciated his keertanas with these words: Sakkariyappa, ninna Kannada vani andara nijavagi sakkari iddhanaga. (Sakkari ji, your Kannada recitation and speech is as sweet as sugar)

Celebrated poet Da Ra Bendre wrote an elegy, Shantakavigala Vishranti, when Shantakavi died in 1920.

Most of his works are not available in public domain now. The need of the hour is to collect his works and publish them before they are completely lost. The government should work towards this and also honour his work by instituting an award in his memory.

(The author is a theatre practitioner based in Dharwad)
As dawn breaks on the banks of River Bhima, a devotee hurries along a pathway, clutching an armful of lily stalks. She passes a tall pillar crowned by an image of a seated lion and pauses before the hulking mass of a stupa looming in silhouette against the lightening horizon. A tall railing of limestone uprights and crossbars surrounds the stupa, images of real and mythical animals carved on the heavy coping which runs around its top. The animals are shown moving from right to left, indicating how the devotee must circumambulate the stupa within.

Stepping through an entryway in the railing, she bows before an image of Muchilinda  the king of serpents who once shielded the Buddha from a storm. Proceeding along the circumambulatory pathway, she gazes, in the soft light of dawn, on stories from the life of the Buddha and depictions of rulers who upheld the Dhamma over the centuries after his passing. Some of these are at her eye level, carved on the creamy white limestone slabs cladding the lower drum of the stupa.

To see the others on the tall upper cylinder of the stepped stupa, she has to move to the periphery of the pathway, craning her neck. She moves on, murmuring prayers, occasionally laying a lily on the flower receptacle  a sculptured ledge which runs all along above the lower drum, recognising among the images stories and scenes which the bhikkus at the monastery had narrated to the villagers.

Almost done with the pradakshina, she pauses in the south-west, intrigued by one of the images on the upper drum showing a chariot drawn by two animals, the likes of which she has never seen before. She knew many creatures of fantasy were carved on the stupa, such as winged cats and fish-tailed elephants, but what were these humped beasts of burden, neither horse nor elephant?

This hypothetical scene could easily have played out at the Adhalaka Mahachaitya  a Buddhist stupa at Kanaganahalli, in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka, nearly two millennia ago. The stupa started out as a small mound of earth and rubble in the 2nd century BCE, during the period of Mauryan rule. Subsequently, under the patronage of Satavahana rulers, it was considerably enlarged, and embellished with beautiful carvings in shallow relief on the limestone slabs cladding the structure.

Early artisans

The identities and migrations of early artisans who contributed to Indian monumental architecture have fascinated and puzzled scholars. Often, artisans have left signatures on their creations, and sometimes even the region they hailed from. At Kanaganahalli too, names of a few sculptors  Bodhiguta, Nagila, Kanhila, Nagabudhi etc., adorn the images of their creation.

Were these, and other artisans at Kanaganahalli, local residents or migrants from other lands? It is difficult to guess the identities and origins of the artisans based on available evidence, but some clues offer tantalising glimpses into possibilities. The strange-looking animals pulling the chariot which fascinated our hypothetical devotee from the second century are camels, animals unknown in the region the stupa is situated.

A closer look reveals that the animals are two-humped Bactrian camels, whose historical range covers the cold deserts of China, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. There are other depictions of camels at Kanaganahalli, on the coping stone of the railing, on a lower drum slab and another frieze above the upper drum slabs. It is incredible that all of these feature only the Bactrian camel.

Does this hint at the involvement of artisans from the land of the Bactrian camel in the construction of the stupa? After all, there is incontrovertible evidence for the presence of at least one scribe named Chapada, from the Gandharan region (now in Afghanistan) who carved the Ashokan edicts at Brahmagiri, in Chitradurga district. Chapada, who carved the characters of the edict in Brahmi lipi, preferred to inscribe his own identity in his native Kharosthi script.

Many of the images at Kanaganahalli are carved by gifted artisans, evidently familiar with the subject of their creations. For instance, the elephant sculptures at the stupa are some of the most beautiful, and anatomically accurate ones encountered in Indian art. In comparison, most of the camel depictions come across as mere caricatures. Even the relatively better-carved images on the upper drum slab seem inadequate compared to the depictions of Bactrian camels on the eastern torana of the Sanchi stupa, which were obviously executed by artisans familiar with the animal.

Imagery

Stupas in Gandhara, too, frequently featured camels. Camels are often the mounts on which the relics of the Buddha are transported, in imagery at Gandharan stupas, while the elephant is the mount of choice in most Indian stupas. Given the intimate familiarity with which the artisans of Kanaganahalli carved locally common animals like elephants, it appears likely that they were local sculptors, instructed or supervised by Buddhist monks from the Gandharan region.

Prof S Settar, in his book, Early Buddhist Artisans and Their Architectural Vocabulary, discusses the various categories of craftspeople involved in building monuments. He mentions a category of bhikkus called navakamis, some of who were responsible for designing religious monuments, without actually participating in their construction. Could it be that there were navakamis from far-off Gandhara at Kanaganahalli, planning the religious architecture of the stupa, and instructing local sculptors on the images to be carved?

The camels of Kanaganahalli might hold the answers.

(The author is with the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru)
On January 20, Tamil Nadu announced that it will implement the second phase of the Hogenakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project at a cost of Rs 4,600 crore. Karnataka immediately raised objections, saying Tamil Nadu cannot go ahead with any scheme that utilises Cauvery water without its concurrence. Here is a detailed look at the project, why Karnataka is objecting to it and whether it can really block it:

What is the Hogenakkal project?

Originally conceived in the 1960s, the Hogenakkal project saw the light of day only in 2013. Under the first phase, 160 MLD of potable water is supplied to the drought-prone districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. Keeping the fluorosis content in the water within the permissible limits of 1.50 mg/litre is also an essential component of the project.

Every person is provided with 30 litres of water a day in rural habitations, 40 litres in town panchayats and 75 litres in municipalities.

The first phase, implemented at a cost of Rs 1,928.80 crore, serves three municipalities, 17 town panchayats and 7,639 rural habitations.

Where is Hogenakkal located?

Hogenakkal, a scenic tourist spot known for its waterfalls, is located on the border between the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu and the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is about 125 km south of Bengaluru. The word Hogenakkal is of Kannada origin and roughly means smoky rocks. The Cauvery water which enters Tamil Nadu at Biligundulu in Krishnagiri district from Karnataka reaches the Stanley reservoir at Mettur through Hogenakkal.

The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board says the intake structures for the project are designed and located in such a way that the required water flows into the intake well even during the lowest flow in Cauvery.

Didn't Karnataka object to the first phase?

It did but Tamil Nadu managed to implement the project because observers say its case was stronger. Tamil Nadu said it was using only its share of the Cauvery water. Beyond political rhetoric, Karnataka couldn't do much, and Tamil Nadu was able to commission the project.

What's proposed in the second phase?

Tamil Nadu believes the second phase is needed to continue the supply of potable water to Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, and meet the demands of a rising population.

The amount of water supplied per person per day will be increased to 55 litres in rural areas (as mandated under the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission) and 135 litres in town panchayats and municipalities. As the population is projected to rise to 41.54 lakh in 2024, 49.46 lakh in 2039 and 57.31 lakh in 2054, the amount of water needed will increase to 254.64 MLD in 2024, 288.78 MLD in 2039 and 375 MLD in 2054. Phase-II will serve one municipal corporation (Hosur), two municipalities, 16 town panchayats and 6,818 rural habitations.

In addition, the SIPCOT industrial estate in Dharmapuri has sought 20 MLD per day.

Tamil Nadu estimates it will need Rs 1,800 crore to expand the project in Dharmapuri and Rs 2,800 crore in Krishnagiri.

What does Karnataka say?

Karnataka has announced it will oppose the Hogenakkal project both legally and politically.

Karnataka's opposition is based on two grounds: the project falls in the geography of both states and was not placed before the Cauvery tribunal or the Supreme Court. Geographically, Karnataka says, Hogenakkal is a 64-km region that covers both sides of the border. Apparently, the Survey of India has not finalised the border along Hogenakkal. Karnataka also argues that any project Tamil Nadu wants to take up in the Cauvery basin should be in line with the allocation of water made by the tribunal and Supreme Court orders.

What does Tamil Nadu have to say?

Tamil Nadu cites both legal and humanitarian grounds to justify the second phase. It also cites the Supreme Court's February 16, 2018, judgement on sharing the Cauvery water between states. It says the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal allowed 2.2 tmcft of water for consumptive use and 25.7 tmcft of water for permitted irrigation schemes. Since the verdict has been upheld by the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu says it is well within its rights to implement the second phase of the project.

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A look at what newspapers, both nationally and internationally, reported following the findings of the Saville Inquiry in June 2010.

Irish News

By concluding that those who were killed and injured on Bloody Sunday were shot by unjustified firing, the Saville Report has established that the British government was responsible for killing innocent civilians in pursuit of its policies and politics in Northern Ireland.

Saville is now more than an inquiry. It is a history lesson.

History, said George Orwell, is full of ignominious getaways by the great and the famous.

Widgery was the British governments getaway vehicle from Bloody Sunday.

Yesterday Saville forced them to abandon it. In doing so, he moved at least a part of Irish history from being an art to a science, by critically defining the events of the most significant afternoon in our recent past.

Those who argue that the report is unhelpful to an already strained political relationship in Stormont are missing the point. The only was to resolve the past is to establish its truth. Saville has done that he has done it well. It is up to our politicians to handle that truth.



News Letter

The Saville Inquiry cost too much and took too long, but it has finally  and far too belatedly  set the record straight about those who died on Bloody Sunday, stating clearly that none of the killings could be justified.

Although the terrible events of Bloody Sunday were a defining moment in the history of Northern Ireland, we must not forget all the other innocent people who died in the Troubles.

That is why it was so fitting that a minutes silence was a mark of respect to all those who died in the troubles. There will have been many watching and listening yesterday who still grieve for loved ones whose untimely deaths did not receive as much attention and they too must be in our thoughts today.

Their hurt has been deepened by the fact that others linked to paramilitary groups have yet to come clean on their roles in the conflict. The army has faced public scrutiny and will now have to accept the damning truth about Bloody Sunday, but that is what sets them apart from terrorists past and present.



Belfast Telegraph

That was a shameful day in the history of the Army in Northern Ireland, although it must also be remembered that soldiers, along with the police, helped prevent the province from descending into civil war during three decades of unremitting terrorism during which they displayed daily heroism.

The Saville report is not the end of the process. The Public Prosecution Service and the Chief Constable will now examine the findings and will have the onerous task of deciding if any of the soldiers should be prosecuted.

Fittingly, one of the first actions of the relatives after reading the Saville report was to call on the crowd outside Derrys Guildhall to observe a minutes silence for all those killed in the Troubles. There are some 3,000 unsolved murders where relatives dont know who killed their loved ones or why. They share many of the feelings of loss, of injustice and of grief that the relatives of the Bloody Sunday dead harboured for years.

The Eames/Bradley report attempted to create a process which would help all relatives gain some closure but that report now appears to have been shelved, but it would surely be justice for all if a truth and reconciliation process could be established at which all sides of Northern Irelands dirty war could give evidence. Saville has given justice to the dead and survivors of Bloody Sunday, but many others are still denied it.



The Irish Times

It may have taken 38 years, but the British government has finally confronted its responsibilities to civil society and to the rule of law by addressing one of the darkest moments of the Northern Ireland Troubles and condemning the killing of innocent civilians on the streets of Derry in 1972. Prime Minister David Cameron formally apologised in the House of Commons for the unjustified and unjustifiable killing of 14 civilians by British soldiers and said he was deeply sorry.

For the British government to formally acknowledge that troops from the Parachute Regiment opened fire and killed innocent civilians in contravention of their orders and then lied about it, will have been deeply unsettling.

That acceptance  based on the comprehensive and unambiguous findings by Lord Saville in a 5,000-page report  marks a watershed. It provides the people of Northern Ireland with absolute clarify concerning a divisive and traumatic event, along with an opportunity for reconciliation. And it reflects undertakings in the Belfast Agreement for both governments to exercise their powers with rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people.

Bloody Sunday represents a horrible legacy from a terrible past. In all truth, it probably garnered recruits for the Provisional IRA. The establishment of the Saville inquiry coincided with the Belfast Agreement. Today, there is a functioning, powersharing Executive and an elected Assembly. The past is a separate country and the acts of violence that scarred it should be left there.



The Guardian

The Saville inquiry certainly took too long and cost too much. But the report is devastating. Its conclusions simply cannot be ducked. Nor, to his great credit, did David Cameron attempt to duck them yesterday. They were absolutely clear, the prime minister confirmed, and not open to doubt.

Bloody Sunday was not a premeditated state conspiracy, Saville finds. But the main actors were not brave British soldiers but, too often, trigger-happy paratroopers. The parachute regiment went into Derrys Bogside in response to an order that should not have been given. They fired the first shots at civilians who had been taking part in a civil rights march. The people at whom they fired were unarmed and in some cases fleeing.

A few victims were shot on the ground. None of the dead or wounded was doing anything that justified their being shot. The soldiers gave no warnings. They lost their self-control. Then some of them lied about it afterwards. For all of which, Mr Cameron said, the British government and people were deeply sorry.

If the evidence permits, which at this distance it may not, those who killed the innocent in Derry in 1972 should be prosecuted. No amount of political convenience should be permitted to stand in the way of justice.



Daily Mirror

The innocence of those killed on Bloody Sunday is now beyond doubt.

The victims lack of guilt has been officially recognised 38 years after the massacre.

As David Cameron admitted in the House of Commons, the shootings were unjustified and unjustifiable. The absence of a warning before the Paras opened fire, demonstrators shot as they helped the wounded or fled and the lies to cover-up the atrocity is a horror story which had to be told. Bloody Sunday was the moment the Troubles spiralled out of control, helping the IRA secure recruits and funds from people who suddenly saw the Army as the enemy.

It is within this context that the Saville report must be viewed - an investigation into a blood-soaked turning point in the Northern Ireland conflict.

Bloody Sunday undoubtedly prolonged the unrest and cost lives beyond that awful day.

The families of the 14 who died and the injured waited too long for this verdict but at last we have it.

Criticism of the cost of the inquiry misses the point that this was an event so awful the poison had to be drawn.

Tony Blair understood that. David Cameron acknowledged it by apologising. We should all welcome the truth.



New York Times

The decision by former Prime Minister Tony Blair to order the investigation in 1998 and Mr. Camerons forthright embrace of its conclusions should be an example for countries and leaders around the world. The inquiry determined that British soldiers fired without provocation or warning on the civil rights march in the city of Londonderry on Jan. 30, 1972. It said that the 14 people killed and 13 people wounded were unarmed.

That should discredit once and for all an earlier whitewash investigation that, weeks after Bloody Sunday, exonerated the soldiers, saying they were fired upon first. This latest inquiry lasted 12 years, took evidence from nearly 2,500 people and produced an exhaustive 5,000-page report. The findings are understandably dredging up raw emotions on all sides. With the 1998 Good Friday agreement, Northern Ireland has come a long way on a very difficult path toward peace. The hard truth of this inquiry and Mr. Camerons ringing apology should help move that process and the cause of peace forward.
Northampton tops the list of 36 Pennsylvania counties with the highest percentages of stream water that has become contaminated, according to the latest Department of Environmental Protection draft report on water quality in the states streams, lakes and rivers.

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Of Northampton Countys 548 miles of stream water, 14.3% or 78 miles, is assessed as impaired, or contaminated to the point of affecting its designated use. For example, mercury has contaminated Bushkill Creek to the point where fish swimming there are unsafe to eat, according to the 2022 Draft Integrated Water Quality Report.

Montgomery, Bucks and Schuylkill counties rank third (13.1% impaired), fourth (11.7% impaired) and fifth (3.7% impaired) on the list, respectively, while Berks and Monroe counties rank 12th (1.6% impaired) and 35th (.05% impaired), respectively.

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The DEP publishes the report on water quality every two years, as required by the 1972 Clean Water Act, DEP spokesperson Deborah Klenotic said.

The report identifies four uses for each body of water  aquatic life, fish consumption, drinking and recreation (swimming)  assessing each as meeting quality standards, or impaired.

The draft, which came out Jan. 18, shows the states water overall has become more polluted in the last two years. The DEP said it assessed 99% of the states streams: 84,977 miles worth. Of those, 33% were impaired, an increase from 30% in 2020.

Lehigh County has 540 miles of stream water, 51.5% of which is unsafe for aquatic life or swimming, according to the report. Of Northampton Countys 548 miles of stream water, 48.5% is unsafe for aquatic life, swimming or fishing. Drinking water in both counties remains safe, the report found.

The Bushkill Creek watershed  which stretches from the Monroe County border south to the Delaware River in Easton, and includes Bushkill, Little Bushkill and Shoeneck creeks along with their respective tributaries  was last assessed in 2016, when it met safety standards for fish consumption, the report indicates.

Streams are only assessed every several years  and sometimes far longer  and then it takes years for the data to be analyzed, according to Rebecca Hayden, president of the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley, a network of local conservation groups helping monitor and address water quality issues.

Aquatic life can include cold-water fish, like trout, in one body of water, warm-water fish in another body of water, and fish plus certain insects in a third, Hayden said.

The Bushkill contamination is caused by mercury, a toxic heavy metal dispersed through the atmosphere via industrial activity, exhaust fumes and other means, the report indicates. Its not necessarily mercury in the water at super high levels, but mercury in fish tissue thats unsafe, said Dustin Shull, environmental group manager with the DEPs Bureau of Clean Water.

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The source of the mercury is acid rain, which makes dealing with it no simple matter, Hayden said.

Acid rain has been a concern in an increasingly environmentally conscious nation, including here in the Lehigh Valley. The Portland Generating Station in Upper Mount Bethel Township was one of the states many fossil-fuel power plants. The plant operated two coal-fired generating units emitting sulfur dioxide, which aggravates asthma, causes respiratory diseases and falls as acid rain when combined with other pollutants.

New Jersey for years has been affected by sulfur dioxide blown east from Pennsylvania plants. New Jersey and Connecticut sued the Portland Generating Stations owners in 2007, claiming they violated the Clean Air Act by not making required improvements to reduce pollution when modernizing the plant. The owners of the now-closed plant settled the lawsuit in 2013 by agreeing to shut down the plants coal-fired units and invest $1 million in environmental projects in both plaintiff states.

Gov. Tom Wolfs administration recently has been pushing to pass a regulation that would add Pennsylvania to the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which sets a price and declining limits on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

Under the cap-and-trade program, dozens of power plants fueled by coal, oil and natural gas would be forced to buy hundreds of millions of dollars in credits in the coming years that the state could then spend on clean energy efforts.

The report deems a number of Lehigh Valley creeks unsafe for swimming, due to bacterial contamination from unknown sources. These include Ohoughton Creek in Lower Mount Bethel and Upper Mount Bethel townships; Saucon Creek in Lower Milford and Upper Saucon townships; Leibert Creek in Emmaus and Upper Milford Township; and Catasauqua Creek, between East Allen Township in Northampton County and Hanover Township in Lehigh County.

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In the last six years, the Lehigh Valleys only stream quality changes have been in the Bushkill Creek watershed.

Previously, Little Bushkill Creek went from impaired in 2012, due to bacterial contamination, to safe in 2016. However, some streams havent been assessed in over 15 years, Shull said.

Along the 20-mile Monocacy Creek, which flows from Chapman south to the Lehigh River in Bethlehem, portions in Lower Nazareth and Bethlehem townships continue to be impaired for aquatic life, according to the report.

Since no Monocacy Creek assessment changes appear in the 2016, 18 or 20 report, its uncertain when the creek was first assessed as impaired. Such information is easier to find in reports published after 2016, thanks to advancements in technology, than in older reports, Shull said.

In recent years, the character of the creek has been changing, and not for the better, as heavy rain events and the associated runoff have become the norm, Monocacy Creek Watershed Association President Michael Harrington said. The coinciding pressures of rampant upstream development in the creeks watershed contribute to the overall degrading of the watersheds ecology and subsequent changes in the quality of the creek itself.

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Continued development reduces natural landscapes that retain, absorb and filter rainwater, Harrington said. Impervious structures, such as large, roofed buildings, paved parking lots and streets force rainwater, along with the pollutants from those surfaces, toward the nearest waterway or sewer system, bypassing the important role of the soil and substrate and putting increased pressure on streams and rivers to handle the increased runoff.

This increased pressure erodes streambanks, destroys native habitat and disrupts the entire ecosystem in our watershed, he said. The result has been the widening of the creek, the warming of its flow, the erosion of native buffers and loss of cover, the loss of [aquatic insect] habitats, changes in [aquatic] flora and the increased strain of native fish populations.

Others also pointed to development as a problem.

The most obvious challenge to our watershed would be the increased development in the area, said Kathy Altmann, president of the Bushkill Stream Conservancy in Tatamy, which oversees the Bushkill Creek watershed. It is always a challenge when you are removing green space and adding buildings and pavement. It is especially troubling in areas that do not have strict rules dealing with riparian buffers [that help block contaminants from entering the stream].

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The report calls for limiting the amounts of pollutants in waterways.

Advocates also urged public awareness of the problem, and community involvement in solving it.

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Find out what is living in our streams, urged Brian Wagner of Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit working to conserve freshwater streams, rivers and associated habitats for trout, salmon, other aquatic species and people. Help with a stream cleanup or other local project. Make your voices heard to our local and state legislators that clean water is important to you. A lot of dollars are spent on recreation in and along our local streams.

Reducing litter and limiting the amount of salt applied to parking lots, sidewalks and driveways in the winter also would help, said Mary Rooney, president of the Little Lehigh Watershed Stewards for Little Lehigh Creek, which flows through Lower Macungie and Salisbury townships and Allentown to the Lehigh River.

The Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley, Northampton County Conservation District and Penn State Extension created the Pennsylvania Master Watershed Stewards Program to train community volunteers to work with experts on conservation projects.

While theres only so much we can do in the face of economic forces of development continuing to churn forward, the positive is that were reaching more people and helping them understand why they should care about water quality and environmental health, Hayden said.

Morning Call reporter Andrew Scott can be reached at 610-820-6508 or ascott@mcall.com.
The following is the full text from former British Prime Minister David Cameron's statement to the House of Commons following the publication of the Saville Inquiry report on Tuesday, 15th June, 2010.

"The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is publishing the report of the Saville inquiry - the tribunal set up by the previous government to investigate the tragic events of 30 January 1972, a day more commonly known as Bloody Sunday.

We have acted in good faith by publishing the tribunal's findings as soon as possible after the general election.

Mr Speaker, I am deeply patriotic. I never want to believe anything bad about our country. I never want to call into question the behaviour of our soldiers and our army, who I believe to be the finest in the world.

And I have seen for myself the very difficult and dangerous circumstances in which we ask our soldiers to serve.

But the conclusions of this report are absolutely clear. There is no doubt, there is nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities.

What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong.

Lord Saville concludes that the soldiers of the support company who went into the Bogside did so as a result of an order which should not have been given by their commander.

He finds that, on balance, the first shot in the vicinity of the march was fired by the British Army.

He finds that none of the casualties shot by the soldiers of support company was armed with a firearm.

He finds that there was some firing by Republican paramilitaries but none of this firing provided any justification for the shooting of civilian casualties.

And he finds that, in no case, was any warning given by soldiers before opening fire.

He also finds that the support company reacted by losing their self-control, forgetting or ignoring their instructions and training and with a serious and widespread loss of fire discipline.

He finds that despite the contrary evidence given by the soldiers, none of them fired in response to attacks or threatened attacks by nail or petrol bombers.

And he finds that many of the soldiers - and I quote knowingly - put forward false accounts to seek to justify their firing.

Lord Saville says that some of those killed or injured were clearly fleeing or going to the assistance of others who were dying.

The report refers to one person who was shot while crawling away from the soldiers. Another was shot in all probability when he was lying mortally wounded on the ground.

The report refers to the father who was hit and injured by army gunfire after going to attend to his son.

For those looking for statements of innocence, Saville says that the immediate responsibility for the deaths and injuries on Bloody Sunday lies with those members of support company whose unjustifiable firing was the cause of those deaths and injuries.

Crucially, that, and I quote, none of the casualties was posing a threat of causing death or serious injury or indeed was doing anything else that could, on any view, justified in shooting.

For those people who are looking for the report to use terms like murder and unlawful killing, I remind the House that these judgments are not matters for a tribunal or politicians to determine.

Mr Speaker, these are shocking conclusions to read and shocking words to have to say. But Mr Speaker, you do not defend the British Army by defending the indefensible.

We do not honour all those who have served with such distinction in keeping the peace and upholding the rule of law in Northern Ireland by hiding from the truth.

There is no point in trying to soften or equivocate what is in this report. It is clear from the tribunal's authoritative conclusions that the events of Bloody Sunday were in no way justified.

I know that some people wonder whether, nearly 40 years on from an event, [if] a prime minister needs to issue an apology.

For someone of my generation, Bloody Sunday and the early 1970s are something we feel we have learnt about rather than lived through.

But what happened should never, ever have happened. The families of those who died should not have had to live with the pain and the hurt of that day and with a lifetime of loss.

Some members of our armed forces acted wrongly. The government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the armed forces and for that, on behalf of the government, indeed, on behalf of our country, I am deeply sorry.

Mr Speaker, just as this report is clear that the actions of that day were unjustifiable, so too is it clear in some of its other findings.

Those looking for premeditation, a plan, those even looking for a conspiracy involving senior politicians or senior members of the armed forces, they will not find it in this report.

Indeed, Lord Saville finds no evidence that the events of Bloody Sunday were premeditated, he concludes that the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland governments and the army neither tolerated nor encouraged the use of unjustified lethal force.

He makes no suggestion of a government cover up.

Mr Speaker, the report also specifically deals with the actions of key individuals in the army, in politics and beyond, including Major-General Ford, Brigadier McLellan, and Lieutenant Colonel Wilford.

In each case, the findings are clear. It does the same for Martin McGuinness. It specifically finds he was present and probably armed with a sub-machine gun but it concludes, and I quote, "we're sure that he did not engage in any activity that provided any of the soldiers with any justification for opening fire".

Mr Speaker, while in no way justifying the events of January 30th, 1972, we should acknowledge the background to the events of Bloody Sunday. Since 1969, the security situation in Northern Ireland had been declining significantly.

Three days before Bloody Sunday, two RUC officers, one a Catholic, were shot by the IRA in Londonderry, the first police officers killed in the city during the Troubles.

A third of the City of Derry had become a no-go area for the RUC and the Army. And in the end, 1972 was to prove Northern Ireland's bloodiest year by far, with nearly 500 people killed.

And let us also remember, Bloody Sunday is not the defining story of the service the British Army gave in Northern Ireland from 1969-2007.

This was known as Operation Banner, the longest continuous operation in British military history, spanning 38 years and in which over 250,000 people served.

Our armed forces displayed enormous courage and professionalism in upholding democracy and the rule of law in Northern Ireland.

Acting in support of the police, they played a major part in setting the conditions that have made peaceful politics possible.

And over 1,000 members - 1,000 members - of the security forces lost their lives to that cause.

Without their work, the peace process would not have happened.

Of course, some mistakes were undoubtedly made, but lessons were also learned.

And once again, I put on record the immense debt of gratitude we all owe to those who served in Northern Ireland.

Mr Speaker, may I also thank the tribunal for its work and all those who displayed great courage in giving evidence.

I would also like to acknowledge the grief of the families of those killed.

They have pursued their long campaign over 38 years with great patience. Nothing can bring back those who were killed, but I hope, as one relative has put it, the truth coming out can help set people free.

John Major said he was open to a new inquiry, Tony Blair then set it up. This was accepted by the leader of the opposition. Of course, none of us anticipated that the Saville inquiry would take 12 years or cost almost 200m. Our views on that are well-documented. It is right to pursue the truth with vigour and thoroughness, but let me reassure the House there will be no more open-ended and costly inquiries into the past.

Today is not about the controversies surrounding the process, it is about the substance, about what this report tells us.

Everyone should have the chance to examine its complete findings and that is why it is being published in full.

Running to more than 5,000 pages, it is being published in 10 volumes.

Naturally, it will take all of us some time to digest the report's full findings and understand its implications. The House will have an opportunity for a full day's debate this autumn, and in the meantime the Secretaries of State in Northern Ireland for Defence will report back to me on all the issues which arise from it.

Mr Speaker, this report and the inquiry itself demonstrate how a state should hold itself to account and how we should be determined at all times, no matter how difficult, to judge ourselves against the highest standards.

Openness and frankness about the past, however painful, they do not make us weaker, they make us stronger.

That is one of the things that differentiates us from the terrorists. We should never forget that over 3,500 people from every community lost their lives in Northern Ireland, the overwhelming majority killed by terrorists.

There were many terrible atrocities. Politically-motivated violence was never justified, whichever side it came from. And it can never be justified by those criminal gangs that today want to draw Northern Ireland back to its bitter and bloody past.

No government I lead will ever put those who fight to defend democracy on an equal footing with those who contine to seek to destroy it.

But neither will we hide from the truth that confronts us today.

In the words of Lord Saville, what happened on Bloody Sunday strengthened the Provisional IRA, increased hostility towards the Army and exacerbated the violent conflict of the years that followed.

Bloody Sunday was a tragedy for the bereaved and the wounded and a catastrophe for the people of Northern Ireland.

Those are words we cannot and must not ignore. But I hope what this report can also do it is mark the moment where we come together in this House and in the communities we represent to acknowledge our shared history, even where it divides us.

And come together to close this painful chapter on Northern Ireland's troubled past.

That is not to say we should ever forget or dismiss the past, but we must also move on. Northern Ireland has been transformed over the last 20 years and all of us in Westminster and Stormont must continue that work of change, coming together with all the people of Northern Ireland to build a stable, peaceful, prosperous and shared future. And it is with that determination that I commend this statement to the house."
Chrome OS Could Get Steam Support Thanks To Upcoming Gaming Chromebooks

According to a recent report, changes in the Chrome OS suggests that Gaming Chromebooks are coming soon. For the uninitiated, Chrome OS is a free and open-source operating system from Google. Most people primarily use it for basic tasks like document editing, surfing the web etc. However, Chrome OS is more than likely to get native Steam support in the near future. Not only that but you can also expect Gaming Chromebooks with dedicated GPUs to launch as well.

Gaming Chromebooks To Feature Dedicated Graphics And RGB Keyboards

According to some recent changes in the Chrome OS code, it will soon have full support for RGB keyboards allowing for in-depth key customisation. A Chrome OS code suggests * as an upcoming brand of detachable keyboards for Chromebooks. The Chrome OS code also suggests two upcoming gaming Chromebooks namely - Vell and Taniks.

Quanta computers based in Taiwan is most likely the candidate to manufacture Vell. Quantas employees recently developed products for HP and therefore an OMEN branded Gaming Chromebook could be on the cards.

Meanwhile, LCFC electronics, the largest R&D and manufacturing base for Lenovo is probably developing the Taniks Gaming Chromebook. A recent report also suggested that Nvidia and Mediatek are working together to bring RTX graphics to Chromebooks.

However, the most important announcement here is the Steam support for Google Chrome OS. At present, PC gaming is mostly limited to Windows OS with Linux gaming gaining popularity on small fringes. However, a natively running Steam app on Chrome OS could open the door for a lot of gamers to have a legitimate option other than WIndows. Considering how much time it took for Linux gaming to gain traction, I wouldnt get my hopes up just yet for gaming on Chrome OS. Furthermore, Google is infamous for abandoning projects, what I mean is none of your friends play on Stadia, and they most likely never will. So keeping our hopes in check might be the best thing right now.
Duncan, OK (73533)

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Mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Some of the storms may become severe. Low near 60F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Some of the storms may become severe. Low near 60F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Feile na Tana are delighted to announce another wonderful festival on the first weekend in February, packed with workshops and performances for their eighth edition.

The festival is based in Carlingford, Co. Louth, and is renowned for presenting the finest exponents of Irish traditional music, song and dance each year. This year, due to the pandemic, they have decided to revert to an online version, offering 15 prerecorded workshops in a range of instruments, singing and sean nos dance.

This edition also brings two concerts which are free for all to view on YouTube - a tutors concert on Saturday evening and a special young musicians concert on Sunday afternoon featuring talented young players from Co. Louth and beyond.

Available workshops for 2022 are:

Fidil ard-rang / Fiddle advanced - Brid Harper

Fidil mean-rang / Fiddle intermediate - Zoe Conway

Feadog ard-rang / Whistle advanced - Mary Bergin

Feadog mean-rang / Whistle intermediate - Des Cafferkey

Piob Uilleann / Uilleann Pipes - Mick O Brien

Clairseach / Harp - Cormac De Barra

Fliuit / Flute - Kevin Crawford

Bosca / Accordian [C#/D Box] - Mairtin O Connor

Consairtin / Concertina - Caitlin Nic Gabhann

Amhrain / Singing - Julie Fowlis

Bainseo / Banjo - Gerry 'Banjo' O'Connor

Bodhran - Jim Higgins

Giotar / Guitar - John Mc Intyre

Basucai / Bouzouki - Eamon Doorley

Damhsa Sean nos / Sean nos dancing - Edwina Guckian



Each of the world-renowned tutors has prepared a video workshop specially for Feile na Tana with a mix of chat about technique, ornamentation, and some tunes to keep you busy!

The workshops are between 30 and 45 minutes long and have been pre-recorded and edited. Attendees will be able to access the video for 1 month, and can start and stop at the touch of a button.

Students can also use the slower speed button in YouTube to assist learning if required. Workshops are available for a reduced online rate of 20 with thanks to Arts Council Ireland.

To book, click here or visit the website, www.feilenatana.com

Don't miss our Tutor's Concert at 7pm on Saturday 5th Feb - Shared live online on the Feile na Tana Facebook and YouTube channel. Free for all to view, it is a specially curated and edited pre-recorded video featuring all the tutors.

Another highlight of Feile na Tana is the very special Festival Concert on Sunday 6 February at 4pm, which will be shared live online on the Feile na Tana Facebook and YouTube channel. The concert features pre-recorded and edited footage of outstanding young musicians from the locality and around Ireland.

Organisers of Feile na Tana say they would like to thank Create Louth and The Arts Council for their support, particularly this year.
An Iranian man who threatened to shoot, and chop the head off a member of Louth County Councils homeless team, was last week given a two year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court, which was sitting in Drogheda.

Hojatullah Surkahrezi (50) with an address at Greenhills Industrial Estate, Drogheda pleaded guilty to harassing the official on September 12th and 13th 2019.

The sentencing hearing last Tuesday heard the victim was working in the council offices on Fair Street, Drogheda on September 12th 2019, when the defendant arrived with his elderly mum and told the official he lived where he worked and wanted her to be moved to Drogheda from emergency accommodation in a hotel in Dundalk, to save him having to commute to see her.

The housing official told him if there was space available in Drogheda, they would get her transferred but he told gardai the defendant absolutely lost it when the victim told him he wasnt responsible for his mother.

He said the mechanic made hand gestures pretending to shoot him and told him You dont know who youre dealing with and threatened to chop his head off.

He slammed the door as he left with his mother, taking the door off the hinges and called the defendant minutes later.

Numerous texts followed that evening with messages claiming he knew where the official lived and that hed sold him to the Mafia in Eastern Europe.

The victim, who has since retired, was off sick from work for a number of weeks and afterwards was based out of one office instead of traveling between the two in Dundalk and Drogheda.

After his arrest, the defendant, who had one previous conviction, a nine-month suspended sentence for assault causing harm, denied making gun gestures or threatening language.

The court heard he had written a letter of apology while the Defence barrister said the red mist had descended for his client, who was motivated by the difficulties his mother was experiencing, having no English and being isolated in a hotel room.

He added his client has lived in Ireland since 2006 and suffers from depression and from PTSD having witnessed extreme atrocities during tank combat in the Iran/Iraq war.

Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a two-year suspended sentence on condition that he has no contact with the victim, or any member of his family and that he stays away from the housing section of Louth County Council.


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Snowfall amounts varied, but the Lehigh Valley missed the worst of Saturdays major snowstorm that impacted other parts from Philadelphia to New England. (Jane Therese / Special to The Morning Call)

Snow tapered off across the Lehigh Valley early Saturday afternoon, and the region was spared the worst of a snowstorm that battered the Jersey Shore and the East Coast.

Snow began to fall Friday evening and continued off and on through the night in the Lehigh Valley region. About 1.6 inches had fallen by 1 p.m. Saturday at Lehigh Valley International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

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But parts of Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties had as much 5 inches or more, according to the Weather Service.

Juan Colon, 10, of Fountain Hill, brushes snow off the family car Saturday January 29, 2022. A Nor'easter came in with a mixture of snow, wind and sleet making travel conditions slick. Even as snow continues to fall in the Lehigh Valley, it appears that the region has been spared the worst of a snowstorm that is battering the New Jersey Shore and the East Coast. (JANE THERESE / Special to The Morning Call)

The Lehigh Valley was under a winter weather advisory until 2 p.m. Saturday for up to an additional 1 inch of snow and wind gusting up to 35 mph, with those conditions leading to slippery roads and reduced road visibility.

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[ How much snow fell in the Lehigh Valley? Totals from around the region ]

Davis said earlier that things would wrap up by around mid-day Saturday, as major snow activity moved south and east.

Otherwise, he said, its really going to be pretty cold and windy.

Lylah Vazquez, 3, plays in the snow as mom, Roselyn Vazquez, shovels snow off her car in Bethlehem Saturday January 29, 2022. A Nor'easter came in with a mixture of snow, wind and sleet making travel conditions slick. Even as snow continues to fall in the Lehigh Valley, it appears that the region has been spared the worst of a snowstorm that is battering the New Jersey Shore and the East Coast. (JANE THERESE / Special to The Morning Call)

Saturday night, the temperature was expected to dip to 8 degrees, with wind chills below zero, he said. The wind would lead to areas of temporarily reduced visibility with the blowing snow, he said.

Dangerously low wind chills are expected Saturday night into Sunday, particularly in the Poconos. (NWS Mount Holly)

Take it slow if you have to go out, Davis said. Its probably a better day to stay inside, if you can.

In the Lehigh Valley, major roads were wet but traffic was light. PennDOT placed vehicle restrictions on some major highways, but by Saturday afternoon, it had lifted the 45-mph speed restrictions on major highways, according to a news release.

Scott Race of Williams Township clears his driveway on Morgan Hill Road Saturday January 29, 2022. A Nor'easter came in with a mixture of snow, wind and sleet making travel conditions slick. (JANE THERESE / Special to The Morning Call)

A Northampton County emergency dispatcher said there were minor accidents at Interstate 78 and Route 33 in the area of Bethlehem and Lower Saucon townships. But there were no major accidents on roads in Northampton or Lehigh counties, and o reports of road closures.

A fire in a three story apartment building on Garibaldi Avenue in Roseto after 4 a.m. Saturday displaced about a dozen people, according to Chief Mike Goffredo of the Columbia Fire Co. He said all but two residents were back in their units by about 2:30 p.m.

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The fire broke out in a bedroom of a first-floor unit, Goffredo said. The occupants, a woman and her son, were not in the apartment when the fire happened. The American Red Cross provided assistance to the pair, he said. Their unit sustained extensive damage while the remaining apartments had light smoke damage.

A small pit bull died during the fire, Goffredo said. He was not sure of cause of death and said the blaze was still under investigation.

The Weather Service called for continued frigid temperatures Sunday, with more seasonable daytime temperatures Monday and Tuesday.

The storm thrashed parts of 10 states, with blizzard warnings that stretched from Virginia to Maine. Philadelphia and New York saw plenty of wind and snow, but Boston was in the crosshairs. The city could get more than 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow by the time it moves out early Sunday.

Winds gusted as high as 83 mph on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. More than 22 inches of snow had fallen by midafternoon on part of Long Island in New York, while Bayville, New Jersey, had 19 inches.

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The wind scoured the ground bare in some spots and piled the snow into huge drifts in others.

Forecasters watched closely for new snowfall records, especially in Boston, where the heaviest snow was expected later Saturday. The Boston areas modern snowfall record is 27.6 inches, set in 2003.

New York City and Philadelphia were far from setting all-time records but still saw significant snowfall, with at least 7.5 inches in New Yorks Central Park and at the Philadelphia airport.

Many flights at airports serving New York, Boston and Philadelphia were canceled Saturday, according to FlightAware. More than 4,500 flights were canceled across the U.S., though airports in the Northeast didnt report evidence of mass strandings, given that the storm was anticipated and many airlines called off flights in advance.

Amtrak canceled all its high-speed Acela trains on the busy Boston-to-Washington corridor and canceled or limited other service.Airlines canceled more than 4,500 flights at some of the nations busiest airports, according to FlightAware. Amtrak suspended or limited service on the Boston-to-Washington corridor.

Current radar loop depicts an area of moderate-to-heavy snow extending from the Delmarva Peninsula to Eastern Massachusetts. The combination with gusty winds will continue producing nearly impossible travel at times today along immediate coastal regions and parts of New England. pic.twitter.com/npFnPghT7s  NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 29, 2022

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.
North Andover, MA (01845)

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Fridays court opinion invalidating Pennsylvanias mail voting law sounds like bad news.

I see it as an opportunity to do even better.

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For sure, if the opinion is upheld, we would lose the great progress weve made in modernizing elections and making it easier for people to vote.

But whatever the courts say doesnt have to be the final word.

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This is a chance for lawmakers and the governor to write a stronger mail voting law that fixes unaddressed problems in the first version.

Despite a lot of whining about mail ballots, the Republican-controlled Legislature has failed to make simple updates to the law they passed with great bipartisan support in 2019.

The law should be changed to permit county elections workers to begin processing, and perhaps even tallying, mail ballots well before Election Day. That would help them deliver timely results to the public.

The law needs clarification about whether dropboxes are permissible (they should be, but only if they are monitored by a person to ensure one ballot is delivered per person).

It needs clarification about whether voters who fail to sign and date their ballot should be allowed to fix their mistake so their ballot is counted (no, the directions arent difficult). Some counties have allowed corrections while others have not. The inconsistent application means all voters are not treated the same.

And it needs to allow for signatures to be checked.

A person drops off a mail-in ballot at an election ballot return box in Willow Grove, Pa., Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke/AP)

Republicans should consider Fridays ruling by the Commonwealth Court as a big opportunity to get something else they want, too  a voter ID requirement.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, wants mail voting. Having to rewrite the law would give the GOP Legislature leverage to negotiate with him.

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Voters should have to identify themselves at the polls. They already must provide identifying information when applying for a mail ballot. Cries about voter ID being racist and restricting access to the polls are unfounded.

The overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians have suitable identification.

In 2012, when a voter ID law was passed and then quickly struck down, PennDOT said only 9% of registered voters didnt have department-issued IDs.

Those who dont would have gotten identification for free under legislation vetoed last year by Wolf.

Fridays ruling by Commonwealth Court said the mail voting law was unconstitutional because mail voting could be enacted only by amending the state Constitution.

If lawmakers need to seek a constitutional amendment, which requires approval from voters, then do it.

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Republicans want to amend the Constitution for myriad other reasons  some valid, some purely political  so why not add this to the list?

If voters pan the idea, thats that.

Early indications are mail voting could be dead in Pennsylvania if the Democratic-majority state Supreme Court does not overturn the opinion from Commonwealth Court. Wolfs administration filed an immediate appeal Friday.

Many Republicans in the state Legislature who overwhelmingly supported mail voting, before Trump hissed about it, no longer do.

Eleven lawmakers who voted for the bill were among the challengers who got it struck down by Commonwealth Court, by a Republican-majority panel of judges.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, a Republican running for governor, lauded Fridays ruling.

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Corman, sadly, is among the sheep who are embracing the Big Lie and casting doubt about Pennsylvanias election integrity. He did so after being challenged by former President Donald Trump.

Corman played a key role in passing the mail voting law, Act 77. He was proud of it when I interviewed him a few months after it passed.

But heres what he had to say in a statement Friday:

There have been numerous concerns raised about the way Act 77 was implemented by the Department of State, especially the double standard created by the removal of key mail-in ballot security measures in lead-up to the 2020 election.

After what occurred in the 2020 and 2021 elections, I have no confidence in the no-excuse mail in ballot provisions. There is no doubt that we need a stronger election law than the one we have in place today.

He said he plans to introduce similar legislation to the mail voting law  but it wont authorize mail voting, according to his spokesman.

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Thats not similar. Its opposite.

Corman said in his statement that his legislation would have key components such as voter ID; elimination of straight-party ticket voting; a prohibition on dropboxes; a ban on outside money to fund elections; and a provision for independent election audits by third parties.

My plan will expand access, increase integrity, and prevent fraud and give Pennsylvanians an election system they can believe in, said Corman, of Centre County.

How it will expand access without mail voting is a mystery to me. Spokesman Jason Thompson told me various ideas are being considered to improve voter access.

I cant wait to see them. None of them will be able to replace mail voting, Im sure of that.

Pennsylvania would be much better off if lawmakers and the governor looked at this as an opportunity to improve on what they built only a few short years ago, instead of a reason to tear it down.

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Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com

[ A surprising thing about Republican Pennsylvania election reform - it would do more good than harm ]
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he is hopeful he will be able to visit US President Joe Biden in person for this years St Patricks Day celebration in Washington DC.

Mr Martin said he had met President Biden at the COP22 climate change conference in Glasgow last November, and had extended an open invitation to the president, who said he wanted to visit Ireland.

Nothing has been settled this year in respect of our engagement but there is a very warm relationship between the White House and the Irish government and the Irish people, and we had some pretty good warm exchanges in Glasgow, Mr Martin said.

We would like to take up those exchanges again, hopefully in March. Last years shamrock bowl presentation to President Biden had to be virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the last Irish premier to visit the Oval Office was then-taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who met Donald Trump in 2019.

With the office of taoiseach set to revert to Fine Gael in December 2022, barring future elections, this may be Mr Martins final opportunity as taoiseach to visit the White House.

The practice of presenting shamrock to the US president dates back to 1952, when the then Irish ambassador to Washington sent a box of shamrock to the then president Harry S Truman, but it was only during Bill Clintons 1993-2001 White House term that it became an annual tradition for taoisigh to deliver a bowl of shamrock to the US president.
AGREEMENT in principle has been reached regarding the purchase of a site at Brooklodge, Glanmire for a new special school the Minister for Education has revealed.

The Minister for Education Norma Foley recently confirmed during a PQ tabled by Cork North Central Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan that agreement in principle has been reached with the Local Authority about the purchase of a site at Brooklodge.

Minister Foley said: Officials in my Department have been working towards the acquisition of a permanent site to meet the needs of a new special school and have engaged with officials in Cork City Council in that respect. I am pleased to confirm agreement in principle has been reached with the Local Authority regarding the purchase of a site at Brooklodge, Glanmire, she said.

Deputy Foley said the Department of Education will work with Cork City Council to advance the acquisition of the site for the new special school. Acquisition of the Brooklodge site is subject to valuation, contract, and agreement of elected members of the Local Authority.

My Department will continue to work with Cork City Council to advance the acquisition of this site for the school in question, she added.

'DESPERATELY NEEDED'

Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said the news is extremely welcome.

It is extremely welcome that there is movement on a special school for Glanmire. This is desperately needed as I am being contacted regularly by parents who are at the end of their tether with stress because of a lack of school spaces. When the new special school opened in Carrigaline last year, I asked the government to consider another one on the Northside and it is great to see this happening now, he said.

Deputy Gould said the process of building this school needs to happen as quickly as possible.

The process of building this school now needs to happen as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, this wont resolve the issue of children without a school space for next September.

Many of these children are coming through primary school in a special school and find themselves without a secondary school place. With eight years to prepare a follow-on place for these children, there are serious questions about the Department and the NCSEs ability to forward plan.

I really hope we dont have another September where some children with disabilities are forced to watch their brothers, sisters, and neighbours return to school but have no school place of their own. That is the reality that faces these children without serious investment, forward-planning, and thinking from the Department.

Sinn Fein local area representative, Mandy OLeary-Hegarty said the reality is there is not enough capacity to meet the growing demand in the North East.

I am absolutely delighted to see more school places planned for some of our most vulnerable children.

"The reality is that we have nowhere near the capacity needed for special school places in Cork and particularly in the North East. There are parents being forced to send their child to a mainstream school knowing that is not the best place for their child.

That is a heartbreaking decision that no parent should be forced into making because of a lack of school places.
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As an avid follower of current events, I am curious about what seems to be a media phenomenon. Critical stories dominate the news and then disappear without the reporting of the outcome of these situations.

For example, whatever happened to all those children separated from their families and kept in cages? How many were reunited with parents or just deported?

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How about all the container ships stuck at sea off the California coast and the tractor-trailers waiting for them? Then there are the thousands of Afghan refugees that poured into our country; have they been successfully relocated?

No amount of Google searches produce an answer. Does anyone know or care? It is a puzzle.

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Marie Everleth

Lower Macungie Township
Emporia, VA (23847)

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All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The new year is well underway, and weve already started testing out a wide variety of gadgets, devices and components. This week, Devindra Hardawar played with NVIDIAs RTX 3050 and deemed it a great deal  if it stays at its original price. Steve Dent shot with the Sony's new A7 IV camera to test out its autofocus, video and image quality improvements, while Billy Steele spent time with both the Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds and the Shure Aonic 40 over-ear headphones.

The RTX 3050 is the cheapest ray tracing GPU from NVIDIA

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Though the RTX 3050 is supposed to be an affordable way to hit 1080p/60fps while gaming, the $250 GPU may wind up costing considerably more due to demand and chip shortages. Devindra Hardawar says the graphics card, which is the lowest priced NVIDIA GPU to also feature ray tracing, is a fantastic component with 2,560 CUDA cores, 8GB of GDDR6 RAM and a boost speed of 1,777 MHz.

Devindra says the RTX 3050 tackled everything he threw at it during testing, averaging 140fps in Hitman 3s Dubai benchmark. He was impressed at how well the card handled demanding games like Control, where it reached 65fps on average in 1080p (without ray tracing). It also stayed surprisingly quiet and cool at 60 degrees Celsius. While Devindra says its best suited to 1080p gaming, he also says its an absolute steal  if the price stays low.

Sony greatly improved the autofocus on the A7 IV mirrorless camera

Steve Dent/Engadget

With a higher resolution 33-megapixel sensor, improved video capabilities, and an updated autofocus, Steve Dent found a lot to like about the Sony A7 IV mirrorless camera. He even called the hybrid shooter a near-perfect package, and he particularly liked its sturdy grip, precise buttons and dials and the fully articulated rear touch display. Sonys well-organized menu system also made it easy for him to navigate through the controls.

The main drawback on this camera is a rolling shutter issue: Steve says while shooting silently in electronic mode, the camera needs to be steady and the subject should be smooth, or artifacts like slanted lines will appear in the shots. However, he was quite impressed with the AI autofocus features, which made the A7 IV easy to use and the most reliable camera hes tested. At $2,500 the A7 IV is more expensive at launch than previous models, but Steve says the improvements in image quality, video and color science make the A7 IV another winner in Sonys camera lineup.

Jabra's Elite 4 Active earbuds combine compelling features and an affordable price

Billy Steele/Engadget

Jabras Elite 4 Active true wireless earbuds continue the companys trend towards offering small earbuds with a wide array of hands-free features. With a IP57 water resistance, theyre also more useful during workouts, and Billy Steele says their small size makes them more comfortable to wear as well. The new model includes features often seen in pricer models like HearThrough, SideTone and Find My, most of which are adjustable in the companion mobile app.

Billy found the Elite 4 Active delivered good but not great sound quality  while they provided decent clarity and nice detail overall, they lacked a wider soundstage and depth. However, he said the call quality was slightly better than most earbuds thanks to the reduced background noise. Battery tests showed that the Elite 4 Active buds lasted a little over seven hours  enough to get through most of a work day  and the $120 price is competitive.

Shures Aonic 40 headphones have an impressive battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Billy Steele was pleased to see that Shure didnt make too many compromises when it came to the Aonic 40 over-ear headphones. Made from aluminum alloy and glass-filled nylon, the cans are easy to fold flat for traveling and have physical buttons for on-board controls, but Billy says he found them a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. He was more impressed by the Shure app, which provides a robust equalizer, plenty of adjustable settings and the ability to make your own presets.

Billy says while the Aonic 40 offers a punchy bass and clarity across volume levels, the soundstage isnt wide open and songs lack immersive depth often heard with other headphones. The noise cancellation and ambient sound modes were only decent, but the call quality was above average. The $249 headphones particularly excelled during battery testing where they lasted over 30 hours. Overall, Billy says the Aonic 40s are a relatively affordable option, but lack polish on the finer details.
When Spotify started removing Neil Young's playlist from its service, it defended its practices against misinformation and said that it had already pulled over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes. Young threatened to remove his catalog from the service over allegations that Joe Rogan is spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation through his podcast. Despite what Spotify said, The Joe Rogan Experience is still available on the platform, and Spotify's COVID content policy (as seen by The Verge) might be able to explain why that's the case.

Apparently, even Spotify's employees are upset with the company's partnership with Rogan due to his views on COVID-19. Company head of global communications Dustee Jenkins reportedly addressed those concerns on Spotify's Slack and told employees that a team had already reviewed multiple controversial Joe Rogan Experience episodes and found that they "didn't meet the threshold for removal." She called members of the team who did the internal review "some of the best experts in the space" and also said that Spotify is working with third parties to help it evolve its policies. "What Spotify hasn't done is move fast enough to share these policies externally, and are working to address that as soon as possible," she added.

While Spotify has yet to share those policies, The Verge posted a copy of the healthcare guidelines section, which prohibits:

"Content that promotes dangerous false or deceptive content about healthcare that may cause offline harm and/or pose a direct threat to public health such as:

Denying the existence of AIDS or COVID-19

Encouraging the deliberate contracting of a serious or life threatening disease or illness

Suggesting that consuming bleach can cure various illnesses and diseases

Suggesting that wearing a mask will cause the wearer imminent, life-threatening physical harm

Promoting or suggesting that the vaccines are designed to cause death"

There's a lot podcasters can get away with with such a narrow and limited set of rules. In comparison, YouTube makes it clear that any content with claims that contradict local health authorities or WHO is prohibited on its website. It's not just suggestions that wearing a mask will cause harm that's prohibited on the Google-owned service, but also claims that masking does not help prevent the contraction or transmission of COVID-19. A podcast host on Spotify can say the latter without repercussions. Spotify also doesn't have a rule prohibiting claims that ivermectin is a safe and effective treatment for the virus.

Back in December, a group of scientists and doctors sent an open letter to Spotify, asking it to implement a misinformation policy after Rogan guested Dr. Robert Malone on his show. In the controversial episode, Malone claimed people only believe that COVID-19 vaccines are effective due to "mass formation psychosis." The group also listed several "misleading and false claims" Rogan made on his podcast throughout the pandemic, including the time he said mRNA vaccines are "gene therapy" and another when he promoted the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
The Treasury Department is reconsidering the Internal Revenue Services use of ID.me for access to its website, according to Bloomberg . A department official said the agencies are exploring alternatives to the controversial facial recognition software, though that official didnt specifically cite the privacy concerns around ID.me for the decision.

The IRS is consistently looking for ways to make the filing process more secure, Treasury Department spokesperson Alexandra LaManna told Bloomberg. We believe in the importance of protecting the privacy of taxpayers, while also ensuring criminals are not able to gain access to taxpayer accounts.

Citing a lack of funding for IRS modernization, LaManna also said its been impossible for the agency to develop its own in-house identification solution, and noted US taxpayers arent required to file their taxes online. Toward the end of last year, the IRS began requiring individuals to use ID.me to access certain parts of its website, including those sections related to services like the American Rescue Plan. Starting this summer, the agency will also require that people enroll with ID.me before they can file their taxes online. Thats a process that will require taxpayers to provide their government ID, a copy of a utility bill and a video selfie to the Virginia-based company.

The Treasury Departments decision to reevaluate its use of ID.me comes in the same week that the company disclosed its use of one-to-many facial matching . Blake Hall, the CEO of ID.me, said the company employs the technology to verify selfies tied to government programs that are frequently targeted by organized crime elements. Hall made the statement after previously claiming the company did not use the more complex and problematic one-to-many approach.

Privacy advocates have criticized both approaches. Research indicates most facial recognition systems struggle to identify people with darker skin tones. Experts have also voiced concerns about the security risks of storing biometric data.
Twitter is no longer taking action on tweets spreading misinformation about the 2020 US elections, the website has revealed to CNN. Elizabeth Busby, the company's spokesperson, told the news organization that the social network hasn't been enforcing its "civic integrity policy" when it comes to content about the Presidential elections for almost a year now  since March 2021. Busby said that's because the policy was meant to be used within the duration of an event and that President Biden has already been in office for more than a year.

The website amended its civic integrity policy before the Presidential elections to add labels to tweets with "false or misleading information intended to undermine public confidence in an election or other civic process." In some cases, Twitter could remove tweets under the policy. The rules cover tweets "inciting unlawful conduct to prevent a peaceful transfer of power or orderly succession." If you'll recall, former President Trump was banned on the social network following the 2021 Capitol attack after deciding that his tweets can be used to incite violence. The rules also cover unverified information "election rigging," which the administration's opponents are echoing until this day. In fact, YouTube has just removed a copy of a TV ad by Missouri Rep. Billy Long that claims "the Democrats rigged the election" in 2020.

YouTube spokesperson Ivy Choi explained the Google-owned website made it clear that "false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election" are prohibited on the platform. Long said YouTube's action was "un-American and straight from the communist playbook," though, and that it just proves "Big Tech certainly has and will continue to influence elections."
Enid, OK (73701)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. A few storms may be severe. Low 53F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. A few storms may be severe. Low 53F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Indebtedness, loss of livelihood, and ultimately, suicides by the farmers indicate the multidimensional nature of agrarian distress in India. The debt waiver is only a transitory measure. The centre and the state governments should adopt well-thought-out coordinated measures and strategies to find out a permanent solution for the agrarian crisis in the country.

Despite the declining share of agriculture in the gross domestic product (GDP), it continues to be an important sector of the Indian economy (Arora 2013), which absorbs a significant section of the nations workforce (Nair 2021). An alarming phenomenon since the mid-1990s is the increasing number of reported deaths amongst Indian farmers by suicide. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, the number of farmers suicides has registered a sharp increase during the six years (201016), which was three times that of the preceding decade (200010).

Undoubtedly, the Indian government has taken various steps over the years towards this problem, but the response and relief packages have generally been ineffective, misdirected, and flawed. The anti-farmer laws constrained the farmers scope in doing business, leasing or even selling farm products. The government continued to postpone the problem of debt relief by failing to understand the problem. The procurement prices of wheat, paddy and other agricultural produce have been much less during the National Democratic Alliance government than the price received by farmers during the United Progressive Alliances tenure. Agricultural policies in India have been less favourable for farmers as they are being formulated without farmers consultation, food policy analysts or agricultural experts. Though the Prime Ministers Rehabilitation Package was introduced in four states during 2006, there were no clear-cut guidelines for disbursement of ex gratia besides information asymmetry among farmers about the quantum of interest waived under the package. The Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme (ADWDRS), 2008 is often considered to be an imprudent policy as it created adverse effects on the banking habits of borrowers and could not reach the real needy, small and marginal farmers. Though the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was designed to take care of the limitations of the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, farmers contended that it is designed to benefit the private insurance companies as premiums are compulsory with hidden clauses, implying the policies often do not payout. The poor awareness about the Soil Health Card (2015) and absence of a proper monitoring body led to a certain degree of failure of the scheme.
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The assessment of the life and relevance of media has become a constant requirement, particularly in a time where the media is facing a crisis. The description as Godi, or media mired in partisanship, is seen as one of the major symptoms of this crisis. It acquires such a description because it is accused of violating two crucial conditions that go into making media one of the strong pillars of democracy. First, the media, in one objective sense, needs to step out from the field of reality and map it outas it unfolds itself empirically. This defines the objectivity and neutrality of media. Second, it is considered as the harbinger and defender of human values as well. On a more promising note, the role of the media becomes even more important in a humanitarian crisis. Its role is to nudge political forces towards achieving sublime sociality or a decent society that is without fear and violence. However, in contemporary times, certain sections of both print and visual media in India do seem to contribute to the humanitarian crisis. These mediapersonsparticularly television reporters and anchors from some of the channelsseem to show disrespect for the system of human values.

The recalcitrant repetition of hate speech and communal violence that is being incited allegedly by some of the television anchors has led some of the public intellectuals and leaders from the opposition to suggest disengagement from these so-called television discussions. Although, such determination does carry a moral protest suggesting that the public intellectual decides the terms of debate and ethics of framing the right questions that require urgent deliberation to be conducted in the wider public. These opposition leaders thus suggest that participating in so-called television discussions does become a logical requirement for the television anchors and their political patrons to gain public endorsement for their public positions that, for some, may be morally indefensible.
Millennial Karachi is an intense city with compounding precarities of varying scales. The COVID-19 pandemic has added yet another layer of uncertainty. Through an engagement with the concept of the intense city, the pandemics regulation and hopeful prospects in the states new welfare policies are considered.

In the end, I would say the current governments order is this: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Corona will be on leave and people will do the business. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, people will be on leave and Corona will do its business. If you are not standing with the truth, then history will not be concerned whether people were in a mosque or in evils brothel.  Interview, male daily wager, Orangi Town, Karachi, August 2020.

Since February 2020, the Sindh provincial government has implemented a variety of regulations and policies to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Karachi: from aggressive testing and strict lockdowns to quarantining, social distancing, and rapid roll-out of large vaccination centres. In doing so, it has been applauded for a decisive leadership and for providing lessons to the federal government and other provinces (Dawn 2020). These measures have been complemented by a range of countrywide relief policies, such as a $900-million economic relief package for 12 million poor families that were provided PKR 12,000 ($73) to cover their necessities for four months. This scheme was part of the federal governments Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme to mitigate an economic and public health disaster in the broader context of the International Monetary Fund-backed austerity. Ehsaas is a large-scale, multisectoral programme initiated in 2019 by the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, Government of Pakistan, consisting over 130 policies and programmes, including cash disbursement, ration distribution, among others.1 Despite these measures, the picture on ground in Karachi reveals a landscape shot through with vulnerabilities, socio-spatial inequalities heightened by the impacts of climatological instability, and brutal state actions for urban flooding risk mitigation that have left the poor, working class, and marginalised people without protection of shelter and livelihoods.
The dominant discourse of the Russian establishment is nourished by the idea of a threatened Russia claiming the right to have its borders protected by a buffer of sovereign states. Russia believes that it alone can legitimately assert its supremacy in the area, but the former Soviet republics, now independent states, cannot decide to free themselves of the postcolonial geopolitical condition imposed on them by the Kremlin.

This message (material) was created and (or) by a foreign mass media outlet performing the functions of a foreign agent, and (or) a Russian legal entity performing the functions of a foreign agent. This is what would appear in the pages of the present publication, in every one of its editions, in paper or digital format, if it were declared a foreign agent in Russia. The thing is, Russia is under threat: enemies proliferate within and without. Inside the country, foreign agents are popping up everywhere, in the pages of a newspaper, in surveys of a sociological institute, and even in individuals. The web page of the Russian Ministry of Justice regularly updates a list of these infiltrators, from a civic movement of diabetics to another fighting gender violence, through to the organization Memorial, a fragile symbol of moral dignity in todays Russia.

Outside the country, the collective West  we, dominated by the United States  are searching for any pretext to snatch from Russia its legitimate supremacy over its post-Soviet neighborhood. This jargon harks back to Soviet rhetoric reserved for enemies of the people, agents of imperialism, and puppets of the capitalist encirclement. It was along similar lines that President Putin declared in a key speech in September 2013 that, Too often in our nations history, instead of opposition to the government we have been faced with opponents of Russia itself. So, Russia is under threat. The arrogant West is determined not to recognize the legitimate interests which, associated with Russias great power status, entitle it to control the post-Soviet space. This stance feeds into the dominant discourse of the Russian establishment that is, one way or another, engaged in foreign affairs. It is taken for granted that Russia has the right to have its borders protected by a buffer of sovereign states which, in turn, cannot have the right to emancipate themselves from Russia.

This strip of European territory  former Soviet republics, and now independent states  constitutes, for the Kremlin, its security belt, its sphere of vital interest, the place where the very survival of the Russian state is at stake. However, the West not only fails to respect this existential fear but it is now also meddling in the internal affairs of these countries. In the eyes of the Kremlin, this is not a response to the desire of the societies of these countries to move closer to Europe but maneuvering by the West to usurp Russias place in Europe. For Moscow, this is the very heart of the matter of European security architecture. In short, Russia considers that it is the only country that can legitimately act in this area, whereas former Soviet republics  that is to say, some 70 million inhabitants, not counting Central Asia  cannot decide to break free from the postcolonial geopolitical condition imposed on them by the Kremlin.

Moscow is now demanding legal guarantees of NATOs non-expansion to the east, in keeping with a line of reasoning rooted in the sharing out of spheres of influence agreed upon in Yalta in 1945 by the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was no accident, Putin claimed in the aforementioned speech of 2013, that these were the agreements which, taken with Russias very active participation, secured a lasting peace. The logic of Putins current policy is rooted in this historical reference. As Fernando Claudin rigorously describes in his The Communist Movement from Comintern to Cominform (The Crisis of the Communist International, 1970), Stalines obsession was to make Churchill and Roosevelt accept the Soviet borders established by the division agreed upon with Nazi Germany in the secret protocols of the German-Soviet pact. And, like Stalin, then, Putin wants the same.

While Stalins obsession in 1945 was with Poland, for Putin, now, it is Ukraine. The Soviet Union has a right to make efforts that there should exist in Poland a government friendly toward the Soviet Union, and [] the Soviet government cannot agree to existence in Poland of a government hostile toward it, Stalin wrote to President Truman, and irritably added, it is not clear why, while the question on Poland is discussed, it is not wanted to take into consideration the interests of the Soviet Union from the point of view of its security. The reader who changes Poland for Ukraine and Soviet Union for Russia will have the key to interpreting what the Kremlin has been pursuing since the Ukrainian people decided to take a different path in 2014 after the mass-based movement known as Euromaidan. It therefore all started in Ukraine, Putin told the German weekly Die Zeit in June 2021, because the European Community (led by Washington), actively supported the unconstitutional armed coup in Kyiv. In fact, Putins obsession with Ukraine dates back to before the Maidan protests and feeds on the theory that Russia and Ukraine are one and the same people, invoking essentialist arguments as hard data on a par with the law of gravity or the number pi.

The Kremlin tale juggles words and reality in claims where the principle of veracity is totally irrelevant: brutal repression in Belarus is called normalization in Moscow, as it was in Czechoslovakia after the Prague Spring was crushed by tanks in 1968; Lukashenka turns the state of Belarus into a human trafficker but Poland and Lithuania are to blame; the choice made by Ukrainians in several free elections is a coup detat, says Moscow but a parody of a referendum legitimizes the annexation of Crimea where Moscow persecutes and jails the Tartars, the real, original inhabitants of the peninsula; and the Ukrainian president comes from a Russian Jewish family but, in Moscows view, the Russian-speaking secessionists in Donbas are patriots who, fighting against fascism, are threatened with genocide, which is why Russia is obliged to deploy its troops all along the border with its neighbor. Similarly, Moscow, which has agreed in fact to become Chinas little brother, is constantly complaining that the EU does not treat it as an equal when, in reality, Russias future citizens have it drummed into them from the cradle that their country is special, and the bottom line is that nobody really understands it. Or, as the eminent historian, Marlene Laruelle describes it, they are inculcated with the tautological idea that Russias distinctive feature is to be Russian.

Yet, stubborn facts show that it is Putins politics that is working against Russia. Neither Brussels nor Washington needs to work too hard to attract the populations of the region, supposing that was their intention, given that it is well known that enlargement is no longer fashionable. What explains increased support in these countries for the EU and NATO is the Kremlins aggressive policy. It is not that they idealize this option but, with all its limitations and contradictions, it is more respectful of national sovereignty and the wishes of their peoples. With the latest show of force on the border with Ukraine, the Kremlin has employed all its arts for an operation of coercion to dialogue, very much in line with the Russian diplomatic tradition. Although one might think it was just a maneuver (lets threaten so we can sit down to talk), it is very clear who is endangering peace in Europe. Andrei Sakharov, one of Memorials founders, reminds us of this when he says, a country that does not respect the rights of its own people will not respect the rights of its neighbors.

A New Yalta, Putins Obsession  Opinion by Carmen Claudin  Barcelona Centre for International Affairs / CIDOB.

The Opinion can be downloaded here
The US and NATO have formally rejected Russias demands to withdraw Western forces from eastern Europe and abandon Ukraine. We cannot and will not compromise on the principles on which the security of our alliance and security in Europe and North America rest, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday (26 January). Also US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Washington has made no concessions to the main Russian demands over Ukraine and NATO, in a written response to Moscow. The Kremlin has demanded guarantees that NATO will halt its eastward expansion, rule out membership for Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, and roll back its military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. But Blinken said Wednesdays answer to Russia makes very clear that the US is standing by its principles. There is no change, there will be no change, he said.

Having already described Russian demands as unacceptable, Stoltenberg called on Russia to immediately de-escalate the situation, saying NATO believed in dialogue and diplomacy, not the threat or use of force. He went on to list several areas where he believed NATO and Moscow could cooperate  by reopening offices and increasing communication. Blinken also said that the US proposals offered Russia a serious diplomatic path forward. These included safeguarding the right of nations to choose their own alliances, he added. We made clear that there are core principles that we are committed to uphold and defend, including Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity and the right of states to choose their own security arrangements and alliances, Blinken said. NATO, Stoltenberg said, was a defensive alliance ready to listen to Russias concerns on Ukraine and engage in real dialogue on upholding security arrangements in Europe that both sides had already signed up to.

The US has not given a positive response to Russias most important security question, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said. On the main question in this document [from the US] there is no positive reaction. The main question is our clearly-stated position about the admissibility of further expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons that could threaten the territory of the Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin will decide on Russias next steps with regard to the US and Nato responses to the security proposals Lavrov is quoted as saying in a Reuters snap. Meanwhile, Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France voiced support for maintaining a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine after a round of talks in Paris on Wednesday (26 January). The negotiations were part of the Normandy talks, which aim to end the violence in that area. A joint statement released by the French presidency said advisers to the head of state of the four countries support unconditional observance of the ceasefire. Despite all the differences in interpretations, we agreed that the ceasefire [in eastern Ukraine] must be maintained by all the parties in line with the accords, said Dmitry Kozak, the Kremlins representative on Ukraine.
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(Editors note: This story has been updated to correct several errors, including the name of the CEO of the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute; the UTSA campus where the institute is located; and CEO Howard Grimes previous position at the Idaho National Laboratory.)

As manufacturers increasingly rely on robots  in part because of challenges stemming from the pandemic  theyre more vulnerable to cyberattacks that can bring production to a screeching halt.

Thats where the San Antonio-based Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute, or CyManII, comes in. Its aim is to teach cybersecurity basics to 1 million factory workers by 2026.

The institute is planning to build a $5 million facility at Port San Antonio.

Howard Grimes, CEO of CyManII, said hes using state funds for construction of the 14,500-square-foot Texas Manufacturing Transformation Hub on the ports Southwest Side campus. The facility is expected to open later this year.

Staff will train workers in the aerospace, computer hardware, robotics, automotive and electric vehicle industries, as well as executives, government officials and college students.

The hub is looking to develop an educational curriculum for entry-level workers on the manufacturing floors, said Grimes, a former director of innovation and industry partnerships at the Idaho National Laboratory, an Energy Department-funded facility that conducts nuclear research.

Everybody in the U.S. should have some basic awareness of cybersecurity, said Ken Fowler, chief information security and operating officer at CyManII. Just like everybody needs a basic understanding of math  and thats why its taught in schools. And now cybersecurity needs to get to that point, so its built into the curriculum at the earliest levels and is also continuous.

Port San Antonio CEO Jim Perschbach said the institute will share a building with the recently opened Alamo Regional Security Operational Center. The city of San Antonio and CPS Energy last month announced the official launch of the $4.2 million ARSOC, where staffers work around the clock to defend local governments against cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity is going to become part of the basic architecture of everything we do, Perschbach said. If you want to build cyber infrastructure in manufacturing, you need to be next to the people who do that work. We have that here.

In November 2020, the University of Texas at San Antonio launched the $111 million CyManII on its main campus, where staff research digital vulnerabilities within manufacturing supply chains.

UTSA entered into a five-year agreement with the Energy Department to house the institute within the National Security Collaboration Center on campus. The department provided $70 million in funding. More than 50 partners, including the National Center of Manufacturing Services and Silicon Valley-based network hardware firm Cisco Systems, kicked in another $31 million.

UTSA contributed $10 million.

In March, the Texas legislature approved $5 million to the research institute to build the hub and for operational expenses over the next two fiscal years.

In a written statement, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said, Through CyManII, we are elevating and transforming digital manufacturing in the U.S.

At the same time, because were doing this work in San Antonio, were contributing to the creation of a highly diverse workforce to protect the nations critical infrastructure, he said.

To meet CyManIIs training goals, Grimes said the institute will rely on national partners, including Microsoft, Google, Clemson University and Cisco, which has a workforce development program called the Network Academy that reaches more than 1 million workers annually.

While Ciscos training is geared toward information technology security (essentially securing data), CyManIIs curriculum will focus on operational technologies, or OT, security  the computing systems that manage and monitor operations on factory floors.

CyManII plans to develop a three-module credential program scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2022. Itll feature an introduction to cybersecurity for small- and midsize manufacturers; cyber vulnerability management in manufacturing operations; and cyber risk assessments.

Perschbach said CyManII is trying to protect manufacturers from cyberattacks without making it so difficult the people doing the work cant do it or dont want to do it.

If on-the-job cybersecurity becomes burdensome, Perschbach said, people are going to say, I dont want to use this or Its interfering with my work.

In December, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a report showing U.S. manufacturers are facing more threats from cyberattackers.

Operating under the Department of Homeland Security, the agency said robotics and remote processes have opened new security vulnerabilities, and that theres a shortage of workers who know how to ward off digital threats.

If current trends hold, attacks against manufacturing sector infrastructure will continue to increase, the agency reported. A new threat to manufacturing  ransomware  has begun to target systems lacking the inherent security controls required to protect themselves. The result can be catastrophic production loss and downtime as well as lost revenues and penalties for production delays.

The agency said, Cybersecurity and operational knowledge within the shop floor are essential.

On a global scale, Grimes said manufacturers also have become targets for state-sponsored cyberattacks by countries looking to hobble a rival nations oil and gas supplies, for an example, or disrupt its supply chains.

The scenarios are pretty grim, he said.

eric.killelea@express-news.net
Julio Cortez, STF / Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has joined Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in seeking to block the U.S. Department of Defense from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for National Guard members who are under state command.

The Pentagon has required COVID-19 vaccination for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Attorneys for the two governors, in an amended lawsuit dated Tuesday, say that when National Guard members are serving the state, the federal government has no command authority. The lawsuit said the mandate is an unconstitutional overstepping of bounds.
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The National Butterfly Center on the Rio Grande in Mission, long a target of far-right conspiracy theories, is closing this weekend after receiving credible threats against staff.

Marianna Wright, the centers executive director, made the decision after a confrontation last week with a Republican congressional candidate from Virginia. Wright told police that Kimberly Lowe visited the center, demanding to see illegals crossing on rafts, echoing baseless conspiracy theories linking the butterfly sanctuary to sex trafficking.

Wright said she fears more of the same would occur if she were to keep the center open during this weekends We Stand America rally in neighboring McAllen. The event will focus on border law enforcement and the direct connection to election integrity from a biblical worldview, with featured speakers including former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was convicted of lying to the FBI.

The playbook is to incite violence, Wright said Friday. We simply cant risk our lives or those of our members and visitors, knowing that this hate speech, domestic terrorist organization is planning their national midterm kickoff rally in McAllen.

Wright has fended off conspiracy theorists for years, after the center filed suit against the Homeland Security Department in 2017 over former President Donald Trumps plans to build a border wall through the 100-acre nature preserve.

On any given day, hundreds of species of butterflies flit through the nonprofit sanctuary, which is part of the North American Butterfly Association. Birders from across the country visit the refuge to observe and photograph birds unique to the Rio Grande Valley, and thousands of local schoolchildren take field trips to the center each year.

Meanwhile, since 2019, right-wing social media trolls have falsely claimed there were dead bodies and a rampant sex trade at the center. Some have threatened Wright.

Doctored images of the centers dock, suggesting it was used to transport migrants, were spread by Brian Kolfage, the head of the We Build the Wall fundraising campaign backed by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. (Both were indicted on charges of fraudulent activity related to the wall funding; Bannon was later pardoned by Trump.)

When Lowe and a friend showed up at the butterfly center Jan. 21, Wright said she believed immediately that they had arrived to echo and reiterate the lies. (Lowe said she had never heard the conspiracy theories and was told about the center by a Border Patrol officer.)

Wright was on a conference call when her son, Nicholas, interrupted her to say two women had arrived, refused to pay an entrance fee and demanded to enter the back 70 acres of the property and see the illegals crossing on rafts. Wright asked for their names and looked up Lowes Facebook page, where she saw that the candidate had just posted a video of herself driving near the sanctuary and parking in front of a gate with a no trespassing sign on it.

Wright recorded herself confronting them: You are here to promote your agenda, and your agenda is not welcome here.

So youre not for helping all these poor people in the humanitarian crisis? Lowe replied. Youre OK with children being sex trafficked and raped and murdered.

Scuffle breaks out

As they prepared to leave, Lowes friend said a Border Patrol agent told the women that they could access the river through the centers property. She added: Im federal, I work for Secret Service, so nothing is off-limits for me.

Wright laughed at the claim. She then noticed that Lowe was using her phone to video record her, narrating: Were here with a woman whos not a very nice person, whos OK with children 

Lowe stopped as Wright swiped at her phone. You did not take my (expletive) phone! Lowe yelled.

In an affidavit obtained by Hearst Newspapers, Wright said she panicked when she saw the phone and grabbed it. Lowe then threw her to the ground, her son told police.

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He called 911 and briefly joined the scuffle, as Lowes friend grabbed Wrights phone.

Lowe ran to her vehicle and started a since-deleted Facebook live video, in which she screamed for the other woman to join her in the car. After giving the phone back to Wright, the friend jumped in the vehicle and Lowe hit the gas.

Nicholas was closing the gates, later explaining that he suspected the women were trying to take off with the phone before police arrived. In an affidavit, he said he had to dive out of the way to avoid being run over.

The women drove off.

Wright said police showed up about an hour later. She would like to press charges, though she said she doubts the police will take action.

Canceled by GOP allies

In an email, Lowe denied any wrongdoing, instead saying that Wright verbally and physically assaulted us, stole my phone, kidnapped us, and tried to keep us from leaving, and filed a false police report, which the police have already found to be untrue.

She added that she did not try to run over Wrights son, saying he ran to the gate to lock us in and blocked the exit with his arms out.

Lowe said the police looked through footage of the altercation and cleared me. The Mission Police Department said Friday it could not confirm any details about the incident, as its public information officer was out for the day.

But Wright said she has audio and video evidence to back her story: There really is no disputing what went down.

Still, she fears that quarrel wont be the last. The two-day We Stand America event is scheduled to culminate Sunday with a rally and a trip to the border.

Wright said she has spent the past week investing in new security measures and coordinating with local authorities  none of which involves our core mission or routine activities, which are all about environmental conservation and education.

After more than two years of harassment, Wright wonders: When is this going to stop?

But for Lowe, the fallout has been swift. As news reports publicize her encounter with Wright, Lowe said organizers for We Stand America banned her from attending the weekends events.

Lowe said she had spent $2,500 on a diamond VIP ticket that would have included a private border tour with Flynn and Tom Homan, a former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

I got canceled by the Republicans because they believe the hit pieces that went out on me, Lowe said, calling from the road as she started the drive back to Virginia. I cant believe that the people who are supposed to be on my side of the aisle canceled me.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
ZHANGJIAKOU, China, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The vice media operation manager of the Beijing 2022 Genting snow park Egon Theiner has heaped praise for his Chinese colleagues and the venues on Saturday.

The Italian, who has worked for three Olympic Summer Games and six Olympic Winter Games, is now on his 10th Olympic duty in the Beijing 2022.

"I can see all my colleagues are showing enthusiasm, and many of them are very professional," said the media operation expert.

Theiner said he recently learned from his Chinese colleagues that the Olympic Winter Games coincide with the Chinese New Year.

"I'm very excited to experience the Chinese new year here with my Chinese colleagues!"

"This is also my honor to work for the Beijing 2022 before the next 2026 Olympic Winter Games which is to be held in my home country Italy," Theiner added.

The Genting snow park, which contains six world-class competition slopes and three mix-zones, is perhaps the most complex venue cluster to operate in the Beijing 2022.

"Everything here runs excellent so far, the experts from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have check our venues and gave positive feedbacks."

Theiner is also impressed by the scenery of Chongli district of Zhangjiakou city, where the Genting Snow locates.

"It's truly the right place to host the Olympic Winter Games. The mountains are big and competition slopes are gorgeous. You can frequently see the snowfall and the weather's also nice," he said. 
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GALVESTON  The city has released a proposed memorandum of understanding that would finance the $115 million replacement for the aging Pelican Island Bridge and spread responsibility for cost overruns  a sticking point in last years negotiations  over four different sources.

The proposal looks largely similar to one Galveston County introduced last year, which the city objected to, prompting the county to walk away from attempts to organize the agreement.

The memo outlines $1 million from the city, $1 million from Texas A&M University at Galveston and $2 million from the Houston-Galveston Area Council toward cost overruns on the major project.

The bulk of the planned $11.5 million to cover unexpected costs would come from a $7.5 million budget rider the ports of Galveston and Houston have requested be included in the states 2022-23 fiscal year budget, according to the document.

This agreement would bring the citys total possible contribution up to $6 million, beyond $5 million it already has committed for construction costs.

The agreement defines for the city what it will be expected to pay, Mayor Craig Brown said. It also has the city owning the new bridge upon its completion and sponsoring any requests to the state for maintenance and rehabilitation.

We just didnt want to sign an MOU that was open-ended, Brown said.

The county didnt have any comments on the new memo, a spokesman said.

The Pelican Island Bridge, built in 1957, has been considered deficient by the Texas Department of Transportation for more than 20 years. Local discussions about replacing the bridge began in earnest around 2013, but discussions have been delayed by disagreements over funding, location and control.

Galveston County already has agreed to put in $7 million.

The memo proposes an $8.2 million contribution, to cover construction costs, from the university, which would receive an abandoned section of Seawolf Parkway.

Galveston County Navigation District No. 1, which owns the existing bridge, would cover all costs associated with demolition of the old bridge, according to the agreement. District Chairman Dennis Byrd Sr. said the navigation district had always intended to do that.

The Texas Department of Transportation already has agreed to contribute $45 million to build the new bridge.

Discussion of the proposal isnt likely to move fast. Brown is hopeful all of the involved entities will sign an agreement  either the current proposal or another version of it  this summer, he said.
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A tip to police prompted an extensive search this week for missing San Antonio 3-year-old Lina Khil in a Fredericksburg neighborhood.

Pamela Allen, a member of local advocacy group Eagles Flight, said she received a tip Wednesday night that Linas body was buried in a vacant lot in the outskirts of Fredericksburg. After she relayed the information to San Antonio police and the FBI, investigators immediately went to search the area, Allen said.

Residents in the area told Allen that local law enforcement and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers searched the area and questioned people nearby.

On ExpressNews.com: A piece of my heart  Hopes for a better life for Lina Sardar Khil dashed by her disappearance in San Antonio

Lina, who will turn 4 in February, was last seen Dec. 20 on the playground in Villas del Cabo apartments, 9400 Fredericksburg Road, in San Antonio. Police immediately started searching the complex, where her family lives, before eventually expanding the search in the following weeks.

Law enforcement officials have been hesitant to classify Linas disappearance as an abduction, although an Amber Alert was issued after she disappeared.

On Thursday, with Linas father and 10 other Afghani men, Allen went to Fredericksburg to search in the area indicated by the tipster. The supposed burial site was off a road leading out of Fredericksburg in a grassy, vacant lot filled with trees, dense bushes and thistle, Allen said.

On ExpressNews.com: As time goes on, Lina Khil's case seems more like an abduction

The group searched under every bush and even expanded to the nearby Cross Mountain Park, checking for signs of freshly disturbed dirt that could indicate a grave had recently been dug.

Allen said they came up empty handed.

It is hard because I am thankful that we didnt find a grave, but I am so sad because this family still doesnt have their little girl at home, Allen said. At this point, the family just needs answers because the not knowing is agony.

My biggest fear is that we are going to find a grave, and I dont think anyone is ready for that, she said.

On ExpressNews.com: Who are the ace FBI divers who searched for missing 3-year-old Lina Khil?

Because Allen has been working with the Khil family and its translator, she has received a flood of calls, texts and messages with tips about Lina. Some, like the numerous psychics who have reached out to Allen, say they will only provide information in exchange for money.

It is so frustrating because a little girl is still not with her family, and all people care about is getting paid, Allen said.

Allen said most of the tips she has received have said that Lina is dead.

I am going to hold onto my faith that we can bring this baby home, Allen said.

On ExpressNews.com: The longer the time lapses, the less hopeful we become: Search continues for missing 3-year-old

Allen and the Khil family has conducted at least six searches on its own but have been unsuccessful.

The San Antonio Police Department issued a statement on social media Thursday morning saying that the search for Lina has not stopped. The department assured the public that it is working tirelessly and will continue to comb through leads in hopes of locating Lina.

Anyone with information on Linas case is asked to contact the SAPD Missing Persons Unit at 210-207-7660 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Sujata Jana / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm

A 38-year-old woman was sent to the hospital in critical condition Wednesday morning after she was beaten and stabbed by two teenagers in a far West Side apartment, San Antonio police said.

Police said they responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex in the 8000 block of West Military Drive at around 5 a.m. to find a woman suffering from multiple critical injuries. The teenagers were taken into custody at the scene, according to police.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is seeking volunteers to participate in clinical trials for this areas first study of a messenger RNA-based HIV vaccine.

Researchers hope to develop a series of vaccines to prevent HIV infection and deaths caused by HIV and AIDS, UT Health San Antonio said in a news release.

Moderna will provide the vaccine to sites around the country, including San Antonio.

The trial sites for the study also include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Emory University in Atlanta.

Dr. Barbara Taylor, assistant dean and associate professor of infectious diseases at UT Healths Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, is the local principal investigator for the study.

On ExpressNews.com: Award for UTSA, UT Health San Antonio profs comes with $25,000

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation helped fund the vaccine research.

The study involves two mRNA vaccines  a prime and a boost. A human trial of the prime vaccine has been completed, and the upcoming study will test the boost in people for the first time.

Messenger RNA technology involves injecting a piece of genetic code that induces the body to produce a harmless protein that primes the immune system to react if it encounters the real virus later.

The study hopes to demonstrate the safety of mRNA delivery in the HIV vaccine candidate. It will evaluate the immune response to different parts of the vaccine, such as the body creating broadly neutralizing antibodies.

Researchers said the COVID-19 vaccine paved the way for their potential vaccine as it demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of mRNA-based vaccines.

Sort of like a recipe does for a chef, these vaccines provide instructions to the bodys cells on how to make a harmless protein, UT Health said in the release. The resulting protein particle stimulates an immune response. Once the particle is made, cells delete the mRNA instructions, but the immune response, now learned, remains.

On ExpressNews.com: Our hospitals are full of remorse: S.A. doctor says many COVID patients regret skipping vaccine

UT Health is looking for healthy volunteers who are passionate about contributing to the science of developing an HIV vaccine, Taylor said in the news release.

Fifteen volunteers will be randomly enrolled for six to 11 months and compensated for their time.

The volunteers will have outpatient examinations and blood analysis conducted at University Hospital to measure the vaccines effects.

No one at risk of HIV nor any pregnant women will be enrolled in the study.

For more information and to volunteer, visit UTHealthResearch.com or call 210-469-3206.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
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For many of us, voting wont look different since the Republican-led Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1, a law that purports to protect election integrity and prevent fraud.

Its evil design wont be immediately clear because the way you vote, or where you vote, wont be affected.

But make no mistake. Voting has changed, and some ways to vote have been made illegal.

Every change has one commonality: They disproportionately impact voters of color.

This makes every detail around Senate Bill 1 more critical this year, including the deadline to register to vote. Its Monday.

Early voting is Feb. 14-25. Applications for a mail ballot must be received, not postmarked, by Feb. 18. Election Day is March 1.

Go to bexar.org and click on Elections Department for more information.

The new law bans local election officials from sending out unsolicited mail-in ballot applications, an odd change given that theyre nonpartisan and devoted to free, fair elections.

They tend to want everyone whos eligible to vote to vote.

That was the point of the new law: To keep some, but not all, people from voting.

So while drive-thru voting  championed by Harris County  was banned, the law expanded voting in rural areas, which tend to vote Republican.

The law limits early voting hours and eliminated 24-hour voting. All were especially popular in Harris County during the early part of the coronavirus pandemic.

Additional requirements were added to the voter ID rules already in place in Texas, while the role of partisan poll watchers was expanded, ratcheting up the possibility of heated exchanges at the polls.

Helping voters with physical disabilities got more complicated, too.

All of these efforts targeted voters of color on top of the Legislatures most effective voter-suppression tool: redistricting, or redrawing district lines to limit voters power.

An election law expert boiled it down to this: Texas is the most difficult, or one of the most difficult, places to vote in the country.

Mimi Marziani is president of the Texas Civil Rights Project and teaches election law at the University of Texas at Austin law school.

Use any metric available to political scientists, she says, and youll reach the same conclusion about SB1. It was intended to dilute minorities voting power.

Unlike Jim Crow laws and more restrictions birthed alongside the nation, todays voting limitations wont be as obvious to people at the polls.

Marziani, a pacifist at heart, used a couple of violent metaphors to explain the difference then and now.

Voting access might have been akin to a beheading earlier in our history. Today its like experiencing death by a thousand cuts.

Todays second generation barriers at the ballot box include tougher voter ID laws. They dont affect the majority of voters, but a specific minority for whom ID cards are harder to get.

Were seeing it now with a real push against voting by mail, which was already restricted, she said.

In Texas, you need an excuse to vote by mail. Other states dont require one.

Other states also give voters the option to register to vote online. Texas does not.

You have to look at all of these new tactics together, Marziani said. In isolation, you cant see how they all work in tandem.

Like other groups, the Texas Civil Rights Project is fighting voter suppression in the courts and have set up an election protection hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE

What I admire about those on the front lines of voting rights is how hard-working and determined they are. Without exception.

Theyre also filled with hope.

Marziani says history is on their side. Over time, the United States has moved toward a more just, more equal democracy.

Its not an escalator, she said. It amounts to a few steps forward, a few back, over and over again.

The GOP-led Legislature created SB1 to push back against changing demographics.

When our country starts to change because we have new people, and those different groups are getting political power, or a large number of people are bringing different ideas, she said, leaders respond by pushing back.

Thats where we are right now, she said. People in power are scared of this new Texas.

A line can be drawn from voter suppression laws to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol; to the number of white supremacists and other extremists from Texas who were there; and to other incidents  such as the officers of a small Texas town who laughed as Trump supporters tried to run a Biden-Harris campaign bus off the road.

Theyre all colliding to supercharge anti-voting efforts.

The only way out of this is to vote. The only way out of this is an expansion of democracy.

eayala@express-news.net
Ronald Reagan had some fences to mend.

The Gipper had clinched the 1980 Republican presidential nomination, but, as they say in the campaign biz, he had a woman problem.

To be more precise, he faced the threat of a backlash from moderate Republican women over his opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.

On the first day of the Republican National Convention, Reagan met privately with 16 ERA-supporting GOP women. Although he stood by his negative stance on the ERA, Reagan was receptive to another idea suggested at the meeting: selecting the first-ever woman on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Two months later, Reagan held a Los Angeles news conference in which he pledged that, if elected, he would nominate a woman to the Supreme Court.

Reagan said he opposed tokenism and quotas, but had come to learn that within the guidelines of excellence, appointments can carry enormous symbolic significance.

This permits us to guide by example, to show how deep our commitment is and to give meaning to what we profess. One way I intend to live up to that commitment is to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court.

Reagans general-election opponent, Democratic President Jimmy Carter, had prided himself on his record of appointing women to federal courts.

While Carter was the first president in more than 100 years denied the opportunity to make a Supreme Court nomination, some of his fellow Democrats fantasized about a SCOTUS vacancy that might allow Carter to select U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, a brilliant African American woman from Texas who had been the breakout star of the 1976 Democratic National Convention.

Nonetheless, in an odd display of tone-deaf desperation, Carter criticized Reagan for promising to nominate a woman to the Court.

I think its a mistake, Carter said, for a president to promise that in a Supreme Court appointment that it would be a particular kind of American.

Reagan easily won the election and followed through on his promise, picking Sandra Day OConnor for the Supreme Court in 1981.

This past week, some longtime Reagan admirers in the American conservative movement trashed President Joe Biden for making a Supreme Court promise very much like the one Reagan made four decades ago.

Justice Stephen Breyer announced Thursday that he plans to retire after nearly 28 years on the court. This looming vacancy refocused media attention on a commitment Biden made during the 2020 campaign to nominate the first African American woman in the history of the Supreme Court.

Bidens pledge, first delivered during a February 2020 debate, came at the request of U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-South Carolina, as a condition for Clyburns endorsement. That endorsement saved Bidens candidacy at a time when his prospects were dimming.

Shortly after Breyers resignation announcement, Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted Bidens promise.

Nobody wins in identity politics. The people its designed to help are completely dehumanized and patronized, reduced to colors rather than human beings, Carlson said.

And in some cases the rest of us get really crappy service, because the best people arent being chosen.

One of Carlsons guests, Matt Walsh, said Biden, with his advance announcement, was declaring that this person did not really earn the position based on their merits. And so it degrades the very people that youre supposedly trying to help.

Did Reagan degrade Sandra Day OConnor by nominating her after making a similar campaign promise?

I would say no.

Both Biden and Reagan made their promises under political pressure. But it was political pressure applied in the service of a righteous cause.

Prior to OConnors appointment, over a period of 192 years, there had been 101 Supreme Court justices. All of them were men; 100 of them were white men.

Even with recent efforts to bring some diversity to the bench, 108 of the 115 Supreme Court justices in this countrys history (94 percent) have been white men. All 17 chief justices have been white men.

Biden and Reagan locked themselves into political promises that were beneficial to a country with a long history of locking women and people of color out of the corridors of power.

Bidens potential selections include Ketanji Brown Jackson, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge with two degrees from Harvard, and Leondra Kruger, a California Supreme Court justice who was the first Black woman to serve as editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Both of them are supremely qualified to serve on our highest court. Neither of them, however, would have been given the opportunity without the kind of forward motion that political pressure can create.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Madhu Sridhar doesnt often share her story.

The president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area since June 2017, she focuses on the mission of the dedicated group of more than 100 other volunteers: to encourage and inform active participation in government.

But I persuaded her to share her inspiring story, which I think is salient because her organization works as a buffer against attacks on voting.

When I asked about the obstacles Senate Bill 1 has created, she reminded me the league is nonpartisan. She acknowledged a concern that democracy is under threat, especially in Texas. But she stopped short of blaming specific parties or lawmakers. Instead, she focused on her team.

They work so hard to inform. Everyone is dedicated to democracy, she said.

Sridhar moved here six years ago from Massachusetts, where she had lived since 1974. She remembers reading an Express-News article that reported a voter turnout of less than 10 percent.

I was shocked. Shocked! And I was embarrassed, she said. In Massachusetts, voting turnout was always 60 to 65 percent. I said, OK, I know what I am going to do.

Sridhar, now 72, joined the league in March 2016 and was elected president a year later. With an extensive background in getting out the vote in Massachusetts, she was no novice.

Sridhar strategized, holding focus groups and shifting the leagues focus from voter registration to increasing turnout, especially among minorities.

We were trying to find out why people were not realizing that voting was their basic right, she said.

One woman told her she didnt vote because she had small children. I told her, You can take your children with you to vote.

Courtesy photo

She also told those who stayed away because they couldnt speak English that they, too, could take someone with them.

In 2018, the league created a Texas Voters Bill of Rights, in English and Spanish. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff have signed it. Since it is not state law, the league works to publicize it just as it does other guides.

Sridhar recently reached out to me with an op-ed, which is published in todays Express-News. She was desperate to explain to voters how to adhere to Texas new and confusing voting ID requirements.

She and other volunteers have been busy contacting organizations and using media, social media and their website, lwvsa.org, to get the word out.

Voting rights are sacred to Sridhar.

Born and raised in India, she immigrated to America when she was 25. She was living in Massachusetts, having left corporate America to be a stay-at-home mom and was serving as PTO president when she agreed to lead a $40 million campaign that would temporarily raise taxes to make renovations to her daughters overcrowded school.

It was at a town meeting to garner support for the campaign that her world changed.

I was ready to make a speech, and because I couldnt vote, they made me sit behind the rope with others who couldnt vote, she said.

The superintendent asked if they could make an exception for her. They didnt.

Oh, my God. I cant even participate, I thought to myself. I came home and cried, she recalled. It was the first time in the United States of America that I felt like a second-class citizen.

Her green card did not give her the right to vote.

My first act as an American citizen was to drive to the town clerks office and register to vote, she said.

She took her oath of allegiance July 3, 1996, and wrote an op-ed for the community newspaper.

Before moving to San Antonio, Sridhar served as president of the League of Women Voters of Andover-North Andover and as president of the Massachusetts League of Women Voters. Under her leadership, the league drafted and passed election reform legislation, including the Massachusetts Voters Bill of Rights, which was mandated to be posted at all polling places.

She says she still struggles to comprehend the perilous voting landscape in Texas.

We are going backwards. Rather than making voting easier, we are making voting more difficult at every step of the way, she said. And people want to make changes, but some still dont realize voting is how they do it. How can we have an inclusive democracy if people cant or wont vote?

Why does Sridhar care so deeply about voting? She doesnt want anyone to have to sit behind the rope.

Nancy.Preyor-Johnson@express-news.net
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Cities and towns are preparing for a storm that could dump up to 16 inches of snow in the southern part of Connecticut and even more to the northeast, where a blizzard warning is in effect.

The National Weather Service said southeast Connecticut can expect 10 to 16 inches of snow as the storm begins late Friday night into Saturday. An inch or two of snow per hours is possible at times.

Some towns, like Bridgeport and Milford, declared snow emergencies, which activates alternate side of the street parking throughout the cities. Ansonia instituted a citywide parking ban on Friday, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at the same time on Sunday.

There will be no parking allowed on any city street and cars in violation will be towed, Ansonia said in a news release.

Those residents in need of a place to park their cars can use one of the city-owned lots, including: Nolan Field; Ansonia Middle School; the Main Street Municipal Lot; West Main Street Municipal Lot; East Main Street Municipal Lot; former Ansonia Police Department on Elm Street; Ansonia High School; Prendergast School; and Mead School.

But those vehicles need to be moved by 6 p.m. Sunday or they will be towed.

In Trumbull, public works director George Estrada said the town has been preparing for the storm since early in the week.

Salt stockpiles were replenished and equipment tested and prepared, Estrada said in an email. The men are experienced and ready for anything that may come along.

Stratford was also preparing for the storm, with Mayor Laura Hoydick warning residents to stay indoors.

The town instituted alternate side of the street parking until 7 a.m. on Monday. The tax collector and tax assessor offices will also close on Saturday due to the storm.

Milford declared a snow emergency Friday, putting in effect alternate side of the street parking beginning at noon Saturday through 8 p.m. on Sunday. Cars should park on the odd numbered side of the street on Saturday, then moved to the even numbered side the following day.

City Chief of Staff Justin Rosen said all city departments have been taking action to guard and protect residents against the impact of the storm, but the help of everyone is needed throughout this event.

If you live near elderly or infirmed neighbors, please check in on them as often as it is safe to do so, Rosen said.

The city warned residents to prepare for prolonged loss of power and urged residents to use extreme caution when using and fueling generators. Residents are asked not to use candles. If generators are used, they should be operated outside in well-ventilated areas.

Anyone experiencing a power outage is encouraged to notify United Illuminating at 1-800-722-5584.

Bridgeport, meanwhile, also declared a snow emergency, to go into effect as of 4 p.m. Friday and end at noon on Sunday. Residents are encouraged to stay home and park on the even numbered side of the street, and not on snow emergency streets. A list of these streets can be found on the citys website.

Those found in violation of snow emergency protocols will be towed, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, and will incur a minimum $130 towing fee, according to the city.

Snow emergency parking lots, for those who cant find parking near their homes, are located at: 752 East Main St.; 378 East Main St.; 2909 Fairfield Ave.; 3455 Madison Ave.; Jettie Tisdale School, 250 Hollister St.; Central High School, 1 Lincoln Boulevard; and Cesar Batalla School, 606 Howard Ave.

In a news release, Bridgeport said it is properly prepared with a crew of 50 plow vehicles as well as independent contractors to assist with clearing the roads and any downed trees. The city said it prioritizes major travel routes and keeps in mind the location of places like hospitals, schools and major commercial centers when deciding what streets to plow first.

Fairfield also instituted alternate side of the street parking, starting at midnight and ending at noon on Sunday.

First Selectwoman Kupchick noted in a statement that residents who cannot find a location to park on an even-numbered side of a street can park in any public school lot without a permit or fee.

Travel is expected to be difficult and dangerous so we ask residents to please stay off the roads during the storm when possible so DPW can clear the snow, she said. Please also remember that Fairfield property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalk along their property line within 24 hours after the storm. Keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice is very important to allow for pedestrian access, as well as fire hydrants.

In Shelton, public works employees have been working the past two days in preparation for the noreaster, said DPW Superintendent Brian Roach.

Roach said drivers spent Thursday and Friday going through the citys 26 trucks which includes everything from 10-wheel dump trucks down to 1-ton pick-ups. Crews are checking lights, wipers, auger chains, spinners, and plows to make sure everything is in proper working order and changing plow blades if needed.

We have had our five mechanics working overtime the past couple days to make sure that not only trucks, but our heavy equipment is in proper sand safe working order, Roach said.

Roach added that trucks will be strategically placed throughout the city.

We have 24 drivers including our Parks Department at the ready for plowing our 22 plow routes with an average of 10 miles each, also have contractors available if needed, said Roach, adding that DPW crews also plow the four fire houses, EMT and police lots to keep them accessible.

When storm is over and roads finally cleared - primary roads first, then secondary and finally cul-de-sacs - we focus on plowing out our six schools, municipal parking lots, and city building parking lots, Roach added.

The city has about 800 tons of salt on hand, which Roach said is more than enough to get us through this.

The Public Works Department and Shelton police announced earlier this week they are implementing the citys snow/winter storm emergency parking ban this weekend.

The parking ban will begin Friday at 6 p.m. and run through Monday at 6 a.m.

Hospitals also were preparing for the storm on Friday.

St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport was making preparations to ensure that staff who are working the next few days are safe, said John Rossi, vice president of operations for the Fairfield region of Hartford HealthCare, which includes St. Vincents.

He said the hospital has overnight accommodations where staff can sleep if they dont feel comfortable driving in the storm. Rides are also available for those scheduled to work who might not wish to drive themselves.

Staff also are parking in garages to stay off the street and allow for plowing. Safety is part of our culture here, Rossi said. This is standard work for us.

This story will be updated.

Staff writers Amanda Cuda, Brian Gioiele and Tara ONeill contributed to this report.
University in central China's Hunan arranges festive cultural activities for foreign students to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year

People's Daily Online) 14:45, January 29, 2022

Foreign students from the Changsha University of Science and Technology (CSUST) in Changsha city, capital of central China's Hunan Province, show off some of the tigers they painted. (Photo courtesy of CSUST)

The Changsha University of Science and Technology (CSUST) in Changsha city, capital of central China's Hunan Province, has arranged a series of festive cultural activities themed on the Chinese Lunar New Year for foreign students remaining on campus during the winter vacation, which have been very well-received by the students.

A lesson on traditional Chinese brush painting was given by Huang Yuehua, deputy dean of the International Institute of Technology of CSUST who is also a member of the council overseeing an association of calligraphers and painters in Hunan. To welcome the Year of the Tiger, she went about teaching the students how to paint tigers. She also created one fully completed tiger herself, which gave the students a chance to marvel at her fine artistic skills.

Foreign students from the Changsha University of Science and Technology (CSUST) in Changsha city, capital of central China's Hunan Province, busy themselves making festive paper cutouts for the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Photo courtesy of CSUST)

Besides, Chinese language teachers undertook some additional lessons to introduce students to knowledge related to the Chinese Lunar New Year, and taught the students the art of Chinese paper cutting. Together, they cut out a Chinese character "Chun," which means "spring" in English.

"During a time when I cannot go back home, the university has organized so many meaningful activities. I also can feel the teachers' care. I'm so happy to experience the atmosphere of the Chinese Lunar New Year," said Anna, a student from Namibia.

After learning about the Chinese Lunar New Year, Anna remarked that "apart from the holiday, food, and family reunion, the Chinese culture and customs that date back to thousands of years ago are what make the festival so important."

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun)
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Friday released 20 million U.S. dollars in emergency funds for 270,000 people in Yemen, including those newly displaced by airstrikes, a UN spokesman said.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths allocated the money from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the humanitarian relief for people in Marib, al-Jawf and Hadramout, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"It will also help to scale up operational capacities to support the response, including humanitarian air transport," Haq told reporters in a regular briefing. A week ago, three airstrikes in quick succession by the Saudi-led coalition hit a detention facility in the northern city of Saada run by the Houthi rebels.

He said staff from the UN Human Rights Office in Yemen were in Saada this week collecting information following the airstrikes.

The team verifying civilian casualties said it received reports of 91 detainees killed.

"The information they have collected paints a chaotic and desperate picture after the prison in Saada was struck," Haq said.

"The Human Rights Office urges the Saudi-led coalition to ensure that its investigation is in line with international standards and is transparent, independent and impartial," he said.

Shortly after the attack, an official of Saada's local authority told Xinhua News Agency, "The airstrike completely destroyed the prison building."

Saada is one of the main strongholds of the Iran-backed Houthis fighting for years Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition. 
EASTON  State elections officials are investigating whether Easton Democrats incorrectly filled out absentee ballot applications  a probe stemming from a complaint Democrats claim was filed in response to a separate one submitted against a conservative group in town.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission is looking into whether the Easton Democratic Town Committee, through a Fairfield-based consulting firm, made errors on absentee ballot applications.

The complaint was made on Dec. 7 by Anne Manusky, an Easton resident and conservative activist. She claimed that 475 Consulting did not fill out the applications with the proper serial numbers given by the town clerk, and did not identify itself in the assistor section of the form, during Novembers election.

Manusky said she thinks the town should throw out the election results and hold a special election.

This needs to be redone, she said this week.

But some Democrats say Manuskys complaint to the SEEC is reactionary  filed because of a different SEEC investigation into the Citizens for Responsible Government, or CRG, a controversial conservative group in town.

Opponents say CRG has been outspoken in combating measures being taken by the school district to promote equity and inclusion. The group, in particular, has raised concerns about the alleged teaching of critical race theory in schools, although school and town officials have said that is not happening.

The complaint filed against CRG on Nov. 12 asks whether the group properly followed laws concerning how political action committees have to operate.

Sherry Harris and June Logie, the president and treasurer of CRG, could not be reached for comment.

In a statement this week, DTC Chair Nanette DeWester, who was a named in Manuskys claim, said the group respects the work of the SEEC and their ongoing efforts to ensure election integrity, as well as the integrity of Easton Town Clerk Christine Halloran.

The Town Clerk accepted our ballot applications without any issues raised, she said in the statement. We are very confident in our consultants expertise and that they followed all the applicable laws. We expect to be vindicated by the SEEC from this obviously, politically motivated complaint.

The complaint against Citizens for Responsible Government came from Robert Natt. A Democrat, Natt said he is not affiliated with the DTC, but did campaign for Democratic causes and filed the complaint of his own fruition because he did not feel the CRG was following election laws.

I had engaged an elections attorney here in Connecticut to make sure, frankly that I was on the right side of the regulations, he said.

While Manusky said she was once the treasurer of CRG, she stepped down recently after becoming the president of the Connecticut Republican Assembly, a different conservative group. She said any accusation that her SEEC complaint is related to the one filed against CRG is simply untrue.

Im not a member of the Citizens for Responsible Government board anymore, she said.

Joshua Foley, a SEEC staff attorney, said the commission looks into any complaint with allegations that, if proven true, would constitute a violation of election laws.

Whether or not the commission opens complaints and dockets complaints, its not a comment on the merit of the complaint, he said. Its a comment on the jurisdiction.

Foley said both investigations are ongoing, and could not provide further comment.

Complaint against Democrats

Manusky said she became interested in looking into absentee ballot applications after reading an article about absentee ballot applications in general being filled out incorrectly. After the election, she got the list of people who had requested multiple ballot applications, one of which was 475 Consulting owner Andrew Gausepohl, and claims she found errors.

Manusky claims the numbers the town clerk gave the consulting firm to use were not on the ballot applications, adding the group also did not put signatures in the assistor section of the form or mistakenly filled out that section on its own.

The alleged errors on the absentee ballot applications undermine the system, Manusky said. We in America deserve to have free and fair elections, and this appears to be unfair, she said.

Amy Wolfcale, a Democratic volunteer who is named in the complaint, said her understanding is that the allegations are baseless, but she is glad the SEEC is working to ensure the integrity of the states elections.

She also thought the complaint was made in response to the one against CRG.

Manuskys complaint also includes state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, D-Fairfield, as the principal of 475 Consulting  the firm hired by the DTC to send out absentee ballot applications. Leeper said that claim is incorrect, as she signed over the company to a different owner almost two years ago.

This is the first Im hearing that Im named in an SEEC complaint as I havent been a principal, or otherwise involved, at 475 Consulting since March 2020, she said in a statement. Including me in this complaint is clearly politically motivated, as often happens with SEEC complaints.

Gausepohl, the current owner of 475 Consulting, said in a statement there were no errors on the applications. He said the firm was glad to assist the Easton Democrats in providing absentee ballot applications to their constituents and helping to ensure everyone was able to vote safely during a pandemic.

These applications were registered with the Town Clerks office and adhered to all Connecticut General Statutes, he said, adding the complaint was unfounded and an attempt to suppress voter turnout.

Gausepohl also referenced the ongoing investigation into the Citizens for Responsible Government.

This is a common, what about them too tactic Ive seen in the past and a huge waste of everyones time, he said.

Complaint against Republicans

Natt said he filed the complaint concerning the CRG because he was concerned they were not following elections laws when it came to disclosing their identity on mailers, how they accepted donations and their alleged failure to file campaign finance disclosure statements.

Natts complaint argues that CRG did not properly identify itself on pamphlets and mailers sent out. As an example, the complaint claims there was campaign literature that did not include the paid for by attribution on it.

Finally, the complaint alleges the group is accepting donations on its website, and claims it is doing so in a way that violates Connecticuts campaign finance laws.

Natt said he was already upset with how CRG was shaping town political discourse.

Manusky said she is involved in local political issues, especially concerning education, noting she has pushed against critical race theory being taught in schools and once filed a moratorium against sexual education being taught in schools. But she again noted she is no longer a member of CRG.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
Omicrons cousin, a subvariant called BA.2, could make up as much as 16 percent of all new COVID cases in Connecticut, according to a Yale researcher.

BA.2 is a direct descendant of omicron, which is also referred to as BA.1. It shares a lot of omicrons characteristics, and health officials say it could be more contagious, but they believe it will respond to vaccines.

But it differs in the S-gene dropout.

Usually, a COVID variant requires full genetic sequencing to determine its lineage. That process can take days. But omicron, unlike delta, has what researchers refer to as an S-gene dropout, a characteristic that can be detected much faster.

Like delta, BA.2 does not have an S-gene dropout, Yale researcher Nate Grubaugh explained on Twitter.

Three weeks ago, 97 percent of all samples tested were likely omicron because they had the S-gene dropout. Grubaugh said it appeared that 3 percent were delta, and less than 1 percent were BA.2.

As of Friday, 84 percent of all samples tested had the S-gene dropout. Grubaugh said that means delta could be making a comeback, or more likely, BA.2 is accounting for most of the other 16 percent of the samples.

Both scenarios are plausible, but its more likely signs of the emergence of BA.2, said Grubaugh, associate professor of epidemiology of microbial diseases at Yale New Haven Health. We should know more soon.

Grubaughs testing earlier this week confirmed Connecticuts first BA.2 case in Fairfield County, and ongoing genetic sequencing will determine how widespread the subvariant is in the state.

All the samples were from the Yale New Haven Health outpatient testing programs in New Haven, New London, and Fairfield counties.

We are now seeing two days in a row of omicron BA.1 dropping to mid-80 percent, Grubaugh said Friday.

On Friday, the state recorded 2,684 new COVID cases out of 27,580 tests for a one-day positivity rate of 9.73  nearly half of what the metric was two weeks ago. The number of patients hospitalized for the illness also continued to fall, with a net decline of 78 patients, bringing the state census to 1,192.

Asked how BA.2 might affect the downward curve of coronavirus infections seen in Connecticut in recent weeks, Hartford HealthCares chief epidemiologist Ulysses Wu said it was difficult to know.

Will it alter the curve? It really depends, he said. Yeah, it could alter the curve and it could extend the tail as well, but as long as people are out of the hospital, that is really what benefits the population.

There are indications that BA.2 may be more contagious than its predecessor, BA.1 omicron, which caused a significant spike in COVID cases in Connecticut in the past month.

Now, if it is more communicable, obviously it can be spread to other people who may be more susceptible, which is why we still talk about boosters, we still talk about vaccinations, we still talk about masking in certain social situations as well, Wu said.

Reporter Peter Yankowski contributed to this report.
Here is what the editors at Physician's Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Jan. 24 to 28, 2022. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.

Three mRNA Vaccine Doses Protective Against Delta, Omicron

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Receipt of three doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is associated with protection against delta and omicron compared with being unvaccinated and receipt of two doses, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Neutralization Titers Against Omicron Up With mRNA-1273 Boost

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Neutralization titers against the omicron variant are lower than those against the D614G variant following the primary two-dose series of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, but a booster dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine substantially increases them, according to a letter to the editor published online Jan. 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Remdesivir May Benefit Adults Early in COVID-19 Course

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving no oxygen or low-flow oxygen were more likely to achieve clinical improvement within 28 days if they were treated with remdesivir, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Thrombosis, Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Up After Ad26.COV2.S

FRIDAY, Jan. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome is higher after receipt of the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine than mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, according to a case series published online Jan. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Third mRNA Vaccine Dose Ups Effectiveness Against Hospitalization

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Receipt of a third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose is associated with increased vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization, according to research published in the Jan. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Moderna Begins Testing Booster Shot Aimed at Omicron

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Moderna Inc. announced Wednesday that it has launched a trial that will study the power of a redesigned booster shot -- one that homes in on the highly contagious omicron variant.

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Scientists Watch, Worry About New 'Stealth' Version of Omicron Variant

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A "stealthier" version of the omicron variant that has been spotted in the United States and dozens of other countries is being closely monitored by health officials and scientists.

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Hospital Defends Decision to Deny Heart Transplant to Unvaccinated Man

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- In response to claims that a man was denied a heart transplant because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston said Wednesday that its transplant policies mirror those used across the United States.

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Omicron Linked to Increase in COVID-19 Cases, Lower Disease Severity

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 cases have increased with the emergence of the omicron variant, but disease severity seems not to have increased, according to research published in the Jan. 25 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Alterations in Gut Microbiome ID'd in Postacute COVID-19 Syndrome

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with postacute COVID-19 syndrome have alterations in the gut microbiome, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in Gut.

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COVID-19 Vaccination Not Linked to Fecundability in Men, Women

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 vaccination is not associated with fecundability among couples trying to conceive, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

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Risk for Carditis Tied to Second Dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Despite a low absolute risk, there is an increased relative risk for carditis associated with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccination, particularly among men and adolescents, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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~7 Percent of Lung Transplants Due to COVID-19 Respiratory Failure

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- From August 2020 through September 2021, about 7 percent of lung transplantations were performed in patients with COVID-19-related respiratory failure, according to a letter to the editor published online Jan. 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Booster Shots More Effective During Omicron Emergence Period

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Booster doses seem effective for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 omicron variant, according to research published in the Jan. 21 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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More Than 1 Million U.S. Children Diagnosed With COVID-19 in Single Week

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- More than 1.1 million American children were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week ending Jan. 20, new data show. That is 17 percent higher than the 981,000 cases diagnosed the week before and double the number from two weeks before that.

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Biden Administration Withdraws Vaccine Mandate for Large Employers

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The Biden administration on Tuesday withdrew an emergency COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate for workers at large companies following the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the requirement.

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Casirivimab + Imdevimab Prevents Progression to Symptomatic COVID-19

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction-positive individuals living with an infected household contact, treatment with the subcutaneous casirivimab and imdevimab antibody combination reduces the incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 over 28 days, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Children's Hospital Admissions Reduced After March 2020

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Substantial and sustained reductions in hospital admissions were seen among children after March 1, 2020, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in The BMJ.

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Pfizer Begins Testing COVID-19 Vaccine Targeted to Omicron

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that it has launched a trial that will compare its existing COVID-19 vaccine against a new version tailored to beat back the highly contagious omicron variant.

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Omicron Shows Signs of Ebbing as U.S. Cases Fall, Hospitalizations Level Off

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Weeks after omicron began ravaging the United States, experts are now seeing statistical signs that suggest the wildly contagious variant might be losing steam.

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EU Eases COVID-19 Travel Rules Within the Bloc for Fully Vaccinated

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- European Union residents should be able to move freely between the 27 member nations if they have been vaccinated in the past nine months or have recently recovered from COVID-19 infection, bloc officials said Tuesday.

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Free N95 Masks Begin Arriving in U.S. Pharmacies

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The distribution of free N95 masks for Americans has begun, the Biden administration said Monday.

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FDA Limits Use of Two COVID-19 Antibody Treatments

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday that it will curtail the use of two monoclonal antibody treatments that do not appear to work against the highly contagious omicron variant.

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No Evidence of Malignant, Sustained Arrhythmias Seen After COVID-19

TUESDAY, Jan. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For outpatients after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, there is no evidence of malignant or sustained arrhythmias, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in Open Heart.

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England to Lift Travel Restrictions for Vaccinated Visitors

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated people arriving in England will be scrapped, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Monday. Details about the changes are to be provided later in the day by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the Associated Press reported.

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Vaccination, Previous Infection Protect Against COVID-19

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Vaccination and previous COVID-19 infection were protective against COVID-19 infection and hospitalization during the alpha and delta severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 waves, according to research published in the Jan. 19 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Pandemic Having Major Impact on Pediatric Oncology Providers

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on pediatric oncology health care providers, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Cancer.

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Ad26.COV2.S, mRNA Boosters Immunogenic After Ad26.COV2.S

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For health care workers who received a priming dose of the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine, Ad26.COV2.S and mRNA boosters are immunogenic, with the strongest responses after boosting with an mRNA-based vaccine, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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HANGZHOU, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- East China's Zhejiang Province reported 22 confirmed local COVID-19 cases from Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday, all in the provincial capital Hangzhou, authorities told a press briefing on Saturday.

Since the lastest resurgence of COVID-19, the province has registered a total of 44 confirmed local cases, all in Hangzhou. 
The purpose of the legislative session is for priority bills to become law. Thousands of bills are introduced; this year, 293 bills became law. Its hard to keep up with them all, so heres a brief rundown of major bills that became lawand bills that did not.
Looking to expand your coffee horizons? These eight signature drinks offer a taste of specialty coffee culture across the globe.

Cuban coffee

In the town of Sagua La Grande, Cuba, where Katy Ugalde spent her childhood, coffee is served at all hours of the day and to all members of the family  she recalls her grandfather offering sips from his cup when she was just a girl. Its history spans generations before, of course: The coffee industry sprouted on the island in the late 1790s, fueled by an influx of French farmers fleeing the Haitian Revolution. Today, the warm beverage is offered to guests who pop by for a visit  a meaningful token of hospitality when there is not much else to give, she says. Ugalde, who now owns Sagua La Grande Cuban Cafe in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband, Greg Butler, says its the beans that make for the distinct, strong flavor of Cuban coffee. Grown high in the mountains of the island, the coffee cherries are usually picked by hand before being dried, roasted and then finely ground. Ugalde uses a moka pot to brew coffee to order at her restaurant, making one flavorful, espresso-strength cup at a time. Although its traditionally served with brown sugar, whipped until a thin foam forms atop the dark sea of caffeine, Ugalde leaves the sweetening up to her customers, who often drink it unsweetened or with a packet of white sugar. -J.V.M.

Sagua La Grande Cuban Cafe, 114 S. Ninth St., #101, Columbia, Missouri, 573.818.1766, sagualagrandecomo.com

Mexican coffee: Cafe de Olla

Equal parts beautiful and flavorful, Cafe de Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee drink said to have been created by the Adelitas, the women warriors of the Mexican Revolution. The beverage is brewed in an olla de barro (clay pot), and an added concoction of piloncillo, cinnamon and various spices permeate the brew, giving it a distinctly sweet and woody flavor. Today, its typically made in rural areas of Mexico; at Cafe Ollama in Kansas City, youll find it served both hot and cold-brew style (with an option to add salted sweet foam). The reason for it being brewed in the olla is that the clay gives it those earthy flavors, owner Lesley Reyes says. We brew the batches fresh every single morning to make sure its the same quality taste. Our cinnamon and piloncillo come straight from Mexico, hand-picked by us every time we go down. Reyes and her team draw inspiration from the flavors of their heritage, with drinks named after their relatives. Latin American countries currently produce most of the coffee consumed worldwide, she says. Its a staple for Latinos. We want to proudly show off the bean with all the flavors and inspirations of Latin America. We hope that people will step out of their comfort zones to try something different and traditional made with love and pride. -T.C.

Cafe Ollama, 523 Southwest Blvd., Crossroads, Kansas City, Missouri, facebook.com/Ollamakc

Turkish coffee

When it comes to Turkish coffee, there is a lot of debate  sometimes even within households  about the best way to prepare it. At Kansas Citys Clay & Fire, the team sticks to traditional methods. Despite the name, general manager Savannah Bennett likens Turkish coffee more to espresso because of its strength and flavor. The grounds are mixed with water inside a cezve (a small coffee pot also known as an ibrik) before the cezve is heated in hot sand, which Clay & Fire keeps in a cast-iron pan, for about 10 minutes until fully brewed. It has a beautiful flavor. I love the flavor of it, Bennett says. There is a nice little zing to it. The restaurant serves its Turkish coffee black so guests can best experience all the nuanced flavors, but you can also ask for cream or milk on the side. -K.C.

Clay & Fire, 815 W. 17th St., Westside, Kansas City, Missouri, 816.569.5533, clayandfirekc.square.site

Ethiopian coffee

The countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea share many cultural traditions, including one of the most important culinary symbols: coffee. For these cultures, coffee is more than just a caffeine boost; its an event. At Kansas Citys Mesob Restaurant & Rhum Bar, you can experience a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony led by co-owner Mehret Tesfamariam, who hails from Eritrea. As it is here, Ethiopian and Eritrean coffee ceremonies are exclusively female-led and take place in a group setting, with everyone seated close to the earth; its a chance for friends and neighbors to visit over several rounds of sipping. At the start, the host brews each espresso-size cup with freshly roasted beans and then steeps them over and over until just a hint of flavor remains. No sweetener or cream is involved; cups are served black, strong and steaming. At Mesob, the ceremony usually consists of four rounds: The first two produce a drink with strength akin to espresso, and the strength diminishes from there while the conversation livens. The ceremony also involves a bit of snacking; when the coffee is finished roasting, the pan is filled with corn kernels that pop and puff up into handfuls of white popcorn to accompany the beverages. Because of the length of the ceremony, reservations must be made at least a week in advance, but you can get a cup of Ethiopian coffee with your meal at Mesob any day  ceremony not included. -J.V.M.

Mesob Restaurant & Rhum Bar, 3601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri, mesobkc.com

Vietnamese coffee

One tool and one ingredient give Vietnamese iced coffee an inimitable, viscous texture and strong, balanced flavor: the phin filter and condensed milk. A traditional Vietnamese brewing gadget, a phin filter is a cross between a pour over and a French press; with three layers, it slows down the brewing process to let the grounds linger and flavors become bolder. Condensed milk is also notoriously thicker and creamier than whole milk, and its usage first came out of necessity. When the French colonized Vietnam, a lot of their cuisine was mixed into Vietnamese [cuisine], says Jackie Nguyen, owner of Cafe Ca Phe in Kansas City. This style of brewing [with a phin filter] came from the French, and fresh milk was not available during war times, thus the introduction of condensed milk. The Vietnamese adopted this style and kept it. At Cafe Ca Phe, you can get a taste of traditional Vietnamese coffee with The Saigon, named for Nguyens mothers hometown in Vietnam (now known as Ho Chi Minh City). Cafe Ca Phe also sources Vietnamese Robusta beans, which have a dark, nutty flavor with a hint of grapefruit  plus double the caffeine  straight from the farm. -T.C.

Cafe Ca Phe (located inside Firebrand Collective), 1101 Mulberry St., West Bottoms, Kansas City, Missouri, cafecaphe.com

Greek coffee: Nescafe frappe

The creation of the Nescafe frappe was a happy accident. The origin story begins in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair in Greece, where a representative of Nestle was exhibiting a new chocolate beverage for children made by shaking the beverage in a hand shaker. During a break, a manager was craving his regular Nescafe Classic hot coffee, but he couldnt find any hot water. In a thrifty move, he mixed the coffee with cold water in a shaker, and the frappe was born. Today, the cold, frothy and caffeine-packed drink is a hallmark of Greek outdoor cafe culture. At Greek Belly in Springfield, Missouri, you can order a Greek frappe made with Nescafe imported from Greece, which is less bitter than the variety sold stateside. Take your time when drinking [our] Greek Nescafe frappe, Greek Belly owner John Tsahiridis says. They are strong. The foam has a lot of caffeine, so keep stirring. Stir, sip, enjoy, repeat. You can also order the imported Greek Nescafe served hot. -T.C.

Greek Belly, 320 E. Walnut St., Springfield, Missouri, 417.597.3382, greekbelly.com

Korean coffee: Dalgona coffee

The origins of dalgona coffee are a little muddled  it may have originated in India or Macau, and gained serious popularity recently in South Korea  but Tiny Chef chef-owner Melanie Meyer found out about the coffee preparation just like many of us did amid the pandemic: TikTok. The drink, which shares the name dalgona with a Korean candy made with sugar and baking soda, is made by whipping equal parts instant coffee, sugar and boiling water until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency. Its then served dolloped on a cold glass of milk of your choice. Its almost like a coffee marshmallow, Meyer says. But dont let that fool you into thinking its just a sweet treat  the concentrated coffee packs a serious punch. Its incredibly good, incredibly rich and also incredibly potent, she says. While Meyer doesnt serve the drink at her St. Louis restaurant  few in the area serve it at all  its surprisingly simple to make at home. For the best texture, Meyer recommends making the dalgona whip in a stand mixer, but you can also grab a wire whisk and prepare for an upper-body workout. Itll be worth the effort when you take that first sip. -K.C.

Thai iced coffee

Iced, spiced and sweetened with condensed milk, Thai coffee has quickly gained popularity stateside. In Thailand, however, the drink is a surprisingly new tradition. The country has been cultivating coffee for a little less than a century, primarily focusing on Robusta beans, a highly caffeinated, stronger-tasting variety as compared to Arabica. Chao Baan co-owner Shayn Prapaisilp says Thais usually prefer Oliang-style coffee, which refers to iced black coffee sans condensed milk, brewed with cardamom and other spices. The cold drink pairs well with the countrys muggy climate, and the spices add a trademark flavor  one that was essential during the 1940s when coffee was rationed and beans were blended with corn, soybeans, rice and sesame seeds to make the grind go further. At his restaurant in St. Louis, Prapaisilp serves Thai coffee over ice, blended with sweetened condensed milk (a trait shared with Vietnamese coffee) along with a splash of evaporated milk  a signature Chao Baan touch. The beans hail from the restaurants sister store Global Foods Market in Kirkwood, Missouri; sourced directly from Thailand, theyre sold already ground and blended with the Oliang spice mix. Prapaisilp shares that guests are often surprised when they try coffee at Chao Baan because the focus is usually on the regional Thai fare and traditional beverages are often an afterthought. After one sip, though, Chao Baan might become your first thought when a Thai coffee craving calls. -J.V.M.

Chao Baan, 4087 Chouteau Ave., The Grove, St. Louis, Missouri, chaobaanstl.com

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Kasey Carlson Digital editor Kasey Carlson is the digital editor of Feast Magazine. She loves to cook, is obsessed with plants and is on a quest to try every bao she can find. Follow Kasey Carlson 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

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should "work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said.

The one-China principle is the most important foundation of China-U.S. relations in the past decades, said Qin in an interview with U.S. National Public Radio aired Friday, adding that the United States has been walking away from this commitment "bit by bit."

Speaking of the recent escalation of tension in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, Qin said, "This is because the Taiwanese authority is trying to seek independence agenda by borrowing support and encouragement of the United States and the U.S. is playing Taiwan card."

"We have taken notice of President (Joe) Biden's words that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and the United States wants to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the United States will adhere to its one-China policy, but so far we haven't seen many actions to honor his words," he said.

Qin stressed that "we will do our utmost in the greatest sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification," which is in the best interests of people across the Taiwan Strait, in the best interests of China-U.S. relations, in the best interests of peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, China will not commit to giving up non-peaceful means for reunification, "because this is a deterrence to separatist forces, not targeting Taiwanese people," he said.

The Taiwan question "is the biggest tinderbox between China and the United States," Qin said. "If the Taiwanese authority, emboldened by the United States, keeps going down the road for independence, it would most likely involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict."

"China does not want to have conflict or confrontation with the United States. The United States does not want war with China. So, no war, no conflict is the biggest consensus between China and the United States. So let's work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan, to give peace a chance," he added.

Deeming the China-U.S. relationship "the most important relationship," Qin said "we must work well and not mess it up."

"But the question is: can the United States respect and accept China's rise as a positive force to maintain or to facilitate world peace and prosperity? Can the United States believe that China's rise will benefit other countries, benefit people in the United States and provide more business opportunities and more jobs?" he asked.

"Both countries are in the process of recognizing each other and finding an appropriate way to get along with each other. In China's belief, we hope that good relationship will be established based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," said the ambassador. 
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 28, 2022 / CIBT Education Group Inc. (TSX.V:MBA)(OTCQX:MBAIF) ("CIBT") reports the director election voting results from its annual general meeting held today. All of the director nominees, as listed in the management information circular dated December 9, 2021, were elected. Proxy voting as to each of the director nominees was as follows:

Votes in Favour Votes Withheld Morris Chen 99.73% 0.27% Toby Chu 91.57% 8.43% Tony David 99.41% 0.59% Derek Feng 99.41% 0.59% May Hsu 99.41% 0.59% Troy Rice 99.41% 0.59% Shane Weir 99.43% 0.57%

Please see the report of voting results filed today under CIBT's profile on SEDAR for the results of the other matters voted on by shareholders at the meeting.

About CIBT Education Group:

CIBT Education Group Inc. is one of Canada's largest education and student housing investment companies focused on the domestic and the global education market since 1994. CIBT owns business and language colleges, student-centric rental apartments, recruitment centres and corporate offices at 45 locations in Canada and abroad. Its education subsidiaries include Sprott Shaw College (established in 1903), Sprott Shaw Language College, Vancouver International College Career Campus and CIBT School of Business. CIBT offers over 150 educational programs in healthcare, business management, e-commerce, cyber-security, hotel management, and language training through these schools. In 2021, CIBT provided educational and housing services to over 10,000 students through its various subsidiaries.

CIBT owns Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("Global Holdings"), an investment holding and development company focused on education-related real-estate such as student-centric rental apartments, hotel and education super-centres. Under the GEC brand, Global Holdings provides accommodation service to 90 schools in Metro Vancouver, serving 1,500 students from 71 countries. The total portfolio and development budget under the GEC brand exceed $1.5 billion.

CIBT also owns Global Education Alliance Inc. ("GEA") and Irix Design Group Inc. ("Irix Design"). GEA recruits international students for many elite kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities in North America. Irix Design is a leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada. Visit us online and watch our corporate video at www.cibt.net.

For more information, contact:

Toby Chu

Chairman, President & CEO

CIBT Education Group, Inc.

Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 319 or | Email: info@cibt.net

SOURCE: CIBT Education Group Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/685966/CIBT-Education-Group-Inc-Reports-Director-Election-Results
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2022) - Radient Technologies Inc. (TSXV: RTI) ("Radient" or the "Company"), a commercial manufacturer of diverse, novel, and high-quality cannabis extracts and packaged products, is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed the Company's previously announced acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding securities of Tunaaaaroom Xtracts Inc. (the "Target"), an Alberta cannabis company (the "Acquisition"). The terms of the Acquisition were set out in a share exchange agreement effective November 29, 2021, among the Company, the Target, and the Target's shareholders, Tunaaaa Room Inc. and Pioneer Laboratory Nutraceuticals Ltd. (the "Share Exchange Agreement"). The Share Exchange Agreement was subsequently amended by an amending agreement effective January 6, 2022, pursuant to which Tunaaaa Room Inc. was replaced as a shareholder and vendor of the Target by its two shareholders. For more information about the Acquisition, please see the Company's press release dated November 29, 2021, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

In consideration for the Acquisition, Radient issued a total of 70 million of its common shares at a deemed price of $0.12 per share (the "Payment Shares") and 15 million common shares purchase warrants (the "Warrants"), pro rata, to the former shareholders of the Target. Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder to acquire one common share of Radient for $0.15 for a period of two years following completion of the Acquisition. The Payment Shares, Warrants and common shares underlying the Warrants are subject to a four-month hold period, expiring on May 29, 2022. As additional consideration, Radient agreed to issue up to an additional 25 million of its common shares (the "Performance Shares"), pro rata, to the vendors of the Target at a deemed price of $0.12 per share upon the satisfaction of certain performance targets set out in the Share Exchange Agreement, as amended. The Performance Shares, if any, shall be subject to a hold period expiring four months following the date of issuance. Radient will also pay royalties of 1% of all revenue generated by the Company from sales of certain products pro rata to two of the vendors of the Target and the sole shareholder of Pioneer Laboratory Nutraceuticals Ltd., subject to certain conditions and limitations set out in the Share Exchange Agreement, as amended.

The Acquisition is an arm's length transaction for the purposes of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") and remains subject to final approval of the TSXV. Radient did not pay any finder's fees in connection with the Acquisition.

Tunaaaaroom Extracts Inc. entered a licensing and co-develop agreement with Radient in December 2020 for development and sales of premium cannabis products, which are now sold through provincially licensed retailers in seven Canadian provinces and territories.

Corporate Announcements

Radient announces that it has completed its previously announced shares for debt settlements of $281,500 owed to various third-party creditors (the "Shares for Debt Settlement") after being granted approval by the TSXV. Pursuant to the Shares for Debt Settlement, the Company has issued 4,691,668 common shares, all of which are subject to a four month and one day hold period expiring on May 29, 2022. For more information about the Shares for Debt Settlement, please see the Company's press release dated December 31, 2021, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Radient also announces that Mr. Yves Gougoux has resigned as director of the Company effective January 28, 2022, to pursue other interests. The board and management of the Company express their gratitude to Mr. Gougoux for his efforts and extensive contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours.

About Radient

Radient Technologies is a commercial manufacturer of diverse, novel and high-quality cannabis extracts and packaged products. Radient develops specialty products and ingredients that contain a broad range of cannabinoid and terpene profiles while meeting the highest standards of quality and safety. Radient is focused on innovation with expertise in formulations and technologies offering unique solutions in the cannabis and wellness space. RadientInc.com

Contact Information:

Harry Kaura, CEO & Director

ir@radientinc.com

Ph: 780 465 1318

Forward Looking Information:

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Acquisition, including with respect to the issuance of the Performance Shares and royalty payments, as described in the Share Exchange Agreement, as amended. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Radient, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; risks associated with operation in the cannabis sector; and other risks inherent in the cannabis industry. Although Radient has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Radient does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/112043
STOCKHOLM, SE / ACCESSWIRE / January 28, 2022 / Vimian Group (STO:VIMIAN)

Vimian Group has today signed an agreement to acquire Bova Holdings Limited (Bova), a leading companion animal health specialty pharmaceuticals company in the United Kingdom (UK). The company offers customised specialty pharmaceuticals for companion animals and had annual revenues the past twelve months of GBP 8.1 million and an EBITDA of GBP 2.9 million. On a full-year basis for Bova's financial year 2021 ending March 2022, Bova is expected to have annual revenues of GBP 8.9 million and an EBITDA of GBP 3.6 million, corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 40 percent. The purchase price (enterprise value) amounts to GBP 50.5 million and an additional, possible amount of maximum GBP 25.5 million vested over a three-year period and subject to EBITDA hurdles.

Vimian Group's Specialty Pharma segment Nextmune has today signed an agreement to acquire Bova Holdings Limited. Bova is a specialty pharmaceuticals company that develops, manufactures and commercialises customised pharmaceuticals for the companion animal health market.

Established in 2017, Bova offers specialty pharmaceuticals covering a wide and expanding range of product classes. The dosage forms include injections, capsules, tablets, oral liquids, pastes and transdermal creams. The company has more than 100 specialty pharmaceutical formulations for companion animals. All raw materials and products are compliant with quality standards set out by regulatory authorities and the pharmaceuticals industry. Bova serves veterinary clinics and hospitals across the UK and in ten additional European markets through an online ordering system with deliveries within 24 hours. The company has a 1,800 square meter production facility in London covering sterile and non-sterile products, and employs 64 professionals within R&D, quality control, sales and manufacturing.

"The acquisition of Bova marks an important milestone in our strategic ambition to add new therapeutic areas to Vimian's Specialty Pharma segment. Bova holds a unique position in the UK as the leading innovator in specialty pharmaceuticals for companion animal health and enjoys a strong financial position with high growth and high margins having grown with more than 70 percent over the past year. Tailormade and customised specialty pharmaceuticals represent an attractive and fast-growing niche of the animal health market. We see significant opportunities for continued strong growth in the medium to long-term perspective in UK as well as in Europe and the US", says Magnus Kjellberg, CEO of Vimian's Specialty Pharma segment Nextmune, and continues:

"Nick Bova is an impressive entrepreneur, and I am delighted that he and the team at Bova decided to join us on our growth journey."

The founder and CEO of Bova, Nick Bova, will continue to lead the company as part of Nextmune.

"We are pleased to join Nextmune and Vimian's home for entrepreneurs. We are dedicated to improving animal welfare by developing novel and innovative specialty pharmaceuticals in close collaboration with veterinarians. Through this partnership we can realise our vision to become the leading companion animal health specialty pharmaceuticals company globally", says Nick Bova, founder and CEO of Bova.

The purchase price amounts to GBP 50.5 million and an additional, possible amount of maximum GBP 25.5 million vested over a three-year period and subject to EBITDA hurdles. For illustrative purposes, to achieve the maximum additional consideration, Bova must generate an EBITDA exceeding GBP 9.8 million by the financial year ending March 2025.

The acquisition will have a positive impact on Vimian Group AB's earnings per share in the current financial year. Bova is expected to be consolidated into Vimian's Specialty Pharma segment on or around 4 February 2022. The acquisition is financed with available funds.
BOGOTA, Colombia, Jan. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bogota is the main destination for Foreign Direct Investment coming to Colombia from the Middle East, which includes countries such as Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Turkey, among others.

A recent analysis by the investment promotion agency Invest in Bogota showed that in the last decade a dozen new investment and expansion projects from the Middle East have arrived in Colombia for more than 81 million dollars.

Bogota, with more than 70% of the projects and investment amounts, appears as the epicenter of Middle Eastern investment in Colombia, a position that the city hopes to revalidate with its participation in Expo Dubai 2020.

"Bogota has important projects that can undoubtedly generate interest in international investors present at Expo Dubai 2020," said the Executive Director of Invest in Bogota, Isabella Munoz, who recently represented the city in the global business fair.

During her trip to Dubai, Munoz socialized some the opportunities offered by the city in sectors such as infrastructure and dynamic entrepreneurship. Her agenda included meetings with the investment holding Dale Ventures, the investment promotion agency Dubai FDI, Dubai Tourism, or the investment fund Asas Capital, amongst others.

The city's participation in Expo Dubai 2020 is aimed at attracting investments from strategic markets such as the African Middle East and South Asia (MEASA), specifically for more than 25 multi-sector projects in the mobility and infrastructure sectors, such as the second line of the Bogota Metro, CANOAS, Bronx Creative District, among others.

The analysis of investments made by Middle Eastern countries in Bogota shows that the projects that have landed in the city correspond to economic sectors as diverse as corporate services, financial services, transportation, aerospace and software and IT services.

Invest in Bogota expects that new and expansion foreign direct investment flows grew by nearly 39% in 2021 compared to 2020, a number that could put the city on track to return to investment levels like those recorded prior to the onset of the pandemic.
DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting a second citizenship has become a goal for all high net worth individuals looking to broaden their horizons and provide themselves and their families with a resolute Plan B.

The good thing is, getting a second citizenship has never been easier. Many countries offer citizenship by investment programs. Five Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, along with the Pacific nation of Vanuatu and Turkey, all offer their own route to obtaining citizenship through making an investment.

Getting your second citizenship is quick, simple, and affordable. Investment thresholds start at 100,000 USD, and applicants can obtain their new passports within less than half a year.

You Might Also Like: Grenada Offers The Ultimate "Business Passport" For Global Investors

But there remains one issue that many do not consider, maintaining your second citizenship. Truth be told, that is a simple thing to do, but there are some small mistakes that you should look out for that could result in the revocation of your second citizenship, and this is what we will be discussing today.

What Does Revocation Of Citizenship Mean?

A country can revoke a citizenship, meaning it can withdraw the citizenship from one of its citizens, depending on its internal laws and regulations.

When it comes to a second citizenship, the main issue is criminal activity. Most countries have been extremely vocal in stating that if a person would get their citizenship by investment and then commit a criminal offense, then the government would withdraw their citizenship.

But there are smaller mistakes that people can fall victim to, and here are the main ones you should look out for:

Maintaining your investment?

There are a lot of countries that offer citizenship by investment, and all of these countries, except Vanuatu, offer various investment options. So we will be focusing on those countries in this part.?

One of the most popular investment options is purchasing real estate. But the government requires those who choose to purchase real estate to maintain ownership of it for a specific amount of time.

Related Article: Citizenship by Investment & Wealth Management to Protect Your Family

Dominica requires applicants to hold on to ownership of the property for at least five (5) years before they can sell it, while Turkey requires them to hold on to it for three (3) years.?

Each country has its law, but the premise remains the same. Anyone who sells the property before the holding period is over will have their citizenship revoked.?

Proving Source Of Funds

Anyone applying for citizenship by investment programs will have to undergo due diligence prior to obtaining their second passport. This process maintains the integrity of the program and ensures those becoming citizens are a good fit for the country's population.?

The due diligence process not only checks a person's criminal background but the source of their investment. Make sure the trail of the money you will use to invest is clear and precise and that it will withstand the scrutiny of time.

People Who Read This Article Also Read: Mitigating Risk - How a Second Citizenship Protects Citizens of Unstable Regions

One of the biggest issues, Al Jazeera's Cyprus Papers, a leak of information that put the now suspended Cypriot citizenship by investment program in hot water, was the lack of credible source of funds for many applicants. The Cypriot government has since launched a deep investigation and is now in the process of revoking citizenships.?

Make sure you have a clear paper trail and a clear transfer to the right party when conducting your investment.?

Physical Residence Requirements

Only one country of the group, Antigua & Barbuda, requires you to spend time in the country to maintain your passport. The Caribbean nation requires you to visit the nation for five (5) days after you have become a citizen within the following five (5) years to be able to renew your Antigua passport.

Keep in mind, if you do not spend five (5) days, your citizenship will not be revoked, but you cannot renew your Antiguan passport until you spend those days on Antiguan shores.

Fraudulent intermediaries

Most Citizenship by Investment Programs have a list of approved international agents. Working with one of these agents who has accreditation from the granting government ensures accountability, transparency, and legitimacy.?

However, applying through a company or person who is not a registered agent may open the door for fraudulent applications that can be discovered by the government after a while. This may lead to the revocation of your citizenship and the loss of your investment, so always work with a company that has the required certificates to apply on your behalf.

Getting Second Citizenship & Keeping It

We at Savory & Partners specialize in second citizenship services, we help you and your family quickly and affordably get a second passport. But we also provide comprehensive consultation on what to do after you get your new passport so that you do not fall victim to a simple mistake that you could have easily avoided. All you need to do is contact us today and book a free, comprehensive consultation.

Savory & Partners is an accredited agent for multiple governments where citizenship by investment is offered. Founded in 1797, the agency has evolved from pharmaceuticals to family assets and legacy protection through second citizenship and residency. The company's professional, multinational staff is made up of expert advisors who have guided thousands of clients, including many North African investors, on their journey to find the most suitable CBI program for them. The Savory & Partners team will be happy to answer your enquiries in English, Arabic and French.

For more information, please send an email to contact@savoryandpartners.com. You can also call +971 04 430 1717 or send a WhatsApp message to +971 54 440 2955.
SHANGHAI, Jan. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From January 24 to 27, United Imaging attended Arab Health 2022 in Dubai, UAE with a comprehensive portfolio of sophisticated medical imaging equipment, including: the world's first total-body PET/CT, uEXPLORER; the world's first 75cm, ultra-wide-bore 3.0T MR uMR OMEGA, empowered by new uAIFI Technology; the market-leading 640 slice CT, uCT 960+, equipped with 16cm detectors; the ultra-high-field preclinical 9.4T MR; and the world's first high-performance large animal whole-body PET/CT, uBioEXPLORER.

The conference also marked the signing of a partnership agreement between United Imaging and King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC). Under this agreement, the two organizations will be collaborating in clinical applications research, academic exchange, and talent training to advance the oncology and molecular imaging field and to enhance healthcare delivery in the region.

Dr. Al Zhang, Chairman and CEO of United Imaging Healthcare, said: "We have been developing rapidly in regional markets such as the Middle East and North Africa since our initial rollout there in 2019. Hospitals and industry experts have widely recognized our innovative technologies and products. We are committed to the medical innovation of the future and constantly improving the accessibility of high-end medical equipment and services globally and also to creating more value in the chain of healthcare delivery through close collaboration with universities, hospitals, and research institutions."

KHCC is one of the most influential and well-respected cancer centers in the Middle East and surrounding regions. It is the only specialized cancer center and a pioneer in adult and pediatric oncology research, the largest bone marrow transplant center in the Middle East, and the first JCI-certificated cancer center in developing countries.

Meanwhile, United Imaging also supported Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University) in the signing of a joint memorandum with KHCC. In that agreement, the two leading hospitals will carry out broad range of collaboration in academic research, best clinical practice sharing, as well as personal exchange, etc.

Dr. Jusong Xia, President of International Business at United Imaging Healthcare, highlighted that this cooperation is essential for United Imaging to continue growing in the Middle East market. A network of mutually beneficial partnerships with top tier clinical institutions is important to achieving United Imaging's mission of "bringing equal healthcare for all" globally, he added.

Expanding in the Middle East, accelerating globally

The Middle East region is an integral part of United Imaging's global presence. Back in 2019, United Imaging set up a regional headquarters in Dubai, with an experienced local Marketing and after-sales team to meet customers' needs. Growing number of United Imaging's equipment including PET/CT, CT, MR, and DR have been installed in top hospitals and clinical institutions in Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and more. Partners include Wits Donald Gordon Molecular Imaging in South Africa, Al Tahra Radiology Center (TRC), one of Egypt's four major radiology centers, and American Hospital Dubai, one of the best private general hospitals in the UAE and ME region.

During Arab Health, United Imaging also strengthened its partnership with Fora S.p.A, a leading provider of outsourced diagnostic and therapy services to hospitals in Italy, and Tengri LLC from Kazakhstan, to accelerate market development in west Europe and Central Asia.

So far, over 17,000 United Imaging products are now in clinical service in over 8,600 hospitals and research institutions in 44 countries and regions worldwide, including China, the U.S., the Middle East, Europe, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. The company has also set up extensive collaborations with many world-renowned clinical and scientific research institutions. One outstanding example is the cooperation with Yale University in developing an advanced neuro PET/CT for the BRAIN Initiative, a significant National Institute of Health (NIH) project. In addition, collaborating with Washington University in St. Louis, United Imaging has been advancing the speed of MR cardiac scanning, post-processing, imaging diagnosis based on our 1.5T MR empowered by AI. Another example comes from the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas for molecular imaging research in the cardiac field based on our PET/CT.

Several "World's first" debuted at Arab Health

The world's first total-body PET/CT, uEXPLORER, is an ultra-high-resolution digital PET/CT with a 194cm axial PET field of view (FOV) that enables the whole body to be scanned in one bed position. The system offers total-body dynamic scanning, allows ultra-low patient dose, and produces ultra-high image resolution, changing how whole-body PET/CT imaging has traditionally been performed.

The uMR OMEGA is the world's first 75cm, ultra-wide-bore 3T MR, designed to break traditional boundaries without compromising image quality. The unprecedented ultra-wide bore is offered not just for improving the patient experience, but also for MRI simulation for radiotherapy planning or intraoperative MRI. Combined with uAIFI Technology Platform, it enables fast and accurate examinations.

The uAIFI Technology Platform focuses on the application of intelligent sensors, advanced chips, and artificial intelligence technology. It also enables the seamless fusion of the MRI hardware advancement with software design throughout the entire imaging acquisition chain, breaking traditional data silos and establishing a foundation for continued innovation over time.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1735980/DSC00468.jpg
On January 8, 2022, local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid jointly met the press in Male.

Wang Yi said, I'm pleased to meet again with my old friend Foreign Minister Shahid. Today we jointly launched the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Maldives and released the official logo for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. During this visit, the two sides also signed a series of cooperation agreements, including mutual visa exemption agreements. The visit achieved fruitful results, which is the best gift for commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Maldives diplomatic relations, and will surely promote the future-oriented comprehensive friendly partnership of cooperation between China and the Maldives in great strides.

Wang Yi said that China has always maintained that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, are equal. Whether in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami, or during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we have always stood together with the Maldivian people, supporting each other with mutual assistance and tiding over difficulties together. China has always supported the Maldives in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, following a development path suited to its national conditions, and pursuing an independent foreign policy. With 50 years' concerted efforts, China-Maldives relations have become a model of friendly exchange, mutual benefit and win-win results between countries.

Wang Yi stressed that as a comprehensive friendly partner of cooperation, China supports the Maldives in accelerating economic and social development and enhancing its capacity for independent development. This is China's original and consistent aspiration and down-to-earth action in conducting cooperation with the Maldives. We have promoted the renovation and expansion project of the Velana International Airport, enabling the Maldivian people to have a modern international airport; we have built the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, which has solved the travel difficulties confronting the Maldivian people for many years and has so far witnessed more than 100 million travels; we have built more than 10,000 residential units for the Maldives, helping tens of thousands of Maldivian families improve their living conditions; we have actively facilitated debt relief and suspension for the Maldives within the framework of the G20, accounting for three-quarters of that in the international community. During this visit, we also decided to carry out a new batch of assistance and cooperation projects with the Maldives to inject impetus into the economic revitalization of the Maldives. Facts have proved that the joint construction of the Maritime Silk Road by China and the Maldives serves the common interests of the two peoples. We are jointly embarking on a road towards hope, prosperity and happiness.

Wang Yi said, at the historical juncture of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, both China and the Maldives agreed that the two countries should maintain a longer-term perspective and broader vision to write a new chapter of mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation between the two countries. China will continue to cooperate with the Maldives in fighting the pandemic and work together to completely defeat the pandemic, accelerate cooperation on key projects to inject momentum into the recovery of key industries in the Maldives, and expand emerging fields of cooperation to help the Maldives in advancing its diversified development strategy. China hopes that the China-Maldives free trade agreement will be ratified and put into effect as soon as possible, so as to create favorable conditions for the Maldives' products and services to enter into the Chinese market.

Wang Yi said that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Maldives in addressing climate change and help small island countries tackle actual difficulties. The two sides should strengthen coordination in international affairs and jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core. China will support Foreign Minister Shahid in successfully performing his duties as the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, so as to make greater contributions to promoting world peace and development.

Wang Yi stressed that future-orientation is the most distinctive feature of China-Maldives comprehensive friendly partnership of cooperation. China is willing to join hands with the Maldives to create a brighter future for China-Maldives relations.
SUVA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese military aircraft left Fiji for China early Saturday morning after delivering more than 30 tons of relief supplies to the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, which was heavily hit by a recent massive volcanic eruption and tsunami.

The two military planes landed in the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa on Friday. They were warmly greeted by the diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Tonga and the representatives from the local Chinese community.

Upon the request of Tonga, the Chinese military dispatched the two Air Force transport aircraft to deliver the relief supplies to the island nation despite adverse conditions such as volcanic ash.

The relief supplies include food, drinking water, water purifiers, tents, prefab houses, tractors and radio communication equipment.

The two Chinese military aircraft left Guangzhou, south China, for Tonga on Thursday and made a stopover in Fiji.

Tsunami waves hit Tonga on Jan. 15 following a series of violent volcanic eruptions from underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, 65 km north of the Tongan capital.

The tsunami had a significant impact on part of the foreshore of Tonga, with boats and large boulders washed ashore and shops along the coast damaged. Three deaths have been confirmed so far. 
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Late into the night, as has become a common sight in Zepu, a town in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Shanlulin night market is bustling with activity.

Abulimit Mehmet's restaurant, opened just two months ago, was crowded with regular and new patrons waiting for a taste of his specialties, particularly spicy chicken and roasted pigeon.

About 200 km away, factories were working at full capacity in an industrial park, where the hum of machines, just like the buzz of the Shanlulin market, merged into the perpetual rumble of China's economic engines.

Guided by Xiconomics, Chinese President Xi Jinping's economic philosophy, China has managed to achieve a robust recovery while effectively containing COVID-19, and thus inject an urgently needed dose of stability and certainty into the struggling world economy.

HARD-WON BALANCE

Last year, in defiance of the great impact of the coronavirus pandemic, China recorded an 8.1-percent growth year on year, outpacing other major economies.

The strong performance resulted, to a large extent, from Beijing's coordinated approach to pandemic response and economic development, which features what is known as a dynamic zero-case policy.

In face of a scourge like COVID-19, no response measures come without any cost. Chinese policymakers believe that saving people's lives outweighs anything else, and also serves as a prerequisite for completely defeating the virus and reviving the economy.

If China were to follow the model of "coexistence with the virus," it would be reporting "hundreds of thousands" of daily new cases "even in a highly underestimated outbreak scenario and under the most optimistic assumptions," according to a study of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The resulting impact on people's lives and economic development would be hard to imagine.

"We should always put people and their lives first, and care about the life, value and dignity of every individual," Xi said at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly last year.

"We need to both follow routine, targeted COVID-19 protocols and take emergency response measures, and both carry out epidemic control and promote economic and social development," he added, expounding China's holistic approach.

The strong domestic measures China has taken to control COVID-19 for the past two years have provided a solid basis to revitalize its economy, said Lawrence Loh, director of the Center for Governance and Sustainability at National University of Singapore.

Official data show that with economic vitality being boosted, more than 28.87 million market entities were newly established last year, marking a year-on-year increase of 15.4 percent, and including tens of thousands of foreign-funded businesses.

"China's high productivity, sophisticated industrial supply chains, and massive domestic market mean that China has and will remain attractive to FDI (foreign direct investment)," said Tommy Wu, a lead economist at Oxford Economics, an Oxford-headquartered think tank.

In the Shanlulin market, Mehmet said he could intuitively feel the warmth of the economic environment. "Business is getting better," he told Xinhua. "I'm thinking about adding some new dishes to the menu."

GLOBAL GROWTH ENGINE

The economic warmth felt by the Xinjiang restaurant owner is actually being observed by many China watchers across the world.

"COVID has created an uncertain world, and therefore any country or supplier which can remove the clouds of uncertainty with the sunlight of certainty is to be welcomed and supported," said John McLean, chair of the Institute of Directors for the City of London.

With its economic engines roaring, China has played a major role in stabilizing and energizing global growth. Unfazed by the undercurrents of isolationism and protectionism, it continues to expand high-standard opening-up and promote international cooperation.

China's foreign trade reached 6.14 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, up 21.4 percent year on year and crossing the 6-trillion-dollar threshold for the first time. Exports rose 21.2 percent, while imports went up 21.5 percent.

In the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, electrical appliance manufacturer Midea Group produces 47 percent of the world's magnetron, securing the pandemic-battered global supply chain for microwave producers such as Panasonic and Bosch.

"Amid the spread of the coronavirus, China is demonstrating abilities to rapidly restore business activities and economic growth," said Yana Leksyutina, a professor at St. Petersburg State University. "With a high rate of economic recovery, China has become a driver of global economic growth."

It will remain so in the time to come. Addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo in November, Xi stressed that China will not change its resolve to open wider at a high standard, will not change its determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world, and will not change its commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

"China stands ready to work with all countries to build an open world economy," he said, "so that the spring breeze of openness will bring warmth to all parts of the world." Enditem

(Xinhua writers Chen Nuo in Xinjiang, Huang Zemin in London, Shi Hao in Moscow and Wu Tao in Guangdong also contributed to the story.)
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Ikpeoha Nkiru Joy from Nigeria performs Peking Opera during a celebration for the Chinese New Year at the Haikou international talent home in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 27, 2022.(Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)

HAIKOU, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Making dumplings, writing Chinese characters, and viewing traditional shows... as the Spring Festival is just around the corner, a special celebration for the Chinese New Year has been held at the international talent home in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province.

About 30 foreigners in the Hainan Free Trade Port enjoyed traditional activities. Wearing a traditional Chinese costume, Ikpeoha Nkiru Joy from Nigeria performed Peking Opera, a highlight of the celebratory event.

"I like Peking Opera because it's cultural and related to Chinese traditions," said Joy, a postgraduate of Hainan University. In 2020, she was picked by her teacher to join a Chinese talent competition for foreigners held in Hainan. It took her about two weeks to learn the Peking Opera under a teacher's guidance.

"I didn't really have the courage to do it at first. But my passion for it made me become more interested in learning it," she said.

"The Chinese Spring Festival, like Christmas in foreign countries, is a time for family and friends to get together, and it's a happy time for everyone," said Joy, adding that the celebratory event was awesome, especially the Chinese art performances such as the flute and Chinese zither.

"We watched different shows, played games, and made food," said Daria Lebedianskaia from Russia.

When making dumplings, Daria taught her 4-year-old daughter how to wrap a dumpling. She said dumplings in Russia are shaped differently and use other flavors.

"Though the flavors are different, I like them both," said Daria, adding that she likes Chinese dumplings filled with chive, meat and eggs best.

Daria has been in Hainan for almost 10 years and now works as the project manager of Hainan College of Economics and Business. Because her husband is Chinese, the family celebrates the Spring Festival each year. "It's a good reason for the family to get together," she said.

The Haikou international talent home, which opened its doors in September 2021, is the brainchild of the Haikou Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs and a local human resource company. Nearly 200 foreign talents have joined the family.

The purpose of the international talent home is to create a platform for foreigners to feel at home, said Pi Jinyu, general manager of Fu'an Talent Human Resources (Hainan). "We provide services and help them alleviate any issues or difficulties, like visa problems or job issues," he said.

In order to better help the foreign talents start their businesses, the talent home offered a business incubation training class lasting for four months. Nearly 20 foreigners from different countries and areas including the United States, Russia and Africa participated in the course, and Joy was one of them.

"The training is the best thing that has happened to me," said Joy, noting it was quite different from what she learned in university.

"The particular training has given me a lot of ideas. It has opened up my thoughts on what to do in the future, how to plan my way, how to plan my life and how to become a better entrepreneur," she said, adding that the Haikou talent home really did a nice job organizing such training for foreigners.

"We hope to make contributions to the construction of the Hainan free trade port in this way, and attract more international talents to work in Hainan," Pi said.

Chen Lanfang, an official with the Haikou Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs, said the talent home will continue to play a better role in introducing foreign talents and boosting exchanges. 

Foreigners make dumplings during a celebration for the Chinese New Year at the Haikou international talent home in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 27, 2022.(Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)
Not long after he began his Ph.D. studies at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York City, Dr. Daniel Blanco-Melo found himself reconstructing the genome of a 30-million-year-old virus.

Just as paleontologists piece together the evolution of ancient life by studying fossils freed from rocks, the young molecular biologist was discovering the history of ancient pathogens from traces of viral genes woven into the DNA of primates, including humans.

Viruses are able to get endogenized. By that, I mean they become part of the genome of the organism they infect. With time, some of these viral sequences were passed from generation to generation until this day, where they are now part of us. Blanco-Melo said.

The virus he reconstructed was part of a line known as human endogenous retroviruses, the genetic remnants of which comprise about 8% of the human genome. Blanco-Melo concluded that this particular virus emerged in ancient monkeys 40 million years ago and faded out some 10 million years later  yet its history can be traced in the DNA of modern human beings.

Now a faculty member at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Blanco-Melo is continuing his exploration of the evolution of viruses and of the immune defenses our bodies have used to protect against these microbial threats.

By observing the history of viral evolution, we are gaining insights on the development of our own antiviral strategies," Blanco-Melo said.

One of his goals is to match our understanding of how viruses evolve with the parallel evolution of antiviral strategies of the immune systems of humans or our ancient primate ancestors.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the number of featured student soloists.

Ten student soloists will be featured at the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30 at the LaSells Stewart Center in Corvallis.

Conductor Marlan Carlson said the hardworking musicians are thrilled at the opportunity to play live music with their friends again.

Music is a social art, and they had to go without that for a year and a half, Carlson said. Theyve just been so happy to get back this fall term.

The ten soloists will get to play along with a full orchestra, of which they are also members, comprised of around 75 students and 25 faculty members and professionals.

To get a chance to play a solo in front of an orchestra is a pretty rare opportunity in any university or school of music, Carlson said.

The inspiration for this program comes from Carlsons days as a student at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He said his favorite event of the year was when a full orchestra would feature soloists, and he wanted to create the same kind of enthusiastic, energetic event during his career as a conductor.

Fewer than half of the soloists are actually music majors; most are engineering or science majors, which Carlson said is part of the philosophy of the OSU Music Department, to welcome, promote and further the enthusiasm of students who are not majoring in music.

Students arent only learning the nuts and bolts of their professions; theyre learning to be good citizens, he said. The schools of music who shut these students out are doing a terrible disservice to our musical culture in the U.S.

Some 60 musicians auditioned in front of the Symphony Society for the featured spots in the program, and most of the ten selected soloists are undergraduate students. Carlson said the society showed no favoritism or seniority when choosing which would be featured.

Its all about who can deliver the goods on any given night, he said.

The soloists are Stephanie Brannan, oboe; Elijah Durbin, clarinet (duet); Jordan Garrett, clarinet (duet); Michael Eclevia, voice; Abrianna Gomez, marimba; Andrea Pauls, cello; Jackson Stiver, trombone; Lisandro Valdez, clarinet; Matthew Zheng, violin; and Andre Zhu, piano.

They are all performing pieces by well-known composers, among them Mozart, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky. The soloists have been working their pieces with Carlson for the past three to six months, although they get only a couple of last-minute rehearsals with the full orchestra.

We have to put these things together in very short order, he said. Its a test of preparedness and resourcefulness.

Patrons will be required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, along with a valid ID, to attend the performance. Tickets are $30 at the door and $26 online, where they are available for purchase at www.cosusymphony.org.

The symphony orchestra will hold a winter concert March 3 and a spring concert May 24.

Joanna Mann covers education for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6076 or Joanna.Mann@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @joanna_mann_.

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A Corvallis man incarcerated since 1999 has died in custody.

William Holdorf, 86, died Friday, Jan. 28, according to a news release from the Oregon DOC. He was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario and died in the infirmary while on hospice care.

Oregon State Police have been notified, according to the news release.

Holdorf came into DOC custody on Oct. 28, 1999. According to Oregons online court database, Holdorf was convicted in Benton County Circuit Court of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object. Additional counts of sodomy, incest and sexual abuse were dismissed.

Holdorfs earliest release date was Nov. 17, 2028.

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BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China will help internet enterprises develop healthily and sustainably by enhancing inter-department coordination and implementing favorable policies, said the country's top cyberspace regulator.

The Cyberspace Administration of China discussed the topic with three government departments and heads of internet enterprises at a seminar on Friday.

The administration will work closely with relevant departments to improve regulation methods and safeguard the rights and interests of the enterprises, said Zhuang Rongwen, head of the administration.

Zhuang said China's internet enterprises have broad prospects for development, and called on all such enterprises to seize opportunities and operate strictly under the law. 
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Imogen Cunningham: A Retrospective

GETTY CENTER

Daily, through June 12

West Pavilion, Lower Level

Free

Get free tickets to the Getty Center

Get free tickets to the Getty Center

Imogen Cunningham (American, 18831976) enjoyed a long career as a photographer, creating a diverse body of work that underscores her vision, versatility, and commitment to the medium. The first major retrospective in the United States in more than 35 years, this exhibition brings together her insightful portraits, elegant flower and plant studies, poignant street pictures, and groundbreaking nudes in a visual celebration of Cunningham's immense contribution to the history of 20th-century photography.

Learn more
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- "I am a foreigner, but I am not an outsider."

These words of Ismail Daurov, a Kazakh student who became a volunteer helping with the local anti-pandemic response in the city of Xi'an in China's Shaanxi Province, were quoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his speech on Tuesday at a virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and five Central Asian countries.

The young Kazakh's words "have touched the hearts of many in China," Xi said, adding, "It is heartwarming episodes like this one that have formed a stirring symphony of China and Central Asian people supporting each other through thick and thin."

Learning that Xi mentioned his name in the monumental event where the heads of state of the six countries met altogether for the first time in 30 years, Daurov said he felt "very honored and very happy."

"I'm deeply moved by the solidarity and friendship of the Chinese people," the young man having been living in China for almost a decade told Xinhua in Chinese.

Daurov's father runs a small acupuncture clinic with some friends in his hometown in Kazakhstan. Witnessing more and more patients being cured with traditional Chinese medicine, Daurov made up his mind as a little child that he would go to China to study and acquire this expertise.

But things were quite tough for the young student in his early days in a foreign country. Daurov, who has a Chinese name Ma Wenxuan, speaks fluent Chinese, and is now studying for his master's degree in acupuncture and massage at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, once had a difficult time reading ancient Chinese medical texts.

"Those texts, such as Huangdi Neijing, are full of traditional Chinese characters which I am not at all familiar with," Daurov said. "But my Chinese classmates have offered me great help. They turned those traditional Chinese characters into simplified Chinese, and walked me through the text."

Within years, Daurov has not only grown up to be a student who is "studious, patient and meticulous" in the eyes of his tutor Professor Li Yongfeng, but also an enthusiastic young man who has spent much time on local charitable work.

When Xi'an faced a COVID-19 resurgence in December last year, Daurov became one of the first responders, signing up to be a volunteer in a local community to help with nucleic acid tests, maintain public order, and move daily necessities around.

"I was taking a nucleic acid test in my neighborhood and found that there were not many healthcare workers on the scene. Then I thought: I'm a medical student. Why not offer help?" Daurov said.

"Shaanxi is my second hometown. And just as I said, I'm a foreigner, but not an outsider," he said.

Daurov has returned to campus as the latest epidemic wave basically died down in Shaanxi. He has been living a fulfilling life during this winter break, doing clinic with his tutor, having video calls with his parents, reading books in classrooms, and sharing his learning experience with other international students who stayed.

So far, there have been around 80 international students studying in Daurov's university, around 30 percent of them from such Central Asian countries as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

"Both my Chinese friends and my international schoolmates have provided me with much help and more opportunities to experience different cultures and get to know the wider world," he said.

During his speech on Tuesday, Xi noted that China and the five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, have enhanced mutual understanding and affinity through mutual exchanges.

"The 58 pairs of sister cities and the hundreds of thousands of mutual visits every year help carry forward a friendship of over 2,000 years between the people of our countries," Xi said.

"I know President Xi cares much about the communication among youths between China and the five countries in Central Asia," Daurov said, echoing Xi's remarks in the speech that "youth represents the future of a country."

The young Kazakh said he believes many other students from Central Asian countries also see China as their second home, just like him.

"We all love traditional Chinese medicine and are willing to contribute to the friendly exchanges between China and Central Asian countries," he added. 
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, HONG KONG OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN.



Green Energy Group (Seabird Exploration PLC), ("the "Company") has retained Fearnley Securities AS as Bookrunners (the "Managers") to advise on and effect a private placement (the "Private Placement") of new shares, with the intention to raise gross proceeds of between NOK 20 million and NOK 30 million.

The net proceeds to the Company from the Private Placement will be applied towards working capital requirements related to increasing activities within existing and new business segments, as well as towards general corporate purposes. Certain existing shareholders and members of the Companys Board have pre-committed to subscribe for and be allocated shares totalling NOK 11 million.

The Company has applied for a customary waiver from instalment requirements from its bank under its bank facility, and is, based on previous practice, expecting a positive response in due course. The Company is contemplating to sell the Petrel Explorer following interest from several prospective buyers of the vessel. A mandate has been signed with an intermediary to ensure an efficient sales process.

The Private Placement will be directed towards Norwegian and international investors, subject to applicable exemptions from relevant registration, filing and prospectus requirements, and subject to other applicable selling restrictions. The minimum application and allocation amount has been set to the NOK equivalent of EUR 100,000. The Company may however, at its sole discretion, allocate amounts below EUR 100,000 to the extent exemptions from the prospectus requirements in accordance with applicable regulations, including the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and the prospectus regulation 2017/119 and ancillary regulations, are available.

The offer price in the Private Placement will be determined by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") following an accelerated bookbuilding process. The bookbuilding and application period for the Private Placement commences today, on 13 January 2022 at 16:30 CEST, and is expected to close no later than 14 January 2022 at 08:00 CEST. The Company, after consultation with the Managers, reserves the right to at any time and in its sole discretion close or extend the application period. If the bookbuilding is shortened or extended, the other dates referred to herein may be changed correspondingly.

Allocation of the shares in the Private Placement will be determined after the expiry of the bookbuilding period, and the final allocation will be made by the Board at its sole discretion, following advice from the Managers. DVP settlement will be facilitated by existing and unencumbered shares in the Company being borrowed by Fearnley Securities AS from certain existing shareholders pursuant to a share lending agreement between such parties and the Company, meaning that shares so settled will be tradable from allocation. The Managers will settle the share loan with new shares in the Company to be issued by a resolution of the Board.

Completion of the Private Placement is subject to the corporate resolutions of the Company required to implement the Private Placement, including a resolution of the Board to proceed with the Private Placement following the expiry of the bookbuilding period and to increase the share capital of the Company.

The Company has considered the Private Placement in light of the equal treatment obligations under the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and Oslo Brs' Circular no. 2/2014 and is of the opinion that the waiver of the preferential rights inherent in a private placement, taking into consideration the time, costs and risk of alternative methods of the securing the desired funding, is in the common interest of the shareholders of the Company. Subject to completion of the Private Placement and depending on the results of the bookbuilding, the Board of Directors of the Company will consider to carry out a subsequent offering directed towards existing shareholders in the Company as of the end of trading today, 13 January 2022 (and as registered in the VPS as of the end of 17 January 2022) who are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful, or would (in jurisdictions other than Norway) require any prospectus filing, registration or similar action who were not allocated shares in the Private Placement (the "Subsequent Offering"). The subscription price in a potential Subsequent Offering will be equal to the subscription price in the Private Placement.

For more information, please contact:

Erik von Krogh

CFO

Tel:: + 47 930 38 075

E-mail: erik.von.krogh@sbexp.com

This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Important information:

The release is not for publication or distribution, in whole or in part directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia). This release is an announcement issued pursuant to legal information obligations, and is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. It is issued for information purposes only, and does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities, in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.

The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in the Company is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither the Company nor the Managers assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.

The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The Managers are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release.

Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.




Lima, Jan. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lima, PERU, January 28, 2022  Credicorp Ltd. announces to its shareholders and the market that its 4Q21 Earnings Release Report will be released on Monday February 07, 2022 after market close.



Credicorps Webcast / Conference Call to discuss such results, will be held on Tuesday February 08, 2022 at 9:30 am ET (9:30 am Lima, Peru time).

The call will be host by: Gianfranco Ferrari - CEO, Cesar Rios - Chief Financial Officer, Francesca Raffo  Chief Innovation Officer, Reynaldo Llosa - Chief Risk Officer, Diego Cavero - Head of Universal Banking, Cesar Rivera - Head of Insurance and Pensions and Investor Relations Team.

We encourage participants to pre-register for the listen-only webcast presentation using the following link:

https://dpregister.com/sreg/10163110/f0c1ec1a46

Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

Those unable to pre-register may dial in by calling:

1 844 763 8274 Participant dial in (toll free)

1 412 717 9224 Participant international dial in

Conference ID: Credicorp Conference Call

The webcast will be archived for one year on our investor relations website at:

https://credicorp.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations/upcoming-events

Credicorp reminds you that we filed our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31st, 2020 (2020 Form 20-F) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30th, 2021. The 2020 Form 20-F includes audited consolidated financial statements of Credicorp and its subsidiaries as of December 31st, 2019 and 2020 and for the years ended December 31st, 2018, 2019 and 2020 under IFRS. Our 2020 Form 20-F can be downloaded from Credicorps website: https://credicorp.gcs-web.com. Holders of Credicorps securities and any other interested parties may request a hard copy of our 2020 Form 20-F, free of charge, by filling out the form located on the link mail request on Credicorps website.





About Credicorp

Credicorp Ltd. (NYSE: BAP) is the leading financial services holding company in Peru with presence in Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Credicorp has a diversified business portfolio organized into four lines of business: Universal Banking, through Banco de Credito del Peru  BCP and Banco de Credito de Bolivia; Microfinance, through Mibanco in Peru and Colombia; Insurance & Pension Funds, through Grupo Pacifico and Prima AFP; and Investment Banking & Wealth Management, through Credicorp Capital, Wealth Management at BCP and Atlantic Security Bank.

For further information please contact the IR team:

investorrelations@credicorpperu.com

Investor Relations

Credicorp Ltd.





Attachment




HOUSTON, Jan. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

2021 Tax Characterization of Distributions

KA Fund Advisors, LLC (Kayne Anderson), which serves as the adviser to Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KYN) and Kayne Anderson NextGen Energy & Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE: KMF) announced today the tax characterization of 2021 distributions to stockholders.

KYN

Common Shares KMF

Common Shares Ordinary dividends - - Qualified dividends - - Capital gains distributions - - Nondividend distributions (return of capital) 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %

Additional information regarding the tax characterization of KYNs and KMFs 2021 distributions is available at www.kaynefunds.com.

2021 Annual Reports

Kayne Anderson also announced that copies of KYN and KMFs annual report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2021, are available online at www.kaynefunds.com . To request a hard copy of these reports, free of charge, please call 877-657-3863 or email cef@kaynecapital.com .

This information is provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute, and should not be construed as, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice and cannot be used or relied upon for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties. Investors should consult their tax adviser or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation.

Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KYN) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whose common stock is traded on the NYSE. The company's investment objective is to provide a high after-tax total return with an emphasis on making cash distributions to stockholders. KYN intends to achieve this objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in securities of Energy Infrastructure Companies. See Glossary of Key Terms in the company's most recent quarterly report for a description of these investment categories and the meaning of capitalized terms.

Kayne Anderson NextGen Energy & Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE: KMF) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whose common stock is traded on the NYSE. The fund's investment objective is to provide a high level of total return with an emphasis on making cash distributions to its stockholders. KMF seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in securities of Energy Companies and Infrastructure Companies. The fund anticipates that the majority of its investments will consist of investments in" NextGen" companies, which we define as Energy Companies and Infrastructure Companies that are meaningfully participating in or benefitting from the Energy Transition. See Glossary of Key Terms in the fund's most recent quarterly report for a description of these investment categories and the meaning of capitalized terms.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale is not permitted. Nothing contained in this press release is intended to recommend any investment policy or investment strategy or consider any investor's specific objectives or circumstances. Please consult with your investment, tax, or legal adviser regarding your individual circumstances before investing.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This communication contains statements reflecting assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, or beliefs about future events. These and other statements not relating strictly to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties. These risks include but are not limited to changes in economic and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; energy industry risk; leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; and other risks discussed in detail in the company's filings with the SEC, available at www.kaynefunds.com or www.sec.gov. Actual events could differ materially from these statements or our present expectations or projections. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Kayne Anderson undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the company's investment objectives will be attained.
Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows Xiaowandong railway station on the bank of the Lancang River in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

KUNMING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Xiaowandong railway station of Dali-Lincang Railway will serve passengers during the Spring Festival travel rush for the first time this year. The station, surrounded by mountains, canyons and rivers, is located on the bank of the Lancang River in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, about 80 kilometers from downtown Nanjian. Due to the complex terrain, half of the station is built in Xinhua Tunnel and the other half is built on Lancang River grand bridge.

The railway station was put into operation last November, benefiting the life of people living nearby. The establishment of the station improves the convenience for people in medical treatment, education and employment; while also activates the transportation between the surrounding area and the outside, boosting the rural revitalization of the area.

A high-speed train passes by Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Passengers wait to board a train at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A staff member adorns a window with Spring Festival decorations at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A staff member gives festive decorations to passengers as presents at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A passenger shows his health-tracking code on a mobile phone at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Passengers go through ticket gates at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Passengers board a train at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A staff member (R) guides passengers to board the train at Xiaowandong railway station in Xiaowandong Township of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Produced by Xinhua Global Service


TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnviroGold Global Limited (CSE: NVRO | OTCQB: RGOZF | FSE: YGK) (EnviroGold Global or the Company), a Clean Technology Company accelerating the worlds transition to a circular-resource economy through the production of Metals Without Mining, is now covered by Red Cloud Securities Inc (Red Cloud). Red Cloud Mining Analyst Koby Kushner, P.Eng, initiated coverage of EnviroGold Global on January 27, 2022 with a Buy (S) rating and a target price of C$ 0.70/share.



The initiating report, titled One Mines Trash is EnviroGolds Treasure, is available via Red Cloud Securities at the following link: https://bit.ly/RedCloudReportLink

Red Cloud is a registered Investment Dealer in all Canadian Provinces and Territories and is a member of the Investment Industry Organization of Canada (IIROC). Red Clouds Research Division offers extensive junior mining coverage with research on 90+ companies across all key metal sectors.

Any opinions, estimates or forecasts regarding the performance of EnviroGold Global and its management made by Red Cloud are theirs alone and do not represent the opinions, estimates or forecasts of EnviroGold Global or its management. EnviroGold Global does not by this announcement or otherwise, imply that the Company endorses, analyzes or approves of such information, conclusions, or recommendations.

Analyst: Koby Kushner, P.Eng | Mining Analyst

Firm Contact: research@redcloudsecurities.com

Firm Website: https://redcloudfs.com/research-home/

About EnviroGold Global

EnviroGold Global (CSE: NVRO) (OTCQB: RGOZF) (FSE: YGK), is a Clean Technology company dedicated to creating shareholder value while establishing ESG & circular economy leadership by profitably reprocessing & remediating mine waste (tailings) to recover precious, critical & strategic metals  including gold, silver, copper & nickel. Led by CEO Dr. Mark Thorpe, the Company is strategically positioned to earn and maintain social license while capitalizing the estimated US$ 3.4 trillion of in situ metal value in global tailings. Dr. Thorpe is also the Chairman of the Canadian Mining Innovation Council.

The Companys commercial strategy involves identifying, qualifying and developing tailings reprocessing opportunities, generally targeting tailings sites with at least 6M metric tonnes of tailings and gross recoverable metal value of $124/tonne of tailings. The Company has reviewed over 300 global tailings sites to date and through further market segmentation has identified potential targets exceeding US$ 10 billion in gross recoverable metal value.

EnviroGold Global acquires the metal recovery rights to tailings sites by leveraging a profit share business model to create an attractive value proposition for site owners. The Companys low-CAPEX business model is designed to generate high free-cash flow & high target IRR while eliminating the risks of traditional exploration and extraction. The Company expects to produce metals with a carbon footprint up to 96% lower than conventional metal producers while reducing the environmental footprint of legacy mining.

As of January 2022, the Company has 8 Major Projects in its global project pipeline including 1 major project under contract, 1 major project subject to an MOU, and 6 additional major projects at various stages of commercial negotiation and detailed technical/economic review.

The Company expects to commence commercial production of gold, silver & copper in 2022 and is targeting 7 major projects in commercial production by 2025.

Additional information can be found on the Companys website (link) and publicly available corporate presentation (link)

Further Information

Dr. Mark B. Thorpe

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: +1 416 777 6720

Email: mark.thorpe@envirogoldglobal.com

Juan Carlos Giron Jr.

Sr. Vice President

Telephone: +1 416 777 6720

Email: juan.giron@envirogoldglobal.com

Website: www.EnviroGoldGlobal.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, earnings guidance, economic guidance, operational guidance and future capital spending amounts. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements.

Graphical representations included in this news release are approximate representations which may vary from defined regulatory boundaries.

Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, will continue, will occur or will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected terms of the Buchans Project and its completion, the Companys working relationship with the owner(s) of the Buchans tailings, the economic viability of the Buchans Project and statements regarding any residual precious metals as a by-product of the remediation, the Companys expansion of its reprocessing pipeline, and the Companys ability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy. Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Companys ability to continue as a going concern; the continued commercial viability and growth in the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing industry; continued approval of the Companys activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of clean technology and mining waste reprocessing technology; and the continued growth of the Company. 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, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the Companys inability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy, the risks associated with assessing metallurgical recovery rates from mine tailings and waste and related volumetric assessments, the risks associated with the mining and mining waste recycling industry in general; increased competition in the clean technology and waste reprocessing market; the potential unviability of the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing market; incorrect assessment of the value and potential benefits of various transactions; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to clean technology and mining waste reprocessing; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of clean technology and waste reprocessing; and risks relating to the Companys potential inability to expand its reprocessing pipeline.

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 Companys 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.
HANOI, Vietnam, Jan. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VTC Information Technology and Design Academy (VTC Academy) has announced its business performance for three years after securing funding of 3 million USD from Vietnam Investment Group (VIG). In addition, VTC Academy revealed that it plans to raise 20 million USD for its next 5-year development plan.



Over three years, VTC Academy has received full support from VIG for the establishment of three branches in the two most dynamic cities in Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. VTC Academy has mainly focused on building a high-quality professional team that develops various academic programs according to the strictest recruiting standards. Therefore, those professionals play a critical role in R&D and are one of the key pillars at VTC Academy. In addition, a large international education partner network has differentiated VTC Academy from other institutions in Vietnam, resulting in its superior academic standards and the reputation. Furthermore, the academy has equipped a range of modern learning facilities and resources for excellent support for all students here.

Mr. Hoang Viet Tan  CEO at VTC Academy shared: Vietnam has been experiencing an explosion in demand for human resources in Tech, Design and Digital Marketing sectors. The Covid-19 pandemic has become one of a crucial driving force, stimulating the growth of technology-based human resources across Asia and around the world, including Vietnam. Despite having a unique mindset and eagerness to adopt new technology trends, Vietnamese youngsters need to be equipped with adequate knowledge and competency, sharpen their creativity, learn how to apply the technology to meet the increasing demands of the domestic and regional market.

For the last two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has exerted an adverse impact on most of the service companies and educational organizations in Vietnam, several of them even had to shut down or go bankrupt. VTC Academy, on the other hand, has proved its agility, adaptability, flexibility, and capacity by consistently coming up with innovative solutions that have resulted in revenue and enrollment growth of up to 200% each year over the previous 3 years.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2c6d0d5a-45d0-4ee2-8e4d-9189da39f1f0
ISTANBUL, Jan. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tourism related to culture and health is growing fast across global markets in recent years. And so Turkey continues investing millions of dollars to support the increase in this demand with long-term strategies. Istanbul, the historical and cultural capital of Turkey, is already working very hard to place on top of this race and has recently become one of the top five most visited cities for a cultural and medical trip.

The city continues to be a magnet for those who want to spend a fantastic city vacation, as well as receive medical treatment before heading back home in a replenished and healthy way. Regarding the minimum wage, cost of living, accommodation, rental, utility and management costs in 2022, the city can be considered as one of the lowest ones when compared to the UK, EU or U.S., and a superb destination for a visit.

Istanbeautiful.com here inspires visitors and provides up-to-date and key-information on what to do and where to go for both enjoying the unique experiences and getting the best medical treatments that the city offers.

About Istanbul

Istanbul is a magical city to enjoy the combination of an old and modern city, as well as the Islamic and Mediterranean mixture of cultures in a captivating atmosphere. The Hagia Sophia (8th wonder of the world), Topkapi Palace (one of the world's richest museums), and Bosphorus cruise will definitely cheer up people's hearts.

Istanbul is also a leading global destination and medical tourism center in Europe and Asia for its excellent location, world-class hospitals, world-renowned and board-certified surgeons, excellent service with very reasonable prices, as well as quality hotels, easy transportation and tourism opportunities. Medical tourists visit Istanbul especially for rhinoplasty, body aesthetics, dental treatments, bariatric surgery, neurological, oncological, and orthopedic treatments, and hair transplant in Turkey.

About Istanbeautiful.com

Established in 2011, the istanbeautiful.com is a comprehensive travel guide to Istanbul, contributing the city's tourism with its team and fellows of Istanbul locals, expats and world travelers. The website's motto is "Your Go-See-Do-Heal Advisor in Istanbul", and it gives practical information and honest advice to make its visitors get around the city like a local.

For those who are looking for things to do in the city, including top attractions, sights, hidden gems, the best time to visit, how to budget and cost of visit and living advice, as well as recommendations for top clinics and surgeons for the top cosmetic procedures to make Istanbul visit run smoothly, please see 'Going Out' and 'Medical Tourism' sections of the website.

Media Contacts

Email: info@istanbeautiful.com

Social Links

Instagram - @istanbeautiful34

Related Images











Image 1: Bosphorus yacht cruise





Istanbul bosphorus cruise on a private yacht









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's visit to Egypt, the first by an Algerian president in 14 years, has helped set the agenda for the upcoming Arab League Summit hosted by Algeria, according to analysts.

During the meeting between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Algerian counterpart on Tuesday, they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral political, economic, and commercial relations, regional issues such as the situations in Libya, Syria and Palestine, and terrorism in Africa and the Arab world, according to a statement released by Egypt's presidency.

"Both sides agreed on activating the mechanism of unified Arab action and maintaining Arab national security in view of common regional challenges," the statement read.

Tebboune's visit, according to Tariq Fahmy, a political science professor at Cairo University, will help coordinate efforts to resolve Arab issues ahead of the Arab League summit, which is scheduled for March 22 in Algiers but has been reportedly delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Egyptian expert sees Egypt and Algeria as regional and Arab heavyweights and believes that their active cooperation will help their fight against a number of regional threats.

"Algeria wants the summit to be a success and consultations with Arab powers are important," Fahmy said.

"During his visit to Cairo, President Tebboune aimed to seek Egypt's support for increasing the level of participation in the summit, particularly from Arab Gulf states whose presence might have an impact on the summit's success," he added.

"The Algerian president seeks top-level Gulf representation," said Mohamed Sadiq, chairman of the Arab Center for Political Studies in Cairo.

However, given Algeria's objection to normalizing ties with Israel, the country may have issues with Arab Gulf states and other Arab countries that have signed peace treaties with Israel, Sadiq noted.

Algeria, possibly along with Egypt, also supports the restoration of Syria's membership in the Arab League despite reservations from several Arab countries, which will be a contentious issue at the upcoming Arab summit, he added.

According to Sadiq, the region is facing threats that require a clear and quick response, and therefore joint efforts between Egypt, Algeria and other concerned countries will be important.

Meanwhile, Egypt and Algeria share similar concerns about Libya's security, and both countries continue to provide support for Libya's political path, which will be completed by holding parliamentary and presidential elections, Sadiq told Xinhua.

Egypt and Algeria support peaceful and political solutions to many Arab concerns, as well as the rejection of any threat to Arab national security, he said. 
China's civil aviation sets out roadmap for green development

Xinhua) 15:16, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation industry will seek green and low-carbon development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), per a roadmap issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

This is the first plan on green development for China's civil aviation sector.

It stressed efforts to make civil aviation smarter, low-carbon and resource-efficient to achieve green transformation.

By 2035, the green and low-carbon development system of civil aviation will have been optimized and airport carbon dioxide emissions will have peaked, the roadmap said.

By 2025, the carbon emission intensity of China's civil aviation will continue to decline, the proportion of low-carbon energy consumption will continue to rise and the utilization efficiency of civil aviation resources will improve, it said.

The plan also puts forward eight quantitative predictive indicators for airlines and airports.

China has announced it will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Its the Year of the Tiger and Chinatown restaurants are looking to claw their way back.

After two years of misery and dismal sales due to anti-Asian crime and a raging pandemic, business owners are hoping Chinese New Year on Tuesday will be the turning point when Chinatown gets back its roar.

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Wellington Chen, executive director of Chinatowns Business Improvement District, which represents more than 1,400 street-level businesses in Manhattans Chinatown, is hopeful for the new year under the sign of the Tiger which, to the Chinese, symbolizes making big changes and taking risks.

New restaurants are opening up, he told the Daily News. These are the merchants willing to take the long view. We will emerge stronger.

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Uncle Lou is a new eatery on Mott St. in Manhattans Chinatown. (Ginnie Teo/New York Daily News)

Hard hit by the pandemic and anti-Asian sentiment fueled in part by the incendiary rhetoric of former President Donald Trump, who called COVID-19 the China virus, business plunged to almost nonexistent levels in 2020.

Where international tourists and visitors from the tristate area would drive to lower Manhattan for a meal and groceries, Chinatown now sees vacant storefronts, quiet streets and empty dining halls. Where office workers from the courthouses and Financial District would frequent restaurants for a quick lunch, eateries now rely on spotty takeout orders and their small pool of regulars. Where lower Manhattan used to be a quick  and safe  subway ride away for people in the other boroughs, a 40% drop in ridership meant zero late-night diners and the disappearance of multi-generational families venturing to the area for a bite.

Fried red snapper in sweet and sour sauce served at Uncle Lou. (Ginnie Teo/New York Daily News)

At least 17 restaurants and 139 ground-floor stores in Chinatown have permanently closed, according to Chen, citing 2021 BID figures. A more recent count puts the vacancy rate at 15%, with 241 out of 1,600 ground-floor commercial spaces unoccupied, Chen added.

Notable closures during the pandemic was the 800-seat dim sum hall Jing Fong on Elizabeth St., which closed in 2020, leaving its loyal customer base devastated. The closure of the East Broadway Mall under the Manhattan Bridge left a void among elderly shoppers who frequented the popular burrow of small businesses.

Family-owned bakery Lung Moon on Mulberry St., loved for its egg-custard tarts, shuttered in 2020, while dim sum mainstay Hop Shing on Chatham Square gave up its lease.

Johnny Mui, owner of Hop Lee restaurant. (Ginnie Teo/New York Daily News)

The struggle for these merchants, said Chen, is that they are getting far fewer customers and their costs have risen dramatically.

A survey of 35 business owners in 2021 by Welcome to Chinatown  a nonprofit organization founded in 2021 to address the needs of the community and the many non-English-speaking entrepreneurs  found that 85% saw their business decline by more than half, while 71% said they were unable to pay their rent in full.

Johnny Mui, owner of Hop Lee Kitchen on Mott St., is worried.

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When omicron hit, oh goodness, business fell to 30%. The last month, we didnt even get a single phone call. Some nights we didnt get a single customer, he told The News in Cantonese.

[ Here are some ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year ]

Business at Malaysian restaurant Nyonya has fallen 60% compared to 2019, owner Cindy Lim said. People call us to make reservations, we tell them no need for reservations, just come. Therere always tables available now.

The Grand St. eatery, famous for its roti canai, an Indian Muslim-influenced flatbread, saw only one walk-in customer during lunch, when the 132-seater restaurant would usually be packed to the gills.

Now all the offices are closed, people think the subway isnt safe, everyone is working from home and they are cooking at home, Lim explained.

Vic Lee, co-founder of Welcome to Chinatown nonprofit organization. (Ginnie Teo/New York Daily News)

The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the city has also led to fewer elderly Chinese folk leaving their homes, said restaurant owners, who noted that its mostly younger people dining out now. In May 2021, a 55-year-old Asian woman was punched in the face as she walked along Bayard St., while in April, a woman slapped a 25-year-old Chinese woman for no reason.

Our Chinatown: State of Neighborhood Small Businesses Survey found that 83% of respondents reduced business hours, Welcome to Chinatowns founder Vic Lee said. Some of this is due to anti-Asian hate  business owners are concerned about safety and opt to close earlier.

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Hop Lee, whose specialty is steamed lobster, has had to slash its staff numbers by half and cut its hours by closing on weeknights and Sundays.

Supply chain issues have exacerbated the problems, Hop Lees Mui added.

Prices have gone up, Mui said. A can of oil, 25 pounds, used to cost $26. Now its $52. We have to use oil in restaurants. There are also supply problems. Sometimes we order 20 cases of tofu, were only able to get five cases. Its not enough.

Yuen Seng Liew is a waiter at Nyonya restaurant on Grand St. (Ginnie Teo/New York Daily News)

Unwilling to raise their menu prices, Mui said hes had to improvise instead  he wont offer lobster when his costs are high or will pause on certain items if they faced any shortages. And at Nyonya, you cant get a Tiger beer for the Year of the Tiger as the popular brew from Singapore has not been delivered for the last nine months.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Lee misses the Chinatown of old.

Were still seeing shortened hours. Back before COVID, so many spots would be open till 1 in the morning, Lee said. Now before 10, we have to think of what restaurants are still open. Chinatown is much quieter at night.

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See ways to celebrate Chinese New Year in NYC

The BIDs Chen is hoping things will turn around with the new year, citing at least five businesses that have opened in the last month, including the Yu and Me bookstore on Mulberry St., Dim Sum Palace on Chatham Square and the restaurant Uncle Lou on Mulberry.

Louis Wong, 63, is taking a chance on the community hes called home for 30 years. He used to run a wireless phone business at the shuttered East Broadway Mall. He closed the shop in 2020 and after a year spent bored at home, he decided to open Uncle Lou restaurant, which serves Cantonese dishes like fried red snapper in sweet and sour sauce.

The 2,000 square-foot space which can sit 70 diners opened on Dec. 23, to the relief of the community who missed the Chinatown veteran who sold them cellphones and whom everyone called Uncle Lou.

Im happy. Even though its tough times, we will work hard, Wong said. Chinatown will bounce back.
Magna continues its growth in electrification with secondary eDrive systems hitting the market in Asia, Europe and North America on Volkswagens MEB platform. The HASCO Magna Electric Drive Systems Co., Ltd. (HME) team in China has started high-volume serial production of secondary eDrive systems for the Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover, one of the automakers vehicles on the MEB platform.

The system integrates an induction-type e-motor, an integrated single-speed gearbox, a high-voltage inverter and the corresponding software and controls. It also provides 80 kW of peak power to the front wheels and features best-in-class drag torque, which optimizes efficiency.





HME is the global supplier of secondary eDrives for Volkswagens all-wheel drive MEB models with power greater than 185 kW. The highly integrated eDrive system is specifically optimized for secondary eDrives for electrified vehicles.

The system was designed using Magnas fully integrated, modular and scalable building block approach, resulting in a cost-efficient and highly advanced product that meets the various demands for global application. It is one of many eDrive products in Magnas portfolio that covers power ranges up to 250 kW for all vehicle types.
Union Pacific Railroad plans to purchase 20 battery-electric locomotives for testing in yard operations. The combined purchases and upgrades to yard infrastructure are expected to exceed $100 million, representing the largest investment in battery-electric technology by a US Class I railroad.

The locomotives will be acquired from Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, and Wabtec Corporation, two companies at the forefront of locomotive innovation, and will be the worlds largest carrier-owned battery-electric locomotive fleet in freight service.

Union Pacific anticipates the first units will arrive on site in late 2023 with complete delivery by late 2024. The locomotives will be used in rail yards in California and Nebraska, where they will be tested for performance in cold and warm weather, helping identify the locomotives capabilities and challenges for broader deployment.

For every 10 battery-electric locomotives used, approximately 4,000 tons of carbon will be eliminated annually, the equivalent of removing 800 cars from the highway. By working with the locomotive manufacturers in this test phase, Union Pacific hopes to advance battery-electric technology development and evaluate its potential deployment in long-haul service.

Union Pacific published its first comprehensive Climate Action Plan in December 2021, outlining its efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within its operations. As part of that commitment, Union Pacific will reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 26% by 2030 and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

As it works toward its goals, Union Pacific is collaborating with community partners. The Port of Los Angeles, which recently received a Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency, awarded Union Pacific a subaward that will partially cover the cost of one battery-electric locomotive.
The Green River City Council approved a grant that would allow the Green River Police Department to place two officers on the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations Southwest Drug Enforcement Team.

The grant, a sub-contract award, comes from federal funds allocated through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Generally, only one position on the enforcement team is available for the police department. According to Council documents, staff changes at the Sweetwater County Sheriffs Office resulted in a second position opening up. Green River Police Chief Tom Jarvie sa...
Green River Police Department reports for Jan. 11

At 7:26 a.m., officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Indian Hills Drive. Officers met with the resident and advised of the noise complaint. Officers issued a verbal warning and completed a report of the incident.

At 11:42 a.m., officers responded to a report of a subject removal at Smiths. Officers met with the store manager who requested an individual be removed from the property and issued a trespass warning. Officers met with the individual, issued the trespass warning, and completed a report of the incident.

At 1:31 p.m....
The deer population within Green River appears to be stable according to a recent survey of deer.

Police chief Tom Jarvie said several officers and volunteers conducted a visual count last Thursday morning throughout the eight sections of the city.

While the deer count this year was lower than the last couple of years, there were some notable changes in where the deer were located.

There were significantly fewer deer found in the Hutton Heights area than previous years and significantly more in the area that included Pioneer Park, with volunteers county 20 deer within the mobile home park...
A Prohibition-era photograph of Railroad Avenue in Green River. At right is the First National Bank, next door to the Candy Kitchen. Prior to Prohibition and once again after its repeal, the Candy Kitchen was the Green Gander Bar, which remains open today.

A Depression-era April Fool's Day bank robbery in Green River and the chain of events that followed it are the subject of a new article on WyoHistory.org.

Early on the afternoon of Saturday, April 1, 1933, 29-year-old cashier Ed Taliaferro had just locked up the First National Bank on Railroad Avenue when two men rapped at the door. They were there to inquire about a rental property managed by the bank, they said. When Taliaferro let them in, one of them produced a gun and the pair forced him into the bank's vault, where they tied him up and helped themselves to just under $20,000 in cash...
CASPER  Former Wyoming Speaker of the House Tom Lubnau and 15 others are suing Gov. Mark Gordon, the Wyoming Republican Party, the partys chairman and the Wyoming Republican State Central Committee over the recent state superintendent selection process.

The complaint, filed Tuesday in federal court, claims that the process of selecting the superintendent spot left vacant by Jillian Balows resignation is unconstitutional because a political partys central committee  which is made up of one county chairman, one county committeeman and one county committeewoman  is responsib...
A former teacher from Kansas became a rare female combat leader in the Islamic State, teaching other women and children to use guns and bombs, federal prosecutors said in a case unsealed Friday night.

Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, was charged with material support for terrorism in 2019 but was brought to the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday evening after a recent arrest in Syria.

She led an Islamic State military battalion, tried to plan a terrorist attack on an American college campus, and taught and translated extremist doctrine, prosecutors say.

Women make up only about 10% of those charged by the United States with supporting the Islamic State, and no previous case has involved someone accused of holding such a powerful position in the group. Experts have debated how large a role women played in armed conflict on behalf of the Islamic State. Although the group enforced strict gender codes, violence by women was never banned. When its territory in Iraq and Syria came under attack 2016 and 2017, leaders explicitly encouraged women to take up arms.

Fluke-Ekren was a key part of that effort, prosecutors contend.

"Fluke-Ekren translated her extremist beliefs into action by serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an Islamic State military battalion, directly training women and children in the use of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts to support the Islamic State's murderous aims," wrote First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh in a detention memo.

According to the court record, Fluke-Ekren left the United States in 2008 for Egypt; she migrated to Libya in 2011 and then Syria a year later, where she hoped to join a violent Islamist movement. Authorities say her husband traveled with her and became a sniper trainer for the Islamic State; he later died in an airstrike and is not named in court records.

In 2014, he designed a plan to plant explosives at a U.S. college in retaliation for an airstrike, an alleged witness told authorities. The plan was approved by Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to prosecutors, but never came to fruition after Fluke-Ekren became pregnant.

She also allegedly hosted new Islamic State recruits; witnesses told authorities they were struck by how many assault rifles were in her home. According to the criminal complaint, one saw her child holding a machine gun when he was 5 or 6 years old.

After the husband she traveled with died, Fluke-Ekren married a drone expert, who also died. Her next husband was a prominent military leader responsible for the defense of Raqqa, prosecutors said. It was after their marriage, according to the government, that the city's Islamic State-appointed leader approved the creation of a female military battalion and made Fluke-Ekren its leader. She is accused of helping the women prepare for a coming siege of Raqqa by Kurdish forces in 2017 with training in martial arts, driving cars armed with explosive devices, and packing "go bags" of rifles and other weapons. Witnesses describe her as fluent in Arabic, English, Spanish and Turkish.

In 2018, according to prosecutors, she sought to evade capture by U.S. authorities by arranging for a message to be sent to her family in the United States claiming she was dead. At the same time she said she intended to die as a martyr for the Islamic State, prosecutors said.

Devorah Margolin, who studies the role of women in violent Islamic movements at George Washington University, said the case is unique. Fluke-Ekren is only the third American woman who has been repatriated to be charged with joining the Islamic State, and none of the others are described as having such a prominent role.

Under the Islamic State, "the ideal space for women is in the private sphere, in the home," Margolin said. But exceptions were made, particularly for foreign women married to high-ranking fighters.

"A lot of these women are just as bloodthirsty and lustful for this violence and adventure as the men," Margolin said. Under Islamic State doctrine, "when lands are under attack it becomes an individual duty for all to participate, including women."

The prosecution's witnesses against Fluke-Ekren included a paid foreign government source, detainees in prison camps for Islamic State members and a person convicted in the United States, according to the court record. Thousands of women from the Islamic State were held in a detention camp in Northeast Syria, where some were killed by the most radical detainees for failing to adhere to the rules of the Islamic State.

Fluke-Ekren is set to appear in federal court in Alexandria on Monday, when she will be appointed an attorney. Family members could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

- - -

The Washington Post's Alice Crites, Spencer S. Hsu and Souad Mekhennet contributed to this report.
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GREENWICH  Greenwich High School Principal Ralph Mayo doesnt mince words when asked about social studies teacher Kathy Mendez.

Kathy Mendez is probably one of the most amazing individuals I have ever worked with in Greenwich Public Schools, he said. She is always doing something.

While Mayo is quick to say he has worked with many amazing individuals in his decades with the school system, it would be tough to argue with his assessment of one of his busiest teachers.

Since joining the GHS staff in 2008, the 20-year veteran teacher has helped to build the highly successful Innovation Lab program, founded a popular Roots and Shoots Club at the school and led the annual Thanksgiving food drive, cheering on the students as they delivered holiday meals with all the trimmings to 100 local families this fall.

When the COVID-19 pandemic meant the students couldnt make the Thanksgiving deliveries in 2020, she helped the kids and the community raise $20,000 for the cause, Mayo said.

Its all coming from her, she said. The kids in the club? They definitely emulate her.

Mendez started her teaching career in Michigan in 2001 and said shes always been inspired by one of the worlds most famous advocates for children  beloved TV host Fred Rogers. Given that we all have only one life to live, she said, she strives to make a difference each day.

You have to do the best you can with what youre given, said Mendez, who has two children with her husband, a Stamford music teacher.

Mendez was one of the builders of the Innovation Lab at GHS, a project-based education program that works on a school-within-a-school model. Focused on the overarching vision of honing each students skills upon graduation, the program is taught by a team, allowing students to recognize connections across traditional curricular areas.

For instance, she co-teaches courses that combine social studies and English for a more holistic approach that leads to student presentations to demonstrate mastery.

Its more collaborative than competitive, Mendez said.

All the teachers involved provide the framework for the Innovation Lab, but Mendez stands out, sophomore Lara Olmsted said.

She cares, not just about how our grades are or what comma we missed on an essay, but about each and every one of her students as a person, she said. InLab took me from a kid who seemed to have an aversion to homework and viewed school as optional to someone who enjoyed learning.

Inspired by another lifelong role model, the primate expert and conservationist Jane Goodall, Mendez helped GHS students form a Roots and Shoots Club. A global program, Roots and Shoots promotes youth-driven community service through animal-, people- and environment-focused projects.

At GHS, five student leaders head up club committees; larger events can incorporate 30 or more students and biweekly meetings.

The GHS group spearheads the Thanksgiving food drive and has sent students to present at the United Nations. They supported animal adoption programs and recently worked with Sandy Hook Promise in Newtown to sponsor speakers on school safety awareness and being there for fellow students who need them.

The program speaks to the high schools emphasis on fostering compassion traits, Mendez said. While many students are self-motivated and encouraged by their families to succeed, the school also hopes to instill transferrable skills that will serve them well no matter what their futures hold.

Its part of the culture here, she said. We want them to see beyond the four walls of this school.

Mendez said she also likes to meet students where they are, discover their skills and passions, and help them express what they have learned. Innovation Lab incorporates art and a podcast studio to facilitate that.

The kids in this program are risk-takers, so we try to think outside the box, she said.

Whats she up to in her downtime?

Mendez said she and her husband help Archipelago Project, a music education organization that works with disadvantaged children in summer programs across the country.

We dont ever really stop working, Mendez said with a laugh.

The benefits are priceless.

For once, I woke up every day excited to go to school, ready for my next adventure in Innovation Lab, Olmsted said of Mendezs influence. And every day, Ms. Mendez was there to greet me, a perpetual smile on her face and kindness radiating from the moment I walked in the door.
Manhattans Chinatown will greet the Year of the Tiger the only way the community knows how  with pomp and parades.

The Lunar New Year parade, on Saturday, Feb. 12, will see major thoroughfares like Mott St. closed to vehicular traffic  making way for dragons and lions. The street party features all sorts of vendors, food and festivities for all ages. The parade winds its way through the main streets of Little Italy and Chinatown, and festivities start at 1 p.m.

Participants march with a dragon during the Lunar New Year Parade in Manhattan's Chinatown on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. (Craig Ruttle/AP)

Malaysian restaurant Nyonya on Grand St. has a Prosperity Salmon special for $33.88. Performing a prosperity toss for the new year is considered good luck for Chinese people. All diners stand around the raw fish salad dish, using their chopsticks to toss the ingredients into the air, while saying their wishes for the new year out loud. The louder they yell and the higher they toss, the more luck they will supposedly get. Its a rowdy and fun practice that originated in Southeast Asia.

on Grand St. has a Prosperity Salmon special for $33.88. Performing a prosperity toss for the new year is considered good luck for Chinese people. All diners stand around the raw fish salad dish, using their chopsticks to toss the ingredients into the air, while saying their wishes for the new year out loud. The louder they yell and the higher they toss, the more luck they will supposedly get. Its a rowdy and fun practice that originated in Southeast Asia. Newly opened Dim Sum Palace on Chatham Square is offering 20% off before 3 p.m.

on Chatham Square is offering 20% off before 3 p.m. Welcome to Chinatown and New York Chinese FreeMasons Athletic Club have partnered up to bring free lion dances to Chinatown on Feb. 5 from noon to 1 p.m. The spectacle starts at Golden Diner on Madison St., then heads to Kopitiam on East Broadway.

See more on how some Chinatown businesses are struggling, but hope to roar back in the Year of the Tiger.
Google announced Android 12L last October, and its Beta 2 build was released for the eligible Pixel devices over two weeks ago, which is now available for the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro as well.

9to5Google reports the Android 12L Beta 2 released by Lenovo bumps up the Android security patch level on the Tab P12 Pro to December 2021, but we see no mention of it on the company's website.

It's also worth noting that Lenovo hasn't shared any release notes of Android 12L for the Tab P12 Pro at the time of writing this, and the software limitations listed on its website remain unchanged from the previous beta, meaning these issues haven't been fixed or Lenovo didn't update the list.

You can download the Android 12L Beta 2 update package weighing 1.7GB from the source link at the end of this article and flash it to the Tab P12 Pro. You'll also find installation instructions there. But do note that the build only supports the Wi-Fi version of the Tab P12 Pro available outside China with model code TB-Q706F.

Also, remember that beta builds often contain bugs that hamper the experience, so the Android 12L Beta 2 is best avoided on your Lenovo Tab P12 Pro if it's your primary device.

Google will drop Android 12L Beta 3 in February, with the final build slated for release before April. It remains to be seen if the Tab P12 Pro will also get the third Android 12L beta or Lenovo will skip to the final release.

Source | Via
Samsung has, for a while now, enjoyed releasing its monthly security patches for some devices before the month in question's even started. It's not always the same handsets or even series, so it all seems pretty random, but almost every month there's at least one phone or family to be blessed with next month's security updates... today.

And yes, today is one of those days. Even though we're still in January and February is a few days away, the Korean company couldn't wait anymore and unleashed its February update for the Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra. For now, this only seems to be rolling out in the Netherlands, but it will undoubtedly hit other European countries very soon.

The new build is identified as N98xxXXU3EVA9, where "xx" differs according to your specific model of either phone. There is unfortunately no changelog available at this time.

As usual, if you haven't received the update notification yet (and got your phone from the Netherlands), you can go to Settings and access the Software update menu to try and force a manual check.

Source
PDN Lifestyle reporter Madison Scott takes us behind the scenes of Breaking Wave Theatre Company's "Much Ado About Nothing," which she also co-directed, at the University of Guam on May 3. The play runs May 5-8.
Hulus Pam & Tommy, which premieres Feb. 2, introduces a new generation of celebrity gossip fans to a tale of sex, lies and videotape based on real events.

The series focuses on a particularly scandalous chapter in the short-lived marriage of Baywatch actress Pam Anderson and Motley Crue founding member Tommy Lee: that time in the late 1990s when a steamy sex tape was stolen from their home by a disgruntled contractor.

Conveniently, the contractor (played by Seth Rogen) had connections in the porn industry. In the days before Instagram and TikTok, the videotape market was one way to share candid, unscripted and intimate moments with others.

Could it have gotten any worse? Yes. Timing is everything, and when the bootleg Anderson-Lee VHS sex tape was uploaded to the Internet, it went viral before social media became a thing.

Decades later, Hulu is bringing the Anderson-Lee headline-making drama back to life in an adult cautionary tale where privacy, technology and celebrity intersect. In the series, Lily James is Anderson and Sebastian Stan is Lee.

If Pam & Tommy doesnt sound like your kind of must-see TV, continue reading our February highlights of what else is new in streaming. (Stateside premiere dates are listed.)

More to stream on Hulu

Feb. 11, Dollface: Season two of this Hulu original comedy series returns with 2 Broke Girls actress Kat Dennings as a woman navigating life with friends as they approach 30.

Hulu movie night

Feb. 25, No Exit: Havana Rose Liu stars in this survival thriller based on the 2017 Taylor Adams novel about a woman who finds herself in a dangerous predicament among a group of strangers after taking shelter at a rest stop during a severe blizzard.

What to stream on Amazon Prime

Feb. 4, Reacher: Season one is based on Lee Childs first Jack Reacher novel Killing Floor, which follows former veteran military investigator Reacher (Alan Ritchson) as he steps off a bus in a small Georgia town only to be arrested for murder.

Feb. 4, Phat Tuesdays: Docuseries features contemporary comedians and other entertainers who tell the story of how an all-Black comedy night was launched at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Feb. 18, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season four follows standup comedian Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) as she moves on from professional setbacks and deals with more family drama.

Amazon Prime movie night

Feb. 11, I Want You Back: Recently dumped by their respective partners, Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) find themselves bonding immediately over their surprise breakups and hatching plans to win back their exes.

What to stream on Apple TV+

Feb. 4, Suspicion: Four British citizens find themselves in a trans-Atlantic race to evade authorities and prove their innocence after the son of a high-profile American business executive (Uma Thurman) is kidnapped.

Feb. 18, Lincolns Dilemma: Based on David S. Reynolds book, Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times, this documentary series takes a fresh look at what shaped the presidents evolving stance on slavery.

Feb. 18 Severance: Ben Stiller directs this series starring Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro and Britt Lower. The plot revolves around an organization where employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. Hows that for an approach to work-life balance?

Apple TV+ movie night

Feb. 11, The Sky Is Everywhere: This film adaptation of Jandy Nelsons popular novel by the same name focuses on 17-year-old Lennie (Grace Kaufman), who is dealing with first love while she struggles with grief after the sudden death of her older sister.

What to stream on HBO Max

Feb. 10, The Girl Before: In this drama based on JP Delaneys novel, Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) gets the chance to move into a beautiful, ultra-minimalist house designed by a mysterious architect (David Oyelowo), but the deal comes with some demands.

Feb. 10, About Last Night: Producers and hosts Ayesha and Stephen Curry invite three celebrity couples to compete in relationship trivia and games, vying to see who knows their partner best.

HBO Max movie night

Feb. 10, KIMI: Steven Soderbergh directs this thriller that takes place in a COVID-19 pandemic Seattle, where an agoraphobic tech worker (Zoe Kravitz) must venture outside her apartment after discovering potential crimes in a data stream.

What to stream on Netflix

Feb. 3 Murderville: Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) takes on a new murder case and a new celebrity guest star as his partner in every episode of this comedy crime series based on a British show. Its murder mystery improv as the guest star isnt given the script and has no idea whats about to happen.

Feb. 11, Inventing Anna: Inspired by a magazine article about a real case, the series focuses on a journalists love-hate bond with Anna Delvey, who pretended to be a German heiress so she could break into New Yorks social scene.

Feb. 18, The Cuphead Show!: Based on the award-winning video game with a retro animation style, this kid-friendly character-driven comedy series follows the misadventures of loveable, impulsive Cuphead and his cautious but easily swayed brother, Mugman.

Netflix movie night

Feb. 2, The Tinder Swindler: Documentary film examines the exploits of a playboy posing as an international businessman who charms women and takes their money. Eventually, he meets his match when one of his targets rallies other victims and they fight to bring him to justice.

Feb. 18, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: After decades in hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of young friends who disrupt his carefully shielded world in a Texas town.

Feb. 25, A Madea Homecoming: Tyler Perry returns with the newest film in the Madea franchise. Hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the celebration of Madeas great-grandsons college graduation.
Twenty-eight days after a man was found dead in Chalan Pago, the Guam Police Department announced his death was a homicide, but his identity a
A steady stream of residents looking for work and ready to fill open positions attended the Atkins Kroll job fair at Micronesia Mall Saturday.

Atkins Kroll is looking to fill more than 20 positions. The fair continues 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Elena Munoz, 28, said she heard about the event from her father. She's been looking for a job since moving back to Guam from Boston.

There arent very many opportunities currently on Guam, which I didnt account for before moving back, the Dededo resident said.

Munoz has a masters degree in accounting and hopes Atkins Kroll has a job she would be a fit for.

The job fair seemed like a good opportunity after moving back to the island from Colorado, said Dededo resident Sadie Manglona, 28. She has about eight years experience in administrative work.

Ive just been in the process of throwing applications wherever I could, Manglona said.

Yigo resident Toby Nicolas, 23, said he learned about the job fair via an advertisement. He recently graduated from the University of Guam with a bachelors degree and was looking for a position in finance.

He said he has been on the job search for about six months  so far with no luck. He said he has applied to a lot of hotels, as well as Docomo, IT&E and other places.

Honestly, its pretty tough seeing how everybody is very competitive now and a lot of graduates now have more than a bachelors degree  they have certifications and maybe a master's, said Nicolas.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started about two years ago and he was laid off, Glenn Mian, 36, from Hagat has been looking for work.

When I saw this thing in the newspaper, I said, OK, maybe this is a good chance to find a job, he said.

Mian said he's licensed to drive a 15-seat bus and he's hoping that skill can help qualify him as a truck driver for the company.

The need to fill positions came after Atkins Kroll acquired Morrico Equipment in November.

Between the two companies, it became apparent how many openings we have and how many opportunities we have for people in the community, said Wendi Herring, Atkins Kroll president.
Subway platform gates that have saved lives and improved service in transit systems across the world willnot fit on the narrow Times Square subway platform where a mentally ill homeless man allegedly shoved Michelle Alyssa Go to her death, an MTA study shows.

The 3,920-page study was published Wednesday by the transit agency, two years after it was completed by the consulting firm STV. It says 344 of the subways 472 stations have platforms that are too unstable or too narrow to support the gates.

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NYPD officers and detectives investigate the death of Michelle Go at the Times Square subway station in Manhattan on Jan. 15, 2022. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Elected officials led by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine this week called for the MTA to push forward with the platform gates, which open when trains arrive and close when they leave.

The gates  already in use on the JFK AirTrain and in subway systems in Paris and Tokyo  are designed to prevent riders from entering or being pushed to the tracks. Typically, the platform gates line up with doors on arriving trains.

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Its not possible to install such gates in the area where Go died, according to the study. Go was shoved on the uptown R train platform at Times Square, where theres as little as 34 inches of space between columns and the platform edge, the study shows.

Martial Simon, left, and Michelle Go. (Jeff Bachner for NYDN; LinkedIn)

The platform doors would take an estimated 15 inches of space  and requirements from the Americans with Disabilities Act mandate 32 inches of clearance on platforms, the study says.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Gates may work on other platforms in the sprawling Times Square station complex, MTA spokesman Tim Minton pointed out.

The study shows barriers could be feasible on the 7 line and 42nd Street shuttle platforms at Times Square, as well as at other heavily used stations like Mets-Willets Point and three of the Manhattan L stations, said Minton.

We will be re-examining findings in other locations to assess whether some of their engineering obstacles can be mitigated.

Other busy platforms where the doors may be feasible include the Nos. 4 and 5 line platforms at Fulton St. and the No. 7 line platform at Grand Central Terminal.

The study rules out stationary railings bolted into the ground as a possible solution out of concern the potential injury they could cause to riders who get stuck in subway train doors and dragged.

Where theyre feasible, platform barriers would be expensive to install, the study found.

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Building the doors and barriers from floor to ceiling at the 128 stations where they are feasible would cost around $7 billion, the study said. Theyd cost $6.5 billion if they were built halfway to the ceilings, the study shows.




Haiti - Assassination Moise : Former PM Claude Joseph with the OAS accuses Ariel Henry, the Haitian chancellery reacts





Former Prime Minister Claude Joseph, accompanied by former Minister of Justice, Rockefeller Vincent and former Government Commissioner Bedford Claude, met this week with Luis Almagro, the Secretary General of the Organization of Americans (OAS).



"The investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moise is a transnational crime, and today involves several countries in the region. We have therefore asked the Secretary-General for regional action, in the face of the systematic blocking of the investigation by the current Prime Minister, Ariel Henry in order to arrive at the truth" adding that he had demonstrated to Luis Almagro why the current Head of the Haitian Government is a suspect https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34714-haiti-flash-the-prosecution-wants-to-hear-pm-henry-in-connection-with-the-assassination-of-the-president.html who will do everything to ensure that the investigation does not succeed citing in particular the dismissal of the Minister of Justice Vincent and the Government Commissioner Bedford.



Reacting to this intervention, the Haitian Chancellor Jean Victor Geneus in a correspondence addressed to Luis Almagroa expressed the disapproval of the Government of Haiti. "[...] The Haitian government has just learned with amazement that you have received at OAS headquarters a group of people who, under the pretext of advancing the ongoing investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, are using you for the purpose of destabilizing Haiti in order to pursue personal political objectives [...]"



While understanding Luis Almagro's concern to show the world that he is a democrat, whose doors are open to all, Chancellor Geneus reminds him "Any action undertaken with one sector to the detriment of another, any position in favor of one side or another in the context of disputes within the countries of the region can be interpreted as a political act, unjust and biased. It is precisely to avoid this confusion and to protect the Institution that the Charter of the Organization, with a view to pursuing the achievement of its goals, has thought of creating different bodies, each with a specific mission [...] We expect that that this pattern of behavior does not happen again [...]"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Rap-Assassinat-Jovenel-Moise-082021.pdf

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35696-haiti-flash-palacios-confessed-that-the-final-plan-was-to-assassinate-the-president-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34714-haiti-flash-the-prosecution-wants-to-hear-pm-henry-in-connection-with-the-assassination-of-the-president.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





A police officer believed to be a member of Group Phantom 509 released

Thursday, January 27, police officer Maxime Jean, accused of being a member of Group Phantom 509, was released from prison after several months of detention on the orders of Dean Bernard Sainvil following a "habeas corpus" action brought by the police officer's lawyers.



USA : 12 million for the fight against gangs

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols said "We have just increased our support to the National Police of Haiti (PNH) by 15 million, including 12 million to build anti-gang capacity, including community efforts to prevent gang recruitment, additional anti-gang experts, and support to establish an anti-gang task force [...] The people of Haiti deserve functioning democratic institutions that can meet their needs."



Presentation of the new control tower project

This week for the attention of Rosemond Pradel the Minister of Public Works and leaders of the aeronautical sector in Haiti took place at the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC), the presentation of the Construction project and the equipment of the Haiti's ATM complex and the new tower Toussaint Louverture International Airport control https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34517-haiti-security-construction-of-an-atm-complex-and-a-new-control-tower-at-the-international-airport.html



Towards an increase in the minimum wage ?

The Government of Ariel Henry announces in a note that it is in consultation with the employers' and trade union sectors, with a view to facilitating the resumption of activities at the Caracol Industrial Park (North) following the protest movements organized by the workers to demand better working conditions and an increase in the minimum wage.



USA : Boarding training

The U.S. Coast Guard, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy's Office of Security Cooperation, has launched a two-week training course on vessel boarding procedures. A U.S. Coast Guard Southeast (USCG) mobile training team of three instructors will teach the Haitian Coast Guard the procedures for boarding vessels in their waters, including : legal limitations, defensive use of strength, boarding tactics and techniques, the use of law enforcement equipment, and the practical application of learned skills in real-life scenarios.



Artistic residency

Pascale Monnin, Haitian winner of the scholarship for cross-cultural artistic residencies in the Caribbean, is in an artistic residency in Trinidad and Tobago from January 15 to February 13, 2022 at the Alice Yard institution.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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A student at a Manhattan public school was found with a backpack stuffed with weapons, sources told the Daily News on Friday.

The 14-year-old student at Intermediate School 70 in Chelsea showed off a knife to another pupil, who reported it to the principal about 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, sources said.

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Weapons found inside Intermediate School 70 in Manhattan. (Obtained by Daily News)

School safety agents and administrators observed that the teen was acting strangely, and searched his backpack.

Inside, they found four knives, a set of brass knuckles, an expandable baton, fireworks and a laser pointer.

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The boy was not arrested and hit with weapons possession charges as he was not threatening students or faculty with any of the weapons, sources said.

Intermediate School 70 in Manhattan. (Google)

Instead, he was suspended from the school, which does not scan its students upon entry.

The NYPD was not called to the school in response to the incident, a police spokesperson said.

Last month, a random metal detector check at a Brooklyn high school turned up 21 weapons. Among the items recovered were nine knives, seven pepper spray canisters, four stun guns and one set of brass knuckles.

The Adams Street campus in downtown Brooklyn did not have permanent metal detectors installed.

Last year, city schools saw a frightening uptick in weapon removals from city schools. Between July 1 and Oct. 24, police seized 787 weapons, an increase of 28% from 2018 and 2019.
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The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a written statement in conjunction with the anniversary of the declaration of the Autonomous Administration in Afrin, and stressed that "without the liberation of Afrin and the other occupied areas, the democratic project in Syria will not be successful."

At the beginning of the statement it was stated:

"The Autonomous Administration project in Syria represented a qualitative leap towards breaking the traditional administration model in Syria that prevailed for decades and was the cause of the current crisis and its complexities. This project, which crystallized with the beginnings of 2014 amid the increasing Syrian scene toward the unknown, was a mainstay in preventing the region from being drawn into the north and east of Syria towards the security chaos and the development of radical organizations in it, as well as some regional efforts to make our region a soft flank through which to kill Syria and its people, as is happening today in other regions in which Turkey succeeded in this project.

'We will only accept a dignified return that befits Afrin and its people and their sacrifices'

The Autonomous Administration noted in its statement that the return of the people of Afrin is the one who sustained its struggle. "Afrin, with all its contents, also represented a strong example of the administration model, and its people built their self-institutions with all strength and determination, and what was the attack that took place on Afrin in 2018, but that Afrin was and still is the example which embodied the reality of the Autonomous Administration, not to mention that it has turned into a safe destination for all those who fled from the brutality of the war in Syria.

On the seventh anniversary of the founding of the Autonomous Administration of Afrin, we congratulate all of our people, and on this occasion we recall the efforts and struggle made by our people in Afrin to build their will and self-power; We also affirm that without the liberation of Afrin and the other occupied territories, the democratic project in Syria will not be successful, and the Autonomous Administration project will not be complete without Afrin. We also assure our forcibly displaced people from Afrin that their return is at the core of our struggle and insistence on liberation, and we will only accept a dignified return that befits Afrin, its people and their sacrifices.

The statement also recalled "all the martyrs of Afrin and the martyrs of the democratic struggle and the brotherhood of the peoples project in north and east Syria, and we pledge to them to walk the line of resistance and struggle until the goals of our people in democratic transformation and fulfillment of the march of our heroic martyrs are achieved."

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ANHA
Turkish fascist state is committing numerous violations against humanity in Turkey and Bakur Kurdistan, particularly against detainees, they do not treat sick and elderly detainees; Recently, Ramadan Turan, 70, was martyred in a solitary cell in the prison.

Detainees call on prisoners through letters to release sick prisoners. In a letter sent from inside Edirne Prison to families, he stated that "it is possible to die at any moment," referring to the denial of treatment of sick detainees.

On this subject, the Kurdish intellectual and writer Bashir Mulla Nawaf spoke to ANHAs agency, stating that the Turkish state is one of the oldest in the region and was built on the Ottoman heritage. The Ottomans adopted a culture that was able to ignore any voice inconsistent with their demands and needs. The newly established Turkish Republic teaches how to silence the groups and communities.

Bashir Mulla Nawaf stated that Turkey's fascist state mentality towards Turkey's components has not changed since its inception in 1910. It is based on nationalism, language and monotheism, and the Turkish state has thus denied many nationalities and has used many methods and practices to eliminate the Kurdish people. "Prison construction is one of those methods by which the Turkish state seeks to silence the people," he said.

According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Justice in December 2022, 297 thousand and 726 prisoners are found in 383 prisons in Turkey. 27,000 and 658 detainees are in excess of prison uptake.

"Utter screams and pleas have been created from resonance of Amed Prison."

Bashir Mulla Nawaf referred to the resistance of Amed Prison and said that "resistance to prisons is the most difficult phase Turkey has faced. Especially in the face of the 1980 Kanan Afrin coup d'etat. Young modern Kurds were influenced by leftist thought or the Kurdistan Liberation Movement, which spread throughout the world. The Turkish state is well aware that a movement based on an assessment of Kurdish history such as the Kurdish Workers' Party will not move according to its mentality. "

Bashir Mulla Nawaf continued: "We therefore believe that Amed Prison (Diyarbakir) is the harshest and most violent prison in existence. It is an example of those prisons where the Turkish state aimed to silence and suppress the voice of freedom-seekers in Kurdistan through torture and violence.

"90 prisons were built for those who did not join the AKP."

Bashir Mulla Nawaf noted that these crimes have been punished by the authorities in Turkey, although they have changed many times since 1980. And they wanted to make the Kurds face revelation. At the arrival of the AKP, they wanted to influence the entire Middle East in the name of Islam.

Turkey ranks first in the numbers of detainees, depending on the penal outcome of the 2020 European Council.

"There are only about 12,000 People's Democratic Party detainees."

Bashir Mulla Nawaf said, "Including the Kurdistan Liberation Movement detainees now imprisoned in Turkish state prisons. To date, there have been about 12,000 People's Democratic Party detainees. "

On 21st January, the Human Rights Association of Turkey and Bakur Kurdistan reported that "there are at least 231 sick detainees in the Medium Anatolian Prison over a period of 3 months, 38 of whom are in critical condition and are subjected to torture."

Bashir Mulla Nawaf also referred to resistance to detainees and explained that it was not done only at the prison level. The Turkish state arrests intellectuals or figures capable of influencing its surroundings. "The leader of the Kurdish people detained in the Turkish state prison today is the first example that has had an impact on many changes in Kurdish politics today. In addition, it has made a significant impact at the global level as well. This shows that the Turks will not be able to obliterate and suppress the Kurd in prisons; On the contrary, those arrested in prison become professors and leaders of these people. "

The rights of detainees have been violated 2,540 times

Bashir Mulla Nawaf noted that the Turkish state has committed numerous crimes against humanity and human rights violations. In addition to committing dozens of crimes against prisoners and detainees and not having any rapprochement with international principles and standards, he said, "There are numerous documents that prove that the prisoners of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement have been mutilated and burned."

On 26 January, the Human Rights Association of Turkey published a report on the situation of detainees in Turkey, according to which the rights of detainees have been violated 2,540 times, over the past three months and in only 20 prisons. These violations include torture, beatings and the imposition of terrorist characteristics.

Kurdish intellectual and writer Bashir Mala Nawaf concluded: "The Turkish state commits these crimes under the protection of public silence. International forces turn a blind eye to and ignore the crimes of the Turkish state and move solely in accordance with its political interests. If the Turkish violation files ever unravel, they will be held accountable, many parties have proved to be war criminals. "

T/S

ANHA
In an exclusive interview with our agency, the spokesman for the Relations Office of the Syrian Democratic Council in the Afrin and al-Shahba office, Jamal Saleh, said that the attacks of ISIS terrorist mercenaries on the prison, on the anniversary of the start of the attacks of the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries on Afrin canton were not purely a coincidence, but were planned in advance. by international powers, especially Turkey.

Saleh added, "What is happening on the ground in terms of large-scale attacks on northern and eastern Syria and the al-Shahba canton by the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries, shows the reality of the continued Turkish ambitions on Syrian territory in general."

Saleh stressed, during his speech, that ISIS' attacks on the industrial prison "was not the result of the hour, but rather comes within the framework of international agreements between Russia, Turkey and the Damascus government."

He noted, "The international powers leave the issue of ISIS unresolved to use it at times when the solutions they direct in exchange for democratic projects in the region are exhausted," and added: "If it weren't for that, we would have seen international courts working on trying these mercenaries."

He indicated that the ISIS detainees are a destructive force on the ground and require international solidarity and international courts to reach a solution.

He continued, "The areas occupied by Turkey in northern Syria are fertile lands for ISIS mercenaries, and the Turkish occupation state's survival on Syrian lands poses a threat to all Syrian lands."

Saleh explained that ISIS mercenaries fled to the occupied areas and became leaders in the mercenary groups directly affiliated with Turkey.

He added, "The safest areas for ISIS are the occupied areas and Turkish lands. And launching the attacks at a time when ISIS mercenaries are attacking Al-Sina'a prison shows the extent to which ISIS and the Turkish state are linked and support the cells in the region and support them from all sides."

The spokesman for the Relations Office of the Syrian Democratic Council in the office of Afrin and al-Shahba, Jamal Saleh, concluded his speech by saying that the survival of mercenaries, the Turkish state and mercenaries in the occupied areas will be a ready incubator for takfiri groups and poses a threat to all Syrian lands.

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ANHA
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An employee at a Brooklyn furniture store seriously hurt a co-worker by intentionally ramming him with a U-Haul truck, police said Friday.

Vashawn Tappin and his 23-year-old coworker at a branch of Aarons furniture store in Crown Heights got into an argument behind the store on Pacific St. near Schenectady Ave. about 10:05 a.m. Thursday, cops and the furniture company said.

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Cops later recovered the U-Haul truck an employee at Aaron's furniture in Crown Heights, Brooklyn allegedly used to run down a colleague. The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital in serious condition. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

Tappin, 21, allegedly jumped into the driver seat of the U-Haul and plowed into the victim, police said.

They were fighting and they got in and smashed him with the truck, said a man who works at a U-Haul rental location next door.

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Police taped off the scene of the incident Thursday on Pacific St. near Schenectady Ave. in Brooklyn. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

I heard a bang but didnt think nothing weird because theres lots of loading back here, said Luis Morales, 52, who lives in a nearby apartment.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

The U-Haul driver then took off, said police.

The incident was witnessed by an Aarons employee who called 911, a spokesperson for the company said.

The ambulance was there and they were putting the guy in, recounted Morales. He didnt look good. It didnt look good.

Medics rushed the older employee to Kings County Hospital in serious condition.

Tappin returned to the store, where officers took him into custody and charged him with vehicular assault, police said.

At arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court, Tappin was ordered held on $150,000 cash bail or $300,000 bond.

With Thomas Tracy




We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here
AN elderly man has asked police to expunge their record of him committing an alleged non-hate crime.

Douglas Kedge, of Lea Road, Sonning Common, wants his name cleared after the Court of Appeal recently ruled that such a practice was an unlawful interference with freedom of expression.

The 85-year-old was reported to the police by a woman in Northumberland whom he wrote to as he disagreed with a letter she wrote to The Times.

Mr Kedge, a retired teacher, was telephoned by a Thames Valley Police officer and told the woman had complained that his letter amounted to a hate crime.

He said: My response was shock and anger at the almost unbelievable madness of the situation. I have been law-abiding and socially active throughout my life.

It is no joke to be told that I now had a police record as a suspect in a non-crime hate incident. The implication is that I might go on to commit a criminal hate offence.

The issue began in November 2020 after the newspaper published an article about a storyline in the ITV soap Emmerdale in which two characters decide to terminate a pregnancy after discovering the child could have Downs syndrome.

The woman responded with a letter saying that the episode was a deliberate attempt to perpetuate prejudice against Downs syndrome children.

Mr Kedge said he wrote to her at her home as he considered her views to be nonsense.

He said: I found her address online and politely said that her comment was out of order and it was most offensive to the producers of Emmerdale. The next thing I know I had a call from the police. She had said to them she had found the letter threatening and was uncomfortable with the fact I found her address.

Mr Kedge said the officer who called him assured him the force believed no criminal offence had occurred but asked for his date of birth as the incident had to be placed on public record.

The College of Policing, which issues guidance to police dealing with hate crimes under the Public Order Act 1986, states: Where it is established that a criminal offence has not taken place, but the victim or any other person perceives that the incident was motivated wholly or partially by hostility, it should be recorded and flagged as a non-crime hate incident.

Mr Kedge said: The police officer was very polite and he seemed a little embarrassed by the whole thing. I told him that I understood that he was just doing his job.

Now he has written to Thames Valley Chief Constable John Campbell following the Court of Appeals decision in the case of Harry Miller in December.

Mr Miller, a former police officer from Lincolnshire, was visited by police in January 2020 after a complaint over alleged transphobic tweets he made.

This was then recorded as a non-crime hate incident.

The court ruled that the College of Policing guidance had been wrongly used and it had a chilling effect on Mr Millers freedom of speech.

Mr Kedge, a former chairman of Sonning Common Parish Council, said: I believe the Court of Appeal judgement goes a significant way in countering the current cult of self-determined victimhood. If this is the knock-on effect of the judgement, all power to it.

This is not only about myself. Over the past five years around 120,000 people have had non-crime hate incident records raised against them by the police. They have all been regarded as suspects.

As this is now deemed to be unlawful, will those who have been in any way harmed be able to sue for damages?

Mr Kedge said it was dangerous madness that the recording of non-hate crimes had become an accepted part of the criminal system.

It is only a step away from what might be expected in an undemocratic, repressive regime, he said.

Who is responsible for this disturbing and deeply troubling situation, the violation of lawful free expression? Will they be named and held accountable? They certainly need to be.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: We can confirm that although this was initially recorded as a crime, this was then no-crimed and no further action was taken from our perspective.

Regarding what appears on a Disclosure and Barring Service check, my understanding is that this would be for the College of Policing and the Home Office to comment on. Essentially, this was filed as no further action as there was no crime.
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New STEM high school coming to Henry County

Special Photo The new STEM high school will be built at 109 South Lee St. in Stockbridge. The school is expected to open for the 2025-26 school year.

McDONOUGH  The Henry County Board of Education unanimously voted to build the districts first STEM high school in Stockbridge during the boards meeting earlier this month.

The new $45.5 million school will be built at 109 South Lee St., the location of the former Patrick Henry High School. It will be paid for using Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax 6 funds.

District officials said the current building will be demolished to make way for the state-of-the-art high school which will be open to students from across the county who have interest in pursuing a greater focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Board Chair Holly Cobb said shes excited to take the next step in bringing a STEM high school to Henry County.

Our community supported this endeavor through the development of our community-inspired strategic plan and our E- SPLOST 6 referendum, and we could not be more thrilled to be able to elevate our offerings for an exceptional education here in Henry County, Cobb said.

School officials said the location was chosen due to nearby STEM industry leaders including Piedmont Henry Hospital.

The construction of this new high school will be an important step in the right direction for the future success of students and community as a whole, said Board Vice Chair Annette Edwards. We want our students to have every opportunity and advantage to compete in the rapidly growing STEM career fields, and this school, its course work, and the many partnerships lined up to support the school will give them the edge they need.

The next steps for the new STEM schools development include research and site visits to similar schools to gain ideas for development of the overall design of the project.

Construction is tentatively slated for late 2023 with the school opening to students for the 2025-26 school year.

To be able to provide this school in direct response to a community-voiced desire truly speaks to Henry County Schools commitment to serving the community, said Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis.
A pediatric nurse practitioner has been arrested for selling phony COVID-19 vaccine cards on Long Island  and her NYPD officer husband faces a departmental probe over his possible involvement in the scam, prosecutors and sources said.

Julie DeVuono (Obtained by Daily News)

As part of the alleged scheme, Julie DeVuono, 49, is accused of using her Amityville, L.I. practice, Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare, to obtain blank vaccine cards from the state Department of Health, the Suffolk County District Attorneys office said.

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She also obtained vaccine doses and syringes through the department, purportedly to administer to patients, prosecutors said.

Police seized $900,000 in cash from the Amityville, L.I. home of a pediatric nurse practitioner accused of selling phony COVID-19 vaccine cards out of her pediatric practice. (Obtained by Daily News)

DeVuono, along with Marissa Urraro, 44, a licensed practical nurse employed at the practice, allegedly charged adults $220 and children $85 for the cards and entered fabricated information into the New York State Immunization Information System, prosecutors said.

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Undercover detectives told prosecutors they were given vaccine cards at the pediatric office on one or more occasions, but a vaccine was never administered.

DeVuonos husband, NYPD officer Derin DeVuono, is being investigated by the departments Internal Affairs Bureau for any involvement he might have had funneling business his wifes way, sources said.

A book allegedly used to track the cash in the scheme that resulted in Long Island nurse Julie DeVuono's arrest on charges involving the distribution of fake COVID-19 vaccine cards. (Obtained by Daily News)

Derin DeVuono lost five vacation days in 2020 after he was accused of piloting a NYPD spy plane on a penis-shaped flight path in 2017 when he was a member of the departments Aviation Unit.

DeVuono was assigned to Brooklyns 60th Precinct after he was accused of misusing the federally-funded $4 million Cessna plane, making improper entries in a flight log and not conducting flight surveys.

During a search of the DeVuonos Amityville home Thursday night, cops found $900,000 in cash and a ledger indicating the scheme has racked up over $1.5 million since November, prosecutors said.

Some of the $900,000 in cash authorities seized from the Amityville, L.I. home of a pediatric nurse practitioner Julie DeVuono, who is accused of selling phony COVID-19 vaccine cards. (Obtained by Daily News)

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Some of the cash was found in NYPD-issued helmet bags, sources said.

Julie DeVuono and Urrero were charged with forgery. DeVuono was also hit with a charge of offering a false instrument for filing.

Urrero is a respected license practical nurse who has lead an exemplary career, her lawyer, Michael Alber, told the Daily News. She pleaded not guilty at arraignment Friday in a Suffolk County court, Alber said.

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Marissa Urraro (Obtained by Daily News)

From our preliminary investigation, there are defects in the [prosecutors] investigation and legal impediments to how the case came about.

Both women were released without bail.

As nurses, these two individuals should understand the importance of legitimate vaccination cards as we all work together to protect public health, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said in a statement.

Last month, Gov. Hochul signed a bill criminalizing the production or use of fake vaccination cards.
Greenville, TX (75401)

Today

Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we've all known individuals who have done more than their share to help their neighbors and communities with food, comfort, care, companionship and dozens of other needs. If you know of such a person, you can nominate them to be featured in our upcoming H
A man was fatally shot on a Brooklyn street early Saturday from what was believed to be a self-inflicted wound, cops said.

Cops found the victim, 42, sprawled out on the sidewalk on Jackson St. near Woodpoint Road in East Williamsburg about 12:30 a.m. Hed been shot in the head and a handgun was found by his body.

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EMS rushed the man to Woodhull Hospital, where he died. An autopsy was scheduled.

Detectives believe the man took his own life, a police source with knowledge of the case said.

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The victim had been hospitalized for psychiatric evaluations before his death and had sent messages to his girlfriend and other family members threatening suicide, the source said.
On Sunday, I went with a couple of my family members to a baseball game in Milwaukee between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. Everything was going well. I used my phone to get driving directions to the stadium from St. Joseph, and the Apple Maps app got us to the exact location on


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A Brooklyn father died Friday after he was gunned down in his apartment building, police and the victims family said.

Cops found the 44-year-old man about 5:35 p.m. in a hallway on the 11th floor of a building in the Ebbets Field Apartments at 1680 Bedford Ave. near Montgomery St. in Crown Heights, officials said.

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Dwayne Stoute, 44, who was shot in the head Friday outside his 11th-floor home in the in the Ebbets Field Apartments in Brooklyn. (Obtained by Daily News)

The victim, identified by family as Dwayne Dino Stoute, was shot in the head and arm.

He got shot in the stairway, Stoutes mother, Sandra Gibson said. He was hit in the head.

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Stoute collapsed in front of the elevators just steps from his apartment.

Police respond to a shooting in the building at 1680 Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn on Friday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

We dont know who did this, Gibson said through tears. Hes a good son. Hes a very caring, loving son. He always took care of his sisters and me.

Stoute had a 7-year-old daughter, his grief-stricken mother said.

She doesnt know yet what happened, Gibson said. Shes too young.

Police searched for the shooter on Friday night.
A man was knifed to death early Saturday during a bloody brawl outside a troubled Brooklyn Mexican restaurant, cops and borough leaders said.

As a massive snowstorm slammed the city, up to 10 men began fighting outside Catrinas Mexican Grill on Third Ave. near 73rd St. in Bay Ridge around 3:45 a.m.

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The quarrel started inside the restaurant and quickly spilled outside, cops said.

Up to 10 men were fighting outside Catrinas Mexican Grill on Third Ave. near 73rd St. in Bay Ridge when police responded to 911 calls around 3:45 a.m. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

When police responding to 911 calls arrived, they found a 22-year-old man sprawled out on the ground with a stab wound to the chest. A second man, also 22, had a deep gash to the head.

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EMS took both men to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where the man knifed in the chest died. His name was not immediately released.

The other man was treated for a minor injury.

Police responded to a Brooklyn stabbing in front of a Mexican restaurant in which one man died and another was wounded. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

Cops were still trying to determine what caused the fight. The man who was killed has no criminal history, a police source said.

Most of the brawlers fled down Third Ave. and no arrests have been made. Cops were scouring the area Saturday looking for surveillance footage.

City Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge) said the fatal brawl was part of a well-documented and dangerous pattern of illegal and reckless behavior from this establishment over the years.

It is clear that the owners of Catrinas have no intention of following the law, no regard for the neighborhood in which they operate, and even less regard for keeping their own customers safe, Brannan said on Facebook. To that end, I will be working with my colleagues in government to have Catrinas liquor license revoked.

A call to the restaurant for comment Saturday afternoon was not returned.
A New Jersey murder suspect was taken into custody this week thanks to the help of a man who trapped the alleged killer in his garage.

Andrew Kramer, 31, has been charged with first degree murder in the death of Melissa Malcolm, 38, as well as two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He is in custody in Philadelphia on weapons offenses and charges of simple assault and making terroristic threats, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office said Friday on its Facebook page.

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Malcolm on Wednesday afternoon was found fatally bludgeoned in her home in Mount Laurel, N.J., about 19 miles east of Philadelphia, during a wellness check that was made after she didnt show up for work, according to the office.

Andrew Kramer is in custody. (MOUNT LAUREL POLICE)

After allegedly killing Malcolm, with whom he lived until she asked him to move out, Kramer is accused of having fled in her 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, for which he faces charges of motor vehicle theft, and using her debit card early Jan. 26, according to the prosecutors office.

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Philadelphia police took Kramer into custody later Wednesday after a half-hour of talking with him while he held a loaded handgun. The arrest followed reports of an armed man, who a caller said he was able to lock ... in a garage after the alleged killer threatened the caller at gunpoint for refusing to provide a ride.

Id like to commend the individual whom the defendant confronted in Philadelphia, for this level-headed and resourceful response to this frightening encounter, said Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina.

The prosecutors office is looking to extradite Kramer to New Jersey.
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Having spent a few days surfing and doing yoga along the coast of Costa Rica, Julia Guez took a detour on the way to the airport. As shes wont to do, Guez headed straight to the poetry section of a little bookstore in San Jose. There she bought as many volumes as she thought would fit in her suitcase without triggering a fee for added weight.

Guez was a grad student at the time and had been working for a couple of years for Circumference, a poetry journal. Id see a lot of poems from Argentina, Mexico, Spain, she says. But it seemed so quiet in Central America.

When Guez was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2011, she spent the research grant back in Costa Rica, familiarizing herself with the publishing industry in San Jose: presses, bookstores, book festivals, universities.

She befriended poet Luis Chaves, whose Equestrian Monuments (A Litany) shed help translate into English. The poem was dedicated to Maria Montero, a name found in some of the books Guez had picked up and a name that kept circulating in her nascent study of Costa Rican poetry.

A friend who runs a bookstore in San Jose told me, You need to know this writer, Guez says.

The Houston native and Rice University alumnus came to know that writer, proposing an English language translation of Monteros La mano suicida (The Suicidal Hand) for her grant. And last week, she was announced as a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant through its NEA Literature Fellowships. The NEAs nearly 1,500 awards this year total more than $33 million.

At Chaves urging, Guez reached out to Montero by email and quickly received an invite to the poets home during her next visit to Costa Rica. She found Montero at the center of a fervent and flourishing art scene.

I was overwhelmed by all the books and art in her house, Guez says. And the house was filled with friends. I arrived later in the day, and it was still full of friends that had come over at brunch  all journalists and writers and artists. We ended up talking deep into the night. She showed me all the books that influenced her. Everything that went into The Suicidal Hand.

Monteros collection is slender at just 67 pages. But Guez describes the books thematic heft.

Shes just fearless, she says. She brings this magic and candor to describing pregnancy, childbirth, that postpartum window. Whats particularly cool are the ways she explores folding in this new identity as a mother without complete sacrifice of this other life-giving identity, which is as an artist, writer and scholar.

Guez says, It feels inevitable that our paths would cross.

Her own path started here in Houston, where she says her interest in poetry started with issues of the New Yorker that her mother and grandmother would read. She earned an English degree from Rice and a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Columbia. She teaches and lectures at New York University and Rutgers University while also working at Teach for America. She divides her hours between poetry and parenthood.

Guez in 2019 published her first collection of poems, In an Invisible Glass Case Which Is Also a Frame. The book resulted from a labored process of writing, editing, rewriting, adding and cutting that spanned nearly a decade. Her second collection, The Certain Body, is currently scheduled for publication later this year.

Montero also knows about long processes: La mano suicida was her second book of poems, arriving 11 years after her first. Prior to the announcement of Guezs NEA grant, none of Monteros work had been translated into English.

Guez says the process of turning La mano suicida into The Suicidal Hand was one of immersion. She read the book in Spanish dozens of times to sense the rhythms, she said. I feel like reading those poems in Spanish put them deep in my cells at this point.

She then worked up literal translations, putting the Spanish aside and working on them in English in a way that could read globally. Thinking about the ordering of lines in a stanza. Could a little betrayal offer a broader good? They arent exactly betrayals, I guess. Its more moving something slightly to the left or right of what she wrote.

Each translation then goes to Montero, which is the most important part of the process, Guez says

Having inhaled and exhaled the words so often in two languages, Guez feels shes working with a crucial voice that should be heard outside Central America.

These poems are necessary, she says. They needed writing. She wrote them. Now they need reading. So far, to me, she doesnt have an analogue. Theres no precedent. I dont see anybody else doing what shes done.

andrew.dansby@chron.com
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A federal judge resentenced Tiger King Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison on Friday, reducing his punishment by just a year despite pleas from the former zookeeper for leniency as he begins treatment for cancer.

Please dont make me die in prison waiting for a chance to be free, he told a federal judge who resentenced him on a murder-for-hire charge.

Joe Exotic  whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage  was convicted in a case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflixs Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.

Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, Maldonado-Passage still had his trademark mullet hairstyle, but the bleach-blonde was fading to gray.

Baskin and her husband also attended the proceedings, and she said she was fearful that Maldonado-Passage could threaten her.

He continues to harbor intense feelings of ill will toward me, she said.

Friday's court proceedings came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the prison term he's serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened.

Supporters packed the courtroom, some wearing animal-print masks and shirts that read Free Joe Exotic. His attorneys said they would appeal both the resentencing and petition for a new trial.

The former zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Maldonado-Passage that the court should have treated them as one conviction at sentencing because they both involved the same goal of killing Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and had criticized Maldonado-Passage's treatment of animals.

Prosecutors said Maldonado-Passage offered $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent to kill Baskin during a recorded December 2017 meeting. In the recording, he told the agent, Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off. Maldonado-Passages attorneys have said their client  who once operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City  wasnt being serious.

Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.

___

Bleed reported from Little Rock, Arkansas.
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Officials are warning residents and visitors about major traffic delays and road closures stemming from former President Donald Trumps Saturday event at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe.

This event will bring large crowds and cause major traffic delays throughout the city, read a Thursday afternoon statement from the Conroe Police Department about Trumps Save America rally. Heavy traffic congestion is expected from very early hours in the morning until late in the night.

Conroe PD mentioned there would be several road closures, but did not announce which roads would be affected.

FM 3083 has been deemed the only entrance to the fairgrounds located at 9333 Airport Road in the northeastern part of the city, according to Conroe PD. Those not attending the event, the police department advised, should avoid FM 3083.

In a Friday morning announcement, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office provided a phone number dedicated to answering questions about the Save America rally. That number is 936-756-1010.

An automated reply noted parking for the Save America rally starts at 6 a.m. and questions could be emailed to rally2022@mctx.org.

The sheriffs office advised attendees arrive early and expect delays.

The agency stated designated parking areas will only be accessible from FM 3083 and urged attendees not follow GPS-recommended routes, whether traveling from the Interstate 45 area on the east or from U.S. 59 on the west.

Attendees will be directed to the designated parking areas, the sheriffs office explained. Police and volunteers will be directing traffic, Conroe PD added.

Parking is very limited, the sheriffs office mentioned, advising attendees carpool if possible.

The agency also warned vehicles parked on any paved road near the rally area may be towed as they may lead to congestion and slow down first responders addressing emergencies.

Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved overtime expenses for security at the event, with Sheriff Rand Henderson saying the total cost for that would be less than $100,000, The Courier reported on Tuesday.

Those tasked with security inside the event are specifically trained in crowd control, Henderson assured commissioners.

Visit Conroe staff members have received many calls and emails about the Save America rally, according to the tourism boards director, Shannon Overby, The Courier reported on Thursday. There has been lodging information on local hotels and RV sites in the area, indicating to Overby many are traveling to Conroe.

The rally will feature Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Trump has endorsed these GOP candidates in the March 1 primary.

Electorally, Montgomery County is a Trump stronghold.

In Trumps unsuccessful bid for reelection, Montgomery County delivered better than any other Texas county, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle. Montgomery County, the Chronicle reported, was the only county in the state with at least 100,000 voters where Trump won more than 70 percent of ballots.

The Save America Rally kicks off at 2 p.m. and Trump is slated to speak at 7 p.m.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

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Each week, Chronicle health reporters field questions about the latest on COVID-19, vaccines and pandemic living. In this weeks COVID Help Desk: What you should know about booster shots, long-haul symptoms and how vaccines affect periods.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions decision to widen booster shot eligibility in late September was greeted by many with a sigh of relief. It seemed to signal a new phase in the countrys effort to squelch the virus once and for all.

Omicron had other plans. Arriving in Houston soon after Thanksgiving, the highly contagious variant swept the city, evading all efforts at containment and sickening vaccinated people at previously unseen rates.

In the face of omicron-fueled breakthrough cases, booster shots proved highly effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death. Extra doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 90 percent effective at keeping people out of the hospital after a breakthrough infection, CDC data show.

Now, less than five months after regulators approved booster shots for elderly and vulnerable populations, another round may soon be on deck.

I wont be surprised if there is a fourth or annual booster, said Dr. Wesley Long, medical director of microbiology at Houston Methodist.

Drug-makers are already testing specialized vaccines designed to protect against individual variants, Long said, but it remains be seen what shape a fourth shot or booster might take.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Is Houston past the omicron peak?

Certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients, already are eligible for a fourth dose. Talk to your doctor if you think you may qualify for the extra dose based on your underlying health issues and risk of infection.

Anyone without serious underlying conditions will have to wait. But a Health Ministry advisory panel in Israel  usually a forerunner in COVID policies  approved fourth doses for all Israeli adults earlier this week. Other countries, including the U.S., may follow Israels lead by summer.

Health officials are already imagining the day COVID becomes endemic  an ongoing but manageable threat. Annual or semi-annual boosters may, in the future, be as normal as a flu or measles vaccine.

For now, Houston area health officials remain focused on convincing the 30 percent of unvaccinated residents to get the jab.

Its still too early to tell whether we will need an annual booster or every 10 years like we do with tetanus, said Dr. Annamaria Macaluso Davidson, a preventive care expert and vice president of employee health at Memorial Hermann. We are continuing to learn what the long-term immunity looks like, both natural and vaccine-induced.

Does omicron cause long-haul COVID?

Before vaccines became widely available, doctors estimated as many as one in three COVID patients suffered from persistent, life-altering symptoms long after their initial infection resolved. Long-haul COVID, as the condition came to be known, has been found to cause strokes, sleep loss, memory problems, headaches and other lingering neurological problems.

Doctors are still working out why some patients develop the condition, while others do not, and how omicron will factor into the equation.

The majority of those with long-haul symptoms were never hospitalized during their acute COVID illness and initially seemed to have a milder disease, according to a Yale study published last week in the journal, Science.

Many people who experience neurological symptoms that linger after acute COVID-19 are less than 50 years old and were healthy and active prior to infection, the authors wrote. Even young people with mild initial disease can develop long COVID neuro-psychiatric syndromes.

Omicron was first identified in South Africa around Thanksgiving, meaning the earliest known cases are still relatively fresh. It may take several more months before doctors know its full impact.

What's the latest on COVID-19 vaccines and fertility?

A study published this month in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found some womens menstrual cycles were slightly longer immediately after they received a dose of the COVID vaccine. About 10 percent of participants who had received both vaccine doses in a single menstrual cycle  a 28-day period, on average  experienced a change in the length of their cycle of eight days or more, the researchers found.

mRNA vaccines create a robust immune response or stressor, which could temporarily affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis if timed correctly, study authors wrote.

In other words, the vaccines do affect the bodily systems of female reproduction  but not in any meaningful or harmful way that would impact fertility in the long term.

Still, the researchers acknowledged that for anyone planning for pregnancy, or trying to avoid it, small cycle changes can cause concern or raise hopes.

nora.mishanec@chron.com
Olympic media operation veteran thinks highly of Beijing 2022 Genting snow park

Xinhua) 15:38, January 29, 2022

ZHANGJIAKOU, China, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The vice media operation manager of the Beijing 2022 Genting snow park Egon Theiner has heaped praise for his Chinese colleagues and the venues on Saturday.

The Italian, who has worked for three Olympic Summer Games and six Olympic Winter Games, is now on his 10th Olympic duty in the Beijing 2022.

"I can see all my colleagues are showing enthusiasm, and many of them are very professional," said the media operation expert.

Theiner said he recently learned from his Chinese colleagues that the Olympic Winter Games coincide with the Chinese New Year.

"I'm very excited to experience the Chinese new year here with my Chinese colleagues!"

"This is also my honor to work for the Beijing 2022 before the next 2026 Olympic Winter Games which is to be held in my home country Italy," Theiner added.

The Genting snow park, which contains six world-class competition slopes and three mix-zones, is perhaps the most complex venue cluster to operate in the Beijing 2022.

"Everything here runs excellent so far, the experts from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have check our venues and gave positive feedbacks."

Theiner is also impressed by the scenery of Chongli district of Zhangjiakou city, where the Genting Snow locates.

"It's truly the right place to host the Olympic Winter Games. The mountains are big and competition slopes are gorgeous. You can frequently see the snowfall and the weather's also nice," he said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
After years of uncertainty and mystery, authorities in Colorado have solved the decades-old cold cases of four people with DNA evidence, saying they were all murdered by a serial killer who managed to evade law enforcement for most of his life.

All four victims, three women and a teenage girl, were stabbed to death in the Denver area between 1978 and 1981. They have been identified as Dolores Barajas, 53; Madeleine Furey-Livaudais, 33; Gwendolyn Harris, 27; and 17-year-old Antoinette Parks, who was six to seven months pregnant, and a high school student, when she was killed.

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During a press conference Friday morning, Denver Police Commander Matt Clark identified their killer as Joe Ervin, who died by suicide in jail in 1981. He was arrested the same year for the murder of Aurora Police Officer Debra Sue Corr.

Corr pulled Ervin over on June 27, 1981. He managed to overpower the officer and ultimately used her own service weapon to kill her in what was the first line-of-duty death for the Aurora Police Department, according CBS Denver. He died the following month while in police custody for the murder charge.

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From left, Antoinette Parks, Madeleine Furey-Livaudais and Gwendolyn Harris. The family of the fourth victim, Dolores Barajas, did not wish to share her picture.

The four cold cases had initially been investigated as separate incidents, but authorities slowly started linking them together throughout 2013 and 2018 by way of DNA evidence. The following year, the Denver Police Crime Laboratory was made aware of an ancestor matching the suspects DNA living in Texas.

After Ervin was identified as the possible killer, his remains were exhumed and his DNA proved a positive match.

While the perpetrator cannot fully be held accountable for his despicable actions, we hope that knowing who is responsible can bring some peace to the families, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said Friday at a news conference.

Authorities did not provide details in the cases, but Clark said there was an underlying sexual component.

Furey-Livaudais was stabbed to death by Ervin in her own home in 1978 as she prepared breakfast for her kids, according to authorities.

Barajas was killed in August 1980 as she was walked to work while Harris was found stabbed to death on a street corner, just one block from Ervins address at the time in December 1980.

Parks was discovered stabbed to death just outside downtown Denver in January 1981.
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At an unassuming extended stay motel in Fort Bend County, dozens of Afghans  including many children  are in limbo once again, some waiting for weeks to be moved into their new homes in Houston.

Though they expressed gratitude at the help they have gotten since they were evacuated from Afghanistan last year, they said are struggling with isolation, uncertainty, lack of communication. They are eager to work but sit idle. Some have already been waiting to be resettled for several months on U.S. military bases, where they were taken for processing after leaving Afghanistan.

These Afghans are among hundreds that have been moved to temporary housing after arriving to Houston, as refugee resettlement agencies have been slammed dealing with an influx of newcomers.

Rising tensions among evacuated Afghans, who are highly dependent on resettlement agencies in their initial weeks, even led to a 9-1-1 call that Sugar Land police said had to do with them running out of food.

Through a Pashto interpreter, Abdul Wajid Hekmat said his family has completely run out of money, making it impossible to purchase their own water and groceries.

Our children are not having good food, Hekmat said. They cant buy and cook their own food or get baby food for their 1-year-old. Theyre reliant on the delivery of meals from the Afghan Village restaurant, which they collect at the hotels front desk with pots and pans to bring to their rooms.

Hekmat is sharing a small motel room with his wife and four children, ages 1, 4, 8 and 9.

He said after working so hard for Americans in Afghanistan, which involved providing security for special forces, hes anxious for a time when he can finally build a new home for his family.

We are so tired of waiting and waiting all the time, Hekmat said. Once we find a house, we can go get a job, we can move our kids to the schools.

Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Eager to Work: Afghans quickly contribute to Houstons economy

Hekmats family, along with the other Afghans at the motel, have been assigned case managers with the refugee resettlement agency, The Alliance.

Houstons five refugee agencies have faced the herculean task of resettling 4,286 Afghans in the area since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and subsequent evacuation, according to state refugee coordinator Jeff Demers.

Thats a huge influx from historically low refugee resettlement numbers in 2020. In Texas, just 902 refugees, from all countries, were resettled in the state, according to the Refugee Processing Center.

Its very challenging, said the agencys refugee resettlement director Haala Binyam. In the past years, maximum resettlement per month is about 60 individuals, versus now, in the past five months only The Alliance has resettled about 1,000 individuals.

She said case managers and other employees are often working weeknights, weekends and holidays to deal with their large caseloads - and theyve hired additional staff to deal with the influx.

Our staff is literally working around the clock to serve the Afghan families. And we are accessible 24/7, she said.

Not only has the resettlement process strained resources, but its also presented unique challenges.

She said prior to this, she cant recall ever having to place refugees in hotels before finding them apartments.

Agencies generally have several weeks' notice to set up apartments ahead of time, so families can immediately move into a home once they arrive in Houston. With Afghans, agencies are sometimes given just hours' notice that they have to pick up a family or individual at the airport.

Currently, 273 of the agencys Afghan clients are still living temporarily at area hotels, according to Binyam, while more than 800 Afghans have been moved to permanent housing.

The Alliance is just one of the nearly 300 refugee affiliates nationwide that have worked with the U.S. State Department to resettle 76,000 evacuated Afghans.

Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Though many Afghans emphasize their gratitude for the opportunity to flee to safety, many worked several years in support of the U.S. military, making themselves targets of the Taliban. To repay their service, many were promised special visas that would have allowed them to immigrate to the United States under less chaotic circumstances. Many of those visa applicants faced long, life-threatening delays and were ultimately forced to flee before they were approved.

At the Fort Bend motel, Mohammad Anwar showed his badge from working security for 14 years for special forces in Afghanistan, where he protected military personnel from Taliban attacks. He said he had applied for a special visa to leave Afghanistan two years ago.

Hes been at the Fort Bend hotel for 10 days with his wife and eight children. He said he didnt have any cash on hand, despite being promised a six month salary from the security company in Afghanistan. He is anxious to still be without money, a job or a home so many months after being evacuated.

Omer Yousafzai, who owns the Afghan Village restaurant in Houston and has provided hot meals to Afghan newcomers, said he empathizes with their frustrations.

These families are eager to become self-sufficient and start working. Many also have family back home that are asking for financial help from their family in the United States.

All these things accumulated, said Yousafzai. But he said he also recognizes that refugee resettlement agencies, like The Alliance, are trying their best in a difficult circumstance.

Everybody is going above and beyond, he said.

elizabeth.trovall@chron.com
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Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is backing away from a proposal to reduce the information his office collects on the states largest corporate incentive program amid an avalanche of criticism from Texans concerned about the future cost to the state.

Hundreds of residents and some lawmakers submitted comments on the proposal after Hegars office made it public in November - and nearly all of them opposed the idea.

Im not going to adopt it as proposed, Hegar said Friday. The data that people are concerned about or want is still going to be available.

Comptroller spokesman Chris Bryan said Friday its too early to say how the revised rule will be phrased, but emphasized that any effort to modernize the collection of financial data for the corporate incentive program wont result in limiting public information.

Hegar echoed these sentiments Friday, saying, We are working through trying to find a way of trying to make this process transparent but more efficient.

Hegars office had said limiting reporting related to Chapter 313, a provision of the state tax code that gives manufacturing and energy companies deep discounts on school property taxes, would be logical given that the Legislature failed to renew the law last year. The program, which was the subject of a Houston Chronicle investigation, will expire at the end of this year.

Much of the programs cost to taxpayers, however, is still to come. Companies with active deals in early 2020 were projected to receive $10.8 billion over the 10-year life of their agreements. More than 76 percent of that cost was projected to come after 2019.

The cost will only grow in the months to come: Observers expect a rush of applications this year - and nearly all of these requests will likely be approved. The Chronicle investigation found the comptrollers office denied less than 2.5 percent of all applications.

Hegars original proposal would have obscured the total value of the companies tax breaks and their future costs to the state. The rule changes also would have omitted some information about jobs and wages at each project.

Under the comptrollers proposal, companies would have been required to report financial data for the previous two years. The current rules require comprehensive reporting over a much longer time frame, from the start of the 10-year agreements to projections extending beyond the end of the tax breaks.

A comptroller spokesman also said the agency would stop producing a spreadsheet that was the only source of centralized data on the agreements, and on which analysts and journalists rely to evaluate the program.

The proposal would have made it entirely or practically impossible to replicate key findings from the Chronicles investigation. Among them: The programs projected $10.8 billion cost; that Texas is paying $211,600 in tax incentives for each job created; and the projects that had returned fully to the tax rolls by 2019 did so at just 41 percent of their peak values.

Out of 350 public comments about the proposal, nearly every person  348  objected to it, and another expressed concerns about part of it.

We need more transparency not less when it comes to corporate reporting on the tax breaks they receive from taxing authorities, wrote Houston resident Renee Stern. I hope you will demand full accountability from corporations so the people of Texas will know that we are getting our moneys worth with these incentives.

About 125 commenters said they were members of interest groups affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation, one of several nonprofit advocacy groups that pushed lawmakers not to renew the program last year. Other commenters simply identified themselves as concerned citizens.

Some Texas lawmakers weighed in against the proposal, including 43 members of the House Democratic caucus and state Sens. Juan Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.

Informed of Hegars comments, Bettencourt cheered the decision to scrap the proposed to limit data collection, calling it a bad idea.

This decision recognizes the obvious: that transparency is what we should be all about on tax policy in the state of Texas, Bettencourt said. Transparency is the key to the public believing that their money is being well spent.

Dick Lavine, senior fiscal analyst for the progressive nonprofit Every Texan, was cautious when informed of Hegars comments, noting that the comptrollers pledge to make the information available leaves ample wiggle room.

Its an opportunity to actually improve on reporting  maybe add more about actual wages and total number of jobs, and make it all as transparently available as possible -- including in one large database that can be searched without having to click through a million PDF forms, Lavine said.

The lone voices of full-throated support for the scrapped rule change came from longtime boosters of the program, the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association and the Texas Association of Manufacturers, who argued that the programs arduous reporting requirements reduce companies tax savings.

We commend the agency for streamlining the very complicated and costly administrative requirements, the groups wrote. Companies inform us that the administrative compliance costs of a Chapter 313 agreement far exceed those of similar abatement programs in other states.

Comptroller officials had cast the proposal as a way to lessen administrative burdens for the offices staff and the companies receiving tax breaks, replacing a paper-based reporting system with an online system.

The forms the rule change were to replace, however, must already be submitted electronically, according to the comptroller website; paper forms are no longer accepted. Bryan later clarified that the offices overall effort seeks to reduce the use of electronic copies of paper forms.

mike.morris@chron.com

john.tedesco@chron.com
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Sometimes, its hard to tell if a politician is joking.

Overall, I think weve made it easier to vote, said state Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Deer Park Republican who chairs the Texas House Elections committee, on Thursday evening.

Deadpan humor? One could be forgiven for wondering.

Certainly, many Houstonians would disagree with Cains assessment of Senate Bill 1the election integrity law passed by Republicans last year over the protests of Democrats and voting rights advocates.

As this years midterm election cycle gets underway, Texas voters are encountering new barriers to civic participation. The laws implementation is not going smoothly. The Texas secretary of states office, for example, this month announced it would ration the voter registration applications it provides to various civic groups, citing a supposed statewide shortage of paper.

But some of the hurdles voters are encountering have been put there on purpose. The law includes new restrictions on mail-in voting  apparently inspired by Harris Countys 2020 effort to send a mail-in ballot application to every registered voter. The new law requires voters to identify themselves, on the application, using a Texas drivers license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.

This may sound innocuous, because voters are asked for one of these forms of identification when they register. The catch is that voters have to remember which one they used to register, or their application for a mail-in ballot will be rejected.

Taisha Walker of KPRC-TV recently reported on how Kenneth Thompson, a 95-year-old World War II veteran whos voted faithfully in Texas elections since the 1940s and considers it his duty, has had his application for a mail-in ballot rejected twice already. This is because when he first registered to vote, the state didnt require a Social Security or drivers license number as identification.

That provision was only added to state law in 2003. And theres no way to retroactively add this information to a voters file.

Theres gonna be a lot of people not gonna vote, Thompson told KPRC, explaining that he wouldnt even have realized there was an issue unless he had called county election officials to check on the status of his ballot.

While Thompsons life story is unusual, his experiences as a voter are not unique.

The part of the law thats so startling is that they cant tell you what you got wrong, said Annie Benifield, a political scientist and the president of the League of Women Voters of Houston.

She told me about a friend, who first registered to vote in 1973, whose application for a mail-in ballot was also rejected twice this year, thus necessitating a guessing game of sorts. Fort Bend County elections officials couldnt tell her what the issue was, although they were able to acknowledge it when the friend guessed correctly. (The issue, in the friends case, also involved ID.)

Im just wondering, what were they thinking? Benifield asked, reflecting on the new barriers the new Texas law has created. She added that her parents, as Black voters in Alabama, werent able to vote in a presidential election until 1968, when they were over 50: I hate to think that we are still having to do this in 2022. That, to me, is numbing.

Aggravation is mounting, too, over the seeming hypocrisy of these Republicans. Take U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, which was redrawn this year to be redder but covers part of Harris County. In a 2020 appearance at the Texas Tribune festival, he was critical of the push to expand mail-in voting  an idea that was pursued in several states, as well as in Harris County. Playing with fire, Crenshaw called it then, and unnecessarily provocative.

This year, Crenshaws campaign is sending out pre-filled, mail-in ballot applications to voters 65 and older in the district  presumably those tagged as likely to vote in the GOP primary.

Hes taking part in the exact same thing that he attacked, former Harris County clerk Chris Hollins told the Chronicles Monique Welch.

This is legal, to be clear: the new law only bars nonpartisan elections officials from sending out such applications. Civic groups, parties, and candidates can continue to send out mail-in ballot applications; several Democratic candidates in the Houston area have already done so.

Harris County officials stressed that expanded mail-in, drive-thru and 24-hour voting helped to provide a safe alternative for voters amid a deadly pandemic. The states Republican leaders clearly took note of another effect: Record voter turnout in urban counties such as Harris helped Joe Biden fare better than any Democratic presidential candidate in a quarter-century.

But if sending out unsolicited applications for mail-in ballots raises security concerns, as Republicans maintain, surely those concerns apply regardless of where the applications originate.

I would have prohibited campaigns from doing it, if I had my way, Cain told me, maintaining that hes concerned that applications for mail-in ballots can be intercepted by would-be ballot harvesters. I would have banned the entire practice.

And Cains worldview is one in which voter fraud, real or rumored, should be addressed as a matter of urgency and aggressively.

If a few cases of voter fraud are a few cases too many  as Republicans like to saycouldnt the same be said of a few cases of voters of color being disenfranchised, deliberately or accidentally?

Harris County voters shouldnt expect redress from state leaders. Rather, they should take it upon themselves to make sure theyve navigated this thicket of red tape correctly.

Texans who want to participate in the March 2 primaries must be registered, or have postmarked their voter registration application, by Monday. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Feb. 18, but eligible voters who would like to exercise that option should do so sooner rather than later, so they have time to address any issues that may arise.

Still, the bottom line is that new voting restrictions are leading to inconveniences, anxiety and confusion in a state that already had some of the strictest voting laws in the country.

Voters like Kenneth Thompson deserve betteras do we all, Benifield reminded me.

I dont think anyone should be denied access to the ballot, and the opportunity to participate, she said, explaining that shell print out a mail-in ballot application for any Houston voter herself, if that would help. A democracy is not completely a democracy if all voices are not heard.

erica.grieder@chron.com
Texas is home to some oddly named cities and towns. The origins of some of these names are just as intriguing.

For example, there is a crazy town in the Texas Panhandle.

Loco, situated in Childress County, is named after the Spanish word for crazy or insane. The unincorporated community got its name after the locoweed, a common North American poisonous plant synonymous for causing livestock to grow weak and lose muscular control.

With the help of Edward and Jean Callarys Texas Place Names, the Express-News compiled a list of some of the colorful city and town names in the state along with their origins and meanings:

Bigfoot

The city is not named after the ape-like creature said to inhabit the forests of North America. However, William Bigfoot Wallace was a big man. The Texas Ranger is said to have been 6 feet, 2 inches and 240 pounds. Wallace got his nickname from his efforts to bring justice to a Native American from the Waco tribe, according to Texas Place Names.

Wallace spent his later years in Frio County in the vicinity of a small village that later adapted his name.

Blowout

This community in unincorporated Blanco County is named after a nearby spring and cave that shares the same name.

Living in Blowout Cave were thousands of bats. According to Texas Place Names, it was given the name Blowout after a bolt of lightning struck the cave mouth and caused an explosion of gasses that had built up from years of accumulating bat guano.

Bug Tussle

The community in Fannin County got its name from an incident in the 1890s, when a swarm of insects spoiled an ice cream social. Another local story says it was named after lazy Sunday School picnics where there was nothing to do but watch the bugs tussle among themselves, according to Texas Place Names.

Cut and Shoot

About 40 miles east of Houston in Montgomery County, the town of less than 1,113 has several origin stories and they all involve violence in a church.

Heres what Texas Place Names to say:

The name arose from a dispute over church services in the summer of 1912. Some religious groups were welcome to conduct services in the community chapel and others were not.

"Things came to a head one July morning when one group, determined to enter the building, was met by another, equally determined to keep them out. Tensions rose and when weapons were drawn, a young boy darted off exclaiming Im going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes.

"Legal proceedings followed and one witness, when asked where the scuffle had occurred, is said to have replied where they had the cuttin and shootin scrape."

By another account, a local preacher was accused of becoming too friendly with women of the congregation and men ran from the church "to their wagons and buggies to get knives and rifles to cut and shoot."

Ding Dong

Aptly named for a city in Bell County, local legend says Ding Dong got its name in the 1920s. Two locals  Isaac Bertram Bell and his cousin Zoilus Ozzias Bell, who was a music teacher  asked a local painter to create a sign for their new general store. He painted two bells and underneath them wrote ding and dong.

Dinero

This city has a rich history and its origins may involve buried treasure.

The community was renamed in the 1870s from Barlows Ferry to Dinero  the Spanish word for money. According to local legend, there is buried treasure or lost mines in the area.

One local story says that Spanish silver miners were murdered by Native Americans for their dinero. Another rumor involves Mexican soldiers retreating after their loss at San Jacinto, the final battle of the Texas Revolution. Its said they buried their treasure somewhere in the area.

Frognot

One origin story involves boys bringing frogs to school to scare the girls. When they were discovered, the teacher reprimanded the boys because Frogs are not to be brought to school. Another account says there was a plague of frogs of biblical proportions and the people went on a frog hunting campaign that reduced the frog population to zero. Thus, the name frognot, according to Texas Place Names.

Girlstown

This city in Cochran County originated as a refuge for homeless girls in Buffalo Gap. The community moved to its present site in 1939. In 1987, Girlstown merged with Cal Farleys Boys Ranch, a city founded by a local wrestler who established a ranch for homeless boys.

Gun Barrel City

The citys official slogan is We Shoot Straight With You.

The citys name is fairly straightforward. The city took the name from Texas 198, known as Gun Barrel Lane, which ran in a straight line between Mabank and Payne Spring.

Happy

The citys official slogan is The town without a frown.

It takes its name from Happy Draw, which was named by thirsty cowboys who were happy to find fresh water after long cattle drives.

Harmony

There are four cities called Harmony in Texas and they all have different origins stories. In Kent County, the city of Harmony got its name after founding families peacefully resolved a disagreement. In Hopkins County, the city of Harmony got its name because locals lived in harmony with their neighbors.

Jot 'Em Down

Here is what Texas Place Names has to say about the towns origins:

In 1936, Dion McDonald opened a general store that was familiarly known as the Jot Em Down Store, named after the fictional establishment co-owned by Lum Edwards and Abner Peabody on the immensely popular hillbilly comedy show Lum and Abner in the 1930s and 1940s. The name took root and Jot Em Down became the name of the local ginning corporation and then of the community.

Rambo

This city is not named after the fictional Vietnam veteran John Rambo or Sylvester Stallone, who played the action hero in the films by the same name.

The town gets its name from Gale Rambo, a white U.S. military officer, and his African American wife, Lydia, who established a community for free African Americans in the 1850s.

Seclusion

This city in Lavaca County was aptly named in 1879 for its isolation.

Stranger

The local story relayed in Texas Place Names is that a representative of the Post Office Department, while passing through, asked the village blacksmith the name of the town and the blacksmith, in poor English, replied that he was a stranger. The representative, sure of only one word, wrote Stranger on the application.

Tarzan

This city in Martin County was named in 1927 to commemorate the work of a famous California writer Edgar Rice Burroughs.

At the time, the "Tarzan" series was approaching dozens of volumes and was at the height of its popularity. Tarzana, Burroughs Southern California estate, may have inspired the choice of the Texas name, according to Texas Place Names.

Uncertain

There are several stories that have attempted to explain the origin of Uncertain. But its origins are just as unclear as the name implies.

According to Texas Place Names, one local story says settlers who arrived at the boundary between the US and the Republic of Texas at caddo lake had not been firmly established and residents were uncertain of where they lived. Another story says the town was incorporated to allow liquor sales, but it was uncertain if the ordinance would be approved.

Weeping Mary

Weeping Mary was founded at the close of the Civil War as a community for emancipated African Americans. According to Texas Place Names, a local story relates the name to a freed woman named Mary who lost her land to a cheating plantation owner. A more likely source is that it is named after "Stabat Mater," a hymn that portrays a weeping Virgin Mary.

White Settlement

Per Texas Place Names, White Settlement was so named to distinguish a community for Anglos from a nearby town of largely Native Americans. By others, the town was named for the many settlers with the family name White (more than 100) who moved to the county in the 1870s. A 2005 referendum to change the name to West Settlement failed by a ten-to-one margin.

Yard

The local story is that when merchant Bruce Gray applied for a post office, his list of possible names inadvertently included a customers request for a yard of cloth. The Post Office Department dutifully approved the office as Yard in 1903.

Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net
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Tik Tok star and hospital worker Leonardo Gil Fraga was killed this week in a South Florida hit-and-run and his destroyed family as well as authorities are pleading for help.

Hialeah Police say the helpful and gregarious endoscopy technician, 34, who boasted over 150,000 Tik Tok followers, was struck by a dark-colored SUV or van shortly before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday after finishing up work at Hialeah Hospital, about 10 miles northwest of Miami, CBSMiami reports.

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You can see in the video after the accident happens that the driver pulls over, looks like theyre about to get out and help but unfortunately that vehicle fled the scene, leaving Gil on the floor, Lt. Eddie Rodriguez told the outlet.

Leonardo Gil, a Florida hospital worker and Tik Tok star, was killed in a hit and run this week.

I think it couldve been different at least it would have all been faster, or maybe it was his day, but 34 years and they left him there without even stopping to help, Fragas aunt, Katiuska Fernandez, told CBSMiami.

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Fraga, who died on his grandmothers birthday and is survived by an 8-year-old son, became popular on social media through videos about his life and work, which coworker Barbara Mata said was to make other peoples day brighter, according to the outlet.

At the time of publication, a GoFundMe organized by Mata has already raised nearly $41,500, exceeding its $30,000 goal, to assist with funeral expenses.

The family was not prepared for the loss of this loving, kind, selfless young man, read the fundraising page. Everyone who met him loved him. He was always willing to help others. He was extremely dedicated and hardworking. This loss has left his family in disbelief and heartache. His sudden passing has created a void in the lives of everyone he knew.

A Cuban immigrant, Fraga started at the hospital over a decade ago, first as a janitor, then a patient transporter who eventually became an endoscopy technician, according to the GoFundMe.

Fraga was riding his motorcycle at the time of the accident, according to WPLG Local 10.

Police are asking anyone with information to reach out and that those working in auto body keep an eye out.
A Washington state trooper who told Gov. Jay Inslee to kiss my a-- as he retired over the states vaccine mandate in October has reportedly died of COVID-19.

Robert LaMay, 51, served with the Washington State Patrol for 22 years prior to his retirement last October, KHQ reports. Multiple outlets have reported that LaMay died of the virus.

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Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste released a statement noting he was deeply saddened over the loss of former friend and colleague LaMay.

State Trooper Robert LaMay is dead at 51.

This agencys prayers and remembrances are with his family and loved ones, Batiste continued.

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Rob served honorably for over two decades and we were disappointed to see him leave the agency this past October. His service to this state and agency will be long remembered and appreciated. Let us now remember our old friend, support his family and loved ones, give thanks for his service, and resolve to meet the challenges ahead with continuing duty, dignity and respect.

LaMay in October said he was being asked to leave because I am dirty.

I worked sick, Ive played sick. Weve buried lots of friends over these years. ... This is the last time youll hear me in a state patrol car and [Washington Gov.] Jay Inslee can kiss my a--, he said in a clip that went viral after it was featured in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

LaMay in his 22 years with the service served in positions including armorer, certified reconstructionist and drug recognition expert, according to the statement.

The Washington State Patrol did not immediately respond to the Daily News request to confirm that LaMay died of COVID.
MLPD seeking support on bill to make changes to last year's police reform laws
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A Kansas man who claiming God directed him to the nations capital is charged with threatening to kill President Joe Biden, whom he referred to as the Antichrist.

On Tuesday, Scott Ryan Merryman called police in his hometown of Independence, telling them he was going to see the president, according to a Maryland arrest warrant obtained by the Daily Beast.

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When contacted by an FBI agent Wednesday, Merryman allegedly said he planned to lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation.

That agent, whom said Merryman later threatened to kill him too, reached out to the Secret Service.

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[ Trooper who told governor to kiss my a-- over vaccine mandate dies of COVID ]

Merryman initially told the FBI agent that he needed to talk to the president about information he had about the book of Revelation, but denied that the serpent he planned to decapitate was Biden. He is also accused of telling a switchboard operator at the White House that he planned to kill the president, at which time he spoke to special agent James McDonald.

President Biden departs the White House on Jan. 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Im coming for his b--- ass Sleepy Joe, he said. Im talking about President Biden and you can quote me.

A Facebook page belonging to Merryman is filled with bizarre rants including a posting on Wednesday that reads I believe Joe Biden is the AntiChrist now and he will suffer a fatal head wound.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

He claimed God told him to bring three bullets and no gun.

There will be a miracle happening at the White House, he wrote.

[ Newsmax gives White House correspondent a time-out following bizarre claim seemingly linking vaccine tracking and the Devil ]

Authorities who caught up with Merryman in the parking lot of a Maryland Cracker Barrel eatery said he was carrying a magazine that held three .45 bullets. They did not find a gun.

One posting on Merrymans Facebook page, which is cited in his arrest warrant said Wednesday that Lucifer is sending his agents to talk to me at Cracker Barrell (sic).

In another posting, he said hes been called every single name in the book, but was in fact a loving person.

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Im level 11 bats--t crazy, Im mean, Im rude, unbiblical, foolish, had a psychotic break, needs locked up and the key thrown away, Merryman wrote. Well for transparency sake. Im actually very loving, but I fiercely and diligently attack and hate the sin in people but I love the sinners. If I attack you its because I see something in you I can no longer tolerate on Earth as it is in Heaven.

His Facebook page also advertised a family night for veterans he appeared to help organize in October. It also shows photos of what seems to be Merryman taking part in a military parade. Photos of highlighted Bible pages also fill that social media feed.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the NeoCov coronavirus, discovered by Chinese scientists, requires further study. A team of Wuhan researchers found a new kind of coronavirus, NeoCov, among bats in South Africa. In a study, the researchers said that the virus may pose a threat to humans in the future.

What WHO says

"Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study," WHO told Russian news agency Tass. WHO is aware of the new finding of Wuhan scientists and is in touch with the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization to respond to this.

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"Animals, particularly wild animals are the source of more than 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Coronaviruses are often found in animals, including in bats which have been identified as a natural reservoir of many of these viruses," the WHO said.



Chinese researchers have mentioned this new variant in a research paper that is yet to be peer-reviewed. They claimed that this virus has a high death and transmission rate. It is not SARS-CoV-2 but associated with the MERS Coronavirus which could kill 1 in 3 infected people.

What is MERS-Coronavirus?

MERS Coronavirus is Middles East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. It is a zoonotic virus which means that it is transmitted between animals and people. It was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. According to WHO data, approximately 35% of reported patients with MERS-CoV have died.

AP

Typical MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia, gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, are also reported as symptoms, but not very common. Most of the human cases of MERS-CoV infections spread through human to human infections.



Florona, Deltacron, Omicron BA.2, NeoCov: Explained

In the recent few days, words like Florona, Deltacron have become a part of the Covid terminology, as scientists are engaged in tracking newer variants of SARS-CoV-2. However, Florona and Deltacron are not real variants.

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While Florona is a combination of flu and coronavirus, Deltacron, a combination of Delta and Omicron, never existed and might be a result of contamination. Omicron BA.2 is a sub-strain of Omicron, the variant which is driving the present surge of the pandemic. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron are the variants of concern as classified by the WHO. NeoCov is not SARS-CoV-2; it is a separate virus.



For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.


Images of train tracks on fire in Chicago have gone viral on social media recently. However, they have been set on fire for a very good reason - to combat the freezing temperatures and keep them operational.

A brutal cold wave has hit the American Midwest, bringing temperatures lower than those in Antarctica. According to Chicago Tribune, in such extreme weather, transport operator Metra uses fire to keep switches working and help with track repairs.

But, why?

Extreme cold weather can cause steel to contract, causing breaks on train tracks, said Metra spokeswoman Meg Thomas-Reile to Chicago Tribune. While Metra uses continuously welded rail on most of the system, there are some locations near switches and some crossings where the rail is bolted together.

These areas are most vulnerable to separating in frigid temperatures. To repair the breaks, Metra heats the tracks with a rope soaked in kerosene that is laid along the base of the rail and lit on fire. The fire heats up the rail and once it expands, workers pull the rails back together and rebolt them or weld them.

Whole process made mesmerising

The whole process has made for some mesmerising pictures and videos that have gone viral on social media.





Chicago is so cold right now that they have to literally set railroad tracks on fire to warm them up so they don't crack or cause trains to crash, and so they can do repairs. pic.twitter.com/R5Br9Cj26g  Dak (@DakCity_) January 30, 2019





I'm just gonna show ppl this video whenever anyone asks me how cold it gets in Chicago https://t.co/HKS6k8a1n0  Brandon  (@bgarcia2195) January 30, 2019





CNN reports that Metra says it's safe to run the trains over the flames because the diesel fuel in the trains "combusts only with pressure and heat, not open flames."

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.


Are you an admin on a WhatsApp group where conversations tend to get out of hand? Meta-owned WhatsApp may be bringing some relief to your admin woes.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a feature that lets WhatsApp group admins delete messages for everyone. While there is no official confirmation about this feature by WhatsApp, it appears to be under consideration by Meta.

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New powers for WhatsApp group admins

Taking another page out of the more functional rival Telegram, WhatsApp's delete-for-all function for group admins may start appearing in the upcoming beta versions of WhatsApp for both Android and iOS.

Once available, WhatsApp group admins will be able to delete messages shared by any group participant. Once it is deleted by an admin, the following message is displayed - "This was deleted by an admin."

Also read: WhatsApp For iPhone Gets Three New Features: Play-Pause Recording, Focus Mode

With this feature, WhatsApp group admins could get new moderation powers. Current versions of WhatsApp do not allow group admins to delete messages for everyone. Instead, admins have the ability to add or remove people from the group.

If you are a group admin, you will be able to delete any message for everyone in your groups, in a future update of WhatsApp beta for Android.



A good moderation, finally. #WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/Gxw1AANg7M  WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) January 26, 2022

Not too long ago, Bombay and Madras High Courts ruled that WhatsApp group admins cannot be held responsible for content that may be shared on the group.

Reuters

For now, deleting messages for others is allowed by a sender on WhatsApp. After hitting send, you have an hour, eight minutes, and 16 seconds (4,096 seconds) to delete a message. Many users refer to this functionality as "unsend."

Also read: WhatsApp Two-Step Verification Coming To WhatsApp Web And Desktop App Soon



Once available, it is possible that WhatsApp group admins could get the ability to delete older messages. Although this seems highly unlikely, for most radical updates like this one are designed for future use.

What do you think about this ability to delete messages for WhatsApp group admins? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
New images and a video has been circulating online that shows the moment a US Navy F-35 stealth fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea.

This leaked video taken from a navy carrier shows the jet fast approaching the ship where the screen suddenly fills with smoke. This is followed by an unsettling sound of the engine just before it cuts off, reports Newsweek.

Daily Mail

A picture was also originally published by CNN that shows the jet floating in the sea surrounded by debris. In the picture, the cockpit seems to be missing along with the ejection seat.

After the said video clip and picture surfaced online, US Navy confirmed that they are genuine.

Cmdr Hayley Sims, public affairs officer for the 7th Fleet, said: "The ship has assessed that the video and photo covered by media today were taken on board USS Carl Vinson during the crash."

CNN

According to the Daily Mail, this is the second time in three months that an F-35 has been lost at sea. The pilot flying the fighter jet and six sailors aboard the warship were injured following the incident.



The competition will follow between the US and China as to who can retrieve this fighter jet from the sea. Beijing might attempt to use its territorial claims in the South China Sea and say they're doing it for environmental purposes.

Former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center in Hawaii, Carl Schuster told CNN: "Salvaging the plane with commercial and coast guard assets will enable Beijing to claim it is recovering a potential environmental hazard or foreign military equipment from its territorial waters."



It may also take a lot of time to retrieve the plane. The salvage ship could take between 10 to 15 days to arrive at the scene of the incident, and once there it might take as long as 120 days to recover the plane.

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Meet New York States newest proud penguin papas.

Elmer and Lima, two adult male Humboldt penguins at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse welcomed their first penguin chick earlier this month, the zoo said Friday in a news release.

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Elmer, who hatched at the zoo in 2016 and his partner Lima, who hatched in 2019, are two of the zoo penguin colonys 28 birds. They coupled up in the fall, during the current breeding season.

According to the zoo, after the penguin team noticed that the two had built a nest and defended their territory, they decided to test their fostering capabilities.

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In the past, the zoo had at least two pairs of penguins with a history of breaking their fertilized eggs, so sometimes the team has to rely on foster parents.

Some pairs, when given a dummy egg, will sit on the nest but leave the egg to the side and not incubate it correctly, or theyll fight for who is going to sit on it when, said zoo director Ted Fox.

Thats how we evaluate who will be good foster parents  and Elmer and Lima were exemplary in every aspect of egg care.

On Dec. 23, after the team determined that an egg laid by female penguin Poquita and her mate Vente had a viable embryo inside, they decided to swap it for a dummy egg and give Elmer and Lima a chance to incubate it.

It was a match made in penguin heaven.

They did a great job of taking turns incubating the egg until it hatched, according to Fox.

Since the new chick hatched, on Jan.1, Elmer and Lima have been brooding (warming) and feeding it ever since.

At our first health check when the chick was five days old, it weighed 226 grams (8 ounces), he said. It continues to be brooded and cared for by both Elmer and Lima, who are doing a great job. And once they have experience doing this and continue to do it well, they will be considered to foster future eggs, Fox added.

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Humboldt penguins are native to the Humboldt current off the coast of Chile and Peru in South America. According to a 2020 assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they are listed as vulnerable, and its population in the wild is currently decreasing.

Elmer and Limas success at fostering is one more story that our zoo can share to help people of all ages and backgrounds relate to animals, he said.

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is not the first institution to have success with same-sex pairs of penguins fostering eggs.

In 2020, zookeepers at the Oceanografic Valencia aquarium in Spain announced a new addition to their colony of 25 gentoo penguins. Electra and Viola, a female couple, became first-time parents after incubating and hatching an adopted egg.

Other famous same-sex penguin parents include Skipper and Ping, a male pair of king penguins at the Berlin Zoo; Eduardo and Rio, a male pair of Magellanic penguins at the San Francisco Zoo; and Sphen and Magic, a pair of Gentoo penguins who became the loving parents of an egg laid by a negligent heterosexual couple at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia.

Their first chick, Lara, hatched in 2018. Two years later they adopted another egg, bringing Clancy into the world.

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In November 2021 the couple celebrated their third anniversary with global headlines, social media likes, as well as a frozen fish cake, which they shared with their friends in the colony.
Irish businessman Richard O'Halloran has arrived in Ireland and reunited with his family after being prevented from leaving China for almost three years.

On Friday, it was confirmed that a deal to bring Mr O'Halloran home from China had been agreed.

Mr O'Halloran is home now in Ireland after "lengthy" and "closely-guarded negotiations" between the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Chinese authorities.

In a statement upon his arrival back to Ireland, Mr OHalloran noted the overwhelming positive number of messages he and his family received since it became apparent yesterday that the exit ban was to be lifted.

This is a day of great happiness and emotion as I rejoin Tara, Ben, Amber, Isabella, and Scarlett after three years, he said.

Mr O'Halloran said there was considerable input by a number of key individuals who were central in helping to arrive at this positive outcome including Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and President Michael D Higgins who wrote to his counterpart in China.

He also thanked his mother and father, as well as his wider family and friends of the family.

Finally, and most importantly, my own family; Ben, Amber, Isabella, Scarlett and especially my wife Tara. This has been an incredible challenge for them too and they endured many dark days, he said.

But they were always a beacon of light and hope for me and the hundreds of Messenger calls we had helped me to remain positive. Tara was an incredible tower of strength and kept the show on the road.

I am home with them now and we are all looking forward to getting to know each other again and doing normal everyday family things.

This morning, in a tweet, his wife Tara thanked people for their support.

"We are so unbelievably happy to have him back," she said.

Thank you everyone for all your support. We are so unbelievably happy to have him back pic.twitter.com/HCvehlOw7n  Tara OHalloran (@tara_ohalloran) January 29, 2022

Mr OHalloran had been in China since travelling to Shanghai in February 2019 to try to resolve an ongoing commercial and legal issue involving the Chinese owner of the firm he works for, aircraft leasing company China International Aviation Leasing Service (CALS Ireland).

The companys chairman, Min Jiedong, is serving a prison sentence in China for fundraising fraud. Chinese authorities are reportedly looking for $36m from CALS or the aircraft believed to have been purchased with the funds raised.

Mr OHalloran has been denied an exit from China until the issue has been resolved  even though he did not become a director of the company until after Mr Mins actions. No charges have been brought against him and he has not been arrested or charged with anything.

Richard O'Halloran and his wife Tara.

A statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney yesterday confirmed Mr O'Halloran will be allowed to leave China and return to Ireland after almost three years.

"This has been a difficult time for Mr OHalloran and his family. The Government has been actively engaged on the matter throughout and is delighted it has reached a successful result. The Minister wishes to acknowledge the recent cooperation of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland and of the Chinese authorities, and to thank all those who have assisted in achieving this positive outcome.

"The minister wishes Mr OHalloran a happy reunion with his family."

In a tweet, Taoiseach Micheal Martin acknowledged the work of "the many people in Ireland and in China who have helped make this day happen."

Warmly welcome the returning home of Richard OHalloran," he said.

It has been a very difficult journey for him and his family. Thinking of them today.
Gardai have arrested a man at Dublin Airport believed to be involved in a gang which has stolen more than 22m from victims across Europe through online fraud.

Of that total, 6.8m is estimated to have been laundered through bank accounts in Ireland between 2017 and 2020.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has indicated that he believes there are landing zones for a deal on the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Mr Coveney spoke with with UK foreign secretary Liz Truss on Friday, as negotiations between the UK and the EU continue over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Late on Friday, Mr Coveney tweeted that it was good to talk with Ms Truss.

Work to do, but there are landing zones that allow the protocol to be implemented in a way that responds positively to concerns raised in Northern Ireland.

Progress on key issues in February is possible if United Kingdom and European Union work in partnership.

Ms Truss also tweeted following the meeting.

She said it was important that all sides work constructively together to find solutions that address the problems in NI and protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

The British foreign secretary this week expressed her determination to secure a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol that can command universal support in Northern Ireland.

Ms Truss made the comments after meeting with business and political leaders in Northern Ireland on Thursday.

She said: What I want is a deal that works for everyone. We are making progress. Were having constructive talks.

I want to make significant progress by February. Thats important but its important that we secure the support of all of the communities in Northern Ireland, including the unionist community.

Recent days have seen renewed warnings from the main unionist party, the DUP, that it will walk away from the devolved institutions at Stormont if major changes to the Irish Sea border trading arrangements are not secured.
Ireland has never really been neutral, even as far back as World War Two, and we've remained firmly sided with the British and Americans ever since.

To the great powers, this country's positioning has always been strategically important and remains so today. The 'Western Allies' know Ireland is their weakest link and the Russians are only too aware of it also.

Years of under-investment in our naval service and air corps means we are seriously vulnerable militarily. The RAF protects our skies as we have no fighter jets, while British and American nuclear submarines and warships regularly patrol off our coast tracking the Russians in Cold War-style 'cat and mouse' wargaming.

Just 20 years after breaking free of our British imperial masters, we were helping their airmen, who crash-landed here across the border to safety.

The same applied to the Americans and Canadians. On the other hand, we interned the Germans in The Curragh.

German plans to invade us

Churchill had been bulling to invade the Republic from the North, fearful the Germans might do it first and leave Britain surrounded. The Germans had drawn up plans to invade us as well, which started to become apparent in December 1942 when a man called Oskar Metzke took a cyanide pill in a Garda station in the small North Cork village of Castletownroche.

The grave of Oscar Metzke in Glencree, Co Wicklow

Metzke pretended to be an Eastern European refugee and worked as a farm labourer along the River Blackwater, where he was warmly welcomed. He had been checking the depth of the river along the way to find a shallow crossing for tanks, trucks and infantry if the Germans were to invade along the south coast.

They knew the Irish army would probably blow up the bridges along the river and would need somewhere to cross it. Ironically, one of the shallowest points along its entire length is at Killavullen, the next village to Castletownroche.

It is unclear if Metzke discovered that, because if he did his mission would have been all but completed.

When Metzke was rumbled he was arrested. As a highly-trained commando armed with a Luger revolver, he could easily have shot his way out of trouble. He chose to come quietly when apprehended by the unarmed local gardai. This was neutral Ireland and it is likely he knew himself  or was given specific orders from superiors  that he'd have to take his own life if captured.

By contrast, the crew of an American Flying Fortress bomber were treated like royalty when they were forced to ditch their plane on a marsh at Inchydoney, near Clonakilty, the following April, after encountering mechanical failure.

They were bought drinks everywhere they went in the town and were put up by the authorities in O'Donovan's Hotel.

The Irish army guarded the plane while the Americans partied. They had a pet Brazilian spider monkey onboard with them, ironically named Tojo, after the Japanese minister for war, who was later sentenced to death by the Allies for war crimes.

The monkey died a few days later after the forced landing. Some say from the cold, others maintain it was more likely from alcoholic poisoning as he'd be sipping as much free drink as the crew.

The monkey was buried with 'military honours' under part of the hotel's floor, while the crew were dispatched safely to the North.

In the meantime, the authorities here set about repairing the plane and creating a runway to get it out of the marsh it landed in.

A new American crew was dispatched to the scene and flew it out of there on May 2.

In the final days of the war in 1945, the crew of a German Junkers 88 bomber landed in 'neutral' Ireland. The authorities here immediately handed it over to the RAF, because it was equipped with the latest airborne radar and the British wanted to have a look at it.

During World War Two, several IRA activists were helping German intelligence. Many wanted to see the British getting firmly beaten once and for all. Others, though, started to have second thoughts after the countless atrocities committed by the SS began to be revealed.

On the other hand, there were many Irish people who supported the Allies.

There were tens of thousands of their family members and friends who were fighting with the British, Canadians and Americans against the Nazis.

Dan Harvey, a noted military historian, said that up to 150,000 Irish-born people fought with British forces during that global conflict.

More were from the 'Neutral South' rather than the 'Loyal North' and censorship at the time kept that out of the public domain, he said.

The former lieutenant colonel in the Defence Forces said the number of Irish fighting in the US forces has yet to be fully-determined.

But it would be fair to say tens of thousands of first- and second-generation Irish fought with them, he said.

He has written 16 books already on Irish involvement in major wars throughout the world, and Irish Defence Forces overseas involvement in peacekeeping operations.

He's currently writing another, entitled 'Irish Neutrality for New World Reality?'

We were never strictly neutral under the terms of the Hague Convention of 1907. To call yourself neutral, you are obliged to be able to defend that neutrality, which Ireland was never capable of doing.

"Secondly, you must never support any of the combatants, which was patently not the case in World War Two, the full extent of which will be revealed in my book when it's published, Harvey said.

There were also huge numbers of Irish who enlisted with the Canadians, as historian Damian Shiels found out.

One harrowing discovery he made during his research three years ago into Canadian archives was that three brothers from a family who emigrated from Fermoy, Co Cork, lost their lives on separate bombing raids with the Royal Canadian Airforce.

Until then, the Canadians didn't know that Harry, Frank and Edward Sheehan were brothers.

Harry, 24, was in a bomber shot down over Germany in 1943. Frank, 26, died the same year in similar circumstances, as did Edward, 29, in 1944. They had three other brothers who fought with the Canadians, but survived the war.

In the deep Cold War days which followed, very little was written or known about foreign powers' involvement with Ireland.

Shannon stop-over

However, there was one notable exception. The Russians had planned to bomb Shannon Airport to prevent the US resupplying troops to their European bases in the event of war.

The Americans used Shannon in more recent times as a transit stop-over for troops during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and on operations against Islamic State.

They have the technology to refuel military transports in flight and could easily have overshot Shannon for their big airforce bases in Germany, or to other sympathetic countries nearer to the theatres of conflict.

The Shannon stop-over was seen in many quarters as being a political statement, tying Ireland into their union of allies. Being a big brother to Ireland, we didn't oppose Uncle Sam's wishes.

Fast forward then to what has happened more recently as the Cold War started to warm up again.

Putin was faced with the collapse of 'Mother Russia's' empire, which he had dedicated his life to preserving as a former senior KGB agent. Faced with a growing influence of China on one side, the EU and its courting of some former Soviet states, and the Nato power block, he decided to strengthen what he had left and retake territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. File Picture: Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Russia's 'tactical manoeuvres'

In 2014/15, Russian Bear Bombers started to carry out 'tactical manoeuvres' around the Baltic states, Iceland and off the west coast of Ireland.

The ageing Toplov (Tu) aircraft built in the Soviet era were still capable of causing panic amongst Nato forces as they can carry nuclear bombs.

It wasn't unusual for them to take off and do a sweep from Iceland down past Ireland, shadowed by RAF jets.

It is par for the course that most military aircraft on such manoeuvres turn off their transponders. This means they are 'cloaked' to other aircraft. Air traffic controllers here picked them up through a tiny 'squawk' on their radars and on one occasion because the Russians and their pursuers were veering in and out of heavily-trafficked transatlantic flight routes, they were forced to ground several commercial flights and divert others to avoid mid-air collisions.

When the Irish Examiner published this story it went viral around the world.

On that occasion the Irish Aviation Authority, which controls such information, was more than helpful in providing it.

Later, when the Irish Examiner asked how many other similar incidents had occurred in recent years involving military aircraft from other countries, we were met with stony silence.

The Russians did nothing wrong under international law  they never came into our sovereign airspace. Neither are they technically doing anything unlawful with the planned naval exercise off the South-West coast early next month.

Weakest link

In reality, this and the flypasts of the Bear bombers were and are tests which confirm we are our neighbour's and possibly Europe's weakest security link.

On the previous occasions RAF jets chased the Russian bombers down as far as the coastline of Galway or Limerick, knowing that the 'Bears' would always turn around soon afterwards and plot a course back close to Iceland and onto their Russian bases near the Arctic circle.

But then something changed. In January 2015, the same old game was played out off the Irish coast between the two adversaries. British fighters scrambled to intercept a couple of Bear Bombers noticed on a flightpath between Iceland and the Scottish Hebrides.

All went according to plan in the usual way, with the RAF chasing the Russians south along the Irish west coast. The fighters then returned to base, believing that the bombers were going home via the way they'd always done before.

Caught on the hop The bombers continued south but instead took a sharp left turn somewhere off Castletownbere, went along the Celtic Sea and then flew past Bournemouth  the most Conservative place in Britain  and onwards over the English Channel. It shocked the British public and while they didn't publicly admit it, the RAF knew they were caught on the hop. Have Britain and her Nato allies been caught on the hop again? This time with a Russian navy exercise off the Cork coast, in what is no doubt a strategic statement by the Russians in response to the Ukrainian situation. The Irish Air Corps had never been able to monitor the Russians because we don't have any jet fighters. The planes we have cannot match the speed or ceiling of the Bear bombers. It has emerged that the reason we hadn't purchased any jet fighters was that a secret deal had been struck a few years earlier between the British and Irish governments. It is unlikely there will be any type of showdown off the coast when the Russian ships arrive. It is a sideshow to the Ukrainian situation. However, it is a pointed one. Picture: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Britain would protect our airspace against any serious threats. This was primarily linked to terrorist hijacking threats following 9/11. The thinking was that any terrorists hijacking a plane over the Atlantic that was heading our way wouldn't crash into Croke Park or Leinster House, but head to Buckingham Palace or Downing Street and the RAF would shoot it down before that happened. The deal was struck without any input from the Irish Defence Forces, which were excluded from the talks by our Department of Defence, even though the RAF wanted them at the table. Relations between the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence have not been good since.

Putin knows we are the weakest link

Putin knows we are the weakest link and may well not have forgotten that we have been involved recently in two EU battlegroups  one which included Norway, a Nato member.

We don't have the resources to defend ourselves against military superpowers, or even put up some kind of show against them because spending on the Defence Forces has been so depleted it is now the lowest percentage of GDP in Europe.

The Defence Forces are clamouring for investment in emerging technology to monitor foreign powers, whoever they might be, and, without this, our country becomes even more dependent on the big two of the West  forcing us even further to rely on them and making it ever clearer that we are not neutral.

It is unlikely there will be any type of showdown off the coast when the Russian ships arrive. It is a sideshow to the Ukrainian situation.

However, it is a pointed one. The Russians are showing the West they have the power to mount operations on their weakest flank. Also, it is no coincidence that their ships will be positioned right over a number of fibre-optic cables laid on the seabed which carry millions of financial transactions between Europe and North America every day.
A federal US judge has resentenced Tiger King star Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison, rejecting pleas from the former zookeeper to free him from prison.

Please dont make me die in prison waiting for a chance to be free, he told a federal judge who resentenced him on a murder-for-hire charge.

Joe Exotic  whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage  was convicted in a case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin.

Both were featured in Netflixs Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness.

Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, Maldonado-Passage still had his trademark mullet hairstyle, but the bleach-blonde was fading to grey.

Baskin and her husband also attended the proceedings, and she said she was fearful that Maldonado-Passage could threaten her.

He continues to harbour intense feelings of ill will toward me, she said.

Fridays court proceedings came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the prison term he is serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened.

Supporters packed the courtroom, some wearing animal-print masks and shirts that read Free Joe Exotic.

His attorneys said they would appeal against both the resentencing and petition for a new trial.

The former zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin.

A three-judge panel of the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Maldonado-Passage that the court should have treated them as one conviction at sentencing because they both involved the same goal of killing Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and had criticised Maldonado-Passages treatment of animals.

Prosecutors said Maldonado-Passage offered 10,000 dollars to an undercover FBI agent to kill Baskin during a recorded December 2017 meeting.

In the recording, he told the agent, Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off.

Maldonado-Passages attorneys have said their client  who once operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, about 65 miles south of Oklahoma City  was not being serious.

Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.

- Associated Press
Trinity, TX (77320)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
A Nashville police officer with more than 25 years on the force was stripped of his authority after he allegedly fired the final two shots into a chaotic explosion of gunfire on a Tennessee highway, which left one person dead.

Brian Murphy was one of nine police officers to open fire on Landon Eastep on Thursday as he stood in the middle of Interstate 65. The 35-year-old man was armed at the time with a box cutter and at one point reached for a metal cylindrical object at his waist, according to a press release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

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Brian Murphy was one of nine Nashville Metropolitan police officers to open fire on Land Eastep on Thursday as he stood in the middle of Interstate 65.

The deadly shooting unfolded around 2 p.m., when a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper spotted Eastep sitting on a guardrail along the road, not far from mile marker 76. The trooper attempted to speak with Eastep but their dialogue quickly became heated, the TBI said. They were joined a short time later by an off-duty Mount Juliet officer, who similarly tried to de-escalate the situation as they waited for backup officers to arrive on the scene.

Landon Eastep was fatally shot.

Body camera footage released by the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department shows the group of officers pleading with Eastep to drop his weapon.

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Whatever youre worried about we can fix it, lets get you some help though, one officer says. This is not the answer. You and I know it. You dont want to hurt me. I know you dont. And you know I damn sure dont wanna hurt you, right?

Eastep instead reaches toward his waist, prompting officers to open fire.

Metro Nashville Police Department on Friday announced that Chief John Drake ordered Murphy decommissioned, which means he will lose all of his police powers pending the outcome of an investigation, according to the Tennessean.

The other five officers involved, Justin Pinkelton, a 25-year MNPD veteran, Sean Williams, a 17-year MNPD veteran, Edin Plancic, a six-year MNPD veteran, and James Kidd, who joined the department last February, have been placed on administrative leave.
Jacksonville, TX (75766)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.




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A woman from Kansas who moved to Syria, where she allegedly established an all-female combat unit known to wield AK-47s, has been arrested and charged for her work with the Islamic State group.

Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, has been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization, the U.S. Attorney in Alexandria, Va., announced Saturday. Shes accused of planning to recruit operatives to attack a U.S. college campus in addition to discussing a terrorist attack on a large shopping mall, according to an FBI affidavit.

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The affidavit from FBI Special Agent David Robins further alleges Fluke-Eren in late 2016 became leader of an Islamic State unit called Khatiba Nusaybah, based in the Syrian city of Raqqa. She trained the all-female unit in the handling of AK-47 rifles, grenades and suicide belts. Prosecutors said she also taught and translated extremist doctrine.

The U.S. Courthouse is seen in Alexandria, Va., on Thursday. (Cliff Owen/AP)

Fluke-Eren is also accused of training children, some of them as young as 5, to handle the automatic weapons, according to one of six witness testimonies cited in the affidavit. Another claimed that the 42-year-old suspect considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources.

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Fluke-Ekren has been a fervent believer in the radical terrorist ideology of ISIS for many years, having traveled to Syria to commit or support violent jihad, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh wrote in a detention memo.

Fluke-Ekren translated her extremist beliefs into action by serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, directly training women and children in the use of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts to support the Islamic States murderous aims.

While she was initially charged in 2019, Fluke-Ekren was only just brought to the Eastern District of Virginia Friday evening, following her recent arrest in Syria. Its not clear when exactly she was captured.

With News Wire Services
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After workers collected enough signatures to start an organizing drive, the National Labor Relations Board has given Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island the formal go-ahead to hold a union election. The e-commerce and technology giant must now let them decide their fate without meddling.

Thats out of character for Amazon. Thursday, the NLRB accused the company Jeff Bezos founded of repeatedly breaking the law by threatening, surveilling and interrogating their Staten Island warehouse workers who are engaged in a union organizing campaign. Amazon denies those claims  but such behavior is consistent with reports on how theyve tried to deep-six campaigns in other parts of the country. Indeed, workers at a Bessemer, Ala., Amazon warehouse are poised to redo their union election early next month after the NLRB ruled that the company interfered in the first go-round last year.

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Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union, sets up an information booth to collect signatures across the street from an Amazon distribution center in the Staten Island borough of New York, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. (Seth Wenig/AP)

Amazon management doesnt have to smile broadly and give union organizers a bear hug, but there are strict limits on their behavior written into the National Labor Relations Act, all of which are meant to preserve the integrity of the workers voice in the election. Its illegal for higher-ups to threaten employees with punishment if they seek to join a union  or to dangle incentives if they reject one. Surveilling union-organizing activities is also a big no-no.

Assuming voting conditions are on the level, we dont know whether Staten Island workers will want to band together or not. Notwithstanding well-established complaints about COVID safety conditions inside the facility and anger about constant workplace monitoring to ensure productivity, some are surely happy with their pay (which Amazon boasts averages $18 per hour to start), working conditions, and benefits that now include the cost of college tuition.

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Amazon must respect its workers, and so should anti-Amazon activists. Under American law, workers are thought to be wise enough to make up their own minds about the costs and benefits. If a majority think that organizing to bargain collectively and demand a contract is the best way forward, more power to them.
Thom Potts welcomed members of the public to a reception in his honor at South Jefferson Public Library on Jan. 23. The library is hosting an exhibit of Potts' photography as part of the Art in the Library series.
With Dwayne The Rock Johnson recently making it clear that he wants no parts of Vin Diesels next The Fast and the Furious flick, Jason Momoa is in the muscle-bound mix.

The Aquaman star is reportedly the next in line to battle Diesels Dom Toretto and his family in the 10th installment of the blockbuster franchise.

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Jason Momoa, left, and Vin Diesel. (Getty Images)

The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported Friday that the newly single Momoa is joining the cast of the action pic, scheduled to open May 19, 2023.

F9 director Justin Lin will be back to helm the 10th installment of the automotive-centered action movie. Plot details remain under wraps.

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The most recent installment of the series made more than $726 million worldwide, earning the fifth spot on the chart of 2021s highest grossing films.

Meanwhile, Momoas second stand-alone superhero movie, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, is expected to open in theaters on Dec. 22.
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State Reporter

Eric covers state government and does special projects. Eric joined the JI in June 2014. He graduated from CCSU, and his hobbies include speaking truth to power and exposing hypocrisy. He is a fan of the New York Giants and Metallica.
Opinion Columnist

Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018.
The teaching of critical race theory is the center of education debate especially in southern states, where many are attempting to ban the practice.
Netflix's "All of Us Are Dead," starring Yoon Chan Young, Park Solomon, Park Ji Hoo, and more, gave viewers a round of emotional roller coaster with surprising scenes that kept everyone at the edge of their seats.

Released on January 28, the newest K-zombie series immediately became a trending topic on Twitter as netizens expressed their excitement for the much-awaited d-day.

Move over "Squid Game," as the 12 part episode will surely be the latest Kdrama obsession. With that said, here are the highlights in the first half of Netflix's "All of Us Are Dead."

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 1: All Hell Breaks Loose at Hyosan High School

The first episode featured the ground zero of the outbreak and how it all began.

Hyongsan science teacher Lee Byeong Chan (Kim Byung Chul) created a drug to help his son deal with a traumatic experience.

For years, he has been a target of bullying but was too scared to defend himself.

On the other hand, a lab rat accidentally bit a female high school student and immediately became a zombie.

Thankfully, Lee Byeong Chan saw it, preventing the student from getting out of the lab.

However, it wasn't too long for him to hide his secret after the infected student managed to get out of the room.

Unfortunately, the virus spreads like wildfire as all hell breaks loose.

The whole campus was bloodshed as the students grapples to survive.

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 2: The Temporary Shelter

The second episode showed that the faculty of Hyosan wanted to hide the anomalies of the school for the sake of their reputation.

It came after the English teacher Park Seon Hwa (Lee Sang Hee) found out that Lee Byeong Chan did this to the student.

Unfortunately, it was already a catastrophe inside the campus as students transformed into flesh-eating creatures.

Nam Ohn Jo, together with Lee Cheong San, managed to seek a safe place together with the snooty Lee Na Yeon, Park Mi Jin, Jung Woo Jin, Choi Nam Ra, Lee Soo Hyuk, and more.

In "All of Us Are Dead," episode 2, the group starts to witness how intense the chaos was after two of them turned into zombies; this includes Nam Ohn Jo's best friend.

She gets emotional as she bids goodbye to her best friend by letting her fall off the window.

On the other hand, Lee Byeong Chan disclosed the details to detective Song Jae Ik and confessed that he was behind it.

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 3: Lee Na Yeon's Fatal Revenge

Lee Byeong Chan tells the detective that there's no antidote nor cure to this virus, but he can find a way to stop them but needs to get his things to the science lab.

Unfortunately, he didn't make it and advised the police officer to continue the search without him.

On the other hand, "All of Us Are Dead" episode 3 shows how the group managed to find another safe place at the broadcasting station.

Together with their English teacher, they find a way to contact the police and other authorities that could save them.

Unfortunately, a zombie tried to enter the window, but thankfully, Lee Soo Hyuk and Chang Hoon handled the situation.

Lee Na Yeon noticed the blood on Chang Hoon as well as the scratch on his arm, but he insisted that it wasn't a bite mark.

For everyone's peace of mind, Chang Hoon agreed to stay at the recording room for an hour, but Lee Na Yeon took this as an opportunity to prove them wrong by turning him into a zombie.

"All of Us Are Dead" episode 3 showed an emotional scene between best friends Lee Cheong San and Chang Hoon after the latter agreed to leave the room on his terms.

However, class president Choi Nam Ra confessed that she saw Na Yeon wipe Chang Hoon's arm with infected blood from one of the zombies and accused her as a murderer.

After being damned by everyone, she chose to leave the group.

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 4: The Beginning

The fourth episode starts with the science professor recalling why he created the virus.

As mentioned, this is for his son, who was a victim of bullying for a long time and even came to a point where he wanted to commit suicide.

Due to this, he created a drug that would make him strong, so he could defend himself, but instead, he turned him into a monster.

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 5: Government Declares Martial Law

While the virus turned the whole city into chaos, the government knew that the situation was out of hand.

In episode 5, they declared martial law and required the citizens of Hyosan to undergo testing and quarantine.

Unfortunately, the government has decided not to send help to the virus' ground zero, the Hyosan High School.

'All of Us Are Dead' Episode 6: Hybrid Zombie

As the K-zombie series reached the end of its first half, "All of Us Are Dead" featured surprising revelations starting with Lee Na Yeon.

The sixth episode revealed that she was still alive and seeking shelter in the music room.

On the other hand, the high school gangster Yoon Gwi Nam turned into a hybrid zombie after attempting to kill Lee Cheong San.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Kim Jung Hyun returns with a new project after his 10-month hiatus following the numerous controversies against him. The actor is cast in a South Korean indie film with an interesting new acting role.

Kim Jung Hyun Returns With a New Indie Film

The handsome "Crash Landing on You" returns with a new acting role in an upcoming SouthKorean indie film.

On January 28, Kim Jung Hyun's agency, Story J Company, confirmed his casting, saying, "The actor has confirmed his appearance in the upcoming independent film "Secret."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Here's What You Should Never Miss in the Final Episodes of 'Snowdrop'

"Secret" (literal translation) follows a group of people who face the secrets of their past while investigating a mysterious murder.

Kim Jung Hyun is cast as a police detective who plays a vital role in the harrowing murder investigation.

The release of the drama hasn't been disclosed yet, but the drama is expected to show Kim Jung Hyun's acting prowess, proving how great of an actor he is.

The forthcoming indie film "Secret" is Kim Jung Hyun's first ever project since his 10-monthlong hiatus due to the controversies over his relationship with his agency, his romantic past with actress Seo Ye Ji and his unprecedented behavior on the set of the 2018 drama "Time."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Kim Da Mi Dishes Out Feelings on Reuniting With Choi Woo Sik in 'Our Beloved Summer,' Reveals Ideal Type, More

Kim Jung Hyun issued multiple apologies for his controversies before taking a break, resolved his contract issues, and signed a new contract with Story J Company in September 2021.

Did You Know? Kim Jung Hyun Played a Gymnast in Previous Indie Film

"Overman," Kim Jung Hyun's first ever indie film, is a 2015 coming-of-age romance drama that depicts a love story between two young teenage kids who fall in love after gradually getting to know each other.

The drama stars Kim Jung Hyun as a high school gymnast who becomes a library assistant as acommunity service punishment for fighting, opposite Chae Seo Jin who plays a school girl whoborrows a lot of books.

It doesn't only show the beauty of young love, but also show the personal sufferings of theprotagonists that give comfort to viewers.

Directed and written by Seo Eun Young, the indie film premiered at the 20th Busan InternationalFilm Festival and was awarded for keeping independent cinema alive.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Heres What You Should Never Miss in the Final Episodes of Snowdrop

Follow KDramaStars for more KMovie, KDrama, and celebrity updates!

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Sean Penn has a theory about why men have become feminized in American culture: genetics.

The Oscar Award-winning actor and filmmaker was asked to clarify his views on gender roles in a new interview with the British newspaper The Independent.

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He said that men in the U.S. had become quite feminized.

He added, I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.

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Sean Penn is seen in 2016. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File) (Rich Fury/AP Photo)

The 61-year-old father of two was reiterating a previous comment he made on masculinity, which the outlet referred to as his old school views.

Earlier this month, Penn told U.K. outlet iNews that he was seeing an absence of male behavior nowadays.

He added that he believed that American culture have become wildly feminized. I dont think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did, he said. But I dont think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.

During the interview with The Independent, he was asked to clarify his previous statement  and doubled down on his claims.

Penn, who has won two Oscars for best actor  including one in 2009 for his portrayal of the groundbreaking gay politician and LGBTQ rights icon Harvey Milk in the biopic Milk  was being interviewed next to his 30-year-old daughter, Dylan Penn, to promote their new film, Flag Day.

His answer, the outlet noted, left his daughter quiet, staring into space.
tvN drops more teasers of its upcoming mystery-action drama, "Military Prosecutor Doberman," starring Jo Bo Ah and Ahn Bo Hyun.

With oozing charisma and intense presence, the drama's lead stars are ready to showcase their skills and captivate viewers with their new roles.

'Military Prosecutor Doberman' Character Teasers: Jo Bo Ah, Ahn Bo Hyun Immerse In Their Roles

After releasing character posters, tvN entices viewers for dropping Ahn Bo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah's first character video teasers, hinting at their courageous characters as military prosecutors.

Fans are now anticipating the two actors' powerful transformation upon the posters' release. On January 29, "Military Prosecutor Doberman," scheduled to have its regular broadcast every Monday and Tuesday on tvN starting on February 28, surprised many with its intriguing trailers.

The drama depicts the story of two military prosecutors who enter the camp with different reasons. They will team up to expose the anomalies and inequality happening inside the field.

The series' writer, Yoon Hyun Ho, will collaborate with Jin Chang Kyu, who is known for his sensual and delicate directing skills.

tvN's new drama is said to be the first high-quality play that will talk about the hidden truth inside the military.

The Start of Do Bae Man and Cha Woo In's Military Journey

"Military Prosecutor Doberman" teasers capture the overwhelming scale of the drama, from car chase to several action stunts. The lead stars also emit a strong aura, instantly catching the viewers' eyes.

Do Bae Man (Ahn Bo Hyun) and Cha Woo In (Jo Bo Ah) stunned many with a satisfied look in their eyes in the beginning of the clips. Do Bae Man, who holds a bunch of cash in the bag, raises questions about his real identity and plan of starting a journey in the military.

Cha Woo In, on the other hand, exudes confidence as she fearlessly faces the evil even at the infancy of her stay.

The scene where soldiers in military uniforms overpower someone with a restrained action received hot responses from fans.

As the video proceeds, Cha Woo In smiles meaningfully as she only focuses on becoming better and fulfilling the goal inside the military premises.



Are you excited for Jo Bo Ah and Ahn Bo Hyun in "Military Prosecutor Doberman"? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

For more Korean drama updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
JTBC's "Snowdrop," the most controversial drama, has pulled through! Despite the numerous allegations that threatened the broadcast of the promising drama, BLACKPINK Jisoo and Jung Hae In's "Snowdrop" successfully made its way, up until the end!

On January 29, broadcast network's "Snowdrop" released new stills that hint at the changes inside the hostage scene after a huge revelation from Eun Young Ro (BLACKPINK Jisoo).

'Snowdrop' Episode 14 Spoilers: Eun Young Ro Reveals True Identity, What Will Change Inside the Dormitory?

In the previous episode of "Snowdrop," Lee Kang Mu (Jang Seung Jo) planned to get their hands on the money with which doctor and North Korean spy Kang Cheong Ya (Yoo In Na) has against Nam Tae Il (Park Sung Woong), a South Korean man who plans to kill them all.

"Snowdrop" episode 14 will tell how Young Ro tries to put the puzzle pieces back togwther. She Young Ro surprises her dormmates as well as housemother Ms. Pi (Yoon Se Ah) by revealing her hidden identity. Young Ro tells her fellow hostages that she is the daughter of the Director of the Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP).

On the other hand, Im Su Ho (Jung Hae In) faces an incredibly critical decision after his government commands him to blow up the dorm, or they will kill someone dear to Su Ho's heart.

Amid the commotion, Young Ro's father Eun Chang Soo (Heo Jun Ho) gets ready to avenge on Nam Tae Il, his friend who secretly shoots him with a sniper.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Here's What You Should Never Miss in the Final Episodes of 'Snowdrop'

In episode 14, Young Ro finally prepares to speak directly to the ANSP herself through a walkie-talkie. Su Ho, Kang Mu and Pi Seung Hee, all worried about Young Ro, sit with Young Ro to ease her needs.

The three give Young Ro a much needed time to tell all the things she had to say, which also piques the interest of the viewers.

'Snowdrop' Episode 14 Release Date and Time

The upcoming episode is filled with intense revelations and counterattack that will absolutely take the viewers to a high.

"Snowdrop" episode 14 is scheduled to air on Saturday, January 29 at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC. For worldwide streaming, it will be available in selected regions on Disney+.

'Snowdrop' To End One Week Ahead of Schedule

To give way to the celebration of the Lunar New Year holidays, the JTBC drama "Snowdrop," starring Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK Jisoo, made slight scheduling changes.

Initially, "Snowdrop" was scheduled to end on February 5, but since the Lunar holidays fall on February 1, the broadcast media and production unit decided to air the final two episodes on January 30.

Many television programs also made small changes in their schedules to celebrate the holidays.



Follow KDramaStars for more KMovie, KDrama, and celebrity updates!



KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Protesters participating in a cross-country truck convoy protesting measures taken by authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19 and vaccine mandates protest near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Protesters participating in a cross-country truck convoy protesting measures taken by authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19 and vaccine mandates hold signs on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
10 bln COVID-19 vaccine doses unequally administered globally: New York Times

Xinhua) 07:51, January 29, 2022

People line up to enter a COVID-19 test and vaccination site near Times Square in New York, the United States, Dec. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"Ten billion doses is a triumph of science but a complete failure of global solidarity," says Madhukar Pai.

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Around 10 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, a milestone that was met on Friday but has not been reached equitably, The New York Times (NYT) reported.

In the wealthiest countries, 77 percent of people have received at least one dose, whereas in low-income countries the figure is less than 10 percent, said the newspaper, quoting the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford.

"As North America and Europe race to overcome Omicron surges by offering boosters, with some nations even contemplating a fourth shot, more than one-third of the world's people, many of them in Africa and poor pockets of Asia, are still waiting for a first dose," said the NYT report.

A medical staff member inoculates a person with a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccine clinic in San Antonio, Texas, the United States, Jan. 9, 2022. (Photo by Nick Wagner/Xinhua)

For example, the United States has administered five times as many extra shots -- about 85 million -- than the total number of doses administered in all of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, said the report.

The milestone reflected the astonishing speed with which governments and drug companies have mobilized their resources, and 10 billion doses could theoretically have meant "at least one shot for all of the world's 7.9 billion people," it added.

"Ten billion doses is a triumph of science but a complete failure of global solidarity," Madhukar Pai, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at McGill University in Montreal, was quoted in the report as saying.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese medical team donates protective equipment to hospital in Botswana

Xinhua) 16:15, January 29, 2022

FRANCISTOWN, Botswana, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The 16th Chinese medical team to Botswana on Friday donated a consignment of personal protective equipment to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, located in Botswana's second largest city Francistown.

The items, including face masks, isolation clothes, disposable protective clothing and face shields, will go a long way in easing the shortage of personal protective clothing at the hospital.

"Shortage of personal protective equipment becomes a bar to the containment of COVID-19," Wu Zhaohui, the leader of the 16th China Medical Team in Francistown, said at the donation ceremony.

He said the donated medical supplies can help protect medical staff and thus are instrumental in controlling the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 21 members of the 16th Chinese medical team are working at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
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A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 39F. SE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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An excerpt from Heart Medicine: How to Stop Painful Patterns and Find Peace and Freedomat Last. Reprinted in arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO.

For many months, Leila could not stop ruminating about the fateful event of spilling coffee on her exmother-in-laws tunic. Images from the traumatic event on her sons wedding day returned repeatedly, intermingling with related images of Eleonore undermining Leilas marriage to her son and of Leilas grandmother rejecting and shaming her as a child in front of her cousins. Centered around this shaming theme, these frozen images arose seemingly out of nowhere to consume Leilas attention. They were hard to shake, leaving Leila feeling weak in her body, queasy in her stomach, and with a band of pressure squeezing her head.

Age-old, tender, and sometimes agonizing dispositions like Leilas tend to repeat themselves despite our conscious wish for them to stop. Thats the R in LRPP (long-standing, repetitive, painful patterns of hurt): repetitive. Our painful experiences recur in patterns of sensing, thinking, feeling, and imagining, which are then often followed by compulsive and unskillful ways of behaving.

Psychology and repetition compulsion

Psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud and C. G. Jung used the term repetition compulsion for this ubiquitous dynamic in which a person repeatedly relives a traumatic event or its circumstances over and over again. Freud saw repetition as our psyches attempt to master difficult events; he understood it as a spontaneous yet unsuccessful attempt to heal. Similarly, the psychoanalyst Paul Russell has proposed that by ruminating about a memory, we are reliving a painful experience in order to master the overwhelming feelings that followed the original trauma.

Russell also describes the driving forces behind our repeating patterns as emotional rather than cognitive. Traumatic events change our brain structure and chemistry. They alter our brain physiology on a micro level but also make us prone to defensive and often destructive ways of coping. There is a wordless quality to traumatic memories with little verbal narrative yet with vivid images and bodily feelingslike Leilas weakness, queasiness, and head pressure. Flashbacks often arise inadvertently, and we are unaware of their underlying patterns. And even when we become aware of the patterns, they remain tenacious, with a driven quality.

LRPPs are characterized by these ruminations, images, sensations, and feelings that intrude into our psyche, demanding to be repeated and somehow released. But in our unconscious attempt to avoid being hurt again, we freeze and constrict, as Leila did.

The Jungian analyst Robert Bosnak describes complexes (what I call LRPPs) as calcified, insulated islands of traumatic memories that must be loosened up and reintegrated by our psychosomatic system. The scar tissue forming a protective shell around our past traumas needs to be dissolved so they can finally be digested and eliminated. Repetition compulsion (the unknowing repetition of thoughts, behaviors, or whole patterns of responding) can then be seen as unconscious attempts to resolve the walled-off memories.

With my LRPPs, themes of feeling rejected, excluded, and not valued have come up again and again as a tangle of emotions, thoughts, images, behaviors, and bodily sensations. In a painful episode fifteen years ago, some teachers in my local Buddhist group let me know, in no uncertain terms, that my approach was too untraditional and that they would no longer welcome me as part of their teaching community. This rejection kept my ruminating mind hooked for years afterward, spinning in never-ending circles through my head. As I repeated the story to myself over and over, I would ponder how things could have happened differently, while self-doubt ate away at me. The slightest trigger in my day-to-day life could bring me back to this hurt and trigger my obsession with this group and their rejection of me. My body would feel constricted and cold, yearning for the warmth of a safe and kind spiritual family. Experiences that brought out similar sentiments of feeling excluded and rejected repeated themselves many times throughout the decades of my life.

Repetitive rumination informed by Buddhist teachings

Ruminationor papancha, as it is called in Buddhist psychologyis the experience of chewing on thoughts and feelings in a way that keeps us stuck and paralyzed. We dwell on and even amplify the upsetting aspects of a situation, like Leilas nonstop ruminating about the coffee incident with Eleonore. Long after a painful episode has passed, we relive events as if they are happening in the present. It can be likened to the excessive development of scar tissue around an injury. Physiologically speaking, a person who has been wounded develops abnormalities in their stress hormones and arousal patterns in their autonomic nervous system that make their brain prone to hyperactivity.

Ruminating and obsessing about something that went wrong such as repeating thoughts and feelings over and over againmay give us a sense of taking action toward resolving a situation that feels distressing and out of control. We may hope that doing so will relieve our stress. Usually, however, were merely cutting the groove even deeper, ensuring that our painful patterns continue to repeat for even longer.

The Buddha, like a good doctor, understood our bodys and psyches attempts to resolve painful knots of trauma within ourselves and tried to lessen the suffering we experience caused by our strong urge to react and repeat. As he explained it, suffering comes from grasping or pushing away our experiences, whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling. This urge to grasp or avoid is so subtle, so endemic, that we are inadvertently drawn to repeat whatever gets us closer to our desires or further away from our fears. But that repetition, performed over and over again, is what deepens and sensitizes our wounds, keeping them alive. When we continuously pick off the emotional scab through our repetitive thoughts, the wound will never heal.

There can be an addictive quality to this process. Circular and repetitive thoughts and feelings try to entice us, just like fast food calls out to us to be consumed, offering the possibility of instant gratification and the promise of no longer feeling hungry. We can all recognize a bittersweet seduction exuded by the saltiness of rumination or sweetness of a familiar, repeating behavior. Actions, feelings, and thoughts call out, wanting to be continued and echoed, but this is what I call a false healing. Repetition promises feeling better, but in fact this wrong kind of food makes us feel sick and weakened.

Feeding the pain-body

Our obsessive, repetitive thoughts can also be understood in terms of Eckhart Tolles pain-body. He describes a pain-body as a semiautonomous energy form that lives in most human beings and consists of a vibrating energy field that is always in motion. This pain-body has its own primitive intelligence with its entire motivation being survival. It feeds itself emotionally painful energy in order to perpetuate its existence.13 You could say that the pain-body is addicted to unhappiness, which is in turn fed by negative thinking and emotional drama.

It can be difficult to recognize this pain-body in ourselves and even more challenging to spot it in others. For most people, the pain-body has both a dormant and an active state. The dormant state can last for hours, weeks, or months, depending on the individual, until it gets stirred up. Leilas pain-body, which is very similar to a LRPP the feeling of being an outcast since the days spent at her grandmothers housesat dormant in her psyche until it was activated by a new rebuff or rejection. By the time of her sons wedding, her pain-body was already quite a mighty beast, and when Leila spotted Eleonore, it roared to life again, filling Leila with great distress. Whether the pain-body is merely a resonant metaphor or a definable thing in itself, its an image that can help us clearly understand the repetitive, addictive, and even parasitic nature of our own LRPPs.

Psychology, Buddhism, and Tolles pain-body all describe an obsessive and ruminating state and its addictive quality. Whether called pain-body, complex, or LRPP, this experience can grab and hold us in the throes of its influence. The Buddha saw attachment, grasping, and clinging as the cause of our endless suffering. He recommended eight basic treatment strategies, named the eightfold path, to heal our sick souls. Yet every treatment plan needs to be finely tuned to the particular needs, environment, circumstances, and times a patient is living in.

Radhule Weininger is a clinical psychologist and author of Heart Medicine: How to Stop Painful Patterns and Find Peace and Freedomat Last.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - A senior UN envoy will travel to Burkina Faso over the weekend on a good offices mission in the wake of the military coup last Monday
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Popular South Florida author describes a losing battle over development

Carl Hiaasen, author of popular Florida-based novels and a former columnist and reporter for the Miami Herald, has long been known for satirizing the bizarre political and financial landscape that characterizes South Florida.

He retired his column in March to focus more on writing books, as well as criticizing the destruction of Floridas unparalleled natural beauty. On Thursday, Jan. 20, Florida Keys Last Stand, a volunteer group that advocates for preservation and natural conservation in the Keys, held its annual meeting, via Zoom due to the omicron surge.

Hiaasen

Last Stand has been focused on working with city and county commissions to promote responsible land development, support regulation of cruise ships in Key West and keeping Wisteria Island as a natural place.

Hiaasen served as a guest speaker and, in an unusual format, was interviewed by his longtime friend and fishing partner, Big Pine Key dentist Charles Troxel, a member of Last Stand.

To begin, they joked about how much Hiaasen detests being interviewed.

I think Ive heard you say its right up there with a prostate exam, Troxel quipped to Hiaasen.

The two went on to discuss the shaky relationship that Florida politicians have with the states unique environment, and the fanciful pandering that Hiaasen constantly sees on campaign trails that includes promises of environmental protections. Promises that are seldom kept.

I think I can remember being pissed off since I was about 6 years old, Hiaasen said.

The author grew up in Plantation, a city in Broward County that even today is experiencing rapid population growth and development. It was already starting when Hiaasen was a child, he said. He recalls when he was younger there were cow pastures and potato fields around town, but as the vast engine of greed began to churn, massive fields of concrete suburbs took their place.

When I was a kid I saw it and then every time I came home from college it would be much worse and by that time I understood politically whats happening. It was just, the wheels were getting greased and the whole political machine was designed to enable the plundering of Florida, the exploiting of the beauty of Florida and the natural resources.

Its still the case today, Hiaasen said. The only difference now is politicians at least make an attempt to seem like they care about the environment. The Everglades have become an apple pie political issue that even the staunchest of business-minded conservatives must pay heed to.

I always love it during the presidential primaries, when these boneheads come down. They have an obligatory trip to Everglades National Park, and they go out on the boardwalk and pretend theyre mesmerized by alligators and its a photo-op, Hiaasen said.

Take Gov. Ron DeSantis (whom Hiaasen has a number of profane names for), for example, who campaigned heavily on Everglades restoration. Hiaasen said nearly anyone could look like an environmentalist after following Rick Scott.

General Sherman would look like an environmentalist compared to Rick Scott, he said.

Despite being a protected area, there are still applications to drill exploratory oil wells in the Everglades and Big Cypress. WUSF reported in November that the nearest drilling projects to the most recent proposed site were dry holes and no exploratory drilling had been done there in 40 years.

Its just a bunch of lobbyist oil companies that are pushing this, Hiaasen said.

But its not just the Tallahassee politicians and oil lobbyists that Hiaasen has a problem with. His first novel solo novel, Tourist Season, which came out in 1986, was about a deranged newspaper columnist who forms a terrorist group with the goal of committing crimes heinous enough to scare away visitors and thereby keep the destructive tourism industry from ruining Florida further.

So what was the inspiration for such a plot?

It was a fantasy of mine, Hiaasen said. To scare people away from Florida. Even when I was a kid, the net population was going up by 1,000 a day, which is appalling. Theres no nation that would allow that kind of unchecked stampede of resource-users. I always had a fantasy of moving vans bumper-to-bumper northbound on I-95. And that should be every Floridians wet dream, by the way.

Hiaasen describes writing as a socially-acceptable way to get out his frustrations. He loves to write and make people laugh, and said hes been lucky to have readers who laugh for the right reasons.

But he would probably be writing even if the books were not best-sellers.

I think I have to, Hiaasen said. The alternative is to go down the monkey-wrenching road, and Im too old to start blowing up bulldozers.

What would it take to scare people out of coming to Florida? One strategy that Hiaasen has employed in looking for inspiration is to simply check the local news headlines in Florida, which he calls a target-rich landscape for a writer. Hiaasen said theres been an ongoing problem at swim-with-dolphin attractions in Florida in which the aquatic mammals take a strong liking to their human visitors, to the point that its caused injury. This is taken to an extreme degree in the ending of Hiaasens 1991 novel Native Tongue when one of the characters is thrown into a tank and, as Hiaasen puts it, sodomized to death by a bottlenose dolphin.

I wrote a column about it because, if this doesnt scare people out of Florida  I mean, my God, run for the hills! But it still didnt work, he said.

Hiaasen said hes followed the appalling fight over cruise ships currently playing out between the City of Key West and lawmakers in Tallahassee.

The only steal in Florida was the voters of Key West, Hiaseen said.

Hiaasen said hes visited Key West several times in the last year, and everyone he talks to was amazed by how quickly the water and reefs cleaned up when large ships stopped coming into the pier. Key Wests cruise ship schedule is still not back to pre-pandemic levels, and the author said its ironic that COVID is the only thing that has prevented that from happening. Its another example, similar to the oil lobbying, of business interests taking priority over everything else to Tallahassee lawmakers.

Lobbying in return for campaign donations is, to Hiaasen, the simplest form of legal bribery.

The real culprit in Floridas degradation, though, is not Big Oil, Big Sugar or cruise ships, Hiaasen said. Its unchecked development.

The concrete mass thats grown from both coasts in and all the water from those cities, the counties and municipalities. All of that pumps huge amounts of crappy water out and runoff and rain water, he said.

The conversation was admittedly cynical, with Hiaasen at one point saying basically theres no hope. Amidst the constant barrage of negative news about the environment, Troxel asked Hiaasen what positive note he can end on. His answer was young people seem to have an innate connection to nature. Letters he gets from young readers of his childrens books are what keeps him going.

They are connected, and they believe that this is a battle worth fighting for, he said. Maybe one out of 10 will make it through their MBA where theyre still idealistic, but one out of 10 is better than nothing.

Young people seem to have more motivation to save the planet than people of his generation, Hiaasen said, and are more active in efforts to do so.

We do admit, they couldnt possibly screw things up worse than our generation. They couldnt possibly sell out worse than our generation sold out. I mean so that keeps me going, the kids and young people are just phenomenal.

eweld@keysnews.com
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Participants in the 2016 JazzNIC Festival practice during the annual event's public concert. The 2022 festival will be held Feb. 1 and 2 at North Idaho College, and the concert will be at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.
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Netflix has announced the latest batch of additions to their streaming catalogue for the month ahead with a whole host of content to keep you entertained.

Check out the full list of titles coming to Netflix this February below:

NETFLIX TV SERIES

Raising Dion: Season 2 01/02/22

Raising Dion follows the story of Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) and her son Dion (Ja'Siah Young) after Dion starts to manifest several mysterious, superhero-like abilities. Two years after defeating the Crooked Man (Jason Ritter), Season Two follows Dion as he continues honing his powers with the support of his mom and Tevin (Rome Flynn), his Biona trainer who catches Nicoles eye. After befriending new student Brayden (Griffin Robert Faulkner) - a fellow powered kid - a series of alarming events unfold, and Dion learns that danger is still looming. Navigating twists, turns, and surprise visitors, Dion and Nicole must prevail again -- not just to save themselves, but the entire city of Atlanta

Dark Desire: Season 2 02/02/22

As Alma tries to rebuild her life, a reunion with Dario rekindles their doomed affair and brings his more sinister side to the surface.

Murderville 03/02/22

Meet Senior Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett), Homicide Division. For Terry, every day means a new murder case and a new celebrity guest star as his partner. But heres the catch: each episode's guest star isnt being given the script. They have no idea whats about to happen to them. Together, the guest star and Terry Seattle will have to improvise their way through the case... but it will be up to each celebrity guest alone to name the killer.

Join them as they punch a one-way ticket to Murderville. The six-episode procedural crime comedy premieres globally on Netflix on February 3.

Young Wallander: Killer's Shadow 17/02/22

Set in contemporary Sweden, Kurt Wallander is found adrift and uncertain of the future following his exit from the police force. An opportunity to re-join the Major Crimes Unit arises when a new Superintendent, Samuel Osei, takes on the leadership. Wallander accepts the offer and is tasked with what seems to be a straightforward case: a hit-and-run outside a nightclub.

However, when the victim is found to be connected to an infamous murder case handled by Frida Rask eight years ago, Wallander quickly suspects that there is more to this incident than meets the eye. Determined to uncover the truth, he refuses to back off - even when the investigation leads him to the door of those who could end his career in a heartbeat.

Sweet Magnolias: Season 2 04/02/22

Sweet Magnolias centers around three best friends (Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue) born and raised in Serenity, SC, a small southern town where everybody knows everybody and everybody knows everybodys business. As Season 2 opens, Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue learn who is in the car. But that's just the first of many surprises that come out of Prom Night -- surprises that reshape relationships all over town.

Friendships flounder. Old loves end and new loves begin. Long-hidden secrets disrupt jobs, change lives, and shift the balance of power in Serenity. Everyone is affected. But in laughter and in loss, the Sweet Magnolias continue to fight for what is right for themselves and the people they love -- even when those efforts come with a high price tag. Will they find there are some problems not even Margarita Night can solve? Come pour it out and find out.

Disenchantment: Part 4 09/02/22

The misadventures of hard-hitting, hard-drinking Queen Bean, her feisty elf companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci return and deepen in Part IV of Matt Groenings comedy fantasy series Disenchantment. The mystery of Dreamlands origins - and the stakes for its future - become ever clearer as our trio - and King Zg - find themselves on personal journeys that will ultimately tie in to the kingdoms fate.

Separated at the end of Part III, our heroes race to reunite in this sweeping series of ten episodes. Theyll find themselves everywhere from the depths of Hell to the clouds of Heaven and everywhere in between, including Ogreland, Steamland, underwater, monasteries, insane asylums, the Enchanted Forest, the Dreamscape and more. All the while, puzzle pieces both canonical and personal will reveal themselves to eager fans.

Until Life Do Us Part 10/02/22

Three generations of a family living together in an idyllic villa juggle the demands of their wedding planning business and their own personal crises.

Inventing Anna 11/02/22

In Inventing Anna, a journalist with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New Yorks social scene  and stole their money as well. But is Anna New Yorks biggest con woman or is she simply the new portrait of the American dream?

Anna and the reporter form a dark, funny love-hate bond as Anna awaits trial and our reporter fights the clock to answer the biggest question in NYC: who is Anna Delvey? The series is inspired by the New York Magazine article How Anna Delvey Tricked New Yorks Party People by Jessica Pressler.

Love Is Blind: Season 2

A new journey begins for singles seeking transformative love  sight unseen. Who will find romance and who will come face to face with heartbreak?

Forecasting Love and Weather 12/02/22

Inside a national weather service, love proves just as difficult to predict as rain or shine for a diligent forecaster and her free-spirited co-worker.

Twenty Five Twenty One 12/02/22

In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life.

Business Proposal (Coming Soon)

A blind date leads to misunderstandings and mishaps in this workplace rom-com.

Love, Life & Everything in Between (Coming Soon)

An ode to Valentine's Day in various Arab cities, this anthology series tinged with dark humour explores love at large  and relationships up close.

Devotion, a Story of Love and Desire 14/02/22

A seemingly happy marriage begins to dissolve when the husband's faithfulness is called into question, and both spouses become tempted by other people.

Fishbowl Wives 14/02/22

In a luxury apartment tower, six different women in unhappy marriages end up crossing the line into infidelity. Based on the manga series by Kurosawa R.

Thirty-Nine 16/02/22

Leaning on each other through thick and thin, a trio of best friends stand together as they experience life, love and loss on the brink of turning 40.

Swap Shop: Season 2 16/02/22

One person's junk is another person's profit. Seasoned collectors venture out across Tennessee in search of bargains they can sell for big money.

One of Us Is Lying 18/02/22

Detention brings together five disparate high schoolers, but a killing  and secrets  keep them together as a cat-and-mouse murder mystery unfolds.

Toy Boy: Season 2 11/02/22

As Hugo investigates the bombing, he and his friends deal with a new pair of adversaries and a fresh set of challenges at work.

Space Force: Season 2 18/02/22

Season 2 of Space Force picks up with General Naird and his underdog team having to prove their worth to a new administration while dealing with interpersonal challenges. Will the group come together or fall apart under the pressure...? Space Force is only human after all.

Cat Burglar 22/02/22

Classic cartoon craziness meets an interactive quiz in a new series from the creators of "Black Mirror."

Juvenile Justice

A tough judge balances her aversion to minor offenders with firm beliefs on justice and punishment as she tackles complex cases inside a juvenile court.

Back to 15 25/02/22

Thirty-year-old Anita travels back to age 15 and starts meddling with everybody's lives  until she realizes the only life that needs fixing is her own.

Vikings: Valhalla 25/02/22

Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, VIKINGS: VALHALLA chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived  the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter).

As tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.

NETFLIX FILM

Erax 17/02/22

During a sleepover, Auntie Opal and her niece Nina accidentally release the mythical and dangerous Erax creatures that must be returned to the storybook from which they escaped.

Heart Shot 17/02/22

High school seniors Nikki and Samantha are in love and planning their future  until Nikki's violent past comes back to threaten everything she holds dear.

My Best Friend Anne Frank (Mijn beste vriendin Anne Frank) 01/02/22

Based on the real-life friendship between Anne Frank and Hannah Goslar, from Nazi-occupied Amsterdam to their harrowing reunion in a concentration camp.

Through My Window 04/02/22

Raquel's longtime crush on her next-door neighbour turns into something more when he starts developing feelings for her, despite his family's objections.

Looop Lapeta 04/02/22

When her boyfriend loses a mobster's cash, Savi races against the clock to save the day  if only she can break out of a curious cycle of dead ends.

The Privilege 09/02/22

A wealthy teen and his friends attending an elite private school uncover a dark conspiracy while looking into a series of strange supernatural events.

Into the Wind 10/02/22

While vacationing at a seaside resort, a hopeful medical student experiences first love with a local kitesurfer, but their friends and family disapprove.

Love Tactics (Ask Taktikleri) 11/02/22

An ad executive and a fashion designer-blogger don't believe in love, so they place a bet to make the other fall head over heels  with unusual tactics.

Love and Leashes 11/02/22

An ad executive and a fashion designer-blogger don't believe in love, so they place a bet to make the other fall head over heels  with unusual tactics.

Anne+: The Film 11/02/22

Under pressure to finish her novel and move to Montreal for her relationship, a queer 20-something in Amsterdam searches for what she wants in life.

Tall Girl 2 11/02/22

After her inspiring speech at the homecoming dance, Jodi (Ava Michelle) is no longer just the "tall girl" - she's popular, confident, has a boyfriend, and just booked the lead role in this year's school musical.

But as the pressure of her newfound popularity intensifies, so do her insecurities, and new relationships are formed while old ones are tested. As the world she built starts to crumble around her, Jodi realizes that standing tall was only just the beginning.

Bigbug 11/02/22

Android chefs. Drone security. Robot overlords. The future looks bright until the cracks show and the AI uprising begins in this sci-fi comedy.

Fistful of Vengeance 17/02/22

A revenge mission becomes a fight to save the world from an ancient threat when superpowered assassin Kai tracks a killer to Bangkok.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses 17/02/22

In 1939 Germany, a disabled farm boy is pursued by Nazi soldiers after Hitler enacts Aktion T4; a program to euthanize people with disabilities.

Rabbids Invasion Special: Mission to Mars 18/02/22

An unlikely team of Rabbids are on the mission of a lifetime to Mars. It's up to them to come together and stop the galaxy's newest threat.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 18/02/22

After nearly 50 years of hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic young friends who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town. Melody (Sarah Yarkin), her teenage sister Lila (Elsie Fisher), and their friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson), head to the remote town of Harlow, Texas to start an idealistic new business venture.

But their dream soon turns into a waking nightmare when they accidentally disrupt the home of Leatherface, the deranged serial killer whose blood-soaked legacy continues to haunt the areas residents  including Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouere), the sole survivor of his infamous 1973 massacre whos hell-bent on seeking revenge. Also stars Moe Dunford

Don't Kill Me 20/02/22

After Mirta dies of a drug overdose with her lover, she resuscitates alone and discovers she's part of a violent world she never knew existed.

UFO 23/02/22

When aspiring musician and student Deniz falls for a rough-hewn motorbike racer, tragedy and family opposition obstruct their path to love.

Tyler Perry's A Madea Homecoming 25/02/22

Madea's back  hallelujer! Tyler Perry returns with everyone's favorite character in Tyler Perry's A Madea Homecoming, the newest film in the Madea franchise set to debut on Netflix. Writer-director-producer Perry stars in the film that centers around Madea's great-grandson's college graduation, though the celebratory moment hits a halt as hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the happy homecoming.

Restless 25/02/22

After going to extremes to cover up an accident, a corrupt cop's life spirals out of control when he starts receiving threats from a mysterious witness.

My Wonderful Life 28/02/22

A blackmail note threatening to reveal a womans affair sparks a chain of events that serves as large-scale group therapy for her entire family.

NETFLIX COMEDY

Only Jokes Allowed 09/02/22

Six of South Africa's top comedians take center stage and showcase their talent in this collection of short stand-up sets.

Ms. Pat: Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy? 08/02/22

Y'all wanna hear something crazy? Then tune into Comedian Ms. Pat's first hour-long Netflix special, directed by the legendary Robert Townsend. Ms. Pat recalls growing up poor in Atlanta during the Reagan era, what she learned spending five days in juvenile detention, how her mom made her get baptized at local churches to get money, and much much more. Ms Pat: Y'All Wanna Hear Something Crazy?

Mo Gilligan: There's Mo to Life 17/02/22

Mo Gilligan breaks down his days as a broke teenager, working in retail, relationship dynamics, annoying talk show producers and more in this special.

NETFLIX DOCUMENTARIES

The Tinder Swindler 02/02/22

The Tinder Swindler tells the jaw-dropping story of a prolific conman who posed as a billionaire playboy on Tinder, and the women who set out to bring him down. Swipe, swipe, swipe Its not easy to find love online, so when Cecilie matches with a handsome billionaire playboy, she cant quite believe it when he turns out to be the man of her dreams.

But dreams aren't reality and by the time she discovers this international businessman isnt who he says he is, its too late. Hes taken her for everything. Where this fairytale ends, a revenge thriller begins. Cecilie discovers his other targets and once they band together, they're victims no more: The Tinder Swindler meets his match. From the producers of The Imposter and Dont F**k with Cats, this riveting feature documentary follows as they uncover his true identity and fight to bring him to justice.

MeatEater Season 10 Part 2 02/02/22

Steven's travels take him to New Mexico for big game and an exotic import, as well as Hawaii, where he hunts feral goats and takes up spearfishing.

Catching Killers: Season 2 09/02/22

The detectives who captured the BTK Killer and other notoriously brutal murderers recount the brave actions and burdens behind their investigations.

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing 18/02/22

Investigators reveal how Boeings alleged priority of profit over safety could have contributed to two catastrophic crashes within months of each other.

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy 16/02/22

A landmark documentary event presented in three acts from Clarence Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy is an intimate and revealing portrait of Kanye Wests experience, showcasing both his formative days trying to break through and his life today as a global brand and artist.

Race: Bubba Wallace 22/02/22

Both the personal and professional tracks of race car driver Bubba Wallace's life are chronicled in this new docuseries. With exclusive access to Wallace during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, his first with Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlins 23XI Racing, the six-episode series traces his rise to the elite ranks of NASCAR as the only full-time Black driver and the turbulent aftermath that followed his decision to speak out about racial injustice.

NETFLIX KIDS & FAMILY

Gabby's Dollhouse: Season 4 01/02/22

New lessons, new surprises, same adorable kitties  including Floyd! Gabby leads the way with Pandy, CatRat, Cakey, Baby Box and other beloved pals.

Ridley Jones: Season 3 15/02/22

Outer space adventures, treasure hunting and new friends keep Ridley and crew busy as they protect the museum from magical mishaps  and Mr. Peabody.

Secrets of Summer 16/02/22

A remote Argentine resort revives its wakeboarding competition, drawing in Mexican athlete Steffi, who is determined to uncover a family secret.

Kid Cosmic: Season 3 03/02/22

Kid's superhero dreams come true as the Local Heroes become Earth's greatest champions. But is something amiss with this ridiculously awesome adventure?

The Cuphead Show! 18/02/22

Follow the misadventures of the impulsive Cuphead and his easily swayed brother Mugman in this animated series based on the hit video game.

Karma's World Music Videos 24/02/22

Step into Karma's musical world as she rocks the mic  and her curls  for this fun and funky playlist packed with rhymes and the power of positivity!
Families affected by issues in Kerry mental health services will be given financial compensation, Leo Varadkar has said.

The Tanaiste also told the Dail that the cabinet would discuss details of a damning review of services next Tuesday.

The review of the care of more than 1,300 children who went to the South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs) found this week that 46 children suffered significant harm.

The HSE report found that hundreds of children received risky treatment by a doctor working in the service.

Concerns raised about the doctor, who is not named in the report, sparked a review of services.

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said the situation was not down to just one rogue operator.

He told the Dail: This is down to systemic failure for many years which we are all guilty of, every one of us.

We are going to have to deal with it in a certain way.

He asked Mr Varadkar: What are you going to do relating to the massive issues with resources and resource gaps around the country?

What process are you going to put in place to deal with the issue of compensation for these families?

The Tanaiste responded: Let me not mince my words. I have come across a number of examples of failings in care and failures in our health service to provide the standard of care that we would expect for ourselves and our families.

This is very much at the more severe end.

What happened here is hard to accept, that there were huge failings of this nature involving children in particular.

It just shouldnt happen and it should have been detected and identified much earlier, and it is very disturbing that we find ourselves talking about this and more particularly that those families are experiencing what they are experiencing at the moment.

The most important thing that we must do is put this right and that means making sure that the families and the children affected receive the services and the supports that they need.

There wont be any financial barrier from the Government when it comes to providing them with the services and the supports that they need.

In terms of the detail of the review, how that is going to work, cabinet has not yet had a chance to discuss this, we will on Tuesday.

I am sure it is absolutely the case that it will be necessary to provide financial compensation to many of the families affected.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty said: There needs to be a step change from Government, no more apologies.

What we want is action, what we want is the system to be fixed.

Last Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin demanded a country-wide audit of CAMHS teams.
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New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): A total of 695 hospitals and health centres of the Indian Railway across the country have been successfully integrated with the 'Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission' (ABDM), said a press release on Saturday.

The move will not only benefit around 80 lakhs Railway employees and Railway pensioners and their family members in accessing health care facilities of other hospitals integrated with ABDM additionally, but also enable the general public to draw the benefit of health care facilities available in Railway hospitals and health centres in a seamless digital manner, said the press release.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Man Booked on Charges of Rape and Extortion in Bhopal.

If Railway patients are going outside Railway Health System to some other hospitals integrated with ABDM for specialised treatment anywhere in the country, then with the help of this integrated system, the exchange of medical records will be facilitated digitally, expeditiously and seamlessly making things easier, faster, hassle-free and efficient for beneficiaries or patients, as per the statement.

This significant job of integration of Railway health system with ABDM has been executed by RailTel Corporation of India, a Miniratna Central Government PSU under Ministry of Railways. It has been accomplished in collaboration with National Health Authority (NHA), the apex body responsible for implementing "Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)" to create a National Digital Health Eco-system, according to the statement.

Also Read | Khadeda Hoibe: SP, Its Allies Tweak Mamata Banerjees Khela Hobe to Chase Away BJP in UP Assembly Elections 2022.

"Hospital Management Information System (HMIS)" in all the 695 Railway Hospitals and Health Centres across the country which has proved to be a game-changer for the Railway's health system. Now, the integration of railway HMIS with ABDM is another milestone that will help beneficiaries reap the benefits of the ABM ecosystem in a seamless digital manner," said Puneet Chawla, CMD, RailTel

"Such integration of hospitals with ABDM will gradually ensure the reach of good health facilities to every citizen in the country and provide them with the best digital health care," he added.

ABDM aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country. It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways, as per the statement. (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 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hit battleground Uttar Pradesh by holding a virtual rally on January 31, ahead of Assembly elections in the state.

This rally by the Prime Minister will cover five districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Shamli, Muzzafarnagar, Baghpat, Saharanpur, Gautambuddh Nagar (Dadri/Jewar) And it will cover 21 Vidhan Sabhas.

Keeping the directions of the election commission in mind the total physical mobilization arrangements have been made to listen to the Prime Minister's address at 100 locations cutting across 98 mandals and covering 21 Vidhan Sabhas. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Amit Shah's Door-to-Door Campaign in Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur Today.

The total physical presence will be 50,000 covering 500 people per location. There will be LED screens and campaign vans that will be dispatched to these locations for people to listen to the Prime Minister's address.

The BJP which has a massive digital footprint is likely to use all its platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc, and is hoping to reach over 10 lakh people across these 21 assembly constituencies.

This will be the first address by the Prime Minister for the BJP after the dates were announced for the assembly elections. The state of Uttar Pradesh goes into elections in seven phases. The first phase of the election will take place on February 10 and the last phase on March 7. The counting will take place on March 10.

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Samba (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 29 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that India will become the fourth country in the world after UK, Russia and China to light up 1,000 drones in the sky during the beating retreat ceremony.

Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister in Vijaypur said, "It is a matter of pride that for the first time, 1,000 drones will light up the sky during the beating retreat ceremony. India will become the 4th country in the world after UK, Russia and China to achieve this feat."

Also Read | Union Budget 2022-23 Will Be MSME and Export Oriented, Says FIEO.

He further said that the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) alumni have worked on it for six months. "I am also happy to share that the entire funding was done by the Ministry of Science and Technology. IIT alumni have worked on it for 6 months," Singh added.

The Beating Retreat ceremony began at Vijay Chowk in the national capital.

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In a first, a grand drone show will dazzle the sky above the national capital during the Beating the Retreat ceremony to be held at Vijay Chowk on Saturday as part of the country's 73rd Republic Day celebrations.

According to the Defence Ministry, the 10-minute drone show involving 1,000 drones will commemorate 75 years of Independence, which is being celebrated as 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. It has been conceptualised, designed, produced and choreographed under the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative.

The drone show has been organised by startup 'Botlab Dynamics' and supported by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and the Department of Science and Technology.

'Beating the Retreat' is a centuries-old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from the battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield. It is for this reason that the custom of standing still during the sounding of retreat has been retained to this day. Colours and standards are cased and flags lowered at retreats.

Drumbeats recall the days when troops, billeted in towns and cities, were recalled to their quarters at an appointed time in the evening. Based on these military traditions, the 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony creates a mood of nostalgia of the times gone by. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has changed the team probing the death of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand, officials said on Saturday.

The development came after the Jharkhand High Court recently slammed the agency for its "laxity" in probing the murder, and observed that it seemed that the CBI was trying to quit the investigation and even protect the accused.

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The officials said the team will now be headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Kumar, posted at agency's Special Crime Unit in Delhi. He has already taken over from VK Shukla.

The new team has already reached Dhanbad where they sought the court's permission to question two accused, Lakhan Verma and Rahul Verma, who have been chargesheeted and are being held in the district prison, they said.

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The high court had ordered the CBI to produce reports of the narco test conducted on the arrested two accused. There is a greater conspiracy and that should be unearthed, it had said.

The CBI had filed its charge sheet in October last year against auto-rickshaw driver Lakhan Verma and his accomplice Rahul Verma under IPC sections related to murder (302) and destruction of evidence (201) besides common intention (34), the officials said.

The central agency had kept the probe open in the case, they said.

The 49-year-old judge was allegedly mowed down by the autorickshaw while he was on morning jog on July 28, 2021 in Dhanbad.

CCTV camera footage showed that Anand was jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad when the auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene, killing him.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the Jharkhand government.

The agency had taken over two more FIRs -- related to theft of mobile phones and auto rickshaw used in the crime -- from Jharkhand police in order to unravel alleged conspiracy in the murder of the judge, they said.

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New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): Congress on Saturday once again put up strong allegations on the Central government on the issue of Pegasus Software Purchase stating that the Modi government deployed it for snooping and spying upon Rahul Gandhi and his staff members.

"The shocking new expose in an international publication has now confirmed what the Indian National Congress has long asserted - "The Modi Government is the deployer and executor of the illegal and unconstitutional snooping and spying racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus and the Prime Minister PM Modi Modi is himself involved!," said Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewalaa while addressing a press conference here in Delhi.

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"This is a brazen 'Hijack of Democracy' and 'An Act of Treason', said Congress.

Surjewala also said that the five damning truths about the Pegasus purchase software are now clear by adding "Modi Government purchased Pegasus Spyware in 2017 and other military technology as the "centrepieces" of a package including "weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion" from Israel during PM Modi's visit.

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He also alleged that it is not a coincidence that the Budget of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) reporting to NSA went up from Rs 33 crore to Rs 333 crore in 2017-18.The Congress leader asserted that the spyware Pegasus not only breaches Whatsapp and phone but is also able to turn over the cellphones camera and microphone to capture all activities in the vicinity of the phone, besides hacking all the security features of the phone and can also plant fake material into the cellphone to falsely incriminate people.Continuing his allegations on Modi Government over the issue, he said that it deployed Pegasus spyware for snooping and spying upon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his staff members (former PM Deve Gowda, former Chief Ministers - Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy), former BJP Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia; BJP Cabinet Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, his wife and staff, former head of VHP and others.In addition, Supreme Court judges, Election Commission of India, CBI Director Alok Verma and his wife and family, advocates, activists and even journalists of prominent media organisations and many others were also targeted by Pegasus, he added.

Surjewala also alleged that the Modi Government duped and deceived Parliament.

He also alleged that the Ministry of Home Affairs also deceived the people of India by denying the purchase of Pegasus in response to an RTI query.

"Defence Minister and Defence Ministry also on record misled the Parliament and the people by denying purchase of Pegasus spyware from NSO. The BJP machinery engaged in a massive and coordinated strategy to dupe and betray the Indian public," he said.

Modi government misled the Supreme Court which directly questioned it on the purchase and use of the questionable software.

In July 2021, names of several Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and over 40 Indian journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, according to a report published in The Wire.

However, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had attacked the reports of India's Pegasus use as "baseless" and "highly sensational".

Later, journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, SNM Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Ipsa Shatakshi, who are reported to be on the potential list of snoop targets of Pegasus spyware, had also approached the Supreme Court along with The Editors Guild of India (EGI) among others.

The Supreme Court, had in October last year, formed a three-member committee to oversee a technical committee comprising three members, including those who are experts in cyber security, digital forensics, networks, and hardware, which will probe Pegasus spyware case. (ANI)

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New Delhi, January 29: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to SBI seeking withdrawal of its new rules wherein a woman who is over three months pregnant will be considered "temporarily unfit" and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery. State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, could not immediately be reached for comment.

"State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as temporarily unfit'. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule," DCW Chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.

In the notice, the panel sought a copy of the new guidelines as well as a copy of the similar rules operational before this. It has also sought an action taken report in the matter.

The bank's move has elicited criticism from some quarters, including from the All India State Bank of India Employees' Association. In its latest medical fitness guidelines for new recruits or promotees, the bank said a candidate would be considered fit in case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months.

"However, if pregnancy is of more than three months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery of child," as per the medical fitness and ophthalmological standards for new recruits and promotees dated December 31, 2021.

Earlier, women candidates with up to six months of pregnancy were allowed to join the bank subject to various conditions. The conditions include furnishing a certificate from a specialist gynaecologist that her taking up bank's employment at that stage is in no way likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus, or is not likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Shalini Bhardwaj

New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2022-23, which is scheduled to take place on February 1, healthcare industry professionals feel that health & well-being, which is one of the six crucial pillars of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat campaign, should also be given top priority in the budget this year.

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The health professionals said that there is a need to further strengthen medical services in rural areas and equip tier 2-3 towns with facilities like diagnosis centres, ventilators, ICU, critical care facilities and oxygen plants.

The health professions shared with ANI that Tax incentives should also be extended to Research and Development to encourage further innovation in healthcare

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"The Government had rightly placed health and well-being as the first of the six pillars in the Union Budget 2021 and the focus must continue in 2022 too," Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD and CEO, Fortis Healthcare, told ANI.

"Firstly, the outlay for healthcare infrastructure is to be increased. Since the hospital sector is at the forefront as cases in India are on surge again, facilities in Tier 2-3 towns need to be equipped with diagnosis centres, ventilators, ICUS, critical care facilities and oxygen plants," he further said.

"We need greater investment in NCD programmes as comorbidities are driving pandemic deaths and long COVID ailments. There is an urgent need to allocate a separate budget for a national campaign around preventive health, testing and screening as these are key to reducing the overall disease burden in India," he added. "The Government needs to also focus on building asset-light models powered by digital health to drive out-of-hospital care, remote monitoring and home care to reduce the burden on hospitals. We need to strengthen the digital ecosystem to speed up the adoption of new technologies to foster telemedicine for diagnosis and treatment," he stated.

"There needs to be more investment in advanced training and capacity building programmes through affordable study tools and courses for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in intensive and critical care, pulmonology, cardiology, oncology, emergency and trauma care," he further stated. "Healthcare should be accorded priority status so that the sector can derive benefit from the GST transition and providers and healthcare service delivery institutions can avail loans at lower rates and extended tenure. It is also essential that the Government reduces duty and cess for critical care and life-saving equipment and drugs to reduce costs for both providers and patients," he explained.

Meanwhile sharing her expectations from the budget, Apollo Hospitals Group Jt Managing Director Sangita Reddy said, "The pandemic has shown the potential of India to become a global centre for R&D in drugs and vaccines. Tax incentives should also be extended to R&D as this would encourage further innovation in healthcare."

"Another key area that the budget needs to address is skilling of healthcare workers. This will help to address the manpower challenge that we face and bring India up to par with the recommended ratio in terms of trained doctors and nurses. A policy for a PPO model in health education would help us to ramp up the healthcare workers to population ratio."

Further and most importantly encourage "health" care and not Sick care. Enhancing the health check-up exemption from Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000 per family will be a true step towards

Indian Medical Association President Sahajanand Prasad Singh said, " Expectations from Indian Medical Association first to increase the allocation of GDP from 1.2 per cent to 3.3 per cent, the government should spend more on primary healthcare, need to provide services in rural areas, promotion of resources and production of drugs and medicines for the doctors and the people, issue of shortage of nurses and paramedics, we have to improve the quality of the hospitals in rural areas, we have to send doctors to the rural areas to serve the people." (ANI)

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Panaji (Goa) [India], January 29 (ANI): Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa Chief Minister Late Manohar Parrikar on Saturday said that circumstances forced him to take a decision of contesting as an independent candidate from Panaji in the ensuing Goa Assembly polls.

Utpal also said that he will try to meet each person in Panaji and know about their problems.

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Speaking to ANI ahead of the Goa Assembly elections, he said, "I will try to meet each person in Panaji. The circumstances forced me to take this decision (of contesting an independent candidate) from Panaji. I want to give people a good option in candidates."

Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, filed his nomination papers from the Panaji Assembly constituency on Thursday.

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Last week, he resigned from the primary membership of BJP after the party denied him a ticket from the Panaji constituency and fielded Congress party turncoat Atanasio "Babush" Monserrate.

After BJP snubbed him, Parrikar decided to contest the upcoming Goa election as an independent candidate.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that the central leaders of BJP were in conversation with Utpal and had offered him two constituencies to contest the election in the upcoming Goa Assembly polls.

Goa is scheduled to go to the Assembly polls on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

(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 29 (ANI): Gujarat reported 11,794 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours, informed the State health department on Saturday.

With this, the total number of active cases in the state has gone up to 98,021.

Also Read | Union Minister V K Singh Calls NYT Supari Media Over Its Report on Pegasus.

A total of 33 people have succumbed to coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours taking the cumulative death toll to 10,408 in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, the state has also recorded 21,655 recoveries on Saturday. As many as 10,36,156 people have been recovered from COVID-19 disease in the state so far. (ANI)

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Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 29 (ANI): The Romeo Force of the Indian Army organized a workshop on Friday to encourage the Kashmir youth to join the Indian Armed Force.

"It was a good session. Army weapons were also displayed for us. We thank the Army for organizing it," said Mohd Kasam, a participant of the workshop.

Also Read | Narendra Modi Govt Has Committed Treason, Says Rahul Gandhi on New York Times Report on Pegasus.

Around 300 youth participated in it. As a part of the workshop, the Romeo Force also delivered a motivational lecture for the youth. They displayed weapons like AK-47s and told them about the usage of different weapons, making, and features.

"The workshop is aimed to link the army with the youth. We have discussed how the youth can join the Indian Army. Through this program we want the youth to know about the lives of army jawans so that they connect with us more", said Ishaan, an Indian Army personnel. (ANI)

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Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 29 (ANI): Terrorists fired upon a policeman in Hassan Pora locality of Bijbehara area in Anantnag district of South Kashmir, informed police on Saturday.

Police further informed that the injured policeman was rushed to a hospital, however, he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

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The deceased policeman was identified as Head Constable Ali Muhammad. (ANI)

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Srinagar, Jan 29 (PTI) Militants on Saturday shot dead a policeman in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

J-K Police head constable Ali Mohammad was fired upon by militants at around 5.35 pm near his residence at Hasanpora in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag, a police official said.

Also Read | Chennai: Man Tries to Sexually Assault Daughter; Wife Hammers Him to Death.

He said Mohammad was shifted to a hospital in critical condition where he succumbed.

The area has been cordoned off and a hunt launched to nab the assailants, the official said.

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Espanola, NM (87532)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Low 36F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 36F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Bhopal, Jan 29 (PTI) The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh stood at 9,50,134 on Saturday after the detection of 8,678 cases, while the deaths of five patients in the last 24 hours took the toll to 10,607, a health department official said.

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The positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, increased to 11.74 percent on Saturday from 10.8 percent the previous day, he pointed out.

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The recovery count stood at 8,73,485 after 10,576 people were discharged from hospitals during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 66,042, the official said.

Bhopal and Indore, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 1,508 and 1,905 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said.

With 73,873 samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,57,73,369, he added.

A government release said 10,92,56,233 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 1,11,538 on Saturday.

Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 9,50,134, new cases 8,678, death toll 10,607, recoveries 8,73,485, active cases 66,042, number of tests so far 2,57,73,369.

(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 29 (ANI): No casualties or injuries were reported in the fire that broke out in the pantry car of Gandhidham-Puri express train on Saturday, as per Western Railway.

A four-member committee has also been set up to investigate the matter.

Also Read | Union Minister V K Singh Calls NYT Supari Media Over Its Report on Pegasus.

"No casualty or injury was reported. A four-member committee has been set up to investigate the matter," said Sumit Thakur, CPRO, Western Railway.

The fire broke out in the pantry car of the express train near Nandurbar station in Maharashtra on Saturday at about 10.35 am.

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The fire brigade was informed while the fire extinguishers of the station and the train were being used to douse the flames

The Railway Ministry confirmed that all the passengers were safe and had been safely evacuated. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. (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, Jan 29 (PTI) A New York Times report claiming India bought Pegasus spyware as part of a USD 2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017 triggered a major controversy on Saturday with the Opposition alleging that the government indulged in illegal snooping that amounted to "treason".

The Opposition parties indicated that they would raise the issue strongly in the Budget Session of Parliament starting Monday, even as Union minister Gen (retd) V K Singh called The New York Times "Supari Media".

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A government source said the matter related to the Pegasus software was being monitored by a committee under the Supreme Court -- headed by retired Supreme Court judge R V Raveendran -- and its report was awaited.

Reacting to NYT's report, Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation, said on Twitter: "Can you trust NYT?? They are known "Supari Media"."

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The Congress launched an all-out attack on the government over the report, accusing it of deceiving Parliament, duping the Supreme Court, hijacking democracy and indulging in treason.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter, "The Modi Government bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Government functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason."

"The Modi Government has committed treason," he alleged.

The Congress said it intends to raise the issue in the budget session and demand accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government on the floor of Parliament.

The principal opposition party also urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and initiate appropriate penal proceedings against the government for attempting to "deliberately and knowingly deceive" it.

Asked about the issue, Shashi Tharoor, senior Congress leader and chairman of the parliamentary panel on communications and information technology, told PTI, "The government has chosen not to be responsive to the IT Committee about Pegasus, and the stand taken by a number of BJP members - not to permit a quorum when the issue was to be discussed - has also meant that the Committee has made no headway in establishing the facts."

"The Supreme Court is pursuing the matter and I wish it well. If our government has used Pegasus in the manner alleged it would be a very grave threat to our democracy," he said.

In a tweet, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "The (Narendra) Modi government must explain on affidavit why it bought this cyber weapon, who gave the permission for its usage, how were the targets selected and who got these reports?"

"Silence on such a critical issue only means an acceptance of its criminal activity," he said.

CPI general secretary D Raja alleged that the government hid the truth on the issue from Parliament and they were now answerable.

In a tweet, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged the spyware was used not for defence purposes but to snoop on opposition and journalists.

"If there is BJP, it is possible. They have made the country into a Bigg Boss show," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy suggested that "Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of ? 300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company."

"This implies prima facie our Govt misled Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate?" he asked.

Meanwhile, India's former permanent representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin dismissed as "utter rubbish" the "insinuation" in the NYT report which cited India's 2019 vote in support of Israel at the UN's Economic and Social Council to highlight deepening of ties after a deal that included sale of Pegasus.

Tagging a tweet on the NYT report, Akbaruddin, who held the post at the UN from 2016-2020, said, "The insinuation about India's UN vote is utter rubbish".

Incidentally, India and Israel marked 30 years of diplomatic relations on Saturday.

The media report said Pegasus and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly USD 2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

The NYT, in its report titled 'The Battle for the World's Most Powerful Cyberweapon', said that the Israeli firm NSO Group had for nearly a decade been "selling its surveillance software on a subscription basis to law-enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world, promising that it could do what no one else -- not a private company, not even a state intelligence service -- could do: consistently and reliably crack the encrypted communications of any iPhone or Android smartphone".

The report also referred to Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 - the first Indian prime minister to do so.

"For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called 'commitment to the Palestinian cause', and relations with Israel were frosty. The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and (then Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach," it said.

"They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion -- with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces.

"Months later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the UN's Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation, a first for the nation," the report said.

Last year, a row had erupted over Pegasus allegedly being used for targeted surveillance in India.

The government, however, had dismissed allegations of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people.

Last October, the Supreme Court set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India, observing the state cannot get a "free pass" every time the spectre of national security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a "mute spectator" and be the bugbear it shies away from.

The NYT report said the FBI too had bought a version of Pegasus.

It was around last summer that the FBI "decided not to deploy the NSO weapons. It was around this time that a consortium of news organisations called Forbidden Stories brought forward new revelations about NSO cyberweapons and their use against journalists and political dissidents. The Pegasus system currently lies dormant at the facility in New Jersey".

An international investigative consortium had claimed that many Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by the software.

The report said that since 2011 when NSO "introduced" Pegasus to the global market, it had "helped Mexican authorities capture Joaquin Guzman Loera, the drug lord known as El Chapo".

European investigators have quietly used Pegasus to thwart terrorist plots, fight organised crime and, in one case, take down a global child-abuse ring, identifying dozens of suspects in more than 40 countries, it 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 (Karnataka) [India], January 29 (ANI): Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar K on Friday said that statistics show that the Delta variant of COVID-19 has become less dominant which is now replaced by the Omicron variant of the virus as against the second wave in the country when the former variant was more dominant over the others.

Sharing the genome sequencing data till Thursday in the state, the Minister said that the Omicron variant is more dominant in the ongoing third wave of COVID-19 with 67.5 per cent of the samples testing positive for the variant.

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On the contrary, the Delta variant, which was more dominant during the second wave with a 90.7 per cent positivity rate of the sample, has now become less dominant with a 26 per cent positivity rate.

"Which strain is dominating in which wave in Karnataka? As per the genome sequencing sample, the following are the dominant strains: Second wave: 90.7 per cent Delta variant, Third-wave: 67.5 per cent Omicron variant and 26 per cent Delta variant of coronavirus," Sudhakar tweeted.

Also Read | India Never Been Linked to a Group of People or Any Religion, Says Report.

Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 31,198 new COVID-19 infections on Friday with a positivity rate of 20.91 per cent. (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 29 (ANI): President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday paid his condolences on the demise of social worker and Padma Shri awardee Baba Iqbal Singh.

Taking to Twitter, President said, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Iqbal Singh, who made a remarkable contribution in the field of education, medicine and social service."

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"In recognition of his services, he was selected for the Padma Shri in the year 2022. My deepest condolences to his family and fans," he tweeted in Hindi.

Earleori in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences on the demise of Iqbal Singh and said "he will be remembered for his efforts to spread education among youngsters."

Also Read | Union Minister V K Singh Calls NYT Supari Media Over Its Report on Pegasus.

"Pained by the passing away of Baba Iqbal Singh. He will be remembered for his efforts to increase education among youngsters. He tirelessly worked towards furthering social empowerment. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. May Waheguru blesses his soul," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Iqbal Singh was a social worker and Padma Shri awardee. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chandigarh, Jan 29 (PTI) Days after the AAP government was accused of obstructing the release of 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday accused the SAD of doing "dirty politics" over the issue.

Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had recently sought the immediate release of Bhullar in the "larger interest of consolidating peace and communal harmony" in Punjab.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: PM Narendra Modi to Hold His First Virtual Rally on January 31.

Bhullar was convicted in connection with the killing of nine people and injuring of 31 in the blast. He was awarded the death penalty by a designated TADA court in August 2001 but his capital punishment was commuted to life sentence by the Supreme Court in 2014.

Badal had urged Kejriwal not to allow a "communal bias or political or electoral opportunism to dictate his decision and refusal to grant immediate clearance for Bhullar's release".

Also Read | Chennai: Man Tries to Sexually Assault Daughter; Wife Hammers Him to Death.

Asked about allegations levelled by the SAD over the issue, Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convenor, said, "It is a sensitive issue and the SAD is doing dirty politics over it. We strongly condemn it."

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, had slammed the AAP dispensation for its "negative attitude" towards Bhullar's release and demanded intervention of the Government of India in the matter.

Punjab goes to polls on February 20 and the SAD has been targeting the AAP over the issue.

Explaining the entire process, Kejriwal told reporters in Jalandhar, "Delhi is not a full state and law and order, and the police come under the Centre -- under the Lieutenant Governor."

"A sentence review board, comprising judge, police officers, secretaries and other members, deliberates on the issue of remission of sentence, release et Cetra and arrives at a decision. I don't have any role in this."

After a recommendation is arrived at, the file goes to the L-G who has to make a final decision, the Delhi chief minister said.

"When I came to know about this (Bhullar issue), I told the home secretary that a meeting of this board be convened at the earliest... and whatever be the decision of the board will be put up before the L-G," Kejriwal said.

The SAD had recently said a party delegation would meet President Ram Nath Kovind to seek "immediate and effective personal intervention" to secure the release of Bhullar.

The Centre in September 2019 had recommended special remission to eight Sikh prisoners, including Bhullar, to mark the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. It has been alleged by some Sikh bodies that the AAP government in Delhi has not given its clearance for the release of Bhullar.

On Saturday, while interacting with reporters, Kejriwal was asked about the Congress targeting him for tendering an apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

He countered, saying what had stopped them (the Congress) from arresting the SAD leader when a lower court in Mohali had earlier dismissed his anticipatory bail in the case.

Notably, Kejriwal had tendered an apology three years ago for having levelled "unfounded" allegations of involvement in the drugs trade against Majithia who then withdrew a court case against the AAP leader.

However, in December last year, Majithia, was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act based on a 2018 report of a probe into a drug racket in the state.

An FIR has been registered and law will take its course, Kejriwal said on Saturday.

"On one hand there are parties which are only doing dirty politics, corruption and trading barbs. On the other hand, there is an honest party, the AAP, which has come out with a clear agenda for Punjab's development and future".

"We don't do corruption, we don't trade barbs or do dirty politics. We know how to work and we have shown that in Delhi," Kejriwal said.

The Congress ruled Punjab for 26 years and the Badals for 19 years. People are fed up with them, he claimed.

If the AAP comes to power, will implement a "ten-point guarantee" to improve Punjab's cities, the party's national convener promised.

The guarantees include cleanliness, garbage disposal and solid waste management, doorstep delivery of services, all power cables to be laid underground, hospitals and government schools will be improved, round-the-clock supply of power and drinking water.

Kejriwal assured traders that no new tax will be imposed for the next five years, CCTV cameras will be installed to curb crime and all markets in cities will be developed.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad, Jan 29 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister and ruling TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao would hold a meeting with TRS MPs on Sunday to finalise the party's strategy for the Budget session of parliament.

Also Read | Union Budget 2022-23 Will Be MSME and Export Oriented, Says FIEO.

Rao would give directives to MPs over fighting for the state's rights in both Houses of parliament during the Budget session, TRS sources said on Saturday.

Also Read | Union Budget 2022-23: Extend Benefit of PMAY, CLSS to Encourage Housing Consumption, Says Former President PHDCCI Rajeev Talwar.

Reports on the state's issues pending with the Centre would be handed over to the MPs, they said.

The meeting, to be held at Pragati Bhavan here, which is the CM's camp office-cum-official residence, would be presided over by Rao.

TRS has nine members in Lok Sabha and six members in the Rajya Sabha.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 29 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the Samajwadi Party (SP) for its alleged role in the Muzaffarnagar riots and claimed that those who were involved in the riots were victimized while the victims were framed and put behind bars just for the sake of appeasement.

Addressing voters in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, the senior BJP leader said, "Akhilesh was holding a press conference in Muzaffarnagar. The entire speech did not mention the Muzaffarnagar riots. I want to ask, in whose time did the riots take place? What was the role of the government in the riots? The rioters were made victims and those who were victims were made accused and put in jail, just for the sake of appeasement."

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Continuing his verbal attack on the SP, the Home Minister said the previous government gave mini Chief Minister, a 'bahubali' and riot during its rule, on the other hand, the BJP government gave industry and medical colleges to each district.

"SP Government gave a mini CM, a bahubali, a scam and a riot to each district during its rule. That was the definition of development for SP. On the contrary, BJP Govt gave a product (One District, One Product scheme), a major industry and a medical college to each district," stated Shah.

Also Read | Union Minister V K Singh Calls NYT Supari Media Over Its Report on Pegasus.

Taking a dig at SP's alliance with Jayant Chaudhary's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Shah said that if SP forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, Azam Khan will be a part of the cabinet while RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary will be ousted from the government.

"Yesterday Akhilesh ji and Jayant ji held a press conference. They say that we are together. But how long is this together? If their government is formed, then Jayant ji will leave the government and Azam Khan will come back. The people of Uttar Pradesh have understood from the distribution of tickets what is going to happen next," Shah said.

Akhilesh Yadav-led SP has fielded Azam Khan, who is sitting MP from Rampur Lok Sabha seat, from Rampur constituency. At present, Azam Khan is languishing in jail after several cases were registered against him.

The Home Minister further said that not a single major riot has happened in Uttar Pradesh under the BJP government's tenure of five years.

"Mafia Raj is over in Uttar Pradesh today. People like Azam Khan and Mukhtar Asari are in jail today. The goons and mafia of Uttar Pradesh are either in jail or either fled away or appears to be in the list of Samajwadi Party candidates," said Shah.

The Home Minister further said that the BJP government has chased away criminals and mafias who flourished during the earlier regime of SP.

"SP opened 12 medical colleges, today 40 medical colleges have been established or are in the process of being built during the rule of BJP. You can just question us, you could not do anything. They accuse us of holding a press conference. How many medical colleges have you opened, how many engineering colleges have you opened? We have fulfilled 95 per cent of our promises, we are showing our resolution letter. There was 'gunda raj' in Uttar Pradesh. You do politics of appeasement. We have never done politics on the basis of casteism, religion and appeasement. We do politics of nationalism," said the Home Minister.

He further said that the work of Jewar airport, National Highway of Ganga and making Saharanpur a smart city, widening of Dalmandi Charthal roads and laying of sewer lines are finished.

"Our government is doing the work for constructing a path for Maa Shakumbhari Devi Temple, the work of Ganga Expressway and giving airport to Saharanpur is underway. The list of our works is very long, UP is now at number two in terms of development, give us one more chance and we will come to number one now," he said.

Shah further said that the maximum number of vaccinations took place in Uttar Pradesh.

"The maximum number of vaccinations took place in Uttar Pradesh but you misguided people about the vaccine. You see Modi in everything, you must be seeing Modi even in the vegetables in your house. Under our government's food schemes, work is being done to provide food to people. What did your government do? The food grains were sent directly to Nepal via Gorakhpur," said the Home Minister.

"I appeal to the voters here, I appeal to the voters of western Uttar Pradesh, vote for the respect and security of women, vote for the development of youth, vote for making Uttar Pradesh number one. It has reached number two, press the button on the lotus and make it number one," he added.

He urged the people of the state to trust, bless and encourage BJP and vote for party candidates. Amit Shah said that he has come to make Jagpal Singh, the party's candidate for Saharanpur, win. Notably, BJP has nominated a candidate from the Dalit community from the general seat.

"Today I have come here to appeal for our candidate Jagpal Singhji to win. This in itself is a unique thing in Uttar Pradesh that in a general seat, BJP has done the work of giving tickets to a candidate from the Dalit community. This tells us that in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has worked for realizing 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' mantra of Narendra Modiji," he said.

"UP has always believed in BJP and has given us chance to form the government. Lotus has not bloomed in Saharanpur Dehat for 28 years. If BJP wins here, then there will be blossom everywhere," he added.

The Home Minister also informed that he cancelled his campaign in Deoband and Muzaffarnagar today due to a huge crowd that had gathered amid COVID-19. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ghaziabad, January 29: Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday called Samajwadi Party (SP) "Tamanchawadi" and said the Akhilesh Yadav-led party runs on family politics and riotist ideology.

Taking to Twitter, Yogi Adityanath said, "Outfit 'Socialist'+ ideology 'Riotist' + dreams 'Family' = Tamanchawadi."

Also Read | Teachers to Protest Nitish Kumar-Led Bihar Govts Directive to Monitor Liquor Consumption.

He further said, "The rule of law will remain in UP even after March 10. Do not worry! The candidate of the Tamanchawadi Party from Kairana is threatening people. It means the heat has not calmed down yet. After March 10, the heat will cool down. Are the perpetrators of Muzaffarnagar riots and those who opened fire on Ram Bhakts ruthlessly entitled to seek votes from people?"

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister alleged that Hindus were gunned down in the Muzaffarnagar riots and more than 60 Hindus were killed while over 1,500 were jailed.

Also Read | Trade Unions Strike Against The Anti-Worker, Anti-People, Anti-National Policies on February 23-24 Deferred to March 28-29 Due to COVID-19 Third Wave and Elections.

"The villages of the village were empty. This is the identity of SP. Professional criminals and mafia will try to intimidate during elections, but after March 10, these people will be seen begging for 'spare us' on the doorstep of a police station," added Yogi Adityanath.

Earlier on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister held a 'Voter Dialogue' programme in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad.

Addressing the people, Yogi Adityanath said, "Those who were synonymous with terror in Moradabad or Sayana were hiding for five years. But as the elections came, all of them came out and started thinking that by taking the support of SP, they will fulfil their ill motives. But this is a new Uttar Pradesh where there is a rule of law. There is only one development of the SP government, which is the boundary wall of the cemetery. They could not see the issue of road, water or electricity."

"We showed the rioters their right places. Unfortunately, a goon had become an MLA here, he would cause terror. When we formed the government, we sent him to jail. Law and order situation was tattered here. Daughters were not safe. But when we formed the government, we brought in an atmosphere of safety. Was there any riot in the last 5 years?" he added.

Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 29 (ANI): Taking a jibe at the alliance formed by Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Union Home Minister and a senior BJP leader Amit Shah said that SP-led alliance forms the government, then Azam Khan will replace Jayant Chaudhary in the government.

"Yesterday Akhilesh ji and Jayant ji held a press conference. They say that we are together. But how long is this together? If their government is formed, then Jayant ji will leave the government and Azam Khan will come back. The people of Uttar Pradesh have understood from the distribution of tickets what is going to happen next," Shah said while addressing an effective voter interaction programme in Muzaffarnagar.

Also Read | Narendra Modi Govt Has Committed Treason, Says Rahul Gandhi on New York Times Report on Pegasus.

Akhilesh Yadav-led SP has fielded Azam Khan, who is sitting MP from Rampur Lok Sabha seat, from Rampur constituency. At present, Azam Khan is languishing in jail after several cases were registered against him.

The former BJP chief hinted that voting for Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party will give rise to mafias in the state.

Also Read | Uttarakhand Assembly Elections 2022: PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Yogi Adityanath Among 30 Star Campaigners of BJP.

Hailing the contribution of BJP in the state ahead of the assembly elections, he said, "Your one vote can also bring mafia raj in Uttar Pradesh and the same vote can also bring freedom from mafia raj. If the SP-BSP government is formed, then again mafiaraj will come, casteism will come. But if you vote for BJP, then Uttar Pradesh will become number one state of the country."

Shah added that today it has been five years of BJP, there is no talk of caste, no matter of family dispute, no matter of goons, mafia, appeasement. "There is focus on security and development under BJP rule," he said.

Shah also collectively took a jibe at the role of Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati in the state.

He said, "Uttar Pradesh has seen the rule of earlier governments. When Behenji's party used to come, she used to talk about one caste. When the Congress party used to come, it used to talk about the family. When the SP party used to come, they used to talk of goons, mafia and appeasement."

Thanking the people of Muzaffarnagar for supporting the BJP previously, Shah said, "It is Muzaffarnagar that has laid the foundation of BJP's massive victory in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, 2017 and 2019. It is from here that a wave rises which goes up to Kashi and clears the dust of our adversaries."

"When I became BJP in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, there were riots here in the very beginning. At that time, the accused had become victims and those who were victims were made accused. I have not forgotten the pain of those riots," he said.

Shah expressed confidence in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging victorious in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls for its 403-member assembly in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Taking action in the Rajasthan Eligibility Exam for Teachers (REET) 2021 paper leak case, the Rajasthan government on Saturday sacked DP Jaroli, the chairman of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education with immediate effect.

The opposition BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

The order issued by Rajasthan government cited Jaroli's incompetency to discharge his duties behind his sacking.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has promised a fair investigation into the matter.

He said: "Ever since the information about the REET exam was received, SOG has done a thorough investigation. The state government has given a free hand to the SOG for investigation.

"Those whose involvement has been found are being arrested and strictly interrogated. Action is being taken on the basis of the information revealed in the inquiry. Action will also be taken to immediately suspend and dismiss the government employees who are found guilty of malpractices and dereliction of duty," he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia said: "Justice will be done to the youth of Rajasthan only when the investigation of REET case is handed over to CBI. There is no guarantee that the CM will not affect the SOG; the Congress government will help in saving the big fish."

Responding to this, Gehlot said: "It is a pity that some people are creating an environment to bake political loaves so that no upcoming recruitment exam can take place. These people are playing with the future of lakhs of candidates.

"As we all know that in many states, such gangs have been formed who are involved in paper leaks, copying etc in an organized manner which is a matter of concern for all. It is necessary to investigate them and go to the bottom.

"The state government is coming up with a bill for strict provisions regarding copying, paper leak etc. in the budget session. We are fully dedicated to the cause of youth. A high-level committee is being formed under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge to suggest that the recruitment examinations be conducted smoothly in future," the Chief Minister added.
Etawah, January 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday hit out at opposition parties and said that no one could do for the welfare of farmers what Prime Minister Narendra Modi did.

Addressing a political programme called 'Prabhavi Matdata Samvad' in Etawah city of Uttar Pradesh today, JP Nadda said, "Many people tried to project themselves as a farmer leader but no one could do for the welfare of farmers what PM Narendra Modi did."

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"India's agriculture budget has been increased to Rs 1.23 lakh crore per annum from Rs 22,000 crore per annum (2014)," he said citing an example of the country's agriculture budget.

The BJP National President slammed Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) for working for certain castes during their governance in Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: SP, BSP in Competition to Give Tickets to Biggest Criminals in UP, Says Yogi Adityanath.

"During the rule of SP and BSP, there used to be the influence of certain castes. But during the last years, the BJP government worked on the principle of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sakba Vishwas'," he added.

In the run-up to the elections, he has been conducting door-to-door campaigns in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh will go for a seven-phase election from February 10 to March 7

The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Seoul [South Korea], January 29 (ANI): Following its trend to release its monthly security patches earlier, Samsung has now rolled out its February update for the Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra.

According to GSM Arena, the new build is identified as N98xxXXU3EVA9, where 'xx' differs according to a user's specific model of either phone. There is no changelog available at this time.

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For now, this update reportedly has been rolled out in the Netherlands, but it will hit other European countries very soon. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Harrisburg, Jan 29 (AP) A court declared Friday that Pennsylvania's expansive 2-year-old mail-in voting law violates the state constitution, agreeing with challenges by Republicans who soured on the practice after former President Donald Trump began baselessly attacked it as rife with fraud in his 2020 reelection campaign.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's administration swiftly appealed to the state Supreme Court, immediately putting the party-line decision by a panel of three Republican and two Democratic judges on hold and stopping it from overturning the law.

Also Read | India Supplied 3.6 Tonnes Medical Assistance, 5,00,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Afghanistan: MEA.

Still, it throws Pennsylvania's voting laws into doubt as the presidential battleground state's voters prepare to elect a new governor and a new US senator in 2022.

Just over 2.5 million people voted under the law's expansion of mail-in voting in 2020's presidential election, most of them Democrats, out of 6.9 million total cast.

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Wolf's office said its appeal means the lower court ruling has no immediate effect, and criticized Republicans as trying to kill the law in the service of the big lie' of Trump's baseless election fraud claims.

We need leaders to support removing more barriers to voting, not trying to silence the people," Wolf's office said.

Trump and Republicans quickly lauded the decision.

Big news out of Pennsylvania, great patriotic spirit is developing at a level that nobody thought possible. Make America Great Again! Trump said in a statement through his political action committee.

The mail-in voting law has become a hot topic on the campaign trail, with nearly every Republican candidate for governor  including two of three state senators who voted for it  vowing to repeal it.

Even Republicans who avoid repeating Trump's baseless election fraud claims have perpetuated the idea that Democrats cheated in the 2020 presidential election, routinely distorting the actions of state judges and officials as unconstitutional or illegal in settling legal disputes and questions over the mail-in voting law.

In Friday's decision, the three Republican judges agreed with GOP challengers  including 11 lawmakers who actually voted for the law  and ruled that no-excuse mail-in voting is prohibited under the state constitution, until the constitution is changed to allow it.

The two Democrats on the panel dissented. The state Supreme Court  which will hear the appeal  has a 5-2 Democratic majority.

Pennsylvania's attorney general, Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who is running for governor, said he is confident the state Supreme Court will uphold the mail-in voting law as constitutional.

He criticized the lower court's opinion as based on twisted logic and faulty reasoning and "wrong on the law.

Ultimately, any decision to throw out the law would not affect the millions of votes already cast under it in the past four elections.

In 2019, the Republican-controlled Legislature authorized no-excuse mail-in voting for all voters, expanding upon a provision in the state constitution that required the state to provide the option for voters in specific circumstances.

Those circumstances include being out of town on business, illness, physical disability, election day duties or religious observance.

Every Republican lawmaker, except one, voted for the legislation in a deal with Wolf, who had sought the mail-in voting provision. In exchange, Wolf agreed to get rid of the straight-ticket voting ballot option that Republicans had sought as a way to protect their suburban candidates from an anti-Trump wave in 2020's election.

The constitution does not explicitly say that the Legislature cannot extend absentee voting to others.

However, Republican challengers say the constitution intended that absentee voting be strictly limited, citing a passage that says voters must live in an election district for at least 60 days where they "shall offer to vote.

In the opinion, the three Republican judges agreed, saying that passage had been cited in two prior state Supreme Court decisions invalidating laws passed in 1839 and 1923 to expand absentee voting.

The dissenting Democrats say a separate provision of the constitution empowered lawmakers to provide no-excuse mail-in voting. That provision says elections shall be by ballot or by such other method as may be prescribed by law.

Raff Donelson, an associate professor of law at Penn State's Dickinson Law School who teaches constitutional law, said he disagreed on a couple points with the majority opinion.

One point, Donelson said, is that it doesn't make sense to read the constitution as restricting the right to cast an absentee ballot. On voting matters, that's not how the constitution typically works, Donelson said.

Besides, the constitution seems to bluntly give lawmakers the power to prescribe voting by any method, and that cannot be negated by another provision in the constitution, he said.

In addition to baselessly attacking mail-in voting through much of 2020, Trump also later claimed, without evidence, that the election was stolen from him in critical battleground states including Pennsylvania.

An Associated Press investigation into potential cases of voter fraud in Pennsylvania and the five other battleground states where Trump disputed his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020 found a minuscule number of cases.

Election officials in 11 of the state's 67 counties identified a total of 26 possible cases of voter fraud, representing 0.03 per cent of Biden's margin of victory. He defeated Trump in Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes.

In one post-election lawsuit in 2020, Republicans sought to invalidate the mail-in voting law and throw out all ballots cast under it in a bid to overturn Democrat Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania.

The state Supreme Court threw it out, saying the plaintiffs failed to act with due diligence in waiting to challenge the law until after Trump lost the election.

The US Supreme Court refused appeals to intervene. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Warsaw [Poland], January 29 (ANI/Sputnik): The European Union is not unanimous about the scope of military assistance to Kiev or potential sanctions against Russia in the event of escalation around Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

"All EU member countries agree that Ukraine must maintain its sovereignty. The disagreements concern the scope of sanctions against Russia or provision of military support to Ukraine, [those are] the positions that must be agreed at the level of the EU or NATO. We need a strong voice, but not many divergent voices," Morawiecki said on Friday.

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He specified that it all is not only about Ukraine's security, as some EU partners think, but about the security of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as of the whole bloc. Morawiecki also criticized the position of Germany regarding Russia as a whole and its refusal to supply Kiev with arms.

"I do not expect Germany to be involved in this conflict if the new government decides so, but if they refuse to help Ukraine, I will ask them to say it out loud. Evasive statements such as 'we will not send weapons to Ukraine because it is a conflict zone' are not a serious policy in the current circumstances," Morawiecki added.

Also Read | Pakistan Police to Seek Ban on PUBG, Other Videogames After Youth Shoots Mother, Siblings Dead in Lahore.

Russia has repeatedly rejected all accusations of its alleged preparations to invade Ukraine and stated that it has not got any intention to attack any country. This "hysteria" was pumped up to cover up Kiev's violations of the Minsk agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Moscow also said that it is counterproductive to talk to it in the language of sanctions. (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)
Melbourne, Jan 29 (The Conversation) Many parents will be COVID testing their kids at home using rapid antigen tests (RATs), as school returns across many countries next week.

Several governments have strongly recommended testing of school students and staff.

Also Read | COVID-19 Cases in Brazil Rises by Record 269,968 to Over 25 Million, Says Health Ministry.

This may be challenging for many parents, especially if their child has developmental or behavioural difficulties.

So, how can you safely perform a RAT on your child at home and help them to engage in the process?

Also Read | India Supplied 3.6 Tonnes Medical Assistance, 5,00,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Afghanistan: MEA.

Preparing for the test

As with vaccination, the key to performing the test successfully is preparing the child well and explaining what will happen, to give them some control over the situation and to minimise anxiety.

Sit down and talk with your child and explain:

They will need to do a RAT in the morning twice a week (if in Australia's Victoria or NSW). It won't be forever, but will be needed for the first four weeks of school, at least. They can go to school if the test is negative. And that all their friends will be doing it as well.

It doesn't need to be scary or painful. With the right technique, you'll be able to perform this test quickly and safely at home, or allow your child to do it themselves if they can.

In general, give yourself about 20 minutes, and remember not to rush the process the first few times you do it with your child.

It would help to show your child a video, like the one below, on how it's done as you familiarise yourself with the instructions.

There's no need to downplay the experience by saying it won't hurt.

Acknowledge it may be a little uncomfortable. Explain you'll do it together and they can show you how they would like it done for them. You may like to practice with a small cotton bud prior to using the actual RAT kit, either with them or another adult.

How to perform the test

First, lay the kit out on a table with the swab packet ready to be opened, the liquid solution tube and caps, and the test device.

For a nasal swab test, begin by blowing their nose and washing your hands. Then rest their head on a chair with a headrest, or on a pillow on the sofa where they can rest comfortably. In younger kids, you can have them sitting on your lap with their head resting on the fold of your elbow.

The swabbing hand holds the swab like a pencil, with the rest of your hand or little finger on their cheek, upper lip or chin, as if you're about to draw a moustache on their face. This will help stabilise the swab in case the child suddenly moves or sneezes.

They key is to aim the swab low (flat against the bottom of the nasal passage) in the nose and go in slow.

Many people have a crooked nasal septum, which is the wall dividing the left and right of the nose, meaning there may be more room on one side of the nose than the other. There's also much more room lower down the nose, and going too high and too fast will cause discomfort.

Think low and slow and aim down and back, rather than up high. This will reduce pain and allow more time for the swab stick to capture as much material as possible, thereby increasing the likelihood of a more accurate test.

Insert the swab about 12 cm into the nose and rotate it for 15 seconds, or about 45 times. Repeat on the other side. Never push against a hard resistance which may cause pain.

Then, dip the swab tip into the liquid solution, giving the tube a good squeeze and mix for about 15 seconds before closing the lid and then dropping the solution into the well on the test tray. Discard the swab stick carefully.

Wash your hands and wait. Most test kits require 15 minutes, but please follow the instructions for your particular brand.

Congratulate your child on doing a great job! We want this to be a positive experience for them as it'll be part of our routine for a while.

After having this done a couple of times, some kids may prefer to do this themselves. Giving them autonomy and the knowledge that it's not painful or scary will be empowering. Believe it or not, they may even start to think of it as quite fun if it doesn't hurt.

What about saliva tests?

Saliva liquid tests are different altogether.

They're not a throat swab. They may require a short period of fasting, depending on the kit, up to 30 minutes of no food or drink prior to the test.

The child will have to learn to do a few deep coughs into a closed mouth and then either express their saliva into a container or to have a lollipop device which they suck on.

The timing on reading the result is also dependent on the brand.

RATs aren't the only way to minimise transmission

No matter how well you do it, some children will find this harder than others. We understand that. But honest education and practice runs will help the vast majority of kids.

The key is planning, discussion, watching videos and attempting to make it a bit fun to try and take away some of their anxieties. Demonstrating the test on an adult may also help.

Of course, RAT testing isn't the only way to try and minimise COVID cases at school. There will be a range of other strategies that kids will be asked to do.

This includes vaccination, wearing masks inside and potentially some outdoor learning.

Changes are being made to improve ventilation in schools by installing air-purifiers, especially in high-risk areas in schools such as sick-bays and canteens, and trying to install shade sails for outside learning.

There's a huge push to get as many kids as possible to receive one dose of vaccine before schools starts. Over 30 per cent of primary kids in Victoria have had one dose, with the aim to reach over 80 per cent by mid-February. There will also be pop-up clinics at some schools in the next few weeks.

The dose interval for children at higher risk of COVID (including those with some underlying medical conditions) has been shortened from eight to three weeks in the context of ongoing community transmission to ensure vulnerable kids are prioritised.

Booster doses for teachers are also critical.

There's much to do to support teachers, families and children, especially medically vulnerable kids, to make schools as safe as they can be. It's important to prioritise face-to-face learning to maximise the education, well-being, and mental health of our kids. (The Conversation)

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London, Jan 29 (PTI) Lung abnormalities have been discovered in long COVID patients suffering from breathlessness, according to a study that raises the possibility that coronavirus may cause hidden damage to the lungs that is not detected with routine tests.

Researchers used a novel xenon gas scan method to pick up lung abnormalities in coronavirus patients who have not been hospitalised but still experience breathlessness.

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Breathlessness is a symptom in most long COVID patients, but it has been unclear whether this is linked to other factors such as changes in breathing patterns, tiredness, or something more fundamental.

The Explain study, a pilot study involving 36 patients, suggests there is significantly impaired gas transfer in the lungs to the bloodstream in long COVID patients - despite other tests including CT scans coming back normal.

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"We knew from our post-hospital COVID study that xenon could detect abnormalities when the CT scan and other lung function tests are normal. What we've found now is that, even though their CT scans are normal, the xenon MRI scans have detected similar abnormalities in patients with long COVID, said Fergus Gleeson, the study's chief investigator.

"These patients have never been in hospital and did not have an acute severe illness when they had their COVID-19 infection. Some of them have been experiencing their symptoms for a year after contracting COVID-19, said Gleeson, who is also a professor of radiology at the University of Oxford and consultant radiologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The professor said there were important questions to answer such as how many patients with long COVID will have abnormal scans, the significance of the abnormality that has been detected, the cause of the abnormality, and its longer-term consequences.

Once we understand the mechanisms driving these symptoms, we will be better placed to develop more effective treatments, Gleeson said.

The study, which involves teams from Sheffield, Oxford, Cardiff and Manchester, had 36 participants split into three groups. The full study will recruit around 400 participants.

Emily Fraser, Respiratory Consultant who leads the Oxford Post-COVID Assessment Clinic, said these are interesting results and may indicate that the changes observed within the lungs of some patients with long COVID-19 contribute to breathlessness.

However, these are early findings and further work to understand the clinical significance is key. Extending this study to larger numbers of patients and looking at control groups who have recovered from COVID should help us to answer this question and further our understanding of the mechanisms that drive long Covid, Fraser said.

Professor Jim Wild, head of imaging and professor at the University of Sheffield, said Xenon MRI was uniquely placed to help understand why breathlessness persists in some patients post COVID-19 infection.

Xenon follows the pathway of oxygen when it is taken up by the lungs and can tell us where the abnormality lies between the airways, gas exchange membranes and capillaries in the lungs.

This multicentre study is very exciting, and I really look forward to it helping translate lung MRI methods that we have developed further towards clinical use in the UK, Wild said.

More than a million people in the UK continue to experience symptoms months after having COVID-19, with breathlessness one of the most commonly reported symptoms. This early research is an important example of both the committed effort the UK research community is taking to understand this new phenomenon, and the world-leading expertise that community contains, said Professor Nick Lemoine, Chair of NIHR's Long Covid funding committee and Medical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network.

The study received government funding and is being supported by the National Institute for Health Research's (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Its findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, were posted on the bioRxiv pre-print server.

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McAlester (Oklahoma), Jan 29 (AP) Oklahoma executed a man on Thursday for the brutal slayings of two hotel workers during a robbery in 2001.

Donald Grant, 46, received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and was declared dead at 10:16 am. It was the first execution in the US in 2022 and the third in Oklahoma since the state resumed lethal injections in October following a nearly seven-year hiatus.

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Yo, God, I got this," Grant said while lying strapped to the gurney, delivering his disjointed last words for two minutes.

No medication. I didn't take nothing. Brooklyn for life."

Also Read | COVID-19 Was in Europe Weeks Before First Confirmed Cases in China's Wuhan, Says Study.

Grant at one point began chanting unintelligibly.

Even after Grant was told his two minutes to deliver his last words had ended and the microphone inside the execution chamber was turned off, Grant continued to speak to about seven witnesses who attended the execution on his behalf.

A few minutes later, Grant's eyelids began to droop and he appeared to be sleeping.

After a doctor entered the room to conduct a consciousness check, rubbing his sternum and calling his name, Grant could be heard snoring as a prison official declared him unconscious at 10:09 am. He appeared to stop breathing about two minutes later.

Shirl Pilcher, the sister of one of Grant's victims, Brenda McElyea, said her family felt that justice had been served.

Although Donald Grant's execution does not bring Brenda back, it allows us all to finally move forward knowing justice was served," Pilcher said after witnessing his execution.

Grant had asked a federal judge to temporarily halt his execution, arguing that he should be reinstated as a plaintiff in a separate lawsuit challenging Oklahoma's three-drug lethal injection protocol as presenting a risk of unconstitutional pain and suffering.

But both a federal judge and a three-judge panel of the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver previously denied that request. The US Supreme Court denied Grant's request on Wednesday.

Several Oklahoma death row inmates with pending execution dates have sought to delay their executions after John Grant convulsed on the gurney and vomited after receiving the first dose of midazolam, a sedative, during his October execution.

John Grant's execution was the state's first since problems with the state's lethal injection protocols in 2014 and 2015 led to a de facto moratorium.

Richard Glossip was just hours away from being executed in September 2015 when prison officials realized they received the wrong lethal drug.

It was later learned the same wrong drug had been used to execute an inmate in January 2015.

The drug mix-ups followed a botched execution in April 2014 in which inmate Clayton Lockett struggled on a gurney before dying 43 minutes into his lethal injection  and after the state's prisons chief ordered executioners to stop.

During a clemency hearing in November, Donald Grant admitted killing Brenda McElyea and Felicia Suzette Smith so that there would be no witnesses to his robbery of the Del City hotel. Court records show both women were shot and stabbed, and Smith was also bludgeoned. Prosecutors say both women also begged him to spare their lives before he killed them.

During November's hearing, he expressed deep, sincere remorse and apologised for the killings, but the state's Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 against recommending clemency.

I can't change that," he said of the crime while speaking to the board.

If I could, I would, but I can't change that."

Two of Donald Grant's attorneys, Susan Otto and Emma Rolls from the federal public defender's office, argued that he was mentally ill and had suffered brain damage that made him a candidate for mercy. They also discussed Grant's childhood growing up in a New York City housing project during the crack epidemic of the 1980s, a time when he was frequently beaten and members of his family experienced alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness.

But the board also heard from members of McElyea's family, who tearfully urged them to reject clemency for him.

Pilcher, McElyea's sister, recalled the pain she experienced when she had to tell their father that McElyea had been killed.

I had to call my dad and tell him his daughter, his baby girl, was dead, Pilcher said.

I had never seen him cry, but that night I heard him weep and it broke my heart.

The US Supreme Court considered Thursday whether to let Alabama execute a death row inmate who claims an intellectual disability combined with the state's inattention cost him a chance to avoid lethal injection. The state executed Matthew Reeves, 43, by lethal injection Thursday night.(AP)

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Washington [US], January 29 (ANI/Sputnik): Three quarters of Americans are tired of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 77% assume that most people will eventually catch the disease, including 77% of those vaccinated and 74% of those who are not, a poll by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) revealed.

Less than a half of respondents are optimistic about the situation with COVID-19, but 40% said that they are "angry" and 29% feel "confused," according to the poll, published on Friday.

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As many as 62% of people believe that vaccination against COVID-19 protect from the disease despite reports on vaccinated people being infected with the Omicron variant, KFF found out.

About a half of the US citizens blame the US Food and Drug Administration for limited availability of COVID-19 tests, and 44% said that President Joe Biden is to blame for that. Those who put the blame on test manufacturers make up 41%, the poll showed.

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The survey was held by phone from January 11-23, 2022, and involved 1,536 adults in the US. The margin error is 3 percentage points. (ANI/Sputnik)

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Berlin [Germany], January 29 (ANI): The UN Head of World Food Program (WFP) has again expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and added that the Afghan people have resorted to selling their children and parts of their bodies to survive.

WFP chief David Basely has once again urged the international community to expedite aid delivery to Afghanistan as over half of the population is starving in the country.

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Afghanistan is struggling with drought, a pandemic, an economic collapse, and the effects of years of conflict. Some 24 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. More than half the population will be facing famine this winter and 97 per cent of the population could fall below the poverty line this year.

"Afghanistan was already one of the poorest countries in the world, with 20 years, at least, of conflict with the Taliban," Beasley told German public state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW).

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"And now what we're facing is catastrophic. The number of people that are knocking on starvation's door is 23 million people out of 40 million people," he added.

In an interview with DW, Beasley revealed a case of a woman he met in Afghanistan who had been forced to sell her daughter to another family in the hope that they could feed her better.

Although US and allies have left the country in August last year, several international charities and aid groups continue to have remained to support locals and curtail the exacerbating humanitarian situation in the country.

Beasley called on the world's richest to help solve the current hunger crisis. "During this COVID experience, the world's billionaires have made unprecedented money. Over $5.2 billion [EUR4.67 billion] of net worth increase per day. All we need is one day's worth of their net worth increase to really address our short-term crises," he added.

Special Representatives and Special Envoys of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the UK, and the US met in Oslo on January 24 to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, including sessions with representatives of the Taliban and civil society actors.

In a joint statement, the Western envoys stressed the urgent need to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and highlighted necessary steps to help alleviate the suffering of Afghans across the country.

Participants recognized steps taken to ease access for humanitarian workers, male and female, while also expressing concern that there are still certain impediments in place, and participants also reiterated the importance of swiftly removing all conditions and obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, the statement added. (ANI)

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Washington, Jan 29 (AP) The Biden administration said on Friday it is cancelling USD 130 million in military aid to Egypt over human rights concerns.

The announcement comes just days after the administration approved a massive USD 2.5 billion arms sale to the country.

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The State Department said Friday that Egypt had not met the conditions to receive the USD 130 million in foreign military financing that has been on hold since September. It said the money would be shifted to other programs. It did not elaborate.

In announcing the cancellation, the department made no mention of the USD 2.5 billion sale of military transport planes and radar systems that it had approved Tuesday without any mention of the frozen USD 130 million.

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September approved the release of USD 300 million in foreign military financing to Egypt but withheld another USD 130 million unless the government addressed specific human-rights related conditions by the end of January.

The deadline for meeting those conditions will soon pass, the department said. The (government of Egypt) made notable progress on the conditions but to date has not met them all. Therefore, after January 30, the secretary intends to reprogram the USD 130 million to other national security priorities.

Asked about the apparent inconsistency, US officials have said the military aid and the arms sale are unrelated. They say Egypt will shoulder the cost of the USD 2.2 billion purchase of the 12 Super Hercules C-130 transport aircraft and air defense radar systems worth an estimated USD 355 million.

Congressional Democrats who had urged Blinken not to approve the USD 130 million were pleased with Friday's decision, but did not address the arms sale that dwarfs the amount of the withheld assistance.

I'm glad the Biden administration held the line by reprogramming these funds," said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

"It sends the important message abroad that we will back up our commitment to human rights with action and gone are the days where dictators receive blank checks from America.

On Tuesday, the State Department announced the USD 2.5 billion arms sale, saying it would support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East."

We maintain that our bilateral relationship with Egypt will be stronger, and America's interests will be better served, through continued US engagement to advance our national security interests, including addressing our human rights concerns, the department said.

Egypt's government has in recent years waged a wide-scale crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of people, mainly Islamists but also secular activists who were involved in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled the country's longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt imposed a state of emergency in April 2017, following deadly church bombings and attacks on Coptic Christians that killed more than 100 people and wounded scores. It allowed for arrests without warrants, swift prosecution of suspects and the establishment of special courts.

The state of emergency has since been extended several times. However, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi announced in October, when the last extension expired, that his government will no longer renew it. (AP)

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China, U.S. should work together to contain separatist forces of Taiwan: Chinese ambassador

Xinhua) 16:52, January 29, 2022

The photo posted on the website of National Public Radio (NPR) shows Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang (R) speaking with NPR's Steve Inskeep on Jan. 27, 2022 at Qin's official residence in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Courtesy of NPR)

Qin stresses that "we will do our utmost in the greatest sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification," which is in the best interests of people across the Taiwan Strait, in the best interests of China-U.S. relations, in the best interests of peace and stability in the region.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should "work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said.

The one-China principle is the most important foundation of China-U.S. relations in the past decades, said Qin in an interview with U.S. National Public Radio aired Friday, adding that the United States has been walking away from this commitment "bit by bit."

Speaking of the recent escalation of tension in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, Qin said, "This is because the Taiwanese authority is trying to seek independence agenda by borrowing support and encouragement of the United States and the U.S. is playing Taiwan card."

"We have taken notice of President (Joe) Biden's words that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and the United States wants to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the United States will adhere to its one-China policy, but so far we haven't seen many actions to honor his words," he said.

Qin stressed that "we will do our utmost in the greatest sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification," which is in the best interests of people across the Taiwan Strait, in the best interests of China-U.S. relations, in the best interests of peace and stability in the region.

The photo posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the United States shows Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang (R) being interviewed by Steve Inskeep from National Public Radio (NPR) on Jan. 27, 2022, Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua)

Meanwhile, China will not commit to giving up non-peaceful means for reunification, "because this is a deterrence to separatist forces, not targeting Taiwanese people," he said.

The Taiwan question "is the biggest tinderbox between China and the United States," Qin said. "If the Taiwanese authority, emboldened by the United States, keeps going down the road for independence, it would most likely involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict."

"China does not want to have conflict or confrontation with the United States. The United States does not want war with China. So, no war, no conflict is the biggest consensus between China and the United States. So let's work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan, to give peace a chance," he added.

Deeming the China-U.S. relationship "the most important relationship," Qin said "we must work well and not mess it up."

"But the question is: can the United States respect and accept China's rise as a positive force to maintain or to facilitate world peace and prosperity? Can the United States believe that China's rise will benefit other countries, benefit people in the United States and provide more business opportunities and more jobs?" he asked.

"Both countries are in the process of recognizing each other and finding an appropriate way to get along with each other. In China's belief, we hope that good relationship will be established based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," said the ambassador.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Hundreds of gym owners on Saturday staged a protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, demanding opening of gyms in the national capital.

The Delhi Gym Association said that as the Covid-19 cases have started registering a decline, gyms and fitness centres should be also be allowed by the Delhi government to operate like other businesses.

"Bars and restaurants have been opened. Offices too can operate with 50 per cent of their staff, we do not understand why gyms and fitness centres that help masses in keeping themselves fit, is still under restriction," Sujit (name changed) a gym owner in the national capital told IANS.

Salon owners too have the same demand.

Restrictions on gyms, salons, restaurants and bars came into force under the level 1 i.e. yellow alert of the Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP) under which it is decided as to which activities would be allowed under what circumstances in case of a surge in Covid-19 cases. There are four levels of colour-coded alerts namely, yellow, amber, orange and red.

The yellow alert was issued by the authority in December last year when the Covid positivity rate had crossed 0.5 per cent in the national capital.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday lifted the weekend curfew and also allowed restaurants, bars and cinema halls to open up with 50 per cent capacity. Meanwhile, gyms and schools in the city are still shut.
St. Paul (US), Jan 29 (AP) The former head of training for the Minneapolis Police Department testified Friday that the three former officers charged with violating George Floyd's rights did not follow policy or their training when he was killed.

A defense attorney, though, said aspects of the training was lacking and that new officers are trained in a culture of obedience.

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Inspector Katie Blackwell said officers are trained that they have a duty to intervene to stop fellow officers from using unreasonable force.

They are also trained on neck restraints, how they should be applied and that they must provide follow-up care because they can be dangerous.

Also Read | COVID-19 Was in Europe Weeks Before First Confirmed Cases in China's Wuhan, Says Study.

But she said former Officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao acted in a way that was inconsistent with the department's policies.

Federal prosecutors say the officers failed to act to save Floyd's life on May 25, 2020, as fellow officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the Black man's neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was handcuffed, facedown and gasping for air.

Kueng kneeled on Floyd's back, Lane held his legs and Thao kept bystanders back.

Officers had responded to a 911 call about Floyd, 46, trying to use a counterfeit USD 20 bill at a corner store. Bystander cellphone video of the killing triggered worldwide protests and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Blackwell, testifying for a second day, said officers have a duty to use the least amount of force necessary and must stop once the person is no longer resisting, then render any necessary medical aid they're trained to provide until medical personnel arrive to make sure that we do everything we can to save a person's life.

She also said it is department policy that officers stop using force if a person becomes unconscious  she acknowledged that at some point Lane stopped holding Floyd's legs  and that they have a duty to intervene to stop another officer.

She said Thao took repeated refresher courses on these policies, including as recently as 2018 and 2019, and that Lane and Kueng had repeated lessons on the same issues while attending the academy in 2019.

Blackwell said she saw nothing that would have prevented Thao and Kueng from stopping Chauvin.

And although police body camera video shows that Lane was rebuffed when he twice asked if they should roll Floyd onto his side  something Blackwell testified is critical  he still had a duty to intervene.

On cross-examination, Kueng's attorney, Thomas Plunkett, said the department policy actually states that an officer is required to stop or attempt to stop another employee from using inappropriate force, pointing out that Blackwell left attempt to stop out of her prior testimony. He also said that when officers are trained in use-of-force scenarios, intervention is not among them.

There's no intervention scenario, isn't that correct? Plunkett said.

Not one exactly for intervention, she said.

Plunkett got Blackwell to agree that recruits are taught that they should never argue with an instructor.

During his opening statement, Plunkett noted that Chauvin was Kueng's field training officer, and as such had considerable sway over his future. He also said Chauvin called all of the shots as the senior officer at the scene.

Kueng, who is Black, Lane, who is white, and Thao, who is Hmong American, are charged with willfully depriving Floyd of his constitutional rights while acting under color of law or government authority. One count against all three officers alleges that they saw that Floyd needed medical care and failed to help. A count against Thao and Kueng contends that they didn't intervene to stop Chauvin.

Both counts allege that the officers' actions resulted in Floyd's death.

Prosecutors have argued that the willful standard can be met by showing blatantly wrongful conduct that deprived Floyd of his rights.

Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in state court last year, and he pleaded guilty in December to a federal civil rights charge. Lane, Kueng and Thao also face a separate state trial in June on charges alleging that they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter. (AP)

___

Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan.

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Find AP's full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

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Bhopal, January 29: A man was arrested after he was caught on video beating up and abusing a person for allegedly urinating in front of a cow in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, police said on Saturday.

The Manak Chowk police arrested the accused Virendra Rathod on Friday night under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (obscene act) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, an official said.

A video of Rathod beating up the victim identified as Saifuddin Patliwala for allegedly urinating in front of a cow went viral on social media, it was stated.

After the video went viral, the police tracked down the victim, and following a complaint from him, the accused was arrested, Manik Chowk police station in-charge Sachin Dabar said. Madhya Pradesh: Man Booked on Charges of Rape and Extortion in Bhopal.

The purported video shows the victim apologising as the accused alleges that he had urinated in front of a cow. The accused proceeds to slap the victim, even as the latter apologised repeatedly.
Nearly 50 students at Harvard-Westlake School have been recently diagnosed with whooping cough, in an outbreak that has forced school officials to send students home at the first sign of illness.

But all of the sick students had been vaccinated against the disease, according to school officials. In fact, all 90 people who have recently come down with pertussis  the official name for whooping cough  in Los Angeles County this year had been immunized against it, according to county officials.

It turns out that four years after someone receives the booster shot in about the seventh grade, the vaccines protection nearly vanishes, endangering high schoolers such as those at Harvard-Westlake, said Dr. James Cherry, a UCLA expert on pediatric infectious diseases.

It is not surprising at all, Cherry said of the recent cases.

The outbreak is a real-life example of something that experts have been noticing since doctors switched to a new form of the pertussis vaccine in 1997: Immunity wanes quickly.

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The pertussis outbreak raises questions about how to best administer a vaccine when its protection fades so quickly. People now in high school are one of the first generations to receive only the new, shorter-lived form of the vaccine, making them test cases for these problems.

These recent whooping cough cases also serve as a contrast to the measles outbreaks across the country, which are mostly among people who declined vaccinations. In those cases, immunization probably would have prevented most of the illnesses.

Whooping cough clusters

Los Angeles County officials announced last month that there were three clusters of whooping cough cases among adolescents across the county.

Forty-six students have been diagnosed with pertussis at Harvard-Westlake, where enrollment is about 1,600. Eighteen students there have not been vaccinated against pertussis, but none of them has caught the illness, school spokesman Ari Engelberg said.

Ten students at St. Anastasia Catholic School in Westchester also caught pertussis. All had been vaccinated, according to school officials.

Under California law, children must receive all of their doses of whooping cough vaccine to be allowed to attend school, unless they have a medical reason not to be vaccinated. By the time they turn 6, most children have received five doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular-pertussis vaccine, or DTaP. Then they must get a booster before entering seventh grade.

The immunizations are concentrated in the earliest years of life because babies are the most likely to die from whooping cough, named for the sound people make when theyre gasping for air.

Deaths virtually all occur in the first two months of life, Cherry said.

But studies have found that immunity drops quickly after getting the shot. One study from Kaiser Permanente found that protection fell an average of 42% a year after the last childhood dose at about age 6.

The rapidly waning immunity is linked to the kind of vaccine children receive, experts say.

Before 1997, children received a form known as whole cell, which sometimes caused side effects, such as convulsions and severe fevers. So officials switched to the current acellular vaccine, which has fewer side effects but does not provide immunity for as long.

Even the middle school booster, intended to extend immunity, protects about 80% of people who receive it for about a year but mostly stops providing immunity after that, another Kaiser study found.

L.A. County public health officials said the recent cases may be focused in young adults because they are more susceptible to the illness because they received only the acellular vaccine.

There is no increase in the current overall number of cases compared to past years, but the number of reported clusters has risen in 11- to 18-year-olds, officials said in a statement to The Times. Waning immunity is a well-recognized phenomenon  [and] seems to be the most plausible explanation for the recent clusters seen by the department.

Some scientists have suggested that it would make more sense to administer the vaccine in a targeted fashion, such as before an outbreak or when one has just begun.

But Dr. Armand Dorian, chief medical officer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, said waiting to administer it when an outbreak has begun doesnt make sense. At that point, antibiotics are needed.

Its too late to do brush clearance. You have to come in with a helicopter and douse a fire, he said.

Dorian said that even though the vaccines immunity wanes, increasing coverage rates in the community would help prevent pertussis outbreaks.

In the 2017-2018 school year, 96% of kindergartners had all their doses of the pertussis vaccine and 98% of seventh-graders had received the booster, according to state data. Both of those percentages dropped slightly from the previous school year.

Doctors recommend that pregnant mothers get an additional dose of the vaccine so they can protect their newborns. But only 52% of new mothers in 2016 were vaccinated, according to a report from the California Department of Public Health.

If vaccination rates were higher, Dorian said, pertussis would not be able to enter a community in the first place. The bacteria is much more likely to spread among people who have not been vaccinated.

People who have been vaccinated and still get pertussis also contract a less severe form of the illness that is likely to be less contagious. So its possible that the recent outbreaks originated with someone who had not been immunized, even though the disease is now spreading among people who have been vaccinated, Dorian said.

Once theres a chink in the armor and that unvaccinated population grows, then the actual protection of the vaccination significantly drops, even for those who are vaccinated, he said.

The real concern now is that a baby could contract whooping cough. Pertussis kills about 20 people in the United States each year, almost all of them infants. The last person to die from pertussis in California was a baby in San Bernardino County in 2018.

Its a cough, a whooping cough, which means it loves to spread, Dorian said.

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

Twitter: @skarlamangla
Chicago knows him as The Walking Man or The Walking Dude. A mostly silent wanderer of downtown streets with long wavy hair and a thick mustache who often wears a sport coat, sometimes with a boutonniere.

The mystery has fed rumors for decades. He fell from a wealthy family, he once worked on Rush Street as a bartender, he had taught college literature, he was a graphic artist.

None of those is true, his family said Wednesday as the 69-year-old man lay in a hospital bed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the victim of a vicious beating on Lower Wacker Drive near Lake Shore Drive.

His name is Joseph Kromelis. Hes a street peddler who prefers to keep to himself and walk the city, every day and in every kind of weather. Its just a way of life for him, said his sister-in-law, Linda Kromelis, of Michigan.

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Thats what Joseph Kromelis was doing around 11 a.m. Tuesday when he was attacked. He told police he was on Lower Wacker and said hello to someone he passed. That man began punching and hitting him with a bat, Chicago police said.

A police officer responding to a battery call saw the attacker straddled over Kromelis, struggling with the bat, according to a police report. A witness told the sergeant the suspect also tried to throw Kromelis over a railing to the pavement about 20 feet below.

Kromelis was taken by ambulance to Northwestern to be treated for several injuries, including severe cuts to both eyes, according to the report. He also suffered leg injuries from being hit with the bat. He was listed in fair condition.

Police said the suspect was also taken to Northwestern for observation before being transferred to jail.

Kromelis has been a fixture in downtown street life, often seen patiently browsing inside stores and walking the streets of the Magnificent Mile and Streeterville. He has been featured in news stories and videos, including a YouTube feature titled, Dudementary. A few years ago, someone created a Facebook page where people post sightings.

People who know him on the street describe him as a nice man who never loses his temper.

That guy doesnt bother anybody, said Michael Parks Sr., who has worked the corner outside the 7-Eleven on St. Clair Street for 4 1/2 years. Ive never seen him in an argument. If somebody said something [negative] to him, he would just walk away. I dont like to see the people who dont do anything to anybody get hurt.

A doorman at a nearby hotel instantly recognized Kromelis in a photo, saying he last saw the man about three days ago. Kromelis stood out from the regular cast of street people because he was often well-groomed, wearing a sport coat.

He was a real nice guy. Hes never been irate, the doorman said. I see some that are irate all the time, trust me. He was quiet. Very, very quiet.

Kromelis family said he is very private and a loner. He grew up in Lithuania and moved with his family to Chicago when he was about 5 and attended high school here, Linda Kromelis said.

His father, Jonas Kromelis, owned a tavern in Chicago, but in the middle to late 1960s, he and his wife, Gertruda, moved to Michigan because they liked the area. Kromelis stayed in Chicago, where he worked as a street vendor selling jewelry, Linda Kromelis said.

For about 30 years, Kromelis lived in an apartment near Lincoln Park. But about two or three years ago, he had to move because the building was converted to condominiums, she said. He never married and has no children. His parents are dead, as are his three brothers and one of his two sisters.

We always worried about Joe, something happening to him, out in the streets all the time, Linda Kromelis said.

The last time she spoke to him was about a year ago when he telephoned after the death of his brother Pete, Kromelis husband.

He didnt drive, and, when he would visit, her husband would usually pick him up and hed stay for a few days. Kromelis would usually call from a public pay phone in the hallway of where he was staying, she said.

He was just kind of private, Kromelis said. He was always that way.

A nephew, Vytas Vaitkus, has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his uncles medical and living expenses.

Hes lived his life on the street, Vaitkus said. If hes blind now or incapacitated in any way, I dont know what hes going to do.

Vaitkus said he doesnt know where his uncle is going to go when he gets out of the hospital and doesnt think he is eligible for Social Security. Its an individual that can really use the help.

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If there were screams, there was no one around to hear them.

When 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and several other terrorism suspects were spirited under cover of winter darkness to this remote northeastern village for interrogation, the few cottages within earshot were empty and the lakes popular with summer tourists were buried in snow.

The dearth of potential witnesses probably drew the CIA agents to Stare Kiejkuty, where a little-used intelligence training base gave them unfettered latitude to conduct so-called enhanced interrogation techniques that would have been illegal in the United States.

But the EITs, to use the spy agencys shorthand for what many across the world consider torture, were also prohibited under European law. That inconvenient fact, ignored a dozen years ago by both Washington and Warsaw, now confronts Poland with a European Court of Human Rights order to pay compensation to Mohammed and another high-profile victims for having allowed the Americans to conduct the brutal interrogations.

It has also led to charges against Polands then-intelligence chief for greenlighting prisoner mistreatment and raised the prospect of such charges and possible prison sentences for the former president and prime minister of Poland who signed off on the CIA black site, or secret prison, that operated here for nine months after December 2002.

Revelations contained in a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report five months ago provided the final pieces of evidence confirming the complicity of Polish leaders, who had steadfastly denied knowledge of the prison after hints of their complicity were disclosed in a 2006 European Parliament investigation and a Polish inquiry still underway eight years after it was launched.

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After release of the American report, Polish jurists and human rights advocates have stepped up their demands that those ultimately responsible for allowing criminal activities on Polish soil, former President Aleksander Kwasniewski and then-Prime Minister Leszek Miller, be held accountable for the excesses that some say have stained their ex-communist nations democratic credentials.

After years of denying that a secret CIA prison ever operated in Poland, Kwasniewski and Miller conceded a day after the Dec. 9 release of the Senate report that they had agreed to let the CIA bring captured terrorism suspects to Stare Kiejkuty. They insisted, however, that they knew nothing of any abuse.

Though it makes no specific mention of Poland, the Senate report references evidence provided by Polish sources who witnessed the secretive arrival of prisoners. The accounts began as whispers, escalating to a roaring crescendo after disclosure that the CIA paid Polish officials as much as $50 million in cash to look the other way.

Speculation over rumored CIA activity here began in 2005, sparked by leaks in Washington to U.S. news media about Europe-based CIA secret prisons. The manager at all-but-deserted Szymany airport, 12 miles south of here, told Polish journalists about a bizarre spate of late-night landings in early 2003 by a Gulfstream jet operated by CIA contractors. The journalists examined air traffic logs, confirming that about a dozen flights landing at Szymany had originated in Afghanistan, Thailand and other faraway venues known to have been early CIA interrogation sites.

The aircraft would park at the far end of the runway, where military vehicles licensed to the Stare Kiejkuty base would meet the arriving passengers, then whisk them away after immigration formalities were conducted out of sight of the small terminal, the airport manager, Mariola Przewlocka, told the European Parliament investigators in November 2006.

The inquiry by the Strasbourg-based lawmakers reported serious circumstantial evidence that Szymany was the portal for ferrying terrorism suspects to a secret prison for interrogation, suspected to be hidden behind the forests and barbed wire-topped fences surrounding the intelligence base. The Senate report describes a two-story villa where Mohammed, Al Qaeda kingpin Abu Zubaydah and Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, accused of involvement in the bombing of the U.S. destroyer Cole, were brutally interrogated. The description matched those of Poles interviewed by the Europeans. All three terrorism suspects are now detained at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Przewlocka was called to testify before the European Court of Human Rights, which in July issued the first legal judgment that the U.S. policies of nabbing terrorism suspects abroad and delivering them to third countries for interrogation was a violation of international human rights law. The court ordered Poland to pay $262,000 in compensation to Mohammed and Nashiri, a ruling upheld on appeal in February.

Those in positions of authority when the prison was set up here did it out of friendship with the United States, which we still feel, said Radoslaw Sikorski, Polands foreign minister for seven years, now marshal of the Sejm, the lower house of the Parliament. We have been embarrassed by it, but even so we do not apologize for having the closest possible security and intelligence relationship with the United States.

Sikorski notes that Poland is the only country that has sought to hold accountable its own senior officials whose decisions allowed the CIA to commit human rights violations on its territory. He lays the blame for the persistent controversy on indiscreet U.S. colleagues, who began leaking details of the CIA secret prisons even before Przewlockas observations came to journalists attention.

We might have to pay compensation even though our personnel did nothing wrong, Sikorski said of the detention operation handled by CIA agents and contractors. You can imagine how Polish people feel about it. We just wish that intelligence matters were kept confidential.

Others say the sting of betrayal is still felt among the people and officials alike, and that their affinity for American culture and values has been diminished.

This left bad feelings on our side. We are a small country that was badly treated by a great power, said Tadeusz Chabiera, a founder of the Euroatlantic Assn. think tank in Warsaw and one of the brokers of Polands membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The scandal that has unfolded piecemeal over the last decade has inflicted damage on the U.S.-Polish relationship, he and other analysts say, because of the memories it has evoked of Warsaws subservient role during nearly half a century of Soviet domination.

Most Poles werent particularly outraged by the abuse disclosures over the years, as Poland has only a minuscule Muslim population and many tend to regard the few in their midst warily, said Adam Bodnar, head of the legal division of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and a law professor at Warsaw University.

But people felt they had been lied to by our authorities and they were ashamed that they had believed their politicians, he said, referring to the belated admissions by Miller and Kwasniewski.

The gradual revelations of what went on at Stare Kiejkuty prompted Polish prosecutors in 2008 to open an investigation to determine who knew about the suspected CIA secret prison and how and why Polands U.S. allies were allowed to commit what international legal scholars have deemed acts of torture. Among the techniques reportedly used were waterboarding, in which the subjects breathing passages are flooded until vital signs cease, and rectal packing.

That Polish inquiry resulted in charges against one person, as yet unidentified by the investigators but widely believed from news reports to be then-intelligence chief Zbigniew Siemiatkowski. He is accused of unlawfully depriving prisoners of their liberty by facilitating the rendition of the most notorious CIA captives. The investigation is still underway, although there has been no known recent action to hold Miller and Kwasniewski responsible for their roles, Bodnar said.

There is still little clamor for accountability at the highest levels, Bodnar said. But there is significant public anger, he said, over the apparent corruption involved in the millions of dollars paid to intelligence officials. The payments, alluded to in the investigations, are widely considered to have been bribes to erode the resistance of Polish authorities once they became aware of the nature of the interrogations. The money has never been accounted for.

Even after paying the hush money, the CIA shut down Stare Kiejkuty in September 2003, just nine months after delivering its first interrogation subject, Zubaydah, to the base that, though no longer in use, remains under guard and monitored by motion-activated security cameras.

Neither has the quest ended for full disclosure concerning activities at the secret prison, Bodnar said.

There will be new calls for testimony before the European Court of Human Rights and a follow-up probe by the Council of Europe, he said. As long as Poland refuses to clarify it fully, it will be a problem for our image as a democracy.

carol.williams@latimes.com

Williams recently was on assignment in Poland.
Texas brothers, Alejandro Trivino and Christian Trivino, with their friend Juan Eduardo Melendez, have 281,664 signatures for their online petition as of writing.

The two Trivinos are facing a capital murder charge for beating and killing their stepfather, 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla, after the Texas brothers found that he was actively abusing their nine-year-old sister.

The online petition asks the state of Texas to release the three teenagers involved in the killing. The petition noted that the Trivinos and their friend, Melendez, could spend the rest of their lives in prison for protecting their sister.

One user cited reason for signing the petition, saying that the system failed "this little girl, and these young kids" had done what the law had failed to do so.

Another one who signed the petition said that they do not see anything wrong with what the brothers did, adding that they protected a loved one from a predator.

READ NEXT: Texas Stepfather Beaten to Death by Teens After He Sexually Abused Their 9-Year-Old Sister

Texas Brothers Killing Their Stepfather

The Trevinos' nine-year-old half-sister told someone on January 20 that Quintanilla had touched her inappropriately at an RV park.

Alexandro and Christian learned about the incident and confronted Quintanilla.

Pharr Police Deputy Chief Juan Gonzalez said that Quintanilla was beaten with knuckle dusters before being left for dead in a field in McAllen, according to a Newsweek report.

Gonzales added that Quintanilla left the location on foot, with Christian running after the victim and finding him outside an apartment complex.

Police suspected that Quintanilla might still be alive when dropped off in a field.

Pharr Police Chief Andy Harvey Jr. said that there were continuous sexual assault reports that occurred for several years, adding that investigators had enough to obtain a warrant for Quintanilla's arrest at the time.

However, Quintanilla was able to elude authorities until his body was discovered in the McAllen field, according to a Fox 10 Phoenix News report.

The brothers' friend, Melendez, is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of marijuana.

Christian is charged with aggravated assault, engaging in organized criminal activity, and murder.

Meanwhile, Alejandro is facing charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and aggravated assault.

Many were clamoring for the freedom of the accused, even the news making it to social media platforms.

One Twitter user with a handle @Luisa97209 said that if she were part of the jury, she would not find the three guilty.

These brothers beat their stepfather to death for molesting their 9yo sister.

Stepfather had a warrant out for sexual abuse of another child.



If I were on a jury, I would find them not guilty.



I'd call it a public service.#texasbrothers#trevino

https://t.co/OvOQLuwt6t  Luisa (@Luisa97209) January 26, 2022

The twitter user added that she would call it a public service. Another user with a handle @Spreadapedia tweeted regarding the case, asking questions about why the three are being held on bail.

Why are they being held on bail? Bail should be $0. https://t.co/KLz1OuzKDn  Spreadapedia (@Spreadapedia) January 26, 2022

The user said that the bail for the Texas brothers "should be $0."

Attorney and former judge Charles "Big Angry" Adams said that he does not think there is anyone in America that cannot sympathize with two brothers acting the way they did when someone had raped their sister, according to a Fox 26 Houston report.

Adams added that he thinks it provides a rationale, a justification that a lot of people can understand.

READ MORE: Texas Teen Adalia Rose Dies at 15 After Her Battle With Real-Life Benjamin Button Disease

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: LEGAL TAKE: 3 Texas teens beat stepfather to death for allegedly sexually assaulting half sister - from FOX 26 Houston






Jason Rivera, the slain NYPD cop in the line of duty, was given a final farewell on his Friday at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with his brother saying that the slain police officer's "first love was policing."

The 22-year-old Rivera was posthumously promoted to detective first grade during the service at Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral one week after he was murdered in the line of duty, according to a New York Post report.

Rivera's brother, Jeffrey Rivera, said that the late police officer was obsessed with his career in law enforcement.

Jeffrey added that his brother would listen to police radio transmissions for local alerts when he was a child and would watch police dramas on TV.

Rivera's childhood sweetheart and widowed wife, Dominique Luzuriaga, revealed that they had been fighting that day Rivera died.

Luzuriaga said that she called an Uber instead of having him drive her as she did not want to keep arguing on their way to work on that day.

She recalled seeing a cellphone alert about two officers being shot and how she tried to reach her husband to see if he was okay.

Rivera's partner, Wilbert Mora, was shot in the head and died several days after the shooting.

READ NEXT: Chicago Cops Turned Their Backs on Mayor Lori Lightfoot at Hospital After Ella French Shooting

Slain NYPD Cop Jason Rivera's Widow Called Out the System

Jason Rivera's wife said that the system continues to "fail us," adding that they are not safe anymore  not even the members of the service.

She then went on to talk about how her husband was "tired of these laws," particularly those coming from the new D.A., according to a Fox News report.

The newly elected New York City district attorney, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg, announced that he would be applying less stringent policies for prosecuting certain crimes.

However, Bragg later clarified in the controversial memo that it gave the "wrong impression."

Bragg was in attendance at Luzuriaga's speech at the time, later releasing a statement that he is "grieving and praying" for the killed police officers Rivera and Mora.

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who posthumously promoted Rivera, said that the young police officer had found the woman and career of his dreams and "many don't accomplish that in their entire lifetimes."

Sewell added that Rivera had shown them to be better.

NYPD Cops Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora

The NYPD noted that the suspect who shot Officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora on Friday in Harlem has died.

Rivera and Mora responded to a 911 call about domestic abuse between a mother and her adult son in Harlem. The two were shot there, according to a Bronx News 12 report.

The two NYPD cops arrived at the scene with a third office, with 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil being in the bedroom of the apartment.

Mora and Rivera started walking toward the bedroom when the door swung open and McNeil started shooting at the two officers.

The suspect then fled the apartment when McNeil was shot by the third officer, hitting him in the head and arm.

The NYPD stated that the police also found an AR-15 assault weapon under McNeil's mattress.

READ MORE: Killer Dad Chris Watts Spends 36th Birthday Alone in Prison: 'He's an Outcast,' Says Source

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Widow delivers heart-wrenching eulogy for NYPD Detective Jason Rivera - from Eyewitness News ABC7NY
The U.S. consulate has warned Americans to avoid a Los Cabos hospital in Mexico, following years of complaints that the facility preyed on Americans by overcharging and bullying them.

According to Associated Press, the St. Luke's Hospital in Cabo San Lucas City at Los Cabos municipality in Baja California Sur state also refuses to release medical records to Americans.

St. Luke's Hospital has reportedly been taking advantage of the tourists in the known Mexican beach destination, where more than 100,000 U.S. tourists visit each month.

U.S. citizens have filed multiple complaints against the hospital, saying it demanded tens of thousands of dollars in advanced payments while threatening patients' relatives.

The U.S. consulate in Tijuana was prompted to issue the unusual "health alert" on Wednesday about St. Luke's business practices after receiving multiple reports that the hospital refused to release clinical reports on what care they had actually provided.

"U.S. citizens have reported instances of withholding care for payment, failing to provide itemized lists of charges, ordering unnecessary procedures, withholding U.S. passports, obstructing medical evacuations, and refusing to discharge patients without payment," the U.S. consulate said in the alert.

READ NEXT: Rival of Sinaloa Cartel Sent Severed Head, Death Threat to Tijuana's New Police Chief on First Day

Americans Warned About Los Cabos Hospital in Mexico

The U.S. consulate said hotels and resorts in the Los Cabos area may have existing contracts or informal relationships with St. Luke's Hospital.

If tourists need medical assistance, the consulate advised them to ask their hotel or resort to arrange treatment at a facility on the consulate's publicly-available list of hospitals.

The U.S. consulate also advised Americans to be aware of the tourists' rights under Mexican law and obtain as much information as possible about local facilities and their medical personnel when thinking about medical procedures.

One should also insist on written estimates in advance of any procedures and request itemized bills. There were reports in local media that the hospital pays ambulance drivers to channel American patients to its facility, a practice that's been going on for so long.

Six years ago, there was a comment in an English-language forum for travelers and residents of Los Cabos to be aware that St. Luke's "has ambulance chasers out all the time."

A post by a travel agent noted that drivers are paid a fee for picking up patients off the streets and bringing them to St. Luke's Hospital.

Complaints Against St. Luke's Hospital in Mexico

In June, a man from Los Angeles, Scott Lairson, and his wife Patricia were vacationing in Los Cabos. After she had serious breathing problems, Lairson brought his wife to St. Luke's Hospital and was treated at the Los Cabos hospital for 12 days, Los Angeles Times reported.

In August, Lairson filed a complaint stating that his wife had good treatment, but the hospital administrators were aggressive. He said he was told that his wife would be transferred to the community hospital if he did not immediately pay $50,000.

The complaint noted that the hospital administrators also told Lairson that he would be unable to visit if he did not pay. Lairson paid $10,000 using his credit card, but he had no more money. He then paid $25,000 to get her flown to Arizona, where Patricia died.

His insurance company, United Healthcare, was billed $1 million by the hospital. However, they never provided specific details of the medical records of each treatment to justify the amount.

READ MORE: Mexico: 2 Bodies Found Hanging From Bridge, 3 Police Officers Killed as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Multimillionaires and Mexican Drug Traffickers: Welcome to Los Cabos | Sinoloa Cartel - From Java Discover
The administration of President Joe Biden has ramped up access to testing by launching a website where you can order free COVID-19 test kits as part of its strategy to get the coronavirus pandemic under control.

The president has released a new video clip of him on Twitter demonstrating how to place orders for COVID-19 test kits to be delivered to every Americans' home.

"Good news, folks: You can get free COVID-19 tests delivered right to your home," Joe Biden said in the caption for the video.

Joe Biden introduced the COVIDtests.gov website for easy delivery of free COVID-19 test kits with the current surge of coronavirus cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

Those interested in ordering at-home COVID-19 test kits will be asked to provide their contact information and shipping address.

Each household can order up to four COVID-19 test kits as per the administration's offer. The kits are rapid antigen at-home tests that give results within 30 minutes and do not need to be dropped off at a lab.

The administration of Joe Biden is procuring a total of 1 billion COVID-19 test kits to distribute to the public for free. The White House said it has partnered with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to package and deliver COVID-19 test kits to Americans that want them.

It noted that tests "will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering" through the USPS. Meanwhile, those who need additional assistance during the ordering process can file a service request on the USPS website or call the U.S. Postal Service help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Mocks Joe Biden at Arizona Rally, Mimics the President's Voice: 'I'm Gonna Get Rid of COVID'

Free COVID-19 Test Kits in Florida

Earlier this month, Florida announced that it would increase access to at-home COVID-19 test kits, promising to deliver about a million self-administered units first to nursing homes and then to senior centers.

According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis referred to seniors as high-risk and therefore "high value" to test for COVID.

Drive-thru and walk-up sites reported long lines with pharmacies challenged to get a supply of rapid at-home tests to meet demand, with COVID cases in the state going up more than 500 percent.

Keven Gutherie, director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management, said the state would base the prioritization of testing on symptoms, as well as high value.

COVID-19 Tests in California

California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned people on Tuesday about illegitimate COVID-19 testing sites that have been sprouting up around the state due to an increased demand for the tests, Bonta said in a press release.

Bonta noted that the unverified sites pose as legitimate companies and healthcare clinics offering COVID testing. However, these fake testing sites often fail to provide their patients with their test results once they get their payment.

Bonta then urged Californians to do their part in shunning the fake testing sites by using state resources, such as the California Department of Public Health's website.

Apart from the free COVID-19 test kits available via the COVIDtests.gov website, the state has also partnered with OptumServe to provide free and confidential testing statewide.

The California government said tests are available for everyone, including underserved communities. However, the state noted that tests are by appointment only. You can register and make an appointment via the OptumServe website.

California has paid OptumServe at least $221 million to coordinate and operate dozens of vaccination sites in the state.

COVID-19 Test Kits in Texas

The Texas Department of State Health Services said there are places across the state that offers testing services while waiting for the delivery of free COVID-19 test kits. However, the recent peak in demand has made access to testing limited, Texas Tribune reported.

Pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS also offer testing services. However, they require visitors to schedule appointments ahead of time.

Texans can check with their city and county governments online to see if they have any local testing sites. Testing sites have already opened up in Tarrant, Hidalgo, and Cameron counties. More sites are expected to come in Bexar, Dallas, and Harris counties, but it is unclear when they will open.

Texans who want to visit federal testing sites in their area should register ahead of time as some sites require residents to book an appointment online. Texas residents can visit https://doineedacovid19test.com/ to register.

READ MORE: Kamala Harris Says 'Democracy' Is the Biggest National Security Threat Facing the U.S.

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Biden Admin Launches Website For Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests - From TODAY






President Joe Biden on Friday said he will heighten the presence of U.S. troops in Eastern Europe amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Biden made his comments at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after returning from Pittsburgh, saying that he will also place troops in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, New York Post reported.

"I'll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many," the president said, without giving the exact number of soldiers to be deployed in these countries.

Also, the president did not specify which countries will host the U.S. troops, though he repeatedly said the U.S. will not deploy troops inside Ukraine since it is not a member of NATO.

Washington fears that neighboring NATO countries might be affected if Russia attacks Ukraine. Biden's announcement was not the first move of the U.S. in connection to the Ukraine-Russia tensions.

Pentagon announced earlier this week that at least 8,500 U.S. troops were placed on heightened alert for possible deployment to strengthen NATO allies' eastern defenses.

READ NEXT: Biden Admin Orders Families of U.S Embassy Staff in Ukraine to Leave Country Amid Russia Border Tensions

U.S. to Send 'Lethal Help' to Ukraine

Aside from announcing the deployment of U.S. troops in Eastern Europe, reports noted that the U.S. is in the process of sending "lethal aid" to Ukraine. It includes five Mi-17 helicopters that formerly belonged to Afghanistan's military.

The U.S. State Department also reportedly allowed Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, to send U.S.-made missiles and other weapons, like Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-craft missiles, to Ukraine.

Aside from the U.S., other countries are also eager to help Ukraine amid its tension with Russia. According to reports, Denmark sent a frigate to the Baltic Sea and dispatched at least four F-16 fighter jets to Lithuania.

Spain also made its move by deploying ships and possibly sending fighter jets to Bulgaria. The Netherlands, on the other hand, will send two F-35 fighters to the same country. Meanwhile, France was reportedly weighing if they would send troops to Romania.

Mark Milley Claims Russia Could Invade Ukraine With 'Little Warning'

In a news conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday, Chairman of the Joint Staff General Mark Milley said Russia could invade Ukraine with "very, very little warning."

Milley noted that the current Russian troop build-up at Ukraine's border "does feel different" from Moscow's past maneuvers.

"This is larger in scale and scope in the massing of forces than anything we have seen in recent memory," Milley said, adding that the magnitude of Russia's current forces can be compared during the Cold War days.

Moscow has repeatedly claimed that they were not planning to attack Ukraine. However, Russia has stationed 100,000 troops near Ukraine's border and demanded that Western powers exclude Ukraine from joining the NATO alliance and other concessions.

READ MORE: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Battle: Alaska Joins Texas in Lawsuit Against the Administration After Requiring National Guard's Vaccination

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Biden Holds Critical Call With Ukraine President as Russia Tension Escalates - From NBC News
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that the international military assistance to his country is "optimistic" amid tensions with Russia.

"I cannot tell the exact amount of aid received, but I can say that it is more optimistic than the media report," Reznikov told a Parliament meeting.

Ukraine has already received three batches of military assistance from the US aid package worth $200 million and anti-tank weapons from Britain, Reznikov said, adding that Kiev is also waiting for support from Baltic countries, Canada and Denmark, reports Xinhua news agency.

He disclosed that currently, the number of modern anti-tank weapons possessed by the Ukrainian army "exceeds significantly the number of potential targets".

The Minister added that Ukraine has ratified a deal with the UK to get a loan worth 1.7 billion pounds ($2.28 billion), which would pave the way for the two countries to jointly produce missile boats and install new naval infrastructure in Ukraine.

Besides, Reznikov said that a total of 150 battalions of territorial defence have been already created in Ukraine to boost the country's security.

Ukraine is ramping up its defence capabilities amid the escalating tensions on its border with Russia.

Since November 2021, Kiev and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion".

Denying any intention to attack any country, Russia said it has the right to mobilize troops within its borders to defend its territory, as the NATO's increasing military activities near the borders constitute a threat to security.
A Mexican teen accidentally shot herself while recording a TikTok video at her grandparents' house in Mexico's Sinaloa state on Friday.

According to Periodico AM, Yazmin Esmeralda "N", 15, was visiting her granparents' home in Ruiz Cortines Numero community when she saw a submachine gun Uzi and started recording herself on TikTok.

El Universal reported that Esmeralda, who was living with her mother in Los Mochis City, took the gun without knowing it was loaded.

According to reports, her mom and grandparents ran to her bedroom to see what happened after hearing a shot early in the morning, and they found the Mexican teen lying in blood on the floor.

They immediately called the emergency line. But by the time police and paramedics arrived on the scene, the Mexican teen was already dead. The paramedics confirmed that she died instantly.

READ NEXT: TikTok Challenge #FrozenHoney: Health Experts Worries About the Trend as it May Cause Diarrhea

Authorities in Mexico Investigate the Submachine Gun of Mexican Teen Using TikTok

The Sinaloa State Attorney General's Office opened an investigation regarding the submachine gun, which Yazmin Esmeralda took before recording herself on TikTok, Proceso reported.

Although the incident was accidental, Sinaloa Attorney General Sara Bruna Quinonez Estrada said they would like to determine if the Mexican teen's father could be held accountable.

Quinones Estrada noted that they received a report that Esmeralda's father owned the gun meant for the Army's exclusive use.

"When a weapon of this type is found in a home, where there are children, clearly the one who owns it had a responsibility to look after it," Quinones Estrada said.

Currently, she noted that they still have no information about what the Mexican teen's father does. But she stressed that this type of weapon should not be at home, especially when there are children.

"This is not for home use. I even heard the Secretary of Security say it is a weapon discharged from the Army because of its dangerousness," Quinones Estrada noted.

According to Quinones Estrada, the submachine gun "can never be secured," and it will continually fire ammunition when it is triggered.

The Prosecutor's office confirmed that Esmeralda's death was "accidental." Esmeralda's younger brother witnessed the tragic incident because he was the one who was recording her on TikTok.

The boy told the investigators that his sister was carrying the gun when it suddenly fell, and it went off. Some local reports said the Mexican teen girl shot herself in the head.

Dangerous TikTok Challenges

TikTok is a video-sharing app that allows users to upload brief clips. However, it has given life to many viral challenges that endanger the lives of its users. Some users experienced a near-death situation, while others lost their lives while doing the challenges on the app.

In April last year, a 10-year-old girl suffocated to death while recreating the TikTok "Blackout Challenge." The social media stunt encouraged people to hold their breath until they passed out.

A 15-year-old girl from Oklahoma died from an overdose in September 2020 after doing the TikTok "Benadryl challenge" that urges users to take 10 pills of the drug and record a video while hallucinating.

Two other Brazilian teenagers died from the TikTok "skull breaker" challenge, which involves an unsuspecting person that needs to stand between two others and jump. The two kick their legs behind the jumper's legs, causing the person to fall on their back.

READ MORE: TikTok Star Gabriel Salazar, 3 Mexicans Died in Car Crash Following Police Chase in Texas

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: TikTok REMOVING Dangerous Milk Crate Challenge Videos! - From Clevver News
A big upgrade in the water mains in the Laois village of The Swan has welcomed by Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Sean Fleming as being good news for the village and surrounds.

Minister Fleming and his brother Cllr Padraig Fleming, jointly welcomed confirmation that Irish Water will replace the entire water mains from The Swan Cross right up through the village all the way up towards Dalys Cross at Fairymount on the way to Newtown.

They say this is a major project involving the replacement of over 2.9km of mains water pipes. In statement they said the existing water mains piping network has been in place for a long number of years and there have been a substantial number of leaks resulting in various cuts to the water supply which has caused major disruptions for local residents.

"Overall this is good news for The Swan and many surrounding areas. The water mains piping network is interconnected with the water mains systems in other areas in the region . This will result in a much more secure supply of water free from leaks and interruption also in the Doonane, Newtown and Tolerton areas for decades to come," said the Fianna Fail representatives.

Irish Water have confirmed that works will commence on Monday, January 31 and they will be carrying out works on a phased basis.

The initial stretch of the scheme now commencing is from the top end of The Swan Village, past Pooles Bridge and further up the road past Kellys Cross.

The other sections of the work will be carried out on a phased basis and we will be in constant contact with Irish Water to move on this as soon as possible.

Irish Water said the work is needed because the pipes are old and prone to leakage. It added that the work is being done in partnership with Laois County Council.
Pakistan has termed India's statement about its disbarment record as "dubious", accusing New Delhi for being responsible for pioneering nuclear proliferation in South Asia and flaring up regional and global tension.

"It is India which dealt a death blow to the non=proliferation norms by conducting its first nuclear test in 1974, followed by additional nuclear tests in 1998," said Pakistani delegate Mohammad Omar told the Conference on Disarmament, now in session in Geneva.

Omar said that India conducted the test by diverting material from CIRUS reactor, which he said was in violation of its safeguards commitments to the suppliers.

The delegate's comments came in response to Indian Ambassador Pankaj Sharma's statement, in which, he criticised the Pakistani counterpart for raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, relating it to bilateral and regional issues.

Sharma had claimed that New Delhi's contribution to disarmament, coupled with its credentials were praiseworthy.

He also that Jammu and Kashmir was integral part of India and accused Pakistan for being deliberately involved in exporting terrorism.

Exercising his right of reply, Omar, who is the First Secretary at the Pakistan Mission to the UN in Geneva, pointed out that India had always opposed formalisation of a moratorium on nuclear tests in South Asia.

"Despite its ritualistic support to the so-called FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty), India has neither declared a moratorium on fissile material production nor created it. In fact, India continues to exponentially expand production by building new fast breeder reactors, which also amassing tonnes of fissile material stocks in the so-called strategic reserves," he said.

"India remains the leading opponent of proposals to incorporate existing stockpiles in the scope of a treaty on fissile materials," he added.

Pakistan questioned India's claims, stating that its opposition to the inclusion of fissile materials, does not stock square with New Delhi's claimed support for the nuclear disarmament.

"Unlike India, Pakistan has not violated any of its international commitments of safeguards obligations in the development of its civil and military nuclear programme to this day," he highlighted.

The Pakistani delegate raised the issue of Kashmir, accusing India for blocking the people of Kashmir from their right to self-determination.

"For 75 years, India has suppressed the inalienable right of Kashmiris people to self-determination, a right enshrined in the UN Charter and endorsed by scores of international covenants and UN General Assembly resolutions.

"And yet with such atrocious record of defying international legality, India harbors ambitions of becoming a permanent member of UN Security Council," he added.
Cowboys and Heroes Festival returns to Drumcoura City, outside Ballinamore this year.

The number one country music festival in Ireland has not yet announced it's full line up but we do know Derek Ryan, Mike Denver, Johnny Brady, Jimmy Buckley and Robert Mizzel have confirmed. It will include also include Western horse shows, an American car show, line dancing, jiving, 5 bars, a food village, camping, Tipis, amusements and lots more.

The weekend festival will run from Junne 3- 6.

Tickets have gone on sale, for 100 weekend ticket which covers all perfomances over 4 days. These advance tickets doe not include camping.

The weekend tickets will cover you for all the performances over the 4 days. Weekend tickets are only available in advance.

You can boook tickets here.

Strict terms and conditions apply. See www.cowboysandheroes.ie for more information.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, have reminded dog owners of their responsibilities and the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks, as lambing season approaches.

The two Ministers said the issue is one of grave concern to the farming community and that attacks on sheep are happening far too often in the rural countryside.

The latest figures compiled by local authorities show that there were 240 incidences of Livestock Worrying in 2020  with a similar number expected when the 2021 returns are completed.

Dog attacks cause serious injury or death to sheep and can cause serious distress and financial loss for farm families.

Minister Humphreys and McConalogue today visited Donnie Andersons Farm in West Dublin where they announced the start of an awareness campaign that will run over lambing season.

Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said: Attacks on sheep can have a devastating impact on farmers, their business, and their families. Im a dog owner myself and I know the vast majority of dog owners are extremely responsible. But the latest figures show that in 2020, there were 240 incidents of Livestock Worrying reported to local authorities.

"As the lambing season begins, we are hearing more and more reports of incidents in Rural Ireland. Some 2.5 million lambs will be born on farms all over Ireland this springtime. Sheep flocks are very vulnerable to dog attacks at this critical time, and especially during the night.

Our farmers are the backbone of our community and any incident that puts their livestock at risk can have a detrimental impact on the animals and the farmer in question. So Im appealing to dog owners today, particularly in rural areas, to please keep your dogs on the leash and be vigilant at all times.

Minister McConalogue added: Sheep worrying causes immense and unnecessary stress for farmers, and serious animal welfare issues for sheep and new-born lambs. Uncontrolled pets can decimate a flock within minutes, with reports suggesting that up to 4,000 sheep are killed or seriously injured in dog attacks every year. Pet owners are responsible for ensuring that their dogs are under control.

Dog owners must take responsibility for their pets, which must be under control at all times  remember, even the gentlest family pet can kill or maim sheep and lambs. Never let your dog out unsupervised, especially at night.

The Minister added that responsible pet ownership is a priority for his Department. Advising that all dogs must be microchipped under the law.

By law, every dog must be microchipped and the possession, movement, sale or supply of an unchipped dog is an offence. I am committed to working with Minister Humphreys to ensure sheep-worrying by dogs becomes a thing of the past, and our officials are working together to improve enforcement of the laws applicable to dogs.

Finally, the Minister reminded anyone concerned about incidents of animal neglect or cruelty that they can contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine helpline by phone or on the dedicated email address.
Nearly two years since schools across Ireland were closed as part of the first lockdown, the Ombudsman for Childrens Office (OCO) is publishing a Child Rights Impact Assessment detailing the impact that closures in 2020 and 2021 had on childrens rights.

A Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) examines the potential impacts that laws, policies, budget decisions, programmes and services may have on children, as they are being developed and before a decision is made. Therefore, CRIA can identify ways to avoid or mitigate negative impacts on children of a proposed action before it is implemented.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has identified CRIA as a key measure that States should implement to progress the realisation of childrens rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Although Ireland ratified the CRC in 1992, the State has not yet introduced CRIA to support the implementation of childrens rights in Ireland.

The OCOs CRIA focused on the rights of five groups of children in particular; those experiencing mental health difficulties, children who are homeless, children living in Direct Provision, children with disabilities, and Traveller and Roma children. The CRIA found that these groups of children are among those whose rights were disproportionately impacted by the school closures.

As well as highlighting how much we rely on schools and the school community to support childrens enjoyment of their rights, this CRIA also indicates that the closures had a predominantly negative effect on a childs right to education, disproportionately impacting those children already experiencing educational disadvantage; had a negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing and/or social and emotional development of some children; led to the disruption of vital health services provided in schools, such as the school immunisation programme, hearing, vision and dental checks, as well as the School Meals Programme; contributed to an increased risk of children experiencing harm and abuse, including domestic violence, in the home and reduced opportunities for school-based professionals to recognise and report child protection and welfare concerns.

Commenting on the findings, Head of Policy at the OCO, Dr Karen McAuley, said:

This CRIA is a snapshot in time that aims to capture how childrens rights were impacted by the decision to close schools in 2020 and in early 2021.

While all children were impacted, our CRIA found that the closures had a disproportionate negative impact on the five groups of children focused on, and that not enough consideration was given to their specific needs when the initial blanket decision was made to close schools in March 2020.

As such, our CRIA not only highlights the need for the State to give due regard to childrens rights when making decisions, including in emergency situations, but also to consider what special measures are needed to mitigate the disproportionate impact that decisions can have on particular groups of children.

It is also clear that school is about so much more than education, with the importance of teachers and other school professionals for the realisation of childrens rights evident. For many children school is also a place for them to develop emotionally and socially and to avail of important health checks. For some children, it is a place where they are provided with a hot meal.

For other children, school provides a safe place away from potentially harmful or abusive situations at home and is a place where professionals can identify and report child protection and welfare concerns.

Child Rights Impact Assessment has not been introduced in Ireland yet. Just like an Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out to examine the effects of a proposed project on the environment before it is given the green light, we believe the Government should seriously consider introducing CRIA in Ireland to child-rights proof proposals affecting children, Dr McAuley concluded.

The OCO was one of 13 organisations that took part in a joint project between the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) and UNICEF to conduct a pilot CRIA on the impact of Covid-19 measures on childrens rights. The OCOs CRIA was carried out between April and October 2021, and consisted of a desk-based review of relevant national and international documentation, as well as interviews with several key stakeholder organisations.
There was a large attendance for the opening on Friday night of Manorhamilton's marvellous Benny Clancy Paintings 1996  2012: A Retrospective Exhibition in the Leitrim Sculpture Centre.

Everyone in the large attendance was highly impressed with the 77 paintings on exhibit of the late artist Benny Clancy, McDermott Terrace who died on Wednesday, August 27, 2014. This great exhibition of Benny's paintings will continue at the Centre until Saturday, February 12. Opening times each week are from 11am to 4pm from Wednesday to Saturday inclusive.

Anyone who wishes can visit the exhibition free of charge over the next two and a half weeks during the opening hours.

From the work on display it certainly is evident that the late Benny Clancy was without doubt Manorhamilton's most outstanding painter ever. As Leitrim Sculpture Centre manager Sean O'Reilly explained in a highly knowledgeable comment about this remarkable local artist, Clancy took great inspiration from modern masters notably Cezanne, whom he saw in Paris and London, and especially Paul Henry from Ireland.



Like these artists Clancy was a loner and a rebel who sought inspiration from the everyday events that surrounded him and especially the people who populated his daily travels.

The works on show include portraiture, landscapes, still-life, domestic scenes, animal studies as well as many views of Manorhamilton that were aided by the use of photographic images as well as works made directly from the subject.



A central part of the exhibition includes a large number of portraits consisting of detailed studies of mostly local people that Clancy would have known well in the area. It was this close attachment, understanding and sympathy with the lives of ordinary working people that drove Clancys practice, both connecting him to his predecessor's work whilst underpinning his own unique and expressive style captured in this retrospective exhibition of his work.



A special guest at the opening of the exhibition in the Sculpture Centre on Friday night was Benny's wife, Phil. She was especially pleased about the wonderful exhibition that the Leitrim Sculpture Centre had mounted of her husband's exceptional paintings.



Phil was equally pleased about the large numbers of local people who had come along for opening night of the exhibition to view Benny's amazing paintings. She said indeed is a great night for myself and for my family  we are very very proud. We have been waiting for this exhibition for a couple of years and because of Covid, etc., it had to be cancelled. It is overwhelming and emotional.

Phil agreed that the three portraits that Benny painted of her that were in the exhibition, were special. She also remarked that many of the paintings in the exhibition were for sale but others that are from private collections and ones of our family are not for sale.



Mrs. Clancy expressed her and her family's deep appreciation to a number of people who worked very hard over quite a period of time to get the exhibition organised. Phil said thank you to the Sculpture Centre, manager Sean O'Reilly and all his team for the support they have given me.

They understood how nervous I was and how apprehensive I was, and they just brought me along with them at all times. Thank you to the community as well for a great turnout and thank you to all of them for their outstanding loyalty at all times.



The many great conversations we had here in the Sculpture Centre tonight were something else and very memorable as well a very happy and popular person, Phil Clancy said in conclusion.
THE former secretary general at the Department of Finance, Limerick's John Moran has been appointed non-executive chairman of Grid Finance.

Grid, which is a lender to micro and small businesses, confirmed that the Mungret man, also a former director at the European Investment Bank, has been installed into the role.

Derek Foley Butler, the chief executive and founder of Grid - headquartered in Bedford Row - said: "We have ambitions to support as many as 10,000 businesses by the end of 2023. I am delighted to continue to work with John to achieve this rapid growth of Grid in Ireland and elsewhere. Through the small to medium sized enterprise (SME) recovery campaign that I launched in 2020 to support the SME sector John and I worked closely to ensure that the SME sector got the government support it needed to weather the pandemic."

Mr Butler added: "With John on board as non-executive chairman he will provide vital strategic input and expertise that will be invaluable as we continue on our journey to help SMEs build their financial health and well-being. We already have a number of exciting initiatives and plans for 2022 and beyond."

Mr Moran said: "I am delighted and honoured to join the board of Grid to support Derek and his team in their plans to scale their world class SME support platform. During the SME Recovery campaign, I saw first-hand the passion and determination that Derek and the team have to help small and micro businesses to grow and become financially stronger.

"As we know, these businesses are the backbone of the Irish economy right across the country. I am excited by the plans the business has for the coming years and look forward to being part of that journey. Today, GRID itself is a small business like those it supports but it is clear to me that it has enormous potential to grow to be not just an important Irish business but a key support for businesses across the EU and beyond."

As well as Limerick, Grid has offices in Dublin and the Portuguese capital city, Lisbon.
RENT the Runway Galways office is joining forces with ULs Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) program to encourage more women to pursue a career in the tech industry.

The highly competitive, first of its kind programme, will commence in UL in September 2022.

The ISE programme combines intensive academic learning with practical residency-style immersive real-world experience in Rent the Runway and other technology companies.

Course Director of ISE, Professor Tiziana Margaria said it highlights the values of sustainability, affordability and diversity that sit at the core of Rent the Runways business idea and practice.

Students will have the opportunity to take skills learned in a bespoke studio setting in UL, into the real world and apply them to solving real problems for major tech players.

Rent the Runway industry partners include Stripe, Dell, Intercom and a range of Irish start-ups and SMEs.

Each of these support the new Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) programme designed to deliver much needed world-class technology graduates to Irish, European and global markets.

Vice President, Managing Director & Site Lead at Rent the Runway in Galway Dorothy Creaven said the plan is to use this collaborative opportunity to continue encouraging women and other underrepresented groups to consider a career in tech.

She added that the accelerated academic timeline was put in place as there is a shortage of qualified graduates in the sector.

We are delighted to be part of this programme and look forward to welcoming two students to Rent the Runway, she expressed. UL Professor and Co-Director of ISE Stephen Kinsella said:

It is essential for universities and the technology sector to work together to deliver a strong pipeline of highly skilled talent into the workforce.

This new programme will deliver a much more intensive student experience and will fast-track graduation by studying through the summers and devoting every-other semester to residencies.
A YOUNG man who ran out of petrol and left his car parked on the side of the road at Ballyconway, Newcastle West was fined 400 at Newcastle West Court.

Garda John Moynihan said in evidence he went to the scene at Ballyconway at about 10.40am last February 10 and found a vehicle which was obstructing the flow of traffic.

The vehicle, he explained, was parked up between the hard shoulder and the slow lane. However, he told the court it could be an accident blackspot.

The vehicle was seized but before the tow-truck arrived, the defendant, Jason Ward of Colbert Terrace, Abbeyfeale, turned up.

Mr Wards explanation to the garda was that he had run out of petrol. My understanding is it was there overnight, Garda Moynihan said adding that the tax on the vehicle had expired.

In his evidence, Mr Ward said he had run out of petrol. The vehicle was parked up for two hours, he said. It wasnt there overnight.

He told the court he couldnt remember when the fixed penalty notice had come. The vehicle was impounded and he forfeited it, the court heard. Mr Ward said he now lived in Donegal

Judge Carol Ann Cooligan noted the gardas evidence was the vehicle was there overnight while Mr Ward said two hours.

Mr Ward had no recollection of when he got the notice but there was no evidence he didnt get it, she said and she fined him 400.

A charge of having no tax displayed was taken into consideration.
LIMERICK City and County Council is to examine the possibility of erecting additional signage at Askeaton to emphasise the medieval status and importance of the town.

The move was confirmed by senior planner Maria Woods in reply to a motion from local councillor Kevin Sheahan seeking to have Askeaton classified as a Heritage Town.

In a written reply, circulated to Adare/Rathkeale councillors, Ms Woods said the scheme to designate Heritage Town status ran in the 1990s and is no longer. She added it is no longer recognised by the Heritage Council - despite the continuing presence of associated signage in towns across the country.

"The Heritage Council currently have no plans to create any similar designation," she wrote adding that the historic status of towns, such as Askeaton, is recognised through the Irish Walled Towns Network and the Historic Towns initiative.

Ms Woods also confirmed that Askeaton, the oldest town in County Limerick, is classified as a Historic Town under the National Monuments Act. It is also a Recorded Monument on the Sites and Monuments Register.

Cllr Sheahan, who is cathaoirleach of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District welcomed the reply and said he would support the erection of new signage.
AFTER a two-year gap caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Mayor of Limerick will once again lead a delegation of councillors and officials to New York for St Patricks Day.

And a separate, smaller delegation is expected to travel to Savannah, Georgia to take part in the St Patricks Day parade there, the second largest parade in the world after New York.

Councillors gave the go-ahead for the visits at a meeting of the full council where they were told that the New York visit was an ideal opportunity for the council to develop and foster linkages for Limerick.

It was also a chance to build on the current high exposure that Limerick has been receiving.

The plan is that the Mayor, Cllr Daniel Butler, and the delegation will take part in a number of business and tourism/cultural events and will meet with people involved in tourism to promote Limerick as a destination.

An invitation to take part in the St Patricks Day parade at Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York has also been accepted. This is the second largest parade in New York and according to the councils executive, offers opportunities and links for Limerick.

The details of who exactly will travel, how many and where are still being worked but it is unlikely that Mayor Butler will be in a position to attend all three parades. The New York trip is estimated to cost 2,700 per person.

The cost of the Savannah trip has been estimated at a total 3,000 while 2,000 has been set aside for the Rockaway Beach visit.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increased pressure to resign over partygate and accusations that he intervened to help evacuate animals from Afghanistan.

Mr Johnson has dismissed the reports that No 10 were involved in the Nowzad charity flight efforts as total rhubarb.

Tom Tugendhat is reportedly favoured by centrist Tory MPs to replace Mr Johnson, with the former soldier and MP for Tonbridge and Malling confirming on Saturday that he would run for leader if there was a contest soon, adding it would be a huge privilege if he became PM.

But who else is being suggested? Here are some of the potential candidates:

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rishi Sunak has been installed by bookmakers as an early favourite to replace Boris Johnson. He was named Chancellor shortly before the coronavirus pandemic began and created the furlough scheme and other financial support systems during lockdown.

Last week, Mr Sunak said he believed the Prime Ministers words over his knowledge of the alleged Downing Street parties and added that he wasnt going to get into hypotheticals when asked if Mr Johnson should resign if he is found to have lied to Parliament.

Mr Sunak has been out of the media spotlight this week, with reports suggesting he is taking an arms-length approach to the PM.

Liz Truss, Foreign Secretary and Women and Equalities Minister

Liz Truss prompted comparisons with former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in November after she was pictured sitting in an Army tank during a trip to Estonia.

The former international trade secretary was promoted to the Foreign Office in September last year after Dominic Raab was criticised for his handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

During an interview on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Ms Truss said she was 100% supportive of the Prime Minister and wants him continuing doing the job.

Jeremy Hunt, chairman of the Health and Social Care Select Committee

Jeremy Hunt has held numerous Cabinet roles, his most recent being foreign secretary in Theresa Mays government until May 2019.

He launched a leadership bid in 2019 after Mrs Mays departure but came second to Mr Johnson.

In an interview last week with The House magazine, the former health secretary reportedly denied actively considering a run, before adding: I wont say my ambition has completely vanished, but it would take a lot to persuade me to put my hat into the ring.

Penny Mordaunt, trade minister



Penny Mordaunt could be a potential successor for Mr Johnson despite recent legal threats against her and the Government by Tory donor Alexander Temerko.

Mr Temerko said he would bring unspecified legal action against Ms Mordaunt personally, describing her as the biggest threat to security after she successfully campaigned against a 1.2 billion cross-Channel power cable project Aquind, a company he is a director of, has proposed. Her response was: Im happy to be judged on my record.

Ms Mordaunt has held several Cabinet positions including defence secretary and is reportedly well-liked among the so-called Red Wall MPs elected at the 2019 general election.

Sajid Javid, Health Secretary

Sajid Javid is also a seasoned Cabinet member, having served in David Cameron and Theresa Mays governments.

He outlined his political aspirations in 2016 and 2019 by launching leadership bids. In 2016, he ran a joint campaign with Stephen Crabb but the pair later withdrew. In 2019 he came in fourth behind Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt and Michael Gove.

Since his appointment as Health Secretary in June last year, Mr Javid has supported Mr Johnson but admitted on Sky News that Tory grandee David Davis calling for the Prime Minister to step down was damaging for the Government.

Nadhim Zahawi, Education Secretary

Nadhim Zahawi has been a familiar face during the pandemic after being appointed vaccine minister in November 2020.

His success in the role  which saw him providing updates to Parliament on the vaccine rollout and hosting Downing Street press conferences  led to a promotion to Education Secretary during the Cabinet reshuffle last September.

He has backed the PM during interviews, and said during an interview on BBC Radio 4s Today programme that he believed Mr Johnson was safe in his role because hes human and we make mistakes.

Michael Gove, Secretary for Levelling Up

Like Mr Javid, Michael Gove has held a series of Cabinet positions and launched a leadership bid in 2019 after Theresa May resigned. He finished third.

In 2016, he announced he would back Mr Johnson as new Tory leader and prime minister following Mr Camerons resignation, only to announce he was running himself two hours before Mr Johnson made his leadership pitch official, scuppering his friends chances.

Mr Gove has denied Mr Johnson should tender his resignation over the Downing Street party saga and claimed there is no evidence of any abuse of levelling up funding after Christian Wakeford, an MP who defected to Labour, alleged he was warned funding could be cut for a new school in his constituency if he rebelled in a vote over free school meals.

Mr Gove also told MPs on Monday he was solid, 100%, totally behind the Prime Minister.

Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee

Tom Tugendhat has been critical of the Government, most recently over its handling of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The former soldier, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has been tipped before as a potential option to take over as party leader, with reports of a senior Tory MP describing it as a relief if he took over.

On Saturday, he was asked if he would still like to be PM, after expressing an interest in the past, and said: It would be a huge privilege.
ARISS contact is scheduled with students at Lewis Center for Educational Research, Apple Valley, California, U.S.A.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact with astronauts. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS).

This will be a Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio between the ISS and students fromLewis Center for Educational Research. Students will take turns asking their questions of ISS Astronaut Thomas Marshburn, amateur radio call sign KE5HOC, during the ARISS radio contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the ARISS radio telebridge station.

Amateur Radio Operators in Silver Spring, MD will use call sign K6DUE to serve as the ARISS relay amateur radio ground station. L ocal Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January31, 2022, at9:47 amPST (Apple Valley, CA)(17:47UTC, 12 :47 pm EST, 11:47am CST, 10:47am MST).

The Lewis Center for Educational Research operates two STEM-focused charter schools: Academy for Academic Excellence (AAE) in Apple Valley, California, and Norton Science and Language Academy (NSLA) in San Bernardino California.AAE is a Transitional kindergarten(TK) through12th grade that also offers students participation in Air Force Junior ROTC (One of the first 10 ROTC units chosen to convert to Space Force Junior ROTC). NSLA offers Dual Immersion (English/Spanish)programs for TK-9th grade and opened a new TK-12 campus that features a World Language and STEM-focused high school.

The Lewis Center also operates the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) Radio Astronomy Program through a 25-year partnership with NASA/JPL. GAVRT students locally, nationally and globally have contributed to a number of NASA missions, including the LCROSS Mission to the moon and the Cassini Mission to Saturn. Through their Jupiter Quest campaign, NASA/JPL scientists have used GAVRT data taken of Jupiter to refine synchrotron radiation models which aided in the planning of the Juno mission orbiting Jupiter. GAVRT students are currently collecting valuable data on the Sun, Jupiter, Black Holes, and SETI.

The Lewis Center extends the classroom to the community and beyond with local science and social studies programs, which align with the State of California Common Core and Next Generation Science standards. Programs are offered in Astronomy, Aviation/Aeronautics, Beginning Engineering, California Gold Rush, and Trails West. A foundational partnership exists with Apple Valley Unified School District through the collaboration at Apple Valley Center for Innovation (AVCI), an informal education STEM center. In addition to hosting field trips, STEM nights and teacher trainings, AVCI also is home to the Luz Observatory which is operated by the Lewis Centers High Desert Astronomical Society and open to the public.

Local amateur radio operators also provided the students with ham radio demonstrations and classroom presentations/activities prior to the ARISS contact.

View the livestream of the upcoming ARISS radio contact on facebook live at: https://www.facebook.com/events/7430066970340476/

and simulcast on Youtube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=VzMVvoEhwok

As time allows, students will ask the following questions:

1. How do you celebrate holidays in space?

2. What dangers do you face on the International Space Station?

3. Does breathing feel different when you are on the space station, or does it feel about the same as breathing on earth?

4. If Earth food has expiration dates, how does food in space stay in good condition for several months?

5. What is the scariest thing that happened when you were in the spacecraft launching or landing or on the International Space Station?

6. If there's a power outage on Earth, how will that affect you?

7. How does it feel to be able to find new discoveries to help humanity? What are some of the most recent discoveries?

8. What precautions would be taken if a crew mate got sick?

9. What is one piece of training that has been the most useful to you?

10. Mike Hopkins is currently the only Space Force Astronaut and he switched from USAF to USSF while aboard the ISS. Will there be more Space Force Astronauts and how many?

11. Milan (AAE 6th grade): How does living in space with artificial light, recycled air, and close quarters affect ones mental health?

12. Do the stars look different from space than they do from Earth? Are they brighter? Are they clearer? Are there more of them?

13. Does each person on the ISS have a specific role? What is your role and what is your day like on the International Space Station completing your role?

14. What do you do if the person guiding you from Earth loses connection?

15. What meal will you get first when you come back to Earth?

16. How did it affect you when you saw the Earth from a different perspective while you were on the International Space Station?

17. What has been the most surprising experience or feeling since you've launched?

18. What happens if a machine starts breaking down on the International Space Station?

19. What is your favorite thing to do during your spare time on the International Space Station?

20. How might being part of Space Force Junior ROTC help me toward a NASA/Space Force career?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org .

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.

Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.
Irelands foreign affairs minister has said that Russia is to move its planned military drills outside the countrys exclusive economic zone.

Simon Coveney said today (January 29) he has received assurances from his Russian counterpart that the drills will not take place off the south-west coast of Ireland.

The artillery drills were to take place at the start of February in international waters, but within Irish-controlled airspace and the countrys exclusive economic zone.

The planned drills had caused considerable upset and controversy in Ireland.

Mr Coveney tweeted: This week I wrote to my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of Russia, to request a reconsideration of naval exercises off the Irish coast.

This evening I received a letter confirming the Russian exercises will be relocated outside of Irelands EEZ.

I welcome this response.

In a statement, the Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov said: In response to the requests from the Irish government as well as from the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu has made a decision.

This week I wrote to my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of Russia, to request a reconsideration of naval exercises off the Irish coast. This evening I received a letter confirming the Russian exercises will be relocated outside of Irelands EEZ. I welcome this response.  Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 29, 2022

As a gesture of goodwill, to relocate the exercises by the Russian Navy, planned for February 3 to 8, outside the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with the aim not to hinder fishing activities by the Irish vessels in the traditional fishing areas.

Irish fishermen had planned to travel to the area to disrupt the Russian naval plans in a bid to protect their fishing stock.

Representatives of the Irish fishing industry met the Russian ambassador to Ireland on Thursday, later claiming to have been a given a guarantee that their fishing grounds will not be affected by the navy exercises.

That claim was partially disputed by a spokesperson for the Russian embassy, who said it was not true that an agreement had been reached on buffer zones in the area for fishing boats.

The Department of Transport had also issued a marine notice that the Russian navy was set to carry out manoeuvres off the south-west coast of Ireland from next Thursday.

It is not known where the naval exercises will now take place.
If you are planning to watch a movies on TV over the coming week, we've got you covered. Film guru Ronan O'Meara has been scouring the schedules and has picked 17 to choose from.

Evil Dead II: Saturday, The Horror Channel @ 9pm

Ash Williams returns to the cabin in the woods in a fantastic sequel that is probably the most amusing horror film ever made. A group of friends on a holiday find an ancient book and make the mistake of reading from it. Bedlam ensues. Director Sam Raimi delivers an amazingly inventive film that mixes the slapstick of Looney Tunes cartoons with gallons of blood and the end result just rocks. Bruce Campbell's all time best role.

Adrift: Saturday, TG4 @ 10.35pm

A newly engaged couple are offered the opportunity of a lifetime when they are tasked with sailing a boat across the Pacific ocean by it's rich owners. The pay is nice and they'll have all the time in the world together. But there's a storm coming, literally and figuratively. Based on a true story it's a hell of a stressful watch and a paean to the human desire to survive. Sam Claflin is good but Shailene Woodley owns the film.

Apostasy, Saturday, BBC Two @ 11.30pm

Ivanna, a Jehovah's Witness has her existence thrown into freefall when her daughter Alex breaks the rules of the church and she's forced to shun her. And that's only the start of her troubles. This 2017 examination of one of modern life's harshest religious cults is a tough, upsetting tale but one that plays out without the need for histrionics or melodrama, instead relying on powerful turns from actors like Siobhan Finneran and Molly Wright.

In The Heat Of The Night: Saturday night/Sunday morning, RTE One @ 12.10am (midnight)

Mr. Corbett has been killed. Mr. Tibbs arrives to investigate his murder. Mr. Corbett died in the Deep South. Mr. Tibbs is Black. The Deep South doesn't like Mr. Tibbs. A classic that lives up to the name. Draped in a sweltering atmosphere it's a crime drama that will hook you from the off with two brilliant performances from Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Sadly it's still a very topical story that will enrage you as much as it entertains you.

Lilies Of The Field: Sunday, BBC Two @ 3.30pm

A drifting labourer crossing the Texan desert stops for water and stumbles across a group of German nuns struggling to eke out an existence there. They persuade him to help and soon start to see his appearance as a bit of a miracle. Sidney Poitier (again!) was the first black actor to win a best actor Oscar for his performance here and it's easy to see why. A warm and likable movie, ideal for a Sunday afternoon.

Ice Cold In Alex: Sunday, TCM @ 6.20pm

A British medical unit is trying to get to Alexandria during the height of World War two but there's a wee problem. Well it's a massive one actually. The Sahara desert just happens to be between them and their destination. A lovely looking film packed with tension and with a surprising amount of humour created by it's memorable characters. John Mills leads a cast of recognisable English actors and the finale will leave you dying for a tall pint of something cold and bubbly.

Heal The Living: Monday, Film4 @ 1.55am

A young man goes on a surfing trip with his friends. An older woman with a critical condition is keeping her illness to herself so as not to upset her family. Their paths cross in a heartbreaking manner. An upsetting French film no doubt but an important one that delves into the minutiae of grief and acceptance in a way most English language films avoid. Emmanuelle Seigner and Tahar Rahim are both excellent here.

Lady Macbeth: Monday, BBC Two @ 11.15pm

Katherine is a young woman leading a loveless existence in arranged marriage in rural 19th century Britain. Darkness descends on her life when she embarks on an affair with a farmhand. A tough film that will linger in your head long after it's over but it's really worth your time. It's the side of English period dramas we never get to see. Florence Pugh is an extraordinary lead in an intelligent and adult story.

Black Sea: Monday, Film4 @ 11.25pm

Submarine films rock. Sweaty, tense, claustrophobic cinema and Black Sea is a grand example of it. Jude Law plays Robinson, a experienced submarine captain on the search for a sunken u-boat full of nazi gold. Russians are looking for it too and the crew he's assembled aren't the most trustworthy of men. Black Sea feels like it's been put together from a dozen other films but it's more than the sum of it's parts, turning out very agreeable. Law, Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendehlson all do effective work.

Gambit: Tuesday, Great! Movies Classic @ 9pm

Nicole is a dancer. Harry's a cat burglar. Together they make an unlikely duo who conspire to pull off a perfect robbery. Which of course goes arseways. Doesn't it always. Every single time. An impeccable example of a heist movie with all the tropes and tension you'd expect but a highly enjoyable one to boot. A clever and diverting way to spend a couple of hours. Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine are fabulous as partners in crime.

It's Complicated: Tuesday, 5Star @ 11pm

Jane and Jake have been divorced for a decade. Jake is remarried. Jane has a new man. So why would they make life hard for themselves and rekindle a lost love? This rom-com is a witty watch, full of laughs and spot on comic timing. Old pro's like Meryl Streep & Alec Baldwin mix with newer faces like John Krasinksi & Lake Bell to fun effect. Plus Steve Martin rocks up. What's not to like?

Elle: Wednesday, Film4 @ 1.05am

Michele is a successful businesswoman who's life changes when she gets assaulted in her own home. Her reaction to the attack is a struggle for others but Michele has her own plan. Paul Verhoeven's comeback film is a harsh watch that may be triggering for some but it's also genuinely surprising and all held together by a tour de force performance by Isabelle Hubert. She's just flawless here and she'll keep you glued to the screen.

Table 19: Thursday, Channel 4 @ 2.40am

Eloise's job of head bridesmaid has been taken from her but her pride hasn't and so she knuckles down and decides to go to a wedding anyway but to add insult to injury she's been dumped at that odd table in the corner. Ignore the bad reviews, it's funny and painfully relatable if you've ever decided to head off to someone's big day all by yourself. Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson, Margo Martindale, Stephen Merchant and Lisa Kudrow all add to the mix here.

The Silent Partner: Thursday, Talking Pictures TV @ 3.15am

Miles hates his teller job at the bank and when he realises the place is about to be robbed he decides to help himself in a manner that will be blamed on the robbery. But when news reports don't match up to his takings the robber gets rather miffed. A complex, intelligent, satisfying and exciting film with Elliot Gould, Susannah York and Christopher Plummer doing mighty work in well written roles. If you like 70's crime dramas you'll like this.

The Searchers: Thursday, BBC4 @ 10.15pm

John Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a man searching for years for his niece who has been kidnapped by a Comanche war party. But what are his intentions? A gorgeous looking and highly influential western (one shot of Wayne framed by a doorway has been homaged in dozens of films and shows), well acted by all especially Wayne and Vera Miles. One of the finest and most thoughtful westerns ever made.

Breaker Morant: Friday, Great! Movies Classic @ 1.05pm

During the Boer war of the early 20th century three Australian officers are court martialled for a shooting in a case used to deflect attention away from the horrifying crimes being committed by the men in charge. A masterful anti war drama that feels quite familiar to Kubrick's Paths Of Glory but the shades of gray here go deeper. Bryan Brown as Morant is a stunner and his final lines will stay with you for an age.

True History Of The Kelly Gang: Friday, Film4 @ 11.20pm

The Kelly gang and their leader Ned ran wild in the Australian outback in Australia in the 1870's. This 2020 film tells us their story from young Ned's first criminal experience to their fiery comeuppance. First off, it's a vicious and profane film that never shies from the harsh truths of frontier life so it will offend some but it's powerful stuff, telling a side of a legend rarely heard. George MacKay, Essie Davis, Russell Crowe and Nicholas Hoult all deliver muscular turns.

As always visit hamsandwichcinema.blogspot.com/ for more film and tv chat.
India's exports to China have increased about 34 per cent to USD 22.9 billion in 2021 from USD 17.1 billion in 2019, according to data from the commerce ministry. Imports, on the other hand, rose 28 per cent to USD 87.5 billion in 2021 as against USD 68.4 billion in 2019.

According to the data, the trade deficit has increased to USD 64.5 billion last year as compared with USD 51.2 billion in 2019.

Trade experts have stated that India's exports to China have increased at a faster pace than that of its imports from China in 2021 when compared with the normal year of 2019.

Khalid Khan, vice-president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, said the huge export potential is there for Indian exporters in China.

"Our exporters are doing quite good in China. We can push our exports further," Khan said.

The share of raw material, intermediate goods and capital goods imports from China increased in 2021 as compared to 2019, whereas imports of consumer goods have fallen from 14.7 per cent in 2019 to 10.4 per cent in 2021, another expert said.

Further, in 2021, the US has taken a top slot as India's merchandise trade partner with a value of USD 112.3 billion. America was followed by China (USD 110.4 billion), UAE (68.4 billion), Saudi Arabia (USD 35.6 billion), Switzerland (USD 30.8 billion), and Hong Kong (USD 29.5 billion).

"There is a shift in the growth pattern of trade in 2021 with respect to 2020. In the post-COVID-19 period, India's merchandise trade with all other top trading partners except for Hong Kong and Singapore have registered growth higher than that of the growth registered with China in 2021 over 2020," an expert added.
The Karnataka government on Saturday decided to further relax some restrictions that were imposed after a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases last year.

This comes as the state saw a dip by about 7,000 cases  reporting 31,198 cases  during the day, as compared to Friday. The cumulative caseload in Karnataka reached 37,23,694, while 50 deaths took the death toll to 38,804.

Bengaluru contributed about 50% of the infections of the day with 15,199 cases.

Further, 71,092 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 33,96,093. The positivity and case fatality rates for the day were at 20.91% and 0.16%, respectively.

Check what's allowed in state from now, what's shut:

Night curfew will be lifted in the state from 31 January.

The state government had last week withdrawn weekend restrictions.

Regular classes will begin for students of standard 1 to 9 from 31 January.

The government allowed pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels to remain open completely and allow 100% occupancy.

Only 50% of the occupancy will be allowed in the cinema halls, multiplexes, swimming pools, gyms, sports complexes and stadia.

Offices will now have 100% occupancy.

For marriages, 300 people will be allowed to congregate in open spaces and 200 people in closed spaces.

All kinds of services have been permitted in religious places. However, only 50% of capacity at religious places will continue.

Fairs, rallies, sit-in demonstration, protests, social gatherings and religious gatherings will continue to be prohibited.

Mandatory RT-PCR tests for passengers coming from Maharashtra, Kerala and Goa will continue.

The state government had imposed curbs, including night curfew and the weekend curfew from 4 January.

Since the hospitalisation and fatalities are much less than the first and second wave of Covid-19, the government has decided to ease curbs.

According to state health minister Dr K Sudhakar, the overall hospitalisation on Friday was 1.9%.

"Overall hospitalisation rate in Karnataka as of Jan 28th is 1.90%. 5,477 people of the 2.88 lakh active cases are hospitalised. Patients in Non-oxygenated beds: 1.24%, Patients in Oxygenated beds: 0.42%, Patients in ICU/Ventillators: 0.24% (sic)," Sudhakar tweeted on Saturday.
Department of Defence Research and Development Secretary and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy has said that the surface-to-air missiles have gained the interest of various nations, adding that more systems with export potential are being developed in the country.

"Surface to air missile Akash, Astra missile, anti-tank missiles, radars, torpedoes have gained the interest of various nations. Lot more systems are being developed which are advanced technology in nature and have export potential," Reddy told ANI.

He also expressed confidence that in the coming years, India will witness an increase in the export of indigenously developed technologies and said, "In the coming year, we will have a lot of exports from India of the technologies developed here."

Reddy's statement comes after India signed a deal worth USD 375 million to supply 290 km strike range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Philippines.

He also said that it is the first order for export of the BrahMos missile system and termed it as a "major development."

"BrahMos is a giant venture of DRDO. This giant venture has developed the supersonic cruise missile 'BrahMos'. It has been inducted into the Indian Armed Forces," Reddy said.

"It is the beginning and we expect that many more export orders will come in the future," he added.

Emphasizing that it is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of developing advanced technologies indigenously, Reddy added, PM Modi has been setting goals on developing very advanced technologies and systems and we should be exporting a lot to the world. So, there are many systems that are being developed which have a lot of export potential."
When he became the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 10 years ago, Robert Battle stopped seeing himself as a choreographer.

"In fact," he said in a recent phone interview, "there were parts of me that didn't really think I would make another work."

Paradoxically, making work is precisely why Battle had landed at Ailey in the first place in 2011. It was his skill as a choreographer and director of his own small troupe, Battleworks Dance Company, that caught the attention of one of the world's most prestigious modern-dance organizations. Judith Jamison, Battle's champion and predecessor at Ailey, hailed him as "the creative force of the future."

It has taken years for Battle, 49, to muster the nerve to create again.

He made a piece for the company in 2015, but since then, leadership responsibilities crowded out the artist in him: raising money, choosing repertoire, overseeing the internationally touring company as well as its junior troupe, Ailey II, and the Ailey School. Promoting the vision of founder Alvin Ailey, who died in 1989, and expanding the Black-led, Black-centered organization he left behind. Carrying on the legacy.

There also was an inherent intimidation factor. Battle was regularly bringing in established, first-rate choreographers to create premieres. Could his own work measure up?

Being vulnerable and in charge at the same time - that was a headache he didn't have time for, he reasoned.

"The kind of intimacy that is needed to make work," Battle says, "to drown out everything else and go into your own creativity - it's very hard to find the space for that."

Then the pandemic smothered everything, wiping Battle's calendar clean, and crazy as it sounds, it helped him. The shutdown provided space, and the racial reckoning, a spark. Battle dusted off some of his older works. And for the first time in years, he created a new one.

To be sure, most of the Battle pieces date from his previous life. He created all but one years before he took over at Ailey, including the witty solo "Takademe," exploring Indian Kathak dance rhythms, made while he was a member of David Parsons's group, Parsons Dance, in 1999, and "Ella," an explosive tribute to female power and to Ella Fitzgerald's scat singing.

His new creation is called "For Four." With a quartet of dancers bounding to feverish jazz by Wynton Marsalis, it's a seven-minute affirmation that Battle the artist is back in business.

For all that was lost during the pandemic - months of touring and revenue, time with his dancers, donor events, not to mention human companionship - Battle, who lives alone, gained something important.

"In this moment of stillness, I moved closer to my choreography and creative self," he says.

His dog, North, barks in the background, like a little amen. Battle introduces him over the phone as his personal north star, a dependable comfort, especially during the months of isolation.

"In the quiet, in the stepping away because we weren't traveling, in those moments when there's nothing one could do, I could hear my choreographic voice again," he continues. "It was the opposite of being stifled creatively. It was, 'Oh, I do have things I want to say.'"

So Battle and North listened to music, and the director saw moves in his head. Then an opener was needed for the company's virtual gala last June, to be streamed online temporarily, and Battle surprised himself by blurting, "I'll do it!"

"It was low pressure for me," he says with a laugh. "On video, shown once. I didn't think of it as a premiere."

What emerged was "For Four," fast-paced and jittery, the dancers spinning and jumping without stop. That boiling energy comes from the thrill of being back in the studio, Battle says. Riding that joy, he pushed self-consciousness aside and focused on the dancers.

"I knew the dancers needed this," he says. "That personalized it for me. It was less about my title, more about, 'This is liberating for the dancers.' "

That title. Nice, for sure, but it can get in the way.

"As a director, you have to be in front," he says. "And to make work that is successful, to feel that so much rides on that when you're in front - often I would just say, 'Oh, leave it to the professionals!' " He laughs.

Allowing other artists to create works, and watching them in the studio, he says, "was rewarding, too. I could be a fly on the wall with so many choreographers I know and admire." He names some from whom he has commissioned works over the years: Rennie Harris, Ronald K. Brown, Aszure Barton. They've all influenced "For Four," including Ailey himself.

"I didn't do that intentionally," Battle says. "It sort of poured out of me, and I didn't stifle it. That allowed me to rediscover my own voice as opposed to who I'm expected to be."

But if performing to expectations weighs on him - keeping Ailey afloat, sustaining the legacy - that also distinguishes him as a director, says Elisa Clark, Battle's longtime assistant. She points to his tendency to study others and proceed thoughtfully, as opposed to shining the spotlight on himself.

"When he got the job 10 years ago, he made the choice to listen before he came in with his agenda," says Clark, a former Ailey dancer and a founding member of Battleworks, the now-defunct troupe Battle ran for a decade before coming to Ailey. Clark teaches Battle's choreography throughout the Ailey organization and at other educational institutions.

"If he was a different person, he might have thought, 'Oh, great, now I have a much bigger platform for my work.' But he didn't do that.

"That initial component of listening is literal, in listening to a piece of music, and also receiving information by listening," Clark adds. "And in the studio with the dancers, he's listening, taking in, seeing, 'What do we have here?' And that's transferrable to what he's done as a leader, to listen first and then move."

Samantha Figgins, an original dancer in "For Four," relished her time in the studio with Battle, seeing a new side emerge.

"It was almost like he's having visions," she says. "He steps out for a second to see the whole page, like he's having a download of creation. Then the energy in his body is visceral, he jumps back in with a passion, it comes to him and he has to get it out: 'Oh, I have another step for you, try it this way.'"

Still, there were heavy moments, reflecting "all the chaos that's going on in the world," Figgins says. "The BLM movement and the injustices, and how covid has been politicized." "For Four," like many Battle dances, appears carefree on the surface, but there's a dark side.

"I didn't go into the work thinking that I needed to express the racial reckoning that is happening or my response to it," says Battle. "But when I look at the urgency in the work, there's a moment." He describes the opening, when a spotlight captures a dancer soaring out of the darkness into midair - then slamming to the stage floor.

"That is how I felt: We were flying, and all of a sudden, bam. When I think of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, there's that sense of being caught, and boom."

At another moment, an American flag appears in the dance, inspired by the flags Battle sees on pickup trucks in Connecticut, where he has a home.

"It's usually not a positive statement," he says. "I started to look at it as more of an attack, in a way. ... This flag has become weaponized in a way that says, 'You don't belong.' That's what it feels like sometimes."

The flag image in his dance ties in with the uproar over Floyd's murder, which all feels like history repeating itself, he says. "I've experienced this before, as a kid," he says. "And any time this happens, I'm reminded of that. It's very personal to me."

He was raised by his great-uncle and his aunt in the Miami neighborhood of Liberty City. (That's where the movie "Moonlight" was filmed, he notes.) Riots erupted there in 1980 after four White police officers were acquitted in the beating death of a Black insurance agent. They recurred in subsequent years. Amid fires and violence, police closed off the neighborhood.

Battle remembers seeing a local tire company in flames, and can still smell the burning rubber. And he has a vivid recollection of his ballet teacher, Adelaide Munez, coming to his home despite the chaos to haul him to a lesson. She had taken an interest in him, paid for his classes and regularly drove him there.

"Coming to pick me up one day, she hits the police barricade," Battle says. "She yelled at them, 'My student has to go to class!' And they let her through." She arrived at his door, to the surprise of everyone. "You have to go to class," she told him.

He laughs, long and hard. "There's something powerful in that. You go on. No matter what anybody says."

That spirit is in his new piece. After the dancer in "For Four" falls to the ground, he gets up and walks offstage. But it's no an ordinary walk.

"He does this thing we call tipping, with a lot of attitude, walking on the ball of your foot as if you're in high heels.

"It's the notion that despite all that," says the choreographer, "you're still tipping."
The intervention by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan marks a change for multinational security both regionally and around the world.

by John P. Ruehl

The Russian-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), created headlines in January 2022 after 2,500 of its troops entered Kazakhstan to assist in restoring order during anti-government protests in the country. The troops, sent in to secure Kazakhstans vital infrastructure, helped stabilize the government enough to allow them to put an end to the unrest. For many political observers, the intervention in Kazakhstan was the CSTOs first notable operation, which has come after years of attempts by Russia to build an international organization capable of reshaping regional and global security while trying to dilute the power of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose club of post-Soviet countries, signed the Collective Security Treaty (CST) in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The treaty eventually came into force two years later in 1994. Consisting of Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, the treaty was meant to help coordinate military policies between former Soviet states.

But the initiative failed to spur any real military integration, and three of the nine membersAzerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistanchose to leave in 1999, during the renewal of the treaty. Following Vladimir Putins rise to the Russian presidency, Russia began taking steps to modernize and strengthen the organization. This included granting the Collective Security Treaty the status of an international regional organization, after which it came to be known as the CSTO; increasing military exercises and integration between member states and creating the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces in 2009; which is meant to [accomplish] tasks of both military and special nature.

Though the CSTO is often simply viewed as a vehicle for Russian influence, the greatest critique from member states has been the organizations lack of support during their times of crisis, undermining perceptions of its effectiveness. The Kyrgyz government had sought help from the CSTO in 2010, but the organization declined to help restore order following clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the southern part of the country. The CSTO stated that it was not authorized to do so and had cited the organizations lack of mandate to intervene in the domestic affairs of its members.

Additionally, the CSTO failed to condemn Turkey when it shot down a Russian bomber while it was flying over Syria in 2015according to Russiaas member states were keen to keep positive relations with Turkey. In 2021, Tajikistan declared not enough was being done by the CSTO to help it deal with instability in neighboring Afghanistan. In 2020, Armenia called on the CSTO for aid during its conflict with Azerbaijan but because the fighting was largely taking place in what is internationally recognized as Azeri territory, Armenias request was denied by the CSTO. However, Azeri forces have also fired on the internationally recognized Armenian border, with minimal response from the CSTO.

But these limitations that seemed to have prevented the CSTO from taking action in the past appear to have been lifted, after looking at the action taken by the organization in Kazakhstan. The CSTO intervention in January has clearly demonstrated the organizations worth to its member states. It provided integral international and domestic legitimacy to Kazakhstans government under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, while easing the logistical constraints of Kazakh security forces by allowing them to focus their efforts on confronting the protesters. The CSTOs assistance in Kazakhstan contrasted with the lack of support by other organizations and states. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) offered only half-hearted attempts to intervene during the anti-government protests in Kazakhstan, and despite Chinas enormous investments in Kazakhstan and public support for Tokayev, Beijings support was limited to condemning the protests. The United States calls for calm were echoed by the European Union, with NATO expressing its concern over the protests in Kazakhstan.

The CSTO might benefit from assuring the governments of its member states about receiving support from the organization when needed, especially since these countries have been increasingly concerned about the threat of protests or revolutions. Perhaps wary of showing his dependency on Russia, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko did not appeal to the CSTO for assistance in 2020 as he faced mass protests against his reelection. But the CSTOs success in Kazakhstan, coupled with its quick departure from the country, was not missed by Lukashenko or the leaders of other member states of the CSTO.

The CSTO is also likely to take a larger role in mediating disagreements between member states in the future, having already taken some steps to help manage flareups relating to the Tajik-Kyrgyz border dispute in 2021.

But the organizations future actions may not be limited to the territories of its member states. The first international deployment involving two of the CSTO members has already taken place in the Middle East. In early 2019, Armenia deployed dozens of its soldiers to Syria for a Russian-backed demining and humanitarian mission. The Armenian government stressed on the non-military nature of the deployment, but this mission marked integrated operations among CSTO member states abroad for the first time.

The CSTOs Kazakh operation in January also opens the door for other similar international organizations to launch their own military interventions to suppress unrest in their member states, without the support of the United Nations or NATO. NATOs two-decade campaign in Afghanistan has revealed its own limitations, and organizations such as the Arab League or Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) may take their own actions in member states following the new standard set by the CSTO.

For Russia, the benefits of the organization are clear. Its military now has unrivaled access across the territories of the CSTO member states. In 2011, member states gained the right to veto the establishment of new foreign military bases in the member states of the CSTO, giving the Kremlin considerable reach over their sovereignty and over a significant part of Eurasia. The Kazakh intervention managed to shore up a pro-Russian government in Kazakhstan while also underlining its dependency on Russia. And, without the officiating role of the UN, the EU, or other international bodies, Russia demonstrated that an organization it dominates acted as an effective crisis mediator and responsible actor in international affairs.

Russias efforts to promote the CSTO as an alternative to NATO in global security matters will likely require the organization to increase its membership. Serbia currently holds observer status in the parliamentary assembly of the CSTO, while the former Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was also an observer in the organization. Uzbekistan, which rejoined the CSTO in 2006 and left again in 2012, remains the top priority for the Kremlin. In 2019, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov also declared that Russia was open to the idea of giving Azerbaijan special partner status in the CSTO, which Armenia declared it would veto. And though drawing Ukraine back into Russias sphere of influence is currently a longshot, the Kremlin views Ukraine as the centerpiece of its 21st-century ambitions. Moscow will restart its efforts to integrate the country into Russian-led organizations like the CSTO when the opportunity permits.

Future CSTO operations abroad have also been hinted at. As the U.S. forces departed from Afghanistan in 2021, Russian, Tajik and Uzbek military forces held drills across the Tajik-Afghan border to demonstrate Russias commitment to Tajikistans border security. But this move also demonstrated Russias ability to help decide the fate of Afghanistan as the Taliban established control over the country. In 2019, the Russian Foreign Ministry also revealed its concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf region, signaling its intention to help regulate the areas affairs.

The CSTO has proven that only Russia and the United States are willing and able to sustain viable international military alliances. As the CSTOs profile continues to increase, Russia will have to continue balancing its geopolitical ambitions while demonstrating the benefits of the organization to fellow member states.

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, D.C. He is a contributing editor to Strategic Policy and a contributor to several other foreign affairs publications. He is currently finishing a book on Russia to be published in 2022.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, have reminded Longford dog owners and dog owners across the country of their responsibilities and the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks, as lambing season approaches.

The two Ministers said the issue is one of grave concern to the farming community and that attacks on sheep are happening far too often in the rural countryside.

The latest figures compiled by local authorities show that there were 240 incidents of Livestock Worrying in 2020  with a similar number expected when the 2021 returns are completed.

Dog attacks cause serious injury or even death to sheep and can cause grave distress and financial loss for farm families.

Ministers Humphreys and McConalogue today visited a sheep farm in South West Dublin where they announced the start of an awareness campaign that will run over lambing season.

Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said:

Attacks on sheep can have a devastating impact on farmers, their businesses and their families.

Im a dog owner myself and I know the vast majority of dog owners are extremely responsible.

But the latest figures show that in 2020, there were a concerning 240 incidents of Livestock Worrying reported to local authorities.

As the lambing season approaches, we are already hearing more and more reports of such incidents in Rural Ireland.

Some 2.5 million lambs will be born on farms all over Ireland this springtime. Sheep flocks are very vulnerable to dog attacks at this critical time, and especially during the night.

Its horrific for any farmer to witness the awful devastation, pain and anguish that dogs can cause to sheep.

So Im appealing to dog owners today, particularly in rural areas, to please keep your dogs under control and be vigilant at all times.

Minister McConalogue added:

Sheep worrying causes immense and unnecessary stress for farmers, and serious animal welfare issues for sheep and new-born lambs. Uncontrolled pets can decimate a flock within minutes, with reports suggesting that up to 4,000 sheep are killed or seriously injured in dog attacks every year.

Dog owners must take responsibility for their pets, which must be under control at all times  remember, even the gentlest family pet can kill or maim sheep and lambs. Never let your dog out unsupervised, especially at night.

The Minister added that responsible pet ownership is a priority for his Department. Advising that all dogs must be microchipped under the law.

By law, every dog must be microchipped and the possession, movement, sale or supply of an unchipped dog is an offence. I am committed to working with Minister Humphreys to ensure sheep-worrying by dogs becomes a thing of the past, and our officials are working together to improve enforcement of the laws applicable to dogs.

Finally, the Minister reminded anyone concerned about incidents of animal neglect or cruelty that they can contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine helpline by phone or on the dedicated email address.
A father of one who was caught by gardai possessing cannabis during a search of his house in north Longford almost two years ago looks set to be spared a jail sentence.

Judge Keenan Johnson told Daniel Kiernan (34) Cornadrung, Aughnacliffe, Co Longford last week of his intention to issue him with Section 1 (2) of the Probation Act arising out of an incident at his home on August 22, 2020.

Garda Donal McDermott told last week's sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court said when gardai carried out a search of Mr Kiernan's home on the date in question.

He said when officers knocked on the door, Mr Kiernan answered and swiftly admitted to possessing the drugs for his own use.

He said two plastic containers containing cannabis herb were also found as part of the search.

It was revealed initial inquiries had put the estimated find at over 20,000 with the court being told that value was in reality just over 5,000.

Shane Geraghty, BL for the State, said Mr Kiernan was cooperative with gardai during a follow up interview where he gave them detailed insights as to his personal background.

During that exchange, Mr Kiernan said he had spent much of his early childhood in England before moving back to Ireland.

The court heard how Mr Kiernan had attended Griffith College in Dublin for a time but, by his own admission failed miserably and turned to a career in sales as a result.

The father of a 13-year-old daughter, Mr Kiernan was involved in a car accident a number of years ago and sustained ongoing pain in his lower back as a consequence.

It was revealed the north Longford man had turned to cannabis to try and ease those afflictions, smoking an average of 15 to 20 joints a day.

Shane Geraghty BL, for the prosecution, said Mr Kiernan told investigators he had been growing cannabis since February.

He had no help growing it and looked it up on the internet, said Mr Geraghty, adding ten plants in total were found inside.

Asked to account for the drugs, Mr Kiernan told gardai: I am sorry for wasting garda time.

It was illegal and wrong.

Garda McDermott said he was satisfied Mr Kiernan was not involved in the sale or supply of drugs when questioned by Judge Johnson.

A probation report handed into the court was also described as being very positive with testimonials from Mr Kiernan's mother, employer and two radio stations from where the accused volunteers were similarly handed in.

His defence counsel said the breakdown of his parents marriage had impacted him but was now looking to further his education by completing a music course.

She said Mr Kiernan knew it was wrong to turn to cannabis but was reluctant to continue with opiod medication in the aftermath of the injuries he sustained in the aforementioned road traffic accident.

In summation, Judge Johnson described the sum total of drugs found as reasonably significant, hinting that had the true value of its total come to light sooner the district court would arguably have been a more suitable venue for its airing.

In mitigation, he noted Mr Kiernan's early guilty plea and expressions of remorse.

He said he was further heartened by the accused man's healthy work ethic and as such, was at pains to provide Mr Kiernan with a path towards reconstitution.

Judge Johnson adjourned sentencing to October 11 and directed Mr Kiernan to remain drug free.

A urine analyis one month before the adjourned date was also directed, leading Judge Johnson to state that should those results come back clear, the court would likely impose Section 1 (2) of the Probation Act.

The reason for the degree of leniency is because he was not involved in the sale of drugs and that they were for his own personal use, added the judge.
The long-awaited final report of the peat working group convened by Minister Malcolm Noonan was published, alongside an Action Plan to implement these findings.

The Action Plan does not stress the urgency of the situation and its not workable. From an initial review, it appears that the recommendations set out in the final report are contrary to the Action Plan points.

IFA Horticulture Chairman Paul Brophy said that the Action Plan is extremely disappointing for growers. The final report is outstanding since October 20th and its contradictory that an Action Plan does not conform with the reports recommendations.

The Plan will do nothing other than lead to the demise of the sector. It doesnt indicate how the current producers of the key raw material can become fully compliant and continue to service the industry needs. IFA is calling for it to be scrapped and re-evaluated immediately.

The final report of the working group sets out clearly that the dual consent process for peat harvesting must be reformed. A number of recommendations allude to this. Specifically, recommendation 4 outlines that Irish peat should be available over the short term in sufficient quantities from existing bogs that were prepared for harvesting for the last few years and are lying fallow, provided amendments are made to the current legislative provisions for large scale peat extraction. This is absolutely critical for the professional horticulture sector ahead of the 2022 season.

However, the Action Plan contradicts the above recommendation by stating As such, legislative changes to the consent system do not present a realistic short or medium-term solution to the difficulties facing the horticulture industry in the immediate term. Therefore, the dual consent system is being retained.

Its clear that various party politics are at play here. Irish growers cannot sustain any more of these shortcomings.

The Action Plan details that a stockpile of 2,000 tonnes of peat from Bord na Mona may be available to alleviate the short-term problem. It must be noted that the quality of this peat is unknown. Growers require specific blends based on their operation and there is no certainty that peat from Bord na Mona will be suitable.

Also, this peat will not service the mushroom industry as fresh excavate is required. This amount of peat would also only be sufficient for approximately two months in the peak season.

The Action Plan outlined by Government will mean that Irish growers will become dependent on imported peat, which will be catastrophic for the green credentials of the industry. Its completely unfit for purpose. If anything, it will exacerbate the problems facing Irish growers, instead of addressing them, he concluded.
Sir David Attenborough has revisited a desert bush he was photographed with 40 years previously, only to find the plant had only grown a quarter of an inch.

The veteran broadcaster, 95, marvelled at the extraordinary creosote bush which, despite its unremarkable appearance, is one of the oldest organisms on the planet.

For the latest episode of the BBCs The Green Planet, the programmes team scoured the area of the Mojave desert, in California, using Google Earth to search for the exact bush that Sir David visited in 1982 for his series Living Planet.

Using a large camera crane, similar to the one that was used 40 years ago, they were able to film the very same shot.

Explaining his old acquaintances process of hibernation, Sir David said: The creosote bush is an example of one of the techniques that desert-living plants have as the cacti live in the desert by storing water.

There are some plants, of which the creosote bush is an example, which decides that it will simply hibernate in between very rare showers of rain, which may happen only once every five years.

So although any individual stem is not particularly old, the plant itself is one of the oldest of all advanced plants in the world.

The desert episode includes a sequence in which Sir David exclaims: Well, here it is, I was here 40 years ago, lets see how much its grown in that time.

The answer is after an awfully extensive measuring, is only a quarter of an inch. Extraordinary.

Green Planet producer Paul Williams said the specimen was truly a wonder of the natural world.

In this episode David becomes a time traveller, he said.

He is the only person that can do that because hes the only person thats travelled to so many places over the years.

When I saw the original sequence I thought itd be great to return and see if anything had changed as I knew how slowly these plants grow.

It took a long time to track down, because very few people had heard of this remarkable individual  it seemed to have been forgotten.

As we transition from the old footage of David in 1982 to our shot of David in 2022, we see that in four decades the plant has barely changed.

It is truly a wonder of the natural world and I am so excited that we can reintroduce it to the world.

Sir David has said he hopes The Green Planet series will bring home the importance of plants to the public.

The new series from the BBCs Natural History Unit uses ground-breaking filming techniques to show viewers the intricate lives of plants and the ecosystems that flourish around them.

Episode four of The Green Planet, Desert Worlds airs on BBC One at 7pm on Sunday January 30.
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Florida home insurance customers could get a substantial break from rising rates  saving about $150 a year  if they no longer had to pay into the states hurricane insurance reserve fund and if insurance companies could access those reserves more easily  with fewer overall claims losses.

Reforms proposed in the state Legislature on Thursday by state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Pinellas County Republican, could save Florida consumers $750 million to $1 billion a year in insurance costs, he said.

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The savings would come from two major reforms to the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (CAT Fund), which sells reinsurance  which is insurance that insurers must buy to guarantee they can pay claims after a major hurricane or other catastrophe.

The CAT Fund has accumulated $11.3 billion in cash reserves and has an additional $3.5 billion in bond funding. Some of that money should be used to reduce spiraling costs for Florida home insurance customers, proponents argued in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week.

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Supporters say the reforms would:

Reduce the level of losses that insurance companies in Florida must suffer before they can access the CAT Fund from $8.2 billion to $4.5 billion. Each insurance company has its own separate threshold of losses that must be met before seeking money from the CAT Fund. Think of this number as you would your own deductible. Its based on each companys policy count, value of insured property, and exposure to risks. All of those deductibles collectively add up to whats called the aggregate retention point, which is what Brandes is proposing should be reduced. Lowering that level would make required reinsurance coverage available at a lower price to private market insurers because, unlike private market reinsurers, the CAT Fund is tax exempt and not allowed to make a profit. Most private market reinsurers are located in Bermuda or other foreign countries. Enabling insurers to buy more reinsurance from the CAT Fund would keep more money in Florida, Brandes said.

Suspend an insurance policy tax that all property owners pay as part of their coverage costs. The tax is called the Rapid Cash Buildup Factor, and it raises more than $300 million a year that helps the CAT Fund grow. Reform supporters say the Fund earns enough money each year from its sales of reinsurance.

[ RELATED: Your home insurance coverage costs so much because big-money forces are at war ]

Under the proposal, insurers who take advantage of lower rates made possible by the reforms would be required to pass those savings onto their customers.

A boost for beleaguered consumers

The reforms are not a panacea and more needs to be done to stop home insurance costs from increasing by 30% to 40% every year or two, said Brandes, who has been actively involved in negotiating insurance reform proposals during much of his Legislative tenure but is prevented by term limits from seeking reelection this year.

Floridas property insurance market is in critical condition and on life support, Brandes told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Because this is my last year, Ive made a commitment to do everything I possibly can to lower insurance costs for Floridians.

Brandes filed the proposal as an amendment to a bill that had already been approved by two Senate committees and was on its third and final committee stop. After a lengthy debate, he withdrew but said he would likely bring it back up on the Senate floor or before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee next week.

Brandes argued that the state needs to loosen its grip on the $11.3 billion in cash reserves to help policyholders now instead of sitting on it indefinitely and waiting for a huge storm that may not come anytime soon. If a catastrophic storm does come and wipe out its reserves, the CAT Fund can replenish itself by borrowing money and repaying it by levying surcharges on all Florida policyholders, he said.

[ RELATED: Moving soon? Heres how to avoid losing everything you own ]

Some of that cash should be used now to prevent Floridas private property insurance market from going broke, Brandes said. Most Florida-based insurers have been losing money since Hurricane Irma in 2017, thanks to steadily rising hurricane and non-hurricane claims and increased litigation over those claims.

Supporters of the reform proposal include Fort Lauderdale-based Federal Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR), a consumer-focused watchdog group.

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Paul Handerhan, FAIRs president, said the CAT Fund can withstand additional claims that would follow lowering the retention point. The fund is in no immediate danger of becoming insolvent, he said in an interview on Friday. It would take such a low probability event for that happen.

Depleting the CAT Funds revenues would require such a huge hurricane that everyone would be broke, including insurance companies, requiring federal government relief, he said. the mission of the fund is to provide reinsurance capability when needed, Handerhan said. It was never intended to be a rainy day fund.

The measure is also supported by the Florida Association of Insurance Adjusters, said Kyle Ulrich, its executive director. The Legislature can take action to reduce rates immediately, he said in an interview. Lowering the CAT Fund retention point is one of the ways they can do that.

Opponents fear losing cushion

Opponents of the reform told the Judiciary Committee that they were concerned it would leave the CAT Fund with fewer reserves to pay claims if a catastrophic storm hits the state.

[ RELATED: Get ready to dig deeper: Despite reforms, insurers warn consumers that more rate hikes are coming ]

Gina Wilson, chief operating officer for the CAT Fund, warned that lowering the retention point would lead to more claims from insurance companies, which in turn would reduce the Funds reserves and make it more expensive for the Fund to borrow money to pay claims after a hurricane.

While insurers pay a third less cost for reinsurance they buy from the CAT Fund compared to private market reinsurers, the CAT Fund would likely be forced to increase its rates if the reforms are enacted because well be covering more risk, Wilson said.

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Brandes asked how flush the CAT Fund must become before its officials would be willing to reduce the retention point. That retention point has been steadily increasing for years  from $3.1 billion in 2003-05, as costs to insurers climb, the CAT Funds figures show.

Carolyn Johnson, director of business economic development at the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber opposes the measure because a depleted CAT Fund would be allowed to levy surcharges on all Florida residents who buy insurance, including auto and home, to make up any claims-paying shortfall.

Before Thursdays hearing, the Chamber sent emails to members of the Judiciary Committee warning that a yes a vote for the proposal would count against them twice when the Chamber hands out its annual legislative report cards.

In an interview, Johnson said said the Chamber has repeatedly opposed any CAT Fund changes that would increase risks of special post-event surcharges or assessments.

Whos behind the opposition?

Brandes said influential Chamber members include representatives of the private-market reinsurance industry, which stand to lose money if insurers can buy cheaper reinsurance from the CAT Fund, and large insurance companies that can buy reinsurance from their own subsidiaries and wouldnt benefit from the proposed reforms.

Johnson declined to identify Chamber members opposed to the reforms, noting only that some are insurance companies. She also pointed out that some insurance companies in Florida rely on the CAT Fund more than others and some are more capitalized than others.

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Handerhan said warnings that the CAT Fund could go insolvent if the retention point is lowered amounted to a scare tactic.

Any event that triggers that type of loss is going to be game-over for the entire insurance industry in Florida, he said. Everyone will be wiped out. Youll see companies going broke, youll see special Legislative sessions to respond to the emergency.

He pointed out that the sum of all claims paid by the CAT Fund since its 1993 creation is about $15 billion, roughly the amount of the Funds current claims-paying ability. When the Fund was originally created, it had zero cash  only the ability to raise money by selling bonds backed by special assessments. Today, the Fund generates $1 billion a year by selling reinsurance and continuing to levy the pre-event Rapid Build Up Factor surcharge, which insurers pass along to their customers.

Sen. Ben Albritton, a Bartow Republican, suggested scheduling a workshop or task force to look at the issues. Wilson said that CAT Fund officials only learned about the proposal 24 hours before the hearing and called for a deliberate and collaborative process to help legislators understand how the proposals would affect the CAT Fund.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Louisiana... Mississippi River At Red River Landing affecting West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Parishes. For the Lower Mississippi River...including Red River Landing, Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Reserve, New Orleans...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/lix. Click on the Rivers and Lakes menu for forecasts and observations. The next statement will be issued when updates are needed. && ...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Mississippi River At Red River Landing. * WHEN...Until early Saturday morning. * IMPACTS...At 51.0 feet, All river islands along the reach from Red River Landing to Baton Rouge will be inundated. Recreational camps and river bottom farm land will be under water. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 11:00 AM CDT Wednesday the stage was 49.6 feet. - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 11:00 AM CDT Wednesday was 49.7 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage Friday evening and continue falling to 41.5 feet Wednesday, June 01. - Flood stage is 48.0 feet. - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 48.8 feet on 04/22/2014. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
Home > 2022 > Subhash Chandra Bose: Remembered in North East India | Ajailiu (...)

Subhash Chandra Bose was one of the first nationalist leaders in pre-independent India to set his foot in Northeast India, 3 years prior to Indias Independence in 1944. And, he brought the focus on the Northeast region in the Indian national movement. His decision to enter the Northeast region and Burma (Myanmar) was a well-planned strategy. Secondly, Northeast India has produced several freedom fighters and I wont name each of them since today is a celebration of Netajis 125th birth anniversary and we need to focus on his legacy. The INA colonel Shaukat Ali Malik hoisted the Indian National Flag for the first time in North East India at Moirang, Manipur on 14th April 1944 and it was a second time to hoist the flag in the Indian soil. It was earlier hoisted in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Island on 30th December 1943. There are few groups of people who refused to accept these historical facts. The Government of Manipur constructed the Subhash Chandra Bose Memorial Museum and his statue at Moirang town in Manipur, where some of the artefacts of Indian National Army (INA) are well preserved. I have visited the Museum at Moirang a few years ago and found it educational.

His INA aka Azad Hind Fauj reached Northeast India particularly Kohima in Nagaland on 18th March 1944, just before the famous Battle of Kohima. Eventually, he moved to Manipur from Kohima with his INA troop. Not only his visit to Northeast India, but his vision, and mission to free India from the British Raj including his strategy to include all tribes and communities from Northeast India to India attracted some people of Northeast to join his INA. I know a man named late Shri. R. Tale, a Liangmai Naga tribe from Tamei, Tamenglong district in Manipur who played a crucial role as a spy for the Allied Japanese forces during the 1940s in the Nationalist movement. Shri. R. Tale was jailed by the British for a week at Imphal, Manipur for being a spy against the British Raj. In his memory, the womens weekly market was constructed at Tamei bazar, Tamenglong District, Manipur. Just before he expired, he wrote a letter to me to strive for excellence and attempt to bring about a visible change in the society. There is a book written by a Naga writer Shri. Er Vekho Swuro on Subhash Chandra Boses last battle in Nagaland during the Second World War, which was translated into Bengali. The book titled Discovery of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: Delhi Chalo Last Camp in Nagaland, was translated into Bengali by Uma Bhowmik, where Netajis detailed encounters and interactions with the Nagas have been highlighted [1]

In fact, one of the freedom fighters and INA Army from Nagaland Shri. Vezo Swuro who is 101 years old now from Chesezu village in Phek District, Nagaland claimed that he met and worked for Netaji during the 1940s. He still wears an INA hat on the occasion of Netajis birthday to honour him. Shri. Veso Swuro shared that Netaji and INA soldiers along with their allied Japanese soldiers came through a place known as Jessami via Phek, Khuman and Mutsale to Ruzazho village and Netaji established the INA camp in Nagaland during April - May 1944. Apparently, Netaji and his INA soldiers stayed in Ruzazho village in Nagaland for nine (9) days. During their stay, the Naga villagers including Naga women were involved in helping Netaji and his INA soldiers [2]

Netajis deep concern for the spirit of unity in India made him understand the situation of the excluded Northeast region in the late 1930s (to be precise from 1937 onwards). He understood that the Northeast region are significant for India. And, he visualised that the region has a potential to be included in East Pakistan if the Indian Nationalist leaders were not careful in their strategies to protect the region. His philosophy is undivided India without any aspects of communalism. And, he strongly felt that Northeast region has an important geographical boundary with neighbouring countries and plays a significant role in unifying India. Hence, he was instrumental in influencing the Congress leaders in New Delhi to focus on Northeast India. Lastly, I would like to mention that the erstwhile Assam (which includes the North East Frontier) had the opportunity to have the Coalition Ministry led by the Congress under the leadership of late Shri. Gopinath Bordoloi, and this was made possible due to Netajis influence at the Centre in New Delhi. The Congress was not able to have a foothold in Assam and other parts of Northeast India till that time. If not for Netaji, there is a possibility that Northeast India might have joined East Pakistan. I find that these are some of the major points that connect Netaji with the North East India.

(Author: Prof. Ajailiu Niumai is Professor of Sociology & Head, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy, University of Hyderabad [India])
Balearic holidays are being snapped up in the UK for this year on the back of travel testing requirements and restrictions having been eased in the UK, however, Spain is tightening its demands for UK visitors from Tuesday, February 1, just in time for the half term holidays.

Starting from next week, UK nationals who have received the full course of vaccination will not be permitted to enter Spain, as the country has reduced the vaccination validity period to 270 days. This means that Britons with vaccination certificates older than 270 days will be considered unvaccinated, thus undergoing more stringent entry rules. The decision will affect all travellers aged over 12. On the other hand, travellers with booster shots will be allowed to travel to Spain only if 14 days have passed since the vaccination occurred.

From February 1, 2022, in order to travel to Spain with a vaccination certificate, the certificate must have been issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin at least 14 days after the date of administration of the last dose of the full course of vaccination, as long as the final dose of that course of vaccination was no more than 270 days ago, the statement of Spains official travel website, Safe Spain, explains.

The decision was based on European Commission new rules, which aim to establish a unified standard for all EU Member States to apply regarding the EU Digital Covid Certificate. According to data published by the authority, 807 million EU Digital Covid Certificates have been issued in the EU, while over 60 countries and territories worldwide have joined the gateway for verification.

At present, countries in Spain are divided into two categories, risk list and high-risk list.

The first one includes all EU member states, and travellers from these countries are required to present a vaccination or recovery certificate in order to enter Spain.

On the other hand, high-risk list arrivals are required to present a pre-entry test, even if they are holders of vaccination or recovery certificates.

In addition to the vaccination certificate, all travellers over 12 years old are required to fill out a health control form before they enter Spain.

Once the form is completed, travellers will receive a unique QR code, which can be presented to the competent authorities upon arrival.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Spain is listed amongst the countries with the highest vaccination rates in the EU as 81.1 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated and over 21 million inhabitants (44.8 per cent) have received the booster shot.

Also, Britons may also be subject to additional checks at the point of entry including a temperature check, visual health assessment, or testing on arrival. Passengers may also be contacted and required to undertake a PCR, TMA or LAMP test at any point up to 48 hours after their arrival in Spain.
Manistee Department of Public Works employees are taking advantage of the mild weather to catch up on some tree trimming work. The crews normally would be working on snow removal but the warm weather has prevented that from taking place.

40 YEARS AGO

Agent Orange seminar

Several area Vietnam veterans gathered at the Eighth Street Veterans of Foreign Wars hall last night to participate in an Agent Orange seminar sponsored by the VFW Walsh Post #4499. The seminar on Agent Orange provoked some of the veterans present to speak angrily of their frustrated efforts to deal with the Veterans Administration concerning disabilities and service related problems.

John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd on screen

Now playing at the Vogue Theatre is John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in Neighbors and Raggedy Ann and Andy. Showtimes for Neighbors are 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. tonight and tomorrow and 8 p.m. the remainder of the week. Raggedy shows at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

60 YEARS AGO

Fund total

The new March of Dimes campaign total reached $1,929.25 today with the major fundraising project being held today and tonight during the annual Mothers March. The countywide, house-to-house canvas by some 120 mothers got underway in some rural areas this afternoon due to weather conditions.

Many at derby

The Wellston Guard Station area of the U.S. Forest Service was the site for the 15th annual Klondike Derby of the Southern and Western districts of the Scenic Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America, which was held this past weekend. A total of 11 cities attended the weekend event with 30 patrols and 174 Scouts participating.

80 YEARS AGO

Rooms for knitters

In response to urgent requests from the Red Cross for knitted articles, and from the women of the city for help and instruction in knitting, it has been decided to open the Red Cross rooms on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. N.E. Degen, in charge of knitting production for the Red Cross has volunteered her services, and will be at the rooms at the above hours and days to help any persons who may wish to be instructed in, or to have advice on their knitting.

Concern gives service pins

Morton Salt Companys 245 Manistee employees who comprise 70% of the working local plant, received service pins in recognition of five or more years of continuous service with the concern.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
With COVID-19 cases steadily declining over the past two weeks, employees, visitors and vendors who are indoors at Palm Beach County schools will not be required to wear masks starting Monday.

Masks will be strongly encouraged but not required, a statement from the school district said.

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The countys positivity rate as of this week was 19.7%, a drop from 24.8% a week ago. Though that rate is still considered high, the School District said in a statement that percentage is significantly lower than the spike seen after winter break.

[ RELATED: Floridas new COVID-19 cases continue to drop, but new deaths nearly double from previous week ]

Students have not been required to wear masks on district property but are still encouraged to wear them, the school district said. Symptomatic students whose guardians have signed consent forms will continue to be tested by school nurses.

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The highly transmissible Omicron variant has also proven to be less severe than the previous Delta variant, Fridays statement said. Based on this information, Superintendent [Mike] Burke has made the decision to return to an optional, but strongly encouraged, facial covering status for these groups.
Dusan Vlahovic completed his dream move after signing for Juventus in the January transfer window, after putting in some sensational performances for Fiorentina.

The shine may be about to be taken off the Serbian's transfer to Turin, however, after it's been revealed that he broke COVID-19 isolation rules to sign his new deal.

The Florence Health Authority have denounced the player, who tested positive last weekend and therefore finalised his move while he was supposed to be in quarantine.

Director of public health for the Tuscany Central Health Authority, Giorgio Garofalo has spoken about the incident.

"There is a lot of commotion around the Vlahovic situation, but we're calm," Garofalo told Italian broadcasting company RAI.

"The rules are clear: those vaccinated with three doses must wait a week between their first positive text and a negative test."

Possible punishment

Not waiting until Saturday, as he was supposed to do, could lead to sanctions for Vlahovic.

"Leaving isolation is a violation of the rules that can have legal consequences," Garolfalo added.

"What we're doing is obligatory, and we're relaxed about it, because we've been doing everything necessary since the day he went to Turin."

It remains to be seen what punishment, if any, will be given to the player.
A horrific incident took place on Thursday on the Interstate 65 in Nashville, Tennessee, as police officers shot dead a 37-year-old man who was holding a box cutter. The victim's name was Landon Eastep.

The Metro Nashville Police Department then released footage of the incident, as Eastep was stopped on the highway.

He was holding a box cutter and the nine officers - including an off-duty Mount Juliet officer who stopped at the incident - tried to negotiate with him to put it down.

"The Mt. Juliet officer attempted to de-escalate the situation and dialogue with Eastep for some 30 minutes as he held the box cutter in his left hand and kept his right hand in his pocket," police spokesman Don Aaron said.

But, Eastep then pulled something out of his pocket and the officers opened fire, killing him as 12 gunshots were heard, two of them once the victim was already on the ground.

It was later confirmed that he wasn't carrying any firearm and the incident is now being investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Weather Alert

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of Arkansas and Oklahoma, including the following counties, in Arkansas, Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Madison, Sebastian and Washington AR. In Oklahoma, Adair, Cherokee, Choctaw, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington OK. * WHEN...Through Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Main-stem river flooding is expected in several locations. Extensive low land flooding will be likely in some areas, especially where the heavier rain has already occurred. Many low-water crossings will likely become flooded. Area creeks and streams are already running high and will likely flood with more heavy rain. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Additional rounds of thunderstorms with very heavy rain are expected this evening through the overnight hours. Widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain is expected with locally higher amounts of 5 to 6 inches. The heavier rain will begin to shift east of far southeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas Thursday afternoon. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor the latest forecast and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action quickly should flooding develop. Be especially cautious while driving at night. Do not drive through water of unknown depth. &&
The value of non-oil foreign trade passing through Abu Dhabi ports over 11 months in 2021 surged to AED190.20 billion ($52 billion), up 2.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2020, which saw a total of AED184.93 billion.

Abu Dhabis non-oil trade was distributed between imports worth AED83.63 billion and non-oil exports worth over AED71.17 billion, an increase of 5.4 percent compared to the same period last year, in addition to re-exports valued at nearly AED35.39 billion, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2020, according to Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi (SCAD).

The value of foreign trade through Abu Dhabis ports in November 2021 amounted to over AED20.35 billion compared to AED16.83 billion during the same reporting period in 2020, divided between imports worth AED8.37 billion or 41.1 percent of total trade, stated SCAD in its report "Non-Oil Foreign Merchandise Trade Through the Ports of Abu Dhabi."

The non-oil exports were worth AED7.79 billion or 38.3 percent of total trade for the 11-month period and re-exports comprised AED4.18 billion or 20.6 percent of total trade.

Saudi Arabia was Abu Dhabis leading non-oil merchandise trade partner in November 2021, when the value of their trade exchange was AED4.87 billion, followed by the US with AED1.46 billion, China with AED1.15 billion, and Oman with AED1.144 billion.

The value of non-oil merchandise trade going through customs in November 2021 was distributed between sea ports with AED7.21 billion, airports with some AED5.98 billion, and land ports with AED7.14 billion, it stated.

According to SCAD, the value of non-oil merchandise trade in November was distributed between the economic categories of industrial supplies worth AED11.56 billion; production merchandise other than transportation equipment worth AED2.71 billion and transport equipment, parts and accessories worth AED2.49 billion.

In addition to this, were the food and beverages worth AED1.51 billion; consumer goods worth AED1.96 billion; fuel and lubricants worth AED88.8 million, and other goods worth AED12.5 million.-TradeArabia News Service
A Haitian ex-senator had his US visa revoked while transiting through Miami. Here is why
"A foreigner, but not an outsider" -- a young Kazakh in Xi's speech on China-Central Asia ties

Xinhua) 17:00, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- "I am a foreigner, but I am not an outsider."

These words of Ismail Daurov, a Kazakh student who became a volunteer helping with the local anti-pandemic response in the city of Xi'an in China's Shaanxi Province, were quoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his speech on Tuesday at a virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and five Central Asian countries.

The young Kazakh's words "have touched the hearts of many in China," Xi said, adding, "It is heartwarming episodes like this one that have formed a stirring symphony of China and Central Asian people supporting each other through thick and thin."

Learning that Xi mentioned his name in the monumental event where the heads of state of the six countries met altogether for the first time in 30 years, Daurov said he felt "very honored and very happy."

"I'm deeply moved by the solidarity and friendship of the Chinese people," the young man having been living in China for almost a decade told Xinhua in Chinese.

Daurov's father runs a small acupuncture clinic with some friends in his hometown in Kazakhstan. Witnessing more and more patients being cured with traditional Chinese medicine, Daurov made up his mind as a little child that he would go to China to study and acquire this expertise.

But things were quite tough for the young student in his early days in a foreign country. Daurov, who has a Chinese name Ma Wenxuan, speaks fluent Chinese, and is now studying for his master's degree in acupuncture and massage at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, once had a difficult time reading ancient Chinese medical texts.

"Those texts, such as Huangdi Neijing, are full of traditional Chinese characters which I am not at all familiar with," Daurov said. "But my Chinese classmates have offered me great help. They turned those traditional Chinese characters into simplified Chinese, and walked me through the text."

Within years, Daurov has not only grown up to be a student who is "studious, patient and meticulous" in the eyes of his tutor Professor Li Yongfeng, but also an enthusiastic young man who has spent much time on local charitable work.

When Xi'an faced a COVID-19 resurgence in December last year, Daurov became one of the first responders, signing up to be a volunteer in a local community to help with nucleic acid tests, maintain public order, and move daily necessities around.

"I was taking a nucleic acid test in my neighborhood and found that there were not many healthcare workers on the scene. Then I thought: I'm a medical student. Why not offer help?" Daurov said.

"Shaanxi is my second hometown. And just as I said, I'm a foreigner, but not an outsider," he said.

Daurov has returned to campus as the latest epidemic wave basically died down in Shaanxi. He has been living a fulfilling life during this winter break, doing clinic with his tutor, having video calls with his parents, reading books in classrooms, and sharing his learning experience with other international students who stayed.

So far, there have been around 80 international students studying in Daurov's university, around 30 percent of them from such Central Asian countries as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

"Both my Chinese friends and my international schoolmates have provided me with much help and more opportunities to experience different cultures and get to know the wider world," he said.

During his speech on Tuesday, Xi noted that China and the five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, have enhanced mutual understanding and affinity through mutual exchanges.

"The 58 pairs of sister cities and the hundreds of thousands of mutual visits every year help carry forward a friendship of over 2,000 years between the people of our countries," Xi said.

"I know President Xi cares much about the communication among youths between China and the five countries in Central Asia," Daurov said, echoing Xi's remarks in the speech that "youth represents the future of a country."

The young Kazakh said he believes many other students from Central Asian countries also see China as their second home, just like him.

"We all love traditional Chinese medicine and are willing to contribute to the friendly exchanges between China and Central Asian countries," he added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The National Park Service appeared before the St. John Coastal Zone Management Committee on Thursday seeking permission to stabilize shoreline near the Leinster Bay trail and clearing ditches and culverts that link the ocean to a mangrove basin.
COVID-19 has a wide range of impacts on medicinal and health industries, especially maternity care by affecting provider well being and patient care.

Key Themes Related to Pandemic's Impact on Maternity Units

Patient care impact. Patients, who thought that they have been in a labor pain, waited longer to go to the hospital due to the cancelation of elective procedures and shifting from in-person to telehealth visits. However, respondents received positive effects at some hospitals that included more women coming to the hospital in active labor and fewer undergoing induced labor. "It seems as though this has decreased the intervention rate and maybe the cesarean section rate," a nurse-midwife wrote.

Patients, who thought that they have been in a labor pain, waited longer to go to the hospital due to the cancelation of elective procedures and shifting from in-person to telehealth visits. However, respondents received positive effects at some hospitals that included more women coming to the hospital in active labor and fewer undergoing induced labor. "It seems as though this has decreased the intervention rate and maybe the cesarean section rate," a nurse-midwife wrote. Burdens of personal protective equipment (PPE). All providers reported that challenges are related to the new reality of being masked when providing patient care. Nurses provided "more intense" responses and they described that barriers to provide hands-on care as well as fatigue and discomfort from wearing PPE all day.

All providers reported that challenges are related to the new reality of being masked when providing patient care. Nurses provided "more intense" responses and they described that barriers to provide hands-on care as well as fatigue and discomfort from wearing PPE all day. Visitor restrictions. Restrictions on visitors to reduce COVID-19 spread had somewhat mixed mixed effects, negative in decreased support for laboring women and positive in some health care providers, who felt that fewer visits led to increased rest for patients and decreased stress for staff.

Restrictions on visitors to reduce COVID-19 spread had somewhat mixed mixed effects, negative in decreased support for laboring women and positive in some health care providers, who felt that fewer visits led to increased rest for patients and decreased stress for staff. Ethical challenges and moral distress. Respondents had some concerns regarding the complex balance between their own health and well-being and the ability to carry out their professional roles. In a hospital with high COVID-19 case rates, the concerns of "moral distress" were most prevalent.

Source: Medindia

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COVID-19 has a wide range of impacts on medicine and health industries, especially maternity care by affecting provider well being and patient care. This study has been reported in the. "Maternity care providers in Michigan experienced a range of complex challenges due to the pandemic, with many experiencing conflicts and questioning their role as a provider amid concerns of the effects of COVID-19 on themselves and their families," according to the report by Dr. Lisa Kane Low, PhD, CNM, and her fellow colleagues of University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.In early February 2020, Dr. Kane Low and her colleagues set up maternity care teams across the state of Michigan, which were in the process of administering a survey, participating in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Initiative (OBI) for data-driven quality improvement.In mid-April 2020, they proposed an open-ended question as "How has COVID-19 impacted your work?"from 21 hospitals, representing a range of type of hospital (academic medical centers and community hospitals) and settings (rural and urban), were asked to fill in a questionnaire form and 647 responses were received. In a complete analysis of the survey responses, the research team identified the following themes:This study provides an important evidence and direct quotes from a wide range of maternity care providers across Michigan in "real time" as the COVID-19 pandemic is unfolded. "This ongoing disruption to usual care has taken a physical and emotional toll on all maternity care professionals," Dr. Low and coauthors conclude. "Resources are necessary to support providers who experience distress to promote wellbeing and retention of this essential workforce."
Naga Chaitanya is in demand after the success of his last two releases Love Story and Bangarraju. As per the latest buzz, the actor is now all set to try his luck in the digital space. Reportedly, Chay is speculated to make his OTT debut with a thriller web series in which he'll be seen in a never-seen-before avatar.

According to a BollywoodLife report, Naga Chaitanya's rumoured OTT debut will have a mysterious plot with plenty of twists and turns. The suspense-filled thriller series, which will premiere on Amazon Prime Video, is speculated to be helmed by Vikram Kumar, who directed the Indian adaptation of 24 series starring Anil Kapoor.



As per the ongoing buzz, Amazon Prime has allotted a huge budget to make sure that the actor's debut into the OTT world looks exceptionally flawless.

For the unversed, Vikram is directing Chay's upcoming film Thank You. While shooting for the Telugu film, Vikram reportedly pitched the show's idea to the South star who liked the filmmaker's concept and vision. The actor seemed eager to get things started, and if everything goes according to the plan, the web series might begin once the duo wraps up Thank You shoot.

Inside talks suggest that Naga Chaitanya will be seen playing the multi-layered role of a journalist in the series for which he is also working on his physical appearance. Priya Bhavani Shankar has reportedly been cast as the female lead in the series, which is slated to have three seasons with each season having eight to ten episodes.

While the details sound intriguing, an official announcement is still awaited from the makers.

Interestingly, Naga Chaitanya's ex-wife and actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu too made her digital debut with Amazon Prime Video's hit series The Family Man 2 last year. She won rave reviews for playing the antagonist Raji in the series headlined by Manoj Bajpayee.

For the unversed, Naga and Samantha have been making headlines ever since they announced their separation last year. After getting married in 2017, the estranged couple parted ways after four years of togetherness. Earlier this month, the Bangarraju actor talked about his divorce and called it the best decision.
Gloria Brown Bruister, 81, passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., with her loving daughters by her side. Born on July 21, 1940, to Jay Lavell and Mattie Noblin Brown, Gloria graduated from Meridian High School in 1958. Married soon after to Hubert L. Bruist
Evangelist Stan Owens of Sharonville, Ohio, prepares to preach to the Yellow Banks Church of Christ congregation, left to right, Ann Owens, Jerry Payne, Pat Norris, Angela Crabtree, Melissa Clemons and 8-year-old Alexander Clemons, on Sunday at Norris Philpot home. The small group has been holding worship services at Norris home for nearly two years.
With 16 candidates campaigning for Daviess County commissioner, the field is large, with a cross section of residents looking to fill three seats on the four-member elected body.

Judge-Executive Al Mattingly, who currently holds the fourth seat, will retire at the close of his current.

Current Central Division Commissioner Charlie Castlen has opted to run for judge-executive and East Division Commissioner Mike Koger has decided to retire.

West Division Commissioner George Wathen is the only incumbent commissioner running for reelection.

Wathen, 68, said he believes it is important to have some continuity on Daviess Fiscal Court.

I am actually the only candidate running that has held the specific position before, he said. You will have at least two new members to the court and I think it is important we have continuity.

Wathen, one of the 15 Republicans running for county commissioner, said he believes conservative people are needed in elected positions now more than ever.

Anybody who knows me or knows about me, they know that I am a conservative whether it comes to talking about social issues or being fiscally conservative.

Other candidates campaigning for the County Commissioner West position include Sharon Castle, 79, Chris Castlen, 48, Patrick Hayden, 44 and Dustin Warren, 41.

Castle, who previously campaigned for Daviess County School Board in 2020, said she is running because she does not feel communication is being handled properly at fiscal court.

Communication is everything when you are talking about dealing with people; so it is very important to get that information and get your things looked into, Castle said. Even if there isnt anything you can do about it, you really need to let the people know because they are paying taxes.

Castlen, a U.S. Marine and retired Owensboro Police Department lieutenant said he believes it is time for a new generation of leadership in Daviess County.

I have got two daughters in college, one in high school, and I see as a community we need to improve on our current successes we have had in Daviess County and continue with the opportunities for our future generations by building on our successes, too, Castlen said. I think a change in generation of leadership is what we need to do that.

Patrick Hayden, 44, who has worked in the construction industry, said he believes fiscal Court should be more conservative in regards to the budget and spending.

I think there is always fat in the budget and I think they have enough money, but they always feel like they always have to spend it, Hayden said. It is always, we might not raise taxes this year, instead of hey, we were good stewards of your money so we are going to lower them.

Dustin Warren, a farmer and volunteer firefighter, said he decided to run for county commissioner to help ensure Daviess County has a good future.

I decided to run for the taxpayers, the citizens and the future of our community, Warren said. I just want to be able to give everyone the transparency they need to be heard and just be a voice for them.

The 2022 primary brought out seven candidates for the County Commissioner Central seat, which unlike the West District, has no incumbent campaigning for reelection.

Local business owner Darrin Autry, 57, decided to enter the race for the Central District because he would like to see more business growth in Daviess County.

I think the main issue is to try to help Owensboro grow again, Autry said. Our cops, our public services, they have not been treated very well and I feel we need to show our support for them as well.

Dianne Burns Mackey, 75, a retired teacher and former member of the Daviess County Board of Education, said she would like to see more people from outside the city of Owensboro representing Daviess County on fiscal Court.

Issues regarding flooding and drainage are areas she would like to work on if elected.

I know issues that are particular to the county, such as the water from Panther Creek, Mackey said. I would like to see Panther Creek cleaned out more regularly so that we dont have as much of the flooding.

Mackey said she is conservative in spending and does not feel taxes should be raised.

I dont feel like we should raise taxes, I am conservative in that respect, she said.

Larry Conder, a former Owensboro City commissioner, also decided to throw his hat in the county commissioner ring.

Conder, 61, said he wants to make sure the $19.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding is spent in a way that is most beneficial to Daviess County residents.

There is a significant amount of ARPA funds and other monies that will be coming to fiscal court, if not already, that need to be administered correctly, over a long period of time, he said. This is the first time in a very long time that fiscal court has had this, I guess generational opportunity, to really make a difference in the lives of people who live in Daviess County.

Andy Gamblin, 58, said as a school bus monitor for Owensboro Public Schools, he does not have a lot of money to spend on a big campaign, but he still wants to give it his best.

I am concerned about our county, Gamblin said. I want to try and keep the taxes lower and we need to try and bring in some good high paying jobs.

Jason A. Jackson, Phantom Electric & Technologies owner, said he is interested in seeing the Daviess County parks maintained.

Jackson, 40, said he decided to run, to try and make a change, to really get a grasp of the budget.

Jackson said he believes there is reckless spending, and he would like to see a fiscal court budget that does not spend all the money allocated.

We have the budget and we spend it all, he said. We dont always have to spend everything just because you have the budget.

Michael Norman King, 40, said he is running to promote business and job growth in Daviess County.

I think the current regulations are too rigid and jeopardize growth, King said.

King, president of Norman King Electric, said that by making those business regulations more user friendly, it will allow for more job growth and help alleviate any possibility of increased taxes.

Tyler Sagardoy, 36, and the lone Democrat running for Daviess County Commissioner, said he believes good government is more than good management.

Im running for commissioner because I believe in the transformative power of good fiscally responsible local government, said Sagardoy who wont have an opponent until the November general election.

Matt Fitzgerald, a 37-year-old Iraq War veteran and former law enforcement officer, said public service is important to him. That is why he decided to campaign for the East Division seat.

I have a daughter; she was born in November and I am doing a lot of this because of her and future generations, Fitzgerald said. We should try to leave the county better than when we found it.

Mark Irby, 47, said he believes his 24 years of experience working in a variety of different county departments and several different boards have helped him gain the necessary experience to serve on fiscal court.

I started working for the county back in 1998, Irby said. We have a great fiscal court right now. They have lined us up with a great blueprint for us to continue and I would like to be a part of that.

Real-estate agent Janie Marksberry, 62, said she decided to run because she wants to see smart growth in the Daviess County community.

I think we need to plan for Daviess County to prosper in the future and help improve our quality of life while preserving what makes our county special, she said. We want to focus on rebuilding and revitalizing our existing business areas and streamline and simplify our planning and zoning process.

East District candidate Jimmie D. Sapp, 62, said now that he has been able to step back a little from his business, Twin Oaks Automotive, he would like to give back to Daviess County.

I believe I can make a difference with the background that I have had in business and agriculture, Sapp said. I am a very conservative businessman man and I have been fortunate to have owned my own business for 27 years and I recently decided I was going to retire or pull way back and try to give back to the community that I have been so blessed to have a business in.

The upcoming primary election is set for May 17.

Nathan Havenner, Messenger-Inquirer, nhavenner@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-228-2837
Filings for the primary elections in the commonwealth ended Tuesday, with McLean County seeing 17 candidates vying for the positions of judge-executive and sheriff, among others.

The judge-executive race will feature two Republicans  incumbent Curtis Lynn Dame, who is seeking his second term and challenger Erica L. Tapp, meaning the May primary will decide who will take on the role as the countys highest elected position.

Dame, 33, of Rumsey took office in November 2019 and feels that the county has overcome many hurdles such as pension issues and utility fixtures.

And with the progress being made, Dame is hopeful to continue to serve the county through getting future projects completed to address said issues, while also keeping the county in solvent financial condition while continuing to practice transparency with the citizens.

Were to the point now (where) I feel like the citizens can go to bed or go to sleep at night knowing that we will be here tomorrow, Dame stated. That was not the case a few years ago.

Tapp, also 33, of Elba, is a graduate of Apollo High School and has received associate degrees in paramedic science and agriculture from Owensboro Community and Technical College, a bachelors degree in general agriculture and masters degree in agriculture education from Western Kentucky University.

Tapp currently is employed as an ag teacher at Owensboro Catholic High School and has been with McLean Countys ambulance service since 2017 while also taking a volunteer firefighter role with Western District/Beech Grove Fire Department since 2019, which is one of her key focuses she plans to address if elected.

(With) the low cost of our ambulance service provides for our people here in this community and all the good that they do for our community, I feel like they really need to be focused on a little bit more to make sure that they have everything that they need, they are staffed adequately; the staff is getting paid a rate thats at least competitive with what the other counties around us are paying, Tapp said. Its stuff that I see is lacking for that service.

The countys sheriff race is currently between Republican incumbent Kenneth Frizzell and Democrat Todd Wilkerson.

Frizzell, 41, of Sacramento is currently seeking his third term.

Frizzell is going on 19 years with the sheriffs office, where he has worked in a number of capacities such as a chief deputy, K-9 officer and patrolman. If elected, one of Frizzells goals is to continue to combat criminal and drug issues.

Drugs are our number one problem in this county. A lot of people talk about drugs being a victimless crime  thats not true. The person themselves is a victim, their family falls victim , and society, Frizzell said. Most of our thefts and then other crimes stem from  drug use. I feel like if we can put that down quite a bit, well reduce a lot of other issues.

Wilkerson, 49, of Livermore automatically advances to the general election due to nobody else filing in the Democratic primary.

Wilkerson has been a lifelong county resident, graduating from McLean County High School in 1990 and has over 20 years of law enforcement experience, including his time with McLean County Sheriffs Office and Owensboro Police Department before retiring from the latter in September 2020.

Some of Wilkersons plans if elected include having adequate patrol in all county communities, meeting with judges and prosecutors on a regular basis and focus on the presence of deputies inside county schools to ensure safety for students.

After being reached (out to) by a lot of people, its something that I decided that I still have a lot of drive and a lot of passion for, Wilkerson said. I thought it would be a great way, with the experience that I have, to be able to give back to my county.

Additional election fields for the county include Democrat incumbent Matt Hayden, 57, of Beech Grove along with Republican opponents Luie Whitaker, 67, of Calhoun and Stephen Ayer, 44, of Calhoun for Northwest Magistrate. Whitaker and Ayer will compete for the Republican spot for the general election against Hayden.

All other magistrate positions are running unopposed  Republican incumbent Joseph Lowery, 40, of Sacramento for Southwest Magistrate, Republican incumbent Clay Troutman, 71, of Calhoun for Northeast Magistrate and Democrat incumbent Robert Bishop, 47, of Island for Southeast Magistrate.

Other candidates that are running unopposed in the primary election include Democrat incumbent Donna M. Dant, 62, of Calhoun for county attorney, Democrat incumbent Carol Eaton, 54 of Island for county clerk, Democrat incumbent Dale W. Ayer, 62, of Calhoun for PVA, Democrat incumbent John W. Muster IV, 74, of Calhoun for coroner, Republican incumbent Chris Ellis, 45, of Sacramento for jailer, Republican candidate Mark Badertscher, 57, of Calhoun for Northwest Constable and Democrat incumbent Johnny Vandiver, 79, of Island for Southeast Constable.

There are no candidates running for Northeast or Southwest Constables.
NEW YORK  Michael Avenatti sought Friday at his fraud trial to portray his former client Stormy Daniels as someone who might be delusional as he questioned the porn actor about her belief that her house was once haunted by ghosts.

Avenatti, who is acting as his own lawyer, got to cross-examine Daniels for a second day about allegations that he stole $300,000 the performer was supposed to get from a publisher for writing a tell-all book about an alleged sexual tryst with former President Donald Trump.

He asked Daniels about stories she has told on her Spooky Babes show website about living in a New Orleans house in 2019 that she said was haunted.

She was asked whether she once said: I should keep my mouth shut because me going around saying I see dead people and I hear voices can have a pretty terrible effect on these open court cases.

Yes, I said that, Daniels responded.

New York gives final salute to slain NYPD officer

NEW YORK  Praised as a hero who wanted to help the New York Police Department evolve, slain Officer Jason Rivera drew tributes and vows that the force will never give up at a funeral Friday for the rookie who was gunned down with his partner last week.

Police filled the pews at St. Patricks Cathedral, and a sea of blue uniforms stretched for blocks as snow drifted outside the citys iconic church.

Jeffrey Rivera recalled how his brother as a youngster was obsessed with joining the police force, even if he would later come to know its flaws.

Mayor Eric Adams, himself a retired NYPD captain, said he saw an echo of himself in the slain officer who joined a department he hoped he could make better.

He did it for the right reasons  he wanted to make a difference, said Adams.

Rivera, 22, and Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, were fatally wounded Jan. 21 by a gunman who opened fire on them in a hallway as they responded to a family dispute.

Tiger King Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison

OKLAHOMA CITY  A federal judge resentenced Tiger King Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison on Friday, reducing his punishment by just a year despite pleas from the former zookeeper for leniency as he begins treatment for early-stage cancer.

Please dont make me die in prison waiting for a chance to be free, he tearfully told a federal judge who resentenced him on a murder-for-hire charge.

Joe Exotic  whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage  was convicted in a case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflixs Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.

Baskin and her husband, Howard Baskin, also attended the proceedings, and she said she was fearful that Maldonado-Passage could threaten her.

He continues to harbor intense feelings of ill will toward me, she told the judge.

Baskin said even with Maldonado-Passage in prison, she has continued to receive vile, abusive and threatening communications over the last two years. She told the judge she believes Maldonado-Passage poses an even more serious threat to her now that he has a larger group of supporters because of the popularity of the Netflix series.

Maldonado-Passages attorneys told the judge their client is suffering from stage-one prostate cancer, along with a disease that compromises his immune system, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Stage-one prostate cancer means it has been detected early and hasnt spread. Maldonado-Passage previously said that he planned to delay treatment until after his resentencing. Federal officials have said Maldonado-Passage will need up to eight weeks of radiation treatments and would be unable to travel during the treatments.

His attorney Amy Hanna told the judge hes not receiving the proper medical care inside the federal prison system and that a lengthy prison sentence is a death sentence for Joe that he doesnt deserve.

Prosecutors also told the judge Friday that Maldonado-Passage received a disciplinary write-up in September for being possession of a contraband cellphone and unauthorized headphones that was not included in his pre-sentencing report. Palk added that Maldonado-Passage had four previous disciplinary write-ups, although he described those as relatively minor and not violent.

Fridays court proceedings came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the prison term hes serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened.

Supporters packed the courtroom, some wearing animal-print masks and shirts that read Free Joe Exotic. His attorneys said they would appeal the resentencing and petition for a new trial.

The defense submitted a series of attachments that showed excessive government involvement in the creation of the offense for which hes been convicted, attorney Molly Parmer told reporters after the hearing.

We are going to continue our post-conviction litigation, but we did preview for the court the evidence we have through our post-conviction investigation.

The former zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Maldonado-Passage that the court should have treated them as one conviction at sentencing because they both involved the same goal of killing Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and had criticized Maldonado-Passages treatment of animals.

Prosecutors said Maldonado-Passage offered $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent to kill Baskin during a recorded December 2017 meeting. In the recording, he told the agent, Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off. Maldonado-Passages attorneys have said their client  who once operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City  wasnt being serious.

Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.



Bleed reported from Little Rock, Arkansas.
When Daviess County Detention Center Sgt. Chris Hempflings previous Belgian malinois, Jake, was ready for retirement after seven years of service, the jail began looking for a new K-9.

Last month, the jails new Belgian malinois, Koda, reported for duty.

Koda and Hempfling patrol the halls, assist other agencies when they are transporting inmates and conduct searches for contraband in cells.

A lot of people say, youre so lucky to be a K-9 handler,  Hempfling said earlier this week.

But the job requires quite a bit of work, he said.

We are required to train 16 hours a month to maintain our certification, Hempfling said.

Hempfling and Koda walk the halls, keeping order, when the inmates are out of their pods.

Hes very handler protective, to be sure, but I walk him around without a muzzle, Hempfling said. I would put a muzzle on Jake.

Jailer Art Maglinger said the 18 month-old dog was purchased from Ronin Dog Training, which has centers in the Netherlands and Tennessee. The jail received a $3,000 scholarship from Ronin, which lowered the price of the dog to $3,000.

Koda was born in the Netherlands and made the trip to Kentucky to be paired with Hempfling.

Before joining the jail nine years ago, Hempfling was a bloodhound handler at Green River Correctional Complex in Central City. Dogs have been a regular part of Hempflings life.

I had a lot of dogs when I was a kid, Hempfling said. Hempfling was selected for the K-9 officer post by retired Jailer David Osborne. Even with his experience in canine handling, becoming the jails K-9 officer was a lengthy process, he said.

You have to be selected, Hempfling said. Koda lives with Hempfling and is never far away.

You have to have that bond, he said. Weve been back since the 10th of December, and the longest I have been away from Koda is five hours.

Kodas nose can detect marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and crystal meth, which makes him useful when searching cells for contraband. Koda is also a tracker, with training in finding items discarded by fleeing suspects. Handler protection is also part of his training.

The breed is special.

A lot of departments wont give a malinois to a first-time handler, Hempfling said.

Part of being a K-9 office is learning to read the dogs state of mind, Hempfling said.

I was used to the malinois temperament and behavior, he said. Koda definitely has a lot of drive.

Koda and Hempfling train regularly with the K-9 officers at the Tell City Police Department. In addition to getting the required number of monthly training hours, all K-9 officers and their dogs have be to recertified every year for duty. Koda and Hempfling are certified by the American Police K-9 Association.

Being a K-9 officer has kept me in law enforcement for the last 10 to 12 years, Hempfling said.

Koda is all business at the jail, but gets to be a regular dog at home, Hempfling said.

I let him relax, Hempfling said. He sits down on the floor with me and watches TV. He sits on my lap.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
Windy Hollow is coming to town.

Hals Windy Hollow Restaurant has operated at several locations in western Daviess County since 1964  the last 26 years at 8260 Kentucky 81.

It has served breakfast on Sundays only since it moved to that location.

Now, Evelyn Miller, the owner, is expanding into Owensboro with the Windy Hollow Biscuit House.

Its scheduled to open in mid-March in the former Ponderosa Steakhouse and later El Toribio Mexican Restaurant location in Wesleyan Park Plaza.

The Windy Hollow Restaurant will continue serving its Sunday breakfast buffets as well.

Miller said she and her daughter, Hallie McCarty, had been discussing an Owensboro location for several years.

We were about to pull the trigger in March 2020, she said. And then COVID hit.

So the Biscuit House went on the back burner for two years.

Miller said the the 5,831-square-foot building at 630 Emory Drive is 30% to 40% larger than the Windy Hollow Restaurant.

The Biscuit House will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, brunch and lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Miller said.

It will not have a buffet, she said.

The menu will include 10 to 12 biscuit breakfast sandwiches, waffles, sides, salad and coffee, Miller said.

The restaurant will employ 15 people to start, she said.

Miller said she will continue to operate the Windy Hollow Drag Strip, 4731 Windy Hollow Road.

She resigned as executive director of the American Red Cross, Western Kentucky Chapter, after five years and 10 months, in December 2020.

Miller said she planned to concentrate on the family businesses  Hals Windy Hollow Restaurant and the Windy Hollow race tracks.

Her father, the late Hal Miller, was still working when he was 90, she said.

I dont see retirement in my future, Miller said.

Keith Larence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com.
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
BATON ROUGE, La.  As the Legislature gets ready to start a special session Tuesday on redistricting, one major focus is whether two of the states six congressional districts should be redrawn to give minority residents a better chance to elect two Black congressmen instead of one.

Black leaders and civil rights groups say that is only fair since African Americans make up nearly one-third of the states population and the 2020 Census shows that northern Louisiana, which has two white representatives in Congress, has lost population.

But Republicans want to hold onto the five congressional seats they have. And the politics will get even more complicatedand potentially tensewhen it comes to redrawing the 105 Louisiana House districts and the 39 districts that send state senators to Baton Rouge.

The Census data shows that the suburban areas around New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette are among the fast-growing areas in the state, and their voters are mostly white and Republican. And most of the state legislative seats now held by Black politicians are in districts that lost some population and will have to be redrawn.

Lawmakers say the population shifts lay a foundation for debate, but political considerations play a huge role as state lawmakers battle each other to maintain their electoral advantages and the parties fight over a congressional seat that could help tilt the balance of power in Washington.

Adding even more intrigue is that Louisiana is the only Deep South state with a Democratic governor who could potentially veto the maps that the Republican-dominated Legislature draws.

As for how all of these considerations will affect how the district lines are redrawn, there is no way to know for sure what will emerge from the three-week special session.

You have a lot of possibilities, said demographer Greg Rigamer, a political consultant in New Orleans. You can configure them in all sorts of ways to meet the minimum requirements, he said.

Rigamer said there are many ways mathematically to make the districts even in population, but politicians have different ideas to make the redrawn lines benefit their party. He the Republicans are hoping to keep the congressional districts the same but with small variations.

Rep. Tanner Magee, the second-ranking Republican in the state House, said he expects the House to draw its maps in a way that we have always done stuff, which is fairly cooperative.

Will North Louisiana Keep Two Congressional Seats?

The Democratic Party is fighting to condense the two northern congressional districts, which now sit side by side running north to south, into one horizontal district along Interstate 20, so another majority-minority district could be added to south Louisiana.

Jared Evans, policy counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said that black voters have been packed into District 2, which meanders from predominantly Black areas in New Orleans to similar neighborhoods in Baton Rouge.

The NAACP submitted seven different district maps to the legislature a few weeks ago that included two majority-minority districts, said Evans.

In all the seven maps, we proposed splitting up New Orleans and Baton Rouge, said Evans, New Orleans remains the anchor of the 2nd Congressional District, and Baton Rouge would be the anchor of an additional majority-minority congressional district.

But Republican leaders, like State Rep. Jack McFarland from Jonesboro, said northern Louisiana needs to hold onto all the representation it can get to help it recover economically.

Rigamer said it also is possible for the Legislature to keep the six congressional districts much like they are with some changes.

Referring to the suburban seats around New Orleans and Baton Rouge now represented by Republican Reps. Steve Scalise and Garrett Graves, Rigamer said: You can maintain the current district configuration with some changes, making Congressional District 1 and Congressional District 6 give up some people, which they have to do.

The growth is in the Southern part of the state

Besides the size of the states Black population, part of the pressure to take a congressional seat away from northern Louisiana comes from the new Census data, which was released in August.

Although Louisiana overall has seen a small population growth rate of 2.7%, the 2020 census results show that northern parishes have experienced significant population loss while suburban areas in the southern parishes saw substantial population growth.

According to the 2020 Census, St. Bernard Parish and Orleans Parish in the New Orleans metro area and Ascension Parish in the Baton Rouge metro area saw some of the largest population growth rates. St. Bernard Parish had the largest increase of 30.8% from the 2010 Census count, and Ascension Parish had an increase of 20.6%. Even Orleans Parish itself had an increase of 11.69%.

By contrast, many northern parishes lost population, according to the 2020 census. Tensas Parish had a 22.32% decline, Vernon Parish saw a 12.6% decline, Winn Parish had a 12.20% decline, and Catahoula Parish saw a 10.7% decrease.

Why have so many northern parishes seen a steep decline? Rigamer and District State Representative Neil Riser, a Republican from in Columbia in Caldwell Parish, the answer is clear. All the jobs are saturated in southern cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

People follow the bucks, said Rigamer.

Rep. Riser said that jobs are dwindling in northern Louisiana. Risers district represents parishes that have seen some of the largest declines, like Tensas Parish, Catahoula Parish and Caldwell Parish. He believes that technology is a driving factor leading people to the southern districts. Riser said that bigger cities with more job opportunities have better internet connectivity and access to technology.

The increase in population in the south can also be attributed to trends that show gains in the population from areas extending between Highways I-10 to I-12.

I believe that you can attribute some of the growth to people who have returned back following the severe storms that Louisiana has faced over the past 40 years, said Dr. William Blair, Director of Demographic Services for the Louisiana Legislature.

Rigamer noted that Orleans Parish is experiencing more of a population recovery than population growth as more of the people who moved after Hurricane Katrina trickle back.

In 2000, Orleans Parish had a population of 484,000, and by 2010 this number dropped to 343,000, said Rigamer. Now the population sits at 383,000.

The population in Ascension Parish, a predominantly white area near Baton Rouge, has almost tripled since 1990, with an increase of over 80,000 residents. According to the Census data, Ascension is home to 130,096 residents, making it the 14th largest parish in Louisiana.

Much of the population growth we experienced happened at a quick pace, said state Rep. Tony Bacala, who lives in Prairieville.

Senator Katrina Jackson, a member of The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and senator from Monroe, favors another majority minority district.

There are minorities in north Louisiana that do not feel like they are fairly represented, Jackson said.

What will happen with the state legislative districts?

But according to a recent analysis by The Advocate, the racial politics may get even more heated when it comes to redrawing the state Senate and House districts.

The newspaper found that 70% of the 27 state House districts represented by Black lawmakers will need to be redrawn to add more people to reach the minimum population total of 44,000 for each district.

The Advocate also found that five of the 10 state Senate districts held by Black politicians will need to be redrawn to add more people.

In some cases, the adjacent districts are represented by white lawmakers, who will not want to lose some of their loyal constituents.

What will happen over the next three weeks is hard to predict.

Anything is possible during redistricting, said Sen. Jackson.

Margaret DeLaney and Grace Schaumburg contributed to this story.
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A project to convert vacant buildings at the county's busiest intersection into a focal point for business and development in Huron County recently got a boost in the form of a $30,000 grant from Thumb Bank and Trust.

The Huron County Community Foundation's Community Hub, located on the northwest corner of Port Crescent Street and Huron Avenue in downtown Bad Axe, will be home to the foundation's offices as well as a board room for community groups and office space for people to work remotely. The second floor will house four apartments with the aim of attracting new residents through corporate leases.

MacKenzie Price-Sundblad, executive director of the community foundation, said there's a lot of potential for the space to house new community resources and invest in the county.

We've had really positive support from the community, both financial support and just general excitement for something to be happening on that corner and in our downtown and about the new resources that we're able to create," Price-Sundblad said.

Other features of the project will include a "parklet" and outdoor green space.

"That will all have outdoor seating and things like that to make the downtown look friendly, approachable and like a place where people want to stop and spend some time," she said.

Price-Sundblad said Thumb Bank and Trust has been consistently supportive of the community foundation, not just with funding but with staff time, as well.

"Thumb Bank and Trust has been a supporter of the community foundation since it began in the '90s," she said.

Thumb Bank and Trust President and CEO Ben Schott said the bank is appreciative of the work Price-Sundblad and the community foundation have done to make Huron County a better place to live, work and do business.

"We really wanted to help revitalize downtown Bad Axe," Schott said. "Everything (the foundation does) is for the betterment of the county, and we enjoy supporting it."

The property has been vacant since 2014 and previously was home to a gas station for 50 years until it closed in the 1970s.

Price-Sundblad said the community foundation has been eyeing the property for a couple of years since drawing up its strategic priorities in 2018. The strategies include retaining and attracting talent, creating vibrant communities and cultivating an environment for business development.

Although the location was ideal for the foundation, the property's history as a gas station, with "known or suspected contamination" made immediate development difficult.

The project has been made possible by a $600,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Carl Osentoski, executive director of the Huron County Economic Development Corporation, told the Tribune last summer that to push the project along, the EDC applied for the EGLE brownfield grant, which is specifically designed to revitalize sites with potential contamination.

Without the grant, Price-Sundblad said the project would have been an even larger undertaking and far less likely to happen anytime soon. The total cost of the project is about $1.8 million, she said.

Reluctant to give an estimated date for a groundbreaking or ribbing-cutting ceremony, Price-Sundblad said she was "optimistic" space in the community hub could be in use as soon as the first quarter of 2023.

"That requires a lot of things to fall into place and a lot of moving pieces to work in our favor, but we're continuing to work closely with the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and EGLE on the environmental portion, which is obviously the first step that we need to do to get this property safe for redevelopment," Price-Sundblad said. "So, we're continuing to work with them to get that first step done, and then we can begin renovation once the remediation and the environmental portion is complete."
Each year we celebrate a number of great holidays. But one of my absolute favorites arrives next week  Groundhog Day.

We're all quite familiar with Groundhog Day, probably largely as a result of the hilarious 1993 film of the same name, starring Bill Murray. The movie "Groundhog Day" is pretty polarizing. People either love it, or they are wrong.

Every Feb. 2, a bunch of people gather in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to torture an oversized rodent into predicting the weather.

I know, it's pretty ridiculous when you think about it. Which I think is one of the reasons I like it so much.

I've always wanted to take a trip to Punxsutawney for the event, but I've never had the opportunity.

I've been lucky enough to meet a few celebrities in my life, but I want to meet Punxsutawney Phil, THE OG groundhog. According to lore, there has only ever been one Punxsutawney Phil. Wikipedia notes  and we all know if it's on Wikipedia it's definitely fact  that all the other groundhogs are imposters, and Phil has lived since 1886, sustained by drinks of "groundhog punch" or "elixir of life" administered at the annual Groundhog Picnic in the fall.

Before reading that, I was not aware of said Groundhog Picnic, and now I want to visit Punxsutawney twice in a year.

On Wednesday, they will grab Phil out of his den, and if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. Or if he sees his shadow there won't be six more weeks of winter. I don't remember.

Who cares anyway? The whole thing is ridiculous. A groundhog can't predict the weather. How do I know? Because groundhogs, for lack of a better term, are stupid. We have really smart people who go to college and study weather using sophisticated computer equipment, and they can't predict what's going to happen with any better accuracy than a toddler bowling without bumpers.

However, what's fun about the stupid groundhog is that we get to suspend disbelief for just a minute. We get a glimpse of hope regarding the end of winter, and we get a break from this life full of stressors like jobs and money and now a pandemic.

There's nothing more American than celebrating something stupid, after all.

So this Wednesday, let's all gather together in front of our televisions and find out what Punxsutawney Phil has to say this year.

It will probably be more accurate than your local weather report.
Companies love to hire veterans, especially those looking for their first post-military job. Young vets bring leadership, the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and a host of other skills many new college graduates don't have yet.

Separating veterans in their first two years after the military do have one negative trait in their reputation: Retention. In 2016, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families found that half of veterans left their first civilian jobs within the first year. In a two-year span, that number goes up to 65%.

For many, the issue was unhappiness in underemployment, taking a job that didn't utilize their skills and abilities adequately. Underemployment affects veterans at much higher rates than their civilian counterparts: a third of veteran job seekers are underemployed, a rate more than 15% higher than civilians in the same or similar fields.

There are other reasons for leaving a job, even one that veterans find fulfilling. In a job interview, they might find the interviewer asking why they left their job, or left it so quickly after being hired. Here are a few ways to translate the most common reasons for leaving in ways that can bolster one's reputation.

1. Burnout

It's natural for a newly separated veteran to arrive at their first job and want to leave their mark, make the bosses happy and set a standard for excellence, just like they did in the military. Many will accomplish this by taking on a lot of work or working all the time. There's nothing wrong with working hard at a demanding job, but the work never ends, and without a healthy work-life balance, anyone will find themselves looking for another job.

If this is the reason for leaving, tell the interviewer you believe you thrive in an environment that embraces a healthy work-life balance and find yourself performing at your best when other areas of your life are taken care of.

2. Ethical Conflicts

Companies and workplaces, like people, have their own personalities and moods. Veterans will find that most of the companies they work for throughout their careers have strict rules and guidelines for behavior and the way they do business. The internet is full of employees reviewing companies for their ethics and procedures. You might find a job made you question your own ethics or put you in an uncomfortable position.

This is a perfectly good reason to leave a job, but badmouthing a former employer in a job interview is never a good idea, no matter how much they deserve it. Instead of listing everything wrong with a former job, list the positive qualities of the company at which you're interviewing. You may like their dedication to diversity, environmental standards or their reputation for being a top employer of veterans. What attracts you to the new company is always a better answer than a list of complaints against your old company.

3. Wanting More Compensation

There's nothing wrong with wanting more: more money, more benefits or more responsibility. Any veteran who wants upward mobility in a company but doesn't see a way forward should look elsewhere at some point in their career. It might be a mistake to leave a company too soon looking for this, but if you did, you might have to answer for it.

Luckily, this is an easy answer. Tell the interviewer you felt like you weren't growing in your old job and are looking for a challenge at a company. You want to take on new responsibilities and grow with them, personally and professionally.

4. Needing a Change

In the military, life can move pretty fast. Service members often have packed days, weeks and months. Lives are filled with deployments, professional development courses and even changes of station. Many veterans don't appreciate this kind of diversity in their lives until they leave the military. When they discover a more sedentary life in the civilian world, it can leave them feeling the loss.

Employers like stability, which is the reason why they ask why people left previous jobs. They don't want to be interviewing someone else for this job a year later. For any veteran who left a job because they just didn't want to be there anymore, discuss a new skill or passion you're developing and that this is the company you want to work for.

If you've done your research on the company and industry (which you should have for an interview), you'll be able to answer why.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs?

Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.
The Dodgers blockbuster acquisition of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner was the biggest news of deadline season, though Los Angeles wasnt the only NL West power looking to land that same duo from the Nationals. The Padres were reportedly close to getting Scherzer, and FanSideds Robert Murray writes that San Diego also had strong interest in obtaining Turner.

Despite all these talks, there still seemed to be some distance between the Padres and Nationals in talks. Murray writes that a deal was never close for Turner, while even the Scherzer negotiations were described by one Washington source as general back and forth.

MLB Networks Jon Heyman shed some more light on the Padres/Nationals talks, reporting that the Padres floated a serious package for both Scherzer and Turner, with the idea of offering even more if Nats came back to them. Washington apparently didnt check back in with the Padres, instead taking the Dodgers offer of Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carrillo, and Donovan Casey. As a counter to Ruiz, San Diegos offer might have also included a top-tier catching prospect, as Heyman says the Padres and Nationals discussed Luis Campusano.

Had Turner landed in San Diego, the initial plan likely would have been to install him at second base, just as the Dodgers did in order to fit both Turner and incumbent star shortstop Corey Seager into the same lineup. Turner and Fernando Tatis Jr. would have formed quite a combo up the middle for the Padres, though Turner would have ended up playing shortstop anyway, if Tatis had also re-injured his shoulder in this alternate reality. Turner might have also been the shortstop anyway, had a healthy Tatis instead been moved to the outfield in order to help preserve his shoulder.

Should Scherzer and Turner help the Dodgers win this year (or in 2022 when Turner will still be under contract), Padres fans will look back on this missed trade with regret, though of course it isnt known exactly what the Nationals would have demanded from San Diego. The Dodgers and Padres are currently on pace to meet in the NL wild card game, with Los Angeles holding a three-game lead over San Diego in the standings. The Padres also have to worry about the surging Reds, who have moved to 3.5 games back of that second wild card berth.
Whenever teams are again permitted to make major league transactions, clubs in search of corner outfield help will have to sort through a still-strong class. Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and Seiya Suzuki are unsigned, as is third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant. All those players seem in line for significant multi-year contracts, but its not as clear whether thatll be the case for Michael Conforto.

Conforto looked to be on the path to a huge deal after hitting .265/.369/.495 (133 wRC+) between 2017-20. Set to hit free agency in advance of his age-29 campaign, a nine-figure contract didnt seem out of the question at the start of last season. Yet Conforto went to post his worst results since 2016, a .232/.344/.384 mark with 14 home runs over 479 plate appearances.

That offensive output was still six percentage points better than the league average, by measure of wRC+. The former tenth overall pick walked in a robust 12.3% of his trips to the dish to keep his on-base percentage at a respectable level. He played his home games in Citi Field, one of the more pitcher-friendly environments around the league. Yet for a player limited to the corner outfield, a 106 wRC+ is more fine than especially impressive.

Teams will have to determine how to weigh Confortos platform year against his prior four-year run of strong play. From a process perspective, there are some reasons for optimism. Last seasons 21.7% strikeout rate was a personal low, a couple points lower than the league mark. As mentioned, his plate discipline remained strong. His rates of hard contact and barrels (essentially hard-hit batted balls at the optimal angle for power production) were down a tick from his best years but still above-average. It wouldnt be surprising if Conforto rights the ship moving forward, particularly if he signs with a club that plays in a more hitter-favorable setting.

So Conforto should still be an appealing free agent target, but hes coming off a much worse platform year than both Castellanos and Schwarber. A long-term investment in Conforto probably feels riskier to teams now than it wouldve eight months ago. And any signing club will have to forfeit a draft pick, since the Washington native received and rejected a qualifying offer from the Mets.

There wasnt much indication as to where Conforto might end up prior to the lockout. The Marlins were the only club known to have substantive interest. Miami already signed Avisail Garcia, but theyre reportedly still on the hunt for an addition in the grass. Beyond the Fish, the clubs reaching out to Confortos representatives at the Boras Corporation remain a mystery. So that doesnt offer much indication about how robust the market might be.

Nor is it clear how much money Conforto and his reps are seeking. Schwarber, though, is reportedly looking for a three-year deal in the $60MM range. The two players were born just five days apart in March 1993, and theyve been similarly productive since the start of 2019. But with Schwarber coming off the much better platform year, it seems likely hell land the larger guarantee of the two whenever they both put pen to paper.

Entering the offseason, MLBTR projected Conforto would sign a one-year deal in the $20MM range in hopes of a bounceback season before re-testing the market after 2022. That could be a possibility, although his decision to turn down New Yorks $18.4MM qualifying offer suggests he wanted to explore multi-year opportunities (or at least loftier single-year proposals) from suitors around the league.

Where does the MLBTR readership expect Confortos contract to end up?

(poll links for app users)

[polldaddy poll=11031206]

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Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
29.01.2022 LISTEN

The Electronic Transaction Levy popularly known as E-levy has become one of the most governments battled policies in Akufo-Addos led administration.

The issue of E-levy is understood by the opposition NDC as a way of robbing Peter to pay Paul and not considering the poor masses.

But the governing New Patriotic Party believes the introduction of E-levy will better the livelihood of ordinary Ghanaians and as well, make Ghana a better place.

This portal has gone to the streets of Bolgatanga, the regional capital of the Upper East Region to sort the views of the people who may be highly hit by the e-levy when introduced.

Below are the views of residents in the Upper East Region:
29.01.2022 LISTEN

The International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON) popularly known as Hare Krsna Movement is set to organize special prayers known as Yajna (fire sacrifice) to intercede for Ghana in the face of unexplainable fire outbreaks, crimes and other disasters.

According to the officiating priest who will be performing the special prayers, His Grace Devarishi Das, this is the first of its kind the Hare Krsna Movement has decided to offer urgent prayers for the nation.

Asked why now, he said "sometimes we [Hare Krsna Movement] receive criticisms from people for not adding our voices and inputs when other faiths announce their intention to intercede for the nation in prayers in times of crisis.

"It's as though we care less about what goes on in the country, but that is actually not the case. We're Ghanaians too."

According to H. G. Devarishi Das who's also a sought-after Astrologer, Purohita, Pranic Healer, and Palmist, the universe is going through a revolution of a sort, hence, every nation needs purging and Ghana is no exception.

"Ghana needs purging and spiritual succour now. Some of the ills and unexplainable occurrences are not merely physical and sheer coincidences. The higher beings are displeased with the actions of men."

As a non-sectarian religious movement, he noted that they welcome and worship with people from all walks of life irrespective of their social status, race, tribe and faith/religion.

"Christians, Muslims, Hindus, the President, ex-President, Ministers, MPs, Academics, Students, Graduates, Business Men, everyone is warmly welcome to our temple, and to actively participate in this crucial prayers for the nation," H. G. Devarishi Das intimated.

Giving a brief explanation on the uniqueness of this prayer and how it will be performed, he stated, "the fire deity known as Agni shall be invoked to light a fire.

"The congregation will sit around the lit fire and throw grains into the fire while several powerful vedic mantras are chanted to invoke protections, blessings, and seek forgiveness from the higher beings.

"All the four corners and gates of the country shall be cleansed with this purification prayer.

The media and the general public are entreated to visit the Hare Krsna movement located at Medie (Samsam junction) on the main Accra-Nsawam road come Sunday, January 30, 2022. The prayers will start at 2:00 PM.
French President Emmanuel Macron will speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday. France's Foreign Ministry says Paris will assess whether Moscow wants "consultations or confrontation" over the growing tensions in Ukraine.

Moscow has massed troops near Ukraine and sought security guarantees from the West, including a promise that Nato will never allow Russia's former Soviet neighbour to join.

Speaking to RTL radio, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the West still considered dialogue possible, but the ball was in Putin's court.

"It is up to Vladimir Putin to say if he wants consultations or confrontation," Le Drian told RTL radio, asking whether the Russian leader wanted to be a "destabilising power" or would seek de-escalation.

Throughout his five years as France's President, Macron has sought dialogue with Putin, at times to the irritation of his European Union allies.

Western countries are worried Russia might invade Ukraine though Russia denies planning to do so. Macron said on Tuesday he would seek a clarification of Russia's intentions towards Ukraine. read more.

Weeks of dialogue between the West and Moscow have produced few results but both sides have left the door open to dialogue although Russia said on Thursday it was clear the United States was not willing to address its main security concerns.

UN Security Council

Meanwhile, the United States said it has called for an open meeting of the UN Security Council next Monday to address the crisis around Ukraine due to what it called "threatening behavior" by Russia.

With fears rising that Russia could invade its neighbor, a former Soviet state, Washington's United Nations envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the council faced a "crucial" matter for international peace and security: "Russia's threatening behavior against Ukraine and the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders and in Belarus."

Originally the United States had hoped to hold the Security Council meeting on Friday, according to diplomats.

But they said they agreed to push it to Monday so as not to interfere with the Friday phone call between Macron and Putin.

(With wires)
West African leaders on Friday decided to suspend Burkina Faso following a coup but will not impose other sanctions pending the outcome of talks with the junta, a participant at their summit said.

Conferring four days after the latest military takeover in their region, heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed to send two missions to Ouagadougou.

A mission of ECOWAS chiefs of staff will fly to the Burkinabe capital on Saturday, followed on Monday by ministerial-level envoys.

Leaders will meet again on February 3 in Accra to assess the outcome of these missions and see whether additional sanctions should be imposed along with suspension, the source said.

President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was seized by rebel soldiers on Monday amid rising anger at his failure to stem jihadist violence ravaging the impoverished nation.

The new leader is Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, 41, a rising star in the military who commands an eastern region that has been badly hit by jihadists.

In the past 18 months, the 15-nation ECOWAS has suspended two other members -- Guinea and Mali -- where coups have occurred.

But it has also imposed an array of sanctions against them, including measures targeting their leaders.

At a virtual summit lasting around three hours, the ECOWAS leaders also called for Kabore and other detained leaders to be released.

On Tuesday, the bloc issued a statement of condemnation over the coup and accused the military of forcing Kabore to resign "under threat, intimidation and pressure."

Junta appeal

Amid speculation on Thursday that ECOWAS would slap punishing sanctions on Burkina, Damiba made his first televised comments since the coup, asking for help from the country's "international partners."

"I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible," he said.

Burkina Faso. By AFP

Saying that he understood "legitimate doubts" triggered by the coup, Damiba said Burkina "will continue to respect international commitments, especially concerning respect for human rights," and judicial independence would be "assured."

He promised Burkina would "return to a normal constitutional life... when the conditions are right."

The coup is the latest bout of turmoil to strike Burkina Faso, a landlocked and poor state that has suffered chronic instability since gaining independence from France in 1960.

Kabore, 64, was elected in 2015 following a popular revolt that forced out strongman Blaise Compaore.

Death and homelessness

He was re-elected in 2020, but the following year faced a wave of anger over the toll from a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali.

Since 2015, some 2,000 people have been killed, according to an AFP tally.

Troops, police and a volunteer civil militia have paid a huge price, raising questions about their leadership, training and equipment in the face of a ruthless, mobile foe.

Some 1.5 million people are internally displaced in a country of 21 million, according to the national disaster management agency CONASUR.

Kabore's well-being and whereabouts have been a key issue since the coup, with the United Nations leading calls for his release.

On Wednesday, a source in his political party, the People's Movement for Progress told AFP that the army was holding Kabore in a villa under house arrest.

"President Kabore is physically well, but I cannot say anything about his state of mind," the source said.

"He has a doctor available (and) access to his mobile phone, but under surveillance, obviously."
28.01.2022 LISTEN

Convener for the pressure group, Justice for Ghana Movement, Bernard Monarh, has described governments Town Hall meeting on the controversial E-levy, held in Koforidua on Thursday lacked broader consultation.

The Town Hall Meeting was held to sensitize Ghanaians on the proposed 1.75% electronic transaction levy, which is awaiting approval or otherwise by Parliament.

The E-levy when passed will tax all electronic transactions including Mobile Money and bank transfers among other things.

Speaking to Citi News, Convener for Justice for Ghana Movement, Bernard Monarh, said its members will continue with the picketing at parliament next week Tuesday, February 1.

That was a charade of a public forum called consultation. There was no member of the minority or any other person at that forum. This is a Bill put before parliament, meaning that it has gone out of the Executive arm of government. This means that parliament and its subcommittees will be responsible for the public consultation on this Bill. So we were expecting that the parliamentary select committee on Finance and Trade should be the ones talking about this policy.

Unfortunately, this is not what was done. So if the Ministry still decides that it will still go ahead with something that is in the hands of parliament, its telling you their level of desperation. More importantly, if you take the Ministers of Finance, Communications and Information and the Deputy Majority Leader to go and speak, do you come and say you have engaged in broad consultation, Bernard Monarh asked.

Members of the pressure group were at the entrance of Parliament House on Tuesday to demand that the Electronic Transfer Levy is not passed into law.

That was not the first time the group is registering their displeasure over the controversial E-levy bill which when passed will tax electronic transactions like mobile money transfers by 1.75%.

The group has further indicated that it will picket at parliament for three days to drum home their demands

On December 8, 2021, the group converged on the Efua Sutherland Children's Park to protest the 2022 budget.

The protesters planned to end the exercise by picketing at Parliament House, but they were denied.

The picketing was aimed at putting pressure on Parliament to withdraw the 2022 budget, which they say is not in the interest of the country.

They also did not regard a restraining order from the police accusing them of exhibiting bad faith on their picketing. Bernard Mornah indicated that nothing will stop his team from rejecting the e-levy proposed in the 2022 budget.

It has thus vowed to pitch camp at parliament until the tax policy is withdrawn.

---citinewsroom
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, has welcomed a tobacco taxation initiative by the Vision for Alternative Development and the Ghana Revenue Authority to curtail accessibility to tobacco products and generate funds for health promotion.

This is a great opportunity to accelerate the tobacco control policy implementation in Ghana and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within and beyond health or well-being, he said.

Mr Agyeman-Manu welcomed the move in a statement read on his behalf at a national stakeholders meeting on Tobacco Taxation in Ghana, organised by the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

It was on the theme: Effective Tobacco System: A win-win for Ghana's Economy and Public Health aimed at having broad-based discussions on how the country wish to progress with respect to tobacco taxation.

The Health Minister said the Ministry was ready to support the ongoing discussions relevant to the adoption of an effective tax system that would have the desired health outcomes and corresponding increase in revenue.

We all have a responsibility as individuals, government organisations, civil society, non-governmental organisations and stakeholders to make this country and the world a tobacco-free place to live, he said.

In this regard, I am delighted to be a part of this initiative and I commend each and every one of you for your continuous collaboration in our vision towards a tobacco-free society.

Mr Labram Musah, the Director of Projects, VALD, said it was clear that tobacco taxation was one of the most effective ways in addressing access and affordability of tobacco products.

The low pricing of such products remained the industry's primary tactic for enticing new clients, mostly young people and children, sustaining and addicting new life-long customers.

In fact the primary focus of the tobacco industry is to encourage young people and children to begin smoking and those trying to quit to continue their deadly addiction, he said, adding that it was sad that still tobacco was one of the cheapest commodities in Ghana.

Today with two cedis one can get a packet of 10 sticks of cigarette. A stick of cigarette cost just 30 pesewas. In fact, almost 90 per cent of smokers smoked their first cigarette before the age of 18, and almost a quarter of these individuals began smoking before the age of 10, Mr Musah said.

He called call on government to stand firm to protect children from being initiated and getting hooked to all forms of tobacco products.

It was important to note that although smokers reacted when prices went up, they reduced their consumption by less than the percentage increase in price, which meant they ended up paying more in tobacco taxes, he said.

That is why bigger tax increases are more effective. Because of low excise taxes, cigarette prices are far cheaper in many low and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries.

Mr Musah said based on the evidence from a study conducted by VALD; the Ministry of Finance's Tax Policy Unit and the GRA should take steps to review the current tobacco tax regime and adopt the most appropriate tax measures that conforms to the World Health Organisation's recommendations.

It must also conform to the ECOWAS Directives to shift from the current ad-valorem tax to a hybrid tax system (specific and ad-valorem tax).

Mr Kwabena Appau, the Head of Excise Tax, GRA, said the report on the study on Economics of Tobacco Control in Ghana, carried out by VALD, was good for tax implementers and industry players because it contained a lot of information and analysis, which were useful.

So it gives us much more information to look at what we have to do and to see whether the track that we have followed over the period in respect of tobacco taxation was the right one for stakeholders.

GNA
The Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency, Hon Alexander Afenyo-Markin has mentioned that job creation and roads infrastructure forms the basis of the e-levy which must be embraced by all for economic growth.

He said sustainable economic and financial discipline is the foundation in building a more robust and resilient economy and Ghana is not an exception.

Speaking in an interview with Johnny Hughes on TV3 New Day show on Thursday, January 28th, 2022, Hon. Afenyo-Markin stated, "Taxes such as the E-levy are part of the equation; the fiscal prudence comes into reality when we broaden the tax net and begin to channel them into safe networks that serve as enabling avenues to drive the economy of Ghana to growth. It must be established that manufacturing and public services alone cannot hold the economy, E-levy is crucial if indeed we are poised for growth and prosperity."

He indicated that government cannot risk going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at this crucial moment, considering the economic challenges incurred by the covid-19 pandemic which came unannounced.

"It is obvious the world is in difficult times of which Ghana is too has been affected, but we can also not resort to borrowing too and that the need to adopt the E-levy policy to address critical pressing issues.

"Notwithstanding government's effort to sustain all social intervention programmes in spite of the covid 19 pandemic, we believe the E-levy will complement the business of governance especially in the expansion of the road infrastructure and job creation for the youth," he intimated.

According to him, the Akufo-Addo government and that of Kufour's have demonstrated quality leadership in the allocation of public purse for massive and unprecedented economic transformation in the area of roads, health, education, transport, agric, energy, finance, sports, railway and rural developmental projects.

He added that programmes and policies are visible for all to appreciate just in thirteen years of governance as compared to NDC's twenty-seven years with no social intervention projects, policies or programs to show.

"It is in this light that we seek the total support of Ghanaians in the passage of the E-levy legislation to help sustain the economy," he emphasised.

The Effutu lawmaker indicated that in the 2016 electioneering period, the NPP campaigned vigorously on the free senior high school, 1 district 1 factory and planting for food and job policies.

True to the words of the Akufo-Addo - Bawumia led government, Hon. Afenyo-Markin noted that the free senior high school policy was implemented without delay together with all the promises made to Ghanaians.

"We have exhibited loyal, honest and dedicated leadership and proven to be good managers of the economy than our political rivals the NDC," he underscored.

The Deputy Majority leader wondered why the Minority side supported the approval of the E-levy budget in the first instance, the appropriation stage, through to estimation which was also participated by both sides followed by a report from the committee which was done on consensus and unanimously agreed.

He noted that suddenly the Minority made a 360 U-turn at the legislation stage over what he claimed is sharp division among them and pressure from their party base. "That 2024 elections will be crucial for the NDC because the E-levy shall heavily address youth employment and also expand road infrastructure, and that they ought to fiercely resist it all cost," he bemoaned.

On the brawls in Parliament, he expressed worry over the behaviour of members of the Minority NDC by resorting to physical attacks on the members of the Majority as a result of disagreement on the passage of the E-levy into legislation. "We have been in opposition before and there were serious matters we disagreed, but we adopted what is enshrined in the rule books in a civil manner, never did we go on this tangent," he intimated.

He pointed out that another tool available for MP's to express their disagreement on the floor of Parliament is the law court not physical attacks on MPs and Ministers of state. "I had no qualms about the minority' objection to the E-levy legislation except for the physical attacks".

According to the Effutu MP, agreeing to disagree forms the fundamentals of democracy "And I believe that the best way to go is tolerate each other. Ghana has gained global dignity and much respect with our multi-party democracy and so we must not create some kind of impression of ourselves with unfortunate brawls in Parliament," Afenyo-Markin emphasised.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told French leader Emmanuel Macron in a telephone conversation that the US has "failed to take into consideration Russia's security concerns" over the Ukraine crisis.

In a report of the conversation carried by the Russian Tass News Agency, Putin pointed out that there was no mention of Russia's concerns about Nato expansion.

He said that the West had failed to address the issue of the deployment of offensive weapons near Russian borders.

It had also failed to address the return of Nato military potential and infrastructure to the 1997 position when the Russia- Nato Founding Act was signed.

However, during the call, which took place on Friday, they both agreed on the need for a "de-escalation" in the Ukraine crisis with Putin saying he had "no offensive plans", an aide to Macron said.

The Russian leader indicated that Moscow will carefully examine the response to the draft agreements, received from the US and Nato on 26 January, and will decide on what action to take then.

If the talks between Macron and Putin did not yield any fixed promises from either side, the Kremlin said that "the presidents of Russia and France agreed to remain in close contact."

The Founding Act

In May 1997, Nato and Russia signed the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security.

The Act states that Nato and Russia do not consider each other as adversaries, and that both sides will refrain from the threat or use of force against each [other].

The document announced the creation of a Nato-Russia Permanent Joint Council.

In it, Nato stated that it had no intention of deploying nuclear weapons on the territory of new members. Expansion of the number of Nato members was not mentioned either.

However, much to the annoyance of Moscow, just two years after the Russian-Nato Founding Act was signed, former Warsaw Pact countries Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland joined the Alliance.

Five years later, Bulgaria, and Slovenia followed, as well as non-aligned Romania and the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

In 2009, Albania and Croatia followed while in 2017 the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro joined. The most recent new member to join is North Macedonia, which is also a former province of Yugoslavia.

Nervous Russia

Russia got particularly nervous when former Soviet republics Ukraine (in 2002) and Georgia (in 2004) started a process that could have led to Nato membership.

In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and strengthened its hold over two of its breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In 2014, when the pro-Russian government of Victor Yanukovich was ousted in the Maidan popular uprising, the Russian army invaded Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in the Black Sea and backed pro-Russian independence rebels in the eastern Donbas region.

Security Council meet

Meanwhile, the United States said it has called for an open meeting of the UN Security Council next Monday to address the crisis surrounding Ukraine over what it called "threatening behavior" by Russia.

With fears rising that Russia could invade its neighbour, a former Soviet state, Washington's United Nations envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the council faced a "crucial" matter for international peace and security.

Originally the United States had hoped to hold the Security Council meeting on Friday, according to diplomats.

But they said they had agreed to push it to Monday so as not to interfere with the Friday phone call between Macron and Putin.
Armed robbers have shot and killed a prison officer, Chief Officer Francis Dzaka Mawuyo on the Asiakwa-Apedwa stretch of the Accra-Kumasi highway.

The 59-year-old prison officer was shot in the face when he defied orders from a gang of robbers to hand over a bag he was carrying.

This angered the gang of robbers, who shot him in the left eye.

He died instantly.

Confirming the incident, the Kibi Divisional Police revealed in a situational report that a distress call was received at the Information Room of the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters at Koforidua informing them of the robbery.

The robbers had blocked, stopped and robbed about 20 vehicles between Brimso and Enyinasi around 2.30am on Thursday, 27 January 2022.

The prison officer was onboard a Hyundai bus travelling from Kumasi towards Accra, which was also stopped by the robbers.

The report said: On the spot investigations disclosed that three armed men suspected to be of Fulani extraction stopped the vehicles and robbed the passengers of their properties, including cash and mobile phones.

It was further disclosed that the robbers demanded that the deceased surrendered his bag, but he resisted; as a result, one of the robbers armed with pump-action gun fired at him at close range by the left eye, killing him instantly. The robbers subsequently collected the bag of the deceased.

An amount of GHS340 and a prison ID card bearing the deceaseds name were found when a search was conducted on the deceased.

The deceased was stationed at the Kumasi Central Prisons until his demise.

He was scheduled to retire in June this year.

classfmonline.com
President Nana Akufo-Addo receiving a gold coin from Samuel Abu Jinapor (left), Minister of Lands and Natural Resources for the Otumfuo Commemorative Gold Coin

President Akufo-Addo was on Thursday honoured with a gift of a commemorative gold coin to celebrate the life and achievements of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

This was when Executives of E ON 3 Group, the organization that led the initiative to seek authorisation from the Bank of Ghana for the minting of the gold coin to celebrate the monarch.

The Bank of Ghana gave authorization for E ON 3 Group to mint the 24-carrat commemorative gold coins to celebrate the Asantehene for his contribution to peace building in Ghana and beyond.

The 24-carrat gold coin which was minted in Ghana by Gold Coast Refinery, weighs about 31.104 grams with a diameter of 37 millimetres.

Presenting the coin to President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, Jesse Agyepong, lead consultant for E ON 3 Group said the Asantehene received the pillar of peace award at the Africa Premiere Leadership award on December 29, 2021 in recognition for his role in the conflict resolution over the Dagbon chieftaincy issues.

Otumfuo's pursuit and love for peace goes beyond the Dagbon issue, including settlement of stools and chieftaincy disputes in Asanteman, and facilitation and mediation of difficult of political transitions, he emphasised.

According to him, these and other endeavours of Otumfuo are the reasons the Bank of Ghana unreservedly gave E ON 3 authorization to mint the gold coin to celebrate Otumfuo Osei Tutu.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo said Otumfuos contribution to peace and security was undisputed, describing it as outstanding and that it is appropriate that he should be so honoured.

Whiles he expressed gratitude for the gift, the President was hopeful that developments like this become normal and customary in the development of our nation.

The Coin

One side of the gold coin bears the portrait of the Asantehene in the centre with some Adinkra symbols.

The images symbolise broking peace, harmony and reconciliation.

The other side bears the image of the Golden Stool, Sikadwa Kofi, which is the highest symbol of peace in the Ashanti Kingdom.

DGN online
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Passengers who take the K4826 train back home to celebrate the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, will get a special taste of sweetness. The final stop is "Gaoxing," which means happiness in Chinese.

The Gaoxing railway station, located in Gaoxing Township of southwest China's Sichuan Province, has been operational for over four decades. But this year's Spring Festival travel rush is the first one the station welcomes after its renovation.

The new station, which covers an area of 2,500 square meters and can accommodate 600 passengers, has cellphone charging stations and smart restrooms to meet passengers' needs.

As for COVID-19 prevention and control measures, the station is equipped with infrared thermometers with staff to check passengers' travel-code and health-code verification. It also carries out comprehensive disinfection of all areas regularly.

Like Gaoxing, many other stations have worked hard to ensure a safe and convenient trip for travelers during the Spring Festival travel rush.

In the 40-day travel season, also known as chunyun, many Chinese people travel to reunite with their families for the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 1 this year.

At Xingguoxi station in east China's Jiangxi Province, a robot named "Xingxing" has taken the job of guiding passengers and answering inquiries, drawing much attention from passengers.

In response to concerns over rising coronavirus cases following the massive movement of people, the Ministry of Transport said it would coordinate with relevant government departments to introduce targeted measures to support the prevention and control of COVID-19.

The sterilization of public venues and transport vehicles, regular body-temperature checks, and face mask rules will be strictly applied.

Railway departments will continue to support the transportation of key materials related to the national economy and livelihoods. These materials include coal for power generation and heating, grain from northeast China, fertilizers for spring farming, and holiday supplies, said the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

As of Wednesday, a total of 260 million passenger trips were made during the first ten days of the Spring Festival travel rush, up 46 percent compared with the same period of 2021, data from the Ministry of Transport showed.

The number of railway and road trips reached 54.12 million and 196 million, respectively, while waterway and air passenger trips hit 3.88 million and 8.72 million. 
Ministry of Finance says it will apply appropriate sanctions and penalties to Specified Entities for non-compliance to the Public Finance Management (PFM) and the State Interest Governance Authority (SIGA) Acts.

The Ministry will further recommend the removal of Governing Boards that flout the Acts.

The Ministry further stated that it would not consider requests for government support from Specified Entities that failed to meet the reporting requirements specified in the PFM Act, PFM Regulations and SIGA Act.

Currently, there are 183 Specified Entities in the Government's records consisting of 51 State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), 43 Joint Venture Companies (JVC) and 89 Other State Entities (OSEs).

As of the end of December 2021, only 31 out of 51 SOEs, representing 61 per cent, 22 out of the 89 OSEs representing 25 per cent, and 22 out of 43 JVCs, representing 51 per cent, had submitted audited financial statements for the year 2020 to the Finance Ministry.

Dr John Ampontuah Kumah, Deputy Minister of Finance, speaking on behalf of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance at the 2022 Policy and Governance Forum, said the returns on government's investments from Specified Entities were not positive as expected.

The 2022 Policy and Governance Forum, organised by SIGA and other partners, was on the theme: "Improving the Performance of Specified Entities: Leadership and Technology."

The Forum, which brought together Board Members of Specified Entities, discussed the operational efficiency and profitability of Specified Entities, expanding the national accounts to include SOEs and JVCs, among other governance issues.

Dr Kumah said the 2020 State Ownership Report Analysis had revealed that the performance of Specified Entities had largely trended downwards.

SOEs, he said, consistently posted aggregate net losses from the 2015 volumes of GH2.1 billion to 2020, which recorded an amount of GH5.3 billion losses - a compound annual growth of 16.2 per cent.

Among the 44 SOEs and 16 JVCs scored in the draft 2020 SOEs report, 50 per cent of SOEs and 63 per cent JVCs reported losses, and of the 56 SOEs covered, 34 per cent also posted deficits.

The Deputy Finance Minister said it was regrettable that while Specified Entities, especially SOEs, held significant assets, their performance and effectiveness left much to be desired.

Therefore, he said, in the short to medium term, the Government expected to implement a financing policy to Specified Entities, particularly to SOEs, OSEs.

The financial policy, he said, was anchored on three main principles; requirement for specified entities to operate on the strengths of their balance sheet, capitalisation of new specified entities to be funded only through the sale of non-strategic assets and not drawn from task revenue added to the public debt.

"Also, a clear distinction of cost of SOEs and JVCs purely commercial activities from those incurred in exercising their public policy obligations, that is quasi-fiscal activities, the latter will be reimbursed according to the dictates of the State Ownership Policy subject to the government's approval," he added.

Those initiatives, Dr Kumah maintained, would not amount to much without exemplary leadership., and therefore called on the newly inaugurated Board Members of State-Owned Enterprises to leverage appropriate tools of technology to improve their management and operations.

He called on the Boards to adopt business models that enhance productivity, commercial viability and financial sustainability, adding that effective leadership was vital in breaking the inefficient state companies' narrative.

Mr Edward Boateng, Director General, SIGA, said interactions with Specified Entities and a review of available documents, had revealed the challenge of lack of policy coherence among state institutions.

He said conflicting policies and actions across government agencies, departments and Specified Entities had blurred the common goal and resulted in "needless turf wars, duplication of efforts, delays and high cost of doing business among others.

Mr Boateng said streamlining existing policies or introducing new clear ones that helped to address those and other legacy issues, would be an important first step to sharpen operational efficiency and effectiveness and help secure investment.

He reiterated calls on Specified Entities to leverage Ghana's digital transformation agenda to harness the potential of the entities, saying "Ghana is going digital and we must be part of it."

SIGA was established on June 7, 2019, under the SIGA Act 2019 (ACT 990) with the mandate to oversee and administer the performance of SOEs, JVCs, and OSEs.

GNA
The Vice Presidentof Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia paid a one-day working visit to the United States (U.S.) Department of State in Washington DC on January 26, 2022.

Vice President Bawumia met with the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the Department of State, Hon. Molly Phee.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the security situation in West Africa.

The Vice Presidents delegation to the Department of State included Ghanas Ambassador to the U.S., Her Excellency Hajia Alima Mahama, Secretary to the VP Dr. Augustine Blay, Spokesperson/Economic Advisor to the VP Dr. Gideon Boako, and Head of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy, Office of the VP Mr. Abiel Armah.

The U.S. side at the days meeting included Michael Gonzales, Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Chelsea Bergesen, Desk Officer, both of the Bureau of African Affairs of the Department of State.

The days trip was a follow-up to an earlier one by Assistant Secretary Phee to Ghana in October 2021.

Both sides agreed on issues such as the need to give a lot more attention to the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, increasing the manufacturing capacity of said vaccine and exploring new ways to adapt and prepare for the potential next pandemic wave.

Below are photographs from the meeting provided by the courtesy of the U.S. State Department.
29.01.2022 LISTEN

Seven hundred and fifty people, including children, who were part of those displaced by the explosion at Appiatse in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, have been relocated to the temporary camp at Bogoso-Kojokrom.

The new place is a resettlement site that is been constructed for residents of Dumasi by Future Global Resources, a mining Company.

Dr Isaac Dasmani, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said this when Ghana News Agency paid a visit to the camp to find out how the residents were coping at their new place of abode.

"Currently we have about fifty males at the Bogoso Golden hotel and by the close of this week, we should have all the affected individuals here," the MCE announced.

He said, "At the temporary camp there are built structures, we have erected tents, toilets facilities for both males and females, bathrooms and a pavilion kitchen has been provided to the existing warehouse and project office structures on the site."

Two poly tanks have also been installed to provide a constant supply of water and plans are far advanced to automate two of the existing boreholes on the site, the MCE noted.

In addition, the MCE explained that an existing hall would also serve as a community centre, health centre, laundry area, adding that, "adequate security has been provided to ensure the safety of the residents."

Dr Dasmani said, "We have some challenges but gradually, the situation is becoming stable. We need housing units for the affected individuals, thus mainly tents for the time being although some have been provided already for accommodation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we do not want to encourage overcrowding at the various housing units".

He thanked Future Global Resources for giving out their resettlement project site to be used as the camp and the public for the continuous support.

GNA
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has demanded the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE of Burkina Faso and all the other political detainees.

The West African states have also decided to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions and is further demanding the immediate restoration of constitutional order by the militaries, urging them to remain republican by focusing on the role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.

ECOWAS arrived at this decision at its Extraordinary Session by Videoconference on 28th January 2022, under the chairmanship of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority.

The military in Burkina Faso announced that it had seized power on state television on Monday. An army officer cited the deteriorating security situation for the military takeover.

Burkina Faso is the third West African country to witness a military takeover in recent years. Guinea and Mali have had sanctions imposed on them by ECOWAS to press them to return to constitutional order.

Below is the full ECOWAS communique on Burkina Faso

EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN BURKINA FASO

1. The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an Extraordinary Session by Videoconference on 28th January 2022, under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority.

2. The Extraordinary Session was convened to review political developments in Burkina Faso in the wake of the coup dEtat that toppled the democratically elected government of H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kabore on 24th January 2022.

3. Present at the Summit were the under-listed ECOWAS Heads of State and Government or their duly mandated representatives:

 H. E. Patrice TALON, President of the Republic of Benin;

 H.E. Jose Maria NEVES, President of the Republic of Cabo Verde;

 H.E. Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Cote dIvoire;

 H.E. Adama BARROW, President of the Republic of The Gambia;

 H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO, President of the Republic of Ghana;

 H. E. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau;

 H.E. George Manneh WEAH, President of the Republic of Liberia;

 H.E. Muhammadu BUHARI, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

 H.E. Mohamed BAZOUM, President of the Republic of Niger;

 H.E. Julius Maada BIO, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone;

 H.E. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Togolese Republic;

 H. E. Sidiki KABA, Minister of Armed Forces of the Republic of Senegal.

4. The Session was also attended by:

 H.E. Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission;

 H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, President of the ECOWAS Commission;

 H.E. Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS); and

 H.E. Abdoulaye Diop, President of West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).

5. The Heads of State and Government took note of the Memorandum on the political situation in Burkina Faso presented by H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, President of the ECOWAS Commission. The Authority commended the quality of the report and took note of the recommendations contained therein.

6. The Authority, during deliberations, strongly condemns the coup d'Etat and expresses deep concern over the resurgence of military coups in the region following the coup dEtats in Mali on 18 August 2020, in Guinea on 5 September 2021 and in Burkina Faso on 24 January 2022. The coup dEtat in Burkina Faso was achieved by obtaining the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore under duress.

7. The Authority reaffirms its resolute commitment to upholding the zero tolerance for acceding power through unconstitutional means as enshrined in the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good governance and decides as follows:

a. Demands the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE and all the other political detainees;

b. Decides to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions;

c. Demands the immediate restoration of constitutional order by the militaries and urges them to remain republican by focusing on the role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country;

d. Instructs the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) to forthwith deploy a delegation to Burkina Faso to hold consultations with the military leaders to carry out an assessment of the security situation in the country and submit a report to be reviewed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government;

e. Further instructs the Commission to facilitate the deployment of a joint ECOWAS Ministerial Mission to Burkina Faso, led by the Chairperson of Council of Ministers on 31st January, 2022 to assess the political situation and submit their report to the Authority of Heads of State and Government. The United Nations Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel and the African Union will participate in this mission.

8. The Authority was also informed on the recent developments in the political situations in the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Guinea.

9. The Authority requests the Commission to finalize the on-going revision of the Protocol on Democracy and good governance.

10. The Authority decides to convene an Extraordinary Summit on 3rd February, 2022 in Accra, Ghana to re-examine the situation in Burkina, Guinea and Mali.

11. The Heads of State and Government express their deep gratitude to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his leadership in ensuring the success of the Summit.

---Classfmonline
Armed robbers have shot and killed a prison officer, Chief Officer Francis Dzaka Mawuyo on the Asiakwa-Apedwa stretch of the Accra-Kumasi highway.

The 59-year-old prison officer was shot in the face when he defied orders from a gang of robbers to hand over a bag he was carrying.

He was shot in the left eye and died instantly.

Confirming the incident, the Kibi Divisional Police revealed in a situational report that a distress call was received at the Information Room of the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters at Koforidua informing them of the robbery.

The robbers had blocked, stopped and robbed about 20 vehicles between Brimso and Enyinasi around 2.30am on Thursday, 27 January 2022.

The prison officer was onboard a Hyundai bus travelling from Kumasi towards Accra, which was also stopped by the robbers.

The report said: On the spot investigations disclosed that three armed men suspected to be of Fulani extraction stopped the vehicles and robbed the passengers of their properties, including cash and mobile phones.

It was further disclosed that the robbers demanded that the deceased surrendered his bag, but he resisted; as a result, one of the robbers armed with pump-action gun fired at him at close range by the left eye, killing him instantly. The robbers subsequently collected the bag of the deceased.

An amount of GHS340 and a prison ID card bearing the deceaseds name were found when a search was conducted on the deceased.

The deceased was stationed at the Kumasi Central Prisons until his demise.

He was scheduled to retire in June this year.

---classfmonline.com
29.01.2022 LISTEN

A gang of four armed robbers have been busted by the Police from their hideout at Circle, Accra.

The suspects were arrested in connection with a robbery operation on January 6, 2022, at Amasaman.

Police reports indicate that the four suspects accosted their two female victims at knifepoint at the Amasaman Forest on January 6, 2022, at about 11:00 pm.

In the course of the operation, the suspects forced one of their victims to transfer an amount of Three Thousand and Forty Ghana Cedis (GH 3, 040.00) from her mobile money wallet into a different account.

Through intelligence gathered, the Police arrested the four and upon interrogation, they admitted to having committed the crime.

A search conducted on them led to the retrieval of a cash sum of Three Thousand, One Hundred and Nine Ghana Cedis (GH 3,109.00). Other items recovered from them included two Tecno, two Itel, one Nokia and four Samsung phones together with a taxi cab with registration number GW 4453  21 which they admitted to being used in their robberies.

The suspects include Maxwell Nyame, Abraham Boadi, Prince Kwaku alias Wofa Kay and Nicholas Yaw Kyere

They are all currently in Police custody assisting the investigation.
The Veterinary Council of Ghana is calling on the government to fulfil its promise of employing more veterinary doctors and invest more in the area to position them to adequately tackle issues associated with Bird flu, swine flu among other emerging animal-related diseases in the country.

Stakeholders within the veterinary services space have over the years complained about what they describe as the neglect of their area by successive governments in Ghana.

They believe this does not put them in a better position to help prevent the spread of diseases such as bird flu, swine flu and many others.

It appears the situation is seeing some sort of improvement as tertiary institutions such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Ghana and the University for Development Studies are training more persons.

KNUST for instance, has since 2009 been training many people in the area and has so far had seven different batches graduating.

During KNUST 7th School of Veterinary Medicine oath swearing ceremony, various speakers stressed the need for authorities to pay serious attention to the field.

The members of the Veterinary Council of Ghana say they are worried that they have not been given the deserved attention.

Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony, the chairman of the council, Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim urged government to invest more in the area.

The government even promised that the investment will be in terms of vehicles and all that. This is because most of the time, these are logistics that we can work with. In order for us to control outbreaks, we need logistics such as vehicles and materials we use for biosecurity. The government actually promised that they were going to do something about this, that is why we want them to do it. They said they were going to employ about 1000 veterinary personnel. Basically, what we want the authorities to do is to employ more veterinary personnel. The government has to employ them to help control most of these diseases.

Another pressing issue the council wants addressed is the issue of illegal veterinary practitioners.

There are many paraprofessionals in the system. They are not controlled. Now that we have put it under one law, we want the government to give us the support because it has to go through the Attorney Generals department and all that, so that the bureaucratic processes would be curtailed, in order for it to be done easily.

In the wake of the outbreak of bird flu in many parts of the country, Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim wants all farmers to take biosecurity seriously.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the PRO Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Ellis-Owusu Dabo called on the newly sworn-in doctors to uphold the tenets of the profession and play roles in tackling pandemics, particularly, those that are linked with animals.

---citinewsroom
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) chapter in German has described the founder of defunct Capital Bank, William Ato Essien as a thief disguised as a businessman.

Mr. Essien is facing trial over a GHS620 million embezzlement uncovered during the financial sector clean up exercise by the government.

In Court earlier this month, the businessman offered to pay GHS130 million out of the GHS620 million to the state.

In a press release from NPP Germany on the matter, it says Mr. Ato Essien is one of the many thieves in the country disguised as businessmen.

This is a clearer example of some of the thieves within our countrys set up who have disguised themselves as businessmen but busily biting into what the nation owes," part of the NPP Germany released has said.

The release signed by Communications Director Nana Osei Boateng wants the likes of Ato Essien to be severely punished by the state.

The capital bank is part of the banks who had taken shelter in Bank of Ghana policies to help banks to perform. The owners of the bank took some millions of dollars and rather used it for their personal stuff. These are persons who need to be dealt with severely, brutally and be left to the cause of their crimes, the NPP Germany press release adds.

Below is the full release:

Press Release

NPP Germany

26.01.22

I CAN REFUND 157.5M OUT OF THE 620M CAPITAL BANK SCANDAL.

Ato Essien who is in the middle of the capital bank scandal, which has robbed thousands of Ghanaians off their deposited money and investments was in court. He says he can only pay $157.5m out of the $620m. The bigger question is where then is the remainder of our money.

This is a clearer example of some of the thieves within our countrys set up who have disguised themselves as businessmen but busily biting into what the nation owes.

The capital bank is part of the banks who had taken shelter in Bank of Ghana policies to help banks to perform. The owners of the bank took some millions of dollars and rather used it for their personal stuff. These are persons who need to be dealt with severely, brutally and be left to the cause of their crimes.

'Im attempting to seek out the details, these persons must be made to face the law as it is'. Mr. Ato Essien has once or more tried to distract the case by throwing in politics and sentimentalism but his attempts to go the Woyomi-way has not succeeded and now he has bowed to the law and is ready to be truthful. May he find the law in its equitable way.

God bless the State Attorneys protecting the public purse.

God bless Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his care for the depositors stake in the finance industry.

God bless Ghana and the NPP.

...Signed...

Nana Osei Boateng

NPP Germany Branch Communications Director.
Secretary of the University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) Professor Ransford Gyampo has stressed that his outfit will battle the National Labour Commission (NLC) in court.

UTAG and the NLC have been at each other's throat in the last few weeks after the latter ordered the former to return to the lecture halls.

NLC described their strike action as illegal.

On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the NLC filed an Application at the High Court to enforce its earlier directive to compel UTAG to call off its strike.

In the suit, the NLC also filed a motion ex-parte for interlocutory injunction, asking the court to grant their injunction without giving UTAG the opportunity to argue why it should not be restrained from continuing with its strike pending a final determination of the main motion.

Unfortunately for the NLC, the judge who looked at the suit considering the magnitude of the National Matter did not allow the NLCs motion to be moved.

Subsequently, the NLC has now filed another Motion for interlocutory injunction, this time on Notice.

In a statement that has followed from UTAG-UG Secretary Prof. Gyampo, he has emphasised, We will battle this out with our last sweat, Walai.

According to him, UTAG will face the NLC in Court next week to argue their case on why the injunction should not be granted.

Below is the statement from Prof. Ransford Gyampo:

UTAG-1, NLC-0

An Update on the NLCs Legal Suit of UTAG

On 25th January, 2022, the NLC filed an Application at the High Court to enforce its earlier directive to compel UTAG to call off its strike.

As part of this main suit, the NLC also filed a motion Ex parte for interlocutory injunction. Meaning they wanted the court to grant their injunction without notice to UTAG or giving UTAG the opportunity to argue why the UTAG should not be restrained from continuing with its strike pending a final determination of the main motion.

But a bold judge looking at the magnitude of this National Matter did not allow the NLCs motion to be moved. This explains why the NLC has now filed another Motion for interlocutory injunction, this time on Notice. This provides an opportunity for UTAG to be heard on why the injunction should not be granted. We will battle this out with our last sweat, Walai.

The cowardice practice of going surreptitiously to the courts to receive injunction order at the blind spot of labor, and splashing the order on social media is only indicative of the height of bad faith often demonstrated by a body expected to serve as an independent arbiter in labor dispute.

This is a big victory for rule of law and for UTAG. We will fight the remaining battles in court and do trust in the competence and independence of the judiciary in handling this serious matter and bringing finality to the battle for better conditions of service by labor.

Yaw Gyampo

A31, Prabiw

PAV Ansah Street

Saltpond

Suro Nipa House

Kubease

Larteh-Akuapim
Government intends to go ahead with a new 1.5% e-levy despite the rejection by the Minority in Parliament and opposition from a section of the public.

Speaking on The Big Issue, a deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, said the government was confident in the plan it had with respect to the levy.

We believe the 1.5 percent that we have in terms of the analysis that we haveis more robust and has been developed to a point that government can come in with an intervention without seeing the negative impact that has happened elsewhere, Mr. Kumah said.

He stressed further that the levy would ultimately benefit Ghanaians.

Why would an extra 1.5 percent make people feel like they are no longer going to [use mobile money] when they know the extra 1.5 percent is even to their own benefit because, at the end of the day, these taxes are for you and me.

The government met with the Minority on Friday, where the reduction from 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent was rejected.

According to Citi News sources, the reduction was informed by concessions from the telcos to reduce their 1 percent charge on transactions by up to 0.25 percent.

The e-levy was introduced by the government in the 2022 Budget on basic transactions related to digital payments and electronic platform transactions.

The rate in the budget was 1.75 percent and is to apply to electronic transactions that are more than GH100 on a daily basis.

This is in addition to the 1 percent telcos charge on transactions.

According to the budget, up to 0.25 percentage points of the 1.5 percent e-transaction levy or 16.7 percent of the yield from the levy, should be used to support road infrastructure development.

Ten percent of the 0.25 percentage points, i.e. 1.67 percent of the yield from the levy, is to be dedicated to the improvement in public transportation, including the purchase of buses.

The levy has sparked controversy because of its impact on mobile money transactions and poor Ghanaians that use it.

---citinewsroom
A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

DUBLIN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China.

The one-hour-long pre-recorded concert by Beijing Symphony Orchestra featured several classic and modern music pieces, both Chinese and foreign.

Meanwhile, over a dozen landmark buildings in Dublin, including The Mansion House, an official residence for Lord Mayor of Dublin, Convention Centre Dublin and Guinness Storehouse, will be lit up red to celebrate the Chinese New Year from Friday till Tuesday of Feb. 1, the day that marks the beginning of the 2022 Chinese New Year.

Earlier this week, the Dublin City Council held a launch ceremony of the Dublin Goes Red for Lunar New Year event at the Dublin City Gallery. Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland, Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong, and chief executive officer of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons attended the event.

Gilliland told Xinhua that "Dublin has been celebrating the lunar new year for decades and it is really important for us that we showcase the various heritages of our city."

"During the pandemic, we all need something to brighten our lives. And this festival, over several days and nights, will provide that not just for Dubliners but everyone across the country," she said.

The Dublin Lunar New Year Festival was first introduced in 2008. This year's festival is expected to be one of the largest cultural events in Ireland after the country scrapped most of the COVID-19 restrictions about a week ago.

During the 10-day festival that lasts till Feb. 6, a variety of events aiming to introduce Chinese culture, arts, films, martial arts, and cuisine will be held online and offline.

In a message posted on the website of Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, Irish President Michael D. Higgins wished the Chinese community in Ireland a happy and safe new year and thanked them for their positive contributions to the Irish nation. 

A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

A building is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)

A museum is lit up in red to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 28, 2022. Dublin Lunar New Year Festival, an annual event organized by Dublin City Council, started here on Friday with an online evening concert presented by artists from China. (Photo by Liu Xiaoming/Xinhua)
Health officials in the Western Region have reacted to claims that they collected money from some of the victims of the Appiatse explosion when government had already released money for such services.

Addressing the press on Friday to respond to the allegations, the Western Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah, explained that, out of the 348 victims that were being taken care of at various health facilities in the region; only two had their relatives procuring some essential items and medicine that were in short supply at some of the health centres.

He further said the Western Regional Health Service is committed to providing free healthcare to all the victims of the disaster.

The Health Service facilities have so far attended to 348 victims and I can confirm that the victims are currently receiving free medical treatment. Unfortunately, we run out of some essential items, such as orthopaedic plates and some critical drugs. Relatives of two out of the 348 cases who have attended our facilities procured these items from private sources during the emergency.

The Regional Health Directorate under my leadership has already directed the facilities involved to refund the expenditure incurred to the families and rather include them in the bills being collated for reimbursement. I wish to reiterate the government's decision to offer free care to accident victims. All the Ghana Health Services facilities in the region will continue to offer free care to the accident victims in accordance with the declaration by the Vice President, he said.

Flanked by the Deputy Western Regional Director of Health, Dr. Gifty Amugi and the Medical Director of Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, the Western Regional Director of Health Services did not deny or confirm if Effia-Nkwanta Hospital is one of the hospitals that made patients pay for logistics and medicine.

All but two of the cases have either been discharged or stable in our hospitals. We however lost two of the victims, one at the Tarkwa Government hospital and the other at Wassa Akropong hospital. The victims in admission are currently receiving quality care in our facilities which includes three(3) at Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, some at Tarkwa Hospital Regional Hospital, some attending OPD at Bogoso Health centre and Wassa Akropong government hospital, he added.

The Western Regional Director of Health also indicated that his outfit has established a health post at the internally displaced persons' site at Bogoso to provide essential primary care services to the people, while psycho-social support is also being arranged for survivors and their relatives with a team of E&T specialists also sent to conduct a hearing assessment as about 40 people have reported some hearing challenges.

At least 13 people were killed, and 179 others injured in the explosion, which occurred on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by a collision between a vehicle transporting explosives to a mining site and a tricycle.

The truck that was involved in the explosion was heading to Chirano Gold Mines.

---citinewsroom
The mother of one of the two gang leaders wanted in connection with the recent deadly clash in Nima, Accra, has threatened to deal with the enemies of her son, Ibrahim Hussein aka Kumodzi.

Speaking from her base in the United States via social media, the woman known to residents of Nima 441 simply as Mother, claimed what has befallen her son is the handiwork of his enemies who want to destroy him out of sheer envy.

Jealous Landguards

Those who want her son destroyed are landguards whose business collapsed, she said, adding such persons are envious of my son because they do not know the source of his prosperity. There is no longer land for them to guard. They have ruined their lives by becoming drug addicts.

She claims that her son is being framed up for destruction. I am the mother of Kumodzi. I have spoken to eyewitnesses including his wife about what happened in Nima. Kumodzi went to change some money and was accompanied by his friend.

The other gang leader Ali Awudu alias Bombon upon spotting him at the place sent one of his boys to go and start a fight with him. He was asked why he turned up at the place when he had earlier been told not to do so. He asked what right the boy had to restrict his movements. My son was given a hefty blow on his face. My son wanted to retaliate but decided not to and rather got in his car and left the scene.

Continuing, she claimed Bombon's boys returned in the afternoon with weapons. I have a 97-year-old woman in the house. There was fear and panic all over the place as women screamed for help. The boys shot into our house. My son's friend was shot in the leg.

Direct Aim

Bombon's boys, she claimed, took direct aim at her son, their aim being to kill him as they wielded firearms. This boy has a record of murders in the area. I have evidence about such murders, she claimed, adding he once murdered a boy.

During the second fight, my son too was shot. There was no death. When I asked about fatalities the figures kept changing from four until it got to zero, she disclosed.

The videos which went viral during the clash, according to her, did not reflect the true picture on the ground. Someone even remarked that they were old videos. They were sent out because they hate my son, she indicated.

According to her, a young man who was in town from the US and a friend of her son picked the wounded person after he was shot and took him to the hospital, but was arrested as a suspect.

What are the police telling us? Are they saying that when we chance upon wounded persons we should not help them?' she asked.

Good Person

Her son, she claimed, is a good person who has rather been helping the community by 'arresting' the bad persons.

She recalled his efforts in tracking down a rape suspect at Ashaiman but when he sent the suspect to the Nima Police Station they let the suspect go.

I need justice for my son. If they cannot reward my son they should not defame him. My son has seven children, she said, adding my son did not fight them. They attacked him. They shot him. I will deal with them. One life is being sought for destruction.

May God deal with those who want to destroy my son. Enemies are not God. They want to kill him out of envy. God will deal with Bombon.

Kumodzi and Bombon are currently at large and the police have placed a bounty of GH20,000 on their heads.

However, Kumodzi's mom's story is at variance with what many have about him.

Fresh Arrest

The police in collaboration with the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), on Sunday, January 23, arrested one of the young men allegedly involved in the violence, bringing to 10, the number of suspects picked up so far.

Farouk Dauda alias Omondi, 31, who escaped during the melee when the police was approaching, was finally arrested at his hideout in Accra.

According to a police statement, during interrogation, he admitted his involvement in the said clash.

He was captured in a viral video wielding a machete and during interrogation, admitted he was the same person in the video footage.

A search conducted on him led to the retrieval of a wrapped substance suspected to be Indian hemp.

Court Appearance

Last Friday, seven persons who were arrested in connection with the violent clash were remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.

They included Abdul Gafaru Mahama, Atarouwa Bassam, Abdul Mumuni Gariba, Mohammed Saabi Barinu aka Namer, Bashiru Ganiru, Illiasu Salim and Issah Seidu who were put in the dock, charged with two counts of rioting with weapons and causing harm.

Ali Awudu aka Bombon and Ibrahim Hussein aka Kumodzi, who are said to be the gang leaders of the two rival groups that clashed, are still at large while Aziz Suleman aka Rambo and Ibrahim Moro aka Jalo are on admission at the Police Hospital due to injuries they sustained during the brutal attacks.

Sporadic firing of arms between the two rival gangs at Nima and Mamobi in Accra last Tuesday evening had one person being hit by a stray bullet and others sustaining injuries.

---Daily Guide
29.01.2022 LISTEN

The question that Ghanaians ought to ponder over is: Why do our ruling-elites not incentivise whistleblowing? It could be done by simply passing new laws to indemnify whistleblowers who help recover stolen public funds, from prosecution, and rewarding them with 25 percent of such recovered stolen funds. Will that not help us retrieve trillions of old cedis regularly siphoned off by big-thieves-in-high-places? Haaba.

It is also worth pointing out the fact that Ghana's finance minister, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta, made his fortune, mostly from commissions and fees earned from investment products, sold by Databank.

As it happens, some of his critics have accused him of focusing on policies that earn fees and commissions for regime-cronies in Ghana's financial services sector - to the longterm detriment of Mother Ghana. That is a moot point, in my humble view.

However, that he is not suited, to be in charge of our country's finances, is now obvious to many independent-minded and discerning-folk, across Ghana.

Some of us made that point, early on, during the first term of President Akufo-Addo's government - when it became clear that far from not borrowing, as they had promised Ghanaians, while campaigning for power, in 2016, he and his colleagues were rather going to saddle Ghana with yet more debt, which would end up crippling our nation: for which reason we thought the president was better off without him, strategically.

In light of their debilitating-penchant for borrowing, for the umpteenth time, Ken Ofori-Atta and his colleagues, need to be told to the face that they must stop borrowing for infrastructure projects. It doesn't make sense.

Ghanafuo, the provision and expansion of our infrastructure, ought to be outsourced to private sector companies - which should bid competitively, in transparent public tenders: to self-finance, build, own and operate roads, markets, railway lines, airports, etc., etc., and then hand them over to the state, after say 35 years, during which their profits should not be taxed. Simple. Case closed. Haaba.

If that becomes government policy, will we not still get all the roads, bridges, modern railway network, airports, markets, etc., etc., that we need, that way - without incurring yet more debt: and saddling future generations of our people with crippling interest payments that never end? Haaba.

The trouble about the arrogant sods now in power in Ghana, is that they are full of themselves - yet haven't a clue about creating empowering-opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive, and drive growth, create wealth and generate meaningful jobs: all in sustainable fashion.

Instead of relying on the e-levy, funding for innovative start-ups, creating wealth and meaningful jobs, at any given point in time, ought to be from the annual U.S.$200 million gold royalties' cash, oooo, Ghanafuo. Yoooooooo...

One challenges those twits to tell us why the nation shouldn't give U.S. $50 million from the annual U.S.$200 million gold royalties cash, to the Forest Research Institute (FRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), for example, to develop green leather from mushrooms - to create a new green industrial sector export-niche, producing and selling high-end luxury-class shoes, bags, apparel, and other luxury leather goods, globally, to create wealth that stays locally, and meaningful bootstrapping-jobs, nationwide, for our younger generations. Haaba.

And, if innovative road construction companies, such as TerraFusion International, were invited to self-finance the reconstruction of Ghana's entire rural road network, into a tolled-network of world-class roads, and operate them for 35 years without their being taxed, won't that ensure food security and create prosperity for smallholder farmers nationwide, without burdening hapless taxpayers in the process? Haaba.

Finally, why do our ruling-elites not incentivise whistleblowing, to stop the siphoning off of trillions of old cedis of public funds, into private pockets, to enrich Ghana's big-thieves-in-high-places, who are ruthlessly milking Mother Ghana dry, with their endless-greed?

Can that not be done by the simple measure of granting whistleblowers, who enable stolen public funds to be successfully recovered, indemnity from prosecution - and offered 25 percent of such recovered-sums, as the reward for their patriotism? Will that not end corruption in our country? The time has now come for the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and his colleagues, to start outsourcing infrastructure projects to the private sector and incentivising whistleblowing with cash rewards, to save Mother Ghana from ruination, oooo, Ghanafuo. Yooooooo..
A fire outbreak on Saturday morning at the Tamale Aboabo market has destroyed about 10 shops.

Goods including cereals, yams and shea nuts were also destroyed.

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service had a tough time dousing the fire, but succeeded in preventing the inferno from spreading to other shops.

This is one of several fire incidences recorded at the Aboabo market and has almost become an annual ritual.

An affected shop owner who spoke to Citi News said most of my goods have been destroyed by the fire. I will need government to support me back on my feet because I do not know where to start from.

This is very devastating. My goods are gone, and I will need to find money to bounce back. We need support, another affected shop owner said.

According to the Fire Service, preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical fault was the cause of the fire.

He, however, said his outfit will conduct further investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire.

We can not tell the cause of the fire for now, but all indications are that, it is electricity. But we are not confirming that yet until we commence investigations.

Meanwhile, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in the Northern Region, ADO II Baba Hudu, expressed concern about the lack of water in the water hydrant, saying they had to resort to private water tankers to quench the fire.

Our challenge is water supply. The augmentation of water becomes a difficulty to us. We have to even invite private water tankers to supply or to augment the supply of water, meanwhile, we have two hydrants just lying close to the incident, but it is not working. Theyve even built on the other one. This is our challenge. Water is our weapon, without water its just like a farmer going to farm without a cutlass.

---citinewsroom
29.01.2022 LISTEN

The Asharq Al-Awsat reported that the official news agency MAP said, Morocco on Thursday inaugurated construction of an anti-Covid vaccine manufacturing plant in partnership with Swedish firm Recipharm.

MAP said that the factory to be known as Sensyo Pharmatech will produce vaccines against coronavirus and other diseases, with production expected to reach 116 million units in 2024.

It said that it was launched in Benslimane, a region of Morocco's economic hub Casablanca during a ceremony attended by King Mohammed VI.

The plant will need investments of between 400-500 million euros ($445 million-$557 million).

MAP said that it is aimed at ensuring vaccine "self-sufficiency" for the North African kingdom.

Its goal is to make, between 2022 and 2025, "active substances for more than 20 vaccines, three of which would be against coronavirus... to cover 70 percent of the kingdom's needs and more than 60 percent of needs across Africa", the agency said.

Morocco is already producing the Chinese anti-Covid Sinopharm vaccine, with more than three million doses being made per month.

By next month it plans on producing five million doses and more than 20 million by the end of the year.

Home to 36 million inhabitants, Morocco is hoping that its vaccination drive will help eradicate Covid-19. More than 23 million people have already received a second dose against coronavirus, according to the health ministry.

Authorities hope to vaccinate 80 percent of the population with either Sinopharm or Pfizer-BioNTech.

In July, Recipharm said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco and a consortium of the country's leading banks to build a factory to produce vaccines and biotherapeutics in the kingdom.

As part of the deal, it said in a statement at the time, $500 million would be invested into the project by the Moroccan government and consortium.

It said: "The investment is primarily to supply the African continent and help it gain vaccine sovereignty and access to future biotherapeutics."

Source: aawsat
The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region will, effective February 1 deploy Environmental Health officers across the municipality to enforce the Operation Clean Your Frontage initiative.

It has, therefore, encouraged all citizens in the municipality to participate in the initiative to avoid falling foul to the sanitation bye-law.

The sanitation by-law states that, "A person who undertakes any commercial or industrial activity shall ensure that the drains and frontage of that premise up to the middle of the road are clean and kept neat at all times."

Also by the national law, "any person who fails to keep the above standards contravenes section 296 sub-section 18 of Act 29/60."

The Assembly, in a statement signed and issued by Mr Nii Adjei Tawiah, Municipal Chief Executive, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said any person found culpable would be prosecuted.

In view of this, Environmental Health officers will be going round all electoral areas in the municipality to inspect and ensure compliance of the sanitation provisions to promote a clean and healthy environment.

"All are encouraged to play their part as responsible citizens in the municipality," the statement added.

The "Operation Clean Your Frontage" was introduced by the government as part of measures to better the sanitation situation in Accra.

The initiative, being championed by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, is under the auspices of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and the 'Let's make Accra work' agenda.

The initiative has received little participation and patronage from the public since it was launched in October, last year.

GNA
The Ghana Airport Company Limited has raised a number of concerns against McDan Aviations private jet operations and a terminal at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The company launched the private terminal and services on Friday, January 28, 2022, at an event boycotted by leadership of the Ghana Airport Company Limited and government officials.

Leaders within the sector, including the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, refused to attend the event following issues raised against the firm by the Ghana Airport Company Limited.

Financial obligations not met

A letter the GACL wrote to the Minister of Transport on January 24, 2022 and sighted by Citi News explained that, while McDan Aviation had satisfied all operational requirements to enable it open for business, it was yet to fulfil its financial obligations to Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL). McDan owes GACL a total of US$4,505,034 and GHS227,293 respectively.

It disclosed further that as part of negotiating a payment plan, McDan paid GHS1,000,000 on January 19, 2022.

The Ghana Airport Company also said McDan Aviation is yet to agree on a Fixed Base Operator (Private Jet Terminal Operator) license fee with GACL.

Alleged breaches

GACL in a letter dated January 28, 2022, directed McDan Aviation to suspend the commissioning ceremony following some alleged breaches.

The Ghana Airport Company, in the letter to McDan, said it had engaged in several activities without prior approval from GACL which have typically called for emergency corrective actions.

It cited the commencement of the construction of the private jet terminal without a Plan of Construction Operation approval from GACL as an example.

We only became aware of your construction activities during routine security patrols, and we had to ask you to stop and submit a PCO [Plan of Construction Operation] for review and approval before construction continued.

McDan Aviation received a license to operate as a fixed-base operator at the airport in 2019.

The letter from the Ghana Airport Company requested that McDan Aviation should postpone the launch of the private jet lounge yesterday.

GACL said it was given short notice to offer logistical support, among others, at the commissioning ceremony.

The nature of our work demands that we should have been given a reasonable period of notice to enable us plan adequately through engagement of relevant staff and stakeholders.

The Ghana Airport Company also said, all attempts to meet with you for discussions in connection with the proposed inauguration over the past three days failed as a result of your failure to turn up for the planned meetings.

The conduct of McDan Aviation also presented security concerns, according to the airport company.

It said security was heavily breached at the terminal on January 27 because of the parking of several vehicles in front of the terminal building.

What makes this disturbing is that beyond verbal admonition, we had written to you the previous day, January 26, 2022, to the effect that cars could not be parked there.

Inaugural ceremony

McDan Aviation's private jet services will cater to high-end clientele with a sense of optimising luxury, and for corporate executives seeking to leverage a quick and efficient commute for the purpose of business.

Speaking during the launch on Friday evening, the Chief Executive of the McDan Group, Daniel Mckorley, said he was elated this plan had come to fruition.

I have a lot of joy in my heart because what everybody thought was impossible, we have made it possible, Mr. Mckorley said.

We have a very strong team that has supported me. Ghana Airport Company has really supported me. Civil Aviation Authority has supported me, he added.

According to him, jets shouldnt just be viewed as just a luxury, and his plan is to bring private jets to the doorsteps of the diplomatic corps, politicians and the business community as a whole.

He further urged Ghanaian businesses to make similar investments in Ghana.

I believe this current government is a business government, and it is supporting us and will support us to make a very big difference and a big impact.

---Citi Newsroom
The government is expecting Mobile Money transactions to drop by 24 percent after the introduction of the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy, a deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, has said.

Speaking on The Big Issue, Mr. Kumah said the government also had a plan to boost education on the controversial e-levy.

A [recent] research show that there will be a about 24 percent attrition rate in the three months to six months that we will introduce it.

The research also told us what should be done to bring back these people after a while, and we have all these things in place, Mr. Kumah said.

It is a matter of engagement and letting people understand that, don't avoid it. It is your pride of place as a Ghanaian to know that your contribution is helping to build your country.

Mr. Kumah also said the government is more than confident that the level of attrition rate will not lead to job losses.

The government has proposed a new 1.5 percent rate for the levy, which was earlier pegged at 1.75%, despite the rejection by the Minority in Parliament and opposition from a section of the public.

Among the critics have been mobile money vendors who fear job losses in their sector.

In line with these concerns, the Mobile Money Association of Ghana petitioned the Minority caucus in Parliament to push for the rejection of the tax policy.

It also called for more consultations on the issue.

The value of mobile money transactions reached GH89.1 billion in 2021 after a 96.7 percent increase from the previous year.

The government has defended the unpopular levy as being necessary to widen the tax net, arguing that it could raise an extra GH 6.9 billion to execute developmental projects in 2022 and beyond.

---citinewsroom
In a world with over 7 billion people, more than 10 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered by the end of January 2022. But more than 3 billion people globally have not received even their first vaccine dose yet. Despite having enough of vaccine doses to protect the most at risk from COVID-19, we have failed to vaccinate equitably. Are some more equal than others? Mahatma Gandhi had rightly said that our world has enough for everyone's need but not for any one's greed.

Only 7% of the people in Africa have had a single dose of vaccine by the end of January 2022. In several countries, less than 50% of most at risk people, including healthcare workers and other frontline workers, have been vaccinated. More than half of world's countries will fail to meet the global goal of vaccinating at least 70% of the population by June 2022.

Nine out of every ten persons who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated, are somewhere between 20 and 50 times less likely to be admitted to hospital said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Emergencies Programme in a media briefing. This protection against acute disease of COVID-19 goes up in those vaccinated people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, such as those with co-morbidities. Reality is that the vast majority of people who are arriving in hospitals due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated added Dr Ryan.

Due to vaccine inequity, as well as due to the appalling failure to break the chain of infection transmission, the number of new COVID-19 cases are soaring high. Highest weekly number of new cases since the beginning of the pandemic in December 2019, was reported in the fourth week of January 2022 (more than 21 million cases), said Dr Ishwar Gilada, noted infectious diseases expert, who was in conversation with CNS (Citizen News Service). This was 2 million more as reported in the third week of January 2022 and 6 million more as reported in the second week - such high weekly numbers of COVID-19 cases were reported neither in 2021 nor in 2020.

It is high time we fully understand the risk of failing to break the chain of infection transmission and patchy vaccination coverage: more the virus circulates in our population, more is the risk of new mutations and the emergence of newer variants.

Who is responsible for putting unvaccinated people at heightened risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation or even death? It is not the shortage of vaccines that failed us, but the same-old deep-seated inequity and social injustice that has historically failed us on a range of human development indices, has botched up vaccine rollout too.

We can have all the technology and innovation but if we do not have the mechanisms to ensure that the fruits of science, technology and innovation will be shared equitably, then we will fail. So far in this pandemic, the greatest failure has been our inability to deliver these life-saving tools to the people who will benefit most, rightly said Dr Michael Ryan.

Gandhi's Talisman

He echoed what Mahatma Gandhi had said in his Talisman almost a century back: "I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test- "Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and self will melt away."

Undoubtedly, if we are to deliver on the promise of Health For All, then the health system must meet the needs of the poorest of the poor and weakest of the weak in a just and equitable manner. And the same quality of service which goes to the weakest of the weak person should be a benchmark for everyone else.

Reducing pressure on health systems is a compelling priority

As most of the people currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated, this pressure on the health system could have been avoided had we equitably vaccinated everyone in the past one year since the vaccine rollout began. When the health system comes under pressure due to COVID-19, then healthcare services for health conditions other than COVID-19 get jeopardized resulting in needless human suffering and untimely deaths.

The best way to avoid pressure on the health system is to ensure that the highest proportion of people in our population have a full course of vaccine, particularly those who are in high-risk groups and those with underlying conditions.

Agrees Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Technical Lead for COVID-19: From an individual point of view, COVID-19 vaccination is so critical because it prevents you needing to go to the hospital by reducing your risk of developing serious disease. This will also free up those hospital beds and services for people who need them for COVID-19 or for other health conditions.

Virus may not go away but a path out of emergency is possible

The SARS-CoV-2 virus may not disappear but reducing the risk of getting infected with it is possible. It is also possible to reduce the risk of health emergencies like hospitalization, need for oxygen or ventilator or intensive care services, or untimely death. The virus is not going to go away but what can go away is the emergency. We can reduce the hospitalizations and deaths, and thereby restrictions said Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, if we fully vaccinate all eligible people equitably and timely, particularly those who are at a higher risk of the disease.

Dr Mike Ryan sums it up well: "we are defined as a civilization not by how we treat the wealthiest people, but by how we treat the most vulnerable - that is the measure of our society and right now we are not measuring up."

Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant  CNS (Citizen News Service)

(Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant lead the editorial team at CNS (Citizen News Service). Follow them on Twitter @Shobha1Shukla and @BobbyRamakant)
In this edition some of the topical aviation industry stories between January 24 and 29, 2022 which are of relevance to Ghanaian travellers and readers are summarized as follows:

RwandAir Offering Discounted Sales for South African Flights

RwandAir has announced a 20% discount on its fares for its customers travelling to/from South Africa.

Per the terms, travellers are to use the promo code WBPROMO20 to enjoy the discount. Also, the offer will run until February 28, 2022, and will be valid for travel until December 10, 2022.

Bad Weather Forces Delta to Cancel Flights between New York and Accra

Strong winds and snow in some parts of the United States have forced Delta Air Lines and others to cancel some of their flight operations. As of the time of putting this piece together, Delta had its flights between New York and Accra cancelled for January 28 and 29, 2022.

Ethiopian Airlines Resumes Operations to Dubai

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the resumption of passenger services to Dubai effective January 29, 2022. Passengers departing from Accra via its hub in Addis Ababa will have to check the airline's website for covid-19 protocols for entry into Dubai via transit points.

McDan Aviation Opens Ghanas First Private Jet Terminal

McDan Aviation on January 28, 2022, officially inaugurated Ghanas first commercial private jet operations terminal at the Kotoka International Airport. The company will operate chartered flight services among others from KIAs Terminal 1 for corporate entities and private citizens with financial capabilities.

Facilities within the terminal are a conference room, VIP lounge, presidential suite, among others.

Royal Air Maroc Preparing to Resume Operations in February

According to multiple reports in Morocco, Royal Air Maroc is preparing to resume operations to and from Morocco on February 7, 2022. The decision follows the suspension of all operations by the airline on

December 29, 2021, after the government of Morocco, closed its borders.

United Opens Flight Training School

United Airlines this week opened its flight training school in Arizona to train pilots as part of its plans to recruit at least 10,000 new pilots by 2030.

The United Aviate Academy which seeks to train at least 5,000 pilots for the airline by 2030 has 80% of its first class of students being women or people of colour.

GACL Calls on McDan to Postpone Inauguration of Private Jet Terminal

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) in a strongly-worded letter dated January 28, 2022, called on McDan Aviation to postpone the inauguration of the commercial private jet terminal at the Kotoka International Airport. The GACL attributes its reason to the persistent disregard of aviation safety and security procedures by McDan.

Despite GACLs letter, the event came off as planned on January 28, 2022.

Fully Vaccinated Persons to Travel to the UK Without Covid-19 Tests

The UK Government has announced that all persons who have been fully vaccinated against covid-19 will no longer be required to undergo any further covid-19 tests entry tests when travelling to the UK effective 4 am on February 11, 2022.

Persons below 18years will be classified as fully vaccinated.

Baby Jet Airlines not relocating to Cote DIvoire

The Management of Ghanaian registered airline company, Baby Jet Airlines has indicated that contrary to social media reports, it will not be relocating its headquarters to Cote DIvoire.

Reports on social media were that Asamoah Gyan, a former captain of the national team was relocating his business due to the bureaucracy affecting its commercialization plans.

Insurance Commission Debunks Reports of Compulsory Insurance Purchase for Arriving International Travellers

The National Insurance Commission has called on the general public especially international travellers arriving in Ghana to disregard reports of compulsory purchase of an insurance policy dubbed Akwaaba Insurance effective March 2022.

The commission says at the moment such a policy has not been approved yet.

Despite Seeking to Partner Government Establish National Airline

According to media reports, the owner of the Despite Group of Companies, Osei Kwame Despite has expressed interest in helping to partner with the government in setting up a national airline for Ghana. Per the reports, he intends to establish an airline company, Ashanti Airlines to partner with the government.

Authored:

Mark Ofosu || Twitter: M__ofosu
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has commended China for hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has commended China for hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

"We follow with a lot of excitement the Beijing 2022 Olympics and Paralympics Winter Games. We wish the Government and the People of China best wishes in hosting this world greatest event," President Hassan said late Friday on her official twitter account.

An ice maker sprays water over sub-glacial Olympic rings on the track at the Yanqing National Sliding Center ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Yanqing District of Beijing, China, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

President Hassan joined Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi who on Jan. 22 voiced his support for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics via social media, wishing it a great success.

"I am looking forward to the successful convening of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic Games is a sport festival for all mankind, so it shouldn't be politicized, and should stay away from politics," he said. "It is only via respecting the Olympic spirit and transcending politics that we can finally realize the mission for global unity and the Olympic creed and motto: faster, higher, and stronger."

On Jan. 25, the Tanzania National Olympic Committee wished China a successful Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

"We are looking forward to a successful Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics like the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games," said Gulam Rashid, the president of the Tanzania National Olympic Committee.

Rashid told Xinhua in an interview that Tanzania fully supported China in hosting the Winter Olympic Games although the east African nation will not participate because it does not have winter games. 
The timely intervention by residents and fire officers prevented a fire at an unused hospital facility in the Oforikrom Municipality in the Ashanti Region from spreading to adjoining buildings and shops on Saturday.

The fire affected four out of seven rooms at the facility, which was used as a private hospital at Oforikrom.

The scene of the fire is located in a busy area where woodworkers and other shop owners ply their activities.

Fire officers have commenced investigations to ascertain the cause of the inferno since no one currently occupies the building.

The Manhyia District Commander of the Ghana Fire Service, D.O 1 Amos Abban, who spoke to Citi News about the incident, said the fire caused damage to some medical items and record books that were kept in the non-operational hospital facility.

---citinewsroom
Stabbed Police officer receiving treatment for his head wounds

29.01.2022 LISTEN

An officer at the Kwabenya Police Station has been left with multiple head wounds after an attack by a Nigerian man.

From a Police report, the Nigerian identified as Hakimu stormed the Police station on Friday, January 28, 2022, and threatened to kill four persons who had reported him for fear of their lives.

He subsequently attacked the station officer on duty and stabbed him multiple times in the head with a sharp knife.

After punching another officer and making an attempt to flee, he was pursued and shot dead.

On 21/01/22, Linda Akpor reported a case of threat of death against a Nigerian national now deceased Hakimu Friday who happened to be her co-tenant. Case under investigation. Then today, 28/01/22, now deceased Hakimu Friday threatened to kill Ikena Alozi and one Peter, both Nigerians and Richlove Kwabena Ahiavor, a Ghanaian. The three reported the case at Kwabenya Hills Police station.

Whiles the complainants were with the investigator, D/L/Cpl Albert Azameti at the station the deceased entered the office with a sharp knife and threatened to kill anyone who confronts him. The deceased went straight to the station officer, Inspector Osei Yaw and stabbed him several times on the head and also caused damage to the office furniture. He later turned his attention on the investigator and punched him on the face injuring him as well, a Police report has said.

The report continues, Deceased also caused damage to other office and the glass doors and windows. Police in an attempt to immobilize the now deceased whilst trying to flee, he was fired upon and he died whiles being conveyed to hospital. Body deposited at the Police Hospital Morgue. The Kwabenya District Crime Officer has visited the scene to assess the situation.

While investigations are ongoing, the injured Police officers have all been treated and discharged.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the Somali Media Association (SOMA) jointly condemn the recent detentions, beatings and death threats against journalists in Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Somaliland.

On the evening of Monday 24 January, Hirshabelle police officers in Beledweyne led by Beledweyne police commissioner, Mohamed Hussein Mohamud (Duur-dage), stopped Radio Hiiraan Weyn journalist, Abdullahi Ali Abukar, while on his way to home from work after covering a violent protest in the city which was sparked by the deployment of new federal forces from Mogadishu into Beledweyne. After stopping the journalist, the officers harassed and beat him with their guns before ordering him to clear heavy stones left on the middle of the road by the demonstrators that day. Abdullahi was let go after nearly an hour as officers threatened with shooting if he looks back to the officers.

Abdullahi was among seven journalists detained after the police raided and shut down Radio Hiiraan Weyn in Beledweyn on 21 January following the radios coverage on a local militia group opposing the regional authorities.

On 20 January, Galmudugs Guriel police commissioner, Osman Ali Hudey detained two freelance reporters Abdulkadir Abdullahi Mohamed and Mohamed Abdiweli Tohow in Guriel town after they have covered news stories about the recent operations conducted by Somali Gorgor commandos deployed into the region by the Federal Government of Somalia. According to the journalists, they were held at the Guriel police station until Saturday night 22 January when they were freed without charges.

On 12 January, Somaliland police in Aynaba detained Horn Cable TV reporter, Ali Adan Dirir after a morning raid on his apartment in Aynaba town following a reporting assignment in which he covered the distribution of drinking water trucking donated by a popular clan elder for the rural families affected by the desert locust and droughts. The police officers also confiscated and damaged the journalists camera and laptop. Dirir told SJS that he was interrogated and held at the police station until 15 January when, and without a lawyer, a local judge ordered his release since the police failed to provide adequate charges.

On 4 January, Somaliland intelligence officers detained freelance online journalist Abdisalan Ahmed Awad following a raid on his home in Hargeisa and was held in undisclosed location for five days. According to Abdisalan and colleagues, his arrest followed his postings on social media that criticised Somaliland authorities for jailing Abdimalim Muse Oldon, a local social activist currently detained in Somaliland. He was freed five days later and was not charged.

SJS and SOMA are relived that our colleagues who were detained in Galmudug and Somaliland were all freed. We are concerned that detaining journalists on the basis of their reporting has now become the norm in all regions of the country. This norm has a chilling effect that may restrict the ability of the media to expose allegations of wrongdoings by the authorities including alleged human rights abuses. We jointly call for the end of the culture of impunity for government officials who target journalists in Somalia.

We strongly condemn the repeated violence against journalists  particularly those in Hirshabelle. We call all authorities to stop targeting journalists for doing their job, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said, It is unacceptable that arbitrary detentions are now used widely to threaten press freedom in Somalia. These actions together with other types of threats have created a climate of fear and perpetuated impunity in Somalia. Government officials who commit these violations should not get away with it. They must be held accountable."

We are concerned about the increased targeting of journalists by authorities in Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Somaliland. We demand the safety of the journalists, Mohamed Osman Makaran, the Secretary General of the Somali Media Association (SOMA) said. When journalists are detained, beaten and threatened with violence there will not be free, independent media and the public will not be able to make informed decisions and hold leaders accountable.
The Central government on Friday appointed V Anantha Nageswaran as the Chief Economic Advisor.

Prior to this, Nageswaran has worked as a writer, author, teacher and consultant.

He has taught at several business schools and institutes of management in India and in Singapore and has published extensively.

He was also a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India from 2019 to 2021.

He was the Dean of the IFMR Graduate School of Business and a distinguished Visiting Professor of Economics at Krea University.

He holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Nageswaran passed out with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 1985.

He obtained a doctoral degree in Finance from the University of Massachusetts in 1994 for his work on the empirical behaviour of exchange rates.

Between 1994 and 2004, he worked for Union Bank of Switzerland (now UBS) and for Credit Suisse in Switzerland and in Singapore.

In July 2006, he joined Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. in Singapore as the Head of Research for Asia. In March 2009, he was appointed as the Chief Investment Officer for the bank, and has been consulting, writing and teaching since July 2011.

Nageswaran has been an adjunct faculty with the Singapore Management University and with the Wealth Management Institute at the Nanyang Technological University, and is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of NPS International School, Singapore.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of several companies in India, including TVS Logistics and Aparajitha Corporate Services (P) Limited.

He was Dean, IFMR Graduate School of Business (Krea University) from October 2018 to December 2019.

In October 2019, he was appointed as a part-time member to the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister of India for a period of two years.

He helped co-found Aavishkaar Venture Capital (Venture Capital Investor in Social Enterprises) and the Takshashila Institution (a public policy think-tank cum teaching institute). His co-authored books, 'Economics of Derivatives' and 'Derivatives' were published by the Cambridge University Press in March 2015 and October 2017 respectively. Another co-authored work, 'Can India grow?' has been published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in November 2016.

His recent book, "The Rise of Finance: Causes, Consequences and Cures" has been published in 2019 by Cambridge University Press.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Sara Rubin here, thinking about how some challenges are almost too big to perceive. Something like trying to identify all life in the ocean? Its such a wildly ambitious goal that when Kakani Katija told me she aspires toward that, I assumed she was referring to a legacy-type dreamsomething that might happen generations later.

But shes talking about here and now. I interviewed Katija, principal engineer of the Bioinspiration Lab at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, for a feature story in this weeks print edition of the Monterey County Weekly. (Just pause for a moment to appreciate that nameBioinspiration Laba reference to a big part of what animates her work, a goal of finding information in undersea life that might be useful to humans. In one case, observing the swimming patterns of Tomopteris worms presents an inspirationbioinspiration, that isfor possibly making more effective robotics that can move more gracefully underwater as they continue to search for new species. Its all very meta, using bio-inspired design from one newly observed animal to improve the technology in our search for more.)

Katijas goal is grand, but its not impossible. What makes it possible is bringing the public into the effort as citizen scientists. Katija thinks about how NASA has effectively utilized citizen science both in discoveries, and sharing the extraordinary wonder of what to look for in space. Although space is even further away than the ocean, Katija thinks for a lot of people, it feels closer. People know more about space exploration than ocean exploration, she says. You can walk out your door and look at the sky and see stars. How do you create a connection with the ocean if you live inland?

Her idea for creating that connection is to utilize gaming. Shes working with a group called Internet of Elephants, based in Kenya, and says Beyond Blue, a diving/oceans video game, has expressed interest in hosting modules. To make it all happen requires funding, which Katija is seeking, but given that an estimated 1.5 billion people in the world play video games, she thinks theres a big opportunity.

Watching people wander around our neighborhood playing Pokemon Go, I sat back and thought about it: There are people, myself included, wandering the streets looking for animals that dont even exist. Can we harness that excitement? Can I leverage some of that energy and put it towards exploration and discovery?

That vision, of a game-ified version of undersea discovery, is still in the making. But thanks to exploration, done increasingly by robots instead of human-occupied submersibles, anyone with a connection anywhere in the world can see whats happening on a screen. And that principle is already at play with FathomNet, an open-source database of underwater images. Human eyes can do only so much looking and identifying when it comes to the entire ocean, but artificial intelligence can do a lot of the heavy lifting. The goal is to get AI to recognize species when panning through images of water upon water upon water.

FathomNet has an upcoming two-day training from March 31-April 1 thats open to any enthusiast anywhere whos interested in engaging with ocean science. (You can sign up here.)

You make our work happen. The article youre about to read is from our reporters doing their important work  investigating, researching, and writing their stories. We want to provide informative and inspirational stories that connect you to the people, issues and opportunities within our community. Journalism takes a lot of resources. Today, our business model has been interrupted by the pandemic; the vast majority of our advertisers businesses have been impacted. Thats why the Weekly is now turning to you for financial support. Learn more about our new Insiders program here. Thank you. JOIN NOW

Its going to take a lot of ushumans and robots aliketo truly make sense of all the undiscovered life in our oceans. Theres such a focus on whats happening on the bottom of the ocean, Katija says. Because we are terrestrial animals, we always have a reference frame. But the midwaters represent 97 percent volume of livable space on this planet.

The ocean is massive, and weve maybe explored 20 percent of the oceanthats the number NOAA floats, but I think its much less than that.

The invitation is to join in this massive ocean exploration mission, regardless of whether you live near the ocean. Collectively, we might make a dent in that 80-plus percent of undiscovered ocean.

Read the full newsletter here.
TAIYUAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A few days ahead of the Spring Festival, Shi Hongbing and his family were preparing dough and dried jujubes to make "Nianmo," a type of local steamed food that carries blessings for the lunar new year.

President Xi Jinping, who was visiting their village in north China's Shanxi Province, on Wednesday afternoon joined them in their new house.

Shi's home was rebuilt after severe floods lashed Shanxi last October. "Though the new house cost about 100,000 yuan (15,700 U.S. dollars), nearly 90 percent was subsidized by the government and other parties," Shi told Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

In Shi's storeroom and kitchen, Xi was shown the family's food stock specially prepared for the Spring Festival that falls on Feb. 1, such as turnip, pork and apples.

"You are so well-prepared for the festival," Xi said with a smile.

Shi's family was among over 2.4 million people affected by the floods. Many houses in Fengnanyuan Village, where the family lives, were damaged.

To learn how the local people are recovering from the disaster was one of the main reasons behind Xi's inspection this time. "I came to Shanxi primarily out of the concern for people whose work and lives were affected by last year's disaster," he told villagers.

Walking around the village in the snow, Xi was briefed on the reconstruction. "Have the damaged houses been repaired? How is the replanting of winter wheat?" He asked.

Local officials told Xi that all the 50,000-plus dilapidated houses in Shanxi have been renovated, and the area with winter wheat even increased.

"I am glad to observe that despite the severity of the disaster, you did a good job in reconstruction and replanting crops with the help of the Party and government," Xi told the villagers. "I feel assured."

Xi attaches great importance to people's livelihood.

After assuming the post of the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in late 2012, Xi had been to villages across the country to inspect poverty relief efforts.

In 2021, China announced the elimination of absolute poverty. After eight years of efforts, nearly 100 million impoverished rural residents living below the current poverty line had shaken off poverty.

For Shanxi, what Xi cares about is not only the post-disaster reconstruction but also how to consolidate the achievements of poverty eradication and advance rural vitalization.

In another village during his Shanxi trip, Xi was received by villager Cai Wenming. The 61-year-old is now an expert in raising goats. Thanks to financial support from the government, Cai gradually expanded his farming scale and finally led his family out of poverty in 2016.

While chatting with Cai's family, Xi asked about their husbandry earnings and livelihood.

"It is quite good, and we earned a net income of more than 40,000 yuan last year," Cai answered.

Xi was impressed by the improvements of Cai's life as well as the great changes taking place across rural China.

"The rural areas have completely changed," Xi said, noting that rural residents today enjoy a much better life.

Such concern about people's lives has shone through Xi's every inspection tour ahead of the Spring Festival over the past 10 years, be it in ethnic minority villages or courtyards in Beijing's hutong.

"The CPC is in pursuit of serving the people and making people's lives better and better," Xi said. 
Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle

(Bloomberg) -- Chevron Corp. plans to increase Permian Basin production by about 10% this year from 2021 levels, among the biggest growth forecasts yet from any of Americas top shale producers.

The company produced 608,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day from the Texas and New Mexico basin in 2021 and will grow that significantly this year after ramping up capital spending by 50%, executives said on a conference call Friday. Large independent oil producers such as Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and EOG Resources Inc. have flagged growth forecasts of 5% of lower. Chevrons expected 2022 rate would mean keeping output at similar levels as recorded in the second half of last year.
The Reporter-Telegram recently sat down with Eliel Rosa, one of two Midlanders involved in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Rosa talked about life since that day, how he approached law enforcement immediately after returning to Midland following the Jan. 6 events, lessons learned that day and why it was important to come forward and communicate with Reporter-Telegram readers.

In October, Rosa was sentenced to one year of probation, a $500 fine and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to demonstrating inside a Capitol building. The judge at the trial considered the remorse Rosa expressed and that Rosa turned himself into the FBI when deciding his sentence. He also stated he believed Rosas conduct was an strange aberration in an otherwise lawful life.

Included in the presentation is a question-and-answer with Rosa and the letter that he read to the judge.

It included the following: Im thankful for everything that I went through in this indeed painful, yet intensely pedagogical 279-day process. I am especially grateful for the way my family, my friends and my community forgave and embraced me. I believe I am right now in a much better position toward the pursuit of my so much dreamed of American citizenship, something I always considered a privilege to be earned, not a right to be entitled to.

Reporter-Telegram: Why are you coming forward to communicate with the community?

Rosa: This community gave me so much more than I ever deserved. My embarrassing attitude was a bite on many of the hands that fed me. My decision to come forward is to offer my sincere public apology for my impulsive, irrational behavior. I egregiously misbehaved in a home where Im still a guest. Although the judge referred to my action as a strange aberration in an otherwise lawful life, I have hurt my family, my friends, my community and especially the law-abiding immigrants who came before me. And for that I am deeply and sincerely sorry.

Reporter-Telegram: What has been the response of Midlanders you have talked with since that day?

Rosa: I was embraced and have received full support from all the people who knew me. As per those who didnt know me, yet recognized me around, not a single one of them demonstrated any anger or disdain whatsoever toward me or my family, especially my youngest son in school. For that I am eternally grateful.

Reporter-Telegram: Has it been hard to stay relatively silent up to this point?

Rosa: Being silent has always been counter-intuitive to me. Throughout my entire adult life, I have been absolutely outspoken and active toward countless political issues in the country I came from, in other nations of the world, and finally here in the US. Therefore, it has been a daily exercise on humility and discretion. I can truly say that it has been a year of tremendous learning processes and growth opportunities. I can confirm the veracity of King Solomons wise words that its much easier to learn and mature in affliction, loss and pain.

Reporter-Telegram: How do you remain active in Midland?

Rosa: After the decision to shut down my social media activism and later the School of Government, I fully focused on restoring the shaken bonds with my wife and two sons. I sought therapeutic help, and, thank God, I can say that all is well now. In August last year, following a long period looking for a job, I was invited by Jeff Russell, a local businessman, to work for him at Paul Evans Design Gallery. Jeffs amazing generosity gave me much more than just the chance of having a steady income once again. I have been able to connect with my community once again. Ill never be able to appropriately express my gratitude for all the confidence he deposited in me.

Reporter-Telegram: You have talked about the need to be corrected. What did you mean by that?

Rosa: Many Americans dont know it, but our Founding Fathers disagreed on several different political topics. However, based on the biblical principle stated in Jeremiah 17:9, they unanimously agreed that human passions - located in what they called "the lower portions of human nature" - should be disciplined by the laws in place every time a lack of self-governance would cause one to go astray from agreed upon societal principles. That was the message I wanted to convey to the judge in my court statement, and he even mentioned it explicitly in his sentencing. Now, even more important than that, as a convict follower of Christ, I have learned the hard way that when one is not willing to acknowledge an error and be corrected, that arrogance will become the precursor of their fall. I experienced that several times in my life and absolutely did not want to fall prey to that dangerous trap again. I deserve no credit for that decision, though. I could never have produced it by myself. All credit goes to my merciful Savior!

Reporter-Telegram: Can you talk about your work with the Nehemiah School of Government?

Rosa: I have been an avid student of Americas founding documents, principles and history for over two decades of my life. I came to America for a PhD in Constitutional Law, something that has sadly not been materialized yet. The Nehemiah School of Government, officially launched in January 2018, aims at helping rebuild the Judeo-Christian foundations and legacies of America, as well as inspiring native citizens and immigrants to become agents of change responsible for the spiritual and social health first of their local community and then the nation, grounded upon those infallible principles. Our in-person classes will be resumed soon. For the time being, I received an amazing invitation from Marc Christian to be one of his weekly guests on KWEL Radios Patriots Call (every Thursday, 1-2 p.m. on AM 1070). We have been talking about the realities of Americas Immigration issues. The school also promotes, three times a year - July 4, Sept. 17 and Nov. 11 - the public reading of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Mayflower Compact, respectively.

Reporter-Telegram: What else would you like to add that wasnt addressed?

Rosa: I want to express my deepest gratitude to MRT for this opportunity. It has been the only local media outlet that reached out to me and gave me the opportunity to show the community that I am not a terrorist or an insurrectionist. I never loved my native country as much as I love America. Here I found both my identity and my destiny. I am aware that there are many other immigrants much more professionally, academically and spiritually prepared than me to carry out the task of restoring this great Nation. Yet, just like them, I pledge my life, fortune and sacred honor to see that happen. If America falls, the world falls. As long as America stands like a Shining City on a Hill, the world will have a pathway toward stability and prosperity.
State Sen. Kel Seliger swore in federal court that he believes his GOP colleagues violated federal voting laws when redrawing a state Senate seat in North Texas.

Seligers sworn statement was submitted as part of a lawsuit seeking to throw out the new boundaries for Senate District 10, the Fort Worth seat represented by Democratic state Sen. Beverly Powell. Democrats and civil rights groups argue that the changes were calculated to discriminate against voters of color, shifting Black and Latino Texans across several districts to dilute their political impact.

The blue-leaning district is currently confined within the borders of Tarrant County, but the new map redraws boundaries to make the seat whiter, more rural and more Republican.

Seliger is an Amarillo Republican, who has represented Midland and Odessa in the Texas Senate for nearly two decades.

Having participated in the 2011 and 2013 Senate Select Redistricting Committee proceedings, and having read the prior federal court decision regarding SD10, it was obvious to me that the renewed effort to dismantle SD10 violated the Voting Rights Act and U.S. Constitution, Seligers statement reads.

The longtime GOP lawmakers comments amplify months of complaints from Democrats and their allies, who noted repeatedly during the redistricting process that people of color comprised 95 percent of Texas 4 million-person population growth over the past decade. Still, the maps created no new majority-Black or majorityLatino districts anywhere across Texas.

They have filed a raft of lawsuits challenging the new maps, but the litigation process could take months or years. Plus, this is the first redistricting cycle in which Texas does not need preapproval from the Department of Justice to ensure its maps dont disenfranchise voters of color.

State Sen. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican who led the redistricting process, has said repeatedly that she drew the new maps race blind and did not discriminate against voters of color. Instead, Huffman said she focused on other criteria, including protecting incumbents, equalizing population, promoting geographic compactness and preserving communities of interest.

Seligers statement, which surfaced in an El Paso court this week, calls that explanation pretext. It was first reported by the Texas Tribune.

He notes that Texas Senate District 10 was already compact, and its population was the necessary size before the Senate proposed the changes last year.

Every decade, population shifts dictate how many voters should be placed in each district to keep them roughly the same size. This year, the ideal population for state Senate seats was about 940,000; District 10s old boundaries would have included 945,000 voters.

Currently, white voters comprise roughly 54 percent of the districts citizen voting age population, and President Joe Biden won the district in 2020 with a nearly 8-point margin over former President Donald Trump. The new map swells the white population to about 62 percent of eligible voters, while also flipping the political lean to give Trump a 16-point margin over Biden.

Geographically, the new map pushes District 10 into seven new counties while moving some Black and Latino constituents into neighboring majority-white seats. When the map was first released last fall, Powell called the changes a direct assault on the voting rights of minority citizens in Senate District 10.

In the declaration, Selig-er said the entire redistricting process saw untrue, pretextual explanations given to rationalize the new district lines. He cited the reconfiguration of his own seat, which Huffman said was redrawn to create distinctive agricultural versus oil and gas districts between his 31st district and an adjacent one.

But Seliger said the changes do not accomplish that goal, arguing instead that the lines shifted to benefit a potential Republican primary challenger from Midland preferred by the lieutenant governor. Seliger has been at odds with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for years, and the senator previously told Hearst Newspapers that he believed the new map was drawn with some malice.

Patrick endorsed conservative businessman Kevin Sparks for the 31st district, and Seliger decided to retire.
Why the need to spend tens of millions of dollars on something like a water system, which means there would be no incentive to be annexed by the city. Many people have chosen to leave the city to live out in the county. Why must taxpayers inside the city of Midland help fund the investment that county government is making to bring water to people living in the county?

Water in West Texas is important to everyone who lives here. This goes back to Mayor Hank Averys purchase of the T-Bar Ranch in 1963. Located approximately 70 west of Midland, his belief in the growth of Midland has certainly been validated.

Our Commissioners Court has done their part in bringing water to the city of Midland with the creation of the Midland County Fresh Water District No. 1 under State law. The county has the only authority to create this entity. This allows transportation from this remote water field to the city of Midland. Few will remember the water rationing and fear of running out of water during the drought of 2011 which affected all of Texas. The city of Midland has supported the effort for this water security as seen in our water rates and the renovation of the sewer plant to be able to use effluent water as make-up rather than fresh water and sell effluent water to the oil companies for fracking.

So, co-operating with the city of Midland on providing water itself is not, per se, a disincentive to the expansion or developing of the city. With the city limits extending 1,000 feet on each side of the major highways like State Highway 191, Farm-to-Market Road 1788, and Interstate 20, the city has a lot of expansion to get services throughout their boundaries. In the northeast area of Midland, roughly east of Big Spring Street north of Loop 250, the city limits are intersecting with the boundaries of the Midland County Utility District (MCUD). Midland County is only peripherally engaged with MCUD allowing the use of county right of way, because it is a PUC sanctioned utility. I could see MCUD providing water for expansion of that area and paying the take-or-pay contract amounts to the Colorado Municipal Water District thereby reducing the cost of water to the taxpayers of the City.

With regard to spending money for water to be provided to county residents, it is a need for the taxpayers in the county. The commissioners see addressing the needs of all taxpayers as a paramount responsibility and as a requirement of their office. Many county residents are running out of water from their wells and are hauling necessary amounts from fresh-water suppliers in the city. MCUD has indicated that there are funds and grants to supply water in the county if MCUD could identify a water source. The County has that water source in the Roark Ranch. As to developing the field, the county has the funds through ARPA to develop the field but not the financial wherewithal to transport it. The commissioners believe that that we could only do this if it is made financially viable for the county to do so. The original thought is that additional throughput on the pipeline of the Fresh Water District would accelerate the paydown of the pipeline currently shouldered by taxpayers in the city while providing for taxpayers in the county. Recover of the funds and repayment of the investment for developing and transporting water from the Roark field will have to be addressed in order to allow sharing resources with other taxing entities. All this should be done without continued maintenance of any of the system by the county. That is wholly the responsibility of MCUD.

In conclusion, the county should not be in the water delivery business. The needs of all the citizens of the county will be addressed if fiscally and equably possible.
Young dancers perform in the full rehearsal for the opening ceremony of Beijing 2022 on Jan. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Yanan)

Most of the 3,000 performers at the opening ceremony of Beijing 2022 will be teenagers.

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Teenagers will take up 95% of around 3,000 performers at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on February 4.

Unlike the grand opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, chief director Zhang Yimou changed his creative approach for the opening ceremony this time, without resorting to a large performer group of about 15,000 people seen in 2008 but focusing on young performers.

Deng Shaomei is a student from Hebei North University. Students headed to Beijing by bus at 4 a.m. for joint practices. "Everyone strives to present Chinese teenagers to the world," said Deng.

"For the first time in Olympic history, teenagers are invited on such a large scale to perform at the opening ceremony," said Wang Jun, deputy director of the National Stadium operation team and director of the Performance and Ceremony Division of the organizing committee's Department of Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

The presence of more young people in the opening ceremony is also in line with the requirements of Olympic education, according to Wang.

"From their experience, they are proud of presenting themselves in such major events in the dual Olympic city."

Wang admitted that cold weather is a primary challenge, as it might be too warm for performers in rehearsals and too cold when they rest.

It is also a challenge for performers to strike a balance between study and rehearsal time.

At the rehearsal intervals, some student performers read books under the guidance of their teachers.

"The children always say that they are not tired every time I ask them on the bus back home after rehearsals, but they will fall asleep quickly," said Wu Wennian, a teacher who leads the performing group from Beijing No. 2 Experimental Primary School.

"Our performers are ordinary people and teenagers, and many of them have not engaged in performing, but they overcame the difficulties very well and strove to accomplish the task," said Wang. 
Intersession is meant to help a school district struggling academically, not divide a community used to the same old, same old.

That is how Superintendent Angelica Ramsey sees the weeks that provide intervention for selected students. Ramsey was brought to Midland to help its students stuck in the mire of the bottom quartile of school performance around the state.

A fall intercession allows students the opportunity to receive intense intervention, Ramsey said. It's like an additional dosage. I think of it as medicine. If you're ill, you don't wait a whole year, and then the doctor gives you some medication, you hit it.

Ramsey, a week earlier, found herself stuck in the middle of community conversation about intersession. In Midland, there isnt consensus. On the Midland ISD board, there isnt consensus. Board members offered their thoughts to a committee  made up of mostly teachers  about calendar options turned in at the last meeting. Three or four talked about the need for intersession weeks like Midland ISDs current calendar. Three or four talked about the need to continue with an academic journey meant to lift a district, not punish community members and MISD staff. The district hadnt even finished its first year with the current calendar. There wasnt data to support or oppose the need for intersession weeks as it stands now, it was said.

Intersession has exposed a chasm on the board and in the community between those who are willing to try something different (because the status quo hasnt worked over the last 15 years) and those who believe change is fine but only if kept within the parameters of the Midland they know and the life they are comfortable with.

When you talk to Ramsey about intersession and the communitys reaction, she doesnt seem bothered by the discussion currently talking place. Yes, she believes in intersession, but the calendar always creates increased dialogue and the meeting when the calendar is talked about is always one when people come out to speak. She also offered the following.

In school districts, we're dealing with the two most precious things that people have -- their children and public dollars, their money, Ramsey said. Those are two highly emotional, important, valuable things. That alone kind of leads to that.

She also knows opposition to programs have existed in every community shes worked, even the Soccoro district of El Paso, which is currently ranked as an A district with zero failing schools. Texas Education Agency rankings indicated Midland had nine. Those grades were based on achievement on the same test being taken by students in school districts across the state. Socorro used intersession as part of its formula to change its academic outcomes.

I absolutely believe in intersession, Ramsey said, especially in a school district that has so many schools that are underperforming and children who need additional help.

We previously heard from teachers who expressed frustration with previous superintendents, district leaders and boards about trying new programs for a year or two and then changing direction to the next latest and greatest program. Again, Midland ISD has provided five intersession days for its students. There are some who believe it is time to change again. Katie Wallace Joyner is the loudest voice for that contingent and has been from Day 1.

There has been a lot of discussion about adult convenience not interfering with improving student outcomes. The calendar might be the defining issue of the last five years that demonstrates how great our commitment is to this board-created constraint on MISD leadership.

Sometimes, it also seems like the sense of urgency to improve academic outcomes is not the same with members in the community. We got into a 15-year academic slump together, and we should be more united with how we get out, even if that means changing up the calendar for a few years, collecting real data and then evaluating intersession weeks based on more than just five days.

We are not where we want to be or need to be as a school district. We have a superintendent who is here to change that. Lets not handcuff her. Lets not send the message that frankly we think we know better when our record shows we dont.
The 2022 Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference (PBWIEC) is almost here. After more than a year of planning and preparing, the fourth edition of the PBWIEC will spring to life Feb. 23 and 24 at the Horseshoe complex. Im looking forward to this important event as a faculty member of The University of Texas Permian Basin, a PBWIEC Executive Board member and an original volunteer.

The central focus of the conference is water and its use throughout the oil and gas production process. That topic alone is paramount right now in the energy industry. Yet, the Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference is even bigger than that focus, as it also helps bolster our future energy workforce, by providing opportunity to UT Permian Basin students.

The PBWIEC is a program of The University of Texas Permian Basin. It was founded in 2017 with the help of several UT Permian Basin deans and faculty members  past and present  and Jim Woodcock, the CEO of Midland Portfolio Partners and JJW Oil & Gas. The conference idea sprung from Jims long-standing experience in the energy industry and staunch commitment to future sustainability. Jim continues to serve as the PBWIEC Executive Board president. The conference would not be here today without Jims leadership and dedication. The PBWIEC is housed at UTPBs Shepperd Leadership Institute, with Kate Williamson, the executive director of the Shepperd Leadership Institute, and Shelby Landgraf, the director of Community Engagement, pouring their talents and time into the event as well.

There is no better way to learn from energy experts, contribute to the education of our workforce and support our Permian Basin economy, than for you to participate in this event. All proceeds raised from the Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference return to UT Permian Basin. Thus, by purchasing your PBWIEC registration, youre broadening your industry knowledge and supporting the future of our region and its workforce in both direct and indirect ways.

I often write about the shortage of workers across the Permian Basin and country. The great resignation is happening, and we need to backfill the vacant positions of both degreed and non-degreed positions. UT Permian Basin students will be volunteering at the conference and are excited to network with attendees. What an excellent way for industry professionals to meet potential future employees.

In addition, students have the opportunity to present their own research in the field of energy and water through the annual Student Poster Competition. Elevation Resources, and its CEO Steve Pruett, are generously sponsoring this portion of the conference. Scholarship prizes totaling $6,000 will be awarded to six students across two categories: undergraduates and graduate students. (For more information or to enter the PBWIEC Student Poster Competition, please email: jbs@utpb.edu.)

As for your professional development or that of your business, the conference offers the chance to learn new practices and stay on top of cutting-edge technology supporting the oil and gas industry, particularly for those interested in upskilling themselves and critical staff. Attracting and hiring outside talent takes time and money. Help retain your best staff by supporting them with professional development. The PBWIEC offers continuing education credits for professional engineers and landmen.

The PBWIEC kicks off with a welcome reception on the evening of Feb. 22 at the Petroleum Museum. Then the conference runs for two full days (Feb. 23-24 at the Horseshoe, with more than a dozen conference sessions. The presentations and panel discussions will cover a variety of related subjects, including: Alternative Uses for Produced Water, The Impact of ESG on Business and Investment Strategies, and Gaining a Better Understanding of Earthquakes in the Permian Basin. All told, weve packed in close to two dozen dynamic speakers from across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., into the PBWIEC lineup.

Finally, the PBWIEC offers many personal networking opportunities. There will be ample time between sessions to meet new and old friends. It has been a long two years, since our 2020 PBWIEC, but the 2022 Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference is promising to be the best one yet! For more information and to purchase your registration, please visit: WaterInEnergy.com. I hope to see you at the Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference in February.

Michele Harmon is a faculty member at the University of Texas Permian Basin Faculty and a PBWIEC Executive Board member
Why the need to spend tens of millions of dollars on something like a water system, which means there would be no incentive to be annexed by the city. Many people have chosen to leave the city to live out in the county. Why must taxpayers inside the city of Midland help fund the investment that county government is making to bring water to people living in the county?





In 2022, it is almost unfathomable that not all of the residents in a resource-rich community such as Midland County have a reliable and fresh water source. Clean, fresh and reliable running water not only powers Midland County homes, but also its businesses. This access to water is what will ensure that Midland County is able to continue its path on becoming the best place to live, work and stay while in Texas.

While living in the county does provide a lower tax bill for those residents because of them not having to pay city property taxes, many are discouraged from opening a business in the county due to the well-water quality. Many Midland city residents also have a business in Midland County and choose to do so in part because of the lower property tax burden to their business. But having a lower tax rate should not mean the taxpayer is not able to have reliable access to what is a basic necessity.

Though it may seem unreasonable that a portion of the burden should be borne by citizens who do not directly benefit from the end result (water in the county), all Midlanders benefit from an enhanced standard of living for county residents. In the long run, tens of millions of dollars in needed improvements is paid for not only by citizens, but also by the businesses that operate within the county.

Much of the infrastructure to get water to county residents, and businesses are already in place through the tremendous efforts of previous Midland City Councils, Midland County Commissioners Courts, the Midland County Fresh Water District and through the Midland County Utility District (MCUD) which is a special law district created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution and confirmed by voters of the district in May of 2013. The purpose of the district is to serve the public and to accomplish a water control and improvements district.

In 2019, laws were passed in Texas strictly reining in the ability of a city, such as Midland, to annex properties. Elections must be held, and these are time consuming processes and often polarize a community on an issue meant to unite it. To force the residents of Midland County, many of whom spend their discretionary income inside the city, to do without a reliable source of good water is a waste of time and a waste of the work already put in trying to address the problem.

Midland County must ensure that all of their residents, both homeowners and business owners, have reliable access to potable water. Midland County is a resilient community and solidifying these conversations surrounding long-term infrastructure, growth and economic security in part via a safe County water source is something that simply must happen. Access to potable water to meet the future water demands of Midland County benefits all of Midlands population.

Conversely, water provided to county residents could be a future revenue source. Midland County will charge a fee per gallon of water which will become a source of repayment of the cost of the initial infrastructure which includes the Winkler County water field. Once the repayment is complete, the fee will be a source of income that will offset any future infrastructure costs and any remaining revenue will go into Midland Countys General Fund. In this way, the county residents will take on a larger share of the cost and that portion will not be borne by city residents.

While it may not seem to be a simple solution to have the city of Midland and the county of Midland work together in mind, spirit and pocketbook to bring fresh water to the county, it is also not rocket science. The water district has been formed. The water is available. The technology is available and all of Midland County, including the city, stands to benefit from making fresh water available to the county. Now, all we have to do is get the entities involved willing to commit to move forward on this long-term solution that will benefit all of Midland.

My name is Jonna Smoot, I am asking for your vote to be your next Midland County Judge. And I am honored to have been able to provide my opinion on the question of the future of Midland Countys water.
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Variable clouds with strong thunderstorms. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 63F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

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Variable clouds with strong thunderstorms. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 63F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Manipulating COVID-19 test results is unnecessary, and China will never do that, said Huang Chun, deputy director general of the Pandemic Prevention and Control Office of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee.

Commenting on foreign media reports suggesting China's potential manipulation of the test results to influence the athletes, Huang assured a press briefing on Saturday that the test results are authentic.

Inside the closed-loop, all the COVID-19 tests are PCR tests, which are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as medical experts from home and abroad.

"For the testing, we selected qualified laboratories. They've been recognized by public health authorities in China. Equipped with accredited testing reagents and equipment, they follow standard and strict procedures in testing and have a comprehensive management system to ensure quality and bio-safety. Medical personnel in sampling and testing, all with professional backgrounds, have gone through training before performing their tasks," he said.

Huang added that Chinese authorities frequently visit those laboratories to review their quality as well as safety, and a positive result will only be confirmed by a second test.

Dr Brian McCloskey, the Chair of the Beijing 2022 Medical Expert Panel, also confirmed that tests in Beijing 2022 are up to international standards and follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).

"I want all athletes and stakeholders to feel assured. There is no need to really question the credibility of our systems," Huang added. 
Morgan County Audubon Society Young Explorers Club: 11 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Illinois College Biology professors Bryan Arnold and Lawrence Zettler present "Know Your Insects from Your Bugs." For more information, contact Allen Yow 217-243-8457. Note location change: event will be held at Jacksonville Public Library, not at Illinois College.

Clarksville Eagle Days: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Apple Shed and Riverfront, Clarksville, Missouri. | Dickerson Park Zoo will hold live eagle programs on the hour. Food, viewing scopes, VFW barbecue, vendors, lock and dam tours. Local lodging available. For more information, contact Linda Blakey at 573-754-0335.

Winchester EMS Chili Cook Off: Noon-8 p.m., Winchester EMS Building, 734 State Route 106 South, Winchester. | Beverages, music, and 50/50 drawing. All proceeds benefit Winchester EMS. For more information, to donate, or book a team, call 217-248-9692.

Brown Bag Lunches: Noon, Congregational Church UCC, 520 W. College Ave. Free | For those who are hungry.

Illinois Symphony Orchestra Incredibly Italian: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | Featuring Sayaka Shoji, violin.

Midwest Avenue: 9 p.m.-midnight, AmVets, 210 E. Court St. | Live country music.

The Hot Town Trio: 9 p.m.-midnight, Don's Place, 207 W. Morgan St. | Live music.

Sunday

Springfield Comic Book Convention: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Route 66 Hotel & Conference Center, 625 E. Saint Joseph St., Springfield. | Variety of comic books, toys and collectibles for sale. Bring unwanted comic books for dealers to possibly purchase. For more information, call Alan 309-657-1599 or go to epguides.com/comics/

Clarksville Eagle Days: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Apple Shed and Riverfront, Clarksville, Missouri. | Dickerson Park Zoo will hold live eagle programs on the hour. Food, viewing scopes, VFW barbecue, vendors, lock and dam tours. Local lodging available. For more information, contact Linda Blakey at 573-754-0335.

Abba Mania: 2 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | From London's West End to Las Vegas, Abba Mania is the world's number one touring Abba tribute.

Monday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Mindful Movement Class: 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Learn the basics from Jeannie Hemphill. Masks required.

Tuesday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Accommodating Students in Academics and Behavior: 4:30-6:30 p.m., Council for Exceptional Children Chapter 99 Zoom workshop. Free-$15. | Presented by Bev Johns. To register or for more information, email cecchapter99@gmail.com. Teachers and other professionals go to www.cec99.org to pay $15 for professional development hours.

"The Chicago Cub Shot for Love: A Showgirl's Crime of Passion and the 1932 World Series": 7 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, Zoom virtual event. Free | Presentation by author Jack Bales can be viewed at home or at the library. Registration required for at-home viewing by emailing Sarah at ssnyder@jaxpl.org.

Wednesday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

CASA Volunteer Informational Meeting: 12:15 p.m., Advocacy Network for Children, virtual event. | Informational meetings via Zoom for those interested in becoming a court-appointed special advocate. Training in Morgan County Feb. 18-20. For more information, contact Danielle Buss at 217-223-2272 or dbuss@advonet.org.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Thursday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Blood Drive: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Jacksonville Police Department, 200 W. Douglas Ave. | To schedule an appointment, call Courtney Glass 217-479-4630, register online at www.bloodcenter.org, or call ImpactLife 800-747-5401. Group sponsor code 60161.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Queen of Hearts: 7 p.m., VFW Post 1379, 903 E. Morton Ave. | Weekly Queen of Hearts and 50/50 drawing.

That Golden Girls Show: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | A brand-new show that parodies classic Golden Girls moments with puppets.

Friday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 12:30-1 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free.

Springfield Area Home Builders Association's Home Expo: 2-8 p.m., Bank of Springfield Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, Springfield. $6; children 12 and under free. | Event continues Saturday and Sunday.

Alumni Association Board of Directors Meeting: 3 p.m., Illinois College, 1101 W. College Ave.

Music at the Cathedral: 7 p.m., Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 524 E. Lawrence Ave., Springfield. Free | Leon Lewis-Nocol performs jazz piano as part of the First Friday Concert Series.

Mark Sweeney: 8 p.m., Casey's Pub & Hall, 2200 Meadowbrook Road, Springfield. | Presented by Donnie B's Comedy Club.
Two Republican state lawmakers from northwest Illinois have introduced legislation they said is in response to the line-of-duty deaths of workers from the Department of Children and Family Services and other first responders.

State Rep. Tony McCombie has a package of bills for the 102nd General Assemblys spring session, including one that allows caseworkers to be armed in the course of their duties.

She said hers is in direct response to the Jan. 4 death of Deidre Silas, who was stabbed during a visit in Thayer, and the Feb. 8, 2018, slaying of Pam Sue Knight of Dixon.

State Sen. Neil Anderson filed a bill to reinstate the death penalty for individuals found guilty of killing first responders. McCombies package also includes a death-penalty provision.

Children and adult protective services caseworkers and investigators deserve the same worker safety protections as other first responders in the performance of their, too seldom recognized, life-saving duties, McCombie said.

McCombies proposals include House Bill 4636, which would allow Department of Children and Family Services caseworkers to carry concealed handguns with training.

House 4637 would reinstate the death penalty for adults in the killing of police officers, firefighters and workers in the areas of child or adult protective services and those who supervise sexually violent people.

Legislation also would clarify that an attack against a Department of Children and Family Services or Adult Protective Services worker would be the same as attacking a firefighter or teacher.

The intent of that last bill has been one the House Republicans have advocated for since the Knight slaying, McCombie said.

Andersons proposal, Senate Bill 3125, extends first responder language to include police, firefighters, EMT/paramedics, ambulance drivers, first-aid personnel, employees of the Department of Corrections and other similar agencies.

These are people who wake up every day to serve and protect our communities, the people on our streets, our homes and our loved ones, Anderson said in a news release. We owe it to the first responder community to make sure that anyone who attacks them is held accountable to the highest possible level.

Anderson noted that 27 states have death penalty sentences for the killing of a police officer.

Former Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium on Illinois state executions in 2003 before commuting all death sentences to life in prison. Lawmakers, under former Gov. Pat Quinn, abolished the death penalty in 2011.
South Inn-Morganettes Home Extension Unit met Jan. 17 at the Home Extension office. Linda Settles served as hostess and began the meeting by leading members in the Pledge of Allegiance.

There were six members present, with each answering roll call by sharing what they did to prepare for the last snowstorm and round of cold temperatures that were predicted.

Minutes of the November meeting were read and approved. Nancy Wynn gave the treasurers report and shared a note from the Franklin-Waverly Military Support Group, thanking us for our donation. Sharon Middendorf updated members on our new membership books, saying wed probably get them at next months meeting.

Linda Settles collected dimes for the Zero Hunger Challenge. Then everyone donated a dime for each letter in their birth month to Pennies for Friendship. Linda also collected members volunteer hours for 2021 and encouraged them to keep a record of 2022s volunteer hours. She pointed out highlights of upcoming events and lessons from the Morgan HCE newsletter. County membership dues will be collected in April.

Linda Settles gave the lesson on maximizing your slow cooker, with updated information for Crock-Pot users and some new and interesting recipes. Members shared some of their favorite dishes and handy tips for cooking with their Crock-Pot.

The next meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Home Extension office. Leona Massey will be the hostess and Nancy Wynn will present the lesson on making your own cleaners.

 Submitted by Mary Jo Sparrow

Jacksonville Noon Rotary Club

President Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl called to order the Jan. 21 meeting of Jacksonville Noon Rotary Club at noon at Hamiltons.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and "America" was sung. The Reflection was given by Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl.

Volunteers were thanked, including: greeters and 50-50, Jan Ryan, Alberta Robinson, Kevin Heitz and Joan McQuillan; Reflection, Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl; note taker Anne Jackson; sergeants at arms, Karen Walker and Steve Holt; Recognitions and Rotations: Craig Albers; tech guru: Craig Albers; song leader Dan Lepper; and food delivery, Karen Walker.

Announcements:

 The Polio Plus Jars are on the table.

 April Clarke is seeking help for the Bread of Love food deliveries.

 Dave Fisher is seeking help with the Bass Tournament, which will be held on April 3rd.

 We are collecting supplies for South Jacksonville School. Please see Joan McQuillan for more details.

 Thank you to those who have donated items for the Fabulous February Fun-raiser Please get you items to Joan.

 Thanks to Karen Walker and Dan Lepper for representing us at the WJIL-WJVO job fair!

 Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl urged the group to sign up and participate via Zoom in the Rotary Leadership Institute, which will be at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feb. 22.

 Steve Holt announced that scholarship information and applications are now available.

 Rotary did not win The Salvation Army bell ringing competition with Kiwanis. Our goal now is to win next year.

Upcoming events:

Jan 31: PI Committee meets at noon

Feb. 1-28: Fabulous February Fun-raiser

Feb 7: Membership Committee meets at noon

Feb 7: Community Service Committee meets

Feb 7: First Monday social at Bahan's

Feb 8: Board of directors meets

Feb 15: RLI meets via Zoom

Feb 22: RLI meets via Zoom

Feb 28: PI Committee meets at noon

There was a moment of silence in honor of Springfield Rotarian Dan OBrien.

The group sang "Happy Birthday" to longtime member and PDG Keith Lape.

Paul Harris pins were presented to Shawn McComb, Jean Hembrough, Diane Suefert, Bob McLin and Ryan Byers. Congratulations to these folks, who have given so generously.

Nancy Thorsen was accompanied by guests Breanna Van Matre and Maddie Revers, bothof whom are scheduled to be inducted next week.

Rotations were led by Craig Albers. Announcements were made and money was collected from Jean Hembrough, Phyllis Lape, Keith Lape, Kevin Heitz, Lisa Kluge, April Clarke, Dave Fisher and Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl.

Matt Fuller from the Center for Prevention of Abuse gave n interesting program on human trafficking.

Shawn McComb drew unsuccessfully for the 50-50 drawing.

The Four-Way Test was recited and the meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m.

 Submitted by Anne Jackson
Although some groups have resumed meetings, others schedules may have changed because of pandemic restrictions. It is recommended you contact the group in advance to verify details. Any changes in meeting schedules can be emailed to JJCsocial@myjournalcourier.com.



ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

217-370-4002

Jacksonville locations:

 First Baptist Church, 1701 Mound Ave. Wheelchair-accessible.

 Club HOW, 638 S. Church St.

Monday

 Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Bowen Group.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

Tuesday

 Open discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Womens open meeting, 5:30 p.m., First Christian Churchs Fireside Room.

 VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Main and Washington streets.

 ROODHOUSE: Closed discussion, 12-step/12 traditions, 8 p.m. at Grace Center, 114 W. Palm St.

Wednesday

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

Thursday

 Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Newcomers Group.

Friday

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. TGIF Group.

 Closed discussion, 5:15 p.m., Big Book Study at Club HOW.

 VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 401 E. Broadway Ave.

Saturday

 Open speaker, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

 Open meeting, noon at Club HOW.

Sunday

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. 12 & 12 Group.

 Closed discussion, 10 a.m. at Club HOW. (Second Sunday is open)

 SPRINGFIELD: AA for Women, 10 a.m. at Discovery Club, 313 W. Cook St.



AL-ANON

Meetings are nonsmoking and open to anyone. The only requirement is that there be a problem of alcohol with a loved one or friend. 217-248-6434.

Wednesday

 Al-Anon, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 331 E. State St. (use Morgan Street entrance).

Thursday

 Al-Anon, noon at First Presbyterian Church, 870 W. College Ave. (open meeting).



NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

All meetings are nonsmoking. Not affiliated with any religious organization.

Jacksonville locations:

 First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. (enter through far southeast door). 217-883-1975.

 Lutheran Church for the Deaf, 104 Finley St. (enter through back door). 217-883-1975.

Wednesday

 Open discussion group, 8 p.m. at Lutheran Church for the Deaf.

Friday

 Open discussion group, 7:30 p.m. at First Christian Church.



OTHER MEETINGS

Monday

 Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. at Faith Tabernacle, 571 Sandusky St. Use side entrance to church hall.

 PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. in the basement of Subway in Pittsfield. 1-800-323-1388.



Tuesday

 Dementia Caregiver support group, 2-3 p.m., free virtual event. Call 800-272-3900 to register, which is required. Hosted by the Springfield office of the Alzheimers Association Illinois.

 American Legion Post 279, first Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. at 903 W. Superior Ave.



Wednesday

 Breastfeeding support group, 6 p.m., Passavant Area Hospital, Meeting Room 2.

 ROODHOUSE: Women with Hearts of Love (WWHOL), 6-7 p.m. at House of Restoration, 208 W. Franklin St. 217-602-1670.



Thursday

 Jacksonville Area Chess Club, 6-9 p.m. at Jacksonville Public Library. 217-370-0882.

 Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, noon at Hamiltons.

 WHITE HALL: Addicts Victorious, teens 5:30-6:30 p.m.; adults 7-8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of New Life Church, 626 Curtis St.



Friday

 Jacksonville Rotary Club, noon at Hamiltons.

 PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 6 p.m. at Assembly of God, 575 Piper St. 800-323-1388.



Saturday

 Jacksonville Amateur Radio Societys Net, 9 p.m. Transmitted on K9JX repeater. K9JX.com.
A man representing himself against murder charges in a deadly 2018 stabbing presented his defense Friday, ending by asking his mother if she felt he was capable of killing someone.

She said no.

Prosecutors, however, have dismissed Dustin A. Finlaw's contention that someone else was responsible for the fatal stabbing of Robert L. Utter, 42, in Meredosia on May 24, 2018.

Finlaw, 22, of Meredosia is accused of first-degree murder in what investigators detailed Friday as a particularly brutal stabbing.

Prosecutors concluded presenting their case to jurors earlier in the day.

State's Attorney Gray Noll and Assistant State's Attorney Chad Turner had several more witnesses take the stand Friday, from forensic scientists to special agents with the Illinois State Police, to specialists in DNA testing.

Forensic pathologist Nathaniel Patterson, deemed an expert witness by Judge Jack Davis, performed the autopsy on Utter on May 25, 2018.

After explaining the process of performing an autopsy to jurors, Noll submitted into evidence photos taken during the autopsy.

"In total, there were 13 stab wounds plus a slash wound," Patterson said.

Patterson said Utter was stabbed multiple times in his upper back, neck, head and side and received a slashing wound on the front of his neck that "was moving from the victim's left to right," Patterson said. His fifth rib also was broken, muscles were torn, and there were holes from the blade of a knife in both Utter's carotid artery and jugular vein.

"That would cause a copious amount of blood," Patterson said.

Video footage submitted into evidence by the state showed Utter driving south down North Washington Street past Prairie State Bank and Trust toward the boat pier where he was stabbed and where he was to meet Finlaw. Jarrod Driskill, a special agent for the Illinois State Police, confirmed that the vehicle seen in the video was the one involved in the incident.

"It's showing the vehicle matching the description of the vehicle found at the crime scene," Driskill said of the video.

Also submitted into evidence were still images taken from the video that showed Utter's vehicle driving past the bank. Driskill testified that it was a good-quality image and that the passenger seat appeared to be empty.

Finlaw, in his cross examination of Driskill, questioned whether the quality of the photos was sufficient to determine if a second person was in the car with Utter as he drove to meet Finlaw. Driskill explained in detail how he came to his determination that Utter was the only person in the car.

Finlaw then asked the court if the contrast in the photo could be enhanced, but his request was denied.

Amanda Humke, a forensic scientist specializing in DNA for the Illinois State Police, tested the blood on the murder weapon and confirmed that it was Utter's blood, explaining that the certainty of the match is "1 in 5.2 octillion." For comparison, 1 octillion, written as a numeral, would require a 1 followed by 27 zeros.

"It's a very rare profile in a population," Humke said of Utter's DNA.

Prior to the state concluding its case, a special public hearing was held during which Finlaw asked the court for a directed verdict  a ruling entered by a trial judge after determining there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable jury to reach a different conclusion. Davis denied the motion and continued with the trial, saying there was enough evidence for the jury to make a decision.

In presenting his defense, Finlaw called his uncle, Albert Orr, who confirmed that Finlaw sold Orr a Fitbit smart watch, a matter brought up during one of Finlaw's interrogations.

"The office came to me and questioned me about a watch," Orr said. "They contacted me about you."

Finlaw also called Morgan County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy James Jackson as a witness. Finlaw asked Jackson if he had spoken with Finlaw's cell mate at the Morgan County jail. Jackson confirmed he had and Finlaw showed a video clip of Jackson reading the cell mate his Miranda rights. There was no mention of what Jackson and the cell mate discussed.

Finlaw's final witness was his mother, Beverly Castleberry.

Castleberry testified that she initially told Illinois State Police she was missing a blue-handled knife from a set of four at her house, where Finlaw was living at the time of the stabbing. When police met Castleberry at her house, she quickly realized she was mistaken, that she was missing a knife with a red handle, she said.

"I broke down in tears at the time because I felt like I lied to the police," she told her son. "I didn't think you were involved; they were very nice detectives."

Castleberry testified that she also told investigators that Finlaw was a good child, quiet, and a "a normal teenager with a chip on your shoulder."

For his final question to Castleberry, Finlaw started to ask, "Do you think I killed ..." but his question was cut off by an objection from the state, which was sustained. Finlaw then asked, "Do you think I could kill anyone?"

"As your mother, no, I don't think you could kill anyone," Castleberry replied.

Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Monday.
53 Chinese medical teams, including the eighth medical team from Chinas Anhui province to South Sudan, have been hailed by the National Health Commission for their outstanding performance in international aid in 2021, according to a recent statement from the commission.

The 15-member medical team was sent by Anhui No.2 Provincial Peoples Hospital and the Municipal Commission of Luan to South Sudan on August 19, 2020.

During its yearlong stay in South Sudan, the medical team treated 13,625 outpatients and 1,044 inpatients, performed 149 operations, rescued 189 critically ill patients, treated 2,772 patients with Chinese traditional therapies, and examined 261 patients by electronic gastroscope.

The team carried out a craniocerebral operation, the first of its kind in the African country. It also completed the country's first ultrasound-guided nerve block anesthesia.

In addition, the Anhui medical team diversified the form of aid to promote in-depth cultural exchanges between China and South Africa. For instance, it offered multi-disciplinary teaching to college students and Chinese language courses to local medical workers.




WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Pfizer and Moderna are stepping up trials of COVID-19 vaccines that specifically target the Omicron variant, as the highly contagious variant now accounts for 99.9 percent of new infections in the United States.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced on Tuesday the initiation of a clinical study in up to 1,420 healthy adults aged 18 to 55, to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of an Omicron-based vaccine candidate.

The study will have three cohorts examining different regimens of the current Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or an Omicron-based vaccine.

The Omicron-specific vaccine will be administered as a 30-microgram dose, the same as the current vaccine.

"While current research and real-world data show that boosters continue to provide a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization with Omicron, we recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address Omicron and new variants in the future," said Kathrin U. Jansen, senior vice president and head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer.

A Pfizer spokesperson told CNN the company has already begun to manufacture this vaccine.

A day later, Moderna also announced it has begun dosing patients in a clinical trial testing its COVID-19 vaccine booster shot that is specific to the Omicron variant.

The Phase 2 study will assess the safety, tolerability and immune response generated by the Omicron-specific shot in adults.

Moderna expects to enroll about 600 adult participants aged 18 and older, split equally between two groups. The first group will include people who received the two-dose vaccine, and the second group will include people who received the two-dose vaccine and the current booster.

Participants in both groups will receive a single dose of the Omicron-specific booster.

Moderna plans to seek authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine booster by the summer, said Moderna's Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton on Thursday.

The time frame means that the targeted vaccine may not be available to the public until the second half of the year, according to a report of NBC News.

The Omicron-specific booster shots are being developed as the highly transmissible variant strengthens its dominance in this country.

The latest data from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 99.9 percent of new infection cases in the country are now driven by the Omicron variant.

The Delta variant, which spiked last summer, now only makes up the remaining 0.1 percent.

The new infections driven by Omicron have risen rapidly since early December. The variant accounted for only 0.6 percent of new cases in the week ending Dec. 4, rising to 88.9 percent in the week ending Jan. 1, and 99.4 percent in the week ending Jan. 15, CDC data show.

Although Omicron can evade the antibodies elicited by authorized vaccines, making breakthrough infections more common, current vaccines still provide strong protection against hospitalization and death, several studies have suggested.

Protection against infection and death during the Delta-predominant period and against infection during Omicron emergence were higher among booster vaccine dose recipients, especially among persons aged 50 and older, according to a recent CDC study.

Another CDC study published Thursday suggests a third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose provides improved protection against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among immunocompromised adults.

The CDC has recommended everyone aged 12 and older get boosters or an extra dose of COVID-19 vaccine to restore the protection against the Omicron variant. 
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Illinois College has an international reputation for its work with orchids, and it's continuing to grow  thanks to a visit from a specialist from India.

Promila Pathak is chair of the Botany Department at Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, and editor of The Journal of the Orchid Society of India. She is visiting IC to learn about the work being done at the school and to share some of her own experience.

"This has been a pleasure," Pathak said Friday. "It's been my pleasure being able to interact with the students and professors, sharing my experiences with them."

Pathak works in India's only lab exclusively dedicated to orchids, which have been her focus since 1985.

There has been a lot of work done in studying the properties of orchids, their uses, how to make various species more viable and how to help species pull back from the brink of extinction, she said.

"This is my passion," Pathak said. "If we shake hands, if experts from all countries can collaborate, we would be really successful."

During her visit she spoke with students about her experiences and research. She said she was happy with the students' questions and responses to what she had to say.

Brent Chandler, an associate professor of chemistry at Illinois College who has worked on the college's Orchid Recovery Program, aimed at studying, preserving and protecting orchids  particularly the ghost orchid  said working with Pathak and having her visit has been a great experience.

"At Illinois College, one of the most important aspects of educating our students about science is that science is accomplished by going out into the world and learning, and seeing it," Chandler said. "It's a real blessing to have someone of her background and status to come here and share her experience and knowledge with our students."

Pathak recently was recognized for her contributions to orchid research by having an orchid named after her. The Phalaenopsis Promila Pathak White has been registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in London.

"It was a great honor," Pathak said.

Lawrence Zettler, an IC biology professor, said both he and the students already have learned so much from Pathak's visit and forming a longer partnership will only benefit the orchid program.

"She is an expert and I have learned so much in just two days," Zettler said. "It's very exciting and humbling."

Chandler and Zettler are working on national efforts to get the ghost orchid, which is close to extinction, placed on the federal protection list of endangered species.

Chandler said Pathak's visit hopefully is the first of many and Illinois College and Pathak's lab can form a new partnership in the future.

"We are going to visit and see the native orchids there (in India), what technology they use, how they study orchids," Chandler said.

It will open up new opportunities for IC students. Zettler said.

Illinois College already offers many overseas learning opportunities and Zettler hopes this will become a new one, he said.

"The main thing will be how it will benefit our students and open the door to India," Zettler said. "This has opened another door. We are already talking about a trip there in the future."
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The following are being sought on arrest warrants, according to various sheriffs departments. The addresses listed are the last known addresses provided by the warrants and may be outdated.

 Eric M. McCormick, 42, of 506 Seventh St., Manchester, is being sought on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on retail theft and criminal trespassing charges.

He is a white male standing 6 feet tall and weighing 155 pounds. He has a shaved head and blue eyes.

 Joseph A. Edwards, 37, of 118 E. Chambers St. is being sought on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on a violation of an order of protection.

He is a white male standing 6 foot 1 and weighing 265 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.

Morgan County

Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Dakota Holder, 22, of 129 Walnut Court was arrested at 10:50 a.m. Friday on a charge of predatory criminal sexual assault.

 Gracey Raven, 18, of 1225 Lincoln Ave. was cited at 10:25 p.m. Thursday on a charge of aggravated battery after being accused of biting a nurse at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, 1600 W. Walnut St.

ACCIDENTS

 A 17-year-old boy was cited on a charge of failing to yield after the car he was driving and one being driven by Brittany J. White, 41, of Jacksonville collided at 7:09 p.m. Thursday at Lincoln Avenue and Sherwood Eddy Drive.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer
What's new at Jacksonville Public Library:

"The Good Son" by Jacquelyn Mitchard: Stefan was just 17 when he went to prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Belinda, a crime he has no memory of committing. Three years later, he is released to a world that refuses to let him move on. From one of Americas most acclaimed storytellers comes a powerful, emotionally charged novel of family, redemption and a mothers love.

Adult Nonfiction

"All About Me!" by Mel Brooks: At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film and stage. Now, for the first time, the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner shares his story in his own words.

DVD

"Mass": Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. This film thoughtfully examines their journey of grief, anger and acceptance by coming face-to-face with the ones who have been left behind.

Childrens Picture Book

"In the Meadow of Fantasies" by Hadi Mohammadi: In this colorful, whimsical adventure, a disabled young girl watches a mobile of spinning horses from her bed before her imagination whisks her to a fantasy world with seven majestic horses.

Juvenile Nonfiction

"Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy" by Misty Copeland: The American Ballet Theatre principal dancer shares the stories of trailblazing dancers of color who made her own success possible by pushing back against repression and racism with their talent and tenacity.

Did you know?

The library is hosting a special Zoom program at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Join Jack Bales, author of "The Chicago Cub Shot for Love: A Showgirl's Crime of Passion and the 1932 World Series," as he uses original photographs, newspaper articles and interviews to tell the tale of Violet Popovich; her former boyfriend, Cubs shortstop Bill Jurges; and the shooting that had ripple effects on the Cubs' pennant-winning season. Email Sarah Snyder at ssnyder@jaxpl.org to receive the Zoom link or you may watch via Zoom in the librarys meeting room.
LIMA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian judicial authorities on Friday decided to temporarily bar top executives of Spanish firm Repsol from leaving the country in the wake of a major oil spill that has polluted the coast and sea north of the capital Lima.

The 18-month ban applies to Jaime Fernandez-Cuesta, executive director of Repsol Peru, and three other company directors -- Renzo Tejada, Gisela Posadas and Jose Rey.

Fernandez-Cuesta is to be investigated for his responsibility in the pollution of the environment, while the others are accused of complicity, according to local presiding judge Romualdo Aguedo.

The Jan. 15 oil spill occurred when a ship unloaded into a pipeline at the La Pampilla refinery operated by Respol in Ventanilla, Peru.

The Spanish multinational initially said only seven gallons of crude spilled, attributing the accident to abnormal waves along the Peruvian coast following a volcanic eruption occurred in Tonga, the Pacific Ocean country.

Peru's Environment Ministry estimated Friday that about 11,900 barrels of crude have leaked into the ocean. 
Fire in Sonora Estates Mobile Home Park View Photo

View Video

Update at 4:15 p.m.: CAL Fire reports that crews have knocked down a single-wide mobile home fire at the Sonora Estates Mobile Home Park in the 22400 block of South Airport Road in the Columbia area of Tuolumne County where other residents were threatened. There were reports of continued bangs or small explosions heard going off due to ammunition in the mobile home. Residents were able to escape the flames and the Red Cross has been called in to assist them, as the trailer is a total loss. What ignited the blaze remains under investigation.

A special thank you to our community partners Lorraine Lewis and Ashley Diehr for sending in a video and a picture respectively.

Original post at 3:35 p..m.: Columbia, CA  Firefighters are battling a mobile home fire near the Columbia Airport.

CAL Fire reports that when crews arrived the single-wide trailer was fully engulfed in flames at the Sonora Estates Mobile Home Park in the 22400 block of South Airport Road. Additionally, continued bangs or small explosions were reportedly heard going off due to ammunition in the mobile home. Other residences are threatened at this time. An update will be provided as soon as new information comes into the newsroom.
(Editors note: This project is a collaboration between the Plainview Herald and Saint Francis Ministries to showcase kids who are cleared for adoption.)

Texas is an active and curious young boy. He has an appetite for adventure thats as big as, well Texas!

If he had his choice, the 7-year-old would spend all day outside riding his bike and playing, no matter the weather. Texas really enjoys collecting magnetic blocks, trucks, and anything he can build with.

He does well in school and loves to make friends who will join him for outside activities.

One of his favorite times of the day is dinner time; Texas will never turn down a good meal. He likes chicken and gravy, but hes just as happy with a bowl of cereal.

Texas is excited to find his forever family. Are you ready to explore the world with this curious kid?

---

Texas is among the children listed on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website. Visit https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Application/TARE/Home.aspx/Default for more details.

Saint Francis Ministries is a nonprofit organization and a community-based care provider for the Texas Department of Family Protective Services Region 1. This region includes 41 counties across the Panhandle and South Plains.

To learn more about fostering or adopting, those interested are encouraged to attend one of the monthly virtual meetings hosted by Saint Francis Ministries and other child placing agencies. The meetings provide information about how to get started, the basic qualifications and more, in addition to providing opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Those interested can visit Saint Francis Texas on Facebook @SFMtexas to register for the online meetings, which can also be found below:

The meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month (Lubbock area  https://lubbock-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com) and the third Thursday of the month (Amarillo area  https://amarillo-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com).

For more information, please contact Erin Baxter at (806) 317-5631 or email texasinfo@st-francis.org. Visit Saint Francis Ministries online at https://saintfrancisministries.org.
Jan. 21

A 27-year-old man was arrested on Jan. 21 at the 1200 block of N. Date St. during a traffic stop. The individual was found to have multiple outstanding warrants for charges including: three for driving with an invalid license; two for speeding 0-20 miles over the limit; and one for failure to appear/bail jumping.

A crash involving a stolen vehicle was reported on Jan. 21 at the 3300 block of Milwaukee. Police responded to the 3500 block of N. Quincy in reference to a crash and found that the vehicle involved had been reported stolen.

Three individuals were arrested on Jan. 21 at the 700 block of W. 5th St. The individuals were found to have active warrants. Two of the individuals  a 41-year-old man and a 44-year-old man  were arrested for misdemeanor warrants. One individual, 29-year-old Rogelio Acosta Jr. was arrested for execution of a capias or arrest warrant, classified as a felony.

A sexual assault was reported on Jan. 21.

A stolen vehicle was reported at the 1800 block of W. 5th St. on Jan. 21.

Police arrested 20-year-old Vosia Chenier Chaney on Jan. 21 at the 1500 block of Quincy St. during a traffic stop. The stop was conducted for failure to signal with intent to turn at the location. A probable cause search was conducted during the stop. Officers found THC wax in the small console area under the dash. Chaney was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, which is a felony.

A crash was reported at the 200 block of Bryan St. No injuries were noted.

A crash was reported at the intersection of W. 19th and Quincy on Jan. 21. Vehicle damage was reported.

A sexual assault was reported on Jan. 21.

Damaged property was reported on Jan. 21 at the 600 block of Oakland St. Officers were dispatched to a disturbance at the location and found damage to a parked vehicle.

Jan. 22

Police arrested 36-year-old Joe J. Morales on Jan. 22 at the 2300 block of W. 16th St. for assault of a public servant, which is a felony.

Graffiti was reported at the 1300 block of Zephyr on Jan. 22.

A 20-year-old man was arrested on Jan. 22 at the 900 block of W. 28th St. Officers responded to the location in reference to a domestic disturbance and arrested the individual for an active warrant for possession of marijuana.

A theft was reported at the 800 block of W. 5th St. Someone took a cellphone from a business.

Trespassing was reported at the 2400 block of Yonkers. Officers were dispatched to the location where a man said he was locked in a building (Covenant Clinic) and could not get out. The 45-year-old was arrested for criminal trespassing.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on Jan. 22 at the 100 block of Pecos Place where officers were initially dispatched for a disturbance. Upon arrival, the individual identified himself and officers found he had an active warrant. He was arrested without incident.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Jan. 22 at the 300 block of NE Alpine St. Officers were notified of an individual who was suspected to be intoxicated and was determined to pose a danger to himself and others. The individual was found to have two active warrants for possession of alcohol by a minor.

A crash resulting in private property damage was reported Jan. 22 at the 700 block of SW 3rd St.

Jan. 23

An assault was reported at the 300 block of NE Alpine St. on Jan. 23.

Two assaults were reported at the 4100 block of W. 16th St.

An assault was reported at the 1500 block of Fresno on Jan. 23.

Jan. 24

A burglary was reported at the 800 block of E. 4th St. on Jan. 24.

Harassment was reported at the 3100 block of W. 20th St.

An assault was reported at the 300 block of NE Alpine St. on Jan. 24.

A burglary of a building was reported at the 300 block of Fir St.

Fraud was reported at the 1600 block of Houston St. on Jan. 24.

Fraud was reported at the 2900 block of Castro on Jan. 24.

AN assault was reported at the 3600 block of N. Columbia. Police arrested a 52-year-old man at the location and charged him with assault causing bodily injury and for a warrant for violating parole.

A 35-year-old woman was arrested on Jan. 24 at the 1300 block of Portland St. The individual was charged with a warrant for driving with an invalid license.

A sexual assault was reported on Jan. 24. The assault occurred on New Years Day.

Theft was reported at the 1000 block of N. Broadway. Officers were dispatched to the location and informed that vehicle parts had been stolen.

Jan. 25

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 100 block of S. Joliet St. on Jan. 25.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 3900 block of Olton Road.

Police arrested a 46-year-old woman on Jan. 25 at the 600 block of W. 24th St. The individual was charged with an outstanding warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia.

An 18-year-old woman was arrested on Jan. 25 at the 400 block of W. 5th St. where she was charged for three active warrants including two for failure to control speed and one for following too closely.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 300 block of Ennis St. on Jan. 25.

Jan. 26

Theft from a vehicle was reported at the 2300 block of Yonkers on Jan. 26.

A hit-and-run crash was reported at the 600 block of Lexington St. on Jan. 26. Vehicle damage was reported.

A burglary was reported at the 1400 block of Yonkers on Jan. 26.

A traffic stop was conducted on Jan. 26 at the 500 block of W. 5th St. An officer attempted to stop a red Volkswagon for running a stop sign but the vehicle sped off as the officer approached headed northbound on Denver St. The officer disengaged from the pursuit noting that it was a traffic violation.

Jan. 27

Fraud was reported at the 3300 block of Olton Road. A police report notes the case involved fraudulent use of credit cards.

Forgery was reported at the 100 block of W. 9th St. on Jan. 27. An unknown individual passed a check at Wells Fargo that did not belong to them.

Theft of a firearm was reported at the 600 block of Denver St. on Jan. 27.

An assault as reported at the 600 block of W. 18th St. Officers were dispatched to the location where they were notified that a suspected pushed and hit the victims a couple of times causing bodily injury then left before police arrival.

Police arrested a 27-year-old man at the 400 block of Cedar St. on Jan. 27. Officers responded to the location in reference to a disturbance and talked to a man and a woman. It was determined the man had assaulted his ex-girlfriend by striking her in the forehead. The man was also found to have an outstanding Hale County warrant. The individual was arrested and charged with the warrant and with assault causing bodily injury family violence.
After announcing their first brick-and-mortar location this past August, Nick and Elliott Reese of Reese Bros Barbecue are firing up the smoker to showcase their new spot with a pop-up.

On Sunday, January 30, a special event at 906 Hoefgen Avenue will give barbecue fans a taste of what's to come at the location. The San Antonio brothers, who worked at La Barbecue while at the University of Texas at Austin before cutting their teeth at Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue in Marathon for three years, are hoping to open in March or April.

MySA first reported on the Alamodome-adjacent spot last August. In a previous life, the 882-square-foot building used to house Con Yantas BBQ and Grill. When the Reeses finish building out the space, it'll include two patio areas, covered and open air.

Sunday's pop-up, which runs from noon to sell out, will feature brisket, pork carnitas, and turkey, as well as two housemade sausages, a spicy pasilla, and a more mild pork chorizo verde.

"We're going to make the beef pasilla a little spicier this week," Elliott tells MySA during a visit to the new space that's still under construction.

Sides will include a creamy macaroni and cheese, along with their signature borracho beans.

"We get a lot of comments asking if it's gumbo," Elliott says about the beans that include thick chunks of tomato and okra.

The brothers, along with staff members Jorge Flores and Gabe Perez, both students at the Culinary Institute of America San Antonio campus, will run the pop-up out of their food truck for the time being. For the sake of Flores and Perez, hours will run Saturday and Sunday after this weekend's pop-up but will eventually expand to Thursday and Friday service.

Reese Bros first popped up last in 2020 along the Broadway corridor before showcasing their menu at pop-ups behind Warehouse 5, which also holds Vista Brewing's satellite tap room and Shotgun House Roasters. The events tend to sell out so keep that in mind when attending this weekend.

Smoke show: Barbecue spots that put San Antonio on the map

"Our family's from San Antonio. So I went to Alamo Heights for two years in high school. And it was kind of back and forth from Austin and San Antonio. So we have roots here," Elliott says.

The brothers' San Antonio roots are evident in their rendition of the classic bean burger, a regional favorite that consists of a beef patty, tortilla chips or in some cases Fritos, beans and on occasion fresh white onions. The Reese Bros version  not available this weekend, but worth keeping and eye out for  features a thick pepper-crusted smoked patty that's seared on a flattop before serving, a single tostada, refried black beans, and a tangy green sauce.

"We grew up on EZ's bean burger, so we got the idea from that and added our salsa verde," Elliott says.
Rescuers take care of an injured whale stranded in the shallow water at Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

ATHENS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A rescue operation was underway on Friday for a young whale found stranded on Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens.

Vets supported by the Coast Guard and divers were offering aid to the injured whale, which was in a serious condition, according to the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy.

Based on the results of initial tests, the Cuvier's beaked whale is suffering from dehydration, leukopenia and anemia. Medication has been administered, and the mammal is being closely monitored, according to the ministry.

It is not yet clear how the whale ended up on the beach. When it was first spotted on Thursday, it was stranded in shallow waters in a small bay. Spyros Chrysanthopoulos, President of the Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica, was alerted to the whale's presence by the Coast Guard.

"Three members of our team went there and together with other divers we helped, guiding it out to the open sea. We were successful. It was in better condition than today," he told Xinhua Friday.

However, on Friday the whale reappeared on Alimos beach, and Chrysanthopoulos was again called in to assist by the Coast Guard.

"Today its condition is more serious," he said. "It has been injured on its jaw, back and forehead. Specialized biologists ... are by its side and we are also here to help save it."

Cuvier's beaked whales inhabit very deep seas. They are often observed off Crete island in southern Greece, and off Lefkada island in western Greece. 

Rescuers take care of an injured whale stranded in the shallow water at Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

Rescuers take care of an injured whale stranded in the shallow water at Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

Rescuers take care of an injured whale stranded in the shallow water at Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

Rescuers take care of an injured whale stranded in the shallow water at Alimos beach, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)
Los Angeles-based Hija De Tu Madre is stopping in San Antonio as part of its pop-up tour.

The Latina lifestyle brand will make an appearance inside the Madewell store at La Cantera all day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 26. While the brand is investing in Arizona with pop-ups in Phoenix and Tucson, Saturday's event will be Hija De Tu Madre's lone opportunity in Texas this weekend.

The pop-up will feature Hija De Tu Madre products for customers to shop including weekly planners, jewelry, cute coffee mugs to pair with your conchas in the morning, and apparel.

For those unfamiliar with Hija De Tu Madre, the Latina-owned brand is a creative outlet that celebrates the complexities of being a product of more than one culture, according to its website. Founder and designer Patty Delgado said the goal of Hija De Tu Madre is to create fashionable statements of identity that provide customers with a sense of familiarity, home, and belonging.

The 2022 truck tour kicked off in January on the West Coast and has made way to the Lone Star State and cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin.
Sergio Mendoza Hochmann/Getty Images

Almost a week after the Biden administration announced the distribution of 400 million free N95 masks to the public to combat COVID-19 surges, the protective coverings are beginning to arrive at some local pharmacies. In San Antonio, retail institutions participating in the national push include H-E-B pharmacies, CVS, and Walgreens.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, every person is entitled to three free masks, depending on availability.
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

It's going to be a pleasant weekend in the Alamo City. San Antonio can expect temperatures to stay on the cold side with clear, sunny skies.

The Alamo City can anticipate temps to reach a high of 58 degrees on Friday, January 28, with a low of 33 degrees later tonight.
Jaguars, snakes help Cuban children with special needs Reuters. Baby jaguars in vid are SO CUTE!

Ancient solar storm smashed Earth at the wrong part of the suns cycle  and scientists are concerned TheNewsMotion (Kevin W)

What the Discovery of an Extra Artery Means for Human Evolution Discover (Chuck L)

Is It Time to Explore Alternative and Encore Careers in Medicine? MedPage (resilc)

How the kidnapping of a First Nations man on New Years Eve in 1788 may have led to a smallpox epidemic The Conversation (Chuck L)

#COVID-19

Olympic snowboarding medalist tests positive for COVID after arriving in China NBC

Climate

China?

Old Blighty

 Scotland Yard has announced that it will start sending letters to Downing Street officials suspected of breaching lockdown rules after receiving a dossier of evidence from Sue Gray https://t.co/7GX0R8U4zI  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) January 29, 2022 Minister calls on retired teachers to join supply register BBC

New Cold War

Syraqistan

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Suicide hotline shares data with for-profit spinoff, raising ethical questions Politico (Dr. Kevin)

Imperial Collapse Watch

Biden

Bidens mistake: He should not be choosing a Supreme Court justice based on the color of their skin or sex, but rather on their qualifications & commitment to uphold our Constitution & the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans in that document which is the foundation of our nation  Tulsi Gabbard  (@TulsiGabbard) January 28, 2022

Democrats en deshabille

GOP Clown Car

Pennsylvania court strikes down states mail-in voting law Reuters (Kevin W)

Our Famously Free Press

Police State Watch

How Not To Worry About 7% Inflation: Democrats & Republicans Take Heed Forbes

U.S. Natural Gas Prices Climb Most Ever In Single Day OilPrice (resilc)

Its all relative Duncan Weldon

Ohio promised Intel more than $2 billion in state incentives to land computer-chip megaproject Cleveland.com (Kevin W)

The Miscalculations Underlying Miller & Zywickis Payday Loan Paper Adam Levitin, Credit Slips. Levitin demands that a paper be retracted!

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. Wayne W: Precarity:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
(Natural News) An independent physician based out of Jacksonville, Fla., is sounding the alarm about how Americans are now having to smuggle alternative remedies into hospitals to save their loved ones from the governments deadly approved protocols for treating the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

Eduardo Balbona says that he has already helped dozens of seriously ill patients recover from covid using ivermectin and other prohibited remedies. In almost every case, however, families have had to sneak these medications into hospitals to avoid detection like in some kind of third-world dictatorship.

The biggest barrier to these drugs getting legalized, so to speak, is the CARES Act. Signed into law by Donald Trump on March 27, 2020, the CARES Act only reimburses hospitals and health facilities for administering approved treatments like remdesivir, which is ineffective and deadly but makes lots of money for Tony Fauci.

The only way to truly heal from covid is to sidestep the governments rules and do your own thing, which is difficult once a person gets admitted to the hospital and put on a ventilator. At that point, the individual loses all rights, essentially, and is issued a death sentence.

22 Other countries have approved ivermectin based on safety and efficacy studies

It used to be the case that Americans were afforded doctor-patient privilege, meaning they were free to make their own health decisions with the help of their doctors. Now, Big Brother decides what medicines you get, and anything else is off-limits  unless you get it off the black market and smuggle it in.

A woman who recently contacted Balbona did just that after her husband was admitted to a Florida hospital with covid. His condition worsened until his wife sneaked into the facility with ivermectin, which ultimately saved his life.

The husband was very ill, Balbona says. Hes in his 50s, a big strong guy. She called me desperate because they gave him remdesivir [in the hospital] and she made them stop it, and he started getting worse and worse. And his oxygen demand went up.

The people who [sneaked] in the ivermectin  they are scared to death, Balbona added.

It is possible that this woman will be found out and that she will get arrested for saving her husbands life. This is her worry, anyway, based on how people who choose to use ivermectin (assuming they can find it in the first place) are being treated by the government.

Balbona helped the woman obtain the medications that she smuggled into the hospital and he is freely speaking about it, suggesting he does not care what anyone thinks. As any good doctor would do, he is concerned about saving lives, not playing politics.

She is sure that the government is going to find out who she is and possibly arrest her for giving medications not approved by the hospital, The Epoch Times revealed about the case.

When asked through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for details about why it opposes the use of ivermectin for treating covid patients, the FDA did not respond with an answer.

It turns out that nearly two dozen other countries have approved ivermectin for use. One of these is Brazil, where one major city cut its covid cases in half by administering the drug to locals.

In the United States, however, this is not allowed  for reasons that remain unknown. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not allow ivermectin to be prescribed to patients, nor will it reimburse health facilities that dare to try.

More related news about the governments crusade against ivermectin can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) In a speech she delivered over the weekend in Brussels, Holocaust survivor Vera Sharav claimed that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions and mandates being imposed today are eerily similar to what she witnessed as a child in Nazi-controlled Romania.

Sharav warned that a second Holocaust will soon come  some might argue that it is already here  if the people of the world remain silent and fail to push back against the medical fascism that is sweeping the globe at breakneck speed.

The author Primo Levi, and Italian Jewish survivor of Auschwitz, warned: It happened. Therefore, it can happen again. It can happen everywhere,' Sharav said, further explaining that the Holocaust was set in motion when personal freedom, legal rights, and civil rights were swept aside.

As a Holocaust survivor, I am appalled by poseurs who control the Holocaust narrative, Sharav went on to state. They deny the relevance of the Holocaust to current discrimination and increasingly aggressive and repressive edicts.

Anyone who tries to speak out, including the many who showed up for a protest in Brussels on the day Sharav spoke only to be disbanded by police officers, is systematically silenced.

Elie Wiesel, another Auschwitz survivor and Nobel laureate, who is largely considered to be the victims voice during the Holocaust, said that indifference and silence are what together resulted in its occurrence.

To remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all, Wiesel is further quoted as saying.

Is covid a second Holocaust?

Right now in cities and countries all around the world, minorities (the unvaccinated) are being discriminated against and persecuted by the majority (the fully vaccinated) for refusing to convert to the religion of Covidism.

In Australia, for example, dark-uniformed officers are brutally attacking demonstrators speaking out against the mask and injection mandates. Tyrant politicians are also locking out the unvaccinated from participating in society.

These and other examples of modern-day fascism are a painful reminder to people like Sharav about how psychological weapons of fear and propaganda are now being used to impose a genocidal regime.

Sharav maintains that back during World War II, Jews were unfairly demonized as spreaders of disease and the cause of their own misery. Their rejection from society was deemed necessary for preserving public health.

Today, the unvaccinated have become the new concentration camp prisoners. We are constantly being told by the corporate-backed media that an unaltered immune system is a deadly threat to others, and that only the jabbed should be allowed to live.

Todays predators are also using fear and propaganda to maintain a state of anxiety and helplessness. The objective  then and now  is identical  to condition people to become obedient and to follow directives without question, reports The Defender.

The global assault on our freedoms and our right to self-determination is facilitated by the weaponization of medicine. Then and now, the medical establishment has provided a veneer of legitimacy to mass medical murder.

It is not widely known, but the very first victims of the Nazi regime were infants and young children, roughly 1,000 of whom were murdered in hospitals  just like covid patients are being murdered in hospitals today.

In a report from the U.S. Commission on the Holocaust, it is noted that the inclination to duplicate the Nazi option and once again exterminate millions of people remains a hideous threat. That threat was renewed at the beginning of 2020 when the plandemic was first announced.

The modern-day Nazis objective is global population reduction, The Defender warns. The global oligarchs are determined to gain absolute control of the worlds resources  natural, financial and human.

The latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Hospitals are now discriminating against organ transplant candidates who did not get injected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. This discrimination ranges from putting them on waiting lists to denying eligibility altogether.

Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) in Boston is one of the facilities engaged in medical fascism. The parents of 31-year-old DJ Ferguson denounced the hospital for striking him off the heart transplant list because he was unvaccinated against COVID-19. According to DJs father, David Ferguson, his son was first in line to receive a new heart transplant but the hospital removed him from the list due to his unvaccinated status.

Its kind of against his basic principles, he doesnt believe in it. Its a policy they are enforcing and so because he wont get the shot, they took him off the list of a heart transplant, DJs father said.

According to the elder Ferguson, his sons heart has deteriorated to the point that it will no longer work on its own. My son has gone to the edge of death to stick to his guns, and hes been pushed to the limit, he continued. The Ferguson family is now considering his transfer to another facility that does not discriminate against unvaccinated patients.

BWH confirmed its decision to remove the younger Ferguson off the list in a statement. Like many other transplant programs in the U.S.  the COVID-19 is one of several vaccines and lifestyle behaviors required for transplant candidates  in order to create both the best chance for a successful operation and also the patients survival after transplantation, the hospital said.

The hospital found an ally in Dr. Arthur Caplan of New York University Grossman School of Medicine. According to the schools medical ethics head, transplant patients are at particular risk due to their compromised immune systems.

[Following] any transplant  kidney, heart [or] whatever  your immune system is shut off. The flu, a cold [or] COVID-19 could kill you. The organs are scarce. We are not going to distribute them to someone who has a poor chance of living when others who are vaccinated have a better chance, post-surgery, of surviving, he said. (Related: Texas man with natural immunity DIES after being forced to take COVID-19 vaccine while awaiting lung transplant.)

Ferguson not the first transplant patient victimized

DJ Ferguson is not the first organ transplant patient victimized by medical fascism. Back in October 2021, kidney transplant patient Leilani Lutali from Colorado was denied the procedure after the hospital she consulted found out that she and the organ donor were unvaccinated. Lutali and her friend Jamie Fougner, who was set to donate her kidney, both refused the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons.

An op-ed by conservative columnist Michelle Malkin mentioned the outcome of Lutali and Fougners journey. According to Malkin, one of the transplant coordinators warned that their journey would come to an end if they insisted on turning down the vaccine. Lutali added that there would be no exemptions, and even alternatives such as a negative COVID-19 test were unacceptable.

Leilani has now been placed on the inactive list  a death sentence, the conservative columnist wrote. Malkin concluded: Trust the science, stop asking questions and comply  or die.

Lutali joined attorney Tom Renz during the Oct. 19, 2021 edition of his Brighteon.TV program Lawfare with Tom Renz to talk about her plight. I felt like every door that I tried to knock on and open was immediately closed without any thought given to it. It was take the shot or you dont get your transplant. I guess playing politics with peoples health just doesnt sit well with me, Lutali said at the time.

Ive come to a place where Im starting to understand  this really doesnt have anything to do with my health. Because if this was about health, people that were being added to transplant lists would be denied for having been smokers at some point, having been obese [or] having any number of issues. But people can still get those transplants with those issues. I just cant get the transplant because I refuse the [COVID-19] shot.

Renz said in agreement: You get a person in desperate need of a kidney, and a person whos willing to give a kidney. Well, the healthcare system in Colorado has decided that its going to keep them safe  by not giving [Lutali] a kidney transplant. Im not sure how thats keeping anybody safe.

More related stories:

Should all organ donations by vaccinated people be HALTED due to protein-prion contamination and nanoparticle clots?

Tom Renz slams medical violence being committed against unvaccinated organ transplant patients  Brighteon.TV.

Stew Peters slams medical violence in the hospital system  Brighteon.TV.

Watch the video below of Lutali sharing her experience with Renz on Lawfare with Tom Renz.

This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com.

MedicalFascism.news has more about hospitals discriminating on unvaccinated organ transplant patients.

Sources include:

WND.com 1

LifeNews.com

TheBlaze.com

APNews.com

WND.com 2

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Author and former New York Times journalist Alex Berenson is under fire after demanding that the mRNA Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines be withdrawn for being dangerous and ineffective during his appearance on the Tucker Carlson Tonight show on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Were at a very dangerous moment, and Im not exaggerating, said Berenson. It is completely clear now that the vaccines dont really work at all against omicron. In these highly vaccinated and highly boosted countries, rates of infection are incredibly high and rates of serious disease and death are also rising.

Berenson pointed out how public health officials in Israel, one of the most highly vaccinated and boosted countries in the world, are predicting they are going to have more severe COVID-19 cases this year than they ever had at their peak last year.

The idea that we would solve this with another booster is just off the charts insane. I have not said this to you before because Im pretty careful, and Im pretty careful with the data, but these vaccines, these mRNA vaccines, mRNA COVID vaccines, need to be withdrawn from the market, he said.

No one should get them. No one should get boosted. No one should get double boosted. They are a dangerous and ineffective product at this point against omicron. (Related: Dr. Michael Palmer: mRNA vaccines cause radiation-like toxicity and are designed to POISON people.)

Berensons conversation with Carlson set off a firestorm, with people  notably other journalists  claiming that his call to end vaccinations will harm people.

These lies put my family member in the hospital. They left him, either temporarily or permanently, extremely weakened, claimed television journalist Naomi Kowles of WISC-TV in Madison, Wisconsin. I support anyones First Amendment right to say whatever they want, but there has got to be a way to stop killing people with free speech.

I wish some of the folks who are beyond livid about kids wearing masks in schools would spare just a tenth of their outrage for this deadly nonsense, claimed David French, senior writer for The Dispatch and former journalist for the National Review. Tens of thousands are dying because of vaccine refusal. These deaths are horrific, tragic and so very avoidable.

How many Americans have died of COVID because they believed lies peddled on Tucker Carlsons show? wrote National Review writer John McCormack. The number is greater than zero.

Evidence proves Berenson is correct about mRNA vaccines

All of Berensons detractors are accusing him of spreading falsehoods, but his claims are supported by scientific data.

The Scottish government, for example, recently released data showing that people who have been vaccinated with two or three doses of the mRNA vaccines are more likely to contract COVID-19, be hospitalized or even die from the virus, than the unvaccinated.

In Germany, a government report found that more than 95 percent of new cases of the omicron variant were coming from fully vaccinated individuals.

As Berenson himself cited, preliminary data from a study in Israel found that getting four doses of the Pfizer vaccine is not effective in protecting people against the omicron variant.

Last year, Berenson was banned from Twitter for supposedly spreading misinformation regarding COVID-19.

It doesnt stop infection. Or transmission. Dont think of it as a vaccine, wrote Berenson in the tweet that finally got him banned from the platform. Think of it  at best  as a therapeutic with a limited window of efficacy and terrible side effect profile that must be dosed in advance of illness.

More related stories:

Amazon bans book on coronavirus from lockdown critic Alex Berenson.

Twitter permanently bans Alex Berenson after viral COVID tweets.

Journalist Alex Berenson sues Twitter after being banned for stating facts on COVID vaccines.

Watch this clip of Tucker Carlson Tonight featuring Alex Berenson talking about how the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines need to be withdrawn.

This video is from the In Search of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

ThoughtCrimes.news has more on people speaking the truth and being chastised for it.

Sources include:

WND.com

RealClearPolitics.com

MediaITE.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole explained how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines compromise the immune system. The CEO and medical director of Idaho-based Cole Diagnostics said the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein used in the shots attacks receptors in the human cells that identify healthy cells from disease-causing ones.

They still are telling people to get a booster. Its a spike protein that [is] toxic to the human body, causes the same disease as the virus and is predisposing people to auto-immune attacks and potentially short-term cancer risks, he told New American contributor Veronika Kyrylenko during the Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington, D.C. on January 23.

Cole said that he initially saw viral skin lesions, which are commonly found in children, developing in adults. As time passed, he encountered many biopsies and noticed a trend. There was an uptick in womens cancers  including endometrial and cervical cancers  in older individuals.

After I reported those, I have tons of oncologists coming forward and saying Yeah, Im seeing the weird cancers  [those] weve been able to keep in check and treat  taking off like wildfire. Thats because of the immune dysregulation that these shots cause. (Related: Idaho doctor reports 20 times increase in cancer among those vaccinated for covid.)

According to Cole, human cells have so-called toll-like receptors (TLRs) that classify whether a foreign object in the body is harmful or not. When the [COVID-19] shots go into the body, they turn some of these [TLRs] off. Normally, they have to be on, he said.

The pathologist added that when the vaccines turn off some of these TLRs, the immune systems alert mechanism is compromised as a result. TLR7 and TLR8 are in charge of detecting viruses, while TLR3 and TLR4 are responsible for keeping cancer in check.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to the P53 gene  the so-called guardian of the genome  which suppresses tumors. The spike proteins S1 subunit also binds to the TMPRSS-2 gene linked to prostate cancer in men and the BRCA genes linked to breast cancer in women.

Were giving a shot that makes a spike protein. Thats a toxin that triggers cancer genes in bad ways and turns off other pattern receptors, Cole told the New American contributor. We dont know how long the immune system is suppressed after these shots and how long these receptors are shut off  because those studies arent done.

Cole also slams mandates and lack of informed consent

Were doing something randomly to billions of people as an experiment. There is not one approved [COVID-19] shot present and available in the United States. Everybody thats getting a shot is still in a giant scientific experiment. We vowed never to do this again to humanity in 1947 at the Nuremberg trials. We would never experiment on humanity without informed consent again, said Cole.

Its insanity that were trudging forward [with vaccination] when we know the vaccines are leaky. They dont stop transmission [and] disease. People that are getting the shots are literally dying from all causes at higher rates than those that dont get it. The all-cause mortality is now higher in the vaccinated group than [in] the unvaccinated group. We have lost our collective medical minds for money.

Coles remarks to Kyrylenko during the rally in D.C. echoed the sentiments he voiced out during the August 2021 White Coat Summit, organized by Americas Frontline Doctors. He denounced the insanity and called to stop the poisonous attack on [the] population through the vaccines.

The spike protein, without the body of the virus present, can induce the same disease as COVID-19. The same lung disease, the same vascular disease, the same heart disease, the same brain disease. The spike is the toxin, he warned at the time.

Cole ended his interview with Kyrylenko with three messages for Americans.

No. 1: Dont be afraid. Fear is the real pandemic. [No. 2]: Do take care of your immune health. The best doctor you will ever have is inside your own skin, but its up to you to choose health. [No. 3]: The shots are expired. Do not put this poison in your body and, whatever you do, dont put it in your childrens body.

More related stories:

Dr. Ryan Cole talks about how vitamin D, not vaccines, is the key to fighting COVID-19  Brighteon.TV.

Study: COVID-19 vaccines found to weaken the immune system, increase risk of developing cancer.

New studies show that COVID vaccines damage your immune system, likely permanently.

Watch the video below of Coles interview with Kyrylenko.

This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.

Visit SpikeProtein.news to learn more about how the spike protein in vaccines damages the immune system.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

By-JulietBonnay.com
Photo taken on June 8, 2020 shows a protester holding a sign that reads "Black Lives Matter" near the White House during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Black residents, despite comprising 6 percent of California's population, made up 31 percent of the state's homicide victims, The Guardian said in a recent report, noting that across the United States, homicides increased by 30 percent between 2019 and 2020, the largest single-year jump in the 60 years.

LONDON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of black women killed in gun violence in the United States has been rising sharply, but no one seems to care, The Guardian said in a recent report.

While the killing of Brianna Kupfer, a white woman, in Los Angeles this month garnered national attention, the death of Tioni Theus, Breahna Stines and Marneysha Hamilton, all Black women, in two other separate killings in Los Angeles, received scant attention and were largely treated as local news, said the report released on Thursday.

"Black women and girls are being murdered and I don't think anyone is paying attention," the report quoted Lawanda Hawkins, a Los Angeles-based victim rights advocate, as saying.

Although discrepancies between the attention to white victims of violence and Black victims of violence are nothing new, community organizers and researchers worry about the message this phenomenon continues to send to young Black girls about their worth and potential, it said.

Black residents, despite comprising 6 percent of California's population, made up 31 percent of the state's homicide victims, the report said, noting that across the United States, homicides increased by 30 percent between 2019 and 2020, the largest single-year jump in the 60 years.

While most gun violence victims were Black men, at least four Black women and girls were murdered per day in the United States in 2020, a sharp increase compared with the year before, it said, citing FBI data. 
(Natural News) The failure of Joe Bidens Build Back Better legislative agenda on account of Joe Manchins doubts proves that, even though they control neither house of Congress, Republicans can still win victories against President Bidens agenda. Not every Democratic senator is maximally left-wing, and if Republicans can pick the right battles, they can delay and even prevent the worst excesses of a far-left administration.

(Article republished from Revolver.news)

One of those worthy battles should be taking place right now. Very soon, the Senate will vote on whether to confirm Gigi Sohn, Joe Bidens nominee to fill the decisive fifth spot on the Federal Communications Commission. And with a 50-50 split in the Senate, that confirmation is only a sure thing if Republicans decide to take it easy. They shouldnt. Gigi Sohn is a dangerous extremist whom Republicans should fight ferociously to keep away from any sort of regulatory power.

By tradition, the chairman of the FCC steps down when the presidency switches parties, so that the new president can choose a replacement. In October, after an unusually-lengthy 10-month delay, Biden elevated sitting commissioner Jennifer Rosenworcel to be FCC chairwoman, and chose Gigi Sohn to fill the vacant fifth seat.

Sohn, a longtime telecom lawyer and activist, is an alumnus of the far-left Ford Foundation and a fellow with the Open Society Foundations, the grantmaking network funded by George Soros. For those of you living under a rock, Soros is best known as the billionaire paying to make every American city into a criminal disaster area.

Like most power centers in Washington, the FCCs power grows more with each passing year. When it was created 88 years ago, the FCC existed to govern radio and telephone services. Today, its domains have expended to include television, the Internet, and the content carried on each. Much like in the federal courts, the FCCs authority has grown thanks to paralysis in Congress. In past decades, major debates over telecom policy could be hashed out in the legislature. Today, though, with Congress more or less permanently paralyzed, the FCC is now the venue for adjudicating questions like Internet censorship, thanks to its power to interpret regulations like Section 230 that Congress passed decades ago and now lacks the unity or initiative to ever update.

Under President Trump, the FCC was the hoped-for venue for rolling back Big Techs censorship regime and overall power. Under President Biden, the FCC matters for the same reason, in the opposite direction. If Gigi Sohn is confirmed, it could quickly pave the way for political censorship run directly by the FCC, while taxpayer dollars flow directly to Sohns old friends in the activist world.

Gigi Sohns Career Has Been Defined By Her Drive To Censor Conservative Speech Sohn has also been a regular collaborator and key ally of radical groups like Fight for the Future, which has a disgraceful history of harassing, threatening, and intimidating public officials. pic.twitter.com/RRR9gjJPwg  The Columbia Bugle ?? (@ColumbiaBugle) January 11, 2022

The stakes are high. Last Thursday didnt just mark the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. It also marked the anniversary of the largest left-wing offensive against free speech and free association in decades. Big Tech deplatformed a US president and thousands of his followers, and has continued to do so at will ever since. There was a serious push to shut down dissident TV channels such as OAN for ideological reasons. In the years to come, the FCC has the power to contain this push for censorship and control, and the power to egg it on if it so chooses. Under an FCC with Sohn on it, the latter is far more likely.

Some realism is in order. Joe Biden is president, so the FCC wont be getting a Republican majority, and Republicans are in no position to demand someone who agrees on every issue. But Sohn has made it explicit that she doesnt simply disagree with Republicans on issues. She regards them as a borderline-criminal ideological enemy that should be extinguished.

Public Knowledge, an advocacy group that Sohn co-founded and ran for its first decade of existence, called for OAN to be deplatformed after January 6. Sohn herself endorsed a congressional inquisition over OAN, which doubled as a far-left effort to use the threat of government retaliation to pressure cable companies to drop conservative channels. In 2018, she called on the FCC to look into revoking the broadcast license for the Sinclair Broadcast Group, explicitly because of the companys politics.

The dangerous Sinclair-Tribune merger is officially dead. I say that @FCC should look at whether Sinclair is qualified to be a broadcast licensee at all: https://t.co/IAeAX6dhgo  Gigi Sohn (@gigibsohn) August 9, 2018

This, and its lack of candor during the failed merger with Tribune, calls into question Sinclairs fitness to be a broadcast licensee. Will @FCC do anything when Sinclairs licenses are up for renewal? https://t.co/EPNExBfXS0  Gigi Sohn (@gigibsohn) October 21, 2018

Sohn also sits on the board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. During the 2020 mostly peaceful riots across America, the EFF published guides for rioters, putting out advice on how to avoid having ones phone searched by police, or how to evade detection by facial recognition technology.

Then, there is Sohns long association with Fight for the Future, a left-wing activist group, and its radical transgender leader Evan Greer. Sohn appeared on Greers podcast in 2019 and the two are, more broadly, quite friendly.

My official statement is: FUCKING FINALLY https://t.co/lBXBB7zKT1  Evan Greer (@evan_greer) October 26, 2021

Greer is an anarchist who worked for three years to free a convicted al-Qaeda terrorist sent to prison for planning to shoot up a Boston shopping mall . In 2016, Greer made a Facebook post celebrating cop killer Assata Shakur.

In 2014, while working as an employee for then-FCC commissioner Tom Wheeler, Sohn gave preferential treatment to left-wing groups trying to sway the FCC, and even showed up to support protests against her own Obama-appointed boss.

Left-wing FCC protesters are some of the most vicious this side of a mostly-peaceful rally in Minneapolis. During the Trump years, Greer organized a protest campaign against FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai that evolved into some of the most vicious harassment ever seen by a federal bureaucrat, tormenting Pai and his family at his home for his position on various telecom issues. Commentary described the torments Pai faced at the time.

[C]omments were peppered with claims that Pai was a pedophile, a dirty, sneaky Indian who should self-deport, and reminders that anonymous online hordes maintain the power to murder Ajit Pai and his family.  This episode would prove to be just the beginning of Pais ordeal. By May of last year, Pais tormentors began a campaign to ensure that the FCC chairman could enjoy no peacenot even in his own home. Resistance groups began distributing fliers and door hangers around Pais Arlington, Virginia neighborhood, featuring a black-and-white photo of Pai with his vital stats (height, weight, age, and professional background) and accusing him of selling the Internet out to corporations. Have you seen this man? the fliers read. These demonstrators didnt stop there. They began organizing vigils in Pais drivewaya tactic that net neutrality activists deployed in 2014 against then-FCC chairman Tom Wheeler. They come up to our front windows and take photographs of the inside of the house, Pai told the Wall Street Journal. My kids are 5 and 3. Its not pleasant. [Commentary]

If Sohn is confirmed, the current 2-2 tie in the FCCs partisan makeup will become a 3-2 Democratic majority. But more importantly, the radical left-wing, on tech and telecom issues, will have a firm ally on the FCC. Sohn will be positioned to empower (perhaps even bankroll) her old allies, and the FCC will take a giant step in the direction of regulating, censoring, or shutting down conservative voices online, on the radio, and on television.

Republicans ignore this danger at their peril. Sohns nomination should be opposed with all possible force, or they have only themselves to blame when Big Tech sends the rest of their accounts to the ban pile.

Read more at: Revolver.news
(Natural News) Pastor Todd Coconato told host Doug Billings during the January 25 episode of the The Right Side on Brighteon.TV that the Great Awakening is happening in America.

The truth is theres a massive amount of people that have awakened during this time period. And its unlike anything Ive ever seen in 22 years of ministry, where the harvest is extremely ripe. People are seeking, they are searching, and the Bible says, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened,' Coconato said.

So as you seek, I believe the Lord guides us and reveals things to us. And thats what Hes done with me in this journey for, you know, 20 plus years. And I believe Hes doing it to a lot of other people, a lot of your listeners lives and people all over the world.

Billings agreed. We are in the middle of the Great Awakening back into the divine providence of God Himself, Billings said. We are part of the Great Awakening remnant that are rising to the top and have every reason to be hopeful in 2022. (Related: Leading virologist and mRNA pioneer Dr. Robert Malone predicts Great Awakening in response to Great Reset.)

Remnants are rising up against tyranny

Coconato took note of the word remnant and said that it refers to people that are truly hungering and thirsting for righteousness, those who are really seeking the truth and the answers.

Its high time, we have to stand up, we have to push back, we have to say no to tyranny. And we have to answer the call because it just so happens that the Lord knew we were going to be alive in this time period. Its not a mistake. And if were alive in this time period, I believe Hes equipped us and prepared us to do the work of the Kingdom in this hour, the licensed and ordained minister added.

The Todd Coconato Show host also mentioned that our society, the whole government and everything that we now have in the American republic was basically patterned after ancient Israel.

Ancient Israel was very successful in the way it was run. So you know, Israel was chosen by God, but America chose God. We made a covenant with God. We believe that our rights are given to us by God, not by government, Coconato said.

The Religious Liberty Coalition president also pointed out that people have to stand with one another and fight for the future of their children, the next generation, and for their freedoms.
(Natural News) Denmark has announced that it will end all of its Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions by next week.

Mette Frederiksen, prime minister of one of the worlds most vaccinated countries, said Denmark will not extend any of its pandemic measures beyond Jan. 31.

The pandemic is still here but with what we know, we now dare to believe that we are through the critical phase, said Frederiksen, who called this development in her country a milestone.

We say goodbye to the restrictions and welcome the life we knew before, she continued. As of Feb. 1, Denmark will be open.

According to Danish Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke, the country is recording more than 46,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, but very few people are hospitalized, and even fewer are in intensive care units.

We continue with a strong epidemic surveillance, said Heunicke. Then we  can react quickly if necessary.

It may seem strange that we want to remove restrictions given the high infection rates, said Frederiksen. But fewer people become seriously ill.

The situation in Denmark is that we have this decoupling between infections and intensive care patients, said Heunicke. That is the reason why it is safe [to roll back restrictions] and the right thing to do now.

Life will fully return to normal by February

Denmark started the process of loosening restrictions in mid-January after a month-long lockdown.

When the lockdown ended, concert venues and cinemas were allowed to reopen and some other restrictions were loosened, but they remained. Limited hours for restaurants, mandatory masking and proof of COVID-19 vaccination were still required in most public spaces.

Starting Feb. 1, nightclubs will be allowed to operate again and restaurants will be allowed to remain open past 10 p.m. Customers of either venue will no longer be required to present proof of vaccination upon entry.

Commuters taking buses will no longer need to wear masks, and capacity limits placed on shops will be lifted.

The only restrictions that will remain are COVID-19 testing and isolation requirements for people entering the country. This requirement will remain in place until March.

In making this momentous move, Denmark follows in the footsteps of Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. (Related: Lifting of Britains COVID-19 restrictions could be part of giant PSYOP to gain back peoples trust.)

But the three other aforementioned countries are keeping some COVID-19 measures in place. Denmark, on the other hand, is scrapping all of its domestic restrictions entirely.

England was the first country to announce a loosening of restrictions, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing an end to the mask mandate as part of the nations return to Plan A measures.

Ireland followed, with Prime Minister Micheal Martin announcing an end to the nations system of vaccine passports.

England and Ireland were followed by Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.

Most of Europe is also putting in place plans to roll back most COVID-19 restrictions. Norway is planning to gradually get rid of restrictions since the countrys public health authorities have accepted that only extreme measures can deal with the omicron variant.

Even France and Austria, which have been putting extreme pressure on the unvaccinated to take the vaccines, have begun relaxing some of its regulations.

More related stories:

Israel now #1 in covid cases per capita, proving all the draconian vaccinations, lockdowns and restrictions are utterly worthless and stupid.

Truth will set you free: Danish newspaper apologizes for failing to report the truth about COVID pandemic.

Vaccine DAMAGE now ubiquitous in Denmark as Omicron hospitalizations occur primarily in fully vaccinated.

Watch this clip of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announcing Denmarks transition to a completely restriction-free society on Feb. 1.

This video can be found in the channel The Willow on Brighteon.com.

Learn more about the state of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions around the world by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

Bloomberg.com

Newsweek.com

EuroNews.com

Brighteon.com
In the Ugandan jungle, researchers discovered a new species of bug that belongs to a group of insects so uncommon that its nearest known cousin was last spotted more than 50 years ago.

A British scientist working in a national park in western Uganda found the species of leafhopper known as Phlogis kibalensis.

The species' body has a metallic shine and is pitted. Its male reproductive organs, which are partially formed like a leaf, mirror other leafhoppers.

Before this finding, the last time a Phlogis leafhopper was seen was in the Central African Republic in 1969.

Related Article: More than 500 New Species was Discovered by the Natural History Museum in 2021

Cicadas and Leafhoppers

According to ScienceDirect cicadas and leafhoppers are related, although leafhoppers are smaller. Invertebrates such as spiders, beetles, parasitic wasps, and birds prey on them since they subsist mostly on plant sap.

"This is the first time I've uncovered a previously unknown species." Dr. Alvin Helden of Anglia Ruskin University, who discovered the species and published the findings in the journal Zootaxa, stated, "It's one of those things you hope to achieve as an entomologist, and I've succeeded to do it now."

Related Article: Badger Accidentally Unearthed Ancient Roman Coins While Looking for Food

Leafhopper Genus

"The leafhopper Phlogis kibalensis belongs to the Phlogis genus. Cicadas are recognizable to most people, and leafhoppers are linked to cicadas. I frequently refer to them as "much, much smaller." They all share the same basic construction, with the head end being somewhat taller than the rear end and highly colorful.

Leafhoppers, according to the Journal Zootaxa, of this genus and the more prominent tribe have a unique appearance and are rarely seen.

They're so uncommon that their biology is nearly unknown. We don't know much about Phlogis kibalensis, the new species discovered, such as what plants it eats or how it fits into the local environment.

Related Article: Mesopotamia's Ancient War Donkeys Believed to be First Animal Hybrids Bred by Humans



Exploring the Insect Kingdom

Helden has been organizing student field trips to the Kibale national park, which is located near Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, since 2015.

Helden has been documenting the insects present in the park and creating field guides with images of Kibale's butterflies, hawkmoths, and tortoise beetles as part of this.

"I wanted to make my butterfly identification guide for my kids so they could see them on their phones or tablets. I figured it would be good for other international groups as well as Ugandan students," Helden added."

Also Read:

This is How Non-human Species Drive Others to Extinction

Terrifying Fossils of 'Larger-Than-Humans' Giant Sandworms Found in the Ocean!

For more animal news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Causing vibrations thundering across the water below them, the specialists on Lake Kivu's mobile hydropower plant; can only observe uneasily, as the volcano in the horizon explodes furiously.

Being among Africa's major rift lagoons located among both Rwanda and the Democratic State of the Congo, the massive accumulation of highly combustible chemicals inside of Kivu, terrified everyone, not the magma pouring out of Mount Nyiragongo previously in May.

The Dangerous Secret of Lake Kivu

According to Darchambeau, ecological supervisor of KivuWatt, if provoked, a limnic outburst might contribute in a tremendous release of methane from frigid oceans to the top, leading in strong currents and a deadly chemical mist which might threaten the safety of people.

The corporation expects that eliminating gas will lessen the burden inside the reservoir throughout time, perhaps lessening the likelihood of a limnic explosion, as per ScienceAlert.

Millennia of geological eruptions have resulted in a tremendous concentration of carbon dioxide and methane in the deepest of Kivu, adequate to be extremely damaging if unleashed in the unusual occurrence.

A further business is considering building its own 56-megawatt methane collection enterprise on the reservoir.

The plant propels freshwater laden with methane and carbon dioxide from roughly 350 meters to the ground with a loud noise.

ContourGlobal, which manages KivuWatt, began the Lake Kivu initiative in 2015 and discussed extending its potential from 26 to 100 megawatts at one point.

The rate of mining will determine the time it takes to exhaust these massive gas deposits, according to Martin Schmid, a scholar at the Swiss Academy for Aquatic and Ecological Studies.

The latter two had limnic explosions in the 1980s, while the larger accident at Lake Nyos smothered over 1,700 people due to a deadly co2 emission.

The recovered gas is piped to a separate plant placed onsite in Rwanda, where it is converted into power.

The co2 is poured directly through the reservoir at an exact sufficient level to avoid upsetting the sensitive equilibrium.

However, as said by Darchambeau these disasters happened in remote areas, but a comparable calamity including Kivu might put almost 2 million inhabitants at risk.

"Using KivuWatt solely, it will take millennia to significantly reduce gases in the water," Darchambeau added.

Also read: Over 70 Dead as Tropical Storm Ana Wreaks Havoc on Southern African Countries

The Africa's 'Killer Lake'

The only other 'killer lakes' in the world are lakes Nyos and Monoun in northwest Cameroon, according to The Sun.

While KivuWatt administrator Priysham Nundah remarked that the process is like unwrapping a container of Coke, which he characterized as midway from a conventional and a sustainable energy facility.

Countless people in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are afraid of the river's dangerous capacity, and legends circulate of divers vanishing into its abyss after being buried alive or hauled beneath.

However, worries of this tragedy were reignited when Nyiragongo, an explosive mountain in north of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, erupted in beginning of 2021.

KivuWatt's unusual hovering foundation, a confined labyrinth of pipelines and buoys as towering as a multi-story structure anchored on the Rwandan portion of Kivu, requires a 20-minute motorboat voyage.

KivuWatt, which claims to be the globe's only initiative of its sort, identified a potential to harness these plentiful vapors for generating electricity.

As tremors rattled the neighborhood, the volcano eruption slaughtered 32 people and damaged scores of residences.

Also read: Buried Ancient Treasures in Britain at Risk Due to Climate Change
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a correlation between ocean acidification and the deterioration of coral skeleton.

Coral reefs, which cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, are home to some of the planet's most diverse ecosystems, with an estimated one million species living there.

It has been established that coral species making up these reefs are vulnerable or resistant to ocean acidification (the result of rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere). But researchers don't know why.

Impacts of Climate Change on Coral Reef and Skeletons

Researchers found that the rate at which coral skeletons crystallize varies among species and is linked to their ability to withstand acidification.

Coral reefs and skeletons are particularly vulnerable to climate change, therefore it's critical to identify the extent of the problem and develop scientifically sound solutions.

According to Science Daily, "Many agencies keep putting out reports in which they say, 'Yes, coral reefs are threatened,' with no idea what to do," says Pupa Gilbert, a physics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the study's senior author.

Sea creatures called reef-forming corals build skeletons out of aragonite, an almost entirely insoluble crystalline substance. Prior to crystallization, calcium carbonate, which is more dispersed, occurs as predecessors to aragonite on the skeleton.

Three coral genera were examined by the researchers, and their skeletons were analyzed in great detail for the first time. They used a technique pioneered by Gilbert called PEEM spectromicroscopy, which is the most sensitive method to date for detecting the various types of calcium carbonate.

Also Read: Most of Indian Ocean's Coral Reefs May be Destroyed in Next 50 Years

How Coral Crystallization Affects Coral Sensitivity

A thicker amorphous calcium carbonate band was detected in Acropora, a species more sensitive to acidification than Stylophora in these spectromicroscopy photos, which were used to compare the thickness of amorphous precursors to crystals.

Turbinaria, a third unidentified genus with a thinner amorphous precursor layer than Stylophora, appeared to be the most resistant to ocean acidification of the three that were studied. The crystallization process is slowed down by the presence of a wide band of uncrystallized minerals, as per Fuenitech.

A coral species is more resistant to ocean acidification if it crystallizes swiftly on the skeleton's surface, where the living animal deposits the amorphous calcium carbonate, than if it crystallizes slowly, says Gilbert.

Interpreting the PEEM Images

It's possible that the mechanism is straightforward, but the data processing necessary to handle and understand the PEEM images is anything but complex. It's necessary to examine millions of data points for each pixel in imaging data. There are a lot of decision points and a lot of computational power involved in processing the data.

Automation and machine learning have been attempted by the team, however such approaches have failed. Gilbert, on the other hand, has discovered that people are the best data processors.

Gilbert was wary of drawing generalizations based on the actions of a small group of people. Consequently, she enlisted the help of some undergrads from the University of Wisconsin-Mercile Madison's J. Lee Scholars Program, which aims to recruit and retain brilliant students from underrepresented groups. As a result of this team, they had access to a wide range of decision-makers.

They were referred to as the Cnidarians, a phylum that includes corals, anemonoids, and jellyfish. They quickly became integral members of the team. Gilbert assigned the same dataset to various students to process in parallel and discuss at their next Zoom conference, which they did numerous times a week.

According to Gilbert, a robust and dependable analysis is one in which several persons come up with precisely the same solution while making different selections. Thirteen Cnidarians contributed to this study since their contributions were so valuable.

Related Article: Coral Reef in Ocean's 'Twilight Zone' Untouched by Climate Change Found in Tahiti

For more news, updates about coral reef and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
According to a study, temperatures over the Great Barrier Reef in December were the highest on record, with "alarming" levels of heat that have put the ocean gem on the edge of another major bleaching of corals.

Reef Conservation Effort

The Morrison government announced on Friday that if it wins the next election, it will invest $1 billion in reef conservation over the next nine years, a pledge that some have interpreted as a cynical attempt to prevent the reef from being added to the world heritage "in danger" list at a meeting in July.

Most environmentalists and scientists applauded the promise, but many said the government needs to significantly increase its greenhouse gas emissions and stop funding fossil fuel projects.

According to an examination by experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), heat stress over the corals reached a level "unique in the satellite record" for that time of year in the three months leading up to December 14th.

Intense Temperatures

Temperatures were so scorching, according to the data, that between mid-November and mid-December, low temperatures over more than 80% of the reef were greater than previous maximums.

When the research, which covered every year from 1985, was finished, Dr. William Skirving of Noaa's Coral Reef Watch stated his team was "surprised, horrified, and alarmed."

It's absolutely out of character, indicating that minimum temperatures were greater than maximum temperatures. This is probably likely an indicator of climate change.

The world's seas are becoming hotter as greenhouse gas emissions pile in the atmosphere, and experts predict that coral bleaching will grow more common in the short future, regardless of emissions.

Mass Bleaching Events

Five mass bleachings have occurred on the 2,300-kilometer reef, all caused by rising ocean temperatures induced by global warming in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, and 2020.

According to the Noaa research, the reef entered the summer with "more accumulated heat than ever before," according to the Noaa research, which was not peer-reviewed but was accepted to a scientific publication.

In mid-December, the average water temperature was at least 0.5 degrees Celsius warmer than it had been during any preceding summer when the reef bleached.

Heat stress is most prevalent in late February and early March.

The algae that reside within corals provide most of their food and color. However, if the temperature rises too high, the algae separate, leaving the animal white.

Can Corals Recover from Bleaching?

Corals can recover from minor bleaching, although they will be weaker, more prone to disease, and reproduce fewer in the years afterward.

"The impact is deemed small at this stage," said Dr. Mark Read, assistant director of reef preservation at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. However, they observe circumstances constantly, noticing the heat building in the system.

Offshore reefs between Cooktown and Mackay and inshore reefs in Townsville have reported heat-stressed corals and some bleaching.

He said that weather conditions over the next couple of weeks would determine the danger of broad-scale coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef,

Read believes that extended periods of cloud cover, rainfall, and wind might all assist in lowering temperatures.

Related Article: How are Coral Reefs Adapting to Survive the Changes in the Climate

Weather Forecasts

According to Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Shane Kennedy, monsoonal conditions might bring overcast and rain in the next week, although this could clear south of Cairns in the coming days.

Cloud cover, according to Associate Professor Tracy Ainsworth, a coral scientist at the University of New South Wales, might lessen the increased stress on corals caused by sunshine.

"It's unfortunate that we've arrived at a point where we're hoping for conditions that would reduce coral mortality."

Some corals on Magnetic Island, near Townsville, were bleaching, according to Prof Jodie Rummer, a Townsville-based marine researcher.

Reef Restoration

On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in Cairns to announce money for initiatives addressing water quality, pollution, illegal fishing, and outbreaks of coral-eating starfish if his government is re-elected.

Monitoring reef health, habitat restoration, and scientific research into making corals and ecosystems more robust would be supported.

In July, the world heritage committee will determine whether or not to add the reef to its "in danger" list.

The designation was suggested by Unesco science experts last year, and the $1 billion promise comes just days before the government's deadline to submit a progress report to Unesco on February 1st.

Murdoch University's head of marine science, Associate Professor Mike Van Keulen, called the Coalition's vow "a disingenuous symbolic measure."

Experts claim that improving water conditions over the reef can increase the health of corals and give them a greater chance of surviving as temperatures rise, something conservation groups have long advocated for.

Also Read: Coral Reef in Ocean's 'Twilight Zone' Untouched by Climate Change Found in Tahiti

For more Environmental News, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Some American airlines were forced to cancel thousands of flights on Saturday as parts of the East Coast prepared for a powerful winter storm that may bring heavy snow and high winds.

New York, Boston, and the Mid-Atlantic will face the impact of the far-reaching system.

Travel Disruptions Due to Possible Winter Storm

As per flight tracker FlightAware, about 3,400 flights traveling within, into, or out of the US have already been canceled for Saturday.

Snowfall accumulations of more than a foot are expected in certain areas of the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, with whiteout conditions and practically impossible travel at times predicted.

According to Phys.org, salt machines and snowplows lined up as Mayor Eric Adams warned of a foot (30 centimeters) of snow, but also said that "Mother Nature has a tendency to do what she wants."

The National Weather Service predicts dangerously low temperatures and wind chills for Saturday night and Sunday morning as a result of the storm.

Also Read: State of Emergency Declared as Massive Snow and Ice Storm May Hit Carolinas, Virginia, Texas

State of Emergency Declared in New York and New Jersey

State of emergency was declared in New York and New Jersey while Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston declared a snow emergency.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned Long Island, New York City, and the lower Hudson Valley have been warned to stay at home over the weekend and avoid unnecessary travel

Over the next 24 hours, the National Weather Service Eastern Region predicted that the storm's pressure would fall to 35 millibars by Saturday night.

A "bomb cyclone" a term used to describe a storm that rapidly intensifies is predicted in some regions of the United States

Just two weeks ago, a blizzard blanketed a large section of Eastern North America, from Georgia to Canada, causing power outages and airline cancellations for thousands of people.

Bryce Williams, a meteorologist told the newspaper, "If you don't have to be out and about, we're trying to say: Stay home until Sunday," as per BBC.

Areas to Experience Snow

A Nor'easter storm could dump as much as 2 feet (61 cm) of snow on the Boston area, according to forecasters. It was set in 2003, and the current record of 27.6in (70cm) in 24 hours was achieved at that time.

A rapid drop in atmospheric pressure is predicted as the storm undergoes bombogenesis, in which colder air mixes with warmer sea air. A bomb cyclone is the end result of this process.

Travel should be limited to emergencies, according to the National Weather Service in Boston. If you must travel in the winter, be prepared with winter survival gear. Stay with your vehicle if you get stranded.

Several states have already recorded snowfall as a result of the severe storm that began hitting the country's coast early Saturday morning.

Related Article: NWS: Millions of Americans Under Storm Watch This Weekend Due to Massive Winter Storm

For more news, updates about winter storm and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
ROME, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Italian governing parties will ask current President Sergio Mattarella his availability to be confirmed for a second term, local media reported on Saturday.

Parties' whips would formalize the request in a visit to Mattarella at the Quirinale presidential palace Saturday afternoon.

The leaders of the country's two coalitions -- the center-right and the center-left -- agreed on this after a meeting in the morning, while their respective lawmakers were going through the seventh, inconclusive vote.

In fact, their step came after almost a week of failing ballots to elect Mattarella's successor by the parliament gathered in joint session of both houses.

Mattarella, 80, was firstly elected in 2015 and his term ends on Feb. 3. He has repeatedly made clear he would not agree on a second term, and it remains unclear yet whether he would answer positively to the request.

Yet, the visible stalemate among major forces, if prolonged further, would risk bringing about new instability to the country.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi -- also seen as a frontrunner in the election in the first days -- held a 30-minute talk with Mattarella in the morning, asking him to overcome his will to retire, Ansa news agency reported citing "authoritative sources."

All the largest parties' leaders openly acknowledged they were unable to agree on another single candidature that could gather the necessary broad, bipartisan consensus.

"Italians do not deserve more confusing days... let's close it here and ask President Mattarella to sacrifice and keep representing us, so we can soon go back to work for the country," right-wing League chief Matteo Salvini told reporters.

Center-left Democratic Party leader Enrico Letta did not directly speak to the media, but posted a meaningful post on Twitter showing a large banner visible on a building in Rome and reading "Thanks President Mattarella."

In a note, center-right Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi stated that this was a moment for unity, and "today this unity can only be found around a figure such as President Sergio Mattarella."

Former prime minister and Five Star Movement chief, Giuseppe Conte, told reporters a possible reconfirmation of Mattarella was now one of the few ways left to ensure "a stable cabinet and a strong and determined government's action."

In fact, Draghi's coalition cabinet is made of parties from both the center-right and the center-left coalitions.

To be elected as the 13th president of the country, any candidate needs at least 505 votes, and another ballot is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. 
HARTFORD  A teen was wounded in an early-morning shooting Friday, according to police.

Around 8:40 a.m., patrol officers responded to the 60 block of Summer Street for a report of a person shot, Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.

Arriving units found a 15-year-old boy with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital to be treated for his injury.

Investigators are working to determine where the shooting occurred.

Anyone with information is asked to call the tips line at 860-722-TIPS.
MOSCOW, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that an additional number of officials from some European Union (EU) member states have been barred from entering Russia for their actions against Moscow.

These "representatives of law enforcement agencies, legislative and executive authorities" are personally responsible for promoting anti-Russian policies and measures that infringe on the legitimate rights of Russian-speaking residents and the media, the ministry said in a statement.

It did not specify who and what countries are targeted.

The entry ban also applies to the leaders of some European private military companies operating in various regions of the world, the statement added, without disclosing details.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has sent a note about the restrictions to the EU Delegation in Moscow. 
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Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis).
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Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
The obituary of former News-Gazette photographer Joe Wilske, who died Jan. 20 at age 71 after a tragic accident in downtown Urbana, made note of his most famous photograph  the one above, of a bulldozer working to free a freight train stranded by snow drifts on the tracks northeast of Penfield after a blizzard paralyzed the area 42 years ago Friday. It was reproduced all over the world and even found its way into the background of one of Walter Cronkites CBS Evening News broadcasts.
Longview, TX (75601)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Buerger's disease, also known as thromboangiitis obliterans, is a rare condition that primarily affects young to middle-aged male smokers. The veins and arteries of the extremities constrict or block (occlusion), resulting in diminished blood flow to these areas (peripheral vascular disease). It is nonatherosclerotic inflammatory arthritis that affects the arteries and veins of the extremities.

Despite its significant link to tobacco use, little is known about the disease's overall pathogenesis. Legs are more commonly affected than arms. The most common symptom is severe discomfort in the lower arms and legs when lying down. Individuals with Buerger's disease may develop tissue death (gangrene) in affected limbs in extreme situations.

Image Credit: Saiful52/Shutterstock.com

Causes and symptoms

The actual cause of Buerger's disease is yet to be identified. Tobacco usage, on the other hand, has been linked to the development of the illness. Most researchers feel that using tobacco products in the past or present is a necessity for diagnosing Buerger's illness. The precise association between tobacco products and Buerger's illness is unknown.

Buerger's illness is thought to be an autoimmune disorder by some scientists. Trauma to the hands and feet may play a role in the disease in some circumstances. Because the prevalence of Buerger's illness varies greatly between ethnic groups, genetic factors may play a role in its development or severity.

Buerger's disease is defined by the constriction or occlusion (occlusion) of the intermediate or small arteries and veins of the extremities, resulting in decreased blood flow to these areas (peripheral vascular disease). Buerger's disease usually manifests itself in brief (acute) episodes that last from one to four weeks.

The condition has a recurring pattern. The most common symptom of Buerger's disease is severe pain in the lower arms or legs when lying down. Affected persons may also have cramps in their legs when walking, which may cause them to limp (claudication) in rare circumstances.

Sores (ulcers) on the arms and legs, numbness, tingling, pale discoloration of the hands, and a lack of normal blood flow to the fingers or toes when exposed to cold temperatures (Raynaud's phenomenon), and inflammation and clotting of certain veins are all physical symptoms associated with Buerger's disease (thrombophlebitis). Dry, black ulcerations on the tips of the fingers or toes can be very painful. Elevation may aggravate the pain associated with these ulcers. Individuals with Buerger's disease may develop tissue death (gangrene) in the afflicted areas in extreme cases.

The arteries and veins of the intestines may also be damaged in some circumstances. This can cause severe abdominal heaviness or pain (angina) as well as weight loss. Affected people have shown neurological problems in a very small percentage of instances (less than 2%).

Epidemiology

Buerger's disease is a very rare disease that mostly affects young or middle-aged male cigarette smokers who first develop symptoms before the age of 40-45. More affected females have been recorded in the medical literature in recent years. According to some scientists, this is related to an increase in the number of women who smoke.

Although the ratio of affected men to women was once 100:1, the subsequent medical literature has indicated that the ratio may now be closer to 10:1. Individuals who do not smoke have developed Buerger's disease in extremely uncommon circumstances. A rise in the prevalence of the condition in women has been observed in several studies, ranging from 11% to 23%.

In the United States and Europe, Buerger's disease is exceedingly rare, but it is more frequent in other regions of the world, particularly Asia and the Far and the Middle East. In the general population of the United States, the incidence is estimated to be 12.6-20 per 100,000 people.

Related Stories Rare disease diagnosis by 100,000 genomes pilot

The condition's prevalence among all patients with peripheral vascular disease ranges from 0.5 to 5.6 percent in Western Europe to 45 to 63 percent in India, 16 to 66 percent in Korea and Japan, and 80 percent among Jews of Ashkenazi heritage in Israel. Buerger's disease is more common in places where tobacco is heavily used.

Diagnosis and treatment

The identification of typical physical traits and symptoms can lead to a diagnosis of Buerger's disease. To diagnose Buerger's disease, many doctors require a history of recent or current cigarette usage. Tests including angiography or non-invasive procedures may be employed to confirm the diagnosis. During angiography, a specific dye is injected into the blood arteries to make them visible on x-rays.

Clinical and angiomorphologic criteria provided by Olin et al. and Shionoya are frequently used to make a diagnosis. The latter is easy to remember because it is based on only five factors. In around 20%25% of instances, both the upper and lower extremities are involved. Buerger's disease cannot be diagnosed just on a single limb affliction. It does not have any particular biomarkers. Laboratory testing is still necessary to rule out other conditions such as diabetes, connective tissue disease, vasculitides, or congenital or acquired thrombophilia.

Buerger's disease is treated with symptomatic and supportive care. When people stop smoking, they may experience complete remission of their disease. Treatment options for Buerger's disease should avoid premature or needless surgery if an affected individual does not cease smoking. Anticoagulants, vasodilators, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, or pain relievers may be used as conservative treatments (analgesics).

Surgery may be required in some circumstances. Nerve terminals (ganglia) are removed in affected persons during surgery to block the nerve pathway and enhance blood flow to the affected limb. Surgeons may use bypass techniques to get past blocked or narrowed (occluded) veins or arteries in some circumstances. Surgeons may be obliged to amputate a finger or toe, or a portion of an arm or leg, in severe circumstances.

The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells may help individuals with Buerger's disease heal ulcers and improve their pain-free walking distance, as per very low-quality research. High-quality trials evaluating the efficacy of stem cell therapy for the treatment of Buerger's disease patients are required.

Buerger's disease is an unidentified medical ailment that is intrinsically associated with cigarette consumption. Other therapeutic approaches are necessary because surgical revascularization is rarely possible, although few randomized clinical trials are testing their effectiveness. At present, complete abstinence from all tobacco use is the cornerstone of management.

References:

(2021). Smoking and Buergers Disease. [Online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/buergers-disease.html

Le Joncour, A., Soudet, S., Dupont, A., Espitia, O., Koskas, F., Cluzel, P., Hatron, P. Y., Emmerich, J., Cacoub, P., Resche-Rigon, M., Lambert, M., Saadoun, D., & French Buerger's Network (2018). Long-Term Outcome and Prognostic Factors of Complications in Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger's Disease): A Multicenter Study of 224 Patients. Journal of the American Heart Association, 7(23), e010677. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.118.010677

Cacione, D. G., do Carmo Novaes, F., & Moreno, D. H. (2018). Stem cell therapy for treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease). The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 10(10), CD012794. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012794.pub2

Ignacio J. Rivera-Chavarria, Jose D. Brenes-Gutierrez. (2016). Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease). Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 7, Pages 79-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2016.03.028.

Klein-Weigel, P., Volz, T. S., Zange, L., & Richter, J. (2016). Buergers disease: providing integrated care. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 9, 511.

(2007). Buergers Disease. [Online] National Organization for Rare Disorders. Available at: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/buergers-disease/

Further Reading
COVID-19 disruptions in homes with two or more children affect one sibling more than the other, according to a new study.

Image Credit: Getty Images

When caregivers are experiencing stress associated with the pandemic, many other areas of family life are disruptedoften with higher levels of mental-health struggle for children, including anger, anxiety, and depression.

Researchers found that one sibling tends to present greater mental-health problems. That, in turn, elicits more negative parenting.

Our study shows that parents tend to be most reactive and least positive to the child showing the highest levels of mental health difficulties, said Dillon Browne, the studys lead author and a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Waterloo.

Struggles with mental health among family members exacerbate each other in a feedback loop, Browne said. Our study suggests that the direction of influence appears to go from the childs mental health to parenting, not parenting to child mental health.

To conduct the study, the research team collected and analyzed data from more than 500 caregivers and 1,000 siblings. Caregivers with two children between five and 18 years old completed questionnaires on COVID stress, family functioning and mental health at repeated times throughout a two-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding childrens mental health difficulties during COVID-19 requires a family system lens because of the numerous ways the pandemic affects the family as a unit. Comprehensive interventions for childrens mental health require an examination of caregiver, sibling, and whole-family dynamics, said Browne, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Child and Family Clinical Psychology.

The findings suggest that family therapy, in addition to individual psychotherapy for children and adults, might be helpful for households who are struggling with adjustments in response to the pandemic. Browne adds that future research needs to examine the uptake and effectiveness of family therapy services during the pandemic.

A lot of research studies have pointed to mental-health challenges associated with the pandemic for children and parents. This work adds insight into how pandemic-related disruption goes beyond the individual and infiltrates the relational environment of the family unit. Dillon Browne, Studys Lead Author and a Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Waterloo.

COVID-19 Disruption Gets Inside the Family: A Two-Month Multilevel Study of Family Stress During the Pandemic by Browne, University of Toronto researchers Mark Wade, Shealyn S. May and Jennifer M. Jenkins and Heather Prime of York University was published in the journal Developmental Psychology.
The photo posted on the website of National Public Radio (NPR) shows Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang (R) speaking with NPR's Steve Inskeep on Jan. 27, 2022 at Qin's official residence in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Courtesy of NPR)

Qin stresses that "we will do our utmost in the greatest sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification," which is in the best interests of people across the Taiwan Strait, in the best interests of China-U.S. relations, in the best interests of peace and stability in the region.



WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should "work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said.

The one-China principle is the most important foundation of China-U.S. relations in the past decades, said Qin in an interview with U.S. National Public Radio aired Friday, adding that the United States has been walking away from this commitment "bit by bit."

Speaking of the recent escalation of tension in the situation across the Taiwan Strait, Qin said, "This is because the Taiwanese authority is trying to seek independence agenda by borrowing support and encouragement of the United States and the U.S. is playing Taiwan card."

"We have taken notice of President (Joe) Biden's words that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and the United States wants to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the United States will adhere to its one-China policy, but so far we haven't seen many actions to honor his words," he said.

Qin stressed that "we will do our utmost in the greatest sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification," which is in the best interests of people across the Taiwan Strait, in the best interests of China-U.S. relations, in the best interests of peace and stability in the region.

The photo posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the United States shows Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang (R) being interviewed by Steve Inskeep from National Public Radio (NPR) on Jan. 27, 2022, Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua)

Meanwhile, China will not commit to giving up non-peaceful means for reunification, "because this is a deterrence to separatist forces, not targeting Taiwanese people," he said.

The Taiwan question "is the biggest tinderbox between China and the United States," Qin said. "If the Taiwanese authority, emboldened by the United States, keeps going down the road for independence, it would most likely involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in a military conflict."

"China does not want to have conflict or confrontation with the United States. The United States does not want war with China. So, no war, no conflict is the biggest consensus between China and the United States. So let's work together to contain the separatist forces of Taiwan, to give peace a chance," he added.

Deeming the China-U.S. relationship "the most important relationship," Qin said "we must work well and not mess it up."

"But the question is: can the United States respect and accept China's rise as a positive force to maintain or to facilitate world peace and prosperity? Can the United States believe that China's rise will benefit other countries, benefit people in the United States and provide more business opportunities and more jobs?" he asked.

"Both countries are in the process of recognizing each other and finding an appropriate way to get along with each other. In China's belief, we hope that good relationship will be established based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," said the ambassador. 
Severe visual illnesses are increasing in our society, and effective treatments are missing for diseases as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Both industry and academia are highly interested to advance ocular drug discovery and development.

Scheme of the research on the intracameral and intravitreal pharmacokinetics of drugs and their metabolites formation. Photographer: Eva del Amo Paez

Ocular pharmacokinetics is a key science in this process, and knowledge of drug metabolism and distribution in the eye is required. However, information on drug-metabolizing enzymes is only sparsely available and new insights in this field will benefit the current and future development of ocular therapies.

Researchers from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Eastern Finland in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim have recently published one of the most comprehensive ocular pharmacokinetic studies that investigated the metabolism of four drugs in the rabbit eye (acetaminophen, brimonidine, cefuroxime axetil, sunitinib). The drugs were applied via two administration routes (intracameral and intravitreal) and concentrations of both parent drug and the main metabolite were analyzed in six different ocular tissues. Finally, pharmacokinetic drug and metabolite profiles were obtained and analyzed.

Ocular drug metabolism cannot be directly predicted from hepatic metabolism data

The metabolism of a drug is usually assessed based on its behaviour in the liver. However, this study showed that activities for many metabolic enzymes are low in the ocular tissues and their profiles are different from those in the liver. Thus, ocular metabolism cannot be directly predicted from the hepatic metabolism data that are generally produced during drug development. Only esterases seem to have a major impact on ocular drug clearance and not the other enzymes. However, the latter may contribute to ocular drug toxicity especially important for long-acting drug formulations. In conclusion, the present study provides valuable and drug-specific information on ocular drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics for advancing ophthalmic drug development.

The study was supported by the EU-ITN project OCUTHER (H2020- MSCA-ITN-2016, grant number 722717) as well as the Doctoral Programme and the strategic funding of the University of Eastern Finland.
Researchers from the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country and CEFAS have discovered a parasite present in seawater and which belongs to a primitive lineage; they have named it Txikispora philomaios. This organism will help to explain how multicellularity developed in animals. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies using DNA from this parasite are helping to understand the evolutionary changes and adaptations that enabled the difficult transition to take place from microscopic unicellular organisms to multicellular animals and fungi.

The researcher Ander Urrutia of the UPV/EHU's Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology research group and Animal Pathology at CEFAS/OIE, is exploring "the great hidden diversity of unicellular parasitic organisms in the intertidal zone in coastal ecosystems of temperate climates, with the aim of trying to see where they are found, what their ecology is like, how they behave, etc.".

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is one of the techniques used to achieve this goal: it is a technique that involves "extracting the DNA contained in either an organic or environmental matrix, for example in an organism or in previously filtered seawater samples". In particular, Urrutia focused on organisms that parasitize invertebrates: "There are a great many unidentified parasites; we find new DNA sequences and infer their behavior based on their genetic similarity to other parasites, but we don't really know what they are."

In the task to classify the unicellular parasites found in the samples, the researcher in the Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology found an "a priori little-known parasite, which, on the basis of its characteristics, did not fit into any existing group. We had to do some molecular analyses which confirmed that it was a different organism. Once we had produced several phylogenetic trees, i.e. after comparing the DNA of this organism with that of its closest possible relatives, we were able to see that it is an organism belonging to a primitive lineage that is close to the point at which animals and fungi became differentiated. It is close to the evolutionary moment when a unicellular organism became differentiated to give rise to all the animals that exist, shortly after which another similar cellular organism was to become differentiated to eventually evolve into all the fungi that exist", Urrutia explained.

The 'May-loving spore'

"Txikispora philomaios is a protist (a unicellular eukaryotic organism) that evolved shortly after the division that was undertaken by the common ancestor of animals and fungi, before its multicellularity was developed. All the world's animals and fungi come from the same cellular organism that was presumably present in the ocean hundreds of millions of years ago. At some point it began to aggregate and duplicate itself, while its cells specialized to form tissue, and eventually a body, ranging from a microscopic jellyfish to a huge blue whale," explained the researcher. Since the genetic rearrangement undergone by parasites often differs from that of their free-living relatives, the study of this parasite and its genome will contribute towards understanding how animal multicellularity developed.

"In other words, when and how cells began to communicate with each other, join together, or specialize among themselves, forming increasingly complex organisms. The development of animal multicellularity is very important from the point of view of basic biology," added Urrutia, who carried out the research at CEFAS in the UK, at the Plentzia Marine Station (PIE) and at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE/CSIC).

Txikispora is not only a new species, it also gives a name to a new genus, a new family, a new order, and so on. In other words, we now have the new Txikisporidae family, one with quite a few cryptic sequences, i.e. unknown pieces of DNA that look very similar to Txikispora and which could also belong to parasites, although we don't know where they are or which animals they could parasitize. Many of them are present in aquatic ecosystems in Europe, but we know nothing more about them. That's another line of research I would like to pursue". Ander Urrutia, Researcher, UPV/EHU's Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology Research Group and Animal Pathology at CEFAS/OIE

The UPV/EHU researchers were commissioned to name this parasite. The name Txikispora was adopted owing to the fact that it is a small spore, and philomaios is due to the fact that the parasite only appeared for a few days during May, thus 'May-loving spore'. In addition to the difficulty in placing it phylogenetically in its corresponding group, it was difficult to find it in seawater: "We had been on a wild goose chase until we realized that it is only found in the amphipod community for a few days during this month; it is as if the parasite had disappeared for the rest of the year," explained Urrutia.

Additional information

This research is part of Ander Urrutia's PhD thesis entitled "Cryptic reservoirs of micro-eukaryotic parasites in ecologically relevant intertidal invertebrates from temperate coastal ecosystems" and supervised by Dr Ionan Marigomez (head of the Plentzia Marine Station - PiE) and Dr Stephen W. Feist of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science - CEFAS (United Kingdom). Inaki Ruiz-Trillo from IBE-CSIC in Barcelona also collaborated in the study.
The Population Council's Center for Biomedical Research has been awarded an $11 million P50 Clinical Research Center Grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD) of the National Institute of Health (NIH). Queen's University Belfast and Weill Cornell Medical College will partner with the Council on this grant over the next five years.

The grant will spur research and development of a novel non-hormonal contraceptive multi-purpose technology (MPT) vaginal ring that will combat the overlapping burdens of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The product will fill a critical gap in reproductive healthcare, responding to women's evolving preferences and reproductive needs.

This single product has potential to address a wide range of sexual and reproductive needs including protection against sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and support of vaginal health. Women need more options to manage their changing sexual and reproductive health needs. The non-hormonal MPT ring offers hope of an important new contraceptive option that could provide women with protection from the growing risk of STIs." Lisa Haddad, MD, MPH, Council Medical Director and Principal Investigator

Non-hormonal option

Many women want to avoid hormonal methods and the associated side effects. A non-hormonal method would allow women to maintain a regular menses cycle without loss of menstruation (amenorrhea) or unscheduled and irregular bleeding. Currently, non-hormonal options available are limited to gels or long-acting methods that require a physician to insert, such as the copper IUD.

Protection against STIs and HIV

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise worldwide, with more than 1 million new cases every day. In 2019, approximately 1.7 million people became newly infected with HIV globally. Increasing antibiotic resistance makes it more difficult for healthcare providers to treat STIs, which currently costs more than $2 billion annually. Despite national efforts to reduce STI transmission, the US experienced steep, sustained increases for five years-; reporting more than 1.7 million cases of chlamydia and 555,000 cases of gonorrhea in 2018.

STIs pose broad-reaching risks for women and their children, including the increased risk of HIV acquisition and transmission, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and preterm delivery-;the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality.

Recent data indicate that women overwhelmingly prefer, and are more likely to use, contraception that prevents both pregnancy and STIs/HIV. To build further understanding of women's preferences, the grant will also fund behavioral and acceptability studies alongside biomedical research on formulation and testing.

"The goal is to have the product ready for clinical trials at the end of the five-year grant. Along the way, we will generate new data about vaginal ring acceptability and the factors that increase acceptability and adherence to vaginal rings," said Dr. Haddad.
A recent study conducted in an Egyptian hospital showed that treating moderate-to-severe COVID patients with either one of two antibiotics (ceftazidime or cefepime, in combination with a steroid) resulted in similar recovery times compared to patients given standard treatment.

If you have a cold, don't ask your doctor for antibiotics - that's the golden rule. They're for bacterial infections, not viral ones. We're told not only that they won't work, but that by using antibiotics when they aren't needed, we're helping bacteria become resistant to them.

Yet in a recent study conducted in an Egyptian hospital, we showed that treating moderate-to-severe COVID patients with either one of two antibiotics (ceftazidime or cefepime, in combination with a steroid) resulted in similar recovery times compared to patients given standard treatment.

This standard treatment, authorized by the Egyptian government and approved by the World Health Organization, was made up of at least seven different medications, suggesting that treating COVID with antibiotics could be a much simpler way of making people better.

Yet by doing this, we went against the established medical convention that antibiotics aren't for viruses. So why did we break this rule?

Traditionally, creating new drugs to treat diseases takes a long time. Trying to develop a new treatment can take years, costs a lot of money, and has a very low success rate. Nevertheless, this process is generally acceptable when targeting common diseases.

However, this time-consuming process is not viable when there is a high threat posed by an emerging infectious disease, such as Zika, Ebola, Mers and now COVID. Without quick action or effective treatments that are ready to go, emerging diseases can evolve into pandemics that take a lot of lives. There have been hundreds of millions of confirmed cases of COVID, for example, and over 5.4 million deaths globally.

Because of this, when faced with a new threat, drug developers and major pharmaceutical companies look for quicker alternatives to the typical drug-development process. One practical strategy isdrug repurposing. This is where drugs already created and approved for one use are tested to see if they can also help treat the new disease.

As the drugs have already been shown to be safe, and plenty is known about how they work, this is potentially a much less risky and time-consuming way of coming up with a treatment for the new disease. It's a strategy that's been used often in the past - and one my colleagues and I wanted to try to use it during COVID because of the pressing need.

Finding a new purpose

Drug repurposing begins by using computer-based techniques to model how existing drugs and the new disease-causing agent - in this case the coronavirus - might interact. Drugs that show promise are then tested in real-life lab studies to validate the computer's findings and confirm that they could be of clinical use.

With a viral disease like COVID, a drug considered for repurposing should show one of these three qualities: it should either be able to inhibit one or more stages of the coronavirus's replication cycle; relieve the bad effects of the virus; or manipulate the immune system so that the body can deal with the virus.

And surprisingly, antibiotics are often the substances that show potential. Although viruses are different to bacteria, they are sometimes also susceptible to antibiotics. The statement that antibiotics don't work against viruses doesn't apply 100% of the time.

For example, in response to the Zika crisis five or so years ago, an American study evaluated more than 2,000 drugs already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to see if they could potentially be safely used in pregnancy against the virus. The study found that the antibiotic azithromycin could reduce the proliferation of the virus in the brains of unborn children, thus potentially protecting against microcephaly, a condition caused by the virus in newborns.

Separately, testing also showed that the antibiotic novobiocin had a strong antiviral effect against the Zika virus. And a 2016 drug-repurposing study conducted in Thailand identified minocycline as a promising antiviral drug against the dengue virus, with this antibiotic inhibiting the virus's growth at various stages of its life cycle.

All of these studies gave us confidence that repurposing antibiotics as COVID treatments was a plausible idea.

But why ceftazidime or cefepime?

Research had already shown that a number of antibiotics were good at stopping the coronavirus reproducing in lab tests - including ceftazidime and others of the same class, which is known as "beta-lactams". We, therefore, knew this drug class had potential.

And when we ran computer simulations of how ceftazidime and cefepime (another beta-lactam) would interact with the virus, they were both effective at disrupting its protease, a key enzyme the virus uses to reproduce.

Ceftazidime and cefepime are also broad-spectrum antibiotics that are widely used to treat critically ill patients who pick up infections in hospital. As COVID patients often end up with other infections at the same time, we also thought these drugs might help badly ill patients by clearing other infections they might have, helping prevent conditions such as pneumonia.

However, it isn't clear how much of the antibiotics' effect in our Egyptian hospital study was down to clearing coinfections versus how much was due to them attacking the coronavirus directly. Indeed, the notion that beta-lactams have antiviral properties is based on computer simulations and lab experiments - it hasn't been definitively proven.

Nevertheless, our work has made a good case that these drugs can fight the coronavirus. While we still need to use antibiotics carefully, they might therefore have a role to play against COVID in the future.
ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of five members of the pro-government Yemeni forces were killed Saturday in a missile attack carried out by the Houthi militia against the country's oil-rich province of Shabwa, a military official told Xinhua.

"A gathering of the pro-government forces was struck by a Houthi missile attack in Usaylan district of Shabwa, leaving five soldiers killed and 11 others injured," the local military source said on condition of anonymity.

He said that the Houthi-fired missile landed near a military site of the pro-government Giants Brigades in Shabwa.

"The Houthis are using missiles to target the pro-government forces, which reclaimed key areas from the Houthis in Shabwa and Marib," he noted.

Meanwhile, the Houthi militia Spokesman Yehya Sarea said the missile attack killed and injured at least 40 soldiers.

On Thursday, the Houthi militia claimed responsibility for another ballistic missile attack on the province of Marib to the north of Shabwa, which killed seven people, according to government health officials.

The Houthi militia has recently intensified missile attacks on Shabwa and Marib after it had lost several strategic districts in both oil-rich provinces this month after deadly fighting against the government army.

The Houthi militia also launched more cross-border ballistic missile attacks on airports and facilities inside Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the latter of which is a key member of a Saudi-led Arab coalition backing the Yemeni army. 
(Newser)  A steel barn that's about to hit the market in Lithuania wouldn't normally attract international attention, but then again, there aren't too many barns out there that have served as CIA black sites. The Lithuanian governments real estate fund says it is preparing to sell the "menacing" structure, as the Guardian puts it (see a photo here), which was an element in the US' post-9/11 rendition program. The 10-room building was used by the CIA from 2005 to 2006 and held Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, per the Guardian, which reports the site was closed after Lithuania would not permit the hospitalization of a third prisoner, Mustafa al-Hawsawi. All three remain in Guantanamo. Lithuania's intelligence service made use of the site from 2007 until 2018.

The head of a 2010 Lithuanian parliamentary investigation into the siteknown as Project No 2 or Detention Site Violettells Reuters: "This was a heavily guarded building where one could do whatever you want. What exactly was going on there, we did not determine." Testimony presented to the European Court of Human Rights in 2018 spoke to some of what was allegedly going on: inmates were said to be kept in solitary confinement where the lights were never shut off and where they were subjected to a high-intensity noise. The Washington Post reports that while the US government continues to withhold the locations of such detention facilities, the European Court of Human Rights found that the barn outside Vilnius is the structure identified only as Violet in a 2014 Senate report. The building's price has yet to be set. (Read more black sites stories.)
(Newser)  As the planet's need for lithiumor, more specifically, lithium-ion batteriescontinues to swell, so too does the need for metals needed to make those batteries. Cobalt is one of them. As Michael Holtz explains in a lengthy piece for the Atlantic, a White House report issued in June framed the cobalt market as "one of the most comprehensive ways China has gained a competitive advantage in the critical materials landscape for batteries." That's because about 70% of the known cobalt supply is buried in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and nearly all of what it unearths (84% in 2019) goes to China. That's why so much interest has turned to the Idaho Cobalt Belt, "a 34-mile-long geological formation of sedimentary rock that contains some of the largest cobalt deposits in the country," writes Holtz.

He travels to Idaho to meet with some of the companies prepping to mine there, and to look at the cautionary tale that exists in the form of the long-shuttered Blackbird Mine. It was formerly the country's only cobalt mine. It shut in 1982cobalt prices were so low it wasn't a profitable endeavorand it's now a toxic waste site whose cleanup has cost a trio of past and present mine owners more than $100 million. Holtz writes that "more cobalt mines inevitably mean more environmental risks," but he pairs that with some fascinating insight from Idaho Conservation League Executive Director Justin Hayes, whose group works to safeguard the state's forests and streams from mine pollution. Hayes thinks America actually has a moral obligation to mine cobalt in the US, citing climate change and human-rights abuses in the Congo. He just wants to see it done in an "environmentally responsible" way. (Read the full story for much more on what's happening on the ground in Idaho.)
(Newser)  It wasn't until the third biopsy that doctors managed to identify the mysterious brain ailment plaguing Tyson Bottenus. Turns out it wasn't a tumorit was mold. Bottenus, a Rhode Island ship captain in his early 30s who had been the model of health, had black mold growing on his brain, he writes in a harrowing first-person piece for BuzzFeed. More specifically, Bottenus had a rare tropical fungus known as Cladophialophora bantiana. So rare that only about 120 cases have been documented since it was discovered in 1911, and most of the cases (70%) have been fatal. In the three years or so since his diagnosis, Bottenus has "fought this fungal infection with ten brain surgeries, five spinal taps, and two sets of cyborg-like tubes implanted to connect my brains ventricles to my abdomen." He's also had a stroke, forcing him to learn to walk and talk all over again.

The best guess is that Bottenus picked up the infection during a 2018 vacation in Costa Rica with his partner Liza, probably when he badly scraped up his elbow in a fall from his bike on a gravel road. The first symptomsdebilitating headaches and facial palsybegan months later back home. Surgery to remove the mold has been ruled out as too risky, and doctors have been treating Bottenus with anti-fungals and steroids. They recently learned that the antifungals have not been penetrating the blood-brain barrier and thus have been ineffective. A new regimen is underway, and the good news is that if the infection were going to kill Bottenus, it probably already would have. "While I dont have any expectations to be 'cured' anytime soon, I do expect to live for a long time," writes Bottenus, who had to give up his job as a ship captain. (Read the full story.)
(Newser)  A Kansas man has been accused of threatening to visit the White House to kill President Biden, reports the Daily Beast. Scott Ryan Merryman is charged with interstate communication containing a threat to harm and threats against the president of the United States, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Secret Service with the US District Court of Maryland. Merryman allegedly said God wanted him to lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation, the Washington Post reports. On Tuesday, the suspect told police in Independence, Kansas, that he was going to visit the president, per NBC 41. The suspect then called the White House on Thursday and allegedly made overt threats against Biden.

Merrymans age is unknown, but he has claimed on social media to be a US Army veteran and to have recently worked in construction. His Facebook profile includes increasingly threatening verbiage against Biden, according to court records. He repeatedly refers to the president as the anti-Christ and urges people to call the White House to let them know were coming to kill them, according to court records. While many of his posts have been deleted, the Secret Service captured screenshots of Merrymans alleged plans to jump a fence and kill Biden.

The day before Merryman allegedly called the White House, he agreed to meet with Secret Service agents in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in Maryland, court records show. He agreed to be searched and surrendered three rounds of ammunition, though he claimed he did not have a weapon, according to court records. While the Secret Service has petitioned for Merrymans arrest in connection with Thursdays alleged phone call, it was not clear as of Saturday whether he had been apprehended. If convicted, Merryman faces up to five years in prison. (Read more Secret Service stories.)
(Newser)  Negotiations to try to coax a man with mental issues off the shoulder of an interstate in Tennessee ended with nine officers opening fire. Landon Eastep, 37, was killed Thursday after he pulled a "shiny cylindrical object" from his pocket while standing along Interstate 65, said police, who added that he also had a box cutter, NBC reports. Six Nashville police officers, two state troopers, and an off-duty officer from Mount Juliet Police fired. "He was not bothering anyone," a lawyer for Eastep's wife said, per the Tennessean. "He was not obstructing or impeding traffic."

The Nashville officer who police said fired the final two shots with a rifle has been stripped of his police authority pending the outcome of the investigation. The other five Nashville officers involved were placed on routine administrative leave, per the Tennessean. The encounter began about 2pm when a trooper driving by saw Eastep on the shoulder south of Nashville. At one point, he "pushed away" from the trooper and showed the box-cutter, police said. City officers were dispatched, and the off-duty Mount Juliet officer passing by stopped. Thirty minutes into the conversation, police said, Eastep pulled out the shiny object. "Given his very abrupt movement, kind of aiming something toward the officers, the officers fired," a Nashville police spokesman said.

Chelsey Eastep said her husband suffered from mental health issues but was "very loving" and "not a bad guy." She said he sometimes took walks to clear his head, as he did Thursday. "He was crying out for help, and his cries went completely unanswered," she said. Nashville's mayor said he found the killing disturbing. NAACP Nashville's president said police have shot people before on mental health calls. "I feel that the community has been completely ignored," Sheryl Guinn said. Chelsey Eastep added, "I want people to remember that Landon didn't deserve this." (Read more police shooting stories.)
(Newser)  Some residents think a northern Alabama city's new logo might be sending the wrong message. Florence's new logo uses the first three letters of its namea capital F followed by an L and an O arranged as an exclamation pointto form F! When the city unveiled the new logo this week, it drew immediate backlash and an online petition demanding changes that had nearly 7,500 signatures, per the AP. The city paid $25,000 to a Birmingham marketing firm for the branding, WAAY-TV reported.

"The new logo symbolizes the people of Florence's passion and love for the city," the city said in a news release announcing the new logo. "A sense of amazement, delight and pride is all reflected in the Florence logo exclamation point." City leaders are pushing back on claims that they didn't consider hiring a local firm for the work, saying a request for proposals was issued, but no local companies responded. Residents were engaged early in the process through a community survey sent to hundreds of people, officials said. WAAY-TV reports that it was unable to find a copy of the survey and that the city didnt respond to its requests to see it.

Mayor Andy Betterton said the new branding "will serve multiple needs and audiences as our community grows and moves forward" in a letter to residents Thursday. "As we navigate developing the new branding, one thing is for sure; the process has highlighted our community's talents, humor, and love for Florence," he wrote. City Council member Kaytrina Simmons said she has requested a meeting with the mayor and council to discuss the logo and revise it. In a letter to residents, Simmons apologized for the logo, saying it "has brought so much disappointment to our great city."

(Read more logo stories.)
U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief, National Guard Bureau, kicks off Thanksgiving week with a visit to Soldiers deployed on Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo supporting the KFOR mission on November 24, 2021. Visits like this lift Soldiers spirits during the Holiday Season and help them continue their mission to support a safe and secure environment for Kosovo. (Sgt. Gloria Kamencik)
ALGIERS, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Saturday held phone talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron after months of diplomatic tension.

According to a statement issued by the Algerian presidency, the two sides "discussed bilateral cooperation and the prospects of convening the higher intergovernmental committee," which had been scheduled last April, but was postponed due to the mounting diplomatic tension between the two sides.

According to the statement, the French president renewed the invitation for his Algerian counterpart to attend the sixth European Union - African Union summit, which will be held in Brussels on February 17 and 18.

The French-Algerian ties have been characterized by diplomatic riffs in recent months since Algeria recalled its ambassador to France and closed its airspace to French military planes in October, 2021.

The move was a response to a Paris' decision in September, 2021 to reduce the number of visas provided to Algerian officials by 50 percent as well Macron's critical remarks on Algeria. 
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain has positioned itself as a global destination in the world of horse racing, which is also part of authentic Bahraini identity, said His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

HRH Crown Prince and Prime Minister also attributed the growth of horse racing in Bahrain to the passion of the people and their keenness to preserve it with all its excellence.

HRH Prince Salman also hailed the tremendous development achieved by Bahrain in sport, citing the care it enjoys from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

This has helped Bahrain made its mark in all local, regional and international races, added HRH.

HRH Prince Salman said this as he attended HRH Crown Princes Horse Racing Cup festival held on the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club track in Sakhir yesterday.

Upon arrival, His Royal Highness was received by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Supreme Authority of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, their Highnesses, and Senior Officials.

The Crown Prince and Prime Minister praised the role played by the Club in developing horse racing and preserving this authentic heritage.

Prince Salman also hailed the strong competition and good organisation of the race.

This reflects the wide-ranging capabilities of Bahrain in organising major sporting events, which also makes it a preferred destination for horse racing.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain yesterday condemned in the strongest terms a missile attack that targeted Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.

The attack violates Iraqs sovereignty and contravenes international humanitarian laws, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement also affirmed Bahrains solidarity with Iraq and vowed support for all measures it takes to maintain security and stability.

Six rockets were fired yesterday at the Iraqi capitals airport, causing damage but no casualties, security sources said, the latest in a string of attacks the US blames on Iran-linked militias.

The rockets hit Baghdad International Airports runways or parking areas, one of the sources said.

One civilian plane has been hit and damaged, this source, based at the interior ministry, said.

A second security source confirmed the attack consisted of six rockets that fell around civil installations at the airport, damaging a stationary plane.

A third source identified the plane as a Boeing 767 belonging to the state-owned Iraqi Airways, noting that it was not in service and was undergoing repairs.

The attack was not immediately claimed.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa returned to Bahrain yesterday after meeting leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, where the focus was on coordinating positions in issues of common concern.

The meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the State of UAE, comes soon after two attacks by Yemens Houthi militia targeting the city.

During the meeting, HM the King told Al Nahyan that Bahrain considers any attack on the UAE as an attack on Bahrain, strongly condemning and denouncing the terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi militia.

HM the King had also stressed Bahrain support for the UAE against all threats to its sovereignty, security and stability.

While in UAE, HM the King also participated in a summit with UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler, HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

The meeting focused on close ties bonding the brotherly nations, various issues of common concern, and the latest development in the regional and international arenas.

A communique released had said the leaders believe the Houthi attacks pose a serious threat to regional and international security and stability and violate all international laws and norms.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister accompanied HM the King on the visit.
Fake websites advertising best fast food prices in Bahrain used to loot bank accounts

Fake websites advertising best fast food prices in Bahrain used to loot bank accounts

If you are by any chance had trained your eyes at advertisements showing mouth-watering pictures of burgers and fried chicken at eye-popping low prices.

Think twice before clicking links posted along with such advertisements.

Chances are that it is a trap set to drain your bank account.

Manesh, a resident of Bahrain, who clicked such a link to buy a burger from an international brand, got a shock of his life when an SMS chimed on his phone saying he lost BD600 dinars from his account.

I was trying to pay a dinar and 100 fils for a burger that came with a big offer, Manesh told Tribune.

But, I ended up losing BD600.

They took my money as pounds instead of dinars.

I had informed this to Bank and awaiting their action.

I am also filing a police complaint, he told Tribune.

The people behind this online fraud are preying upon unsuspecting minds by baiting them with discounts of up to 50% through social media platforms.

For this, they had also set up fake sites of almost all international food brands.

Tribune understands that this way, these scammers are pocketing hefty amounts from people here.

Those jumping at the mind-boggling offers are landing in shock after clicking away all their savings.

People who lost money say they got trapped attracted by advertisements posted on social media.

Such sites are so original that one could hardly notice any difference.

Products also display the prices and pictures as in the original websites.

The website, however, has a slightly different address.

But, even regular customers had failed to notice this.

Manesh came to know about the depth of the scam when he shared his ordeal with his friends, who also said the same tale.

Tribune had earlier reported about the rise of online fraud in Bahrain.

We also learn that police have started looking into a sudden increase in complaints filed.
Japan and the U.S. will work together to lead the creation of international standards in unmanned technology that uses 6G communications, aiming to keep Chinese companies from dominating a field expected to include self-driving cars and fully automated factories.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications may call on companies to form a consortium toward this end by September.

It will draw from a wide range of industries, including those involved in cellphones, communications devices, automobiles, drones and timepiece manufacturing. The alliance will also invite U.S. partners strong in software and engage in overseas expansion.

Plans are to commercialize technology for chip-scale atomic clocks by fiscal 2025. The atomic clocks work like sensors and are deemed indispensable for real-time remote control.

Sixth-generation communications is expected to be widely adopted around 2030. Such Chinese players as Huawei Technologies, ZTE, Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings are vying to make their 6G-powered unmanned tech into international standards.

Nokia and AT&T have announced similar initiatives, along with such Japanese groups as NTT Docomo, KDDI and Denso. They will compete against Chinese rivals in the race to set international standards.
Chinese doctors check a patient's condition after surgery at a hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Huang Wanqing/Xinhua)

KIGALI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese medical doctors at a local hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, have performed successful surgery on a Rwandan man injured in a car accident, using a flashlight for illumination after surgical lights malfunctioned.

"Last week on Friday, I was riding a bicycle and all of a sudden, I was knocked by a car. I immediately got a leg fracture and the pain was too much for me to bear," recalled Gilbert Manirakiza.

Manirakiza, 20, was taken to Masaka Hospital, Masaka Sector in the suburbs of Kigali in excruciating pain after the accident and was attended to by the Chinese doctors there who promised to treat him and ease the pain.

"Before my leg was operated on, I was feeling a lot of pain. I couldn't walk or shake my leg due to pain. Now, I am feeling much better because the pain has significantly reduced after undergoing a specialized surgical operation," said Manirakiza. "I thank the Chinese doctors for treating and easing my pain, however, I still feel mild pain whenever I try to fold my leg. The Chinese doctors are really experts in surgical operation."

The surgery, which lasted four hours, was performed by the doctors on the 22nd China Medical Team in Rwanda who started medical work activities in Rwanda on Jan. 1. The 15-member medical team is comprised of specialized doctors from departments including surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, anesthesiology. They have so far performed more than 50 successful operations.

Manirakiza is one of many Rwandan patients who have benefited from specialized medical care provided by Chinese doctors in the country.

"During the operation of the accident patient the operating light surgery lamp malfunctioned and at this time, I came up with the idea of using a flashlight. When we finished the operation, the local anesthesiologist gave us a thumbs-up. At that moment, we all felt tired but satisfied and relieved," said Peng Jikui, Chinese medical team leader at Masaka Hospital, noting the malfunctioning of the lighting lamp made it quite challenging to complete the delicate operation.

"It is the first time we had this kind of surgery under such conditions in a foreign country. We expected many difficulties, but we felt sympathy when we saw the patients in pain," said Yao Rui, a Chinese orthopaedist at Masaka Hospital.

Due to financial difficulties and spending a long time waiting for an operation, some patients at the hospital get disabilities, said Yao. "As doctors, we know that this was a big difficult situation, after discussions, we decided to help the patient. We do our best to relieve the pain no matter how difficult the situation is."

The whole medical operation required much attention, recounted Yao. "We were all very focused during the operation. At the end of the operation, the surgical gowns on the doctors were all soaked in sweat."

According to Yao, Manirakiza will take at least three months to fully recover and walk normally.

The China-Rwanda medical cooperation started in 1982 and has since seen hundreds of Chinese doctors serve in the East African country. Over the years, Chinese doctors have treated locals and relieved their illnesses, exchanged ideas with Rwandan counterparts, and disseminated experience and technology. 

Chinese doctors check a patient's condition after surgery at a hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Huang Wanqing/Xinhua)

Chinese doctors check a patient's condition after surgery at a hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Jan. 27, 2022. (Photo by Huang Wanqing/Xinhua)

Chinese doctors conduct an operation using a flashlight for illumination after surgical lights malfunctioned at a hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Jan. 21, 2022. (The 22nd China Medical Team in Rwanda/Handout via Xinhua)

Chinese doctors conduct an operation using a flashlight for illumination after surgical lights malfunctioned at a hospital in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Jan. 21, 2022. (The 22nd China Medical Team in Rwanda/Handout via Xinhua)
From the evening of Sunday, Jan. 16 to Monday, Jan. 17, Jews around the world celebrated one of the lesser known festivals on the Jewish calendar called Tu Bishvat. Tu Bishvat is known as the New Year or Birthday of the Trees. It is, as I wrote, a minor festival. The name is Hebrew for the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat.

In ancient times, Tu Bishvat was simply a date on the calendar that aided Jewish farmers in establishing exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from the recently planted trees to the Temple as their first fruit offerings.

In the 16th century, the Kabbalists (mystics) of Tzfat in the Land of Israel came together to create a new ritual around this minor festival which they called the Feast of Fruits. This Feast was modeled on the Passover seder. Folks would come together to read selections from the Torah and Rabbinic Texts that focused on the trees and consume fruits and nuts traditionally associated with the land of Israel.

Today, this festival is seen as a time to celebrate not only the fruit of Israel but the middot (values) of shomrei adama (caring for the environment) and bal tashchit (do not destroy). The festival allows us to come together as a community and celebrate these values as caring for the world we live in and keeping it (and us) safe is a core value in Judaism.

This year, of course, this festival had the unfortunate reality of following on the heels of the recent events at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. On the Shabbat before Tu Bishvat four hostages (including the congregation's Rabbi) were taken hostage by a man named Malik Faisal Akram, a UK national who called for the release of Aaifa Siddiqui, a convicted terrorist with links to Al Quaeda who rallied against Jews at her trial and blamed her conviction on Israel.

As I expressed to my own congregants in the days following the attack, This situation is a painful and potent reminder of the fact that synagogues, and other Jewish institutions, in America continue to be at risk for terrorist attacks. We must take this seriously, however, it doesn't mean that we should stay away.

On the contrary, in moments of grief and fear, this is when we need our community most of all (albeit virtual due to the ongoing pandemic). Around this time of year on the Jewish calendar, when we are celebrating renewal and safety, we are obligated to continue on and celebrate. To take pride in our Judaisim. To live Jewish lives with purpose.

You may be asking, how can we be expected to keep the environment safe when there is no guarantee that we can keep ourselves safe? This is a fair question. I wish I had the answer. It is something I ask myself regularly. The one thing I know doesn't work is, trying to do it all alone. In this time of uncertainty, it is imperative that we draw strength from one another.

It was ecologist Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, who discovered that the roots of deep trees draw up water and make it available to shallow-rooted seedlings. They help neighboring trees by sending them nutrients, and when the neighbors are struggling, mother trees detect their distress signals and increase the flow of nutrients accordingly. They are social creatures that communicate with each other in cooperative ways that hold lessons for us humans, too.

Like the roots of those deep trees, we are too connected. May we continue to learn from the environment that surrounds us. To remain connected, no matter what. To stay strong, no matter what. To keep going, no matter what.

Laura Breznick is the cantor of Temple Sholom in New Milford. She can be contacted at cantor@tsholom.org.
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DANBURY  With the contentious vision for a permanent homeless shelter at the Super 8 property in jeopardy, Danbury is forming a task force to determine how to fill the void.

The development of the task force comes as an executive order allowing the shelter to operate may expire and as the city Zoning Commission faces a lawsuit over its rejection of a proposal that could have paved the way for the approval of an 86-room facility providing beds and services for unhoused individuals.

City and state officials hailed the facility as an innovative way to address homelessness, but the future of the shelter is unclear.

Were going to evaluate that as we go, said Mayor Dean Esposito, adding that because of the lawsuit, the city cant negotiate or plan with the Stamford-based nonprofit Pacific House that owns and operates the shelter.

Rafael Pagan, Jr., executive director of Pacific House, said the initial plan to offer emergency and supportive housing beds at the 3 Lake Avenue Extension property is the best option. The state used $4.63 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds so Pacific House could purchase and operate the facility.

But if thats not possible, Pagan floated turning the former motel property into permanent housing, with a smaller emergency shelter elsewhere in the city thats operated by Pacific House or another agency.

He called that plan a game changer because people coming into the system would be managed in a different, more rapid way.

In one broad stroke, you could practically eliminate homelessness, he said. They [Danbury] would probably, certainly be the first town in Fairfield County, but I think probably the first town in Connecticut to eliminate homelessness.

Another alternative would be to turn the property into a substance abuse treatment center, Pagan said. The nonprofit has found that 85 percent of its clients struggle with substance abuse or mental health.

Dependency treatment centers are permitted uses in the CA-80 zone where the property is located, so the nonprofit wouldnt face the same zoning challenges it did in trying to get the shelter approved.

During roughly 20 hours of public hearings spanning almost two months, neighbors argued against the shelter, citing public safety and crime concerns. They had called for a wider community conversation on how to address homelessness.

Whats next?

The state legislature is expected to renew for 60 days the COVID-19 related executive order from the governor that allows the shelter to operate at 3 Lake Avenue Extension without zoning approval. Without that renewal, the order would expire Feb. 15.

We're working closely with the governor's office to keep abreast of what's happening there, Esposito said. But it definitely appears that were going to have a 60 day or so extension, which is perfect for us because the last thing we want is one person on the street not having housing.

Danburys traditional shelters closed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and the 16-bed Dorothy Day Hospitality House is unable to reopen because court agreed last year with a city shutdown order of the shelter on Spring Street.

If the state legislature failed to renew the executive order, Pagan said he doesnt know what would happen to the Super 8 shelter or its about 65 clients  other than being sent to the street.

People would die, Pagan said.

Esposito said his goal is to keep everyone safe and provide services for those who need it. He met with the state housing commissioner on Wednesday.

Theyre very supportive of what were doing, he said. Theyre going to advise us on what our options are for the future, as well.

Danburys task force will include city officials and local nonprofits who will study the best way to support the homeless, which includes looking at potential locations for a shelter.

Were looking at all options in different locations, different options, said Kara Prunty, the citys health director. Were trying to have more options than less.

That could include a property on Elm Street being sold by the Danbury Housing Authority that shortly before the coronavirus pandemic had been considered for 20 apartments for unhoused individuals.

In February 2020, City Council approved the mayor and health director to seek requests for proposals for the Elm Street project, but it was shelved during COVID-19, when unhoused individuals moved into the Super 8 and Pacific House was eventually asked to run the shelter.

The nonprofit and the city had been partners just a couple months ago. Now, their communication is limited due to the lawsuit the nonprofit filed in December. But Prunty said the groups still communicate about day-to-day operations, while Pagan said the nonprofit eventually plans to present options for the city to respond to.

Pagan said the nonprofit decided to appeal the Zoning Commissions denial because it was the best avenue to keep the facility open.

A task force to address homelessness is familiar to Danbury. Under Mayor Mark Boughton, the city in 2006 launched a 10-year plan to end homelessness with a task force that focused on increasing the number of permanent housing units in the city and ensuring services to support unhoused individuals and those at risk of losing their homes.

The latest task force will look at both temporary and permanent solutions, Prunty said.

The last thing we want is to see people on the street, especially in the winter months, Esposito said. Were definitely evaluating where we want to be today and into the future.
The special representative on combatting Islamophobia will be part of the Government's unwavering commitment to tackle all forms of racism, hate and discrimination

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Islamophobia and hate, in any form, have no place in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, highlighted the federal government's intention to appoint a special representative on combatting Islamophobia. This appointment will be part of a renewed Government of Canada Anti-Racism Strategy.

Last year, the Government announced its intention to make January 29 a National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. This year, on the eve of the five-year anniversary of this act of terror, the Government of Canada stands with and supports Muslim communities across Canada and reaffirms its commitment to take action to denounce and tackle Islamophobia and hate-fueled violence.

Islamophobia is a concrete and daily reality for Muslim communities across Canada and around the world. As we honour the victims, we must remember that we have a responsibility to combat discrimination and continue to build a more inclusive Canada.

That is why the federal government held a virtual National Summit on Islamophobia in July 2021. The special representative appointment is one of the recommendations put forward during the Summit and will be an additional step in the government's ongoing work through the Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy to tackle Islamophobia in all its forms.

Confronting Islamophobia is an important part of this Strategy. It includes a whole-of-government approach to tackling systemic racism with dedicated knowledge and expertise through the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, as well as investments to empower communities to combat different forms of racism, including Islamophobia, and to advance digital and civic literacy initiatives that address online disinformation and hate speech. We are committed to renewing the Anti-Racism Strategy in 2022 with a National Action Plan to expand our efforts to combat hate and racism.

Details on the role and mandate of the special representative will be confirmed at a later date.

Quotes

"In Canada, diversity is a fact but inclusion is a choice. The recent hate crimes fueled by Islamophobia in Canada and around the world remind us of the need to show even more boldness, strength and determination in our fight against hate. We have listened to the lived experiences of Muslim communities from across the country who called for a special representative on combatting Islamophobia. This appointment will be another important step to building a safer and more inclusive Canada for everyone."

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"After the London terror attack, we called for action. Specifically, we asked the government to build out a special office tasked to dismantle Islamophobia. We are pleased to see the Government of Canada commit to building out this office, and while there is much left to do, this is an important step."

Mustafa Farooq, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims

Quick Facts

As defined in Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy, Islamophobia "includes racism, stereotypes, prejudice, fear or acts of hostility directed towards individual Muslims or followers of Islam in general. In addition to individual acts of intolerance and racial proling, Islamophobia can lead to viewing and treating Muslims as a greater security threat on an institutional, systemic and societal level."

On July 22, 2021, the Government of Canada hosted a National Summit on Islamophobia, which helped to identify ways the federal government could work with Muslim communities to implement federal anti-racism initiatives that specifically address Islamophobia and hate-fueled violence.

In the 2021 Speech from the Throne, the Government reiterated its commitment to combatting hate and racism, including with a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy.

In 2021, the Government of Canada provided more than $6 million in funding to 150 projects to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crime through the Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).

In 2021, we added additional ideology-motivated violence extremist groups to the Criminal Code list of terrorist entities. Consult the news release on this subject.

In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada provided $50 million over two years, starting in 202122, to expand the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and the Anti-Racism Action Program to deliver on the government's anti-racism objectives, including by expanding the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat.

In its efforts to combat Islamophobia, on January 28, 2021, the Government of Canada announced its intent to declare January 29 the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia.

Related Products

The Government of Canada Concludes National Summit on Islamophobia

Government of Canada lists 13 new groups as terrorist entities and completes review of seven others

Associated Links

2021 Speech from the Throne

Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 20192022

Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat

Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Mandate Letter

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: For more information (media only), please contact: Arevig Afarian, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations:Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
Stating that India is a vibrant and robust democracy and does not need certificates from others, Bagchi expressed the claim that others need to protect our Constitution is presumptuous and preposterous.

Days after Former VP Hamid Ansari remarked on Indian democracy at a virtual event organised by Indian American Muslim Council, the External Affairs Ministry has come out to slam the former and US lawmakers over what was said at the online event. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said the track record of organisers is as well-known as the biases and political interests of participants.

Stating that India is a vibrant and robust democracy and does not need certificates from others, Bagchi expressed the claim that others need to protect our Constitution is presumptuous and preposterous.

Hamid Ansari found himself in hot waters after he shared his views on Hindu nationalism at the virtual event. He said that in the recent years, we have experienced the emergence of trends and practises that dispute the well established principle of civic nationalism, and interposes a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism.

Pointing out that almost 20 per cent of Indians belong to religious minorities, he said that the Indian democracy seeks to present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolised political power. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness and promote disquiet and insecurity. Ansari further suggested that these trends need to be contested-legally and politically.
Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, stated in a press briefing that there had been recent incidences in which extremist individuals attempted to vandalize diplomatic facilities overseas.

The issue of Khalistan supporters disrespecting Gandhiji at a rally on January 26 is finally gaining traction in India. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), sufficient steps had been taken to prevent the destruction of Mahatma Gandhis statue in Washington.

Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, stated in a press briefing that there had been recent incidences in which extremist individuals attempted to vandalize diplomatic facilities overseas. In Washington, DC, an attempt was made to destroy the Gandhi statue. Weve raised the problem with the different host governments and demanded that they take action, the government official assured. To provide proper security, we cooperate closely with local authorities and host governments, he added.

The statement comes in the wake of a recent occurrence in which supporters of Khalistan staged protests in several nations on January 26. Outside the Indian High Commission in London, a copy of the Indian Constitution and the Indian flag was burned. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington was vandalized during a rally in support of Indian farmers protesting the countrys agricultural policies. A yellow Khalistani flag was placed over the statues head and face, as well as cardboard cutouts and posters, plastered on it.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that this has happened not just in Washington, but also in Milan, where Khalistani militants had set up their flag in front of the Indian embassy. The extremist group has been active in a number of European nations, including Italy and the United Kingdom, where similar operations have been observed in the past.

Speculations are being raised that these Khalistani elements have Pakistani assistance owing to the fact that the protestors have been spotted screaming pro-Pakistan chants on many occasions.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is sending a team to Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu to investigate M. Lavanyas suicide case, criticizing the Tamil Nadu government for failing to respond in the forced conversion case of the deceased. The committee will be led by Chairperson Priyank Kanongo and will visit the Thanjavur district on the 30th and 31st of January to learn more about the cases facts. The NCPCR will attend a meeting with the parents of a deceased girl, her classmates, the doctor who treated her before her death, and the doctor who performed the deceaseds post-mortem.

A Team led by NCPCR Chairperson Shri @KanoongoPriyank will visit #Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) for inquiry in the suicide case of a school girl on 30th & 31st January, 2022.@PIBWCD @MinistryWCD pic.twitter.com/eWiShvCNRm  NCPCR (@NCPCR_) January 28, 2022

The 7-year-old child said in a taped confession that her school was pressuring her to convert to Christianity and that she had been tormented for refusing to forsake Hinduism. The authorities and the media, on the other hand, are attempting to obscure the cases conversion element by alleging that the girl committed suicide because the school had required her to perform some routine duties.

According to the NCPCR statement, a complaint was received by the Commission alleging that the minor girl was forced to illegally convert to Christianity and that, as a result of opposing this conversion, the girl was subjected to corporal punishment, refused to go home, and was forced to clean toilets and wash dishes, among other things. As a result of the tragedies she had witnessed, the kid committed suicide by swallowing chemicals, they added.

Meanwhile, the NCPCR team also revealed that the Tamil Nadu govt officials are hesitant to provide information to the child rights organization. Their reluctance to extend necessary support to the NCPCR team has forced them to visit the location to take the investigate further. It is also being alleged that instead of investigating the girls charges, the police attempted to investigate the person who had taped her testimony, following which the Madras High Court ordered the police to concentrate on the matter. S Muruganantham, the girls father, said in court that the Thanjavur police were attempting to protect the culprits who tortured his daughter to force her to convert to Christianity.
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping urged Chinese peacekeepers to play a bigger role in defending world peace during an inspection to the Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday.

When talking with Chinese peacekeepers posted overseas via video link, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also told them to strengthen safety precautions and step up COVID-19 prevention and control amid complicated circumstances.

Xi extended Spring Festival greetings to service personnel of the PLA and the People's Armed Police Force, civilian personnel posted in the military, and members of militia and reserve forces.

Acknowledging the achievements made by the Central Theater Command, Xi stressed that all missions should be completed with excellence and progress must be made in the command's development and combat readiness.

Noting that both the Spring Festival and the Beijing Winter Olympics are around the corner, Xi called on all the armed forces to stay ready and safeguard China's security and social stability.




HANOI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam welcomed over 19,700 international arrivals in January 2022, up 11.2 percent year on year, mainly thanks to pilot tourism programs and resumption of regular flights, the country's General Statistics Office said Saturday.

In the period, foreign visitors entering the country by air accounted for 88 percent of the total, followed by road with 11.9 percent and sea routes with 0.1 percent, respectively. Most of the arrivals were from Asia (70.2 percent), according to the office.

Vietnam closed its border and grounded all international flights in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only allowing entry for Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts and highly-skilled workers on special flights and with certain quarantine requirements.

The country has been piloting quarantine-free tourism programs to welcome back international visitors since November 2021. It resumed regular commercial flights to a number of international destinations that are highly safe from COVID-19 starting Jan. 1 this year.

Vietnam received just 157,300 international arrivals in 2021, down 95.9 percent year on year, mainly due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the office. 
The NYT report insinuates that the Pegasus spyware was bought by India in 2017 during PM Modis visit to Israel .

India bought Israeli spyware Pegasus in 2017 as part of $2 billion defence deal, claims a report in the New York Times on January 28th. Raising questions on PM Modis visit to Israel in 2017, the NYT report insinuates that the Pegasus spyware was bought by India in 2017 during PM Modis visit to Israel and that the defence deal signed between India & Israel in 2017 encompassed the sale of the Pegasus spyware.

An excerpt published in the report says, The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach. They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly $2 billion  with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces.

It further mentioned that the-then Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu then made a rare state visit to India and then voted in support of Israel at the UN ECOSOC to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation.

While India and Israel are yet to comment on the claims made by NYT, the report has surely ruffled political feathers with the opposition accusing the government of misleading the public, parliament and the Supreme Court. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi this morning accused the Modi government of committing treason and tweeted that it bought Pegasus to spy on primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. He added that government functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces and judiciary were targeted by these phone tapping and this is treason.
On Wednesday, people all over the country will hoist a groundhog, hold it up to the sky and say how much longer winter will last  if sunny, six weeks more, if overcast, almost over.

After that, Groundhog Day will be over until the next Feb. 2. For generations of shadow-casting groundhogs and their human handler to come, it will probably be the same. Nobody believes it, but its February and you need something to distract you from the sleet.

Sean McNamara, owner of Redding Nursery and long-pestered by the persistent groundhogs in his yard and under his deck, questions why the wingding.

There are lots of animals more deserving than groundhogs, McNamara said.

Its a matter of history, Christian holidays, European folklore and luck of the draw. Some animals are glorious. Others have glory thrust upon them. Groundhogs  solitary, plump plant-eaters  are definitely the later.

Groundhog Day has its roots in Candlemas, one of the oldest Christian holidays.

It occurs 40 days after Christmas, when Mary brought her infant Jesus to the Jewish temple, so that she could be purified under Jewish rotes, and her son could be presented to God. Its known as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ.

But Feb. 2 is also, more or less, midway through winter. Its getting lighter, but its still a little dark. So priests and ministers bless candles on Candlemas, and parishioners light them, on a day that carries the message of more light to come.

But somewhere, the day got connected with weather predicting  again, with a sunny Candlemas foretelling cold and storms ahead.. There are songs and poems about this  an Anglo-Scottish one says If Candlemas Day is fair and clear, therell be twa (two) winters in the year.

If you were a European peasant you could look to see if animals emerging from their dens were out and about and casting shadows on Candlemas Day  a bear, a hedgehog, a fox, a bird.

For Germans, it was a badger. But when they immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th century and became the Pennsylvania Dutch, they found a landscape devoid of badgers. Groundhogs, in the right spot at the right time, took over shadow-casting duties.

Gradually, the folk belief became a popular thing. Punxsutawney Phil gave rise to Groundhog Day celebrations around the country.

In Connecticut, its Chuckles, a state groundhog housed at the Lutz Childrens Museum.

Patricia Buxton, the museums executive director, said it, and the first Chuckles, began celebrating the holiday in 1978. This year, which features Chuckles the 11th., will be both live and streamed, Buxton said.

However, its unclear whether any groundhog living in the wild north of the Mason-Dixon Line will be out and about on Feb. 2. Theyll more likely still be conked out.

Groundhogs  aka woodchucks, land beavers or whistlepigs  are one of natures true hibernators. They dig a burrow below the frost line, curl up in October, and dont wake up until March.

Their body temperature drops to about 35 degrees F. Their hearts beat only four to 10 times a minute. They take one breath every six minutes or so. They lose half their weight.

Then in March, when there is new grass and plants to eat, they wake up, eager to feed and mate. Rather than the weather or shadows, they have other things in mind.

Ive seen them out, really early, said Chris Vann, wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The males are looking for females.

Groundhogs are the lowland members of the marmot family. Unlike their colony-loving marmot cousins in the western mountains, our groundhogs are pretty solitary, waddling off on their own to find lettuce plants to eat.

They are great diggers, creating extensive burrows that can extend for several yards and include side tunnels and multiple exits. Other animals  foxes, skunks, rabbits  will move in when they move out.

Predators  coyote, bobcat, foxes  will eat them. Dogs will chase them. People with edible plants will curse them.

Sean McNamara, of Redding, said hes tried to find a noxious solution to ward off groundhogs. Hes blocked burrow entrances. His wife has researched what plants groundhogs dont like and used them for their deck planters.

To no avail. The shadows groundhogs cast in the McNamara yard are vexatious ones.

They keep coming back, he said.

Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com
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WEST HAVEN  A journey that began by escaping religious persecution in Iran has brought the Rev. Melina Dezhbods deep faith and youthful energy to the Church of the Holy Spirit.

Dezhbod, 26, her parents and brother and sister had to flee Iran in 1999 because her father was an Episcopal deacon. They had groups of people that I think came on the radar, the governments radar, she said. My dad was one of those people because he was involved in the church at that time.

She was 3 years old when they left. Now, her father, the Rev. Esmail Dezhbod, is a priest and hospice chaplain and his daughter, a deacon as he was, will be ordained to the priesthood on Tuesday.

If all goes well, Melina Dezhbod will become priest in charge of West Havens Episcopal parish next year, replacing her mentor, the Rev. Kevin Olds, with whom she has been serving since August.

Its been great, Dezhbod said. The thing that stood out from day one is how strong and close their community is. Its a very centered church. You can just tell they love their church so much.

The Church of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1723 as Christ Church, the second-oldest Episcopal parish in Connecticut, and changed its name when it merged with St. Johns by the Sea in 2006. Holy Spirit is a perfect name for it, Dezhbod said. The spirit is alive and working through each of them.

Dezhbod has so much energy and positivity and just what we need, said Nancy Staniewicz, senior warden. I think its a wonderful training ground for a new priest to have an established priest to guide them.

Staniewicz said Dezhbod has been learning the administrative tasks and the pastoral needs of the parish. I think the thing that touched me the most is one of the first mornings she was there with Father Kevin, she was seated in a pew with one of our parishioners, just trying to get to know her, Staniewicz said.

Dezhbod said a large part of her role has been pastoral care and leading confirmation class. She leads morning prayer and preaches once a month. Olds celebrates a monthly Communion service, and Dezhbod assists him. Members of the parish lead morning prayer on the remaining Sundays. Only a priest or bishop can celebrate the Eucharist.

In the Episcopal Church, becoming a priest is a two-step process. The first is to be ordained a deacon, which Dezhbod was in July. She also works as a chaplain resident at Danbury Hospital, a role she will continue in. Her ministry at the parish is quarter-time.

She said she has a mix of emotions about her upcoming ordination, when Bishop Laura Ahrens and other clergy will lay their hands on her head. Her father and mother, Monireh Malmasi, will help put on her vestments. Im excited, she said. Its so strange when you have lived into this thing for so long.

Shes also a little nervous: OK, Im really here. Its going to happen, she said.

Staniewicz said Dezhbod has been a strong leader during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shes not one whos going to say, I dont know, what do you think? Shes using her experience as a chaplain to say, No, we need to do this; we need to do that.

She said Dezhbod also has a strong presence. For someone as young as she is, she is very mature, she is very open, very giving, she said. She preaches well and does the service with a wonderful dignity. It just feels comfortable.

Dezhbod said she first felt called to the church at Naugatuck High School. Her family had spent 22 months in Turkey before coming to the United States, sponsored by St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Woodbury.

She went to St. Josephs College in West Hartford, at that time an all-womens Catholic school. The first week or so I switched from biology to social work, she said.

She had decided that if she was meant to become a priest, the call would return. St. Josephs was a place where I got to continue to explore my faith. That was a really important space for me, she said.

During her sophomore year, her father was ordained a priest. His process took 32 years, as a refugee, persecuted for his faith, she said. Finally, Dezhbod realized she couldnt ignore her calling. I couldnt just hang up and put it on message anymore. I had to pick up and listen, she said. She earned her masters degree in social work, then went to Virginia Theological Seminary.

Like many Protestant and Catholic churches, Church of the Holy Spirit cant afford a full-time priest. Olds serves quarter-time as well as three-quarters time at St. Timothys Episcopal Church in Fairfield.

At the end of August, he will leave the West Haven parish, and Dezhbod and the parish will decide whether she will stay on. She then would be appointed by the bishop as priest in charge.

Its a program of the Diocese of Connecticut to pair young clergy like Dezhbod with priests. Her formal title is missional curate (curate being a title brought from the English that basically means assistant).

Shes doing fine, said Olds. She has a real gift for walking with people and helping them feel heard in their situation.

Shes been a great addition to the parish, said Kati Guthrie Tilove, parish clerk. Shes one of those truly gentle souls. We have a very few kids in our parish but the ones we have adore her.

Tilove said Dezhbod is inspiring. The thought of her as a refugee coming here and as a young person when a lot of young people dont come to church anymore, she said.

You can just tell that she truly care when shes talking to you, Tilove said. She said when her family got COVID, Dezhbod took time just to give me a call to see if we were OK and how we were doing.

Dezhbods ordination will be limited to 50 members of the congregation because of pandemic cautions, but it will be shown at 6:30 p.m. on the parishs Facebook page.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
NEW HAVEN  Its the worldwide health care crisis that has been growing since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but researchers at Yale University and a few other places are hard at work to find cures.

Its the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, often called superbugs. The common infections and bacterial diseases that cant be cured with any available antibiotics are growing, threatening life and limb.

The answers are all around us, in trillions of viruses known as bacteriophages or, as they are more commonly called, phages. They are not harmful to humans, but they attack bacteria, both killing them and reducing their resistance to antibiotics.

People know cancer is a big deal, because either they faced it themselves or theyve had a family member or some close friend deal with it, said Paul Turner, an evolutionary biologist and director of the Yale Center for Phage Biology and Therapy, which officially launched last week.

Thats where this is headed  if the projection is true, which I do believe its true, that more people will be dying from antibiotic-resistant superbugs than they will from cancer annually.

According to a study in the Lancet medical journal this month, there were 1.27 million deaths worldwide caused by antibacterial-resistant infections in 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 2.8 million such infections occur in the United States each year, with 35,000 people dying from them.

The antibiotic-resistance crisis, the looming pandemic, is already here, Turner said. Its just not so acute that it plays on the news much and that you hear about it enough and the problem is, once it turns the corner, which it will, to cause this high degree of mortality, then it will get more press but now is the time to figure out the alternatives like phage therapy.

The issue received more publicity recently when a documentary about Mallory Smith, who died of cystic fibrosis before phages potentially could have saved her life, premiered in New York and Los Angeles. Salt in My Soul is also available to stream.

The diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are not uncommon ones, either. They include MRSA, gonorrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis and Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff., which alone accounts for 12,800 deaths per year. Many can be picked up during hospital stays. Not all strains of these diseases are resistant to every antibiotic, but the number of antibiotics that will cure them is decreasing, Turner said.

This is whats getting scary, he said. In 2017, the World Health Organization listed the six most concerning bacteria. The ones that were on the list are not obscure bacteria.  Theyre very recognizable bacteria, Turner said.

Some have become whats defined as pan-drug resistant, he said. They are already resistant to all currently approved antibiotics.  Part of the issue is, theres really not much money in Big Pharma to discover antibiotics anymore. They sit on a shelf.

Thats because doctors are concerned that bacteria will become resistant to the new antibiotic, so it becomes a last-resort drug, Turner said. Doctors will say, Im going to put it on the shelf and were going to use it if all these other ones fail, and it ends up not recouping the money. And Big Pharma said, Were out. Were not going to do it, he said.

The problem is all around us. Its already bad enough that certainly here in New Haven, places like Hartford  the physicians already see cases of patients for which currently approved antibiotics just dont work, Turner said.

He said about five years ago, a surgeon told him how even in the Greater New Haven area, how many people are suffering with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections that threaten their limbs and they might be headed for removal of those limbs as the obvious course of action. It was quite shocking to me because that was one of the earliest advancements of phage therapy, is you can save somebodys foot from having to be amputated.

The limbs are vulnerable because if blood circulation is reduced because of diabetes or another disease, the bodys immune system cant fight off the infection as well.

In Yales first case, a patient had an infection, which started on a mesh covering an artificial aortic arch. Turner said the patients doctor told him, This guy is remarkably alive. His sternum has been eroded away because of the chronic infection that is on his artificial part of his heart and its out of control. And Im telling you, Im looking you in the eye  Im surprised this man is alive. He really has no other options. Hes too elderly for us to go in and take the infested part out and put it back in and expect him to actually survive the surgery.

Turners colleague Ben Chan created a phage suspension that killed the infection. The phage came from Dodge Pond in East Lyme. The man survived and the rest is history, Turner said.

What makes phages especially valuable is that they not only kill the bacteria, but they make the pathogen evolve so that they become resistant to the phage, but vulnerable to antibiotics again.

The vast majority of bacteria that cause problems in human medicine are what are called opportunistic pathogens, Turner said. They dont have to be in your body, they could be living in soil, they could be living in some other animal. If the body is no longer a welcoming place for them, theyll go into some other environment.

As an example, Turner described how some bacteria have structures called efflux pumps. So what efflux pumps do is, if an antibiotic gets in, it pumps it out, he said, increasing its resistance to antibiotics.

And now theyre known to function so well that you get these multi-drug and pan-drug superbugs. The idea we had is, Im going to go find a phage that interacts with efflux pumps as the way that it bonds, he said. The phage is going to kill the bacteria, but whats happening is that the bacteria are not going to sit around and just die, die and die. Instead they will evolve to become resistant to the phage.

The best way for the bacteria to evolve is to just ditch the efflux pump, Turner said. Its like the easiest path to removing the problem. And guess what, that makes them antibiotic sensitive and then we throw the antibiotic in, it kills the bacteria, problem solved.

Turner and Chan favor this method of finding the right phage for each problem, trying to make the technology more foolproof. Thats our angle.

Other centers, such as the University of California at San Diego, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M and the Mayo Clinic, the other main players, are not characterizing individual phages, Turner said. They tend to use cocktails of many phages, which do the job but, according to Turner, dont advance the science.

Phages were discovered about the same time as antibiotics, and Western medicine went with the broad-spectrum antibiotics that killed most disease-causing bacteria. But in Eastern Europe, Chan has said, phages are used much more commonly, and he has gone to Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo to seek out phages that will kill cholera, which is endemic in those countries.

Currently, the state of the art is you think you need to go to the place where its worse, Turner said. But while Vibrio cholerae causes cholera, there are relatives of Vibrio cholerae that live in Long Island Sound, other Vibrios, he said. So you could look in Long Island Sound for phages against that bacteria that might just work against cholera bacteria.

The most biodiverse thing on this planet are phages, Turner said. To the point of, in my backyard, in a gram of soil, Im going to find gazillions of them that have probably never been described in the literature.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A city police officer has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with domestic violence offenses, the police department said Friday night.

Officer Ruben Parra, who has been with the New Haven Police Department since November 2014 and currently serves on the patrol division, turned himself in to the North Branford Police Department Friday, according to the New Haven Police Department.
Shehu Sani, former Kaduna Central Senator, has reacted to calls by Arewa youths asking billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote and those in t...





Shehu Sani, former Kaduna Central Senator, has reacted to calls by Arewa youths asking billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote and those in the private sector to join the presidential race.





Sani urged Dangote to ignore the youths and concentrate on completing his refinery.





The Arewa Youth Assembly had urged some prominent Nigerians in the private sector to join the 2023 presidential race.





The Northern youths said people like Dangote, Femi Otedola, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mike Adenuga amongst others should contest for the presidency in 2023.





They pointed out that these names have the managerial skills to rescue Nigeria from its current state.





Reacting, Sani, in a tweet wrote: Dear Dangote, ignore those northern youths dragging you to politics; concentrate on your refinery. Make work no come stop.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Friday, denied saying that Nigerias achievements in infrastructure surpassed that ...

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Friday, denied saying that Nigerias achievements in infrastructure surpassed that of the United States.

It can be recalled that the minister, in Kano State on Thursday, said, I can assure you that the current President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration has achieved what even the US government is aspiring to accomplish in terms of infrastructure.

However, Fashola, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello, on Friday, said he was misquoted.

The statement was titled, Infrastructure Delivery: Fashola clarifies misrepresentation of his statement on Nigeria, US.

Fashola was quoted as saying, I didnt say that Nigerias infrastructure was better than Americas infrastructure because certainly anybody who knows what he is doing will know that America is a much richer nation, their infrastructure is well ahead of Nigeria.

What I was talking about at the presentation with the All Progressives Congress, Youth Ministerial Conference was about the challenges of infrastructure and that it is universal, every country commits to infrastructure as a legitimate way to create work, to grow the economy and distribute wealth as we have seen here.

Afenifere asks intl community to get freedom for Igboho six months after imprisonment

Thats the first point I was making, and that in a democracy you always need the Parliament to authorise what you spend on infrastructure and so I was making the comparison that Buhari has been able to get his Parliament to authorise his spending, and that is why we were even able to gather here (at the Special Ministerial Conversational Conference).

But that the American government is struggling to get authorisation from their own parliament to start what we are already doing. I didnt say our infrastructure is better than theirs, he said.
CANBERRA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has tripled funding for koala conservation efforts in a bid to save the iconic species from extinction.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Environment Minister Sussan Ley on Saturday announced the government will spend an additional 50 million Australian dollars (34.9 million U.S. dollars) over the next four years on koala recovery programs.

It takes the total federal government investment in koala conservation since 2019 to 74 million Australian dollars (51.6 million U.S. dollars).

Koalas, one of Australia's most iconic native species, have come under significant threat from habitat loss as a result of bushfires, farming and urban development.

Estimates of Australia's wild koala population vary but the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) in September 2021 claimed numbers have dwindled to approximately 50,000.

The new funding includes 20 million Australian dollars (13.9 million U.S. dollars) for habitat restoration projects and 10 million Australian dollars (6.9 million U.S. dollars) each for community initiatives and the government's koala census, which is led by national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

"Our 50 million AUD investment will enhance the protection of koalas by restoring koala habitat, improving our understanding of koala populations, supporting training in koala treatment and care, and strengthening research into koala health outcomes," Morrison said in a statement.

"Koalas are one of Australia's most-loved and best-recognized icons, both here at home and across the world, and we are committed to protecting them for generations to come."

Environmental groups have long been critical of the scale of land clearing in koala habitats, which has been exacerbated by Australia's devastating bushfires.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimated that 60,000 koalas perished nationwide in the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.

The AKF has called for the government to abandon the koala census and instead focus all its efforts on habitat conservation.

Ley said on Saturday that widespread habitat restoration projects were already underway.

"The extra funding will build on work already happening across the koala range to restore and connect important habitat patches, control feral animal and plant species, and improve existing habitat," she said. 
Hauwa Muhammed, the self-acclaimed sex therapist better known as Jaruma, has declared her interest to contest for the 2023 presidency. I...

Hauwa Muhammed, the self-acclaimed sex therapist better known as Jaruma, has declared her interest to contest for the 2023 presidency.

In several posts via her Instagram page , the entrepreneur  who is not known to be a member of any registered political party in the country  asked people to support her ambition.

The brand influencer also said she is determined to break the jinx in the countrys political landscape as the first female president of Nigeria.

Adopting the slogan Jaruma for the masses, the sex therapist also updated her Instagram bio to include first female president of Nigeria.

Jaruma, the first female president Of Nigeria. InshaAllah Jaruma for the masses. Vote Jaruma 2023, the post read.

She accompanied the post with what seemed to be a campaign flyer with the inscription: meet your next president 2023 Jaruma.

The flyer carried a logo of the Not Too Young To Run movement  which is not a political party in the country.

Her announcement comes at about the same time when an upper area court in Zuba, Abuja granted her bail after she spent four days in prison.

It also comes as she shared a video of herself donating food items to the inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Suleja where she was detained.

In one of the clips, she disclosed that she would be donating the sum of two million naira to bail innocent inmates and those with minor charges.

The police had charged Jaruma with false news publication, intimidation, and defamation of character after a petition was submitted by Ned Nwoko, a billionaire businessman.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says only leaders who do not pursue personal profit can bring about national transformation. According ...

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says only leaders who do not pursue personal profit can bring about national transformation.

According to a statement by Laolu Akande, spokesperson to the vice-president, Osinbajo said this on Friday at the first annual general assembly of the Catholics in Politics and Catholic Business Leaders.

Speaking on the theme, The Advancement of the Common Good towards Justice, Unity, Structure and Development of Nigeria, he said transformational leadership, particularly in a multi-ethnic and multi-faceted country like Nigeria, is needed as its primary focus is the pursuit of the common good to ensure fairness, justice, unity and development.

History teaches us that everywhere there has been a national transformation, it has been brought about by public-spirited men and women of goodwill who, inspired by their belief in a higher purpose other than their own profit, have entered the public square to champion the common good, he said.

Building credible institutions of justice, the rule of law and orderly society are crucial expressions of the pursuit of the common good.

The purpose of power is service, not domination; it is to uplift and empower others rather than to control or oppress. This is a model of leadership that is inseparable from our conception of the common good.

Transformational leadership is, therefore, the pursuit of the common good. But the pursuit of the common good itself is not as easy as it sounds. This is especially so where the wounds and enmities of ethnic and religious conflicts are deep.

The common type of leadership will seek the path of relevance and popularity within their own ethnic or religious camps by seeking only the good of their own. The servant-leader will serve his people by emphasising the letter and spirit of the gospel, that even our worst enemies were still made in the image of God

And the pursuit of the common good is the pursuit of the good of those who hate us and have hurt us even in the recent past.

Transformational leadership means that we do not mourn and condemn the killing of those who belong to our own tribe or faith alone, or seek justice for ours alone, because all men are equal before God, and that the pain and anguish of a mothers loss of a child, is not different from one faith or tongue to the other.

The vice-president also described corruption as a cancer, noting that cancer in governments anywhere is corruption.

When public officials (be they high or low in the executive, legislature or judiciary) are toll gates for the extortion of the populace while seeking government dispensations, the common good, happy and prosperous lives for the people, is impossible, he added.

Osinbajo used the opportunity to encourage Nigerians not to despair despite the challenges facing the nation.

Our greatest adversary in our task of national renewal is a feeling of hopelessness  a sense of futility that seems almost overwhelming. However, we cannot afford to even indulge in such despondency and despair. There is hope and there is much work to be done, he added.

Contrary to opinion in some quarters, this house will not fall. It is being built and needs yet many more people to commit to building the sort of nation that we want.





The throes and pangs of birth must not be interpreted as the pains of impending death. We are, by the grace of God, more than able to overcome our present difficulties and we will overcome them.
One Azeez Saka has been arrested for allegedly stealing a tricycle, otherwise known as Keke Napep in Alagbado, a border community between La...





One Azeez Saka has been arrested for allegedly stealing a tricycle, otherwise known as Keke Napep in Alagbado, a border community between Lagos and Ogun States.





Saka was nabbed by the Ogun State Government-owned security outfit, the So-Safe Corps.





He was arrested alongside two others, Abdulkadri Dauda and Uthman Hudu, whom he was said to have sold the stolen tricycle to at the rate of N23,000.





According to a statement by the State Commander of So-Safe Corps, Soji Ganzallo, a complainant had reported the missing tricycle with registration number LSR602QG, at Alagbado police station, stating that the So-Safe was also contacted to ensure recovery of the tricycle and subsequent arrest of the culprits.





The men of the corps were put on their toes throughout the state and were gathering useful information that could lead to recovery of the tricycle.





On January 21, at about 19:46 pm, men of the corps on routine patrol sighted Abdulkadri Dauda and Uthman Hudu, both residing in the Goro Yard, Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, wheeling a half part of a tricycle and they were intercepted.





During interrogation, the tricycle was traced to the rightful owner, who has reported the incident to the corps, claiming she bought the tricycle for business.





She also lamented that she engaged Mr Azeez Saka (AKA EKO) as the rider, but he absconded with it, Ganzallo said.





He explained further that upon invitation to Ogun State from Alagbado, the said Saka confessed to the crime that he sold the tricycle to his accomplices at the rate of twenty-three thousand (N23,000) Naira only.





It was said that the other parts of the dismantled tricycle had already been wheeled away by the buyers, who were suspected to be scrap metal scavengers also known as iron condemn.





The prime suspect and others were transferred with the exhibit to Atan Divisional Police Station for further investigation and likely prosecution, Ganzallo disclosed.
The Oluwo of Ikeja Land, Chief Adeniyi Illo and Prince Jamiu Folami, during the news conference on the kingship crisis in Ikeja Kingdom. Roy...





The Oluwo of Ikeja Land, Chief Adeniyi Illo and Prince Jamiu Folami, during the news conference on the kingship crisis in Ikeja Kingdom.





Royal families in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, have kicked against the nomination of 33-year-old Temitope Ibikunle as the king-designate for the vacant stool of Olu of Ikeja.





Ibikunle, who is of Oshoja Ruling House, was a youth representative on the now-defunct Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.





The stool of Olu of Ikeja had been vacant for nine years following the demise of Oba Rauf Matemi, Amore 1, who joined his ancestors in October 2014.





Speaking at a news briefing on Friday in Ikeja, leaders of some of the royal families and kingmakers in the kingdom, said that Prince Tajudeen Muritala, who had earlier been unveiled as the king-elect, remained the sole candidate for the throne.





The Oluwo of Ikeja, Chief Adeniyi Illo and Prince Jamiu Folami, who spoke on behalf of others, accused politicians of blocking the progress of the area by sabotaging their efforts at installing the king-elect.





They said that the issues should not have degenerated to what it is at present, with the different royal families antagonising one another, if politicians had not infiltrated the families.





Folami, who denied the claim that Muritala was not a member of any of the royal families, provided an oral historical record that linked him to Iyade and Oshoja families.





The kingmakers called on the state government to ensure that the will of the indigenes of Ikeja Kingdom prevailed, by approving the installation of Prince Muritala as the new king.





Specifically, the Oluwo of Ikeja land raised the alarm that his life was in danger owing to his stance on the issue.





(NAN)
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Saturday released fresh prophetic warnings about some African ...

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Saturday released fresh prophetic warnings about some African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Cameroun, South Sudan and Congo Brazzaville,

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele revealed what the countries should expect and the path their leaders should take to avoid a crisis.

In Uganda, Primate Ayodele advised President Yoweri Museveni not to trust his military formation anymore and immediately re-organize them because he foresees an unexpected interception of the government by the military in conjunction with external forces.

Uganda President, Yoweri Museveni must be careful so his military will not be disorganized. There will be an external force to combine with the local force to fight the government forces. There is an intention to intercept his government. He shouldnt trust his military formation anymore, he said.

For South Sudan, Primate Ayodele made it known that the country will experience a smooth transition to democracy if only the current president heeds to spiritual advice. We recall that Primate Ayodele had declared a 21-day fasting and prayer for the country to avert any crisis.

He said: South Sudan will experience a smooth transition to democracy if the president heeds to advice, observe the fast and protect the country because the rebels are planning big to attack the government force unexpectedly. They should reorganize the government forces and seek more international support. The head of the government has done so well but some people are planning a hurricane Barbarossa in the country. He should be very careful and prayerful this period.

On Chad, Primate Ayodele revealed that the country must plan the transition to democracy well because he foresees terrorists coming against the present leadership.

Chad government must plan their transition well because terrorists are planning to come against the present government.

On Cameroun, Congo Brazzaville, the man of God warned the leaders to tidy up things because he foresees an unexpected interception of government in the countries.

Cameroun must be careful because I see crisis, uprising that will create problems. Also, Congo Brazzaville must tidy things up so they wont experience unexpected interception.

Speaking on the Kenyan election, Primate Ayodele asked the country to pray against an attack before the presidential election.

In Burkina Faso where a coup happened a few days ago, Primate Ayodele revealed that the junta still wont make any difference, while explaining that the country needs help.
The family of the late Dowen College Student, Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr.), has asked the coroner inquiring into his controversial death to ad...

The family of the late Dowen College Student, Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr.), has asked the coroner inquiring into his controversial death to adjourn proceedings indefinitely.

A counsel from the Law Firm of Falana & Falana, Taiwo Olawanle, made the application on the grounds that other parties to the proceedings have not filed their witness depositions.

Counsel for Dowen College, Anthony Kpokpo, described the application as tragic. Some other lawyers in the proceedings said it was an attempt to stop the process as the truth was starting to come out, according to Channels Television.

The coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, has held that the application is vexatious especially as the court has ruled on the matter and ordered all parties to file their witness deposition by Tuesday, February 1.

The court also ordered that all pending witnesses should be present in court at the next sitting on Monday, January 31.

Channels Television gathered that the father of the deceased, Sylvester Oromoni Snr and his sister were due to testify before the coroner on Friday but failed to show up.

The court has also notified all parties that subsequent sittings will hold at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja.

Meanwhile, the coroner has dismissed the application of the Ijaw Youth Council, Lagos Chapter seeking to be joined as interested parties in the proceedings.

The court held that their interest is subsumed in that of the family of the deceased who are already represented by counsel at the proceedings.
The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, has banned students from driving private cars on campus. The federal instituti...

The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, has banned students from driving private cars on campus.





The federal institution stated this in a circular dated January 29, 2022 and signed by B .O Dara, for the Registrar.





The circular reads Management at its Emergency Management meeting deliberated on the use of vehicles by students and their flamboyant display of wealth on campus.





After thorough deliberation, Management therefore directed that students are hereby banned from driving their vehicles into the campus.





Only staff are allowed to drive into the campus as the staff would be identified by presentation of their ID card.





The Staff who have lost their ID card should obtain a letter of identification from the Registrar. The letter of identification must bear the staffs passport photograph.





The circular advised students using vehicles to stop at the gate. The above Management decision is for your information and compliance.





All students must always have their identity cards with them while on the schools campus, the circular added.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Buhari regime and the governing All Progressives Congress remain committed to the welfare o...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Buhari regime and the governing All Progressives Congress remain committed to the welfare of the common man because it is a party of the people and will continually ensure that the common man benefits maximally from the government.

Osinbajo spoke on Friday when he received on a courtesy call, a delegation of the APC Professionals Forum at the Statehouse, Abuja.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday titled Why APC is focused on the common mans welfare, by Osinbajo.

According to him, This is a party of the common man, a party of the people, a party that takes as its cradle, the importance of ensuring that the common man benefits maximally from the government which is why we have the big programmes like the Social Investment Programmes, the largest if its kind in the continent and several of such other programmes that emphasize how serious we take the lot of the common man.

Though formed about nine years ago, the Vice President noted that the party has made an impact and is determined to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians.

We are the ruling party in Africas largest democracy which by itself is a phenomenal achievement for such a young party. But youll find that in the particular ideological direction of our party, its one that it was clear to the founders of the party, the initial persons and groups that came together to form the party and they came from different parties. Still, it was to present a left of centre, a social democratic alternative to the ruling part.

Osinbajo further stated that the APC is determined to ensure the countrys further growth and development, noting that the party carries with it, the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians.

According to him, the party is not a mere platform for running for political office, it carries with it the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians and we must make it a place where they are comfortable, a place where they feel this belongs to us. We can even put our resources into it; it is not just for politicians; it is for us all.

To the visiting delegation, he said, It is the role this Professional Forum must take on to itself. And what it entails aside from that logical objective of the Forum; what it entails is defining in writing in various ways what our party stands for.

There are many people that say, well, we have not done this, we have not done that. There are so many ways of looking at it, but the truth of the matter is that the party was committed and is seen across the country as a party of the common man, which is why I think the role of the Professionals Forum is particularly important because we are trying to shape the ideology of the party.

If the professionals cannot do that, then our party becomes all comers; anything goes so long as we have a platform to run for political office. But I think that we, especially professionals, have a unique advantage.

Osinbajo expressed hoped that the Forum, made up of professional elites, will be of great benefit to the party and Nigeria because of its leadership and quality of professionals on its board of trustees and as members, who he noted are not just politicians, but people who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields.
The Kano State Police Command has given the reason policemen arrested a former Kano State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Muazu...

The Kano State Police Command has given the reason policemen arrested a former Kano State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Muazu Magaji.

Magaji, a fierce critic of the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was arrested by the police in Abuja shortly after granting a live interview on Trust TV in Utako on Thursday night.

He was immediately flown to Kano and spent a night at the Police Command Headquarters in Bompai.

Speaking to Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper on Friday, the spokesperson for the Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said the police resorted to arresting Magaji after he refused to honourably submit himself to police for questioning despite several invitations.

Haruna said the police invited Magaji following a directive of the court to investigate him.

The Police spokesperson said, We are currently investigating charges of defamation of character, intentional insult, injurious falsehood and inciting disturbance against Muazu Magaji.

Meanwhile, a complaint letter by Gandujes lawyers and sighted by our reporter indicated that the letter was addressed to the presiding magistrate of Court 58, Nomansland, Aminu Gambari.

A copy of the formal complaint letter read in part: We are Solicitors to the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, (hereinafter referred to as our client) and on whose behalf we write to directly complain against Muazu Magaji (hereinafter referred to as the suspect) for the commission of the grievous offences of Criminal Defamation of Character, Assault, Intentional Insult with the Intent to Provoke Breach of Peace and Inciting Disturbance and Disaffection contrary to inter-alia the provisions of Sections 114, 264 and 399 of the Penal Code Law in force in Kano State, meted on our client.

As a foundation to our clients complaint, we are instructed by our client that the suspect posted a picture portraying our client as an immoral and ungodly man engaged in an extra-marital affair with a strange woman whose face appeared in the said picture.

We are instructed by our client that the said picture had been widely circulated by the suspect on several social media platforms, in a brazen attempt to assassinate the character, goodwill, good name and image of our client, the first citizen of Kano State, which he built for several decades in civil service and in frontline politics in Nigeria.
People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)

SOFIA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1.

The three-week long event, organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, is staged at the Slaveykov square, a popular place in the center of Bulgaria's capital city.

Many visitors were attracted by the bright colors and diversity of the photos.

Prof. Nako Stefanov, an expert in East Asia of Sofia University and a visitor, told Xinhua the exhibition "is a significant event for Sofia that will be seen by many people."

The exhibition gives a very interesting look at such a traditional festival, Stefanov said, adding "I think it is very good that Bulgarians have the opportunity to look into the life of the Chinese people at such a festive moment."

Vladislav Mihaylov, another visitor, spent more than 20 minutes enjoying the photos. "I look at the exhibition with great interest, wishing to go to China someday to see these festivities live," Mihaylov said. 

People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)

A girl visits a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds light and variable.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of officers who were killed in 2021 in the United States is the highest on record in the past 20 years, U.S. media outlet Fox News has reported.

This figure includes unprovoked confrontations and premeditated ambushes, said Fox News on Friday, citing data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The trend shows no signs of letting up this year, with six police officers the victims of gun violence over the past two days alone, said the report.

Two police officers were shot Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis. A Milwaukee sheriff's deputy was shot several times during a traffic stop Wednesday evening, and three more police officers were shot in Houston on Thursday, said the report. 
Kristin Danflous first major decision as captain of the Krewe of Iris was a disaster.

Three weeks before the 2011 parade, her grandmother, Joy Oswald, anointed her the new Iris captain. As parade day approached, forecasters predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Danflous, all of 32 years old at the time, considered rescheduling to an earlier start. But her grandparents, who still wielded considerable influence, objected. She backed down as her grandfather assured her that rain never falls on Iris.

It did that year. Hard.

As the drenched riders disembarked at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Danflous apologized to them.

The 2011 deluge was the best and worst thing that could have happened to me, she said recently. I learned a lot that year.

And going forward, she resolved to make her own decisions.

For 2019, she made a huge one: After decades with another float-builder, Iris switched to Kern Studios, the company that builds the Endymion, Muses, Bacchus, Orpheus, Zulu, Hermes and Tucks processions, among others.

Thanks to a new, larger fleet of tandem floats crafted by Kern, Iris was able to dramatically increase its membership. On Saturday, Danflous is slated to lead more than 3,400 riders, the most of any Carnival parade.

She has infused the 102-year-old Iris, Carnivals oldest all-female krewe, with fresh energy and enthusiasm. Symbolizing this rebirth is one of the parades new, Kern-built signature floats. The prop that tops the lavish float is a 17-foot-tall, intricately detailed, animatronic Butterfly Fairy.

Just like Danflous, the Butterfly Fairy bounced back from disaster  specifically, an accidental decapitation just four days before the parade.

And also like Danflous, it came back even stronger.

****

In 1917, Aminthe Laudumiey, whod already founded the Krewe of Venus, launched Iris. At the time, female Carnival organizations staged only balls, not parades.

Venus made history in 1941 as the first female krewe to parade. Eleven years later, Laudumiey, whose married name was Nungesser, essentially gave the struggling Iris to that years Venus queen, Irma Mellaney Strode.

According to the krewes official history, written by Jimmy Clark and published as a coffeetable book in 2017 by Arthur Hardy Enterprises, Iris was on the brink of extinction, with only 12 members.

But under Strodes steady leadership, the organization rebounded. In 1959, the first Iris parade rolled down St. Charles Avenue with 150 riders aboard floats rented from the Krewe of Okeanos.

Strode sustained Iris for three decades. Barry Kern, now president and CEO of Kern Studios, remembers hearing stories about Strode as a boy: She was a Mardi Gras legend.

In 1985, she finally passed the plumed captains fan to her niece, Joy Brechtel Oswald, whom Strode had groomed for the role. For the next quarter-century, Iris was Oswalds baby.

Danflous grew up around Iris. She was a page at the historic ball where Strode, her great-aunt, transferred power to Oswald, Danflous grandmother.

She went away to college but returned each year for the Iris ball. Oswald wanted her granddaughter to eventually take over. Instead, Danflous got married and had three children.

By 2010, Oswald, a.k.a. Mama Joy, was ready to step down. Danflous, whose youngest child, a son, was 2, was finally ready to step in.

Its our legacy, she said. I have two girls, and I hope to pass it down to them.

On Feb. 11, 2011, during the Iris ball at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Danflous was introduced as Oswalds surprise choice to take over as captain.

****

Her trial by rain, not fire, arrived three weeks later.

Days before Iris rolled, Danflous was in the carpool line at her daughters school when her phone rang. It was Mardi Gras guru Arthur Hardy, wanting to know what she planned to do with her parade, given the weekends dire forecast.

Her first reaction? 'Oh my God. Arthur Hardy has my number! I felt so special.

Given Iris long, rain-free history, Danflous, an optimist, put her faith in precedent: Iris would roll at 11 a.m. on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday, as always.

As parade day drew closer, the chance of midday thunderstorms increased to 70 percent. Danflous started having second thoughts.

Me being new and kind of afraid, I didnt know what to do. I lived it my entire life, but I didnt know what actually went on behind the scenes. I didnt know who I needed to know or who I needed to talk to.

A friend on the police force put her in touch with Joe Valiente, the NOPD officer who coordinated parades. Valiente gave the green light for Iris to move up to 10 a.m.

But Mama Joy wasnt having it. Neither was her husband, Johnny Oswald, a.k.a. Mr. Iris.

For decades, Johnny Oswald handled the logistics of Iris. He also ordered the throws and coordinated the ball. One year, he even filled in for an intoxicated king during the balls grand march.

His experience told him Iris should roll as scheduled at 11 a.m., not earlier.

My grandpa and grandma werent really ready for that, Danflous said. For 50 years, theyd been parading at 11 a.m. When I said, Lets move this parade, being a newbie and a baby in their eyes, they thought I was insane. I had very little say-so.

That Saturday, Iris got soaked.

I took the fall, Danflous said. A new captain comes in and thats the first time its ever rained on Iris to the point that people had to get off the floats? I was a curse in all my members eyes.

I lived and learned. The Mardi Gras gods gave me a second chance.

The next year, the forecast for Iris Saturday was just as bad. Danflous considered the possibility she really was a curse. But this girl wasnt going to be fooled again, she said.

Parade captains met with city officials to reschedule around the weather. They chose their new time slots based on the parades seniority.

As the captain of the oldest krewe at the meeting, Danflous went first. Iris, she said, would move to Sunday at 10 a.m.

Her grandparents didnt object.

It took them a while to let go, Danflous said. My grandmas been in it for 60 years. She was captain for 24 years. Its our life.

People think Mardi Gras is only two weeks of the year. For us, its year-round. To do something every day for 60 years and all of a sudden your little baby granddaughter comes in and takes over and makes changes, it takes a little while to get used to. Now they sit back and watch, and theyre proud.

****

Fully in charge, Danflous set out to shake things up a bit while still respecting Iris tradition.

Over the past two decades, Muses and Nyx emerged as the pre-eminent female krewes. She wanted a signature throw like the Muses shoe or the Nyx purse.

A krewe member, Barbara Winters, suggested sunglasses, since Iris is a day parade. Danflous loved the idea; her members now decorate custom Iris sunglasses.

After Hurricane Katrina shuttered the Municipal Auditorium, the Iris ball moved to the Pontchartrain Center. Afterward, chartered buses transported guests to the Hilton Riverside for a late-night supper dance.

That made no sense to me, Danflous said. We needed to have everything at one spot.

So she moved the ball to the Hilton, and attendance surged. Its been the best thing we could have done. Its convenient for everyone, she said.

Even though she was now clearly in control, she still informed her grandparents about impending innovations.

I would always prep them with, Its just a little change. After all my little changes, when big changes came, they really didnt say anything. They knew I kind of had it figured out, and it was my baby now.

She initiated her biggest change this year.

From 1974 to 2018, Iris floats were built exclusively by the Cantrell family. McKinley Mac Cantrell Jr., son of the founder of McKinley Cantrell Floats, runs the Kenner-based company, which specializes in papier-mache creations.

But Danflous came to believe a change was needed. Her lieutenants wanted bigger floats to accommodate dozens of riders on their waiting lists.

There were so many people that wanted to ride in Iris, and we werent giving them an opportunity, Danflous said.

Over the years, Barry Kern had approached her about considering Kern Studios. He finally gave her a tour of the companys vast Mardi Gras World facility and I was blown away, Danflous said. I thought that if anybody was going to be able to handle my ladies, it was going to be him.

So she made the difficult decision to leave Cantrell and sign a multi-year contract with Kern.

I asked Barry, You sure can handle this? Youre pretty busy on that Saturday (with Endymion and Tucks). And he has.

This years captain and queen floats are holdovers from the Cantrell years. But the rest of the Iris fleet is newly built by Kern. All 33 units consist of at least two floats, each equipped with a built-in sound system. One quadruple unit holds 250 riders, more than some krewes entire membership.

Iris added more than 1,000 riders this year, surpassing Nyx and Endymion as Carnivals biggest krewe.

Thats a big leap, Kern said. For a Carnival club to grow that much in one year is phenomenal.

Since the advent of Muses, the female krewes have really started to push the envelope. Females krewes have proven to be some of the more progressive groups in Carnival. And Iris is going to make a big splash this year.

****

One of the traits that impressed Danflous about Kern was his ability to handle pressure. That ability was tested this week.

On Tuesday, workers stood Iris absolutely gorgeous new Butterfly Fairy prop atop a flatbed trailer at Kerns fabrication facility on the west bank. They set out for the Warehouse District den where the prop would be mounted on its float.

En route, a low-hanging tree branch knocked the fairys fiberglass head clean off.

Kern was not happy. Neither was Danflous: I said, Tell me youre joking. He said, Im not joking. Then a bunch of f-words came out. And then I had to laugh to keep from crying.

Kern promised to resurrect the Butterfly Fairy in time for the parade. Back at the fabrication plant, workers repaired it and reinforced the head with a steel rod.

Thank God we were finished with everything else, Kern said.

The fairys new name? Marie. As in Marie Antoinette, the French monarch who was beheaded.

On Wednesday, Danflous inspected the rest of her parades new floats at the massive Kern Studios warehouse/workshop. If something else breaks, she said to Barry Kern, fix it and tell me about it afterward.

Overall, she pronounced herself very pleased. He made up for the decapitated fairy.

Were a great partnership. He sees what I want, and he makes it even better. And he never says no.

****

For Danflous, a 40-year-old divorced mother of three, running Iris is a full-time, every-day, all-day job. And its the best thing I possibly could have ever done, she said. Im enjoying every moment of it. I couldnt design something more suited to myself than to run this club.

She loves to dress up. Loves parties. Loves networking. Loves camaraderie. Running Iris is so me. I love seeing the happiness that Iris and Mardi Gras put on peoples faces. Ill see cars with the Iris sunglasses magnet and Im like, Oh my God, thats my parade.'

She is quick to cite the extensive contributions of the parades officers and members. But this new Iris has clearly been made in her image.

Dorian Stone, an assistant Iris float lieutenant who attended Mount Carmel Academy with Danflous, credits the captain with sparking the krewes rebirth.

She brought in the new and the old and mixed them together, Stone said. She has built an empire. She has built something that people want to be in.

Indicative of Iris new attitude, Danflous signs off her emails with Keep Iris Blooming.

After the rainy year, one of the members said we should keep Iris blooming, and it stuck. Every year, we want to keep Iris blooming. I think weve done it.

Were blooming right now, thats for sure.
The Krewe of Janus recounted some of the challenges of the past two years during its Carnival ball Saturday at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

Uniquely able to gaze into the past and the future, the god of beginnings began the ball with a nod to its 74 years of Carnival tradition, acknowledging several past queens in attendance and presenting Mrs. Michele Pitre Milano, who reigned in 1983.

The entrance of the captain was followed by the parade of members who heralded the entrance of the masked lieutenants.

The two-headed Roman deity then turned his focus to the present with the introduction of Janus 2022 accompanied by the ladies of his royal court.

Reigning as queen of the ball was Miss Isabel Sophia Barattini, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Barattini. Her majesty followed in the footsteps of her sister Angela, who reigned as queen six years earlier. Her majesty wore a gown of gold lame with a V-neck bodice encrusted with pearl and lace appliques and rhinestone crystals. The skirt was overlaid with embroidered white chiffon dotted with rhinestone crystals, and pearl and lace appliques at the hem. Her purple heirloom mantle was decorated with gold and silver appliques. She wore a Medici collar trimmed with Austrian rhinestones and drop crystals. She carried the Janus scepter and wore the traditional heirloom crown.

The court included maids Misses Jade Marietta Thiel, daughter of Mr. Stephen Thiel and Ms. Aimee Burslem; Kennedy Elizabeth Duggan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Duggan; Samantha Irina Kapoulas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Kapoulas; Madison Elizabeth Neighbors, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Neighbors; Kaylee Elisabeth Diodene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Diodene; and Aubrey Katelyn Gray, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Steven Gray.

True to its tradition, the krewe presented a series of humorous skits. The headliner, of course, was the response to the never-ending pandemic for which Janus resurrected a local medical icon who proposed a unique concept for a cure. The continuing effort to identify a successor for a recently retired gridiron star resulted in an unusual choice. Missteps by competing billionaires in the new space race presented new opportunities for some aggressive local barristers.

Following the skits, the monarchs made a special presentation to the 2020 queen, Miss Mia Jane Milano.

The ball concluded with a compilation of songs made popular by Disney princesses.

Music by Carnaval conducted by B.J. Perez III provided accompaniment for the tableau. After the callout dances, his majesty hosted a dinner and dance for his guests. Crescent City Soul energized the crowd well into the early morning.

Mr. Mark Milano was chairman of the court committee and Mr. John Kattengell was vice-chairman. The reception committee was headed by Mr. Christopher Duggan with Mr. Sewall Vallette as vice-chairman. Mr. Lawrence Centola III served as chairman of the floor committee while Mr. Glenn Mediamolle was vice-chairman.
Peter Nguyen had them at the oyster Rockefeller po-boy.

In 2015, Christian Lombardo and his partner Arleth Blanco discovered Banh Mi Boys, an unconventional banh mi and po-boy shop tucked next to a gas station on Airline Drive in Metairie. We went there embarrassingly often, recalls Lombardo, whose automotive business has a presence close to the shop. The food became a passion for us.

The flavor combinations were so different, Blanco adds. We daydreamed about opening our own location.

They did just that in December, opening the first local Banh Mi Boys franchise at 3244 Magazine St., a space formerly occupied by a Reginellis Pizzeria.

Banh Mi Boys is Nguyens brainchild. In his early 20s, he had zero restaurant experience, but he had an idea to go against tradition by stuffing banh mis and po-boys with lip-smacking combos like Korean-style bulgogi, bang bang shrimp and spicy Asian brisket. The menu at the original restaurant offered the traditional dishes of Nguyens Vietnamese heritage, including vermicelli and rice bowls topped with fresh herbs and grilled pork or shrimp spiked with lemon grass. But he wanted to do more.

Despite his moms resistance, Nguyen knew he was onto something. She didnt go along with it at first, but when I said I wanted to do my own thing and start paying rent, she threw me the keys and said, OK, go for it. Almost seven years in, his moms retirement was powered by Banh Mi Boys, and shes a believer.

Besides starters like grilled pork or tofu spring rolls, crab Rangoon and house-cut fries are big sellers. Beyond the usual cheese fries, there are cheeseburger fries, roast beef debris fries and the oyster Rockefeller fries that also are adapted to a po-boy. K-Town fries are a belly-busting combo of marinated bulgogi steak topped with green onions, cilantro and kimchi mayo.

Wings are served in eight flavors that hopscotch between traditional Buffalo and Korean barbecue to a pho-inspired version made with a rub Nguyen created with star anise, cinnamon and cardamom.

Banh Mi Boys in Uptown What Banh Mi Boys Where 3442 Magazine St., (504) 354-8502; facebook.com/banhmiboysuptown When 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday How Takeout, dine-in and outdoor seating available Check it out Creative banh mi sandwiches in Uptown

While there are familiar Vietnamese banh mi filled with pork meatballs, grilled lemon grass chicken and steak and egg topped with a fried egg and pork pate, the specialty banh mi is the restaurants calling card. Spicy Asian barbecue brisket is prepared with a dry rub, cooked for 12 hours and served with a tangy sauce, cilantro and julienned daikon and carrots. The honey Sriracha shrimp sandwich features fried local shrimp in the sweet heat of honey and Sriracha. Banh mi are served on Dong Phuong bread, while the New Orleans po-boys are served on Leidenheimer bread. An array of specialty drinks include Vietnamese iced coffee, Thai and taro milk tea and green matcha milk tea.

Figuring out how to make this first franchise succeed has been the teams focus since they worked out an agreement in August. Nguyen created a banh mi bible for them to use. Im really just a home cook, measuring by eye, he says. So, I broke every recipe down and measured everything to create formulas so there would be consistency.

Lombardo and Blanco brought in their friend Josh Gould as a partner to run the business. Gould cut his teeth at Waffle House, working his way up and eventually becoming a district manager. He then ran a Slidell seafood franchise and worked at Dragos in Metairie. Gould spent a month working side-by-side with the Metairie Banh Mi Boys team, mastering the preparations.

Being an owner now, thats really amazing, he says.

Blanco, grew up in her familys restaurant business in Costa Rica, in a suburb outside San Jose. Ive always worked in customer service, and front of the house, she says. I know how I like to be treated. We are customers, too.
Joshua Bruno, who operates five low-income apartment complexes in New Orleans where tenants complain of grim conditions, filed for bankruptcy Thursday on all of the properties, just as an Orleans Parish judge was poised to order a keeper to manage them pending foreclosure.

The filings by five LLCs controlled by Bruno, president of Metro-Wide Apartments, halt those proceedings. Instead, Bruno will have time to come up with a reorganization plan for complexes that tenants say have fallen into bleak disrepair under his watch, before and after Hurricane Ida.

Why controversial landlord Joshua Bruno could lose 5 New Orleans rental properties Joshua Bruno, the owner of several New Orleans apartment complexes where tenants and their advocates have long complained of substandard livin

What the filings mean for the remaining tenants, many of whom are on federal rent subsidies, is not certain. Tenant advocates have been pushing in recent months to find them new homes, saying Bruno has balked at repairs and left them stranded.

The properties are two large Algiers apartment complexes, Oakmont Apartments and Cypress Park Apartments, as well as Forest Park Apartments, Liberty Park Apartments and Washington Place Apartments on the east bank. Together they include more than 450 units, many of them housing government-subsidized tenants.

Bruno said the bankruptcies provide the best opportunity for the properties to be rehabilitated in a timely manner.

He blamed stalled repairs on the foreclosure fight, which has pitted him against the Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae, and local advocates for low-income renters.

Bruno claimed his businesses have lost millions from the pandemic downturn. He also said Fannie Mae duped him into not paying the notes and that it reneged on a promised forbearance. Fannie Mae has dismissed that claim.

By halting the costly and time-consuming litigation with Fannie Mae, we are allowed to return our focus to serving our tenants and the community, Bruno said by email. The filings also give us the ability to restructure our debt and recover from the financial challenges of the past two years."

He said the Chapter 11 filings would "ultimately benefit the tenants, as we are hopeful that repairs on the properties can start quickly.

Hannah Adams, a staff attorney at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, said the landlord does not speak for the tenants on his properties. The tenants have spoken, and they dont believe Mr. Bruno retaining control is in their best interests.

But Adams said the bankruptcies, which she described as inevitable given the rift, will mean that at least for now, Bruno will remain in control. In lieu of timely repairs, Adams said advocates have shifted to helping residents leave.

The largest unsecured creditor by far of the five properties is the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board, which claims its owed about $1.8 million from the five properties. Bruno disputes that bill, claiming the board charged him $1.2 million in bogus trash fees. The bulk of the bill, more than $1 million, is from Oakmont.

The Sewerage and Water Board is aware of the situation at Oakmont Apartments, and will not be disrupting services to tenants until there is a clear path forward from the bankruptcy proceedings, said spokesperson Grace Birch.

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Oakmont on Gen. De Gaulle Drive, the largest of Brunos complexes, is mostly vacant now. Plywood covers some windows; a smattering of cars dot the lots. Residents still there complain of rats, sewage backups, water leaks and rampant mold across the 40-year-old complex, which has more than 300 units.

Tenant advocates estimate that about one-third of those apartments are vacant, though residents say squatters have occupied some. Bruno declined to comment on occupancy.

I have never witnessed anything so deplorable in all my years of living, said Nina Desvignes, a retired federal Social Security worker.

A hole in her window remains from where a bullet whizzed past me and my grandbaby on Nov. 18, she said. Her ceiling crumbles, damaged from Hurricane Ida, when it rained from every fixture. It rained through the walls.

Desvignes said people have come to inspect the damage, leaving behind blue spray paint and promises to return with fixes.

The mold is unbearable. Its in a closet. You can smell the gnats, the bugs and insects. I cant hardly breathe, she said. I would love to move but I cant afford it. Im in a bind.

Bruno will have up to 18 months to develop a reorganization plan that could see him retain the properties, depending on negotiations with Fannie Mae and other creditors in bankruptcy, said Adam Stein-Sapir of Pioneer Funding Group, an investment fund that buys debts in bankruptcy cases.

Bruno could hope for increased occupancy and work out a deal in bankruptcy court to reinstate his loans. He might also seek outside investors, or he could sell the properties through the bankruptcy process, Stein-Sapir said.

Hes taking this step because he sees value here, Stein-Sapir said. Otherwise he would have just handed the keys to Fannie Mae and wiped his hands of it and given up his equity.

Fannie Mae moved last spring to foreclose on Brunos properties and asked Orleans Parish Civil District Judge Nicole Sheppard to appoint an outside keeper to manage them. Bruno sought an injunction.

Negotiations fell apart once Hurricane Ida hit, and tenants and advocates with the New Orleans Renters Rights Assembly joined the legal fight.

Last month, Sheppard set a Jan. 3 deadline for Bruno and Fannie Mae to strike an accord before she moved forward. Bruno also was to address a punch list of badly needed repairs sought by tenants.

The judges deadline passed with little repaired and no deal. Instead, Bruno and the housing advocates filed dueling motions for contempt of court.

It was at a hearing Thursday on Brunos contempt motion, alleging Fannie Mae refused to release insurance money for repairs, when he filed for bankruptcy. That removed Sheppard from the equation.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson may soon lose another top cop.

Paul Noel, the deputy superintendent in charge of the NOPDs criminal investigations division, was selected Friday as one of four finalists to head the police department in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to an announcement from Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly.

The news comes just weeks after Capt. Jeffrey Walls left his post in the French Quarter to become a police chief for Ketchikan, Alaska. Ferguson's chief deputy, John Thomas, also recently retired to become the city's director of public safety and homeland security.

The NOPD declined to comment.

New Orleans chief of detectives Paul Noel gets national honor for police ethics program He helped teach officers to intervene when colleagues break - or are about to break - the law

Noel received a national award last year for creating programs to teach officers to intervene when colleagues are considering breaking the law or NOPD rules.

Using training videos, role-playing scenarios and other tools, the Ethical Policing Is Courageous program aims to teach trainees how to speak with and stop colleagues or supervisors who are on the verge of violating agency policies or laws. Noel helped build and install EPIC at the NOPD amid federally-mandated reforms that the agency has worked to adopt since 2012. The program later spawned a national curriculum that agencies across the country have been following in the wake of the 2020 police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

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Additionally, Noel oversaw a squad of specialized investigators that initially focused on arresting serial armed robbers and carjackers but later went on to target suspected killers. NOPD brass hailed the squads work as crucial to a 47-year low in homicides reported across the city in 2019.

Noel is a 25-year veteran of the department, working his way up from the rank of patrol officer before becoming the chief of field operations in 2015 under then Superintendent Michael Harrison. In 2020, a year after Harrison left to become the police commissioner of Baltimore, Ferguson put Noel in charge of criminal investigations.

The Police Executive Research Forum, a national institute dedicated to training officers for senior management positions, has been assisting Chattanooga officials with their search for a police chief. Harrison is now the president of PERF, which last year awarded Noel its prestigious Gary Hayes award, given annually to a mid-career police force leader who demonstrates an innovative approach to policing.

Interim Chief Eric Tucker has been leading Chattanoogas police force since his predecessor, David Roddy, retired last summer. Noel emerged from a field of 39 candidates from 18 different states for the permanent post, according to media reports.

Chattanoogas population of nearly 180,000 is less than half of New Orleans. But, like the Crescent City, Chattanooga is grappling with rising violent crime rates during the coronavirus pandemic.

The other finalists are Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Celeste Murphy, Vancouver Assistant Police Chief Troy Price and Chattanooga Assistant Police Chief Glenn Scruggs.
A 41-year-old man was killed when his car hit a utility pole at Morrison and Downman roads, ejecting him from the vehicle, New Orleans police said Saturday.

Alerted to the crash Friday at 10:19 p.m., investigators determined the man was speeding downriver on Morrison in an Infiniti that inexplicably left the road and hit the pole. The driver was founded outside the car, and declared dead on the spot, police said.

Anyone with information about the wreck may call traffic fatality investigator Danny Ellis at (504) 658-6205.
Wind-whipped flames are marching across more of New Mexicos tinder-dry mountainsides, forcing the evacuation of area residents and dozens of patients from the state's psychiatric hospital as firefighters scramble to keep new wildfires from growing. The big blaze burning near the community of Las Vegas has charred more than 217 square miles. Residents in neighborhoods on the edge of Las Vegas were told to be ready to leave their homes. It's the biggest wildfire in the U.S. and is moving quickly through groves of ponderosa pine because of hot, dry and windy conditions that make for extreme wildfire danger. Forecasters are warning of extreme fire danger across New Mexico and in western Texas.
Harrisburg -- Pennsylvania just received a "failing grade" for tobacco use. The American Lung Association released its 20th annual "State of Tobacco Control" report on Jan. 26, 2022, granting Pennsylvania an F in multiple categories.

The report discusses the prevalence of products like e-cigarettes, flavored tobacco products like menthol cigarettes as pressing issues while criticizing the state for a lack of policies reducing and preventing tobacco use, e-cigarette use, and secondhand smoke.

The annual report evaluates state and federal policymakers about their actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and recommends new policies. Comprehensive "smokefree" laws in several states, increased tobacco taxes, and more accessible addiction treatment programs are among the measures praised by the American Lung Association.

One major measure that Pennsylvania has taken over the last two decades is updating the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21. According to the American Lung Association, the adult smoking rate in the state is 15.8 percent and the high school tobacco use rate is 26.7 percent, despite the increased age restriction.

While we have seen some progress in Pennsylvania, tobacco use remains our leading cause of preventable death and disease, taking an estimated 22,010 lives each year, said Molly Pisciottano, Advocacy Director at the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania. And our progress on tobacco control policy has not been equal. We continue to see the unequal burden of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke in communities experiencing health disparities.

The 2022 report grades states in five areas. Pennsylvania received the following grades:

Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs: F

Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws: D

Level of State Tobacco Taxes: F

Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco: F

Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products - F

The report recommends that lawmakers focus on increased funding for tobacco prevention and programs that help people quit smoking.

Despite receiving $1,663,100,000 from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes, Pennsylvania only funds tobacco control efforts at 13.1% of the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and only 4.5% of the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funding. The Lung Association believes the funds should be used to support the health of our communities, and to prevent tobacco use and help people quit, and not switch to e-cigarettes. These programs are also critical for helping to end tobacco-related health disparities, said Pisciottano.

Additionally, the report recommends passing a comprehensive smokefree law. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board required that all casinos reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic implement a no-smoking rule, but ALA is pushing to make it a permanent law.

The U.S. Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, said Pisciottano. Its time that the Clean Indoor Air Act makes smokefree casinos a permanent law. Passing a comprehensive smokefree law that permanently eliminates smoking in all public places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars and casinos, would protect workers across the state from deadly secondhand smoke. E-cigarettes should also be included in comprehensive smokefree laws.

Flavored products including e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes have been under fire from the FDA recently because of their broader appeal than plain, unflavored tobacco and nicotine products, especially among children.

Kids follow the flavors, so ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products in Pennsylvania is key to ending youth tobacco use. We call on legislators in Harrisburg to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol, across Pennsylvania, said Pisciottano.

Compared to Pennsylvania's ratings, the federal government received the following grades:

Federal Government Regulation of Tobacco Products: D

Federal Coverage of Quit Smoking Treatments: D

Level of Federal Tobacco Taxes: F

Federal Mass Media Campaigns to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use: A

Federal Minimum Age of Sale for Tobacco Products to 21: I (incomplete, awaiting documentation from the FDA)

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SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- When remembering a Thai man whose death brought forward a wave of protests against anti-Asian racism in the United States, an Asian coalition on Friday called for "real action" to stop anti-Asian violence in the country.

"Today we remember Vicha Ratanapakdee, a beloved grandfather in our Southeast Asian San Francisco community," said Stop Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate, a national coalition aimed at addressing anti-Asian American discrimination, on Friday.

His death "struck a resounding chord among Asian American and Pacific Islander communities amid a surge in anti-Asian violence, racism, and xenophobia," it added.

Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old man, was fatally attacked while walking in the street near his home in San Francisco on the morning of Jan. 28, 2021. The incident was caught on camera and the video became viral on the internet and even hit international headlines.

Dearly called "Grandpa Ratanapakdee" by activists, the old man became an icon of a movement decrying the surging violence against people of Asian descent. A mural of "Grandpa Ratanapakdee" was later created in San Francisco in memory of him.

A rally in memory of Ratanapakdee will be held on Sunday near the place where he was attacked. "We encourage everybody to come and we want all the media to come as well to help us amplify the cause," said Leanna Louie, a community activist, who organized the rally.

"As communities across the nation gather to remember Ratanapakdee, we join other advocates in demanding urgent action from key decision-makers to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future," said Stop AAPI Hate in a statement.

A year after Ratanapakdee's death, there continues to be a high number of racist attacks against Asian Americans. Stop AAPI Hate received a total of 10,370 reports of hate incidents against AAPIs across the United States between March 19, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021.

A majority of the incidents happened in public, with 31.2 percent in public streets, and 26.8 percent in businesses. "While a majority of the incidents reported to our site were not hate crimes, hate incidents have proved to have a similarly devastating impact on our communities," said the organization.

The organization proposed education, community-based safety solutions and civil rights enforcement as potential solutions.

"We are looking to our elected leaders -- locally and nationally -- to make a real commitment to protecting our communities and our elders by investing in these solutions," they said. 
Philadelphia, Pa.  A Lebanon man will serve between six and 23 months in jail followed by two years of probation for aggravated cruelty to animals charges.

Steven Alston pleaded guilty to 16 counts of animal cruelty Wednesday, Jan. 19. His charges arise from the removal of 34 dogs from his property in October of 2020.

Acting on a tip regarding illegal ear cropping and tail docking of puppies, the PSPCA discovered acts of cruelty including animals suffering from untreated medical conditions and sanitation issues. Among the medical concerns were untreated infected wounds, some containing maggots, as well as very thin body conditions of a number of the animals, according to a news release.

Court documents said Alston cut the ears of 7 Presa Canario type puppies with scissors without anesthesia and caused prolonged suffering of a German Shepherd, Sway, who was found in extremely critical condition with severe, necrotic wounds that had been left untreated. Three dogs on the property died from their untreated injuries.

Alston is additionally guilty of one misdemeanor count for cruelty to animals, and a misdemeanor count for neglect of animals  lack of veterinary care.

Judge John C. Tylwalk accepted the plea and sentenced Alston. Additionally, Alston is prohibited from owning, possessing, or caring for animals during this period of supervision.

Restitution and fines were also ordered, and after his release, Alston is subject to random inspections of his property by Humane Law Enforcement officers.

The suffering of these animals was apparent from their bloodied and infected ears, to Sway who was clinging to life, said Nicole Wilson, Director of Humane Law Enforcement. We are proud to not only bring justice to these innocent souls, but to put them on the path to a bright future where they will never again be victims of such horrific acts.

All living animals rescued from Alstons property, including Sway, made full recoveries and were placed in loving forever homes.

Anyone with information about this case, or other cases involving animal cruelty, is urged to call the Pennsylvania SPCAs Cruelty Hotline at (866) 601-SPCA. Tips can be left anonymously.

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Lock Haven, Pa.  State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz (R-Centre/Clinton) wants to know why a truck load of 100 monkeys was heading west on Interstate 80 when it crashed Friday afternoon near Danville.

Trying to get to the bottom of this monkey business Central PA. Stay tuned! #only2022 Borowicz posted on her Facebook page on Tuesday.

Shortly after the crash occurred around 3 p.m. Jan. 21 on Route 54 near the I-80 interchange, three monkeys escaped into the nearby woods. Investigators searched late into the night for the monkeys in frigid temperatures.

The monkeys were eventually captured and humanely euthanized, according to Kristen Nordlund of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Related Reading:

The monkeys were heading to a CDC-approved quarantine facility at the time and had arrived from Africa just 19 hours earlier at JFK airport in Queens, N.Y. Nordlund would not say where the lab they were heading to was located, but a letter from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated they were traveling to Missouri. The USDA is now opening an investigation, according to PETAs website.

Related Reading: Investigation opened into treatment of monkeys involved in crash near Danville

In a subsequent Facebook post on Tuesday, Borowicz said she had reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Health with questions regarding where the monkeys were going, where they came from, what were they infected with, and why they were killed.

Borowicz also wanted to know if its a federal issue to transport and test the monkeys. A screenshot of DOHs letter back to Borowicz was included in the post, stating their role was to assist with a public health assessment which included conducting an accurate head count and making sure appropriate PPE was used when transferring monkeys from the crashed vehicle to the new transporters. The CDC had requested that the DOH assist.

Given potential injuries from the crash and the extreme weather conditions the CDC determined that euthanizing the escaped tropical monkeys was the humane approach. Given DOHs limited role in this situation we would suggest reaching out to the CDC for additional details, the letter said. The letter also referenced section 361 of the Public Health Service Act in which the CDC had established regulations for importing non-human primates. Specific requirements outlined under the act include using PPE for handling.

On to the CDC, Borowicz wrote in her post in response to the DOH letter.

The crash occurred in Montour County, which is not part of the 76th District that Borowicz covers. State Rep. Kurt Masser covers the 107th District which includes Montour County and Valley Township, where the accident occurred.

A request for comment from Borowicz was not immediately returned. NorthcentralPa.com also reached out to Masser's office for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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Nvidia's upcoming Hopper HPC accelerator, the GH100, is now being rumored to sport a 21% higher surface area compared to Ampere's GA100. And contrary to reports so far, Hopper will continue to be a monolithic die and not a multi-chip module (MCM), though it is also possible that both monolithic and MCM variants of Hopper exist targeting different use cases.

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With the launch of the RTX 3090 Ti imminent, there is some chatter about what would the performance uplift be like from the original RTX 3090. Nvidia, meanwhile, is known to be already hard at work on Ampere's successor codenamed Lovelace AD102, which is expected to sport a massive 18,432 CUDA cores and possibly clocks north of 2.5 GHz. Information about Lovelace's contemporary, Hopper, has been quite scarce save for the fact that it is being targeted at HPC/AI workloads. Now, we are getting to know some new tidbits about Hopper from the usual suspects on the interwebs.

Nvidia's upcoming HPC accelerator card is dubbed Hopper. Whether Nvidia would continue referring to the new architecture as "Hopper", which the company considers as a tribute to Grace Hopper who first developed the COBOL language, is anybody's guess. The Hopper name is apparently trademarked by Dish Network LLC and a legal battle between these two seemingly unrelated entities is already underway, according to a Tom's Hardware report. Nvidia is expected to talk about Hopper during GTC 2022 in March, so it is not clear whether things would be settled by then.

Keeping that aside, known leaker @kopite7kimi on Twitter now claims that the "Hopper" GH100 die will be a massive one with an area just short of 1000 mm2. For perspective, the Ampere GA100 die is currently the world's largest 7 nm die with an area of 826 mm2 and packing 54,200 million transistors. This makes the GH100 21% larger than GA100 just in terms of surface area alone.

However, it is to be noted here that this is just @kopite7kimi's rough estimate and is not necessarily accurate. This is because the current reticle limit for i193 and EUV lithography is 26 mm x 33 mm or 858 mm2. That being said, GH100 can still be assumed to be larger than GA100. The exact transistor count is not yet known, but that should become clear during official unveiling.

So far, it has been thought that Hopper would be a multi-chip module (MCM) while Lovelace will continue to be a monolith die. However, both @kopite7kimi and @greymon55 seem to be sure that GH100 will be a monolithic die or that there will be a monolithic variant at least. We previously reported about a mysterious GPU-N that surfaced in a research paper, and this could likely be a monolithic Hopper die.

@kopite7kimi had also earlier claimed that Hopper's TDP would be in the 1000 W range, which, needless to say, requires a highly efficient cooling system. While datacenters normally can factor this, it remains to be seen how its contemporary AD102 Lovelace on the desktop will be. The RTX 3090 Ti itself is expected to be rated at 450 W, so we can only speculate as to what the RTX 4090 (?) Lovelace card would demand.

Buy the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Trinity on Amazon
Former U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky will become the new chairman of the Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday.

Visclosky, who retired from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his 18th term in 2020, will be formally appointed Feb. 1 to a term that runs through January 2026. He said he was honored to receive the appointment from Holcomb, and to have the support of Gary Mayor Jerome Prince.

There is a shared urgency to realize the full potential of the Gary airport and its ability to positively transform our regional environs and contribute in a fulsome manner to our states economy," Visclosky said in a news release issued by the airport. "I am excited to begin the necessary work in partnership with all the officials, airport board members, staff and everyone else dedicated to growing the Northwest Indiana economy.

Holcomb said Visclosky's long record of public service made him his choice to chair the airport's governing board.

"Pete Visclosky is a proven collaborator, visionary and thoughtful leader who Im so pleased, when asked to continue to serve his fellow Hoosiers, agreed," Holcomb said. "Those very same qualities he demonstrated for 36 years in Congress will bring great credit and experience to Indianas exciting plans for the Gary airport and its authority."

Prince expressed similar sentiments.

Its a natural fit to have one of Garys own lead the most promising economic driver in the Region, and we thank Gov. Holcomb for his leadership and vision in the selection of Congressman Visclosky for this pivotal role, the mayor said.

Visclosky, who is automatically chairman of the airport authority as the governor's appointee, replaces retired former chairman Timothy Fesko, and joins several people recently appointed to leadership roles at the airport.

In early October, Gary Mayor Jerome Prince replaced all four city appointees to the board, naming Millicent Macon, Gerald Anderson, William Cook and Trent McCain to the seven-member panel. Also serving on the board is Lake County-appointee Phil Mullins. A Porter County seat is open.

And earlier this month, the board named Daniel Vicari executive director of the airport, marking a return by Vicari to that role after several years as a consultant.

Congressman Viscloskys appointment is an incredibly exciting moment for the Gary/Chicago International Airport, and we thank Gov. Holcomb for this appointment, Vicari said. He brings a strong history of public service, a wealth of leadership experience and expertise, and significant knowledge of the Northwest Indiana region to this position. We extend a warm welcome and congratulations to him and look forward to the bright future that lies ahead under his guidance.

Visclosky was instrumental in getting the airport's runway extension project underway in 2006, when he secured $58 million in federal funding for it. The $174 million project, which opened to air traffic in 2015, lengthened the main runway to 8,900 feet from 7,000 feet, with the intention of attracting larger planes and dramatically expanding business at the airport.

Visclosky was elected to Congress in 1984 and was reelected 17 times before retiring at the end of 2020, representing a district whose geography changed significantly over the years but was always centered on his hometown of Gary. He was succeeded last year by U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, who said Friday he was pleased his "friend and mentor" had the support of Holcomb and Prince in his new role, and that his congressional office would continue its support for the airport.

"Our region and the city of Gary have undoubtedly benefited from the public service and vision of Congressman Visclosky, and I welcome his continued engagement to create more economic opportunities in Northwest Indiana, Mrvan said.

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Strack & Van Til recently raised money for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and the St. Jude House shelter in Crown Point.

The Highland-based supermarket chain, which has more than 20 locations across Northwest Indiana, raised $225,365.56 from its customers to help people struggling with hunger during the November/December Checkout Challenge for the Food Bank.

This years Checkout Challenge results reveal the tremendous impact of a community rallying together to help our neighbors," said Victor A. Garcia, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. Strack & Van Til customers accomplished this by caring enough to contribute spare change from their grocery bill.

Strack & Van Til asked customers to round up their bills when shopping.

Strack & Van Til and Town & Country  were proud to be a conduit for this community through the 2021 round-up campaign. Our customers have come together and contributed more than $225,000 to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. That is truly neighbors coming together to help out neighbors and make a difference in our community," said Jeff Strack, the president and CEO of Strack & Van Til.

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana will be able to feed many people in need.

We are extremely grateful to Strack & Van Til cashiers and store managers for supporting our efforts, by simply asking customers to 'round up' their bill, Garcia said. "They consistently asked because they understand that each dollar raised provides critical food assistance to those who need it most. With the total raised, we can provide more than a half a million meals to hungry children, seniors, individuals and families in our community.

The Highland stores raised enough to provide 66,246 meals, St John enough to furnish 64,453 meals and the Valparaiso Calumet Ave location enough to serve 55,261 meals.

Strack & Van Til is Indianas grocery store and is a valued Premier Partner of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, said Garcia. There is strong alignment with our mission and values. The generosity of their customers and the support of the entire Strack & Van Til team during the Checkout Challenge reflects the value of that relationship to the community."

Strack also gave a $5,000 donation to St. Jude House, an emergency shelter and family violence prevention center in Crown Point.

We have developed a very strong relationship with St. Jude House and realize all of the good this organization does for peoples safety and health, said Strack. The core mission of Strack & Van Til is to make Northwest Indiana a better place to live. Were fortunate that, through our business, we are able to help organizations like St. Jude House at various capacities. Helping those in our community has always been a priority for Strack & Van Til.

The money will let the shelter provide three nutritious meals a day to the hundreds of women and children who live there every year.

Meaningful impact is something all businesses seek when donating generous amounts to local charities. There is no doubt Strack & Van Til continues to be a leader in Northwest Indiana when it comes to corporate responsibility," said Ryan Elinkowski, Executive Director at St. Jude House. We are so grateful for the generous support Strack & Van Til has given to St. Jude House, as well as so many other organizations in the communities they serve.

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Studio 4 Salon in Griffith is going to offer free hair care services to healthcare workers in February after the recent surge in the coronavirus pandemic that has swamped local hospitals.

The hair care salon at 420 N. Broad Street in downtown Griffith will offer free styles to all healthcare workers. It will also offer free brow waxes for women in the healthcare field and free neck and beard trims for men to work in healthcare.

"They work at the local hospitals where there are not enough workers," owner Milena "Millie" Andric said. "It's hard."

Healthcare workers just have to show some form of identification that indicates where they work.

Studio 4 Salon also will grant healthcare workers $25 off their first coloring for the month of February.

"Healthcare workers have been overworked and overstressed," she said. "It's mentally and physically exhausting. We appreciate them like we appreciate the police. The medical people are dealing with a high influx of COVID patients and we want to show them some gratitude."

The discounts will be offered for all of February in conjunction with Valentine's Day.

"Valentine's Day is coming up and this has had a big cost for the relationships for many couples," she said. "They suffer and work so hard. I want them to be able to get a good feeling for the love holiday. I don't mind doing this so long as I have the time."

Andric said she was inspired by Grindhouse Cafe, which has offered healthcare workers a free small coffee or discounts. during the coronavirus pandemic surge that followed the rise of the omicron variant.

Studio 4 Salon is open from Tuesday through Saturday. Hours vary.

For more information, call 219-922-4444, visit studio4salonspa.com or find the business on Facebook or Instagram.

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CROWN POINT  A defense attorney for Robert A. Orosz told a judge Friday Orosz is a changed man from 2003 when he slit someones throat.

Orosz nearly severed the head of Kevin Pratchett, 48, of Gary, in addition to stabbing the victim in the face and chest, according to police.

Orosz committed this crime during a cocaine-fueled rage. He claims he doesnt remember the details of it, but accepts that his DNA was found the crime scene.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced Orosz to 10 years under the terms of a plea agreement negotiated between defense attorney James Woods and the Lake County prosecutors office.

Orosz declined to chance to speak to the court and the victims relatives who were in the courtroom.

This killing, its a murder, but mitigated by (being committed while Orosz was in a) sudden heat, which is why I accept you are pleading to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter," the judge told Orosz.

What you were doing 20 years ago was bad, to put it mildly. What happened in 2003 was all drug related, Vasquez said.

Robert A. Orosz Jr., 58, admitted last month during his guilty plea that he killed Pratchett March 13, 2003, while he and the victim fought over drugs at the victims home in the 2500 block of Wright Street, Gary.

The case went unsolved until Gary police and the FBI's Gang Response Investigative Team began reinvestigating it in 2019 and identified Orosz as a suspect through DNA evidence found on a cigarette butt at the crime scene.

Authorities tracked Orosz to Alliance, Ohio, where he had been working, arrested him and brought him back to Indiana.

Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Jacquelyn Altpeter said Friday the case was plagued by an evidentiary hurdle that made it necessary for the prosecutor to drop the murder charge in return for Orosz giving up his right to a jury trial and pleading guilty to the lesser count of voluntary manslaughter.

The prosecutor also is dropping a welfare fraud charge against Orosz over his collecting nearly $6,000 in unemployment benefits while incarcerated on his murder charge.

The judge noted Orosz has no prior felony convictions and only misdemeanor convictions for traffic offenses and a minor theft.

Orosz already has credit for serving 340 days of his sentence and likely will serve only four more years in prison under Indianas law that shortens prison sentences for good behavior while in prison.

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HAMMOND  An Illinois man faces 15 years in prison and must pay restitution for a bank robbery in Griffith, where he stole thousands of dollars, courts ruled.

Terrance Brown, 33, of Harvey, Illinois was sentenced Thursday to serve 180 months imprisonment with two years of supervised release and must pay restitution of $12,724, said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

The Griffith Police Department, Indiana State Police and the FBI worked together to bring the case to conclusion.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon ruled In Oct. 2021 that federal prosecutors proved their case against Brown.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Mahoney and Caitlin Padula presented evidence Brown stole $12,724 by force from tellers at the First Midwest Bank branch at 915 45th St., Griffith.

Brown was accused of entering the Griffith bank branch about mid-morning Sept. 18, 2020, and announcing a robbery.

Brown then leaped over the tellers counter, scooped up the cash from several drawers and fled in a gray 2007 Nissan sedan, court records said.

An FBI special agent alleged that law enforcement officials recovered Browns fingerprints from the counter where Brown was seen placing his hand during the robbery. Police traced the getaway cars license plate to a residence in Harvey, Illinois, where they captured Brown several days later.

Brown has been in federal detention since his arrest.

Brown had a 2010 conviction in Chicago for vehicular hijacking and 2019 convictions for illicit possession of marijuana in Chicago and strangulation in Lake County.

Hammond police previously said they considered Brown as a suspect in the Sept. 16, 2020, robbery of the First Midwest Bank branch at 6611 Kennedy Ave. in Hammond.

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Anna Ortiz Night Crime/Breaking News Reporter Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in journalism and minor in anthropology. 219-933-4194, anna.ortiz@nwi.com Follow Anna Ortiz 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
Students at TF North and TF South can get a head start on college, and receive course credit at such prestigious schools as Harvard, Arizona State and Howard, thanks to a new partnership.

The District 215 schools said in news release they have teamed up with National Education Equity Lab, which offers the college-level courses free of charge to underserved communities across the country.

Courses are are co-taught by a college professor and a District 215 teacher.

In the fall 2021 semester, 11 students took the first NEEL course  Poetry in America: The City from Whitman to Hip Hop  which was offered by Arizona State in collaboration with Harvard professor Dr. Elisa New. Among the topics covered were the Harlem Renaissance, the Beats, the New York School and the Chicago School, according to the release.

The co-teachers were TF North's Carrie Hood and TF South's Julie Kelly.

"The NEEL experience has been enriching and rewarding to see our students engage in the next step in their futures," Kelly said in the release. "Each of them rose to the challenges in sophisticated thinking and writing as well as the adjustments to their time management.

"The growth sets up each of these students for a smooth transition to university life."

The current semester's offering is Principles of Criminal Justice from Howard, taught by Howard professor Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad and social studies teacher Eric Siemann. On Jan. 21, Lansing police Chief Al Phillips and resource officer Kiara Bogan joined the class for a question-and-answer session.

Siemann said he appreciated the opportunity to learn more about criminal justice, which will help inform other classes he teaches.

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U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon imposed a 37-month sentence Friday on 20-year-old Myron McKinney for his role in a series of 2020 bank robberies in Indiana and Illinois.

McKinney and co-defendant Matayo H. Young, also 20, of Illinois, pleaded guilty last July 22 to bank robbery charges.

Gary attorney Darnail Lyles negotiated a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorneys office on McKinneys behalf to receive a more lenient sentence than the statutory maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry states their first robbery took place Aug. 3, 2020 when Young walked into the TCF Bank branch, 17830 Halsted St., Homewood, wearing a black mask and clothing and glasses. McKinney stayed outside in a car, acting as a lookout.

McKinney attempted to rob a BMO Harris Bank branch in Hammond Aug. 6, 2020, but found the doors locked under the banks pandemic protocols, that no one could be admitted without an appointment.

A second robbery took place 3:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 2020, when Young entered the Peoples Bank branch, 130 Rimbach St., Hammond.

He handed a teller a note that read, This is a robbery. $10,000 in an envelope or I will shoot." A teller gave him $800 in an envelope. He fled to the getaway vehicle with McKinney, according to court records.

Police arrested the pair an hour later that same day while responding to a call of suspicious activity outside a Fifth Third Bank, 21403 Cicero Ave., Matteson, Illinois.

Police found Young and McKinney casing the Fifth Third Bank branch in a black Hyundai Sonata with the same license plate as the suspect car in the Aug. 3, 2020 Homewood TCF Bank robbery, records state.

Police recovered the proceeds of their robberies.

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GARY  As a waste-to-fuel plant planned for Gary progresses, company representatives are hoping to maintain transparency with the community through open houses.

Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc., a California-based company that uses waste to produce jet fuel, is moving forward with a plant located in the Buffington Harbor area of Gary. The 75-acre project, called the Centerpoint BioFuels Plant, would sit right off the shore of Lake Michigan, filling the footprint of a former cement factory. After the Gary Common Council approved a development agreement for the project in November, some local residents have rallied against the project. In an effort to give updates and address concerns, Fulcrum has been holding open houses, the third of which was held Wednesday evening.

While many attendees said they appreciated the open houses, some said the community should have been able to give feedback before the development agreement was approved.

I hope you can understand that we have a lot of concerns about this and in particular because there has been so little attention given to environmental justice, Lin Kaatz Chary said. "The problem is, that it's too late. You dont come to the community after."

A panel of Fulcrum experts and city officials gathered on Zoom to answer a wide range of questions. About 35 residents attended, including several representatives from Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, or GARD, a group that was formed this fall in response to the Fulcrum project.

Flyn van Ewijk, director of project development at Fulcrum, said that if the Gary biorefinery is completed on schedule, it would be the largest commercial waste-to-fuel plant in the country. Fulcrum finished construction on a Nevada plant last summer, though it is not yet fully operational. Ewijk estimates the Nevada plant will produce its first batch of jet fuel in about two months.

Once operational, the Gary plant will produce about 33 million gallons of fuel per year while diverting 700,000 tons of waste from landfills annually. Construction on the project is currently slated to start in 2023, lasting about two years and costing $600 million. The Indiana Finance Authority awarded Fulcrum $500 million in volume cap for financing.

Fulcrum has emphasized the number of jobs the project will bring to Gary: 1,000 construction jobs over two years, and then 130 full time jobs once the plant is operational. Fulcrum met with Ivy Tech Community College on Wednesday morning to discuss technical skills training programs to ensure the jobs go to Region residents.

Fulcrum Vice President of Development Alain Castro said the skills employees receive will make them very marketable, adding that he hopes the plant will attract more green industries to Gary, bringing "other jobs that are going to clean not only the region, but the world.

First proposed in 2018, the project is currently in the permitting stage. The air permit Fulcrum filed last April will likely be released by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in the next few days, Ewijk said. The public will then have 30 days to give feedback. Down the line, Fulcrum will also have to submit a wastewater permit.

Because the project is not a large-scale federal building, Fulcrum does not have to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment, though the company is working on an environmental summary it intends to release before March.

Attendees shared several environmental concerns, including the emissions from the some 120 trucks that would travel to and from the plant daily. Tom Yonge, Fulcrum project engineer, calculated the estimated emissions and said the trucks would produce "a pretty low amount." Yonge's data showed carbon monoxide emissions would likely be 0.98 tons per year and NOx would be 2.05 tons per year.

Once the facility is operational, no garbage would be processed in Gary; instead the waste would be taken to one of two feedstock processing facilities. Fulcrum does not currently know where these facilities will be located, but the company is eyeing spots in Illinois and elsewhere in Indiana.

Once at the processing facility, the waste is sorted. Materials high in carbon such as paper, timber and soft plastics are prepared into a "feedstock," which is then shredded and dried, ultimately resembling a sort of "fluff." Ewijk said. The feedstock is loaded onto trucks and taken to the plant in Gary where is is refined into a low carbon renewable jet fuel. Before it is sold, the fuel will be transported from Gary to a refinery where it will be blended with traditional jet fuel, though Fulcrum has not yet partnered with a refinery.

Some attendees were upset about the plant's proximity to the lakeshore, though Ewijk emphasized the plant would not have any "interface" with Lake Michigan. All of the wastewater will be sent to a pre-treatment facility to remove metals and other pollutants, then it will be sent to the Gary Sanitary District, using a private sewer connection, where it will be treated again, he said. The water will be recycled and returned to the plant for further use.

Whatever the benefits of this project are, I do not support sitting this project on our Lake Michigan shoreline in an environmental justice community," Dorreen Carey said.

Some attendees, such as Kimmie Gordon, felt the project would be a step backwards. Gordon said efforts to "reimagine" the city should focus on distancing Gary from industrialization.

Gary Executive Director of Redevelopment AJ Bytnar said that transitioning to a city full of high-tech, clean companies does not happen "overnight" but that the Fulcrum project is a step in the right direction.

We are not here to come and pollute the town or treat the town in the way that I hear it was previously treated, Castro said. We are the opposite culture from the types of companies that have come before, and it is disappointing, at times, that we are being treated the same as those that came before us. ... I am confident that we are going to lift the Gary community in the years to come, ... so please, hold us accountable.

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Local author Dave Woerpel will appear at America's Antique Mall in Highland this weekend for a book reading and storytelling event.

Woerpel is a Hammond city council member who previously served on the park board and as the chair of the Hammond Democratic Party. He represents the 5th district and serves as the council president.

He recently wrote the memoir "Nothing Like I Planned" about growing up in Hammond and what mail carriers really go through.

"In my opinion, the book is an outstanding piece of whimsical humor of a person growing up in Hammond, Indiana," said Jim Roumbos, owner of Miles Books in downtown Highland. "Dave also recounts the trials and tribulations he experienced as a mailman in Hammond."

Woerpel will sign copies of the book and tell tales about growing up in Northwest Indiana at 1 p.m. Saturday at America's Antique Mall at 8311 Indianapolis Blvd. in Highland, across from Wicker Park at the intersection of Indianapolis Boulevard and Ridge Road.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit americasantiquemall.com or call (219) 237-2386.

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MICHIGAN CITY  The committee reviewing proposals for replacing the downtown train station is getting close to a recommendation.

Planning Director Skyler York assembled a team of volunteers with strong Michigan City ties, all of them with varied interests, to review proposals for replacing the station, building a parking garage and offering other ideas for redevelopment of that city block.

The terracotta facade has been removed and will be incorporated into the new South Shore Line station to be built on the site.

We had complicated, tough discussions, York said.

Consultant Ruth Wuorenma said the review committee met four times, including spending the weekend before Christmas reviewing extensive proposals, to narrow the list.

There were some hard discussions, but they were always respectful," she said.

The team has a preferred developer selected and is waiting for more specifics from that developer. If the answers arent satisfactory, an alternate proposal has also been selected, she said.

Were kind of in a holding pattern, York told the Redevelopment Commission this week.

There couldnt be a more transformational project before you, Wuorenma said. Its rare that a city does a project that has this much impact to your future.

We could have waded through the mess, Redevelopment Commission President Chris Chatfield said, but the assistance from Wuorenma and the review team is valuable.

The commission also heard that the 12-year impasse on relocating the Blocksum factory on Trail Creek might be coming to an end.

Weve reached an impasse as to implementation of that agreement, commission attorney Alan Sirinek said.

A 2009 agreement with Blocksum called for the factory to be relocated to another site in Michigan City. That could cost $11 million, Sirinek said. As the dispute heads to binding arbitration, the Redevelopment Commission voted to retain South Bend attorney Brian Casey, a specialist in both mediation and contract law, to handle the case.

This is a really longstanding issue that weve had, Chatfield said. We need to get to the next stop. Not many options at this point.

The commission is also reviewing a developers proposal for the You Are Beautiful site just west of City Hall, York said. We are still working, moving forward with that, he said.

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VALPARAISO  Last spring the French restaurant Le Bon Brasserie got one of Valparaiso's coveted downtown liquor licenses, but that license was revoked during a Monday City Council meeting.

The French eatery would have sat at 157 Lincolnway, where Sage restaurant was located before it permanently shutdown because of COVID-19. Le Bon received Valparaiso's 10th and last available downtown liquor license, receiving it over three other interested restaurants.

Dudley Nieto, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, was supposed to be Le Bon's executive chef. Nietos partner in Le Bon would have been Jason Gatzka, who operates Arcadia Cafe + Bar just outside Washington Park in Michigan City. However, According to Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission Attorney Patrick Lyp, Nieto stepped away from the project.

The former Sage storefront had been gutted, but after meeting with Gatzka in December, Lyp said little construction headway had been made and the project moving forward "seemed very unlikely."

During a Monday night City Council meeting, the resolution giving Le Bon the license was revoked.

It is not unusual for restaurants to fail, unfortunately, Lyp said. "There were a lot of good restaurants that could not make it over the past 18 months."

In 2005, Valparaiso petitioned for 10 additional downtown liquor licenses, an effort that has helped transform the area into a dining destination. Once all of the licenses have been sold, the only way to obtain one is to buy it from another business. While the cost of a standard downtown license in Valparaiso is $6,000, Lyp said ones sold between restaurants can be well over $100,000.

Prior to last spring, the city had a four-person liquor license committee that would present recommendations to the City Council. In an effort to become more involved in the process, the council began vetting presentations themselves, a practice Lyp said will likely continue.

Lyp said the city has no plans to put out a request for applications to fill the 10th license, and that the council will likely "take a breather, reassess.

There is no pressing need," Lyp said, adding that when they do look for applicants, the city will encourage other unique types of restaurants in the downtown.

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Among other themes, the show holds up a mirror to those in the Black community who aspire to whiteness. The protagonist, Max Disher (played by Dixon), decides to lighten his skin after meeting a white woman, Helen Givens (Jennifer Damiano), in the Savoy Ballroom during a night out. That hed be willing to sacrifice his identity after a chance encounter with the woman is a longstanding critique of some Black men: No matter how much theyre supported by Black women, they still see dating white women as the ultimate societal prize.

The musical also delves into the internal baggage that comes with Blackness, the weight of external pressure applied by those who look like you but dont know your circumstances. How do you stay true to yourself without disappointing your peers? And what does it mean to be real Black anyway?

For me, the lesson to be learned is that there is a cost, Dixon said. There is a cost to the choices we force each other to make to become happy, accepted members of society. Its time for us to re-examine those costs. Is this the construct in which we can really rise and grow and evolve as a human population?

Black No More begins amicably, with a flurry of Black and white ensemble dancers gliding in unison across the stage, surrounding a barbers chair used for the skin-altering experiment. Out walks Trotter, who plays Junius Crookman, the doctor performing the procedure. He paints Harlem as a deceptive place where dreams dont always come true. Youll find all things  both high and low, he says in his opening monologue. Here where every Black baby must try to grow.

The music of Black No More largely fits this era, smoothly transitioning from swing jazz to big band to soul. Some of the verses have a rap lilt to them  Trotter, after all, is the lead vocalist of the Roots  but his writing here explores a broad range of musical textures, conjuring old Harlem while conveying musics full spectrum. After Max becomes white, the music becomes softer and more delicate, sounding almost like bluegrass or folkish in a way. Near the end of the show, two white women sing over what sounds like an R&B track, a genre typically associated with Black women. Black No More is full of this sort of cross-pollination.

Ive always been very big on allowing the universe to sort of write the songs, allowing the material to work itself out, Trotter said. These songs represent the different elements of Black music. What we arrived at is something that feels like an education in the evolution of Black music, which, at its core, would be the evolution of American music.
Beegie Adair, whose status as a renowned jazz pianist was all the more noteworthy for the place where she built her career  Nashville, the home of country music  died on Jan. 23 at her residence in Franklin, Tenn. She was 84.

Monica Ramey, her manager and frequent vocal partner, confirmed the death. She did not provide a cause but said Ms. Adair had been in failing health.

If you happened to live in Nashville and found yourself more a fan of Cole Porter than Porter Wagoner, chances are you came across Ms. Adair at some point in her six-decade career. Starting in the early 1960s, she could be found at least once a week playing at the Carousel, a downtown nightclub, or later at F. Scotts, a restaurant in the Green Hills neighborhood.

Being a jazz musician in Nashville is something like being a surfer in Las Vegas, and those who make it need flexibility and hustle  qualities Ms. Adair possessed in surplus.
Goldman Sachs bumped up compensation for its chief executive, David M. Solomon, after the bank pulled in record profits last year.

Mr. Solomons pay for 2021 rose to $35 million, according to a filing on Friday. In 2020, he was due $27.5 million, the same amount as in 2019, but his pay was docked $10 million after Goldman admitted criminal wrongdoing for its role in the looting of Malaysias sovereign wealth fund, known as 1MDB.

In its filing, the company cited its performance and continued strong progress on its growth strategy, as well as Mr. Solomons outstanding individual performance, including his leadership in guiding the firm to achieve these results.

Despite crimping his pay, the Malaysia scandal did not stop Mr. Solomon from reaping other rewards. In October, he was given a performance-linked stock bonus valued at about $30 million  an amount meant to ensure that Mr. Solomon, who has been chief executive since 2018, remains in place for the next five years, the bank said in a filing at the time.
In the documentary space, the surprise screening of Navalny, which CNN and HBO Max will release later this year, won both the audience prize in the U.S. documentary competition and the Festival Favorite award. The film tracks the aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader and one of Vladimir Putins harshest critics. Directed by Daniel Roher, Navalny debuted to rave reviews and brought additional attention to the dissident who has been jailed in a Russian prison for over a year.

In his speech after winning the audience prize, Roher said he hoped the film would help people learn about the courage it takes to bring down an authoritarian regime.

Other audience awards went to Girl Picture (World Cinema Dramatic), The Territory (World Cinema Documentary) and Framing Agnes (Next).

Todays awards represent the determination of visionary individuals, whose dynamic work will continue to change the culture, said Joana Vicente, the chief executive of the Sundance Institute.

The festival made a last-minute decision to go virtual because of concerns over the highly contagious Omicron variant, and the awards were announced in a two-hour string of tweets, which included speeches from each of the winners.
Mr. Adams argued in his statement that Mr. Williams, 16, had gone free because judges are precluded from even considering danger to the community. Other elected officials and Mr. Williamss lawyer said the situation was more nuanced than the mayor was suggesting, with some arguing that the bail law was not at issue in a judges decision to free the teenager.

Bronx prosecutors charged Mr. Williams on Jan. 19 with assaulting a police officer and possession of a loaded firearm, after a bullet from a gun he was carrying hit Officer Kaseem Pennant in the leg during a confrontation the previous day, according to court documents.

Mr. Williamss lawyer, Dawn Florio, said her client had shot himself in the groin as the officer tackled him, and that the bullet passed through his thigh and grazed the officers leg. Her description matched one offered the night of the incident by police officials, who said Mr. Williams had refused to take his hands out of his pockets as officers questioned him.

The specific charges against Mr. Williams were not affected by the revision to the bail law that took effect in 2020. Prosecutors were free to ask that Mr. Williams be detained, and the judge hearing the case, Denis Boyle, could have agreed.

But the bail law compels judges to use only the least restrictive means necessary to ensure that a defendant returns to court, in line with constitutional law. A spokesman for the court system, Lucian Chalfen, cited that portion of the statute when asked about Mr. Adamss comments.
WASHINGTON  Citing human rights concerns, the United States will not give Egypt $130 million in annual security assistance, officials said on Friday, even as the Biden administration continues to approve billions of dollars in military sales to the Middle Eastern ally.

The financial aid was temporarily frozen in the fall as the State Department demanded that Egypt do more to protect the rights of political critics, journalists, women and members of civil society. It was the first time that a secretary of state did not issue a formal national security waiver to provide the aid, and was aimed at pressuring officials in Cairo to release political prisoners and stop persecuting critics.

Since then, Egypt has failed to convince the Biden administration that steps the country has taken were enough to protect human rights  and, in turn, preserve the funding.

It sends the important message abroad that we will back up our commitment to human rights with action, and gone are the days where dictators receive blank checks from America, Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, said in a statement on Friday.
Tito Matos, a master percussionist, revered educator and lifelong champion of the Puerto Rican style of music known as plena, died on Jan. 18 in San Juan, P.R. He was 53.

His wife, Mariana Reyes Anglero, said the cause was a heart attack.

Mr. Matos was a virtuoso of the requinto, the smallest and highest-pitched hand-held drum, or pandereta, used in plena. Rooted in African song traditions, plena emerged in the early 20th century on the southern coast of Puerto Rico and came to be known as el periodico cantado, or the sung newspaper. In street-corner style, it narrated stories, some gossipy, about love and the concerns of everyday working-class and Black Puerto Ricans. In its early years, wealthy elites maligned the genre.

Mr. Matos was a member of multiple plena groups but first gained wide recognition with the band Viento de Agua, founded in New York in 1996. It reimagined plena and bomba, another Afro-Puerto Rican style of music and dance, by infusing them with jazz textures, exuberant horn sections and Cuban bata rhythms.

For Mr. Matos, the bands first album, De Puerto Rico al Mundo (1998), opened the door to a dynamic career that transformed him into one of the foremost plena practitioners of his generation.
When I was writing, I wasnt thinking that I was trying to record history or anything like that  it was just there.

Then I sat down during Covid and looked at some older stories, and you could see things happening. History is always there  were not aware of it, of course, no one is thinking, I can only have this business because Nixon went to China. (Laughs) This is the moment to reflect on whats happened, especially as we enter a new phase of our relationship with China.

Image Thank You, Mr. Nixon is out on Feb. 1.

Youve written about how the independent and interdependent aspects of yourself play off one another. How do you see that relationship affect your writing style or your preoccupations as a writer?

I am an economical and efficient writer. But I did not notice the economy in my own work. It was a professor of Chinese literature who noticed, and as soon as he said it, I was like, but of course. The Chinese love extreme economy  theyre very good in the short lyric and leaving a lot out.

I realized that for whatever reason  though I was born in the United States, I only speak English, I am fully, quote unquote, American  that aesthetic has stayed with me, the same way that an interest in mixed tone and interest in subtlety has stayed with me. But it is interesting to see these cultural holdovers, and if I could explain to you where I got that from  well, that would be another book.

What kinds of stories did you hear from your family when you were growing up?

It was quite a project getting established in the United States, and there was not a lot of time for storytelling. I dont remember one minute of my childhood being dedicated to anything but getting through the day. My parents were not of an autobiographical cast of mind  in the world that you and I inhabit, its very important to self-narrate so that others can know you. But for them, there was a privileging of the unspoken  if something is important, you definitely dont talk about it. Its quite the reverse of the way that things work here.
MY ANNIHILATION, by Fuminori Nakamura | Translated by Sam Bett | 254 pp. Soho Crime. $25.95.

Fuminori Nakamura, winner of Japans 2010 Oe Prize for his novel The Thief, begins his lurid and intellectually ambitious new thriller, My Annihilation, with a large-type foreword: Turn this page, and you may give up your entire life. Promises, promises. Turn the page and you may give up several hours to a dizzying reading experience, less roller coaster than Tilt-a-Whirl manned by a clever but lazy sadist. An unnamed narrator for unknown reasons finds himself in a room preparing to steal the identity of a man named Ryodai Kozuka. In the corner sits a suitcase containing what appears to be a womans corpse and on the desk sits a manuscript that begins like the novel: Turn this page, and you may give up your entire life. In the narrators case, theres truth to the warning.

Surmising that the manuscript was written by Kozuka  which is to say, his soon-to-be self  the narrator proceeds to read about how the author pushed his sister off a cliff when he was a child. As a troubled adolescent, he stifled erotic urges with video games and listened to strangers beating up and having sex with his drunken mother. The memoir portion of the manuscript ends abruptly, transitioning to an analysis of the psychological motivations that drove the real-life killer Tsutomu Miyazaki to murder, sexually molest and eat  in that order  four small girls in the 1980s. The manuscript ends with the words YOUD BETTER RUN.

Alas, before he can, a stranger appears at the door, dragging the narrator off to a psychiatric hospital and the reader into a chaotic narrative whose central subject seems to be the instability of the self and the mutable, permeable nature of human consciousness. Traumatic experiences, like childhood bullying, burrow deep in the psyche and manifest later in unpredictable ways, such as eating little girls. The human brain is also vulnerable to manipulation by devious psychiatrists, with whom this novel abounds. Using hypnosis and electroconvulsive therapy, Nakamuras psychiatrists erase and implant memories in both hapless and deserving victims. One doctor, finding himself too old to appeal to a lovely young woman, inserts into her brain images of the two of them making love. Hahahahaha! the elderly ghoul cackles. Thats wonderful. To think Im sleeping with her, over and over, inside her memory.

To say the plot is nonlinear doesnt suffice. Its not even a zigzag  its a scribble mark, one you can spend hours trying to decipher. This short novel encompasses recordings of therapy sessions, disquisitions on the history of brainwashing and stories within stories within stories about characters who have no substance careening around a world with even less. The writing is slapdash and while its likely that slightly odd locutions such as we met eyes are due to a sloppy translation, its possible that they are intentional, meant to destabilize the reader.
Part of Mr. Doocys calculus, surely, was remaining cordial with the White House, which he covers every day and whose staff members are important gatekeepers for his ability to do his job. And aides to Mr. Biden have never seen much advantage to being drawn into active warfare with Fox News, preferring to keep the vitriol one-way and avoid alienating the independent and persuadable members of the networks vast audience.

Mr. Bidens allies have also expressed concern that his relatively few formal interviews with the news media have given critics too much room to define him. An unfiltered moment, inadvertent or not, can remind voters of what they liked about him as a candidate  a politician at his best when he is open with his emotions, even the frustrations of a tough day at the office.

They were both adults, said April Ryan, the White House correspondent for TheGrio, who weathered a number of nasty remarks from Mr. Trump, none of which required a hot mic to be heard. Biden did the right thing and apologized, and Peter was gracious and accepted that. And thats it. The apology and then the acceptance and the moving on was the best scenario of an ugly situation.

Plus, even the harshest partisans got a kick out of it.

Dont tell my fellow right-wingers, but I thought what Biden said was funny, Ann Coulter, the arch and arch-conservative pundit, wrote in an email. Although Ms. Coulter could not resist taking a shot at Mr. Bidens mental fitness, she also conceded, approvingly: Hes still got sarcasm!

While the exchange echoed past presidents venting about the press, some around Washington pointed out that its resolution showed just how different things are under Mr. Biden than his predecessor.

Mr. Trump not only viciously insulted reporters (disgrace; loser and enemy of the people), he also incited public anger against the press. His supporters sent frightening threats to journalists and in at least one case mailed a pipe bomb to CNN. Freedom of the press groups have credited his behavior with eroding the rights and privileges of journalists in autocratic countries around the world.

Jim Acosta, a CNN correspondent who was often on Mr. Trumps radar, at times seemed to relish his role as an antagonist. His 2020 memoir, called The Enemy of the People, was described in marketing materials as an explosive, firsthand account of the dangers he faces reporting on the current White House.
Public health officials say that persuading parents to get their younger children vaccinated is crucial not only to sustaining in-person education but also to containing the pandemic overall. With adult vaccination hitting a ceiling  74 percent of Americans who are 18 and older are now fully vaccinated, and most of those who arent seem increasingly immovable  unvaccinated elementary school children remain a large, turbulent source of spread. Traveling to and from school on buses, traversing school hallways, bathrooms, classrooms and gyms, they can unknowingly act as viral vectors countless times a day.

Parents give numerous reasons for their hesitation. And with their innate protective wariness on behalf of their children, they are susceptible to rampant misinformation. For many working parents, the obstacle is logistical rather than philosophical, as they struggle to find time to get their children to the clinic, doctors office or drugstore for a vaccine.

In some communities where adult opposition to vaccines is strong, local health departments and schools do not promote the shots for children vigorously for fear of backlash. Pharmacies may not even bother to stock the child-size doses.

Despite the proliferation of Covid-crowded hospitals, sick children and the highly contagious aspect of Omicron, many parents, still swayed by last years surges that were generally not as rough on children as adults, do not believe the virus is dangerous enough to warrant risking their childs health on a novel vaccine.

Health communication experts additionally blame that view on the early muddled messaging around Omicron, which was initially described as mild but also as a variant that could pierce a vaccines protection.

Many parents interpreted those messages to mean that the shots served little purpose. In fact, the vaccines have been shown to strongly protect against severe illness and death, although they are not as effective in preventing infections with Omicron as with other variants.
Regina Perez, 57, had never been hospitalized for her lifelong asthma condition until she came down with Covid this month.

She started having difficulty breathing, even after taking her usual medications. It kind of took over, almost, she said. She wound up at St. Lukes Hospital in Allentown, Pa., for most of a week at a time when nearly all the Covid patients sampled had contracted the Omicron variant.

The episode frightened her. While doctors were able to get her asthma and breathing under control, Ill probably be scared for the rest of my life, she said. Ms. Perez, who was fully vaccinated and is now recovering at home, said she had spent the last two years doing everything she could to avoid infection, including working from home and rarely going out. She has not yet gotten a booster shot.

Throughout the pandemic, people like Ms. Perez have been at higher risk for serious illness from Covid because they have underlying medical conditions, like asthma, diabetes, heart or lung disease. More than half of American adults have at least one underlying chronic condition, and for many of them, the Omicron wave hasnt been as mild as it has for the larger, healthier populations around the world.
These are the kinds of difficult questions that crop up in every country, but Facebook also needs country-specific monitoring. Human expertise is the only way to truly understand how heated discussions are shifting in real time and to be sensitive to linguistic and cultural nuances. The word dill in Russian translates to ukrop, for example, which has been used as a slur against Ukrainians. Some Ukrainians, however, reclaimed the word and even named a political party after it. A global framework that fails to account for these kinds of situations or that is overly reliant on technology to address them is not prepared to confront the reality of our complex world.

Facebook has invested billions in this kind of work. But a majority of its investment for classifying misinformation, for example, has focused on the United States, even though daily active users in other countries make up the vast majority of the user base. And its not clear which efforts Facebook will extend from U.S. elections to those in other countries. Its unlikely that within the next two years, much less the next few months, Facebook can build up protections in every country. But it must start planning now for how it will exponentially scale up people, products and partnerships to handle so many elections at once in 2022 and 2024.

It should be transparent about how it will determine what to build in each country. In 2019, Facebook had more than 500 full-time employees and 30,000 people working on safety and security overall. Even with that amount of human talent, it could cover the national elections in only three major countries at once. At least that many people were needed for the United States in 2020. In two years, people in the United States, India, Indonesia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Mexico and Britain are to go to the polls in national elections. Facebook will need to consider hiring at least 1,000 more full-time employees to be ready for the next big election cycle. If the company is cutting it close for 2022, it has just enough time to be really ready for 2024.

These problems are not ones that Facebook can fix on its own. Its parent, Meta, is a private company but one with tremendous influence on society and democratic discourse. Facebook needs to continue to recognize the responsibility it has to protect elections around the world and invest accordingly. Governments, civil society and the public should hold it accountable for doing so.

Katie Harbath is the chief executive of Anchor Change, a company focused on issues at the intersection of tech and democracy, and director of technology and democracy at the International Republican Institute, a nonpartisan organization committed to advancing democracy and freedom. She formerly worked at Facebook, where she helped lead its work on elections.
To better explain how this distortion works, consider this: Of the more than 900,000 Jews who arrived in Treblinka, fewer than 100 survived the war. Jewish survivor testimonies of Treblinka are harrowing: Many remembered extreme thirst; they also recalled groups of Polish railway workers and Polish youths who stood close to the cattle cars ready to hand over water  in exchange for gold or cash. In their oral histories and written accounts, survivors described how they were met not with compassion, but with greed: Jankiel Wiernik, a carpenter and cabinet maker, recalled how terribly hot the day he arrived in Treblinka was. From the train he saw Polish locals selling water to desperate Jews. Abram Jakub Krzepicki remembered that people in the wagon were dying of thirst. He described terrible scenes of Jews pleading with the workers, handing over fistfuls of money for a mere half cup of water.

None of this is to necessarily undermine the story of Jan Maletka and what is said to be the quiet act that cost his life. There are no eyewitnesses left, so we will never know whether Mr. Maletka acted out of empathy for the dying Jews or not. But this huge memorialization effort obscures the full story. It is essential to understand that Mr. Maletkas actions occurred within the broader experience of exploitation and murder. To identify and shift focus to Mr. Maletka serves not only to elevate a heartwarming story about a young man but also to marginalize the hundreds of thousands of mostly unnamed Jewish victims. Indeed, the sign on the monument devotes equal spaces to the Polish railway worker and the Jews who perished in Treblinka.

Markers to Poles killed by Nazis for rescuing Jews have been proliferating in the Polish countryside for several years now. The effect of these memorials to Polish national virtue is a new historical narrative that depicts the rescue of the Jews as a default position of Polish society during the Holocaust. The Polish government denies it is engaging in Holocaust distortion, but these stone monuments play into a distortion of the historical narrative. In my work as a historian of the Holocaust, I have come to call these efforts memory patches  stories intended to paper over the tragic legacy in which some Poles denounced or turned over to the Gestapo Jewish fellow citizens who were seeking shelter in wartime Poland.

Take the testimony of Adam Starkopf, who escaped the Warsaw ghetto with his wife, Pela, and their young daughter. Mr. Starkopf described in his memoir Will to Live being woken in the night in the town of Sadowne, where the couple were hiding in plain sight because Mr. Starkopf looked Aryan enough to pass as a Pole. A group of Polish villagers, he wrote, invited him into their plan to hunt down, rob and then turn over to the Gestapo a group of Jews who had escaped from a cattle car. Just think  all these Jews lying on the ground, ready for the taking! Its a windfall!, Mr. Starkopf recalled his neighbors saying to him. Well take their clothes, clean out their pockets and on top of that well get a reward from the Germans for bringing them in. (Mr. Starkopf declined to participate.)

The Polish narrative of wartime heroism and valor is espoused by Polands nationalistic government, led by the right-wing Law and Justice Party. In 2019 Ms. Gawin initiated Called by Name, a program intended to commemorate Poles who died rescuing Jews. Called by Name lives under the auspices of the government-funded Pilecki Institute, itself dedicated to commemorating Poles who were murdered for providing aid and assistance to Jews during the Second World War. In the vicinity of Treblinka in the past several years, the Pilecki Institute has erected no fewer than 10 other monuments to celebrate brave Poles who died giving assistance to Jews.
My brother Kevin, then in second grade, was traumatized by my moms terror as she stood in the kitchen, frozen, before she got word that my dad was OK. Your father is in a shooting, she told Kevin.

I thought about this listening to Dominique Luzuriaga, Officer Riveras widow, give her eulogy through sobs.

You know, its hard being a cops wife sometimes, she said. They had a fight the day he died. She didnt want him to be on the phone for work so much. But he was excited to be a police officer, so excited that on his first day at the station in Harlem, he double parked in front and caused a traffic jam.

He epitomized what we want in an officer  full of compassion and joy, with an infectious smile. His older brother, Jeffrey, remembered Tata, as his family called him, stripping down to his tighty-whities as a child to do Latin dances.

Rivera was the mirror opposite of the brutal Derek Chauvin. As Jeffrey recalled, My brother was afraid of heights, he was afraid of rats, he was afraid of dogs. But he was not afraid to die to wear that uniform.

Officer Rivera and his 27-year-old partner, Wilbert Mora, died answering a 911 call from a mother in Harlem who said her son had verbally threatened her. They walked down a hall in the apartment and the son jumped out and opened fire, fatally wounding both officers.

In a letter to his commanding officer in 2020 titled Why I Became a Police Officer, Rivera said that the relationship with the police in the neighborhood he grew up in, Inwood, on the northern tip of Manhattan, was not great.
To the Editor:

Re Why Are So Many of Us Behaving So Badly?, by David Brooks (column, Jan. 14):

Mr. Brooks asks why reckless driving, altercations on planes, disruptive classroom incidents and other bad behaviors have been increasing in the U.S., while care for one another seems to be falling. After offering some plausible hypotheses, Mr. Brooks humbly acknowledges that he has no answers. Id like to suggest one.

Growing up in a small town in the late 1950s, I took for granted some fundamental truths. Parents and teachers had my best interests at heart. Doctors, the police and clergy were honest and trustworthy. It was safe to walk the streets and ride my bike. My neighbors could be difficult, but were fundamentally decent. And if I worked hard and played by the rules, I would eventually succeed.

For many Americans, each of those supposed truths is now doubted or disparaged. As Mr. Brooks suspects, there is a spiritual or moral problem at the core of our wintry discontent. As in Dantes Inferno, we find ourselves in a dark wood from which the straight path is unclear.

Ronald W. Pies

Lexington, Mass.

The writer is a psychiatrist and medical ethicist.

To the Editor:

David Brooks wants to know why people are driving recklessly, the murder rate is surging and gun purchases are soaring. Similarly, Sarah Lyall (Wed Like to Speak to the Manager, Sunday Business, Jan. 2) tells of a mans outburst in a supermarket when he couldnt get Cambozola, a type of blue cheese he wanted. A store employee said, I dont think this is about the cheese.
We have a regime of Covid surveillance, but its not a general one imposed by a narrow group of technocrats on the great mass of Americans. Rather its a regime imposed by the elites upon themselves (and, of course, their service workers), in which the highly educated and highly vaccinated are more likely to carry identity papers and rigorously self-police while less-vaccinated populations in the outer reaches of New York City or the New England suburbs (let alone in Arkansas or Alabama) are often left to their own more casual devices. And to pass back and forth between these two worlds, just a subway ride or short highway drive away from each other, is to appreciate not the ever-expanding influence of Faucian technocracy but, for now at least, the palpable limits of its power.

With one crucial exception, of course: public school systems, where statewide school-mask mandates in states like New York and Connecticut have kept kids masked in communities where otherwise the public-health regime has little purchase. Yet because kids are one of the lowest-risk populations, this extension of power only heightens the peculiarity of the entire dynamic: The one place where the professional class can impose its public-health preferences is also the place where it likely makes the least difference.

All this weirdness isnt just interesting to observe; its essential for understanding the landscape of pandemic policy debate as Omicron recedes. In the next few months, one of the crucial divides over Covid policy is likely to be within the Democratic coalition and not just between right and left. And the question of whether and when to relax school masking is likely to be a major flash point, with certain voices (in this newspaper, at The Atlantic, at NPR) already arguing for a relatively rapid exit from the policy while other forces (public health caution, bureaucratic inertia) work to sustain its extension to at least the summer. (And then if another concerning variant crops up, perhaps, to the fall and beyond )

These conflicts have two important implications. First, they threaten an extension of the dynamics that have already created political problems for Democrats in states like Virginia and New Jersey: the alienation of inner-circle liberalism, with its advanced degrees and N95s, from swing constituencies whose attitude toward the pandemic may be more like vaccinated and done.

Second, they threaten an inversion of the scenario feared by conservatives: not the extension of liberalisms power under the guise of public health but a turning inward of elite institutions and communities, their retreat into a safety-obsessed culture thats more insular, virtually mediated and unhappier than the society that they aspire to lead.
I spent most of this month working on a long piece on using data to understand the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It is on the cover of the Sunday Review this week, if you want to check it out. One of the parts we had to trim for space was a paragraph on the domestic trade within the United States. A significant part of the slave system, the domestic trade relied on the sale of surplus slaves from the states of the Upper South down to New Orleans and beyond. Heres what I wrote:

Slaveholders in Upper South states like Virginia and Maryland produced a surplus of enslaved labor, which they sold to traders. Those traders brought their captives to markets in Charleston and Savannah and New Orleans, where they would be sold to the highest bidder to labor and produce profit. Enslaved women were expected, as well, to produce new capital, in the form of children, for their enslavers.

In addition to this point, it is also worth saying why there was such a surplus to begin with.

The short answer is: tobacco.

Tobacco, for most of the colonial period, was the agricultural backbone of chattel slavery in the South. Virginia and Maryland were, for all intents and purposes, tobacco colonies, where planters used huge numbers of enslaved people to produce vast amounts of tobacco for European consumption. This extractive agriculture  practically unavoidable to commodities-driven slave cultivation  exhausts the soil in fairly short order. Thats why slaveholders were one of the engines of American expansion in the first decades of the republic. They needed more and more soil to cultivate tobacco, cotton and other commercial staples.

One consequence of this, for the oldest slave economies in North America, was that there were more slaves than were needed to cultivate the land. Heres none other than Karl Marx giving a succinct description of the dynamic in an 1861 essay on The North American Civil War:

The cultivation of the Southern export articles, cotton, tobacco, sugar, etc., carried on by slaves, is only remunerative as long as it is conducted with large gangs of slaves, on a mass scale and on wide expanses of a naturally fertile soil, which requires only simple labor. Intensive cultivation, which depends less on the fertility of the soil than the investment of capital, intelligence and energy of labor, is contrary to the nature of slavery. Hence the rapid transformation of states like Maryland and Virginia, which formerly employed slaves on the production of export articles, into states which raised slaves in order to export these slaves into the deep South.

Knowing all this, you can very easily see how the slave system grew in the decades before the Civil War. The advent of the cotton gin made it possible to grow huge amounts of cotton in a variety of different environments. As demand for cotton grew as a result of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, so too did the demand for enslaved labor in the South and, in turn, the demand for new land to cultivate.

Demand for the labor stimulated the slave-breeding economy of the Upper South, and demand for land drove Native dispossession. As the historian Joshua D. Rothman notes in The Ledger and the Chain: How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America, The extension of slavery, seen across the Atlantic world in the nineteenth century, both furthered and was nurtured by technological, economic, political, and ideological changes that ushered in the modern age.
One recent frigid evening, a procession of 30-somethings wearing peacoats and high heels beneath puffy layers pushed past a curtain and walked into the elegant red saloon of the Nines, a new piano bar in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan that aims to fashion itself as a downtown Bemelmans. A pianist played jazzy covers of David Bowie and Chaka Khan tunes for guests nestled in fancy banquettes. Everyone seemed to be sipping martinis served with sidecars.

The buoyant crowd, appearing eager for a pandemic-era night out on the town, may have remembered Acme, the groundbreaking restaurant that closed quietly in 2020, which used to occupy this space on Great Jones Street. Or maybe they had once spilled drinks all over their coats in its basement night spot, Acme Downstairs, which is still going strong after a decade.

But nostalgia wasnt in the air. Everyone was too engrossed in uni toast bites and potatoes heaped with Russian caviar (called the Kaspian Potato and priced at $95, it pays homage to Caviar Kaspias signature dish in Paris) to give very much thought to the past.

As they enjoyed the refined fantasy provided at the Nines, a man wearing a black velvet tuxedo jacket named Jon Neidich kept a close watch over things. Mr. Neidich is the chief executive of the Golden Age Hospitality group and the maven behind the establishment. Omicron wave or not, he projected the confidence of someone who has opened New York hot spots before.
About 60 containers went overboard, and 80 were damaged during the collapse, Ocean Network Express said in a statement.

There were no injuries or fatalities reported and there was no loss of containers with dangerous cargo, Nick Roe, a spokesman for the owners of the ship, said in a statement.

A significant swell occurred at the time of the accident but the company said the root cause of what happened remained under investigation.

Hundreds of millions of containers are transported by sea every year. While units rarely fall into the ocean, such accidents can occur during severe weather and in rough seas, according to the World Shipping Council, which together with other organizations in the industry published a report on the phenomenon.

In 2014, a Danish ship lost more than 500 containers when the vessel ran into hurricane-force winds at sea.

On average, 1,382 containers are lost at sea every year, according to a 2020 report by the council.

Mr. Hereford said that he learned that his books had been on the ship when a representative from the publishing company Ten Speed Press called him late last week to tell him about the collapse. He recalled that the representative began with the news that nobody was killed.

When you lead with No one was hurt youre like, What are you about to say? Mr. Hereford said on Friday.
This weekends snowstorm is the fourth one that some parts of the East Coast have experienced in January.

Two weeks ago, a strong winter storm slammed the South with snow showers and ice before moving north on Monday and dropping heavy snow over parts of the Northeast and Canada, where gusty winds made travel treacherous.

On Jan. 4, a snowstorm left hundreds of drivers stranded along Interstate 95 near Fredericksburg, Va., just south of Washington for more than 24 hours. The storm trapped truckers, students, families and every stripe of commuter, including Tim Kaine, the junior U.S. senator from Virginia and a former Democratic nominee for vice president.

Flights and rail service from New York to Washington were also disrupted by that storm, which knocked out power to more than half million customers and killed at least three people. In total, more than 14 inches of snow was recorded in Northern Virginia, while Washington reported more than eight inches.
It is the state that put the hyper in partisan politics, setting the blunt-force standard for battles over voting rights and gerrymanders that are now fracturing states nationwide.

So it is unsurprising that North Carolinas latest battle, over new political maps that decisively favor Republicans, is unfolding in what has become an increasingly contested and influential battlefield in American governance: the State Supreme Court.

The court meets on Wednesday to consider whether a map drawn by the Republican-dominated legislature that gives as many as 11 of 14 seats in the next Congress to Republicans  in a state almost evenly divided politically  violates the State Constitution. Similarly lopsided state legislative maps are also being contested.

But for weeks, both sides of a lawsuit have been waging an extraordinary battle over whether three of the courts seven justices should even hear the case. Atop that, an influential former chairman of the state Republican Party has suggested that the legislature could impeach some Democratic justices, a move that could remove them from the bench until their fates were decided.
According to a criminal complaint that was filed in 2019, a witness told the F.B.I. that Ms. Fluke-Ekren and her husband brought $15,000 to Syria and used the money to buy weapons. Her husband, the witness said, was the commander of snipers for the Islamic State; he later was killed by an airstrike while trying to conduct a terrorist attack, investigators said. Ms. Fluke-Ekren had met him in the United States, according to court documents.

The same witness also told the F.B.I. that Ms. Fluke-Ekren had a plan in 2014 to attack a college in the United States using a backpack filled with explosives. Prosecutors did not reveal which college she had wanted to target. The criminal complaint said that her plan was presented to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State at the time, who approved funding for it, but that the attack was put on hold after Ms. Fluke-Ekren learned she was pregnant. Ms. Fluke-Ekren had multiple children, but it is not clear how many.

Prosecutors said Ms. Fluke-Ekren moved to Egypt in 2008, lived there for about three years and then traveled to Libya, where she stayed for about a year before sneaking into Syria. According to one witness, Ms. Fluke-Ekren departed Libya because another terrorist organization, Ansar al-Sharia, was no longer conducting attacks in that country and she wanted to wage violent jihad.

In his memo arguing to keep Ms. Fluke-Ekren behind bars while she awaits trial, Mr. Parekh said she had been a fervent believer in the radical terrorist ideology of ISIS for many years. The prosecutor said the government had numerous witnesses who were prepared to testify against her.

According to the detention memo, the mayor of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the Islamic States self-proclaimed capital, approved the opening of an all-female military battalion. Ms. Fluke-Ekren, investigators said, soon became the leader and organizer of it.
That shift was fueled by several factors.

The big-money right was fractured over whether to support Mr. Trumps re-election. Anti-Trump Republicans started new groups that were welcomed into the lefts big-money firmament: Defending Democracy Together, co-founded in 2018 by the conservative pundit William Kristol, spent nearly $40 million in 2020  $10.5 million of it from the Sixteen Thirty Fund. And Mr. Trumps baseless claims about voter fraud hamstrung Republican efforts to compete with progressive groups that spent heavily to promote early and mail voting.

On the left, the prospect of a second Trump term spurred a new class of megadonors, and helped allay lingering qualms about the corrosive effect of secret money among some Democrats.

A range of donors  not just traditional progressive Democrats  had a wake-up call around 2019 where they realized that our constitutional republic was at risk, and that they had to compete through whatever financing vehicles they could, which resulted in a tremendous outpouring of support, said Rob Stein, a longtime Democratic strategist and adviser to some of the partys biggest donors.

Mr. Stein, who now focuses on finding common ground between the parties, worries that the increasing embrace of secret-money vehicles will usher in an ominous new dark-money arms race and further undermine fraying public trust in government and elections.

There is no legal definition of dark money, but it generally has been understood to mean funds spent to influence politics by nonprofits that do not disclose their donors. These groups are usually incorporated under the tax code as social-welfare and advocacy groups or business leagues. Legally, these groups are allowed to spend money on partisan politics, but it is not supposed to be their primary purpose.

The Times also included a select few charities, which provide donors not only anonymity but also a lucrative tax deduction. Charities are supposed to completely abstain from partisan activity, but some have taken advantage of provisions in the tax code that allow them to engage in the political sphere through efforts that are technically nonpartisan, like voter education and registration. On the left, two charities raised tens of millions of dollars each for registration efforts that employed pinpoint targeting of demographic groups that typically vote Democratic.

The analysis also looked into two charitable groups, one aligned with Democrats and one with Republicans, that doled out millions of dollars in grants to nonprofits that engage in voter outreach, and which spent millions more on litigation over voting rules.
Phyllis Oakley, whose 25-year diplomatic career in the State Department almost didnt happen because of an unwritten rule that forbade female foreign service officers from marrying, died on Jan. 22 at a hospital in Washington. She was 87.

Her son, Thomas Oakley, confirmed the death. He said that she had been in good health but her heart just stopped.

In the late 1980s, as the Cold War waned, the straight-talking, forthright Ms. Oakley, whose boisterous laugh often signaled her presence, was much in the public eye as deputy spokesman (the term then in use) for the State Department under President Ronald Reagan. She later became assistant secretary for refugees and assistant secretary for intelligence and research under President Bill Clinton.

She had begun her career in 1957. But when she married in 1958, State Department custom dictated that she quit.
A Kansas man who told a Secret Service agent he was coming for President Biden was charged on Friday with making threats against the president, according to federal court documents.

The man, Scott Ryan Merryman, made the threats over three days, starting on Tuesday, when he called the police in Independence, Kan., and said he was heading to Washington, D.C., to see the president, according to an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

The U.S. Secret Service called Mr. Merryman on Wednesday and he told an agent that he had been instructed by God to visit Mr. Biden and to lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation, according to an affidavit written by Lisa Koerber, an agent with the Secret Service.

Mr. Merryman said he was not referring to Mr. Biden and that he was not making a threat against the president, the affidavit said.
In the hours following the announcement that Justice Stephen G. Breyer would be retiring, Angela Groves, a civil rights attorney in Washington, and her mother, Emanuella Groves, an appellate judge in Ohio, feverishly exchanged text messages about the Supreme Court opening.

Although the two hadnt had time to speak at length  they were planning to have a long discussion this weekend  they sent each other links to articles about potential nominees.

When Barack Hussein Obama was elected, that seemed impossible, said Judge Groves, 63. I think it will be someone probably in their late 40s who hopefully will have a track record of revealing a problem, educating others, have the courage to say no and be able to do it artfully, so we can begin to shift the needle to improve the administration of justice.

The younger Ms. Groves, 32, credited her parents, both of whom were lawyers, with teaching her about social justice and planting the seed that she could follow in their career footsteps. She attended law school at New York University, where she was one of about 60 Black students.

That experience was in stark contrast to that of her mother, who was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in Ohio in 2020 after serving as a trial judge in the Cleveland Municipal Court for 18 years. When she was studying at Case Western Reserve School of Law in Cleveland in the late 1970s, she was one of fewer than a dozen Black students, and among only a handful of Black women. She hadnt grown up around any lawyers and never imagined she would become a judge.

I didnt think it was within my reach, she said, adding that her husband, whom she met in law school, had championed her throughout her career. During law school, she was neighbors with Sara J. Harper, a former prosecutor and appellate judge who was the first African American woman to graduate from Case Westerns law school. But if only she had known more Black women practicing law, Judge Groves said of her university days.

The younger Ms. Groves said that it was also important to her that the new justice, as a Democratic appointee, would be liberal.
Two nurses on Long Island are accused of collecting more than $1.5 million by selling forged Covid-19 vaccination cards, according to the Suffolk County district attorneys office.

The nurses, Julie DeVuono, who owns Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare in Amityville, and Marissa Urraro, her employee, sold fake vaccination cards and entered false information into New Yorks immunization database, prosecutors said. They charged $220 for forged cards for adults and $85 for children, according to the district attorneys office.

Ms. DeVuono, 49, and Ms. Urraro, 44, were arraigned on Friday, each charged with one count of second-degree forgery. Ms. DeVuono was also charged with one count of offering a false instrument for filing.

Michael Alber, Ms. Urraros lawyer, said she had entered a plea of not guilty and had been released without bail.
OTING, India  Technically, there is no war anymore in Nagaland, but the peace does not feel certain, either. What the remote northeastern Indian state has is a lot of soldiers, keeping a heavy hand and provoking a rising anger among residents who say change is long overdue.

Those tensions boiled over in December near the hilltop village of Oting, when Indian Army Special Forces mistook ethnic Naga villagers for rebels and opened fire on a truck carrying them home after work at a coal mine.

Survivors say there was no warning before the bullets flew, killing six people. By nightfall, the death toll had climbed to 13 civilians and one army soldier, as an angry crowd of people  some armed with machetes  clashed with soldiers, who opened fire again.
OTTAWA  Thousands of protesters gathered in front of Canadas Parliament on Saturday in a raucous demonstration, which began as a movement by truckers to challenge a government vaccination mandate but spread to include a wide array of antigovernment grievances.

A loosely organized Freedom Convoy of trucks set out last weekend from the western province of British Columbia. The convoy ebbed and flowed in size on the way to Ottawa, the capital, where the police were bracing for what they said would be an unpredictable weekend of protests.

The convoy was organized in response to a regulation, implemented this month, that requires truckers returning from the United States to show proof of vaccination. But it recent days, it has broadened to include Canadians critical of pandemic restrictions in general, and of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Some people, who may not have been involved with the convoy itself, called for an attack on Parliament similar to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. Such calls for violence have been denounced by the convoys organizers, as well as by many of the protesters on the streets.
PARIS  In 2019, Emmanuel Macron invited President Vladimir V. Putin to the French summer presidential residence at Bregancon, declared the need for the reinvention of an architecture of security between the European Union and Russia, and later pronounced that NATO had undergone a brain death.

The French leader enjoys provocation. He detests intellectual laziness. But even by his standards, the apparent dismissal of the Western alliance and tilt toward Moscow were startling. Poland, among other European states with experience of life in the Soviet imperium, expressed alarm.

Now a crisis provoked by Russian troops amassed on the Ukrainian border has at once galvanized a supposedly moribund NATO against a Russian threat  the alliances original mission  and, for Mr. Macron, demonstrated the need for his own intense brand of 21st-century Russian engagement.

Dialogue with Russia is not a gamble, it is an approach that responds to a necessity, a senior official in the presidency, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in keeping with French government practice, said Friday after Mr. Macron and Mr. Putin spoke by phone for more than an hour.
For much of his 22 years in high office, Vladimir V. Putin has worked to carefully balance Russias position in Europe. He ingratiated himself with some capitals as he bullied others, and sought economic integration as he lambasted European values.

Even after Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 sent relations plunging, and Moscow harried some European countries with mass-scale disinformation and near-miss military fly-bys, it reached out to others  if not exactly winning them over, then at least keeping diplomacy open.

But, with this winters crisis over Ukraine, Mr. Putin is overtly embracing something he had long avoided: hostility with Europe as a whole.

The more that Europe meets Moscows threats with eastward military reinforcements and pledges of economic punishments, papering over its otherwise deep internal disagreements, the more that Mr. Putin escalates right back. And rather than emphasizing diplomacy across European capitals, he has largely gone over them to Washington.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation work and coordinate COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for practical work to improve the people's well-being during his visit to Jinchang and Wuwei of northwest China's Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday.

He visited various market stalls and a restaurant to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City.

"China has a large number of micro, small and medium-sized firms and individually run businesses, which directly links to employment and supports the livelihoods of countless families," Li said.

The country is considering increased tax and fee cut policies, Li said, urging local governments to devise plans for other fee cuts.

In Minqin County of Wuwei City, Li said that desertification control and management is a major issue for the improvement of the ecological environment and the local living environment, which will continue to be supported and invested in by China.

Efforts should be made to ensure the supply of drugs for rare diseases and increase aid for families in need, Li said while in the home of a Huajian Village local, adding that the country is also mulling more subsidies for agricultural supplies to support spring farming.

While visiting a non-ferrous metals company, Li called for efforts to stabilize production and increase productivity, strengthen coordination among large, medium-sized and small enterprises in the industrial chain, and make more contributions to stabilizing the supplies and prices of bulk commodities.

Li urged the company to fully leverage the preferential tax policies to expand investment in research and development, and develop more key materials and highly processed products.




The Novi Yarylovychi border crossing is a fast, 140-mile drive straight from the Belarus border south to Kyiv on a highway that is mostly freshly paved thanks to efforts by President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the poor state of Ukrainian roads. It would be an easy ride for any Russian tank driver so long as Russian forces take out Ukrainian air power and artillery first, and the Javelin anti-tank missiles provided to the Ukrainian military by the United States stay deployed in eastern Ukraine.

On the Ukrainian side of the border, preparations to repel a potential military incursion are largely nonexistent. Last fall, Ukraine deployed 8,500 troops to its northern border, a mix of border police, national guard forces and military that was mostly directed at preventing Belarus from sending Middle Eastern migrants over the border the way it had in Poland and Lithuania.

Though that force remains in the border region, its members have left the vicinity of Novi Yarylovychi. There is now just a handful of border guards, armed with automatic rifles, stationed at the post, little deterrence should a Russian tank unit make a sudden thrust toward the capital. A truck driver ferrying candle wax who had just crossed into Ukraine and would give only his first name, Yevgeni, said he had seen columns of military vehicles including armored personnel carriers with license plates indicating they had come from the Ryazan region southeast of Moscow.

There are kilometer-long columns there, escorted by police, he said.

Indeed, new troops, armor and equipment have been pouring into Belarus daily. News reports from within Belarus have shown local officials flanked by Belarusian women in traditional dress, greeting Russian military commanders with loaves of bread and salt, a traditional welcome.
ROME  After noxious and chaotic back-room negotiations, Italian lawmakers on Saturday re-elected the countrys current president, Sergio Mattarella , keeping the status quo, avoiding early elections and prolonging Italys current period of stability under Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who himself had coveted the job.

But the election of Mr. Mattarella, 80 and reluctant to serve again, after six disastrous days of secret votes in which different political interests within the governing coalition failed to rally around a new candidate, revealed the fractious politics and crumbling alliances just beneath the surface of Italys national unity government.

Divisive Italian politics is nothing new, but the election was especially closely watched because its outcome had the potential of determining whether Mr. Draghi, widely credited with bringing stability to Italy in a critical time, would stay on the scene or become a casualty of the political chaos.

In a private meeting on Saturday morning, Mr. Draghi, who many considered the no-brainer candidate to fill the seven-year presidential office, personally asked Mr. Mattarella to consider staying on because the political conflagration over the inconclusive ballots had begun to burn institutional figures, like the president of the Senate and the head of the Secret Service, two prominent women who were proposed as candidates only to be rejected and tarnished.
Since then, the organization has morphed from a top-down, military-style bureaucracy to a more diffuse and decentralized insurgency, according to terrorism experts and regional security officials.

But the importance of the prison as a target suggested that last weeks attack would have been green lit by the highest levels, Mr. Whiteside said. The groups ability to mobilize dozens of fighters and break into a prison that American and S.D.F. officials long suspected was a target was an achievement and a propaganda coup no matter how the siege turns out.

A senior American official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the probable goal of the operation was to free some of the groups senior or midlevel leaders and fighters with specific skills, like bomb-making. The official estimated that perhaps 200 prisoners had escaped.

S.D.F. officials have not confirmed that number and said they were still assessing the effect.

The Islamic State has struggled to rebuild. The killing of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in October 2019 deprived it of a unifying figure, and its new leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, is largely unknown. Tighter border controls have blocked foreign fighters from getting to Iraq and Syria, and persistent raids by U.S.-backed forces in both countries have largely pushed it out of the big cities and into the peripheries.

In Iraq, the group ramped up attacks in 2019 and 2020, but they have declined since then in both quantity and quality, according to an in-depth analysis of attack data published this month by Michael Knights, the Jill and Jay Bernstein Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and his colleague, Alex Almeida.
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Four members of a midlands based traveller family who became embroiled in a violent row outside a petrol station in the Midlands over the shooting dead of a relative in Northern Ireland almost seven years ago have been given suspended sentences.

Sammy McGinley (33), Denis McGinley (37), both of 6 Blackberry Lane, Athlone, Co Westmeath, Mick McGinley (20) 5 Blackberry Lane, Athlone, Co Westmeath and Bernard McGinley (22) 10 Blackberry Lane, Athlone, Co Westmeath were all charged with violent disorder following an incident at Hanlons Gala, Dublin Road, Longford on June 3, 2019.

The quartet appeared before a sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court on Friday for the purposes of sentencing.

Mick and Bernard McGinley were also charged with criminal damage and theft respectively with Sammy and Denis being charged with possession of an article on the day in question.

Sammy, Denis and Mick McGinley were all given 18 month sentences, suspended for a period of five years on the condition each of the men enter into a 500 peace bond and pay 2,000 in compensation to Longford Tidy Towns.

Bernard McGinley, meanwhile, was given a one year sentence, suspended for five years after the court found his participation in the incident was at the "lower end" of the scale.

He was also ordered to pay a sum of 1,000 to Longford Tidy Towns

Garda Rachel Dillon told the court how she and colleague Garda Leo Shiel were passing by a petrol station on Longford's Dublin Road at around 8:30pm when a large group of people were observed in a fight in full view of startled members of the public.

Garda Dillon said the violence on display was so grave, customers had to lock themselves in their cars while staff had to close the main door of the shop "to keep customers safe".

The court heard a family member of the McGinleys pulled up to purchase diesel when four other men approached the van Mr McGinley arrived in.

She said Garda Shiel noticed Denis McGinley holding a five foot long stick before seizing it and arresting him under Section 24 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.

She said during his attempts to restrain Mr McGinley, another man picked up the stick as the melee escalated.

Sammy McGinley, it was revealed was seen "shouting and inciting others" while Mick McGinley could be observed breaking the passenger side window of a vehicle.

CCTV footage taken from the scene also showed Bernard McGinley taking the keys of the vehicle before putting them into a bin.

All four were arrested and charged with violent disorder on December 8, 2020.

Sammy and Denis McGinley were also charged with possession of a weapon with Bernard McGinley being charged with theft.

Mick McGinley was further charged with damage to property.

In a voluntary caution statement given to gardai in October 2019, Denis McGinley said he had been in Longford that day to settle a dispute between two other locally based traveller families.

He told of receiving a phone call that evening of a disturbance involving his son and arrived on the scene moments later.

CCTV footage of the episode lasting around 30 minutes was played before presiding Judge Keenan Johnson this afternoon.

Gerard Groarke BL, for Sammy McGinley said the incident was not one of an ongoing feud but rather "differences" which had arisen between the "Longford McGinleys and McGinleys from Athlone" over the murder of Bernard 'Barney' McGinley in Northern Ireland in 2015.

A father and son were jailed for a total of seven and a half years in 2018 over a shooting outside St Mary's Catholic Church in Newtownbutler on February 11, 2015.

Judge Keenan Johnson described the incident as "totally reprehensible", saying the people of Longford should not be subjected to such acts of brazen violence and in full view of shocked members of the public.


A man was sentenced to six months in the Midlands Prison for breach of a barring order at Portlaoise District Court last week.

The court heard that the man had breached the order, taking his wifes car, which he also faced a charge for. The car was subsequently crashed. When gardai attended there was no one in the vicinity.

Later gardai received a 999 call that the man was back in the house. He was found on the landing of the home.

The court heard he had 66 previous convictions, with two for breach of safety orders.

Defence solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said he had difficulties with his wife. He was in breach of the Order that day and was where he should not have been.

He took the car without the consent of the owner.

He had difficulties with alcohol in recent times. He had got treatment, but had relapsed.

Mr Fitzgerald noted there was no threat of violence. He accepted his guilt. He apologised to the court and his wife.

Wedding murder led to violent and 'reprehensible' row in Midlands Four members of a midlands based traveller family who became embroiled in a violent row outside a petrol station in Longford over the shooting dead of a relative in Northern Ireland almost seven years ago have been given suspended sentences.

Judge Catherine Staines noted it was his third breach of a domestic order.

The victim impact report was before the court. She noted that it had been very frightening for his wife. The woman wanted a better life for herself and her children.

This behaviour was not acceptable.

She sentenced him to six months in the Midlands Prison, with six months concurrent for taking the car.

Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, chairman of the National Governors Association, told Insider there are many "choices out there" besides Trump to lead the country.
The rapper took to social media to seemingly comment on the alleged sexual assault lawsuit filed against him.
The governor of West Virginia lifted up his dog, raised its backside in the air, and told the actress Bette Midler to "kiss her hiney!" - as bizarre scenes played out in the state's capitol building.
Italy's Parliament asked 80-year-old Sergio Mattarella to serve another term after days of voting failed to produce a successor. Mattarella previously said he did not want to stay on the job.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Montana wildlife commissioners on Friday moved to shut down gray wolf hunting in a portion of the state around Yellowstone National Park, amid mounting criticism over a record number of the animals shot or trapped after roaming across the park boundary this winter.



But commissioners rejected calls to revive quotas that would limit the number of wolves killed along Yellowstone's northern border to just a few annually. Those longstanding quotas were lifted last year after Republican lawmakers passed laws intended to drive down the wolf population by making it easier to kill the animals.



Yellowstone officials had pressed the state beginning in mid-December to suspend hunting in some areas along the parks border. They said the deaths marked a significant setback for the long-term viability of Yellowstone's renowned wolf packs.



Under Friday's unanimous commission vote, hunting and trapping for wolves in southwestern Montana will be barred once the number killed in the region hits 82 animals. So far 76 have been reported killed in that area.



Twenty-three wolves from park packs have been killed so far this winter  18 in Montana, three in Wyoming and two in Idaho, according to Yellowstone officials. That's the most in a season since the predators were restored to the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains more than 25 years ago after being widely decimated last century.



The park is now down to 91 wolves, spokesperson Morgan Warthin said.



Urged by ranchers and hunters who want fewer wolves, Republican lawmakers in Montana and Idaho last year loosened hunting and trapping laws to allow night hunting, higher harvest limits, the use of snares and even aerial hunting in Idaho. Montana also eliminated the longstanding quotas.



Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte told...
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to visit Japan in mid-February for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday. During Johnson's planned
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have finally added the long-promised cat to their pet family.Her name is Willow, and she's a 2-year-old, green-eyed, grey and white farm cat from Pennsylvania."Willow is settling into...
The United States on Friday virtually threatened to impose war on Russia if it invaded Ukraine, which Washington considers imminent and Kyiv insists is not.
The assertion comes days after a prominent Hindu lawmaker from Imran Khan's party urged India to issue visas to a delegation of pilgrims to visit the country.
Russia says it will relocate naval exercises off the coast of Ireland after Dublin raised concerns about them amid a tense dispute with the West over expansion of
Rumble 29 Jan 2022

Mainstream media busted trying to lie about the Canadian Convoy and angry Canadians call them out for it...
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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Kimberly Hines proved she was quick on her feet when on her first official day as the Beaverton city manager, Jan. 13, two spillway gates were frozen open at the Beaverton Hydro Dam.

Beaverton Mayor Ray Nau said the issue was discovered during a regular monitoring of the dam, Hines and the city administration were immediately alerted and the problem was quickly fixed.

The Beaverton City Council voted Hines in as city manager on Jan. 10. She is originally from Gladwin, having grown up there and still having family in the area. While being the first woman to hold this position, she said she hasnt felt any extra pressure.

Hines succeeds former City Manager Heath Kaplan, who had been hired in January 2018. Kaplan, a Midland resident, recently took a job as business manager with Beaverton Schools, where his wife teaches sixth grade.

Hines worked for a decade with the Michigan Finance Authority and the past six months as a budget administrator with the City of Flint. She has a wealth of contacts and resources she brings to the table.

Im able to pool resources and make a positive decision, Hines said.

Im putting the city first, she added. Im putting the people first.

Hines said she believes in the community and has observed the community pride since shes been back in Beaverton.

The new administrator has a bachelors degree in business administration and master's degrees in both business management and human resource management.

She had returned to Gladwin recently to care for her father after the passing of her mother a year ago. Thats when she saw that Beaverton was searching for a new city manager.

Ive been gone 30 years, Hines said of her departure from Gladwin. Its amazing how many people Ive reconnected with already since Ive been back.

She said people have been very welcoming toward her.

Im amazed by how many people have reached out to me, she said of residents of Beaverton and of Gladwin County.

Mayor Nau said he looks forward to working with Hines and to her building great relationships with the residents.

Hines said she is enjoying the small-town feel of Beaverton and how neighbors help each other. For example, when her car battery failed recently and she was stranded, an off-the-clock Beaverton Public Works employee was passing by and stopped and changed the battery for her.

Hines said the previous administration brought many projects to the area that she will continue to work on. She said her plate is full of bigger developments that will bring more revenue to the school district and the city.

I love the challenge, she said. If you do good in a small community, you could make a difference.

She knows there are trials ahead.

Weve obviously got to grow the tax base, she said, noting she would like to see more doctors, dentists, and dining options in the community. She would also like to see more community events, including things aimed at the youth population.

Another thing important to Hines is bringing the community of the surrounding areas together to discuss what they can do to make the whole area better.

She said the primary need is to do what the city has always been doing, which is to serve its residents.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Collin Periatt.

Thursday, Jan. 27

10:24 p.m.  Officers responded to a call of verbal domestic abuse on Dutch Drive.

8:16 p.m.  Officers reported a case of obstruction of justice and assault on Dutch Drive.

7:15 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to Midland Township regarding a vehicle crash where the at-fault driver left the scene without reporting the crash. The 29-year-old driver was later identified and issued citations.

12:35 p.m.  A deputy assisted Midland Police Department in attempting to locate a suicidal subject at a township park. The subject was not there.

12:09 p.m.  Officers investigated a call of a suicidal subject on Mill Street.

10:42 a.m.  Deputies investigated a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding alleged inappropriate physical contact between minor relatives. Contact was made with the parent of the children, who advised that the children have not been around each other and that he does not have concerns. The parent advised that he believes the report was made by a family member who is currently receiving in-patient mental health treatment and may be confused.

9:50 a.m.  Officers investigated a call of a suicidal subject on Candlestick Lane.

5:28 a.m.  A deputy responded to a Greendale Township residence for a suspicious vehicle that pulled into a driveway. The deputy made contact with a 50-year-old Lee Township woman and a 21-year-old Mount Pleasant man. The woman was cited for no insurance/improper plate and the man was cited for operating without a license.
Photo provided

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, has cosponsored new legislation to prevent insider trading by members of Congress.

Kildees bipartisan legislation, the Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust (TRUST) in Congress Act, would ban members of Congress, their spouses and their dependent children from trading any stocks while in office. Members of Congress and their families would be required to place their stock portfolios into blind trusts while in office, ensuring they cannot use inside information to influence their personal stock trades to make a profit. Members of Congress who violate the TRUST in Congress Act would be fined in the amount of their entire congressional salary.
Madcap fun, murder and multilevel marketing collide in a brand-new play that is making its worldwide debut at the Midland Center for the Arts.

After going down various internet rabbit holes about multilevel marketing (MLM) strategies and listening to hours of true crime podcasts, John Bavoso, a playwright from the Washington D.C. area, got the idea for a new play. Bavoso quickly became fascinated by experiences of individuals who were part of MLM companies such as Avon, Amway and Tupperware.

One of the interesting things to me was that both of those communities were predominantly online and really dominated by women, Bavoso said.

In 2017, he wrote the first draft of MLM Is for Murder (Or, Your Side Hustle Is Killing Us). The dark comedy follows two women who were once classmates but who pursued different paths in life. One is a stay-at-home mom who becomes involved in a MLM company. Upon discovering that she is part of a pyramid scheme, she commits a string of murders that catches the attention of her former classmate, who is the creator of a true crime podcast. The play encompasses themes on the tension of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and the constant need to succeed.

Theyre both finding success at the same time, but it comes with a price to pay, Bavoso stated.

Bavoso held a first reading of the script outside of Washington, D.C., right before the pandemic began in 2020, which was eventually followed by another reading in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a workshop in Charleston, South Carolina. He then submitted the play to the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) NewPlayFest.

MLM Is for Murder was among 320 plays that were went through a rigorous process. Panelists read the play multiple times before choosing it to not only be performed for the first time, but to also be published in an anthology by Dramatic Publishing.

Bavoso traveled to Midland in mid-January to meet with the cast, director Chad William Baker and AACT dramaturge Kathy Pingel. During the three-day workshop, Bavoso admired how cast members delved into their characters, asking thoughtful questions to better understand their motivation. Bavoso said he has learned a lot about his own characters by talking with the actors. In return, the casts interaction with Bavoso gives them a professional perspective of the play.

I think theyre going to do a phenomenal job, Bavoso said. They really dug into the relationships. Its really incredible to see it come to life onstage.

Bavoso has written about six or seven full-length plays, three or four of which have been produced. He has also written 15 ten-minute plays that have been produced around the world and published in different anthologies.

Despite his experience as a playwright, Bavoso is humbled and amazed to have his newest play win the AACT NewPlayFest and to premiere in Midland. He hopes audiences will enjoy the play, share a few laughs, and find something to talk about as they exit.

To me, thats the mark of success: youre leaving the theater and you have a lot to talk about on the way home, Bavoso said. Theres at least something you can relate to.

The "MLM Is for Murder" cast includes Dan Kettler, Rebecca Krohn, Aja Jade Philpot, Ashley Pott, Lindsay Van Arsdale and Stephanie Wimer.

MLM Is for Murder (Or, Your Side Hustle Is Killing Us) will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26 as well as at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27. There will be a brief talkback with members of the cast and creative team following each performance. Tickets start at $25.50 for adults, $19.50 for students and can be purchased at midlandcenter.org, by calling the Ticket Office at 989-631-8250 or in-person at 1801 W. Saint Andrews Road, Midland.
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Tereasa Nims was recently promoted from part-time writer to full-time writer at the Midland Daily News.

Nims writes about local government, businesses, and other issues and events in Sanford, Coleman, Freeland, Midland County townships, and Gladwin County. She also writes about the Four Lakes Task Force's dam stabilization and rebuilding efforts.

Nims had been a freelance writer for the Daily News for seven years before being hired as a part-time writer late last year.

She started her journalism career at the Gladwin County Record while attending Ferris State University.

She then covered law enforcement and courts at the Dearborn Times Herald for five years while finishing her bachelors degree in English/journalism and criminal justice at Madonna University.

After writing at three newspapers in Texas and also writing at the Holland Sentinel, Nims took a brief break from journalism to pursue legal studies in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Afterward, she began freelancing for the Midland Daily News. At that point, she expanded her coverage into local government meetings, lake issues, school board meetings and other areas.

"I love the Midland County community and the people have always warmly greeted me. I am thankful for the Daily News many loyal subscribers who make it a joy to do my job," Nims said.

The Midland Daily News also recently welcomed Central Michigan University junior Collin Periatt as an intern for the current semester through the WCM internship program.

He began on Jan. 11 and will be with the paper through the end of April while simultaneously working as a reporter for WCMU Radio.

Periatt, who is studying journalism, broadcast and film, writes about new businesses and law enforcement for the Daily News.

A combination of classes and writing for the student newspaper, CM Life, led Periatt to the WCMU internship opportunity.

Periatt was born and raised in the metro Detroit area. He graduated high school in 2020 in Macomb before moving to Sanford Lake with his family to begin attending CMU.

He began his college career studying bio-medicine with a specialization in veterinary medicine before realizing his true passion was in writing. He then sought experience in the journalism field to catch up to his peers.

"I am always excited to learn from real-world professionals," Periatt said.
In the dark, cold winter months, the benefits of nature may seem like something reserved for the warmer months of the year. On a recent weekend, we had family visiting and wanted to get outside even though temperatures were in the teens. We went to City Forest and rented cross country skis. One of our family members had never tried cross country skiing before, so kept us well-entertained with his antics and classic falls. Bottom line, the time outside left us all energized.

Wellbeing and nature

How do wellbeing and nature relate to one another? Time in nature has been shown to contribute to wellbeing. Granted, you do not need to strap on cross country skis or have a comedic family member to entertain you. Simply taking a walk outside can have a positive effect.

As we start the new year, the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition is working toward our communitys vision of Together, Forward, Bold. An exceptional place where everyone thrives. Our ability to thrive individually and as a community is directly related to wellbeing. Wellbeing is about struggle and thriving, about having tools to help so we can function effectively in the face of challenges we will experience throughout our lives. Lets take a deeper look at how nature can be a part of building wellbeing and, in turn, a thriving community.

Centuries ago the Greek physician Hippocrates said, nature itself is the best physician, recognizing the many positive values of time in nature. Research on wellbeing and nature have shown us that stress reduction, quality sleep, increased creativity, improved health and longevity, better mood and increased positive emotions as well as strengthened mental health all come from time in nature.

The amount of time you spend in nature and even the type of engagement with nature can vary widely and still provide the benefits mentioned above. Taking a walk, doing outside activities, filling a bird feeder (and then watching the birds from inside) and finding an outdoor space are ways to engage outside in nature.

For those who cannot get outside (or have a serious aversion to cold temperatures), there are ways to enjoy nature inside which still have a positive impact on your wellbeing. Indoor plants, nature videos and looking out windows are ways to enjoy nature from an inside perspective.

Tiny habits

Looking for a way to start incorporating nature into your daily routine? Start with a tiny habit. Lets say your goal is to appreciate nature each day. A tiny habit starts with an anchor moment. The anchor moment for you could be walking out to your car to go to work, drop kids at school or go to the store. The next step in a tiny habit is the behavior you would like to build. The behavior could be I will take a moment to embrace what I see around me outdoors. Notice the snow-covered branches or the bird on a tree outside. The final step in a tiny habit is celebration. The celebration could be taking a long slow breath. Start simple and before you know it, youll find even more ways to enjoy nature.

Find ways to enjoy nature to help increase your wellbeing, yes, even in these winter months. As Albert Camus said, In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.

Sharon Mortensen is one of over 100 local residents who earned a certificate in the science of wellbeing. Kathy Snyder holds a masters degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and instructs wellbeing classes. Mortensen serves as president/CEO at Midland Area Community Foundation. Snyder serves as the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition Coordinator. This year the Wellbeing Coalition will again provide a series of monthly articles with practical ways to increase wellbeing.
Palestine, TX (75801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Prime Minister Abdelhamid al-Dbaiba on Saturday followed up on the epidemiological situation of the coronavirus pandemic in the country following an increase in infections due to the spread of the Omicron variant
Photo: (Photo : SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Mom Olivia Jenkins speaks out and raises awareness about laryngomalacia, following a scary and unforgettable incident where she nearly lost her newborn baby, Charlotte, while breastfeeding.

The 12-day-old infant suddenly choked and turned blue during her feeding time. Confused and alarmed, the 29-year-old mom from South Australia reached for the phone and called an ambulance while trying to help her choking child.

Three groups of first responders immediately arrived at the Jenkins' house. They administered emergency procedures and then took Charlotte to the hospital when the baby responded. Only then did Jenkins feel that her newborn was going to make it.

At the hospital, doctors explained to the mother that she witnessed a "brief resolved unexplained event" (BRUE) that commonly happens in babies below one year old. While she understood that it was not a big deal, Jenkins still made an appointment with her pediatrician to have Charlotte checked. She had this gut feeling that something was not right with her daughter.

Read Also: 'Cocomelon' Too Stimulating? Famous Kids YouTube Channel Allegedly Bad for Child Development

Observing the Signs of Laryngomalacia

Back at home, Jenkins noticed that Charlotte appeared to be struggling during breastfeeding. The baby would often have bouts of sputters and then try to come on and off her breast more times than normal.

She didn't have this problem with her two older kids, Henry, four years old, and Archer, three years old. She also hasn't heard of a baby choking while breastfeeding.

The visit to the pediatrician provided more clarity as to what was happening to Charlotte. The pediatrician asked her to demonstrate how she and her baby have their breastfeeding time. Right away, the doctor gave his diagnosis and said that Charlotte might have laryngomalacia after hearing a faint noise in her voice box.

To confirm the diagnosis, the mom and baby were referred to a specialist who further examined and assessed the development of Charlotte's nose and throat. Laryngomalacia means that Charlotte's voice box is floppy and soft, so the vocal cords block her airway each time she breathes in.

Laryngomalacia also led to Charlotte developing sleep apnea, which has affected how her brain sends signals to the pertinent muscles that control how she breathes. This meant that the newborn would need oxygen 24/7 so that her condition would not hamper any more developments.

Living with Laryngomalacia

It took some time for the family to get used to their youngest baby living with laryngomalacia. First, they need to make sure that they have an ample supply of oxygen bottles all over the house. Second, Charlotte's parents also had to learn to insert and tape a nasal cannula every day, which seemed uncomfortable initially.

According to KidsHealth, laryngomalacia usually "gets better on its own" with proper care, regular check-ups, and some medications if needed. In some cases, the baby might need to get supraglottoplasty to correct the voice box. Doctors are not sure of the exact causes of this condition, but it may be linked to the baby's development as a fetus.

Today, Charlotte is nearly a year old, and her parents can see that she could likely grow out of this condition. The Jenkins family is looking forward to the day when they won't have oxygen tanks in the house anymore.

"We are praying that she will be recovered enough to come off oxygen soon so we can see her beautiful little cheeks," the mom said.

Related Article: Stillborn Baby Shows Signs of Life, Stuns Undertaker Who Was Preparing Him for Burial
Photo: (Photo : ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)

An Iowa lawmaker, who is also an eighth-grade teacher, has introduced a bill that will allow schools to limit their public internet access to block the students from accessing social media.

Rep. Garrett Gobble said that social media and phone games that require internet access, such as "Clash of Clans," are distractions for the kids. He has witnessed the students in his American History class at the Northview Middle School in Ankeny paying more attention to their Snapchat and other social media accounts instead of their school work.

So, Gobble filed House Bill 2052 on Thursday, January 20, 2022, which has earned support from the Iowa State Education Association. The lawmaker also said that his bill seeks to highlight the impact of social media use on children's mental health.

"Giving our kids an eight-hour break during the school day to focus on school to be a kid - is kind of why I brought this bill forward," Gobble said.

Read Also: Milwaukee Mom Creates Babbling Babes Group for New Parents Who Feel Isolated

Some Schools Already Have the Restrictions

Before Gobble's proposal, some schools in Iowa had been limiting the students' internet access and monitoring the devices officially issued to the students. However, there is no existing law to give schools the legal legroom if restricting the kids' internet use could become an issue.

Gobble realizes that some of the kids, or their parents, could raise censorship concerns. However, the representative said that this had been covered in his proposal.

Rep. Tracy Ehlert, who also works in an elementary school, said Gobble's proposal could help curb cyberbullying. She acknowledged that the children may still have bad experiences online or on social media when accessing the internet at home. However, when they are in school, and some internet sites are blocked, that's "one less thing" the children will have to deal with during the day.

Ehlert also said Gobble's proposal gives teachers the flexibility on which social media sites to block. Teachers could use software or apps to check every student's computer screen during class. Depending on their own judgment, they could facilitate the block from their end.

On the other hand, the Iowa Association of School Boards said it's adopting a neutral position on the bill because sites like YouTube host education materials that could help the kids. The group wonders if the bill should also underscore where the line has to be drawn on what sites should be blocked.

House Bill 2052 will be up for a debate at the state's House of Representatives in the coming weeks.

The Children's Internet Protection Act

In 2000, the U.S. Congress enacted the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) that allows federally-funded schools and libraries to block or filter access to contents, pictures, and materials deemed "obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors." In 2011, the ACLU filed for public high schools to remove any block or filtering software for LGBTQ-related content on the internet. Major schools took heed, eliminating the restrictions or sorting for most LGBTQ content.

By 2013, the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Education issued guidance on the students' use and access to Facebook, YouTube, and similar platforms. While the agencies said these sites do not have to be filtered, school districts across the U.S. have gone ahead and blocked the websites according to the CIPA.

This has remained an ongoing debate between schools and the school community. Some believe that overthinking which contents to block will limit the opportunities for students to discover their passion, talents, and strengths.

Related Article: Teens Build Bus Stop Shelter for Child in a Wheelchair After Dad Pleads for Help
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The value of mobile money transactions between 1 January and 24 January this year amounted to GHC75 billion, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, has said.



Speaking at a government town hall meeting on the E-Levy held on Thursday (27 January 2022) in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Owusu-Ekuful said: Today, as we speak, [looking at] mobile money transactions from 1 to 24 January, 33 million transactions have been conducted this year alone, amounting to a value of over GHC75 billion.



She said the E-Levy on such transactions will help the government improve its ability to generate revenue to develop Ghana. We need to finance our development agenda and stop depending on loans and borrowing from other countries if we are to be truly independent, the minister said.



Unfounded fears

The Communications Minister argued that Ghanaians have no cause for alarm about the E-Levy, because it will help raise the revenue Ghana needs to support its growth.



She argued: The E-Levy is being introduced at a  rate of 1.75%. In other countries, digital taxes are being introduced to the tune of 10% and we travel there to seek loans for our development and to borrow.



In 2020, the Communication Service Tax (CST) Amendment Act was passed to reduce the rate from 9% to 5%. When the CST was introduced, it faced similar opposition [to what] we are seeing currently and the current Speaker dubbed it a talk tax  the NDC and the [telecommunications] industry, led by the GSMA [Global System for Mobile Communications] data, claimed it would damage the growth of the telecommunications industry, as consumers would change their mobile communication habits.



This did not happen; they were unfounded fears, Owusu-Ekuful said.



Journey to entrepreneurship

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has also said the introduction of the Electronic Transactions Levy will help kick-start Ghanas journey towards a flourishing, entrepreneur-led economy.



He said he believes the E-Levy can help increase Ghanas tax-to-GDP ratio, explaining that proceeds from the new levy will be used to support the governments key entrepreneurship-centred initiatives, such as YouStart.



The E-Levy is intrinsically linked to the YouStart initiative. We consider the E-Levy an essential tool to increase our tax-to-GDP from around 13% to 16% and above.



The E-Levy would not only ensure that we do not crowd out the private sector, by reducing borrowing, but would also ensure that we have the revenues to sustainably invest in entrepreneurship, youth employment, cybersecurity [and] digital and road infrastructure, he said.



The minister was speaking at the 73rd annual New Year School and Conference at the University of Ghana, Legon, on Wednesday (26 January) on the theme COVID-19 and Socio-Economic Dynamics in Ghana.



The E-Levy also provides a means for all Ghanaians to help support their country and grow, Ofori-Atta said.

Source: asaaseradio.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The new military leader of Burkina Faso has promised a return to the normal constitutional order "when the conditions are right".



Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba led a mutiny that ousted President Roch Kabore on Monday.



He blamed the president for failing to contain violence by Islamist militants.



He made his first national speech since taking power on the eve of an emergency summit of West African leaders, called in response to the coup.



Burkina Faso is the third West African country to witness a military takeover in the past year. Guinea and Mali have had sanctions imposed on them by regional bloc Ecowas to press them to return to constitutional order.



Wearing a red beret and army fatigues, Lt-Col Damiba, 41, said: "When the conditions are right, according to the deadline that our people will define in all sovereignty, I commit to a return to a normal constitutional order."



He said he will meet representatives of various sections of society to agree on a roadmap for reform.



He added that Burkina Faso needed international partners "more than ever", following condemnation of the coup.



"I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible."



He did not specify which part of the international community he wanted support from - the coup comes at a time when Russia is competing with France to help West African countries tackle a growing Islamist insurgency.



France has thousands of troops in West Africa helping its former colonies Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger tackle jihadist forces.



But the French presence is proving increasingly unpopular in the region and President Emmanuel Macron has started to reduce French troop numbers. Mali has already turned to Russia to fill the vacuum, sparking a bitter row with France, and a group of Russian mercenaries has offered their services to Burkina Faso's new leaders.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Governing Council of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has appointed Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), as the Universitys Chancellor.



A statement issued by the UPSA, made available to the Ghana News Agency, said Dr Sarpongs appointment was communicated to the University Community in a circular dated January 24, 2022, and signed by the Registrar, Dr Koryoe Anim-Wright.



The decision was taken at the 82nd Meeting of the UPSA Governing Council held on Thursday, December 9, 2021.



In filling the Chancellor role, the criteria and processes delineated in Section 14 of the University of Professional Studies Accra Act, ACT 850 and Section 5.0 of the Statutes, were diligently followed, the circular said.



In addition to the criteria stated in the Act and Statutes, the University also considered a personality that shares the Universitys values, vision, goals, and ambitions and possesses an affinity for its work [and] recognises and celebrates the importance of higher education, has a distinguished public servant/service record; and possesses proven fundraising skills and international connections.



The Governing Council further considered other qualities like the ability to promote the university and its achievements regionally, nationally, and internationally, as well as a proven mentorship and passion for social responsibility and community service and an excellent academic profile.



We congratulate Dr Sarpong on his appointment and proudly welcome him as UPSAs Chancellor.



A formal installation ceremony would be held in the coming months, it said.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A driver and two supervisors who were arrested on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, for spilling concrete at Abavana Junction along the Pigfarm-Circle stretch in Accra have been convicted by a court.



The trio were put before the court on Thursday, January 27, 2022, and convicted to pay fines.

The first accused, Tahiru Faisal who is the driver of a Ford Concrete Pump Truck was convicted to pay a fine of GH2,400.



The second accused, Emmanuel Sogah-Burns who is the Engineer/Supervisor of Sobtech Engineering Consultancy was also convicted to pay a fine of GH600. and the third accused, Stephen Donkor who is the operator is to pay a fine of GH600.



"We continue to advise motorists to abide by the road safety regulations at all times. Anybody found culpable will be prosecuted," the Police said in a statement.



The Ministry of Roads and Highways in December 2021 formed a committee to deal with truck drivers who spill pre-mixed concrete on roads and in the environment.



The committee comprises representatives of the ministry, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and the Chamber of Construction Companies and has the mandate to stop the spillage of concrete on roads and the environment and bring offenders to book.





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.

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Recently, when I read the story of a fake General in Nigeria, I exclaimed in the current parlance of youngsters, for real? A fake General? It took me back to my days in Nigeria.

I will always remember Justice, a C-130 pilot, for his favourite saying, I begin to wonder, when he found something incomprehensible.



Justice and I were mates and friends at the Command and Staff College (CSC), Jaji-Kaduna, Nigeria, in the late-1980s.



Sadly, while serving in Cambodia in 1992/1993, I heard on BBC one morning the tragic news of a Nigerian C-130 air-crash at Murtala-



Mohammed-Airport, Ikeja, soon after take-off in Lagos killing all the over 200 persons on board.



The aircraft was conveying Directing Staff (lecturers) and students of the CSC from Lagos to Kaduna after a study tour of Nigerias offshore oil installations.



Reliving my days as a student earlier and going on a similar trip, I was inconsolable as I mourned my colleagues I did not know, except the Ghanaians.



It was not until I returned home from Cambodia over a year later that my Manager told me, the captain of the ill-fated aircraft was my friend Justice!



I have heard of people faking virtually all professions. So there have been fake or quack doctors, fake investors, fake teachers, fake lawyers and, indeed, fake soldiers in military uniforms!



But faking a General, Justice would have exclaimed I begin to wonder!



A BBC International News item on January 14, 2022 titled Fake General arrested over Buhari signature forgery read as follows:



A fake army general has been arrested for allegedly forging the signature of Nigerian President Buhari to commit fraud.



Nigerias Economic and Financial Commission (EFFC) said Bolarinwa Oluwasegun, who was posing as an army general, defrauded Kodef Clearing Resources of over $US650,000.



EFFC said the suspect claimed he had been shortlisted for an appointment by the president, but needed the money to pay a bribe to get the appointment.



Mr Oluwasegun was arrested in Lagos last Wednesday; they found six pump-action guns, a swagger-stick and several forged documents.



The suspect was said to have forged an appointment letter as Nigerias Chief-of-Army-Staff (Army Commander) signed by the president, which he used to defraud his victim.



On December 31, 2021, a news item with the deadline Adenta Division Police Command arrests fake Medical Doctor, recounted the arrest of a man who had been practising medicine for 35 years without license from the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana.



Similar arrests of fake doctors were made at Peki of a 77-year-old fake doctor, Assin Fosu and Dorma-Ahenkro in 2021.



At Nyinahin, a 39-year-old fake lawyer was arraigned before court in November 2021.



It is amazing how human beings easily believe implausible things, and fall victim to fraudsters or scammers such as Oluwasegun.



Here in Ghana recently, a nurse allegedly paid a pastor 40,000 cedis to help her go overseas for an advertised nursing job.



In her bedroom, the pastor asked her to close her eyes and pray while he mixed her some concoction.



After drinking the concoction, she passed out. She was woken up by a burning sensation and smoke.



The pastor had set her room on fire ostensibly, to burn her alive as he escaped with her money!



Incredible as this story may sound, similar ones occur more often than one would want to believe.



The question is if one has GH40,000 cedis, what sense does it make to give it to a pastor to pray for an overseas advert one is qualified for?



On January 13, 2022, a respected and enlightened 76-year-old chief committed suicide after money he borrowed from a money-lender to be doubled was scammed by the money-doubler!



Connection men



There are Ghanaians who call themselves connection men who live by convincing gullible Ghanaians by promising them heaven in Europe or America.



Amazingly, people in reasonably good jobs pay large amounts of money to these connection men to help them cross the Sahara Desert to Libya, and then the Mediterranean to Europe.



While some die crossing the Sahara, others drown crossing the Mediterranean. Yet in spite of all this, people still entrust their lives to connection men, and embrace risk.



While unemployment levels may be high, if Ghanaians have the monies they give to connection men, then it defies common sense why they cannot invest the money here.



Government



However, ultimately, it is the responsibility of government to protect, and educate Ghanaians about the dangerous adventure crossing the Sahara or Mediterranean, and create a congenial economic environment to make Ghanaians stay in Ghana.



But Ghanaians, wise up!



Stop falling victim to connection men such as fake general Oluwasegun of Nigeria, whose Ghanaian classmates could be lurking around in Ghana.



Sometimes, in my friend Justices words, I begin to wonder how much interest our rulers have in us Ghanaians!



Leadership, lead! Fellow Ghanaians, wake up!



The writer is former CEO, African Peace Support Trainers Association, Nairobi, Kenya & Council Chairman, Family Health University College, Accra. E-mail: [email protected]















Source: Brig. Gen. Dan Frimpong (Rtd)/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.

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The government has reiterated the need for the introduction of the electronic levy, also known as e-levy. The President tweeted on Wednesday, January 27, 2022, that the E-Levy will among other things reduce the countrys dependence on foreign aid.



The e-levy will provide the government with revenue to build more roads, provide more jobs and opportunities for the youth and reduce our dependence on debt.



His comment is part of efforts by the government to sensitize the public on the need for the introduction of the controversial e-levy, including a nationwide town hall meeting which is starting in Koforidua today, Thursday.



The government says the feedback from the engagement will inform it on the implementation of the levy.



The E-levy is a new tax measure introduced by the government in the 2022 Budget on basic transactions related to digital payments and electronic platform transactions.



A charge of 1.75% will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GH100 on a daily basis.



The town hall meeting will feature Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.



Also, to be in attendance at the forums will be sector-specific Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other relevant industry stakeholders.



The Town Hall Meeting is being organised by the Ministry of Information and will be live on various television networks in the country as well as the Ministrys social media pages.



E-Levy will cover:



a. Mobile Money Transfers between accounts on the same electronic money issuer (EMI).



b. Mobile Money transfers from an account on one EMI to a recipient on another EMI.



c. Transfers from bank accounts to mobile money accounts.



d. Transfer from mobile money accounts to bank accounts.



e. Bank transfers on a digital platform or application originate from a bank account belonging to an individual to another individual.



E-Levy will not impact:

a. Cumulative transfers of GHS 100 per day made by the same person.



b. Transfers between accounts owned by the same person.



c. Transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges on the Ghana.gov platform.



d. Electronic Clearing of Cheques.



e. Specified merchant payments (i.e. payments to commercial establishments registered with GRA for Income Tax and VAT purposes).



f. Transfers between principal, master-agent, and agents accounts.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu insists that the E-Levy, on the face of it, is a form of double taxation which also appears to be discriminatory as it will only apply to electronic transactions.



According to him, the money that will be subjected to the 1.75% tax by the government would be already taxed money at the time of being earned from an employer, calling it a money tax.



In fact its proper name is money tax. Ken Ofori-Atta is just lazily seeking to tax money. Anybody holding money and moving money must pay tax. Let anybody share with me this experience anywhere in the world. So it is money tax  when you move money, pay, when you transact business, pay, he stated.



Addressing journalists in Parliament on Wednesday after receiving a petition from a group calling itself Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG), Mr. Iddrisu said What Ghanaians must be prepared to accept painfully is that the cumulative incidents of an electronic money transfer is 3.75% and not 1.75%.



There is an existing 1% and a back-off-cash-out1%. Even though there was no universality because Voda Cash, because of promotional purposes, was zero.



Those of you who know arithmetic like the Hon Ato Forson. When the Minister of Finance says that the telcos have agreed to reduce their share by 0.25%, so those were zero, is there a minus 0.25% from their zero? he quizzed.



The Tamale South MP thanked members of MMAAG for their courage to share where they stand on the E-Levy which he said would affect the nations quest for a digital economy, but on a matter that affects your livelihood and employment and affects many others outside who have no voices to reach out to parliament and to share the views to parliament.



I am inspired further reading your text when I see the words, particularly page three which you say this we know will impact us also as agents.



As you express it, it is not just Mobile Money Agents, the fitech institutions, merchants, electronic money ecosystem will stand to lose with the insensitivity of the Nana Akufo-Addo government, he posited.



I have heard very interesting stories in the last one week. And one which beats my imagination is to hear Ministers of Finance and Information and Members of Parliament of the NPP say without any shame that they allow us to raise revenue to build infrastructure.

When the NDC under John Dramani Mahama initiated those VATs on financial services, was it to raise stones? It was to raise revenue for the purpose of development, the Minority asserted.



But all of a sudden, it is as if it is only them who know that revenue is used for infrastructure development. And now the argument has even shifted because the NDC thinks if they get money they will develop Ghana, he stated further.



He pledged the commitment of the Minority Caucus to convey the concerns of the petitioners to the bill and the debate to the bill.



General Secretary of MMAAG, Evans Otumfuo said as main capital investors in this digital finance, we are much concerned about the intended astronomical rate of 1.75% proposed by the government through the Hon. Finance Minister on November 17, 2021.



He stated that in the recent years as a result of Mobile Money, more businesses had risen and become the main driver of the economic activities in the country.



The presence of digital finance has created and continues to create millions of employment through the establishment of medium and small scale enterprises. Classical is the recent spike in e-commerce industry and its activities as a result of Mobile Money, he asserted.



As a Union, after a careful assessment and review of the budget statement and Economic policies for the year ending December 31,2022, and the aspects that concern our operations have left us in shock and felt that the Government could look at it again, he submitted.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, a Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom, is pleading with Ghanaians to support the government to implement the controversial e-levy policy.



The e-levy has become a bone of contention among the Members of Parliament (MPs) and the citizenry as the country is tossed between whether or not to approve it.



With a section of the MPs in full support of this initiative, the other half is vehemently opposed to its implementation.



To the opposition, this e-levy will compound the hardships of Ghanaians.



But speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi sides with the Majority in Parliament who are yearning to pass the E-levy Bill which will subject Ghanaians to deductions on all their electronic transactions.



According to Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, the e-levy is a test to the world that Ghanaians are indeed ready for development, therefore urging the citizens to embrace it.



He explained that in a case where Ghana may go for a loan for development, the joy in paying the e-levy will serve as evidence to the lenders and investors that the nation is truly serious to be developed.



''In the future, should we go for a loan for our development, they will ask whether the citizens are ready for development and I plead with Ghanaians that this contribution to our development will ensure that if someone is coming to give us a loan, the person will say 'yes, the country has accepted they want development'. This is the truest test that Ghanaians are ready for development because we have all accepted to support with our quota . . . For me, looking into the future, this is a statement that Ghanaians are making to our President and those abroad that we are ready for development'," he advised the citizenry.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Effutu constituency and Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin has disclosed the majority in Parliament has had a good working relationship with the minority side of the House.



He said what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs have been seen doing in the House is exactly what is expected of them as an opposition.



Speaking in an interview on TV3, the Effutu MP said aside from the brawl, the NDC has been very cooperative.



Weve had the best of cooperation from our colleagues. Were a political class with our ideologies and you should expect that we compete. The NDC Minority in Parliament, with all due respect, they have done what theyre supposed to do, because we have done several things by consensus.



You should expect that on very sensitive matters that they will disagree. I, my only problem with them was the brawl, the fisticuffs that people were attacking. Apart from that, what do you expect opposition to do? Because 2024 is just right there.



Meanwhile, the Deputy Majority Leader has also asked NABCO trainees to give the government some time to pay them their allowances which have been in arrears for five months.



On the matter of the controversial E-Levy, the MP said its implementation has become necessary for the government to raise revenue for developmental purposes.





Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A person walks by a truck with a Freedom on it before the departure of the trucks from Kingston to Ottawa, in Kingston, Ont., on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
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Roger LaCharite of Fernandina Beach, Florida leads 29 surviving runners from Day 1b of Event #1: $560 NLH at the 2022 Winter Open. A field of 226 turned out to bestbet Jacksonville for the second of three flights in the opening event of the popular tournament series. Two flights have generated a prize pool of $173,760 with Saturday expected to be a huge turnout.

LaCharite vaulted into the lead late in the evening with a series of big pots, including the last hand of the night when his queens held up against ace-king to win a pot that gave him the top stack of 467,000. Not far behind LaCharite is Mark Berrigan of Tallahassee with 323,000 and Dan Williams of St. Johns, Florida with 278,000.

Day 1b and Day 1c players will return on Sunday for the finale where Day 1a ended with eight minutes left in Level 13.

Event #1: $560 NLH Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts

Place Name Chip Count Day 2 Big Blinds 1 Roger LaCharite 467,000 156 2 Mark Berrigan 323,000 108 3 Dan Williams 278,000 93 4 Michael Ticknor 246,000 82 5 Raminder Singh 224,000 75 6 Joseph Scibelli 222,000 74 7 Cory Waaland 214,000 71 8 Daquon Wilson 211,000 70 9 Gloria Jackson 209,000 70 10 Blaine Villarreal 183,000 61

Day 1b Action

Thomas Elder built a big stack early after leaving Nikhil Sunku with crumbs after flopping a full house, but he did not qualify for Day 2. Local poker player Kelly Slay also failed to qualify for Day 2, but she still provided plenty of highlights, including a clash with Lisa Buck that saw Slay take a big pot with three sixes.

Cory Waaland will return for Day 2 with 211,000 in chips after a run that got started when he eliminated another player with a better kicker on a pair of tens. Ken Pedersen will also move on to Day 2 after making a flush to bust Guy Caudill.

Cory Waaland

Elsewhere, Alex Ortiz found trouble near the end of the night when he surrendered a double to eventual chip leader LaCharite. Moments later he was right back to health after catching two pair to double right back up and survive to see Day 2. LaCharite found a big double late when his king-jack outdrew a pair of jacks, just prior to ending the evening with his pocket queens.

Day 1c players will kick off Saturday at 12 p.m. EST with 20,000 in chips and 30-minute levels. The field will once again play down to 12.5%, with all three flights returning for Sundays Day 2 finale with eight minutes left in Level 13. Registration is unlimited and will remain open until the beginning of Level 10.

Be sure to join the PokerNews team again throughout the weekend for live updates from bestbet Jacksonville for the 2022 Winter Open.
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A 27-year veteran of the Aiken Department of Public Safety was shot and killed on Jan. 28, 2012; 10 years later, the community remembers a sister, friend and the first female officer to be killed in South Carolina history.

Master Cpl. Sandy Rogers was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Eustis Park on the morning of Jan. 28, 2012.

Rogers was responding to a suspicious vehicle call when she exited her vehicle and approached the drivers side of the car. The driver, Joshua Tremaine Jones, shot her three times before taking her gun and fleeing the scene. Her injuries were fatal.

It is believed Jones thought he was being arrested for the murder of 21-year-old Cayce Vice, his pregnant girlfriend, who had been shot and killed hours earlier in the apartment she and Jones shared.

In 2014, Jones pleaded guilty but mentally ill to Rogers murder. He will be incarcerated for the rest of his life without the possibility of parole.

Rogers' sister, Jenny Johnson, said the family continues to go to the park every year on the anniversary of Rogers' death.

They arrive just before 7 a.m., which they said is around the time Rogers was killed.

"It's just something we feel like we want to do," Johnson said. "We get there at about a quarter till seven and just kind of talk and reminisce a little bit."

The family puts a large photo, flowers and a candle out for the day to memorialize Rogers and her service to the city.

"I used to put out her picture every year, but it's rained just about ever since she's died on this particular day," she said. "This year it didn't rain, so I put the picture back out so it wouldn't get ruined."

Locals flooded social media comments Friday morning, remembering Rogers for her kindhearted nature and jokes.

An ex-employee of the Rogers' family tire shop posted about how Rogers used to call the store requesting pink Cadillac tires, Johnson explained.

"She'd love to call tricks on people," she said.

Rogers is also remembered for helping children and domestic violence victims in the community.

"There's a lot of kids she talked to, and many of them have actually turned their lives around," Johnson said. "There were also a lot of women who were abused by their husbands and she made sure those ladies got home. She was just a true cop, she made sure to take care of everybody  she was just a really giving person that way."

Historical markers, dedications

Rogers was killed just one month after Master Public Safety Officer Scotty Richardson was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Dec. 20, 2011.

Both officers are memorialized at the new Aiken Department of Public Safety Headquarters located at 834 Beaufort St. N.E.

The memorial includes raised plaques for every fallen officer and information about their deaths.

"We feel like this memorial here at Aiken Public Safety is what we needed and wanted to do," said Aiken Department of Public Safety Chief Charles Barranco.

There have yet to be any city markers or memorials placed where Rogers lost her life.

Johnson said while she would love to have a permanent marker placed in honor of her sister, Richardson should be recognized as well.

"They haven't done anything like that for Scotty either," Johnson said.

One reason behind the absence of markers is the location Richardson was killed. The incident occurred on private property, which complicates the legality of marker placement.

"They won't do for one what they wouldn't do for the other, and where he got killed, I can't see them putting a memorial or anything there for him."

The city has yet to have named any new buildings, bridges or roadways after the fallen officers over the last decade.

"We would support other avenues, of course, to memorialize those [officers] but that's for the community to decide," Barranco said.

For more on the 10th anniversary of Rogers' and Richardson's deaths, read the following stories published in December:
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Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
A four-story affordable housing development is being proposed on the Charleston peninsula one block south of the historic City Market.

Nicholas C.L. Jones with Charleston-based Cumberland LLC wants to build 21 units in a mixed-use commercial project on Cumberland Street.

The proposed development includes three parcels between Church and State streets that currently have a parking lot and the Martschink Building as well as another building to the west. The proposal also includes a vacant lot on Linguard Street next to the recently opened Loutrel Hotel.

Plans do not include the corner brick building at Church and Cumberland streets.

Site plans for the first floor show a 2,130-square-foot gym at Cumberland and State streets with a 1,164-square-foot commercial building to the north along State Street next to the Loutrel.

The first level also will include a 1,512-square-foot amenity and lobby on Cumberland, an interior commercial space of 1,245 square feet, a couple of courtyards and parking.

Plans show the residential units on three upper floors, with nine on the second story, eight on the third and four larger residences on the fourth. The units will include either porches or terraces. A top-floor pool and clubhouse is planned along Linguard Street.

Jones did not respond to a request for further comment on the proposal last week.

More multifamily

A North Carolina real estate developer plans to build a new apartment development on the Cainhoy peninsula.

Raleigh-based Aventon Companies wants to build a 320-unit multifamily complex on a 20-acre site on Clements Ferry Road between Jack Primus Road and Charleston Regional Parkway, according to site plans.

An affiliate of Mount Pleasant-based McAlister Development owns the property, which is in the city of Charleston and adjacent to apparel maker Gildan's distribution center, according to Berkeley County land records.

The proposed development in Charleston will be the company's first in South Carolina, according to Aventon's website. It has other properties in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Changing hands

A Baltimore-based company that owns Mount Pleasant Towne Centre now owns a nearby multifamily complex.

Continental Realty Corp. paid $28.25 million, or about $307,000 per key, on Jan. 26 for the 92-unit Six Apartments at 2170 Snyder Circle behind Harris Teeter supermarket off Six Mile Road.

The previous owner of the three-acre site was an affiliate of real estate development firm Origin Development Partners of Mount Pleasant.

The three-story complex was built in 2018. Unit sizes range from 574 square feet to 1,154 square feet with rents from $1,400 to more than $2,100 for the studio to two-bedroom units, according to apartments.com.

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With upscale fixtures inside, the complex's amenities include a pool and recreation area with an outdoor kitchen, movie screen wall and firepit.

The community also includes a clubhouse with conference center, a stand-alone health and fitness center, pet park, bike and kayak storage area and private garages.

"The Six offers a boutique-style residential living experience and is indicative of the institutional-quality asset we traditionally target in our acquisition strategy," said Ari Abramson, Continental's vice president of acquisitions.

"We intend to remain extremely aggressive in our search for similar acquisition opportunities in this region," Abramson said.

Continental CEO J.M. Schapiro noted submarkets such as Mount Pleasant have "enticing performance trends, limited new supply and solid long-term fundamentals."

In February 2020, the company paid $147 million for Towne Centre, one of the region's premier shopping destinations about a mile away from The Six. Weeks later, the firm bought the 313-unit Central Island Square Apartments on Daniel Island for $91.75 million.

The company also owns West Ashley Shoppes on Orleans Road across from Citadel Mall as well as two other income-producing properties in South Carolina. They include two apartment communities in Greenville and Bluffton.

In all, Continental owns and manages more than 5 million square feet of commercial space as well as more than 9,000 apartment units in 10 states across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

New owner

A North Charleston multifamily complex was recently part of a seven-property transaction valued at $176 million.

Texas-based Comunidad Realty Partners bought the 104-unit Collins Park Villas at 4211 Britain Court off Dorchester Road near Charleston International Airport in late December from California-based Strategic Holdings.

The other six properties are in the Atlanta area, according to the commercial real estate firm Berkadia, which handled the sale for the seller.

The land transaction had not been recorded in Charleston County as of Jan. 27. The property last changed hands in 2014 for $5.1 million.

New townhomes

A new townhouse development is taking shape off Clements Ferry Road near Interstate 526.

Construction is underway on the first building with seven units of what will be a 79-townhome community in The Bluffs at Pinefield.

Eastwood Homes is developing the three-story community at 1024 Pinefield Road. Residences start in the $400,000s.
Chamber music enthusiasts, particularly those who appreciate the invaluable contribution of Black classical musicians and composers, may want to listen up.

From Feb. 2 to Feb. 5, the Colour of Music Festival is set once again reverberate through its home town of Charleston, and in some especially meaningful and evocative places, too.

"Returning to present for the many patrons who have supported the festival and the bold idea from the very beginning is important to the festival," said Lee Pringle, founder and artistic director, Colour of Music Festival. It was founded in Charleston in 2013.

Since then, it has championed hundreds of Black musical artists present and past. It has also logged thousands of miles, expanding in 2016 to grace performance halls and college campuses from coast to coast in cities including Washington, DC, Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Richmond and Sacramento.

Chamber music is the festival's current focus, performed in spaces certain to lend to the audience experience. Pringle said that the festival's model was artistically reengineered in 2018 to that end.

With Charleston classical music origins being rooted in chamber music, the festival also reduced offerings with the aim of capturing how it was originally conceived and presented.

Patrons can look forward to four days of performances, many taking place in intimate settings. Performances feature a span of sounds, involving everything from African instruments like the marimba, or xylophone, to the harpsichord.

Concerts will take place in the Murray Center Salon in Spoleto Festival USA's offices at 14 George St., in the Edmonston Alston House at 21 South Battery St. and at Festival Hall at 56 Beaufain St.

Two of those venues take on particular meaning for Pringle, as both the properties at 21 East Battery St. and 14 George St. are connected with the Pringle name.

"Both have a direct line of Pringles who either commissioned and built the homes or venues we are using or they acquired the historic edifices," Pringle said.

Timed as Black History Month gets underway, the festival this year includes works by several noted Black female composers: Florence B. Price, Margaret Bonds, Valerie Coleman and Jessie Montgomery.

The festival opens with a matinee vocal recital featuring Manna K. Jones, soprano, joined by pianist, Elizabeth G. Hill. Opening day concludes with a name synonymous with Charleston and the arts, Gian Carlo Menotti, and his "Trio for Clarinet, Piano and Violin."

Other highlights include Toshiro Mayuzumis "Concerto for Xylophone & Piano," Montgomerys "Strum" and Prices "Quintet in A Minor for Piano and Strings."

Chamber music enthusiasts can also look forward to compositions by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Antonio Vivaldi and Jose White Lafitte.

Pringle also underscored that even though the festival has gained traction nationally, when in 2021 live performance started returning, Charleston remains their home base.

"Because of the significance of Black history  and the region serving as the place where 40 percent of all Africans arriving to North America landed in Charleston  it's only fitting we return to where my ancestors started their life's journey, and where the festival started at the historic Dock Street Theatre.

"Our return to Charleston annually is to honor our Lowcountry support and to present Black classical music," Pringle said.

Patrons must present a fully vaccinated and boosted vaccination card for entry. For those who do have them, a KN95 mask will be provided by the festival and must be worn throughout the performance. Performance ticket holders who do not comply with these policies will not be admitted.

Colour of Music Festival tickets range from $15 to $40. For details and to purchase tickets, call 888-512-9835 or visit colourofmusic.org.
Members of South Carolina's Republican delegation want to help save livestock from predatory black vultures by way of a depredation order from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A letter led by U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, and signed by each GOP member of the state's congressional delegation was sent to the service earlier this month requesting it to consider issuing a depredation order on a state-by-state basis and grant one for South Carolina.

The letter suggests the state's livestock industry is "under attack" by black vultures, predatory birds that are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

These birds are considered scavengers, feeding on anything from road kill to the remains of animals left by predators. Black vultures congregate in large communal roosts, and their predatory behavior can lead them to attack and kill vulnerable animals like calves, lambs and piglets.

And since they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, if producers witness the attacks occurring, they are required to seek a permit before they can act to protect their property, according to the letter from the congressional members.

This can exacerbate the losses farmers experience as additional attacks can occur during the time it takes to get the necessary permits, the letter said.

Cattle are one of the state's top commodities, contributing $133.7 million to the economy annually, according a news release from S.C. Farm Bureau. The nonprofit organization supports family farmers, and said the behavior of black vultures has resulted in significant losses for the state's cattle farmers.

There are nearly 25,000 farms and 4.7 million acres of farmland in the state. According to the 2020 State Agriculture Overview, South Carolina's cattle inventory, including calves, was about 330,000.

Nearly $17,000 in damages have been reported over the last three years, according to the S.C. Farm Bureau.

"I would guess the actual losses would be significantly greater than this 'reported' number," said Stephanie Sox, director of promotion and education for the S.C. Farm Bureau Federation.

Sox said the organization has heard much more anecdotally about farmers losing livestock to predation by vultures, but the cases were not officially reported.

"The well-being of our livestock is top priority for cattle farmers and they were left without a tenable solution to dealing with vultures," said Harry Ott, president of the S.S. Farm Bureau Federation.

He said he appreciates the support of the legislators for the depredation order, which would be "an important tool in a long-term solution to help protect cattle and calves."

The state Republican delegation sent the letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service's principal deputy director, Martha Williams, on Jan. 18. The delegation had not yet received a response as of Jan. 26.

James Elliott Jr., executive director of the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, said based on his experience, there is often a lack of scientific data to support the need for a depredation order.

"It gets to be more of a reaction to a circumstance or instance, and in many cases, more emotional than scientific," Elliott said. "But in general, it's (a depredation order) not good science."

According to Elliott, vultures aren't a disease threat, but are very intelligent and highly hygienic.

"But until we deal with what the attraction is, we're just going to set up a perpetual action of whatever it is to solve the problem," he said.

Wild birds are opportunistic and have to search daily for food to survive. And if a particular group of vultures is removed, but the source or attraction remains, Elliott said they will just be replaced by another group.
Judaism and Christianity have a shared history, which provides a starting point for members of the two faith traditions to study their sacred texts together and learn each other's customs and practices.

That's been the overarching goal of a new collaborative virtual Bible study between downtown Charleston's St. Matthew's Lutheran Church and Synagogue Emanu-El in West Ashley.

During their five-week study  titled Coffee Talk: The Five Megillot  the two groups examine the Song of Songs, the Book of Ruth, the Book of Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and the Book of Esther. These texts make up a large portion of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Old Testament in Christian tradition.

What the two congregations didn't expect during their study, which launched Jan. 6, was that they wouldn't just be reflecting on the destruction of a Jewish sacred space that took place thousands of years ago. The two faith traditions would also be lamenting present-day attacks against houses of worship.

On Jan. 15, a gunman took four people, including a rabbi, hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, during Saturday service. The gunman was killed by authorities. The hostages escaped unharmed.

In Charleston, Synagogue Emanu-El and St. Matthew's Lutheran had their weekly Bible study on Jan. 20 to examine the book of Lamentations. The text mourns the destruction of the First Temple, destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.

The two groups sought to apply the text in a way that found hope and healing after the troubling Texas incident, which the FBI is treating as a hate crime. Lamentations provided encouragement after an incident that still serves as a painful reminder of the frequent attacks against Jews and other minority faith groups in the U.S.

"Despite (Lamentations') name, it ends on hope," said Rabbi Evan Ravski, who leads the West Ashley congregation. "There's this underlying current of hope throughout the book. We talked about how each religion uses our texts to help heal in the time of tragedy."

The Colleyville case is a reminder of the need to bridge interfaith relations, Ravski said.

"I think thats part of this class  building those interfaith bridges so when tragedy does strike, we as neighbors are there for one another," Ravski said.

During the Jan. 20 study, participants also reflected on the 2015 shooting at Emanuel AME Church, where a white supremacist killed nine Black parishioners during the church's Bible study. It reminded them Charleston isn't immune to attacks against sacred spaces.

Nationally, attacks against Jewish communities have been frequent. The U.S. saw an uptick in anti-Semitic threats and violence last year.

The Rev. Eric Childers, pastor of St. Matthew's Lutheran, said it struck him during the biblical discussion when Synagogue Emanu-El's president said he often worries during worship services if someone will enter the synagogue with a gun.

The church has a responsibility to stand alongside other faith traditions when they are attacked, Childers said.

"We cannot normalize this violence against any house of faith," he said.

Childers also lamented shootings that take place in other public places, such as schools. When violence occurs at educational institutions, he prays for the victims. But he doesn't end his prayer on that note.

"I also say this: 'Dear Lord, I pray for us Christians for allowing this to continue to happen. For not doing anything,'" Childers said. "Our thoughts and prayers are good. But if thats all were going to do, then shame on us.

Persons who want to participate in the collaborative Bible study should contact Childers at pastor@smlccharleston.org for the Zoom link.
GEORGETOWN  A $2 million slander lawsuit by a Georgetown County Board of Elections member against a former colleague is scheduled to go to trial on March 7 after multiple pleas to dismiss the case were denied.

Current board member Tracy Gibson filed a lawsuit in 2020 alleging that Jan Lane used false and defamatory language against her during monthly board meetings and additionally claimed that Lane slandered her character and reputation.

Lane, who is no longer on the board, has denied the allegations and has asked a judge on two separate occasions through her attorney to dismiss the case, claiming lack of merit.

Gibson, who has been on the board since 2016, said in the lawsuit that she had no prior knowledge of Lane before being appointed.

The lawsuit alleges that multiple times during monthly meetings when the nine-member board was conducting business, Lane looked at Gibson and "in an offensive tone and voice, shouted shut up.

While addressing the board at an August 2020 meeting, Lane is alleged to have stared at Gibson and said, Im not talking to you, in a sharp and hostile voice. The lawsuit also says that Gibson ignored Lanes harsh and disturbing remarks without any understanding of why it was happening.

During the same meeting, the lawsuit refers to a proposal that was under discussion by the board to revise and amend its by-laws. Gibson claims that Lane was apparently upset for Gibson's support of the measure and for unexplained reasons, was verbally and violently attacked.

It is alleged in the lawsuit that shortly after the 2020 meeting and on many occasions later, Lane falsely, violently, intentionally and with obvious malice said that the plaintiff was a hateful bitch.

Gibson claims that Lane publicly made that statement around others and multiple times afterward would say, I said it and Im not taking it back.

This lawsuit makes the claim that Lanes actions have caused permanent emotional distress to Gibsons well-being and has further provoked substantial mental anguish, and pain and suffering all of which is likely to be permanent.

Gibson is asking for no less than $2 million to compensate her and punish the wrong-doer for the damages and injury sustained by her at the hands of the defendant.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
MYRTLE BEACH  Graham Allen, the Upstate conservative media personality who is an ally of former President Donald Trump, dropped out of the congressional race for the seat held by Myrtle Beach Republican Tom Rice.

Allen was one of 10 active GOP primary foes challenging Rice after his vote to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots.

Allen, 35, was the race's second-biggest fundraiser behind Rice through Sept. 30. He even outraised the congressman during a three-month period in the spring. Updated fundraising data through the end of 2021 is due Jan. 31.

Allen was facing questions about his residency. The clothing line owner and podcaster lives in Anderson and had what he called a temporary part-time home in Horry County, though legally candidates can run for congressional seats while living anywhere in the state.

"After speaking with President Trump and so many other America First fightersToday, I am officially suspending my Congressional Campaign," Allen posted on Facebook. "For the past 6 years, all I have ever wanted to do is help FIGHT for our Country. Support our Rights and Freedoms as Americans and support President Trump and his AMERICA First policies."

Trump thanked Allen for joining the race against one of the 10 House Republicans to vote for his impeachment.

"Graham Allen is a warrior for America First and has always answered the call to serve our Nation," Trump said in a message sent soon after Allen announced plans to drop out. "Thank you, Graham, for your support of the MAGA ticket in 2022. Graham has a great future ahead of him!"

State Rep. Russell Fry of Surfside Beach, Horry County school board chairman Ken Richardson of Conway and Cheraw doctor Garrett Barton are expected to become Rice's biggest rivals in the race for the 7th congressional district that includes much of the Pee Dee.

Allen said he was stepping aside in part because one challenger needs to try to beat Rice, an accountant who is seeking a sixth term. He was the fourth candidate to drop out of the GOP primary for the 7th congressional district in recent months.

"What I will NOT do is be a negative or get in the way of RINOs (Republicans in name only) squeaking through a divided vote of MAGA voters," Allen said. "President Trump was clear. One candidate against RINOs. I refuse to allow my own pride to get in the way of fighting for what this Country needs..REAL America First patriots in DC!"

Allen drew some attention after getting the endorsement of Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump's staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill.

Green and Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, another major Trump backer, were supposed to headline a rally in Myrtle Beach in November but they had to back out with debate heating up on the Build Back Better plan in Capitol Hill.
MONCKS CORNER  Berkeley County officials are giving residents more time to review their redistricting proposal before approving it.

County Council announced it will finalize redistricting efforts on Feb. 14. Between now and then, residents are invited to give their input on the county's proposed changes to the district map.

County officials were set to approve the redistricting plan at a Jan. 24 meeting. Officials instead briefly updated residents on the current map and next steps.

The redistricting process occurs every 10 years when maps have to be redrawn following the census.

Berkeley County's population grew by more than 50,000 people in the past 10 years. It's made Berkeley the No. 2 fastest-growing county in the state.

As a result, council districts will see growth of around 10,000 people. County officials said the goal is to have around 30,000 people for each district once the redistricting process is over.

"It's not a perfect process," Councilman Josh Whitley said.

The goal with the current redistricting plan is to eliminate split districting, where portions of districts are placed into different areas of the county.

For example, in the current district map, significant portions of Councilman Jack Schurlknight's District 6 are scattered in Councilman Caldwell Pinckney Jr.'s District 7. Portions of Schurlknight's district are also intertwined with Steve Davis' District 8.

The proposed map sees those and other areas cleaned up a bit. Thinly stretched portions of districts have been redrawn to create more solidified community blocks. The hope is that the new map will prevent communities from being split.

"It will keep down on a lot of confusion," Schurlknight said.

At the Jan. 24 council meeting, Schurlknight also complimented county staff on the work they put into the redistricting process.

Pinckney said the process overall has been a trying one. With the county's growth, the districts' populations have increased.

The challenge, he said, has been making sure things remain fair. Rural portions of the county have different needs than larger cities.

In the areas Pinckney oversees, such as Cross, many of the needs are basic  water and broadband access, for example. These are needs that are different from those in areas such as Goose Creek or Cane Bay.

I know we dont have it perfect," Pinckney said of redistricting. I hope we have it as equitable as we possibly can get it.

His district has also been the topic of conversation because community organizers would like it to be solidified as a majority Black voting-age population district.

Sharina Haynes is the president of the Goose Creek Branch of the NAACP. At the council meeting, she submitted a redistricting map that was created in conjunction with the NAACP's South Carolina legal team.

"There's so much growth in Berkeley County," she said. "We want to make sure the community of colors are not being split."

The Cross area is majority-Black, she said. Making sure the district becomes a majority-Black voting-age population district will give Black people in the area more voting power, she said.

NAACP leaders said they have been reassured by the county that the organization will approve of the proposed map. Haynes said they will be on the lookout for any new information or updates as the redistricting plan is set to be finalized on Feb. 14.

Organizers with the NAACP agree with the county on the need to fix split districts.

Residents are encouraged to view the county's proposed map and offer input by going to berkeleycountysc.gov/redistricting/.

Haynes said in the coming days they plan to push more community members to get involved in the redistricting process.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
You can forgive lawmakers for getting sticker shock on Wednesday when S.C. Education Superintendent Molly Spearman suggested giving all teachers a $4,000 raise, bringing their starting pay to $40,000 at a cost of $300 million a year.

Thats twice what she sought before she realized how fast our economy was growing and nearly three times what Gov. Henry McMaster is recommending in additional school funding.

But its nearly $50 million less than it would take to maintain South Carolinas current commitment to our schools as measured by their share of the states recurring budget.

And raising teacher pay to fight our deepening teacher shortage would actually follow the principle that many legislators consider their North Star. Many jobs are far more stressful than before the pandemic, which reset the American psyche, inviting people to indulge their inner demanding, domineering and downright rude child. So businesses have been racing to increase wages to attract increasingly hard-to-find workers.

Significantly increasing teacher pay is probably the easiest way to address the supply-and-demand problem, because the other thing thats driving teachers out of the classroom is lack of respect: from school administrators, the public and our lawmakers.

Which brings us to legislative efforts to outlaw a collection of ideas and actions that critics lump together under the term "critical race theory."

The problem isnt that some lawmakers want to prohibit teachers from saying that white people are inherently racist or that men are inherently sexist or that children are somehow responsible for their ancestors' sins. Teachers shouldnt say such things. Nobody should say such things.

Indeed, few of the prohibitions in the five bills that the House Education Committee plans to focus on for the foreseeable future are objectionable on their face, or on their own.

The problem is the invective behind the bills  and their punitive nature. The problem is the opinion of our teachers that drives so many lawmakers to believe  without evidence  that our public schools are laboratories of leftist indoctrination.

The Post and Couriers Sara Gregory reports that despite being pressed, the only example the bills supporters gave of an inappropriate lesson in a South Carolina classroom involved a teacher asking students to wear black in mourning over the 2016 election of Donald Trump. That would indeed be unacceptable  if it happened in a public school. It didnt; it happened in a private school.

As the Palmetto State Teachers Associations Patrick Kelly recently told us, the complaints seem to be coming from social media and extremists on cable news shows, not from inside our public school classrooms. Reliable indications are that any instances of S.C. teachers trying to "inculcate" students with any of the ideas prohibited by the bills would be aberrations.

Sort of like that book Gov. Henry McMaster demanded be removed from a public school library  after it was already long gone.

The bills' sponsors insist their goal is not to silence teachers but to protect them, and we're sure that they're correct to believe, for instance, that some teachers are uncomfortable with acting as though its perfectly normal for a child to show up one day declaring hes a boy and the next a girl; the bills protect them from having to "affirm a belief" in "gender fluidity." But we're also sure that since they're professionals, no one has to tell them to do whatever they can to make that child feel welcomed and nurtured.

And we suspect that teachers are a lot more uncomfortable with the thought of the Legislature passing a law that starts out with the assumption that theyre indoctrinating children and that would place their schools funding at risk if they misspoke or said something that a student misinterpreted, or misheard, resulting in the same sort of mass hysteria that has defined the COVID wars.

Theres no more important ingredient to educating children than giving them good teachers, and South Carolina has a real and growing problem retaining enough teachers. If legislators want to solve that problem, they should start by rejecting the hair-on-fire claims about indoctrination, unless or until we have an actual problem.

Those 4% raises wouldnt hurt as a follow-up.
More than 30 USC Upstate students, faculty and alumni went to the South Carolina State House on Jan. 26 to discuss the universitys future plans during Carolina Day.

The annual event is for the eight universities that make up the University of South Carolina System. Advocates are able to interact with state lawmakers, ask for support on initiatives, speak about notable progress their university has made over the years and give legislators insight into what their university is doing to impact the state.

We were able to tell our story and talk about the half a billion dollar impact that USC Upstate is having in the Upstate, said Bennie Harris, chancellor of USC Upstate.

Harris said 85 percent of USC Upstate students remain in South Carolina after graduation. The university has the capacity to graduate 244 nurses a year, and 65 percent of the nurses are employed by Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and Prisma Health. The other 35 percent work for other health institutions across the state.

Those in attendance spoke about the importance of tuition mitigation and the need to invest and increase the universitys work in health sciences. Harris said the need for tuition mitigation scholarship support is important because 40 percent of USC Upstate students come from households with incomes of less than $40,000.

I'm grateful that we were able to interact with representatives and officials that directly impact our South Carolina education, said Aronde' Stewart, a senior and Student Government Association president at USC Upstate.

Stewart majors in criminal justice and minors in child advocacy studies. He hopes to get a law degree eventually.

Students voiced the need for a convocation center to host more career fairs, high school visitors, concerts and graduation ceremonies. The university holds December graduation at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, and May graduation is held outdoors at USC Upstate.

The universitys tuition is $5,604 per semester for a South Carolina resident. It currently has five different colleges offering various fields of study.

It allowed me to learn that it's not that difficult for you to make a change in the community, said Victoria Sands, a sophomore at USC Upstate. They genuinely seem to care, and they answered every single question we had.
The University of Guam recently graduated 43 students in the education field.

However, according to Guam Education Board member Peter Alecxis Ada, the Guam Department of Education was only able to interest a few.

A large number were hired by (Department of Defense Education Activity), a few went to other educational institutions, he told fellow board members at a recent meeting. We have to take care of our teachers; theres no question about it.

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On Friday, the GEB approved a $268.3 million fiscal 2023 budget request for GDOE, which will be submitted to the Guam Legislature.

The resolution with the budget request states GEBs commitment to developing and submitting a proposal for the adjustment of GDOE employee compensation within the next several weeks and prior to the Guam Legislatures consideration and approval of the FY 2023 budget.

Guams law enforcement officers, effect this month, received an 18% pay increase. Nurses received a 15% pay increase in June. Agency leaders for effected positions said the salary bumps would help with recruitment and retention.

Ada renewed his appealed to fellow members to help find funds for GDOE teachers salary increases.

At any given time, GDOE has 50 to 70 teacher vacancies. To add to this, GDOE recently reported roughly 30 to 40 teachers are on military leave. Which means staff is needed to cover those classes for extended periods of time.

At the forefront of the issue, GDOE teachers are among the third lowest paid in the nation, which doesnt make it appealing to those in the market for a job. It was a point Ada stressed when he asked for five minutes of the boards time to add teacher pay raises to the fiscal year 2023 draft proposed budget discussion.

Do we have the money? I think we do right now, to pay our teachers and not wait until October. I think there is money now to take care of our teachers. Retirees want to teach but some of them have said, its not worth it, Id rather go to the charter school or a nonpublic school. Ada said, I invite my fellow board members to join me in this endeavor. I have done my own research and I took three school districts, Hawaii, California and Nevada  we are the lowest of them all with the exception of special education.

Government of Guam teachers on average earn $43,992 a year, Ada said.

By comparison, a DoDEA teacher's yearly pay is approximately $60,000, which is 58% above the national average, according to employment website Indeed.com.

Ada broke down the average salaries of teachers in the public school system as follows:

 Preschool teachers, $26,220.

 Kindergarten teachers, $46,260.

 Middle school teachers, $47,500.

 Secondary teachers, $47,000.

The average teacher pay doesnt compete with salaries earned in the states, Ada said.

In Nevada  the lowest was $53,052," Ada said. I am inviting our members to look at our vice principals' salary, the principals, the administrators, the deputies and the superintendent.

Ada also noted the difference in salaries within the agency.

Theres nearly a $30,000 gap between the school-level employee and GDOE upper management.

In 2020, Superintendent Jon Fernandez made $150,000 and currently earns $163,500 annually. With benefits it comes to $226,043 according to the FY22 first quarter staffing pattern report.

Deputy superintendents earn $110,000 annually. With benefits that comes to $148,688.

Vice principals' salaries range from $70,000 to $90,000; principals' salaries range between $100,000 and $130,000. Like teachers, their salaries vary depending on grade level  elementary, middle or secondary.

Its going to be a miracle

GEB Board member Maria Gutierrez, however, was not optimistic in her outlook on the Legislature, which has purview over the governments fiscal year budget, including GDOEs purse strings.

Yes, I dont mind, Mr. Ada if they (senators) would give us what we ask the Legislature. The money to pay our employees. But, I bet you, I am going to burn my candle starting tonight, that the budget that we are going to request, the total amount, they rarely give it to us, Gutierrez said. But I tell you its going to be a miracle. The educators' salary study, lets see how soon they can do that. If they finish the study after election year 'taya' salape' GDOE, youre getting too much money GDOE!'

Gutierrez said she speaks from 17 years of experience as a member of the board. She has served as chairwoman and is currently the Safe and Healthy Schools Committee chairperson.

GDOEs budget is always cut because they think theyre giving us too much money. Well who are we spending that money on? The students, she exclaimed.

She pointed out that during an election year, candidates often run on an education is priority platform.

Meeting Adequate Education standards

Gutierrez took it a step further questioning the bravery of the elected leaders seeing whether or not the Adequate Pubic Education Act standards are being met.

Fourteen points, no one down there  will have the guts to review the 14 points because I think theyre afraid to get criticized by the author of the bill that became law. And they expect us, the superintendent and the whole of GDOE to provide the best education for our kids. Who are they trying to fool? They cant fool me  this has to stop. So again, give us the money that the schools are asking.

Public Law 28-45 entails 14 points that establish minimum requirements for the public education system on Guam, as well as requirements for the Bureau of Budget Management and Research, Department of Administration, and Guam Legislature.

The law enables a public school student to file a lawsuit against the government of Guam seeking injunctive relief to ensure the enforcement and fulfillment of the laws mandates.

Fulfilling budget requests

The Guam Daily Post contacted Sen. Telena Nelson regarding the criticism from Gutierrez. The senator, who is chairperson of the education committee, is currently on military duty. However, her office did speak on the efforts made to help the education department.

"The Committee on Education worked with the Guam Department of Education for months with multiple budget hearings and numerous revisions to their budget to understand the priorities of the FY 2022 Budget," said communication manager Auriann Camacho.

Camacho referenced a budget hearing held July 15, 2021 in which Fernandez spoke of federal funds and the impact on meeting the needs of the school system.

GDOE officials went back to the drawing board with the FY22 budget weeding out costs, which could be covered by the American Rescue Plan. At the time Fernandez removed those items to provide a clearer picture for local officials.

"The Committee on Education ensured that the final amount passed in P.L 36-54 was appropriate and would fulfill the department's request," Camacho said.
Peter Schweizer is an excellent researcher who has built a solid body of work that, among other things, exposes corruption in Americas political class. His most recent book, Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win, is the most sensational yet. The New York Post has a long excerpt from Peters book relating to Joe Biden and his family (links omitted):

For those wondering why Joe Biden is soft on China, consider this never-before-reported revelation: The Biden family has done five deals in China totaling some $31 million arranged by individuals with direct ties to Chinese intelligence  some reaching the very top of Chinas spy agency. Indeed, every known deal that the Biden family enjoyed with Beijing was reached courtesy of individuals with spy ties. And Joe Biden personally benefited from his familys foreign deals. What are these deals? And who are the individuals who made them happen for the Bidens? Here, then, are a few key facts about the Biden familys $5 million-plus deals with individuals in bed with Chinese intelligence.

The $31 million is not the gross amount of the transactions, but rather the cut that went to the Bidens. I wont try to summarize all of the information at the link, but this graphic is a start. Click to enlarge:

This shouldnt come as a surprise. Hunter Bidens abandoned laptop, along with emails from other sources that emerged soon thereafter, have amply documented Joe Bidens China-related corruption.

What is shocking is not so much the facts surrounding our presidents corruption, but rather the fact that our corporate media have closed ranks to prevent voters from learning about it. One gets tired of the If Joe Biden were a Republican mantra, but still: the point is indisputable. Imagine if what we now know about Joe Bidens entanglement with the Chinese Communist Party had come out four years ago, not about Biden, but about Donald Trump. It would have been the greatest scandal of the age, and Trump likely would have been impeached.

But because our press is desperately trying to prop up the failing Joe Biden, many Americans, perhaps most, will never learn about his corrupt relationship with the Chinese Communistseven though our relationship with China, our primary geopolitical rival, is one of the most important issues facing our republic. Is Joe Biden corrupt? Absolutely. But is there an institution that is even more corrupt? Yes: the American press.

Here is the good news: Red-Handed is currently the number one best-selling book on Amazon.
They used to say that 1,000 Frenchmen cant be wrong. But what about nine diverse Harvard students?

The Harvard Gazette, a house organ thats sent to every Harvard alum (including four current Supreme Court Justices), presents an article with the title Students call ensuring diversity on campus vital. The piece purports to describe the position of Harvard students regarding their colleges preferential admissions policy, a challenge to which is now before the Supreme Court.

But theres no indication that the Gazette surveyed Harvard students. It simply presents the views of nine students. They say, in essence, that they like Harvards race-based admissions policy and the student body it produces.

No dissenting view is offered, though its certain that the view of the nine is far from unanimous. Its also certain that many students rejected by Harvard because of their race arent gushing about the wonders of its discriminatory policy.

Most of the student statements consist of cliches and non sequiturs. I was particularly amused by the view of a student from Turkey who describes herself as a queer Middle Easterner (now thats diversity!):

Im from Turkey, and I do not have an economically privileged background. I do not have Harvard alumni parents [the student said].

The vast majority of Asian American applicants whom Harvard excludes because of their race arent economically privileged, either, and they too lack Harvard alumni parents. In New York City, for example, census data shows that Asians have the lowest median income in the city and a majority speak a language other than English at home.

There is this so-called theory of meritocracy that says that if you work harder, you end up getting into the good places, you end up having more money, [she] said. However, she added that those in positions of privilege can often stand in the way of those who work hard despite their circumstances.

The theory of meritocracy is not that working hard automatically gets you into the good places. Hard work will mean more money, but in a meritocracy it takes merit including hard work, but also talent and ability  to get into the good places.

At Harvard, those who stand in the way of hard workers from non-privileged circumstances are the administrators who deny admission to hard working Asian-American students, and do so by denigrating them for being hard workers  giving them low personality rankings based on the stereotype that they are all work and no play.

The queer Middle Easterner seems to believe that Harvards racial preferences are needed to prevent the school from standing in the way of hard working non-Asian minority group members. She need not worry.

If Harvard loses at the Supreme Court, it wont turn against the class of black applicants it has been favoring for decades. If it complies with an adverse Court decision (a big if), Harvard will reward hard workers from all backgrounds to the extent their hard work translates into high achievement.

Applicants for whom it does not so translate will attend colleges that are better matches for them, where their hard work is far more likely to be rewarded by high achievement. An end to the mismatch that results from the radical racial preferences indulged in by schools like Harvard is a substantial benefit of ending discriminatory admissions policies  one that will accrue primarily to the classes of students who, under current admissions policies, receive the unlawful racial preferences.
Paul has argued here and here that Senate Republicans should feel free to oppose Joe Bidens nominee to replace Stephen Breyer on the merits, in part because most voters dont like the idea of a set aside Supreme Court seat that is available only to, in this case, black women.

This poll, reported today by Rasmussen Reports, supports that conclusion:

[O]nly 26% of voters think its a good idea to make race and gender the basis of choosing appointments to the Supreme Court. Sixty-one percent (61%) believe picking justices on the basis of race and gender is a bad idea. Another 14% are not sure.

These numbers are consistent with surveys (and elections) that we have seen many times. Most people dont like the racial spoils system that is fundamental to Democratic politics.

Of course, core Democratic constituencies, like universities, see it differently. Thus the current controversy at Georgetown Law School, where new faculty member Ilya Shapiro got in trouble for tweeting about Breyers replacement:

Objectively best pick for Biden is Sri Srinivasan, who is solid [progressive] and [very] smart, Shapiro tweeted. Even has identity politics benefit of being first Asian (Indian) American. But alas doesnt fit into last intersectionality hierarchy so well get lesser black woman. Thank heaven for small favors? In a follow-up tweet, Shapiro wrote, Because Biden said hes only consider [sic] black women for SCOTUS, his nominee will always have an asterisk attached. Fitting that the Court takes up affirmative action next term.

I see nothing wrong with these comments, although one might say, as Shapiro later did, that they were inartful. But they brought down the wrath of Georgetowns administration on Shapiros head:

In a letter to the Georgetown law school community reported by Reuters, Dean and executive vice president of Georgetown University Law Center Bill Treanor condemned Shapiros Twitter thread, writing, The tweets suggestion that the best Supreme Court nominee could not be a Black woman and their use of demeaning language are appalling. The Tweets are at odds with everything we stand for at Georgetown Law and are damaging to the culture of equity and inclusion that Georgetown Law is building every day, Treanor wrote.

Notice Dean Treanors logical error. Shapiro did not say that the best Supreme Court nominee could not be a black woman. Rather, it is Joe Bidens selection process thatby limiting his search only to black womenimplies that he not looking for the best candidate overall, but only the best candidate within an extremely limited demographic.

As usual in an academic environment, Shapiro had to recant. But the episode is revealing as it relates to Democratic precincts like Georgetown Law School. Shapiros statement that a black woman who is nominated to the Supreme Court after Biden declared his intention to nominate a black woman, and only a black woman, will therefore always have an asterisk attached, is true. That is the inevitable consequence of affirmative action. But what is true cannot, in Georgetowns environment, be said.

An irony here is that Biden could have avoided this problem by simply appointing a black woman. No one would have questioned her appointment on that ground. He created the issue by announcing in advance that his search would be limited to black women. So why did he do something so seemingly foolish? Because, according to news reports, he had to make the pledge to obtain James Clyburns support in the 2020 presidential nomination race.

It is no wonder if voters conclude that Bidens selection, whoever it turns out to be, is the result more of politics than of merit.
The 2023 general elections are just 385 days away.

As the race heats up for the top contenders, a Nollywood actor and comedian, Okon Lagos, whose real name is Imeh Bishop Umoh, has made some salient observations.

On Friday in Lagos, the award-winning actor, who recently turned 40, told PREMIUM TIMES that President Muhammadu Buhari is not Nigerias problem.

The comical actor, appointed a Special Assistant to the Governor On Ethical and Social Reorientation in 2016, also spared a thought for Nigerian youth and polity.

Excerpts:

PT: With the presidential elections slated for February 18, 2023, what do Nigerians have to do to get it right this time in terms of leadership?

Okon Lagos: For Nigeria to get it right in 2023, we must research and understand democracy, and the right leaders should be in the correct positions.

Everyones political participation has to be high, and then I think we should appropriately educate voters on the correct type of leaders. People without PVC should get their PVC, while those registered for PVCs should receive theirs.

Also, we have to look for a leader who has something to offer; I would like someone young.

PT: Why must it be someone young?

Okon Lagos: It is because he would come with a very fresh mind and fresh ideas.

PT: And who comes to mind?

Okon Lagos: No young person has declared interest yet.

PT: Many say APC and PDP are the most significant issues plaguing Nigeria at the moment. Do you agree with them?

Okon Lagos: PDP and APC are not the problems of Nigeria; Nigerians are the problems of Nigeria.

PT: How do you mean?

Okon Lagos: APC and PDP, where do they come from, or did we hire them from another country? hey, are Nigerians.

Both parties are not far from each other; the only difference is the name and logo. These political parties are made up of the same people.

PT: In recent times, some of your colleagues have dabbled into politics. Do you think actors can make good political leaders?

Okon Lagos: Anybody can make a good politician and a good leader. If you accept that anybody can make a good politician and leader, why would It be different for an actor? Most actors are exemplary leaders in various capacities.

PT: Speaking of capacities, you were a Special Assistance to the Akwa Ibom State governor in 2016?

Okon Lagos: Where there is a will, theres away. Here is a broader way for me, with a strong will.

So I did my best to make sure that I served my state through the opportunity to work as a special adviser to the governor. So, I did my best for my career even though one has to suffer, but at some point, you get to manage both, and you know, I am still in the prime of my career. I am having the time of my life.

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PT: Do you have political ambitions in the forthcoming elections or the nearest future?

Okon Lagos: I am very patriotic; I want to see my country moving forward. Thats my only ambition.

PT: You said that the problem of Nigeria is neither APC nor PDP is the problem of Nigeria, rather Nigerians. How do we solve this inherent problem?

Okon Lagos: It will take lots of mental work to solve this. We need some mental reorientation, and we need to unlearn, relearn, and learn some past beliefs. Then, as good citizens, we ought to be ready to do what is correct, regardless of who is watching us. If we all do what we ought to do rightly, we would fix the country and move forward.

PT: What about the change this current administration promised Nigerians?

Okon Lagos: As much as I am not a fan of the current president and his administration, I believe that it would be unjust to link him to most of the things happening in the country. He is not responsible for people selling fake drugs, and he is not responsible for people who drink, get drunk and cause the accident. He is not responsible for the police, who receive bribes and thwarts the cause of justice.

He is not responsible for someone who was awarded a contract but failed to execute the contract and then uses substandard materials to execute projects.

But the ones he is responsible for, I can always tell. Hes not responsible for the insecurity in the streets.

PT: So where does Nollywood come to play with the relearning and learning process?

Okon Lagos: Mind you, Nollywood is a business. The government did not create it. Nollywood just happened.

Nollywood is an experiment that entrepreneurs oversaw as a business. Does it show messages on social merits? Yes, it does, and its a privilege and not a right. The truth is that Nollywood has been significantly contributing, and it depends on what moral norms are and how we uphold those values.

Most Nollywood stories are stories with ethics, and they depict the victory of good over evil. They are very corrective and highly descriptive, some of them, and its a business. You only supply what the people demand.

PT: What does Nollywood need to grow?

Okon Lagos: Nollywood is getting there. The quality of our movies is increasing, but getting it right is a continuous process and a movie destination. E learn that the top of a mountain is the starting point of another mountain. Thats why I am sure the quality of our films can get even better. They have gotten it right in some aspects, while we are yet to get it right in another aspect.

PT: What aspect has the industry failed?

Okon Lagos: Allocations for actors, this is because when the actor finishes their career and goes back home, they sometimes fall back to nothing. His is certainly not because they were reckless, but there should be some royalties.

PT: Is it the responsibility of the government or AGN?

Okon Lagos: Its the responsibility of the government. What is the governments responsibility again? to protect lives and properties. The government should give actors royalties because the government didnt start, and someone was there for something. His person contributed to an aspect of the economy that has brought so much grossing. So I think thats the least the government should do: give them some form of royalty.

Although the actors guild of Nigeria is trying to conclude with the government on it, I think the government can do more.

PT: What recent projects have you been working on?

Okon Lagos: I have been working on a series of products lately, and I will produce my work, which my writers are finishing.
Ahead of the 2022 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, the Federal Government says it is reviewing existing studies, campaigns, WASH and NTDs analysis in the country.

The Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamorah, spoke with reporters at a programme in commemoration of the 2022 World NTDs Day on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that World NTDs Day is marked annually on January 30.

It is an opportunity to re-energise the drive to end the suffering from the 20 NTDs that are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), NTDs are widespread in the worlds poorest regions, where water safety, sanitation and access to health care are substandard.

NTDs affect over oneity and disfigurement and result in stigma, social exclusion, school absenteeism and lost productivity.

According to Mr Mamora, the control and elimination of the NTDs in the country will contribute significantly toward the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3) especially Goal 3.

Therefore, all hands must be on deck to achieve this target, he said

The minister confirmed that NTDs are a group of diseases associated with poverty and prevalent in areas that have poor sanitation, poor safe water supply and substandard housing conditions.

The diseases are `neglected because they are almost absent from the global health agenda, enjoy little funding, and are associated with stigma and social exclusion.

They are diseases of neglected populations that perpetuate a cycle of poor educational outcomes and limited professional opportunities.

NTDs include diseases such as Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis, Schistosomiasis, Soil Transmitted Helminthes, Buruli Ulcers, Leisnmaniasis, Dengue, Guinea Worm Disease, Trachoma, Leprosy, Rabies, Noma, Yaws and Macetoma.

In June 2017, snakebite was included among NTDs by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Most of these diseases are of public health importance in Nigeria and impact negatively on socio-economic development, he said.

Mr Mamora said that the burden of NTDs was enormous, affecting no fewer than one billion people globally across 149 countries, with Africa bearing about half of the global burden.

Nigeria contributes substantially to the Africa NTDs burden with no fewer than 120 million of its people living at risk of one Neglected Tropical Disease or the other.

He said, Aside from Nigeria, NTDs are found in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

They are especially common in tropical areas where people do not have access to clean water or safe ways to dispose of human waste.

Consequently, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an essential strategy of NTDs control and elimination globally which must be promoted in Nigeria.

The purpose of the World NTDs Day is to create global and national awareness.

To mobilise resources to address the magnitude of NTDs concerns, provide opportunities for stakeholders to highlight the progress made, challenges encountered and advocate for support for the prevention, control and elimination effort in the fight against NTDs in Nigeria.

Earlier, the World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, said that Nigeria remains important in the global NTDs eradication road map.

Nigeria had made significant progress in the treatment and control of NTDs.

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This years theme is Achieving Health Equity to End the Neglect of Poverty Related Diseases and there is the need for increased collaboration by all stakeholders, he said.

Mr Mulombo said that in Nigeria, more than one million new cases of Neglected Tropical Dseases are still being detected yearly while around 50 million persons are at risk of infection yearly.

Health inequities triggered by COVID-19 have undermined economic, societal, and developmental progress. Focusing on NTDs provides a step forward in addressing diseases of poverty.

The NTD programmes contribute to stronger health systems by enhancing capacity, bringing communities together and contributing to universal health coverage.

Young peoples voice and commitment are critical to advocating for and to supporting NTD programmes and policies. This will ensure future generations, free of NTDs, Mr Mulombo said.

According to him, the WHO in collaboration with other key partners, can step-up action to support the Federal Ministry of Health.

This is to mobilise the needed domestic and international resources required for the control, elimination and eradication of NTDs in the country.

I want to encourage individuals, communities, and local governments to encourage surveillance, testing and treatment for NTD and to learn more about.

Meanwhile, the National Programme Coordinator of Health Care and Empowerment Foundation, Osagie Omoregie, said that Nigeria is endemic as 14 out of the 20 existing NTDs are recorded in the country.

Mrs Omoregie said that Nigeria needs more funding to tackle the menace.

(NAN)
Following consistent significant reduction in the number of fresh coronavirus infections recorded daily in the country within the last one week, Nigeria seems to be finally relieved of the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Though, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had announced the end of the wave in his state, which ranks the countrys epicentre for the pandemic, the Nigerian government has not made any official declaration.

But evidence, especially in terms of the fatality and new infections being recorded in the country within the last one week, has supported Mr Sanwo-Olus verdict.

Between Monday and Friday, Nigeria recorded less than 1000 cases, a significantly lower figure considering past records.

In the wake of the fourth wave of the pandemic in December, Nigeria experienced a significant surge in the number of infections, with over 9,500 cases reported in one week.

The pattern of low infection figure continued on Friday as the country recorded only 72 new infections in nine states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The latest statistics by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that while the new cases have increased Nigerias infection toll to 252,912, the fatality toll still stands at 3,134, since Wednesday when one death was recorded in the country.

The latest data shows that the active cases remain at 21,315, while a total of 228,632 people have now been discharged nationwide.

Breakdown

The breakdown of NCDC revealed that Lagos State topped the chart with 22 cases, followed by the FCT with 13 cases.

While Rivers State reported eight new cases, Oyo and Yobe states reported seven cases each.

Osun State also reported six cases, followed by Delta and Kaduna states with three cases each.

The data also shows that Nasarawa State recorded two cases while Kano State came last on the log with a single case.
The federal government has voted N500 million for the prosecution of Boko Haram cases and other criminal suspects in the year 2022.

Over 10,000 suspects are projected to be prosecuted with the money, according to the breakdown of the federal ministry of justices approved 2022 budget.

Described as a new project in the budget, the allocation is to be expended on fresh Boko Haram and other criminal cases filed in court by the ministry.

The federal ministry of justice has a mass trial arrangement with the Federal High Court that enables judges to be deployed to try terrorist suspects at the various military detention facilities holding the suspects in different parts of the country.

Under the arrangement, the logistical challenges of moving a large number of terror suspects to face trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja or other divisions of the court, is conquered, but there have been local and international concerns about the fairness and thoroughness of the process.

Three phases of the mass trial have been held so far.

The new N500million provision voted for the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects and other criminal cases is different from the over N300million voted for the prosecution of other ongoing cases, some of which are also Boko Haram-related.

The ongoing cases tagged as Prosecution of prison inmates, maritime/offshore offences, Boko Haram suspects, offenders of government recovered assets, and improving asset recovery and monitoring process is to gulp a total of N308,647,164, the budget stated.

Representing about 2.95 per cent of the total N17 billion budget of the ministry, the prosecution of the new Boko Haram cases is the project with the third-largest allocation among the 12 projects listed in the ministrys 2022 budget.

It comes directly behind Establishment of a Federal Taskforce and Development of a Federal Contracts Administration System (FCAS) in Nigeria, with N821million allocation.

The project with the highest allocation, tagged as Intervention fund to support the FGNs Reform Initiatives at the Disposal of Terrorism Cases, prison reforms and decongestion programme as well as the activation on the national cyber security coordination centre to support ongoing reform, is billed to gulp N5billion.

Nigeria contends with years-long accumulated terrorism cases with thousands of suspects held in military detention facilities in different parts of the country awaiting trial.

Amnesty International had serially reported deaths of Boko Haram suspects in military detention facilities, as they swell in number over the years without trial.

In December 2020, the human rights organisation claimed that over 10,000 detainees had died in detention since 2011, a charge the Nigerian Army denied.

Delayed prosecution

Of the thousands of detained Boko Haram suspects, only 800 of them were being prepared for trial as of May 2021, according to an official.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in May that a Deputy Director, Chioma Onuegbu, who was then heading a team of prosecutors handling the ministrys complex cases, said the 800 suspects were among about 1,000 terrorism suspects whose case files were analysed by prosecutors in her team.

According to her, out of the 1,000 case files that were reviewed in 2019, 800 had prima facie evidence with which to proceed to trial, while 170 lacked evidence and the suspects in them were recommended for release.

Ms Onuegbu added that charges had been filed at the Federal High Court in 280 of the 800 cases. The charges had been served on the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON) which defends the suspected terrorists, the prosecutor explained further.

The Complex Casework Group (which was established some years ago,) has conducted three different phases of trials of the suspects at various military detention facilities, the then head of the group said.

The fourth phase was originally scheduled to take off in 2019, after the review of the files of 1,000 suspects, but had to be postponed on at least two different occasions.

Ms Onuegbu said the prosecutions of the suspects were delayed due to the escalation of the Boko Haram attacks in 2019 and was further hampered by the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.

No new date has been fixed for it.

Perceived inadequate domestic efforts to deliver justice for the crimes committed by Boko Haram and the atrocities committed by the Nigerian military in the ongoing conflicts in the North-eastern part of the country made the International Criminal Court (ICC) made to decide in December 2020 to investigate the country.

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On Tuesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, assured that the trial of suspected perpetrators of terrorist activities and members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, would soon commence.

Machineries are in motion to ensure the continuation of courts sitting in Kainji, New Bussa for the prosecution of Boko Haram cases, Mr Malami said, while receiving the Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Eniola Ajayi, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Boko Haram, which started in Maiduguri, Borno State, in about 2009, has waged deadly war leading to the death of tens of thousands and displaced millions of residents in the North-eastern part of Nigeria.

Mr Malami said in May last year that the federal government had identified 400 suspected Boko Haram sponsors being prepared for trial.

He promised that the suspects would soon be prosecuted, but no serious step is known to the public to have been taken in that direction since then.

Ministrys budget highlight

With a total budget allocation of N17, 061,387, 398, to the Federal Ministry of Justice in the 2022 appropriation, personnel cost will gulp N3, 907, 581, 732.

In the 2022 fiscal year, total overhead and recurrent expenditures will cost N4,901,943,073 and N8,809,523,805, respectively.

The ministry will spend N8,251,863,593 as total capital expenditure.

While sensitisation exercises on the role and responsibilities of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria will swallow N170 million, citizens rights, sexual and gender-based violence response and torture reduction will cost the government N90,303,254.

Local and international travel will cost N84,862,831 and N106,560,252, respectively.

According to the 2022 fiscal year document, another budget item similar to the prosecution of 10,000 Boko Haram suspects is the prosecution of prison inmates, maritime/offshore offences, Boko Haram suspects, offenders of government recovered assets, and improving asset recovery and monitoring process, which will cost N308,647,164.
The Kibaku (Chibok) Area Development Association (KADA), on behalf of the entire Chibok Community, on Saturday in Abuja indicated that 110 of the 276 girls abducted in April, 2014, are still unaccounted for.

This indication was given in Abuja on Saturday by the President of KADA, Dauda lliya, at a press conference.

Mr Iliya said of the 276 girls abducted, 57 escaped from their abductors.

He added that parents and the Community have continued to be subjected to persistent and sustained attacks, killings, abductions, maiming, arson and other myriads of criminality without adequate government protection.

Chibok has been for all intents and purposes abandoned to its own devices by all layers of government in Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the presidency in April 2021 reassured parents and concerned citizens that the missing students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno, remain constantly on the minds of government as they are always on the minds of their parents.

Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, then gave the reassurance in a statement to mark the 7th anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls.

Over 100 of the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped on April 14, 2014, still remain with the Boko Haram terrorists.

Pathetic picture

Right from late 2012 up to this time, the statistics of the state of damage and destruction of lives and property inflicted on the Community presents a worrisome and pathetic picture, the Chibok Community spokesperson lamented.

Mr Iliya said over 72 persons have been killed, and over 407 persons abducted, houses, business premises, and churches burnt, while over 20 vehicles were stolen and many grains barns burnt or destroyed.

From late 2018 to date, the frequency of attacks and level of destruction have escalated and are simply alarming.

Just this year (2022) alone, Kautikari (second largest town in Chibok area) was attacked on January 14 with five girls abducted, three persons killed, many houses and churches burnt.

In sustaining their carnage, Piyemi, another big town in Chibok area, was attacked on January 20 with 19 persons mostly girls abducted and one person, the Vigilante leader, beheaded, he stated.

Appeal

Mr Iliya called on the Federal Government for support, saying in a press release, themed Echoes from Chibok: rescue us from total annihilation by the Boko Haram, that Government should seek for support to synergize with our security forces in confronting this menace so as to end the sustained carnage on our people.

ALSO READ: Another Chibok schoolgirl regains freedom in Borno

By so doing, we expect our remaining 110 daughters abducted in 2014 and numerous others subsequently abducted at different times to be brought back to us.

We appeal to the Federal Government to immediately set up Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Chibok town and provide Chibok with skills acquisition centre so as to avoid imminent hunger/starvation in Chibok.

We request the Federal government to order deployment of more military personnel and better arms to Chibok to halt the continuous attacks on the community.

We also appeal to our action Governor to do more in organizing and helping our people in securing our state in general and Chibok in particular, Mr Iliya stated.

He called on the media to help them highlight their plights, saying we count on you to continue to be voice for the voiceless in this struggle for our lives and acting as our megaphone in spreading these cries where our voices are unable to reach.

Finally, we hereby express our heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian Army theater command, Maiduguri, for the loss of our gallant soldiers including the very brave Brig.-Gen. B. K. Zirkushu, who lost their lives in Askira protecting our people against the invading terrorists on November 13, 2021, he said.

Mr Iliya said the entire Chibok Community, is using this medium to once again call on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue Chibok Community, an ethnic nationality, from total annihilation by the Boko Haram Terrorists. (NAN)
The United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria has reacted to Nigerians quest for the review of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) which mandates Nigerians seeking to study or work in the United Kingdom to sit and pass the test.

On Saturday, in a response to an earlier enquiry by PREMIUM TIMES shared by the head of communications at the British High Commission in Abuja, Nigerias Federal Capital Territory, Dean Hurlock, the UK home office said it is important that anyone willing to either work or study in the UK shows evidence of language competence to integrate in the country.

The statement noted that UK uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an international standard for describing language ability, to set level of competence required to integrate in the UK.

We use CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) levels to provide a common set of standards, and set them on a route by route basis, taking into account the types of activities and nature of the route. CEFR standards are an important common baseline to ensure applicants meet the required language standard, the response noted.

On fees charged

Speaking on the allegation of charging exorbitant fees, the response explained that individual test providers set the fees but these must be comparable to what is charged globally.

The statement reads in part; Individual test providers set the fees for SELT. UK Visas & Immigration stipulate that the fees providers charge our customers must be comparable to the fees they charge others for the same or similar English language tests.

Exception

The Home Office, however, explained that Bachelors Degree holders or its equivalent will not need to take a Secure English Language Test (SELT) if it is verified by UK Ecctis if it meets, or exceeds the recognised standard of a UK bachelors degree, masters degree or doctorate.

It said on behalf of UK national agencies, Ecctis provides evidence of the level of qualifications and, or English language proficiency for the UK Home Office.

It provides services on behalf of the UK Government in qualifications, skills, and migration.

The United Kingdom also added in its response that, An accurate and reliable SELT process is highly important to ensure people coming to work and study have the skills they need to complete the activity they are coming to the UK to do.

Backstory

Within the last few days, many young Nigerians have taken to social media to protest what they described as the imposition of IELTS on the countrys citizens willing to relocate to the UK.

More than 60,000 Nigerians have signed an online petition initiated by Policy Shapers, a public policy organisation, seeking the outright removal of Secure English Languages Tests (SELT) requests such as IELTS from Nigerians or reducing the cost of taking the tests.

#ReformIELTSPolicy, #IELTS and #TOEFL trended for hours in Nigeria on Twitter on Thursday, with some Nigerians accusing the UK of commercialising the tests.

They lamented that Nigerians and other anglophone countries in Africa, whose official language and language of instruction in schools is English, had to prove to the British Government that they can speak the language at an amount three times Nigerias minimum wage.

They compared the cost of taking the N90,000 average cost of the English Proficiency Test whose result can be valid for only two years to the French Proficiency Test, which costs half the minimum wage and valid for a lifetime.
Amid allegations of imposition by some governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the primary election in Ekiti State, the partys election committee says the exercise was successful.

The Chairman of the committee, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, stated this after it submitted its report to partys interim leadership in Abuja on Friday.

The primary election was conducted in Ekiti State on Thursday.

Midway into exercise, seven out of eight governorship aspirants in the party pulled out of the race after citing alleged irregularities.

The aspirants protested against the list of the party local government electoral committees for the exercise on the grounds that members are supporters and campaigners of an aspirant, the former Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Biodun Oyebanji.

Mr Oyebanji, however, went ahead to garner 101,703 votes to defeat the other aspirants, including Opeyemi Bamidele, a senator and Femi Bamisile, a member of the House of Representatives.

Other aspirants include a former Minister of state for Works, Dayo Adeyeye, a former House of Representatives member, Bamidele Faparusi, Demola Popoola, Kayode Ojo, and Oluwasola Afolabi.

In his account to journalists at the APC Headquarters in Abuja, Mr Badaru explained that primary was held in 166 out of the 177 wards.

He said his team cancelled the election in 11 wards due to reports of disruption in the areas.

We have submitted the results sheets and reports where elections were conducted  166 wards. Eleven wards were disrupted and we cancelled those areas. But in 166 wards, people actively participated. And I think you all have the videos of what transpired in all the 166 wards except the 11 wards, the Jigawa governor said.

Speaking on the protest by the seven aspirants, Mr Badaru said the guidelines and the mode of the election was not designed to favour any of the aspirants.

They (aspirants) are party members. What we expect them to do is to join hands with us so that we can continue to build the party and we continue to support the candidate that emerges.

At the opening of my engagement with the aspirants, at the stakeholders meeting that we held in Ekiti State, I told them that power comes from God. And it is only God that will determine who will win, he said.

The governorship election in Ekiti State will conducted by INEC on June 18.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has signed the states 2022 budget into law, with a commitment to complete many of the ongoing infrastructural projects.

Mr AbdulRazaq signed the revenue and spending plan on Friday, a day after it was passed by the state House of Assembly.

The N189.6 billion budget commits 56 per cent to capital expenditure and 44 per cent to recurrent expenditure.

Mr AbdulRazaq had proposed 55.3 per cent of the total package for capital expenditure and 44.7 per cent for recurrent spendings.

Speaking shortly after signing the budget, the governor said it also captured the workers promotion and the consequential adjustment component of the national minimum wage. He said the payment will begin this month.

Some of the highlights of the budget included the implementation of the consequential adjustment of minimum wage and paying some salary arrears that could not be paid by the previous administration.

We are equally doing cash backing of promotions. Those are some of the major challenges for the administration, he said.

We will also focus on completing ongoing infrastructural projects, job creation and expanding the economic base of the state. We will try to ensure full implementation of the budget as much as revenue permits.

I must commend the House for doing the needful to ensure that the budget is passed on time. We appreciate the work you have done, Mr AbdulRazaq said.

At the budget signing ceremony were the House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu; Deputy Speaker, Raphael Adetiba; Leader of the House, Mogaji Olawoyin; Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Ibrahim Ambali; the Commissioners for Finance and Planning and Economic Development, Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi and Remilekun Banigbe, respectively; Special Adviser to the Governor on Strategy, Saadu Salau; and Clerk of the House, Halimat Jummai Kperogi.

In his remarks, Mr Danladi-Salihu commended the administration for its commitment to development and of the state.

The budget was presented on the 22nd of December, 2021 and the Assembly began work immediately. We invited ministries, departments and agencies for budget defence. We scrutinised and passed the budget yesterday (Thursday).

The budget is truly a budget of sustainable development and economic growth. The capital votes favour projects that will touch the lives of the people and reforms that would attend to decayed infrastructure. With these projects, our state will move to the next level infrastructural wise.

The two previous budgets passed by this assembly show the prudency, integrity and transparency of this administration. It is our belief that the prudency and transparency that played out in the previous ones will play out with this too.

Most of the projects cut across the three senatorial districts while the recurrent also aptly caters for the peoples welfare.

The speaker commended his colleagues in the Assembly for their hard work and commitment to the success of the administration.
A Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman peers through a spyglass in a dugout on the frontline near Gorlivka, Donetsk region on January 23, 2022. Photo: VCG

US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on Thursday called on Beijing "to use its influence with Moscow" to urge a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis. Nuland also said "if there is a conflict in Ukraine it is not going to be good for China either," as "there will be a significant impact on the global economy" and in the energy sphere. On the same day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken requested a phone conversation with China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which the US mainly talked about the Ukraine issue. Blinken underscored the risks posed by "further Russian aggression against Ukraine" and conveyed that "de-escalation and diplomacy are the responsible way forward."

Washington is trying to create such a public opinion impression that the US is working hard to alleviate the crisis. It wants to kick the ball to Russia and China, making them bear the responsibility while shaping the US as a good man. After Washington set a fire in Ukraine, it has pretended to be a victim and imagines China to "persuade" Russia to put it out. It must be pointed out that Washington is blowing smoke to reverse the cause and the effect.

The root cause of the Ukraine issue is that the US has promoted NATO's eastward expansion unrestrainedly, thus pushing Russia into a corner where there is no way to retreat. Washington is the culprit of the crisis. The US now hopes China will "persuade" Russia. In essence it wants China to urge Moscow to make a concession. The perfect plan Washington desires is that Moscow will cooperate unconditionally with the US' geopolitical ambitions. How absurd and ridiculous its logic is!

Washington is the root cause for many major regional crises aside from the Ukraine issue. The Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis, Iran nuclear issue, and the Afghan chaos caused by the US troops' withdrawal last year are the "hornet's nests" stirred up by the US. When the US messes up a region and finds it unable to clean up the situation, it hopes to draw other countries into paying for its mistakes. In recent years, Washington has expected China's participation in the resolution of almost all major international crises. On one hand, it has done its utmost to crack down on China, and on the other, it has had the temerity to seek China's help. This is the case this time. The US is carrying out strategic suppression on China in the Asia-Pacific region as it is doing with Russia while at the same time it hopes China will urge Russia to make a concession. It hopes to take all the benefits while doing bad things.

When handling regional conflicts, the biggest difference between China and the US is that China seeks peaceful solutions but the US seeks chaos. China has never kidnapped the collective interests of the region for its own interests, but instead, has always taken a responsible attitude and looked for a solution based on facts. China has never shied away from making mediation efforts within its capacity. It doesn't choose to act or not act simply because it has a good relationship or a competition with some other country. China has pursued an independent foreign policy and always respects other countries' independence. It makes active efforts to push relevant parties to return to the negotiating table and take care of all parties' security concerns to find the greatest common ground in complicated situations.

From our point of view, to ease tensions in Ukraine, it is the US that has the most room for action. Washington should first stop making provocations in this region, and let Europe solve its own security problems. While rejecting Russia's legitimate concerns on the issue of NATO's eastward expansion, the US continues to step up efforts to create tension - withdrawing US diplomats in Ukraine, and continuing to send weapons to Ukraine. Because Germany refused to be the follower of the US this time, American opinion accused it of being a "traitor" of the West. The US clearly sees itself as the plenipotentiary of Europe.

After the end of WWII, the US and the West have been unrestrainedly emphasizing and expanding so-called collective defense, even at the cost of global strategic stability. However, it turns out that the more they pursue collective defense, the more the safety of members outside the small circles is damaged, and the more they have to strengthen their own security. Consequently, the US and the West have fallen into a curse of "the safer they want to be, the less safe they are," which has caused crises one after another. If Washington's ultra-strategic selfishness remains unrestrained, then even if the Ukraine crisis reaches a soft landing, the next crisis awaits.

To solve the Ukraine crisis, if we are to play a mediating role, we would like to advise Washington that "whoever hung the bell on the tiger's neck must untie it." It should give up the zero-sum game and the Cold War mentality as soon as possible, and use the correct method to put out the fire it set.
Authorities in Somalias south-central Hirshabelle state must stop intimidating and censoring the press through arbitrary arrests and station closures because they disagree with reported content, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.

On Friday afternoon, January 21, 2022, heavily armed Hirshabelle police in the regional capital of Beledweyne raided local independent radio station Hiiraan Weyn while it was on air, according to the stations editor-in-chief Yasiin Ali Ahmed, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, a joint statement by the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA), and a statement by the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ). During the raid, officers forced the station off the air and detained seven journalists for six hours, according to those sources.

The raid followed the broadcasting of an interview with the Hiiraan Peoples Liberation Front in Beledweyne, a group opposed to the current leadership in Hirshabelle, less than two hours earlier, according to the statement and Yasiin, who added that police used their weapons to break down a door to get into the station.

The outrageous detention of the seven Hiiraan Weyn journalists and the temporary shutdown of the radio station shows a complete disregard for the right of journalists to work freely and without fear in Somalia, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, in New York. Threatening journalists with death in a country that has a culture of impunity for the murder of journalists sends a chilling message. Those responsible, no matter how senior, must be held accountable and their behavior must not be condoned.

With 25 murders in the past decade still unsolved, Somalia tops CPJs annual Global Impunity Index as the country with the worlds worst record for bringing killers of journalists to justice.

The seven detained journalists  Yasiin, Abdullahi Ali Abukar, Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, Abdisamad Elmi Abdi, Abdimajid Dahir, and Mustaf Ali Addow  were taken to the Beledweyne Police Station, where they were held for six hours and told by police that they were terrorists who would be shot and killed for reporting on the Hiiraan Peoples Liberation Front, according to the joint statement and Yasiin.

We were detained without access to a lawyer or anyone, Yasiin told CPJ. We were told that if we were arrested again, we would be killed, but we will continue to do our work until we get justice or die.

The journalists were eventually freed without charge after widespread calls for their release by citizens and journalists groups. None of the journalists were hurt and no equipment was seized during the raid, Yasiin told CPJ.

Later the same day, the journalists were taken to a house where Hirshabelle Deputy President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar, Hirshabelle Police Chief Colonel Hassan Dhiisow, and Somali National Army Commander Colonel Mohamud Hassan Ibrahim were present, according to Yasiin and the SJS and SOMA statement.

They threatened us with consequences if we continued to report anything critical of the Hirshabelle authorities, Yasiin said. We were told we would be killed next time if we were arrested again.

The following day, on Saturday, January 22, 2022, Hiiraan Weyn returned on air.

FESOJ secretary-general Farah Omar Nur expressed concern in a news report about the continued clampdown on press freedom in Beledweyne, despite the training of police officers by media groups designed to support freedom of expression, according to the SJS and SOMA statement.

SJS and SOMA are also concerned that police officers who committed these blatant violations and their commanders were trained and equipped with contribution funds provided by the British and German governments through a Joint Police Program with little or no accountability mechanism, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, SJSs secretary general is quoted as saying in the joint statement, adding that protecting human rights includes protecting freedom of expression.

The British embassy in Mogadishu confirmed UK support for the Joint Police Program (JPP) in an emailed response to CPJs request for comment, saying that freedom of speech and a free press are crucial pieces of an inclusive political process.

We have asked the JPP Secretariat to investigate these allegations, Claire Blythe-Tinker, the second political secretary at the British Embassy told CPJ by email. We await the outcome of this process and will also be in contact with the relevant authorities in Hirshabelle. However, as we have done in the past, we stand ready to suspend our support depending on the outcome of the investigation.

The German Embassy said it is aware of the alleged incident at Hiiraan Weyn and is taking it very seriously, Judith Gosmann, the policy officer of the Somalia Unit told CPJ in an email, adding that, Germany firmly reiterates its commitment to international human rights standards, particularly freedom of press and expression, and will deliver the (JPP) program in a manner that enhances these objectives and does not undermine them.

Beledweyne Police Commissioner Mohamed Mohamud did not respond to several phone calls and messages sent by CPJ via WhatsApp. There was also no response to CPJs emails and phone messages to the offices of Yusuf and Mohamud.
Justice Charles Agbaza of an FCT High Court in Friday rejected evidence by a witness of the EFCC in the trial of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.

Mr Lawal is charged alongside his younger brother, Hamidu, who is a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Suleiman Abubakar; Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John Monday; the two companies: Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.

The EFCC charged them with 10 counts of fraud relating to contract awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE) for the removal of evasive plant species to the tune of N544 million.

They all pleaded not guilty.

Delivering a ruling, Justice Agbaza agreed with the defendants that the court in 2021 rejected some exhibits on the said phone.

He added that the EFCC was only attempting to bring into the court records, exhibits already marked rejected.

The judge held that any oral evidence of the EFCCs witness on the rejected exhibits would amount to hearsay since he was not the maker and did not sign them.

I have carefully examined the foundation of arguments for and against the admissibility of the evidence in dispute and found only two issues for determination.

The first issue is on whether the evidence of the prosecution witness falls on hearsay in respect of the exhibits, while the second issue is on whether this court has once rejected the exhibits sought to be tendered.

The judge held that any oral evidence of the EFCCs witness on the rejected exhibits would amount to hearsay since he was not the maker and did not sign them.

I have carefully examined the foundation of arguments for and against the admissibility of the evidence in dispute and found only two issues for determination.

The first issue is on whether the evidence of the prosecution witness falls on hearsay in respect of the exhibits, while the second issue is on whether this court has once rejected the exhibits sought to be tendered.

On issue one, the witness on his own informed the court of how he was invited into the EFCC laboratory and was shown information extracted from a iPhone7.

On this, I am satisfied that the witness is not the maker of the exhibits in dispute. They were only shown to him according to his oral evidence here.

Therefore, anything said or to be said by the witness is nothing but hearsay and for this reason, I resolve this issue in favour of the defendants.

On the second issue, there is no dispute that the exhibits were earlier sought to be tendered but they were turned down and marked rejected and even, the rejection is a subject of appeal at the Court of Appeal.

For this reason, I agree that the evidence cannot be admitted having been earlier rejected and marked rejected, Justice Agbaza held.

The former SGF had on January 13, through his lawyer, Akin Olujimi, objected to the line of evidence being given by the witness, Dare Folarin, on an iPhone seized from one Musa Bulani.

Mr Olujimi said that EFCC wanted to smuggle in an evidence earlier rejected by the court when it ruled against admitting a compact disc on the said iPhone.

Other defendants counsel aligned themselves with Mr Olujimis submission.

Counsel for the third defendant, Napoleon Idelana, said that EFCC filed an appeal against the ruling of the court on the rejection of the disc.

The Prosecution Counsel, Ofem Uket, urged the court to discountenance the defendants objection, arguing that Folarins evidence was not a hear saying evidence.

Mr Uket argued that the witness, who is the eighth prosecution witness (PW8), was only saying what he and other investigators saw and did at the EFCC laboratory on the iPhone.

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The case could, however, not process due to the information given to the court that the PW8, who ought to continue with his evidence-in-chief was not present in court as he was indisposed and therefore, sought an adjournment.

Justice Agbaza adjourned the case until February 16 and 17 for continuation of hearing.

(NAN)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government remains committed to the welfare of the common man.

Mr Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the vice president said this while receiving a delegation of the APC Professionals Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said that APC is a party of the people and would continually ensure that the common man benefits maximally from government.

This is a party of the common man; a party of the people, a party that takes as its cradle, the importance of ensuring that the common man benefits maximally from government.

Which is why we have the big programmes like the Social Investment Programmes, the largest if its kind in the continent and several of such other programmes that emphasise how serious we take the lot of the common man.

While it was formed about nine years ago, the VP noted that the party has made an impact and is determined to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians; the party is also where many young people are.

According to him, APC is the ruling party in Africas largest democracy which by itself is a phenomenal achievement for such a young party.

Mr Osinbajo said the APC is determined to ensure the countrys further growth and development as the party carried with it, the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians.

The party is not a mere platform for running for political office; it carries with it the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians and we must make it a place where they are comfortable, a place where they feel this belongs to us; we can even put our resources into it.

It is not just for politicians; it is for us all.

Our people, the Nigerian people, need hope; they need to be able to believe in the politicians.

They need to be able to believe in their leaders and if the leaders are within the political party, that political party must have an ideology that is attractive to them, that makes them feel wanted, that makes them feel cared for and I think that role is so crucial.

It is the role this Professional Forum must take on to itself; and what it entails aside from that logical objective of the forum; what it entails is actually defining in writing in various ways what our party stands for.

He acknowledged the significance of the forum in the scheme of things and urged the forum to play more important roles in shaping the partys ideology.

The vice president said that professionals are integral to ensuring that the party stayed focused on the wellbeing of Nigerians and its ideals, as stated in the Constitution and Manifesto respectively.

If the professionals cannot do that, then our party becomes all comers, anything goes so long as we have a platform to run for political office; but I think that we, especially professionals, have a unique advantage.

We have many who have run their businesses, who have professional organisations or who have excelled in their own professions and we know that the only way to do things properly is if we are able to press on without relenting.

The vice president said he hoped that the forum would also carry the hopes and expectations of millions of the partys supporters nationwide.

He also believed that the forum, made up of professional elites, would be of great benefit to the party and Nigeria because of its leadership and quality of professionals on its board of trustees and as members.

In his remarks, a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the forum, said that professionals in the party felt the need to identify with the vice president being a professional.

He invited Mr Osinbajo to the forums upcoming event in Abuja.

The delegation also included Deputy Chairman, Board of Trustees and former APC National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, Board of Trustees Secretary, Dapo Akinosun and the National Coordinator, Akeem Akintayo.

(NAN)

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A massive fire, Saturday, razed Masters Energy petrol station on Azikiwe Road/Aba Road, Umuahia and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the fire started by 9 a.m. and was put out at about 1 p.m.

Witnesses said that a tanker laden with diesel exploded and burst into flames, while waiting to discharge its content.

NAN reports that a combined team of fire fighters from the Umuahia and Aba Fire Service stations had hectic period trying to bring the fire under control.

Although no life was lost, the incident caused serious panic among the Umuahia residents, while motorists and other road users were diverted to other routes.

Anthony Agbazuere, the Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Secretary to the State Government, Chris Ezem, and other top government functioneries were on ground to have a first-hand information about the incident.

Security operatives from the Nigeria Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were deployed to provide security and help control the crowd at the scene.

The Acting Director, Abia State Fire Service, Arua Nnanna, who was also at the scene told reporters that the truck caught fire at the service station, while waiting to discharge the product.

ALSO READ: Fire razes another market in Anambra

Mr Arua expressed happiness that they were able to contain the fire from spreading to near-by buildings and facilities.

He advised people to be careful in handling inflammable materials to avert avoidable fire during the harmmattan.

Also reacting to the incident, Mr Agbazuere said: We just thank God the fire has been controlled.

I advise that every business place should have fire extinguisher, especially during the harmmattan.

We must be ready at all times. Those who do not have fire extinguisher should acquire it without delay.

NAN reports that the facility is reportedly owned by Uche Ogah, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress and Minister of State, Solid Minerals and Steel Development.

Mr Ogah was the partys two-time governorship candidate in 2015 and 2019 in Abia.

(NAN)
The Management of the Police Service Commission (PSC) says recruitment of police officers from the rank of Constables to Cadet Inspectors and Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) are the Constitutional responsibilities of the commission.

Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of the commission, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the clarification followed publications in some sections on protest by members of staff of the commission that forcefully locked up government offices and chased away officers on legitimate duties.

Mr Ani said the issues raised in the publications by the protesting members of staff were already receiving management attention.

He said the issues raised by the protesters were primarily the alleged handover of the constitutional responsibility of the Commission to recruit police officers to the Inspector General of Police.

Mr Ani said protesters had also expressed worry over the delay in the conclusion of the 2021 staff promotion and training.

It is necessary to state unequivocally that the recruitment of Police Officers from the rank of Constables to Cadet Inspectors and Cadet ASPs are and remains the Constitutional responsibility of the Commission.

This was also affirmed not long ago by a judgement of the Court of Appeal and management of the Commission has no intention to abdicate this constitutional responsibility, he said.

Mr Ani said the management of the commission had few weeks ago addressed members of staff on the matter.

He said the management had also contacted the Inspector General of Police to explain issues arising from the preparation for the conduct of the 2021 recruitment process.

According to him, management has never willingly surrendered the commissions mandate to the Nigeria Police Force and will never contemplate it.

Mr Ani said PSC Management was currently taking up the recent announcement by the Police, on screening dates for the 2021 recruitment of constables.

Management will ensure that the constitutional responsibilities of the commission are not hijacked.

The commission will insist on keeping to existing clearly defined roles for all parties including the PSC, NPF, Federal Character Commission and state governments.

PSC will obviously drive the 2021 constable recruitment in line with constitutional provisions, he said.

According to him, on 2021 staff promotion, management will approve the recommendation of its Standing Committee on Establishment at its next Plenary meeting.

He said management had no problem with training of staff on police recruitment and would not stand against any reasonable recommendations on that. (NAN)
Instead of adopting a vaccine mandate, a more helpful approach is education and enlightenment campaigns. While this is ongoing, Nigeria should assert herself as a COVID-resilient nation, and hence, vaccine mandates should apply only to persons travelling out of and into Nigeria. The Nigeria COVID vaccine policy should presently emphasise the vaccination of international travelers in order to make the international community feel secure and also make residents in Nigeria feel safe.

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wrote an article which expressed the urgency of an approach that prioritises Nigerias socio-economic development in the response to the pandemic. The article, which was written in May 2020, emphasised the need to end the lockdown policy in Nigeria because it was damaging the economic opportunities the pandemic inadvertently provided for Nigeria. The logic behind this reasoning was simple: if the incidence of COVID-19 had been relatively mild or low in China, Europe and North America, while Africa happened to be the region with high incidence of COVID-19, there would have been no lockdown in China, Europe or North America. Lockdowns would be slammed only on African countries. The pestilence of Ebola disease, in recent years, attests to this. The argument then was, why should Nigeria, which is fortunate to have a remarkably low COVID incidence and fatality follow the policy of protracted lockdowns by the Western and Eastern nations with extremely high incidences of COVID-19? Nigeria and many African countries have since learnt from the limitations of lockdowns, and have rightly adopted policies that demonstrate that African development practitioners and policy makers have sufficient knowledge to be independent in formulating development policies that are original to Africa. It is time to summon courage and exercise intellectual freedom in matters that are transnational, setting Africa first in thoughts and actions, while at the same time collaborating for global development.

In this article, I recall some of the issues raised on the lockdown policy because they remain germane for the challenge of the COVID-19 vaccine development and hesitancy.

1. No foothold for coronavirus and its new variants in Nigeria

COVID-19 is real and it has infected people all over Nigeria. However, coronavirus, along with its new variants, have had no foothold in Nigeria to prevent a significant proportion of the population from engaging in social and economic activities. Most people, especially the rural and urban poor populations, have not changed their lifestyles in any noteworthy way, and there is no evidence that COVID-19 has done more damage to the people than the usual killers, such as malaria, cholera, diabetics, hypertension, HIV/AIDs, etc. Why then should we continue to fear and panic, like in Europe, America or China? Nigeria should wake up and live according to the reality that for once, the country is not particularly disadvantaged by COVID-19. Rather, we should be like Madagascar and Egypt, offering the world solutions to end the spread of COVID-19 and its new variants. Our research infrastructure in universities and research institutes should be renovated and upgraded, and their management given a clear mandate to develop local preventive and curative measures for COVID-19, alongside the development and production of the COVID-19 vaccine. What the world urgently needs are solutions that would defeat coronavirus and its attendant variants. This could be a source of new wealth and foreign exchange for Nigeria and other African countries. If the West and East refuse our COVID vaccine and other standardised protocols to prevent or cure COVID-19, we should be brave enough to apply our vaccines and preventive/curative measures locally. After all, we are a large market of 213 million people in Nigeria, and Africa is already a 1.3 billion market.

The current policy of investing in the purchase of vaccines appear to be limited in the help it could offer, given the opportunity cost of investing the huge fund spent on vaccine purchase in local research initiatives that could produce a Nigerian or African COVID-19 vaccine and/or curative measures. If Nigeria makes appropriate investment in Research and Development (R&D) to produce the coronavirus vaccine, it could lead to a major breakthrough that would open the floodgate for development of other vaccines hitherto imported or that have been non-existent. This approach would not only create jobs in Nigeria, but also contribute to reducing the pressure on Nigerias foreign exchange reserve.

Nigeria could attract investors seeking locations where, among other key incentives, the workforce is less susceptible to COVID-19 From the experience so far, it appears that COVID-19 has come to stay and the world must adjust to live with and manage this new disease. Capital targeted at greenfield investments has great potential to yield good returns in Nigeria, given the evidence that coronavirus has been unable to demobilise Nigerian workers.

2. Opportunity for new production lines and greenfield investments

Coronavirus has ravaged the world and brought sorrow to many families and nations. There is, however, a bright side to the darkness of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The panic around the world would apparently lead to shake-ups and realignments in investment destinations. New product lines would emerge arising from the debut of COVID-19. Nigeria could attract investors seeking locations where, among other key incentives, the workforce is less susceptible to COVID-19. Nigerias organised private sector, including industrial production firms, have been working in situ, coronavirus not-withstanding. From the experience so far, it appears that COVID-19 has come to stay and the world must adjust to live with and manage this new disease. Capital targeted at greenfield investments has great potential to yield good returns in Nigeria, given the evidence that coronavirus has been unable to demobilise Nigerian workers.

3. COVID-19 management policies in Nigeria

The debut of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria brought panic, trembling and fear, as in many other nations. But whatever reservations any critic of Nigerias response might have, the unity displayed and the unison of response are commendable. We all agreed that coronavirus is an enemy that must be fought and defeated soonest. The display of professionalism by our health personnel on the frontline, the prompt commitment by the private sector, and the support provided by various state governments exemplify what Nigeria can achieve when we are united. The prompt and high-level response to COVID-19 by the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan packaged by the Office of the Vice President in July 2020, was timely in providing critical stimulus for the economy, which was assaulted by a second recession within five years.

It is also impressive that Nigeria has embarked on a policy of developing a Nigerian-made COVID-19 vaccine. Besides, the Nigerian government, in collaboration with its West African counterparts, recently developed the West African Pandemic Readiness Programme, aimed at localising the development of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa. Under this programme, Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced in December 2021 that it has signed an agreement with a biotechnology company, Innovative Biotech, to design the manufacturing process for the first vaccine production facility in Nigeria. This will potentially reduce the reliance of Nigeria on Western countries for vaccine allocations, and thereby put Nigeria among the league of countries like South Africa and Egypt, which have made strides towards producing affordable and high-quality vaccines. Egypt has already succeeded in this respect by developing an approved COVID-19 vaccine.

The current attempt to enforce vaccine mandates in Nigeria is counter-productive in effect, not only because Nigeria lacks the capacity to make the vaccine widely available, but also because it contributes to the needless opening of our local market to a foreign good which we can strategically produce in the near future. Nigeria does not need to drown by enforcing policies that are patently out of tune with her social and economic realities.

4. COVID-19 in Nigeria and vaccine hesitancy

The sudden and widespread tragedy of COVID-19 provoked Western countries, along with some emerging economies, to spring into action by developing vaccines within a space of one year to curb the spread of the virus. Such vaccines should ordinarily have taken years to develop and achieve certification. However, in spite of the availability of vaccines in Western countries, there has been hesitation by citizens in taking the vaccines. These hesitations are more pronounced in developing countries, especially in Africa, and have been attributed to a range of factors such as the efficacy of the vaccines, as well as the possible side effects of vaccine administration.

In order to reduce vaccine hesitancy, Western countries have taken to advocating for the mass vaccination of their citizens, alongside enforcing mandatory rules for vaccine administration in some organisations. This is expected to adequately reduce the spread of COVID-19. Invariably, this may be a good strategy for the Western world but is it also the best option for Nigeria? Are there other options that may better fit into the Nigerian setting? One of such options could be adopting a multicomponent approach, which will include dialogue among stakeholders, in order to come up with the best approach for Nigeria. Nigeria is traditionally vaccine hesitant, much more with the doubts and accessibility constraints associated with the coronavirus vaccine.

Instead of adopting a vaccine mandate, a more helpful approach is education and enlightenment campaigns. While this is ongoing, Nigeria should assert herself as a COVID-resilient nation, and hence, vaccine mandates should apply only to persons travelling out of and into Nigeria. The Nigeria COVID vaccine policy should presently emphasise the vaccination of international travelers in order to make the international community feel secure and also make residents in Nigeria feel safe. The current limited supply of COVID vaccines would suffice for this, and Nigeria can then concentrate her efforts and resources on research and development (R&D) aimed at producing a Nigerian made COVID vaccine and cure for COVID-19. A breakthrough for Nigeria in the manufacture of the COVID vaccine and/or cure for COVID-19 would boost international recognition and respect for Nigeria, improve Nigerias bargaining power in international negotiations, and potentially improve Nigerias export of manufactures and international competitiveness. This is another opportunity for Nigeria to fly and fly high. The current attempt to enforce vaccine mandates in Nigeria is counter-productive in effect, not only because Nigeria lacks the capacity to make the vaccine widely available, but also because it contributes to the needless opening of our local market to a foreign good which we can strategically produce in the near future. Nigeria does not need to drown by enforcing policies that are patently out of tune with her social and economic realities.

John Adeoti is a Professor of Development Economics at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, Nigeria.
Their flaws aside, all three men have played their parts in our democratic journey. They werent perfect, like the rest of us, but many wished they had acted differently. No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, wrote English humorist Terry Pratchett. The ripples they caused still live with us, reflecting in the paradox of our journey towards redemption.

One left behind the footprints of a reactionary  or at best a conservative  politician, showed no pretension to lofty ideas of governance, preened around in ostentatious ornaments, but died and was canonised a progressive because of the death of ideology in our body politic. Thats the first paradox.

The other excelled as boardroom guru, made a success of his position as head of a multinational, dazzled the military top brass with his mastery of economics and esoteric numbers, and shone like a bright star. But when he got drafted in for political leadership, he ended up a shadow of his old, glorious self. Thats the second paradox.

The last man had a radical make-up, played active roles in politics as party secretary and treasurer, founded and funded a number of civic groups, lent his voice to advocacy on good governance like all democrats do, and stood for the protection of pristine cultural ethos. But at the height of his participation in politics, he blended with the wrong crowd and lost a major presidential election in his home state, the result of which he was pooh-poohed till he drew his last breath. Thats the third paradox.

The first man was Adebayo Alao-Akala, former governor of Oyo State who swaggered around the Agodi government house in turquoise pendants and gaudy chains. The other man was Chief Ernest Shonekan, the boardroom czar who fell for Babangidas dirty gambit and was handed a poisoned chalice. The last was Bashir Tofa, candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) who pronounced June 12 dead and held Nigerias most popular mandate in contempt.

The January whirlwind came and swept away with it a number of marquee names in Nigerian politics. But the death of these three men was rather haunting, for me, because they embody the contradictions inherent in Nigerias socio-political journeys: Alao-Akala as a reflection of our flawed conception of democratic ideals; Shonekan as a manifestation of how institutional rot swallows individual brilliance; Tofa as a mirror of the fluidity of what we considered right and/or wrong.

French Renaissance writer, Michel de Montaigne, often celebrated as the father of modern skepticism, famously dismissed death and its dreadful aura. Rather than indulge the spectre of death, Montaigne advised us to demystify it with awareness and attention. To lament that we shall not be alive a hundred years hence, he wrote of the human fear of death, is the same folly as to be sorry we were not alive a hundred years ago. In a sense, death is both paradox and folly, a bumbling fool that knows not of its own impotence.

The paradox of death does not only give meaning to life, its essentially the defining attribute of life. And thats why the lives of some men arent only defined by the circumstances of their death, but by their footprints as a representation of the paradoxes of life and its intriguing complexities. Men like Alao-Akala, Tofa, and Shonekan.

In terms of governance philosophy, Alao-Akala never pretended to be a policy wonk, neither did he care that much about the niceties of constitutional frameworks for public procurement and policy execution. The attendant opacity was perhaps the genesis of his battles with the federal anti-graft agency. He infamously stayed away from debates and other intellectual discourses in the media, too.

Alao-Akala came to national reckoning in 2006 after a band of brigands  supported by the garrison commander of Ibadan politics, Lamidi Adedibu  toppled Rashidi Ladojas government. Akala was Ladojas deputy who claimed his boss treated him as though he was a mere deflated spare tyre and then stabbed him in the back. Although Ladoja said in a recent report that Alao-Akala didnt stab him, but that was perhaps the triumph of old age wisdom over middle age exuberance. For, the revered Ibadan Chief knows that his brilliant 2011 campaign message, which demystified an otherwise formidable Alao-Akala, was premised on the theme of betrayal.

In any case, by the time Ladoja returned as governor after an 11-month absence in 2006, Akala had entrenched himself in the murky waters of Oyo politics so well that, with the support of Adedibu, he won a fresh mandate in the governorship election held a few months afterwards in 2007. He would go ahead to govern Oyo for another four years.

In terms of governance philosophy, Alao-Akala never pretended to be a policy wonk, neither did he care that much about the niceties of constitutional frameworks for public procurement and policy execution. The attendant opacity was perhaps the genesis of his battles with the federal anti-graft agency. He infamously stayed away from debates and other intellectual discourses in the media, too. Rather, he brought to governance a populist energy that resonated so well with the mechanic in Randa, the vulcaniser in Ayeye, the fruit seller in Oke-Eruwa, and the pepper seller in Isale-Oyo. At parties and other Owambe gatherings, he was the cynosure of all eyes, often dressed in gaudy regalia, strutting down the aisle like a peacock.

Akala threw money at almost every problem his government found worthy of attention. Not for him the futuristic thinking that comes with developmental plans, or the due diligence that comes with contract award, or the longevity and durability that ought to be the basis of project execution. He has his enduring legacies in the ubiquitous micra cabs scattered all over Ibadan, and the road projects awarded to old friends and fly-by-night contractors, dubbed Titi Akala. All of these made him quite popular, and the people  too often carried away by the facade of immediate abundance, hailed him to the heavens. He was Oyato governor, the one during whose tenure money flowed into the peoples pockets. Literally.

So, in essence, Alao-Akala brought immediate merriment and flamboyance to the seat of power in Ibadan, but such ostentation came with little developmental substance that could help engender growth or deepen good governance in the medium to long terms. His was glossy vanity as governance philosophy, crass mundanity as benchmark of societal aspiration.

His most enduring attribute remains his generous spirit, a point Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made a tangential reference to in his tribute to him. Alao-Akala loved his Ogbomosho community to bits, and his most visible legacies endure in that town till today. Frankly, that he remained open-handed, both in and out of government, speaks to the genuineness of his generosity. But it still doesnt make it less of a flaw that he barely separated personal purse from the public till, as shown in numerous (apocryphal?) tales of how he whimsically made old friends overnight contractors. This inadequacy notwithstanding, Alao-Akala was a good-hearted human being through and through. But he was a deeply flawed administrator.

Yet, because he died a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), hes been canonised a progressive  his reactionary sins now washed away in the rivers of glowing tributes. Thats the paradox of a nation bereft of ideology.

By the time the military cobbled together the Interim National Government (ING) and Shonekan could not keep his excitement in check as its head, declaring that Nigerians should bury the June 12 mandate, he had lost it all. He became a quisling, and was avoided like a plague, especially in Yorubaland. His humiliating end was all too predictable.

Shonekans place in Nigerias history remains brief, just like his short, inconsequential stint as Nigerias tele-guided numero uno. He was a man of big, consequential ideas, but his presence in our collective memory is now a blur.

As chairman of the United Africa Company of Nigeria (UACN), a component of the British multinational, Unilever, he was a shining star in Nigerias corporate environment. But when the scheming head of state, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) took his chicanery to Shonekan, and handed him a poisoned chalice in form of the chair of the Transition Council (TC), he couldnt resist it. Yet, IBBs was a transition vehicle cobbled together with no intent around transiting. The TC was so impotent that the chair and other members learnt about many important decisions of government from the pages of the newspapers, like all other Nigerians.

By the time the military cobbled together the Interim National Government (ING) and Shonekan could not keep his excitement in check as its head, declaring that Nigerians should bury the June 12 mandate, he had lost it all. He became a quisling, and was avoided like a plague, especially in Yorubaland. His humiliating end was all too predictable.

Many would argue that he didnt commit the major sin, but by his own complicity, Shonekan turned out as the sin bearer. As such, a glorious corporate career, with all its promise and prospects, was punctuated by a disastrous political denouement. His astonishing sense of naivety (or is it greed?) aside, Shonekans ordeal speaks in part to a paradox: the failures of otherwise brilliant men of ideas, lost in the wilderness of Nigerias structural decay.

Bashir Tofa, author, politician, philanthropist and brilliant patriot, espoused democratic ideals. But he did not believe in perhaps Nigerias most popular mandate: June 12. He played the ostrich with the military. A few commentators have said that he was a sour loser. Tofa wasnt the only one who believed not in June 12, to be sure. Some have argued that the crass mendacity of the Babangida government, with its dubious handling of the transition programme, nullified the sanctity of the June 12 mandate. In its early days, leading voices like Gani Fawehinmi and Anthony Enahoro even dismissed the whole exercise as a sham. But Tofa participated in that election, and was roundly defeated even in Kano, his home state. Would he have objected to the result if he had won? Quite unlikely. His was a proof that even acclaimed democrats could embrace selective morality on issues of democratic ideals and the will of the people.

Their flaws aside, all three men have played their parts in our democratic journey. They werent perfect, like the rest of us, but many wished they had acted differently. No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, wrote English humorist Terry Pratchett. The ripples they caused still live with us, reflecting in the paradox of our journey towards redemption.

Goodnight, old men.

Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde.
The most recent military intervention of January 24 in Burkina Faso, combined with the other recent coups in Niger, Mali, and Guinea, have sparked a debate on whether or not coups have finally resurfaced in many parts of the continent, as well as the suspicion of how the nationals of these countries embraced these coups. The military took over power in Burkina Faso after deposing the government of Roch Marc Christian Kabore in a coup detat led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

Africa remains the continent with the highest number of coups detat, at least in the history of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Coups or military interventions are always embarked upon with self-righteous reasoning by juntas aimed at salvaging nations. Without retelling the different escapades that have hit the continent in the past, it is not surprising that military rules have not been favourable to many concepts of civil society, and the violation of human rights is almost the first oppressive step taken by each of them, and Africa is still healing from the costly fiasco of military interventions.

To Africans, military coups detat indicate that there are political challenges facing existing political structures and military forces have been taking over with the initial confessions of restoring normalcy to society. No matter how promising the pedagogical announcement of each coup is, its emergence has always proven to be evidence of political instability and economic brouhaha. For a long time until recently, the military had been in the barracks, but it seems their tamed lions have been unleashed upon the political atmosphere, with coups occurring at an alarming rate and in rapid succession across the continent.

The most recent military intervention of January 24 in Burkina Faso, combined with the other recent coups in Niger, Mali, and Guinea, have sparked a debate on whether or not coups have finally resurfaced in many parts of the continent, as well as the suspicion of how the nationals of these countries embraced these coups. The military took over power in Burkina Faso after deposing the government of Roch Marc Christian Kabore in a coup detat led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. This came at the seeming peak of militant aggression in the country, and the military had come in to promise a return to peace, which the people, unfortunately, believe. Other coups, such as those in Mali, Chad, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, have rocked the African political atmosphere, drawing widespread attention. Also, Mali has been facing too many successive military interventions, with about three in twelve years. Other countries have had similar experiences, making this one of the points of consideration in asserting that something is wrong with the continent.

With the above recent events, it is clear that there is a propensity for military intervention, especially where an African country is facing political instability or a security challenge. This is because they have become the common excuse of juntas in Africa. Should we be surprised that the military is taking over the helm of affairs of some countries in undemocratic manners again? History repeats itself, but some scholars have pointed out factors that can be considered carefully in forecasting the resurgence of military interventions in Africa. One of these scholars is Robert Jackman,[1]who, in contrast to Aristide Zolbergs opposing beliefs,[2] is optimistic that a series of events and factors could resurface in different areas and might be common to all of them.

After analysing different data in Africa, Jackman came up with a structural model, and he argues for a process that might have been noticed and could happen simultaneously or in different ways in a nation. First, he posits that if social mobilisation is not managed, it will result in the resurgence of coups, which could be typical in other countries. Jackman analysed two hypotheses for this factor and states that social mobilisation should not ordinarily cause political instability, as the number of participants may be small. However, if they become many due to the making of more people politically relevant in the society, the government must be able to quickly meet their demands, or else, as Deutsch stated, social mobilisation in the country will turn into a coup. Second, Jackman relies on the hypothesis of organisational age, as put forward by Huntington, that if the youth, like the African community, is the driving force behind mobilisation, it could most likely lead to a coup. This is because the youth are characterised by their desire for rapid change, which the government would most likely be unable to provide.

some scholars have explained the reason for the resurgence of coups from the vantage point of the coup contagion hypothesis. This means that where there is a military intervention, there is a possibility that countries in other areas of the region might also resort to this. Military intervention in a country brings about a sense of legitimacy in another country and encouragement. Other countries, particularly those with similar problems, will start to see it as the only viable solution to their problems.

This first theory could be seen in many of the recent coups in Africa. For instance, before the Mali coup of 2020, there were a series of non-violent protests, one of which was led by the June 5 Movement  the Rally of Patriotic Force (M5-RFP), as is the case in other recent coups. Jackmans second proposition is the effect of mass participation and a multiparty system. It is popularly debated that the increase in mass political participation and the existence of at least two political parties can cause political instability because the varying interests of these strata may not be realistically satisfied. The dominance of one or two parties allows for the aggregation of interests on collective fronts. Hence, the clash of different parties in a multiparty system might invite a coup. One example is the political instability in Lesotho, caused by the disagreements of the Basotho Congress Party (BCP) and Basotho National Party (BNP) over the kings powers, which later led to the BNPs alliance with the military.

Furthermore, Jackman analysed the view that cultural pluralism could cause political instability. He states that where there is more than one cultural origin, incoherent interests are likely, which could lead to clashes. More so, the origin of this stemmed from primordial loyalty to a certain group. However, on the contrary, there are beliefs that cultural pluralism would not be a problem, except there are dominant groups in the society. This view is backed by the history of ethnic disagreements in countries like Liberia, Burundi, D.R. Congo, Algeria, Madagascar, Congo, and Somalia. The 1967 Nigerian Civil War between the Biafrans (mostly Igbo) and the nation is an easy and relatable point of reference to further this assertion. Before the war, ethnic dominance had pre-informed the two 1966 military coups, which many interpreted as ethnically motivated.

In essence, different political mobilisations have been overtures to military interventions in Africa, just as they were in the past. Before the January 24 coup detat in Burkina Faso, different protests and mobilisations (violent or non-violent) had arisen. Similarly, the other two arms of the above model have been evident in the recent coups. Africa should have learnt from the past. These series of events are bound to reach their crescendo, which is expected to affect the community because many of peoples demands were not met. It is pertinent that other countries seeing the same symptoms should make immediate redress and rescue the situation because a coup can be contagious.

In line with the above, some scholars have explained the reason for the resurgence of coups from the vantage point of the coup contagion hypothesis. This means that where there is a military intervention, there is a possibility that countries in other areas of the region might also resort to this. Military intervention in a country brings about a sense of legitimacy in another country and encouragement. Other countries, particularly those with similar problems, will start to see it as the only viable solution to their problems. More so, the presence of the coup wave has been argued to be a catalyst for the resurgence of military interventions in other countries. The problem is that no one knows where the wave will start from. An example was the predominant waves of coups in French-speaking African countries and some British territories.

Democracy must be reformed, for its failures give birth to authoritarianism. To prevent further political intervention, governments must be responsible enough to provide solutions to their citizens requests and allow them to enjoy the dividends of democracy. The socialists who promised democracy became wealthy socialites, creating a mess, and becoming maggots that terminated their own lives in excessive consumption.

Fast forward to present-day Africa, there seems to also be the possibility of a contagion of coups in West Africa. Since 2010, there have been about sixteen military coups across the region and about forty-three in Africa. In a way, these events underscore the above assertion that a coup might be contagious and may explain whether or not military intervention is back in Africa. In the recent coups detat, it is ironic that the citizens have welcomed the military back with open arms. After the January 24 coup in Burkina Faso, about 1,000 citizens were seen celebrating, and there was no condemnation of the intervention. A similar development happened in Mali and some other African countries also. This development is quite disturbing, considering the notorious attributes that military juntas were known for in the past.

Such migration from the disposition to democracy to military rule only points to the failure of democracy in Africa. Democracy, which unarguably has been widely regarded as the best available system of government in which people and their interests are expected to matter, has failed on the continent. Economic crises, security challenges, and, most importantly, the dominance of corrupt practices in government have made citizens lose faith in the system. Africans are getting more frustrated by unfavourable policies, unnecessary red-tapism, and favouritism that have become attributes of African democratic government. After getting too tired of the disguise of democracy, there is a need for a paradigm shift and a revolution, in which the people now regard military intervention as an alternative solution. It should be clear that the people prefer democracy to military rule, which does not satisfy the immediate and important needs of the people. The victory achieved through military intervention can be regarded as pyrrhic because when the precarious tendencies of the military junta start manifesting, they may be more disastrous than what the people have previously suffered under a democratic government.

Democracy must be reformed, for its failures give birth to authoritarianism. To prevent further political intervention, governments must be responsible enough to provide solutions to their citizens requests and allow them to enjoy the dividends of democracy. The socialists who promised democracy became wealthy socialites, creating a mess, and becoming maggots that terminated their own lives in excessive consumption. Reforms and positive deliverables will allow citizens to regain interest in democracy and defend it.

Furthermore, there is a need to remodel African democracy to consider African diversity and cultural uniqueness. Considering the various interests of the society, every group will go a long way in amending the constitutions to reflect the attributes of all identity groups. It is high time that the continent took a bold step to confront corruption and promote good governance. Hungry people cannot eat democracy. If changes are not treated as urgent, the military in other countries may follow the example of what has been happening in their surrounding regions, succumb to the pressure of political instability and take tothe unlawful ascension to power. When thousands of people take to the streets to rejoice, understand their feelings and joy.

[1] Robert W. Jackman, The Predictability of Coups Detat: A Model with African Data, The American Political Science Review 72, no. 4 (1978): 126275. https://doi.org/10.2307/1954538.

[2] Aristide R. Zolberg, Military Intervention in the New States of Africa, in The Military Interventions: Case Studies in Political Development, ed. Henry Bienen (New York: Russell Sage, 1968), 71-102.

Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland.
Christian Chima, a chieftain of the PDP in Anambra, said the party would be a strong opposition by keeping the governor-elect, Chukwuma Soludo, on his toes.

Mr Chima, who is aspiring to be elected the publicity secretary of the Anambra chapter of the PDP in the upcoming party congresses in February, disclosed this to reporters in Awka on Friday.

He said as the March 17 inauguration of Anambras governor-elect drew close, the party was ready to live up to its responsibility as an opposition party in the state.

According to him, Mr Soludo cannot afford to fail or disappoint as the people are hopeful that he will be that light at the end of the South-easts political tunnel.

We are at a time when the confidence of the masses on the political leadership of the South-east is at an all-time low.

The whole of the South-east, not just Anambra, suffers from pervasive voter apathy, rooted in a deep-seated feeling that the collective aspiration of our people can no longer be achieved through the political process.

Soludo is brilliant and eloquent, especially through his utterances since he was declared governor-elect. This has raised a lot of hope that democracy can be given one more shot in the state.

ALSO READ: Group urges Soludo to address neglect of federal projects in Anambra

One can then imagine how tragic it will become if Soludo disappoints. That possible endpoint is frightening and if it happens, the South-east will, no doubt, slide into possible anarchy.

This is why Soludo, when he becomes the governor of Anambra, cannot be allowed to fail, he said.

Mr Chima said he was running for the office of the publicity secretary of the PDP in Anambra because there was need for a vibrant opposition in the state

We are more mindful of the harm Soludos failure will do to the collective psyche and destiny of our people, than the cheap political points that may accrue to our party on the account of his failure.

The goal is not to provide toxic opposition but through robust engagement, Soludo will, at every turn, see Anambra PDP as a constant reminder of the enormous responsibility that has been placed on his shoulders.

Soludo will also be reminded of the monumental consequences of him not doing the work expected of him, he said.

(NAN)
DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting a second citizenship has become a goal for all high net worth individuals looking to broaden their horizons and provide themselves and their families with a resolute Plan B.

The good thing is, getting a second citizenship has never been easier. Many countries offer citizenship by investment programs. Five Caribbean nations of Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, along with the Pacific nation of Vanuatu and Turkey, all offer their own route to obtaining citizenship through making an investment.

Getting your second citizenship is quick, simple, and affordable. Investment thresholds start at 100,000 USD, and applicants can obtain their new passports within less than half a year.

You Might Also Like: Grenada Offers The Ultimate "Business Passport" For Global Investors

But there remains one issue that many do not consider, maintaining your second citizenship. Truth be told, that is a simple thing to do, but there are some small mistakes that you should look out for that could result in the revocation of your second citizenship, and this is what we will be discussing today.

What Does Revocation Of Citizenship Mean?

A country can revoke a citizenship, meaning it can withdraw the citizenship from one of its citizens, depending on its internal laws and regulations.

When it comes to a second citizenship, the main issue is criminal activity. Most countries have been extremely vocal in stating that if a person would get their citizenship by investment and then commit a criminal offense, then the government would withdraw their citizenship.

But there are smaller mistakes that people can fall victim to, and here are the main ones you should look out for:

Maintaining your investment

There are a lot of countries that offer citizenship by investment, and all of these countries, except Vanuatu, offer various investment options. So we will be focusing on those countries in this part.

One of the most popular investment options is purchasing real estate. But the government requires those who choose to purchase real estate to maintain ownership of it for a specific amount of time.

Related Article: Citizenship by Investment & Wealth Management to Protect Your Family

Dominica requires applicants to hold on to ownership of the property for at least five (5) years before they can sell it, while Turkey requires them to hold on to it for three (3) years.

Each country has its law, but the premise remains the same. Anyone who sells the property before the holding period is over will have their citizenship revoked.

Proving Source Of Funds

Anyone applying for citizenship by investment programs will have to undergo due diligence prior to obtaining their second passport. This process maintains the integrity of the program and ensures those becoming citizens are a good fit for the country's population.

The due diligence process not only checks a person's criminal background but the source of their investment. Make sure the trail of the money you will use to invest is clear and precise and that it will withstand the scrutiny of time.

People Who Read This Article Also Read: Mitigating Risk  How a Second Citizenship Protects Citizens of Unstable Regions

One of the biggest issues, Al Jazeera's Cyprus Papers, a leak of information that put the now suspended Cypriot citizenship by investment program in hot water, was the lack of credible source of funds for many applicants. The Cypriot government has since launched a deep investigation and is now in the process of revoking citizenships.

Make sure you have a clear paper trail and a clear transfer to the right party when conducting your investment.

Physical Residence Requirements

Only one country of the group, Antigua & Barbuda, requires you to spend time in the country to maintain your passport. The Caribbean nation requires you to visit the nation for five (5) days after you have become a citizen within the following five (5) years to be able to renew your Antigua passport.

Keep in mind, if you do not spend five (5) days, your citizenship will not be revoked, but you cannot renew your Antiguan passport until you spend those days on Antiguan shores.

Fraudulent intermediaries

Most Citizenship by Investment Programs have a list of approved international agents. Working with one of these agents who has accreditation from the granting government ensures accountability, transparency, and legitimacy.

However, applying through a company or person who is not a registered agent may open the door for fraudulent applications that can be discovered by the government after a while. This may lead to the revocation of your citizenship and the loss of your investment, so always work with a company that has the required certificates to apply on your behalf.

Getting Second Citizenship & Keeping It

We at Savory & Partners specialize in second citizenship services, we help you and your family quickly and affordably get a second passport. But we also provide comprehensive consultation on what to do after you get your new passport so that you do not fall victim to a simple mistake that you could have easily avoided. All you need to do is contact us today and book a free, comprehensive consultation.

Savory & Partners is an accredited agent for multiple governments where citizenship by investment is offered. Founded in 1797, the agency has evolved from pharmaceuticals to family assets and legacy protection through second citizenship and residency. The company's professional, multinational staff is made up of expert advisors who have guided thousands of clients, including many North African investors, on their journey to find the most suitable CBI program for them. The Savory & Partners team will be happy to answer your enquiries in English, Arabic and French.

For more information, please send an email to contact@savoryandpartners.com. You can also call +971 04 430 1717 or send a WhatsApp message to +971 54 440 2955.

SOURCE Savory & Partners
SEMG is a market-leading provider of e-mobility solutions within the DACH region, operating the largest pure-play e-bike retail chain M-way in Switzerland with close to USD 100M in revenue. The company has a prestigious Swiss mobility brands portfolio, including Cilo, Simpel, Allegro, and Zenith  Bikes. By combining its extensive physical network and e-commerce platform with two online platforms and 31 physical stores, SEMG is able to deliver a seamless and world-class customer experience.

Announcing the acquisition, Mr. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, "TVS Motor has always been committed to sustainability and has been investing in electric vehicles for over 10 years. The increasing global focus on the environment and personal well-being is rapidly accelerating demand for newer mobility solutions, and TVS Motor is investing to drive this change."

Speaking on the occasion, Sir Ralf Speth, Chairman designate, TVS Motor Company, said, "TVS Motor is committed to being at the forefront of e-personal mobility globally. SEMG complements our acquisitions of Norton Motorcycles and EGO Movement and strengthens our commitment to environmental sustainability. We offer our customers a compelling portfolio of technologically advanced and environment friendly products."

Adding on, Mr. Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, said, "This acquisition furthers TVS Motor's commitment towards e-personal mobility products. We are strengthening our presence in the rapidly growing e-bikes segment. SEMG has strong omnichannel distribution and aspirational brands, including Cilo, Simpel, and Zenith - Bikes. I'm excited to enhance the product range further and scale the company in the DACH region and beyond. I'd like to convey my thanks to CONSTELLATION CAPITAL and Rainer Frohlich for this foundation which we will build on."

E-bikes are establishing themselves as the de-facto form of personal mobility in Europe due to the increased ease of usage, regulatory support, and overall perception as a sustainable form of transport. With a current penetration of approximately 15% of the total bicycle population in Europe and growing at a CAGR of ~18%, the market for the e-bicycle holds significant growth potential.

Rainer Frohlich, Founder and Managing Partner, CONSTELLATION CAPITAL, emphasises, "In TVS Motor, we have found the ideal and an exceptionally dynamic partner for SEMG to reinforce and expand the Group's position as a market leader. The strategy of having a global leader like TVS as a majority shareholder not only offers untapped potential in quality assurance and procurement in the global supply chain but also lays the foundation for future expansion of the group beyond national borders."

The acquisition has been made in an all-cash deal through TVS Motor's Singapore Subsidiary, TVS Motor (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

About TVS Motor Company

TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer and is the flagship company of the USD 8.5 billion TVS Group. We believe in Championing Progress through Mobility. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. We endeavour to deliver the most superior customer experience at all our touch points across 70 countries. We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys for five years. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years.

For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com.

About Swiss E-Mobility Group AG (SEMG)

The Swiss E-Mobility Group AG was incepted as a part of the CONSTELLATION V fund in 2018, and advised by CONSTELLATION CAPITAL AG, one of Switzerland's leading investment firms. Since then, SEMG has been pursuing a growth strategy combining organic and inorganic opportunities through the acquisition of various companies in the e-mobility industry. SEMG represents a Switzerland based institution in the fast-growing e-mobility market, offering traditional Swiss and other attractive bicycle complementary services via a customer-centric multi-channel strategy in the DACH region. Their portfolio of four own e-bike brands (Simpel, Cilo, Allegro, Zenith) are relevant across all major e-bike segments from E-city, E-mountain bikes to niche segment in Speed Pedelec. SEMG's role as a key distributor of major e-bike brands (Cube, Haibike, Canondale, Kalkhoff, Focus, Stromer, Moustache, KTM, etc.) also provides customers with a holistic range of e-bike products to choose from.

https://www.semg.ch/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1736103/TVS_SEMG.jpg

SOURCE TVS Motor Company
EDISON, N.J., Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Gov. Phil Murphy's re-declaration of a Public Health Emergency on January 11, 2022, essential workers in New Jersey are once again entitled to a legal presumption that makes it easier for them to obtain workers' compensation benefits after contracting COVID-19.

Given the latest development, Levinson Axelrod, P.A. is again reviewing potential claims from essential workers and families across New Jersey who wish to seek benefits.

A leader in the field, the award-winning firm litigated some of the state's first COVID-related workers' compensation claims in 2020 and early 2021, and successfully settled one of New Jersey's first COVID-19 occupational death claims when it recovered $550,000 for the spouse of a warehouse worker who died from COVID.

Public Health Emergency Reactivates COVID Workers' Comp Presumption

On January 11, 2022, Gov. Phil Murphy reinstated a Public Health Emergency to bolster the state's response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. In addition to providing Gov. Murphy with the ability to exercise emergency powers, the Public Health Emergency also reinstates a law that covers certain workers diagnosed with COVID-19.

The law, initially signed by Gov. Murphy in September 2020 and made retroactive to March 9, 2020, created a presumption that any "essential worker" diagnosed with COVID would be covered by workers' compensation unless the employer could prove the worker was not exposed to the virus at work. This presumption law remained in effect until the Public Health Emergency declared by the Governor was lifted on July 3, 2021.

This means that from 3/9/2020 to 7/3/2021, essential workers diagnosed with COVID-19 were able to benefit from the presumption, while essential workers who contracted COVID between 7/4/2021 to 1/10/2022 are not entitled to the presumption and must therefore prove that they contracted COVID-19 through their employment.

Now that the Governor has again declared a Public Health Emergency, the essential worker COVID presumption law has been reenacted, allowing those defined as "essential employees" to benefit from the presumption until the current Public Health Emergency is lifted.

Are You Entitled to Workers' Comp Benefits After Contracting COVID?

If you are seeking benefits for COVID occupational exposure, you may benefit from New Jersey's presumption law if you contracted COVID-19 during a Public Health Emergency (i.e. from January 11, 2022 to the date the current state of emergency is lifted) and:

Are a First Responder or Public Safety Worker; Provide medical or other health care services; Perform a job that requires physical proximity to the public; or Are any other worker deemed an essential employee by the state of New Jersey .

Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Serves Essential Workers Statewide

Levinson Axelrod, P.A. is a nationally recognized law firm that has been fighting for injured workers and families across New Jersey since 1939.

With multiple New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Workers' Compensation Specialists on staff, the firm has been a leader in litigating occupational exposure cases involving COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, the firm successfully resolved one of the first cases of its kind when it prevailed in securing benefits for a corrections officer who contracted COVID-19 at work. The firm also settled one of the first COVID-related death claims for $550,000 on behalf of the spouse of a warehouse worker who died from COVID.

The firm offers free consultations and is available to help essential workers learn more about the presumption law and their ability to pursue benefits after contracting COVID-19. For more information, visit www.NJLawyers.com.

SOURCE Levinson Axelrod, P.A.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- QM Power's ongoing development of high-efficiency electric motors and controls has led to renewed research sponsorships and expanded office space at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) as well as the opening of a satellite office in Albany, New York.

As part of its network of university alliances in the US and Europe, QM Power has housed employees in office and laboratory space at the UNC Charlotte campus for several years. Its research sponsorships with the university's Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) have helped QM Power enable and accelerate its core technology development, by working collaboratively with top-level resources and talent in an innovation-rich environment. These amenities have played a key role in QM Power's contributions to the development of energy-efficient motors and controls. Recent and planned staff additions in engineering and business management have resulted in additional office space expansion to support ongoing product development and commercial activities.

In addition to its expanded presence at UNC Charlotte, QM Power opened a new satellite office in Albany, New York, in November 2021. This location was chosen due to its proximity to QM Power's local engineering talent pool and other technology relationships with businesses in the area that contribute to the company's drive to innovate in the field of energy-efficient motors.

Along with Charlotte and Albany, QM Power has offices in Kansas City, MO and Detroit, MI enabling the company to work closely with the customers it serves in the HVAC/R and Electric Vehicle markets.

With these expansion initiatives, QM Power is positioned to deliver its mission. To enable a more sustainable and energy-efficient world with innovative electric motor and drive products.

About QM Power

QM Power has developed proprietary and patented innovations in magnetic circuits and electronic controllers for the global electric motor market. The company holds over 65 patents, including for the revolutionary Q-Sync technology, which offers the highest efficiency motors for commercial refrigeration applications and residential and light commercial HVAC. QM Power's portfolio also includes the innovative Q-Mag technology for use in the next generation of electric vehicle motors. Learn more at www.qmpower.com.

About University of North Carolina at Charlotte

UNC Charlotte is North Carolina's urban research university. With an enrollment of nearly 30,500 students, the University leverages its location in the state's largest city to offer internationally competitive programs of research and creative activity, exemplary undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, and a focused set of community engagement initiatives. Learn more at www.charlotte.edu .

Contact: Mike More

Tel.: (612) 327-9438

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.QMPower.com

SOURCE QM Power
Vendor Landscape

The market structure is expected to remain fragmented during the forecast period. Vendors are deploying different organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

Automatic Data Processing Inc., Bullhorn Inc., Cornerstone OnDemand Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Infor Inc., Oracle Corp., Saba Software Inc., SAP SE, The Ultimate Software Group Inc., Workday Inc. among others are some of the few key vendors competing to maintain their market position in the market.

Various players in the market are engaging in strategic partnerships and joint ventures along with launching differentiated products to enhance their game in the software industry. For instance, In July 2019, International Business Machines Corp. executed the acquisition Red Hat Inc. Similarly, in May 2018, Wood Group (provides technical and engineering services) signed a multi-year agreement with IBM for transforming asset lifecycle management.

View more about the market's vendor landscape highlights with a comprehensive list of vendors and their offerings.

Key Market Segmentation

Segmentation by Product:

Cloud-based:



The implementation of cloud-computing is estimated to create growth in the talent management software market during the forecast period.





The global talent management software market share is driven by cloud-based implementation due to an increase in digitization and expansion of the geographical presence of IT and retail industry, resulting in the rise in the demand for centralized systems for HR-related operations as well as talent acquisition. Moreover, the cloud-based model is cost-efficient but most of the SMEs are adopting these systems on a large scale and are expected to elevate the global market share growth during the forecast period.



On-premise

Request a FREE Sample of this report for more highlights into the market segments.

Regional Market Outlook

North America will contribute to 43% of the market growth during the forecast period. The major reason for market growth in this region is the rise in acceptance of advanced technologies and rapid digitalization of industries. A majority of the vendors of talent management software, such as Oracle, ADP LLC (ADP), and Cornerstone, among others, operate in the region. In countries such as the US and Canada, the IT and retail sectors are growing rapidly.

Apart from regions, if we look at the country-wise market growth, the US and Canada are the key markets for the growth of talent management software in North America. The US is home to numerous enterprises and has a highly competitive workforce ecosystem.

Download our FREE sample report for more key highlights on the regional market share of most of the above-mentioned countries.

Latest Drivers and Challenges for the Global Talent Management Software Market

Market Driver:

The number of benefits associated with the talent management software market:

The hiring process for HRs is not limited to organizations. Also, the performance of the candidates can be monitored fairly for performance or rewards to achieve the profits from the employee. The talent management software helps digitize the operations of the organizations for enhancing the business value and making it possible for the organizations to achieve their goals. Moreover, the data can be shared across the entire organization, Therefore, the benefits with the talent management software are estimated to significantly drive the market growth during the forecast period.

Market Challenge:

Data privacy and security issues with cloud-based products:

Most of the organizations worldwide and MSEs are implementing cloud-based software services which are scalable and easy to use. These cloud-based services allow quick access to the programs and data for the end-users with improved IT services. Moreover, with a number of benefits, there are several security concerns of data security for the organizations as these cloud-based services are shared among multiple organizations and users. Furthermore, a number of reports of cyberattacks on data centers have raised concerns for data privacy and lack of control on information is a key challenge for the talent management software market share growth during the forecast period.

Find additional information about various other market drivers & trends mentioned in our FREE sample report .

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Talent Management Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2019 Forecast period 2020-2024 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 11% Market growth 2020-2024 $ 5.41 billion Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 9.89 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 43% Key consumer countries US, Canada, Germany, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Automatic Data Processing Inc., Bullhorn Inc., Cornerstone OnDemand Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Infor Inc., Oracle Corp., Saba Software Inc., SAP SE, The Ultimate Software Group Inc., and Workday 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 focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
SHANGHAI, Jan. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boqii Holding Limited ("Boqii" or the "Company") (NYSE: BQ), a leading pet-focused platform in China, today announced that it has received a letter from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") dated January 26, 2022, notifying the Company that it is below the compliance criteria due to the trading price of the Company's American depositary shares (the "ADSs").

Pursuant to NYSE Rule 802.01C, a company is considered to be below compliance criteria if the average closing price of a security as reported on the consolidated tape is less than US$1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. Once notified, the company must bring its share price and average share price back above US$1.00 within six months following receipt of the notification. The company can regain compliance at any time during the six-month cure period if on the last trading day of any calendar month during the cure period the company has a closing share price of at least US$1.00 and an average closing share price of at least US$1.00 over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of that month. In the event that at the expiration of the six-month cure period, both a US$1.00 closing share price on the last trading day of the cure period and a US$1.00 average closing share price over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of the cure period are not attained, the NYSE will commence suspension and delisting procedures.

To address this issue, the Company intends to continuously monitor the market conditions of its ADSs and is considering its options to regain compliance.

About Boqii Holding Limited

Boqii Holding Limited (NYSE: BQ) is a leading pet-focused platform in China. We are the leading online destination for pet products and supplies in China with our broad selection of high-quality products including global leading brands, local emerging brands, and our own private label, Yoken and Mocare, offered at competitive prices. Our online sales platforms, including Boqii Mall and our flagship stores on third-party e-commerce platforms, provide customers with convenient access to a wide selection of high-quality pet products and an engaging and personalized shopping experience. Our Boqii Community provides an informative and interactive content platform for users to share their knowledge and love for pets.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.boqii.com/.

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, 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 words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, 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, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding such risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Boqii Holding Limited

Investor Relations

Tel: +86-21-6882-6051

Email: [email protected]

DLK Advisory Limited

Tel: +852-2857-7101

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Boqii Holding Limited
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today welcomed this evening's victory in CAIR's First Amendment lawsuit on behalf of an engineering firm, owned by Rasmy Hassouna, that refused to sign an anti-BDS loyalty oath to Israel as part of the company's contract with the City of Houston.

In his ruling granting an injunction that blocks Texas from enforcing the anti-boycott law against Hassouna, United States District Judge Andrew S. Hanen wrote in part:

"The speech contemplated by [Rasmy's company] may make some individualsespecially those who identify with Israeluncomfortable, anxious, or even angry. Nevertheless, speecheven speech that upsets other segments of the populationis protected by the First Amendment unless it escalates into violence and misconduct."

Judge Hanen added: "The Court does find that Hassouna authentically holds a pro-Palestinian point of view that is protected by the First Amendment."

READ THE JUDGE'S RULING

While the injunction applies only to this client at this preliminary stage, Judge Hanen's reasoning indicates that this latest attempt to suppress advocacy for Palestine is likely to fail.

"State lawmakers should note this decision," said CAIR National Litigation and Civil Rights Director Lena Masri. "There's no place for banning boycotts under the First Amendment."

"This is a major victory of the First Amendment against Texas's repeated attempts to suppress speech in support of Palestine," said CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas. "These regressive attempts to create a Palestine-exception to the First Amendment betray the central role boycotts have played in our history."

Abbas noted that CAIR won a landmark legal victory in 2019 in a lawsuit over a previous version of the current law.

Today, CAIR called a proposed bill in Georgia to implement a similar anti-BDS law "a doomed effort" after a court ruled the original version of the law was unconstitutional.

SEE: Civil Rights Groups Condemn Georgia House Bill 383 as 'Doomed' Effort to Save State's Unconstitutional Anti-Boycott Law

CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational

http://twitter.com/cairnational

http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/

https://action.cair.com/a/donate

If you would like to join CAIR's media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters

CONTACT: CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri, 202-642-4934, [email protected]; CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Midwest Fund (CMF), a Milwaukee-based venture capital firm, announced today its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

CMF will proactively invest in female founders and racially diverse founders, and plans to focus on the equity component that is often overlooked in DEI strategies. As part of the initiative, CMF is developing a framework to both guide the process and measure its impact. CMF will also work with its portfolio companies to develop DEI initiatives at the company level as well.

CMF's commitment to DEI is further reinforced by CMF itself being minority-led. Two of the three partners of CMF's recently announced fourth fund, Alvin Vitangcol and Michael Harper, are minorities.

"We have unintentionally done a reasonable job with DEI historically, at least compared to the industry benchmarks, but a more intentional DEI strategy will provide more opportunities for female and minority founders, while we maintain our core investment criteria, which has led to success in past investments," said CMF Partner Alvin Vitangcol.

Historically, CMF, across its first three funds, has 13% of its investments in female-founded/female-led companies, and 24% of its investments in minority-founded/minority-led companies. This compares with U.S. startup benchmarking, based on 2018-2019 data provided by Diversity VC in its "Diversity in U.S. Startups" report, of 11% female-founded/female-led companies and 28% minority-founded/minority-founded companies.

"We believe our reinvigorated commitment to female and minority providers will help further break down barriers that prevent diverse-led companies from raising capital," said CMF Partner Michael Harper. "We also plan to serve as an advocate to our fellow venture capital investors."

About Capital Midwest Fund

Capital Midwest Fund is a venture capital firm investing in revenue-stage companies that provide customer-centric, problem-solving, business-to-business technology solutions, including software, services, and products. CMF focuses on companies where management: (1) has a fundamental understanding of trending technology themes; (2) has applied that understanding in a practical way to solve specific customer problems; and (3) has shown traction in garnering market acceptance.

CMF recently announced the initial closing of its fourth fund, Capital Midwest Fund IV, L.P. (CMF IV), effective as of November 5, 2021. To date, CMF IV has received capital commitments in excess of $41 million. CMF IV is targeting $100 million of aggregate capital commitments.

https://www.capitalmidwest.com

Contact:

Michael S. Harper

Capital Midwest Fund

[email protected]

SOURCE Capital Midwest Fund
The impacted products are identified below. Conagra Brands will work with retail customers to ensure that the recalled products are removed from store shelves.

Item Description Each UPC Batch/Lot Code Best By Date Wish-Bone THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING, 15 oz 0-41321-00645-6 4254200620 BEST BY JAN312023 Wish-Bone THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING, 15 oz 0-41321-00645-6 4254200720 BEST BY FEB012023 Wish-Bone THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING, 24 oz 0-41321-00731-6 4254201720 BEST BY FEB112023 Wish-Bone CHUNKY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING, 24 oz 0-41321-00691-3 4254201320 BEST BY NOV092022

This recall does not impact any other Wish-Bone or Conagra Brands products.

Consumers who have purchased this product are advised to dispose of it. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. Consumers with questions can contact Conagra Brands Consumer Care at 1-800-881-3989 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday or reach us anytime via email at [email protected].

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.ConagraBrands.com.

For more information, please contact:

MEDIA: Dan Hare

312-549-5355

[email protected]

SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.
TSX-V: GBR

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Great Bear Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Great Bear", (TSXV: GBR) (OTCQX: GTBAF) announced today that both Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co., LLC ("Glass Lewis") have recommended that Great Bear shareholders, optionholders, restricted share unit holders, and deferred share unit holders of Great Bear (collectively, "Securityholders") vote FOR the resolution (the "Arrangement Resolution") to approve the proposed acquisition of Great Bear by Kinross Gold Corporation ("Kinross"), (TSX: K) (NYSE: KGC) by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Transaction") at the upcoming special meeting of Great Bear Securityholders on February 14, 2022 (the "Special Meeting").

Favourable ISS and Glass Lewis Recommendations

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.

In reaching its conclusion, ISS noted:

"In light of the significant premium, the favourable market reaction, the reasonable strategic rationale and the absence of significant governance concerns, shareholder approval of this resolution is warranted."

In reaching its conclusion, Glass Lewis noted:

"the Company undertook a lengthy and competitive sale process prior to agreeing to a deal with Kinross, which in turn should provide shareholders with a reasonable degree of assurance that the proposed merger likely represents the best available strategic alternative for the Company and its shareholders."

Great Bear's board of directors UNANIMOUSLY recommends that Securityholders

VOTE FOR the Arrangement Resolution

Great Bear Special Meeting

The Special Meeting will be held on Monday, February 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) in a virtual-only format conducted by live audio webcast, using the Summit meeting platform, at https://meetnow.global/MCZJJLW. Securityholders 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.

Securityholders 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 and on the Company's website at www.greatbearresources.ca/investors/great-bear-kinross-transaction/.

How to Vote

Due to the essence of time, Securityholders 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 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver Time) ON Thursday February 10, 2022

Vote using the following methods prior to the Meeting: Internet Telephone or Fax Registered Securityholders

Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate. www.investorvote.com Telephone: 1-866-732-8683

Fax: 1-866-249-7775 Non-Registered Securityholders:

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

Transaction Details

Under the terms of the Transaction, Great Bear shareholders will receive upfront consideration of approximately C$1.8 billion, representing C$29.00 per Great Bear Share on a fully diluted basis ("Consideration"). Great Bear shareholders will be able to elect to receive the upfront consideration as either (i) C$29.00 in cash or (ii) 3.8564 Kinross shares per Great Bear share, both subject to proration. The upfront consideration will be subject to maximum aggregate cash consideration of approximately C$1.4 billion and a maximum of approximately 80.8 million Kinross shares issuable. Great Bear shareholders who do not elect cash or Kinross shares will be deemed to have elected to receive cash, subject to pro-ration.

In order to make a valid election, registered Securityholders 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 4:30 p.m. (Vancouver time) on February 9, 2022, or, if the Meeting is adjourned or postponed, no later than 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays in British Columbia) before the adjourned Meeting is reconvened or the postponed Meeting is convened. Beneficial Great Bear shareholders should follow the instructions provided by your intermediary to make your election.

Great Bear shareholders will also receive contingent consideration in the form of contingent value rights ("CVRs") providing for further potential consideration equal to 0.1330 of a Kinross share per Great Bear Share. The contingent consideration will be payable in connection with Kinross' public announcement of commercial production at the Dixie project, provided that at least 8.5 million gold ounces of measured and indicated mineral resources have been disclosed.

The Consideration represents a premium of 31% and 40% to the closing price and the volume weighted average price ("VWAP"), respectively, of Great Bear's shares on the TSX-V for the 20-day period ending December 7, 2021.

The Arrangement Agreement provides for customary deal-protection provisions, including a non-solicitation covenant on the part of Great Bear and a right for Kinross to match any Superior Proposal (as defined in the Arrangement Agreement). The Arrangement Agreement includes a termination fee of C$85 million, payable by Great Bear to Kinross, under certain circumstances (including if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in connection with Great Bear pursuing a Superior Proposal). Directors, officers, and certain shareholders of Great Bear, owning in aggregate approximately 20% of Great Bear's voting securities have agreed to vote all the securities they own or control in favour of the Transaction.

Securityholder Questions

Securityholders who have questions or need assistance with voting their Great Bear shares, Great Bear options, Great Bear RSUs or Great Bear DSUs should contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group by telephone at:

Laurel Hill Advisory Group

North American Toll-Free Number: 1-877-452-7184

Outside of North America Collect Calls Number: 416-304-0211

Email: [email protected]

About Great Bear

Great Bear Resources Ltd. is a Vancouver-based gold exploration company focused on advancing its 100% owned Dixie project in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. A significant exploration drill program is currently underway to define the mineralization within a large-scale, high-grade disseminated gold discovery made in 2019, the LP Fault. Additional exploration drilling is also in progress to expand and infill nearby high-grade gold zones, as well as to test new regional targets.

Great Bear is a committed partner to all stakeholders, with a long-term vision of sustainable exploration to advance the Dixie project in a manner that demonstrates good stewardship of land, operational excellence and accountability.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect our expectations or beliefs regarding future events and the impacts of the ongoing and evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements with respect to the consummation and timing of the Transaction; approval by Great Bear's shareholders; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; the strengths, characteristics and potential of the Transaction; growth potential and expectations regarding the ability to advance the project, timing, receipt and anticipated effects of court, regulatory and other consents and approvals; the impact of the Transaction on local stakeholders and other anticipated benefits of the Transaction. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to failure to receive approval by Great Bear shareholders, the required court, regulatory and other consents and approvals to effect the Transaction, the potential of a third party making a superior proposal to the Transaction, the possibility that the Arrangement Agreement could be terminated under certain circumstances.

Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

Great Bear undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

SOURCE Great Bear Resources Ltd.
SHANGHAI, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HanBio Therapeutics ("HanBio"), a biotechnology company committed to researching and developing next generation transformative medicines, today announced that it has completed a US$40 million Series A financing to advance the preclinical and clinical development of its series of innovative antibodies and other biologics products. This round of financing was jointly led by OrbiMed and Hankang Capital, followed by Yonghua Investment and Elikon Investment. Before the completion of this round of financing, HanBio was an early product research and development company incubated by Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. ("Sunshine Guojian"). The company's current pipeline includes three bispecific antibodies in the IND and pre-IND stages, and a variety of early-stage antibodies and other biologics products.

Dr. Zhenping Zhu, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HanBio, said, "We highly appreciate OrbiMed and Hankang Capital and the other investors for their recognition of HanBio's R&D capability, its innovative pipeline and overall development strategy. This round of funds will be used for preclinical research and clinical trials of our multiple antibody and bispecific antibody products, as well as the establishment of an efficient company management and R&D team. We expect to submit IND applications to the regulatory agencies in both China and the United States for three innovative bispecific antibody products in 2022. On the research front we will focus on exploring new therapeutic targets and modalities, and developing innovative medicines with better safety and efficacy profiles to the current standard treatment options."

Dr. Zhu has extensive experience and an excellent track record in the biopharmaceutical industrial field, including more than 28 years of research and management experience in several world-renowned pharmaceutical companies. Prior to founding HanBio, Dr. Zhu served as the President of R&D and Chief Scientific Officer of 3SBio Group. Before joining 3SBio, Dr. Zhu has served as Executive Vice President at Kadmon Holdings, Vice President and Global Head of Protein Sciences at Novartis Biologics, and Vice President of Research at ImClone Systems. Dr. Zhu has contributed greatly to the discovery and development of a number of therapeutic antibody products approved by the US FDA, European EMA and China NMPA; he is the patent inventor of both ramucirumab (CyramzaR) and necitumumab (PortrazzaR), and one of the main contributors to cetuximab (ErbituxR). Dr. Zhu has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers in international journals, and has applied for or obtained more than 150 patents in China, United States and other international territories.

Dr. Jing Lou, Chairman of Sunshine Guojian, said, "I am very glad that HanBio, as an early product R&D company incubated by Sunshine Guojian, is recognized by leading biotech investors. Sunshine Guojian is committed to working with the investors to fully support HanBio for the rapid development of the company's innovative products that will benefit cancer patients in China and around the world."

Dr. Steven Dasong Wang, Partner at OrbiMed, said, "Dr. Zhu is one of the pioneers and leaders in the global biopharmaceutical industry. Several antibody products he invented or greatly contributed to, including ramucirumab (CyramzaR) and cetuximab (ErbituxR), have become ones of the most prescribed biologics in the treatment of gastric and colorectal cancers, with total global annual sales nearing 3 billion US dollars. HanBio led by Dr. Zhu has impressed us with its holistic approach to target selection, antibody discovery and design, and clinical translation strategy with special focus on cancers of the human digestive system. We look forward to supporting the company in advancing product clinical development and achieving breakthroughs in the treatment of cancers with high prevalence in China."

Mr. Quanhong Yuan, Partner at Hankang Capital, said, "PD1/PDL1 antibodies have reshaped the landscape of cancer treatment, but they also face the problem of limited response rate. Combination therapies and bispecific antibodies represent a new wave of therapeutic modalities, and are expected to provide a breakthrough solution to the treatment of PD1/PD1 resistant tumors. Dr. Zhu and his team at HanBio have rich experience and excellent track record in the field of antibody drug R&D and tumor immunotherapy. We expect HanBio to achieve great success in the field of cancer treatment."

About HanBio Therapeutics

"Transformative Medicines by Innovation." HanBio Therapeutics is an innovative biotechnology company committed to researching and developing next generation transformative medicines to treat patients with serious diseases.

For more information, please contact:

Zhenping Zhu, MD, PhD

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Tel: +1 347 327 0705 (USA)

+011 86 186 1234 0399 (China)

SOURCE HanBio Therapeutics
CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Jackson, the middle son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson, today announced his intention to run for the U.S. House of Representative from the 1st congressional district. His formal announcement will come early next month.

"I have been fighting for working people my entire life and am dedicated to social and economic change," Jackson said. "As a businessman, college professor and activist, I have been on the forefront of the struggle for civil and human rights."

If elected, Jackson, 56, said he would focus on creating jobs and increasing workforce skills, family economic security, improving public transportation, increasing access and affordability of health care and expanding daycare so parents can work without having to worry about their children.

"I am committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in the district," Jackson said. "It is time for increasing our focus on the economic issues that impact families and expanding economic opportunities. The 1st congressional district, Chicago and our nation need change. We will spur a transformation that can bring justice and equity to our communities, creating safer environments where we can nurture our children to become tomorrow's leaders."

Jackson attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, where he was a student-athlete; North Carolina A & T University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Business at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where he received an MBA. Jackson married Marilyn Ann Richards 1995 and the couple has three children. Currently, Jackson runs a construction contracting company based in Bronzeville.

Jackson lives in Jackson Park Highlands, and his street was rezoned by one block out of the 1st district boundary. He plans to relocate within the 1st district.

Contact:

Michael K. Frisby

[email protected]/202-625-4328

SOURCE Jonathan Jackson
MILBURN, N.J., Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Matan Yemini is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Distinguished Infertility Specialist in the Medical field and in acknowledgment of his work at Diamond Institute for Infertility and Menopause.

Dr. Yemini is one of two physicians at the Diamond Institute for Infertility and Menopause. He has been helping patients begin and grow their families with Infertility diagnosis and treatment for over 31 years.

Matan Yemini MD

Dr. Yemini first attended Jerusalem's Hadassah Hebrew University School of Medicine, graduating in 1978. He completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kaplan University Hospital in Rehovot, Israel. During that time, Dr. Yemini furthered his training with Reproductive Endocrinology at Kaplan Medical Center's Division of Reproductive Medicine. At the Weizmann Institute for Science, Dr. Yemini conducted research. He completed an IVF Fellowship at Tel Aviv's Shiba Medical Center. He is licensed to practice Medicine in New Jersey and New York.

In 1985, Dr. Yemini opened an IVF Program in Israel. He was recruited to attend Medical School as an Embryologist. Dr. Yemini developed and directed the IVF Clinical and Training Programs at Kaplan University Hospital. At the Division of Reproductive Medicine at Kaplan University Hospital, Dr. Yemini worked as a Senior Physician until 1987. He next joined the University Of Miami School Of Medicine as Director of the IVF Laboratory. Dr. Yemini enjoys lecturing on human reproduction, and has attended conferences and workshops to discuss his research and educate others.

He is a Partner and Physician at the Diamond Institute for Infertility & Menopause, an independent private practice devoted to diagnosing and treating infertility issues. Patients can receive treatment at one of the practice's four offices, located in Milburn, NJ; Denvil, NJ; Goshen, NY; and Hamilton, Bermuda. Opened in 1968, the Diamond Institute offers top-of-the-line equipment throughout the laboratories, operating rooms, and consulting offices.

Dr. Yemini helps patients with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Preimplantation Genetic Screening and Diagnosis (PGS/ PGD), fertility preservation, egg donations, sperm donations, pregnancy after miscarriages, and gestational surrogacies. He has helped families of all shapes and sizes, saying there is no "one size fits all" approach to infertility treatments. The Diamond Institute is a member of the GLMA for Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality, and NJ Top Docs awarded their staff the Top Doctors of 2018 2021, and 2022.

Alongside its 50 years of practice, The Diamond Institute is known for offering Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA), a male infertility treatment. They were one of the first practices in the US and New Jersey to offer ICSI to patients.

For more information, visit www.diamondinstitute.com.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who
NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

SUMMARY NOTICE

TO: ALL RECORD HOLDERS AND ALL BENEFICIAL HOLDERS OF PAPA MURPHY'S HOLDINGS, INC. ("PAPA MURPHY'S") COMMON STOCK WHO PURCHASED, SOLD, OR HELD SUCH STOCK DURING THE PERIOD FROM AND INCLUDING, April 25, 2019, the date of the Tender Offer and the date of filing of the Schedule 14D-9, through and including May 22, 2019, the date the Tender Offer expired, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PREDECESSORS, SUCCESSORS, TRUSTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, ESTATES, LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND TRANSFEREES.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma Division, that a hearing will be held on May 2, 2022, at 11:00 a.m., before the Honorable Benjamin H. Settle. Settlement Class Members should check the Settlement Class website in advance of the Final Approval Hearing to determine whether that hearing will occur in person at the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma Division, 1717 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402, or via a remote link. The hearing will be held for the purpose of determining: (1) whether the proposed Settlement of the Litigation for $2.4 million should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (2) whether a Final Judgment and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice should be entered by the Court dismissing the Litigation with prejudice and releasing the Released Claims against Defendants and Defendants' Released Parties; (3) whether final certification of the Settlement Class should be granted; (4) whether the Plan of Allocation for the Net Settlement Fund is fair, reasonable, and adequate and should be approved; and (5) whether the application of Lead Counsel for the payment of attorneys' fees and expenses, and any award to Lead Plaintiff pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 78u-4(a)(4) should be approved.

IF YOU PURCHASED, SOLD, OR HELD PAPA MURPHY'S COMMON STOCK DURING THE PERIOD FROM AND INCLUDING APRIL 25, 2019, THROUGH AND INCLUDING MAY 22, 2019 (THE "SETTLEMENT CLASS PERIOD"), YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS LITIGATION, INCLUDING THE RELEASE AND EXTINGUISHMENT OF CLAIMS YOU MAY POSSESS RELATING TO YOUR PURCHASE OR ACQUISITION OF PAPA MURPHY'S COMMON STOCK DURING THE SETTLEMENT CLASS PERIOD. If you have not received a detailed Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action ("Notice") and a copy of the Proof of Claim and Release form, you may obtain copies by writing to Papa Murphy's Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation, Claims Administrator, 1-866-742-4955, or on the Internet at www.rg2claims.com/papamurphy.html. If you are a Settlement Class Member, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Proof of Claim and Release by mail (postmarked no later than May 28, 2022), or online at www.rg2claims.com/papamurphy.html no later than May 28, 2022, establishing that you are entitled to recovery.

If you purchased, sold, or held Papa Murphy's common stock during the Settlement Class Period and you desire to be excluded from the Settlement Class, you must submit a request for exclusion so that it is received no later than April 6, 2022, in the manner and form explained in the detailed Notice referred to above. All Members of the Settlement Class who do not timely and validly request exclusion from the Settlement Class will be bound by any judgment entered in the Litigation pursuant to the Stipulation of Settlement.

Any objection to the Settlement, the Plan of Allocation, Lead Counsel's request for the payment of attorneys' fees and expenses, and any award to Lead Plaintiff must be received by each of the following recipients via hard copy and email no later than April 6, 2022:

CLERK OF THE COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

TACOMA DIVISION

1717 Pacific Avenue, Room 3100

Tacoma, WA 98402-3200

Lead Counsel:

Monteverde & Associates PC

Juan E. Monteverde

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

[email protected]

Counsel for Defendants:

Perkins Coie LLP

Ronald L. Berenstain

Sean C. Knowles

1201 3rd Ave., Suite 4900

Seattle, WA 98101-3099

[email protected]

[email protected]

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS NOTICE. If you have any questions about the Settlement, you may contact Lead Counsel at the address listed above.

Dated: January 28, 2022 BY ORDER OF THE COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

TACOMA DIVISION

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Star Technologies, an AI-based cybersecurity company, today unveiled its exclusive malware detection technology, Starpoint.

This patented technology is engineered to detect any type of threat through deep learning at the binary level both pre and post-execution, exponentially reducing the time to detection.

Starpoint enters the cybersecurity world at the critical time in which the average ransomware payment has increased by 82% just last year. With ransomware solidifying its presence as a global threat, a solid cybersecurity posture has never been more integral to a company's safety. Current cybersecurity solutions rely on static traditional means for detecting threats. Quantum Star Technologies has developed a revolutionary and unique approach to securing the world's data through deep learning.

Using a proprietary algorithm to detect characteristics of malicious code, Starpoint is essentially agnostic to data type, allowing it to be tailored to virtually any environment or system. In the detection process, data is reorganized into a multidimensional coordinate system and then fed into an advanced neural network for evaluation. These data points converge into information that Starpoint relays to the user as malicious or benign. What traditionally took weeks or months, is reduced to minutes and seconds with Starpoint.

Starpoint is able to achieve greater than 99% accuracy with NO prefiltering in place, while also requiring very low resource consumption to execute. The proprietary Core Engine has low memory and compute consumption with scan times varying in between 10-30 milliseconds. The engine was designed to be deployed on any OS at any layer in the network - allowing for integration throughout a customer's existing tech stack, and offering protection independent of internet connectivity.

Faster and smarter technology allows Starpoint to successfully integrate with a company's existing cybersecurity posture, combating global threats at an exponentially lower cost to companies.

"One of the strengths of Starpoint is deploying it in such a way so that it augments existing cyber security postures." says CEO Jeff Larson, "It brings an added, unmatched layer of security that is computationally inexpensive to integrate into already existing platforms. This, paired with Starpoint's speed to detection, can lower internal costs of large enterprises, saving them potentially millions of dollars a year that could be reallocated to different areas."

Founded in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 2018, Quantum Star Technologies became incorporated on August 15th, 2020, and was fully funded by Kingdom Capital in September of that same year. Quantum Star Technologies is strengthened by collaboration with Kingdom Capital's CTO & Technology Investment Group President, Chett Guess, CEO Brandon Mann, Strategic advisor Dean Vandekamp, and Worldwide Technology co-founder Dave Stewart. The transaction was brokered by Andrew Speciale from Polsinelli Attorneys and Rick Repp from the Weatherspoon & Kelly Law firm.

Starpoint emerges on the scene as an unparalleled AI solution for private and commercial consumption. Founders Jeff Larson, Paul Swaim, and Garrett Oetken share a commitment to increased cybersecurity protection in the ever-changing ransomware landscape.

With patents (one completed, two pending) in the US, Europe, and Israel, Starpoint boasts bleeding edge technology that predicts maliciousness of code at a speed far above industry standards. IP Attorney Tyson Crane from the law firm Chang and Hale filed the patents for this technology. Unlike other AI-based malware detection software, Starpoint is extremely fast and agile, consuming minimal computation resources and promising to be the new standard for cybersecurity.

For more information on Starpoint and Quantum Star Technologies, visit www.QuantumStarTech.com.

SOURCE Quantum Star Technologies
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance announced Global 500 2022, its annual report on the world's most valuable and strongest brands, on Jan 26. Weixin was named the world's strongest brand for the second consecutive year.

The report said, "Weixin plays an integral part in day-to-day life in China, with its all-encompassing set of services allowing customers to message, video call, order food, and shop." It also played an integral part in the country's fight against COVID-19, with more than 700 million people using its services to book vaccinations and tests.

The app's entrenchment in people's lives gave it strong scores in reputation and consideration among Chinese consumers, according to Brand Finance's research.

Apart from calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Certified by ISO 20671, Brand Finance's assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from around 100,000 respondents in over 35 countries and across nearly 30 sectors.

According to these criteria, Weixin remains the world's strongest brand, retaining the title for the second consecutive year, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93.3 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA+ rating.

The tech sector is once again the most valuable in the Brand Finance Global 500 ranking, with a cumulative brand value of close to $1.3 trillion. Technology and tech brands have become of ever-increasing importance in the modern world, a trend that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information of BRAND FINANCE US 500 2022, please visit https://brandirectory.com/rankings/us

SOURCE Weixin
Amur Minerals Corp shot up 83% to 3.65p this week after it confirmed it is in talks to sell its subsidiary, Iostra Trading.

Iostra owns the Kun-Manie project, Amurs principal asset, in the far east of Russia.

Amur, which has a stock market value of around 44mln, said the potential buyer is talking about paying up to 100mln for the asset.

On the subject of disposals, Origo Partners (AIM:OPP) PLC pulled the trigger on the sale of its entire interest in Six Waves, a Hong Kong-based gaming company.

The company sold its interest for US$2.18mln having originally invested US$240,000 in the company back in 2012.

Origo shares leapt up 36% to 0.17p.

Is it just me or are company ticker symbols getting more interesting?

Northcoders Group PLC (AIM:CODE) (ticker symbol CODE), the provider of training programmes for software coding, was 15% heavier after it said demand for the group's core boot camp courses is growing strongly and that the group has now commenced its largest-ever cohort with more than 100 students starting the course this month.

Alien Metals Limited, ticker symbol UFO, rocketed by 33% after it intersected bonanza silver at Elizabeth Hill in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia.

Apart from being a 1960s TV western, bonanza refers to an exceptionally large and rich mineral deposit.

The bonanza results are in a batch of results for four holes. The highlight intersections featured 9.7 metres of mineralisation that measured 8,326 grams per tonne silver from a depth of 15 metres and a 24.8-metre section that had 829 grams per tonne, of which some 11.7 metres had 1,735 grams per tonne.

You can stop humming the Bonanza theme tune now and start humming Spandau Ballets Gold because we are turning to Katoro Gold PLC (AIM:KAT), which said its 1,000-metre drilling programme has now commenced at the Haneti Project project.

Katoro holds a 65% ownership interest in the nickel-copper-cobalt-platinum project with 35% held by Power Metal Resources PLC (AIM:POW). Shares in Katoro were up by around a fifth but curiously shares in Power Metal subsided by 5%.

Hargreaves Services Plc (AIM:HSP, OTC:HGRVF), a diversified group delivering key projects and services to the industrial and property sectors, advanced by 28% in a week when its interim results statement said the boards expectations have increased materially for current and future years.

The group exited its coal business in December 2020 and does not seem to be regretting the decision one bit.

The group has now moved on from its historic activities and has a clear strategy to create, deliver and realise shareholder value in each of its businesses, said Roger McDowell, the chairman of Hargreaves.

The investor presentation on Wednesday by ECO Animal Health Group PLC must have been a belter because the shares hardened 18% this week.

ECO started a programme of significant research & development investment in vaccines around four years ago and has seen meaningful progress, it told investors.

The investor presentation gave insights from the management team and further details of the potential commercial value that exists within the new product development pipeline.

IDE Group (AIM:IDE) Holdings PLC, the mid-market network, technology outsourcing partner, revived its claim to be a turnaround play with an upbeat trading statement.

Five years ago the shares were trading at around 60p; they now trade at just 1.53p and thats after this weeks 17% hike.

The company said it expects double-digit percentage revenue growth in 2022, of which 85% is from existing contracted customers.

Sensyne Health PLC (AIM:SENS) headed 18% higher after it confirmed the completion of a financing announced earlier this month.

The company has received a 6.35mln first tranche of an agreed 11.35mln facility.

The funding is expected to cover the firm financially during an ongoing formal sale process.

It was a very bad week for Challenger Energy shareholders, who saw their holdings lose three-quarters of their value after the company confirmed the closing of its recently announced equity fund raise.

The 5mln raised will allow the company to complete its financial restructuring and advance low-risk development programmes in Trinidad and Suriname through 2022 and 2023.

The shares were issued at 0.1p; Challenger shares currently trade at around 0.145p.

IG Design Group PLC (LSE:IGR) describes itself as one of the world's leading designers, innovators and manufacturers of celebrations, craft, gifting, stationery and creative play products.

There was not, however, much to celebrate in the companys profit warning this week, which lopped five-eighths (62%) off the companys value..

The company said its US division has incurred significant supply chain costs, specifically in relation to freight, labour and raw materials, which alongside lower craft revenues has resulted in the groups adjusted operating margins in the final nine months of 2021 falling 4.6 percentage points to 4%.
Silvercorp Vice President Lon Shaver joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news the company has released more positive drill results from the exploration program at the TLP mine in China.

Shaver telling Proactive the drilling they have assay results for 270 holes with 202 holes intercepting mineralization. Shaver also shared with Proactive results from the exploration drilling holes from SGX Mine including 1.35 metres true width grading 2,532 grams silver and 14.38% zinc.
Bhopal, Jan 29 : Three years after model-turned 'spiritual leader'- Bhaiyyu Maharaj died by suicide, a district court of in Madhya Pradesh on Friday sentenced three convicts, including a woman for six years of imprisonment in the case.

Three persons - Palak Puranik, Vinayak Dudhade and Sharad Deshmukh have been convicted for abetment of suicide criminal conspiracy and extortion of money by an Indore district court.

In a 50-page judgment, additional sessions judge Dharmendra Soni observed that the submission of prosecution witnesses proved that Puranik, Dudhade and Sharad Deshmukh were "mounting pressure" on Bhaiyyu Maharaj to marry Puranik. They were also "mentally torturing and threatening" him for money.

Bhaiyyu Maharaj had shot himself with his licensed with licensed pistol at his bungalow in Silver Springs township in Indore on June 12, 2018. Seven months later, his three close aides (convicts) were arrested by Indore police.

"Puranik was an attendant of Bhaiyyu Maharaj, and therefore their relationship was that of master-servant, but she used to keep her dresses in his almirah and share the room with him. Puranik also dissuaded him from marrying another woman, which showed that she was in the position to exert pressure on him," the court observed.

"A servant prevails over the will of his master only when he or she is aware of his weakness," the court added.

The suicide had made headlines as Maharaj was a high-profile spiritual figure and some prominent politicians from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were among his followers. He was among those five "spiritual leaders", who were accorded with cabinet minister rank by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.

The prosecution probed that the accused used to give sleeping pills or sedative drugs besides his regular medicines to Bhaiyyu Maharaj, the court said.

"Hence, it can not be expected that he wrote the suicide note in a sound state of mind as he was already under the influence of sleeping pills and also facing pressure from the accused," the court said.

Earlier, during the trial, a psychiatrist had told the court that Bhaiyyu Maharaj was taking psychotropic medication along with sleeping pills.

The suicide note recovered from his house then had mentioned that he was ending life due to enormous stress, and his financial rights, assets and bank accounts be entrusted to Vinayak Dudhade. Puranik, Dudhade and Sharad Deshmukh were arrested seven months after his death.

After judgement was pronounced, a group of advocates appearing for convicts said the court has set aside the suicide note and therefore they would challenge the judgement before the High Court.
Tehran, Jan 29 : Latest violence in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah is a warning sign of re-emerging dangers of the Islamic State (IS) terrorists in the country, Iran's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) warned.

Referring to the recent attack by the IS militants on the Kurdish-run Ghwayran jail in Hasakah, Zahra Ershadi described the event as a wake-up call that once again showed "the foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists" remain a significant threat to regional security and stability, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the state TV's reports on Friday.

Hasakah violence also showed that the foreign forces in Syria have not been able to ensure security and order, while the IS has expanded its influence and endangers the lives of the local population, she said.

The fight against terrorism should not be an excuse to violate Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity by the presence of "foreign occupiers" in the Arab country, she stressed.

The Iranian envoy further urged the UN and its humanitarian agencies to enhance their assistance to the whole of Syria through "early recovery and resilience projects." "Serious efforts are needed to remove unilateral sanctions imposed on Syria. Those unlawful measures have prolonged the sufferings of the people and adversely affected the work of international and national humanitarian agencies there," she noted.

Ershadi made the remarks at a UN Security Council session in New York on Thursday, said the report.
Ottawa, Jan 29 : As many as 600 truckers are expected to arrive in Ottawa by Saturday as part of a "Freedom Convoy" of long-haul drivers to oppose the Canadian government's requirement that all cross-border essential workers, including truckers, must show proof of vaccination at a port of entry.

The truckers have been crossing Canada over the past week and morphed into a group that feels any government intervention threatens their freedom of movement or choice, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some far-right elements have emerged, likening the vaccine mandate to the Holocaust and threatening violence, including against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is in a five-day isolation period after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Trudeau said that nearly 90 per cent of truckers in Canada were vaccinated against Covid-19, and that "the small fringe minority of people who are on their way to Ottawa, or who are holding unacceptable views that they're expressing, do not represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other, who know that following the science and stepping up to protect each other is the best way to continue to ensure our freedoms, our rights, our values as a country." Up to 10,000 protesters are expected to gather on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Saturday where the head of security for the House of Commons has warned Members of Parliament (MPs) to be vigilant, particularly about the potential for doxing, where such personal information as their home addresses in Ottawa could be posted online.

Ottawa police are "planning for a range of potential risks, including - but not limited to - counter-demonstrators, blocking off intersections, interfering with critical infrastructure, and unlawful and violent activity," said acting Deputy Police Chief Trish Ferguson at a special meeting of the Ottawa Police Services Board on Wednesday.
Seoul, Jan 29 : South Korea's daily Covid-19 cases reached yet another record high Saturday, driven by a rapid spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant, with a new nationwide virus response system coming into force.

The country reported 17,542 new Covid-19 infections, including 17,349 local cases, raising the total to 811,122, Yonhap news agency reported, citing figures released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The daily count broke the record for the fifth consecutive day, spiking from 8,570 on Tuesday.

The death toll from Covid-19 came to 6,712, up 34 from Friday. The fatality rate stood at 0.83 percent.

The number of critically ill Covid-19 patients was 288, down 28 from the previous day.

The public health agency said the infection tally could surge to as many as 100,000 a day in the next several weeks.

South Korea introduced a revised virus response system Saturday to tackle the omicron wave.

Some 250 testing stations set up at public health centers and large hospitals will adopt both rapid antigen self-tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. People can choose which one they want to take.

People aged over 60 or in high-risk groups, such as those with underlying illnesses, will be prioritized for PCR tests.

Beginning Thursday, local hospitals and clinics will also administer self-test kits.

The KDCA said the revised regime is designed to minimize critical cases and deaths, while preventing an overload and collapse of the medical system.

The system will expand nationwide after the three-day Lunar New Year holiday running till Wednesday.

Of the locally transmitted cases Friday, Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul reported 5,588 new Covid-19 cases, followed by Seoul with 4,166 and the western port city of Incheon with 1,599.

As of Saturday, 26.85 million people, or 52.3 per cent of the country's 52 million population, had received booster shots, the KDCA said. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 43.97 million people, accounting for 85.7 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Gaza, Jan 29 : A Palestinian health official has said that the Gaza Strip is passing through a "difficult and catastrophic" situation due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

"The infection curve is rising at an accelerating and unprecedented rate," Fathi Abu Warda, an adviser to the Palestinian minister of health, told reporters in Gaza.

"95 patients are hospitalised with 63 in critical condition, and the occupancy rate of intensive care beds reached 56 per cent," Xinhua news agency quoted Abu Warda as saying.

Abu Warda called on every citizen who suffers from Covid-19 or has any Covid-19 related symptoms should go immediately to the hospital, noting that 48 per cent of the admitted patients in the hospitals in the Gaza Strip "are cases infected with Omicron".

"The current cold weather that hits the Palestinian territories and the lack of power in the Gaza Strip that reaches 12 hours blackout per day amid a shortage of warming means" have helped the spread of the virus, he said.

"So far, 30 per cent only of the Gaza Strip populations have received the vaccinations," Abu Warda said, adding that the health ministry urges people to get jabbed.

On Friday, Palestine reported five fatalities and 5,380 new Covid-19 cases in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministry's daily coronavirus report.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kabul, Jan 29 : The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has reached an agreement with a joint Qatari and Turkish venture over the management of five airports in the war-torn nation, an official said here.

In a statement on Friday, spokesman for the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Imamuddin Ahmadi said: "The details have been discussed, a series of general decisions have been taken, but the talks are still ongoing and we are moving in a positive direction," TOLO News reported.

Meanwhile, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that a trilateral meeting between Turkey, Qatar, and Taliban members on the issue was held in Doha on Thursday.

The Ministry said the three-party delegation agreed on "several key issues" on how to manage and operate Kabul Airport, without providing further details, reports TOLO News.

Mohammad Qasem Wafayeezada, former chairman of the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA), called on the Taliban to prepare the terms of the agreement in such a way as to provide a fair and equal basis for Qatari and Turkish companies to operate with domestic companies.

"If the contract is to be regulated from the beginning for the operating contract, the liability of the airlines should become a supervisory role over a period of two to three years," TOLO News quoted Wafayeezada as saying.

Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, regular commercial flights have been suspended in the country.

Now with the handover of the Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar, and Mazar airports to foreign companies, optimism about the resumption of these flights has increased.
Tehran, Jan 29 : The fifth round of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia will be held in the Iraqi capital Baghdad to normalise bilateral relations, Iraj Masjedi, Tehran's Ambassador to Iraq, told local media.

Without specifying the exact date of the talks and the details, Masjedi said on Friday that the meeting will be held "soon", reports Xinhua news agency Tehran has sent three diplomats to Saudi Arabia, as the Iranian delegation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to resume their activities in Jeddah after a six-year hiatus.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have recently held four rounds of negotiations, brokered by Iraq, over resolving the diplomatic impasse between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in protest against the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shia cleric.
Bengaluru, Jan 29 : Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will on Saturday chair an expert committee meeting to take a final call on lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in Karnataka.

According to sources, the meeting will deliberate on reopening of schools, cap on 50 per occupation in theatres, pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants as well as the night curfew.

Though the number of new Covid cases are higher in Bengaluru, quick recoveries which are exceeding the number of positive cases, may pave the way for lifting of curbs with few restrictions.

Karnataka has logged 31,198 new Covid cases against 71,092 discharges on Friday. Bengaluru Urban district recorded 15,199 positive cases on a single day against 44,866 discharges.

Fifty deaths have been reported on a single day. Positivity for the day stood at 20.91 per cent and case fatality rate for the day stood at 0.16 per cent.

The Karnataka government had lifted the weekend curfew last week and announced that a decision on reopening of schools will be announced on Saturday. CM Bommai is under pressure from the business community to lift the night curfew. They want the government to let them operate till 11 p.m. Film industry is hoping that the cap on 50 per cent occupation of seats will be taken off.

The government, the sources said, is in favour of opening schools in Bengaluru in a phased manner. Education Minister B.C. Nagesh had already given hints regarding reopening of schools and stated the department is ready to begin classes.

On Friday, the government held a meeting with the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The committee has submitted the guidelines to be followed from next week.

The government will discuss these recommendations and take a final call regarding restrictions.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Washington, Jan 29 : US Senator Mitt Romney has tested positive for Covid-19, his office said in a statement.

Romney, 74, "is currently asymptomatic and will be isolating and working remotely for the recommended period of time", Xinhua news agency quoted the statement issued on Friday as saying.

His wife has tested negative and the couple have been fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus, it said.

The Senator from Utah was the 2012 Republican presidential nominee.

Several dozen US lawmakers have tested positive for Covid-19 since last summer.

The current seven-day moving average of daily new cases in the US is still as high as nearly 600,000, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Saturday morning, the country's overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 74,058,529 and 882,275.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Jan 29 : National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyanka Kanoongo will visit Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu on January 30 and 31 to inquire into the suicide of a plus two girl.

The BJP and other right wing organisations claimed that the girl committed suicide after she was forced by her school management to convert to Christianity.

The NCPCR in a statement said that the National Chairperson will visit the school, meet the parents of the girl, doctors, and her classmates.

The Child Rights Body in the statement also said that the state government has not extended any support to the commission citing election protocol as the state is going for Urban local body polls on February 19 and the notification for the same has been released.

Meanwhile, the residents of Michaelpatti in Thanjavur where the Holy Trinity school is situated petitioned the Thanjavur district collector that the school was doing a yeoman service to the people of the area without any considerations on religious lines.

The villagers said that the school had more than 60 per cent of the students from the Hindu community and the school hostel also has a majority of Hindus. The residents in the petition said that vested interests were trying to dislodge the communal harmony in the village.

Azeez, a farmer in the village while speaking to IANS said: "We are 'practicing Muslims' and my children are studying in the school but there has never been any allegation that the school is trying to convert the students' religion. The school has been functioning in this village since the past 163 years and has helped a lot of people from downtrodden backgrounds to come up in life and the BJP and the Hindu outfits are trying to give a communal angle to the unfortunate incident of the Plus two student committing suicide." The teachers and parents in unison said that the school never attempted any conversion and that the issue has to be nipped in the bud to prevent any communal disharmony in the village.

In a related incident, the Christian People's Movement and a group of residents have filed a complaint with the Thanthonimalai police station against the Tamil Nadu BJP state president K. Annamalai for "communalising" the issue.

CPI-M Tamil Nadu state secretary K. Balakrishnan also said that the girl had never complained of any conversion attempts and the state government should look into the matter and if required, register a case against BJP leader K. Annamalai for disrupting communal harmony.

The BJP woman wing national president and Coimbatore South MLA, Vanathi Sreenivasan have in the meanwhile met party national president J.P. Nadda at New Delhi and apprised him of the developments.

The BJP has already constituted a three-member all-women leaders team to look into the matter and to report it to the party national committee on the allegations against the school regarding conversion of the student.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said that the Arvind Kejriwal-led government has never fulfilled its promises made to the slum dwellers in the national capital.

"Kejriwal had made lot of promises to JJ dwellers but has not fulfilled even one of them. But our party will open the Namo sewa kendras in all JJ basties (clusters) so that they all are benefited and their problems are solved," Gupta said while inaugurating the first such centre at a jhuggi camp near Chilla Yamuna Khadar on Friday evening.

These centres will be opened near other jhuggi camps as well and will aim at spreading awareness about the social welfare schemes introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the the slum dwellers in Delhi.

These centres will help 24 lakh slum dwellers in the national capital, the party said in a statement.

Gupta credited the Delhi BJP's 'Jhuggi Samman Yatra' that he carried out last year as the reason behind understanding the people's needs.

The 'Jhuggi Samman Yatra' was launched on the occasion of Vijayadashami on October 14 last year to reach out to the slum dwellers in the city ahead of the corporation polls.

Delhi has roughly 30 lakh people living in 675 slum clusters.

The MCD polls for 272 seats are scheduled in April.

The State Election Commission on Tuesday announced the list of reserved seats for elections to 272 wards of Delhi's three municipal corporations -- East, South and North.

The civic body is being ruled by the BJP since 2007.
Chennai, Jan 29 : With Tamil Nadu going for urban local body elections on February 19, the state BJP unit will demand 30 per cent of the total seats from the AIADMK.

The seat-sharing between the parties will begin on Sunday.

The BJP had demanded 30 per cent seats in the rural local body elections to the nine districts held in October 2021 but it did not get the requested percentage of seats and its performance in the local body polls was below par as well.

However, sources in the BJP told IANS that the party will demand more seats citing the presence of four MLAs it has in the Assembly and is likely to demand five corporation Mayor posts.

Sources in the AIADMK dismissed the claims and a senior party leader told IANS that the party will part with a maximum of 10 per cent of the seats to the saffron party and nothing more.

Meanwhile, Pon Radhakrishnan, state BJP election in-charge and former Union minister said that the party would be announcing its candidates after January 31 and will file nominations by the next couple of days.

He said that the saffron party is conducting interviews of the candidates and that the state party President K. Annamalai would announce the name of the party candidates.

In a party meeting held at the state headquarters in Chennai on Friday evening, there were, however, divergent opinions on whether the BJP will fight it alone in the urban local body polls.

A senior BJP leader requesting anonymity, told IANS: "The BJP is a party with a pan- India presence and we should try and experiment fighting the elections on our own. Anyways, the ruling DMK alliance will win a majority of seats, given the fact that it is in power in the state and the BJP has a golden opportunity to understand its strength at the grassroots level which can be used as a barometer for further seat-sharing talks. However, a major section of the party wants to continue the alliance with the AIADMK as the comfort zone is there." In certain pockets of the state, the BJP has more than 10 per cent of the vote share while in almost all constituencies of the state except a few, the saffron party has more than 4 per cent of the total vote share.
January 29 : Alia Bhatt shared a couple of pictures on her Instagram handle on Friday evening, wherein the actress can be seen enjoying the moon and getting kissed by its light. Sharing the pictures, Alia also expressed her happiness as her much awaited film Gangubai Kathiawadi will release on February 25. The film was earlier postponed several times.

On Friday, Gangubai Kathiawadi got a new release date. It has how been postponed by a weekfrom February 18 to February 25. Sharing the same news, Alia dropped two pictures on Instagram, wherein she got struck by the moon. Alia wrote, "Dekho chand aaya ... chand nazar aaya Gangu bhi aa rahi hain .. 25th February Ko." (Look the moon can be seen... the moon has come out. Gangu is also coming.. on 25th February.) Fans loved her pictures, and in no time, the post garnered more than 11 lakh views

On Friday morning, the makers of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis much-anticipated film Gangubai Kathiawadi, starring Alia Bhatt in the titular role, announced that the film has been postponed by a week. The film will now hit the theatres on February 25. Earlier, it was slated to release on February 18.

Alia also took to her Twitter account and announced the postponement of the film by a week. #GangubaiKathiawadi will rise to power in cinemas near you on 25th February, 2022, she tweeted.

The movie has been earlier delayed several times due to Covid-19 pandemic in the country since March 2020. The much-awaited film will be screened at the 72nd edition of the Berlin International Film Festival this year. So grateful to be part of a wonderful team that now celebrates its official selection to the #BerlinFilmFestival2022. See you on 18th February, 2022, Alia had tweeted after the films selection at the Berlin International Film Festival. Gangubai Kathiawadi is the only Indian film that has been selected to be screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, which will start on February 10, 2022. The film will be screened as a part of the Berlinale Special Gala, a segment that showcases exemplary cinema.

Gangubai Kathiawadi is a biographical crime drama produced by Jayantilal Gada and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Besides Alia Bhatt, the film features Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari and Seema Pahwa in pivotal roles. Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi are featured in extended cameo appearances. The film is based on the life of young Ganga, who becomes Gangubai, a madame in the red light area of Kamathipura. The film will also release in Telugu.
Berlin, Jan 29 : One year after the UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU), Germany's exports to the UK decreased by 2.5 per cent year-on-year to 65.4 billion euros ($72 billion) in 2021, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said.

In 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, Germany's exports to the UK had already plummeted by 15.3 per cent, reports Xinhua news agency.

After the UK ceased to be part of the EU's single market, the two sides concluded a comprehensive trade and cooperation agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2021.

In 2021, the UK fell from fifth to eighth place in terms of exports and from 11th to 13th place in terms of imports in the ranking of Germany's most important trading partners Destatis said.

"Brexit has had an unfavourable impact on trade between the EU and the United Kingdom," the German ifo Institute said on Friday.

Although the trade and cooperation agreement did manage to avoid higher tariffs, barriers such as inspection certificates as well as other documents and requirements "make the border crossing more time-consuming and complicated, resulting in higher trade costs", the ifo Institute said.
Mysuru, Jan 29 : The Education Department has lodged a sexual assault case under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the headmaster of a school for kissing a girl student in H.D.Kote town of Karnataka's Mysuru district, police said on Saturday.

A video of the headmaster kissing the girl in his chamber at the school has gone viral on social media leading to public outrage. As the video went viral, villagers and students have demanded action against the accused headmaster. The video was shot by the students through a window. On realising that the act is being shot, the girl moves away and the accused comes towards the window.

Based on the complaints, the Block Education Officer (BEO) lodged a complaint of sexual assault on school girl by the headmaster and sought initiation of action against the him.

The case has been registered at the H.D. Kote police station. The police said that they have taken up the investigation of the case and are verifying the complaint. The accused teacher will be taken into custody for questioning.
Los Angeles, Jan 29 : A movie about The Who's late drummer Keith Moon is finally moving ahead, with plans in place to shoot in Britain this summer.

The project, which is tentatively titled 'The Real Me', has Moon's former band members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend on board as executive producers, reports variety.com.

The biopic is directed by Paul Whittington with a script from prolific British screenwriter Jeff Pope, who was Oscar-nominated for 'Philomena'.

The outfit is best known for seminal Martin Scorsese documentary 'George Harrison: Living in the Material World', as well as Ron Howard's Beatles documentary 'Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years'.

Founders Nigel Sinclair and Guy East are also known independently for movies like 'The Ides of March' and 'Rush'.

Shooting is set to begin on the biopic in June, and the casting process has been rumbling along for a few months already. Producers on the movie are Sinclair, Oliver Veysey and Jeanne Elfant Festa, along with The Who's long-time manager Bill Curbishley.

The fact that production is actually going forward on 'The Real Me' is a milestone for Who frontman Daltrey, who's been keen to make a film on Moon for years.

A movie about the drummer has been in the works for well over a decade with various partners, and it's believed Daltrey first discussed his ambitions for such an undertaking in the early 2000s.

The Wembley-born Moon joined the British rock outfit behind monster tracks such as 'Pinball Wizard' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' in 1964.

The drummer soon fostered a reputation for a hard-partying lifestyle and on and off-stage antics such as enthusiastically demolishing his drum kit and blowing up toilets with cherry bombs.

Although he's regarded as one of rock's greatest drummers ever, he's also known for a crippling alcohol and drug addiction, succumbing to the latter in 1978.

Moon died from a drug overdose at his London apartment at only 32 years of age.

Daltrey, 77, and Townshend, 76 "who've had a bickering love-hate relationship in the press for many years" are the two surviving members of The Who's classic lineup.

The band has yet to receive the biopic treatment and has in the past been critical of movies like Freddie Mercury biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

The most notable movies to date that are connected to The Who include Ken Russell's 1975 satirical musical drama 'Tommy', based on the band's 1969 album of the same name, and rock opera 'Quadrophenia', which was similarly based on a Who album. In 2007, Daltrey and Townshend participated in the documentary 'Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who'.
Los Angeles, Jan 29 : Actor Kyle Allen will be seen in the live-action 'Masters of the Universe' film based on his iconic 1980's muscular action figure 'He-Man'.

After being in development with Sony for quite some years, the feature project is now moving over to Netflix for a summer start.

There was buzz about this some time ago, but Sony would not confirm then. That rumour now is a reality. Sony, meanwhile, will keep rights to the film in China, reports deadline.com.

Adam and Aaron Nee ('The Lost City') remain attached to direct with a screenplay they wrote with David Callaham ('Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', 'Wonder Woman 1984').

Kyle Allen, who plays one of the Jets in Steven Spielberg's 'West Side Story', will star as Prince Adam/He-Man.

In 'Masters of the Universe', an orphan named Adam discovers he is a prince destined to be the savior of a faraway land and must quickly learn of his power and the importance of saving his true home from an evil force.

"Masters of the Universe is an iconic property that shaped the imaginations of an entire generation of kids with the message of becoming the best version of yourself," said Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films.

"With our partners at Netflix, we look forward to showing audiences that anything can happen in Eternia. We are continuing to unlock this global franchise in new ways, and we can't wait to see Kyle battle it out with Skeletor in this epic live-action saga." Producers Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch, said: "We've always been inspired by the fantastical world of Eternia. This movie has been 14 years in the making for us and our partners and we are so excited to tell an entirely new story for Masters of the Universe with the Nee Brothers and Dave Callaham for Mattel and Netflix and share it with a global audience." Brenner and VP Kevin McKeon will lead the project for Mattel Films. Black, Blumenthal and Tisch (Being the Ricardos, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) and DeVon Franklin will produce.

'He-Man and the Masters' of the Universe is a dazzling CG-animated series, which reimagines the thrilling heroic adventures of the Guardians of Grayskull for a new generation of fans.

Mattel's Masters of the Universe was first introduced to the world in 1982 through a line of action figures. The animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe premiered the following year and became one of the first children's programmes to be syndicated on television.

Art Marcum and Matt Holloway wrote an earlier draft at Sony with Noah Centineo in talks to play He-Man at one point. The project originally was scheduled for a theatrical release but then was pulled from the calendar in January 2020 before the pandemic.

Allen recently starred as Balkan is the multi-award-nominated West Side Story. He can next be seen in Kyra Sedgwick's 'Space Oddity', and starred in the 2018 edition of 'American Horror Story'.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Seventy-three per cent of dating App QuackQuack users have felt irresistibly attracted to someone they have seen or met for the first time at least once in their lives. This could be solely based on their appearance, personality, aura, or scent.

The survey was conducted on users between the ages of 24 and 30 in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities had a slightly different opinion. A whopping 53 per cent believe that love at first sight is not true love, but rather infatuation, crush, or a "butterflies in your stomach" type of feeling.

Closer look at falling in love gradually Long-held belief holds that the best way to determine if you're in love with someone is to spend as much time as possible with that person. When users were polled, 81 per cent of men aged 28 to 32 from Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities said the only true love that exists is the one that happens over time. Sure, meeting new people and having new experiences is important, but not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever, and not every connection you make with them is one of love.

It's all a personal choice When it comes to love and relationships, most of us have the "love at first sight" idea ingrained in our heads from watching it in movies and sitcoms so many times. According to a the survey, 60 per cent of users aged 18 to 23 were interested in finding a partner they were instantly drawn to and with whom they could share a deep, meaningful connection. On the contrary, 73 per cent of users desired to take their time and allow their best relationships to form, with both partners understanding and respecting each other. Perhaps the best way to find out what works for you is to experiment and learn from your mistakes.

Mr Ravi Mittal, Founder & CEO of QuackQuack, expressed his thoughts on love at first sight vs. falling in love slowly, saying, "We are seeing an increasing trend in the younger folks to be open to various experiences. As a result, love-at-first-sight is no longer regarded as a fictitious concept. Many people meet and instantly connect. Sometimes the most wonderful connections are made in the most unexpected places, and sometimes a couple who has been dating for 6 years breaks up because they no longer see mutual love in the relationship. It's all a game of hormones and the human heart." (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Chennai, Jan 29 : Actress Meera Jasmine, who has delivered several commendable performances in both Malayalam and Tamil cinema, has fondly recalled her National award-winning role of 'Shahina' from Director T.V. Chandran's Malayalam film 'Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam'.

Taking to Instagram, Meera said, "Fondly remembering 'Shahina' from 'Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam', a character and a journey that was soul stirring. Shahina is all heart, and it was such a life altering experience to live and breathe her life and share her story with such an amazing team of cast and crew. Something about looking back to each experience and each encounter that has shaped up my being over the years." Apart from the National award for Best Actress in 2003, the film also fetched Meera the Kerala State Award for the Best Actress.

The actress, who has been away from cinema, is now making a return to the silver screen. It was only recently that she opened an account on Instagram.

She had posted a working still from Director Sathiyan Anthikad's Malayalam film 'Makal', which will mark her return to the silver screen, as her first picture on Instagram.
Panaji, Jan 29 : Goa's late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son, Utpal, was not denied a ticket, in fact he was offered two other constituencies as options to contest from, the BJP's poll in-charge for the coastal state Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Mapusa town, Fadnavis also said that there were limitations to the party's outreach efforts to bring back into the fold rebels like Utpal Parrikar and former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.

"Utpal Parrikar has not been denied a ticket. We have given Utpal Parrikar the option to contest in two constituencies. One of them was a traditional BJP bastion, but he wanted to contest from the Panaji (assembly) constituency in particular. He rejected both assembly constituencies. We are sad that he is not with us," Fadnavis said.

Utpal Parrikar quit the BJP last week after he was denied a ticket to contest from the Panaji Assembly constituency, which was represented by his father from 1994 to 2019, when he died in office.

Utpal Parrikar has claimed that he took the decision because of the tainted background of the BJP's official candidate Atanasio Monserrate, who is being probed for raping a minor girl in 2018.

Another major rebellion faced by the BJP is the one by Parsekar, who also quit the BJP and has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate, after his claim for a ticket was also rejected in favour of sitting MLA Dayanand Sopte, who joined the saffron Party from the Congress in 2019.

Fadnavis said that efforts to bring in both the rebels are back, but added that there is limitation to such outreach.

"It is always our wish, that if someone from our family is separated, then they should come back to the family. Such efforts are on. But if someone has decided that they do not want to come back, then there are limitations to our efforts too, but if someone does decide to return to the family, then we will certainly welcome them and bring them closer," he said.

Elections to 40 seats of the state legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14.
Hyderabad, Jan 29 : All set for a direct-to-OTT release in February, comedy film 'One Cut, Two Cut', is a much-anticipated Kannada movie of 2022. Speaking to IANS, debutante director Vamsidhar Bhogaraju, explained that the story is inspired by childhood memories of those salesmen who would visit schools to sell 'origami' paper craft books to students.

The movie deals with a bumbling art and craft teacher's first day on the job, and the situations he tackles when four radical social media activists try to take over the school. Apart from lead actor Danish Sait, who essays the role of Gopi, the crafts teacher, the movie has actors Prakash Belavadi, Samyukta Hornad, Vineeth Kumar, and Sampath Maitreya, in pivotal roles. Vamsidhar says he visualised them in the roles at the scripting stage itself.

"I'm quite surprised, in hindsight, myself sometimes how it worked. When we wrote the story, we thought that this role should be played by Prakash Sir (Belavadi), that role is played by Samyukta, and that role is played by Vineeth. Thats how we visualised it. And after we finished writing and approached them, not one of them said no. All of them agreed to work in the film. And we could pretty well see the film before shooting it." With the Covid pandemic particularly impacting shooting schedules all over, the movie's concept revolving around a school, came as a boon for the director.

"The major chunk of the action takes place in an abandoned school. In fact it's an abandoned township. Also that made our lives much simpler. For the other parts, we went out to shoot after the second lockdown." he said.

However, there were situations that did challenge his patience, he confides. "We started shooting after the first lockdown and then it was a small schedule of 21 days to film the movie. But on day 17 the second lockdown was announced. So we had to wait a good five months to complete the last four days of shoot. That was quite frustrating." One Cut Two Cut' is the first of three movies from the PRK Productions banner of the late Kannada superstar, Puneet Rajkumar, to be released directly on Amazon Prime Video.

From a marketing professional to stand-up comedian and finally the director's seat for 'One Cut, Two Cut' movie, it's been a nine-year journey for Bhogaraju. He got emotional while recalling his interactions with the late actor fondly known as 'Appu' "Appu Sir's words of wisdom when we met him for the very first time, and through the entire project, the encouragement is something that's unforgettable. Massive, massive gratitude to Appu Sir and Ashwini ma'am and everyone at PRK Films. Everyone is very very helpful. They made our lives so much simpler. They didn't make us hold back for anything. They encouraged us to go tell the story in the best possible way. So my interaction with them was very empowering and it taught us quite a lot." 'One Cut Two Cut' is set to premiere February 3, on Amazon Prime Video. Meanwhile, the debutant director is savouring every moment before jumping into his next project.
Patna, Jan 29 : A female passenger was arrested from Patna airport for carrying a GPS tracking device in her baggage.

The victim was arrested on Friday evening. She had an air ticket of Indigo airlines and was about to board a flight for Bengaluru. The tracking device was installed in a sandal kept in her baggage.

Manavjeet Singh Dhillon, the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police, has confirmed the incident. He said that the girl was intercepted during a security check.

"The CISF personnel detected a GPS device installed in a brand new expensive sandal kept in the baggage. The GPS device was installed in the heel of the girl's sandal. The installer cut the heel, installed the GPS and pasted the heel again," Dhillon added.

The alleged girl was arrested by the airport police on the recommendation of CISF personnel. She is a native of Sultanganj locality in Patna.

Patna police has obtained some vital information from the girl who is allegedly linked to a fugitive accused of murder.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 : With the Congress, BJP and ruling Left ally, Communist Party of India (CPI), all slamming the manner in which Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to tweak the Lokayukta guidelines, the Congress on Saturday wrote to CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to intervene in the matter.

The Congress also asked the state government to refrain from moving forward with this extremely regressive legislation that will render the Lokayukta toothless.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who wrote a three-page letter to Yechury, said that the Congress have always been appreciative of the progressive stance taken by the latter and the CPI(M) on the need for "strong" and "effective" Lokpal and Lokayuktas to tackle the scourge of corruption.

"Please recall that during Rajya Sabha debates on the Lokpal Bill in 2011 and 2013, you (Yechury) had vehemently argued for the need to make the Lokpal autonomous, transparent, comprehensive and independent of political control. Bringing corporate houses and foreign-funded NGOs under Lokpal's purview, electoral reforms, and bringing the CBI under Lokpal's purview to free it from the clutches of political masters, were some of the noteworthy and laudable suggestions you (Yechury) made during those discussions," Satheesan's letter added.

He pointed out that through articles in its mouthpiece and documents published, the CPI(M) has also argued for vesting Lokpal with quasi-judicial powers and keeping the institution free from legislative and executive interference in strict adherence to the division of powers that forms the basic structure of the Constitution. It also insists on the state governments to accept and act on the decisions of the Lokayukta.

The editorials also urge other parties to display the level of political morality shown by the CPI(M) to combat the menace of corruption, Satheesan added.

"Unfortunately, the proposed ordinance to amend the Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999, is in stark contradiction to the progressive stance taken by your (Yechury's) party and your good self on strengthening Lokpal or Lokayukta to combat corruption. Furthermore, the ordinance puts the political morality of the CPI (M) at stake and would reduce the bold and strong stance taken by your good self and the CPI (M) to mere political rhetoric to eyewash the common public," says the Leader of Opposition.

Satheesan points out that the Lokayukta was floated by former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader E.K. Nayanar in 1999.

He adds that the proposed amendment, which was rushed through as an ordinance, gives the competent authority whether the Governor, Chief Minister or the state government the power to either accept or reject the Lokayukta's decision.

This amendment literally removes the Lokayukta "tooth and nail". During the Lokayukta's 22-year history, it has only issued one ruling citing Section 14 of the Act, directing former Kerala Minister K.T. Jaleel to quit office in 2021.

The Lokayukta ruling was upheld by the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court, establishing that Section 14 is in conformity with the indian Constitution," said Satheesan.

The Leader of Opposition points out that with the Kerala Assembly session slated for February and no compelling reason to amend the 22-year-old statute, the hastiness in bringing this ordinance is suspicious.

"There seems to be no other reason except that the Lokayukta is about to take up cases against the Kerala Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister. It is clear that this amendment is a shield to guard against any unfavourable decisions from the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta was the only tool left to question the Executive's corruption and nepotism. However, rendering the Lokayukta toothless will only serve as a catalyst for corrupt public servants to engage in widespread corruption. I therefore request you to intervene in this matter and direct the state CPI(M)-ruled government to refrain from moving forward with this," the letter added.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : After the new expose in an international publication on Pegasus, the Congress on Saturday alleged that the Modi government is involved in the whole incident and snooped rivals which is an act of treason.

Addressing a press conference, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala jointly said that the snooping is an "act of treason".

"The Modi Government is the deployer and executor of the illegal and unconstitutional snooping and spying racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus & the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is himself involved!" "This is a brazen 'Hijack of Democracy' & 'An Act of Treason',"

they said.

Surjewala said, Modi Government purchased Pegasus Spyware in 2017 and other military technology as the "centrepieces" of a package including "weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly $2 billion" from Israel during PM Modi's visit. It is not a coincidence that the Budget of National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) reporting to NSA went up from Rs 33 crore to Rs 333 crore in 2017-18.

He said, Modi Government deployed Pegasus spyware for snooping and spying upon Rahul Gandhi and his staff members; Former PM Deve Gowda, Former Chief Ministers - Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy; Former BJP Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia; BJP Cabinet Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel, his wife and staff; Present IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw & his wife; OSD of Union Minister, Smriti Irani; Abhishek Banerjee, MP & nephew of Ms Mamata Banerjee; Praveen Togadia, former head of VHP and others.

The Congress alleged that not only this, Pegasus spyware target list also included Supreme Court judges; Election Commission of India; CBI Director, advocates, activists and even journalists of prominent media organisations.

The party accused the Modi government of misleading the Supreme Court which directly questioned it on the purchase and use of the questionable software.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, Jan 29 : Action star Vidyut Jammwal donated a magnificent sum of Rs 5 lakhs to the Ekaveera Kalaripayattu Academy with a promise of supporting and promoting the students for the rest of his life.

Vidyut said: "The traditional health (care and prevention) methods of India need to be reactivated. Kalaripayattu is the best available ancient health culture alive today. The need of the hour is to bring this art to the world.

"Starting from Kerala, by funding and supporting the Gurus of Kalaripayattu and Kalaris (schools) financially is only the first step. I have bigger plans for Kalaripayattu and it's traditional as well as modern practitioners in near future." The academy endeavours to mentor kids learning the ancient discipline of Kalaripayattu. A young student named Neelakandan of the academy, took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the 'Khuda Haafiz' actor.

The young martial artist said: "Extremely grateful and honored! Met @VidyutJammwal in Mumbai and he has supported Ekaveera Kalaripayattu academy with a huge contribution of 5 lakh rupees. This will go a long way in helping us achieve our dream of promoting Kalaripayattu across India." Popularly known as Prince of Kalaripayattu, Neelakandan has shown incredible skills, nailed challenging physical feats and has earned the status of a social media star. Hailing Vidyut as his idol, the young martial artist impressed our very own country boy.

Promising that he has bigger plans for Kalaripayattu and that he will help anyone promoting the ancient discipline, Vidyut congratulated Neelakandan and his father who runs the said academy.

The actor gifted him a 'I Train Like Vidyut Jammwal' customised T-shirt.

Meeting his role model was a dream come true for the boy, who tweeted: "One of the biggest moments of my life! Met Vidyut Jamwal and received this T Shirt from him. Also, had the good fortune of being able to perform a few Kalaripayattu moves with him. Dream fulfilled!" His father, Mahesh Kumar R, said: "Neelakandan has been saying that he wants to meet Vidyut sir and wants to be as big as him. We got the opportunity to meet him today. He gave him 'I Train Like Vidyut Jammwal' T-shirt.

"He donated Rs 5 lakhs towards our academy and we believe it is only Vidyut Jammwal who can make Kalaripayattu a global brand that it is today. The largesse will be used to promote Kalaripayattu."
Chennai, Jan 29 : PMK leader and former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to cancel the agreement the state police department has entered into with Appolo.

Ramadoss said the state police department has entered into an agreement with Appolo to train their family members in preparing for recruitment exams.

According to Ramadoss, the Appolo is connected with the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) recruitment scam in 2016 and the police had carried out search in the former's premises.

Chief Minister M.K.Stalin had issued a statement in 2020 to take action against Appolo.

Ramadoss said the agreement signed by the state police department may result in dilution of the charges against Appolo and it has to be cancelled by the state government.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : The National Green Tribunal has asked the Delhi civic authorities to recover environmental compensation from a total of ten garment production units operating in residential areas in Chandni Chowk in violation of environmental norms.

The tribunal had, earlier, noted that the ten premises mentioned by the applicant were inspected by a Supreme Court-appointed joint committee and they found that in three places, impermissible activities were going on and those premises have been sealed. The remaining premises, it said, either are vacant or are small shops which are running with permissible activities.

A similar report has been filed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police and he has given a chart of 10 premises, of which three have been sealed as unauthorised and impermissible activities were going on there, the NGT said in a recent order.

It has been stated in both the reports that show-cause notices proposing Environmental Compensation of Rs 2 lakh on each violator have been issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and further action is still in process.

"We accept the said reports. No further order need be passed in this matter except that the concerned authorities shall ensure recovery of environmental compensation from the concerned violators expeditiously and in any case, not later than three months i.e. by April 30 and recommendations of joint Committee shall be given effect by concerned authorities", a bench of Justice Sudhir Agarwal said in an order dated January 25.

Accordingly, the bench disposed of the application. The joint committee had submitted that no industrial setup should be allowed in the residential areas or non-confirming areas as per the Delhi Master Plan (DMP).

It was stated that the buildings used for manufacturing or godown should be allowed only in the specified area with necessary approvals from the concerned departments such as MCD, Fire Department, Labour Department, and industry department.
Bhopal, Jan 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started probing chitfund scam of Rs 80 crore pertaining to a Madhya Pradesh based investment company, its directors and other persons including Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Abhishek Bhargava, the son of state Minister Gopal Bhargava.

Three persons including the youth BJP leader are the alleged accused in the case.

The ED had written to Raisen Police of Madhya Pradesh to hand over the copy of the FIR, charge sheet and other relevant documents so that they could proceed with the investigation.

Around 400 investors most of them retired officials and women were allegedly cheated to the tune of Rs 80 crore on the pretext of doubling their money. The victims are from Bhopal, Raisen, Sagar and other nearby cities.

The accused were the board members of Shradha Saburi Commodities Private limited.

"The victims approached the concerned police stations in Bhopal, Sagar, Raisen alleging that they invested in the company which had promised to double their money in a short span of time. But nothing happened and they were cheated of their hard earned money," said a source.

Vasant Upadhyay, the manager of Shradha Saburi Commodities Private Limited, too had filed an application before a Sessions Court against the board directors on the basis of which a non bailable warrant was issued against all the accused including the youth BJP leader. Later the court granted him bail. He was asked by the court to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and a fixed deposit of Rs 20 lakh.

Abhishek Bhargava had said that he was being framed and allegations against him were false. He in fact demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. He said that he had no knowledge about the company with which he was being linked to. He even threatened to end his life by self immolating if charges against him are proven. He said that he is being targeted as he is the son of a minister.

The first arrest in the case was made in 2015. The person who incorporated Commodities was placed under arrest by Raisen Police. He was earlier running a company in the name of Real Bazar, later he set up Shradha Saburi Commodities Private Limited. As per police, he has been living in Raisen for over thirty years while originally hailing from Ghazipur of UP.

In 2016, arrest warrants were issued against three board members and in 2017, the court order was challenged before the Jabalpur High Court which allowed the move against the lower court.

Now, the ED has started probing the matter, they can summon the alleged accused to join the probe in coming weeks. The central probe agency will record their statements.
Bengaluru, Jan 29 : The Karnataka government on Saturday lifted most of the restrictions in the state following the high-level meeting with Covid experts. Revenue Minister R. Ashok announced that the government has decided to end the night curfew from January 31 onwards. He further stated that the 50 per cent cap on seating capacity in pubs, restaurants, bars, meeting halls has been withdrawn.

Minister for Education B.C. Nagesh stated that schools in Bengaluru from Class 1 to 9 which had been closed in the backdrop of Covid third wave, will reopen from Monday. "All Covid appropriate behaviours and SOPs will have to be followed by schools. If any student tests positive, that particular classroom will be sealed and the school will function normally. All students of that particular class would be tested," he explained.

"Concerned DC will take decision on closing the class or school depending on the cases for three days or five days. All public institutes of learning have been allowed to function by following Covid guidelines in the state," Minister Nagesh stated.

Minister for Tourism Anand Singh has stated that all tourist spots including safari will be open for tourists.

However, the seating cap in theatres, malls, gyms and swimming pools will remain for 50 per cent in the state. All government offices are allowed to function with 100 per cent staff from Monday onwards. The limit on the number of guests at marriage halls has been increased to 300 from 200 persons.

The government continued the rule of carrying mandatory negative RT-PCR reports for the people who come into the state from neighbouring states of Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra. It also continued prohibition on religious fares, protests, and rallies in the state.

The government has also lifted restrictions on places of worship. Permission has been granted to conduct special pujas at temples. Open meeting places are also allowed to function with full capacity.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : With the administration of more than 56 lakh vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage on Saturday exceeded 165.04 crore, as per the health ministry report. This has been achieved through 180,50,126 sessions.

"A total of 165 crore vaccines doses! In the nation's collective fight against COVID19 under PM Narendra Modi Ji's dynamic leadership, India now has strong protective shield of over 165 crore vaccine doses", said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a tweet.

As per the ministry report, over 4,50,05,663 teens in the 15 to 18 age bracket have also received their first dose of Covid vaccines since the beginning of the drive on January 3. On achieving this milestone, Mandaviya congratulated the youngsters of this age group for taking the vaccines against Covid.

"Congratulations to my young friends! More than 4.5 crore children received the first dose of the vaccine. With the #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine campaign, PM @NarendraModi ji government is securing the future of the country. Let's get the vaccine, make the country safe", he said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, the health minister will chair a high level review meeting on the present Covid situation with five states on Saturday. Mandaviya will review the public health preparedness and response measures being taken in context of Omicron variant in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh through video conferencing.

The minister also reviewed the Covid situation and public health preparedness with 8 southern states and UTs on Friday. The states were asked to focus on the 5-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour' along with effective surveillance of cases which is crucial for Covid management.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Accra, Jan 29 : The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that it has suspended the membership of Burkina Faso over a military coup.

The decision was made by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the regional body during an extraordinary virtual summit, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Monday, the military of Burkina Faso announced on national television that they had seized power and put an end to the functions of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

The communique said that the military had obtained the resignation of President Kabore under duress, demanding his immediate release with all the other political detainees.

"The Authority reaffirms its resolute commitment to upholding the zero tolerance for ascending to power through unconstitutional means," said the communique, demanding a quick restoration of constitutional order by the military.

According to the communique, two missions respectively led by the regional body's Committee of Chiefs of Defense Staff and Council of Ministers will be dispatched to Burkina Faso to assess the security and political situation.

The ECOWAS leadership will reconvene in the Ghanaian capital on February 3 to re-examine the situation in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali, according to the communique.
United Nations, Jan 29 : The UN has released $20 million in emergency funds for 270,000 people in Yemen, including those who were displaced by the recent airstrikes, a spokesman said.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths allocated the money from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the humanitarian relief for people in Marib, al-Jawf and Hadramout, Xinhua news agency quoted Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as saying.

"It will also help to scale up operational capacities to support the response, including humanitarian air transport," Haq told reporters in a regular briefing.

A week ago, three airstrikes in quick succession by the Saudi-led coalition hit a detention facility in the northern city of Saada run by the Houthi rebels.

He said staff from the UN Human Rights Office in Yemen were in Saada this week collecting information following the airstrikes.

The team verifying civilian casualties said it received reports of 91 detainees killed.

"The information they have collected paints a chaotic and desperate picture after the prison in Saada was struck," Haq said.

"The Human Rights Office urges the Saudi-led coalition to ensure that its investigation is in line with international standards and is transparent, independent and impartial," he said.

Saada is one of the main strongholds of the Iran-backed Houthis fighting for years Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
Mumbai, Jan 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its supplementary charge sheet filed against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and his two sons Hrishikesh and Salil, in 100 crore PMLA case, has alleged that Deshmukh used to prepare a list of his choice of police officials for transfer and postings. This list he would share with then additional chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The list of 12 Mumbai Police officials including IPS officers is under the scanner of the ED.

The ED is trying to know whether money was collected from the police officials for their choice of posting, or was there any other form of money transaction.

Kunte and Singh have told in their statement recorded by ED officials that they were receiving unofficial list of police officials for posting and transfer from Deshmukh.

However, Deshmukh has said that he was given the said list by a Maharashtra cabinet minister.

Singh had stated that Deshmukh, a cabinet minister, used to meet him at Sahyadri Guest House where he was given list of officials for transfer and posting. Param Bir Singh had issued transfer order of 10 DCPs which was stopped by Deshmukh and transport minister Anil Parab.

Sachin Vaze who has also been arrested in the case has alleged that Rs 40 crore were collected by the officials who were on that list. This allegation is being looked into.

Sachin Vaze was taken back into Mumbai Police after the suspension of 16 years. Deshmukh reportedly played a vital role in his rejoining. Vaze was given a lot of sensational cases so that he could collect money, it has been alleged.

Deshmukh and Vaze used to talk on phone frequently. Between December 2020 and February 2021, Vaze collected around Rs 4.70 crore from the owners of Orchestra bar situated across Mumbai.

Deshmukh's PA Kundan Shinde allegedly collected the said amount from Vaze. Deshmukh's PS Suryankant Palande allegedly passed instructions on behalf of Deshmukh.

The supplementary charge sheet running over 7,000 pages was filed before the special PMLA court of Mumbai in December.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had accused Deshmukh of misusing his post. He had alleged that it was Deshmukh who was forcing him to collect Rs 100 crore every month from bars and restaurants in Mumbai. He made these allegations when he was removed from police commissioner post after Antilia case. Deshmukh has denied all the allegations levelled against him.
Islamabad, Jan 29 : Pakistan has termed India's statement about its disbarment record as "dubious", accusing New Delhi for being responsible for pioneering nuclear proliferation in South Asia and flaring up regional and global tension.

"It is India which dealt a death blow to the non=proliferation norms by conducting its first nuclear test in 1974, followed by additional nuclear tests in 1998," said Pakistani delegate Mohammad Omar told the Conference on Disarmament, now in session in Geneva.

Omar said that India conducted the test by diverting material from CIRUS reactor, which he said was in violation of its safeguards commitments to the suppliers.

The delegate's comments came in response to Indian Ambassador Pankaj Sharma's statement, in which, he criticised the Pakistani counterpart for raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, relating it to bilateral and regional issues.

Sharma had claimed that New Delhi's contribution to disarmament, coupled with its credentials were praiseworthy.

He also that Jammu and Kashmir was integral part of India and accused Pakistan for being deliberately involved in exporting terrorism.

Exercising his right of reply, Omar, who is the First Secretary at the Pakistan Mission to the UN in Geneva, pointed out that India had always opposed formalisation of a moratorium on nuclear tests in South Asia.

"Despite its ritualistic support to the so-called FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty), India has neither declared a moratorium on fissile material production nor created it. In fact, India continues to exponentially expand production by building new fast breeder reactors, which also amassing tonnes of fissile material stocks in the so-called strategic reserves," he said.

"India remains the leading opponent of proposals to incorporate existing stockpiles in the scope of a treaty on fissile materials," he added.

Pakistan questioned India's claims, stating that its opposition to the inclusion of fissile materials, does not stock square with New Delhi's claimed support for the nuclear disarmament.

"Unlike India, Pakistan has not violated any of its international commitments of safeguards obligations in the development of its civil and military nuclear programme to this day," he highlighted.

The Pakistani delegate raised the issue of Kashmir, accusing India for blocking the people of Kashmir from their right to self-determination.

"For 75 years, India has suppressed the inalienable right of Kashmiris people to self-determination, a right enshrined in the UN Charter and endorsed by scores of international covenants and UN General Assembly resolutions.

"And yet with such atrocious record of defying international legality, India harbors ambitions of becoming a permanent member of UN Security Council," he added.

Pakistan also accused India for nourishing UN-designated terrorist organisations, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, and using them to spread unrest in Pakistan.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Even as reports emerge of a new lethal variant called 'NeoCov' that requires only one mutation to infiltrate human cells, doctors on Saturday advised people not to panic.

NeoCoV has been discovered by scientists from the Wuhan University in China in a bat population in South Africa.

While it has only been known to spread among these animals to date, the variant has shown the potential to penetrate human cells in the same way as the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

"Currently, there is no direct evidence that NeoCov affects the human body, and we should not panic or get stressed," Dr Rahul Pandit, Member of National and Maharashtra's Covid-19 Taskforce.

"There are many viruses in the world that are yet to be discovered and whose characteristics are not known. We are going through a challenging time and should focus on managing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. I advise people not to panic, keep their guard up and follow Covid-19 appropriate protocols," added Pandit, who is also Director-Critical Care, Fortis Hospitals Mumbai.

According to the research on NeoCov, posted on preprint and not been peer-reviewed yet, the variant carries the combination of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS)-CoV mortality rate (where one in every three infected persons may die) and the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus' high transmission rate.

"It is only one mutation away from becoming dangerous for humans," the researchers said.

But, Dr Dhiren Gupta from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi stated that the variant's transmission to humans is still a "scientific speculation" and "hypothesis".

"This NeoCov is very different from SARS-CoV virus (sarbecovirus) and belongs to merbecovirus which is a different genus.

"It cannot infect human ACE2 (scientists are speculating if it can combine with SARS and start affecting humans). This is a hypothesis raised by scientists (which is not unusual in science)," Gupta said.

He added that the theory that "one out of three may die is just an hypothesis, which social media made headlines".

"It's just a hypothesis turning into sensationalist doomsday predictions," Gupta said.

Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the question of whether the NeoCov coronavirus poses a threat to humans, requires further study.

"Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study," the health body was quoted as saying to TASS news agency.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Jan 29 : Claiming that the rights of his Telugu action entertainer 'Khiladi', featuring actors Ravi Teja, Dimple Hayathi and Meenakshi Chaudhary in the lead, had all been sold out, director Ramesh Verma Penmetsa has said that the film would release on February 11.

Taking to Twitter, Ramesh said: "'Khiladi' rights have been sold out like a hot cake. Happy about the positive vibes the film has generated. 'Khiladi' will reach the audience on February 11, 2022." The film has triggered huge expectations which is evident from the resounding welcome a single released from the film recently got. Titled 'Full Kick', the number sung by Sagar and Mamta Sharma, was released on Republic Day. The video has so garnered a whopping 4.4 millions views in a matter of just three days.

The makers of the film have also announced that they would be releasing the character poster of one lead artiste of 'Khiladi' every day, starting from Saturday.

Ramesh tweeted: "The Character - Lead posters of other lead cast of #Khiladi will arrive one every day starting from today! Stay tuned."
Chennai, Jan 29 : The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has filed a police complaint on Saturday against Tiruvottiyur MLA of the DMK, K.P. Shankar who had allegedly beaten up a corporation Assistant Engineer on Wednesday, and stopped a road tarring work.

The GCC authorities told IANS that they would post the assistant engineer at the head office of the corporation to ensure his safety.

The DMK had removed K.P. Shankar as the west district secretary of Tiruvottiyur after the party organising secretary and Waterworks minister, S. Duraimurugan conducted an inquiry and reported against the legislator.

The MLA and his men had assaulted the Assistant Engineer, the contractor and his workers at 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday.

The legislator had told the media that he had stopped the work as the contractor was laying the road without milling the road. He had also denied the charge that he had assaulted the Engineer and the contractor.

However, sources in the GCC told IANS that the MLA had asked the Engineer to inform the contractor to meet him before the commencement of the work allegedly to fix the commission of the road work.

AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami had condemned the incident and charged the DMK leaders with taking the law into their hands. He had called upon the police to take stringent action against the culprit for assaulting the engineer and the contractor.

PMK leader and former Union Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss also called upon the government to take strong action against the legislator who had allegedly assaulted the engineer of the Greater Chennai Corporation and created hindrance to the road laying work.
New York, Jan 29 : Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, United States seized the Afghan governments assets held abroad, which are now being demanded by the Taliban-led government as their rightful claim.

However, as the debate over the matter prolongs, families of the victims of 9/11 twin tower attacks have now come out with claims of billions of US dollars as compensation from the Afghan frozen assets.

As per details, families of at least 150 victims of the 9/11 attacks have staked claim to at least $7 billion in frozen assets held by the Federal Reserves of New York.

They claimed that they were awarded the sum by a federal judge in 2012, following a default judgment against the defendants, including the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and Iran, none of whom ever showed up in the court.

The case, referred to as "Havlish case", named after plaintiff Fiona Havlish, whose husband worked on the 101st floor of the South Tower, have maintained that they have finally got the ability to enforce the ruling of the court.

The argument raised by the victims' families has convinced the federal judge to begin the process of seizing the money from the frozen Afghan government assets.

Since 2012, the US government has intervened in the case, requesting a series of delays and seeing more time to clarify its position on the matter.

In the middle of the debate over the release of Afghan government's assets, parked predominantly in the US, amid worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and call for global contribution to tackle the crisis in the country, several groups of the 9/11 plaintiffs, who have separate cases against the Taliban or other involved entities, have joined together and claimed right to the frozen Afghan funds.

While the deadline for the Joe Biden administration to respond ended on Friday, a federal judge granted its request and gave an extension till February 11, 2022, to ensure that its position is made clear on the matter.

"The government may say we are taking all the money and then there's going to be litigation over that. Or they might say, we will give it all to you, and then we're happy and we go to the next stage of how to distribute it. Or they might do something in between - like half the money can go to the victims and the other half to go as humanitarian aid for Afghanistan," said Andrew Maloney, a lawyer representing a group of 9/11 families in a case referred to as the "Ashton case".

On the other hand, the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has been demanding global recognition and also release of at least $10 billion worth assets of Afghan Central Bank, settled abroad.

Other than that, the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also frozen about $1.2 billion in aid money for Afghanistan, since the Taliban took over control of the country on 15 August, 2021.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), wrote a letter to the US Congress in October 2021, urging immediate release of the frozen funds, terming them as the root of the fundamental challenges that Afghanistan is currently facing, warning of a new crisis in the country due to hunger and insecurity.

Rights groups have been calling on the US to release the frozen funds through humanitarian channels that they say should bypass the Taliban.

Rights groups have also expressed fear that the worsening hunger crisis could be exploited by terrorist organisation like Islamic State in Khorasan province, ISKP, ISIL and other of its affiliates in Afghanistan.
Mumbai, Jan 29 : Actor Indraneil Sengupta, who recently had two major releases 'Aranyak' and 'Human', says he tries to understand his director's vision and tries to do his best to fit into that.

Talking about his 'Aranyak' co-star Raveena Tandon, Indraneil said: "The best thing about her is that she is a lovely human being. She has no air of seniority or stardom and is a very hardworking actor on set." "Director Vinay Waikul was very clear about what he wanted and would push his actors to give their best for every shot. And the result is there for everyone to see as Aranyak has been lauded for the performances of the entire cast." Talking about 'Human', the actor said: "I have got calls and messages from people I haven't been in touch with for 10-12 years and that tells me the appreciation is genuine!"

In 'Human', he was surrounded by some great actors like Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari, Ram Kapoor, Vishal Jethwa, and Asif.

"I try to understand my director's vision and try to do my best to fit into that. I listen to my director, add a bit of my own understanding and feed off other actors. So, it always helps to observe someone like Shefali and Kirti, understand their approach and their process and just react to them," Indraneil said.
January 29 : Saba Ali Khan, who loves to dig out old pictures from her albums, took a trip down memory lane on Saturday, and shared a picture with her mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore and brother Saif Ali Khan from their London vacay. Kareena Kapoor Khan reacted to the post and complimented them all.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Saba shared a throwback photo of herself with Sharmila Tagore and Saif. The siblings can be seen enjoying an evening with their mom at a restaurant in London. While Saif can be seen wearing a blue shirt under a beige jacket, Sharmila Tagore looked beautiful in a yellow printed saree. Saba wore a printed outfit under a white sweater. They smiled and posed for the camera. Sharing the picture, Saba captioned it as, "Past....#oldisgold. I pray these carefree days will return soon! She added several hashtags to the post including #london, and #throwbackmemories.

Reacting to the post, Kareena Kapoor commented, "How nice you all look and added three red heart emojis. Saba tagged Kareena and dropped a red heart

emoji. Fans also loved the photo, as one of them wrote, so adorable pic, while another wrote, so lovely picture. Another netizen wrote, "Love this picture," while another commented, "@sabapataudi beautiful and cute."

Recently, Kareena and Saif were seen together onscreen in a television commercial. While fans were excited to see their favourite couple together onscreen, Gully Boy actor Ranveer Singh also loved the power couple together. Kareena had shared the television commercial that featured her with Saif. In the commercial, Saif tells her character, Gusse mein aap ekdum Kareena Kapoor lagti hain (You look just like Kareena Kapoor when you are angry.) Sharing the ad on Instagram, Kareena wrote, Dil main hua aur bhi jingalala 'cause I'm in my saif space ji.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kareena is waiting for the release of her forthcoming film Laal Singh Chaddha with Aamir Khan. The film is an official Hindi remake of the Hollywood film Forrest Gump. The film also featured Naga Chaitanya and Mona Singh in key roles. Laal Singh Chaddha is slated to release on April 14 this year on the occasion of Baisakhi. Helmed by Advait Chandan, the film is backed by Aamir Khan Productions, Viacom18 Studios and Paramount Pictures.

Kareena has also turned a producer and has signed a new film with Hansal Mehta, and will co-produce the venture with Ekta Kapoor. She will also star in the film. Saif Ali Khan is looking forward to the release of Om Rauts Adipurush, where he stars alongside Prabhas. He will also be seen in Vikram Vedha alongside Hrithik Roshan. The film is the Hindi adaptation of the 2017 Tamil film that starred Vijay Sethupathi and R Madhavan.
Chennai, Jan 29 : The Erode district collector will hold meetings with people of the Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) area on the ban regarding night travel of public and private vehicles through the Bannari-Dhimbam ghat road connecting the Bengaluru-Coimbatore national highway.

The Madras High Court has directed the collector to conduct meetings with all the stakeholders and submit a report before February 24, 2022 regarding the same.

The Chief Wild Life Warden of Tamil Nadu, Shekar Kumar Neeraj had informed the court during the virtual hearing on Friday, that the only way to prevent the death of wild animals by road accident in the stretch was to ban night travel from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for public vehicles and from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for private vehicles. He informed the court that restricting the speed of the vehicles and other such methods are not feasible to prevent the deaths of wild animals in road accidents in the stretch.

It may be noted that more than 135 wild animals including leopard, wild boar, wild dogs, and other animals, died in the stretch in the past couple of years. The forest department has been campaigning for a ban on night travel in the stretch. More than 30 per cent of tigers in the Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve inhabit this area of the forest land and without ban on night travel, there was no possibility of preventing these animals from getting killed.

Justice V. Bharathidasan of the Madras High Court said that the night ban was successfully implemented at the Bandipur-Madumalai stretch leading to a drastic fall in the accidental death of wild animals. The Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court of India had upheld the decision to ban traffic at night in the Bandipur-Madumalai stretch despite several appeals challenging the decision.

The Erode district collector will be conducting multiple meetings with the locals including several resort owners in Dhimbam area. The Chief Wildlife warden has also informed the court of the presence of a large number of resorts in the stretch creating problems for the wild animals.

He had also recommended the ban of night traffic in the entire stretch of 28 km ghat road from Bannari to Karappalam which is 14 km from Dhimbam.

The division bench of the Madras High court comprising of Justices V. Bharathidasan and N. Satish Kumar will be hearing the case again on February 25 after the Erode district collector presents his report on February 24.
Los Angeles, Jan 29 : Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is one of the best-known and best-paid stars in Hollywood, but she still feels like she needs to keep proving herself.

In a clip from 'Screen Queens Rising', which has been shared with People, the actress said: "I feel like I'm someone who is always asked to prove themselves, over and over and over and over again. I'm always having to prove." Berry, 55, believes she has faced constant obstacles during her time in the movie business, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The acclaimed actress said: "The fight has been consistent. Obstacle after obstacle, fight every single day." In December, meanwhile, the actress revealed she set her Razzie Award "on fire".

The movie star won the Worst Actress gong at the parody awards ceremony for her performance in 'Catwoman', which was released in 2004, and Berry explained what she did with her Razzie.

She said: "I went to the Razzie (Awards) because I feel like we all take ourselves so seriously.

"If we get an award, if we get the Oscar, we somehow are made to feel like we're somehow better than everybody else, but we're really not." "You were just chosen that year by your peers, and you were acknowledged for doing what they considered stellar work, if you find yourself face to face with a Razzie, does that mean you're the worst actor there ever was? Probably not.

"You just got the p*** taken out on you that year by a group of people that can."The actress won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 'Monster's Ball'.

And she compared that experience to being handed a Razzie.

She said: "If I can show up to collect an Oscar when you're honouring me, I can certainly show up to collect a Razzie when you say, good try, but do better."
There can be endless arguments on whether a novel is literature, literary fiction, or genre fiction, but its ability to portray the experience of a historic place and time, at the level of the individual, cannot be gainsaid by memoirs, which may not be impartial, or academic histories, which usually focus on a larger picture.

What can give a better insight into the horrors and lingering effects of war than Erich Maria Remarque's 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (1929), or the dehumanising -- and often fatal -- consequences of racial prejudice and the 'lynch mob' mentality than Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (1960), or the ramifications of colonialism on indigenous cultures than Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' (1958), to take a few examples.

Indian novels, in English and other languages, do not lag in any respect to their global counterparts, since the form emerged across the country in the late 19th century. While Devaki Nandan Khatri's 'Chandrakanta' (Hindi, 1888) was fantasy, drawing on the Persian-Urdu 'dastangoi' oral storytelling tradition, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's 'Anandamath' (Bengali, 1882), and Nandshankar Mehta's 'Karan Ghelo' (Gujarati, 1866), among others, had historical themes, many were rooted in the contemporary world and its problems.

Some did serve as an impetus for social progress, with a story getting the message across better than a tract, most did offer a sparkling and insightful description of the society they were set in, its mores and norms, and the state of the language, its idioms, slang, and more.

The depictions of Tsarist Russia and Ottoman Turkey in 'Fasana-e-Azad' (Urdu, 1881) by Ratan Nath Dhar 'Sarshar' may be imaginary, but the description of the manners and customs of the late 19th-century Lucknow, which account for most of the massive tome (four volumes), is spot-on.

Peary Chand Mitra did the same for the then Calcutta in 'Alaler Gharer Dulal' (Bengali, 1857) and Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai for Madras in 'Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram' (Tamil, written in 1857 and published in 1879).

Sharda Ram Phillauri's 'Bhagyawati' (Hindi, 1877) had a more prescriptive tone, frowning on child marriage and favouring widow remarriage, and Hari Narayan Apte's 'Pan Lakshat Kon Gheto' (Marathi, 1890) was the sobering "autobiography" of a young woman buffeted by a mostly adverse society. And in the 20th century and onwards, there is an abundance of plenty.

Indian literature, especially in English, both as an original source and in translations, can offer a novel for any mood and purpose the reader may seek, be it pure diversion or a more instructive purpose. For the latter, let's take up five-odd works -- once famous but now forgotten and some even out of print -- from the recent past, which may have some bearing on our present times.

Amid the debate over heritage, colonial and otherwise, in the country and in its institutions, especially in the Army, Manohar Malgonkar's 'Distant Drum' (1960) is instructive.

Beginning with career army officer Kiran Garud's life commanding his regiment ('The Satpuras') in a cantonment somewhere in Central India soon after Independence, it sees him move to a staff job at the Army HQ in New Delhi, where a romantic tangle -- worthy of a Bollywood potboiler -- sends him opting for active service in Jammu and Kashmir, where he gets into another career-disrupting incident, before redemption, on the personal and professional front. Interpersed are digressions into the beginning of his career, and his experiences of World War II, and the Partition.

On a wider perspective, it is about the British-Indian relationship in the colonial army and the Indians and Pakistanis in the armies after Independence as well as Indian civil-military relationships with some of both not coming off too well.

The underlying lesson is that there is good and bad in people as well as things, we cannot be selective about the pasts we want to adopt, and, according to scholar Usha Bande, Malgonkar's belief that "everything British need not be condemned in our enthusiasm to celebrate 'nationalism'." Attia Hossain's 'Sunlight on a Broken Column' (1961) is a coming-of-age story of an orphaned Muslim girl from a landed family in Lucknow growing up in the 1930s, and the series of choices she has to make in her life, both personal and political, rising in complexity and consequences, to the biggest one in 1947.

Laila, whose story in a way echoes that of the author herself, is raised at her grandfather's house after her parents' passing. After his death, she becomes the ward of her uncle, who is both authoritarian and liberal, allowing her to pursue modern education but seeks to retain control of her life otherwise -- a feature we have come to see is scarcely dated and is much around today as it was then -- and her rebellion is inevitable.

These may be seen as the account or outlook of an 'Anglicised' section, but let us look at the other side of the spectrum.

Shrilal Shukla's satirical 'Raag Darbari' (Hindi, 1967) shows that life in the 'Bharat' beyond the metros is neither straightforward, nor simple, and the pursuit or perpetuation of "tradition" is not always desirable. Set in the village of 'Shivpalganj' somewhere in Uttar Pradesh, it is a collection of vignettes without a defined protagonist, and the characters are rather eccentric and devious.

The narrator is Ranganath, who comes to the village to recuperate after completing his post-graduate education. He observes the jostling for power and position that constitutes local politics, from his uncle Vaidyaji, the manager of the local school and centrepoint of all village politics, and his younger son Ruppan, who stays on in Class 10 for 10 years to be able to carry on in student politics.

The elder son, Badri Pehelwan, eschews politics and concentrates on bodybuilding. The other characters include the principal with a penchant for rustic dialect, the drunk goon who invents a new 'language', the hapless common man, and more.

A more ominous tone can be found in Partap Sharma's 'The Days of the Turban' (1986), set in Punjab, where the spectre of terrorisism is slowly spreading, and a syncretic way of life is fast disappearing.

Balbir, the youngest of a land-owning Mohyal family in a village, is chafing against his rustic life and dreams of moving to Europe like his elder brother and cousin.

This leads him to get involved with a local gun-runner, and then get trapped in the Golden Temple as Bhindrawale's men cement control and make him a hostage to force his cousin, an arms supplier, to make deals with them.

The cousin ties up with intelligence to frustrate the terrorists' plans and the family patriarch, Lokraj, carries out an audacious plan to rescue his grandson from right under the extremists' eyes, and then deals with the man who got him embroiled.

Nalinaksha Bhattacharya's 'A Fistful of Desire' (1997) is about power, love and social responsibility -- in rather unique manifestations -- in a pre-social media age.

At its centre are the shenanigans of a powerful bureaucrat in the PMO who becomes rather too enamoured of a British woman, who seeks his help to locate her husband, who went missing while on a scientific survey in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As he makes increasingly elaborate plans to seduce her, the woman, sensing his intentions, summons her younger boyfriend from London to help. A search is ultimately mounted but with results scarcely expected.

Eventually, it ends happily -- though a bit unexpectedly also -- and even our bureaucrat displays a soft side, but doesn't forget his amorous intentions.

Some of these books, unfortunately, are unavailable or out of print. Time for publishers to step in and resurrect these writers for a new generation? (Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
New Delhi, Jan 29 : After the announcement of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding his first virtual rally on January 31.

With this rally, the Prime Minister will address the electorate of the seats going to the polls on February 10.

As per information accessed by IANS, Modi will address the electorate of 21 assembly seats spread over Gautambuddh Nagar, Shaymli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Saharanpur.

The saffron party' preparation is on for the event in full swing. Modi will reach out to the electorate with 100 LED vans and big screens at different places, NaMo App and other virtual mediums. The poll panel has set a limit of maximum 500 people per LED screen and the party is aiming to reach out to 50,000 people.

Modi will be aiming to reach out to over 10 lakh voters virtually.

In the first phase, polling will be held on 58 seats spread over 11 districts of Western Uttar Pradesh -- Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat, Hapur, Gautambuddh Nagar, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra.

Even before the Election Commission announced the poll dates and released guidelines in view of the Covid surge, the saffron party had started preparing for virtual rallies.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi: Tri-services bands perform during the full dress rehearsal for the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Friday, January 28, 2022. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Horse-mounted President's Bodyguards during the full dress rehearsal for the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Friday, January 28, 2022. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Jan 29 : India is all set to witness the enchanting Beating Retreat ceremony, a centuries old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset.

It officially denotes the end of Republic Day festivities.

Every year it is conducted on the evening of January 29, the third day after the Republic Day and is organized by the Defence Ministry.

The ceremony was started in 1955 and has been a hallmark of Republic Day celebrations ever since.

However, this military ceremony dates back to 17th century England when it was first used to recall nearby patrolling units to their castle.

Originally, Beating Retreat was known as watch setting and was initiated at sunset by the firing of a single round from the evening gun.

As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield.

It is for this reason that the custom of standing still during the sounding of retreat has been retained to this day. Colours and standards are cased and flags lowered at retreats.

Based on these military traditions, 'Beating Retreat' ceremony creates a mood of nostalgia of the times gone by.
Bengaluru, Jan 29 : Business tycoon and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has welcomed the Karnataka farmer, who faced humiliation at one of the company's SUV showrooms recently, into the Mahindra and Mahindra family.

"Let me add my welcome to Mr Kempe Gowda...," Anand Mahindra stated on Friday night.

After being humiliated by the showroom staff, the Bolero Pick-up vehicle was finally delivered to the farmer, Kempe Gowda, on January 28.

Mahindra Automotive reacted on Twitter saying, "We regret the inconvenience caused to Mr Kempe Gowda and his friends during their visit to our dealership on 21st of Jan. As promised, we have taken appropriate measures and the matter is now resolved. We would like to thank Mr Kempe Gowda for choosing to be with us and we welcome him into the Mahindra family." A field officer had humiliated Kempe Gowda, saying that when the latter did not have even Rs 10, how would he purchase a vehicle.

Earlier, Anand Mahindra had taken to Twitter to make his stand clear with reference to the incident.

"The Core Purpose of @MahindraRise is to enable our communities & all stakeholders to Rise. And a key Core Value is to uphold the Dignity of the Individual. Any aberration from this philosophy will be addressed with great urgency," he had tweeted, quoting a tweet by Mahindra and Mahindra CEO Veejay Nakra.

The Mahindra Automotive Company also stated on Twitter, "Dealers are the front face of our company. It is our responsibility to ensure that they behave in the most customer centric manner and ensure the dignity of all our customers. We will investigate the episode and if there is any transgression, we will take appropriate action which includes counselling and training of our frontline staff." On January 21, Gowda, a farmer from Ramanapalya near Hebbur town in Karnataka, had taught the employees of the showroom a lesson as to never to judge a person by his clothes or appearance.

Gowda was insulted by the staff when he went to the showroom located in Tumakuru city to purchase a car. After being insulted, he arranged Rs 10 lakh in 30 minutes and demanded delivery on the same day.

The showroom staff had apologised for their mistake at a local police station. Gowda's quick action and vigour has been appreciated by people all over the state and his photos and videos have gone viral on social media.

"I had gone to the Mahindra showroom to purchase a Bolero Pick Up goods vehicle along with my seven friends and uncle. But the company's field officer mocked me saying that when I am not carrying even Rs 10, how will I purchase such an expensive vehicle. The officer also said that no one comes to purchase a vehicle in a group," Gowda had said.

"My uncle asked him, if we bring money will he be able to deliver the vehicle. To which, the field officer challenged that if we managed to bring the money, he would deliver the vehicle immediately and he again challenged us to bring the money within half an hour," he said.

"I arranged Rs 10 lakh in 30 minutes and placed it in front of the field officer. I managed to arrange it with my friends. I had approached the police about the insult caused by the showroom employees. I am an educated man. I have studied till Class 10. What will these people do to farmers from villages," he had asked.

The matter was resolved after the intervention of the police. After Gowda arranged the money and demanded immediate delivery of the vehicle, the showroom staff sought three days' time for the same.
Mysuru : , Jan 29 (IANS) The headmaster who kissed a girl student in Kote town of Mysuru in Karnataka has been sacked. Headmaster R.M. Anilkumar was caught red-handed while kissing a student in his chamber. The management committee of the private school convened an emergency meeting and decided to sack the headmaster from the service.

The Education Department has lodged a case of sexual assault under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the headmaster, police said on Saturday. Block Education Officer Chandrakanth and Deputy Director of Public Instruction Ramachandre Urs, have also assured action against the accused teacher.

The action came after a video of the headmaster holding the girl student and kissing her in his chamber went viral on social media. The incident has also shocked the state and created outrage. As the video went viral, villagers and students demanded action against the accused headmaster. The video was shot by the students through the window.

Based on the complaints of villagers, the Block Education Officer (BEO) lodged a case of sexual assault against the headmaster and sought action. The conduct of the teacher has embarrassed the Education Department, the officer said.

The case has been registered at the H.D. Kote police station. The police explained that they have taken up the investigation and sources said that they are verifying the complaint and the accused teacher will be taken into custody for questioning.
Jaipur, Jan 29 : Taking action in the Rajasthan Eligibility Exam for Teachers (REET) 2021 paper leak case, the Rajasthan government on Saturday sacked DP Jaroli, the chairman of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education with immediate effect.

The opposition BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

The order issued by Rajasthan government cited Jaroli's incompetency to discharge his duties behind his sacking.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has promised a fair investigation into the matter.

He said: "Ever since the information about the REET exam was received, SOG has done a thorough investigation. The state government has given a free hand to the SOG for investigation.

"Those whose involvement has been found are being arrested and strictly interrogated. Action is being taken on the basis of the information revealed in the inquiry. Action will also be taken to immediately suspend and dismiss the government employees who are found guilty of malpractices and dereliction of duty," he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia said: "Justice will be done to the youth of Rajasthan only when the investigation of REET case is handed over to CBI. There is no guarantee that the CM will not affect the SOG; the Congress government will help in saving the big fish." Responding to this, Gehlot said: "It is a pity that some people are creating an environment to bake political loaves so that no upcoming recruitment exam can take place. These people are playing with the future of lakhs of candidates.

"As we all know that in many states, such gangs have been formed who are involved in paper leaks, copying etc in an organized manner which is a matter of concern for all. It is necessary to investigate them and go to the bottom.

"The state government is coming up with a bill for strict provisions regarding copying, paper leak etc. in the budget session. We are fully dedicated to the cause of youth. A high-level committee is being formed under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge to suggest that the recruitment examinations be conducted smoothly in future," the Chief Minister added.
Film: Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal. Duration: 140 minutes (Showing in theatres).

Director: Vishal Venkat. Cast: Ashok Selvan, Reyaa, Manikandan, Abi Haasan, Anju Kurian, Riythvika, K.S. Ravikumar, Praveen and Bhanupriya.

IANS Rating: **1/2Director Vishal Venkat's 'Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal' is a reasonably well made entertainer that manages to keep you interested for the most part but does not leave you entirely convinced by the time it ends.

The film's story revolves around four people, each of whom belong to a different segment of society.

Pradeesh (Abi Haasan), an aspiring actor and son of a famous director, is super rich. Praveen (played by Praveen), an IT employee who is in town and looking to go back to his project in the US, belongs to the upper middle class.

Vijay (Ashok Selvan), who works in a mobile shop as a salesman, and Rajasekar (Manikandan), who's with the housekeeping department of a firm, belong to the middle class and lower middle class respectively.

All these characters have nothing in common except that they all have flaws that greatly inconveniences everybody around them. The sad part is while everybody around them is aware of their personality warts, they are not.

This changes when suddenly one day, an accident occurs and a man dies. How the accident changes all four characters is what the film is all about.

The film works by and large primarily because of the fact that the stories of two characters -- Rajasekar and Vijay -- are told with a lot of passion and conviction. The stories of the other two -- Praveen and Pradeesh -- aren't as convincing and appear to be a little far off from reality.

For instance, the film has a sequence that shows Pradeesh, the actor son of a big director, being accused of killing the man in the accident. As public opinion gathers against him, Pradeesh's father and mother, who, we are told deeply cares about their son, are shown playing video games with an actress who was primarily responsible for the needle of suspicion to point at him! Rajasekar's story is the most impressive of the lot as it effectively communicates the message it looks to send across. Manikandan, who impressed in 'Jai Bhim' as Rajakannu, does an outstanding job once again as Rajasekar in this film.

As a man who is always in a tearing hurry to go up the ladder of success without taking the time to properly complete tasks entrusted to his care, Manikandan does a fantastic job. Thanks to the manner in which the character is fleshed out, the message that one must complete what one takes up, comes across clearly.

Ashok Selvan is the next best performer in this film. He delivers a commendable performance as a man who is unable to express his love for his kind, understanding father. He nails it in some of the sequences, especially the one in which he hugs Manikandan, after being overcome by guilt at not having done enough for his father when he was alive.

The film features some brilliant performances from Nasser, who plays Vijay's father, and Ilavarasu, who's cast as Rajasekar's uncle. Actress Reyaa, who plays Malar, also delivers a neat performance. All these performances add value to the film and thereby help it score.

On the technical side, Radhan's music is a big plus as are Meyyindiran's visuals. Prasanna's editing is neat and helps keep the narrative tight. For someone who is just starting off, director Vishal Venkat shows immense promise.

'Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal' catches your eye and manages to retain your attention. Where it fails though is in being able to leave you convinced.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Inspired by a movie, an 18-year-old youth was kidnapped by two of his friends who later killed him for a ransom. The incident took place in North Delhi's Burari area.

DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said that the police have arrested two youths and have lodged a murder case in this regard. The accused were identified as Gopal and Sushil. Gopal became the friend of the deceased Rohan last year.

"They got the idea of kidnapping after watching a Bollywood movie Apharan. Gopal called Rohan on the pretext of taking him to a birthday party. On Sunday at around 11 p.m., the police got a call in this respect," said the senior police official.

The police recorded the statement of the father of the deceased. He told the cops that Rohan went to attend a birthday party with his friend Gopal who visited his home at 6 p.m. on Sunday. But after that Rohan didn't return.

The police came to know that Gopal had left the party at 10 p.m. The police accessed the cell phone location of the deceased which was found in UP's Moradabad.

The police then examined the CCTV footages of nearby areas. Around 1000 CCTV footages were scanned by the cops.

"Actually the accused had known that the police were after them and one of them took the cell phone of the deceased to Moradabad. They kept changing their locations too. But following a tip off we held Gopal from Burari during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. During the interrogation he broke down and confessed that he kidnapped and murdered Rohan," said the senior police official.

He hid Rohan's body in a plot in Harit Nagar area, which was recovered by the police. At his instance the second accused Sushil was also arrested.

Gopal used to work at a showroom where Rohan used to come for shopping. Gopal thought he was a rich boy and decided to kidnap him for ransom.

With the plan, he befriended Rohan and used to meet him frequently. Gopal had told his two friends about his plan. On January 16, he took a room on rent where he threw a party. He took Rohan to that room and killed him. They left the dead body there and went home. They planned to call Rohan's family next day but by then the police was informed by the family of the deceased.

"The accused got to know about this and were changing their locations but we nabbed them. They were inspired by Bollywood movie Apharan to earn quick money," said the police official.

Further probe in the matter is underway.
Los Angeles, Jan 29 : The Sundance Film Festival concluded with a virtual awards show with no host this year, just a series of statements and videos parcelled out across two hours via Twitter.

It was a strangely anti-climactic way of wrapping a low-key virtual festival, even as it gave winners a chance to prep polite, crew-inclusive acceptance speeches, reports variety.com.

The top prize in the US Dramatic category went to grand jury winner 'Nanny' by first-time director Nikyatu Jusu, a supernatural-tinged thriller about an undocumented immigrant stuck caring for another mother's child in order to raise the funds needed to bring her son over from Senegal.

The Audience Award winner in the same category went to 'Cha Cha Real Smooth', in which writer-director Cooper Raiff plays an inexperienced party promoter who falls for a single mom (Dakota Johnson) attending many of his events.

The crowd-pleaser marked the biggest sale of the festival so far, scooped up by Apple for $15 million -- 1,000 times the budget of Raiff's SXSW-winning debut, 'Shithouse'.

The Festival Favourite award went to 'Navalny'.

This prize, selected by audiences from across all sections of the festival, recognises a late addition to the line-up, protected on account of its political sensitivity, as the documentary tracks Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny while he was recovering from an assassination attempt in Berlin.

Accepting the honour, director Daniel Roher said: "Navalny would be so thrilled if he knew he won the People's Choice award." While 'Navalny' may have been the popular choice, the US Documentary jury awarded co-directors Violet Columbus and Ben Klein's 'The Exiles', a high-concept re-examination of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre through various eyewitnesses.

The project marked a return to Sundance for veteran doc helmer Christine Choy.

In recent years, the once US-centric festival's world competition categories have emerged as a key launchpad for international films.

Expect to hear plenty more about World Dramatic grand jury winner 'Utama' in the coming months, as director Alejandro Loayza Grisi's portrait of an elderly Bolivian couple deciding whether to abandon their climate-endangered Altiplano home seems well-positioned to represent the country come Oscar time.

Other key international Indie winners include 'All That Breathes' and Amazon-based environmental doc 'The Territory', which earned both the audience prize and a special jury mention.

In the next category, trans portrait 'Framing Agnes' won both the audience prize and the Jill Soloway was presented Innovator Award.

Delivering the most personal of the acceptance speeches, wheelchair-using filmmaker Reid Davenport, whose 'I Didn't See You There' won US Documentary directing honours, addressed the film community: "There are disabled artistes out there trying to get their stories heard, so I ask you -- filmmakers, industry leaders, funders, programmers, artistes -- to seek them out and to let them in." After building a streaming platform in order to host a Covid-safe version of the 2021 edition online, Sundance organisers hoped to return with a hybrid virtual and in-person event this year.

Alas, rising infections due to the Omicron variant forced them to shift the programme online again -- dealing a blow to sponsors and filmmakers.

Still, with the infrastructure already in place, the festival was able to make the pivot smoothly, while losing out on much of the excitement and attention generated by the pre-pandemic model.
Johannesburg, Jan 29 : The highly transmissible Omicron variant, which emerged with a host of unusual mutations in late November last year, has been detected in more than 120 countries. Now, scientists are trying to find out how it evolved.

The spread of the Omicron variant around the world has been the fastest than any previous versions.

While on one hand, there's no transparent path of transmission linking Omicron to its predecessors, on the other, the variant has an unusual array of mutations, which evolved entirely outside the view of researchers, Nature reported.

In fact the variant is so different from earlier strains, such as Alpha and Delta, that evolutionary virologists estimate its closest-known genetic ancestor probably dates back to more than a year ago, some time after mid-2020.

"It just came out of nowhere," Darren Martin, a computational biologist at the University of Cape Town, South Africa was quoted as saying.

Understanding the origins of Omicron might help scientists to understand the risk of new variants emerging, and suggest steps to minimize it, said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Saskatoon, Canada.

"It's very difficult to try to mitigate a risk that you can't even remotely wrap your head around," she was quoted as saying.

Scientists have explored three theories relating to the origins of Omicron.

Although researchers have sequenced millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, they might simply have missed a series of mutations that eventually led to Omicron. Alternatively, the variant might have evolved mutations in one person, as part of a long-term infection. Or it could have emerged unseen in other animal hosts, such as mice or rats, the report said.

But as of now, whichever idea a researcher favours "often comes down to gut feeling rather than any sort of principled argument", Richard Neher, a computational biologist at the University of Basel in Switzerland, was quoted as saying.

Researchers agree that Omicron is a recent arrival. It was first detected in South Africa and Botswana in early November 2021; retrospective testing has since found earlier samples from individuals in England on November 1 and 3, and in South Africa, Nigeria and the United States on November 2.

An analysis of the mutation rate in hundreds of sequenced genomes, and of how quickly the virus had spread through populations by December, dates its emergence to not long before that -- around the end of September or early October last year.

A study published in the journal Nature, suggested that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 diverged from previous SARS-CoV-2 variants as a result of adaptive evolution, in which beneficial mutations are passed onto future generations through natural selection, rather than through recombination between previous variants.

"The finding suggests that Omicron is likely the result of an evolutionary process that created a highly transmissible virus that partially evades our antibody responses," the researchers said.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : To defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) National President Jayant Chaudhary have joined hands, and slammed the policies of the Yogi government.

While speaking to IANS, Chaudhary said, "After coming to power in Uttar Pradesh, the SP-RLD alliance will elect Akhilesh Yadav as the Chief Minister and my party will serve the people moving forward with him." Asked what is the pulse of the people of Uttar Pradesh since he has entered the electoral fray? the RLD Chief added, "We have felt the pulse of the public and our (SP-RLD) alliance will do well in the upcoming state polls. People are standing firmly with Akhilesh ji and RLD's joint alliance with the SP will win with a thumping majority and form the government too." "What steps will the SP-led coalition government take to channelise the anger of the youth? Jayant said, "This has been a major issue and a big challenge before our government and other governments as well. When general public puts forth their demands before the government and when there are social movements, our government treats people with disdain." "Police have been provided with lathis (sticks) to protect people and not to beat the youth. If the youth question the recruitment process in government jobs, they are beaten with sticks. We will ensure that there is no violence against the youth after our (SP-RLD) coalition government comes to power." "There is anger among the youth which has been due to the wrong policies of the present government. We want to tell the youth that they must have hope and trust in us and we will provide justice to them after coming to power." When asked how the SP-led alliance will counter BJP's hindutva issues such as construction of Ram temple and development of Mathura, the RLD Chief said, "This time the people of the state will counter these issues themselves as they are not concerned with them anymore." "During the 2017 state Assembly elections, youth, Jats and other communities had voted in large numbers for the BJP but today they are forced to reconsider their decision. The issue of livelihood comes first. Our coalition government will develop western Uttar Pradesh as it belongs to Chaudhary Charan Singh Sahib." "It is for the voters to decide. On one side there is a government that wants to suppress the farmers and does not listen to their demands, where no promises are fulfilled and on the other hand we have an alliance which is fighting against the government who is spreading lies and hatred among communities." Asked about BJP again raking the Kairana exodus as a major political issue in western Uttar Pradesh, Jayant Chaudhary said, "Kairana exodus is a fake issue, BJP tried to make it an issue but it was rejected. The BJP had lost Assembly polls from Kairana in 2017." The Kairana Assembly seat of Shamli district was won by the Samajwadi Party candidate in 2017. A total of 47.26 per cent votes were cast in Kairana in 2017 when Nahid Hassan from the SP defeated Mriganka Singh of the BJP by a margin of 21,162 votes. The Assembly seat had gained centrestage after reports of the exodus of a particular community had come to the fore before 2017.

Earlier, BJP had invited RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary to be a part of the BJP-led alliance but the latter rejected the offer in a tweet and said, "I am not a hypocritical person who changes his political decisions everyday, I am happy with the decision my party has taken." Elections will be held in seven phases in Uttar Pradesh on February 10, February 14, February 20, February 23, February 27, March 3 and March 7. The election results will be declared on March 10.

This year the first phase of elections will start from western UP on 58 Assembly constituencies while the last phase will be held in eastern UP on 64 Assembly constituencies.
Dhanbad, Jan 29 : In a key development in the murder case of Dhanbad judge Uttam Anand, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has changed the whole team who was probing the matter.

The Jharkhand High Court had already expressed unhappiness over the probe and had rapped the federal probe agency for coming out with cell phone robbery angle in the case.

SP Vishal Kumar of Special Crime Unit 2 of the CBI will now head the probe team. He will replace ASP Vijay Shukla who was leading the probe till now. The team was changed on January 22.

The new team of the CBI officials on Wednesday visited the crime scene and inspected the whole spot for the first time. The previous team had already visited the site thrice.

The team of federal probe agency reached Randhir Verma Chowk of Dhanbad at around 1.20 p.m. on January 26 and spent almost fifteen minutes at the crime scene.

A double bench of Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court which is currently hearing the matter had said on the last hearing that why there was need of two time brain mapping of the accused. The bench in a harsh reply had even noted that "it seems that the CBI is trying to protect the accused".

In coming days the new team can once again visit the crime scene. It will also question Rahul Verma and Lakhan Verma, the two accused in the case. They have got court permission to question the accused between January 29 and 31.

Uttam Anand, the judge of Dhanbad court on July 28 last year was on morning walk when he was murdered. He was hit with an autorickshaw due to which he suffered severe injuries and later died during the course of treatment. Initially, the matter was being probed by Jharkhand police. Later the CBI took over the investigation following the order of Jharkhand High Court. Two accused Rahul Verma and Lakhan Verma were arrested in this murder case. They have been chargesheeted by the CBI.

The family of the judge has alleged that he was murdered because he was looking after sensational cases related to local mafia.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : The prosecution opposing former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid's bail plea in the northeast Delhi riots case has submitted that the protest was committed in a planned way and the poor people were used as 'cannon fodder'.

The anti-CAA protests were held in Muslim-dominated areas in the national capital, and the poor people were used cannon fodder, the prosecution argued.

Delhi Police has registered a case against Khalid and several others under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other provisions of the law, and they are accused of being the "masterminds" of the riots which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

Police had accused Khalid of organising a conspiracy meeting and supervising the site of protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The prosecution has compared the riots with the 9/11 attack by saying as just before 9/11 happened when all the people were involved, they reached a particular place and took training, and a month before that, they moved to their respective positions. That is what is relevant in this case also.

The prosecution alleged that the issue regarding the 2020 protests was not CAA or NRC but to embarrass the government and take such steps that it gets highlighted in "International Media".

The prosecution requested the Additional Sessions, Judge Amitabh Rawat, for dismissing the bail application of Khalid by submitting that the poor people were used as cannon fodder in this case.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad had earlier argued that the 25 protest sites were close to local mosques but were purposefully given 'secular names', by pointing out the Shreeram colony protest site which is Noorani Masjid protest.

Sadar Bazar's protest site is originally Shahi Idgaah. The Shastri Park protest site was Wahid Jama Masjid. Gandhi Park's protest site was actually Jamila Masjid.
New York, Jan 29 : Several scientists have claimed that a Covid variant-specific vaccine is not needed, and that the existing shots are well effective against all variants, including Omicron.

However, global vaccine makers have raced ahead to develop shots against the highly-mutated and transmissible Omicron variant.

This week, both pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and biotechnology company Moderna announced that they have initiated clinical trials in which they are dosing people with Omicron-based vaccines.

But according to public-health authorities and infectious-disease specialists, whether rolling out these jabs is necessary, or even practical, is unclear, Nature reported.

According to some, an Omicron-specific jab may not be worthwhile because cases could plummet before the manufacturers could finalise the vaccines.

Others point out that it's difficult to predict whether the next SARS-CoV-2 variant will be like Omicron, calling into question the utility of an Omicron-specific shot.

"We have a lot of confidence in the [current] vaccines, but we must now discuss whether to update the composition," Kanta Subbarao, who chairs the Technical Advisory Group on Covid-19 Vaccine Composition for the World Health Organization (WHO), was quoted as saying.

Even if Pfizer is able to meet its ambitious goal -- just months from strain identification to clinical trial results -- it might still be too late to be useful, added Paul Bieniasz, a virologist at Rockefeller University in New York City.

Omicron's dominance as a variant could be waning by then, Subbarao said.

Such a vaccine might work against the variant that dominates after Omicron -- especially if the virus continues on that genetic trajectory. But no one knows how the virus will evolve, Bieniasz noted.

Covid vaccine boosters are also proving useful against Omicron, but scientists say that endless boosting might not be a practical or sustainable strategy.

Meanwhile, several scientists, including from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), are funding research for developing a pan-coronavirus vaccine, the report said.

A pan-coronavirus vaccine can broadly protect against many strains of SARS-CoV-2 and other types of coronavirus.

The World Health Organization is also working to devise a central system to update Covid vaccines, much like the current process used for flu jabs.

The strategy emulates a system currently used to decide on "strain updates" for flu shots, which are updated every six months, The Telegraph reported.

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Bengaluru, Jan 29 : Karntaka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has instructed the officials to take all necessary measures to extend his ambitious programme 'Grama One' all over the state before the end of February, officials said on Saturday.

The programme was launched by Bommai on January 26.

The Chief Minister has written to officials of e-governance, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and Revenue departments, and Deputy Commissioners of all the districts in this regard.

Bommai said he would hold weekly meetings to review the progress of implementation of 'Grama One' with Grama One Operators, Tahsildars and Deputy Commissioners.

The Chief Minister has instructed for speedy disposal of petitions received at 'Grama One', the officials would have to mention the reasons for rejecting the petitions submitted by the citizens, the Deputy Commissioners and senior officials of the concerned departments should review the petitions rejected and disciplinary action should be taken against those who reject the petitions erroneously.

The Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to ensure that a code of conduct for 'Grama One' operators is issued from the e-governance department and it is compulsorily followed by the Operators.

Training should be imparted for 'Grama One' operators on technical, administrative and legal issues that are involved. Then only the operators could function effectively and make 'Grama One' a success, Bommai has said.

The Chief Minister has also instructed for periodic training for the Grama One operators to examine and upgrade their skills. Cancellation of license of incompetent Operators.

Additional Chief Secretary of e-governance department has been instructed to ensure convening weekly meetings on 'Grama One' for the next two months.
Tumakuru : , Jan 29 (IANS) A Karnataka local court has found the Assistant Police Sub-Inspector (ASI) guilty in a sensational case of rape against a mentally challenged woman in a moving car. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on Monday (Jan 31).

Umeshaiah, the accused police officer, attached to Women's Police station had taken away the mentally challenged woman in a private vehicle on Jan 15, 2017 and raped her near Antarasanahalli Bridge near Tumakuru in a moving car.

The case had made headlines causing embarrassment to the police department. Since, the charges against him have been found to be true and have been proved, Second Additional District and Sessions Court Judge H.S. Mallikarjunaswamy has pronounced the accused guilty.

The parents of the mentally challenged woman had lodged a complaint against the accused. Eshwar, the second accused in the case who drove the vehicle has been discharged of all charges. Public Prosecutor Kavitha had appeared for the victim.

The victim had left her home after a quarrel with family members on the fateful day at 7 p.m. The accused cop on night duty with a home guard riding pillion spotted her at 11 p.m. He signaled her to stop and questioned her. Though the victim gave him her brother's contact number, the accused asked her to board a private vehicle in the pretext of dropping her back. Police explained that later, the accused cop raped the victim in the moving car and dropped her back at 3.30 a.m, police said. When the family came to know about it, lodged a complaint.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Following the takeover of Air India by Tata Group, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has now onboarded the carrier for social security coverage to service the social security needs of its employees.

The social security benefits will be provided to around 7,453 employees for whom contributions have been filed by Air India with the EPFO for the month of December 2021.

The employees will receive extra 2 per cent employer's contribution in their Provident Fund accounts at 12 per cent of their wages.

Earlier, they were covered under the PF Act of 1925, where the employer's contribution to Provident Fund was at 10 per cent, while 10 per cent was contributed by the employee.

A guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 will be available to the employees and to the family members and dependents in case of death of an employee.

An assured insurance benefit in case of death of a member will be available in the range of minimum Rs 2.50 Lakh and maximum Rs 7 lakh. No premium is charged from the EPFO covered employees for this benefit.

Since 1952-53, Air India and Indian Airlines were two separate companies which were covered under the PF Act, 1925. In 2007, both the companies merged into one - Air India Ltd.

Under the PF Act, 1925, benefit of Provident Fund was available but there was no statutory pension scheme or insurance scheme.

The employees used to participate in a self-contributory annuity-based pension scheme. Based on the scheme parameters, the accumulations were paid to the employees. There was no minimum pension guarantee and no extra benefit in case of death of a member.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is trying to woo the farmers who have given a call to observe January 31 as 'Betrayal Day'.

MOHAMMAD SUAIB KHAN New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is trying to woo the farmers who have given a call to observe January 31 as 'Betrayal Day'.

Akhilesh Yadav has promised to set up plants for the production of mustard oil, which he says will not only benefit the farmers, but also the common man who will get oil at a cheaper rate especially at a time when its prices have skyrocketed.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Yadav said, "If farmers' organisations are coming to UP, they must be coming to teach a lesson to the BJP, because the farmers are unhappy with the government. Farmer leaders are not contesting elections, but they are coming to UP.

"We buy refined oil after watching TV ads, but we have a healthier product in mustard oil. The farmers are not getting the price of the mustard they produce. But when the same farmer is buying mustard oil from the market, he has to pay Rs 200 for a litre. After forming the government in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party will try to make mustard oil cheaper. If we have to give subsidies or have to set up a government plant, so that mustard oil becomes available at a cheaper rate, we will do that." The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has announced that it will launch Mission UP from February 3 against the BJP government. Through a statement it has called upon people to "teach the BJP a lesson as it has not punished Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and it has betrayed the farmers by implementing anti-farmer policies".

"Farmers under Mission Uttar Pradesh will start a new phase from February 3. Message to punish BJP through pamphlet distribution, press conferences, social media campaigns, public meetings and other means will be delivered to the people across the state by all the organisations of the SKM," it said.

Apart from this, on the call of the SKM, 'Betrayal Day' will be observed across the country on January 31, with the farmers preparing to organise large-scale protests at the district and tehsil levels.

The farmers are upset with the government for not conceding their demands, though their main demand of withdrawal of three contentious farm laws has been met.

The 403-member UP Assembly will go to the polls in seven phases between February 10 and March 7. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : People in the Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran which borders Afghanistan took to the streets on Friday and demanded the right to water that flows from Afghanistan, Iranian State media Irna reported.

Security forces in the port interfered after the protests started attacking trucks that belonged to the Afghan people, Khaama Press reported.

Eyewitnesses say that Iranian protests broke the windows of trucks and inflicted financial loss to the drivers, the report said.

Meanwhile, another group of Iranian protestors rallied at the Afghan consulate in Zahedan city and demanded the flow of Helmand water to the country.

After the demonstration of Iranian nationals, the Afghan drivers rallied on Afghanistan soil and asked for their losses to be refunded.

The demonstration comes a year after former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani inaugurated hydroelectric dam-Kamal Khan Dam- on the Helmand River and said that they will no longer give water to Iran for free but in exchange for oil, the report said.

The flow of the Helmand River to Iran has been a matter of conflict for years between Afghanistan and Iran which has not been fully resolved after the war erupted in Afghanistan.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Sanjeev Gupta thanked the Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi for his "personally instrumental" role in enabling Greensill Capital to make taxpayer-backed Covid business support loans, in a letter released by the UK government, The Guardian reported.

Greensill collapsed last year, sparking a lobbying scandal involving the former UK prime minister David Cameron and a Serious Fraud Office investigation into more than 300 million pounds of loans to businesses linked to GFG Alliance, the metals conglomerate run by Gupta, under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), the report said.

It has emerged that in October 2020, Gupta sent a letter to Zahawi, then a minister in the UK business department (BEIS), thanking him for getting the bank to approve Greensill's access to the loan scheme.

"Since you were personally instrumental in getting the BBB's approval for Greensill Capital to provide financial assistance under the CLBILS programme, it would be very fitting if you could join us to mark this special moment that provides relief to thousands of workers," said Gupta in the letter, released after a freedom of information request lodged by the Financial Times.

In the letter, Gupta went as far as inviting Zahawi, who was promoted to education secretary in the autumn, to a "small gathering" at his steelworks in Rotherham to mark the Greensill loan success, the report said.

The letter was sent days before a formal investigation into Greensill and the loans to GFG-linked firms was launched.

"The department does not recognise the assertion made in Mr Gupta's letter that Nadhim Zahawi played a role in securing the bank's approval to accredit Greensill Capital," said BEIS. GFG declined to comment.

BEIS stated that Zahawi "did not respond to the letter, nor did he make any subsequent visit to a GFG Alliance site".
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Reuters quoted sources as saying on Wednesday that Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis recently proposed to President Gitanas Nauseda to modify "the Chinese version of the representation name to refer to 'Taiwanese people' rather than to Taiwan," in an attempt to "defuse a row with China." This is not the first time that Lithuania has released hints of changing the name of the "Taiwanese representative office" in Vilnius. The Financial Times recently reported a similar story. Although all sides have denied it with haste, the outside world is more and more inclined to believe that relevant discussions are unfolding in the Lithuanian government.

It is very likely that Lithuania deliberately floated a trial balloon, playing the literal trick of taking two steps forward, one step back, to test China's willingness to accept the new name, and at the same time to gain international sympathy: "Look, I'm going to change the name, but China is still picking on me." However, it must be pointed out that this is a political performance that offers the same old stuff with only a different label. Its essence is still to create "one China, one Taiwan" on the global arena. This inferior cover-up can't deceive anyone. Lithuania should drop its illusion that it could muddle through it.

Obviously the situation has become increasingly unfavorable for Lithuanian authorities. It previously relied on Washington's endorsement to play a political scoundrel who blackmails a big power as a small country, and also tried to drag the EU into the case. Both Lithuania's population and GDP account for less than 1 percent of the EU, but it wanted to kidnap the interests of the entire EU. This is an almost insane geopolitical madness. Not only is there a huge wave of opposition in Lithuania, but people in other EU countries have expressed their dissatisfaction. The German business community has repeatedly warned Lithuania to stop manipulating the Taiwan question. So far, Lithuania has not benefited much, but has paid a heavy price for it, and it is feeling more and more pressure.

If Vilnius really wants to ease tensions with Beijing and stop its losses in time, it needs to take sincere and practical actions, hedging its previous provocations with a clear change. We think it must do at least the following: First, Make the name, activities, nature and methods of the representative office named after "Taiwanese" return to the ones within the framework of Lithuania's commitments when it established diplomatic relations with China. Second, Vilnius should publicly apologize to China for its prior mistakes, declaring its ties with Taiwan as non-governmental. Third, Lithuania needs to reaffirm the one-China principle and guarantee that it will never challenge this political bottom line in a credible manner. Fourth, Vilnius has to take concrete actions to eliminate the malicious impact on the EU and the international community.

The matter of principle is non-negotiable. If the Lithuanian authorities do not completely correct its mistakes, no matter how many trial balloons it floats, it will only lead China-Lithuania relations to a worse situation.

The calculation of Washington and Vilnius, which attempts to induce other small countries to follow and spread "One China, one Taiwan" has failed. Instigated by the US, this country, which has nothing to do with cross-Straits affairs, has jumped into a giant whirlpool of its own doing. And the consequences it has endured are becoming a lesson for other countries. Lithuanian authorities should be aware that they intended to play an "exemplary" role in the international community, but in the end will only serve as a "typical case" for China to ramp up prestige for the international community.

Ironically, every time Lithuania is reportedly considering changing the name of the "Taiwanese Representative Office," the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority and the US Department of State are among the first ones to refute it. DPP authority is even more anxious, showing its guilt conscience and uneasiness, lest Lithuania changes its stance. In the future, they may continue to overtly and covertly fool Lithuania to be their pawn. However, no matter what tricks they play, China will never give in half an inch on issues of principle. We have never compromised in the face of a superpower like the US, how could it be possible for us to accept the political fraud of Lithuania, a "weathercock?"

The farce created by Lithuania authorities will finally prove to the international community that the one-China principle is a red line that cannot be crossed. Anyone, be it Vilnius, Taipei or Washington, cannot expect to dance on the line.
Patna, Jan 29 : Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has clarified that the department has only appealed to the government teachers to keep an eye on the consumption of liquor in the state. It was just an advisory.

"We have not given any target to teachers or they are not under any pressure to pass the information to authority about liquor consumption. We have just appealed to them to inform us if they see any mischief in their respective jurisdictions. They do not require additional duty to monitor liquor consumption," Chaudhary said.

"We have appealed to every person in the state to inform us if they find people are consuming liquor. Teachers are also included in it. It is the duty of every person to make liquor ban successful in the state but there is no pressure on them," Chaudhary said.

Earlier on Friday, Sanjay Kumar, the additional chief secretary of the education department of Bihar government, had written a letter dated January 28, 2022 to deputy directors of all zones, district education officers, and district education officers of primary, middle and higher secondary schools of Bihar to keep vigil on liquor consumption in their respective areas.

He had directed the officers to further communicate to principals, teachers, contract teachers and teachers of Madarsa and ask them to collect information about consumption of liquor, manufacturing units, smuggling, transportation and other activities of mafias in their respective jurisdictions and inform on toll free numbers of the liquor prohibition department.

Following the decision, teachers associations of Bihar threatened agitation. Some groups have already started protests. On Saturday, they burnt the copy of the directive issued by the education department at several places of Bihar.

They demanded from the state government to remove the burden of non academic works from teachers. Unarmed teachers and their families cannot fight with liquor mafias of the state.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : A case is filed in the UK against Indian Army Chief General M.M. Naravane for war crimes in Kashmir. A Tribunal is held on 'Kashmir in Bosnia. An 'expert claims genocide coming in Kashmir -- all these events in a month show the spreading tentacles of Muslim Brotherhood in the Valley, Disinfolab said in a new report.

On face it may look merely about money, but the narrative building has larger geostrategic implications. Muslim Brotherhood's entry into Kashmir means it will keep festering the region. It is not a coincidence that Qatar, Turkey and Pakistan are actively behind this. This is a war and it has begun, the report said.

"Having tested waters, and putting key players in place, we should expect a call for BDS against India seeping in with the narrative of genocide. The 'emerging' conflict industry in Kashmir could play out in cultural, academic and economic boycott," it added.

As expected, the Pak troll army is ever ready to hype the narrative of genocide and BDS. Hundreds of fake handles are created virtually before each campaign to push fake narratives.

A boycott campaign was launched in September last year by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) nexus against India as well as targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE apart from France. The campaign was supported by the troll factories of Turkey and Pakistan. It was the first open campaign by MB through the new emerging nexus of Qatar-Turkey-Pakistan, dubbed as QTPi.

While it had all the characteristics of propaganda, including the liberal use of fake pictures and videos, it was not an ordinary propaganda. It appears as a strength test for Muslim Brotherhood, as it put several of the news media from its arsenal to use, including the jewel Al Jazeera, risking their credibility, the report said.

The sheer resource that MB-led QTPi deployed in this fake news-driven propaganda made it abundantly clear that not only Brotherhood has arrived in India, but it also intends to stay.

The intent was soon clear when a hush-hush Tribunal was organised in Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina) in December 2021 on the Kashmir issue. This was a good enough indicator that the Brotherhood has decided to put their attention to this part, the report said.

Disinfolab said contrary to the usual noise created around such events, the Tribunal was kept rather low-key. They were again testing reactions to an attempt by MB on appropriating Kashmir, less from India and more from the Jamaat stakeholders. Replacing the traditional crowd, all major players at the Tribunal was connected with Muslim Brotherhood. The next step -- yet another report on Kashmir within a month by a UK-based legal-cum-investigative-cum activist firm - which came as no surprise.

These events are part of a larger design, a build-up to create a conflict space in the conflict industry. Muslim Brotherhood had successfully run a conflict industry in Palestine for more than a decade. Now it is looking to shift the business to a new location. And one of the key tools for making a viable conflict industry is BDSM: Boycott, Divestment, Sanction, Movement.

The narratives that have been built in India in the last few years -- from Islamophobia, fascism to now genocide -- are building blocks for this business enterprise.

Going by the record, the conflict industry runs into billions of dollars. The Disinfolab report seeks to unmask the various fronts of the Muslim Brotherhood which have already been deployed into this new theatre.

The report also makes an effort to not only expose the MB networks and various individuals, but also provide a blueprint of the playbook that is going to be deployed. Given the quantum of resources invested into this new startup, it is going to be a protracted battle, the report said.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Though the number of active Covid cases and the test positivity rate in many states are coming down, people must remain 'satark (vigilant) and not lower their guard, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday while virtually interacting with the health ministers and other senior officials of five states -- Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

"The fight against Covid is a joint effort and joint responsibility of the Centre and the states, and I am happy that we have faced this public health challenge with a collaborative spirit," said the Health Minister.

The virtual meeting, which was also attended by Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health, was held to review the public health preparedness for containment and management of Covid and progress of the national vaccination campaign.

Mandaviya said that irrespective of Covid variants, 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour' continues to remain the tested strategy for Covid management.

"While active cases in most of the states and the positivity rate have shown a fall in the last two weeks, we still need to be vigilant and not lower our guard," he stated.

The minister urged the state officials to monitor the case positivity rate on a daily basis and increase RT-PCR testing as most of the states exhibited lower number of tests.

The states were also advised to keep a close watch on the number of hospitalisations and deaths.

"It is important to analyse at the state level the proportion of vaccinated and unvaccinated people among the hospitalised cases, the deaths and those on ventilator and oxygen support," he said.

Highlighting vaccination as a critical tool for pandemic management, Mandaviya advised the states to accelerate vaccination of all eligible population, especially the 15-17 age group and those whose second dose is due.

The minister reiterated his advice for all states to fully and effectively utilise the ECRP-II funds for strengthening the existing healthcare infrastructure and create new as per requirement. As the located funds under ECRP-II shall lapse on March 31, 2022, the states have been requested to review the progress on a regular basis, as this healthcare infrastructure will not only be utilised during the present pandemic, but will serve the people in the future too.

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New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Boycott Divestment Sanction Movement (BDSM) was a campaign invented by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) to run the business of the conflict industry.

It stands for boycotting the products from the target country, disinvestment from financial institutions, and calling for sanctions by the developed world as well as the US.

Disinfolab said in a latest report that MB revolves around carefully designed hybrid campaigns involving media and ground activists (though the publicity remains the key factor). The more publicity of the conflict, the better prospect of fund collection in its name.

The BDSM campaign is tailor-made to suit its audience. Hence, to run it in the Western world, it is done in the name of human rights and genocide. When run among the Muslim communities, it is projected as an Islamic cause, the report added.

However, having run Palestine's 'cause' for decades now, the MB and other fronts have milked the cow as much they could. There must be fatigue setting up, as nothing substantial has ever been achieved other than the fact that more and more activists have been holding more and more conferences and seminars in five-star facilities.

Like everything else, even the conflict industry needs novelty. Added to the fact that a larger Jamaat-led nexus, which was operating the Kashmir conflict industry so far, stands exposed. MB so far has managed to keep nepotism minimised, and provides an equal opportunity to every vulture activist to partake in the booty.

The report said that moreover, MB has over the years built a vast network spreading across Europe and the US (and now increasingly in Australia), which needs funding to survive. It has created generations of individuals whose only qualification is 'activism' to maintain their luxurious lifestyle. Hence, there will always be a need for one or more conflict industries.

"For now, Kashmir is ripe. As mentioned, Jamaat has burnt and the Pak establishment doesn't have resources. Plus, having gone completely into the Chinese sphere of influence, the establishment may not command the same acceptability and access to resources as in yesteryears. Hence, it might not have been difficult for MB to take over the Kashmir 'cause'," the report added.

To prepare for the Kashmir conflict industry, the homework has been laid down over the years. First, the soft image of India needs to be dented. Campaigns are run to discredit the image of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and his call for non-violence. It goes on to hurt the image of yoga and tea in a sustained campaign, all in the name of human rights/ minorities' rights/ women's rights and so on, Disinfolab said.

Secondly, the narrative of 'Islamophobia' is pushed, despite the fact that the narrative is entirely fabricated and have been repeatedly exposed. In connivance with some willing 'news media' including from inside of India, the label stuck. While there is no denying that individual incidences do take place, there has been no attempt whatsoever to provide a data point for such claims. If at all, a series of fake and fabricated documentation have been deployed to cement the accusations.

Selectively hyping individual cases, and giving all incidences a communal colour, the narrative was gradually established.

Thirdly, the narrative of 'fascist' was established, which has a high resonance in the West, it added. Human rights violations in Kashmir need to be recycled with fake news and stories.

Fourth, there is a need to create a villain, to replace the soft image of yoga and tea. To this end, the bogey of Hindutva is projected. The propaganda machinery with collusion from domestic elements tried to replace the non-violence image of India with a fascist "also like radical Islamists" narrative, the report said.

Finally, once the Islamophobia and fascism narrative is established, it is time to introduce genocide. Ordinarily, one would require evidence for genocide, and this being the most serious allegation, it is not usually tossed around lightly.

However, if one has the media machinery at its disposal, it is not too difficult to push. Having learnt the art of law-fare in a democratic system, and while incessantly calling India fascist, they have managed to enjoy all the perks and loopholes a democratic country offers.

Other than media enterprise, the MB over the years has also been building ground-level organisations in India. Some of them have been hinted at and some documented, but a significant majority of them still operate below the radar.

Therefore, it is not only capable of hyping any random or fake story, but is also capable of creating incidents on the ground that could be hyped up suitably.

As a corollary to the conflict industry enterprise, it is important for the MB to whitewash the radical Islamists and terrorists. Every terror act needs to be whitewashed in terms of rebel or revenge to create a constant and consistent enemy. And if needed, outright fabrication.

For example, a man killed by terrorists in Kashmir was spun as killed by the Army, and the picture was a poster for many 'human rights organisations' and 'reports', the report said.

It is no ordinary coincidence that most MB fronts have been found to have direct relations with terror organisations, and even have been funding terror groups. An even bigger achievement of MB is mastering the skills to navigate the legal systems of democratic countries.

Despite several MB fronts getting exposed for their linkages with terror groups, and even having funded such groups, they have managed to escape any harm. All they need to do is change the name of the front. And with a liberal dose of 'Islamophobia' as their defence, they have managed to blunt the attacks.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the passing away of Baba Iqbal Singh, 96, a noted educationist from Himachal Pradesh.

Taking to Twitter, the President said: "Saddened at the death of Iqbal Singh Ji, who has made immense contributions in the field of education, health and social work. He was selected for the 2022 Padma Shri award for his service. My condolences to his family and followers." In a tweet, the Prime Minister said: "Pained by the passing away of Baba Iqbal Singh Ji. He will be remembered for his efforts to increase education among youngsters. He tirelessly worked towards furthering social empowerment. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. May Waheguru bless his soul." Baba Iqbal Singh passed away at Baru Sahib in Himachal Pradesh earlier on Saturday.

He was president of the Kalgidhar Society that ran several educational institutions and a spiritual university too.

He was M.Sc (Agriculture) and retired from the post of Director (Agriculture) in Himachal Pradesh, after which, he took up social work. His name also featured on January 25 in the list of Padma Awardees 2022.
Chennai, Jan 29 : One person died and two others suffered serious burn injuries in a firecracker unit accident at Amathur in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu on Saturday night .

The incident occurred at 8.30 p.m.

The deceased person is identified as D Arumugham (52) of Sankaramangalam village and his body was taken to Virudhanagar Medical college hospital for post-mortem.

The injured Gobendran (33) who has more than 70 per cent burn injuries was first taken to Government hospital, Sivakasi but later referred to Government Rajaji Medical College, Madurai.

The other injured K. Deivendran (32) is admitted at Sivakasi government hospital with burn injuries.

Amathur police have registered a case and investigation is on. Virudhanagar district Superintendent of Police and Additional District magistrate have rushed to the spot.

A strong police contingent and fire and rescue teams from Virudhanagar and Sivakasi are on the spot and the fire has been brought under control.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : The human rights violation and genocide tunes in Kashmir get higher pitch during certain dates, which the Pakistani establishment has sponsored over the years. And hence, it is no surprise that a 'Tribunal and a 'Report about the Kashmir genocide arrives right around the time.

There is but one difference. Instead of the usual Jamaat fronts, this time the rein is in Muslim Brotherhood's hand, Disinfolab said in a report.

A Tribunal is formed to 'investigate' the allegations of genocide in Kashmir. While the Tribunal is yet to declare a verdict, a judgment is passed by another front. Based on their investigation, the front files a case in a UK court. A news agency spins the random case to hype the report. The report was then used to recycle the narrative of genocide. A campaign is launched 'against genocide'. The ground is prepared for the launch of BDSM (Boycott Divestment Sanction Movement) against India, the Disinfolab report said.

In mid-January, a UK-based legal firm, Stoke White Consultancy Ltd., based on an 'investigative report' by its branch sought an investigation of the accusation of genocide in Kashmir. While in itself it meant nothing, the news agency Associated Press published a story, with a fabricated and spun headline, though sensational. The AP declared that "UK Police has been asked to investigate Indian Army Chief", the report said.

"The fabrication of the headline was something like this: A PIL is filed in a court in India against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for sponsoring terrorism, the AP would claim that 'Erdogan' to be prosecuted for terror charges," the report said.

And while the headline could have been a sensational click-bait, what makes it deliberate misinformation is the fact that AP did not provide any information about the organisation, it added.

Stoke White has published a report against four countries: All at the target of Muslim Brotherhood - France, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India.

In January 2022, Stokes White investigates an accusation of genocide in India and files a case. The four countries were also the target of the October 2021 social media campaign to boycott Indian products. And while the campaign was shown to target India, it also targeted Saudi, the UAE, and France at the same time.

The report said the front that has been active with Stokes White in hyping up the investigative report is an obscure 'legal firm' LFOVK, claiming to be representing Kashmiri voices. Khalil Dewan from Stoke White worked with LFOVK to curate the report. Dewan particularly worked with LFOVK founder Nasir Qadri after publishing the report, Disinfolab said.

This handle spearheaded a Twitter trend along with the Stoke Whites on the "war crimes" in Kashmir after the report got published.

LFOVK initiated the Twitter trend #arrestindianarmychief in London, Islamabad, New Delhi, and Istanbul, the report said.

As per its website, LFOVK claims to have offices in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, Islamabad, and Istanbul and is currently headed by Pakistani Judge Justice Ali Nawaz Chawhan (Chairman) and Advocate Nasir Qadri (Director).

On December 10, 2021 (World Human Rights Day), LFOVK organised a seminar with the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution (IICR) and the Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR). LFOVK chairman Justice Ali Nawaz Chawhan called for the formation of an independent tribunal for Kashmir under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Turkey.

While in its new avatar, LFVOK presents itself as an independent organisation, LFOVK was one of the entities which was removed from the Kashmir Civitas' (KC) website.

KC is yet another front being run in the name of Kashmir, and which organised the Tribunal on Kashmir just a month ago.

A Tribunal was organised in December 2021 in Kashmir -- the Russell Tribunal on Kashmir (RToK). The organisation which hosted RToK is projected as Kashmir Civitas (KC), which describes itself as an international civil society and strategic advocacy organization committed to the socio-political emancipation, moral uplift, and economic empowerment of Kashmir.

Although KC claims to have been registered as an NGO in Canada, no information about its registration is available.

The website domain was registered on September 23, 2019, indicating its likely formation in 2019. Like its registration detail, the website also does not provide any details of its members. The only person the organisation shows in the public is its Secretary General, Farhan Mujahid Chak.

About a year ago, KC claimed to have its bases in Doha, Istanbul, and Toronto, but at present, the website shows its whereabouts in as many as five countries, i.e., London, Beijing, Rome, Istanbul, and Toronto; omitting Doha from the list and adding London, Beijing, and Rome, the report said.

Moreover, KC also contained at least eight entities in its "useful links" section on its homepage, namely: World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF), Justice for Kashmir (JFK), Kashmir Global Council (KGC), Kashmir Scholars' Network (KSN), Stand with Kashmir (SWK), Legal Forum for Oppressed Voices of Kashmir (LFOVK), Americans for Kashmir Foundation (AKF), and Toronto for Kashmir.

But at present, KC has removed three entities, i.e., Legal Forum for Oppressed Voices of Kashmir (LFOVK), Americans for Kashmir Foundation (AKF), and Toronto for Kashmir from the website.

KC also has a section of BDSM on its website that redirects to bds4kashmir.net. The domain of bds4kashmir.net was registered on October 11, 2019. The section of BDS was put on KC's website in June 2021, three months before the #BoycottIndiaProducts campaign was carried out by the MB and QTPi nexus.

The website has a list of Indian companies to boycott. The Twitter handle on the same name was registered in July 2016, and is followed by the likes of Huma Dar and Ather Zia, who were mentioned as 'experts' on the website of Stand With Kashmir (SWK).

The Twitter handle is currently dormant and could be used when the hype of BDSM against India would build up, Disinfolab reported.
Gurugram, Jan 29 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar paid a surprise visit to the offices of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Office (GMDA) late on Saturday night.

During his visit, the CM went to the control room of the MCG and inquired about the sweeping machine and the employees deployed for cleanliness in the city at night. He also examined the duty roster.

"At the MCG office, he asked the staff present in the control room how many employees should be on duty at this time, how many sweeping machines are installed, and how they are being monitored," said an official.

An MCG employee informed the CM that 13 machines are running for cleanliness in Gurugram city and road cleaning work starts at 10 p.m.

Khattar also spoke to the MCG Commissioner over phone and inquired about cleanliness and duty roster.

After visiting the MCG office, the CM went to the GMDA office in Sector 44 here.

At the GMDA office, Khattar inspected the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) and collected information about the operations of the command centre from the employees.

"Around 200 CCTV cameras are under the command of the centre, which detected 32 theft vehicles on Saturday itself. Soon face-recognition facilities of suspicious persons will be started in this command centre," Khattar told reporters.
Imphal, Jan 29 : The ruling BJP in Manipur ahead of the assembly elections has been facing rebellion from the possible aspirants with a saffron party leader Lourembam Sanjoy Singh, on Saturday, joining the National People's Party (NPP), the junior ally of the dominant party.

In another development, a BJP Mandal President of Lilong assembly seat (near Imphal) on Saturday threatened to abolish the party unit in the assembly constituency if the dedicated candidate is not given party ticket for the assembly elections.

As the Central leaders of BJP in Delhi are finalising the candidates for the forthcoming Manipur assembly polls, Sanjoy Singh resigned from BJP as he was seeking party ticket from Andro seat in Imphal East district.

NPP national Vice-President and Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Y. Joykumar Singh welcoming Sanjoy Singh said that more BJP leaders who are anticipating that they would not be nominated by the saffron party would join NPP, which already released its first list of 20 candidates.

"Let BJP announce its nominees. Most of their winnable intending candidates who are not being fielded, would join our party," the NPP leader told the media.

With four MLAs, the NPP is an ally of the BJP-led government, however, the party already announced to fight the polls on its own.

The NPP headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, however, already announced to contest the elections on its own this time and would field candidates in at least 40 seats.

The NPP, a national political party, which has political bases in different northeastern states, had contested nine seats in 2017 and won four.

Another ally of the BJP-led government, the Naga People's Front (NPF), is still undecided on a pre-poll alliance in Manipur.

BJP has recently asked its possible candidates to give a written undertaking to prevent them from joining other parties when they are not given tickets.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, senior minister Thongam Biswajit, who is holding six important portfolios, and state BJP chief Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi were in Delhi earlier this week for consultation with the central leaders in regards to selection of candidates and finalising election strategies.

The BJP, which had bagged 21 seats in 2017, came to power for the first time, stitching together a coalition government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four Naga People's Front (NPF) members, the lone Trinamool Congress MLA and an Independent member.

The Congress, despite emerging as the single-largest party with 28 seats was ousted from power after 15 years in the last assembly polls (2017).

The Congress, which released its first list of 40 candidates for Manipur polls, on Thursday announced a pre-poll alliance with four Left parties and Janata Dal-Secular.

The elections to the 60-member Manipur Assembly would be held in two phases on February 27 and March 3 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.
Srinagar, Jan 29 : An encounter has broken out between terrorists and security forces at the Charar-i-Sharief area in central Kashmir's Budgam district, officials said on Saturday.

"An encounter has started at Charar-i-Sharief area of Budgam. Police and security forces are on the job," the police said.

The firefight between terrorists and security forces broke out 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.
Guwahati, Jan 29 : The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) as part of its Business Development Unit (BDU) initiatives from Saturday started operation of leased Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) from Assam to Goa carrying ready-made garments, tea, bamboo products and other handicrafts, spices, edible oil.

In another important step, the NFR also started operation of goods train from other states of India to Rani Gaidinliu station at Tamenglong in Manipur.

Officials said that the first goods train reached Rani Gaidinliu station carrying 53 wagons of ballast needed for the under construction Jiribam - Imphal (111 km) new railway line.

Rani Gaidinliu station is 24 km away from Jiribam (along Manipur-Assam border) by rail and is situated by the side of river Makru over which a giant rail bridge has been constructed.

More goods trains carrying other items including essential commodities will be arriving soon, providing a boost to the local economy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday expressed their confidence that the connectivity of the northeastern region would be further boosted.

Modi tweeted: "Transformation of the Northeast continues. Manipur's connectivity will be enhanced and commerce will be boosted. Wonderful products from the state can travel all over the nation." "Historic day for Manipur and entire northeast, after 75 years of India's Independence, first goods train reaches Rani Gaidinliu Railway Station, Tamenglong in Manipur. The Narendra Modi govt is committed to enhancing infrastructure connectivity and economic prosperity in the NER," said Reddy in his tweet.

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Guneet Kaur said that first leased Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) carrying food products, ready-made garments, tea, bamboo products and other handicrafts, spices, edible oil, mosquito repellants on Saturday started from Azara (Guwahati) in Assam to Vasco-da-Gama in Goa.

The cargo express train would reach its destination in 87 hours covering a distance of 3,358 kms between Azara and Vasco-da-Gama via Siliguri, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Hubli with loading and unloading facilities.

The train, which would operate on round trip basis, consists of 15 van parcels of 24 tonne capacity each and one brake van for the first six months and a total of 20 parcel vans thereafter up to next 6 years.

"This new route would not only strengthen the connectivity between the northeastern states with the South and Western states of India, but also act as a catalyst for business growth. It would act as an efficient and reliable time bound solution to the supply chain needs of eastern India. It will bring a boom to the industrial and agricultural sector across the eastern region," the CPRO said.
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Hundreds of gym owners on Saturday staged a protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, demanding opening of gyms in the national capital.

The Delhi Gym Association said that as the Covid-19 cases have started registering a decline, gyms and fitness centres should be also be allowed by the Delhi government to operate like other businesses.

"Bars and restaurants have been opened. Offices too can operate with 50 per cent of their staff, we do not understand why gyms and fitness centres that help masses in keeping themselves fit, is still under restriction," Sujit (name changed) a gym owner in the national capital told IANS.

Salon owners too have the same demand.

Restrictions on gyms, salons, restaurants and bars came into force under the level 1 i.e. yellow alert of the Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP) under which it is decided as to which activities would be allowed under what circumstances in case of a surge in Covid-19 cases. There are four levels of colour-coded alerts namely, yellow, amber, orange and red.

The yellow alert was issued by the authority in December last year when the Covid positivity rate had crossed 0.5 per cent in the national capital.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday lifted the weekend curfew and also allowed restaurants, bars and cinema halls to open up with 50 per cent capacity. Meanwhile, gyms and schools in the city are still shut.
Bengaluru, Jan 30 : The Kerala government's recent decision to take steps to initiate pro-Kannada policy for the benefit of Kannadigas living in Kasargod district of the neighbouring state is being appreciated by the government of Karnataka as well as the people of the state.

Kannada Border Development Authority Chairman C. Somashekar has conveyed his regards, and thanked the government of Kerala for taking up slew of measures in the interest of Kannadigas living in Kasargod district, in various government departments.

The authority had written a letter to the Kerala government appealing to fulfil demands of Kannadigas and to provide them a sense of security in terms of their language Kannada.

Kerala, reciprocating to the letter has informed Karnataka that it has written a letter in this regard to the Assistant Commissioner of Secretariat of Minority Affairs of the Central government.

The Kerala government has also informed that it has taken steps to appoint a clerk who knows Kannada as well as Malayalam languages. Harishchandra Naik, Dy SP has been appointed to look into grievances of Kannada linguistic minorities of the district.

The neighbouring state has also stated that it would appoint officers who know Kannada language in all police stations where Kannadigas are in more numbers.

The name of police stations on boards in these areas are written in Kannada along with Malayalam.

The Kerala government has also informed about giving the price list in Kannada at Akshaya Centers in Kerala.

The Kerala government has also mentioned that directions have been given to include the language in the official e-portal.

The gesture is welcomed by Kannadigas. Kasargod district is bounded by Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka and people of Kasargod have a special bond with nearest coastal town of Mangaluru for education, business purposes every day.

MLA AKM Ashraf of Manjeshwar constituency in Kasargod district took oath in Kannada in Kerala assembly. His predecessor, former MLA Abdul Razzak also took the oath in Kannada.

Recently, when there was rumour on Kerala government's plans to change the name of villages derived from Kannada to Malayalam, then Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah had written letters to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, not to change the names of villages.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written back assuring that no such attempts would be made by the Kerala government.
New Delhi, Jan 30 : Delhi Police has nabbed a woman who duped people using fake Facebook and WhatsApp profiles, an official said here on Saturday.

According to the official, a complaint was received on Home Ministry's Cyber Crime Portal from complainant Dharam Raj, a resident of Burari in Delhi, wherein the complainant alleged that he received a friend request on Facebook from a girl namely Amara Gujral and after accepting the request, he started talking to her on Facebook and WhatsApp.

The girl claimed that she lives in the UK and is coming to Delhi.

Subsequently, the complainant received a call from a woman, who introduced herself as Custom Officer from Mumbai and stated that Amara Gujral was stopped at Mumbai Airport with some valuable gifts and he need to pay money to release Amara.

Following the inducement, the complainant paid Rs 34,000 in bank account provided by alleged Custom Officer. Later on, he was blocked by alleged Amara Gujral on Facebook and WhatsApp.

After this, the police registered a case under section 420 of the IPC and intiated the investigation.

Technical analysis of the Facebook profile, IPDR and call details were done. Based on the investigation the accused (operating the Facebook profile with name Amara Gujral), a 29 year-old girl, was tracked and apprehended from her rented flat in Krishna Puri in Delhi's Tilak Nagar.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that she came in contact with several African origin neighbours in her locality, who used to dupe people in several ways and came to know about this method of cheating.

"She collected some fake local SIM cards and LYCA SIM Cards with country code +44 and created several fake profiles in the name of Amara Gujral, Lakshikha Choudhry, Avni Chopra, Avantika Chopra, Anamika Gujral, Emily Rose," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

He said that the photos uploaded on these profiles were downloaded from original profiles of the UK residents.

Accused used to send friend request to Facebook users and started talking to them on WhatsApp number with country code +44. She also sent photographs of valuable gift to victim Dharam Raj in present case and photographs of flight tickets for her arrival in India. She then called the victim from a Mumbai number and introduced herself as a Custom Officer at Mumbai, who detained Amara Gujral at Mumbai airport and asked the victim for payment of Excise Duty to release the gift brought for the victim. After the payment on provided bank accounts, accused blocked victim from Facebook and WhatsApp.

With her arrest, the police have recovered 13 mobile phones,16 SIM cards including 4 Lyca Mobile SIM cards and one Wi-fi Dongle. Accused was operating six fake Facebook profiles and one Instagram profile.
New Delhi, Jan 30 : The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has proposed to allow modification via retro fitment of CNG kit and replacement of diesel engines with CNG engines, in case of BS-VI vehicles, less than 3.5 tonnes.

The proposal came vide draft notification dated January 27, 2022.

As of now, retro fitment of CNG and LPG kit is permissible in motor vehicles under the BS-IV emission norms.

The notification lays down the type approval requirements for retro fitment. CNG is an environment friendly fuel and will reduce the emission levels of Carbon monoxide, Hydrocarbon, particulate matter and smoke, as compared to petrol and diesel engines.

The proposal has been formulated in consultation with stakeholders, the ministry said in a statement.

Comments and suggestions have been invited from the concerned stakeholders within a period of thirty days, it added.
Philadelphia Community Works Conference brings local experts to provide affordable and impactful training to the nonprofit sector.

Tom Burgoyne, the Best Friend of the Phillie Phanatic and decorated author, will be the keynote speaker for Philadelphia Community Works Conference, held virtually on February 22, 2022. This conference (http://www.communityworksconference.org) is the inaugural nonprofit learning opportunity in the Greater Philadelphia area. Held for over 23 years in the Princeton area, Community Works Conference brings local experts to provide affordable and impactful training to the nonprofit sector. Additionally, participants will engage and connect with each other as they work to fulfill their organizations mission.

During the Keynote, participants will be treated to Tom's loving principles that the Phanatic employs to create smiles, laughter and love. If you want to know how to create attraction for your organization and develop loyalty with your staff, board, volunteers and donors, then this is the perfect opportunity to learn from one of the nation' top experts. Based on his popular book, PHEEL THE LOVE, Tom addresses the all-important question  What organization wouldnt want to generate the same kind of love that people have for the Phillie Phanatic? Tom will show how to create Phanatic-style love to achieve success in your nonprofit organization.

We are thrilled to have Tom be able to share his love of Philly with an audience that works so hard to improve the lives of all in the Philly area, shares co-founder Marge Smith.

Register now for the Conference, to be held virtually on February 22, 2022. Led by local experts in the nonprofit domain, each workshop provides specific outcomes that participants can act on immediately to enhance their organizations. For a full schedule and registration, please go to:

http://www.communityworksconference.org

With more than 4200 nonprofits in the Greater Philadelphia area, we wanted to bring this conference directly to Philadelphia participants who have their own set of issues and challenges, said Smith.

The conference begins with a 30-minute Self-Care session, followed by 16 workshops, divided up into four tracks: Core Skills, Tech/Marketing, Leadership and Fundraising. Each participant can pick 4 out of 16 workshops, plus attend Tom Burgoynes keynote and attend 3 Engage and Connect Sessions. The conference is hosted on the WHOVA platform, enabling and encouraging all attendees to meet before, during and after the conference. A special free, post-conference session will be held to share lessons learned and lessons applied at a mutually acceptable date based on a poll of the attendees.

Early bird registration for $50 ends on January 31, and group discounts and scholarships are available.
The New 2022 Toyota GR86 Is Now Available at Baierl Toyota

The 2022 Toyota GR86 is available for sale at Baierl Toyota in Mars, Pennsylvania. Customers interested in affordable sportscars with above-par performance ratings, driver-assistance technologies, safety features, rear-wheel drive and aerodynamic designs can visit the Baierl Toyota dealership at Mars in Pennsylvania and check out the new 2022 Toyota GR86. They can also make an appointment for a test drive.

The 2022 Toyota GR86 starts at a mere $27,700 and is available in two different grades  GR86 and GR86 Premium. Both trims come with a 2.4L naturally aspirated horizontally opposed 4-cylinder boxer-four engine. The engine makes a maximum of 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet torque. While the base grade uses a six-speed manual gearbox to power the wheel axles, the GR86 Premium leverages a six-speed automatic transmission system. Addressing the major torque dip predicament of its predecessors, the 2022 Toyota GR86 is well-poised to reach the zenith of its segment.

To ace up convenience quotient for passengers, the 2022 Toyota GR86 includes a GR Digital Gauge Cluster Display, an eight-inch Touchscreen Display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Compatibility, an available eight-speaker sound system, connected services, and Remote Keyless Entry with GR Push Button Start.

The new Toyota GR86 does well on the safety rating front. Though the vehicle does not feature any class-exclusive safety features, it still is home to a slew of safety technologies that make commutation safe for passengers. The 2022 Toyota GR86 is home to the GR86 Active Safety Suite, an Addressing the major torque dip predicament of its predecessors, the 2022 Toyota GR86 is well-poised to reach the zenith of its segment, Blind Spot Monitor, and seven airbags.

Interested customers can contact the Baierl Toyota dealership in Mars, Pennsylvania, at (724) 655-4309 or book a test drive online. Those interested in discovering more about the 2022 Toyota GR86 can visit Baierl Toyota's website at https://www.baierltoyota.com or stop by at 19045 Perry Hwy, Mars, Pennsylvania 16046.
SUV enthusiasts looking for a powerful vehicle can now purchase the new 2022 Toyota 4Runner at Toyota of Santa Maria.

Toyota of Santa Maria in Santa Maria, California now has the new 2022 Toyota 4Runner available for purchase in various trim levels. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner provides a 4L V6 engine that generates a horsepower of 270 horsepower and a torque of 278 pound feet. View the dealership's online inventory to have a look at the various features offered in the 2022 Toyota 4Runner.

The various trim levels on the 2022 4Runner include the SR5, Trail Special Edition, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and TRD Off-Road Premium. At Toyota of Santa Maria, the SR5 Premium, TRD Sport and Limited models are available.

The engine is a five speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with intelligence (ECT-j) with a mileage of 16 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. The 2022 4Runner trims are available in Barcelona Red Metallic, Classic Silver Metallic, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Midnight Black Metallic, Nautical Blue Metallic, White, Blizzard Pearl, Lunar Rock, Army Green, and Lime Rush for the exterior color. The SR5 Premium, TRD Sport and Limited models have Softex in Sand Beige or Graphite, Fabric in Black, and Leather in Black, Sand Beige, or Redwood for interior colors respectively.

The 2022 4Runner is designed with the Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) which includes pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure assist, dynamic radar cruise control, automatic high beams, and Star Safety System, a suite of six safety features.

The infotainment system of the 2022 4Runner includes an eight-inch touchscreen display with fifteen speaker JBL premium audio system, integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which are compatible with SiriusXM. The interior also offers five USB ports, power-adjustable front seats, keyless ignition and entry, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Schedule a test drive of the 2022 Toyota 4Runner at Toyota of Santa Maria or drive by 1643 S. Bradley to look at the vehicle. Interested customers can visit the dealership's website http://www.toyotaofsantamaria.com or contact the dealership at 805-928-3881 for further assistance.
In Youve Changed (Catapult, May), War reflects on her experience navigating womanhood in Myanmar and the U.S.

Your story unfolds over a series of essays that flit between your college years in the U.S. and your adolescence in Yangon. Why that approach?

Making the book an essay collection gave me more freedom to play around with my story. Ive always been drawn to writing essays, mainly because I love doing the research that goes into them. One big editorial note that my editor gave me was to write as if I were talking to someone I knew, so I wrote these essays just as I would speak in conversation with my closest friends.

Theres a lighthearted irreverence that buoys your stories, even when youre contending with more serious matters, like your fear of being tokenized within the white landscape of book publishing. How did you strike that balance?

Coming from a Myanmar background, Ive noticed that most books by nonwhite writers are always marketed or referred to as poignant and moving. Obviously you dont want a book thats flippant, but Im someone who laughs at everything, and I wanted that to carry over. Im still a brown woman operating in primarily white spaces, but I wanted to show that just because Im a brown writer does not mean my book is going to be about struggling all the time.

In one essay, you recall a particularly vivid scene from your youth in which your friends help you figure out how to use a sanitary pad. As a self-identified introvert, what was it like to share such personal things?

There are stories in here that I literally swore I would take to my grave. When I was starting to draft the book I definitely did that thing where I was like, What if my mom reads this? In the end I had to tell myself nobody is going to read this. That was the only way I could write these essays the way they were meant to be. My mom still hasnt read the book.

You write a lot about this paradox of feeling both estranged from and drawn to your Myanmar heritage. When you discovered the concept of liminality, you write that you instantly recognized it as the place Id been occupying my whole life. Would you say you gained some sort of insight from existing in this space?

Absolutely. I used to wish I had stronger roots somewhere. When I left Myanmar for college in the U.S. I was so excited, but once I arrived, I realized I was so focused on getting there that I didnt consider what I was leaving behind. I definitely didnt realize how much attention my being from Myanmar would draw to me. But that was the thing that everyone noticed, since I was one of two Myanmar students on Bards entire campus. Once I was forced to investigate what being Myanmar meant, I realized that my roots were way stronger than I had thought.
Karen Joy Fowler takes her time. After all, it takes time to transport readers to new worlds and through time, and to dream up the sorts of characters readers feel they already know to take those trips with.

Talking via Zoom from her bright Santa Cruz, Calif., dining room, Fowler has the energy of a cool librarian who feels a bit guilty for having the good fortune to work among stacks of books. Her blue eyes light up at the chance to chat about how and why some stories haunt their writers before they can enchant readers.

Fowler is the author of six acclaimed novels (two of which became New York Times bestsellers) and four collections of short stories (two of which won the World Fantasy Award). Her 2004 novel The Jane Austen Book Club was made into a cult-favorite movie directed by Robin Swicord, and 2013s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves won the PEN/Faulkner Award and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2014.

But Fowlers new novel may be her most ambitious yet. Booth, coming from Putnam in March, tells the story of the Booth family, focusing on a handful of John Wilkess siblings, to paint a picture of the time, place, and people that produced the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln.

Fowlers own story begins in Bloomington, Ind., 71 years ago. A decade later, her family pulled up stakes and headed west to Palo Alto, Calif. She was always interested in writing, and was editor of her high schools creative writing journal. It never dawned on her that writing could be a career, though. So, instead, she graduated from UC Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in South Asian Studies and earned a masters in Northeast Asian studies from UC Davis.

Exactly what job I thought I would get with those degrees is a mystery that remains to this day, Fowler says, laughing. I just loved the stories. The stories of European arrival, the misunderstandingssometimes innocent, sometimes notthat occur as two cultures come together. The history of all of the stories embedded into the history of the place is the part that I really love.

Fowler had a daughter during the final spring break of her masters program. After graduating, she stayed home to raise her and, later, her son. Fowler was 30 when her son entered grade school, and she suddenly found herself with free time. She figured out how to fill it when she joined a writing workshop in Davis.

She is, according to Putnam senior v-p and publisher Sally Kim, a writers writer, in addition to a readers favorite. Kim adds, Ive honestly lost track of all the authors who have told me they count Fowler as one of their favorite literary influences. Part of her appeal is how shes able to write a completely different book every time.

Maybe Fowlers curious eye is what her wide-ranging books and stories have in common. She doesnt plan for it, but she cant help but find novel links between disparate sources. While writing about the California Gold Rush, she was reading about construction of the London subway systemand found a weird but right detail she could use. This constant cross-pollination of ideas helps make her timeless stories feel fresh, over and over again.

Fowlers breakthrough came when her science fiction short story Recalling Cinderella was published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Vol. 1 in 1985. Long since her debut novel, Sarah Canary, arrived with fanfare in 1991, she has continued writing fantastical short storiesand won a World Fantasy Life Achievement Award in 2020. Her sci-fi collections What I Didnt See and Always earned her the Nebula Award, and her short story The Pelican Bar won the Shirley Jackson Award.

In fact, it was a short story she wrote about time travel and Lincolns assassination that got Fowler interested in the Booths. While researching that story, she read about how the Booths settled into a cabin outside Baltimore in 1822, where some of their 10 children would help them become one of the countrys leading theatrical families. Fowler found herself reading about older brother Edwins return to the stage after Lincolns death (and wrote another short story). She wrote a third story about the funeral their father, Junius Booth Sr., once held for passenger pigeons. By then, she couldnt look away.

Donald Trump was elected to the presidency while Fowler was knee-deep in her early research for Booth. The day after the election, she went to her local pet shelter and returned with a puppya white poodle mix she named Lily. Lily became her comforting companion on walks during long, dark days.

Shock about the rise of Trump left Fowler despairing, and feeling stuck, for almost a year. It seemed pointless to be writing about anything else, and it took much longer than it should have for me to realize that I wasnt writing about anything else, she says. The more I read of Lincolns warnings concerning the tyrant and the mob, the more I immersed myself in the years that led to the Civil War, the more brightly lit the road from there to here became.

John Wilkes Booth still mystifies Fowler. He was a fanatical white supremacist, unmoved by the suffering of enslaved Black people but very moved by the suffering of white people during the war. He hated Lincoln for pushing the country toward emancipation. Booth wasnt alone in that, of course, but on Apr. 14, 1865, he acted on his grievances.

Booth is an epic tale, saturated with details unearthed over time. For all of my books, even my contemporary ones, I spend about a year researching before I start writing, Fowler says. In doing the research, in many ways, is when the story begins to take shape, when I see what I have. Its a slow toil, but she loves the digging.

She knew she didnt want to write a book about a man who craved attention and got plenty of it. So she centered the story on his sisters, Rosalie and Asia, and his talented brother Edwin to produce a view of a nation warring over its identity, revealed through one familys rise and fall.

Researching the Booth family reminded Fowler of a discovery she made a long time ago. Early in her career, before shed published anything, shed heard writing advice from poet Carolyn Forche that she never forgot: Dont expect the muse to track you down at the grocery store. If youre not at your desk, shes going to go look for someone who is.

Fowler agreed, wholeheartedly. Only she couldnt sit still. I have never managed to string more than three days of writing together, she says. I tend to write in fits and starts. Ive been doing this for more than 40 years now, so Ive decided Im just going to let go of that part of me.

In fact, thats where Fowler begins with her own creative writing students. I tell them, you will hear all kinds of ways writers create books, and you will think that sounds so smart, so much better than the way I do it, she says. But the way you do it when youre just starting out and youre fumbling your way forward is your process. If you demand things of yourself that didnt come naturally, the thing that will be lost is the joy you once took in it. There are all kinds of ways to write a book, and the way you do it is fine.

Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos has written for Forbes, Newsweek, and Working Mother.
Every year, the ABAs Winter Institute hosts a panel of adult authors with spring debuts and a panel of middle grade and YA authors with spring debuts, with each panel selected by a group of independent booksellers. This year Michelle Malonzo of Changing Hands in Tempe, Ariz., headed the adult booksellers group, and Melanie Knight of Books Inc. in Berkeley, Calif., led the kids booksellers group. Because of the cancellation of the in-person Winter Institute event this year, the authors chosen will instead take part in a virtual Indies Introduce panel, to be held February 8 at 3:30 p.m. ET and moderated by ABA COO Joy Dallanegra-Sanger and program manager Jessica Stauffer. Below is a selection of this seasons authors and their books:

Adult Debuts

Fiction

Blair Fell

The Sign for Home (Atria/Bestler, Apr. 5; $27; 100,000-copy announced first printing)

Why the buzz: Blair Fell has been an ASL interpreter of the Deaf and DeafBlind for the past 25 years. He writes about this community with such tenderness and respect and humor that when you finally put the book down, you feel as if an entire world has just been taken from you, a world you barely knew was even there and a world that now feels like home.Emily Bestler, senior v-p, editor-in-chief, Emily Bestler Books

Opening: Sniff. The stir of your room. The odor of sheet and blankets, hot summer dust, old technology equipment, an Old Spice deodorant stick worn to a nub.

Xochitl Gonzalez

Olga Dies Dreaming (Flatiron, out now; $27.99)

Why the buzz: Its been such a thrill to see readers come to Olga Dies Dreaming for its reflection of the complexity of family and love in all its forms, and for its depiction of both New York City and Puerto Rico. The support of indie booksellers has been crucial in spreading the word!Megan Lynch, senior v-p and publisher, Flatiron

Opening: The telltale sign that you are at the wedding of a rich person is the napkins.

Silje Ulstein

Reptile Memoirs (Grove, Mar. 15; $27)

Why the buzz: I read this manuscript at a distracted timeOctober 2020, pre-election, pre-vaccineand it held me absolutely hypnotized. It is addictive and thought-provoking, a literary thriller that comes from Norway but is far from typical Scandi noir, and you can tell that just by the title! Its an utterly brilliant novel about the terrible things that can happen to a young womanand the terrible things she can do as revenge. Oh, and theres a Burmese python.Peter Blackstock, v-p, deputy publisher, Grove Atlantic

Opening: That first time, his body was a paradox.

Nonfiction

Edgar Gomez

High-Risk Homosexual: A Memoir (Soft Skull, out now; $16.95 trade paper)

Why the buzz: In his personal, self-deprecating writing, Edgar Gomez does what the best comedians do: he makes readers digest hard-to-swallow truths with the magic trick of surprise, so that we come to them with curiosity and openheartedness. He reveals such savviness and wisdom about how other people perceive him (the absurdity of being a high-risk homosexual), recognizing when he as an individual is being unfairly made to represent a larger group, while holding immense care and compassion for how his actions might affect other people; he beautifully leads by example with a voice and perspective that is deeply needed in this world.Sarah Lyn Rogers, associate editor, Soft Skull

Opening: Moments after I was born at the Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami, my parents were handed a document, which I stumbled upon years later, curled and yellow at the edges, inside of a shoebox in a corner of my closet.

Sasha taqwsblu LaPointe

Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk (Counterpoint, Mar. 8; $25)

Why the buzz: Sashas debut work of nonfiction, Red Paint, is a revelation. Everyone at Counterpoint was immediately captivated by this Indigenous artists blend of punk rock and the traditional spiritual practices of the women in her lineage. A journey of self and of homewhat could be more important during this time? We hope its message will reach readers everywhereeither virtually or in person.Dan Smetanka, editor-in-chief, Counterpoint

Opening: We were a hunter-gatherer society.

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage (Holt, Feb. 1; $27.99)

Why the buzz: Silvias aura is magnetic. Her poignant memoir is penned in her warm and genuine voice, accentuating lifes pivotal experiencesfrom a painful past, through the highs and lows of healing, to the present, where were with her, rooting her on, as she courageously climbs the tallest mountain in the world.Shannon Criss, editor, Henry Holt

Opening: If I can count to one thousand, I can get through this.

Childrens Debuts

Middle Grade

T.P. Jagger

Hide and Geek (Random House, out now; $16.99; ages 812)

Why the buzz: I am thrilled to introduce you to T.P. Jagger and the GEEKsGina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevinfour best friends whose skills are put to the test in a treasure hunt that could save their friendship. Hide and Geek is mystery adventure at its best, with puzzles to solve, quirky small-town characters to meet, and a fast-paced, twisty plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. Get ready to GEEK out!Diane Landolf, senior editor, Random House BFYR

Opening: Okay, by now Im sure youve heard about everything going on in the tiny town of Elmwood, New Hampshire, tucked away in the scenic Fair Valley.

Nancy Tandon

The Way I Say It (Charlesbridge, out now; $16.99; 40,000-copy announced first printing; ages 10up)

Why the buzz: Nancy Tandon is an exciting new voice in middle grade lit. She has an ear for the authentic voices, thoughts, and feelings of her audience. Rory is a character that will live with readers for a long time: hes funny, wears his heart on his sleeve, and is flawed in very familiar ways. He not only shows us that forgiveness is possible, but that making mistakes is okay.Donna Spurlock, director of marketing, Charlesbridge

Opening: I cant say my name.

YA

Ann Fraistat

What We Harvest (Delacorte, Mar. 22; $18.99; 50,000-copy announced first printing; ages 12up)

Why the buzz: Ann Fraistats debut is action-packed, its terrifying, and its ultimately comforting. In this work of speculative fiction, Ann tells a story of a girl who finds agency against the onslaught of an unraveling world, and somehow it makes our own world feel more manageable. Its a brilliant, un-put-downable read that will totally consume you.Krista Marino, v-p, senior executive editor, Delacorte

Opening: So, it had finally come to kill us, too.

Ebony LaDelle

Love Radio (S&S, May 31; $19.99; 500,000-copy announced first printing; ages 12up)

Why the buzz: Im thrilled for Love Radio because it is a book that truly embodies a universal love story celebrating everyday romanceone where teens have the ability to find grandeur moments and passion in their own lives, no matter where they are in the world. Witty, charismatic, and romantic, Ebony LaDelle spins a relatable young adult love story that beautifully celebrates setting and character.Morgan Maple, publicist, S&S Childrens Publishing

Opening: Ive never met a person more drunk on love than my mom.

Judy I. Lin

A Magic Steeped in Poison (Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends, Mar. 22; $18.99; 75,000-copy announced first printing; ages 1318)

Why the buzz: From the first line, we were hooked. Judy has crafted a vibrant fantasy full of magic and dangerwhere a cup of tea can unlock a souls deepest secrets, or conjure intoxicating illusions, or perhaps even saveor destroya kingdom. With utterly unique magic, a relatably flawed heroine, and danger around every corner of the palace, A Magic Steeped in Poison is an example of YA fantasy at its absolute best.Emily Settle, associate editor, Feiwel and Friends and Swoon Reads

Opening: They say you can spot a true shennong-sh by their handspalms colored by the stain of the earth, fingertips scarred from thorns, a permanent crust of soil and blood darkening the crescents of their nails.

Erica Martin

And We Rise (Viking BFYR, Feb. 1; $17.99; 35,000-copy announced first printing; ages 1217)

Why the buzz: I knew the moment And We Rise first crossed my desk that I was reading something not only important, but uniquely impactful. To me, this poetry collection is not only an account of where we, as a country, have been, but a statement of where we have yet toand must stillgo. Ericas skillfully chosen words, along with her use of space and formatting, bring the emotional turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement to life in a way that history books do not, and I am so grateful for, and in awe of, Ericas courage and talent in doing so. Liza Kaplan, senior editor, Viking BFYR

Opening: Its 1877 when/ Jim Crow laws say its/ acceptable/ legal/ lawful."

Andrew Joseph White

Hell Followed with Us (Peachtree Teen, June 7; $18.99; 25,000-copy announced first printing; ages 14up)

Why the buzz: Six months ahead of publication, there is already a frenzy of buzz surrounding Andrew Joseph Whites debut novel, Hell Followed with Us. Part of Peachtree Teens debut lineup, the book perfectly encapsulates the imprints mission to publish fresh stories for forward thinkers. Peachtree Teen is thrilled for booksellers to engage virtually with this exciting new author!Michelle Montague, executive director, marketing, Holiday House

Opening: Heres the thing about being raised an Angel: You dont process grief.
A strong rebound in sales in the K12 instructional materials category and solid gains in the trade categories led to a 12.2% increase in publishing sales in 2021 compared to 2020, according to new data from the AAPs StatShot program. Sales from the 1,369 publishers that report data totaled $15.4 billion last year, up from $13.7 billion in the year before.

After falling 19.6% in 2020, sales in the K12 category jumped 34.6% last year, as states and school districts returned to a more normal buying pattern. Sales in the higher education course materials category recovered from a drop of 4.3% in 2020, though the rebound wasnt as dramatic as for K12, rising 2.5% last year.

The industrys largest category, adult books, saw an 11.4% sales increase last year, following a 12% increase in 2020. Sales in the childrens/YA category, which were up 6.4% in 2020, rose 12.9% in 2021. Religion book sales increased 11.2% last year, following up a 4.2% increase in 2020.

Sales of professional books grew 4.1% in 2021, and sales in the university press category gained 12.2%.

Shopping early slowed holiday sales

Sales in the trade categories cooled somewhat toward the end of the year. Adult book sales were up 13.3% through the first nine months of 2021 before slipping slightly in the last three months and landing at 11.4% for the full year, as noted. December sales were down 1.8% compared to December 2020.

In the childrens/YA category, sales were up 14.2% through September, then dipped to land at a 12% increase for full year. The results indicate that warnings to shop early for the holidays because of supply chain problems were heeded.

The two trade categories and the religion category also benefitted from another year of declines in returns. In 2020, returns fell by more than 20% overall compared to 2019. Then, in 2021, returns dropped 19% in the childrens/YA category and 7.7% in adult. Returns of religion books fell 5.5%. (AAP calculates net sales by deducting returns from gross sales.)

Audio up, e-books down

Print and digital audiobook sales drove the gains in the adult category for the publishers that reported sales to AAP. Trade paperback sales jumped 18.6% in the year compared to 2020, and hardcover sales rose 11.6%. Mass market sales increased 5.5% at reporting publishers, though earlier this year NPD BookScan reported that units had fallen 3.1%.

Downloadable audio sales rose 15.6% in 2021, to $659 million, and accounted for 10.8% of adult revenue at reporting publishers, up from 10.4% in 2020. After rising 11% in 2020, e-book sales declined 3.7% last year, and the formats share of adult sales dropped from 17.1% in 2020 to 14.7% last year.

In the childrens/YA category, both digital formats saw sales slip in 2021 compared to 2020. E-book sales fell 10.5%, and downloadable audio sales dropped 2.6%. E-books accounted for 4.4% of sales in the category last year, down from 5.5% in 2020, while digital audio sales were 2.5% of total sales, down from 2.8% in 2020.

Later this year, the AAP will issue estimates for total industry sales, which combine StatShot figures with projections for companies that do not report data to the association.
English novelist Ken Folletts geopolitical thriller Never topped the combined bestseller list in Italy at the end of December. At #2 in Italy was Donato Carrisis 11th novel, The House Without Memories, a mystery about an amnesiac boy. Carrisi is published in English by Little, Brown. J.K. Rowlings holiday story The Christmas Pig was at #6 on the list.

Another translation, Charlie Mackesys The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, landed at #2 on the combined bestseller list in the Netherlands in late December, bested only by Amali, a short book about the future queen of the Netherlands by comedian Claudia de Breij. In the third spot was Im Going to Live, an autobiographical novel by 23-year-old Dutch Turkish author Lale Gul, about a young womans strict Muslim upbringing in Amsterdam.

Readers in Spain snapped up copies of Carmen Molas Beast, winner of the 2021 Planeta Prize, moving it to #1 on the countrys fiction list in late December. There was controversy over the prize this year when it was revealed that Mola, who has written several bestselling mysteries, is actually the pseudonym of three male collaborators. Following Mola was Folletts Never, with perennial bestseller Arturo Perez-Reverte in the #3 spot with his latest, The Italian, a thriller about a romance between a bookseller and an Italian naval saboteur during WWII.
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Last flu season was relatively mild across the Commonwealth and nation, but this season is closing the gap between low flu rates and typical rates for a flu season.

Doctors suggest that the mild season was likely a result of the preventative measures  social distancing, masking, and social restrictions  that were put in place to combat COVID-19.

This year, however, statistics indicate an increase in influenza cases from last year. One explanation, according to health officials, is reduced restrictions and relaxed preventative measures of the pandemic.

Between October 3 and January 22, Pa. Department of Health data reports a total of 30,106 influenza cases in Pennsylvania. This value is much higher than last year, but lower than years before the pandemic, according to CDC data.

Nationwide, for this current flu season, the CDC currently estimates at least 2 million flu illnesses, 20,000 hospitalizations, and 1,200 deaths from the flu.

Locally, hospitals are experiencing this rise in flu cases. "However, this rise seems to be normal compared to what we saw in pre-pandemic years," said Heather Stafford, Clinical Director of Nursing Education and Infection Prevention and Control, UPMC in North Central Pa.

The data is not a reflection of all cases, explained Stafford. "Whats important to understand when looking at the numbers is that reported cases only represent a fraction of the burden of illness in the region because flu is something many people will treat at home and not go to a doctor or get tested for."

"Every winter brings the risk of getting the flu. Even though its a common and familiar disease, its easy to forget that thousands of people die from the flu every year."

Most will recover easily, but adults age 65 and older are the group that records the most deaths from influenza. Based upon recent data, the CDC estimates that approximately 70 to 85 percent of flu-related deaths between 50 to 70 percent of flu-related hospitalizations are amongst the 65 and older age group.

Only 37% of adults aged 65 and older were vaccinated for the flu as of the end of October, according to CDC data.

"Adults age 65 and older who live at home have the same chance of catching the flu as anyone else. Unfortunately, they are much more likely to develop serious complications from it," said Stafford.

Common preventive methods, according to Stafford, are vaccination, hand hygiene, avoiding sneezing or coughing outwardly, and immediately washing hands after a sneeze or cough.

For more information on the influenza vaccination and how to get one through UPMC, visit UPMC.com/flu.
Leatherface is back after 50 years of hiding in the new poster for Netflix's upcoming horror film, Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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The iconic horror villain stands inside of a field wearing a new mask in the poster released on Twitter Friday.

"The face of madness returns," reads the tagline for the poster.

Netflix also announced that a new trailer for the film will arrive on Monday. The film, which acts as a sequel to 1974's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is coming to the streaming service on Feb. 18.

Sarah Yarkin stars as Melody who heads to the remote town of Harlow, Texas, with her sister Lila (Elsie Fisher) and friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson) to start a new business venture.

The group then accidentally disrupts the home of Leatherface. Olwen Fouere also returns as Sally Hardesty, the only survivor from the original film. David Blue Garcia serves as director.
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 
WINSTED  Ted Shafer, who was Burlingtons first selectman for 10 years, is now the new economic development director in Winsted.

Town Manager Josh Kelly made the announcement Wednesday.

As the former First Selectman of Burlington, Ted Shafer knows what it takes to love a community, support it, and help it grow, Kelly said. Ted is going to bring all his wisdom and passion with him here to Winchester and is going to be a terrific addition to our team.

Hiring Shafer is part of the towns uses for funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, which Kelly first presented as recommendations in November. The job will make Shafer responsible for assisting in the holistic commercial, industrial, and residential growth of the Town of Winchester and the development of a robust local economy. In pursuit of this goal, the Director of Economic Development will research, consider, propose, assist with, work on, and complete tasks and projects that help to attract residents and businesses to Winchester and retain them here, according to Kelly.

Four people applied for the job; Shafer stood out, Kelly said, because of his experience as a first selectman and his work to facilitate and support numerous economic development projects in town.

Shafer said he was involved with that type of work before being elected in Burlington.

I had positions in risk management in the property and casualty insurance industry, he said. Whats so interesting and substantial about that is that I was able to work with Connecticuts small, medium-sized and large businesses, particularly with CFOs and staff. So Ive been around the commercial businesess arena for close to all of my adult working life.

Hes looking forward to his new job, which hell start Jan. 31, with an annual salary of $48,000.

Im really excited about working in Winsted, he said. Josh has a very bright future ahead of him; and we connected right away. Im looking forward to working with him.

Shafers work in Burlington included attending monthly meetings with other town leaders on the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, which includes Winsted. I was able to be part of the regional economic development plan that was created by Jocelyn Ayer at the COG, he said. So Ive interacted with (Winsted) in that regard, and on other matters and topics related to the region.

Winsted leaders are using the ARPA funds for incentives for business owners, as well as money for the fire department, the sewer plant, programs for the senior center, ADA improvements to the recreation department playgrounds, new 800-band radios for the fire and police departments and upgrades for one of the Winsted Ambulance Associations vehicles.

Shafer sees the incentives as part of Winsteds growth and positive direction.

The town has evolved, he said. Having lived in the region and interacted with Winsted, Ive recognized, as others have, that (the town) has a terrific core of assets. Im looking forward to working with everyone to evolve with those opportunities.

If you drive through town, you can see part of the process starting, with the Hartford HealthCares urgent care center, the positive developments at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, the beautiful architecture of the many churches and in the community, and the quality of life in the lake area, Shafer said. You have a feeling of optimism among town officials and residents; so its a nice recipe for positive, economic development.

Shafer said hes planning a team approach on the job.

What I hope to enhance and continue to build on is an integrated and team appraoch to meet the goals of the town and its residents, he said. I bring skills and experience from my first selectman duties in burlington over the last 10 years.

Before he was elected, Shafter served as a member of the Burlington Economic Development Commission and worked in the private sector in insurance and finance-related jobs. He holds a bachelor of science degree in management in business administration from Tulane University, a masters of business administration from Alliant University, and a masters in public administration from UConn.

He serves as treasurer for Sustainable CTs Board of Directors, of which hes been a member since 2017 when the organization was founded. To date, Sustainable CT has helped 128 registered towns complete a total of 2,583 sustainability-focused projects, according to Kelly. Burlington achieved Sustainable CT certification in 2019, and Winchester registered for the program in 2021.
Emily M. Olson / Hearst Connecticut Media

TORRINGTON  Because of a substantial increase in the cost of bulk waste removal and disposal, the City of Torrington is implementing a permit program for bulk waste removal.

The city will continue to pick up bulk waste, and is adopting a permit based program.
A year ago, the commander-in-chief of Myanmars military staged a coup detat, destroying hopes for democratic reform and pitching the country into chaos. Today, the military is clinging to power through sheer brutality but it is also trying to lay the groundwork for a political system to entrench its rule.

The Feb. 1, 2021, coup was pretty damn irrational. The military already had vast political powers and economic influence. The 2008 Constitution awarded it 25 percent of parliamentary seats, giving it an effective veto on constitutional reform. The military had control over the three key ministries of defense, interior and border affairs. Through its two massive conglomerates and control over natural resources, the military was the main player in the economy.

And yet commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing upended the status quo. He overthrew the popularly elected National League for Democracy government after the main pro-military party lost the November 2020 elections by a landslide  the partys second humiliation at the polls in five years. The military cited, without any evidence, extensive voter fraud involving nearly one-third of the 37 million registered voters. In July, five months after the coup, it annulled the vote.

The military junta, known as the State Administrative Council (SAC), now has full executive and legislative powers, and controls the judiciary. In August, Min Aung Hlaing declared himself prime minister of a caretaker government that shows no sign of moving aside  although the military has failed to contain an anti-coup civil disobedience and armed rebellion that has broken out across the country.

While the news is focused on the daily atrocities committed by the military, it is important also to look at how it intends to cling to power in the longer term, beyond coercive measures.

Sophisticated Authoritarianism?

In February 2021, Min Aung Hlaing and his junta aimed to emulate what their neighbors in Thailand did after their 2014 coup. The military sought to create the facade of democracy, through ostensibly democratic processes, but to put in place mechanisms, laws, and procedures, that ensured military domination of politics, and the ability to check any attempts at amending that system. Its what Australian academic Lee Morgenbesser refers to as sophisticated authoritarianism.

At the time of the coup, Min Aung Hlaing promised elections within a year. In August 2021, elections were pushed back to August 2023. Since then, the junta has warned that elections would only be held if there was stability.

Its unlikely that the military will be able to quell the armed opposition to its rule; but if it does, the SAC is confident that it could have a facade of democracy by doing six things.

First, eliminating the NLD as a political rival. This is no easy task. The NLD had just won overwhelming majorities in both the lower and upper houses of parliament.

The military regime quickly arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders. More than 650 NLD members have been arrested, and as of January 2022, three-fourths of them were still incarcerated. Suu Kyi, 76, who has been convicted of six separate charges so far with five more charges to come, has already been sentenced to six years in prison. Other senior leaders have been sentenced to lengthy terms, including four dozen for corruption.

The SAC hopes to remove these charismatic NLD leaders should elections be held. More cynically, the junta hopes that many of the aging NLD leaders will die in the interim period. And several have.

The SAC has warned that future electoral laws would ban people convicted of crimes from running for office. Since the coup, the junta has arrested more than 11,700 people.

So arrests are not just to punish and serve as a deterrent for anti-coup activists, but have longer-term implications for when elections are held.

The second page from the Thai playbook was to ban the NLD altogether. Although the junta announced impending legal action against the NLD, the Chinese government weighed in, urging against that. Its unclear whether they will abide by Beijings tacit demand, but one should expect the NLD to be constrained through regulations, prosecutions, and lawsuits.

Third, the military took over the formerly independent Union Election Commission, which had denied any voter fraud in the November 2020 polls. The SAC installed a former military judge advocate general as its chief and appointed all of its members. This allows the military to manipulate the elections, electoral processes, and disqualify candidates. The junta is also poised to charge some 2,500 more former government and election officials over supposed voter fraud in the last election.

Protesters burn a picture of Myanmar's military chief Min Aung Hlaing during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon, Nov. 10, 2021. Credit: AFP Changing the electoral system

The fourth way that the military sought to hold on to power was by amending the electoral system from a first-past-the-post system, which awards seats to the candidate/party that wins a plurality, to a proportional based system.

In both elections in 2015 and 2020  the first free national votes in decades -- the militarys Union Development Solidarity Party (USDP) won less than 10 percent of the contested seats. Even allowing for the militarys 25-percent quota in the upper and lower house of parliament, it failed to prevent the NLD securing a comfortable majority on both occasions. For that reason it wants to change the electoral system.

In the 2015 election, the military held 166 of 664 seats in the upper and lower houses and the USDP won 42 seats, a total of 32 percent. The NLD won 390 of 664 (59 percent). A handful of smaller regionally-based parties won the remaining 9 percent.

In the 2020 election, the military held 166 of 664 seats in the upper and lower houses and the USDP lost nine seats down to 33, a total of 30 percent. The NLD won 396 of 664 (60 percent), with small and regionally based parties winning the remaining 10 percent.

In the 2015 election, the NLD won 57.7 percent of the popular vote, which is close to the seats it won through a first past-the-post system. The USDP, however, won 28.2 percent of the vote, making it the second largest party, but only 7 percent of the seats.

The military believes that their 25 percent block allocation plus the 28.2 percent of the remaining 498 seats in parliament, should give them over 40 percent of parliament; not majority control, but significantly more than they had.

The popular vote tally for the 2020 election was never released. But soon after the coup, the junta-controlled Union Election Commission announced that a proportional based system would be used in future elections.

Detained Myanmar State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi (L) and president Win Myint (R) during their first court appearance in Naypyidaw, May 24, 2021. Credit: Myanmar's Ministry of Information via AFP Political weapon

Fifth, the SAC controls the judiciary and uses it as a political weapon against the opposition. Indeed, when even a quiescent judiciary was deemed unreliable, like the Thai government, the SAC has tried civilians in military courts.

Finally, the military sought to curtail media and internet freedoms to control the flow of information. After years of progress, in 2021, Myanmar became the most repressive media landscape in Southeast Asia. The junta curtailed the press, arrested 115 journalists and convicted 15 of them. It revoked the licenses of 12 media organizations and amended the Telecommunications Law to quell all dissent.

The SAC has tried to limit information by either shutting down internet service or by trying to make it exorbitantly expensive. In late-January, it again tried to push through a repressive cyber security law that would, among other things, ban VPNs and digital currencies, both of which are used by anti-regime activists.

In the year since the coup, a nationwide civil disobedience movement has resisted military rule. An opposition government-in-exile lacks full international recognition, but is now delivering basic social services and organizing a nationwide-armed insurrection. The country is in the midst of a civil war.

The Myanmar militarys ability to cling to power by brute force is uncertain. It continues to stoke outrage at home and abroad with its conduct. But the military is also laying the groundwork for maintaining power. Even if the military is forced to make some concessions to the opposition, it will push for these sophisticated authoritarian measures.

Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College or Georgetown University.
People complain that authorities bend the rules so officials can properly eat on Seollal.

This photo of a North Korean ship heading to Ryongychon, North Korea, full of imported food from China was provided by a North Korean source in Donggang, China.

Ships arriving from China carrying fruits, oil and sugar are entering North Korea across the Yalu River border to deliver the goods ahead of Seollal, the Lunar New Year holiday, but sources told RFA the goods were for officials of the State Security Department, not for the general public.

Seollal, along with the harvest holiday Chuseok, are the two most important holidays in both North and South Korea. During both holidays families gather together and pay respects to their ancestors while sharing a huge feast.

North Korea is suffering from severe food shortages, mostly due to the closure of the border with China since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Jan. 2020. Though rail freight between the two countries resumed last week, many of the key ingredients are still in short supply.

But those with power and privilege will use it to make sure their family can have a proper feast, the sources said.

Since the beginning of last week in Ryongychon Port, which faces Donggang Port in China, small and medium-sized vessels have been frequently going to and from both ports across the Yalu River, at the point where it joins the West Sea, an official from a trading agency told RFAs Korean Service Wednesday, using a Korean term for the sea between China and the Korean peninsula, known internationally as the Yellow Sea.

These ships are mainly loaded with fruits, cooking oil and sugar, and all the ships  belong to the General Bureau of Border Security, under the Ministry of State Security, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The authorities gave special permission to the trading companies run by the bureau to import supplies needed for Seollal so that officials of the Ministry of State Security could celebrate properly, he said.

The ships are able to go into Donggang in the morning and load up on boxes of food, then return to Ryongchon around 4 p.m. Before they can unload their goods, the ships must go through a thorough quarantine and disinfection procedure before the food can be put in storage, the official said.

After a week, the food is put on freight vehicles and transported to each region and supplied as gifts to officials from the ministry in each region, he said.

A source living near the port in Donggang said time is of the essence when North Korean ships arrive.

The workers from the Donghang food company load the fruits and food boxes onto the boats, which immediately leave once loading is finished and the items covered, he said.

From there, they travel to Ryongchon to be unloaded by workers at the pier.

All the goods coming into Ryongchon ahead of Seollal are covered with a blue screen when we unload it, so the general public cannot recognize the contents, a third source working at the pier in Ryongchon told RFA on condition of anonymity.

But the people here in Ryongchon are all aware that the ships are carrying holiday goods for officials of the Ministry of State Security, the worker said.

Residents are resentful that they make special exceptions for themselves while the people suffer, the dockworker said.

The authorities closed off the border under the pretext of COVID-19, but they have no qualms reopening maritime trade so they can get their holiday gifts.

Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Residents of six hard-hit villages say they have been given unsuitable farmland and remain in temporary shelters.

On the third anniversary of a hydropower dam collapse that caused deadly flooding in southern Laos, villagers in six communities hit hardest by the disaster say they are still facing hardship due to unsuitable land on which to grow crops year-round, a lack of permanent housing, and the near end of monthly rice supplies and financial allowances from the project's builder.

On the night of July 23, 2018, billions of cubic feet of water from a tributary of the Mekong River poured over a collapsed saddle dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project following heavy rains in Laos Champassak province, sweeping away homes and causing severe flooding in villages downstream in Attapeu province.

The disaster left 71 people dead and displaced 14,440 others when it wiped out all or part of 19 villages.

About 3,600 people living in temporary shelters in Attapeu provinces Sanamxay district say they are still struggling to recover with inadequate support from the dams developers and the Lao government. They reside in the villages of Thaseangchanh, Hinlat, Samongthai, Thahinh, Mai, and Dongbak.

Besides a lack of permanent housing and a drop-off in food and cash subsidies, the villagers say they do not have access to enough fertile lands provided by provincial authorities to be able to make a living growing rice  a staple food in Laos  which further threatens their food security situation. The floods destroyed their previous farmland.

Before the dam collapse, I produced 280 sacks of rice during the rainy and dry seasons, said a villager who declined to be named. Each sack weighed 35 to 42 kilograms [77-93 pounds].

After the harvesting season he had at least 10 tons of rice, but after the dam burst, he could only harvest about 100 sacks of rice, or 3.5 tons, from his paddies, the villager said.

Another farmer said he can only grow rice in the dry season but not during the rainy season because there is too much mud still in areas affected by the flood waters three years ago.

Some villagers plowed their plots of farmland to plant rice in April, but the plants die due to a lack of sufficient rainfall and grass growth that covered the paddies, the villager added.

Another villager said he used to be able to produce 200-300 sacks of rice annually and had a surplus of the food commodity before the disaster, but that after the flooding he could produce only six sacks during the last harvesting season.

Though some farmland can be used for growing rice, other land cannot, so that some farmers cannot grow it at all, he said.

We do not transplant the rice but we grow it by throwing its seeds because the new farmland now cleared is not ready for growing rice yet, the villager said.

A third villager said he used to produce about seven tons of rice per year, but now he manages to harvest just under two tons because the farmland given to him by authorities is not suitable for rice paddies.

Farmland on higher ground cannot retain water because the ground has not been flattened, so it is not ready for growing rice, he said.

The farmer also said that some families now do not even have farmland, though in the past they each had between two and eight hectares of land to grow on.

My previous farmlands were fertile and could be easily plowed because they were wetlands, he said, adding that he used to make 10 million kip (U.S. 1,029) from selling rice per year, but now only produces 10 rice sacks.

A fourth villager had the same complaint, saying that some farmers had to lease arable land on which to grow rice and vegetables.

People have to make arduous efforts to make a living by leasing lands in other areas to grow cassava because the government does not pay attention to us, he said.

An overturned truck lies in the mud in the aftermath of a devastating flood in Mai village, Sanamxay district, in southern Laos' Attapeu province, August 2018. Credit: RFA





Many cannot cultivate their old fields

Leth Sayaphone, government of Attapeu province said that officials have allocated agriculture land to the affected villagers according to the number of family members in each household in accordance with the countrys Land Law, while they rehabilitate the original land.

He suggested that some families may not have the money to invest in agriculture production, but added that the provincial government would grant them new plots if they were dissatisfied with what they were allocated.

Actually, the new plots of land allocated are fertile, though they are soft and covered with mud, he said. We still have 100 hectares of land set aside for allocations to the villagers. No problem, if people do not like it, then we will allocate a new plot to them.

Provincial officials also have repaired most irrigation systems in the affected area so farmers can grow rice throughout both the rainy and dry seasons, Sayaphone said.

The villagers living conditions cannot be restored in three to four years because of the lack of permanent arable land they need to ensure they have livelihoods, analysts said.

The provincial government has not been able to solve the problems of the communities, especially in relation to the agricultural land that they need for their livelihoods, said Ian Baird, a geography professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who previously worked for many years on development projects in Laos.

This is because a lot of mud was deposited on their old lowland rice fields, and this has made it difficult to work that land. Many cannot cultivate their old fields at all, he said.

The restoration of the lowland rice fields is crucial for the villagers livelihoods because they are used to getting most of their income from producing rice, which cant be grown in the highlands, Baird said.

Though they have been encouraged to cultivate sugar cane and other crops in contract farming arrangements on the highland plots they have been given, the villagers have not done so because they are concerned they will not be able to produce as much as anticipated, and ultimately lose money after the cooperating companies deduct their costs.

It is crucial that there be a clear plan to rejuvenate the agricultural land first. Without dealing with agricultural issues, it will not be possible to restore peoples livelihoods, Baird said.

Others criticized the hydropower dam company for not yet providing permanent housing for all those displaced by the disaster.

The company in charge of building houses told us the construction would be completed soon, but in reality it has not. I do not think the houses will be completed in 2021, said a villager living in a temporary shelter.

A man stands on the roof of a house amid severe flooding caused by an upstream dam collapse, in Sanamxay district, southern Laos' Attapeu province, July 23, 2018. Credit: Citizen journalist





Where their priorities are

Bruce Shoemaker, an independent researcher who lived in Laos during the 1990s and worked for several NGOs, said that Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Power Co., Ltd. (PNPC), the company that built the dam, has not made good on pledges to provide proper shelters for the villagers.

PNPC is a consortium of South Korean companies SK Engineering and Construction and Korea Western Power, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding of Thailand, and Lao Holding State Enterprise (LHSE). The company previously has said that it could not make the payments to the villagers because of its own financial difficulties.

The company claims they do not have enough workers or materials or budget to rebuild the housing in a timely manner, Shoemaker said. Yet during this same time period, the company managed to completely rebuild the saddle dam and initiate commercial electrical generation.

This shows where their priorities are, and they are clearly not on making amends to those whose lives were destroyed by this companys irresponsibility, he said.

Having permanent housing means little without also addressing their livelihoods, he said.

The villagers need access to fertile farmland and forests, not just housing, if they are going to successfully recover from this disaster, Shoemaker said.

PNPC is building 700 permanent houses at the cost of nearly U.S. $25 million for the villagers, but they are not yet completed.

Leth Sayaphone, Attapeus governor, acknowledged that the company has rebuilt the dam and is running commercial operations, but said that the house construction had been delayed due to coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and because builders could not import some construction materials from neighboring Thailand.

Villagers livelihoods are almost restored, though over 100 houses have still not been constructed and more than 500 houses are almost completed, he said.

PNPC has also neglected to fulfill other obligations to the affected villagers living in temporary shelters, including the monthly distribution of 20 kilograms of rice and a 250,000 kip (U.S. $26) living and food allowance per person.

The villager living in a temporary shelter said that PNPC has stopped giving people in the affected communities the promised amount of rice and living allowances since earlier this year.

The officials told us they will cut the rice from 20 kilos to 12 kilos as of February, he said.

Another villager told RFA that some of the men work construction jobs to make money because they have not received their rice and living allowances for five to six months.

The rice distribution has been delayed because PNPC does not have the money to meet the needs of the affected villagers, said Sayaphone.

We have just had rice and plan to distribute it to the villagers, he said, adding that the provincial government does not have additional funds to pay the villagers their monthly allowances in advance.

Laos has built dozens of hydropower dams on the Mekong and its tributaries and is building about 50 more under a plan to become the Battery of Southeast Asia and export the electricity they generate to other countries in the region, mainly Thailand.

The Lao government sees power generation as a way to boost the countrys economy, but the dam projects are controversial because of their displacement of villagers without adequate compensation, environmental impact, and questionable financial and power demand arrangements.

Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Some of the bodies exhibited signs of torture and had been thrown in a septic well.

The bodies of six people, including women and minors, have been discovered mutilated and dumped in a septic well in Myanmars Kayah state, residents and relief workers said Friday, bringing to eight the number of victims found killed in the states war-torn capital region over the past three days.

The six people were found in a sewage pit in Loikaws Yay-yo village on Jan. 26 and included three 17-year-old boys identified as Eugene, Fei Dae Le and David Kyaw Soe, as well as a 16-year-old boy named John Paul, sources told RFAs Myanmar Service. The other two victims were confirmed to be residents of Loikaw townships Naung Yar Ward but have yet to be identified.

On Friday, the bodies of a 63-year-old woman named Daw Muta and her 23-year-old son, Saw Dar Htoo, were discovered in Loikaws Htudu-Ngantha village, residents and aid workers told RFA. The cause of their deaths has yet to be determined.

A villager who personally buried the bodies in Yay-yo told RFA that they exhibited signs of torture, as well as bullet and stab wounds.

Their faces were swollen. We are not sure if they were shot or stabbed in the abdomen, but most of them had injuries to the abdomen, the villager said, speaking on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal. One was found with a bullet wound in the back.

A woman who claimed to be Eugenes aunt told RFA that her nephew had recently returned home from a refugee camp with friends when he was taken away on Jan. 25 by soldiers in Yay-yo village.

The dogs [soldiers] came to the house at about 7 p.m.  The kids were snuggling in bed at the time as it was quite cold, she said.

When the dogs showed up in front of the house, [Eugene] called his cousin, but the line suddenly went out. The soldiers even had a meal in the house and yet they did that to my nephew. A woman from a neighboring house said she saw three people with their hands tied up being led away.

Eugenes father recently died of disease, she said, and the boy had been the familys sole bread winner.

In the year since the military seized power from Myanmars democratically elected National League for Democracy in a Feb. 1 coup, authorities have arrested nearly 8,800 civilians and killed almost 1,500, mostly during nonviolent anti-junta protests, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The military has also launched major offensives against armed ethnic groups and prodemocracy militias in the countrys remote border regions, and reports suggest residents of areas that include Loikaw township have been subjected to rights violations by troops that include torture, sexual assault and murder.

Just two weeks ago, the military justified deploying an airstrike that killed six civilians, including two children, in Kayahs Demawso township and sent thousands fleeing for safety by saying it had received reports that anti-junta Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militiamen had gathered there to attack government positions in Loikaw.

Blaming terrorists

When asked by RFA on Friday about reports that the military was responsible for the deaths in Loikaw in recent days, junta Deputy Information Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun dismissed them as rumors.

Allegations of such incidents are heard all the time and are not uncommon, he said.

Its true there were armed clashes between the two sides in some places. The problem is that some of these so-called PDF terrorists wore civilian clothes and took cover as civilians.  When they defeat us, they claim responsibility, but if they fail, they blame the army for killing civilians.

Militia members told RFA that they have had frequent clashes with the army in and around Loikaw since Jan. 8 and that the junta soldiers have been raiding houses in some of the towns wards and nearby villages.

There were no major clashes in the area, said one, who declined to be named.

There was some fighting near the village of Hmone Pyargan the day before, not far away from Nanattaw and Yay-yo villages, where the bodies were found. The victims must have been killed during that operation.

According to the Karenni Human Rights Group, 12 civilians were killed in Kayah state and another 20 left dead by heavy shelling since the start of January.

The Karenni Social Network said a total of 198 civilians have been killed in Kayah state, most of them in Phruso and Demawso townships, since the coup last February.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
At least 145 Vietnamese are behind bars for speaking out against the government, group estimates.

Three Vietnamese RFA journalists, Nguyen Van Hoa, Truong Duy Nhat and Nguyen Tuong Thuy, have been imprisoned in Vietnam.

The last Lunar New Year holiday, Tet in Vietnamese, is one Huynh Anh Khoa would like to forget.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested Khoa and his friend Nguyen Dang Thuong in June 2020 for participating in an online discussion group on Facebook.

Both men were charged with abusing democratic freedoms under a vaguely worded law often used by authorities to stifle dissent and sentenced to 15 months in prison.

A year ago, Khoa rang in the year of the ox behind bars.

Last Tet, I was transferred to Bo La detention center from a tiny detention house in District 8, Khoa told RFA.

My cell in District 8 housed only three people but was very small and stuffy. As we did not have access to any information about our families. We were really struggling mentally.

Khoa was released from prison on Sept. 13, 2021, and today he is grateful to be able to welcome the year of the tiger, which starts Feb. 1, with family and friends.

We often say that the outside world is a big prison. However, living outside is still so much better than staying in prison, far away from our families, Khoa said.

According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, at least 145 people are in prison in Vietnam for peacefully demonstrating or expressing political opinions. At least 31 of these detainees were imprisoned in 2021 for criticizing the government online and will soon experience their first Lunar New Year in prison.

RFA talked with former inmates and the families of current inmates about their experiences in prison at a time when many of their countrymen and women are celebrating one of the regions most significant holidays.

Prisoners live in squalid or crowded cells, may suffer from severe health problems, and can be subjected to torture and solitary confinement at any time of the year.

But during the Lunar New Year many say a pervasive loneliness can often overcome them. Thats been made worse by a pandemic that has further restricted access to their loved ones behind bars.

Sometimes families are only allowed to speak with prisoners for 10 minutes each month, Truong Thuc Doan, the daughter of imprisoned RFA blogger, Truong Duy Nhat, told RFA.

Since May 2021, visits are banned as a consequence of the pandemic.  He said he had been vaccinated. However, when the weather changes, his herniated disc problem and allergic rhinitis often come back, causing him a lot of pain, she said.

In 2019, Nhat received a 10-year sentence for abusing position and power while being on official duty over a land-use scandal dating back to his days as a reporter for a state-run newspaper.

The 88 Project, an Illinois-based group that promotes free speech in Vietnam, called the conviction dubious because his position was not high enough to commit the crime.

Tran Huynh Duy Thuc is serving a 16-year sentence at Detention Center No. 6 in Vietnams northern Nghe An province after being arrested in 2009 on charges of carrying out activities to overthrow the peoples government for blogging.

RFA reported in August that Thuc had vowed to begin a hunger strike, which would have been his fourth, if his 16-year prison term was not reduced to five years to reflect changes to the law after he was sentenced.

According to the 88 Project, Thuc has been tortured and put in solitary confinement and has been transferred far away from his family for standing up for prisoner rights.

So far, my family hasnt visited my brother Thuc as visits are banned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tran Huynh Duy Tan told RFA.

Thuc has only been allowed to call home twice a month during the pandemic. His health is okay now, and we havent got any new updates, Tan said.

Conditions in some of the prisons are so bad that the prisoners often get sick, Nguyen Thi Hue, older sister of imprisoned RFA reporter Nguyen Van Hoa, told RFA.

Hoa was arrested in 2017 while filming a demonstration against the Taiwanese conglomerate involved in the Formosa chemical spill in central Vietnam the year before.

Hoa is serving a seven-year term.

He often gets the flu, cough, runny nose and headaches recently. His health has deteriorated, Hue said.

His mental health during the pandemic has not been good, either. People who live in the outside world have been worried about their family members living in prison. Those living inside have been very concerned about the health of their families living outside. It has been very challenging, she said.

Nguyen Thi Chau, the wife of Nguyen Ngoc Anh, a shrimp farmer in prison on a six-year sentence for his environmental activism, told RFA that she hasnt seen her husband in more than a year.

Hes still at the Xuan Loc Detention Center. The last time I met him was in December 2020, she said.

In a recent phone call, he told me not to visit him during Tet, because the center was not allowing prisoners to receive gifts and supplies, and prisoners could only see their families through a glass partition, so it would be better for me to stay home. He said that we might try arranging a visit if the children are allowed to see him after Tet, she said.

Do Thi Thu, the wife of Trinh Ba Phuong, in detention since 2020 for his role in a protest that turned violent at a commune near Hanoi, where several police officers and protesters were killed, told RFA she has no idea where he is being detained.

Since his initial trial at the Hanoi Peoples Court on Dec. 15, I have only heard that my husband had appealed his sentence, she said.

Phuongs brother Trinh Ba Tu and mother Can Thi Theu were also arrested at the same time, and Thu said that she had no updates about their cases either.

Translated by Anna Vu. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Earlier this week, a group calling themselves Belarusian Cyber-Partisans carried out a ransomware cyberattack targeting the Belarusian state railway network. The group claimed to have crippled many of the network's automated systems in an attack that was timed to hamper the transfer of Russian troops into Belarus for military exercises.

In comments to RFE/RL's Belarus Service, a spokeswoman for the group claimed they had demanded the release of 50 "political prisoners" in exchange for unlocking the railway's systems. The group also demanded that the railway refuse to transport Russian military forces that could be used for an attack on Ukraine.

The spokeswoman also claimed the group has the capability -- which it chose not to use -- to shut down the railway's signals system, potentially causing disastrous collisions.

The claims could not be independently verified. On January 25, the group posted on Twitter images of documents and screenshots that seemed to demonstrate the breadth of their access to the railway's systems.

In statements, the state railway company has said the intrusion on the night of January 23 was minor and has only slowed the issuance of electronic tickets.

Brett Callow, a ransomware expert for the Emsisoft cybersecurity firm, told the IT-focused media outlet Wired on January 25 that he believes the Belarusian Cyber-Partisans attack was the first time "nonstate actors have deployed ransomware purely for political objectives."

"I find this is absolutely fascinating, and I'm surprised it didn't happen a long, long time ago," he concluded.

Syarhey Vaytsyakhovich is a former Belarusian Railways employee and a labor organizer who says he was fired from the state company in April 2021 as retribution for his politics.

He told RFE/RL that the cyberattack was "a serious blow" to the railway system, affecting automated systems from payroll to cargo manifests to timetables.

"The problem with electronic tickets is trivial by comparison," Vaytsyakhovich said. He added that much of the formerly automated work at the railway is now being carried out manually, producing serious slowdowns.

Derailed?

"All the archives have been destroyed," he said. "It is impossible to see statistics for the last year or the last month. Nothing in electronic format remains. Some of the information could eventually be restored by gathering data from the tax service and other agencies."

Vaytsyakhovich said the company was particularly vulnerable to the attack -- which he claimed was the third such intrusion in the last six months -- because many key workers have been dismissed in what amounts to a politically motivated purge carried out by the authoritarian government of longtime ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

"There are almost no qualified specialists left in the IT department," he said, noting that the same problem could make it more difficult for the company to recover from the incident.

Lukashenka has been under intense pressure from a mass opposition movement since a disputed presidential election in August 2020 triggered nationwide protests. The government responded with an often-brutal crackdown, mass arrests, and the persecution of many opposition supporters. The United States, the European Union, and other countries have refused to recognize the vote, joining the opposition calls for a new election and the release of all detainees.

Last year, Vaytsyakhovich alleged, security agencies compiled a list of about 1,000 railway employees for termination, a process he says has left remaining workers angry and demoralized.

"The workers are glad this is happening," he told RFE/RL. "They are angry and upset with management because people are being fired, and extra work is being piled onto those who remain."

The cyberattack occurred against the background of heightened fears that Russia might invade Ukraine, which denies it is preparing to launch a new offensive, has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and is planning a major military exercise with Belarus in February.

On January 21, the Belarus Railways Telegram channel posted that 200 Russian military trains with an average length of 50 cars would enter the country as part of the exercises on February 10-20, and that 33 had already crossed the border. According to Belsat, only 29 trains arrived from Russia for the same exercise in 2021.

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report.
Like other kids, the 17-year-old teenager was having a bit of fun at a subway station in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, goofing around on the escalator.

Unlike most children, however, the boy was deaf and didn't hear when police ordered him to stop, before grabbing and hauling him off to a small nearby room serving as a police office.

In what was reported to be eyewitness video uploaded to social media earlier this week, one of the two officers appears to punch and slap the boy, who tries to shield himself from the blows as the other policeman watches impassively.

The images have shocked many in Georgia, but not surprised those who monitor police abuse in the Caucasus nation of some 3.7 million.

"This is hardly an isolated incident of police brutality and a swift, thorough, and substantial response is needed by the authorities to address the persistent problem of lack of accountability for such abuses," said Giorgi Gogia, an expert on the South Caucasus for Human Rights Watch, in written comments to RFE/RL.

One day after the incident in Tbilisi, more video emerged of further alleged police abuse in Georgia. This time in the western town of Zugdidi, where a police officer is alleged to have repeatedly punched a woman during a dispute.

All three implicated officers in the two incidents have been detained and charged amid a public outcry. On January 26, rallies against police brutality, organized by the opposition United National Movement, were held in Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Batumi, Gori, and Telavi.

While authorities were quick to act, in the past they have been accused of dragging their feet on investigating police abuse. So much so, that more than a dozen Georgians have turned to the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in past years to seek justice.

The foot-dragging could continue after the ruling Georgian Dream party was able to get parliament to pass legislation in December 2021 to abolish the independent body tasked with investigating police abuse, despite concerns from the West and international bodies, including Washington and the United Nations.

Two Incidents In Two Days

"He's deaf-mute? What if I make him speak now? I'm going to make him speak now," the officer is heard saying as he accompanies the teenager to a small office at the Isani subway station in Tbilisi on January 24.

Echoing what others were saying, Tamar Kordzaia, an independent member of parliament, wrote on Twitter: "#PoliceBrutality is widespread and getting worse every day."

"Impunity for abuses by law enforcement remained a persistent problem," Human Rights Watch said in its chapter on Georgia in its recent World Report 2022, adding 133 complaints of ill-treatment by prison staff or police had been reported to Georgia's Ombudswoman's Office in 2021.

The incident also highlighted the "systemic oppression" those with special needs face in Georgian society, said Giorgi Akhmeteli, president of the NGO Accessible Environment For All.

"There's a feeling in society that they have the power to make disabled people walk, make deaf people talk, open the eyes of the blind. They often tell us: 'Don't use a wheelchair, you will get used to it, crawl and you will be able to stand. I had the same feeling with this case -- the policeman just couldn't accept that the boy cannot talk," Akhmeteli told RFE/RL's Georgian Service.

A friend of the victim who witnessed the beating told the news website Tabula that the teenager was detained for sitting on an escalator handrail and that he was kicked by a police officer before the assault in the room began.

A day later on January 25 in Zugdidi, some 320 kilometers west of Tbilisi, the video footage emerged of a police officer beating a woman.

Identified only as G.B. who knew the woman, the officer had "repeatedly punched his friend in the face during a personal dispute," a statement from the Prosecutor-General's Office of Georgia reads, adding the officer had been arrested and charged with assault.

Seeking Justice Elsewhere

Frustrated by a lack of justice at home, many victims of alleged police brutality in Georgia have turned to the ECHR.

"Cases have been on the shelf for years, where there are cases of violence against citizens by police officers, and Georgia has already lost a number of cases in Strasbourg due to the fact that such cases are not effectively investigated here," Eka Kobesashvili, a lawyer with the NGO, Human Rights House, told RFE/RL's Georgian Service.

Between 2004 and 2021, the ECHR heard 14 cases concerning alleged police brutality and whether such cases had been properly investigated. In 12 of those cases, the ECHR found that authorities had failed to properly investigate the charges.

In 2019, the ECHR ordered the Georgian government to pay Nikoloz Goguadze 10,000 euros ($11,150) in compensation for the ill treatment he endured at the hands of police in Tbilisi in May 2011. The court ruled that Goguadze had been subjected to physical and psychological pressure to confess to being active in an alleged coup plot, the so-called Kintsvisi case, which government critics said was bogus as it was based on dubious claims with little if any evidence provided publicly. The claims of police abuse were not properly investigated by Georgian authorities, despite an eight-year probe into the matter.

One person whom Goguadze singled out was police investigator Mariani Choloiani. Apparently unsatisfied with his responses, Goguadze said, Choloiani would step out to make way for other officers who would then enter the interrogation room and beat him.

Choloiani would also figure in another case of alleged police abuse in December 2019 when Luka Siradze, a 15-year-old boy from Tbilisi, committed suicide by jumping from the ninth floor of his family's high-rise apartment.

As in the case with Goguadze, Choloiani was alleged to have been a key member of the group of police who had interrogated Siradze for allegedly being part of a gang that had spray-painted expletives on buildings in the Georgian capital.

Unlike the Goguadze case, Choloiani was this time charged and found guilty of extracting a forced confession from Siradze. Sentenced to three years in prison, Choloiani was released in August 2021 after serving just half her sentence by the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia "for exemplary behavior in prison."

"She was probably told that she had to go to prison and that she would be released early. This is a clear example that members of the system can get away with anything, they have the right to do anything," Luka Siradze's brother, Beka Siradze, had told RFE/RL.

Police Abuse To Thrive?

Efforts to clean up the system recently suffered a setback, activists and others warned, when Georgian Dream used its majority in parliament to pass legislation to abolish the State Inspector's Office, an independent body tasked with investigating police abuse.

The party introduced the bill on replacing the office -- tasked with investigating offences by law enforcement, as well as personal data protection cases -- with two new bodies on December 25, 2021.

In justifying the action, Mamuka Mdinaraze, a member of the Georgian Dream party, said investigative and personal data protection functions, unified under the former agency, were "not compatible."

On January 13, the controversial bill was signed into law by Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, despite appeals by NGOs and Western governments to reject it.

The abolition of "one of the most credible, independent, and authoritative institutions in Georgia" sent a "chilling" message to human rights-focused institutions in the country, the United Nations Country Team in Georgia said in a statement on January 14.

"It was done without consultations not only with civil society in Georgia and Georgia's international partners, but even the [State] Inspector's Office was not consulted in advance," explained Gogia.

Among those critical of the legislation was U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan who said it "undermined government accountability."

There still is a chance the move could be overturned. Georgian State Inspector Londa Toloraia said earlier this month that she will appeal against the move to the Constitutional Court of Georgia as well as the ECHR.

Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Georgian Service, including correspondent Nastasia Arabic, and written by Tony Wesolowsky in Prague.
Germany's Green party has elected a 28-year-old feminist and an Iranian-born foreign policy expert to lead the party just a month after it joined the national government in a three-way coalition.

Ricarda Lang, 28, and Omid Nouripour, 46, were selected to take the reins of the party as it attempts to build on the success of its performance in the national election in September when it captured 14.8 percent of the vote.

Lang, who becomes the youngest co-leader of the party, and fellow member of the Bundestag Nouripour replace the Greens' chancellor candidate, Annalena Baerbock, and Robert Habeck, who now hold ministerial posts in Germany's new government.

Baerbock is foreign minister and Habeck is the new vice chancellor in Chancellor Olaf Scholzs government. The Social Democrat became chancellor on December 8 after forming a center-left coalition with the Green party and the pro-business Free Democrats.

Lang and Nouripour were elected during a party conference held largely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their election must be confirmed by a postal ballot whose results are expected by mid-February.

Lang has become a rising star in German politics since being elected to the Bundestag last year. She joined the party at age 18 and became its deputy leader in November 2019 as well as its spokeswoman on women's affairs.

As an openly bisexual woman, Lang has faced a deluge of hate speech online, the most egregious of which she has fought with criminal complaints.

Omid Nouripour, who was born in Tehran in 1975, has made his name chiefly on foreign policy in debates in the Bundestag, where he has served as a member for more than 15 years.

He has said he wants to keep the Green party firmly in the mainstream while tending to its activist roots.

"We will become the leading force of the center-left in Germany," he has pledged. That includes keeping its eyes on the chancellery in the 2025 election, he said on January 29.

Nouripour has worked to sharpen the Green partys profile on human rights, calling recently for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

He also criticized then-Chancellor Angela Merkel for speaking directly to Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka by telephone, calling it a "disastrous signal."

With reporting by Reuters and dpa
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has rejected calls for an international probe into protests earlier this month that left more than 220 people dead and prompted the country to call in troops from a Russian-led military organization.

Toqaev and other Kazakh officials have blamed the clashes on bandits and terrorists with foreign connections without giving direct evidence of any alleged terrorists being involved.

In his first televised interview since the unrest began, Toqaev reiterated on January 29 that Kazakhstan had been attacked by militants and said the state would be able to conduct its own probe into the events.



"As concerns an international investigation into the events in Kazakhstan, I don't see the need for such an investigation. We have our own people that are honest, objective," Toqaev said in the interview shown by the state broadcaster Khabar.

The European Parliament on January 20 overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding "a proper international investigation into the crimes committed against the people of Kazakhstan" during the violence.

In the interview Toqaev called the resolution "unobjective, premature," adding that it does not worry me."

Protests earlier this month in the remote town of Zhanaozen over a sudden fuel-price hike quickly spread across Kazakhstan, with much of the protesters' anger directed at Nursultan Nazarbaev, who had ruled Kazakhstan since 1989.

Toqaev, Nazarbaev's handpicked successor, claimed in the wake of protests that Almaty was attacked by "20,000 terrorists" as he issued a shoot-to-kill without warning order and invited troops from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to enter the country.

The CSTO units began arriving in the country on January 6 and completed their withdrawal about two weeks later after the situation stabilized.

Toqaev said he had been objective in his assessment of Nazarbaev before he took over the Security Council on January 5 as protests escalated. At the time, a number of high-ranking officials close to Nazarbaev were fired, prompting speculation of a power struggle between Nazarbaev and Toqaev.

There was no talk of personal preference. There was only talk of an immediate solution to the issue of the status of the chairman of the Security Council, Toqaev said in the interview.

Earlier in the day, Toqaev said at a meeting of the ruling party that "our first president has done a great job in transforming our country into a strong state."

Toqaev on January 28 replaced Nazarbaev as the leader of the ruling Nur-Otan party. The presidential press service said that the decision was made at the party's congress at the behest of Nazarbaev.

Despite announcing in March 2019 that he was stepping down after almost 30 years of ruling the oil-rich Central Asian nation, Nazarbaev has continued to have a strong influence over Kazakhstan's domestic and foreign policies as lifetime chairman of the influential Security Council and leader of the Assembly of Kazakhstan's People and the Nur-Otan party.

Nazarbaev has now lost all three of those positions but continues to enjoy the powers of elbasy (leader of the nation).

The congress was held amid a protest by some members of the party who quit its ranks over what they see as the party's "failure" to prevent bloodshed during the anti-government protests.

With reporting by AFP
Several thousand people protesting a proposed rise in energy prices scuffled with police blocking the entrance to Kosovo's government offices on January 29. Some also threw candles and light bulbs at the building and brandished posters saying: "Work day and night to see dim lights." The protest was called by the opposition Social Democratic Party. Kosovo's energy regulator said it may increase energy prices by up to 50 percent for most consumers. Kosovo, a country of 1.8 million people, has been facing an energy crisis since December 2021, when the prices of imported power increased sevenfold compared to the year before.
Lithuania plans to install surveillance cameras along the entire length of its border with Belarus, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on January 28 while touring a stretch of the border and a border station.

The border, which stretches about 680 kilometers and is also the EUs border with Belarus, has been the scene of a crisis involving mostly Middle Eastern migrants that the EU said Belarus intentionally allowed in with a promise that they would then be allowed to travel on to the EU.

Simonyte visited a checkpoint along the border, the prime ministers press service said.

The prime minister was briefed by the Border Guard Service (SBGS) and by representatives of the company building a razor-wire barrier along the border. About half of the border structure is already fitted with cameras.

It is very important that cameras will be fixed along the entire border still this year, Simonyte said.

The barrier has already been built in the most sensitive and migrant flow-vulnerable sections, the prime ministers press service said. The length of the razor-wire barrier is now about 200 kilometers and construction continues. A 4-meter-high fence topped with razor-wire is being installed in addition to the razor-wire barrier.

The prime ministers visit to the border came months after the EU accused Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime of funneling migrants to the borders of Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The EU said late last year it was part of a hybrid attack to retaliate for Western sanctions that were imposed following Lukashenka's crackdown on people protesting his reelection in a controversial vote in August 2020.

Belarus has denied the claim and criticized the EU for not taking in the migrants.

The rush of migrants created a humanitarian crisis as they were blocked from crossing the border while at the same time they were prevented by Belarusian forces from turning back.

Some of the migrants trying to cross into Poland retreated into a forest and were reportedly stranded in freezing winter weather. Medical aid organizations said they were denied access to them even amid reports that some had died.

Poland has also taken steps in response to the migrant crisis, including building a razor-wire fence and massing thousands of soldiers along its 400-kilometer border with Belarus.

With reporting by dpa
Russia's population declined by more than half a million in 2021, and COVID-19 is being blamed as one of the main reasons.



Russia had a population of 145.5 million in January, nearly 700,000 fewer people than a year earlier, according to figures published by the Rosstat state statistics service on January 28.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said COVID-19 was the main reason for the downward trend.

Officially, Russias COVID-19 task force has recorded 329,000 deaths due to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, but the number of deaths reported by Rosstat is more than twice that.

Russian officials have attributed the difference to the fact that the task force only includes deaths for which COVID-19 was the main cause and uses data from medical facilities.

Rosstat uses broader criteria for counting deaths linked to the virus and takes its numbers from civil registry offices where the registration of a death is finalized.

Russia has announced a series of records in recent days as a wave of cases of the omicron strain spreads through the country.

On January 29, Russia's daily coronavirus cases exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the pandemic began.

The countrys coronavirus task force confirmed 113,122 new daily infections, setting a record high for a ninth consecutive day. It said that 668 deaths had been confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Hungary's daily tally of new COVID-19 cases could reach 30,000 by mid-February, up from about 20,000 this week, a government minister said on January 29.

Miklos Kasler, the country's minister for human resources, blamed the omicron variant for the expected rise. In a video posted on Facebook, he said the variant was causing less severe illness, but that the one-third of Hungarians who were not vaccinated were at higher risk.

Just over 6 million of Hungary's 10 million people have received at least two shots, and nearly 3.6 million have also received a booster, but the country's vaccination rate lags behind Western European levels.
Russia will not conduct naval exercises in international waters off the southwest coast of Ireland next week as planned, Moscow's ambassador to Ireland said on January 29.

Ambassador Yury Filatov said in a statement that Russia decided to relocate the naval exercises as a "gesture of goodwill" to Dublin and Irish fishing groups.

Ireland was notified last week that the exercises would take place about 240 kilometers off its southwest coast within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but not its territorial waters.

The announcement of the drills, originally planned for February 3-8, had caused considerable controversy in Ireland.

Some Irish fishermen had expressed concern that the use of military sonar could damage marine life and some said they planned to protest near the area where they were due to take place.

Earlier this week Filatov told Irish authorities that there were no grounds for concern over the maneuvers and said Ireland had been duly notified about the exercises, according to TASS.

But the statement on January 29 said in response to the requests from the Irish government and the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu decided to relocate the exercises as a gesture of goodwill outside the EEZ with the aim not to hinder fishing activities by the Irish vessels in the traditional fishing areas."

It is not known where the naval exercises will take place.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter he had written to Shoigu to ask that Russia reconsider conducting the exercises off the Irish coast.

This evening I received a letter confirming the Russian exercises will be relocated outside of Irelands EEZ. I welcome this response, Coveney said.

The plans were especially unwelcome at a time when the United States and other Western countries fear Russia could be preparing to invade Ukraine after amassing more than 100,000 troops near its borders.

Russia denies it is planning any invasion of its neighbor. Ireland, which is not a member of NATO, has not independently had a stake in efforts to resolve tensions over Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and TASS
France has announced plans to send hundreds of troops to Romania a day after the United States said it would soon move a small number of U.S. troops to Eastern European and NATO countries as fears continue to mount that a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine's borders could be a prelude to an invasion.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly said on January 29 that Paris plans to send "several hundred men" to Romania as part of a "defensive alliance." She also said she had visited Romania on January 27 to discuss the issue.

Speaking with France Inter radio, Parly described Romania as a "high tension zone" that had to be "reassured." Romania shares a border with Ukraine as well as Moldova, where Russia has troops in the breakaway region of Transdniester.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on January 28 that he would move U.S. troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries "in the near term." He did not specify where the troops would be sent from or which country they would be sent to. The United States already has tens of thousands of troops stationed across Western Europe.

The Pentagon earlier this week placed about 8,500 U.S. troops on standby for possible deployment to Europe amid Moscow's military buildup, which has moved more than 100,000 Russian troops to regions north, east, and south of Ukraines borders.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin has all the military capabilities ready to act against Ukraine and it now comes down to a political decision on what action Moscow will take.

"While we don't believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has that capability," Austin told reporters.

He said there are multiple options available, including the seizure of cities and significant territories, but also coercive acts and provocative political acts like the recognition of breakaway territories."

Western leaders have scrambled to defuse the crisis caused by the Russian troop buildup by holding talks with Russian diplomats, while trying to put pressure on Putin by vowing unprecedented sanctions should Russia invade.

An ongoing diplomatic effort is set to continue in the coming weeks. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on January 29 that he and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock would visit Ukraine on February 7-8. He said he had reassured Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba "of our full backing and solidarity with Ukraine."

Kuleba issued a call for the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side" in his conversation with Le Drian.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone for more than an hour on January 28 and agreed on the need for de-escalation.

According to a Macron aide quoted by the AFP news agency, Putin told Macron that he had "no offensive plans."

U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan said on January 28 that Washington was awaiting Russia's response to its written proposals for a diplomatic path out of the Ukraine crisis, voicing hope that a meeting between American and Russian diplomats could then follow.

The Kremlin has said Russia would study the written responses submitted by the United States and NATO concerning Moscow's demands on security guarantees and will then decide on further actions."

Russia is demanding a major restructuring of Europes security architecture in exchange for a de-escalation of the crisis over Ukraine. The United States and NATO have largely rejected the demands, including the call to permanently shut the door on membership for Ukraine and other former Soviet republics.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says authorities in Uzbekistan have failed to investigate Uzbek Muslim blogger Fozilxoja Orifxojaevs allegations of ill-treatment and torture while in jail.

Orifxojaev, known for his articles criticizing the Central Asian nation's authoritarian government for its restrictive religious policies, was sentenced on January 26 to 7 1/2 years in prison over a post published on Facebook.

The judiciary press service in Tashkent said the 41-year-old blogger was sentenced after the Olmazor district court found him guilty of distributing or displaying materials containing a threat to public security and public order using mass media, telecommunications, or the Internet.

The court sentenced Orifxojaev "for something many people do every day: posting an innocuous message on Facebook, HRW said in a statement on January 28.

Orifxojaev was arrested in June last year on petty hooliganism charges over a heated confrontation in public with a pro-government blogger and cleric.

Orifxojaev was sentenced to 15 days in jail for that but he was not released from custody after serving the sentence and instead additional charges were filed against him.

HRW said Orifxojaives health deteriorated during his seven months in pretrial detention, and on January 25 he began a hunger strike that lasted four days to protest the injustice in his case, his lawyer, Sergey Mayorov, said.

Mayorov also told HRW that the police have ill-treated his client both physically and psychologically, including some treatment that constituted torture. For example, at the end of September, according to Mayorov, police handcuffed Orifxojaev to a pipe and made him sit in a stress position for nearly 12 hours, causing him excruciating pain.

These allegations are among the ones that HRW says authorities have so far failed to investigate.

Human rights groups have urged Uzbek authorities to drop all charges against Orifxojaev and release him, calling the case against him politically motivated.
"Huacho es un pueblo historico. Han pasado 200 anos de vida republicana y tenemos pueblos sin agua. Por ello, asumimos una responsabilidad conjunta que garantice el desarrollo de Lima provincias", manifesto el presidente @PedroCastilloTe en su visita al puerto de esta ciudad. pic.twitter.com/zAQCGcNWSo
Roanoke Rapids, NC (27870)

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Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds light and variable..

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Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.
The editorial office of Saigon Investment has since received a wide range of opinions from experts, pointing out the existing reasons for policy risks to the wind power sector. More such articles will continue to be published on this subject in the future by Saigon Investment in the months ahead.

Enterprises in dilemma

There are currently 106 wind power projects with a total capacity of 5,655.5 MW that have been signed by various enterprises. This has been in response to the policy of renewable energy development under Resolution 55-NQ/TW of the Politburo on strategic orientation for national energy development until the year 2030, with a vision upto 2045, and implemented via Decision 39/2018 /QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. In order to encourage businesses to invest in this field, the management agency had created a preferential price mechanism (Feed-in Tariffs-FIT), with the condition that the projects will be operated commercially under Cash On Delivery (COD) before 31 October 2021.

The FIT price applies to electricity produced from renewable energy sources for sale to the grid or for on-site use in order to reduce the load on the grid, as well as to ensure a profit for investors. This is a mechanism applied by advanced countries in the world to stimulate businesses to invest in renewable energy, and gradually reduce their dependence on traditional power plants that are negatively impacting the environment and causing serious climate change. However, only 69 projects with total capacity of 3,298.95 MW were recognized for the COD plan. There are both subjective and objective reasons for this, but the Covid-19 pandemic is of the most serious concern right now.

A typical example is that of the Hanbaram Wind Power Joint Stock Company, cited in a document sent to the Prime Minister and other relevant ministries some time back. The wind power project deployed in Ninh Thuan province is expected to complete construction, installation, connection of 29 out of a total 29 turbine poles, and the entire transmission line and substation, to connect to the national grid system, which is currently being tested. Complete technical testing and COD of turbines was done by 31 October 2021. This unit has mobilized all human and material resources to carry out the project according to the schedule, but the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed and turned everything upside down.

Mr. Dang Manh Cuong, General Director of the Hanbaram Wind Power Company, said that an essential device had arrived at Saigon Port, but it has been lying there for the last four months and could not be taken out due to strict social distancing rules. Besides this delay, the transportation of equipment from Ho Chi Minh City to Ninh Thuan and Gia Lai provinces, as well as the mobilization of construction and installation workers faced difficulties because many localities had implemented blockades against commuting to various areas and regions. The procedures of bringing experts from abroad to Vietnam is also very complicated due to strict pandemic prevention regulations in many places, increasing the time from six weeks to upto even ten weeks at times.

Due to these reasons, up until the milestone of 31 October 2021, only six of the twenty-nine wind power pylons have had COD in time to enjoy the preferential FIT price, but the remaining 23 pylons have been completed but not been able to conduct COD in time, so they cannot enjoy the preferential price. Since then, these projects have also been unable to operate under COD because the power industry has not yet provided guidance on purchase price.

A similar dilemma is being faced by the Gia Lai Wind Power Investment and Development Joint Stock Company which has completed the construction, installation, and connection of all of the 25 turbine towers and many other essential items. Currently it is testing all techniques to go into operation, but due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, only one out of the 25 wind power poles could keep up with the COD plan.

Sunpro Ben Tre Wind Power Company has also poured capital into a project to the tune of USD 56 mn, equivalent to VND 1,270 bn, although progress has only been upto 75% so far. Months of social distancing has disrupted all construction work and both experts and workers are finding it difficult to enter or exit the factory premises, while buying and selling, and transporting of materials is also facing a congested situation. The ground clearance process was stalled when the company could not meet the people to negotiate with the deals.

Currently, dozens of businesses investing in renewable energy are calling for help from the Government and relevant authorities about the risk of bankruptcy when there will be no revenue at all, as most businesses are under pressure to repay loans of credit institutions. The pandemic has caused costs to go up such as increased freight rates, increased warehousing fees, social distancing costs, implementing three on the spot plan, increased testing fees for all workers and personnel, and many other hidden costs, causing untold headache for investors and businesses.

As of now, in the present situation, businesses are going along with Government policies and guidelines but are still feeling ignored and abandoned. Representatives of Sunpro Ben Tre wind power plant and many other enterprises such as Hoa Dong 2 Wind Power Company, and the Lac Hoa 2 Wind Power Company in Soc Trang, said that the investment in the projects is thousands of billion dong, but now the money is just lying there stagnating. The companies will go bankrupt if the Government does not come up with a reasonable and timely policy to bail them out.

Businesses and banks at risk

According to unofficial statistics, about 4,185 MW of renewable energy registered had not achieved the COD schedule before 1 November 2021. This is a total investment of about VND 202,794 bn, about USD 8.8 bn, equivalent to 3.2% of Vietnam's GDP in 2020, of which equity is VND 60,892 bn and bank loan is VND 142,082 bn. Up until now, banks have disbursed about 40% of the total investment of the above projects, equivalent to VND 81,190 bn.

Investors are currently paying an annual interest of VND 8,119 bn at 10% per year, while having no revenue or receiving only a portion of the revenue from the total capacity. This poses a potential high risk of bad debt for the banking system and seriously affecting the circulating cash flow within the economy. Besides, the investors have also spent hundreds of billions of dong for each project to pay import tax, which will not be refunded without an Electricity Activity License, which is only obtained after the COD certificate. On the other hand, the failure to achieve the FIT price, and the lack of a pricing mechanism for the contractual relationship between the investor and the contractor, are also issues that can lead to lawsuits due to the inability to accept payments.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and related parties held a meeting recently and are expected to offer the purchase price of electricity from wind power plants after 31 October 2021, at about 12% compared to the FIT price according to Decision 39. However, many investors believe that this price level has not clearly stated where the reduction is based, because if a 12% reduction is applied, nearly 40 projects implemented in recent years will suffer serious losses, even lose profit. The application of any reduction also needs a roadmap to be implemented, because businesses are late every day without output on that day, which directly affects the source of money for debt repayment.

Policy necessary

According to Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, former Director of the Center for Energy at the Energy Institute, wind power development in Vietnam is at its first momentum. It is a long way away from take-off stage in the next five years. Mr. Tuan said that for wind power to take off, it is necessary to have a series of appropriate development policies, such as effective supply chains, financial mechanisms, and better technology, with unchangeable, stable and sustainable policies to support wind power.

He also said that businesses have followed the Government policy in the expansion of renewable energy and limiting forms of electricity production that have a negative impact on the environment. It is necessary now to have a risk-sharing mechanism between investors and regulatory and policy making agencies. Accordingly, managers grasp the situation and propose measures such as extending the incentive or having a follow-up policy to create peace of mind for investors.

Currently, many countries have policies to rescue wind power enterprises and investors when facing difficulties due to the pandemic. For example, in May 2020, the Government in Germany passed the Planning Protection Act, allowing renewable energy projects with COD deadlines before or by 30 June 2020, with an extension of six months. Also, in the US, in May 2020, the Ministry of Finance sent instructions to extend the tax credit period by one year for onshore wind and solar power projects that had started in 2016 and 2017, so as to complete the projects and receive incentives from the production tax credit policy.

At the COP26 conference, the vision of the nation on climate change was expressed in a speech by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to world leaders. He said that Vietnam has several advantages in renewable energy, and will develop and implement strong greenhouse gas emission reduction measures with its own resources. It is to be seen now whether wind power will play an important role in the change towards more efficient national energy, which will then directly affect energy security in Vietnam.

Tran Dang Duy
Danvers, MA (01923)

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Danvers, MA (01923)

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.


At a plateau training range with an elevation of 5,300 meters in western China, service members of a PLA frontier defense unit are reading the greeting letters and cards from primary school students and their teachers. (Photo by Tao Jiale)

BEIJING, Jan. 29 -- As the 2022 Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is approaching, China's Military-Civilian Mutual Support Office solicited special greetings and blessings to the border and coastal defense troops, via a themed visiting activity, dubbed love for border and coastal defense.

A total of 170 cities (counties) in 19 provinces contributed to the activity with greetings solicited from over 100,000 civilians from all walks of life. They sent diversified New Year greetings to the border and coastal defense service members including greeting letters, hand-painted paintings, self-woven Chinese knots (an amulet), self-made New Year cards and bookmarks, and micro-videos.

As for the local governments, they prepared "military-caring packages" imbued with a variety of delicious local specialties, which contains Guizhou roxburgh rose juice, Hunan crispy peppers and pickles, Chongqing sliced rice cake, Yunnan Pu-erh tea, Qinghai yak beef jerky, and Ningxia wolfberry, etc.

Such seasonal visiting activity has been held for two consecutive years. At the same time, China's Military-Civilian Mutual Support Office also guided all local governments to keep long-term activities to support the military and give preferential treatment to military families, regularly visited and cared the military families, and helped them solve practical problems such as medical treatment for the elderly, children's schooling, and employment of military families. These heartwarming practical measures served to improve the military families' sense of happiness and gain.



PLA Navy service members stationed at the Yongshu Reef, South China Sea, present Spring Festival gifts from people across the country. (Photo by Qiao Chenxi)
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Russian citizens permanently residing in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR, LPR) can join the Russian Armed Forces if they so wish, TASS reported citing the Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky.

"If Russian citizens residing in the DPR and LPR want to join the Russian Armed Forces, the Rostov regional military commissariat will register and draft them," the lawmaker told TASS, adding that if drafted, those people would perform military service in Russia.

According to Vodolatsky, the question about ensuring the safety of Russian-speaking people is one of the most frequently asked ones at meetings with residents of the Donbass republics, who are very much concerned about the possibility of an invasion by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
There was an autumn softness in the air as I day hiked with a friend along a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail near Warner Springs.

Whats that smell? he asked as we scuffed along the well-worn path.

When I realized he wasnt talking about me, I became aware of a pungent odor as we passed a low-growing patch of bright green vegetation that stood out from the surrounding dry grass.

With large green leaves, huge yellow trumpet flowers and melons that looked like softball-sized watermelon, this was a plant that was hard to miss. And dont forget the smell.

This native plant is known by various names, including desert pumpkin, finger-leafed gourd and coyote melon, a name apparently given by Native Americans because it was only good enough for coyotes to eat.

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Even though these native plants look like small, round watermelons, this gourd is closely related to pumpkins. The fruit is the largest produced by any California native desert plant. A quick glance around the grasslands, and I quickly realized there was quite a crop.

We had become aware of the plant because it was still blooming and the 4-inch, bright yellow flowers are hard to miss, both visually and with your nose.

The fragrance of the flower is more aptly described by some as a powerful stench. You didnt need to put your nose to the blossom to realize it was very unpleasant.

No doubt this is natures way of attracting insects to help with pollination. We did notice large numbers of flies buzzing about the flowers.

Despite the abundance of these melons, they were never considered as a primary food source by Native Americans, explorers or pioneer travelers.

The large fruit melons are shiny green and striped like watermelons when they first develop. They then turn yellow when ripe and eventually a pale brown as they dry out.

The fruit could be eaten if there were no other available food sources, but the seeds are very bitter and foul tasting. However, as is often the case, even though not used for food, the seeds of the gourd were ground into powder and mixed with small bits of the plants root to be used as a hand soap.

Another story associated with the name of this plant is from Native Americans in Arizona, who suggested that Indians would never plant such distasteful crops, so they must have been the result of seeds deposited in the scat of coyotes.

Even though humans dont find much to like about this plant, it is an important food source for local wildlife. Smaller animals will feed on the roots and vines

The coyote melon is a perennial that sprouts from underground roots in the spring. Long tentacles of this sprawling vine spread on the ground and the large, palmated leaves spread out, followed by the large yellow flowers and fruit.

The coyote melon is another one of those interesting plants that you are likely to encounter when wandering around our backcountry. See if you can find it by the smell.

Local hikes

The San Diego Natural History Museum has launched its season of Canyoneer hikes, offering more than 75 free weekend treks from the coast to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and from the Tijuana Estuary to Palomar Mountain. The series will be offered through June.

Hikes are led by trained citizen scientists and volunteers known as Canyoneers.

Canyoneers are San Diego Natural History Museum volunteers trained to teach appreciation of plants and animals in Southern California. Walks are open to the public; no reservations are required.

Hikes range from easy walks through native chaparral forests or along local rivers, to more challenging trips of 9 miles along a wildlife corridor from Anza-Borrego Desert to Cuyamaca Rancho state parks.

The hike schedule and interactive map are available online at sdnat.org/canyoneers, and printed brochures are available at local outdoor retailers such as REI and Adventure 16 as well as at local Subaru dealerships.

To prepare for the hikes or to discover other hiking opportunities locally, hikers can get a copy of Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors at the museum store.

Email ernie@packtrain.com or visit erniesoutdoors.blogspot.com.
AlexSandra Sandy Lynn Lett is the author of seven books, Natural Living, From Stress to Rest; Timeless People Making a Difference; A Timeless Place, Lett's Set a Spell at the Country Store; Timeless Moons, Seasons of the Fields and Matters of the Heart; Timeless Recipes and Remedies, Country Cooking, Customs, and Cures; Coming Home to my Country Heart, Timeless Reflections about Work, Family, Health, and Spirit; The Harvest, Timeless Lessons for an Abundant Life. See www.atimelessplace.com. She can be reached at 919-499-8880 or LettsSetaSpell@aol.com.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Union of Journalists re-elected Satik Seyranyan as its president during its 13th congress.

I am glad to see so many active journalists having joined the Union of Journalists, also young people, who are here today together with our senior generation having discussions, Seyranyan said in her speech, thanking the members of the congress.

Seyranyan, who serves as President of the Union of Journalists since 2017, expressed hope that in the next years the union will be able to solve a number of issues in the media sector.
A concrete troll, a burned city under our feet and a 462-foot-tall building that used to dominate the skyline. The list of historical landmarks in Seattle runs the gamut of feats of engineering to objects of bizarre curiosity.

Let's take the Ballard Locks, for example. The over 100-year-old system of locks that allows 50,000 vessels a year to pass from Puget Sound all the way to Lake Washington was a major effort that required two canals to be dug by U.S. Army engineers and lowered the water level of Lake Washington by 9 feet.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Zinvori Tun (Soldiers Home) Rehabilitation Center is planning to open a Veterans Hospital soon, the Director of the Soldiers Home Rehabilitation Center Haykuhi Minasyan said at a press conference.

She said the new hospital will be a multi-profile medical facility offering combined services to members of the armed forces who require treatment. [The hospital] will be fully adjusted for persons with disabilities, those who have lost eyesight or who require psychiatric treatment, Minasyan said.

The project will cost 25,000,000 dollars.

A fundraiser organized in the United States raised nearly 500,000 dollars for the project, and another pan-Armenian fundraiser is expected soon.

The package of the program relating to wounded servicemen and veterans with disabilities will be completed when they will have all types of services. The mandatory military service will be followed by mandatory assistance, because no soldier should worry about how to solve treatment issues when in need, Minasyan said.
The US authorities are going to send some extra troops to Eastern Europe in the near future, US President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday, Tass informs.

January 29, 2022, 11:01 US will send extra troops to Eastern Europe soon, says Biden

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: "Ill be moving US troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term  not a lot," Biden said as quoted by the White House press corps.

When asked if there is new information on the situation in Ukraine, Biden replied: "No, not in the last couple hours."

On Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US is ready to send 8,500 troops to Europe, but a final decision hasnt been made yet. According to him, these would be combat, reconnaissance, aviation, medical and transport units. On Tuesday, Kirby clarified on CNN that the United States has no plans to deploy troops in Europe outside of NATO allies.

Recently, claims of Russias potential invasion of Ukraine have been echoed quite often in Ukraine and throughout Western countries. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov lambasted such reports as an "empty and groundless escalation of tensions", underscoring that Russia does not pose any threat to anyone. Peskov noted that provocations may happen in order to justify such claims and warned that such attempts will bear the most serious consequences.
Californias net neutrality law, requiring internet companies to treat all customers equally rather than slowing down some and speeding up others, was upheld Friday by a federal appeals court, which said states could fill the gap after the Trump administration ended nationwide neutrality rules.

The Federal Communications Commission established net neutrality in 2015 under President Barack Obamas administration, prohibiting companies like AT&T and Verizon from giving favored treatment to high-paying clients while slowing or blocking traffic from others. In 2018, FCC members appointed by President Donald Trump not only repealed that rule but also declared that states had no authority to pass their own neutrality laws.

But a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled in 2019 that the FCC, after withdrawing its own regulations, lacked the power to prevent states from entering the field. Meanwhile, California in 2018 had already passed its own law, SB822 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, requiring net neutrality for all internet customers in the state.

Internet carriers argued in their lawsuit that the California law conflicted with federal law giving the FCC exclusive authority to regulate interstate communication, including internet traffic. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco agreed Friday with the D.C. courts assessment that the FCC could not control a field it no longer regulated.

[A]n absence of federal regulation may preempt state law only if the federal agency has the statutory authority to regulate in the first place, Judge Mary Schroeder wrote in the 3-0 ruling, upholding a federal judges earlier decision that allowed California to enforce its law. By repealing its own internet access regulations, she said, the FCC also eliminated its own authority to impose net neutrality rules or to interfere with state regulations.

The court also rejected the companies argument that the state was illegally interfering with interstate communications. SB822 applies only to California customers, Schroeder said, and federal communications law leaves room for state regulation that may touch on interstate services.

Schroeder, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, was joined by Judges Danielle Forrest, a Trump appointee, and J. Clifford Wallace, a 1972 appointee of President Richard Nixon.

Wiener called the ruling a huge win for a free and open internet. Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office defended the law in court, said it was a timely decision as the coronavirus forces millions to remain indoors and spend more of their lives online.

Net neutrality has never been more essential for public health and safety, education and our economy, Bonta said. Eighteen other states and the District of Columbia filed arguments supporting Californias position.

The telecom trade association CTIA and companies that challenged the law said they were disappointed by the ruling. They could ask the full appeals court for a new hearing or appeal to the Supreme Court.

A piecemeal approach to the issue is untenable and Congress should codify national rules for an open internet, Jilane Rodgers Petrie, a CTIA spokesperson, said in a statement on behalf of the plaintiffs.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A supporter of the state law, the nonprofit group Free Press, agreed that nationwide regulation would be preferable. But first, the group said, the Senate must act quickly to confirm President Bidens FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, to break a deadlock on the commission. She faces a committee hearing next Wednesday.

We still need the Biden FCC to reclaim its authority not just for nationwide open-internet rules, but for policies promoting affordable, resilient, just and reasonable internet connections for everyone, Free Press said.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, first appointed by Obama and later reappointed by both Trump and Biden, said the ruling was good news. I support Net Neutrality, she said on Twitter, and we need once again to make it the law of the land.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Californias troubled Employment Development Department is getting its third leader in 13 months.

Nancy Farias, 49, currently the agencys chief deputy director of external affairs, legislation and policy, was promoted Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom to become department director. She will be sworn in Tuesday.

Rita Saenz, 72, a government veteran who came out of retirement to become director in late 2020, is stepping down and will resume a role as a commissioner at the California Commission on Aging. Newsom had appointed Saenz to replace Sharon Hilliard, the previous EDD director, who abruptly retired last year after 37 years at EDD and one year as its head.

Farias has been in her role at EDD since 2020. She previously served as the director of government relations at SEIU Local 1000 from 2017 to 2020, and has held positions with state Sen. Henry Stern, D-Malibu (Los Angeles County), and former Assembly Member Mike Gatto, D-Burbank. Farias was the deputy secretary of legislation at the Government Operations Agency from 2013 to 2016 and deputy director of legislative affairs at the California Department of Human Resources from 2012 to 2013, officials said.

Nancy Farias has played an invaluable role in the Departments ongoing efforts to strengthen the states unemployment system and implement improvements to better support hardworking Californians when they need it most, Newsom said in a statement.

Farias has worked tirelessly during these last 16 months alongside everyone else, leading, strategizing, and initiating new strategies, Saenz said in an internal memo to EDD staff Friday. She has had a major hand in the transformations that are now taking place at EDD, and will continue to see them through.

The past two years have been tumultuous for the agency that issues unemployment benefits.

It was swamped by a huge surge of unemployment claims triggered by the pandemic, even though lawmakers had allocated many millions several years ago to try to upgrade its antiquated systems. EDD acknowledged paying at least $20 billion in incidents of fraud, even while legitimately unemployed people were desperate to get benefits and unable to contact it.

A special commission said the agency urgently needed reform, Californias state auditor issued scathing reports about EDDs blunders, and state lawmakers held hearings to focus on its problems.

Saenz had vowed to fix EDDs dysfunction. She said in February 2021 that she was prioritizing getting unemployment benefits to eligible people in need and stopping fraud before it enters the system.

State lawmakers had varying reactions about whether Saenz had been effective.

Director Saenz stepped up to take this position during what was a very difficult time for the department, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. While the department has much work left to be done  EDD continues to fail many unemployed Californians, despite Ritas hard work  I thank Director Saenz for her leadership during this difficult time.

State Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, had a more mixed response.

I appreciate that Director Saenz was very responsive and candid regarding my queries about EDDs progress, but the departments problems have not been corrected, he said. Im very disappointed that more progress was not made at EDD. For example, on technology improvements, we were promised in the fall that there would be automated callbacks and scheduled callbacks for people  which have not happened. We need to be moving a lot faster to fix EDD.

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.

EDDs difficulties have persisted in recent days.

Most recently, the agency suspended 345,000 disability insurance accounts over fear of fraud. They were linked to 28,000 medical providers who appeared bogus, and the agency said 98% of those medical providers have not verified their identities. But as has happened with previous EDD mass account freezes, some genuine claimants were caught up in the action, leaving them without needed benefits.

EDD is also currently trying to fulfill a federal requirement to verify 1.4 million self-employed peoples work credentials, but it appears to lack a standardized process to review documents.

Assembly Member Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, said the latest issues may have triggered Saenzs departure.

The fact the Governor replaced her is not surprising, Patterson said in a statement. The EDD has tried so hard to downplay their most recent failure at preventing fraud within their disability programs.  Californians will judge this department by this standard: Can they pay legitimate claims to those in need and stop the fraudsters from getting a payday? So far they have failed at both.

Carolyn Said and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid, @ByLHernandez
It is surprising, sometimes, how things come around full circle. Back in the Roaring Twenties of the past century, the ferryboat Klamath was the last word in Bay Area transportation  a vessel especially designed to carry cars, trucks and passengers across the bay. Automobile ferries like the Klamath were quickly done in by technology: big highway bridges that made them obsolete.

But now nearly 100 years after it was launched, the ferry is coming back to the San Francisco waterfront as a floating high-tech urban workplace and conference center. Starting in July, the Klamath will be docked at Pier 9 at the foot of Broadway as the headquarters of the Bay Area Council, a big-league business group that thinks of itself as the regions Chamber of Commerce. The boat will not only be a window into the regions business world, but will also have considerable space open to the public.

The Klamath began life two days after Christmas in 1924 when it was launched at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Yard near what is now the Mission Bay neighborhood. It was the third of three new identical automobile ferries built that year for the Southern Pacific railroad, then one of the biggest ferry operators in the world. Each of the three new boats was 234 feet long, double-ended and could carry 78 automobiles and 1,000 passengers, just the thing for the booming automobile ferry business.

The Klamaths first life was as an auto ferry running between San Francisco and Oakland and then between San Francisco and Marin. But by 1938, the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate had killed the San Francisco business.

So the Klamath and its two sisters began a second life on the Richmond-San Rafael route.

They ran for 18 years on the north bay  but they could not keep up with growth: Even operating at full capacity with a fourth vessel, the boats could handle only 312 cars an hour. Traffic backed up for miles. Ironically, the Bay Area Council was one of the strongest advocates for a bridge that replaced the ferries on the first day of September in 1956. By 2011, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge was carrying 79,200 cars every weekday.

The other two boats were scrapped, and Klamath, now obsolete and forlorn, was laid up on the Oakland Estuary until designer Walter Landor discovered the ferry, had it refurbished, rebuilt as an office and towed to Pier 5 in San Francisco, where it began its third life.

The Klamath was perfect for his purposes. It had space, and the idea of a floating office appealed to his creative spirit. Products are made in the factory, but brands are made in the mind, he said. Some of his design work included logos for Coca-Cola, Bank of America, General Electric, Levis, Shell Oil and even San Franciscos Municipal Railway.

But Landor retired, and the Klamath was sold again. The boat was towed up the San Joaquin River to Stockton and, in 1992, tucked away in a small cove, where it became the headquarters and corporate office of Duraflame, which make fire logs and outdoor products. But in 2020, Duraflame moved its offices to Nevada, and put the Klamath up for sale. There were no takers.

Just about then, the Bay Area Council got a shock. It had been paying about $500,000 a year for rent for its offices on Sacramento Street in San Franciscos Financial District. The landlord told it the rent was about to double.

John Grubb, the councils operations manager, was directed to find a new headquarters. Not an easy task: An equivalent San Francisco building would cost $30 million, Grubb said. And the organization wanted to stay in the city.

So the council found the Klamath. The council already had an affinity for modern ferries now operating on the bay, but it hadnt considered repurposed boats. Im a big advocate of ferryboats, but I never thought Id be working on one, said Jim Wunderman, CEO of the council. Wunderman is also chairman of the board of the Water Emergency Transportation Agency, which operates most of the regions modern ferries.

The Bay Area Council bought the Klamath for just under $2 million, had it inspected and towed from Stockton to the Lind Marine shipyard on Mare Island. The old boat made the long trip in about 10 hours, faster than expected. It was as if she wanted to come here, Grubb said.

He conducted a tour of the boat, high and dry in the Mare Island dry dock. The engine is still in the hull and there are bits and pieces of the boats former life around, including two wheelhouses and a big black smokestack. The whole effect is like a big office houseboat.

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.

But it is the future that counts. The main deck will be a conference center, Grubb said. In its ferry days, this deck is where the cars and trucks rode, the way they do on the modern ferries in the Seattle area.

The second deck, once a passenger area and restaurant, will be work spaces and conference rooms.

Right now it looks like a maze, like being inside a building under construction, but Grubb and architectural associate Jenna Szczech see the space as it will be. Can you imagine working here and out the window is a view of the bay and the Bay Bridge? The passing ships and ferries? Grubb said. From the roof-deck, atop the main cabin and from the forward end of the ferry, the view includes the skyline and towers of San Francisco.

Turning an old vessel that has past lives into a 21st century headquarters facility is not inexpensive. The cost, Grubb said, is about $11 million, including refurbishing the 97-year-old steel hull, buying and installing four steel pilings to hold the Klamath in place alongside the pier and converting a relic of the Roaring Twenties into a high-tech headquarters. The Klamath will be the second ferry used as an office on the waterfront. The old ferry Santa Rosa is an office for Hornblower Cruises and is docked at Pier 3.

Just now though, its hard to imagine a new work space in a city where office buildings have been emptied by the pandemic. But Grubb and the council are sure that the city will come back. San Francisco will continue to be a hub of the Bay Area, Grubb said.

And to prove it they are turning the Klamath, a piece of the past, into a bet on the future.

Carl Noltes column runs Sundays. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com
Filipa Ioannou/The Chronicle

San Francisco police said they arrested three teenagers suspected in the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old in the Richmond District on New Years Eve.

The victim, whom police identified as 24-year-old Takota Smith of Oregon, was robbed of his vehicle and his three-month-old puppy, named Azula after he was shot shortly after 9 p.m. on the 200 block of Cornwall Street. Smith was transferred to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.
The long lines outside testing sites have shortened. Appointments have opened up. Results are coming back faster. The winter coronavirus testing crisis is over.

The omicron surge peaked in early January just at the moment when people needed coronavirus tests the most: back from the December holiday season, surrounded by friends who had caught the bug, returning to school and work  and often needing proof of a negative test result.

Across California, laboratories processed more than 4.1 million tests in the first 10 days of January, double the number recorded in early December, according to the state Department of Public Health. People seeking tests in San Francisco quadrupled, officials said.

Test-takers faced long lines at sites across the Bay Area, then were forced to wait at home for days for delayed results. Some of the blame for the backup was that staff running the test centers and laboratories were themselves sick with COVID and couldnt work. Even over-the-counter rapid home tests disappeared from pharmacy shelves.

But now, just as precipitously as the wintertime surge arrived and waned, long wait times for appointments and results have begun to ease. Statewide, demand for tests declined nearly 13% from its earlier peak to 3.8 million tests for the week ending Jan. 17.

In San Francisco, the seven-day rolling average number of daily tests peaked at 14,721 specimens on Jan. 8 and had dropped to 10,044 as of Jan. 19, according to city data.

Its still high but has returned to something more manageable, said Jenny Im, testing branch director at the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California officials said they are still processing large volumes of tests, currently about 140,000 tests each week  more than three times greater than before the wintertime omicron surge.

A combination of factors has helped improve testing capacity. Testing center employees infected with the coronavirus during the surge have finished their isolation and returned to work, health officials said. Testing sites streamlined processes and laid on more workers.

A lot of places added staff, collection sites and extended hours  that took some pressure off, said Kelly Wroblewski, director of infectious diseases with the Association of Public Health Laboratories. We are hearing labs are able to get back to normal staffing. There are less people out, and theres a drop in the demand for testing.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

In Marin County, some testing sites are allowing people to come without appointments again, a practice they had to drop in late December when demand became too high, according to county spokesperson Laine Hendricks.

Turnaround times for results were directly tied to the record numbers of testing site employees getting sick, Hendricks said. All but one site  where numerous staff were still out  have returned to the target time of delivering results within 48 hours, she said.

The labs have caught up and the demand has waned, Hendricks said.

Burlingame-based Color, which provides COVID-19 testing using a technology called LAMP for thousands of schools and businesses in California and elsewhere, said it is back to delivering 95% of test results within 24 hours.

Results were significantly delayed in early January due to unprecedented testing volumes and staff shortages from omicron outbreaks, the company said. Color added staff at its Burlingame lab and streamlined production to increase output, according to a company spokesperson, MaryEllen Green.

We know how crucial timely results are to keeping populations safe and healthy, and we aggressively manage the different elements that influence turnaround times, Green 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.

Another major factor that has eased pressure on official test labs is the rising use and greater acceptance of over-the-counter home antigen tests. As lines grew and lab results bottlenecked, more people took matters into their own hands  until the supply of test kits dried up.

Walgreens instituted a four-test purchase limit for at-home COVID tests at its stores while working to get more supplies, company spokesperson Zoe Krey said. Some stories are still experiencing shortages and the company is working to meet unprecedented demand, she said.

But the situation is improving. On Jan. 14, the Biden administration announced it would send 500 million at-home tests to households across the country. People could requests kits through the U.S. Post Office, and the packages were expected to arrive between seven and 12 days from the date requested. Staff for Rep. Mike Thompson, a Napa Democrat, said the first test kits should start arriving any day.

At some CVS and Walgreens stores in San Francisco, signage on the doors and by the checkout counter saying no test kits were available has been replaced by signs describing how to get reimbursed for kits by your insurance company. Tests were available upon request, kept behind the counter or at the pharmacy, though the inventory was mostly out of sight.

San Francisco helped cut demand for laboratory tests by distributing around 150,000 rapid tests to skilled nursing facilities and emergency responders, said branch manager Im.

The peak of the testing frenzy, was such a hectic time, and it was amazing to see how everyone pulled together, she said. Now, were at full operations, people are able to get appointments, people are able to drop in.

An earlier version of this article misstated the kind of testing used by Color. It is LAMP technology testing.

Julie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @juliejohnson
UPDATE: Should people age 50+ get their second booster shot now, or wait? Six Bay Area experts told us when they are planning their second booster shots.

San Francisco residents who got the Johnson & Johnson Janssen coronavirus vaccine and have been boosted with a second shot can now get a third, following an advisory issued this month by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Regardless of what brand of vaccine people had for their second dose, the city is advising a Pfizer/BioNTech shot for the third.

The move jumps ahead of federal recommendations for recipients of the single-shot J&J vaccine  who have been urged to get a second shot for months  to now get a third. It is not a formal recommendation for J&J recipients, but rather a local accommodation that encourages health care providers to consider allowing patients who request a third shot to get one.

This is similar to what San Francisco did last August, when it began allowing J&J recipients to get a second shot before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had officially recommended it. In that instance, the CDC did eventually counsel second shots for J&J recipients and permitted the mixing of brands, more than two months after San Francisco began allowing the additional shot.

San Franciscos move now to okay a third shot could foreshadow a federal recommendation.

The city is providing the shots at city-run clinics and health centers, and health officials are encouraging private providers also to accommodate requests for third shots. Recipients have to be San Francisco residents, or have gotten their initial J&J shot in San Francisco, in order to get a third shot. They should consult with a provider before scheduling an appointment for a third dose, and will need to self-attest that they have done so.

The third shot should be given at least five months after the second. And it will be a Pfizer shot because the mRNA vaccine co-developed with German biotech firm BioNTech is the only COVID inoculation that has received full FDA approval. That gives providers more flexibility for off-label use ahead of specific federal guidelines.

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.

If a patient and provider requests that, we think that should be considered, and were honoring those requests based on the data that suggest an additional dose does offer some additional protection against omicron, said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip.

The J&J vaccine was originally envisioned as a one-dose solution, but more recent evidence indicates it probably should have involved two doses all along. Those who got J&J and a second shot later are more akin to being fully vaccinated than boosted the way people who got three shots of an mRNA vaccine are boosted. A number of recent studies show that a third dose of an mRNA vaccine offers far better protection against omicron than two doses alone.

Although this research has so far focused on persons who received a primary series with non-J&J vaccines, we believe that similar studies in persons whose primary series was a single J&J vaccine dose would yield similar results showing that three doses are needed for optimal protection, the San Francisco advisory says.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
Government-provided N95 masks began arriving at drugstores in some parts of the country this week  but the Bay Area may have to wait a bit longer.

Pharmacies across the country are receiving shipments of masks as the Biden administration pushes to distribute 400 million free, highly protective N95s to Americans through drugstores and community health centers.

But at several Walgreens stores in San Francisco on Friday, customers were greeted with signs posted on the doors or at the checkout counters saying Government provided masks are not available at this location, adding that masks were available for purchase instead.

Walgreens began distributing masks in some stores Friday, a spokesperson for the company said, with more rolling out over the coming weeks. Participating stores will have signs indicating whether masks are available, the spokesperson added.

CVS stories in the Bay Area have also not yet received masks to distribute. While inventory arrived at some locations Thursday, a company spokesperson said, more stores will get masks on a rolling basis as additional supply becomes available.

CVS stores in San Francisco also had signage indicating that government masks were not yet available.

The companies could not provide information about when exactly the masks would arrive in the Bay Area, saying only that residents should continue to check.

Other major retailers participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, which is distributing the masks, include Rite-Aid, Safeway and Walmart.

The Biden Administration also has plans to distribute masks through community health centers. The only Bay Area center on the initial list is La Clinica de la Raza in Oakland, though the federal government says it plans to expand the list. However, on Friday, La Clinica said they did not have any information about the masks yet.

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.

When masks do become available, people can get a maximum of three masks per person while supplies last, the companies noted.

The masks come from the governments Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the highly protective masks on hand, the Associated Press reported.

The move to make the masks freely available to Americans comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified its mask guidance, saying that N95 masks offer the most protection, while the cloth masks many people wear offer less. The CDC continues to recommend that people wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently.

Bay Area health officers also encourage people to opt for the highly protective N95s as the highly infectious omicron variant sweeps through.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
Regarding Boudin rebuts claim of negligence (Bay Area & Business, Jan. 28): As a person deeply concerned about hate crimes against Asian Americans, I gasped when I read the very prominent article about Anh Les lawsuit against the San Francisco District Attorneys Office. Can these charges be true, I asked myself.

No, comes the answer in Fridays Chronicle in a less prominent but fact-filled article. The District Attorneys Office reached out to Le in a number of ways at the time he said he was not consulted, and he did not respond. It appears that he is being used for politically motivated purposes to aid the recall of Chesa Boudin.

Why, when providing many more details rebutting the lawsuits claim of negligence, does The Chronicle try to couch the story with the headline Boudin rebuts claim of negligence? He doesnt just say the charges arent true. He proves it. The article says that the starkly different version of events provided by the District Attorneys Office has been corroborated in documents obtained by The Chronicle. Shouldnt the truth be given more prominence than the distorted version that may aid in the recall of Boudin for doing what he was elected to do?

Tina Martin, San Francisco

Dont put heads in sand

Regarding What we can learn from Germany (Open Forum, Jan. 27): I was glad to read the article by Andrew Strauss about handling our brutal history of racism. He includes this thought when referring to attacks on teaching about racism in schools: This see-no-evil-hear-no evil approach to Americas past is not just wrong; it is dangerous.

I feel compelled as a Jewish American peace and justice activist to encourage my Jewish community to apply this same approach to learning about the treatment of Palestinians by Israel. It is dangerous for both Palestinians and Jews when the mainstream Jewish community suppresses honest discussion of Israels history of displacement and racism toward the Palestinian people.

One example is efforts by organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Community Relations Council to remove materials about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the states high school ethnic studies curriculum. Instead of being fearful that Jewish children will hear Palestinian voices and narratives and feel unsafe, let us follow Strauss advice on the importance of honest discussion and reckoning to ensure that Never Again is not just an empty promise.

Ellen Brotsky, Berkeley

Rest of world needs shots

While in the U.S we are talking about second booster shots, many developing countries dont even have access to first COVID vaccine doses. One of the best actions to take to curb the pandemic is to vaccinate more people around the world.

Right now, about 11% of Africans are fully vaccinated. California, an international hub, will remain susceptible to more transmission and spikes until more overseas visitors are vaccinated.

We must take action to protect the lives of people across the world. Global inequalities cause preventable illness and death in low-income nations. Thats why I urge California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla to support authorizing the International Monetary Fund to provide developing nations with additional pandemic relief through Special Drawing Rights in order to buy the vaccines, medicine and other supplies they desperately need. Additional relief would save lives, theirs and ours, and help lower-income countries get on a path to economic recovery.

For the global community to fully recover from the pandemic, we need vaccines to be available to residents of each and every country.

Brian Rawson, Berkeley

Russias views are legit

Regarding Kremlin sees little optimism for end to Ukraine crisis (World, Jan. 28): The U.S. refuses to understand why Russia feels threatened by the massive amounts of weapons NATO has stockpiled near its borders. Well, one way Mr. Putin could effectively drive home his concern is for Russia to place advanced weapon systems, including nuclear-capable missiles and aircraft, in Cuba or Venezuela. Maybe then America could appreciate Russias fears.
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WASHINGTON  Standing in front of an active construction site, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other local leaders on Friday celebrated the hundreds of millions of dollars that will flow to San Francisco International Airport for upgrades in the next few years.

We are here because Democrats deliver, said Pelosi, D-San Francisco. We delivered.

The news conference by Pelosi, San Mateo Rep. Jackie Speier and Palo Alto Rep. Anna Eshoo is one of many such events Democrats have been holding across the country to highlight the impact of the trillion-dollar infrastructure bill negotiated into law by President Biden. The lawmakers touted $250 million over years that SFO will receive automatically from the bill, and billions more that the airport could compete for from further grant programs.

This is the gateway to the two magic worlds in our region, San Francisco ... and Silicon Valley, Eshoo said. This needs to be a world-class airport, and thats what were here to celebrate. You cannot even begin to dream of the completion of these projects unless you have the money. And we have delivered that and we will continue to.

The money comes on top of $484 million that SFO got from Democrats COVID relief package last year, which was paired with tens of billions of dollars nationwide for airport workers.

It will be used to help finish the upgrades and expansion of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, as well as other needed maintenance. Speier also emphasized the importance of noise mitigation, a frequent nuisance for her Peninsula constituents.

The money that I hope will also be spent here is for the desperate conditions that my constituents have to sleep in, and that is the noise mitigation that I hope will again be part of our efforts as we build this great facility, Speier said.

SFO has long been trying to keep up both with needed upgrades and the maintenance of existing facilities, including recent runway closures. The pandemic made those projects more difficult and caused air travel to plummet, jeopardizing and delaying plans.

At the news conference, local officials also emphasized the importance of jump-starting those projects in terms of jobs, featuring local workers and union leaders alongside the members of Congress.

From start to finish, this airport is an economic engine, not just for business but for working-class people and the families and the communities they support, said Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building Trades Council. Theyre earning a living right now because when this engine stalled, Democrats  Nancy Pelosi, refueled that engine, kept people from losing their homes, kept them from losing their health care, kept this a global state-of-the-art airport.

The next phase of the Harvey Milk Terminal project, which was delayed by COVID but has restarted, will be a north lobby that will connect to Terminal 2. That is projected to be completed by late 2024.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
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SACRAMENTO  President Biden and Congress may have passed the law pouring more than $1 trillion into the nations infrastructure, but its what state governments like California do next that really matters.

State coffers are poised to get nearly $14 billion over the next five years through automatic funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act alone, according to Gov. Gavin Newsoms budget, not including potentially billions more through grant programs still being crafted. But what the Newsom administration does next with the money remains to be determined, and could make or break the efficacy of the bill.

Right now, what folks really need to pay attention to is that the baton has passed from the federal government to state and local governments, and its on us now to really figure out how to use this money well, said Shalini Vajjhala, executive director of the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center, a development nonprofit. Which is a multiyear exercise. Its not all going to move fast, and its not all going to move evenly.

The $14 billion state share of funds is a significant chunk of the roughly $45.5 billion guaranteed that will flow into California over five years from the infrastructure bill. The rest of the money will go directly to local governments and agencies.

Combined, the funding gives the Golden State a once-in-a-generation opportunity to repair crumbling roads and bridges, install thousands of electric-vehicle charging stations, clear vegetation from wildfire-prone forests, expand congested airports, build new water distribution projects and improve access to high-speed internet, all of which will also create jobs.

I say its historic because nothing as significant as this has been seen since the 1950s, when the Eisenhower administration did the federal highway system, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, told constituents during a virtual town hall this week.

But how the money gets out the door and into the coffers of state agencies, cities, counties and utilities that will execute those projects is largely unclear.

Much is unknown about how the state will distribute its share of the funds, much of which is designed to pass through to local projects. The infrastructure bill includes a variety of pots of money; while some, like water projects, are relatively scripted in how they go out, others, like money to repair neglected bridges, come with wide latitude at the state level.

Many of the details on how and when these funds will be provided are still forthcoming from Washington, H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the Department of Finance, said in an email.

Palmer could not say whether Newsom would appoint his own infrastructure coordinator for the state, as President Bidens infrastructure coordinator, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, encouraged governors to do.

Newsoms leadership will be key in setting the tone for state agencies in setting priorities to distribute the money, Vajjhala said, though she added that he shouldnt micromanage the process.

The states bureaucracy will have a major hand in shaping the way the money is spent, and which projects will get state backing for future competitive grant programs, creating an opening for key interests to jockey to ensure they get a slice of the pie.

It is effectively standing at the same level as what the New Deals spending on infrastructure was. ... There will be intense jockeying here because the opportunities are immense and historic, said Adie Tomer, an infrastructure policy expert at the center-left think tank Brookings Institution.

At the moment, however, the state is still in the process of determining who will even make the decisions, and which ones need to be made. The federal government has notified states of the amounts they will get automatically from the bills formula funds, but have not finished fleshing out the guidance over how all of the different pots of money can be spent. Some money is also held up until Congress passes a full government funding bill.

The biggest chunk of new federal funding coming through the state, $9.87 billion, is designated for transportation, such as highway projects, replacing and repairing bridges and building electric vehicle charging stations.

Traditionally, the state keeps 60% of federal highway funds and shares the other 40% with local governments. But city and regional officials are pushing for a larger piece of the pie this time around. The California State Transportation Agency has created an implementation working group made up of state, local and regional planners to discuss details like how to split the money and what types of projects to prioritize as the state competes for additional federal grant funds.

Included in the transportation funding pot is $4.2 billion to fix the states decaying bridges. California has 1,536 bridges in poor condition, according to the Federal Highway Administration, meaning they are structurally deficient. Bridges in poor condition arent inherently unsafe but need to be monitored and repaired to avoid further deterioration. Federal guidance encourages states to use a sizable piece of that money for locally managed bridges, as they can use 100% federal funds for such projects.

Chris Lee, a lobbyist for the California State Association of Counties, said many of the states bridges most in need of repair are owned by local governments. He said the infrastructure funds are a vital lifeline because the price tag to rebuild a bridge can be daunting for many localities.

Weve been kind of on a shoestring budget, Lee said. We built a ton of stuff in the 50s and 60s that needs to be rehabilitated or replaced.

Outside of transportation, the state has shared few details about other types of funding. Newsoms budget outlines four other major categories: $3.72 billion to improve local water systems; $136 million for weatherization and energy-efficiency programs; $100 million to expand access to broadband internet and $36 million for cybersecurity grants.

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger (Fresno County), attended a ceremony at the White House when Biden signed the infrastructure bill in November. She said the moment felt surreal after years of advocating for the state to do more to prepare for drought. Hurtado said California could use some of the money to repair its aging distribution network that carries drinking water to 31 million people and has faced growing cyberattacks.

The repairs needed to start a decade or two ago, and were still struggling at the state level to afford the repairs, she said. Its a matter of water security or food security.

In the meantime, various state interests will probably keep close tabs on the process, hoping to ensure their projects remain in contention. A memo compiled by the office of Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, states that every handoff of funding authority from state to regional to local agencies brings another chance for rules or guidance to shape the project.

That rule-writing is likely to be the greatest focus of anyone trying to exert influence over the process, Vajjhala said. She expressed hope that bureaucrats would create funding opportunities that foster innovation and creative approaches rather than narrowly defined projects.

Its all about, how do you ... be strategic and effective, but also recognize this is the most money thats been spent on a lot of things since Roosevelt, Vajjhala said. We cannot squander this chance. The lack of imagination would be the worst thing.

DeSaulnier, who has served Concord at the city, county, state and congressional levels, said he believes California will do a good job of allocating money based on analytical analysis and greatest need. Thats the best way, he said, to keep undue influence out of the process. A member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, DeSaulnier said he intends to play an active role in ensuring the funds are spent wisely at home.

Lawmakers and Biden administration officials have been crisscrossing the state highlighting various projects that could be funded, including a news conference held this month by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Livermore, in San Leandro with the backdrop of the Washington Avenue Bridge, rated in poor condition by the state and in the mix to receive some of the federal money, and a news conference of local elected officials including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday at the San Francisco airport.

In a sense, California is just getting a taste of the infrastructure windfall thats likely to come. On top of the automatic money in the bill, officials will compete with other states and metropolitan regions for tens of billions of dollars in future federal grant funds.

Micah Weinberg, president of California Forward, an economic development advocacy group, said much of the initial funding the state receives will go toward fix-it projects to preserve existing infrastructure. The next round of grants, he said, will give the Bay Area and the state a chance to dream big with projects like a BART extension to Silicon Valley, completing Munis expansion in downtown San Francisco and improving the ferry system.

But how the state plays its hand in distributing both the automatic money and which grant applications it throws its weight behind will be key.

Passing the bill, as hard as that was, is not as hard as getting this funding deployed well, DeSaulnier said. If you dont invest it wisely and people dont see that investment wisely spent in their daily commute, then it erodes trust in government. And thats the last thing we need right now.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent, and Dustin Gardiner is a Chronicle staff writer. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com, dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan, @dustingardiner
ELECTION RESULTS: Track live election results on the San Francisco school board recall.

San Francisco voters face an unprecedented recall election in the coming weeks, one that emerged during the tumultuous first year of the pandemic, as many parents grew deeply frustrated with a school board they said had misplaced priorities.

With recall ballots in the hands of voters, the fate of three board members will be decided on Feb. 15: President Gabriela Lopez, Alison Collins and Faauuga Moliga.

The effort to remove the three from office started nearly a year ago, as families and community members battled against the slow reopening of schools and the board found itself mired in controversies and lawsuits.

Lopez, Collins and Moliga were the only commissioners who had served long enough at the time to be eligible for recall. Each board member is up for recall individually.

The Chronicle offered the three board members an opportunity to respond to questions about their record. Their responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Gabriela Lopez, 31, adjunct instructor/teacher supervisor, University of San Francisco

Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle 2020

Lopez was elected to the school board in November 2018, the youngest person to hold the office. She was selected by her colleagues to serve as board president in January 2021 and remains in that position. As president, she has been criticized for placing the school renaming and Lowell admission process on board agendas during the pandemic, both of which resulted in successful lawsuits relating to violations of the states public meeting law, the Brown Act.

Why do you think you should not be recalled?

My role on the board has consisted of connecting with communities who are often not heard in decision-making spaces. I have spent a majority of my time working directly at school sites and community organizations, supporting their engagement with what we do within the school district. To recall individuals months before a general election, wasting millions, is an attempt to remove this access from the communities we were elected to represent.

What are three things you have accomplished on the board that youd like voters to remember?

In my first year on the board, my colleagues and I led the Arts Equity Initiative, which has already shown drastic shifts in students ability to access the arts.

I worked closely with community leaders and partners to pass and implement the Latinx resolution, which recently showed an increase of Latinx students access to college and the implementation of ethnic studies English language development courses at more high schools.

I also have set up several protocols that truly center our students, and I work very closely with our student representatives to ensure we focus on why we are all here, our students.

As president of the board this past year, you set the agenda and tone for the board. The board was criticized for focusing on other issues while families were struggling with distance learning. How do you respond to critics who question your priorities?

I have worked to ensure our agenda matches the priorities we set. The Lowell admissions policy and the renaming resolution are both items that supported our priority of racial equity, and ones that have been left unaddressed in our district for years.

These discussions happened simultaneously with the topic of returning to in-person learning and distance learning. It did not negate the actual day-to-day work the district was doing to support families with our other priority of returning to in-person learning.

The proponents of the recall have largely focused on slow reopening of San Francisco Unified schools, despite public health authorization to do so. Do you believe the district should have reopened sooner?

I believe we were able to open schools for our priority students as soon as it was safe to do so through the vaccines and when we were in a safer tier by the states standards. Within a month of my presidency we were able to reach an agreement (with labor) and move in the areas needed to ensure safe learning while in person. Our own Department of Public Health has shifted guidance in ways that often dont feel safe for our families and educators, leaving many confused, which is still happening today. This is especially fearsome for our harder hit communities.

Do you think board members Collins or Moliga should be recalled?

No, I do not. I have seen both commissioners contribute many initiatives that better support our students, and both have taken seriously their charge to ensure our students and families are not left behind. This recall is an attempt to fracture what has been built in a few short years.

Some concerns have been raised about the ability to recruit a new superintendent given all the controversy on the board. Do you think thats an issue?

I dont believe this is an issue. Our school district offers many opportunities that tend not to be seen in others and is often the leader in many initiatives that are followed by the state and the country.

Alison Collins, 52, educator/parent organizer

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle 2021

Collins was elected to the school board in November 2018 after serving as a parent advocate in the district. She has faced more controversy than her colleagues, including backlash over 2016 tweets in which she wrote that some Asian Americans used white supremacist thinking to assimilate and get ahead. She also sued the district and her colleagues for $87 million and faced building code violations and fines over construction at a property she owned. More city officials, community groups and individuals have endorsed her recall than have backed removing Lopez and Moliga.

Why do you think you should not be recalled?

People need to follow the money and see that billionaires are coming in and trying to dictate how we should do democracy. I dont think voters are going to be fooled. Its important for people to know that its important to vote because every single vote counts.

What are three things you have accomplished on the board that youd like voters to remember?

I was one of the first commissioners to actively advocate for enhanced safety measures in our schools. In the fall of 2020, I started advocating for ventilation, testing for students and for high-quality masks. Right now we are starting to implement those things. I feel if we had implemented that earlier this fall, my question is whether we might have been able to encourage more families to bring their kids to school as opposed to keeping them out in the online programs.

We approved an arts equity plan, and weve seen a lot of changes in the way we implement music programming in our district.

Our new director of the arts department immediately eliminated requiring families to rent instruments and made investments in buying instruments. We have record numbers of students participating from backgrounds that before were not able to access programming and thats specifically immigrant students and low-income students.

Finally with the Lowell resolution, the primary focus was conducting an equity audit that look at how students are experiencing racism throughout our district and that is concerned with anti-Black racism, but also anti-Semitic hate speech as well as anti-Asian racism. Im looking forward to seeing the recommendations that come out of that.

The proponents of the recall have largely focused on slow reopening of San Francisco Unified schools, despite public health authorization to do so. Do you believe the district should have reopened sooner?

We all wanted schools to open. There are community members who wanted us to open without safety measures in place. We also as a district are chronically underfunded and need support from city agencies, state and federal funding and also community support.

Do you think President Lopez or board member Moliga should be recalled?

I dont believe in recalls. I think we have a regular election system. People need to follow the money. Many of the backers of this recall dont even have kids in public schools, and this is clearly an attack on democracies.

Some concerns have been raised about the ability to recruit a new superintendent given all the controversy on the board. Do you think thats an issue?

Across the country, we are seeing a dramatic increase in attacks on public educators and school board members who are advancing COVID safety and racial justice in schools. I believe the right candidate will be someone who is ready to take on the challenge of leading our diverse and equity-centered district, and continue to promote this important and sometimes controversial work.

The board was also criticized for focusing on other issues, including Lowell admissions and the renaming, while families were struggling with distance learning. How do you respond to critics who question your priorities?

Supervisor Matt Haney and Commissioners Mark Sanchez and Stevon Cook began this work in 2016. It is a disservice to communities of color who have been advocating for these changes for years to suddenly craft a narrative that this is some ideological time waster by the board.

Lowell is a simple issue. We desegregated a school. Lowell now has the most diverse incoming class that it ever has had. None of this work has detracted from my primary focus, which is making schools safe.

Supporters of the recall also question your commitment to the students given you sued the district and five of your colleagues for $87 million after they removed you from the vice presidency and committees. The judge ruled it was without merit. Do you feel the lawsuit was worth the cost and distraction?

I filed the lawsuit because I needed to protect myself, my family, the work of the Board of Education. My position on the board and my right to free speech were affirmed, and the court allowed me to amend and continue the suit. I dropped the lawsuit and continued to focus on addressing the fiscal and health and safety crisis confronting our district.

Faauuga Moliga, 39, clinical social worker

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.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle 2018

Moliga was appointed to the school board by Mayor London Breed to fill a vacancy weeks before the November 2018 election, when he was elected to the position. He is the first Pacific Islander to serve on the board and served as vice president in 2021. The mayor has since endorsed his recall.

Why do you think you should not be recalled?

Since Ive been on the school board and during the pandemic Ive been working on opening up schools in a way that is safe for all students and staff.

In addition, Ive been addressing the budget issues we have. Ive been a huge advocate of supporting our most marginalized communities. Being the first Pacific Islander on the school board and elected in the city, Ive taken up the charge of making sure the foundational pieces (were put) in place so that we can begin to see improvement in classrooms for Pacific Islanders.

Ive been very proactive and championed a lot of the mental health initiative work that has recently come out of the school district. Ive also worked on the coordinated care resolution, which provided a citywide wellness approach.

I also worked on the Medi-Cal resolution, which is going to be drawing close to $5.5 million by 2025, in addition to creating a new social service pipeline for nurses, social workers and health workers. Ive been really pioneering that work.

Also, I helped open the first Samoan preschool dual-language immersion program in the country out in the southeast. Also, we placed an education placement center in the southeast to help with enrollment.

What are three things you have accomplished on the board that youd like voters to remember?

What the public should know is really the work around mental health that is being rolled out through the resolutions that Ive passed, as well as the work that produced the peer youth wellness program. Thats huge because Im a clinical social worker and thats important to do that work in the school district.

The other piece for me is around Pacific Islanders, knowing that this is one of the top three groups that has been disproportionately disserviced in the city of San Francisco.

Were putting things in place that are culturally competent, and that helps address the long, systemic opportunity gap issues that have been in the school district.

I would say the last one is really around the budget. Ive been really working on this. If all goes well, (my work) should be saving around $10 million per year.

The proponents of the recall have largely focused on slow reopening of San Francisco Unified schools, despite public health authorization to do so. Do you believe the district should have reopened sooner?

For me personally, it really came down to safety. Can we open schools safely? Can we make sure that all folks are feeling safe, students and adults?

Not all families and staff were receiving the same type of COVID-19 support. Testing wasnt available to all families and staff members. Housing was really difficult for a large group of people, especially minorities. All of that for me is important in terms of making a decision.

Do you think President Lopez or board member Collins should be recalled?

I believe the voters have the right to measure all three of us. I think they are responsible for explaining and letting people know why they shouldnt be recalled.

Some concerns have been raised about the ability to recruit a new superintendent given all the controversy on the board. Do you think thats an issue?

I dont think its an issue. Theres work to be done, but (the district has) done a lot of great, phenomenal work. Our job is to make sure were drawing in the talent, making sure were assessing the talent. I think well have candidates excited to come to the city.

The board was also criticized for focusing on other issues, including Lowell admissions and the renaming, while families were struggling with distance learning. How do you respond to critics who question your priorities?

Those are items the board leadership at that time decided they should bring to the board meetings. As a commissioner, we can only meet and discuss items that are brought forward. I made sure that we were focused on reopening schools, focused on the budget, working on making sure that was the direction to the fullest extent that I could within my powers as the vice president.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
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Yosemite National Park is in the midst of its most expansive infrastructure upgrade in nearly a century. With funds flowing via the Great American Outdoors Act, campgrounds, hiking trails and roads around the park are being rebuilt and repaired in accordance with Yosemites long-term plans to continue hosting millions of visitors each year.

These are once-in-a-generation kinds of projects that the park wouldnt have the opportunity to repair, said Frank Dean, president and CEO of the Yosemite Conservancy, a nonprofit that helps finance park improvements.

All this comes as park officials have decided to reinstate a summer reservation system for the third straight year to limit crowds during the park's high season.

In the next two to three years, the park will have renovated its largest campground, repaved one of its most popular thoroughfares and upgraded one of its most popular trails in Yosemite Valley. But in the meantime, construction in the valley and elsewhere may pose traffic delays, parking challenges and other inconveniences to folks traveling to the park, beginning this spring.

To help visitors plan their trips, here is a comprehensive look at the various projects under way, which together will amount to tens of millions of dollars worth of improvements.

Day-use reservations and trail permits

Yosemite will once again require most summer visitors to book tickets to the park in advance, a program it began during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 and reinstated last year to help limit the number of visitors, which can approach 20,000 during summer days. Reservations will be required to enter the park between the peak hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., starting May 20 and ending Sept. 30.

Nobody wants to have that experience at Yosemite or any national park actually: Doing all the planning, then sitting in traffic jams for two or three hours, Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon told The Chronicle. We see this (new policy) as a way to allow a lot more access while flattening out the visitation and easing the traffic problem.

Visitors arriving before 6 a.m. or after 4 p.m. won't have to make reservations but will still have to pay the $35 entrance fee. The park is open to drive-up visitors during the winter months.

With regard to wilderness permits  which are required to access popular backcountry areas like Half Domes summit and the John Muir Trail  those will be available through Recreation.gov, the portal the park has long used to manage campsite reservations. Due to increased interest, many permits will be issued through a lottery that opens rolling dates for booking six months in advance.

The park typically sets aside some wilderness permits for walk-up hikers, but it eliminated those for a period last year. Whether it will issue those again this summer is up in the air.

In a new development, the park is starting a lottery for landing sites at North Pines Campground, on the eastern end of the valley, between July 21 and Sept. 14. The goal is to more fairly mete out in-demand campsite reservations that for years have been scooped up within seconds of becoming available online.

Theres a federal effort to centralize everything on Recreation.gov for the purpose of equitability, said Yosemite spokesperson Scott Gediman. Consolidating access to wilderness permits and campsites (on the website) is where a lot of national parks are going.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground

The parks largest campground, with more than 300 campsites, will be closed this year and next for a major face-lift. It will involve: relocating one loop of campsites near the Tuolumne River to the campground interior; relocating a backpackers campground closer to the John Muir Trailhead; adding two new restrooms and improving accessibility to the older ones; installing new water pipes; and replacing old picnic tables, food lockers and fire rings.

This campground is from the 1930s and it has barely been touched since then, said Kathleen Morse, Yosemites chief of strategic planning and project management. This is a major event in the camping experience.

It is expected to reopen in 2024 or 2025.

Glacier Point Road

One of the parks most popular roadways, which terminates at a spectacular view of Half Dome across Yosemite Valley, will be closed this year for maintenance on a 12-mile stretch from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. (The road is currently closed, as it always is during winter months.)

It has deteriorated to such a degree that it needs to be overhauled, Morse said.

The road will be resurfaced, and certain narrow sections on tight curves will be widened. Also, a larger parking area and new restroom will be built at a popular pullout near Sentinel Dome.

It will reopen next year. However, 30-minute traffic delays should be expected while workers finish the project.

The Bridalveil Creek Campground (110 sites), on Glacier Point Road, will also be closed this year while the park replaces its water distribution system.

Bridalveil Fall

A three-year project to renovate the parking area and trail system around Bridalveil Fall, one of Yosemite Valleys top sites, is expected to be finished this fall.

The trails have been redesigned into more cohesive loops and repaved; the upper-level viewing platform has been expanded and wrapped with a safety railing; and smaller viewing areas lower down the trail have been built out with benches and more space for visitors to stand and watch the fall, which typically flows year round.

At the base of the trails, the parking area has been reorganized to minimize traffic issues and restrooms have been expanded and upgraded (vault toilets have been replaced by flush toilets).

Mariposa Grove

Famous for its groves of ancient sequoias, this popular nook, near Wawona, underwent a $40 million upgrade as recently as 2018. But a fierce wind event last year toppled 15 of the tall trees, destroying boardwalks and a restroom. Since then, visitors have had to park at Yosemites south entrance and hike 5 miles round trip along a paved road to see the sequoias.

The park hopes to rebuild the boardwalks and restroom by Memorial Day and once again run a shuttle along the roadway to spare tree lovers the long walk.

Yosemite Valley Visitor Center

A series of projects converging around the Yosemite Village welcome center are sure to cause some short-term inconveniences for people driving around Yosemite Valley. Two separate parking areas near the center are due to be paved this summer; a third nearby parking area will be set aside as the staging area for the work. In the short-term, itll remove nearly 300 parking spaces while the projects proceed.

Itll be a frustration for some visitors, Im sure, but well manage through it, Morse said.

At the same time, the visitor center will be updated with a space for people to plan their trips and get oriented in the valley, as well as a new restroom.

The parks beleaguered valley shuttles were shut down at the beginning of the pandemic and then relaunched at reduced capacity. They are expected to resume a limited service with fewer stops.

Crane Flat Campground

Near the parks western entrance along Highway 120, Crane Flat Campground (166 sites) will be closed this year for rehabilitation. The rustic campground, which looks across meadows that bloom with wildflowers in springtime, is built against slopes where drainage has become an issue. The sites will be outfitted with flat tent pads and new picnic tables, food lockers and fire rings.

Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @GregRThomas
Citing the rise of remote work and the need to protect employees, Riverside Congressman Mark Takano is pushing for a four-day workweek, KTVU Fox 2 reported.

The legislation, which was introduced last month, proposes to reduce the average workweek from 40 hours to 32.

"After a nearly two-year-long pandemic that forced millions of people to explore remote work options, its safe to say that we cant  and shouldnt  simply go back to normal, because normal wasnt working," he told KTVU. "People were spending more time at work, less time with loved ones, their health and well-being was worsening, and all the while, their pay has remained stagnant.

While the bill wouldnt get rid of the 40-hour workweek entirely, it would instead require employers to pay overtime after 32 hours. Other lawmakers say the bill is significant because it would prioritize the livelihood of the working class.

Since the pandemic, workers have begun to demand better labor conditions, higher wages, and basic health benefits, potentially representing a broader labor movement thats starting to take off.

From Oct. 5 to Dec. 21, 2021, 1,400 employees went on strike at Kelloggs cereal plants. And currently, Starbucks locations are organizing in Santa Cruz, Boston, Chicago, and Seattle, potentially lighting a fuse among other non-union workers. Additionally, the number of subscribers to the left-leaning Reddit forum, r/antiwork, which calls to abolish and reform the labor system, has skyrocketed to 1.7 million.

"For far too long, workers across this country have been forced to put in longer hours as their wages barely budge. It is past time that we put people and communities over corporations and their profits  finally prioritizing the health, wellbeing, and basic human dignity of the working class rather than their employers bottom line, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus told Fox 11. The 32-hour workweek would go a long way toward finally righting that balance.

The legislation still has yet to be voted on.
Disneyland is moving forward with a vaccine mandate for its employees, which is a stance several workers unions support, but talks between the two sides reportedly broke down when the unions requested park guests also be vaccinated or show a negative test. Disneyland declined, a report from Voice of OC said.

Disney first announced a vaccine mandate in July 2021 for theme park employees. However, several unions went to the negotiating table asking that the same mandate be applied to park guests. Negotiations lasted several months until yesterday.

Grace Campista, who serves on the board of Workers United Local 50, said on Facebook, We requested that Disney require guests to be vaccinated or a negative test as well and they said no.

At least two unions that represent Disneyland employees supported a vaccine mandate for workers. Ada Briceno, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, told Voice of OC, Local 11 strongly supports employer vaccine mandates and we will not comment on specific negotiations with any of our employers at this time.

All current and prospective Disneyland employees will be required to show proof of vaccination to enter the premises. Workers have until March 28 to be fully vaccinated, Voice of OC reported.

We are requiring that all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites be fully vaccinated, the Walt Disney Company said in a statement when it announced the mandate in July.

Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees, the statement added.

Disneyland is one of the biggest employers in Orange County.

As of now, one shot of the J&J vaccine or two from Pfizer or Moderna are all that is required by Disney. Boosters are not yet required.
Architectural Railing Systems Provider Strengthens Presence in the Midwest

Kyle Jorgenson

Jorgenson joins Trex Commercial after spending the past five years as a Territory Account Representative for the company's residential products division.

Jorgenson joins Trex Commercial after spending the past five years as a Territory Account Representative for the company's residential products division.

Michael Angelo Scalze

Scalze joins Trex Commercial with more than 20 years of experience working in sales, estimating and project management for companies in the industrial and commercial roofing sectors.

Scalze joins Trex Commercial with more than 20 years of experience working in sales, estimating and project management for companies in the industrial and commercial roofing sectors.

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trex Commercial, a leading national provider of architectural railing systems, has expanded its U.S. sales force with the appointment of two new regional sales representatives. Michael Angelo Scalze and Kyle Jorgenson share responsibility for the Midwest region working together to grow business, drive sales and nurture relationships with specifiers and project managers in the commercial arena. They report to Tim White, vice president of sales for Trex Commercial.



The Midwest is one of the most active regions for commercial building right now and it is critical that Trex Commercial be well represented and connected, stated White. These men have the experience, talent and passion to effectively broaden our reach and deepen our engagement with decision-makers in this important market.

Scalze joins Trex Commercial with more than 20 years of experience working in sales, estimating and project management for companies in the industrial and commercial roofing sectors. He has spent the last four years with Dakota Safety as National Strategic Sales Director of Guard Rail Safety focusing on food plants, higher education and military contracts. Prior to that, he worked in the Commercial Roofing Sales & Marketing Division for Fischer Companies, Inc., where he assisted with marketing, business development, web and graphic design, installations and more. By the end of his tenure, he had helped to grow the Wisconsin-based company by 400%. Scalze earned an architecture and engineering intensive degree from St. Paul College in Minnesota.

Story continues

Jorgenson comes to Trex Commercial from within the Trex family having spent the past five years as a Territory Account Representative for the companys residential products division. He started his career as a sales intern with Boise Cascade, a leading manufacturer of wood products and wholesale distributor of building materials, including Trex products. Jorgenson holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Michael and Kyle have very different but complementary backgrounds and already have proven to be a dynamic and effective team, said Laura Rygielski Preston, president of Trex Commercial. Their knowledge of the Midwest region combined with their relationship building skills and proven abilities to drive sales growth bode well for our continued expansion and success.

For more information about Trex Commercial, visit www.trexcommercial.com.

About Trex Commercial

Trex Commercial is a national leader in architectural railings for commercial applications. Since 1990, the company has been committed to elevating the abilities of all people to safely access and enjoy amazing life experiences, while building an industry-leading reputation for quality and customer service. Based in Minneapolis, Trex Commercial, Inc. is a subsidiary of Trex Company, Inc. To learn more, visit www.trexcommercial.com.

About Trex Company

Trex Company, Inc. [NYSE: TREX] is the worlds largest manufacturer of high performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with nearly 30 years of product experience. The #1 brand in outdoor living is proud to be named to Forbes 2021 List of Americas Best Mid-Size Companies and to Fortune magazines 2020 list of the worlds 100 Fastest-Growing Companies. Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly environmentally responsible choice. For more information, visit trex.com. You also can follow Trex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/trex-company/), Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) or Houzz (trexcompany-inc), like Trex on Facebook (@TrexCompany) or view product and demonstration videos on the brands YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).

Contact: Mike Tishka

L.C. Williams & Associates

312/565-3900

mtishka@lcwa.com



Photos accompanying this announcement are available at



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b5215bf-454c-4c19-ac8d-d7238bbaac30

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For each of the past few years, students at Texas A&M International University in Laredo have been presented with a rare travel opportunity: a two-week trip to Azerbaijan to study energy, business and policy.

The excursions have been facilitated by local U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who has touted the vast opportunity to strengthen South Texas relationship with Azerbaijan.

Its one of the many ways that Cuellar has taken particular interest in the oil-rich former Soviet republic. Cuellar has taken his own trips there and even co-chairs the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.

This month, those ties have generated new interest after Cuellars home and office in Laredo were raided by the FBI. Authorities have not said what they were looking for, and its unclear whether Cuellar is a target of any investigation. But ABC News reported the raid was part of a federal grand jury probe. Subpoenas reviewed from the probe by ABC News reportedly sought records from a number of organizations with ties to Azerbaijan, in addition to three Texas-based companies with ties to Cuellars wife, Imelda.

Cuellar released a defiant statement on Tuesday, and law enforcement has not charged him with any crimes.

There is an ongoing investigation that will show that there is no wrongdoing on my part, he said on a video his campaign released.

I pride myself on being your congressman and always doing things honestly, ethically and the right way, he added.

But the whole incident set off questions about why he has been so be eager to advocate for Azerbaijan, an ex-Soviet country with a troubled recent history on issues like corruption and human rights. Cuellar didnt return a request for comment Wednesday and hasnt addressed his relationship with Azerbaijan since last weeks raid.

Azerbaijan has had a turbulent history since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It borders the Caspian Sea and is otherwise surrounded by Iran, Armenia, Georgia and Russia.

Its predominantly Muslim, with an economy based on oil exports. But since gaining independence, it has a reputation for corruption and dynastic leadership. The CIA World Factbook describes it as a place where corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the countrys political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism, pointing to elections that are neither free nor fair, state control of the media, and the systematic abuse of human rights targeting individuals and groups who are perceived as threats to the administration.

Azerbaijan has a uniquely aggressive official lobbying arm in Washington, according to a dozen interviews with members of Congress and Capitol Hill aides. Some members simply put their name on a list called the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, but there is hardly a more devoted congressional advocate for the country than Cuellar, who has been one of the caucus co-chairs.

In 2014, he and the Azerbaijani ambassador visited the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio together and Cuellar spoke of the vast opportunity to strengthen South Texas relationship with Azerbaijan.

A year earlier, he and his wife, Imelda, traveled to Azerbaijan, at a cost of nearly $25,000. The trip was paid for by the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, a Texas-based nonprofit. For the next several years, Cuellar frequently collaborated with Kemal Oksuz, the leader of the nonprofit.

A few months later, a Cuellar staffer took an additional trip to Azerbaijan that also included U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, and nine other members. The trip was approved by the Congressional Ethics Office, but The Washington Post later reported the Azerbaijani governments state oil company secretly funded the junket. Jackson Lee and other members who went on that trip publicly stated at the time that they were misled and that the House Ethics Committee signed off on the trip.

Oksuz was later charged with covering up the source of the funding. He pleaded guilty to the charges in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The government stated at the time that Oksuz falsely represented and certified on required disclosure forms that the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasions had not accepted funding for the Congressional trip from any outside source.

Oksuz and Cuellar also worked together on the Texas A&M International partnership.

But nowhere is Cuellars relationship more formally recognized than in his position as co-chair of the caucus. The caucus is a small, bipartisan group within which Texas has an outsized presence. There is not a publicly available official list of members in the caucus, but third parties have published past tallies of the caucus, and several Texans confirmed they are a part of the group. It is widely perceived that the source of these members interest is tied to the oil industry.

In or out of the caucus, Texans have demonstrated support for Azerbaijan in various ways, including authoring op-eds, giving floor speeches and traveling to the country.

U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, a Brownsville Democrat, took to the House floor in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea, a part of Ukraine. He called for bolstering former Soviet satellite states in the face of Russian aggression. With the volatility and strategic importance of this region, the U.S. must continue to work with its allies such as Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to ensure their sovereignty is protected, especially in light of Russias actions in the Crimean Peninsula, he said.

Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Weber of Friendswood concurred on the concerns about Russian aggression toward former Soviet satellite states.

A sensible energy policy is multi-pronged, and Azerbaijan is part of that equation, especially in relation to the discussion on neutralizing Russia, he wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Times in 2015.

The spokesperson to U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, another Democratic member, released a statement: Rep. Veasey has been a supporter of facilitating peace and harmonized relations in the Caucasus region between Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia and has also supported efforts to lower tensions in the region through his position on a U.S. commission that monitors human rights abuses.

Similarly, U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, joined the caucus in the early 2000s, citing Azerbaijans importance as a geostrategic partner, according to her spokesperson.

Another Texan who surfaced on the lists is Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Green of Houston, who declined to comment for this story. In total, there are approximately two dozen members of Congress in the caucus. It's a politically and geographically disparate group, with the one commonality that the members are mainstream members of the Republican and Democratic caucuses.

But not all Capitol Hill caucuses are equal in relevance.

For instance, the Congressional Black Caucus, the most decisive bloc in House Democratic politics, meets regularly and leverages its interests by operating as an organized unit. Very little happens in the Democratic Party without that groups signoff.

That is not the case with the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus. Its one of hundreds of causes rooted in issues, hobbies, ethnic background or esoteric interests. Most of these groups never  or rarely  meet, as is the case with the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.

For instance, there is a Congressional Auto Care Caucus, a Bourbon Caucus and a Congressional Writers Caucus.

Some of the more serious, foreign-policy-minded caucuses are comprised of members whose districts include the country in questions expatriates. Or the members themselves might share an ethnic background with the country.

Or, as is most often the case, a country like Azerbaijan hires a lobbyist to round up support, and those lobbyists target members on relevant committees. In this case, the obvious members to recruit serve on committees that deal with foreign affairs.

Cuellar serves on only one committee, appropriations, which is where members decide where and how to dole out federal money. Within that committee, he specializes in funding homeland security and the Pentagon and could one day be the chair of one of those subcommittees.

Still, a congresspersons support for Azerbaijan can generate some backlash.

The country and neighboring Armenia have been at war on and off since the early 1990s, and the Armenian lobby brings bipartisan firepower to Capitol Hill, with backing as varied as that of Democratic U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, both of California.

With hot tensions between the two countries, congressional support for one of those communities is perceived as mutually exclusive to the other. Sensitivities are so delicate that Capitol Hill aides looking to join the lobbying profession will consider whether countries like Azerbaijan are among a firms clients rather than defy their former bosses and their constituents.

The Armenian Council of America went so far as to release a statement amid the Cuellar raid aftermath calling on members to resign from the Azerbaijan caucus.

At this point, none of the Texans in the Azerbaijan caucus have changed their minds.
Frank Avery Skilton died in 1931, and it is likely few people have heard of him. He was not a resident of Port Byron or Mentz, so why am I writing about him? Well, his name kept coming up as I searched for ancestors to add to the Port Byron family tree. And in a way, he is a shirttail relative to the Hadger, Gutchess, Spaulding and Root families, as he married Florence Hadger in 1887.

More importantly, Skilton was a man with the means and time to conduct genealogical searches in a time when that was the pursuit of the well to do. The opening paragraph of his obituary notes that he was an attorney and genealogist. One of his passions was to travel the land searching for the graves of soldiers of the Revolutionary War. He did this with his second wife, Clara Gilbert Skilton. Clara served as the chair of the Committee of Revolutionary War Graves for the Owasco chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1925, Frank wrote an article for The Port Byron Chronicle telling the story of Richard Damewood of Montezuma, a soldier who died in 1850 and was largely forgotten. After being found by a community work crew in 1997, research led back to Franks article and that led to the grave being marked with a William G. Pomeroy Foundation-funded historic marker.

Frank came from a family of genealogists. His grandfather Dr. Avery J. Skilton was a noted researcher and is given great credit for the completion of the Steele family history. Averys mother was Chloe Steele, and lest you think me running too far astray, the Kasson and Spalding families of Port Byron are related to the Steele clan. Thanks to Dr. Skilton, they can trace their families back to 1624 and the arrival of the family to America. Franks father carried on the interest in genealogy and passed it along to Frank and his siblings.

A lot of the research and compiling of the Steele tree was completed prior to his death in 1858, and that alone is worth a moment of consideration. In our internet world, it is difficult to think that in the old days," the family researcher had to carry out their work by making actual visits to courthouses, cemeteries and next of kin, and using the mail to request information from churches, local governments and family members. The foreword to the Steele history notes that the researcher ran up against apathy, indifference, people who wanted money for information and those who wanted to see their name in print. At least we can say that hasnt changed!

In searching Frank, I found a letter addressed to Emily Howland that almost was pleading for information on the family of Isaac Wood. (I am not quite sure who Isaac was, but Jethro Wood was the inventor of the cast iron plow and was married to Sylvia Howland.) Apparently, Emily had been indifferent to Franks questions, and she was the gatekeeper to finding what he desired. In 1924, Frank wrote an article for Auburns Advertiser-Journal about the last will and testament of Jethro and later published the History of Jethro Wood, a Genius of His Times. In the article, it says that Jethro was buried in the Howland family plot, so I can only think that his letter to Emily had something to do with this book.

Frank frequently used the newspapers to search or relate information. A letter to the editor might say that he was seeking information about family members. The Port Byron Chronicle ran a few of these letters and also carried Franks articles telling about his discoveries, such as when he wrote about Ebenezer Parks of east Venice, who lived to be 107 years old and died in 1847. Finding these little tidbits of info today is pure gold for the desktop researcher.

In addition to his genealogical work, Frank had a fascinating life. Frank was born in 1860 and his father was a surgeon in the Union army. His mother, Harriet Euphrasia Ingersol, served as a nurse in a smallpox ward in Washington, D.C. Later in the war, the family moved to New Orleans, where Dr. Skilton was the surgeon in chief of the cavalry. Later, the family moved to Mexico, where Frank served as consul under President Ulysses S. Grant. Harriets sister was killed by her own daughter in a murder-suicide in San Francisco, and there is so much more to this family. The Skilton records are now housed at Cornell University.

Michael Riley is the Mentz town historian and the president of the Lock 52 Historical Society. The Lock 52 blog can be found at portbyronhistorical.org. Riley can be reached at mriley20@twcny.rr.com.

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By Mikhail Zinshteyn

CalMatters

The University of California housed more students than the system officially had room for last fall. Yet UC leaders, lawmakers and the governor all want to dramatically expand student enrollment.

But that ambition is at odds with a housing crunch crippling the UC and campuses across California.

Students will need somewhere to live and a new legislative plan would throw in $5 billion to help the state's campuses ramp up their housing stock.

Assembly Bill 1602 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, a Democrat from Sacramento, would create a $5 billion fund that would lend money, interest-free, to public colleges and universities seeking to expand their supply of affordable housing.

That much money could house around 21,000 more students, based on recent analyses that show campuses spend an average of roughly $240,000 per student bed when constructing housing. But even that may not meet the total need given how many students struggle with housing insecurity and homelessness.

The plan builds on a $2 billion grant for affordable student housing lawmakers approved last year, and signals the state's increasing commitment to tackle all the costs students encounter in earning a degree. McCarty sees the loan program as a way to capitalize on another expected massive state budget surplus. Also, unlike financial aid programs that require annual funding, the state can help build housing once and allow a generation of students to reap the benefits, the thinking goes.

Campuses struggle to finance their housing projects so they can cover operating and debt repayment expenses while still being affordable to students, an analyst with the Legislative Analyst's Office told lawmakers in November. Removing interest from the equation would allow campuses to pass more of the savings onto students, McCarty told CalMatters.

But the proposal faces a long road through the Legislature and currently doesn't define what affordable units are, other than they should cost less than local market rates.

Program details

Under McCarty's plan, the University of California, California State University, and to a smaller extent, the California Community Colleges, would tap into these funds swiftly, build more student homes, and then over a period of no more than 30 years use student rental income to repay what they borrowed -- a revolving zero-interest loan. Then the state could lend another round of money for student housing as the coffers for this program replenish.

The loan would be managed by the State Treasurer. Campuses would be able to use funds to build new structures, demolish old ones and renovate existing dorms. McCarty wants the bill to pass in the next few months and go into effect immediately. The money would reach campuses mid-2023 at the earliest.

"We have a college affordability crisis and we have a housing supply crisis," said McCarty. "These two things are really acute right now in California."

He proposed a similar revolving loan last year but those plans were gutted.

Think of the student housing funding splurge as the third leg in the college-affordability barstool that also includes:

-California's pledge to cover the tuition costs of low-income students at the UC, CSU and community colleges; and

-Another big program on the way to give UC and CSU added dollars to afford out-of-pocket expenses like housing, food and transportation.

The promise of cheaper housing would make those new out-of-pocket student dollars travel further.

What is an affordable unit and who'll get it?

While the proposed loan program largely builds on the initial three-year, $2 billion student housing grant program lawmakers approved last year, there are key differences.

As written, the bill doesn't define what affordable rent means -- just that they should be below local market levels for student housing. Last year's grant program, however, is more specific: It caps rent at a low level of what county median incomes are. In Los Angeles, for example, campus housing built with the grant money can't charge more than $700 a month per bed in rent in today's dollars. Though standard university units are typically cheaper than off-campus housing, they can still go for over $1,600 a month, UCLA and UC Berkeley reported.

Nor does the proposed loan program designate what percentage of the money would go to the higher-education systems. The grant program reserved half of all money for community colleges, 30 percent for the Cal States and 20 percent for the UCs. That caught some UC insiders off guard, given that few community colleges have a history of building student housing.

McCarty said most of the loan funds would likely go to the Cal States and UCs, but those details may change. Another difference between the two housing programs: McCarty's loan bill presently would permit funds to be used for faculty and staff housing.

For sure the state needs more student housing. Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to add 7,000 more UC students from California by 2027 on top of the nearly 11,000 additional slots he and lawmakers approved last year. The UC has its own goal of expanding enrollment by 20,000 students by 2030 -- including 4,000 graduate students -- though not necessarily all of those added slots would be for in-person learning.

Expanding enrollment and not housing supply "is going to be a big problem," McCarty said.

It would also likely violate the delicate balancing act some UC campuses have worked out with their local governments. UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz are legally obligated to provide housing space for every new student they enroll. Meanwhile, a judge blocked a UC Berkeley expansion, citing state environmental law.

Campuses have been building... but not enough

The system has made strides: UC campuses have added 22,000 beds in the last four years and has plans to add 20,000 more beds in the next four years, a UC official told UC Regents last week. Cal States have added 14,000 beds in recent years.

Even so, students are in the midst of a dire housing crunch. The UC reported that its housing occupancy was at 102 percent of available space in fall 2021. Numerous campuses had more demand for campus housing than beds available last fall and hundreds of students took to living in hotels. A third of California's college students grappled with unstable housing, according to a 2019 survey. Likely tens of thousands of students experience homelessness.

Sometimes the higher education systems can't even get out of their own way: CalMatters uncovered one instance in late 2021 in which a bureaucratic snafu could wind up costing the Cal State system 3,000 beds.

The UC, Cal States and community colleges have already proposed more than $3 billion in state-supported housing projects -- far exceeding the $2 billion housing grant lawmakers approved last year.

The bill's first legislative hurdle will be to win votes in the Assembly's higher education committee, likely sometime in March.

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Ashley Harrell

Just before 7 a.m. last Sunday, scores of travelers lined up at one of Death Valley National Parks top attractions as a bruise of blues, pinks and purples crept across the desert sky, and miles of dramatic badlands undulated for miles below.



Zabriskie Point is widely regarded as the best sunrise spot in Death Valley, and given the explosion of color in the sky and the otherworldly beauty of this landscape, it would not be a stretch to argue that this is the best sunrise spot in all of California.

More:



A 21-year-old hiker fell hundreds of feet to his death. He had been taking a selfie. Read more.
Toyota declared its sales figures for 2021 that stood at 10.1% making it the world's biggest car seller for the second time.Toyota sold 10.5 million vehicles in 2021 compared to Volkswagen which sold 8.9 million vehicles last year.

Toyota Motor Co announced on Friday about its vehicle sales that increased by 10.1 per cent last year, making it the world's biggest car manufacturer for the second time in a row. The recent sales figure has put the Japanese automaker further ahead of its rival, Volkswagen. Toyota informed it sold 10.5 million vehicles in 2021, including those by affiliates Daihatsu Motors and Hino Motors.

Compared to Toyota, Volkswagen sold 8.9 million vehicles last year, making it the automaker's lowest sales figures in a decade. It is also 5 per cent lower than the sales it made in 2020. While the pandemic and semiconductor shortage continue to plague the automotive industry, Volkswagen stated chip crisis situation will remain volatile in the first half of this year.

(Also read | Toyota cruiser vehicle for holiday on Moon before home on Mars. Check it out)

Though Toyota's 2021 sales give the company a positive beginning, it seems that it might get difficult to continue the momentum in the current year. An earlier report had stated an announcement from the company that it will halt vehicle production further in Japan this month due to the increasing Covid-19 cases among autoworkers. This is an additional blow to the automaker as the global chip crisis is far from over yet. A company spokesperson had conveyed the break will cut planned production this month by 65,000 vehicles, 18,000 more than it announced earlier.

(Also read | Toyota Hilux accessories list revealed ahead of launch in March)

Car companies across the industry have been forced to cut output because of the shortage of semiconductors and the pandemic leading to a major disruption in supply chains. However, Toyota had said efforts are being made to compensate for lost production in February. The automaker had also stated last week that its annual target to produce 9 million vehicles might remain unachievable as it does not have enough chips.

(With inputs from Reuters)

First Published Date:
Images via Caladanoceanic, Enrique Alvarez

For the first time in history, the tallest mountain on Earth has been ascended.

Though Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth at 29,032 feet above sea level, Maunakea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii actually holds the title of tallest mountain on Earth at 33,500 feet.
In the latest air travel news, the United Kingdom and Ireland are making it easier for vaccinated Americans to enter their countries, while France is starting to require a COVID-19 booster for some visitors who want to get into restaurants and museums; the Federal Aviation Administration continues to clear more aircraft types from concerns about 5G interference, but Alaska Airlines and JetBlue say problems remain for some smaller aircraft; U.S. blocks dozens of flights by Chinese carriers as aviation spat continues; Hong Kongs tough COVID-19 rules have decimated Cathay Pacifics business; the head of an Asia-Pacific airline association calls the regions ongoing traffic slump the groups worst crisis ever; United Airlines simplifies Wi-Fi fees for domestic flights; Southwest cites a first-quarter bookings drop as cancellations increase due to omicron; CDC puts 15 more foreign destinations on its do not travel list; Spirit Airlines adds Salt Lake City to its route map and American and British Airways plan to consolidate operations at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport later this year.

Travel to the United Kingdom is getting easier for vaccinated Americans and other vaccinated foreigners. A few weeks ago, the U.K. ended its requirement that vaccinated visitors must get a negative result on a COVID-19 test before departing their home countries, and now the U.K. announced that effective Feb. 11, vaccinated visitors will no longer be required to submit to a PCR test within two days after arrival. The only thing vaccinated visitors will have to do is to fill out a passenger locator form, which is being simplified to require only their vaccine status, travel history and contact information, the government said. The U.K. is also ending the mandatory quarantine for non-vaccinated visitors, assuming they get negative results on a pre-departure COVID test and a PCR test within two days of arrival. The changes mean that the U.K. has one of the most free-flowing borders across Europe in addition to having the most open economy and society, according to a statement from the U.K. Department for Transport. U.S. travelers should remember that if they do fly to the U.K. (or any other foreign destination), theyll still need to get a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 24 hours before their return flight.

Earlier this month, Ireland also eased up on entry restrictions, canceling its requirement that inbound foreign visitors who are vaccinated get a negative COVID-19 test result before departing from home. The testing rule still applies to the unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, travelers headed to France should be aware that as of this week, the French government changed the rules for its Health Activity Pass (Pass Sanitaire), which is required of anyone who wants to enter most public venues, including restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, ski lifts, trade fairs, large shopping centers and for inter-regional travel on planes, buses and trains. The former Health Activity Pass is now called a Vaccine Pass (Pass Vaccinal)  a certificate showing two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (one for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine). But under the new rules, if the latest dose was received more than seven months ago, a booster is now required. And starting Feb. 15, a booster will be required if the most recent dose was more than four months ago. Americans can pick up an official Vaccine Pass at select pharmacies in Paris and around France by showing their passport and CDC vaccination card and paying a fee of no more than 36 euros.

The Federal Aviation Administration is continuing to expand its approvals of U.S. airliners that are safe to land during bad visibility at airports where their altimeters might face interference from new 5G C-band signals being deployed by Verizon and AT&T. The FAA said 90% of the U.S. commercial fleet has now been cleared to operate at such airports, including some smaller planes. Most major U.S. airports (including San Francisco International Airport) have been deemed safe for operations due to the telecom giants agreeing to scale back their 5G deployments nearby. But the FAA this week issued a rule barring certain widebodies  including 777s and 747-8s  from landing at airports where 5G interference is still possible. On Friday, the FAA said it has reached an agreement with Verizon and AT&T on steps that will enable more aircraft to safely use key airports while also enabling more towers to deploy 5G service.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines this week said that although its mainline Boeing and Airbus jets are approved for low-visibility landings, some of our regional jets have not yet been cleared at certain airports and are still subject to restrictions on landing/takeoff during low visibility conditions (such as dense fog or winter weather) that were put in place before the agreement to limit 5G. This is causing cancellations, delays and diversions. It advised customers to check their flights status before heading to the airport. Early this week, Alaska canceled almost two dozen Embraer E175 fights at the state of Washingtons Paine Field operated by Horizon Air and SkyWest. That concern was echoed by JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes, who said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts this week that some of his airlines Embraer E190s are still unable to land during limited visibility at some airports. We cant assume that we are completely out of the 5G woods yet, he said, according to Skift. Emirates, which last week suspended some U.S. routes including SFO due to 5G concerns, has since resumed service on all of them.

All the fuss about 5G and airlines has been over C-band rollouts by Verizon and AT&T. But what about T-Mobile? T-Mobiles nationwide 5G network does not use the C-band spectrum that the FAA is concerned about, a spokesperson said, and we dont anticipate any limitations when we are ready to deploy it in late 2023. T-Mobile already covers 210 million people nationwide with Ultra Capacity 5G and 310 million with Extended Range 5G.

Zaha Hadid Architects

A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. warned China that it might face retaliation if it continued to order the suspension of some transpacific flights by U.S. airlines, and last week the U.S. delivered on that threat. The Transportation Department ordered a halt to 44 flights from China after the Chinese blocked more flights from the U.S. operated by American, Delta and United. China orders the temporary suspension of service when it determines that foreign airlines carried passengers into the country who later test positive for COVID. The number of flights between the U.S. and China had already been drastically reduced due to COVID-19 and a lack of demand, and to the Chinese governments restrictions on foreign arrivals (which include a minimum 14-day quarantine upon arrival). That might seem like it would be a problem with the Beijing Winter Olympics coming up next month, but China said last week that no Olympics tickets will be available for the general public. Most U.S. athletes heading to the Winter Games arent flying commercial  they left the U.S. this week on a Delta A350 charter flight.

If flying into China is tough, getting into Hong Kong could be even tougher, especially because it has adopted super-strict rules for airline flight crews, requiring them to quarantine for three days even if they are vaccinated. That rule is playing havoc with airlines scheduling of Hong Kong flights  if they havent already been suspended  and it has had a huge impact on hometown carrier Cathay Pacific. During January of this year, Cathays total passenger capacity was down 98% from pre-pandemic 2019 levels  even worse than 2021, when Cathays capacity was 62% below 2019 levels. Hong Kong has banned flights from several nations it considers to be high-risk for COVID, including the U.S. and the U.K. This week, it extended that ban through Feb. 18. On a positive note, for anyone who manages to find a way into Hong Kong, the government on Feb. 5 is reducing the mandatory quarantine after arrival from 21 days to 14.

The huge decline in air travel to and within China and Hong Kong is typical of the entire Asia-Pacific region. While travel between the U.S. and Europe started to recover in recent months as governments eased up on their COVID-related entry restrictions, the same has not been true across the Pacific, where foreign visitors are subjected to onerous entry rules including multiple testing requirements, quarantines, or even outright bans. This week, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, which includes dozens of carriers in the region, reported that in 2021 its members carried just 16.7 million international passengers  a mere 4.4% of the number in pre-pandemic 2019  at a load factor (percentage of seats occupied) of just 32%. AAPA Director General Subhas Menon blamed the severely depressed traffic levels on government travel restrictions throughout the region. It is the worst crisis the regions airlines have ever faced in terms of duration and depth, he said. Late in 2021, he said, some governments began to ease up on restrictions, leading to slightly higher passenger numbers. However, the emergence of the Omicron variant has put the brakes on recovery, Menon said.

United Airlines charges for using its in-flight Wi-Fi service, which previously varied wildly depending on routing and flight length, have been simplified to a single flat fee for all domestic and short-haul international routes, according to a report in The Points Guy. The new rates are $8 per flight segment for MileagePlus members (regardless of status level) and $10 for non-members. (Last year, United started to offer free messaging on chat platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp.) Long-haul international flights will continue to have varied pricing. The Points Guy noted that before the flat fee, Wi-Fi fees for certain domestic routes like San Francisco-Newark could cost more than $40.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

The latest U.S. carrier to document the near-term negative effect of the coronavirus is Southwest Airlines, which said this week it is facing a revenue headwind in the first quarter due to a softness in bookings and an increase in trip cancellations associated with the omicron variant. That softness, combined with lower than expected business travel demand, will reduce the companys operating revenues in January and February by $330 million, Southwest said. But it added that it is seeing improved booking trends for March and for spring break travel. Southwest also noted that after going through some big surges of flight cancellations late last year, over the last two weeks we have returned to solid operational performance, and that it expects to hire at least 8,000 new employees this year. In other news, Southwest said it is pushing back the resumption of in-flight alcohol service until late March or early April. The only other major airline still not serving booze in the main cabin is American Airlines, which is currently due to resume that service on March 18.

Island nations in the Caribbean continue to be targeted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the agency updates its list of Level 4 countries  places where the agency urges Americans not to travel because of high COVID risks. In its latest update this week, the CDC put 15 more destinations on its Level 4 do not travel list, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, St. Barts and the French Saint-Martin. (A week earlier, it added Bermuda, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks & Caicos to Level 4, which already included Haiti and the Dutch St. Maarten.) Also going onto the do not travel list this week were Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Kuwait, Mongolia, Niger, Peru, Romania, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. The CDC doesnt have the authority to ban Americans from traveling to Level 4 nations  only to make recommendations based on public health considerations.

RICARDO ARDUENGO / AFP via Getty Images

Spirit Airlines next expansion will bring it to Salt Lake City  a Delta hub  starting this spring. The low-cost carrier said that on May 26, it will launch its first flights out of SLC, including twice-daily service to Las Vegas and daily flights to Los Angeles and Orlando. Meanwhile, American Airlines plans to introduce a few new leisure routes on June 11, including weekly Saturday flights from Austin to Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico; and weekly service from Chicago OHare to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts.

In airport news, joint venture partners American Airlines and British Airways are targeting Dec. 1 of this year for the consolidation of their operations into AAs Terminal 8 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. For the past two years, a $400 million expansion and improvement of T8 has been underway in preparation for the move, including the addition of five new widebody aircraft gates, a better baggage handling system, more amenities for passengers and expanded services for premium customers. That last element will include a co-branded AA/BA premium check-in area with concierge-style service for top-tier guests, replacing AAs Flagship First Check-In; a new check-in space for business class travelers; and three new post-security lounges, with admission based on cabin class and loyalty program status. The most exclusive lounge, AA said, will offer a champagne bar and an a la carte dining room, while an adjacent premium lounge will feature airfield views, a wine bar, cocktail lounge, library and buffet. Americans existing Flagship Lounge and Concourse A Admirals Club will be repurposed into a contiguous lounge for eligible business class customers, the airline said. To accommodate construction, AAs Flagship First check-in will close Feb. 1. All T8 lounges will stay open this year but after the project is finished, the Admirals Club on Concourse B will close.
People's committees in cities and provinces were asked to direct departments of health to carry out the spring vaccination campaign in the area. The Ministry was proposing army forces, police, health care, transportation sector to join hands in the implementation of the vaccination campaign.



The Ministry of Health also recommended that localities should run the spring vaccination campaign in accordance with the Governments Decree 104/2016 of the on vaccination activities and the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

Moreover, localities ought to use the existing expanded vaccination facilities and other facilities eligible for vaccination to implement compulsory vaccination for the community.

If localities speed up vaccination, they necessarily arrange mobile vaccination venues around factory premises, industrial park premises, school premises, cultural house premises to vaccinate people at the same time.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health yesterday said that during the Tet holiday, the city healthcare workers will continue to promote additional and repeated doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to strengthen people's immunity. Health workers will administer Covid inoculation in twenty-five vaccination points during the Tet holiday in 22 districts and Thu Duc city.

People can get vaccinated at 25 above-mentioned venues without pre-registration regardless of permanent or temporary residence. The city strives to raise the Covid-19 vaccine coverage rate in the community by the end of February 2022.

As of the afternoon of January 28, the whole country had injected more than 180 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines of all kinds.

By staff writers  Translated by Anh Quan
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Connecticut police officers joined thousands of other officers to honor and pay tribute to a New York City police officer Friday.

Officer Jason Rivera, 22, was shot and killed Jan. 21, while answering a call about an argument between a woman and her adult son, officials said.

Police departments across the state including, Connecticut State Police, Darien, Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan and Middletown attended the service. The departments showed support for the officers, their families and the New York City police department in person and on social media.

Connecticut State Police posted, "We joined thousands in honoring fallen New York Police Officer Jason Rivera."

New Canaan posted pictures of the sea of police officers that lined the road to the church.

"Today members of the New Canaan Police Department stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of fellow brothers and sisters from across the globe to say goodbye to @nypd Detective Jason Rivera," New Canaan Police tweeted.

Rivera and Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, were fatally wounded Jan. 21 by a gunman who opened fire on them in a hallway as they responded to a family dispute between a woman and her adult son, officials said.

On Tuesday, Mora was taken off life support at a Manhattan hospital. He was in critical condition since the shooting four days earlier. He was then moved Sunday Jan. 23, from Harlem Hospital to NYU Langone Medical Center, where he died.

Law enforcement from across the country gathered to pay tribute to the officers.

Middletown Police also offered comfort and support with their police dogs.

Officer Bodell and K9 Bear from Middletown Police were able to spend time with Detective. Riveras wife, family, friends, and co-workers to provide comfort and "making people smile in times of tragedy and crisis is what these dogs to best," they posted on facebook.
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SHELTON  Scholarship programs, grant awards, and sand and salt for seniors each winter are only a few ways the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club lives up to its motto, Service above self, club officials say.

The local club, founded in 1927 and part of Rotary International, is not just a businesspersons round-table. The goal, club President Julie Blakeman said, is to improve the lives of Derby and Shelton residents.

We build friendships with local businesspeople to work toward common goals, Blakeman said. The benefit of Rotary is giving back to the community and building better business friendships.

Rotarian Ernestine T. Luise said the clubs members connect in friendship and purpose.

The connection that each of us has, individually and professionally, enables us to help where and when needed, said Luise, who has served in the past as Rotary International Governor and International Assembly Training Leader.

Blakeman said the club annually contributes multiple scholarships to high school seniors in Derby and Shelton, and delivers salt and sand to senior citizens in the winter, and dictionaries to every third-grade student in both communitie. The club also participates in the Read Across America program in the schools.

Derby-Shelton Rotary also awards grants annually to various community applicants such as Boys & Girls Club, Scouts of America, and BHCares, to name a few, Blakeman said.

We work with the district to award grants for such programs as Warm Coats, Warm Soles for under-served children, she said. We are currently working on a grant to work with the Echo Hose Ambulance HQ to convert one of their rooms into an IT community room.

To raise money for the grants and programs, the club hosts the annual Shelton Day, Hoptoberfest, and participates in the Liberty Bank food drive around Thanksgiving, plus other fundraisers throughout the year.

This year, the club is working to host Flags for Heroes on the Shelton River Walk from Memorial Day to mid-June.

Currently, the club counts 31 members, but Blakeman has spent her time improving the clubs programming offerings, which in turn helps raise funds for the scholarships and grants while also increasing the clubs visibility. The goal, she says, is bringing more people into the fold.

Being in the Rotary means you volunteer with like-minded businesspeople who want to be an active, positive figure in the community, Blakeman said. We do not promote our individual businesses or make our meeting about self-promotion.

Luise said the motto is the cornerstone of the members efforts.

Rotary was founded in 1905 with a purpose of networking, but always based on service to others, according to the organizations website.

Blakeman said as Rotarians, members contribute to the clubs foundation, with that money going to Rotarys global goals - the number one of which is eradicating polio from the world. She said the organization also focuses on disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, and supporting the environment.

Being a Rotarian gives me the opportunity to grow and to serve, Luise said. Being a member of the Derby-Shelton Rotary club gives me the opportunity to make a difference in both my local communities and the international community.

Rotary opens doors on many levels: service, fellowship, leadership, networking, world understanding, diversity, integrity. There is something for everyone, but always the opportunity to serve, she said.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
Beijing (Gasgoo)- With e-commerce thriving in China, the express delivery system is seeking transformation, from trunkline logistics to door-to-door deliveries, for a more time/cost-effective operation. Fully autonomous heavy-duty trucks and delivery vehicles are up for the tasks.

Terminal delivery vehicle; photo credit: JD.com



JD.com stands out from other online shopping platforms for its comprehensive distribution system, consisting of independent warehouses, transportation logistics, and terminal delivery. According to the company's 2021 Q2 financial report, by June 2021, JD.com obtains 260,000 frontline employees working in storage, sorting, packaging, transportation, delivery, and customer service, with an average salary of roughly RMB10,000 per month.

Photo credit: JD.com



The financial report illustrated the company's devotion to perfecting its distribution system. During the first six months of 2021, JD.com has invested RMB1.4 billion to develop its logistics system, accounting for 2.8% of the company's revenue in the period, soaring 55.2% from a year ago.

Asia No.1 Logistics warehouses; photo credit: JD.com

Currently, the company possesses 38 large intelligent warehouses in 28 Chinese cities, dubbed Asia No.1 Logistics warehouses. Its Beidou warehouse has realized an SKU level in the millions, shortening order fulfillment time by two to three hours.

The Asia No.1 Logistics warehouses are automated, digitalized, and intelligent, with automated guided vehicles (AGVs) working 24/7.

AGVs; photo credit: JD.com

By the end of June, JD.com owns roughly 2.3 million square meters of storage network, realizing minute-delivery in over 200 cities and same-day/ next-day delivery in 92% of districts and counties, and 84% of the rural areas in China.

Therefore, it makes sense that JD.com decided to facilitate its own autonomous empire, from storage, distribution, to delivery, in order to cut costs while growing more efficiently.

China's e-commerce mogul, JD.com, has formed its autonomous driving unit, the JD X business unit (X Unit), to start the intellectual transformation from within its transportation and distribution system.

The X Unit's autonomous driving exploration focuses on three main segments, driverless heavy-duty trucks, urban light vans, and unmanned last-mile delivery vehicles.

Heavy-duty Trucks

On May 29th, 2018, the president of the X Unit, Xiao Jun, announced that the company has been developing L4 autonomous heavy-duty trucks in its Silicon Valley research institute. The said L4 trucks had already accumulated 2,400 hours of intelligent driving tests on permitted roads in the US by the time.

After the preliminary announcement, JD.com has partnered with China's major heavy-duty truck manufacturer, FAW Jiefang, and autonomous driving startup, Plus.ai, for further development. The company has also invested in another autonomous driving startup, Inceptio.ai.

Photo credit: Plus.ai



According to JD.com, its L4 autonomous truck collaborated with FAW Jiefang has started open road tests.

On July 14th, 2021, JD.com was granted an autonomous commercial vehicle test license from Guangzhou authorities.

Light Vans

Light vans are, in fact, the most-used vehicle model by JD Logistics. To be specific, the vans are used in the last step before terminal delivery, transporting cargo from warehouse to delivery terminals.

In order to realize automation in this area, JD.com has partnered with SAIC MAXUS and Dongfeng Motor and developed two driverless light vans. Notably, the co-developed autonomous SAIC MAXUS EV80 van is not only self-driving but also electric.

Last-mile Delivery

The company's terminal delivery vehicles feature L4 autonomous driving functions, with numerous capabilities, including environment perception, high-precision positioning, intelligent connection, high-precision map, HMI, planning and control, action predicting, and a simulation platform.

The vehicle is equipped with one 16-beam LiDAR, four hardware synchronized 360 cameras, two HD traffic light cameras, and four hybrid-state LiDARs, providing all-around sensing without blind spots.

Moreover, the cloud simulation platform has helped the autonomous driving team greatly. With only one-day data collectecd by a delivery man, the team can get testing results of a one-year period through simulation, accelerating the iteration speed. The company managed to finish a year's work in a day, substantially accelerating its product iteration speed.

As of now, JD.com's terminal delivery vehicles have been deployed in twenty cities, thirteen university campuses, with a fleet of over 100 vehicles. The company has set a target of operating a terminal delivery vehicle fleet with 1,000 vehicles.

With autonomous driving supporting the company throughout its logistic and delivery chain, JD.com will be able to slash its long-term costs and enhance its operating speed through the completion of its grand automation scheme.

Notably, manpower will not be obsolete yet, as JD.com found that human touch and service are still irreplaceable when it comes to door-to-door delivery.
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KPMG Ventures recently published a plus report revealing that venture capital investments in India fell sequentially to $10.36 billion in October-December last year, down from a record quarterly high of $15.39 billion in July-September. However, India's second-best quarter on record for venture capital investment occurred between October and December. The first quarter of 2022 has seen four startups make the unicorn list. In addition to the fourth unicorn, a slew of entrepreneurs from a variety of industries raised funds in the last week. Take a peek at it.

DARWINBOX-FOURTH UNICORN OF THE YEAR

Darwinbox has raised $72 million in a funding round headed by Netflix investor TCV, valuing the cloud-based HRtech business at more over $1 billion, giving it the year's fourth unicorn.

According to cofounder Jayant Paleti, the Hyderabad and Singapore-based firm has already raised a total of $110 million from investors. Salesforce Ventures, Sequoia Capital India, Lightspeed India, Endiya Partners, 3One4Capital, JGDEV, and SCB 10X were among the investors in the round. Salesforce took its first gamble in India last year when it invested in Darwinbox.

TCV, the principal investor, is recognised for its bets on key US companies such as Airbnb and Netflix. It recently invested in Dream11 and Razorpay, two Indian businesses.

After growing 200 percent in the previous year, Paleti stated that the company intends to double down on global expansion and expedite its product development goals. We are looking to enter the US markets this year. It will be a super force multiplier, but could become a substantial contributor to revenue in the next three-four years," he added, noting that Darwinbox grew significantly in Southeast Asia despite the epidemic, and India has been a good market for it.

Darwinbox plans to increase its team size to 1,400 people this year, as part of its expansion strategy. There will be a lot more focus on employee experience. There are product-led pieces that will add to the experience, Paleti said. For example, conversational capabilities, surveying elements etc.

FUNDING NEWS

BIJAK

According to a regulatory filing, Bijak, a B2B agricultural trade platform, raised INR 143.92 crore ($19.37 million) in a Series B fundraising round headed by Bertelsmann.

According to the company's registration with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), existing investors Omidyar Network India, RTP Global Advisors, Better Capital, and Sequoia Capital India's scale-up programme Surge Ventures also took part in the fundraising round.

According to the filing, the money will be used to meet the demands of the company's growing operations, as well as long-term capital requirements, expansion goals, and general corporate reasons.

STANPLUS

Start-up of an emergency medical response service StanPlus has garnered $20 million in debt and equity capital in a Series A round.

The Hiranandani family office, Prashant Malik (LimeRoad), Sandeep Singhal (Avaana), and other angel investors joined Kalaari Capital, Healthquad, and HealthX Singapore in the round. N + 1 Capital and Caspian provided debt finance.

StanPlus, founded in 2016 by Prabhdeep Singh, Jose Leon, and Antone Poirson, now maintains a network of rapid emergency dispatch (RED) ambulances that hospitals and emergency care centres may use on a B2B subscription basis.

The company also operates emergency rooms and triage centres, with the goal of becoming a full-service emergency care provider.

AAVISHKAAR CAPITAL

Aavishkaar Capital (Aavishkaar) has launched a $250 million ESG First Fund in collaboration with KfW, the German state-owned investment and development bank.

According to the corporation, this fund will focus on boosting mid-cap enterprises' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practises while also providing them with flexible finance to grow into new markets.

The ESG First Fund will invest in companies in Africa and Asia, capitalising on the worldwide push for sustainability and equality.

RAISE FINANCIAL SERVICES

Raise Financial Services, a fintech platform has secured $22 million in a Series A fundraising round. BEENEXT and its current investor Mirae Asset Venture Investments lead the financing.

Rocketship.vc, 3one4 Capital, and angel investors including Pine Labs CEO Amrish Rau, Meesho co-founders Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal, neobanking platform Jupiter creator Jitendra Gupta, Udaan co-founder Sujeet Kumar, and Whiteboard Capital's Sandeep Tandon participated in the round.

Raise Financial Services was created in January 2021 by Pravin Jadhav, the former CEO of Paytm Money, and owns and administers the stock trading platform Dhan, which competes with Groww, Zerodha, and Upstox. According to the firm, $15 million of the Series A funding would be invested in Dhan, with a goal of 1 million users in the next 15 months.

SHOPKIRANA

Shopkirana, a business-to-business grocery firm, has raised $38 million from investors including Info Edge, Oman India joint investment fund, Sixth Sense Ventures, and others.

Trifecta, Incubate Fund, Akatsuki, Ajanta LLP, Gunosy Capital, and others also participated in the round.

ShopKirana works directly with brands, providing them with market knowledge and a boost in distribution. It now has 50,000 kirana outlets in eight cities spread over four states: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

OLA CABS

The cab hailing service, run by Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola Cabs has raised over $20 million (INR 150 crore) from Hong Kong-based Segantii Capital.

Ola is expanding its J1 series with the addition of Segantti Capital. Segantii India will get a total of 66,269 Series J1 CCPS from the firm, which is almost ready to enter the Super-app competition (Mauritius).

Ola's $149 million fundraising round, led by Edelweiss, IIFL, and Hero Enterprise, was exclusively reported on by Inc42 in December of last year. Ola Cabs' parent company has already allocated 4, 63,471 Series J1 CCPS at a premium price of INR 22,625.

KISSHT

Kissht, an immediate line of credit platform for the lower mass market and small/micro-businesses, has secured INR 100 crore in a new round of funding headed by Trifecta Capital and Northern Arc.

The business has raised more than 270 crore in equity and more than 1,200 crore in debt so far. Trifecta and Northern Arc have each subscribed to 50 crore in non-convertible debentures (NCDs) in the current round.

The funds will be used to extend the startup's footprint across India and expand its product offerings, which will include credit cards for small business/shop owners.

MOGLIX

As the Indian commercial enterprise business-to-business marketplace aggressively scales its messaging in many regions of the world, Moglix's valuation has more than doubled to almost $2.5 billion from $1 billion just eight months ago.

Moglix announced in a regulatory filing with Singapore's Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority that Alpha Wave Global (previously known as Falcon Edge Capital), which led the seven-year-old startup's last funding, had returned alongside Tiger Global to co-lead the Series F financing round.

Moglix's valuation has risen to almost $2.5 billion, according to DealStreet Asia, which first reported on the round.
Buddhist Studies Endowment

In order to provide resources for the advancement and educational mission of San Jose State University, the Dr. Chaote Lin Endowment has been established in the memory of Dr. Chaote Lin.

From a prominent family in Taiwan, Dr. Lin came to the United States in 1953. After earning his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, he came to San Jose State University. Fluent in six languages, during his 30-year tenure at SJSU he taught Japanese and French, and he created the bachelors degree in Japanese. He also held a fifth-degree black belt in kendo and showed hundreds of students over the years how to perform the martial art of Japanese fencing. Mr. Lin was an avid reader, a student of Japanese brush painting and calligraphy, and a member of San Jose Taiko.

The purpose of the fund is to support the Buddhist Studies by funding relevant activities in the Humanities Department (Comparative Religious Studies) and the Department of Philosophy at San Jose State University. Disbursements will be allocated to Humanities and Philosophy on alternating years.

Funds sufficient to establish the endowment were generously donated by Mrs. Ginny Lin, wife of the late Dr. Chaote Lin. Additional contributions may be made to the fund at any time.

On the way to establishing the Endowment, Mrs. Lin has supported activities of the kind that the Endowment is intended to support. The first such activity was the forum Women in Buddhism: Changing Images in November 2004. The second took place on April 21 at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Titled Buddhism and Environmental Awareness, it was a panel discussion featuring Reb Anderson (Senior Dharma Instructor, San Francisco Zen Center), Richard Payne (Dean, Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley), and Lauren Van Ham (Executive Director, Green Sangha).
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Award-winning actor Kat Stewart returns to our screens as lawyer Liz in the adult-comedy series Five Bedrooms, now in its third season, on Paramount+. Best known for playing the hyper-emotional Billie in Offspring and for her portrayal of Roberta Williams in Underbelly, Kat is looking at 2022 with plenty of hope. As well as returning to the TV spotlight, shell also star in Admissions, a new production from the Melbourne Theatre Company, which opens in March.

While she lost some work during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Melbourne-based actor filled some of the void by hosting an ABC podcast, How Big Is My Trailer, while leading a simpler life gave the 49-year-old a new perspective on where she wants to go next.

Kat Stewart: I want to see women of my life experience represented. I want to work with great people and I dont want to slow down. Credit:Cameron Grayson

Youll soon be back on our screens in Five Bedrooms. What traits do you add to Lizs character with each season?

Im very fond of Liz. She is forward, selfish and completely consumed with her self-image and status. But she has great qualities, too. She is funny, loyal, intelligent, empathetic and self-aware. What the writers have loved to do with her from the get-go is to portray a woman who has played by the rules, aspired to be successful and set a benchmark for success and happiness. Then they have taken it all from her and unravelled her at every possible juncture. Theres always something new to explore with Liz.

Do you share any traits with her?

I see elements of myself in every character I play, its just about amplifying those elements for the role. In traffic, Roberta Williams might come out in me. If Ive had a couple of drinks, or Im feeling emotional, or protective of a family member, Billie from Offspring might come out. If Im on my best behaviour, or feeling a bit insecure, Liz might come out. Theyre all somewhere within me. Its helpful that I get to play these sorts of women because I live a relatively calm existence in real life and acting these traits out is quite cathartic.
Smell, taste and flavour To understand whats going on you need to get your head around smell, taste and flavour. Smell is managed through cells and receptors in your nose. Taste is all about your tongue and its where you get sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Flavour is a combination of both with smell playing the dominant role. In my case I lost my smell but not my taste  my tongue was working but my nose wasnt. It was really weird. I could feel the burning chilli of a curry and get a sense of the saltiness of it but I couldnt tell you if it was vindaloo or rogan josh. How common is it and what causes it? Deakin Universitys Russell Keast says COVID-19s previously dominant strains, Alpha and Delta, caused a loss of smell and taste in somewhere between 40 and 90 per cent of cases.

The data is still patchy but the good news is that Omicron seems to be less likely to attack these senses with the rate down to between 5 per cent and 10 per cent. Research out of the United Kingdom suggests up to 13 per cent of people might have their smell and taste affected with Omicron. Unfortunately, as we know, Omicron is affecting many more people so there are likely thousands of Australians suddenly finding they cant taste their dinner or smell their partner. Keast says the way coronavirus has attacked smell and taste is quite unique and disconcerting for those affected. The reason its different to a blocked or runny nose you might get with a cold is that the coronavirus damages the cells that play crucial support roles for the receptors in your nose and on your tongue. A cold might just create a mucus barrier to the chemicals you want to smell rather than damaging the receptor support cells. Keast says that while smell is relatively fragile and can be affected by many things, the loss of taste is something particularly unusual about COVID-19.

Those who lose their sense of smell are suffering anosmia while those who find that once pleasant smells are now deeply unpleasant or altered have parosmia. Will it come back? The good news is, for the vast majority of people, that yes your sense will recover. The receptor support cells that the virus damages naturally regenerate  in fact they turn over about every two weeks under normal circumstances. This is why if you burn your tongue things recover after a little while. How long that takes varies. If you research this youll find a widely quoted figure suggesting that 90 per cent of people have smell and taste back within six months.

Keast estimates 75 per cent to 80 per cent of people recover their senses within four to five weeks. This was my experience too and I have to tell you that a month without your mouth sending lovely messages to your mind about the food youre eating is a long time. In the absence of smell and taste you need to concentrate on [making] the eating experience exciting rather than suffer a loss of appetite. Alexandra Stewart For an unlucky few  perhaps as many as 10 per cent  the problems linger much longer. When it comes back it may not come back as you want it, it can be quite distressing, he says. This is very much a developing field, Swedish scientists recently published a paper, that is yet to be peer-reviewed, pointing to long-term damage for a significant proportion of people who recover from COVID-19.

Is it serious? To be without taste or smell for a couple of weeks is disconcerting and can add to the misery of feeling sick and isolation but for those who have to live with it for longer there is real concern. It is not only about food. We are documenting people who are becoming malnourished, says Duika Burges Watson, from Britains University of Newcastle. Its not just food, its an altered experience of the world and experience of intimacy was a big issue. She says she has seen relationships on the brink because a person finds their partners smell completely repulsive.

There are also the obvious safety risks for people who do not pick up smells such as smoke or gas. On top of that, the loss of these senses can lead to serious mental health problems including depression and anxiety. What can you do about it? Most people will notice their senses returning gradually over weeks so its about trying to get through a few unpleasant weeks (see some eating tips below). In the vast majority of cases things will return to normal, you have just got to do what you can to get through the short term and hope it doesnt last too long, Keast says. Based on scientific evidence, Dr Burges Watson recommends smell training for those who suffer longer symptoms. You do this by repeatedly sniffing smells to reinforce your bodys interpretation of them.

The hand of Dr Clair Vandersteen wafts a tube of odours under the nose of a blindfolded patient, Gabriella Forgione, during tests in a hospital in Nice to help determine why she has been unable to smell or taste since she contracted COVID-19. Credit:AP But you have to stick with it, it doesnt happen overnight  you need to do it for several months, she says. Its a bit more complex than just sniffing. There are several charities and research bodies that help people with these issues such as AbScent, Monnell Centre and Stana which have additional resources on how to tackle the problem. The key thing is to find support from other people who are experiencing the same dislocation as you because long-term loss of smell and taste is a very, very serious issue, says Burges Watson. So I cant taste food, what should I eat?

Flavour combines smell  information from your nose  and taste  information from your tongue. Coronavirus can affect one or the other or both. In my case, with my tongue still telling me about spicy, sour, salty  curries were great. Fizzy, cold, bitter beer was a winner. Textures and temperature help too as the trigeminal nerve in your mouth should still become stimulated by temperatures and spice. Bring more to the plate Texture: Crunchy, sticky, crispy, chewy, crumbly, hard or suprising

Visually appealing: Make dishes look appetising, pretty and colourful

Flavourful: Use many layered ingredients for more complex tastes

Zing: Bring hot and cold to your mouth both using temperature or the ingredients (think chilli, wasabi, mint and cinnamon) Source: Centre for Cancer Nutrition Alexandra Stewart runs a business which, before the pandemic, was focused on helping cancer patients deal with the impacts of treatment on their sense of smell and taste.

Since then she has seen a huge spike in coronavirus-driven interest. She says the important thing is to lean in on all the other ways you experience food. Loading In the absence of smell and taste you need to concentrate on those more to make the eating experience exciting again rather than suffer a loss of appetite, she says. Things that really work are: planning your meal, planning to put in the different components rather than just trying your favourite foods. You have to try to construct a meal that has more interest in it. In the absence of taste, your brain is craving alternate forms of stimulation and feedback about food in the mouth. Really cold foods will do this, adding some crunch on top will help add extra texture. Toasted muesli or granola would work or popping candy.
The Olympic flame for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is on display at the Olympic Tower in Beijing, capital of China, October 20, 2021. /Xinhua

Xin Ping

Editor's note:Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs who writes regularly for CGTN,Global TimesandChina Daily. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The U.S. seems to never run out of excuses and tricks to keep its competitors down. To win the Cold War against the Soviet Union, it applied a series of strategies ranging from economic and technological blockades, arms races and "color revolutions" to Star Wars culture. It pressured Japan into signing the Plaza Accord in 1985, strengthening Japan's currency against the U.S. dollar and causing Japan's long-lasting economic plight.

In many cases, the U.S. seems willing to trade its international image and credibility for short-term geopolitical interest, sometimes unscrupulously. In 1999, the U.S. launched air strikes for more than two months against Yugoslavia in the name of human rights. In 2003, the U.S. began its invasion of Iraq based on the infamous "test tube full of washing powder," which then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell used as a prop to claim evidence of weapons of mass destruction. In many other places all over the world, the U.S. has disrupted and even toppled governments it found unsuitable to U.S. purposes.

Now, the tide has turned. The U.S. is concentrating its firepower on one country in the crosshairs  China. This country in the east, distinct in many aspects but particularly in its political system, has achieved things deemed unimaginable by the U.S. As a self-claimed Chosen Land of God, the U.S. has resorted to whatever means are at its disposal to slow down China's development.

Be it a Chinese citizen taken as hostage, a third country used as a pawn, or an international organization hijacked to serve selfish interests, the U.S. will go to any lengths to retain its hegemony, even if China never actually stated any intention to be a challenger. Recently, it is the Winter Olympics that has become a new utensil in the toolkit.

Athletes compete during the women's 1,500m final at the Experience Beijing Speed Skating China Open, October 10, 2021. /Xinhua

The U.S. announced that it would not send any official delegation to the Beijing Winter Olympics, rehashing a myriad of long-debunked claims to justify its decision, such as "forced labor" and cyber security concerns.

Just this week, Reuters disclosed that the U.S. State Department was preparing to authorize departures for American diplomats and their families in China due to the "strict pandemic control measures," in an apparent attempt to cause panic before the Winter Olympics.

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, stressed on multiple occasions that a political boycott serves no purpose. The boycott may discourage athletes and viewers, and goes against the Olympic spirit and all the values we hold dear and stand for in sport.

The U.S. is not good at remembering, still less revisiting history. In fact, back in 1892, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the visionary founder of the modern Olympic Games, proposed to restore the Olympics. The idea was nothing to do with politics, but aimed at building a better mankind. This, as all the Olympic Games in the history have shown, should always be a goal of all nations, whether they scrape a living from a harsh environment or enjoy state-of-the-art technological services. It should be a time when athletes impress the world and exert influence through their performance, maintaining the Olympic spirit of becoming "Faster, Higher, Stronger  Together."

The past and present have provided ample reason for the U.S. to stop politically interfering with the Olympics and enjoy this global celebration of human achievement with an unfettered mind  even if it's just for a moment. The U.S. should abandon its cold war mentality and truly understand Baron Pierre De Coubertin's pursuit of building up better men.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chen Yonghai, former Vice President of Products with Alibaba-backed digital map provider AutoNavi, has joined XPeng to serve as Vice President of Internet Center, according to a local media outlet.



Chen Yonghai; photo credit: AutoNavi



In his new capacity, Mr. Chen will directly report to He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of XPeng. Ji Yu, the former director of the startups Internet Center, will be granted other responsibilities, said the media channel.

XPeng has not commented on the personnel change yet.

It is worth mentioning that both Chen Yonghai and Ji Yu had assumed senior executive duties in the mobile Internet company UCWeb, which was founded by members including He Xiaopeng and then acquired by Alibaba Group.

As publicly disclosed, Chen Yonghai assumed the role of senior product director with UCWeb from 2010 to 2012, while Ji Yu served as the director of innovation product department of the same company between 2010 and 2015. Chen Yonghai joined AutoNavi after UCWeb was acquired by Alibaba Group in 2014.

XPeng and AutoNavi have carried out cooperation on advanced driver assistance function. In Jan. 2021, the company unveiled the beta version of its NGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) highway assisted driving system, saying the system utilized decimeter-level AutoNavi high-definition mapping.
My father got COVID-19 over the summer, like hundreds of thousands of Australians. As soon as I knew he was fine (just man flu for a few days), I hate to say that my first emotion was relief that it hadnt come from us.

Thats the accumulated guilt of two years as an essential worker with two young children who do much non-essential sharing of germs. I kept my daughter in daycare for most of the lockdowns until Gladys Berejiklian and Dr Kerry Chant made it clear preschool kids should be kept home too  because for me, the risks of gaps in socialisation and mental health were far greater than the virus. My son went to school on the days I did.

Teachers, students and parents are anxious about schools reopening but its the right move. Credit:Michele Mossop

This summer  with Omicron  COVID-19 guilt increased again. Reluctantly I cancelled gym classes and catch-ups with friends until I was boosted, and engaged in some elective lockdown behaviour in the days leading up to bigger events  a family holiday, a friends birthday. And thats what we all did: our own risk analyses. Awkward texts were sent  Can we have a picnic instead?  for friends with kids being careful. Meanwhile, those in their 20s or already boosted lived their pre-planned hot vax summer, much deserved after two years shut in.

Now I am boosted, my kids have had their first jab  along with more than a third of children aged five to 11  and it looks like weve hit the peak of the Omicron outbreak. COVID-19 guilt shouldnt be a thing anymore.
The money to be made in residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres, coupled with a lack of state oversight, might be enticing unscrupulous operators into Queensland.

Non-profit groups warn there are currently few checks or barriers to anyone wanting to open a service and then charge desperate people exorbitant amounts for substandard services.

The pandemic has exacerbated substance abuse issues, particularly when it comes to alcohol. Credit:iStock

Rebecca Lang, chief executive of the Queensland Network of Alcohol and other Drugs (QNADA), said her organisation had rejected seven or eight membership applications in the past 18 months.

Not all would charge high fees or were coming from a place of greed, she said, but there were concerns about the expertise and treatment they offered.
There are now 889 people in hospital with the virus in Victoria, 63 fewer than on Saturday. Thirty-five people are on ventilators and 111 are in intensive care. More than 25,172 PCR tests results were returned on Saturday. Victoria has 78,294 active cases, down from 191,058 last Sunday. Of the new cases reported on Sunday, 4479 were confirmed in PCR tests, while 6110 were self-reported from rapid antigen tests. Mr Andrews noted there had been a very significant reduction in the number of people in the community that have COVID from last week, but not every positive case in Victoria was being caught by testing.

There will be more virus in the community than [we know about], thats always been the case, he said. Thats why we have mask rules  Theyre all about common sense and everybody playing their part to try and limit the spread of this wildly infectious virus. Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on Sunday called on the government to rule out mandating booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for the general Victorian community. Mr Guy also called on the government to end use of QR codes for check in, rule out any future lockdown restrictions and lift working from home recommendations. Asked about the comments, Mr Andrews said he would follow the advice of experts.

Theres a lot of people who continue to refuse to accept the logic, refuse to accept the fact that vaccines save lives. Theyre free, theyre safe, and theyre incredibly effective against very, very serious illness. Mr Andrews said some of those who consider themselves part of the mainstream have adopted anti-vax language. Loading First few weeks of school will be challenging and messy: Premier Mr Andrews said Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton believed Victoria was past the peak of the Omicron wave.

Its certainly the view of many experts that we are past the peak  the data would certainly indicate that  but theres still very significant pressure on our health system, he said. These numbers are more positive than we had hoped, and lets hope that trend continues, but thats all in our own hands. With the bulk of Victorian school students returning to classrooms on Monday, Mr Andrews said he expected the first few school weeks to be challenging and messy, with a likely increase in COVID cases. I think that going back to school, there will be cases and that will obviously add to our tally, but the benefits of having school back far outweigh those sorts of challenges, he said. Students and teachers will return to classroom for the start of term 1 this week. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Its not easy, but our staff, our students and school communities, everyones working as hard as they can. He said schools had received more than 4 million rapid antigen tests in the past week. About 37.5 per cent of children aged five to 11 have received one vaccine dose since the rollout for primary school-aged children began this month. About 31,000 vaccination appointments for those aged five to 11 are available across the state in the next week. A small number of immuno-compromised children have had a second dose, Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed on Friday.

COVID-19 cases rise in aged care homes Loading Mr Andrews said he believed there were now active COVID-19 cases in five state-run aged care facilities. The number of Victorian aged care homes with active coronavirus cases has risen sharply in the past month, with outbreaks in the states facilities growing from seven to 296 since late December, federal government data shows. About 1700 aged care residents are currently sick with COVID-19, compared with about 400 on January 7. Staff infections have increased from 450 to 1350 in that time.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the federal governments plan to deliver booster shots to all 2650 aged care homes nationwide by the end of January appears to have been postponed, with 500 facilities yet to receive their shots. Federal Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck told the heads of the sector in a briefing on Thursday that this would be delayed by a week, and that the booster uptake among aged care residents was about 80 per cent, according to people in the briefing. The federal government, which is responsible for most aged care facilities in Victoria, confirmed the booster shots would be delivered next week. With Rachel Eddie
Two parliamentary investigations into integrity and corruption issues  including unlawful lobbying  are already underway before the Queensland Parliament, Treasurer Cameron Dick said.

However, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli on Saturday called for a Fitzgerald 2.0 royal commission into integrity concerns raised by Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov last week.

It appears that only the Premier and her ministers dont believe there should be an investigation into the conduct into the government; lock, stock and barrel, Mr Crisafulli said, a reference to then-premier Mike Aherns original adoption of Mr Fitzgeralds recommendations in 1989.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is pressured to contain integrity concerns within her government. Credit:Fairfax Media

Mr Crisafulli said the first of the two existing inquiries is the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commissions five-year review of the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Employers and unions have welcomed the West Australian governments announcements on managing COVID-19 when the Omicron wave rises as markets show concern about continued supply from the states mines.

Premier Mark McGowan outlined on Friday how WA would manage significant outbreaks that it has escaped for two years but now accepts as unavoidable.

WA fly-in, fly-out miners will not have to isolate if they are close contacts without symptoms. Credit:BHP

The challenge is to avoid rapid outbreaks that swamp the healthcare system, without isolating so many workers as close contacts that vital services such as groceries collapse, as has happened in other states.

When high caseloads are reached in WA, which the Premier hopes will not be for some weeks, the definition of a close contact will be tightened and the isolation required cut from 14 days to seven.
The US raised the alarm with European Union nations in November about a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, later sharing intelligence showing possible plans for a three-pronged invasion from Crimea, Russia and via Belarus involving as many as 175,000 combatants. Ukraines defence intelligence agency chief told the Military Times that a Russian assault could come by the end of January or early February. The Kremlin denied any intention to attack Ukraine, saying troop movements on its territory were an internal matter. It accused the US and NATO allies of stoking tensions with naval exercises in the Black Sea.

Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimea peninsula ignited the tensest standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cold War. The region remains deadlocked following years of conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in the countrys east. Since November, the US has been warning European allies that Russia may be preparing to invade Ukraine. Now Russia has massed 100,000 troops near its neighbours border in a re-run of the April 2021 crisis.

Yes. Russia deployed troops to Crimea and its border with Ukraine in March and April last year amid fighting between the Ukrainian army and the Moscow-backed militants. Tensions subsided after US President Joe Biden called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and offered a summit meeting that took place in June. That prompted speculation Putin had used the crisis as a means to gain Bidens attention. After news of the latest buildup emerged, Putin said in November that the US and its allies were failing to take Russias red lines seriously and that Moscow needed long-term security guarantees. He accused NATO of supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine and said the alliance was waging a pressure campaign against him. Ukraines defence minister said on a November visit to Washington that hed asked the Pentagon for more help defending its airspace and coast.

Why is this still a problem?

A 2015 truce ended the bloodiest fighting of the seven-year conflict, which has claimed more than 14,000 lives. But the terms have never been fully met and a lasting resolution remains elusive. The major stumbling block remains whether Ukraine leans eastward or westward. Protesters demanded a break from the nations Soviet past when they ousted Kremlin-backed Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Putin justified his subsequent annexation of Crimea and support for the fighters in eastern Ukraine by saying he must defend Russian-speakers, wherever they are. Fearing encroachment, he continues to oppose goals now enshrined in Ukraines constitution  including EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation membership.

What has the US response been?

There has been a flurry of diplomacy since early December, sparked by a video call that Biden held with Putin on December 7. The leaders spoke again by phone on December 30. The US has warned of debilitating economic sanctions if Russia attacks, while the Kremlin says NATO expanding further east or deploying weapons in Ukraine are red lines. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations warned Russia on December 12 to de-escalate its activities around Ukraine or face massive consequences. People familiar with the matter said the Biden administration has pushed EU allies to finalise a broad package of sanctions against Russian banks and energy companies that could be imposed jointly with the US if necessary.
Amityville, New York: Two nurses from Long Island, in New York, are accused of forging COVID-19 vaccination cards and pocketing more than $US1.5 million ($2.4m) from the scheme, prosecutors and police said.

Julie DeVuono, the owner of Wild Child Paediatric Healthcare in Amityville, and her employee, Marissa Urraro, are both charged with felony forgery, and DeVuono also is charged with offering a false instrument for filing. Both were arraigned on Friday, US time.

Urraros lawyer, Michael Alber, urged people not to rush to judgement about the allegations and said his client is a well-respected nurse.

Two nurses are accused of forging COVID-19 vaccination cards. Credit:AP

We look forward to highlighting the legal impediments and defects of the investigation, he said on Saturday.
Edith (Edi) Marie Smith, daughter of the late Glen Lester and Dorothy Jane Allison, was born in Youngstown, OH on Friday, October 11th, 1963, and she departed this life on Saturday, April 30th, 2022, having attained the age of 59 years. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death b
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (called BAIC BluePark for short), the parent of Chinese NEV maker BAIC BJEV, claimed on Jan. 29 it is likely to record a net loss of 4.8 billion yuan ($754.563 million) to 5.3 billion yuan ($833.163 million) in 2021, shrinking from a net loss of around 6.482 billion yuan ($1.019 billion) for the previous year.

ARCFOX S HI; photo credit: BAIC BluePark

Excluding the impact of non-recurring gains and losses, BAIC BluePark's 2021 net loss is forecasted to be 5 billion yuan ($786.003 million) to 5.5 billion yuan ($864.603 million), compared to a net loss of 6.646 billion yuan ($1.045 billion) generated in 2020.

According to the company, the lower-than-expected auto outputs and sales, which resulted from such factors as the coronavirus pandemic and raw materials supply constraint, made the existing gross margin fail to cover inherent costs. The impact of this issue led to a net loss of around 2 billion yuan ($314.401 million) to 2.5 billion yuan ($393.001 million).

Besides, around 1.7 billion yuan ($267.241 million) worth of net loss stemmed from the increase in expenses for advertising, operation and other businesses as the company is vigorously pushing ahead with the implementation of the "going upscale" strategy and the building of sales and service channels for ARCFOX brand.

Moreover, the larger investment in R&D business caused about 1.1 billion yuan ($174.5 million) in annual net loss.
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On February 18, Lowell Observatory and the Orpheum Theater present A Night of Discovery, commemorating the anniversary of Clyde Tombaughs discovery of the icy world Pluto on February 18, 1930. This is the keynote event of the 3rd Annual I Heart Pluto Festival and takes place at the Orpheum Theater. Guests may mingle with world-renowned scientists, explore a space art exhibit, try their hands at axe throwing, and purchase a pint of special-edition Lowell Lager. The events main sponsor is The Runway coffeehouse/nightclub.

Panel Discussion with Eminent Scientists

Headlining A Night of Discovery is a panel discussion that looks at our human fascination with exploration and discovery, from nearby nooks on Earth to the far reaches of the universe. Panelists include:

 Donald Johanson, discoverer of the fossil hominid Lucy

 Alan Stern (participating remotely), Principal Investigator of the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond

 Nancy Currie-Gregg, astronaut who flew four times in space

 Cathy Olkin, Deputy Principal Investigator of the Lucy mission to study asteroids

 Alden Tombaugh, son of Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh

 Jeffrey Hall, Lowell Observatory Director, will moderate the discussion

The program will be followed by a panelist book signing. Books as well as commemorative posters and other items will be available for purchase onsite.

Art Show and Axe Throwing

The International Astronomical Artists Association (IAAA) will display a variety of space-themed art throughout the Orpheum. The IAAA consists of artists and scientists-artists who implement and participate in astronomical and space art projects.

FlagTag AZ will also be on hand with their mobile axe throwing trailer, set up outside of the Orpheum from 5-6 p.m.

Quench Your Thirst with Lowell Observatory Lager

Back by popular demand is a Pluto-themed beer created specially for the I Heart Pluto Festival by Mother Road Brewing Company, Arizonas third largest independent craft brewer. This years beer is Lowell Lager, a craft American lager. Other drinks  both alcoholic and non-alcoholic  as well as food will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Findlay Toyota will also be on hand between 5-6 p.m., grilling hot dogs and hamburgers that will be free while supplies last.

Why the Orpheum?

Why hold this event at the Orpheum Theatre? Because Clyde Tombaugh watched a movie here on the night of his great discovery in 1930. Plus, the Orpheum accessibility, comfort, and old-time charm, make it a perfect venue.

Schedule

5-6 p.m. Doors open to public. Art and vendor displays; FlagAZ Axe Throwing

6-8:30 p.m. Programming

6-6:30 p.m. Welcome and introductions

6:30-8:30 p.m. Exploration and Discovery Panel Discussion

8:30-9:30 p.m. Book signing

The program will be followed by a panelist book signing. Books by several of the panelists, as well as commemorative posters and other items to be signed, will be available for purchase onsite.

Tickets

Available at the door or in advance (see Orpheum website.) Cost is $10 per adult, $7 per youth ages 5-17 (plus tax and sales fee).

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Over 80% of all matter in the universe is made up of material scientists have never seen. It's called dark matter and we only assume it exists because without it, the behaviour of stars, planets and galaxies simply wouldn't make sense. Here is what we know about it, or rather, what we think we know.

What is dark matter and why is it invisible?

Dark matter is completely invisible. It emits no light or energy and thus cannot be detected by conventional sensors and detectors. The key to its elusive nature must lie in its composition, scientists think.

Visible matter, also called baryonic matter, consists of baryons  an overarching name for subatomic particles such as protons, neutrons and electrons. Scientists only speculate what dark matter is made of. It could be composed of baryons but it could also be non-baryonic, that means consisting of different types of particles.

Most scientists think that dark matter is composed of non-baryonic matter. The lead candidate, WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles), are believed to have ten to a hundred times the mass of a proton, but their weak interactions with "normal" matter make them difficult to detect. Neutralinos, massive hypothetical particles heavier and slower than neutrinos, are the foremost candidate, though they have yet to be spotted.

Sterile neutrinos are another candidate. Neutrinos are particles that don't make up regular matter. A river of neutrinos streams from the sun , but because they rarely interact with normal matter, they pass through Earth and its inhabitants.

There are three known types of neutrinos; a fourth, the sterile neutrino, is proposed as a dark matter candidate. The sterile neutrino would only interact with regular matter through gravity .

"One of the outstanding questions is whether there is a pattern to the fractions that go into each neutrino species," Tyce DeYoung, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Michigan State University and a collaborator on the IceCube neutrino observatory in Antarctica, told Space.com.

The smaller neutral axion and the uncharged photinos  both theoretical particles  are also potential placeholders for dark matter.

There is also such a thing as antimatter , which is not the same as dark matter. Antimatter consists of particles that are essentially the same as visible matter particles but with opposite electrical charges. These particles are called antiprotons and positrons (or antielectrons). When antiparticles meet particles, an explosion ensues that leads to the two types of matter cancelling each other out. Because we live in a universe made of matter, it is obvious that there is not that much antimatter around, otherwise there would be nothing left. Unlike dark matter, physicists can actually manufacture anti-matter in their laboratories.

Related: Image Gallery: Dark matter across the universe

Why do we think dark matter exists?

But if we cannot see dark matter, how do we know it exists? The answer is gravity, the force exerted by objects made of matter that is proportional to their mass. Since the 1920s, astronomers have hypothesized that the universe must contain more matter than we can see because the gravitational forces that seem to be at play in the universe simply appear stronger than the visible matter alone would account for.

"Motions of the stars tell you how much matter there is," Pieter van Dokkum, a researcher at Yale University, said in a statement . "They don't care what form the matter is, they just tell you that it's there."

Astronomers examining spiral galaxies in the 1970s expected to see material in the center moving faster than at the outer edges. Instead, they found the stars in both locations traveled at the same velocity, indicating the galaxies contained more mass than could be seen.

Studies of gas within elliptical galaxies also indicated a need for more mass than found in visible objects. Clusters of galaxies would fly apart if the only mass they contained was the mass visible to conventional astronomical measurements.

Different galaxies seem to contain different amounts of dark matter. In 2016, a team led by Van Dokkum found a galaxy called Dragonfly 44 , which seems to be composed almost entirely of dark matter. On the other hand, since 2018 astronomers have found several galaxies that seem to lack dark matter altogether.

The force of gravity doesn't only affect the orbits of stars in galaxies but also the trajectory of light. Famous physicist Albert Einstein showed in the early 20th century that massive objects in the universe bend and distort light due to the force of their gravity. The phenomenon is called gravitational lensing . By studying how light is distorted by galaxy clusters, astronomers have been able to create a map of dark matter in the universe.

A vast majority of the astronomical community today accepts that dark matter exists.

"Several astronomical measurements have corroborated the existence of dark matter, leading to a world-wide effort to observe directly dark matter particle interactions with ordinary matter in extremely sensitive detectors, which would confirm its existence and shed light on its properties," the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy (LNGS) said in a statement . "However, these interactions are so feeble that they have escaped direct detection up to this point, forcing scientists to build detectors that are more and more sensitive."

Despite all the evidence pointing towards the existence of dark matter, there is also the possibility that no such thing exists after all and that the laws of gravity describing the motion of objects within the solar system require revision.

Dark matter appears to be spread across the cosmos in a network-like pattern, with galaxy clusters forming at the nodes where fibers intersect. By verifying that gravity acts the same both inside and outside our solar system, researchers provide additional evidence for the existence of dark matter and dark energy. (Image credit: WGBH)

Where does dark matter come from?

Dark matter appears to be spread across the cosmos in a net-like pattern, with galaxy clusters forming at the nodes where fibers intersect. By verifying that gravity acts the same both inside and outside our solar system, researchers provide additional evidence for the existence of dark matter. (Things are even more complicated as in addition to dark matter there also appears to be dark energy , an invisible force responsible for the expansion of the universe that acts against gravity.)

But where does dark matter come from? The obvious answer is that we don't know. But there are a few theories. A study published in December 2021 in The Astrophysical Journal argues that dark matter might be concentrated in black holes , the powerful gates to nothing that due to the extreme force of their gravity devour everything in their vicinity. As such, dark matter would have been created in the Big Bang together with all other constituting elements of the universe as we see it today.

Stellar remnants such as white dwarfs and neutron stars are also thought to contain high amounts of dark matter, and so are the so-called b r own dwarfs , failed stars that didn't accumulate enough material to kick-start nuclear fusion in their cores.

Dark matter in the center of a galaxy (Image credit: Mattia Di Mauro (ESO/Fermi-Lat))

How do scientists study dark matter?

Since we can't see dark matter, can we actually study it? There are two approaches to learning more about this mysterious stuff. Astronomers study the distribution of dark matter in the universe by looking at the clustering of material and the motion of objects in the universe. Particle physicists, on the other hand, are on a quest to detect the fundamental particles making up dark matter.

An experiment mounted on the International Space Station called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) detects antimatter in cosmic rays. Since 2011, it has been hit by more than 100 billion cosmic rays, providing fascinating insights into the composition of particles traversing the universe.

"We have measured an excess of positrons [the antimatter counterpart to an electron], and this excess can come from dark matter," Samuel Ting, AMS lead scientist and a Nobel laureate with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told Space.com. "But at this moment, we still need more data to make sure it is from dark matter and not from some strange astrophysics sources. That will require us to run a few more years."

Back on Earth, beneath a mountain in Italy, the LNGS's XENON1T is hunting for signs of interactions after WIMPs collide with xenon atoms.

"A new phase in the race to detect dark matter with ultra-low background massive detectors on Earth has just begun with XENON1T," project spokesperson Elena Aprile, a professor at Columbia University, said in a statement . "We are proud to be at the forefront of the race with this amazing detector, the first of its kind."

The Large Underground Xenon dark-matter experiment (LUX), seated in a gold mine in South Dakota, has also been hunting for signs of WIMP and xenon interactions. But so far, the instrument hasn't revealed the mysterious matter.

"Though a positive signal would have been welcome, nature was not so kind!" Cham Ghag, a physicist at University College London and collaborator on LUX, said in a statement. "Nonetheless, a null result is significant as it changes the landscape of the field by constraining models for what dark matter could be beyond anything that existed previously."

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, an experiment buried under the frozen surface of Antarctica, is hunting for the hypothetical sterile neutrinos. Sterile neutrinos only interact with regular matter through gravity, making it a strong candidate for dark matter.

Experiments aiming to detect elusive dark matter particles are also conducted in the powerful particle colliders at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.

Several telescopes orbiting Earth are hunting for the effects of dark matter. The European Space Agency's Planck spacecraft , retired in 2013, spent four years in the Lagrangian Point 2 (a point in the orbit around the sun, where a spacecraft maintains a stable position with respect to Earth), mapping the distribution of the cosmic microwave background, a relic from the Big Bang, in the universe. Irregularities in the distribution of this microwave background revealed clues about the distribution of dark matter .

In 2014, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope made maps of the heart of our galaxy, the Milky Way , in gamma-ray light, revealing an excess of gamma-ray emissions extending from its core.

"The signal we found cannot be explained by currently proposed alternatives and is in close agreement with the predictions of very simple dark matter models," lead author Dan Hooper, an astrophysicist at Fermilab in Illinois, told Space.com.

The excess can be explained by annihilations of dark matter particles with a mass between 31 and 40 billion electron volts, researchers said. The result by itself isn't enough to be considered a smoking gun for dark matter. Additional data from other observing projects or direct-detection experiments would be required to validate the interpretation.

The James Webb Space Telescope , launched after 30 years of development on Dec. 25 2021, is also expected to contribute to the hunt for the elusive substance. With its infrared eyes able to see to the beginning of time, the telescope of the century won't be able to see dark matter directly, but through observing the evolution of galaxies since the earliest stages of the universe, it is expected to provide insights that have not been possible before.

Additional resources

You can read more about dark matter on the website of the U.S. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), which runs high-energy experiments in cutting edge particle colliders with the goal of discovering particles that would fill the gaps in our understanding of the universe. The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN ), the largest particle physics laboratory in the world, is also on a quest to find missing dark matter particles. NASA discusses the difference between dark matter and dark energy in this article .

Bibliography

NASA, Dark Energy, Dark Matter

https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy

Clegg, B. Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Hidden 95% of the Universe, Icon Books, August, 2019

CERN, Dark Matter

https://home.cern/science/physics/dark-matter

This article was update on Jan 28, 2022 by Space.com Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova.
Geneva (Switzerland), 29 January 2022 (SPS) - The 306 member organizations of the Geneva Support Group for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in Western Sahara called on Morocco, Wednesday, to abandon its colonial policies and enforce international law in this non-autonomous territory.



The NGOs, in a statement, called "the holders of the resolution on Western Sahara at the UN Security Council to include human rights and rule of law dimensions in the MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) mandate and to provide the UN chief's special envoy for Western Sahara (Staffan de Mistura) with the required means to fulfill his job and to give Western Sahara people the opportunity to freely express their right to self-determination and independence."



The group, which followed with "great interest" Staffan de Mistura's first trip to the region, urged Morocco to "abandon its ambitions and colonial policies and to abide by and implement the international law for the benefit of Western Sahara people and the populations of the Maghreb and the Sahel."



The group's members "deeply" regretted that De Mistura did not visit the non-autonomous territory occupied by Morocco, "which is completely blocked to independent inspection since 2015, including the High Commission of Human Rights."



The members of the group stressed that all UN resolutions "reaffirm the inalienable right of all people to self-determination and independence," in line with the principles set out in the UN Charter and the Resolution 1514 (XV) of the General Assembly of 14 December 1960 containing the UN Declaration on the granting of independence to colonized countries and peoples.



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Madrid (Spain), 29 January 2022 (SPS) - The Movement for Sahrawi Political Prisoners has appealed to the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, to intervene with the Moroccan occupation regime, in order to release all Sahrawi political prisoners held in Moroccan prisons, against the backdrop of their peaceful activities and political positions in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.



In a letter to Jose Manuel Albares, the movement stressed that the Spanish government is responsible as an administrative force from the point of view of international law, and must mediate in order to improve the situation of the prisoners, who are deprived of visits from their families, many of whom live in total isolation, and do not receive the necessary health care, recalling that these prisoners are victims of unfair trials, without any evidence or proof, but confessions were extracted from them under torture and coercion.



The letter drew the attention of the head of the Spanish diplomacy to the fact that showing sufficient goodwill may lead the Moroccan occupation regime to decide to release these prisoners (...).



The human rights movement asked the Spanish minister for clarification on the recent discussions he had with the United States Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and with the United Nations Special Envoy for Western Sahara Staffan de Mistura, and whether the situation of the Sahrawi political prisoners in the prisons of the Moroccan occupation had been raised or not.



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BRIDGEPORT  The states inspector general ruled Friday that the wounding of a knife-wielding suspect by a city police officer in September 2020 was justified.

In a 55-page report, Robert Devlin Jr. stated that Officer Eliud Henry did nothing illegal when he shot Juan Ramirez, aka Juan Villa, in the right side on Sept. 16, 2020.

The investigation establishes that, at the time he was shot, Villa was stabbing another person, Darrick Stanley, with a large knife. When verbal commands and a Taser deployment had no effect, Officer Henry shot Villa to stop the attack on Stanley. Officer Henry used deadly force to defend Stanley from imminent serious physical injury or death. Accordingly, I find such use of force to be objectively reasonable and justified, Devlin wrote.

Villa, 28, recovered from his wound and is currently awaiting trial in Superior Court on charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault, home invasion, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

Officers of the Bridgeport Police Department hate to have to use physical force or deadly physical force but sometimes its necessary to preserve life, said City Attorney R. Christopher Meyer.

Villas lawyer did not return calls for comment.

According to the report, on Sept. 16, 2020, between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m., police officers Henry and Sean Curran were dispatched via a 911 call to 351 Clinton Ave. on a report of an assault.

Police body camera footage released earlier shows that when officers arrived, they were directed by a resident to the third floor. Upon ascending the third floor stairwell, officers called out the victims name.

Blood smears were visible on a portion of the lower stairwell wall, the stairwell lower door casing and the banister. Blood smears were also seen on a closed third floor door visible from the stairwell.

A shirtless male wearing boxer shorts, later identified as Villa, appeared on the third floor landing and then slammed through that door, which led to a bathroom.

Devlins report states that Henry ran up the stairs and observed Villa, in the bathroom, stabbing and slashing Stanley multiple times in the head and torso with a large knife. The report states that Henry deployed his Taser on Villa but it had no effect and Villa continued to stab Stanley with the knife.

Henry then used his department-issued handgun to fire one shot that struck Villa, temporarily disabling him. Curran, who was behind Henry during the incident, removed Stanley to a safe location, the report states.

In an interview with state police investigators, the report states that Henry told them: I realized I needed to stop the suspect who was inflicting serious bodily injury to the victim and knew that, if I didnt stop the attack, that the victim or a police officer would be killed. I pointed my gun directly at the suspect and I fired one round, which struck the suspect in his right side area.
STAMFORD  For some Stamford parents, a book recently selected for the grades 3-5 curriculum is inappropriate for young students to read.

Many of them expressed their dismay during the public comment portion of a Board of Education meeting this week.

The book in question is titled The Pants Project.

According to its description on Amazon, The Pants Project, follows the life of Liv, who, as he explains in the book, is not technically a girl and instead is transgender. Which is a bit like being a Transformer. Only not quite as cool.

Liv goes to a school where he is forced to comply with a female dress code that calls for him to wear skirts. That leads Liv to embark on a mission to get the school to allow students to wear pants.

Parents who spoke at the meeting seemed especially concerned about one passage in the book.

In it, Liv recalls a conversation between two other characters: Last week, Chelsea loudly told Jade that shed seen a bulge in my underwear (I wish!).

Christina Caputo, a parent, said the content of the book was too sexualized for the age group.

I dont think its appropriate to read about a bulge in someones underwear to an 8 year old, she said.

The recommended reading age for The Pants Project is between the ages of 9 and 13.

Stephanie Edmonds, another of the speakers, said the book reinforces gender stereotypes.

Not all girls like skirts, she said. Not all girls are girly and that doesnt make them any less of a girl.

She added, I admire the effort to make the world a better place and youre trying to do that. It might seem good, but its very misguided. And you need to start listening to the community when you make these types of decisions.

While no parents spoke in favor of the curriculum addition at the Board of Education meeting, many have expressed support for the book on social media.

Justin Martin, spokesperson for the district, said the book was selected through a vetting process involving the LGBTQ+ Collaborative, a district-wide committee which has been meeting monthly for the past three years. The group includes central office and school building administrators, teachers, Board of Education members, support staff, parents, community members and students, Martin said.

The book was selected from a suggested book list to the Teaching and Learning Department who then further vetted books, along with LGBTQ+ Collaborative members, to determine which books could be used in classrooms as a read-aloud, Martin wrote in an emailed message.

He added, Our staff takes a thoughtful and pragmatic approach when introducing any new texts to our schools. As we introduce books, we endeavor to provide professional development training that gives our educators a deeper understanding of the intricacies, challenges and nuances of sensitive subject matter, including gender identification, sexual orientation and inclusiveness.

Mary Hidajat-Crichlow, the president of the Julia A. Stark Elementary School parent-faculty organization, said she is in favor of acceptance and inclusion, but felt The Pants Project was inappropriate.

I do not believe that third graders are socially and emotionally prepared to read The Pants Project, said Hidajat-Crichlow, who is also a social worker at the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, one of Stamfords three public high schools.

She said The Pants Project is more appropriate for middle school students.

Caputo wondered how the book would be taught.

I understand the objective of introducing these books is to foster organic conversations about acceptance and individuality of all students, she said. First off, I dont see how these conversations can happen organically when these discussions are being forced on these students.

Further, she said such conversations are better suited for a different venue.

I dont feel its a teachers duty to teach my child such a sensitive topic, she said. I am the parent and I prefer to have these conversations with my children at home.

Some of the parents asked the district to hold off introducing the book, or give parents the opportunity to opt out.

Vanessa Montanaro, the mother of three elementary school students, questioned how teachers would be able to address questions that arise from the book.

Our teachers are amazing educators, she said. They are not, however, licensed therapists with credentials equipped to handle this content or the questions that come along with it.

Members of the Board of Education listened to comments from the public, but did not address the book.

Early last year, the district approved a new transgender, nonbinary and gender non-conforming youth policy, meant to improve the school climate for students who are transgender, or who do not identify with typical gender roles and stereotypes.

The policy addresses issues such as the use of correct pronouns for students, bathroom usage and reporting and responding to bullying and harassment. It also lays out guidelines for school personnel. For example, staff are directed not to disclose information that may reveal a students gender identity, including to the students parents.

An education organization known as GLSEN, formerly the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, put out a 2019 school climate report that found that Connecticut schools were not safe for most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer secondary school students.

Many LGBTQ students in the state, according to the report, were not protected by inclusive school policies. According to that same report, the vast majority of LGBTQ students in Connecticut reported hearing anti-LGBTQ remarks in school and most said they experienced some form of victimization.

The report recommended more inclusive school policies and curriculum, and more professional development for staff, as well as more supportive staff, as a way to improve school climate.

Students attending schools with these resources and supports report more positive school experiences, including lower victimization and absenteeism and higher academic achievement, reads the report.

Martin said the school district typically works with the Ferguson Library when choosing a new book and seeks feedback and review from teachers.

To that end, our educators strive to work collaboratively to expand our classroom libraries and read aloud choices so that all students can see themselves, their peers and their families in classroom books, Martin wrote.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
Photo taken on Jan 22 shows the lanterns on display in Xianhua Town, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]



Lanterns are a quintessential element at Spring Festival and they have taken centerstage at the month-long lantern festival which kicked off in Xianhua Town, or Flower Town, in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province on Jan 22 to welcome the upcoming Chinese New Year.














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STAMFORD  The cost of hiring a private law firm to investigate a complaint against the Board of Education has put so much strain on the city law departments budget that it is seeking $350,000 from Stamfords contingency reserve to cover other expenses for the rest of the fiscal year.

Investigating the complaint, which Superintendent Tamu Lucero submitted last year, has cost more than $375,000. That expense on top of others the city has incurred has left the law department with about $45,000 remaining in its budget for retaining outside counsel  and there are five more months to go before the end of the fiscal year.

The Board of Education investigation itself is completed, and the city has just one more payment to make to the law firm, but the law department has other expenses that are ongoing.

The Board of Representatives is set to vote Feb. 7 on the $350,000 request.

Heres what we know from what Kathryn Emmett, the former director of legal affairs who is now working part time for the city as special counsel, has told elected officials and from the report that came out of the Board of Education investigation.

What prompted the investigation?

Last March, Lucero sent an email to Emmett listing 13 concerns from staff about the conduct of some school board members. The list included claims that board members were creating an intimidating or bullying work environment for senior leadership and encouraging a culture that fosters emotional distress.

Who conducted the investigation?

The city hired the law firm Day Pitney to investigate. Chase Rogers, a partner at Day Pitney and retired chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, led the probe.

Emmett said she sought very preeminent outside counsel because the complaint involved the elected Board of Education, and she believed it deserved the most respected investigation we could provide.

What did the law firm find?

Day Pitney produced a 60-page report that substantiated many of the allegations. The reports recommendations included implementing formal training on standards of respect and parliamentary procedure as well as having a facilitator regulate board conduct. The report didnt name any specific members of the Board of Education.

How much did the investigation cost?

About $376,500. The Board of Representatives Fiscal Committee has requested an itemized breakdown of the total cost.

The citys law department started the fiscal year with a budget of $900,000 to pay for services by outside counsel and other professionals, such as translators. Emmett noted that she received Luceros complaint after then-Mayor David Martin had proposed a city budget for fiscal year 2021-22.

With the Board of Education investigation included, the law department has now logged a total of more than $855,000 in expenses for outside professional services. Beyond the investigation, the city has hired outside counsel for help with union negotiations, lawsuits where the city or the Board of Education has sought damages and cases that have required specialized legal expertise, among other matters.

If you took out the cost of (the Board of Education) investigation, we would be more or less in line with our budgeted amount, Emmett said, adding that the additional $350,000 should be enough to get the department through the end of the fiscal year.

Why was the investigation so expensive?

Some members of the Board of Representatives Fiscal Committee were dismayed by the cost.

To me, this is something that could have easily been handled by an internal HR department, said Sean Boeger, a Democratic representative for District 15 and Stamford Police Department sergeant, during a committee meeting on Jan. 24.

Once it hit a certain dollar amount, somebody should have stopped the process, Boeger said. Somebody should have transferred it to somebody else who could have gotten it done in a much more efficient manner. I think this is a complete and utter waste of tax dollars.

Emmett said it would not have been seen as a proper investigation if it had been conducted by the schools human resources department, which reports to the superintendent, who reports to the Board of Education.

What could have happened if the investigation hadnt been conducted?

Emmett defended the need for the investigation.

It is an employers absolute obligation when presented with a hostile work environment claim by an employee  and this was actually a claim  involving (about) 10 employees  to do a thorough investigation  to determine what, if anything, needs to be done by the employer to protect the employees from working in a hostile work environment, Emmett said.

If such an investigation doesnt happen, there can be very significant damage actions brought, which could cost the city a tremendous amount of money, Emmett said.

She argued that the investigation was an investment to protect the city from a significantly worse consequence in terms of dollars and cents.

Emmett served as director of legal affairs throughout Martins administration. Mayor Caroline Simmons appointed Doug Dalena, who was most recently deputy general counsel in Gov. Ned Lamonts office, to take over the role from Emmett.

Dalena agreed with Emmett at the Fiscal Committee meeting.

It is unfortunate. It is a large amount. But it really has to be compared to  the avoided costs that could have been very likely, Dalena said.

What now?

On Jan. 24, the Board of Representatives Fiscal Committee voted 8-3 to recommend that the full board approve the request for $350,000 to be appropriated from the citys reserve for contingencies. The Board of Finance approved the request in November.

The full Board of Representatives is set to meet Feb. 7. The request needs the support of two-thirds of the members present to be approved.

What will happen if the board rejects the request?

The city would be unable to continue paying outside counsel, and there are certain things that we cannot do ourselves, Emmett said. For instance, we need bond counsel for certain things having to do with our bond reporting and work.

Being unable to pay for such counsel would be disastrous for the city, she said.

Is it unusual for the law department to ask for more money after the budget is adopted?

Emmett said the budgeted amount for outside counsel often is not enough to cover the expenses the city actually incurs in a fiscal year.

It isnt regularly the case that the budget fully covers the professional services that we have to pay for during the year because  it happens to be an expense thats not really under our control to a large extent, because lawsuits get filed we didnt anticipate or claims get made we didnt know were going to come or we need expert counsel on something we had no idea we would need, Emmett said.

It would be better if our budget built in a cushion so that we could cover everything and not be back in this situation, but it hasnt been the practice to do it that way, she added. Its been the reverse  Have it be under where it may end up and then come back and request for the additional (money) if we need it.

Includes prior reporting by staff writer Ignacio Laguarda.

brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
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In July 2021, several political formations represented in the European Parliament signed a joint declaration reflecting our concerns and our commitment to defend a European Union that respects the sovereignty, freedom and traditions of the Member States. In turn, we agreed to refer to the declaration as a "base for a cultural and political common work, respecting the role of current political groups".

In December 2021, the first summit of patriotic and conservative forces in Europe took place in Warsaw. The participants discussed the need for closer cooperation in the European Parliament, as well as the organization of joint meetings and the vote alignment on common issues concerning the protection of the sovereignty of the Member States of the Union.

Today, the participants in the Madrid Summit, which took place in Spain on 28-29 January, have reiterated our concern about the Future of Europe.

The European Community was forged as an area of free cooperation between sovereign states. However, there is a growing threat that seeks to transform the Union into an ideologically charged federalist super-state; a corporation which disregards national identity and sovereignty, and therefore democracy, plurality and the interests of the citizens of the nations that form the Union, are disregarded.

This drift endangers the Union itself by moving away from the Christian European ideals on which it was founded. Today, some bureaucrats and some parties mistakenly believe that they can promote agendas without democratic legitimacy which go against the needs of Europeans and the survival of Western civilization itself.

Faced with this situation, we, the participants of the Summit, commit ourselves to defend Europe from external and internal threats. We will confront everything that advocates for a European Union which is alien to its history and which, detached from reality, lead to demographic suicide and societal transformation. Europe is in demographic decline. We have to support family policies.

We love Europe because we love our nations. And we will defend Europe because we defend our nations. That is why we will not cease to demand a Union focused on the common European values, on people, on their families, on the protection of their borders and on the freedom to have energy, industry, and a strong primary sector. We have to regain the culture of mutual respect among Member States and with the EU institutions, where constitutional identities are safeguarded and not criticized. We denounce the politically motivated attacks from Brussels against Poland and Hungary which demonstrate a complete disregard of basic EU principles and violate the spirit of the Treaties.

In short, we should cooperate and join forces to protect Europe from enforced ideologies and anti-democratic drift that are leading to its downfall.

To this end, we have agreed on our commitment to:

- Enforce the principle of EU preference. Goods produced within the Member States nave priority over goods from third countries, which are responsible for the impoverishment of our nations' farmers and stockbreeders and the weakening of Europe as an industrial power.

- Denounce the immigration policy promoted by Brussels, and the ineffectiveness of FRONTEX, which is not contributing to the protection of our borders.

- Work for a European energy autonomy, where nations can freely dispose of the energy they require, while respecting the environment, but without submitting to the imposition of ideological prejudices. Brussels' failed energy policy contributes to unbearable energy prices.

- Demand strict compliance with the Treaties in all cases and firmly reject any initiative that seeks to unduly extend the competences of the EU institutions.

- Defend the primacy of national constitutions over European law, and of national laws over EU regulations in all matters that do not fall within the exclusive competence of the Union.

- Work to ensure that the nations of Europe act in solidarity in the face of the threat of external aggression. Russian aggressive actions on Europe's eastern border led us to the brink of war. Solidarity, decisiveness and defense cooperation between the nations of Europe, as well as NATO and our transatlantic allies, are needed in the face of such threats.

- Urge EU and national institutions to sign agreements with third countries so that immigrants that have been found guilty by a court of law serve their sentences in their countries of origin, and to intensify the return of all immigrants who enter EU territory illegally.

PROPOSAL A - Create means of stronger cooperation (coordination office) between the political formations present at the Madrid Summit in order to join forces and vote in the European Parliament on the aforementioned issues.

PROPOSAL B - Focus on closer coordination between political formations present at the Madrid Summit in order to join forces and speak with one voice as often as possible at the European level vote in the European Parliament on the aforementioned issues.
Early in his long career as a St. Louis radio and television newsman, Don Marsh signed on as a reporter in what was then West Germany with AFN, the Armed Forces Network.

AFN gave GIs stationed in Germany an electronic taste of home. AFN gave Marsh a real-life taste of life in 1960s Germany  a taste he puts to the test in his latest thriller, The Shadows Know.

Cast as the hero is Hank Tollar, a pencil-and-pad reporter for the Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper for GIs abroad. In a complicated plot, Tollar finds himself inside the middle of a violent campaign by French terrorists in Germany to oust Charles de Gaulle and return Algeria to French rule.

Marshs wildly improbable plot ranges across Germany and into France, then winds up in combat in Vietnam after a brief layover in Baltimore. Readers will find themselves entangled in a side plot involving hero Tollars relationship with a strikingly attractive German-Czech woman who has secrets of her own.

Still, give Marsh credit for his take on life in a West Germany with too many bad memories. As a German photographer tells newcomer Tollar: As you get to know more and more people, you wont find any who will admit to any Nazi connections  family  friends. They dont even admit having fought against the Allies. Everyone I talk to fought the Russians on the Eastern Front. I guarantee you the people in the East are saying they fought against the Allies.

But grammar purists will sigh at Marshs all too many missing punctuation marks  commas and question marks gone astray, sometimes taking meaning with them.

For example, that strikingly attractive woman at one point asks a colleague of Tollars: Why couldnt you keep your mouth shut? Hes a reporter for Christs sake.

Huh? We thought he was a reporter for the Stars and Stripes.

Harry Levins of Manchester retired in 2007 as senior writer of the Post-Dispatch. In 1964-65, he was an infantry lieutenant stationed in West Germany.
A composer with the reputation of John Adams might be able to begin a side career as a conductor based mostly on his fame and on his collaboration with such performing ensembles as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He returned to Powell Hall this weekend to lead concerts that included one of his own compositions.

Since 2009, Adams has served as creative chair of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Program notes cite his musics depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes, contributing to such pieces as Harmonielehre, Shaker Loops and Nixon in China. He is among the most performed of all contemporary classical composers.

Adams began the concert with Tumblebird Contrails (2014) by Gabriella Smith, a 30-year-old doctoral candidate in composition at Princeton University. Smith has an established reputation as a composer very concerned with ecology (hence this pieces title) and has been honored by groups including BMI and ASCAP. If her music is being performed by the SLSO, Princeton might go ahead and grant her the degree.

Some of the composers most closely associated with minimalism have rejected that term as too much of a pigeonhole description. Smiths piece might not fit as neatly into that category as Adams, although it shares the characteristic of sections of music being treated as objects rather than thematically derived expositions. But this piece, also a display of high energy, features such extended techniques as long notes over percussion ostinatos, creative bowings of string instruments, glissandi and blowing into brass instruments without creating conventional notes. For such modern music, the piece earned protracted audience applause.

From among Adams own compositions, these concerts included the piano concerto Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? (2019) featuring soloist Jeremy Denk. (The title is a quote supposedly from Martin Luther.) Tempo instructions include gritty, funky, twitchy, bot-like and swing, referring to Adams use of far-ranging influences, including rock.

In three sections played without pause, the outer sections especially provide high energy and high volume, the soloist hard at work almost continuously. One thinks of musical objects rather than melodies, transitions or harmonies, and the rocking, motoric music provides much bang for the buck, bringing on the first ovation of the concert.

Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, op. 39 concluded the performance. From the audience side of the podium, Adams beat appeared to be particularly clear, even in comparison with other famous conductors. His direction isnt particularly heroic, but in the Sibelius piece it elicited the same kind of powerful playing from the orchestra that had been featured in the modern music.

Sibelius romanticism is in vivid contrast with the Adams and Smith compositions, but Adams demonstrated great skill at the more conventional style. For a first symphony, Sibelius provided music of great substance, drama and beauty, demonstrating his preparedness to compete in the wider world than just that of Finnish music, hence the second standing ovation of the concert.

'Adams Conducts Adams' When  8 p.m. Jan. 29 Where  Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard How much  $15-$96; proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test required More info  314-534-1700; slso.org
SATURDAY, Jan. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Most parents have dealt with having to hurry a sleepy child out the door on a school morning, but experts say taking the time to establish good sleep routines for your kids is worth the effort.

Amid the pandemic, there can be a great deal of uncertainty around school, but a set sleep regimen can help ease youngsters' stress and anxiety, according to Stephanie Centofanti and Alex Agostini, sleep experts at the University of South Australia.

"Having a relaxing pre-bed routine and going to bed at the same time every night can teach the body when it's time to fall asleep. This can make falling asleep easier, leading to a longer and more restful night's sleep," Agostini said in a university news release.

"We recommend parents sit down with their children to design a pre-bed routine that will be relaxing for their child. This might include a bath, reading a book, listening to music, or even talking about tomorrow's plans. The important thing is getting kids involved in this process to ensure their buy-in," Agostini advised.

Centofanti recommended "making small changes to your child's routine over time  perhaps moving their bedtime by five or 10 minutes each night  [which] can adjust their biological rhythms more easily. And if you have kids who sleep in, make sure you wake them a little earlier each day."

Putting away all cellphones before bed can also get the entire family into a good sleeping rhythm, Agostini said.

"Setting clear boundaries around technology use is critical so that it doesn't creep into the late evening hours when kids should be preparing for sleep," she explained.

It's also important for parents to remember "that sleep needs change with age and are different for every child," Agostini noted.

Other suggestions to help children get a good night's sleep include having them exercise during the day, giving them lighter meals in the evening and keeping the bedroom dark, cool and quiet.

"Nobody wants a cranky kid in the morning," Agostini said. "A regular, predictable and relaxing bed routine will help get your child off to sleep and start the day in the best way possible."

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on healthy sleep habits.

SOURCE: University of South Australia, news release, Jan. 23, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
Returning to St. Louis from Florida to watch the total eclipse of the sun on Aug. 21, 2017, Barbara Clark decided to take a ride through the Missouri and Illinois countryside she had always enjoyed. Included was a drive along the Great River Road near Alton, and up the hill through the tiny village of Elsah.

I was not looking for a house when I saw the for-sale sign and the owners outside getting into their car, she recalls. The husband said I could not see it without an appointment, but the wife let me inside, and I bought it.

I have lived in a lot of nice homes in many cities, but none ever had a special location like this, Clark says talking about the spectacular, 180-degree view of the Mississippi River. After living here and enjoying the setting, I would select a home based on the location and not the home itself. I love historic homes and rivers.

However, that is not to say her residence is not special on its own. I am happiest when I am tearing something apart and rebuilding it, she says, and that is what she has done in the 1883 home.

A 7-inch slant in the floor from the front door to the back of the home had developed over the homes 130-plus years and was the first thing to be corrected.

Next, a steel beam was added to the back of the living room, allowing the space to be extended out 10 feet. The extension also allowed for a dining room to be added off the kitchen and for a 40-foot window wall installed across the back of the home providing an unobstructed view of the Mississippi River and the parade of passing boats.

Kitchen cabinets were rebuilt by a local cabinet maker in 2019 and hand-painted. I do not like the look of something spray painted, she says. New countertops were added, along with a deck to enjoy the river view outdoors. Marble floor tiles from Florida were repurposed as wall tile in updated bathrooms. A downstairs closet off a bedroom was converted to a laundry/utility room by taking space from a bedroom closet.

She has filled the home with art, much of it her own and done in several mediums. On the first floor six colorful acrylic framed paintings of orchids brighten one wall, and several of her photographs are framed and hung nearby. In the entry hall her watercolor of an old doorknob decorates a wall. I describe all my art as hyper-realistic, she says noting she likes to paint realistic images in a close perspective.

Currently she is working on a 3-foot-by-4-foot painting of tropical plants that is so realistic it resembles a photograph. Nearby is an outdoor scene done in pastels.

A large photo album in her office contains a remarkable series of realistic Trompe-lil artwork she was commissioned to paint for different residences and businesses. The art technique uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion, which depicts objects in three dimensions, although painted on a flat surface.

While Clark loves living a quiet life in Elsah in the village she describes as the town time forgot, she also enjoys the convenience of the metropolitan St. Louis area. I am only 35 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes from downtown St. Louis, she remarks.

I think much of the historic ambiance of Elsah is because we do not have mailboxes lining the streets. We get our mail at the post office up the street, she says. Also, the entire village is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and architectural changes must meet strict guidelines to preserve the character of the village.

For 25 years the residence had been the Corner Nest Bed and Breakfast. Her intention was to continue to use it as a residence but also list it on Airbnb and rent out the second floor. When I discovered I could hear the slightest noise upstairs, that lasted only one weekend, she says. Now one of the upstairs bedrooms has become her home office, and the other an art studio with river views.

Because her two-story home does sit at the very base of the hill on which Elsah is perched, sometimes when the Mississippi overflows the banks, the water enters the residence. The home was built expecting the basement to flood, she says. In 2019 the water did rise a few inches into the first floor. During the Great Flood of 1993 I understand it was almost four feet high in the living room.

Notwithstanding the inconvenience of a flood every now and again, Clark loves her home and the quaint village. Where else can you live that has a Fourth of July parade with more people in the parade than are watching along the street?

Barbara L. Clark

Age  72

Occupation  After studying architecture at Washington University, Clark has always been involved in some aspect of the building trades. Currently, she is a construction estimator for contractors in Florida. She works remotely from her home in Elsah using three computer screens and two desks. While living in St. Louis in 1981 before moving to Florida, she started the St. Louis Rehabber Magazine, which became St. Louis Home magazine.

Home  Elsah

Family  Barbaras husband of 39 years died in 2016 and is seen in many photos along what she refers to as her life wall in a downstairs hallway. He always encouraged me to be independent, she says. Together they owned several businesses together, all somehow related to the building trades. She has two cats Red and Violet, and Vici, a vigorous tail-wagging German shepherd puppy.
In the mid-1800s the Midwest was on the frontier of America. That remoteness, combined with the fact land was less expensive than on the East Coast, offered groups with new and varying religious beliefs a welcome sanctuary and testing ground for their version of a perfect society.

In his book Utopian Communities of Illinois, Randall J. Soland refers to the area as heaven on the prairie, implying this was the perfect religious refuge where different beliefs might flourish and be practiced without interference.

Most of the attempts at utopian communities dissolved fairly quickly. Yet over time several near St. Louis that began in the early to mid-1800s have surprisingly become tourist destinations featuring visitor centers, tours of remaining historic buildings and festivals tied to the original heritage of the communities held throughout the year.

Here are five utopian communities near the St. Louis metropolitan area that would make a nice mini vacation.

Bishop Hill, Illinois

This was the destination of the first mass migration of Swedes to the United States, says Bryan Engelbrecht, the site services specialist at the Bishop Hill State Historic Site. After they arrived, letters they wrote to their relatives started an influx of Swedes that lasted from 1850 to the beginning of World War I.

Located 45 miles northwest of Peoria, the settlement was the result of a religious movement led by Swedish pietist Eric Jansson emphasizing personal faith against the teachings of the Swedish Lutheran Church. An example of his preaching in conflict with the state church was the churchs belief that a true Christian is without sin and even unable to sin.

When Jansson began to be repeatedly imprisoned, released and imprisoned again, he sent a trusted follower as an emissary to the United States to find a suitable location where he and his followers could set up a utopian community centered around their religious beliefs.

In 1846 as many as 1,200 Janssonists left their Scandinavian homes and settled in Illinois, where they named their new community Bishop Hill after Janssons Swedish birthplace of Biskopskulla. Under Janssons direction Bishop Hill was a commune, with everyone selling their assets and pooling their resources into a common treasury.

After a difficult start when one immigrant boat disappeared at sea and a fourth of the colonists died from disease, the colony began to thrive under Janssons leadership.

Land owned or leased by the colony grew to 14,000 acres, Engelbrecht says, and by 1849, the commune had constructed a flour mill, two sawmills, a three-story frame church and various other buildings. At the peak population there were 700 Janssonists living here, producing agricultural goods, fine linen, furniture, wagons and brooms.

Jansson died in 1850, and management of the commune passed to a seven-member board, but by 1855 members began to question the debt the colony had amassed due to investments that proved to be worthless. Talk of dissolution began as early as 1858, and by the early 1860s assets had been divided among members and the colony ceased to exist.

The last known reference of someone practicing the Janssonist religion is 1880, Engelbrecht says. Of the 130 residents still in Bishop Hill, about 25 are descendants of the original settlers.

However, the memory of the Janssonist community remains strong. In 1896 Old Settlers Day was organized to celebrate the colony, and it has continued to be celebrated the second Saturday of every September.

About 85,000 people visit yearly, with several arriving from Sweden where the colony is still recognized as an important part of Swedish history.

In 1961 the Bishop Hill Heritage Association was formed when a small group of descendants met and resolved to preserve their Swedish heritage and protect the 14 remaining historically significant buildings, including the 1854 Steeple Building with its three-story clock tower.

A museum houses early village artifacts and a valuable collection of 106 folk art paintings by original colonist Olof Krans, who arrived in 1850 at the age of 12. In 1896 he began painting memories and people from his youth, which effectively document the everyday life in the early days of the colony.

More info  Visitbishophill.com

New Harmony, Indiana

This picturesque village nestled alongside the Wabash River has the distinction of having been the site of two attempts at utopia.

The first group, known as the Harmony Society, was founded in the 1780s by Johann Georg Rapp and his adopted son, Frederick. Holding Anabaptist beliefs rejected by the Lutheran church, the Harmonists emigrated from Wurttemburg, Germany, to the United States in 1803, seeking religious freedom.

Claire Eagle, the interim assistant director of Historic New Harmony, says members lived communally, pledging to put the needs of their society above all else. In return, the members were to receive food, shelter and care if they remained with the group.

With the first purchase of 3,000 acres in Butler County, Pennsylvania, a community named Harmony was established, only to move to the Indiana Territory 11 years later when Pennsylvania land became too expensive for expansion, and population growth eliminated the isolation they desired.

Purchasing 20,000 acres in 1814, about 700 Harmonists built a new town in the wilderness in Native American territory in what is now southern Indiana.

The society submitted to spiritual and material leadership under Rapp and worked together for the common good of all its members. Believing that the second coming of Christ would occur during their lifetimes, the Harmonists were content to live simply under a strict religious doctrine. They gave up tobacco and advocated celibacy.

Although profit was not a primary goal, under the guidance of Frederick the economy grew gradually from one of subsistence agriculture to diversified manufacturing. They succeeded in creating a thriving economy, selling surplus goods as far as Europe and became known for their rope, whiskey and fine cloth, Eagle says.

While the enterprise was profitable it was not sufficient to carry out planned expansions. In 1824 the Harmonists decided to sell their Indiana property and return to Pennsylvania. There they reached their peak of prosperity in 1866, but the practice of celibacy and several schisms thinned the societys ranks, and the community was eventually dissolved in 1905.

Robert Owen, a Welsh industrialist, social reformer and idealist purchased the town of Harmony in 1825, and renamed the village New Harmony. Owens intention was to create a new moral world of happiness, enlightenment and prosperity through education, science, technology and communal living.

The community dissolved quickly, ravaged by personal conflict and inadequacies in labor and agriculture, but the efforts of this utopian experiment brought advancement in scientific and educational theory and practice, as well as changes in social thought, Eagle says.

While the Owenite social experiment was brief, the community developed ideas that changed American society. It created one of the first kindergarten schools, the first trade school and the first free library in the United States.

Today, sprinkled among a cluster of boutique stores, restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts there are 30 structures from the Harmonist and Owenite utopian communities that remain as part of the New Harmony Historic District, also a National Historic Landmark.

In contrast to the historical buildings remaining, an ultra-modern Visitors Center on the edge of the community designed by architect Richard Meier is usually the first stop for visitors.

More info  visitnewharmony.com

Pella, Iowa

Several factors led to a group of Dutch settlers departing the Netherlands in the spring of 1847 and eventually settling in Pella, says Valerie Van Kooten, the executive director of the Pella Historical Society and Museums. They did not have a theological difference with the Dutch Reformed Church, the state church of the Netherlands, but strongly disagreed with the government directing when and where they could preach, and how much money should be sent from the church to the government. It was also a period of poverty and high taxes and an overall dissatisfaction with life there at the time.

Led by the Rev. Hendrik Pieter Scholte, who had a disregard for ritualism and authority, a group of 800 followers signed a Secession Agreement with the church and set sail for America in four ships.

Historical records show the ships cleanliness was not to Dutch standards. Almost immediately the group cleaned the ships from top to bottom. Later the ship captains testified that they had never brought a more orderly or better-behaved people across the Atlantic.

Scholtes followers briefly stayed in St. Louis, while he and several members of the group scouted Iowa as a new permanent home, where they purchased 33 farms owned by settlers already living in the area. Three months later all the immigrants arrived at their new home in the wilderness, greeted by a pole with a sign on top that read PELLA, named after a city in modern-day Macedonia where Jewish followers of Jesus fled for refuge before the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.

They established the Christian Church with very much the same beliefs of the religion they left, but with a lot more freedom to worship as they liked, Van Kooten says. When Scholte died in 1868 the town was thriving, but without his leadership the colony drifted back to the Reformed Church.

Today many members of the community are direct descendants of the original Dutch families. When there were still phone books, surnames beginning with the letter V filled six pages, Van Kooten remembers.

A block in Pella in what is known as the Historical Village contains 23 original and reproductions of buildings from the 1850s. Nearby is the original home of Scholte built in 1848. In 2001 a fully functioning 1850s style windmill made in the Netherlands was reassembled in the village. Standing 124 feet high it is the tallest working windmill in North America.

The first full weekend each May (May 5-7 in 2022) we have the Tulip Time Festival to celebrate our Dutch heritage, Van Kooten says, noting that 250,000 people visit the town of 10,000 over a three-day period. In 2010 a world record was set for the most people dancing in wooden shoes when 2,600 people danced for more than six minutes.

Part of the towns Dutch heritage incudes Peter Kuiper, a member of the Reformed Church who founded the Pella Corporation, the maker of Pella windows and doors, in 1925.

Town history also includes Wyatt Earp who lived in Pella from the age of 2 until 16 when the family moved farther west. The archives of the town paper mention Earp got into a fight with some of the local immigrants and was hit in the head with a wooden shoe.

More info  Visitpella.com/visitorsguide

The Amana Colonies, Iowa

The history of Amana Colonies begins in 1714 in the villages of Germany and continues today on the Iowa prairie. Then a belief that God may inspire individuals to speak became known as the Community of True Inspiration.

By 1843 persecution of the group along with economic depression in Germany, forced the community to begin searching for a new home. Community members pooled their resources and purchased 5,000 acres near Buffalo, New York.

By 1855 more farmland was needed, and less expensive land was found in Iowa where the new settlement was named Amana, a name taken from the Song of Solomon 4:8, which means to remain true.

Instead of one large commune, the colony was initially established as six separate villages spread over 26,000 acres in an Iowa river valley. Each village was only a mile or two distant from the neighboring town. The names, most of which clearly designated their location, were Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, High Amana and Middle Amana. Homestead village was added in 1861, giving the colonies access to the railroad.

Dissolution occurred in 1932 due to a belief that communal life was a barrier to achieving individual goals. Perhaps the best-known success of the move toward independent ownership was Amana Appliances founded in 1934 in Middle Amana by George Foerstner when he was challenged by a local businessman to build a reliable commercial beverage cooler.

The successful product led to the making of refrigerators for butchers. In 1947 Amana manufactured the first upright freezer for the home, and continued success led to a variety of home appliances manufactured under the Amana name.

Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, today many of the original brick, stone and clapboard buildings remain in each of the seven villages. A ride among the villages, stopping at the various small businesses along the way, makes for a very pleasant afternoon.

More info  Amanacolonies.com

Nauvoo, Illinois

For 20 years from the early 1840s until about 1860 Nauvoo was the center of two experiments in religious political communitarianism. First were the Mormons, followed by a religious sect from France.

Today the village is a tourist destination for Mormons and others who come to learn about the towns religious history and visit the museums and 30 surviving historic brick homes and businesses. A visitor center helps orient guests, and guided tours are free.

Unlike the other Midwestern religious communities mentioned in this article the Mormon religion traces its origins from the early 1800s in the United States, not Europe.

By the mid-1840s the religion was well-established. But persecution like that experienced by European religious immigrants led Mormon church leaders to purchase land in what was then the small town of Commerce, Illinois, hoping for sanctuary and the freedom to practice their beliefs as they wished.

Soon there were enough Mormons in Commerce to be able to rename the village Nauvoo, a Hebrew word meaning beautiful place or city beautiful. Nauvoo grew rapidly and for a few years was one of the most populous cities in Illinois.

Most were members of the Mormon Church and with such a majority, Mormon President Joseph Smith reversed the traditional separation of church and state. He was Nauvoos mayor and chief judge, newspaper editor and commander-in-chief of the towns militia.

Soon angry mobs suspicious of Smiths autocratic control and the introduction of polygamy led the governor to place Smith in jail for his protection. However a mob stormed the jail and murdered Smith on June 27, 1844. By the end of 1846 most of the Mormons had departed on a westward trek to Utah led by Brigham Young.

Then, in 1848 a group of French Icarians left France to form a utopian community on the American frontier and settled in Nauvoo. Led by Etienne Cabet, their philosophy abolished private property and individual enterprise, believing that with all working for the common good the evils of society would disappear.

Their beliefs stressed the importance of conventional marriage, but with important variations. Husband and wife were allotted one room in the community dwelling. All meals were taken in a community dining room, and requests for such items as new clothes were submitted to the community council.

At its peak there were 500 Icarians living in Nauvoo, but the more ambitious quickly tired of working harder without improving their own way of life. By 1860 the group had disbanded, disillusioned with their utopian community.

Today Nauvoo is experiencing renewed attention by the Mormon faith. The Mormons value the history and spirit of Nauvoo, says author Soland. More Mormon retirees and young families who can work remotely are coming to Nauvoo. I believe Nauvoo will once again become a central Mormon community, he says.

More info  beautifulnauvoo.com
ST. LOUIS  Police on Saturday released the identity of a man killed outside a north St. Louis bar this past week.

William Ownes, Jr., 31, of Riverview, was shot in the head following a robbery early Wednesday morning in the parking lot of Diana's Royal Palace, 4255 Natural Bridge Avenue, in the Greater Ville neighborhood.

St. Louis police said Ownes was one of four suspects in the robbery.

A 56-year-old man identified as one of the robbery victims was also shot that night. He was hit in the leg and survived but was hospitalized. Police haven't said how badly he was hurt.

The injured man was with another man and two women at their car parked outside the club when they were approached by Ownes and three other men who robbed them at gunpoint, police said.

A security guard saw the robbery and fired shots at the suspects, police said. A police summary of the shooting didn't say if the guard's bullets hit the robbery victim too, or how the robbery victim ended up being shot.

The 25-year-old security guard wasn't injured. The rest of the robbery suspects got away.

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A Billings man was committed to 75 years within the Montana Department of Health and Human Services on Friday for the murder of his mother and a series of other crimes.

Beau Daniel Papin, 21, was sentenced in Yellowstone County District Court. Judge Michael Moses sided with prosecutors and mental health professionals in declaring that Papin, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was in no condition to realize the severity or consequences of his crimes.

Even though our hearts are broken, we know that it wasnt Beau that committed this horrible act, but the schizophrenic demons that hes had in his head since he was aged 14," said Robert Papin, Beau Papins grandfather who testified in court during the sentencing.

Billings police responded to a 911 call on the South Side in January 2021. The caller had heard a womans voice coming from inside a residence on Calhoun Lane screaming, That hurts. Officers entered the home through a window and found 41-year-old Jessica Papin stabbed to death on the living room floor. Surveillance footage showed a man matching her sons description leaving the property.

Beau Papin returned to the apartment about two hours after police arrived, according to court documents, and they arrested him. Papin received treatment for injuries to his hands while in custody, prosecutors said. When hospital staff asked him how he received those injuries, he told them hed killed his mom.

Jan. 11, 2021, was the saddest day of our lives. We lost a daughter and we lost a son, said Robert Papin, who is Jessica Papin's father. He told the court Friday he and his wife adopted Beau when he was 8 years old.

Prior to the homicide charge, Papin had charges filed against him in Yellowstone County District Court. Those included robbing a Billings cab driver and swerving a vehicle toward an off-duty police officer while the officer tried to quash a fight between him and a couple on a motorcycle. The couple said he was trying to run them over, according to court documents.

The court ordered that Papin undergo a mental health evaluation through DPHHS in August 2021 to determine if he did have a mental illness at the time of the homicide and other offenses. It was also up to DPHHS to file a recommendation for his time in custody and treatment. The evaluation was filed in December 2021.

Papin had a long documented history of mental health issues, said Judge Moses, who cited the findings of the evaluation. DPHHS made it clear that Papin in all three cases heard in court Friday was not able to appreciate the severity of his behavior. His psychological symptoms included hallucinations and paranoid delusions, Moses said, and Papin was not taking medication for his mental disorder.

We all wonder if there was something we might have been able to do that would have made a difference, but thats not where we are, Moses said.

On one count of deliberate homicide, Moses sentenced Papin to 75 years in the custody of DPHHS. For counts of robbery and criminal endangerment, Papin received five years to be served concurrently, with the court adhering to a plea agreement reached between county prosecutors and Papins defense. The court dismissed nine other charges against Papin, along with fines and fees.

I feel really bad about what I did, Papin said when asked by Moses if hed like to say anything. He appeared in court via Zoom from the Montana State Hospital.

Papin will serve his sentence in a secure facility in Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito told the Gazette. Per Montana law, he will be under the care of mental health experts. Should they determine that hes fit for transfer to a correctional facility, that decision will ultimately fall on Yellowstone County District Court.

"We forgive Beau for what hes done to Jessie. It is our hope that with continued medical treatment, Beau can overcome this horrible disease and be able to live a productive life, Robert Papin said.

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Fox News host Tucker Carlson has inspired a new following from the extreme right, including some members of Congress, by asking: Why take Ukraines side instead of Russias? The arguments are vast for defending the sovereignty of democratic Ukraine, and most American adults should need no reminders why containing Moscows expansionist desires is essential for U.S. national security.

Carlson seems to be exploiting Americans exceedingly short memories and attention spans as he articulates a new Republican philosophy that is the exact opposite of everything the partys iconic leader, Ronald Reagan, stood for. Carlson proposes embracing Russia as an ally and effectively excusing all of its past transgressions  of course including Russian President Vladimir Putins help engineering Donald Trumps 2016 presidential election.

Why is it disloyal to side with Russia but loyal to side with Ukraine? Carlson asked on his show last week to the applause of several GOP members of Congress. The reception was more chilly in 2019 when Carlson stated: Why do I care [about]  what is going on in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia? And Im serious. Why do I care? Why shouldnt I root for Russia? Which I am.

Heres why. Putin was born and raised a communist, and actively assisted in the Soviet Unions global expansion as a foreign intelligence officer. While he was rising through the ranks to become a KGB lieutenant colonel, Russia invaded Afghanistan, spawning four decades of upheaval and terrorism. Despite the Soviet Unions collapse, Putin has never given up on reviving Moscows expansionist empire. Destabilizing Ukraine is key to that goal. Putin has armed and trained a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. In 2014, insurgents and their Russian military advisers downed a Malaysian jumbo jet, killing all 298 people aboard.

That same year, Russia seized the strategic Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Reports from Ukrainians living in Crimea today indicate heavy levels of political oppression persist. Dissent is crushed, and criticism of Putin is punished harshly  just as it is everywhere else where Putin rules.

But apparently Carlson thinks thats just swell.

Putin has a habit of killing, poisoning, maiming or imprisoning his most vocal critics. When the United States works around the globe to isolate repressive regimes such as those in Iran, Syria and Venezuela, Putin boosts their military with economic aid.

Carlsons apparently a big fan, as are memory-deprived GOP U.S. Reps. Matt Rosendale of Montana, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, to name a few.

Putin does all he can to stifle democracy, kill off his opponents, sabotage U.S. foreign policy and interfere with other nations sovereignty  including Americas. And Carlson has the gall to ask: Why shouldnt I root for Russia? Perhaps Fox News should consider hosting Carlsons next show from atop Ronald Reagans grave, just to drive home the point.
Regarding "St. Louis County Council begins revisiting budget requests for federal dollars" (Jan. 19): Sam J. Alton is chief of staff for St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. Despite being paid $130,000 a year, he apparently has a number of outside jobs and also operates his own law firm  Sjalton LAW, LLC  on the side.

His law firm "represents a variety of clients at all levels of litigation" and its primary practice areas include "municipal law, business and commercial litigation," according to his resume. His resume also lists the employment positions Alton currently holds in several different municipalities.

He is city attorney and prosecuting attorney for Pagedale, and the prosecuting attorney for Olivette, Vinita Park and Bel-Ridge. Alton is also a judge in Edmundson, city attorney and prosecuting attorney for Jennings, and provisional prosecuting attorney for Charlack.

Also, he is city attorney and prosecuting attorney for Breckenridge Hills. Alton took on these two positions in 2020, according to his resume. He is also city attorney for Bellerive Acres, though it isn't listed on his resume.

Alton's wife, Julia Fogelberg, is also an attorney and worked in the prosecuting attorney's office for several years until Dec. 17. Her salary was $110,000 annually.

Wesley Bell is asking the County Council to approve $2.1 million for his office from pandemic relief funds that St. Louis County received from the government. He wants to hire more lawyers and staffers. Before considering the request, I believe the council needs to know more about how Bell is running his office.

Tom Sullivan  University City
An Israeli arms firm, Smart Shooter, has developed SMASH Dragon, an armed hexacopter that carries a stabilized gun platform that can be armed with a 5.56mm assault rifle or a 7.62mm sniper rifle. SMASH Dragon uses the same SMASH 2000 computerized rifle scope Smart Shooter introduced in 2018, but with addition of a new digital camera with zoom that enables the operator to search for and identify targets at longer ranges day or night, or set the system to automatically scan for certain types of targets. Armed with the 7.62mm rifle, SMASH Dragon can hit stationary targets over 300 meters distant with the first shot. Against moving quadcopters or fixed wing UAVs that range is closer to 200 meters. The hexacopter (six rotor motors instead of four on a quadcopter) can carry a payload of up to 10 kg (22 pounds). The rifles are equipped with larger magazines to reduce the frequency of landing the hexacopter to reload. Both the weapons system and hexacopter are battery operated, which limits flight time to under 60 minutes before a recharge is needed. There is also SMASH Hopper, a 15 kg (33 pound) version that can be mounted on vehicles or stationary platforms.

What made SMASH Dragon/Hopper possible was the SMASH 2000 sniper scope, which, with a software modification, turned sniper rifles into weapons that could take down a moving quadcopter or fire balloons with one shot. The fire balloons were a Hamas innovation in which a number of helium balloons were equipped with an incendiary device that went off when the balloon hit the ground. Launched in large numbers (dozens at once) when the wind was right, balloons crossed into southern Israel and set fires. Quadcopters or larger UAVs equipped with explosives and programmed with the GPS location of a target were more dangerous. All these airborne threats were small and difficult to take down, until SMASH 2000 came along. Sharpshooters and snipers had proven somewhat useful but not very efficient. Few expert shooters could reliably bring down these small targets.

In early 2019 Israel found that a locally made device, SMASH 2000 could do the job once its software had been modified to handle fire kites, fire balloons and, it turned out, quadcopters. Initially SMASH 2000 could only guarantee a quadcopter hit if the small UAV was within 150 meters but that range has since been extended to over 200 meters.

The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) had already adopted the SMASH 2000 computerized sniper scope in 2018 and renamed it Dagger. When asked, the firm that developed SMASH quickly modified the Dagger software to go after moving fire kites and fire balloons. It worked and troops with the new software could use Dagger to take down a kite or balloon several hundred meters distant with one shot. When bought in large quantities SMASH 2000 gear for a rifle cost under $10,000 and the price is falling as more are purchased. Israel issues Dagger gear to sharpshooters (troops recognized as more accurate shooters) and snipers (those trained to operate independently and covertly as a sharpshooter). In 2020 U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) adopted Dagger. The U.S. is considering incorporating less expensive SHASH 2000 tech in its next-generation assault rifle to turn all troops into sharpshooters.

Currently, SMASH 2000 is cost-effective if only one or two men in a Special Forces team (of twelve) have one. For SOCOM snipers, hitting the target with the first shot is even more important. SMASH 2000 enables troops to do that with more certainty and less stress for the shooter.

For Israel SMASH 2000/Dagger solved an immediate problem. Since early 2018 thousands of kites and helium balloons have been launched towards Israel. Each one is equipped with a lightweight incendiary device that goes off (most of the time) when it lands on the Israeli side of the border. The kites and balloons are more of a nuisance than a threat but have started over a thousand fires. Most of these are small brush fires that do not spread, but several have destroyed crops or trees and required firefighters to put out. Eventually, some of the floaters carried small explosives. Israel has used airstrikes to destroy over a thousand of these kites and balloons on the ground at launching, storage or manufacturing sites, as well as several hundred in the air using UAVs operated by civilians who had developed similar skills for UAV battles. Israel has also adapted some radars and other sensors to detect these slow, low altitude objects and that made the special Dagger scope even more effective against the fire kite/balloon attack efforts. Because of all these countermeasures, the use of kites and balloons has declined but not disappeared.

The SMASH scope also convinced the IDF that this device could turn just about any soldier into a sharpshooter or sniper. First offered the SMASH scope in 2017, the IDF tried it out with the infantry and special operations troops and by the end of the year approved it for use. Based on that success, in early 2018 SMASH was offered to foreign militaries (and police organizations). By early 2019, the SMASH scope demonstrated its flexibility by how quickly its software could be modified to handle wind-blown targets like fire kites and balloons as well as quadcopters.

There were several major innovations in SMASH 2000 compared to the earlier computerized scopes pioneered by American firm TrackingPoint. SMASH could be mounted and used on any weapon with a standard Picatinny rail. This allows the scope software to work with the trigger of each different weapon. The scope puts a visual block around potential targets the user is aiming at. When the user has the intended target in the block, a button is pushed and that target is locked and a precise firing angle calculated, and shot automatically fired unless the user intervenes. Other computerized scopes use the same basic concept but more recent models do it more reliably and cheaper.

The most convincing test of the SMASH scope was to have new recruits use it while receiving their first rifle training. Some 70 percent of these novice shooters made accurate shots the first time they fired the SMASH equipped rifle. A few dozen shots later and they were performing like expert snipers. In the hands of snipers and experienced troops, SMASH enabled difficult (moving, obscured by smoke) targets to be hit with the first shot. The IDF was sufficiently impressed to order 2,000 SMASH systems, mainly for use by snipers. For snipers, hitting a target with the first shot is important because the second shot will often be impossible as the target was alerted by the first one and taken cover.

TrackingPoint pioneered this tech and in 2013 introduced its first computerized shooting system, the XS1. These initially cost $27,000 but the price has since come down to less than half that as the firm introduced more models and sales increased. These scopes were still expensive because they were sensor-equipped and computerized to the extent that initial tests showed that over 70 percent of first-time users could hit a target over 900 meters distant with the first shot. For a professional sniper first shot success averages about 25 percent and 70 percent on the second shot. The army tested the XS1 and found it worked but did not try to adopt the system for a lot of military sniper rifles, even though it would be a major improvement for snipers. The major obstacle was the wear and tear of battlefield use and the fact that most snipers were satisfied with their existing scopes. Snipers are trained to take good care of their rifles, scopes and the growing number of electronic gadgets they now use, but the XS1 was a major leap in terms of electronics, sensors and especially required maintenance. It was recognized that the XS1 technology was the future and just as the many new (since the 1990s) sniping accessories have become rugged and reliable enough to be standard items, so will the XS1 approach or something similar to it like SMASH. Meanwhile, the TrackingPoint tech was adopted for a small number of sniper rifles that could make good use of it as is.

In 2016 TrackingPoint introduced another version of its computerized scopes; NightDragon. This version allows for using an IR (infrared) spotlight with a range of nearly 200 meters and a scope with a sensor that makes the IR light visible to the shooter. Normally IR is not visible to human (or animal) eyes. The computerized scope tracks the target in the crosshairs and fires when the computer determines that a hit will be achieved. Targets can be moving as fast as 24 kilometers an hour. Costing $13,000 each, this is one of the few TrackingPoint scopes available for the civilian market. Most of their computerized aiming systems are only for military or police organizations. The manufacturer sells TrackingPoint equipped rifles mainly to police organizations or a few wealthy hunters who dont like to miss. TrackingPoint now provides a growing list of computerized scopes for ranges of 350-1,300 meters. Prices range from $10,000 to $17,000.

SMASH costs much less than the cheapest TrackingPoint system and can be used on a large number of rifles and pistols. SMASH is more rugged and was quickly adapted to shoot down small UAVs at night, make videos and have 4x magnification. That version was modified to take down fire kites and balloons. There are other firms developing computer-controlled scopes and as time goes by these scopes will have more features, become cheaper and more reliable.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2022) - GLOBAL HEMP GROUP INC. (CSE: GHG) (OTCQB: GBHPF) (FSE: GHG) ("GHG" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its development of the Green Community in Hayden, northwest Colorado.

Global Hemp Group and Western Sierra Resources Corporation (OTC: WSRC) have been working in close collaboration to develop this large scale enterprise - the sustainable Green Community in Hayden, Colorado. The collaboration began more than six years when in 2015 GHG's Founder first walked the strategic project properties acquired by the Company in 2021. With the major confluence of multiple factors now occurring; sustainable construction in the forefront, a large pent up demand for affordable housing in the area, the national legalization of hemp in the United States, and the opportunities with hemp-based carbon credits, this is the perfect time to develop this project.

The collaboration utilizes GHG's expertise in large scale hemp cultivation; processing; hemp-based research and development; manufacture of hemp-based construction products; in-house construction experience utilizing hemp-based materials; and financial resources to acquire suitable land for each of these hemp-based revenue centers.

The collaboration further utilizes WSRC's 20 years of development expertise in the immediate market area to assemble land; provide the water resources necessary for large scale irrigation and cultivation of industrial hemp; obtain development approvals for manufacture of hemp-based products, and to build and market affordable homes to help meet pent up demand in local market.

To date GHG has invested US$1.9 million in this project.





Image 1

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Design of the 44 acre commercial/industrial property

The engineering and site design work for the 44-acre HAIZ project is nearing completion. Application for development approval was submitted to the Town of Hayden and the process is ongoing. After subsequent review and comment by the various County and State agencies, revisions will be made for final plan submission. GHG is working with its planners and engineers in collaboration with WSRC to coordinate efforts and coordinate the application elements as its local "boots on the ground" partner to shepherd this project through the approval process.

The first phase of the HAIZ project is a 7- acre portion of the 44 acre HAIZ campus. This commercial/industrial phase includes a 12,000 sq ft processing plant, 26,000 sq ft manufacturing facility, 10,000 sq ft showroom/administration building, 2 model homes and 12,000 sq ft greenhouse/R&D facility (see map above).

The processing plant will contain decortication and cottonization equipment to separate the harvested hemp into hurd, fibre, and powdered elements. These products will be inventoried for direct use at the on-site manufacturing facility, as well as for sale to third party manufacturers, and distributors of hemp-based products. The manufacturing facility will contain the equipment to produce hempcrete blocks and hempcrete panels that will be used in the construction of the Green Community.

Development of the Planned Unit Development (PUD)

Patten Associates, Inc. has been engaged to provide creative project management, land planning and design solutions for the project. An initial Concept Plan for the first phase of the development on the 166 acre residential parcel can be seen below.





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Residential housing and the reduction of its carbon footprint.

The Company continues to explore initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the homes that it will be constructing in Hayden, with the goal of building a truly Green and Sustainable Community. The Company will achieve this with the use of hempcrete (hemp block technology and pre-fab hemp panels) and other hemp-based building materials manufactured onsite in Hayden.

Typical residential housing has a heavy carbon footprint, made up of two components: operational and embedded. The operational footprint depends on the nature of energy used in the house. In today's housing much has been done in reducing the operational footprint, but too often at the expense of a considerably heavier embodied carbon footprint. According to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the Untied States of America (PNAS) residential energy use accounts for roughly 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States.

Hempcrete construction (block and panel) responds to both operational and embedded carbon at the same time. It can reduce operational energy to the lowest possible amounts depending on the available energy source for heating and cooling, while reducing the embedded CO 2 is less than 10% of conventional construction. Hemp construction locks away CO 2 permanently, replacing carbon-laden housing.

Carbon market opportunities.

As the Hayden project is vertically integrated from farm to housing development it stands to sequester or lock in a sizeable amount of CO2e in soils as well as buildings and other products. Moreover, hempcrete buildings will replace current buildings that have a large, embodied carbon footprint. This provides an opportunity for the Company to enter the Voluntary Carbon Market, where GHG can supply ESG minded corporations with some of the credits they need to balance their carbon budget. The Company is also exploring the opportunities of being able to trade these credits with interested partners.

Management Cease Trade Order (MCTO)

The Company also announces that it anticipates a delay in the filing of the financial statements required pursuant to Part 4 of National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations (the "Instrument") as a result of various individuals from the Management team of the Company and external audit team members contracting Covid-19 during various stages of the audit process. Consequently, the completion of the annual audit is taking longer than expected.

The Instrument requires that the Company's audited financial statements and MD&A for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 be filed by January 28, 2022. The Company and its auditor are in the process of completing the associated audit work to complete these audited financial statements. The Company expects that the audited financial statements and MD&A for the year ended September 30, 2021 (collectively, the "Required Filings") will be completed and filed on or before February 11, 2022.

In connection with the anticipated delays in making the Required Filings within the time periods mandated by the Instrument, the Company has applied for a management cease trade order ("MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203") by the British Columbia Securities Commission, as principal regulator for the Company. The MCTO will restrict all trading by the Company's CEO and CFO in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect. The issuance of the MCTO will not affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or insiders of the Company to trade their securities. The MCTO will remain in effect until the Required Filings are filed or until it is revoked or varied.

The Company confirms that it intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines described in NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of a news release for so long as it remains in default of the requirement to make the Required Filings. The Company has no material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

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About Global Hemp Group Inc.

Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE: GHG) (OTCQB: GBHPF) (FSE: GHG) is focused on a executing a multi-phased strategy to become a leader in the industrial hemp industry in the United States. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The current phase of the strategy focuses on the development of "sustainable" and "green" value-added industrial hemp products utilizing the processing of the entirety of the hemp plant for multi-merchantable applications, as will be showcased at the Colorado Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone (HAIZ) project in Hayden Colorado.

To further support and innovate the HAIZ, Global Hemp Group has established a Research and Development Division to actively pursue the development of Intellectual Property that can be patented for implementation at its projects and beyond. The Division is led by Prof. Vctor M. Castano, Ph.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a highly recognized leader in areas of applied science and technology. The R&D team brings an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience in multiple disciplines and will initially focus on development of Environmentally-Friendly Construction Materials, Nanofertilizers and Enhanced Extraction from Hemp.

For Further Information Contact Global Hemp Group

Curt Huber, President

Tel: 778-726-2900

[email protected]

www.globalhempgroup.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Global Hemp Group Inc., including, but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, dependence upon regulatory approvals, the availability of future financing and exploration risk, the legality of cannabis and hemp. 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. Except as required by law, Global Hemp Group Inc. disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept 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/112017
BEIJING, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StarRocks, a new-generation massively parallel processing (MPP) database service designed for all analytical scenarios, launched the 2.0 version. This new version delivers a myriad of performance improvements in both single-table and multi-table query scenarios. The single-table query performance is twice that of its competitors. The multi-table query performance is five to ten times that of other database systems. StarRocks 2.0 introduces a new model, the primary key model, which enhances real-time update performance by three to ten times. In addition, the memory management scheme is redesigned in 2.0 to accommodate customers' requirements for higher availability and stability.

Last September, StarRocks opened its source code to global communities and communities have become a key driving force behind the improvement of StarRocks. StarRocks has received more than 2,000 GitHub stars within the first 135 days after the code is open. Hundreds of large and medium-sized enterprises are attracted to use StarRocks.

2X Single-Table Query Performance Compared to Competitors

StarRocks 2.0 is ideal for single-table and multi-table queries. For single-table queries, StarRocks 2.0 innovatively uses global dictionaries to optimize queries on low-cardinality fields, delivering a single-table query performance twice that of its earlier versions and also other leading database service providers. For multi-table queries, StarRocks 2.0 has resigned the cost-based optimizer (CBO) to handle complex multi-table queries, improving multi-table query performance by two times and making StarRocks 2.0 five to ten times faster than other database systems.

In terms of data updates, traditional OLAP systems use the merge-on-read mode to update data, which is not the best solution because it pursues data loading efficiency at the cost of query performance. As real-time data update requirements keep rising in the finance and logistics sectors, this model no longer lives up to expectations. StarRocks 2.0 introduces a novel data model, the primary key model, to update data in delete-and-insert mode. This innovation enhances query performance by three to ten times in real-time update scenarios.

In addition, the memory management scheme is redesigned in StarRocks 2.0 to improve system stability. A pipeline execution engine built for higher concurrency and faster complex queries on multi-core machines has been released for trial use. This engine will be officially released in StarRocks 2.1.

Five Technical Highlights and R&D Directions in 2022

StarRocks announced its five major R&D directions in 2022 to the community.

Resource Management

StarRocks will introduce a new resource management mechanism to provide separate resource groups for different businesses. This mechanism guarantees sufficient resource quotas and isolated resources for businesses. This way, different services can run on the same cluster, which simplifies O&M and improves cluster resource utilization.

Materialized Views with JOINs

Data modeling in a majority of companies requires complex data development from data engineers. Materialized views with JOINs enable data engineers to create various types of materialized views to construct data models. This significantly reduces the workload of data engineers and simplifies data modeling.

StarRocks also introduces intelligent materialized views. This feature intelligently recommends materialized views to users based on query behavior to accelerate queries.

Separation of Storage and Compute

In the earlier versions of StarRocks, compute and storage are tightly coupled for excellent query performance. However, this architecture cannot achieve on-demand resource allocation and may result in unnecessary costs. In 2022, StarRocks will implement a new architecture where storage and compute are decoupled. This new architecture supports offline analytics in parallel with real-time analytics and can be deployed on public, private, and multiple clouds.

Lightning Fast Data Lake Analytics

Currently, StarRocks serves more like a data warehouse. Customers import high-value data from data lakes to StarRocks for ultra-fast data analytics. In 2022, StarRocks will press ahead with its endeavors to enhance data lake analytics capabilities and provide unified and blazing fast analytics experience for customers.

The StarRocks community has completed the first-phase development of data queries on Iceberg, with the collaboration from renowned communities and developers in world's leading cloud computing companies. Test results show that StarRocks offers a 5X performance improvement compared to Trino. In the future, the StarRocks community will extend its support for Hudi and offer more feature enhancements.

Unified Batch and Stream Processing

StarRocks plans to implement unified stream and batch processing across hundreds of nodes. This way, customers' raw data can be processed and then analyzed all in StarRocks. This guarantees a one-stop, unified, and blazing fast data processing and analytics experience, bringing the vision of unification to a new level.

About StarRocks

StarRocks is a new-generation MPP database designed for all analytical scenarios. It features a simple architecture, vectorized engine, redesigned CBO, and a query speed (especially for multi-table join queries) beyond the reach of other database products. StarRocks supports real-time data analytics and achieves efficient queries on data that is updated in real time. StarRocks provides materialized views to further accelerate queries. Customers can use StarRocks to flexibly build various schemas such as flat tables and the star and snowflake schemas. StarRocks is compatible with the MySQL protocol and can interconnect with various MySQL clients and tools. StarRocks does not rely on any external systems. The simple architecture makes it highly available, scalable, and easy for O&M.

StarRocks meets requirements in various data analytics scenarios, such as multi-dimensional filtering and analytics, real-time data analytics, and ad hoc queries. It allows access from thousands of users at the same time. Typical use scenarios include business intelligence, real-time data warehousing, user profiling, reports and dashboards, order analysis, O&M and monitoring, anti-fraud analysis, and risk management. Hundreds of large and medium-sized enterprises from various sectors have deployed StarRocks to their production environments and have seen thousands of StarRocks servers run stably and steadily on their platforms.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launch-of-starrocks-2-0-a-new-gen-enterprise-level-mpp-database-unlocking-5x-to-10x-analytics-performance-improvements-than-competitors-301471060.html

SOURCE StarRocks
(Tribune News Service) The Air Force wants to start flying lower-altitude supersonic flights and expand nighttime flying hours over 10 military training airspaces spanning thousands of square miles across Arizona and a small part of New Mexico.

The Air Force is preparing a draft environmental impact statement for the changes and is taking public comments through March 4, with public meetings scheduled for February in potentially affected communities including Ajo, Superior, Congress and Clifton in Arizona.

The Air Force says the changes to the special-use airspaces called Military Operations Areas, or MOAs, are needed to optimize training conducted by units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the Morris Air National Guard Base at Tucson International Airport and Luke Air Force base near Phoenix.

The proposed changes would affect the adjacent Sells, Ruby and Fuzzy MOAs, stretching southwest of Tucson from Interstate 19 to near Ajo; the Tombstone MOA, which covers the southeast corner of Arizona and southwest corner of New Mexico; the adjacent Bagdad and Gladden MOAs northwest of Phoenix; and the Outlaw, Jackal, Morenci and Reserve MOAs, which together stretch across a huge swath of east-central Arizona into New Mexico.

Expanding flight windows

In its preferred alternative, the Air Force has proposed adjusting the published times of use for all of the affected MOAs, partly to eliminate some of the temporary notices to airmen or NOTAMs, that the Air Force now routinely issues for night training.

Use of the Sells, Ruby, Fuzzy, Bagdad and Gladden MOAs would be extended to 6 a.m. until midnight weekdays, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. now.

Use times for the Outlaw and Jackal MOAs would be extended to 10 p.m. weekdays, from 6 p.m. now, and to 10 p.m. from 9 p.m. currently in the Morenci MOA. The Reserve MOA, where training is now covered only by NOTAMs, would have a published time of use of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Use times in the Tombstone MOA would remain from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. but usage would extend from weekdays only to daily.

Among the other proposed changes:

- Authorizing supersonic speeds down to 5,000 feet above ground level in the Tombstone, Outlaw, Jackal, Morenci and Reserve MOAs, from 30,000 feet above sea level now;

- Extending the northern boundary of the Tombstone MOA, adding about 750 square miles;

- Lowering the flight floor of the Tombstone MOA to 100 feet above ground level and lowering the floors of Outlaw, Jackal, Bagdad and Gladden MOAs to 500 feet;

- Authorizing the use of chaff  metallized filaments that are launched from aircraft to confuse enemy radar  in Tombstone MOA;

- Lowering the minimum altitude for releasing flares launched to defeat heat-seeking missiles in Tombstone, Outlaw, Jackal, Bagdad and Gladden MOAs to 2,000 feet.

(c)2022 The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.)

Visit The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.) at www.tucson.com
Billings detectives have expanded their investigation into a double homicide on the South Side to include the possibility of robbery, aggravated kidnapping and attempted homicide.

The investigation into a shooting Jan. 25 that left two men dead is still ongoing, Billings Police Lt. Brandon Wooley wrote in a statement released Friday. No arrests have been made nor charges filed in connection to the shooting, but Wooley clarified several details about the three men involved.

Detectives are piecing together information and evidence to verify and corroborate sequences of events regarding this incident, Wooley wrote.

Officers responded to a pickup truck that had crashed into a tree on the residential 300 block of South 37th Street in the early hours of Jan. 25. They found three men inside the truck, two of whom first responders pronounced dead at the scene. A third man, a 22-year-old, was taken to a hospital to be treated for wounds to his neck.

The two men killed, later identified as Joshua D. LaForge, 34, and Dante Bezpaletz, 30, had died of gunshot wounds. The wounds of the man hospitalized were inconsistent with the typical injuries that result from a vehicle crash, Wooley said in a previous statement. Photos published by the Gazette on the morning of the shooting showed bullet damage to the trucks exterior. Initial evidence suggested that a fight broke out among the three men inside the truck prior to the wreck.

Along with listing the other offenses under investigation by Billings detectives, Wooley wrote in his latest update that the man who survived was the owner of the pickup truck. Detectives have found no information to suggest that he had any association with LaForge or Bezpaletz before the morning of the shooting.

Additionally, investigators have no indication that anybody but the threeidentified persons were involved, Wooley wrote.

The Billings Police Department is not releasing any further details on the shooting at this time.

Bezpaletz had walked away from a Billings pre-release center about a week before his death. He entered the pre-release center in September 2021 after pleading guilty in Yellowstone County District Court to stealing a vehicle in 2014, the Gazette previously reported. He was serving an additional sentence imposed by the court for parole violations at the time of his escape.

LaForge, Bezpaletz and a 15-year-old boy killed in the Heights are the first three homicides under investigation by BPD in 2022, and no charges have been filed in any of the three cases. Last year, BPD launched their first homicide investigation Jan. 11, which resulted in a 21-year-old man being sentenced this week to 75 years in the custody of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for killing his mother. For 2020, officers launched their first homicide investigation in April after a 50-year-old man was fatally shot in front of a South Side home.

The year 2021 ended with nine homicides, down from the record-setting 22 the previous year.

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MOSES LAKE, Wash. (Tribune News Service)  If its a little louder around the Grant County International Airport next week, its because the United States Marine Corps is back for a week-long military exercise.

Dubbed Winter Fury 22, the exercise will bring Marines from bases across the western United States for five days of simulated combat  including long-range air strikes and practice seizing an airbase and repairing runway damage.

This is a requirement for the Marine Corps in the future to do expeditionary operations against more of a peer threat, said Marine Corps public affairs officer Lt. Kyle McGuire.

USMC units deployed to Moses Lake early last July for the Summer Fury 2021 exercise, which saw Marine corps infantry fighters set up camp, deploy, and arm and refuel F-35 fighters for a simulated long-strike on enemy ships in the Pacific Ocean off southern California.

McGuire said this winters exercise will be much the same, but will also see USMC combat engineers blast some holes in some concrete at the GCIA and then fix it to test repair skills and repairing and operating an airfield after seizing it.

We need to make sure we can do what were asked to do, McGuire said. This adds a layer of complication to the exercise. We wont always be able to waltz into a forward location and have it ready for us.

The exercise is scheduled to begin on Monday and last through Feb. 4. It will include F/A-18 Hornet and F-35 Lightning II fighters from southern California, as well as the long-range deployment of Marines in MV-22B Osprey transports. However, McGuire did not say which units would participate in the exercise.

GCIA Director Rich Mueller said the Marines will be blasting holes in an unused piece of keyhole-shaped concrete on the west side of the airfield, and not in any of the GCIAs actual runways.

We dont use that for anything, Mueller said of the patch of concrete.

Mueller said the Port of Moses Lake, which operates the GCIA, is happy to have the USMC back for a major exercise, and hopes to see the Corps in Moses Lake more often.

The fact the Marine Corps chose us for an operation just six months after the last one shows that were doing something right, Mueller said. We have the size, capability and right attitude. The military is in our DNA.

(c)2022 the Columbia Basin Herald, Wash.

Visit at www.columbiabasinherald.com
(Tribune News Service)  Photos and video have surfaced of an F-35C stealth fighter that crash-landed in the South China Sea on Monday.

The F-35 was approaching the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, but it came in too fast, hit the deck of the ship and skittered into the ocean, CNN reported .

Seven people, including the pilot were injured. The pilot was able to eject in time, and all sailors were in stable condition by Friday, according to CNN.

A spokesperson for the US Navys 7th Fleet told CNN on Friday that an investigation into the incident is continuing while confirming images that have emerged on social media since the crash are genuine.

The ship has assessed that the video and photo covered by media today were taken onboard USS Carl Vinson ... during the crash, Cmdr. Hayley Sims, public affairs officer for the 7th Fleet told CNN.

A video, also confirmed as real, showed the plane approaching the ship before disappearing from view behind a cloud of smoke, with a crash heard shortly after.

The F-35C is the militarys newest stealth fighter and each one reportedly costs $100 million. While the photos have surfaced, the plane has not, and the Navy is hoping to recover it from the South China Sea floor. Officials said they dont want it to fall into Chinas hands. China claimed to be indifferent.

We have no interest in their aircraft, China foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Thursday. We urge the country concerned to do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, rather than flex muscles in the region.

2022 New York Daily News.

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YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  The word looked for by the U.S. military community in Japan came down Saturday morning: Home confinement to curb the spread of COVID-19 ends 6 a.m. Monday.

U.S. Forces Japan announced the end to restrictions as its community entered a third weekend with travel and activities mostly off-limits beyond their installations gates or their own front doors.

After nearly three weeks of strict restrictions on our SOFA personnel, results have shown a significant decrease in new COVID cases, a significant decrease in cases upon arrival, as well as a substantial decrease in overall COVID numbers for SOFA personnel in Japan, USFJ said on its Facebook page at 11:25 a.m.

SOFA, the status of forces agreement, outlines the rights and responsibilities of individuals in Japan under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense.

U.S service members, DOD civilians and their families, largely restricted to their installations and off-base homes since Jan. 10, will step back into neighboring communities experiencing record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 infections.

Many of Japans most populous prefectures are under their own states of emergency that urge restaurants and bars to close early and halt sales of alcohol and residents to reduce unnecessary travel.

As we lift this restriction this coming Monday, we will re-align with Japans national and local community COVID policies as we continue to meet our priorities to protect the health and well-being of our service members and their families, USFJs announcement said. Thank you for your continual help and participation in USFJ's COVID mitigation efforts, and continue being mindful of the policies still in effect to keep driving infection numbers down.
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  The Navy expected over the weekend to begin filtering 5 million gallons of water a day drawn from the petroleum-contaminated Red Hill well on the outskirts of Honolulu.

The well, one of three the Navy uses in its water distribution system, was contaminated by jet fuel from its Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility, a massive underground tank system built during World War II.

The process is a stopgap measure to prevent the contamination from moving elsewhere in the aquifer.

Thousands of residents of military housing communities on and around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam were forced to temporarily relocate to hotels in early December after their tap water became tainted with petroleum.

The Hawaii Department of Health earlier this month ordered the tanks to be emptied.

The tanks sit roughly 100 feet above Oahus primary aquifer, which provides about 70% of the islands fresh water.

The Navy quickly isolated the Red Hill well and has for weeks worked to flush the distribution system out using untainted water from the other two wells. Pipes, water heaters and other appliances that use water in homes and facilities are being systematically flushed.

Navy, state and federal officials led reporters on a tour of the filtering operation on Friday. Journalists were guided through a roughly 100-yard tunnel carved into a mountainside that led to the well-shaft room, where the pumps have sat dormant since early December.

During the filtering process, water from the well will be drawn and sent out through a newly laid 2-foot-diameter pipe leading outside. There, the tainted water will pass through a series of massive carbon filters to absorb the petroleum.

The water will then be piped into the nearby Halawa Stream.

The Hawaii Department of Health on Thursday authorized the discharge of the treated water into the stream, provided it remains within the monitoring requirements of the recovery plan agreed to by the Navy, Health Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Travis Myers told reporters that the stream can easily handle the estimated 5 million gallons of water expected to pass through the eight filter towers each day.

Myers noted that during a weeklong rainy spell in Honolulu over the New Year holiday, roughly 600 million gallons of rainwater passed through the stream per day.

Officials did not know how long the filtering process will need to be conducted.

This process is not necessarily based on a timeline; its based on the data, Myers said. So its a very methodical approach with our interagency partners and stakeholders.

The filtering process, however, is just an important first step, Travis Hylton, environmental director for Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, told reporters.

We started the recovery of the well with removal of contaminants directly from the well, from the water surface, through skimming and absorbing, he said. With this process, it will give us some time to make sure that we're able to counter the potential for contaminants migrating away from the site. So this isn't the end of the remediation processes.

As we collect more data, we will develop remediation strategies not just for the groundwater, but for the unsaturated zone, where the fuels may be hung up in the rock formation, Hylton said.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE BORDER - The helicopter cut through the gray sky, following the path of the razor-wire fence below it. Lt. Col. Uiry Trubachov, of Ukraines Border Guard Service, squinted up at the chopper.

Those are Russians, he said.

Before Russias invasion and annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014, the border barriers didnt exist. Now, they separate Ukraines easternmost cities and towns from the buildup of Russian troops on the other side - and what U.S. officials and allies have warned could be the vanguard of an attack on Ukraine.

At Ukraines northeastern border crossing near Kharkiv - the countrys predominantly Russian-speaking, second-most populous city, with about 1.5 million people - the fences are controversial. Some who live right at the edge of the boundary resent the obstruction to Russian territory they used to visit often - to pick mushrooms in the nearby forest or see friends in Belgorod, a Russian city about an hour away from the main land crossing.

The language and identity fault lines that weave through Ukraine are especially pronounced here - a region where pro-Russian separatists once raised their flag. Across many parts of Ukraine, Russia tugs with a sense of common bonds and shared history. But Ukrainians have nonetheless chosen a pro-Western path that carries the powerful momentum of the future.

Its also what makes Kharkiv a rich study in Ukrainians views toward Russia as its president, Vladimir Putin, deepens a showdown with NATO over what Moscow perceives as its sphere of influence, which includes Ukraine.

The Kremlin attempts to exploit the East-West pull in Ukraine with propaganda that accuses the Ukrainian government of oppressing Russian speakers. But many in Kharkiv fiercely objected to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys comments to The Washington Post that the city could be a prime target for Russia.

Realistically, if Russia decides to enhance their escalation, of course they are going to do this on those territories where historically there are people who used to have family links to Russia, Zelensky said. Kharkiv, which is under Ukraine government control, could be occupied.

Kharkiv may not harbor as much resentment of Russia as other parts of Ukraine. But the pro-Russian sentiments from 2014 that threatened to turn the city into another Moscow-backed separatist territory - similar to the Donetsk and Luhansk enclaves in Ukraines eastern Donbas region - no longer have major sway.

People here love Ukraine because Ukrainians live here, said Kharkivs mayor, Ihor Terekhov. Yes, we speak Russian. If you ask me if Kharkiv citizens want Ukraine to be friends with Russia, the answer is definitely yes. But do they want war? Definitely not. Do they want for us to be a piece of Russia? Of course not.

We will not be giving away the city of Kharkiv to anyone, Terekhov added. We will be standing shoulder to shoulder defending Kharkiv.

As pro-Russian separatists marched through Kharkiv with Russian flags in early April 2014, Gamlet Zinkivskyi had a front-row seat. His apartment balcony at the time looked onto one of downtown Kharkivs main streets. He watched with dismay as demonstrators occupied the regional administration building and declared the sovereignty of a so-called Kharkiv Peoples Republic.

That was a moment when I started packing my things and thinking where to go, said Zinkivskyi, a prominent artist and Kharkiv native. I knew I couldnt stay here. If Kharkhiv becomes Russian, thats it, Im leaving.

Unlike the separatist movements in the Donbas region - touching off an ongoing conflict that has claimed nearly 14,000 lives since 2014 - the one in Kharkhiv ultimately fizzled. Kyivs forces maintained control of the city. It instead welcomed scores of refugees fleeing the fighting in the new self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics.

The plight of those people - and seeing what ultimately became of the separatist regions - helped shift attitudes in Kharkiv, Zinkivskyi said. Life in those territories is locked in a political limbo with few job opportunities. Many people end up moving to Moscow at their first opportunity. In the city of Donetsk, which has a population of about 900,000 people, a nighttime curfew is in place four days a week.

Some people used to believe that Donetsk will turn into Donetsk City, with skyscrapers, and New Yorkers dreaming of moving to the Donbas, Zinkivskyi said. That didnt happen, to put it mildly.

And those people realized that, hey, they didnt want the same thing happening in Kharkiv, he added.

About a 30-minute drive from downtown Kharkiv is what looks like a row of storage containers. It is actually a camp for people who fled the separatist territories. Each block has small apartments - smaller than most college dorm rooms - with shared kitchens and bathrooms.

Liudmilya Makarova has been living here with her daughter, who has Down syndrome, and her son since 2015, about a year after they fled the self-proclaimed Luhansk separatist republic. The kids sleep on bunk beds. Makarova is on a couch that doesnt have room to unfold into a bed. Colorful drawings line the wall, giving the space a cozy feel despite the cramped quarters. But it was never supposed to feel like home.

I had no idea it would last so long, with no end of it in sight, Makarova said.

Her last memories of her home in Luhansk were hiding in the cellar with her children as intense fighting broke out between the rebels and government forces, including airstrikes. She was too afraid to leave the space to cook for them.

I couldnt keep watching my children cry, she said. Im recalling that and Im starting to shake.

Talk of a fresh attack from Russia is a trigger for some of the camps residents, who already fled war once. Makarova said she keeps away from the news. One of her neighbors, Marina Kirbaba, follows it more closely.

Weve been through this before, Kirbaba said. I dont think that - well, then again, who knows what Putin has in his head. I dont know why he would attack? Why?

What used to be an empty field surrounded by thick forest is now split by trenches Ukraine has never had to use. The military built them, with wooden-planked walls, at the eastern edge of the Kharkiv region in 2015 as the separatist conflict in Donbas flared.

Just beside the trenches is an observation tower with cameras that monitor activity near this border around-the-clock.

If the Russians choose to invade Kharkiv, this wont stop them, said Trubachov, of Ukraines Border Guard Service. But it might slow them down enough for Ukraine to call in reinforcements.

The situation is stable and under control, Trubachov said. Directly near the line of state control, we do not observe the movement or gathering of Russian troops - I mean, the territory that we can control by observing.

When the fencing was installed seven years ago, it quite literally walled off a small border village of about 100 retirees. Now a line of trenches runs behind their farm plots, followed by the fence. Getting in or out of the village means passing through a border guard security checkpoint.

Ukrainians are able to enter Russia at the nearby land border crossing. But people from the village complain that its a long walk for them to get to the checkpoint and that the crossing process is challenging. It used to be just a 10-minute walk behind their yards.

One woman started crying because she said shes been unable to visit her sons grave, which is in Russia. He died during the Soviet Unions war in Afghanistan during the 1980s. Another lamented that she could buy groceries cheaper across the border in Russia.

We are not feeling any aggression toward Russians. We are Russians, too, said 77-year-old Mikhail Fokiev. Moreover, we have plenty of relatives there.

But asked what he would do if the Russian military crossed into this region, Fokiev said he would go west, further into Ukraine.

What else is there to do? he asked.
As Russia masses tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, along with tanks, artillery and missiles capable of striking the capital, officials in Washington, Kyiv and across Europe are debating the likelihood and timing of an invasion.

In one camp, officials in Washington, London and within Ukraines national security establishment are convinced that a Russian strike is imminent. But Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is not persuaded that the intelligence Western nations have shown him backs up their dire assessments.

Somewhere in the middle, U.S. allies including France, Germany and Norway think Russia could strike but remain unsure of the timing and whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept some kind of diplomatic compromise that he can sell as a NATO retreat.

Intelligence is rarely predictive, and judging the precise moment when Putin might order his forces over the border is difficult and perhaps impossible, U.S. officials acknowledged. But in recent weeks, they and their allies, including those in Kyiv who do not share Zelenskys sanguine view, have sounded exasperated with the Ukrainian president and his closest political advisers, some of whom have asserted that the White House is hyping the threat of an invasion for ulterior motives.

There is a growing sentiment that the United States is exaggerating the threat for political reasons, one Zelensky aide said, perhaps to force Ukraine to accept Russias demand that it be barred from joining NATO.

Biden officials have flatly rejected the accusation and stressed that they are providing Ukraine with detailed information about a potentially existential threat. On Friday, as it has day after day, the administration continued to strike an ominous tone.

The threat is very real and its imminent, John Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, told journalists. As President Biden has said, it could happen, given the buildup that we have seen, with very little notice.

Some officials said Putin might order an attack after the Feb. 20 conclusion of the Olympic Games in Beijing, timing the event so as not to upstage China, an important ally.

At a news conference Friday, Zelensky effectively shrugged. Putin, he said, may have sent upward of 100,000 troops to Ukraines border as an act of psychological pressure. Regarding intelligence including satellite imagery and other information that shows Russia could deploy up to 175,000 troops, Zelensky said, If you look only at the satellites, you will see the increase of troops. You cant assess whether this is a threat, attack or simple rotation.

Zelensky and his team havent ruled out that Russia might invade, and by many outward appearances, Ukraine is preparing for war. The country is receiving shipments of arms and military assistance from allies. Volunteers are training to fight in the streets of Kyiv. Ukrainian intelligence has moved sensitive files and equipment out of its headquarters in the capital to safe locations in the west of the country, according to officials familiar with the matter who, like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations.

But Western officials have been unsettled by Zelensky and his teams public skepticism and what they perceive as his lack of focus.

Theres this split among his administrative advisers and what he may be hearing from his military and intelligence services, said a U.S. government official specializing in Russian affairs. I think Zelensky and his political team are working from their own set of priorities, and they do not necessarily accord with those of the intelligence and military.

Instead of devoting his full attention to steeling Ukrainian society for a fight, one senior European diplomat said, Zelensky has presided over treason charges against his predecessor, candy baron Petro Poroshenko, who this month flew to Ukraine to defend himself in court. Each man accuses the other of a pursuing a political vendetta.

The fight has further fractured Ukrainian political life at a time when unity is badly needed, the diplomat said, raising questions among NATO allies about how much backing Zelensky would command in Ukraine if a war broke out.

The tone from Zelensky and his team is starting to change, the diplomat said, to one of greater concern. But there is lingering uncertainty about whether the Ukrainians are calibrating their response to reflect what they believe the leaders of NATO nations want to hear.

Yuri Vitrenko, the chief executive of Naftogaz, the largest national oil and gas company in Ukraine, said Zelenskys outlook that a Russian invasion is not imminent reflects briefings from his top advisers.

Zelenskys view is based on the intelligence data we have, said Vitrenko, who speaks frequently with the president and his top aides

There are two necessary ingredients for an imminent invasion, he said: a buildup of troops and a political pretext. Russia still needs a pretext.

When Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, it cited the movement of Georgian security forces into the separatist enclave of South Ossetia as a rationale for military action. In 2014, it exploited pro-Russian demonstrations and sent in troops without insignia to take control of Crimea. Vitrenko said Russias core demand - that Ukraine be barred from NATO - is a beef with the West, not a cause for an assault on Kyiv.

There is uncertainty also in other parts of Europe.

French officials agree with their U.S. counterparts on the danger and scale of the threat from Russia, but there are differences concerning predictions about how imminent a Russian invasion may be, said a French official.

The appreciation of the threat and the risk is completely shared. The fact that there is huge volatility and risk of miscalculation is completely shared as well, and we are very wary of that, said the French official, who said his government is, however, less certain that an attack will happen soon.

For its part, Germany also remains skeptical of an imminent Russian invasion. At this stage, Berlin sees no indication that Russia will move into Ukraine immediately, a senior German official said. Evidence that Moscow plans to act quickly may exist, but if the United States possesses it, it hasnt shared it with the Germans, the official added.

The official stressed that the Russian military buildup was very alarming, but without clear indications of what Putin plans to do next, Germany does not want to take any provocative actions. Germany has refused to join other NATO members in sending arms to Ukraine but has emphasized its efforts to stabilize the countrys economy as one of its biggest donors.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Germany will stand with its allies should Russia invade.

There would be a high price for Russia, Scholz told reporters.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that creating uncertainly is a Putin trademark. The fact that you get different readings of will there be an invasion or not is exactly what the Russian president wants to happen, he said in an interview. He wants there to be ambiguity.

Zelensky advisers say the Ukrainian president is also mindful of not inciting a public panic. Were he to echo the bleak White House assessment, they worry he could set off a bank run and capital flight. One aide complained that U.S. financial assistance is being offset by the damage that talk of war is doing to Ukraines economy.

Public panic also could lead to social unrest, Zelensky advisers fear, and destabilize his administration, perhaps paving the way for Moscow to install leaders more favorable to the Kremlin. Indeed, U.S. and British officials feared Putin was trying such a scheme. Last week, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss publicly accused Russia of organizing a plot to install a pro-Moscow government led by a former member of Ukraines parliament.

The intelligence underlying that revelation, which also linked some former Ukrainian politicians to Russian intelligence officers involved in planning for an attack on Ukraine, was collected and declassified by the United States, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The Biden administration asked the British government, which vetted the intelligence and was confident in its accuracy, to publicly expose the Russian plotting, the people said.

U.S. intelligence has assessed that Putin has underestimated how costly an invasion could be in Russian lives lost and in the devastating effects of sanctions on Russias economy, according to officials familiar with the information.

Intelligence analysts also have concluded that Putin is being misinformed by his own circle of advisers, who appear unwilling to confront him with the full consequences of military action.

To me, the idea of invading Ukraine and occupying it in any way, even temporarily, is extraordinarily ambitious and somewhat insane, said the U.S. official specializing in Russian affairs. Its a big country. He may have a plan to defeat the Ukrainian military very quickly. But I think lessons of history should teach him that [success] does not resolve many or even most of the other challenges that he will have taken on.

- - -

The Washington Posts Missy Ryan, Paul Sonne, Karoun Demirjian, Karen DeYoung, Dan Lamothe, Michael Birnbaum and Souad Mekhennet in Washington and David L. Stern in Kyiv contributed to this report.
Millions of Americans could soon have to scan their faces to access their Internal Revenue Service tax accounts, one of the governments biggest expansions yet of facial recognition software into peoples everyday lives.

For now, taxpayers can still file their returns the old-fashioned way; the IRS began accepting returns for 2021 earnings on Monday, encouraging electronic filing.

But by this summer, anyone wanting to access their records - including details about child tax credits, payment plans or tax transcripts - on the IRS website could be required to record a video of their face with their computer or smartphone, and send it to the private contractor ID.me to confirm their identity.

Many taxpayers already have encountered the system as they prepare to file their tax returns, attempt to make estimated tax payments or try to peruse other records that can be accessed online. The company says that last month more than 60,000 face photos were submitted in a single day, though it was unclear how many of those came from taxpayers. But complaints of confusing instructions and long wait times to complete the sign-up have caused an unknown number to abandon the process in frustration.

The $86 million ID.me contract with the IRS also has alarmed researchers and privacy advocates who say they worry about how Americans facial images and personal data will be safeguarded in the years to come. There is no federal law regulating how the data can be used or shared. While the IRS couldnt say what percentage of taxpayers use the agencys website, internal data show it is one of the federal governments most-viewed websites, with more than 1.9 billion visits last year.

The partnership with ID.me has drawn anger from some members of Congress, including Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who tweeted that he was very disturbed by the plan and would push the IRS for greater transparency. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., called it a very, very bad idea by the IRS that would further weaken Americans privacy. The Senate Finance Committee is working to schedule briefings with the IRS and ID.me on the issue, a committee aide said.

No one should be forced to submit to facial recognition as a condition of accessing essential government services, Wyden said in a separate statement. Im continuing to seek more information about ID.me and other identity verification systems being used by federal agencies.

A Treasury official said Friday that the department was looking into alternatives to ID.me, saying Treasury and the IRS always are interested in improving taxpayers experience.

The official offered no further detail, however, and referred reporters to ID.me for details of their technology and safety controls. Spokespeople for ID.me declined to comment. Bloomberg News first reported the possibility that Treasury might consider an alternative to the facial recognition technology.

Given the many problems in the filing season just underway, it is a stretch to launch an initiative of this sensitivity in the present circumstances, said Mark Everson, the vice chairman of the tax services firm Alliantgroup and a former IRS commissioner.

About 70 million Americans who have filed for unemployment insurance, pandemic assistance grants, child tax credit payments or other services already have been scanned by the McLean, Va.-based company, which says its client list includes 540 companies; 30 states, including California, Florida, New York and Texas; and 10 federal agencies, including Social Security, Labor and Veterans Affairs.

Jeramie Scott, senior counsel of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a research group in Washington, said the IRSs outsourcing of identity checks to a private company could weaken the publics ability to know how information is being used, especially because no federal laws govern how facial recognition should work nationwide.

You go from a government agency, that at least has some obligation under the Privacy Act and other laws, to a third party, where [theres a] lack of transparency and understanding, and the potential risks go up, Scott said.

We havent even gone the step of putting regulations in place and deciding if facial recognition should even be used like this, he added. Were just skipping right to the use of a technology that has clearly been shown to be dangerous and has issues with accuracy, disproportionate impact, privacy and civil liberties.

The IRS had said in a previous statement that ID.mes services would create a better user experience and that it takes any reports of inequities in service seriously. Federal records show the Treasury entered into the two-year contract covering ID.me software and maintenance last summer.

To verify ones identity, ID.me requires scans of a persons face as well as copies of identifying paperwork, such as a drivers license, government-issued ID or utility bill. The company then uses facial recognition software to assess whether a persons video selfie and official photo match.

If the system flags an issue, the person will have to join a live video call with one of the companys trusted referees, who then asks them to hold up physical copies of personal documents such as a passport, birth certificate or health insurance card.

The companys privacy policy says it can use peoples sensitive or personally identifiable information to cooperate with law enforcement activities, and Blake Hall, ID.mes co-founder and chief executive, said the company alerts its government clients when it detects clear cases of fraud.

The company said it has stored tens of millions of face scans in a database to look for identity theft. Though people can ask ID.me to delete their biometric data, the company is required to store the data for at least seven years in keeping with federal auditing rules, an IRS filing shows.

Hall said in an interview that the companys system has met tough security and accuracy standards. He compared the identity checks to someone being asked to present an ID when opening a bank account, saying, Were digitizing a process Americans are already quite used to.

Hall dismissed most of the early criticism of the companys work as either misinformed or fueled by propaganda from the credit bureaus and data brokers the government once relied on to verify identities.

Equifax, the credit-reporting company that previously confirmed taxpayers data for the IRS, had its $7 million contract suspended in 2017 after hackers exposed the personal information of 148 million people.

As to why the country is paying a private firm to validate its own citizens, Hall said the governments previous attempts had underperformed ID.mes product - proof, he said, that the government is not fast enough to innovate on the access and security side.

Folks want to throw stones because we were able to get there first . . . before the government was ready, Hall said, but the companys growth should be regarded as a sign of the best of our country at work.

ID.mes work with the IRS will start in full this summer, when the agency stops accepting previously created online accounts and forces everyone to use newer accounts verified through ID.me. The shift will come at a time when Treasury officials are warning of enormous challenges for the IRS, which is overwhelmed by a backlog of returns and years of budget cuts.

The company says 9 of 10 applicants can verify their identity through a self-service face scan in five minutes or less. Anyone who hits a snag is funneled into the backup video-chat verification process; in a chart the company shared with The Washington Post, the average wait time in the second half of 2021 was less than eight minutes. (The company said it does not track the demographic information of the people not immediately verified.)

But some who have tried to verify their identities through ID.me for other purposes have reported agonizing delays: cryptic glitches in Colorado, website errors in Arizona, five-hour waits in North Carolina, days-long waits in California and weeks-long benefit delays in New York. The security blogger Brian Krebs wrote last week that he faced a three-hour wait trying to confirm his IRS account, three months before the tax-filing deadline.

Higher wait times in the past few weeks, Hall said, were linked to workers being out sick because of the coronavirus and the snowstorms that pummeled Northern Virginia, where much of the companys support staff is based. (In late 2020, Hall said call delays in California were partly related to Nigerian cyberattacks.)

The company said it intends to expand its workforce beyond the 966 agents who now handle video-chat verification for the entire country. It has also opened hundreds of in-person identity-verification centers - replicating, in essence, what government offices have done for decades.

Face-scanning software has become an increasingly prominent way for people to access secure corporate and government systems, from work-from-home shifts to air travel to schools and college exams. Ten federal agencies said they are planning to expand their facial recognition capabilities in the next year.

Proponents say the systems are quicker, simpler and more reliable than old verification systems, and they have likened the checks to the increasingly mainstream uses of facial recognition in software such as Face ID, which people can use to unlock their iPhones.

Critics say theres a big difference between a person deciding to use software, which locks their face data on their phone, and being required to send it to a company that retains control of the data for years. Advocates also have warned that the technical demands of an Internet-connected video camera can unfairly burden the millions of Americans with spotty online access or old phones.

Face-scanning software used to verify whether two images are of the same person, known as one-to-one matching, is built to address a simpler challenge than the one-to-many systems used by federal agents, immigration officers and the police to pick out suspects or witnesses from databases with millions of faces.

But the technology isnt perfect, and researchers say identity-verification errors can block a person from accessing vital services or allow an impostor to get through. Even the best systems, they add, can make mistakes when shown blurry, dim or low-quality images. Police facial recognition systems have also been blamed for the wrongful arrests of at least three Black men.

ID.me has attempted to address concerns by publishing technical reports such as a 25-page white paper defending the technologys use in promoting access, equity and inclusion, claiming that combining algorithms with multiple layers of human review mitigates any potential bias that might arise.

But Joy Buolamwini, an artificial intelligence researcher whose work in 2018 helped reveal the stark racial and gender biases of major tech companies face-analyzing systems, said the companys reports have misconstrued or failed to cite earlier research into the technologys failures.

Buolamwini pointed to research in 2019 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal testing laboratory, that found higher rates of false positives on one-to-one algorithms for Asian and African American faces than Caucasian faces. Depending on the algorithm, those rates could be 10 to 100 times higher, the researchers said.

ID.me, Hall said, licenses its software from two companies that are best of breed: Paravision, for one-to-one matching, and iProov, for detecting whether the face on a video is real or a mask. Paravisions algorithm has ranked among the better performers in the NIST tests, institute data show.

To compare a general result across the field with the specific algorithms we use is simply not appropriate, Hall said. If someone is going to bring a false assertion, they need to bring proof that the specific algorithms were using do in fact discriminate, because there is zero evidence of that.

Hall said the company has run internal tests on its software and found no signs of racial or gender discrimination. Those tests, however, have not been published or reviewed by external researchers. Hall said the company has also invited other agencies to corroborate their findings, and that officials with an unnamed state government agency had showed similarly positive results in a recent audit of ID.mes system. That study is also not yet public.

That lack of transparency has raised its own questions. In a statement Monday, Hall said the company did not use one-to-many matching, calling it more complex and problematic. But on Wednesday, he reversed his stance, writing on LinkedIn - in a post first reported by the news site CyberScoop - that the company did, in fact, use it to make sure no one registered multiple identities.

Hall, who served as an Army Ranger, co-founded the company in 2010 as TroopSwap, a military-focused deals site that began verifying veterans service for store discounts. In the years since, ID.me has exploded with help from tens of millions of dollars in private investments and public government contracts, largely from states seeking to verify unemployment claims.

In 2017, Hall told The Post that the company wanted to create a ubiquitous ID network and thought it was a fundamental problem that digital identity is in the hands of two advertising companies, Facebook and Google.

But advertising is a key part of ID.mes operation, too. People who sign up on ID.mes website are asked if they want to subscribe to offers and discounts from the companys online storefront, which links to special deals for veterans, students and first responders. Consumer marketing accounts for 10% of the companys revenue.

People must opt in to the marketing deals and provide consent before any data is shared with an outside organization, a company official said. If a person is using ID.me to confirm their identity with a government agency, the company will not use that verification information for marketing or promotional purposes, the companys privacy policy says.

Buolamwini, now the founder and executive director of the research advocacy group Algorithmic Justice League, said the company should open its system to outside scrutiny and allow its internal tests to be peer reviewed. Improvements to the systems precision, she added, should not obscure broader concerns about the risks of any technology that could deny people access to basic government services en masse.

Federal agencies have run facial recognition searches on some official databases created for other purposes, including for drivers license and passport photos. Private contractors that collect data on Americans can also find themselves targeted by cyberattacks. Thousands of Americans face photos were exposed after a surveillance company working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection was hacked in 2019.

The potential for weaponization and abuse of facial recognition technologies cannot be ignored, nor the threats to privacy or breaches of civil liberties diminished, even as accuracy disparities decrease, Buolamwini said.
About 100 students and community members congregated on the Yellowstone County Courthouse lawn Friday to celebrate National School Choice Week, and changes that conservative lawmakers have made in recent years to support private schools.

In 2021, the Montana Legislature dramatically increased the amount a person or business could claim in tax credits by donating money to private schools or scholarship organizations. The previous limit was $150 and now it's $200,000, although the state caps the overall statewide total in both categories.

I was just like many of you not too long ago, said Seth Berglee, chair of the education committee and House Representative of Carbon County. I grew up in northeast Montana and we lived in the middle of nowhere, pretty much. My parents chose to homeschool us, and being at homeschool I was able to pursue a lot of the things that I enjoy, and I have a successful career as a result of that.

Montana Family Foundation hosted the event, which is based in Laurel and known for its conservative push on social issues, such as opposing gay rights and abortion rights, according to a Billings Gazette article from 2013.

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen had a staff member attend and read a statement for her. Artzen commended a system that prioritizes serving every student wherever they learn best. As a classroom teacher of 23 years, Ive seen firsthand that every child is unique and learns uniquely.

Among the speakers included representation from ACE scholarships, an organization distributing scholarship money that individuals have donated as a way to shift tax liability and to essentially choose what schools receive tax dollars, according to Jeff Laszloffy, president and CEO of the Montana Family Foundation.

An ACE Scholarship will pay up to 50% of private school tuition, or a maximum of $2,000 per year for grades K-8 and $3,000 per year for high school, according to the site.

Those celebrating dotted the lawn in a sea of yellow from scarves they wore provided by the National School Choice Week organization.

I like that they take a stand and that they go and they help to legislate for our freedoms and for our rights, said Ken and Peggy Miller of Laurel. Our children did both homeschooling and public school, so we know the balance of both and how important it is to have that choice."

Kristen Richert attended with her son Konnor who studies at Trinity Lutheran School in Billings.

Were lucky enough that we have the opportunity to send our child to a private school and we just would like to see that afforded to other students as well, she said.

Berglee said he supports great education whether it is public, private, religiously affiliated, or homeschool. It just needs to be what hits that kid, and it needs to teach them how to think, he said.

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Jan. 28 SAN BERNARDINO, CA (Tribune News Service) San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools has posthumously awarded a high school diploma to James Kiyabu, a U.S. Army veteran, as part of Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project.

This is a project that is close to my heart, Ted Alejandre, San Bernardino County superintendent of schools, said in a news release.

As a veteran myself, I am honored to be a part of this celebration where Cpl. James Kiyabus loved ones can accept his high school diploma on his behalf. I salute him for the sacrifices he made for our country,

The diploma was presented to Kiyabus son, Randy Kiyabu, during a Jan. 13 ceremony attended by several members of the Kiyabu family.

It was my fathers final wish that he would receive a high school diploma. It is really bittersweet that I can accept it on his behalf, Randy Kiyabu said, according to the news release.

Im the first in my family to graduate from college. My father had the realization that he wasnt able to finish high school and made sure education was a priority for me growing up, Randy Kiyabu said.

James Kiyabu was born Nov. 29, 1933, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He had attended Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School for three years when, in August 1954, he felt called to military service after witnessing the lasting effects of World War II.

Kiyabu enlisted in the Army as a private, specializing as a heavy weapons infantryman, and later attained the rank of corporal. He served on active duty until his honorable discharge in August 1956. During his enlistment, Kiyabu received the Army Good Conduct Medal, which is awarded for exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during military service.

In 1958, Kiyabu married his wife, Jane, and their son was born the following year. After more than 55 years of marriage, Kiyabu died Jan. 10, 2014, in Apple Valley.

The Operation Recognition Program is a joint effort between San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and the San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Services. Since the programs inception, nearly 300 diplomas have been presented to veterans who did not complete high school due to military service during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War or because of the U.S. internment of people of Japanese descent during World War II.

To qualify, applicants must be residents of San Bernardino County and service members must have been honorably discharged.

(c)2022 the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, Calif.)

Visit the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, Calif.) at www.sbsun.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Stillwater, OK (74074)

Today

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 59F. Winds ESE 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 59F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
Fast-track consenting made available for Provincial Growth Fund projects could see work start on a $29.4 million marina in Whakatane mid-year.

Named Te Rahui Herenga Waka, the boat harbour is to be constructed through a partnership between landholders Te Rahui Lands Trust, Whakatane District Council, Ngati Awa Group Holdings and the Crown, which was formalised yesterday.

The new boat harbour will provide commercial boat operators with access to better facilities and more berths while increasing economic returns for the community.

Funding of $19.6 million has been provided by the Crown via Kanoa  Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit - for the build of the boat harbour, and $9.8 million is to be contributed by Whakatane District Council, with Te Rahui Lands Trust providing the site.

Project director Phil Wardale from Wardale Marine Industry Consulting, who first recognised the potential of the site, says the group has gained approval to utilise the fast-track consenting pathway provided by the Ministry for the Environment for Covid-19 recovery projects.

Phil says the project will create the equivalent of at least 30 full-time jobs during its construction and, longer term, was expected to create upwards of 600 new jobs and flow-on economic benefits for Whakatane.

As part of the project, areas of wetland will be restored and improvements made for public and recreational use of the Wairaka area, where boats are now berthed.

He says from his first meeting with Te Rahui Lands Trust members they had seen the potential for the project.

Te Rahui Lands Trust chairman Brian Simpson says the project will restore the connections and mauri of the river for future generations and enable key outcomes for the trust to be achieved.

The project has empowered us as kaitiaki to utilise our whenua in a way that respects and protects the dynamic river environment and provides employment and training for our owners and Ngati Awa.

Brian acknowledges East Coast MP Kiri Allan as a key player in supporting the trust and partners to reach agreement.

We recently met with Kiritapu Allan and were excited to share the news that the partnership had been formally established between Te Rahui Lands Trust, Whakatane District Council, Ngati Awa Group Holdings and the Crown via Kanoa  Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit.

Te Rahui Lands Trust representatives met with East Coast MP Kiri Allan last week. Pictured are Charles Bluett, Kiri Allan, Brian Simpson, Te Arani Barrett and Dayle Hunia.

Kiri says the formalisation of the partnership represented an important milestone in the regions economic development.

I congratulate the partners on the hard work to date and look forward to seeing the project come to fruition.

Whakatane Mayor Judy Turner says the council had long supported the development of a new boat harbour.

[It will] further unlock opportunities in our local marine and tourism sectors, and drive wider economic, social and environmental benefits.

The project forms a key part of our districts economic development strategy, which is further magnified by our need to respond to Covid and its impacts. This unique partnership represents a new and exciting way of delivering core infrastructure into our region.

Phil says the fast-track consenting pathway, which enables a more streamlined consent approval process, was designed to support New Zealands recovery from the economic and social impacts of Covid-19.

Fast-tracking the consenting application means the review and processing timeframes are condensed. This means its up to us as a project team to ensure we have provided a robust and well considered application that answers any and all questions that may arise.

He says the fast-track consent process gives surety of the time-frame that it would be within 72 working days.

Though there would likely not be open consultation process, stakeholder groups would be consulted with.

Phil told the Beacon he had spent a lot of time with relevant stakeholders including environmental groups such as Forest and Bird and the Whakatane Harbour Care Group in the preparation of the consent application.

Community engagement will be ongoing as the project moves through the consenting process.

Subject to receipt of consents, construction is expected to begin the second half of 2022.

A visual render of the first stage of the proposed Boat Harbour development.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

The site has the potential to accommodate a recreational boat harbour, a boat ramp, and further businesses.

Currently this is not funded, but it is hoped that it will be built following the completion of the first stages and as demand allows.

Harbour a boost to Whakatane boat builders and environment

Project manager Phil Wardale sayd the first stage of Te Rahui Herena Waka Is expected to take around two years to complete once work starts.

It would provide berthage facilities for around 60 commercial vessels from 14 to 30 metres in size, working as commercial charters and in aquaculture and fishing.

It will also offer a travel lift of 80-to-100-tonne capacity, providing a new option for vessels to be hauled out and undergo maintenance. In a future stage of the project, berthage for recreational boats, a boat ramp and additional commercial premises are proposed to be developed.

There will also be a new marine training school onsite to provide skilled workers for existing and new businesses in Whakatanes marine industry, which already boasts New Zealands largest and most successful and productive builders of aluminium boats, Extreme Boats and Surtees Boats.

The harbour project aims to ultimately provide for 800 jobs, including 218 existing jobs in Whakatanes marine and tourism industries.

Around 30 people will be involved in its construction on a full-time basis, many of them from Ngati Awa, who will be reskilled or upskilled via training providers to support the projects contractors.

The majority of products used in construction will be made in New Zealand  from within Whakatane or its neighbouring regions where possible  to support the countrys recovery.

The project will have an immediate improvement on local water quality. Several riverside berths will be removed once the boat harbour is complete. Removing these vessels will improve and restore river flow.

The project will also include the restoration of an area of land to the north-east of the site to create close to a hectare of restored wetland adjacent the river.

The projects design has had to consider the dynamic river environment along with sea level rise and likely global warming impacts.

Vessels located in the boat harbour will also have access to in-berth sewage disposal  almost eliminating the need to dump at sea.

In addition, stormwater treatment will improve discharges from both run off, and boat maintenance activities, and planted sea walls will assist a natural ecological balance as well as water filtration.

Before Te Rahui Herenga Waka is developed, material from historic activities will be undertaken.

Materials will be carefully re-used in earth works or disposed of in an appropriate manner.

-Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
The Baybus bus service is currently continuing to operate as normal, but the Bay of Plenty Regional Council warns there could be cancellations at short notice.

The cancellations are anticipated as Omicron spreads in the community and potentially leads to bus drivers reporting sick, the council says.

It is likely in the coming weeks that Baybus services will move to an emergency timetable as drivers and staff could become unwell or are required to self-isolate.

Services used by school children will be prioritised and frequencies will be reduced outside of these peak times.

Transport Operations Team Lead Jen Proctor says maintaining accessibility around the region to essential services, while keeping our communities safe is a top priority for Regional Council.

We will be doing our best to help communities access essential services and give as much notice as possible around details of altered timetables before they start. Please check before you ride the bus as service cancellations and timetable changes may impact your travel.

Thank you in advance for being patient and kind as we move through this next phase of Covid-19 together.

Public transport is an essential service and the following applies to help keep each other safe:

we encourage contactless payment using a Bee Card and topping up online, but cash is still accepted.

QR code scanning and wearing face masks is mandatory.

To check your services before you travel, please visit www.baybus.co.nz, call 0800 4 BAY BUS (0800 2 229 287) or check out the Transit app.
The Ministry of Health is reporting 97 new community cases in NZ and 58 new cases identified at the border.

Of the new community cases, 61 are in Auckland, one in Northland, 14 in Waikato, three in Tairawhiti, eight in Bay of Plenty, seven in Lakes and three in Hawkes Bay.

There are seven cases in hospital, with two in North Shore, two in Middlemore, one in Auckland and two in Rotorua. There are no cases in ICU or HDU.

Three cases onboard ship at Port of Tauranga

The eight new BOP cases includes three cases onboard the Singapore-flagged Maersk Bogor container ship, which is currently under quarantine at the Port of Tauranga.

The ship arrived in port on Friday morning. Some of the 25 crew had experienced Covid-like illness. Testing returned three positive results in the 24 hour period to midnight on Friday night.

No one has been allowed off the ship. Testing was carried out following strict infection, prevention and control guidelines.

The vessel has been managed by the Port to ensure that the risk from crew has been effectively managed, and the ship is due to leave port on Sunday.

The five remaining new cases are in the Western Bay of Plenty, including one in Katikati.

There are now two cases in Katikati. Public health staff are awaiting the results of whole genome sequencing, but in the meantime, the cases are being treated as though theyre Omicron.

Increased testing has been made available at the Katikati medical centre.

Please check the Healthpoint website for further testing details.

Lakes

There are seven new cases reported in the Lakes DHB area today  all in Rotorua. Six are contacts of previously reported cases and the remaining case is currently being investigated.

Northland

Today we are reporting four new cases in Northland. Three of these came in after the cut off time and will be reported in tomorrows figures.

Three of the cases are in Whangarei and one case is in Kerikeri. All four cases are isolating at home.

Two cases are linked to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton. Whole genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, Northland public health staff are treating them as if they are Omicron.

Three new locations of interest in Whangarei have been added to the Ministrys website.

Please check the time and date for these and follow corresponding public health advice.

Auckland

There are 61 new cases to report in Auckland today, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 769 people in the region to isolate at home, including 242 cases.

Waikato

There are 14 new cases in the Waikato today.

Of these, ten have been linked to previous cases and four remain under investigation for links.

Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in Waikato are supporting 32 cases to isolate at home.

Tairawhiti

There are three new cases to report in Tairawhiti today. All are connected to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton.

Whole genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, these cases are being treated as though they are Omicron.

Hawkes Bay

Today we are reporting three new cases of Covid-19 in Hawkes Bay, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

One of these is the case we first announced yesterday and links to the Soundsplash festival have been established. It is being treated as an Omicron case.

Investigations are continuing to determine other links for the remaining cases.

Regions

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result. We are also asking people to regularly check the locations of interest as these are regularly updated and to follow the advice provided.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Please also continue to check for any updated Locations of Interest and appropriate health advice, updated regularly on the Ministrys website.

Omicron update

Public health teams are continuing to manage Omicron cases in the community through rapidly isolating cases and contacts, contact tracing, and testing to slow the spread.

To date, 116 community cases of Covid-19 have either been confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case.

Some of these additional cases have previously been reported as COVID-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.

As of 9am this morning, there has been 39 cases connected to the Soundsplash music festival in Hamilton last weekend. However, this number will grow as further test results are received.

Given the increase in cases associated with Soundsplash, the Ministry of Health advises all attendees to get a test, if they have not already done so. If you attended the festival, please let the testing centre know that you were at the festival.

Two of the four community cases in Canterbury reported earlier in the week have now been determined to be Omicron.

There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, MidCentral, Canterbury, Tairawhiti and Nelson-Tasman.

The number of cases and contacts are expected to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews.

Were asking everyone in New Zealand to act like Omicron is circulating in their community, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

That means wearing a mask in indoor settings with people you dont know, physical distancing, washing hands regularly and scanning in using the Covid-19 Tracer app, when youre out and about.

Anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be Covid-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.

The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. So if you have these symptoms, please get a test.

COVID-19 vaccine update

On Friday 12,860 paediatric doses were administered, bringing the total to 150,207.

Nelson Marlborough is only five first doses short of partially vaccinating 90 per cent of Maori. It will be the eighth DHB area to achieve this milestone.

On Friday 46,271 booster doses were administered, bring the total to 1,257,758.

Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,039,660 first doses (96%); 3,959,574 second doses (94%); 1,257,758 booster doses

Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,251 first doses; 2,212 second doses; 12,860 paediatric doses; 46,271 booster doses.

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 511,802 first doses (90%); 484,587 second doses (85%).

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 276,876 first doses (97%); 268,665 second doses (94%).

Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 150,207 first doses (32%)

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 19,440 first doses (17%)

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 10,458 first doses (21%)

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (87%)

Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)

Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)

Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)

MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)

Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)

Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)

Hawkes Bay: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)

Taranaki DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (92%)

Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)

Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (97%)

Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)

Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)

West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)

Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%)

South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)

Southern DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: 7; North Shore: 2; Middlemore: 2; Auckland: 1; Rotorua: 2

Average age of current hospitalisations: 52

Cases in ICU or HDU: Zero

As the number of total hospitalised cases in the Northern Region is currently below five, we have removed the vaccination status for hospitalisations, for privacy reasons.

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 48

Seven day rolling average of border cases: 44

Number of new community cases: 97

Number of new cases identified at the border: 58

*Location of new community cases: Northland (1), Auckland (61), Waikato (14), Tairawhiti (3), Bay of Plenty (8), Lakes (7), Hawkes Bay (3)

Number of community cases (total): 11,811 (in current community outbreaks)

Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,972

Number of active cases (total): 630 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 15,770

Contacts

Number of active contacts being managed (total): 6,923

Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 69%

Percentage who has returned at least one result: 68%

Tests

Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 22,727

Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 18,712

Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 10,847

Wastewater

ESR has advised Covid-19 was detected in samples taken on January 26 and 27 from Dannevirke, Kerikeri, Pukekohe, Paihia and Rawene.

There was also continued detection in samples taken over the same days from Ahipara, Kawakawa Bay, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Te Maunga (Mt Maunganui), Te Puke, Te Awamutu, Porirua, Moa Point in Wellington and Motueka.

NZ COVID Tracer

Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,751,957

Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 49,275

My Vaccine Pass

My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,972,988

My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 14,085

New cases identified at the border
Bay of Plenty

We are needing 4 casual labourers to help us out with day to day jobs both in Tauranga and the Mount. choose the days you...



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Lloyd Erbaugh lives in Prior Lake with his wife. He focuses on diversity, training, recruiting and team performance.
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Tahlequah, OK (74464)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. A few storms may be severe. Low 61F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. A few storms may be severe. Low 61F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
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For 10 years, Xi spends time with ordinary people before Chinese New Year

Xinhua) 07:56, January 29, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowd while touring Pingyao, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Xi extended Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese people during his visit to Shanxi Province from Wednesday to Thursday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Braving the snow, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited north China's Shanxi Province from Wednesday to Thursday on an inspection tour ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1 this year.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learned about local post-disaster reconstruction, crop replanting, and measures to keep people warm in the winter during the trip.

For 10 years in a row, Xi has made it a tradition to visit ordinary people, especially the disadvantaged groups, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar.

The following are some of the most memorable moments of Xi's interactions with these people during his pre-Spring Festival tours.

2022, Shanxi

Visiting Duancun Village in Fenxi County, Shanxi Province, Xi checked the kitchen, the bedroom and the sheepfold in a villager's home, and asked about the family's income and their life.

Xi was pleased to learn that the family, after shaking off poverty in late 2016, has prospered through raising sheep and seeking work in other places.

"The CPC's resolve to ensure all Chinese people live happy lives has remained unchanged for more than a century, and it will not falter," Xi said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks to villagers who are participating in festive activities, and extends his New Year's greetings to people of all ethnic groups across the country, on a public square of Huawu Village, Xinren Miao Township of Qianxi County, Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

2021, Guizhou

Xi visited Huawu Village, which successfully eliminated poverty through crop planting and animal husbandry as well as tourism, during his inspection to southwest China's Guizhou Province.

He was invited to the home of Zhao Yuxue, a Miao villager, and made traditional festival food "Huangba" with Zhao's family.

He also visited a Miao embroidery workshop, urging efforts to promote ethnic and traditional cultures.

"This year, we will secure the great victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, achieving the first centenary goal," Xi told villagers at a public square. "No ethnic group should be left behind."

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in a village of the Wa ethnic group in Qingshui Township of Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 19, 2020. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

2020, Yunnan

Xi went to the home of farmer Li Fashun in Simola Wa Village, Yunnan Province, where he learned about the family's daily life, and was invited to join the family in making rice cakes. He also beat a wooden drum of the Wa ethnic group three times, a local ritual activity to bless the coming year.

The year 2020 marked the deadline for China to eliminate absolute poverty. During the inspection, Xi noted that shaking off poverty is the starting point for a new and happy life, urging vigorously promoting rural vitalization after a moderately prosperous society in all respects is achieved.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits residents' homes in Qianmen area in central Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

2019, Beijing

Xi visited the hutong neighborhoods of central Beijing and dropped into two courtyards along the hutong, inquiring about the living conditions of local residents after the renovation projects in the neighborhood.

"What the CPC pursues is to make the people's life better," he told the residents, gladly chatting and making dumplings with them.

Xi also went to a property service center to visit staff and community workers, and stepped into a restaurant, chatted with the owner and some customers, and wished them good luck.

Visiting an express delivery station, Xi stressed that priority should be given to solving employment problems and creating more jobs.

He praised the hard work of deliverymen, saying they were "busy as bees" to bring convenience to people's lives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the home of an impoverished family in Sanhe Village of Sanchahe Township in Zhaojue County of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Feb. 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

2018, Sichuan

Xi went deep into the mountains of impoverished Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In two ethnic Yi villages, Xi was happy to learn that villagers have increased their incomes by raising cattle and growing potatoes, peppers and walnuts.

"Not a single ethnic group or family should be left behind in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Xi said.

He also told villagers later during the inspection: "My job is to serve the people."

Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the home of villager Xu Wan in Desheng Village, Xiaoertai Township of Zhangbei County in north China's Hebei Province, on Jan. 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

2017, Hebei

Xi went to a village in Hebei Province, a short drive from Beijing. In the house of poor villager Xu Wan, Xi asked about the family's drinking water, TV programs and activities the family had planned for the Lunar New Year.

Xi sat down with Xu and helped him with his household budget.

While visiting villager Xu Haicheng's home, Xi chatted with village cadres and farmers, and said poverty eradication is the "bottom-line task" in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd L), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, makes ciba, a kind of food made of sticky rice, with villagers while visiting Shenshan Village in Jinggangshan, east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 2, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

2016, Jiangxi

Xi visited the house of Zuo Xiufa, grandson of a revolutionary martyr living in a poverty-stricken village in the city of Jinggangshan, Jiangxi Province. Xi was glad to see that Zuo had shaken off poverty by using local bamboo resources to start his own processing business.

Calling Jinggangshan the cradle of the Chinese revolution, Xi called for carrying forward the Jinggangshan Spirit in the modern context.

Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping (3rd L), also chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the cave dwelling he lived in during his teenage when he came to Liangjiahe Village as part of a campaign launched by Chairman Mao Zedong that asked urban youth to experience rural labor life, in Wen'anyi Township of Yanchuan County, Yan'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 13, 2015. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

2015, Shaanxi

Xi met with old acquaintances from Liangjiahe Village, Shaanxi Province, where he had spent seven years as an adolescent and young adult. "I will never forget the villagers here and the people in the old revolutionary base," Xi said.

"A well-off society is incomplete if people in old revolutionary base areas cannot shake off poverty," Xi said later during a meeting with officials from Shaanxi and neighboring provincial regions in northwest China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st L) visits the family of Guo Yongcai, in Yi'ershi Township of Arxan City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2014. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

2014, Inner Mongolia

Braving the cold in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xi visited the home of forestry worker Guo Yongcai in a border town.

Inside the house in a dilapidated neighborhood, Xi checked the cellar and the fireplace and chatted with Guo to learn about his difficulties.

He later went to a children's welfare home where he used sign language to interact with the hearing-impaired. Xi called for love for children, especially orphans and the disabled, from across the society.

2013, Gansu

Xi went to villages located in a hostile natural environment in northwestern Gansu Province, asking villagers whether they had enough food, sufficient subsistence allowances, and access to medical and educational resources.

He emphasized stepping up efforts to ensure millions in arid parts of Gansu have access to stable supply of drinking water.

Xi also visited a construction site to learn about the rebuilding work of the county seat, where a landslide two years earlier had caused severe damages. There, he chatted with migrant workers, ordering better protection of their legitimate rights and interests.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)


The 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion holds a comprehensive defense drill recently. (Photo by Sun Xuesong)

JUBA, Jan.29 -- The 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) organized a comprehensive defense drill on the order of the Sector Juba of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) recently and passed the assessment and evaluation successfully.

The drill took place against the background of direct threats such as social unrest, armed conflict and terrorist attacks around the UN House in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. It aimed to test the peacekeeping infantry battalion's capability to perform authorized tasks and respond to contingencies. The personnel of the Sector Juba, UNMISS, followed the Chinese peacekeepers and carried out on-site evaluations.

After receiving the drill order, the 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion immediately sent a task detachment to estimate the situation. In accordance with the UN Rules of Engagement, the Chinese peacekeeping troops deployed defensive formations, used verbal warnings to disperse, escalated weapon deterrence, and controlled dispersal of the crowd to eliminate security threats. In the end, the Chinese peacekeeping battalion passed the evaluation, and was highly recognized by the Sector Juba in terms of command and control, operational coordination, and comprehensive support.
A man is in custody following a multi-agency chase around eastern Idaho and western Montana Thursday night into Friday morning.

Jesse R. Spitzer, 30, of Sultan, Washington, led law enforcement on a pursuit across the Idaho-Montana border starting around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, Mineral County Sheriff Mike Toth said.

Spitzer was on the run from authorities in Washington state after he was suspected of stealing a vehicle and other items in east Snohomish County, according to the Associated Press. He was at the scene of an accident last Friday but fled.

The following day, law enforcement chased him into the woods near Gold Bar in Washington state, but he got away. Then, on Sunday, he got into another accident in Chelan County in Washington but fled that scene, too, according to the AP.

Officers searched for him in Post Falls, Idaho on Wednesday when a firearm was reported stolen from someone's house, but Spitzer was able to elude officials. His next encounter with law enforcement happened in Kellogg, Idaho, on Thursday night, the AP reported. Officers pursued him over Lookout Pass and into Montana.

Montana Highway Patrol was able to disable his vehicle near the Haugan exit on Interstate 90, but Spitzer fled on foot after threatening officials with a handgun. Authorities found and arrested him shortly after 9 a.m. Friday in a trailer in an RV park behind the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar, Sheriff Toth said. They located him using a canine unit and arrested him.

While he did not fire any shots at law enforcement in Montana, he did in Idaho, Sheriff Toth said. There were no injuries to any officers, but Spitzer was bitten by the dog.

In 2011, Spitzer was sentenced for shooting at a sheriff's deputy in Nevada, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.

Toth thanked the several agencies that responded to the incident, including Mineral County Sheriff's deputies, U.S. Marshals from Missoula, Montana Highway Patrol, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and other agencies from both states.

There is no threat to public safety at this time, Toth said.

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Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority unveils a new bus wrap featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to recognize the courageous leaders of the civil rights movement and the impact the African-American community has had on the progress of the transportation industry.
jono213 Newbie



Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 14 Thanked: 26 Times

Hyundai Creta battery trouble and dealership response

This is my first post on TeamBhp and would like to be excused if there are any shortcomings in this article, thanks!



So a short little intro, we have 2 cars; A 2017 VX petrol Honda City and a new-gen 2020 EX petrol Creta, the latter of which this article is about.













It all started on the 12th of Jan, when the driver took the car out to pick up a relative, got a call from him saying the car wouldn't start, puzzled, i went down to the garage and attempted to start it myself but all I got were consecutive clicking sounds from the engine. Until now the car had been absolutely blissful, even though it was the starting EX variant, noise levels inside the cabin and general comfort was top class, anyways coming back to the issue, made the decision to phone up hyundai roadside assistance and got connected to one of their reps, explained to him the issue and he assured me that one of their assistant mechanic partners would be at my location in about an hour, which was fine with me.



The mechanic arrived on time an hour later and fiddled around with his battery tester and determined that the battery was out of juice, having made this assumption myself i wasn't really surprised, he then jumpstarted the car and told us to leave it on for about 30 minutes so we could drive it to a battery retail shop to get it replaced, the mechanic was very professional, troubleshooted every possible cause to rule any other issue out, he even recommended to us what battery to buy and having been paid his dues, he left. (couldn't take any photos because making this post hadn't come to mind yet)





Now this is where things start to get a little sticky, dad phoned up the showroom to ask to get the battery replaced since it was still under warranty and their manager told us to get the car to the location, now since i had classes to attend, the driver took the car there. Once all formalities were done, the manager told my dad that instead of replacing the battery, they would recharge it and it would work for a little longer (a detail i hadn't known until the car was back) and my dad agreed to this compromise but i wasn't really sold on this entire compromise and it seemed a little suspicious to me.



so fast-forward to today and the car hadn't been used for the past 5 days since the driver caught covid and since my dad drives the city usually, it was left untouched in the parking (except for the usual start of the engine). I was cleaning the car and just decided to start it up for no reason whatsoever but what i got was a very weak, strangled start of the engine, a little bit alarmed, i tried it again and this time it just went blank.







No response from the engine and my subconscious was laughing at me since I did predict this would happen, I called my dad downstairs, he tried starting the engine but no response whatsoever, he then phoned up the manager again and asked him why this was happening if they had just recharged the battery and had assured him it would last for about 6-7 months.



I'm not going to make any accusations whatsoever about the dealership, neither am I going to reveal which one it is, but this issue just shows how willing reps are to cut costs, since there was still 6 months on the warranty, they would've had to replace the battery in its entirety but they convinced my dad that this was the better option, and what i told him that day came to pass and as expected the car isn't starting up again.



the manager told us that he would duly dispatch their technician again tomorrow morning and assured us that the battery would be changed under warranty this time, so fingers-crossed I guess. I will update this thread tomorrow, along with a little more content and pictures but this will suffice for now.



Thanks for reading!!



(here's her on a trip)



Hey there!This is my first post on TeamBhp and would like to be excused if there are any shortcomings in this article, thanks!So a short little intro, we have 2 cars; A 2017 VX petrol Honda City and a new-gen 2020 EX petrol Creta, the latter of which this article is about.It all started on the 12th of Jan, when the driver took the car out to pick up a relative, got a call from him saying the car wouldn't start, puzzled, i went down to the garage and attempted to start it myself but all I got were consecutive clicking sounds from the engine. Until now the car had been absolutely blissful, even though it was the starting EX variant, noise levels inside the cabin and general comfort was top class, anyways coming back to the issue, made the decision to phone up hyundai roadside assistance and got connected to one of their reps, explained to him the issue and he assured me that one of their assistant mechanic partners would be at my location in about an hour, which was fine with me.The mechanic arrived on time an hour later and fiddled around with his battery tester and determined that the battery was out of juice, having made this assumption myself i wasn't really surprised, he then jumpstarted the car and told us to leave it on for about 30 minutes so we could drive it to a battery retail shop to get it replaced, the mechanic was very professional, troubleshooted every possible cause to rule any other issue out, he even recommended to us what battery to buy and having been paid his dues, he left. (couldn't take any photos because making this post hadn't come to mind yet)Now this is where things start to get a little sticky, dad phoned up the showroom to ask to get the battery replaced since it was still under warranty and their manager told us to get the car to the location, now since i had classes to attend, the driver took the car there. Once all formalities were done, the manager told my dad that instead of replacing the battery, they would recharge it and it would work for a little longer (a detail i hadn't known until the car was back) and my dad agreed to this compromise but i wasn't really sold on this entire compromise and it seemed a little suspicious to me.so fast-forward to today and the car hadn't been used for the past 5 days since the driver caught covid and since my dad drives the city usually, it was left untouched in the parking (except for the usual start of the engine). I was cleaning the car and just decided to start it up for no reason whatsoever but what i got was a very weak, strangled start of the engine, a little bit alarmed, i tried it again and this time it just went blank.No response from the engine and my subconscious was laughing at me since I did predict this would happen, I called my dad downstairs, he tried starting the engine but no response whatsoever, he then phoned up the manager again and asked him why this was happening if they had just recharged the battery and had assured him it would last for about 6-7 months.but this issue just shows how willing reps are to cut costs, since there was still 6 months on the warranty, they would've had to replace the battery in its entirety but they convinced my dad that this was the better option, and what i told him that day came to pass and as expected the car isn't starting up again.the manager told us that he would duly dispatch their technician again tomorrow morning and assured us that the battery would be changed under warranty this time, so fingers-crossed I guess. I will update this thread tomorrow, along with a little more content and pictures but this will suffice for now.Thanks for reading!!(here's her on a trip)
humbleroadster BHPian

Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Goa Posts: 88 Thanked: 228 Times

re: My Pre-owned BMW X3 30d (F25) | Ownership Review



Keeping in mind, this is after all a 5 yr old, let me start off with my likes and experience with the likes!



1. The Engine : Explosive, to sum it up in a word.

Its got the eco-pro/comfort/sports/sports mode. Its really transformative in each of these modes. Ill be frank in admitting I havent explored around much in the sports+ mode (yet). Still getting used to it all, and given the frequent 500 odd kms stints, Id really like to take it easy if Id want to see many more of those!



Its got Noticeable lags in the eco-pro Mode and I havent used that much either.

The car starts by default in the comfort mode and frankly it does solve most of its purpose here. I use this in city limits when in Pune/Goa/Bombay.

In the last Pune-Goa trip the trip computer showed a consumption of 7ltrs/100 kms. That clocks to around 14.2 kmpl roughly. I frankly think its a very decent number, that too for a 3.0 ltr twin turbo charged 6 cylinder engine. Plus, after the Fusion, and then the Polo, this is definitely the most Ive even got.

Goes without saying, the sports mode is a hoot! Its ultra responsive and its like a bottomless pit of a high revving machine thatll keep going more than you want it to. Im quite overwhelmed with it all, and frankly Im being a tad bit careful with this being my first BMW.

Since this is basically where my emotions have been maxed out, Ive not played too much with the sports+ mode. It does have launch control and maybe someday Ill find the road for it!



Look at the sheer size of it!







Speaking of the engine, and another related thread describing a disappointing experience at one of the dealers, there was a brief conversation about the car having/not having a manual dipstick to check the engine oil level. There is it, behind the cylinders.







With so many electronics floating around, even I found the idea of a presence of a manual dipstick quite funny, but its there nevertheless.



There is, at this stage/age of the car, quite a bit of engine chatter in idling. That is, when I start the car, leave it in P and get out to hear it. I frankly dont how how other 5+ year old diesel bimmers sound, but Im going to go with not normal for now.

Quick question(s) for bimmer owners/experts. Does the cladding under the hood need a change after a specific period in time, even if the cladding is in apparent good condition? Also, will this chatter/rattle have to do anything with engine mounts?

I really hope Im able to figure this one out soon enough.



Another peculiar thing Ive observed is that in my previous cars, the engine temperature used to settle down at 90degC. This one settles, and is steady, at a 100. I dont really know if this has something to do with a bigger engine (3.0ltr), or more cylinders (6).

I hope this isnt an alarming matter!



2. Soundproofing :

In continuation to the above, once inside the car with the doors closed, I cant hear the sound in idling! Its isolating, but enough to hear a loud horn behind you. All in all, making the cabin very silent. And silent enough to hear and catch further rattles from my front left window! Conundrum much!!

In a Pune/Bombay- Goa drive, I pass through a Nippani-Sawantwadi section. This section had good patches and really bad patches. And the really bad ones havent really helped in the last 4 months. Anyhow, the soundproofing is the best Ive had so far.



3. Ambience :

Im given to understand that the 30d M Sport comes only with all black interiors. I wonder if she wouldve looked more spacious in beige than she already is. Coming from a Fusion, and then the Polo, and then 2 years of having no car, this ones BIG!

The inside is quite understated and everything is a snug fit.







What I like most is the display of the iDrive is a part of the dash and looks neat.

















All black interiors makes it look clean(even if it isnt!)

The M steering wheel (now) looks a bit dated for my taste. I will see if I can have it swapped with the new M wheel in future.







Unlocking the car switches on small lights at the door handles. This has been very nifty for me since Goa isnt very lit up at night. Im not sure if they can be called puddle lamps as the outreach of these lights barely manage to illuminate anything on the ground. This said, it does manage to illuminate the sides of the car well. The entire cabin lights up as well. This includes both footwells.







As a part of ambient lighting, the open tray/shelf beneath the air conditioning gets a dim light too. This is customisable to amber. This has been very useful for me.

The HUD is customisable in brightness. It changes to amber in dark when headlights are in auto. I havent been able to capture a proper photo for the same.



4.Gearbox :

Equipped with a 8 speed torque converter, its a great gear box and the best that I could compare it with (usage and experience wise) is the one from my last car, the Polo GT TSi.

First, every time I used to be downhill in a ghat section in the GT, and if I happened to press the brake a bit, the gearbox would downshift from D5 to D3 with a loud revv. I used to find this a bit unwarranted frankly and the only walk around for this came in, in 2016 when I managed to retrofit the GTI wheel with paddle shifters and I used to then upshift to M4 from D3.

This unnecessary downshifting hasnt happened with the ZF GB. I understand these are two separate mechanisms and Im just quoting my experience with the change.

In my first trip in the X3 into Goa, I watched out for this downshift, only to realise I dont know which gear Im in! The X3 shows a constant D on the display as opposed to D1-D7 in the GT. However, the manual mode shows M1-M8 in the X3. I wouldve liked to know which gear Im in, or perhaps Im just used to the GT display.

What I was also used to was the infamous thudder and vibration when the GT shifted down from D3 to D2. Again, two separate mechanisms, so thats out. Pretty smooth to operate.





5.Steering :

Frankly, Im still trying to understand it completely. Lot of twists and turns in the ghat sections that I frequent. Its pretty precise and weighs up in different modes. Sums up for a pretty enjoyable experience.

Variable geometry is something that is very new for me. And I will update this in the forthcoming sections.







I wont really say Things that I dont like yet, so lets keep it at Things I think couldve been better!!



1. Footwell :







Its substantially large and the accelerator rests at the bottom. This somehow, tilts my foot at a 45 degree angle over a prolonged period in time, resulting in a slight foot ache post a long commute. This has not happened to me before. The Polo had the accelerator hanging from its upper portion. I dont know if this makes a difference, but its certainly an ergonomical issue!

Again, Im 64 tall and the Polo was a super tight fit for me. The X3 for me, is a playground!





2. Lack of an electric tailgate :

This is the sensor where in you hold the unnecessarily large box of groceries and do the one legged dance to magically open the boot! I learnt its name through Santoshbhats thread!







But seriously, look at the size of this. Opening it aside, its a disaster to shut it! Much like pulling a shutter down while closing shop. Thats the worst analogy ever, and my apologies for the same. But if Im finding this inconvenient given my size, why isnt anyone else complaining about this?!



3. Run Flats and lack of a spare wheel:

There is no dedicated space for one as well, even if youd want to buy it after the purchase. This means either I have to risk a tyre burst (and get stalled), or I have to invest in a spare wheel, tyre, basic equipment to deal with a flat(spanner, jack etc), and something to lash it within the boot. This simply put, is a bad move!

Im currently on 2018 manufactured Pirellis and given the interstate commutes, I need to address this pronto!

Yes, there shouldve been a Things that I dont like section for this!



4. Runner board/side skirting(please feel free to correct the term) :







Please allow me to explain this very bad picture. This is the side profile of the car running between the wheel arches. This is attached to the door by a clip on/off system. Ive had to replace a couple of clips to the runner on the rear left door. But now its making a small noise post the thud! As discomforting as this is, I sure there must be some reason as to why it isnt an integrated part of the door itself. The clips within are hard plastic and its evident theyre susceptible to deterioration.



Apart from these few things, the car has been a gem to be with! The sheer pleasure and the thrill that it gives me interstate turns the whole commute into a breeze!



I had her serviced from Bavaria motors, Pune in November 2021. Theres a separate thread for the same.



In January 2022 I got my car detailed along with a few cosmetic changes.







This is what she looks upfront now.





The side profile was looking like it needed some change and I got the alloys painted as well.















The ones above are from before and after.







What with all the josh that I was in, I decided to repaint the callipers. Thinking that red and yellow are too common, I thought Ill go in for a different colour. This hasnt worked out well! The BMW India official page shows the recently launched X3 with red M callipers.







Hopefully this should be available in India. I have a feeling these are available in blue as well. Maybe Ive not looked around for them as much.



Thats all that I have about the car for now. BMW is like uncharted waters for me so far. I hope it all counts for an enjoyable experience in the long run!



Cheers! I am now about 4 months and 5000 kms on the car as I post this.Keeping in mind, this is after all a 5 yr old, let me start off with my likes and experience with the likes!: Explosive, to sum it up in a word.Its got the eco-pro/comfort/sports/sports mode. Its really transformative in each of these modes. Ill be frank in admitting I havent explored around much in the sports+ mode (yet). Still getting used to it all, and given the frequent 500 odd kms stints, Id really like to take it easy if Id want to see many more of those!Its got Noticeable lags in the eco-pro Mode and I havent used that much either.The car starts by default in the comfort mode and frankly it does solve most of its purpose here. I use this in city limits when in Pune/Goa/Bombay.In the last Pune-Goa trip the trip computer showed a consumption of 7ltrs/100 kms. That clocks to around 14.2 kmpl roughly. I frankly think its a very decent number, that too for a 3.0 ltr twin turbo charged 6 cylinder engine. Plus, after the Fusion, and then the Polo, this is definitely the most Ive even got.Goes without saying, the sports mode is a hoot! Its ultra responsive and its like a bottomless pit of a high revving machine thatll keep going more than you want it to. Im quite overwhelmed with it all, and frankly Im being a tad bit careful with this being my first BMW.Since this is basically where my emotions have been maxed out, Ive not played too much with the sports+ mode. It does have launch control and maybe someday Ill find the road for it!Look at the sheer size of it!Speaking of the engine, and another related thread describing a disappointing experience at one of the dealers, there was a brief conversation about the car having/not having a manual dipstick to check the engine oil level. There is it, behind the cylinders.With so many electronics floating around, even I found the idea of a presence of a manual dipstick quite funny, but its there nevertheless.There is, at this stage/age of the car, quite a bit of engine chatter in idling. That is, when I start the car, leave it in P and get out to hear it. I frankly dont how how other 5+ year old diesel bimmers sound, but Im going to go with not normal for now.Quick question(s) for bimmer owners/experts. Does the cladding under the hood need a change after a specific period in time, even if the cladding is in apparent good condition? Also, will this chatter/rattle have to do anything with engine mounts?I really hope Im able to figure this one out soon enough.Another peculiar thing Ive observed is that in my previous cars, the engine temperature used to settle down at 90degC. This one settles, and is steady, at a 100. I dont really know if this has something to do with a bigger engine (3.0ltr), or more cylinders (6).I hope this isnt an alarming matter!In continuation to the above, once inside the car with the doors closed, I cant hear the sound in idling! Its isolating, but enough to hear a loud horn behind you. All in all, making the cabin very silent. And silent enough to hear and catch further rattles from my front left window! Conundrum much!!In a Pune/Bombay- Goa drive, I pass through a Nippani-Sawantwadi section. This section had good patches and really bad patches. And the really bad ones havent really helped in the last 4 months. Anyhow, the soundproofing is the best Ive had so far.Im given to understand that the 30d M Sport comes only with all black interiors. I wonder if she wouldve looked more spacious in beige than she already is. Coming from a Fusion, and then the Polo, and then 2 years of having no car, this ones BIG!The inside is quite understated and everything is a snug fit.What I like most is the display of the iDrive is a part of the dash and looks neat.All black interiors makes it look clean(even if it isnt!)The M steering wheel (now) looks a bit dated for my taste. I will see if I can have it swapped with the new M wheel in future.Unlocking the car switches on small lights at the door handles. This has been very nifty for me since Goa isnt very lit up at night. Im not sure if they can be called puddle lamps as the outreach of these lights barely manage to illuminate anything on the ground. This said, it does manage to illuminate the sides of the car well. The entire cabin lights up as well. This includes both footwells.As a part of ambient lighting, the open tray/shelf beneath the air conditioning gets a dim light too. This is customisable to amber. This has been very useful for me.The HUD is customisable in brightness. It changes to amber in dark when headlights are in auto. I havent been able to capture a proper photo for the same.Equipped with a 8 speed torque converter, its a great gear box and the best that I could compare it with (usage and experience wise) is the one from my last car, the Polo GT TSi.First, every time I used to be downhill in a ghat section in the GT, and if I happened to press the brake a bit, the gearbox would downshift from D5 to D3 with a loud revv. I used to find this a bit unwarranted frankly and the only walk around for this came in, in 2016 when I managed to retrofit the GTI wheel with paddle shifters and I used to then upshift to M4 from D3.This unnecessary downshifting hasnt happened with the ZF GB. I understand these are two separate mechanisms and Im just quoting my experience with the change.In my first trip in the X3 into Goa, I watched out for this downshift, only to realise I dont know which gear Im in! The X3 shows a constant D on the display as opposed to D1-D7 in the GT. However, the manual mode shows M1-M8 in the X3. I wouldve liked to know which gear Im in, or perhaps Im just used to the GT display.What I was also used to was the infamous thudder and vibration when the GT shifted down from D3 to D2. Again, two separate mechanisms, so thats out. Pretty smooth to operate.Frankly, Im still trying to understand it completely. Lot of twists and turns in the ghat sections that I frequent. Its pretty precise and weighs up in different modes. Sums up for a pretty enjoyable experience.Variable geometry is something that is very new for me. And I will update this in the forthcoming sections.I wont really say Things that I dont like yet, so lets keep it at Things I think couldve been better!!Its substantially large and the accelerator rests at the bottom. This somehow, tilts my foot at a 45 degree angle over a prolonged period in time, resulting in a slight foot ache post a long commute. This has not happened to me before. The Polo had the accelerator hanging from its upper portion. I dont know if this makes a difference, but its certainly an ergonomical issue!Again, Im 64 tall and the Polo was a super tight fit for me. The X3 for me, is a playground!This is the sensor where in you hold the unnecessarily large box of groceries and do the one legged dance to magically open the boot! I learnt its name through Santoshbhats thread!But seriously, look at the size of this. Opening it aside, its a disaster to shut it! Much like pulling a shutter down while closing shop. Thats the worst analogy ever, and my apologies for the same. But if Im finding this inconvenient given my size, why isnt anyone else complaining about this?!There is no dedicated space for one as well, even if youd want to buy it after the purchase. This means either I have to risk a tyre burst (and get stalled), or I have to invest in a spare wheel, tyre, basic equipment to deal with a flat(spanner, jack etc), and something to lash it within the boot. This simply put, is a bad move!Im currently on 2018 manufactured Pirellis and given the interstate commutes, I need to address this pronto!Yes, there shouldve been a Things that I dont like section for this!Please allow me to explain this very bad picture. This is the side profile of the car running between the wheel arches. This is attached to the door by a clip on/off system. Ive had to replace a couple of clips to the runner on the rear left door. But now its making a small noise post the thud! As discomforting as this is, I sure there must be some reason as to why it isnt an integrated part of the door itself. The clips within are hard plastic and its evident theyre susceptible to deterioration.Apart from these few things, the car has been a gem to be with! The sheer pleasure and the thrill that it gives me interstate turns the whole commute into a breeze!I had her serviced from Bavaria motors, Pune in November 2021. Theres a separate thread for the same.In January 2022 I got my car detailed along with a few cosmetic changes.This is what she looks upfront now.The side profile was looking like it needed some change and I got the alloys painted as well.The ones above are from before and after.What with all the josh that I was in, I decided to repaint the callipers. Thinking that red and yellow are too common, I thought Ill go in for a different colour. This hasnt worked out well! The BMW India official page shows the recently launched X3 with red M callipers.Hopefully this should be available in India. I have a feeling these are available in blue as well. Maybe Ive not looked around for them as much.Thats all that I have about the car for now. BMW is like uncharted waters for me so far. I hope it all counts for an enjoyable experience in the long run!Cheers! Last edited by humbleroadster : 29th January 2022 at 00:03 .
Why it matters: Malwarebytes' Threat Intelligence Team has issued a new warning to users regarding a recently identified threat from the North Korean hacking group Lazarus. The attack uses fake documents with embedded macros designed to resemble Lockheed Martin employment information. Once the macro is executed, the exploit uses Windows Update and GitHub to deliver payloads and infect unsuspecting users.

The state-sponsored organization, already suspected in past attacks such as WannaCry and numerous attacks against U.S media outlets, was discovered using Windows Update to deliver malicious payloads while using GitHub as a primary command and control (C2) server. The attacks loosely followed the group's earlier dream job campaign, which targeted organizations as well as specific individuals in the defense, aerospace, and civilian government contracting sectors.

The spear phishing attack used two decoy MS Word documents with embedded macros (Lockheed_Martin_JobOpportunities.docx and Salary_Lockheed_Martin_job_opportunities_confidential.doc) that were designed to appear as valid Lockheed Martin job announcement information. Once the malicious macros are executed by an unsuspecting user, the malware package completes a series of injections on the target system to ensure persistence across target machine startups.

This could be related to #Lazarus #APT

- Contains macro (Frame1_Layout)

- Drops a lnk file in startup directory (WindowsUpdateConf.lnk)



- Creates a hidden Windows/System32 directory and drops wuaueng.dll (Though the dll looks benign)

- The lnk uses wuauclt.exe for execution pic.twitter.com/KmOz9m5gEr --- Jazi (@h2jazi) January 18, 2022

A complete description of the attack process, as well as an in-depth discussion of the individual components making up the attack, are available on the Malwarebytes Lab Threat Intelligence Team's blog. Malwarebytes researchers and security engineers attributed the attack to Lazarus based on similarities to past attacks by the North Korean organization, such as:

Well-designed fraudulent job opportunity documents branded with icons for defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing

Specific targeting of job seekers in the defense and aerospace sectors

Similarities in metadata that link the recent spear phishing campaign with similar past campaigns

An April 2020 Cyber Threat Advisory was released by the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide formal guidance regarding North Korea's cyber activity. The State Department's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program also provides guidance on what types of information and activity should be reported. Qualifying tips that disrupt any actions against the U.S. government are eligible for rewards of up to $5 million dollars.
Technology is continually evolving at an astonishing pace, and the world is constantly trying to catch up. While some businesses are still trying to figure out digitization, others are already occupied with figuring out the potential benefits of Web3. The world is becoming more digital by the second. However, with digital infrastructure being the backbone of our civilization and its progress, it's bound to get attacked by bad actors.

As of 2021, around 60 percent of the global population was using the Internet, and retail business is also trending toward a digital future. In 2020, global e-retail sales reached around $4.3 trillion, growing more than 27 percent compared to 2019. This amounts to 18 percent of global retail sales.

But it's not just businesses and private people that are going digital. Governments are increasingly investing in new technologies, and critical infrastructure, like electrical grids or medical equipment, is already dependent on digital applications.

Cyber security needs to be a priority

This dependency on technology brings about major cyber security risks for companies and governments alike. Losing access to critical systems can be very costly at best and downright harmful at worst. So, companies need to have sufficient protection in order to keep their operations running while they are under attack.

Response times and mitigation measures are important aspects of cyber security, and they need to work in tandem to be the most efficient. Once a threat has been identified, it needs to be dealt with as fast as possible to avoid further damage.

Suffering from DDoS attacks

While there are many ways to attack, hack, or infiltrate a system, one of the most common forms of cyber-attacks is Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. A DDoS attack combines many individual denial of service (DoS) attacks that flood a system with data packets to overload it. This usually happens with the help of botnets, which are clusters of hacked computers and are utilized to focus on a single target in an attack. In essence, a DDoS attack is sheer brute force.

While they are simple in nature, DDoS attacks still have the potential to cause a lot of damage. In the recent past, the quantity and size of these attacks have increased tremendously. The giant cloud computing service providers Azure and AWS have both had to deal with massive DDoS attacks in the past two years, and even critical infrastructure is regularly attacked.

On March 5, 2019, the US Department of Energy suffered a DDoS attack. While it didn't affect energy generation or consumers, it caused interruptions in electrical system operations. Further, on August 31, 2020, New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre issued a statement about an ongoing campaign of DoS attacks mainly affecting global entities in the financial sector.

And, recently, on January 21, 2022, Andorra Telecom, the only ISP in the principality of Andorra, was repeatedly attacked by DDoS attacks during a multi-day live streaming gaming tournament featuring numerous Andorran participants. Consequently, a country's whole population suffered from Internet outages and other issues.

Not all DDoS protection is equal

While there are various companies that offer DDoS protection services, not all of them are fit to adequately deal with modern DDoS attacks and trends. Being able to identify and deal with a threat is only half of the equation. In case of a targeted DDoS attack, every second counts.

According to the findings of a study conducted by American business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan and NimbusDDOS, which is the industry leader in DDoS preparedness and attack simulation, most of the available DDoS mitigation solutions were either too slow or not able to deal with a specific kind of attack. NimbusDDOS tested market-leading providers, such as Cloudflare, Akamai, Imperva, Neustar, and Link11, and only Link11 managed to deal with all simulated attacks.

The Germany-based company is considered to be the leading European cyber security provider that specializes in DDoS protection and offers a wide range of other services, such as web and infrastructure DDoS protection, Zero-Touch WAF, Bot Management, and Secure CDN Services. The results of the tests that NimbusDDOS conducted show that Link11 was able to deal with DDoS attacks more than six times faster than its competitors due to its patented AI technology.

Consequently, even companies that are using a DDoS protection service might not be adequately protected. When choosing a DDoS mitigation service, it's important to choose a provider that has fast response times and is able to deal with all kinds of DDoS attacks.

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NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and Caltech researchers studied previous salt deposits on Mars, and it told a lot about the water that previously flowed on the planet. The researchers proved that water flowed longer on Mars than the initial belief that it had already gone for three billion years, but the new study counters this information.

NASA MRO, Caltech Discover Water Evidence Recent on Mars

Ellen Leask and Bethany Ehlmann used NASA's MRO instrument known as "Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars" (CRISM) to map the chloride salts on its surface. The research done by both Caltech professionals aims to look into the many mysteries of the planet, giving it more understanding for the people.

According to NASA, astronomers initially knew that over 3 billion years since the last water on Mars flowed. However, the research's new data proves it wrong, saying that it only has been two or two-and-a-half years since the previous water flowed on Mars and it left behind the said chloride salts that became the subject for the study.

Read Also: NASA Artemis Mission Completes Second Countdown Test For Upcoming Uncrewed Launch

NASA Mars: Water Evidence, What is the Relevance?

The research entitled "Evidence for Deposition of Chloride on Mars From Small-Volume Surface Water Events Into the Late Hesperian-Early Amazonian" shows that water was flowing longer on its surface. The public thought that Mars was long dry, but the new evidence says that it held out for almost a billion years longer.

The study helps to learn more about Mars and what future humans will do with it, mainly as the present already aims to visit it anytime soon.

Mission to Mars: NASA, SpaceX, and MORE

NASA's Mission to Mars will soon come, but it is not the current focus of the national space agency as it devotes its resources to the Artemis moon mission coming this 2024. However, NASA's uncrewed spacecraft are already on Mars in the form of the Curiosity Rover and the latest mission of the Perseverance Rover and the Ingenuity Helicopter.

The more prominent company for its focus on Mars is SpaceX. It significantly comes from its CEO and founder, Elon Musk, aiming to be Mars' governor or president. SpaceX's Starship is currently shaping up to be the vessel going towards the Red Planet to soon bring the building blocks and humans for its colony.

The discovery by the Caltech researchers with NASA's MRO is 15 years in the making, and it only signifies that humans need more knowledge about the neighboring planet. It is easy to claim that people can go to Mars and set up a colony, but there are a lot of unknown factors yet on the planet.

The recent study proved that it needs more time to look into the planet and what it holds.

Related Article: NASA's Supersonic Jet Completes Wind Tunnel Tests | Quiet 'Son of Concorde'?

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(Photo : Unsplash/Christian Wiediger) Amazon

The National Labor Relations Board has accused Amazon, or NLRB, of threatening, interrogating, and surveilling workers at its warehouse in New York.

According to the NLRB, this is Amazon's way of discouraging its workers from unionizing.

Amazon Threatens Workers

According to Motherboard, Amazon brought a union avoidance consultant to the warehouse and told the workers that it would be "futile for them to choose the union as their bargaining representative."

The union avoidance consultant said union organizing at the New York warehouse would fail anyway because the organizers were "thugs."

The NLRB's complaint also said that the e-commerce giant's representatives interrogated workers about union activities.

They also promised the workers to fix issues in the warehouse as long as they don't support the union and don't distribute any union literature, according to Engadget.

Also Read: Amazon Prime and Co-op Partnership Lets UK Customers Buy Groceries Online

The NLRB alleges that security guards confiscated union literature from workers and told them that they could not distribute the materials without the company's permission.

In 2021, Amazon's warehouse workers in New York filed a petition to unionize with the board, but they had to back out because they did not get enough signatures to be approved.

The warehouse workers re-filed the application in December 2021, reaching the union vote threshold. Kelly Nantel, Amazon's spokesperson, denied all allegations and told Motherboard that the allegations are false. .

The allegations come from a series of unfair labor practices charges filed by workers last year. The NLRB investigated the incidents and found merit that they happened.

Amazon has until Feb. 10 to respond to the complaint, and the hearing for the unfair labor practices charges will be held on Apr. 5.

Aside from detailing the allegations in its complaint, the NLRB has also outlined a series of remedies it wants the company to follow.

The board wants Amazon to train its supervisors, managers, security guards, and consultants on workers' rights to organize and unionize.

Companies vs. Unionization

Under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, employers can't interfere with or retaliate against employees involved in union activity, including by creating the impression of surveillance of union organizing.

In the past few years, the board has repeatedly found evidence that the e-commerce giant has illegally violated these laws, but the penalties for doing so are not significant, according to Business Insider.

Amazon has never been required to train its consultants or managers on laws that protect workers who unionize. The e-commerce giant will now have the chance to settle with the labor board or go to trial.

The labor board has required the e-commerce giant to read a notice with workers' union rights aloud to all of its employees at the New York facility.

Amazon was also required to email notices with workers' union rights to all supervisors and managers at the facility. There are more than 5,000 workers employed at the facility in New York.

In April 2021, after the defeat of an Amazon union election in Alabama, other warehouse workers started their own union drive in New York.

Amazon responded with a campaign that has included text messages, mandatory meetings, and anti-union flyers.

Amazon has been going above and beyond in defending its brand. Last year, it was revealed that Amazon has a group of employees whose job is to defend the company and its former CEO Jeff Bezos.

Earlier this year, Amazon fired Daequen Smith for attempting to organize a union.

Related Article: Amazon Warehouse Hit by Tornado, Six People Dead

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As Republicans in Montana debate a possible special session in the coming weeks to preempt a court from redrawing the states Public Service Commission districts, Gov. Greg Gianforte's office says he's willing to call one if lawmakers can settle on a new district map.

It's still unclear whether GOP legislators can find sufficient common ground to do so. But many in the party see a special session as necessary to preserve the Legislatures role in redrawing the PSC district map, after federal judges indicated this month that they may side with plaintiffs in a court case challenging the outdated districts.

The governor continues to talk with legislative leaders, Gianforte spokeswoman Brooke Stroyke wrote in an emailed statement Friday. If and when they have ample support for a PSC map and an agreement a special session's single focus will be limited to PSC districts, the governor is willing to call a special session for the sole purpose of PSC redistricting."

The states five PSC districts havent been updated in nearly two decades. Voters who filed a lawsuit late last year challenging the current map argue that the disparate numbers of voters in each district  which have since diverged by as many as 53,000 voters  violate the Fourteenth Amendments one-person, one-vote principle.

The court indicated earlier this month that it may step in to redraw the districts for the 2022 election, a process that would have to be finalized by the March 14 candidate filing deadline. The court has promised a decision by March 4. Two PSC districts are on the ballot this year.

While Republican lawmakers said several potential replacement maps are being circulated within their caucuses, many insisted they'd need to arrive at a general consensus before agreeing to convene in Helena. As of Friday afternoon, Senate President Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, said that hasnt happened yet.

A map chosen by the courts would be a hard sell for Montanans, Blasdel said, but he also echoed other GOP legislators who believe that ultimately the best way to reapportion the districts will be to take their time during the next regular session, in 2023.

I think this whole process is much better in a regular session, Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, said. Its going to take some time, we need the public involved, we need to review maps and come to a consensus on whats best for the people of Montana.

Democrats and some Republican lawmakers noted that multiple proposals to do so have been rejected by lawmakers in recent regular sessions. Hertz said he hasnt taken a position on a possible special session.

Republicans in favor of reconvening this year have pointed to the fact that the Legislature adjourned 10 days early last year, leaving money in the budget to cover the cost of meeting in Helena. An estimate of costs for a special session provided by Legislative Services indicates that a special session would cost $108,000 for the first day, plus $56,000 for each subsequent day. Blasdel suggested such a special session could be limited to a single day if the Legislature holds public hearings in advance.

While special sessions have been called 33 times in Montanas history, according to the Legislatures website, all but one were initiated by the governor. Lawmakers can also call a public session if 10 of them submit a petition to do so to the Secretary of State, which would then poll all 150 legislators on the issue. A simple majority of 76 lawmakers is needed to reconvene in Helena.

Blasdel said hes spoken with Gianfortes office about the possibility of the states top executive bringing lawmakers back to Helena, which would likely be quicker than polling legislators on the issue. Legislative staff would ideally need two weeks to prepare for the session if one is called.

What's in the call?

Keeping the focus limited to redrawing PSC districts remains a sticking point for many legislators. Calls for a special session can include multiple subjects for legislators to address, and Republicans could also potentially use their majorities to vote to expand its scope once they reconvene.

In a recent op Ed submitted to the Billings Gazette and other Lee Montana papers, Sen. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, argued against reconvening, writing that a hastily called special session will do more harm than good, especially as there are legislators who will work to extend the session to include their pet topic.

Several lawmakers on the partys right wing made that pitch during an unofficial ad hoc committee event last week in Helena, where they discussed allegations of election fraud and potential measures to combat what they view as security holes in the states election system.

Unless were called into a special session, and then expand the call, which were already getting push-back on, ... to vote on this issue of election integrity, and have our legislation ready to go and have the noses counted to know that we have the vote, we will not have any of this in place for the 2022 election, Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, told the audience.

In an interview afterward, Manzella said her top legislative priority would be to eliminate the use of tabulation machines in the state, and require hand-counting of all ballots in future elections. Montana Republicans won by large margins up in all the statewide races in 2020, and to date no evidence has emerged that there was any widespread attempt to commit fraud in the state's elections.

Great Falls Rep. Lola Sheldon Galloway, the No. 2 Republican in the state partys leadership, told the audience that Montana Republicans were backing a map that would reapportion the PSC districts fairly, but which would also draw Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, out of the PSC district hes currently campaigning in. In exchange, she said Skees, who is also an officer within the state party, wanted election integrity issues to be addressed during the special session.

He is willing to give up that drive of his to be a Public Service Commissioner, but you know, you always wheel and deal, and he had an opportunity to wheel and deal, Galloway said.  He said 'OK, but theres a price youre going to pay for me not running.'

Skees, who is also the current House Majority Whip, characterized it differently in an interview. Rather than an ultimatum to win his support, he said it was simply a suggestion he had offered up. He hasnt seen any prospective PSC district map, he said, but that he would accept a map that is good for the state of Montana even if it meant he couldnt run in 2022. PSC commissioners are elected to four-year terms, and only two seats are up for reelection this cycle.

I suggested that the win-win for everybody would be to have a one-day special session to do the map while also appointing a special committee during the interim to investigate the states elections, he said.

Some Montana Republicans have been pushing for the creating of that committee, and 88 of the states 98 GOP lawmakers signed onto a letter in September urging their leadership to do so. The top Republicans in the House and Senate would have to appoint the committee. Neither has publicly indicated they will do so, and Blasdel reiterated on Friday that there may not be sufficient funds in the budget to pay for it.

One of the main GOP lawmakers pushing for the special election panel, Rep. Brad Tschida, R-Missoula, in December requested $50,000 for the committee to perform its work during the interim.

A legal memo prepared by the Legislative Services Division also indicated that the House would need to be in session in order to appoint members to a special interim committee.

But Skees also acknowledged that trying to expand a special session beyond the PSC map could be a deal-breaker within the party. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, said Friday that even without it expanding into non-PSC issues, lawmakers have limited appetite for a special session, period.

Theres lots of discussion on that, but theres also lots of concerns that youd have a long, expensive session that would accomplish little, and those big issues are best served in a full session, Jones said. Thinking you can do justice to a complicated topic in a short session is a concept not supported by many folks.

Several other GOP lawmakers contacted for this story also said they would not entertain a special session if it bleeds into other topics.

If Republicans manage to whip up enough votes for a special session, they will have to do it on their own. Both Democratic leaders in the House and Senate said Wednesday their caucuses wont support a special session to redraw the PSC map.

Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, called the proposal a waste of time and money, particularly in light of the Republican-led Legislature having had ample opportunities since the 2010 Census data was available to realign the PSC districts with past population shifts.

I think that would be problematic, to bring us together for something like this  not even saying that I think we have the time to do what we need to do on PSC redistricting, Cohenour said.

House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, agreed, while also balking at the idea of adding election issues to the agenda.

Montana elections are run in a secure and transparent way, local officials run our elections and they do it with integrity, she said. So we want to make sure Montanans can cast their ballots. Thats always been our position, and theres just no evidence of any fraud in our election system.

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Apple's macOS 12.3 update removed the popular Python 2.7 software from its bundle offer. This means that developers will no longer be able to use this general-purpose programming language with the latest macOS Monterey version.

Every since 2020, the giant iPhone maker stopped supporting the popular programming system.

On January 1, 2020, Python 2 no longer received system updates, bug fixes, security patches, and other enhancements from the tech manufacturer.

Now, Apple confirmed that Python 2.7 is finally removed from its computer software. But, what can developers do about it?

Apple macOS 12.3 Removes Python 2.7

According to MacRumors' latest report, developers are now urged to use other alternatives since the popular programming system was removed from Apple's macOS 12.3.

Also Read: Apple iOS 15.3: Safari Bug Browsing Activity Leak Now Gets a Fix; Update Your iPhone Now

The giant tech creator announced that the best thing they can do is rely on Python 3. However, developers need to remember that this version is still not pre-installed on macOS.

If they decide to accept Apple's suggestion, they can run the stub "/usr/bin/python3" in macOS Terminal. However, they are still required to install the company's Xcode developer tools.

This will allow them to have the successor of Python 2.7.

"If your software depends on scripting languages, it's recommended that you bundle the runtime within the app," said Apple.

Enhancements Included in MacOS 12.3 Update

Apple Developer's official post provided all the enhancements included in the new macOS Monterey 12.3 update. The giant iPhone maker confirmed that the new macOS Monterey version now supports app development on its laptop models.

Aside from this change, here are other enhancements you need to check:

Authentication: Passkey technology preview support is now available. This will allow users to sign in to passkey-compatible applications and websites.

Apple Pay: With the new macOS 12.3 update, developers can now express payment network preference in PKPaymentRequest.

Game Controller: macOS 12.3 Beta offers DuanSense adaptive trigger support, allowing users to take advantage of its firmware features available on GCDualSenseAdaptiveTrigger.

If you want to see the remaining changes brought by the new macOS Monterey 12.3 update, you can click this link.

In other news, new AirPods models will soon identify users through advanced biometrics features. On the other hand, the new Apple iPhone Challenge wants users to provide their best macro photo shots.

For more news updates about macOS 12 and other Apple products, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple Releases Firmware Update for Beats Studio Buds | Performance Improvements and Bug Fixes

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NCSC (National Cybersecurity Center) now wants all companies in the United Kingdom to enhance their cybersecurity measures.

The security agency announced this detail as the tension between Russia and the U.K. intensifies.

As of the moment, the government department hasn't confirmed any security threats from the enemy country. However, NCSC provided some alarming details that might push the organizations and companies in the U.K. to follow its instructions.

The National Cybersecurity Center said that they discovered some cyberattacks that have similarities to those that were recently connected to the Russian government.

NCSC Wants UK To Enhance Cybersecurity Measures

According to ZDNet's latest report, NCSC said that the recent cyber threats have patterns that are quite similar to the ones found on NotPetya, a cyberattack that targeted Ukrainian financial, government, and energy sectors.

Also Read: FBI Allegedly Bought the Pegasus Spyware from NSO Group, Considered Using it and Another Hacking Tool

The agency added that they were also just like the security threats identified in Georgia.

"While we are unaware of any specific cyber threats to UK organisations in relation to events in Ukraine, we are monitoring the situation closely and it is vital that organizations follow the guidance to ensure they are resilient," said the security department.

Because of this, NCSC provided some of the things that companies can do to enhance their cyber securities. These include multi-factor authentication, as well as enabling software and system patches.

UK Government Releases Cybersecurity Strategies

Since the issue between the United Kingdom and Russia is becoming worst, the U.K. government decided to release its own security strategies that it will use from 2022 until 2023.

Gov.UK provided one PDF and an HTML file that contains all its plans to enhance its own security measures. The government added that these strategies were created to ensure that all public sector organizations will be prepared against cyberattacks.

The U.K. added that the strategies will make sure that the core government functions will be resilient before and during the security threats.

In other news, FCC's restriction against CHU is now happening, preventing the Chinese telecom company from offering its services in the U.S. Meanwhile, Delta Electronics was breached by Conti Ransomware.

For more news updates about cybersecurity and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Data Privacy Day 2022: Apple Executive Shares iPhone Maker's Data Minimization Efforts on Its Products, Services

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OpenSea disclosed that a huge bulk of free minted NFTs in the largest NFT marketplace are either fake, plagiarized, or a mere scam.

OpenSea Free Minted NFTs

As per a news story by Yahoo Finance, OpenSea is now backtracking its previous decision to give its free minting feature on the platform a limit.

The free NFT minting tool of OpenSea gives its users an option to list their digital artworks on the marketplace without having to initially shell out money to pay for the "gas price."

Instead, the buyer of the NFT would be the one who will shoulder the minting fees of the seller.

According to a report by InsideHook, although the free minting tool allows NFT creators to list their works without the need to have deep pockets, it has also become an easy route for scammers and art thieves.

On Jan. 27, Users of the platform were taken by surprise after OpenSea decided that the free minting tool would only be restricted to 50 times of use.

That said, after minting a total of 50 NFTs and skipping the payment of gas fees, OpenSea would no longer allow its users to use the free minting tool.

However, users of the NFT marketplace were quick to denounce the limit it has imposed.

So now, OpenSea has decided to reverse course and let its users enjoy its free minting feature for unlimited times.

Read Also: Selfie NFT Collection Now Sells For Nearly $1 Million! Indonesian Student's Photos $1,000 Each?

OpenSea Free Minted NFTs 80% Fake

But the largest NFT marketplace followed up with an explanation on why it imposed such a limit in the first place.

In which, the NFT marketplace admitted that about 80% of the NFTs in the platform that was minted for free usually comes as "plagiarized works, fake collections, and spam."

On top of that, OpenSea argued in its tweet that the updates in the platform that it is applying are decided with the creators in the marketplace in mind.

However, the platform said that its free minting features have been misused at an increasing rate, noting that a huge bulk is fraudulent.

OpenSea also took the time to issue its apology to its community, saying that "we hear you and we're sorry."

What's more, in an apologetic tone, the massive NFT marketplace also said that it should have made a preview of the changes in the minting tool before rolling it out.

Moving forward, OpenSea says that they will do so in the future updates that they will be implementing in the platform, further asking for its users' feedback for it.

However, we've recently seen misuse of this feature increase exponentially.

Over 80% of the items created with this tool were plagiarized works, fake collections, and spam.  OpenSea (@opensea) January 27, 2022

Elsewhere, a recent OpenSea vulnerability allegedly profited from massive NFT sales.

Related Article: Best NFT Marketplaces That Could Fare Better Than OpenSea in 2022 | Coinbase, Rarible, and More

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Joby Aviation aims to secure the license and permissions it needs to conduct a test flight over San Fransisco Bay, claiming that it will be the longest and highest point for an eVTOL to make. The air taxis from the company would soon focus on a ride-hailing feature that will soon launch in the country, featuring a new way of transportation.

Joby Aviation: eVTOL Test Flights over the San Fransisco Bay

Joby Aviation's top eVTOL has 154.6 miles of range on a single charge, and it is now seeking the approval of the FCC for test flights across San Fransisco Bay. The FCC filing (obtained by Tech Crunch) applies for a test flight that would bring the eVTOL from one point of The Bay to the other, showing its capabilities as a flying car.

The company also partnered with NASA to conduct the test flights of its air taxis in a more controlled environment, and it proved a success for its prototype. The specific flying car will be one of the regulars from Joby, a vehicle that is well known to the public and fans of the industry now.

Joby is also looking into securing an FAA flight certification as it qualifies as part of the aviation industry and its operations.

Read Also: Japan Airlines Plans to Launch a Flying Car Business

Joby Aviation eVTOL: Fastest, Longest, and Highest?

The eVTOLs from Joby boast of being the fastest flying car with a top speed of 205 miles per hour, the most extended range in the market that is close to 155 miles, and obtains the highest altitude of 7,000 feet above sea level.

Moreover, the eVTOL company claims that it has the quietest flying car in the industry, where it recorded one passing by on its YouTube page.

eVTOL and Air Taxis: Will it Come?

Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) are also known as "flying cars," and their primary purpose is transportation in the airspace to avoid traffic and congestion. The venture was popularized by spy and sci-fi movies showing its sophisticated technology, something known to the public more than five years ago.

Different companies already have stakes in the eVTOL industry, and people are looking forward to its availability in public. The only catch now is that it brings limited capacity and cargo capabilities. Unlike its flying counterpart, it will have different dynamics to a road car with wheels and can sustain a significant cargo and mass.

Most eVTOLs now are single passengers, while some only offer two people and their baggage.

The main thing now is that companies aim to bring eVTOLs and air taxis to the public directly, creating a landscape that will have cars flying around for different needs. Joby Aviation is only one company that pushes for eVTOL's increased presence, and there are a lot now that aim to bring their services to the public soon.

Related Article: Lilium Taps Honeywell to Design Systems for their First eVTOL Jet

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Qubit Finance is the latest victim of hacking. The decentralized finance platform lost $80 million in cryptocurrency to hackers on Jan. 27. This is the largest hack of 2022 so far.

Qubit Finance Hacked

Qubit Finance acknowledged the hack in a report that was published on Medium. According to the report, the hack happened at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, Jan. 27.

Qubit gives its clients a " bridge " service that works between different blockchains. This means that deposits made in one cryptocurrency can be withdrawn in another.

The financial firm operates a bridge between the Binance Smart Chain or BSC network and Ethereum, according to The Verge.

Also Read: Breaking: Binance Banned from Operating in UK a Day After Japan and Canada Ban, FCA

CertiK, a blockchain auditing and security company, produced an analysis. It suggests the hacker was able to detect and exploit a security flaw in Qubit's "bridge" that allowed them to send in a deposit of 0 ETH and withdraw $80 million in Binance Coin.

CertiK stated that as they move from an Ethereum-dominant world to a multi-chain world, bridges will only become more important.

The blockchain auditing company added that people need to move funds from one blockchain to another, but they need to do so in ways that hackers can't detect and exploit.

The Qubit Finance team posted a statement on Twitter to appeal to the hacker. The financial firm asked the hacker to negotiate with the team to minimize losses for the Qubit community.

Qubit Finance's incident report also stated that the team was trying to offer the hacker the maximum reward possible under their bug bounty program. A listing for Qubit on the Immunefi bug bounty programs shows that the maximum reward is $250,000.

History of Cryptocurrency Hacking

Since the launch of Binance Smart Chain in 2020, several decentralized finance platform projects have been hacked.

The most severe case was back in March 2021, wherein $31 million was stolen from Meerkat Finance, according to Crypto Briefing.

The hackers changed the ownership of the smart contract address on Meerkat Finance. Soon after, the hackers started withdrawing from the smart contract to several addresses.

The primary BNB address of the backer is identified on the blockchain. It was tagged as "FakePhishing17" on BSCscan, which got 73,635.23 BNB worth $17.67 million. The remaining $13.9 million was sent to other addresses, and it was split into smaller amounts.

The address has also moved the Binance Coin or BNB to other wallets, and it was divided into seven transactions.

Each transaction was 5,000 BNB each, one in 10,000 BNB, one transaction over 23,000 BNB, and other smaller transactions.

Users of the platform lamented their losses and had reached out to Binance community. The Meerkat Finance team made a note about the hack on Telegram, but the note has since disappeared from all platforms.

Meerkat Finance also disabled their website and Twitter account, and its Telegram group is now deleted.

The users reached out to Binance CEO Chanpeng Zhao, but unfortunately, he has not replied to any comments about the hacking.

In April 2021, Uranium Finance was hacked and lost $50 million. In May 2021, Venus Finance lost $88 million to hackers.

In November 2021, PolyNetwork lost $600 million in the largest cryptocurrency heist in history.

Earlier this year, Pakistan called out Binance after investors became victims of a cryptocurrency scam.

Related Article: Binance Adds Another $1 Billion to Accelerate Blockchain Adoption on BSC

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Apple collaborated with a school and a non-profit organization to provide the education institution's teachers, staff, and students with some advanced Apple gadgets.

Thanks to the new partnership, DCSS (Dougherty County School System) can now launch a new technology program that will benefit the children and school staff.

Ed Farm, the non-profit agency, will also help Apple and DCSS to do this new initiative.

"The initiative will put the district on the leading edge of technology by equipping all DCSS students, teachers, and staff with Apple products, services, and instructional supports," said the school via its official blog post.

Apple Collabs With DCSS

According to 9TO5Mac's latest report, the new Apple initiative will offer the advanced M1 MacBook Air, iPad, as well as the digital pencil, Logitech Crayon.

Also Read: Apple MacOS 12.3's Python 2.7 Now Unavailable! Here's What Developers Need To Do

Aside from this, the new partnership of the giant iPhone maker with the school will also allow the launch of DoCo Codes, a new program specifically designed for students.

This will allow them to prepare for their careers using advanced technologies. Superintendent Kenneth Dyer explained that their school is not close-minded regarding tech.

Dyer added they are, in fact, embracing the rice of various technologies by rewarding and encouraging them.

On the other hand, the school official also thanked Apple, saying that the world leader in technological innovation is impactful for the students, staff, as well as DCSS teachers.

When Will DCSS Receive Apple Products?

The Dougherty County School System confirmed that high school students will start receiving the advanced Apple products and the Logitech digital pencil starting in 2023. However, the exact distribution date was not mentioned.

DCSS added that once these devices arrive, students will all have equal access to their studies at home and in their classes. Aside from gadgets, Apple will also provide dedicated professional learning for DCSS staff and educators.

In other news, an Apple executive shared how the iPhone maker maintains data minimization as a part of the Data Privacy Day celebration. Meanwhile, the Apple Universal Control is now available in iOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 Beta.

For more news updates about Apple and its upcoming collaborations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple's New Face ID Technology is Causing Privacy Concerns Among Users

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During the ongoing global pandemic, Singapore and Taiwan decided to accept each other's COVID-19 vaccination and test certifications.

As of the moment, almost all countries are still requiring visitors to prove that the deadly coronavirus does not infect them. Some of them even require foreigners to be vaccinated first.

This is just one of the methods used by government officials and authorities to ensure that visiting individuals will not infect their residents. Now, it seems like Taiwan and Singapore are slowly easing their restrictions.

"The authorities in Singapore and Taiwan now recognize and accept each other's digital Covid-19 vaccination and test certificates," said the Singapore Trade Office via The Strait Times.

Singapore, Taiwan Accept Each Other's COVID-19 Certs

The latest decision made by Singapore and Taiwan was announced on Friday, Jan. 28.

Also Read: Vaccine Information Could Make Rock Legend Neil Young Pull His Music From Spotify

The Singaporean Trade Office in Taipei said that this action shows that both countries are further easing their travel restrictions.

Those who already have COVID-19 vaccine certificates can move freely to Singapore.

But, they need to make sure that the vaccine shots they receive are authorized by WHO (World Health Organization).

In the Category I list of Singapore, Taiwan is included. This means that the neighboring country has a low COVID-19 transmission risk.

Where To Store COVID-19 Digital Certs?

Google said that your Android device is one of the things you can use to store your COVID-19 digital certificates or documents.

The search engine giant explained that your smartphone needs to run Android 5 or other newer system models. Aside from this, it also needs to be Play Protect certified.

Meanwhile, users also need to save their healthcare provider's email or text message regarding their vaccine shots. If ever you have no access or haven't received any message at all, you can visit your vaccine provider's official website or contact the organization.

If you want to see the exact steps on how you can store your COVID-19 documents, you can click this link.

In other news, the free COVID-19 rapid test order started earlier than expected. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army COVID-19 vaccine was able to complete the Phase 1 trial.

For more news updates about COVID-19 and other related health topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: [BEWARE] COVID-19 Test Fake Websites: BBB Issues Warning on Scams, Data Theft Online

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sean-Paul Schulte had just returned to Helena after burying his daughter in Billings when he immediately packed for a trip to Utah where she was killed.

He said he didnt know what was going to happen, but knew he had to do something.

Schulte divides his time between Helena and Utah, where his daughter Kylen Schulte, 24, and her spouse Crystal Turner, 38, were killed in August. He set up a clue booth in Swanny City Park in Moab, Utah and asked anyone who knew or had heard anything about their deaths to come forward.

He said he received nearly 50 clues in the course of one month and turned that information over to law enforcement.

People came by and told me clues and persons of interest who may be involved, Schulte, 53, said in a recent telephone call from Moab.

Crystal's and Kylens bodies were found Aug. 18 in an irrigation ditch west of their campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. Both women had been shot several times, officials with the the Grand County Sheriffs Office said in a Jan. 19 news release. Officials were made aware of the discovery by an acquaintance of the victims who had been searching for them in the area.

Authorities said they have narrowed the date of death to Aug. 14, and they said they have a person of interest but have not identified a suspect.

The sheriffs office said it spent the next several days processing the scene and collected the victims tent, personal belongings and vehicle as well as blood, shell casings, bullet fragments and video evidence nearby, sheriffs officials said.

They said the state medical examiner determined there was no sign of forcible sexual assault.

Sheriffs officials discounted comments that Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie were somehow involved. Petitos death garnered international attention. On Aug. 12, Moab officers questioned Petito and Laundrie about a potential assault.

The van Petito and Laundrie were traveling in was pulled over after a 911 call was received about a possible assault. An officer found Petito was "crying uncontrollably" in the passenger seat. They reportedly saw the incident "more accurately as a mental/emotional health break than a domestic assault," and separated the couple for the night.

Petitos body was found Sept. 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Officials believe she had died in late August. Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Florida.

But the FBI and Florida investigators have determined Petito and Laundrie had no involvement with the deaths of the two women, Moab police said.

In a nutshell, the FBI said the ballistics, cellphone pings and evidence doesnt match, Sean-Paul Schulte said.

Schulte said most of the clues people passed along were good, adding that only a handful were not useful.

He said there were multiple leads involving multiple creeps and weirdos. They were all there.

Schulte said some tips lined up with the evidence. He said there were some reports of people who were anti-lesbian or anti-people in general at the park.

Maybe the weirdo they knew was our weirdo, he said. Then those clues started to fade away and people came to give hugs and support.

I think it will be awful interesting that if one of the clues I passed along solved the case, he said. It would be unbelievable.

He said the waiting is tough, adding that one day is too long to wait.

Do I feel like they are working the case? Yes. Do I feel someone will be cuffed and stuffed soon? No, he said.

Schulte said Jason Jensen, a private investigator, has contacted him and is working on the case for free.

I met with him in Moab and we had a good working relationship, Schulte said. I gave him all my notes and he said I could go home. Bless his heart.

Kylen was buried next to her brother at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park in Billings. Tragedy previously struck the family in 2015 when MacKeon Mackey Schulte, 15, was shot and killed by a 17-year-old friend in Billings after tapping onto the friends window at 2:30 a.m. He was apparently mistaken for an intruder.

Schulte said he has divided his time between Helena and Moab for years, and Kylen had moved to Moab to be with him after Mackey died. She had also lost a baby who she had named Blayke Sinead.

Schulte said his daughter and her spouse were the brightest shining light of a couple living in Moab.

He said he often tells people to be Crystal clear and Kylen kind.

Schulte plans to return to Helena, where he works open-mic nights at a local bar and plans to set up a touring business in which people visit the sapphire mines or see the area at sunset.

He said he has three remaining children, Marlo, Xander and William.

I still have three kids to live for, he said. Of course, Ive been through the wringer  but if I look at the odds now, they may be pretty good in my favor.

I have had a lot of sad things happen to me, shocking things that have happened in a split second that I had nothing to do with, but I have three beautiful kids to live for," Schulte said.

The Grand County Sheriff's Office could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. Officials said in their Jan. 19 news release that the FBI is helping them with the investigation, which includes video, forensic and behavior analysis. Sheriffs officials ask the public to be careful about sharing information via social media. People with information should call 435-259-8115 or 435-259-1397.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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The YMCA is offering free swim vouchers for those with children ages 3-12, and are looking to gain confidence in the water. There is still room in the February program, however, deadline is February 1, 2022.
Back in 2010, Daviess Fiscal Court asked Congress for $230,000 to expand the Western Kentucky Raptor Center in Yellow Creek Park and make it more accessible to the public.

The plans included $35,000 to design a new center, $50,000 for lighting, $50,000 for fence work, $75,000 for earthwork and $20,000 for drainage.

Eric Miller, then the centers executive director, said the presence of eagles in the park would make it a bigger tourist attraction.

We want to get the public more involved, Miller said. Our first mission is to rehabilitate birds of prey. There is nothing else like this in western Kentucky.

The second mission, he said, is to educate the public about the role of raptors in the environment. An active outreach could include seminars and classes.

But the money never came, and the sanctuary was never built.

Kristin Allen, the current executive director, said, Eagle permits are hard to come by, and we would still need a place to build it.

The center has a population of 12 raptors  birds of prey like owls, hawks, eagles, vultures and falcons.

Most will eventually be released back into the wild.

But some are permanent residents.

Allen said the population includes barred owls, red-tailed hawks, vultures, peregrine falcons, great-horned owls and kestrels.

She said the center never has enough volunteers.

My family feeds every day, Allen said. We need committed volunteers, not people who wont show up when theyre supposed to.

We try to work with zoology students at Kentucky Wesleyan College, but we want them to go home during holidays, and we need more local volunteers.

People interested in working with the birds of prey can call Allen at 270-993-6022 or go to www.nurturetonature.org/contact.html.

Allen said the 12 birds at the center now is a low population.

We get more in the spring when people are cutting down trees and babies fall out of the nest and in October, during migration season, when birds get hit by cars, she said. We used to have to call tree services or power companies with basket trucks to put babies back in the nest when they fall out. But my son, Grant, whos 27, has learned to climb with spikes and ropes, and he does it now. He can go up to 100 feet or so. Thats the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen.

When the center gets baby birds, we have to teach them to become good hunters, and humans cant do the job as well as their parents, she said.

The permanent residents cant be released into the wild, for various reasons, Allen said.

She said, Were not allowed to show animals that are in rehabilitation.

But if people want to see the mews  large bird cages  they are near the front of Yellow Creek Park on the north side, to the right of the caboose.

People can see the birds there during normal park hours, Allen said.

She said, We take all of our educational birds to ROMP, the bluegrass festival in the park each June, so people can see them.

Allen said the centers videos can be found on TikTok at Nurture2Nature.

It warms my heart to see babies back in the nest, she said. Weve been doing this for about 10 years. Sometimes, if the nest has been damaged, we put the baby birds in another nest with foster parents.

The center opened in 2007 and treated more than 100 birds of prey in the first three years.

270-691-7301 klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre has introduced a new community engagement program, 'Ballet for Every Body.' The program goes directly into the school systems with professional and student-level dancers to communicate to students that dance is something that all body shapes and sizes can enjoy.
The Montana Red Cross is urging patience to those wishing to donate blood as the country sees a major shortage.

Earlier this month, the Red Cross announced it is facing its worst blood shortage in a decade and that donations have dropped nearly 10% since the beginning of the pandemic.

In response, many Missoulians have tried to make appointments and some were not able to, according to a variety of social media posts.

"I tried (Wednesday) after seeing posting about the urgent need for blood and how some patients were in dire straits because of it. Tried to sign up and soonest slot open was mid-February," Charlie Palmer, a Missoula resident, said on Thursday.

Missoula-area blood drives are booked out until Feb. 11, according to the Red Cross website.

Staff shortage is a major issue and in response, the organization is increasing wages for both new hires and existing staff, said Matt Ochsner, Red Cross of Montana communications director.

"We're really trying to tackle that head-on," Ochsner said. "We're also seeing some blood drives being canceled because of the rise of COVID, whether it be a business or a school canceling drives because of the outbreak."

Ochsner also said that training for phlebotomists  those who are trained to draw blood  has been shortened to seven weeks.

It is a combination of virtual and on-the-job instruction and was shortened "to get more phlebotomists into the field more quickly to help collect lifesaving blood while also making sure we are collecting blood safely," Ochsner said.

The Red Cross pays for that training and those interested in working for the organization should go to RedCross.org.

January is normally a tough time for donations and the omicron surge is not helping matters, he added. Even prior to the pandemic, winter weather as well as cold and flu season are challenges Montana's Red Cross deals with while collecting blood each year.

Blood demand has kept steady during the pandemic, but Ochsner said there is always a constant need.

"Every two seconds, somebody in this country needs lifesaving blood. And we're grateful for our donors for coming out, Montanans have been incredibly generous," Ochsner said.

More than 17.9 million blood transfusions occur in the country each year, making it one of the most common medical procedures performed, according to a 2020 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report to Congress.

Blood supply also varies region by region to the more than 6,000 hospitals and medical providers that do transfusion procedures, the report said. Donations have also gone down in recent years, with a 7.2% decrease in total number of donors from 2015 to 2017.

The Red Cross supplies around 40% of the nation's blood.

"The blood system is struggling to meet the daily demand for blood and ensure the necessary investments for the future of blood safety and availability," the report states. "The blood donor base is rapidly aging, and innovative approaches to recruiting blood donors are compromised because of lack of funding and insufficient data about evolving donor motivations and changing social norms."

Missoula is currently experiencing its own blood shortage  on Wednesday, Missoula City-County Health Officer D'Shane Barnett said Providence St. Patrick's hospital is having to "prioritize and ration" its supply.

At Community Medical Center, the hospital is at 25% to 75% of its normal blood supply, depending on the type.

Appointments for Red Cross Blood donations in the Missoula area can be found at rcblood.org/3g0MMk0.

"We're just incredibly grateful for our donors and we understand that they want to come out, they want to donate and they might not be able to make an appointment in the next couple days," Ochsner said. "But please, please sign up for an appointment going forward."

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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Last fall, Ascension Parish public school students had the option of a "free dress" Friday, able to wear everyday clothes to school that day, instead of their uniforms, for a $2 fee that, collectively, would be used to help another school district.

Those $2 fees added up to close to $22,000 and the Gonzales-based Eatel company gave an additional $2,500, for a total donation of $24,406, presented recently to the Lafourche Parish School District  one of the school systems hardest hit by Hurricane Ida last August.

Lafourche public schools faced $100 million in repair costs in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021. Nine of 30 of the school district's schools were significantly damaged.

Ida latest blow to public schools, 'Never have I experienced or seen such damage' For the third time in 18 months Louisiana public school students are engulfed in turmoil, this time because of Hurricane Ida.

"We are extraordinarily thankful for the generous donation," said Lafourche Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin, who added that the money donated from Ascension Parish will be used to help schools replace classroom materials and other items damaged in the storm.

Martin said two of the district's campuses are still not in a condition to be occupied and other campuses are in use "but have damaged classrooms and sections of the schools that are not repaired yet."

"The complete repairs to our school system will take up to four years to complete. But, we are doing well," he said. "All of our students have a classroom, and we are making progress every day."

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It's the second school year in a row that Ascension public schools have held such a fundraiser for a fellow school district. Last school year, a "free dress" Friday, along with donations from local businesses, helped raise about the same amount for the Calcasieu Parish school district that saw 74 of its 76 buildings damaged by 2020's Hurricane Laura.

Ascension schools raise $26,552 for Calcasieu Parish schools hurricane relief Ascension public schools, along with area residents and businesses, raised $26,552.91 for Calcasieu Parish schools' hurricane relief efforts.

"One reason we want to do this is that when we went through the flood of 2016, so many people reached out to help us from all across the country," said Jackie Tisdell, public information officer for Ascension public schools.

"We know what that long road to recovery is like," she said. "Every little bit helps."

"A public school system is a critical piece for any community in their effort to recover from a disaster," said Ascension Public Schools Superintendent David Alexander.

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all those impacted communities as they pursue full recovery from these events," Alexander said, "and we are grateful to be able to contribute some small portion to the efforts in Lafourche."
ST. AMANT  Work is underway to restore St. Amant Primary, the first of the five severely flood-damaged Ascension Parish schools to see repairs begin almost a year after the devastating rains of last August.

The district is proceeding with the $3.5 million restoration of the primary school on La. 429  whose approximately 600 students attended class on a former community college campus last year  without word yet of how much the school system might be reimbursed by Federal Emergency Management Agency grant money.

A FEMA spokesman said Friday the allocation of those funds should be made by July.

FEMA reimbursements for public projects come through the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSEP), and can be as much as 90 percent of restoration costs.

The required project worksheet  a vital step in the grant process  for St. Amant Primary was submitted to FEMA in early January, schools Superintendent David Alexander said Friday.

With the project currently still in review by FEMA, the school district went ahead and bid and awarded the contract for the St. Amant Primary project in May, in hopes of having the campus open before the new school year.

"I don't understand why there's been such a delay" in the FEMA review process for the flood-damaged schools, Alexander said.

"We're a little confused," said Alexander, adding that the review process for other flood-related projects in the school district, such as the set-up of temporary campuses at four of the flooded schools, has moved at a faster pace.

The school district also began work in May on St. Amant Middle, which shares a campus with St. Amant Primary. The middle school was able to stay open last year, despite having some flood damage. The cost to repair it is estimated at $1.3 million.

The project worksheet for St. Amant Middle was submitted to FEMA in March, Alexander said, and is still in the review process.

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FEMA spokesman Jake Conley said Friday that a grant of $3 million is expected to be allocated for the St. Amant Primary School some time in early July and a grant of $888,000 is expected to be awarded for the St. Amant Middle School in mid-July.

The process of identifying storm-related damage and associated scope of work to fix that damage can be lengthy, depending on the level of damage, Conley said.

"Additionally, items such as applicable code and standards upgrades and hazard mitigation proposals can take time to discuss and develop," he said.

Chad Calder, director of planning and construction for the Ascension Parish public school system, said plans for the restoration of three other schools that received major damage in the flood  St. Amant High, Lake Elementary and Galvez Middle  are close to being ready to bid, and planning for the final flood-damaged school, Galvez Primary, is close behind that.

But, he said, "We're still awaiting obligations from FEMA. The biggest challenge is making sure we have the funding."

Conley said FEMA expects to be allocating grants for the Lake Elementary project, as well as for ancillary buildings at St. Amant High School, in July.

Walking through the St. Amant Primary campus that was busy with construction workers last week, Superintendent Alexander said, "FEMA has not delayed us yet, but if we don't get obligations on those projects pending, there could be a problem because of cash flow."

When asked if he could estimate when the remaining schools that received major damage in the flood might be restored, Alexander said, "I can't even speculate. There are too many factors to speculate."

"If cash flow and FEMA reimbursements come in a timely way they might could be finished in a timely way," he said.
Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary Kimberly J. Lewis left the Edwards administration Friday and will be joining LSU as chief administrative officer on Tuesday.

Deputy Revenue Secretary Kevin Richard was tapped to take her place. Richard, who began his career at Revenue in 1994 as a tax auditor, has a Masters of Business Administration and is a certified public accountant. He specializes in the state's tax system.

Richard is paid $192,625 annually. Lewis made $250,000 a year as revenue secretary. LSU will pay her $370,000 annually.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is entering the last two years of his second term and most of his cabinet members have stayed. Of Edwards top advisors and leaders of the biggest departments only Rebekah Gee, who headed the Louisiana Health Department for four years, and Ben Nevers, his chief of staff, left the administration.

Lewis said goodbye to her employees at Revenue with an email late Friday morning.

At LSU Lewis, who has headed the states revenue department for the past six years, will focus on planning, implementation and assessment of financial and administrative strategies, policies and procedures. She will work with senior leadership at LSUs campuses, and serve as chief advisor to the president and the LSU Board of Supervisors on fiscal and administrative matters.

Its a new position that will encompass what had been the university systems chief financial officer with planning and administrative functions, Lewis said Friday from Washington, D.C., where she is attending the Louisiana congressional delegations Washington Mardi Gras this weekend.

The budget is going to be the first thing she tackles, Lewis said. I know whats in the Governors Executive Budget and what spending (for higher education) is going to be. But I had been focusing on Revenues budget. I need to know how its going affect LSU and what the needs are at the different campuses.

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For the rest of the weekend, shell be attending parties and events at the Mardi Gras. She also plans to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Washingtons Mall. Hopefully, Lewis said, shell be able to return to Baton Rouge after the weekend as the Nations Capital is expecting a few inches of snow.

During her tenure running the revenue department, Lewis was instrumental in creating the system that tax the sales out-of-state vendors make on the internet, ensuring that all the various local and state taxing entities got their fair share. The Department of Revenue collects the states sales, income and other taxes  more than $10 billion in the 2021 fiscal year. The agency also collects outstanding debts owed to state and local government as well as regulating charitable gambling plus the sale of the sale of alcohol, tobacco and medical marijuana.

I am grateful for the outstanding leadership Kimberly Lewis has provided to the state of Louisiana over the last six years as both a trusted advisor and my Secretary of Revenue, Edwards said in his press release. I offer her my heartfelt congratulations as she transitions to her new leadership role at LSU.

From serving as senior policy advisor on revenue, economic development and insurance policy for Gov. Blanco to leading the state Department of Revenue under current Gov. Edwards, Kimberlys impressive background makes her an outstanding addition to our leadership team and further positions us to meet the needs of Louisiana through our core research and scholarship-related priorities, LSU President William F. Tate IV said in a press release.

Lewis said in September that she had spoken with Tate about a job in his administration, but the talks didnt go as far as specific duties or salary. Tate sent an internal memo at the time praising Lewis' abilities to fill the role of executive vice-president of external affairs and public policy.

State revenue secretary in running for top LSU post, university officials say Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary Kimberly Lewis is under consideration for a key job at LSU, officials said Wednesday.

Before becoming Secretary of Revenue, Lewis was a partner in the Tax & Estates Practice Group at Jones Walker LLP law firm focusing primarily on state and local tax matters, economic development financing, incentives and government relations. Prior to joining Jones Walker, she served as special counsel for the Office of the Governor, where she provided legal counsel to Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and served as Senior Policy Advisor on Revenue, Economic Development and Insurance Policy.

Lewis is a 1998 graduate of the LSU Law Center. She attended LSU, where she received her B.A. in Political Science in 1993 and a M.A. in Public Administration in 1995. She is a member of the LSU Law Alumni Board of Trustees, LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center, the Chancellors Council, and the LSU Department of Public Administration Advisory Board.
Joni Mitchell said shes pulling her music from Spotify following a similar move by Neil Young, while Barry Manilow said he is keeping his on the streaming service amid rumours he was also removing his songs.

Mitchell said she was standing by Young, who accused podcaster Joe Rogan of spreading vaccine misinformation on his show distributed by Spotify.

Singer songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Young removed his music from the service in protest, prompting the hashtag #spotifydeleted to trend on social media.

Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives, Mitchell, known for hits such as Blue and Big Yellow Taxi said on her website. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.
Seventy-two years ago, as Soviet army forces pushed westwards through Poland and on to Berlin, they traversed regions destroyed by retreating German Nazis. In village after village, they witnessed the appalling aftermath of the brutality Nazis had inflicted on men, women and children.

And then, on 27 January 1945, the Russians arrived at the gates of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

The main entrance at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland, with the inscription, Arbeit Macht Frei, which translates into English as work sets you free. Credit:AP

What confronted them was evil on a catastrophic scale. Here, in the freezing mud and filth of the massive Auschwitz complex, were a few thousand Jewish and Roma prisoners, barely alive.

Of more than 1.3 million Jewish, Roma, Polish and Soviet people whom the Nazis transported to Auschwitz between 1940 and 1944, at least 1.1 million were killed  most, in the hours and days after they arrived.
There arent many palm trees about, but for the past week or so it feels as if Melbourne has gone troppo. You could be forgiven for thinking youd hopped off a plane to Darwin or south-east Asia.

Ash Barty noted it as she reached for a towel to wipe off the sweat during the Australian Open this week.

The conditions were really different tonight. It was humid. This is Brisbane weather, the Queenslander said in a post-match interview.

Shorts in a storm: Melbournes tropical weather in action this summer. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Melbourne at this time of year usually means roasting hot temperatures with rasping northerlies. The city bakes in bone dry conditions before relief comes in the form of the cool southerly change.
The coal-bed methane gas boom that dotted northeast Wyoming with rigs and workers in the 2000s and left a legacy of bankruptcies and orphaned wells will also have lingering impacts on groundwater for up to 144 years, according to a new study by the Wyoming State Geological Survey.

Some sandstone aquifers in the Powder River Basin have declined by more than 100 feet due to the industrys preferred method of pumping large volumes of water from coal seams to release the microbial-formed coal-bed methane gas, according the study, Groundwater Level Recovery in the Sandstones of the Lower Tertiary Aquifer System of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming.

The industry has pumped about 1 million acre-feet of water from coal seams since 2001 and discharged it onto the surface, partially depleting coal aquifers as well as associated sandstone aquifers. Thats enough water to fill Alcova Reservoir to maximum capacity more than five times.

The calculated times of recovery, which vary from 20-144 years with a mean value of 52 years, probably represent best-case estimates because the calculations assume that environmental and hydrological conditions will largely remain unchanged from those of the last decade, the study states.

Furthermore, the study continues, slowing recovery rates commonly observed in some coal seam aquifers may impede the return to predevelopment water levels in the proximal sandstones.

The most severely drawn down aquifers are within 20 miles of the Powder River, both north and south of Interstate 90, study co-author Karl Taboga said. Thats also the area where much of the remaining active coal-bed methane wells are located. While the geographic coverage of the monitoring wells used to measure water tables is limited, its believed the industrys impact to aquifers elsewhere in the Powder River Basin is less severe.

It appears to be localized, Taboga said. In a couple of cases, a little farther east in the Powder River, you may have a site that has a significant groundwater decline, but five or six miles away you have another site where youre not seeing a significant decline.

Ongoing groundwater monitoring in the Powder River Basin provides a unique opportunity to study long-term groundwater changes, State Geologist and WSGA Director Erin Campbell said in a press statement. Understanding how subsurface systems relate to groundwater recovery allow us to best plan future development.

But there are perhaps even more critical lessons to learn, according to longtime critics of the industrys dewatering practice.

The big question is: Will we learn the lesson that we live in a high desert and pumping and dumping and wasting water is the height of greed and ignorance? the Powder River Basin Resource Councils former Executive Director Jill Morrison said.

The massive dewatering of groundwater resources has been a point of contention since the beginning of the coal-bed methane gas play in the Powder River Basin in the mid-1990s. In some cases, it sapped water from wells used for livestock and drinking water for homes. While the practice of discharging the water on the surface provided new stock watering ponds for ranchers, it also flooded critical grazing areas and loaded the surface with salts, wreaking havoc on native grasses.

The Sheridan-based landowner advocacy group Powder River Basin Resource Council pressured the state to minimize pumping groundwater and discharging it on the surface. Instead, it urged the state to insist on forcing operators to reinject the water in a staged fashion.

But the state didnt take any actions to limit groundwater pumping and surface discharge until 2007 as the development began to decline.

These aquifers took eons to establish and [coal-bed methane] development has significantly dewatered them in less than two decades, Morrison said Wednesday, adding that she is not at all surprised by the reports findings. You cant pump this gigantic volume of water out of aquifers that took eons to be created, and then expect that its going to regenerate.

The diminished aquifers and long-term recovery rates represent potentially higher costs for rural landowners and agricultural operations to access groundwater, as well as municipalities that might rely on groundwater resources in the future, Morrison said.

Many in the Powder River Basin have already felt those types of impacts, Morrison added.

The state said industry is responsible and they just have to drill you another water well thats deeper, Morrison said. But that didnt solve the problem because that [deeper] water isnt as good, it costs more to pump and they didnt pay for the extra electricity charges.

For years, hydrologists have speculated at the potential rate that both coal and sandstone aquifers might replenish. Early estimates included a rate of 1 inch per year, Morrison said. The new WSGS study estimates a faster rate and notes that recovery rates will vary widely depending on geology.

Typically, groundwater levels in the affected sandstone aquifers briefly rise by several feet for a few months after [coal-bed methane gas] production ceases, according to the study. But this rapid recovery frequently decreases to one foot or less annually after a year or two.

Climate change may also play a significant role in the rate of aquifer recovery in the Powder River Basin.

The WSGS study notes that its estimated recovery rates represent best-case estimates because the calculations assume that environmental and hydrological conditions will largely remain unchanged from those of the last decade.

But Wyomings precipitation and snowmelt dynamics are quickly changing due to human-caused climate change, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. While much of Wyoming could see more overall precipitation, less of it will come in the form of snow that drives annual springtime melt.

However, since 2000, the Powder and Tongue River Basins have experienced their longest and deepest droughts compared to the last 100 years, based on the Palmer Drought Severity Index, University of Wyoming Department of Geology and Geophysics professor J.J. Shinker said.

The increase in temperatures coincides with prolonged and deepening regional drought conditions and the trend of increasing temperatures (globally and regionally) is likely to continue well into the projected recovery timeframe, Shinker told WyoFile via email.

Wyomings evolving climate conditions make it extremely difficult to predict aquifer recharge cycles, Shinker said.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.

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Archaeologist Sean Ulm is the deputy director at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. He says the distinctive pottery of the Lapita is an archaeological calling card of their migration across Oceania. It was accepted knowledge that Lapita migration from its starting place in the northern hemisphere only ever moved eastwards across the Bismark Archipelago to the northern New Guinea coast and then radiated across the Pacific. You can literally hold a piece of pottery when were doing excavations on Lizard Island and pull it out from a metre underground, a piece the size of your thumbnail, and you say: everything changes after this, Professor McNiven says. Credit:Sean Ulm Experts had uncovered no evidence that these seafaring people sailed west along the southern New Guinea coastline, until 2008 when a team of archaeologists started digging at a site in Caution Bay around 30 kilometres west of Port Moresby, ahead of a planned gas plant development. Professor Ulm says he and a team of archaeologists almost immediately found Lapita pottery that was radiocarbon dated to 2800 years old.

The team published that work for the first time in 2011 and it was met in the academic community with a lot of critique that it couldnt possibly be Lapita, because Lapita people didnt go westward along the southern New Guinea coast, they only went east (into the Pacific), Ulm says. But, you know, here we are 10 years later and none of those critics disagree with us now. So it was a huge paradigm shift in the way people thought about the colonisation of the huge part of the planet and opened the door to suggest, if these people were in southern New Guinea 3000 years ago, where else could they be? They have watercraft, technology and seagoing technology. Anthropological archaeologist Ian McNiven also works with the Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. He says archaeologists also started finding pottery in Torres Strait around 20 years ago, but there was no historical or ethnographic or oral history of pottery production by Torres Strait Islanders. An illustration of an early outrigger canoe. Credit:Monash University They started working with communities on excavations and found pottery for the first time. It was buried one metre under the ground, relatively deep in archaeological terms. The shards of pottery were discovered on Lizard Island by Ulm and McNiven in 2017.

Everybodys was saying hey, thats very different. Im saying bloody oath thats different! That was unexpected, McNiven says. He says it appears pottery was traded into Torres Strait from New Guinea 3000 years ago, and some was produced locally. Finding a connection between the Lapita and Torres Strait, once they were known to have moved westwards across New Guinea, was not entirely unexpected, he says. But what came next on Lizard Island was a bolt from the blue. Literally, a little tiny piece [of pottery] like that changes the way we view the history of our continent and ... the Indigenous peoples with the outside world. Professor McNiven What was unexpected is finding similar pottery, of similar age on Lizard Island. It is 600 kilometres down the Queensland coast and that makes you say hang on, this is a serious game changer, Professor McNiven says. It was a seminal moment.

You can literally hold a piece of pottery when were doing excavations on Lizard Island and pull it out from a metre underground, a piece the size of your thumbnail, and you say: everything changes after this, McNiven says. A little tiny piece like that changes the way we view the history of our continent and its interactions in the past, the Indigenous peoples with the outside world. Now we know Aboriginal peoples of North Queensland have these ancient connections going up through Torres Strait and into New Guinea and the pottery is telling us that its the calling card of people who are interacting over literally thousands of kilometres. An illustration of an ancient vessel used by Indigenous Australians. Credit:Monash University McNiven, based at Monash University, says the evidence suggested it was not just the goods, but the knowledge of pottery making that had been passed on to people in Queensland. That Lizard Island pottery looks like it was made locally, he says. All the minerals in the pottery are essentially what you get around Lizard Island and that part of Cape York.

Professor Ulm, of James Cook University, explained the pottery shards are smoking gun evidence that overturn the idea of Australias ancient isolation. Theres long been arguments that after people colonised Australia, somehow they lost that watercraft navigation technology, but we simply dont know that because watercraft made out of organic materials dont survive in the archaeological record, he says. So these pottery finds, for example that we have on Lizard Island or in Torres Strait, show us that people are voyaging. Even though we dont have the watercraft, its indirect evidence that people were making these voyages and we can trace how this knowledge or the objects themselves are moving. An artists impression of an early outrigger canoe. Credit:Monash University The historical evidence of trade across communities in the Coral Sea is extensive. These recent finds along with artefacts collected by 18th and 19th Century European voyagers shows a complex trading web across the region where goods particular to one location - including bamboo smoking pipes, canoes, spears and necklaces, as well as language and cultural practices - were passed back and forth across a long network. This has given rise to the concept of the Coral Sea Cultural Interaction Sphere.

Piecing together what was traded and by whom shows it involved hundreds of clans and dozens of language groups. The groundbreaking pottery archaeology and evidence of ancient trading networks is showcased in a new exhibition, developed in partnership with the Walmbaar Aboriginal Corporation and Hope Vale Congress Aboriginal Corporation. Connections across the Coral Sea is at the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville. It will move to Brisbane in June. Professor Ulm says evidence for two-way trade, from New Guinea to Australia and vice-versa, overturned false stereotypes that had prevailed in historical assumptions about Aboriginal peoples. There was a prevailing view throughout the 19th and early 20th Century that any traded goods came south from New Guinea, but nothing went north, Professor Ulm says. This was feeding into a racist construct that Aboriginal cultures are somehow simplistic and New Guinea and Melanesian cultures are somehow advanced were of course objects would only come south.

But even in the 19th century, in the early 20th century, when writers began writing that, it wasnt supported by the evidence then. We know that the Gulf of Carpentaria was linked to Adelaide, and Broome was linked to Alice Springs. But if you know what youre doing you can cover a lot bigger distances in a boat than you can walking, carrying all your goods with you. Professor McNiven says Western science and Australia are catching up with what Indigenous communities have known for a very long time. Loading Australia was seen to be the only continent on the planet that didnt have a pottery tradition, and that sort of played into all sorts of colonial representations of Indigenous people as being primitive or backward, he says.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has approved $452,400 for 10 Mule Deer Initiative projects to enhance habitat for mule deer and support the ungulates migrations.

Commission dollars will be matched $3 to $1 by other sources, amounting to a total of $1.79 million going to on-the-ground projects. The projects are anticipated to enhance three million acres and benefit seven herd units that make up 25% of the states mule deer population.

To mitigate large carnivore conflicts and livestock depredation, the Commission was presented with new research on cattle depredation and associated damage compensation. The Commission directed the department to begin work to amend Chapter 28  Big or Trophy Game Animal or Game Bird or Gray Wolf Damage Claims to include a damage compensation multiplier for yearling cattle at a 1.25:1 ratio in certain circumstances. The department will also continue research on grizzly bear and gray wolf livestock damage to ensure the 1.25:1 is appropriate.

The Commission approved a land transfer of Bureau of Reclamation property near Glendo State Park. The property maintains public access opportunities for hunting and fishing as well as wildlife habitat.

Game and Fish presented an update on the Commissions request to evaluate the reintroduction of bighorn sheep in the Sweetwater Rocks. The department will continue to work through concerns identified during public outreach with particular consideration to landowners and how the transplant may impact grazing allotments.

This is a worthy project for bighorn sheep, said Brian Nesvik, director of Game and Fish. We know there are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed, so we are slowing this work down to thoroughly provide assurances for producers and find solutions together to make this transplant possible.

Game and Fishs next steps are to continue meeting with federal land management agencies, landowners, livestock producers and other partners.

Work is ongoing for two priority department construction projects. A test well is planned for the spring to ensure adequate water at the Commissions South Park Wildlife Habitat Management Area, the site of future employee housing in the Jackson Region. The new Cody Regional office is headed toward completion with construction slated to end in July.

Commissioners heard an update about the elk feedgrounds public collaborative process. In Phase II, the stakeholder members participated in a shared learning series. Next, in small groups, the Game and Fish feedground steering committee will listen to stakeholder concerns, collect input and gain ideas to help form a long-term management plan for the department-operated elk feedgrounds.

The meeting recording will be available in the coming days online. The next Commission meeting is planned for March 24-25 in Cody.

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Staff Reporter

Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times.
Workers prepare mail-in ballots for counting Nov. 4, 2020, at the convention center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, following Tuesday's election.
Louisa, VA (23093)

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Thomasina Mandan knew her 2020 state House bid would be difficult.

She was a Democratic-NPL nominee from New Town on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in Republican-controlled District 4, comprising the reservation and surrounding counties.

Mandan wanted to bring a voice from the reservation to Bismarck, given the taxes shared with the state from oil development within Fort Berthold.

"I wanted to try," she said. The Republican incumbents won in a landslide.

But District 4's elections will be different this year.

The Republican-controlled Legislature during its special session last fall approved a new map of legislative districts, based on updated census data. The map includes new House subdistricts in Districts 4 and 9 -- specifically, for the Fort Berthold and Turtle Mountain Indian reservations.

Mandan calls it overdue.

"I think in this day and age, the reservations should finally be acknowledged at the state level," said the doctoral student who works as director of the ethics commission office of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.

The subdistricts were a flash point in the special session, and some lawmakers tried to kill the move, viewing it as not appropriate.

Top redistricting lawmakers said the subdistricts meet population criteria of the federal Voting Rights Act. Proponents said the subdistricts will give Native American communities better chances to elect their own members to the Legislature.

"When we are packed into a district where our votes are diluted by being surrounded by larger, non-Native American communities, we are not able to elect candidates that run for any office, whether it's county commission, statewide office or even legislative seats," North Dakota Native Vote Executive Director Nicole Donaghy said.

"Breaking the district down, where the vote is more focused toward a community, we're able to elect candidates of our choice, candidates that come from the communities, candidates that also know the communities and that the people know," she said.

American Indians and Alaska Natives are the state's largest minority, at 5.6% of the population.

Three of 141 North Dakota lawmakers say they are enrolled members of tribal nations: Rep. Ruth Buffalo, D-Fargo, of the MHA Nation; Sen. Oley Larsen, R-Minot, of Kluane First Nation; and Sen. Richard Marcellais, D-Belcourt, of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Donaghy said her organization will "put a lot of focus" on Districts 4 and 9 in the 2022 elections, along with educating voters so as to increase turnout.

Native Vote, which is nonpartisan, also helps recruit candidates, she said.

"That is one of our goals, is to build a bench of Native American candidates that are ready to run for office and work on policies that affect our communities," Donaghy said.

Rep. Terry Jones, R-New Town, who serves District 4, opposed the creation of the subdistricts.

He equated the move with "racial gerrymandering" in a House floor debate, when he sought to erase the subdistricts, which he said didn't meet legal criteria to justify their creation.

"(Subdistrict supporters) have to be able to show ... that they've been unable to elect a person of their choice for a long period of time," said Jones, who is white. "And that's not the case in North Dakota in this particular district."

He plans to run and "see how it goes." In the past, the Republican nominees have campaigned together throughout vast District 4, he said. Now he has a smaller campaign area.

"It's such an honor to serve District 4, and it's been a great education for me, and I think I've done a lot of good stuff for the district," Jones said.

He said he's worked with tribal leaders during his time on the House Judiciary Committee, including on bills for tougher penalties for drug dealers connected with overdose deaths and for a database for missing people.

"Sometimes we pound things out pretty rough. Sometimes I agree with what they're doing and we go as hard as we can to get those things done," Jones said of his relationship with tribal leaders.

The chairmen of North Dakota's Republican and Democratic-NPL parties each supported the subdistricts.

"I was born in the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, so I understand what's going on there, so I'm pleased with it, to be honest," said GOP Chairman Perrie Schafer, who is not a tribal member.

Democratic-NPL Chairman Patrick Hart said, "I look at a lot of these (geographically) large districts, and I definitely support subdistricts so you can really have a constituent who is serving their community and not trying to drive 400, 500, 600 miles on a campaign loop on a weekend. We really need people to represent the districts they live in."

Mandan, an enrolled member of the MHA Nation, is interested in running again.

"I just think that the Three Affiliated Tribes should have a voice beyond what they have," she said.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

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In early January of 1972 -- 50 years ago -- Lt. Gov. Frank Wenstrom rapped the gavel to launch one of the most unique events in North Dakota history -- the holding of a convention to update the states constitution. The only one since 1889.

Before him were 98 delegates, two from each legislative district, a cadre of public-minded individuals -- a dozen legislators, business folks, social workers, lawyers, former judges, and a host of community leaders, two-thirds Republicans and one-third Democrats.

Most of those delegates are gone now. Only a few of the younger ones are still around.

The convention proposed a wide assortment of changes, all defeated when the constitution was rejected by a vote of 64,000 to 108,000.

The proposal to change from a two-house Legislature to a unicameral Legislature, voted on separately, lost 48,000 to 109,000.

Among the proposals were: making the state auditor accountable to the Legislature as auditor general; reducing the number of elected state officials from 14 to seven; abolishing the biennial 60-day legislative session for a flexible 80-day session; increasing terms for House members to four years; making 18-year-olds eligible to serve in the Legislature.

Requiring open sessions of the Legislature; limiting state government to 15 agencies; giving governor the item veto on appropriation bills; requiring governor to assign work to lieutenant governor; unification of the judicial system; change the initiative and referendum to a percentage of the population instead of a fixed number.

Authorizing home rule for cities and counties; create a state board of public education; increase the board of higher education from seven to nine; guarantee everyone a healthy environment; develop a code of ethics; make state and local governments subject to lawsuits; and make 18-year-olds adults for all purposes.

Even though the proposed constitution lost by a great margin, many of the provisions were presented piecemeal in following elections and were adopted, the 80-day flexible legislative session being the most obvious.

A lesson learned was that the citizenry is unable to consider the broad brush of constitutional revision. Too many provisions presented too many different issues at the same time -- one vote on the whole package.

When we were developing the model home rule charters in 1970, we started to build the structure of the government. But then we realized that the document with most of city and county government would be difficult to communicate, so we changed strategy and gave all home rule powers to the cities and counties to sort out.

Opposition to the proposed constitution came primarily from organized labor and right-wing extremists. They teamed up to distribute thousands of flyers, painting the new constitution as the end of the state.

Even though one-third of the convention voted to eliminate the anti-union provisions, effort didnt count. The president of the AFL-CIO said they would kill this one and get a better constitution in 10 years. The attitude of the state toward organized labor has, regrettably, not changed.

As for the far-right, their concern was the increased bonding capacity of the state and local governments. Besides, they always populated the status quo element that has plagued the state from the very beginning.

No lobbyists were around to pedal contrary provisions. A few of the delegates were influenced by their own occupations and experiences, but the deliberations were open, honest and free. A mutual respect prevailed in the committees and general sessions.

Considering the variety of issues that could have been divisive, the convention came to a remarkable conclusion: 94 of the 98 delegates gave their signatures to the final document. The Constitution of the United States did not have such support on final passage.

This convention could not be held today. Everything has become partisan, whether it is partisan or not. We no longer have the mutual respect required for civil and successful discussion.

Lloyd Omdahl is a political scientist and former North Dakota Democratic lieutenant governor.

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Towanda, PA (18848)

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Michael Forster Rothbart

Belle Wagner of Walton, 9, gets her second Pfizer COVID-19 shot during a vaccination clinic at the Elks Lodge in Sidney, on Jan. 28, from Melissa Wallick, a nurse from Windsor.
Meet Trooper! Trooper is 5-years-old. His favorite activities include sleeping, going on walks and sticking his head out of the car sunroof. T
Gov. Doug Burgum was enthusiastic Wednesday when he announced plans for a $1.9 billion data center near Williston. He has reason to be excited, but its an industry that can come with some drawbacks.

The Atlas Power Data Center will be built in several phases on 77 acres west of Williston near the intersection of U.S. Highways 2 and 85. It will employ about 100 workers during construction and 30 after completion. The company plans to put 25 megawatts online by mid-April before completing the first phase that will use 240 megawatts of electricity. When future phases are completed it will consume 700 megawatts.

Reporter Amy R. Sisk explained in an article on Jan. 20 why North Dakota is attractive to companies building data centers.

The centers generate a lot of heat, and require a large amount of power and cooling equipment to function. The energy costs for cooling equipment are less in northern climates like North Dakotas.

The Atlas Power Data Center will be used for cryptocurrency mining, which involves transactions of digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum that are recorded in ledgers known as blockchains. FX Solutions Inc. is building the center for Atlas Power. Both companies are based in Montana.

Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative says it has the ability to supply the amount of electricity needed for the center to operate 24/7. Thats one of the issues with data centers -- they require a lot of uninterrupted power.

The fans associated with large standalone data centers also can generate a lot of noise. Developers say that wont be an issue at the Williston facility. Another concern thats been voiced is the possibility for data centers to catch fire.

The Bismarck City Commission recently discussed the potential for data centers. Theres a lot of interest in locating such facilities in the state, with smaller projects already underway in Jamestown and Grand Forks. Rainbow Energy, the new owner of Coal Creek Station, has interest in adding one.

At present, Bismarcks ordinances dont allow for standalone facilities. Commissioners asked city workers at a recent meeting to continue researching data centers and to develop an ordinance for them to consider.

Thats a logical step. While the prospect of a new business can be tempting, its wise to know the pluses and minuses involved.

There's a high interest in setting up data centers in the state, according to North Dakota Transmission Authority Director John Weeda. At the same time, he expects a number of industrial facilities to open in the state in the future, adding to the energy demand.

Do we have room on the grid for everybody? I think we need to be asking ourselves that question, Weeda said.

The state, along with Bismarck, needs to be looking for the answer. We need to know when we have too much of a good thing.

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Forest City, NC (28043)

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A series of smash-and-grab robberies has left stores with boarded up windows on Nov. 22, 2021. (Lear Zhou/The Epoch Times)

Signature Gathering to Hold Smash-and-Grab Criminals Accountable Is Underway

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.A signature-gathering effort is underway to increase penalties for repeat smash-and-grab offenders.

Rescue California is leading the anti-theft initiative after witnessing an uprising of theft and leniency of criminal prosecution penalties by law enforcement agencies, according to Interim Chair Anne Dunsmore.

Politicians are actually responding to the crisis by making it easier on the criminals, and in fact, continuing to release them onto the street, Dunsmore said at a Jan. 28 online press conference.

The ballot initiative will require 623,000 signatures to be placed on the November ballot, Dunsmore said, adding that she anticipates 800,000 signatures being necessary to submit enough valid signatures.

California lawmakers and voters have approved of laws that hinder the ability to prosecute crimes, such as Proposition 47, according to Dunsmore.

The proposition was passed by voters in 2014, removing the ability for law enforcement to prosecute criminals who steal less than $950 of goods. It further classified theft and drug possession crimes as misdemeanors rather than felonies.

In San Diego County, public safety neighborhoods and cities have been on a steady decline due to bad policy decisions, according to Vista Police Department Deputy Sheriff Josian ONeill.

When we rolled out prop 47 in 2014  we saw an immediate uptick in violent crime and property cracks throughout the state, ONeill said at the press conference.

When ONeill responds to thefts, he said he knows state law will allow them to roam the streets again without harsh consequences.

Its out of control, Los Angeles bar owner Angela Marsden said at the press conference, adding that she has seen a rise in smash-and-grab retail thefts in her county.

Rescue California will begin signature-gathering efforts by using direct mail, email, and volunteers.

The deadline for the signatures to be turned in to the county registrar is in April.
Like a wraith rising from the grave, a Spanish ghost townintentionally flooded by the Lindoso Reservoir some 30 years agoappeared to rise from the depths late last November amidst receding water levels.

The haunting apparition of a town, called Aceredo, near Lobios, Ourense province, in northwestern Spain, which reemerges every few years from its watery grave, is now a place of leisure for tourists and sightseers.

The zombie town features: old-fashioned stone and wood buildings, many of which have since turned into piles of rubble; an old fountain that still flows; the skeletal remains of old vehicles; rusted metal; intact glass bottles; and other personal belongings abandoned decades ago by the towns former residents.

Deposits on the sides of buildings mark the rising and falling of water levels over the years.

The flood that devastated Aceredo occurred in 1992 after statesmen Francisco Franco, of Spain, and Antonio de Oliveira Salaza, of Portugal, in 1968 signed a joint venture to build the Lindoso Dam on their shared border.

Usually submerged ruins of the former village of Aceredo appear from the Lindoso Reservoir due to low water levels. (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

(Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

A fountain still runs in the ruined ghost town of Aceredo. (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

Then, power company Electrica de Portugal (EDP) exerted considerable effort to negotiate with and persuade Aceredos some 120 residents to leave their some 70 homes in exchange for compensation; while the company managed to convince about 51 percent of the towns population to vacate, the rest chose not to leave.

Amidst neighborhood demonstrations, confrontations with police, and hunger strikes, authorities went forward with the construction. EDP closed the reservoir gates and waters rose.

Besides Aceredo, nearby towns were also flooded in the land expropriation, including: O Bao, Buscalque, A Reloeira, and Lantemil. Residents of O Bao and Buscalque had almost no time to react to the rising water; many were literally left swimming from their homes with whatever clothes were on their backs, leaving animals to perish while their homes submerged, according to Spanish outlet Quinemil. There could have also easily been human fatalities as the towns power had not been cut.

(Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

(Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

In fact, a similar fate befell other parts of northwestern Spain, including the town of Portomarin, which was flooded by the Belesear Reservoir following a pact signed by the same Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s. But while some of the tops of buildings in Portomarin reemerge during low water from time to time, Aceredo is unique: fully returning to the world above water for visitors to walk the streets again and marvel in wonder.

While sightseers may enjoy the spectacle of this ghost town for a while longeruntil heavy rains once again plunge the town into its watery gravefor the old inhabitants of Aceredo, who now mostly live not far away, the sight may stir bad memories of their unjustly expropriated home.

(Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

(Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

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Security forces patrol as people wait for the arrival of the rescued schoolgirls in Jangebe, Zamfara, Nigeria, on March 3, 2021. (Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo/Reuters)

Africa Braces for More Civil Wars and Famine: Analysts

Even by the standards of analysts who for decades have been watching Africa numbed by overthrown governments, conflict, corruption, brutal repression of populations, and mass poverty and hunger, the continent is looking at a rough year.

A rough year? Yes, given what we saw in 2021, and given the economic fallout from the (COVID-19) pandemic thats getting worse by the day, leaving millions of people poor and desperate, Dr. Remi Adekoya, who teaches politics at York University in the United Kingdom, told The Epoch Times.

In 2021, four coups detat succeeded in Africain Chad, Guinea, Mali, and Sudanthe highest number in more than 40 years.

The new year has already seen its first overthrow, with the military in Burkina Faso seizing power on Jan. 24 from President Roch Kabore, apparently after its demands for more resources to fight Islamist extremists were ignored.

There have now been 96 military takeovers on the continent since the first one, in Egypt, in 1952.

Fifteen of the 20 countries leading the 2021 Fragile States Index are in Africa. They include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan, all of which have been fractured by conflict.

With the rapid rise last year of a group affiliated with the ISIS terrorist group, and the subsequent deployment of troops from several Southern African countries, including Rwanda, in response, terrorist insurgencies are raging in all of Africas major regions. These involve a multitude of actors, including mercenaries, as well as armies without the resources to mount counterterrorism operations.

In addition, elections are scheduled in countries where political tensions are high, including Angola, Kenya, and Senegal.

The new year began with battles between Ethiopian government forces and fighters from the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), sparked by the marginalization and persecution of the people of the Tigray region by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds administration.

In Southern Africa, 2022 started with emergency talks between members of the Southern African Development Community about its mission in Mozambique, with growing concern that militants there continue to find willing recruits in the restive northern province of Cabo Delgado. The government of Mozambique has invested heavily in the provinces oil and natural gas reserves and signed multibillion-dollar contracts with multinationals, while the political class has for decades neglected impoverished locals.

In Sudan, 2022 began with security forces killing scores of people protesting military rule.

Coups

Adekoya says that more instability and coups in Africa are the reality this year and beyond.

In the postcolonial decades, 1950s to the late 1990s, coups were happening at a rate of 15 to 20 a year. The coup leaders always offered the same reasons: poverty, bad governance, state-led violence, and corruption. These conditions havent gone away; many say theyre intensifying.

In Nigeria, the continents largest economy and most populous country, and in South Africa, the most industrialized with the second-biggest economy, one in three people who should be working are unemployed.

In July 2021, South Africa, one of Africas most stable democracies, was hit by the worst public violence since the end of apartheid in 1994, when mobs torched property and looted malls and warehouses.

One of the triggers for the violence was the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma for defying a court order to testify at a commission of inquiry into graft dating back to when he led South Africa between 2009 and 2018.

Zuma will go on trial in April on charges that include corruption, racketeering, and fraud related to a $2.5 billion arms agreement; he has repeatedly denied the allegations. His supporters, many from his Zulu ethnic group, have vowed to fight to the death if he is convicted.

Adekoya says poverty is a major driver of general instability and coups in Africa.

According to a World Bank estimate, there are 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, or half the population, who are extremely poor.

The World Bank classifies Africa as the youngest continent, with a median age of 20, and as having the fastest-growing population in the world.

So, theres hundreds of millions of people in their 20s, early 30s, who dont have jobs, who are frustrated, who are angry when they see corrupt leaders flaunting their wealth and not seeming to care a damn about the poverty all around them, Adekoya says.

This creates the space for military officers, especially those in their 40s who are seen as young and dynamic, to launch coups andmost importantlyto take over to popular support, to crowds that embrace them, at least at the beginning.

Chaos in the Sahel

In Africas western Sahel region, 2022 heralds the 10th year of conflict, with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger locked into a seemingly intractable war with an array of jihadist groups, including the ISIS terrorist group in the Greater Sahara.

The UN Refugee Agency says almost 3.5 million people have so far been displaced by the conflict in the Sahel.

As the militants spread terror across the region, including massacres of entire villages and kidnapping women and girls to use as sex slaves, growing numbers of international actors, the United States included, have been drawn into the conflict.

U.S. special forces are backing French troops in the Sahel, primarily with intelligence and logistics, while the Army has a drone base near Agadez in Niger.

American blood has been spilled in the war, with terrorists ambushing and killing a group of Green Berets conducting an advise, assist, and accompany mission in Niger in 2017.

In July, the Biden administration signed an agreement with France to strengthen bilateral special forces operations in Africa, suggesting its preparing to take the fight to the terrorists in 2022.

The instability caused by the fighting in the region can be seen in the coups in Mali and Chad, an attempted overthrow in Niger, and ongoing pressure on Burkina Fasos president to resign, Dr. Issaka Souare, a former special adviser to the African Unions High Commission for the Sahel, told The Epoch Times.

The worst terrorist attack yet in Burkina Faso occurred in November, when insurgents raided an army base in the north of the country, killing almost 50 military police officers, seizing weapons and ammunition, and burning buildings.

While in 2021, regional armies were supported by 5,000 French troops, the French government says it will cut these forces to 3,000 in the first quarter of 2022.

Despair in Ethiopia

Ethiopia will be another flashpoint in 2022, according to Africa watchers. Not so long ago, the nation was a beacon of hope on the continent.

Last year, however, civil war intensified as the optimism initially generated by Abiy Ahmed, one of the youngest leaders in Africa, was lost amid gunfire, hunger, and death. When he assumed leadership following a peaceful transfer of power after his coalition claimed victory in 2018 polls, Abiy released thousands of political prisoners and invited exiled political parties to return. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

Less than two years later, he was accused of gross human rights violations, as his troops, bolstered by Eritrean forces, fought a bitter battle against the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front in northern Tigray Province.

Almost 9.5 million people across northern Ethiopia are in danger of starving, the U.N.s World Food Program says. The federal government has blockaded the Tigray region, which the U.N. says is preventing relief groups from reaching famine-ravaged areas where children are dying of malnutrition.

The European Union and the Biden administration, among others, are regularly voicing concern about the situation. The country remains a strong ally of Washington in its war on terror, against international Islamic terror groups that have bases across the Horn of Africa.

But William Davison, senior Ethiopia analyst for the International Crisis Group, says the ongoing conflict shows that the international community doesnt have much leverage.

Concerns about an enduring conflict, one which involves lots of atrocities, to some degree committed by all sides, but particularly by Eritrean and Amhara and federal forces  all those concerns and desires to get a ceasefire and the Ethiopian parties to return to dialogue  well, theyve made very little impact on the Ethiopian protagonists here, let alone on Eritreas president, Isaias Afewerki, he said.

They have been outraged in Addis Ababa at the positioning of the U.S., and theres a real plummeting of relations, especially as the U.S. has stepped up its efforts by threatening but not really carrying out punitive action. Thats convinced people in Addis that the U.S. is leading some sort of global conspiracy against Ethiopia.

He says its hard to see anything but more conflict in the months ahead.
A New York police officer is taken by ambulance to a hospital in New York City on Jan. 23, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Alleged Police Officer Shooter Released on Bond in New York; Court: Blame the Laws

As a police union is outraged by the release of an alleged police officer shooter in New York, the spokesperson of the court said they should blame the laws instead of the judge or court system.

Camrin Williams, 16, who is also known by the rap name C Blu, walked out of the Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon after he posted his $250,000 bond.

He was taken into custody after allegedly shooting a 27-year-old NYPD police officer in Belmont in the Bronx.

Williams reportedly refused to take his hands out of his pockets and got into a struggle with police officers.

A gun held by him went off during the struggle and wounded NYPD officer Kaseem Pennant. The teenager was also hit in the groin.

Williams was on probation for a 2020 gun possession arrest during the event, NY Post reported.

The Epoch Times reached out to Williamss attorney for comments.

New York City Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Pat Lynch condemned judge Denis Boyle for the bail decision.

If anybody wants to know why we have a crisis of violence in this city, or why were about to bury two hero police officers, look no further than this disgraceful bail release, he said in a statement. Theres no reason to believe he wont do the exact same thing when hes out on the street tonight.

Dominique Rivera (L), wife of NYPD Officer Jason Rivera, watches as his casket is loaded into a hearse outside St. Patricks Cathedral after his funeral service in New York on Jan. 28, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

Five NYPD officers have been shot in New York City since the beginning of the new year while two of them died.

Funeral services for one slain police officer, 22-year-old rookie Jason Rivera, were held on Friday. Services for his partner Wilbert Mora have been scheduled for next week.

New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks to police officers in New York City on Jan. 21, 2022. (Lloyd Mitchell/Reuters)

Eric Adam, a former police captain and the mayor of New York City, also criticized the judge for the decision.

New Yorkers should all be outraged that a repeat offender, accused of shooting at a police officer, is today walking free on bond because judges are precluded from even considering danger to the community, like every other state and our federal courts, he said in a statement.

It is further proof that our current system is failing us, he added.

However, the state court spokesperson said the police union should blame the laws instead of the judge.

The ire that the PBA president is projecting on the judge, who is following the law, should be directed at the individuals who promulgate those laws, Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration, said in a statement obtained by NY Post.
Anti-Affirmative Action Leader on Bidens Supreme Court Pledge: Hes Living in the 60s

President Joe Bidens pledge to fill the Supreme Court vacancy with a black woman suggests that his mindset is still in the 1960s, according to Ward Connerly, a civil rights leader and prominent opponent of affirmative action.

Connerly, who is black, served as regent of University of California when he led the effort that banned affirmative action in California in 1996. He successfully defended his legacy in 2020 by defeating Proposition 16, a measure that would have allowed public agencies in California to make hiring, contracting, and student admission decisions based on race or gender.

In an interview with NTD News, Connerly said affirmative action was originally meant to change a discriminatory culture in which people were forced to stay outside the mainstream of American life solely because of their skin color.

When President John F. Kennedy first championed affirmative action, according to Connerly, it was a temporary measure to accelerate the societys transition to color-blindness. Under the ensuing Lyndon B. Johnson administration, however, it became something explicitly race-conscious and would benefit members of one race at the expense of those of other races.

Our thinking during that period about affirmative action was that nobody was harmed. This was simply readying black people to participate in American life, just helping the people who were the intended beneficiaries with no harm or detriment to anybody else, Connerly told host Cindy Drukier. Well, we now know that was not what has happened: Affirmative action has become permanent. It is something that black people believe they cant do without.

Connerly also noted that the black community, which affirmative action aimed to uplift, has nonetheless taken a toll as many people have been convinced that they dont have agency in their own lives.

I cant begin to tell you the abuse that I have suffered from black people, because Im taking away something that they believe theyve earned, he said. Its an insidious mindset for black peopleI would never want to tell my kids, or anyone that I care about, that they dont have free agency over themselves. And this is a terrible, terrible paradigm that were now faced with.

In the wake of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer formally announcing his retirement, Biden promised to nominate a black woman to the bench. Connerly said that suggests the president still lives in an era many Americans have already moved beyond.

It suggests to me that our dear president just doesnt get it. He is living in the 1960s, when we need a first black, we need a first this, first that, and we have to have a first black woman, he said, adding that people in California are beyond that and have rejected the approach that Biden is apparently pursuing.

There are a lot of other people that are equally qualified, even more so in some cases, than whatever hypothetical black woman hes going to find, Connerly continued. I have no problem with him appointing a black woman if she happens to be the top candidate, after some sort of due diligence that that he would perform. But thats not going to happen, because he has made a commitment.

When asked about the Supreme Courts decision to revisit a case challenging the consideration of race in admissions at Harvard University, Connerly said the Court would have to deal with its previous rulings that are in favor of affirmative action, particularly, the 2003 decision that established racial diversity among college students as a compelling state interest.

I think that theyre just going to have to say We made a mistake in 2003, and the Constitution is colorblind, and every individual is entitled to equal treatment under the law,' Connerly said.

I have no doubt that the Constitution does not tolerate giving preferences to someone whose ancestors had a portion of African descent over someone whose ancestors were of Asian descent, to compensate for the discrimination inflicted on black people two generations ago, or three generations ago, he added. The court needs to look at the clear words in the Constitution, match that up against what the practices at Harvard are, and other select institutions.

Interview by Cindy Drukier of NTD News
Takuma Iwasa, Shiftall CEO, demonstrates Haritora X, a full body tracking system for VR, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Jan. 5, 2022. A jacket equipped with sensors that let wearers feel hugs or even punches encountered in virtual reality was among the innovations giving the metaverse a more realistic edge at the Consumer Electronics Show. (Julie Jammot/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing Will Attempt to Censor the Metaverse

Free the avatars from China

Commentary

The metaverse is coming.

Imagine users jumping into a virtual reality (VR) mountain lake that feels cold, wet, and buoyant. They swim across the lake, using their own arm movements, emerge flying into clouds warmed by a volcano, and bump into an artificial-intelligence-powered Einstein ready to field questions about relativity.

To give the feeling of reality to that scene, developers at Facebook, now called Meta, along with competitors at Apple, Google, and Microsoft, are creating more than the standard headset and hand controllers currently associated with VR.

A metaverse suit that gives the illusion of touch and temperature has now grown from a haptic finger to a haptic glove. The ultimate metaverse experience will include rooms in which users actual bodies are immersed in water or engaged in indoor skydiving.

Metaverse users choose a 3D-animated representation of themselvesor someone they would like to becalled an avatar. They strap on a physical video headset, grasp a couple of hand controllers to navigate through a 3D-animated world, and meet other avatars controlled by real people or the computer, with whom they can talk and shake hands.

Big tech companies are all trying to dominate the space, which is arguably a lucrative natural monopoly. Yes, a diversity of quirky offshoots are competing with the tech titans, but like social media, films, and shopping malls, consumers tend to aggregate around the branded, centralized, and popular content with the biggest budget.

A software engineer explores with a virtual reality helmet the most detailed 3D map of the universe with virtual reality software developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in St-Sulpice near Lausanne, Switzerland, on Oct. 12, 2021. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Metaverse operators harvest personal data on individual preferences and shopping interests, along with abundant advertising revenues. They sell virtual real estate and products. Want your avatar to wear a Burberry scarf and Prada shoes? It will cost real money.

When Roger Federers avatar steps into the metaverse, driving a 2025 Mercedes-Benz concept car and wearing a 2025 Rolex concept watch, hell get paid to do so.

Whoever controls the metaverse likely will get a cut of its transactions. The promise of metaverse revenues explains the gold rush atmosphere of competitive investment.

Chinas tech giants, including Baidu, Bytedance, Tencent, and Alibaba, are also jumping into the fray.

Beijing will almost certainly attempt to censor and control the metaverse, as well as push its more productive uses, such as professionals attending a virtual meeting with colleagues, students attending lectures in virtual classrooms, or military cadets training in warlike atmospheres.

But dont expect the Dalai Lama to walk into the classroom unexpectedly. There will be no protests or mention of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Baidus metaverse. Males will be discouraged from looking too feminine in their personal style, and females will be encouraged to dress conservatively. Non-productive time in the metaverse will be limited, as is gaming in China today.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has real-world plans for global domination, and it doesnt want its citizens socially corrupted in a virtual fairyland when they could be manufacturing tanks, warships, and silicon chips in real-world factories.

But theres also much to be gained for the CCPin revenues, personal data, and propaganda opportunitiesby dominating metaverse initiatives globally. It wont mind the metaverses corruption of Western youth, who it prefers to remove from real-world competition.

But the Party will attempt to extend its influence to global content production. As with its influence over Hollywood films, China will use its funding and gatekeeper status to Chinese consumers and workers to attempt to strong-arm Western tech companies.

If Apple wants Chinese citizens to access its metaverse, if it wants them to spend millions of hours in 3D modeling of the metaverse, and if it wants to continue selling iPhones and iPads in China, then it better make sure that it tells a positive story about China and the CCP to not only Chinese citizens, but metaverse users globally. That will mean no mention of Tiananmen Square in Apples metaverse, for example.

Falun Gong users in New York who try to protest virtually on land they buy in Apples metaverse or carry a virtual banner saying Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance could simply vanish for violating its CCP-influenced terms of service. If Apple became the hegemonic metaverse that almost all users go to, much as they almost all go to Facebook or Twitter today for their social media needs, then serious freedom of speech issues would be raised.

The European Union is already talking about regulating the metaverse and discouraging anti-competitive practices, of which Meta is accused. Regulators, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion advocates should plan on extending the protection of constitutional freedoms to our avatars as they populate that future space. The metaverse must be an outlet for avatar freedom, and avatars should have rights that arent controlled by the arbitrary rules of Meta, the CCP, or anyone else.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett walks through the exhibit hall as shareholders gather to hear from the billionaire investor at Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Neb., on May 4, 2019. (Scott Morgan/Reuters)

Berkshire Hathaway Says It Has Added 12,000 Jobs

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., run by billionaire Warren Buffett, said on Friday its workforce has grown by about 12,000, recovering some jobs it lost earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Omaha, Nebraska-based insurance and investment company said its dozens of businesses now have about 372,000 employees, up from 360,174 at the end of 2020.

Berkshire had shed more than 31,000 jobs in 2020 as economies slumped and demand for many goods and services fell. The decline included about 13,400 jobs at Berkshires Precision Castparts aircraft parts unit and 5,600 at the BNSF railroad.

Jobs were added last year as the U.S. economy grew at the fastest pace since 1984, according to Commerce Department data.

Berkshire did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to Buffetts assistant.

Other Berkshire units with large workforces include auto insurer Geico, Fruit of the Loom underwear, McLane food delivery, several energy businesses, and Clayton Homes.

Berkshire disclosed its recent job count in a registration statement for the sale of bonds.

Buffett, 91, is expected to discuss Berkshires performance in his annual shareholder letter on Feb. 26, when the company will also release year-end results.

Analysts on average expect full-year operating profit to exceed the previous $24.8 billion high set in 2018. Operating profit totaled $21.9 billion in 2020.

By Jonathan Stempel
President Joe Biden speaks to the press about the situation in Ukraine, after arriving on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Says He Will Send Troops to Eastern Europe and NATO Countries

President Joe Biden told reporters late Friday he plans to move U.S. troops to Eastern Europe and member countries of NATO soon.

Ill be moving U.S. troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near termnot a lot, the president told reporters when asked if he had decided how soon he would move troops to Eastern Europe.

He made the comment after arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland following a speech in Pittsburgh. He also told reporters there has been no update on the Ukraine situation in the past several hours.

Russia has sent about 100,000 troops with tanks and other weapons to its borders with Ukraines northeast, after having made a series of security demands asking NATO to guarantee Ukraine would never be able to enter the security alliance, and asking the alliance to roll back its deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. Russia has not withdrawn any troops from the region.

A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea, on Jan. 18, 2022. (AP Photo)

The Russian armys Iskander missile launchers take positions during drills in Russia, on Jan. 25, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The United States and NATO allies have sent security assistance to Ukraine over the past weeks.

The Pentagon announced on Jan. 24 that, should the situation warrant, 8,500 American troops are at a heightened readiness to deploy.

Earlier on Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, If NATO activates its response forces, these troops will be ready to go.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon, in Washington, on Nov. 17, 2021. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

He also told reporters that Biden does not intend to put troops into Ukraine for combat operations.

He said that any troops that are deployed would be troops that are already in the region and have multiple capabilities.

There is a small contingent of U.S. and NATO advisors and trainers currently in Ukraine, Austin said. The United States has zero offensive combat weapons systems, nor any permanent forces, nor bases in Ukraine. Our role is limited in that we help train, advise and assist with tactics, techniques and procedures.

Austin also suggested that any Russian attack would face unified opposition from NATO.

There is still time and space for diplomacy, he noted. The United States, in lockstep with our allies and partners, has offered Russia a path away from crisis and toward greater security, and the Department of Defense will continue to support those diplomatic efforts.
Snow covers the Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center along Interstate-68 near Marylands west border with West Virginia, in Friendsville, Md., on Jan. 28, 2022. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

Blizzard Warnings in Effect for Over 10 Million People in Northeast US Ahead of Winter Storm

Governors declare states of emergency ahead of forecast heavy snow, high winds

A powerful winter storm sweeping up the U.S. east coast has prompted blizzard warnings in several states and is expected to affect more than 10 million people who are being advised to prepare for coastal flooding, heavy snow that could significantly reduce visibility, and high winds that could cut power and bring down tree branches.

Specifically, parts of 10 statesMaine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginiaare expected to face blizzard conditions late Friday to Saturday, and potentially early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Airlines have canceled more than 5,000 flights scheduled to leave from Friday to Sunday, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking service. More than 8,500 flights were delayed.

With blizzard warnings currently in effect this evening from Maryland to Maine, including east-central Long Island and the Boston metro area, here are some key facets and conditions expected over the course of the next 2 days near the Northeastern Seaboard. #WeatherSafety pic.twitter.com/8wkjzNUmBL  National Weather Service (@NWS) January 28, 2022

The governors of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia declared states of emergency on Friday in preparation for the storm.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochuls office said parts of Long Island are expected to see more than one foot of snow, while parts of New York City and the lower Hudson Valley could see up to 10 inches of snow.

Winds gusting up to 55 mph at times will likely impact travel in several locations and could potentially cause power outages, Hochuls office stated in a release. New Yorkers in these locations were advised to stay off the roads through the weekend to avoid dangerous conditions.

Governors generally advised residents to remain at home and refrain from traveling unless absolutely necessary.

This is serious. Were ready for this storm, and we also need Rhode Islanders to be ready, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said Friday. The best way to handle this storm is to stay home tomorrow.

The key message for all Virginians is to stay aware of the weather conditions and to stay off the roads if possible, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. The most important thing everyone can do to minimize the risks is to prepare yourself and your family.

The storm is expected to become a bomb cyclonea non-technical term used by meteorologists to describe a storm that intensifies rapidly over a 24-hour period.

The storm is expected to intensify rapidly over the next 24 hours. The pressure is expected to fall around 35 [millibars] by Saturday evening. Meteorologists often refer to this as explosive intensification, which is where the term bomb cyclone came from, announced the National Weather Service late Friday.

Here is our updated expected snowfall totals map. All winter weather headlines remain the same. Check out our latest briefing at https://t.co/o7V2r7Ja1E. #NYCwx #NYwx #CTwx #NJwx pic.twitter.com/FoWM7WHfgF  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 28, 2022

According to the weather forecast agency, portions of Massachusetts and Rhode Island are expected to face expressly severe conditions, with total snow accumulations of 1824 inches with localized 30 inches possible, and wind gusts upward of 60 mph (97 kph).

Parts of central and southern New Jersey, as well as southern Delaware, are expected to see 1018 inches of snow with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Meanwhile, parts of southeast Maryland and eastern and southeast Virginia could see 812 inches of snow and wind gusts as high as 45 mph inland, and up to 50 mph at the coast.

Washington and Baltimore were forecast to be spared the worst of the snowfall, with only 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 8 centimeters) and 5 inches (13 centimeters), respectively.

Snow could fall as fast as 5 inches per hour in spots, including Connecticut.

The worst of the storm was expected to blow by Sunday morning into Canada, where several provinces were under warnings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chinese Communist Partys head Xi Jinping, bottom center, arrives for the closing meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC) on March 15, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

CCP Faces Unprecedented Internal Crisis as Revealed by Purging of Top Police Official: Expert

The administration of Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued a rare warning against his rivals at a recent national police meeting, a move that an expert says indicates that the communist regime faces an unprecedented internal crisis since the downfall of a Chinese vice minister of public security.

On Jan. 24, Xis close ally and party chief of the Ministry of Public Security Wang Xiaohong announced at a conference the formation of a leadership panel dedicated to eradicate the baneful influence of the political clique led by Sun Lijun, the former deputy head of the ministry.

Earlier, Chinas state broadcaster CCTV released a 5-part documentary containing anti-graft propaganda titled Zero Tolerance shown on prime time from Jan. 15. In part 1, Sun and key members of his clique made appearances and gave public confessions.

By official accounts, Suns group included four of his close allies. They were Gong Daoan, former police chief of Chinas most populous city of Shanghai; Deng Huilin, police head of Chinas largest city of Chongqing; Wang Lee ker, chief of the political and legal affairs commission in eastern Chinas Jiangsu Province; and Liu Xinyun, head of the public security department in northern Chinas Shanxi Province.

The process of investigation into Suns illegal activities spanned 17 months. Beijing dismissed Sun from his post on April 19, 2020, but it took until Sept. 30, 2021, for Chinese authorities to officially accuse him of suspected serious violations of Party disciplinary rules and laws in a strongly-worded notice.

This action is one of several high-profile moves by Chinese leader Xi in recent times aimed at punishing and deterring his opponents, analysts say. They note that Suns downfall has unusually been prominently publicized, suggesting heightened factional fighting behind the scenes within the Communist Party.

New York-based China expert Tang Jingyuan unpacked Suns case in an interview with The Epoch Times.

Seventeen months must be a record length of time for Beijing to probe a vice-ministerial official, said Tang. Meanwhile, the official notice announcing his fall included more than 700 words, the longest of its kind.

According to the expert, Suns case is by no means an isolated incident, which necessarily involves far more complicated, higher-level power struggles among political factions. As to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) describing Suns loyalists as a political clique, Tang said, the label is as serious as the designation of counter-revolutionary group used during the Cultural Revolution, the harshest accusation within the CCP system in the 1960s and 70s.

Moreover, it was an extremely rare move for Xi to televise the confessions of disloyal officials as members of a political group, Tang said, noting that this was probably the first time this has occurred since the Gang of Four incident in 1976.

The four-member group consisted of the most powerful figures during the 10-year Cultural Revolution, a political upheaval orchestrated by then-Chinese leader Mao Zedong. After Maos death in 1976, they were arrested, tried publicly, and sentenced to up to life imprisonment.

According to Tang, the internal struggles within the CCP have reached new heights, suggesting that conflicts will only grow more intense in the lead up to the 20th National Party Congress late this year where Xi is set to launch an unprecedented bid for a third term as leader.
Cargo waits to offload from ships in the Port of Long Beach, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Chinas Zero-COVID Policy Could Be the Worlds Top Risk Facing 2022, Experts say

Countries have begun to restructure supply chains and move manufacturing out of China

New Analysis

Chinas zero-tolerance approach toward COVID-19 has resulted in continued city lockdowns, which exacerbated production and shipping congestions across the globe. Experts warn that Beijings extremeand stubbornmeasures to contain the virus could be the greatest risk facing the world in 2022.

In a January report, U.S. political risk analysis and consultancy firm Eurasia Group listed Chinas zero-COVID policy as the worlds top risk going into 2022.

The report (pdf) predicts that Beijings zero-tolerance approach toward the highly transmissible Omicron variant will ultimately fail, leading to larger outbreaks, requiring more severe lockdowns; and in turn, it will result in more state intervention and greater economic disruptions.

Chinas problems add to supply chain disruptions, which will present ongoing risks worldwide, the report said. Its COVID-clearing policies will cause shipping constraints, and shortages in staff, raw materials, and equipment, followed by reduced availability of goods around the globe.

Katrina Ell, a senior economist for Asia-Pacific at Moodys Analytics, told CNBC on Jan. 16 that Chinas strict zero-COVID policy has impacted manufacturing and shipping operations globally, exacerbating the supply chain crisis.

Ell added that Beijings tendency to shut down essential ports and factories for COVID-clearing would amplify and prolong the ongoing crisis.

According to Chinas General Administration of Customs, in 2021, the country exported more than $363 billion in clothing, footwear, and textiles, $255 billion in data processing equipment and parts, $146 billion in mobile phones, nearly $100 billion in home appliances, $81 billion in steel, $75 billion in auto parts, and almost $74 billion in furniture and other products.

A 2020 study (pdf) by U.S. data firm Dun & Bradstreet showed that at least 51,000 companies worldwide have one or more Tier 1 suppliers in China, and at least five million companies worldwide have one or more Tier 2 suppliers in China.

A supply chain service provider, Insight Solutions, defines Tier 1 supplier as the most critical component in the supply chain.

A Tier 1 supplier provides what the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) needs to make the product and set up the chain. Tier 1 suppliers usually provide product devices that are almost close to the end products that other companies can brand as the final product. For instance, Foxconn is the OEM for manufacturing iPhone on a large scale, but Apple is the company brand.

Tier 2 suppliers are the key suppliers to Tier 1 companies in the same supply chain. They dont usually have direct contact with OEM companies, but they are critical in manufacturing individual components of the end product.

With millions of companies worldwide relying on Chinese suppliers, Beijings continued implementation of stringent COVID-clearing policies would disrupt the global supply chain on a massive scale.

Reliance on Chinese Manufacturing

In 2021, Chinese exports to the United States, the United Kingdom, and India were more than three times what those countries exported to China combined, according to Chinas General Administration of Customs. Similarly, Chinese exports to the European Union and Canada also far exceed what China imports from them.

In particular, Chinas total exports to the United States in 2021 exceeded $576.1 billion, while its total imports from the United States were only $179.5 billion, creating a trade surplus of $396.6 billion for China.

Additionally, the high freight rates for China-U.S. routes also reflected the strong U.S. reliance on Chinese goods.

A private investment consultant living in North America, Mike Sun, told The Epoch Times that the freight rate for containers from Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao, and other eastern ports of China, to North America was generally between $1,400 and $2,000 in past years. However, the price of container freight from China to the United States is more than ten times higher now.

According to the latest data from Sofreight, a Chinese shipping logistics platform, the current rate of a single 40-foot container is between $15,000 and $23,000 from the eastern ports of China to the western U.S. ports.

In November 2021, Jason Chiang, a director of Ocean Shipping Consultants based in Singapore, told the Los Angeles Times that some shipping companies had made enough money in the past year to pay for their investments over the past 10 years. A large cargo ship could make a single trip from China to the United States to earn the cost of building the entire ship.

Shipping makes up the movement of at least 90 percent of global goods. The cost of transportation by sea has soared over the past year due to port congestion.

Due to the enormous profits in transportation, after unloading cargo at U.S. ports, many container ships are reluctant to spend time loading U.S. cargo to bring back to China. Instead, they promptly return to China with empty containers in order to make several more trips between China and the United States. This phenomenon has caused some congestion in the export of U.S. goods.

Sun said the root cause of the problem is that the United States abandoned low to mid-end manufacturing very early on, resulting in many manufacturing industries moving to Southeast Asia, especially to China.

Importance of Supply Chain Restructuring

Presently, many countries and enterprises are restructuring their supply chains away from China, considering the many risks.

According to a Michigan State University (MSU) study last October, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross once told Fox Business that the CCP virus outbreaks in China would be positive for the American economy. Ross said the Chinese authorities forcing shutdowns of its factories due to outbreaks would prompt foreign companies to review their supply chains, and help accelerate the return of jobs to North America.

Employees working on a battery production line at a factory in Huaibei in Chinas eastern Anhui Province on March 30, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Likewise, a partner with consulting company Plante Moran, Daron Gifford, said the pandemic could have a more lasting effect on global supply chains, even after the crisis passes, according to the MSU study citing Crains Detroit Business.

Itll be interesting, after this is done, if it starts to alter some of our suppliers plans on how they structure their supply chain, Gifford said. The longer these things go on and the more disruptions that occur in the supply chain, you start diverting your production.

However, some believe the long-term diversion and a complete uncoupling from China are not feasible, particularly for the tech industry, according to the MSU study citing Forbes.

Razat Gaurav, CEO of supply chain software company LLamasoft, said there arent short-term options when faced with the closure of a complex facility on the scale of Zhengzhous iPhone City or relocating semiconductor fabrication when a facility costs $1 billion to open.

Worlds Most Important Chipmaker Takes Lead

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, announced in May 2020 that it would build a $12 billion factory in Arizona, expected to start volume production in 2024. The construction is expected to be completed by July.

Since then, TSMC has devised a plan for its Arizona plant to quickly replicate its plants in Taiwan. The move outlines TSMCs intention to mirror its comprehensive supply chain in Taiwan in the United States plant due to concerns over Beijings potential invasion.

The logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is seen at its headquarters, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Jan. 19, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Taiwans CommonWealth magazine recently reported that TSMCs new Arizona factory had received strong support from the Arizona state government. Its construction is at full pace without even a break during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

According to the report citing TSMC insiders, TSMC has ordered its 5-nanometer advanced process wafer fab in Arizona to completely replicate its 5-nanometer factory in Nanke, Taiwan.

TSMC plans to export 26 key suppliers from Taiwan to the United States as part of its plan to get the Arizona factory up and running as quickly as possible. Chairman Mark Liu has invited important suppliers of semiconductor chemicals, materials, and special gas plants to set up factories in the United States.

In addition to exporting talent from Taiwan, TSMC has arranged for more than 100 American engineers to go to its factories in Taiwan for on-site training.

To speed up the construction of its Arizona plant, TSMC will make modular copies of the production equipment in its Taiwan plants and ship them to Arizona in batches for assembly.

According to the Taipei Times, the world relies on Taiwan for 92 percent of leading-edge chips. As a result, the United States appears concerned about the geopolitical risks posed by the heavy reliance on Taiwan-made chips. Given the consistent Chinese military threat against the self-ruled island, Taiwan must shield its technology from the Chinese regime.

With its security at stake, TSMC aims to export its advanced 5-nanometer wafer processing plant and complex supply chain to the United States as quickly as possible.

Countries Begin Shifting Supply Chains out of China

In November 2021 the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, a Taiwanese think tank, published an article analyzing the global supply chain restructuring since the U.S.-China trade war began and the CCP virus pandemic bloomed. The article describes a clear trend of companies in critical industries shifting their supply chains back to their home countries, especially those crucial to national security.

For example, countries are committed to strengthening their independent supply of medicine and medical equipment. The European Union is accelerating the local production capacities of medical drugs and equipment. The United States is seeking to move its entire medical supply chain back home. Japan is subsidizing raw materials and equipment of local factories that produce masks, disinfectants, protective clothing, respirators, and other medical products, including pharmaceuticals.

President Donald Trump is shown a protective face mask by Honeywells Vice President of Integrated Supply Chain Tony Stallings along with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows while touring Honeywells manufacturing facility for the CCP virus outbreak in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 5, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

The article also emphasizes the need for countries to work with allies and like-minded partners to build resilient supply chains, given the difficulties for a nation to achieve supply chain security alone.

In June 2021 the White House released a report (pdf) reviewing some of the vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain. The four key products included semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging, large capacity batteries, critical minerals and materials, and pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).

The report put forward many recommendations, including working with allies and partners to decrease vulnerabilities in the global supply chains, and most importantly, rebuilding Americas domestic production and innovation capabilities.

In May 2021 the European Commission released a similar document (pdf) proposing measures to strategically reduce its dependencies in many key fields, such as raw materials, batteries, active pharmaceutical ingredients, hydrogen, semiconductors, and cloud and edge technologies. As well, to promote stronger cooperation within members of the European Union in strengthening the supply chains.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Japan is actively providing funds to assist Japanese businesses in China to set up at home or relocate to ASEAN countries, India, or others. It is also discussing plans to strengthen economic cooperation with ASEAN countries. India and Australia also support Japans goal of diversifying its supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits are distributed by the GreenRoots environmental protection organization and Chelsea Community Connections in Chelsea, Mass., on Dec. 17, 2021. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese-Made COVID-19 Test Kits Are Coming to Millions of US Households via White House Initiative

As the White Houses free at-home COVID-19 test kits are reaching millions of U.S. households, the made in China label on some of those kits is stirring concerns.

The distribution, which started last month, is part of a Biden administration initiative to give away 1 billion self-test kits to Americans for free. A sizable portion of these kits will be sourced from iHealth Labs, a California subsidiary of Chinese medical gear manufacturer Andon Health.

Since December 2021, the company has won contracts worth more than $2.1 billion with the U.S. federal government and some state governments, according to Andons filings and federal contract records.

Roughly $1.8 billion of the amount for the White House rollout came from the Department of Defense (DOD). The department awarded two contracts to the lab on Jan. 13 and Jan. 26, respectively, which would bring more than 354 million Chinese-made kitsor about a third of the totalto U.S. homes.

The White House said on Jan. 28 that 60 million U.S. households have ordered the free test kits through the governments new website, covidtests.gov. The order typically ships within seven to 12 days, according to the website.

U.S. reliance on China to produce these test kitstwo years after COVID-19 spread from the countryis a call for reckoning, according to Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.).

If we should have learned anything from this pandemicit is that its imperative to break U.S. dependence on Chinese medical and PPE [personal protective equipment] supply chains, Wittman told The Epoch Times.

U.S. supply chain vulnerabilities came into the spotlight during the early months of the pandemic, when U.S. frontline responders struggled for critical medical supplies and had to turn to foreign countries, principally China, for the gear.

Wittman called for the administration and members of Congress to lead by example and advocate for the medical equipment to be made at home.

Take-home COVID-19 self-testing kits provided by the District of Columbia government, which provides city residents with four free take-home tests per day, are seen in this illustration taken on Jan. 11, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

We should be supporting hardworking Americans and businesses, not relying on unfriendly regimes, he said.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) expressed a similar view.

The fact that the United States is mass distributing Chinese-manufactured COVID-19 tests further highlights the need to bring back U.S. manufacturing for critical industries, Wenstrup told The Epoch Times, describing it as a national security issue, as well as a national health security issue.

The DOD contract didnt specify iHealth Labs China connection, nor was the relationship mentioned on iHealth Labs website.

White House officials didnt respond to The Epoch Times request for comment, nor did representatives for Andon and iHealth Labs.

Established in 1995 in the Chinese megacity of Tianjin, Andon had been known as a producer of blood pressure monitors. The company was losing money for seven consecutive years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andon owns a 70 percent stake in iHealth Labs, which was founded in 2010, the year that Andon went public in Shenzhen, China. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, which invested $25 million in iHealth in 2014, holds 20 percent ownership in the company.

Andon only began making the self-test kits on a commercial scale in November 2021. Driven by its U.S. success, Andons stock has soared by nearly 14-fold as of Jan. 18.

The Food and Drug Administration granted Andons iHealth Labs emergency approval in November 2021 to sell its COVID-19 nasal swab test kits in the United States. The lab has also received orders with a combined total of $333 million from the New York State Department of Health and the state of Massachusetts.

California, Washington, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, and the District of Columbia have also placed orders, according to Chinese media outlet reports.

A negative result is shown from a take-home COVID-19 test kit in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2022. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese authorities had previously lauded Andon for its role in the countrys pandemic control efforts. In 2020, Andon supplied body temperature scanners to Wuhan, China, and other virus-hit cities and donated shipments to countries such as the United States, Italy, and Germany.

In a May 10, 2020, post, marking the fourth China Brand Day, Andon tapped into nationalist sentiment, saying that the company had been an ambassador for Chinese brands to bring a high standard of Chinese products to the world.

Republican members of Congress have recently expressed disagreement over the government purchase of Chinese-sourced medical gear.

Last month, more than 120 Republican lawmakers voiced complaints about having to wear made in China masks. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, they expressed their disbelief and outrage that taxpayer dollars are being used on Chinese-made masks when U.S. alternatives are available.

China is perhaps the United States greatest geopolitical adversary, and its government is culpable in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not a day goes by without new information showing the scale of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) efforts to hide and cover up the outbreak, the lawmakers wrote.

With the regimes pandemic cover-up, suppression of whistleblowers, and continued efforts to obfuscate virus origin tracing efforts, it is inexcusable for taxpayer dollars to be spent in support of the Chinese economy, according to the letter.

Earlier this month, the senator wrote a letter to Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, asking the Biden administration to prohibit the purchase of test kits that are made in China.

To Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), the matter stood the same with the test kits.

Senator Scott thinks it is unacceptable that the Biden administration would spend American taxpayer dollars on COVID tests from Communist China, which just goes directly to supporting General Secretary Xi and his genocidal regime, instead of supporting American manufacturers and jobs, his office told The Epoch Times in a statement, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Congresss distribution of Chinese-made masks and Andons U.S. deals have nonetheless been trumpeted by some Chinese media outlets.

The wearing of masks that were made in China on the chamber floor was a striking sign of the prevalent use of China-made facial masks in the U.S., said an unsigned article was recently published in state-owned Global Times with the headline Chinese test kit, mask manufacturers still relied on to fill US supply gaps.

Chinese-made masks have played an essential role in supplying Americans, the article reads.

This article has been updated with a statement from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.)s office.
Protesters participating in a cross-country truck convoy protesting vaccine mandates and other restrictions hold signs on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

Commercial Fishermen May Lend Support to Trucker Protest in Ottawa, While Additional Convoys Rally Locally Across the Country

Sailing a modest-sized fishing boat called the Lobster Stalker out of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Derek Colier battles frigid weather, sleepless nights, and angry seas almost daily when he treks into the Atlantic Ocean hoping to get enough of a haul to justify his honest living.

A former truck driver, Colier understands the lifeblood both the trucking and fishing industries bring to Canadians. And if the truckers need some help in their protest against government restrictions and mandates, he said hes ready to rally the back-up support.

This is something we can make happen if they need us to, Colier said in an interview. If the truckers want a back-up plan, and if they ask for it publicly, I think youre going to see large amounts of commercial fishermen step forward for this.

Colier began his drive to recruit other fishermen on Jan. 27 and worked at it late into the evening. And while he admits he cant make a fishing convoy happen in one night, the industry has the ability to make a statement quickly and choke off ports all around the Maritime provinces and up the St. Lawrence Seaway if necessary.

We have 900 boats in our district alone, and theres 16 different districts in Nova Scotia. You want to gather some people up, we just have to get on the same page, he said.

On the other side of the country, truckers who couldnt join the main protest in Ottawa this weekend are rallying locally in support of ending vaccine mandates and all COVID-19 restrictions. Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have a support convoy starting Jan. 29, snaking through Vancouvers downtown core before finishing 100 kilometres away in Chilliwack, B.C., on Jan. 30.

One of the Trucker Support Convoy organizers estimates at least several hundred vehicles will participate based on the calls he has received.

Were going to snarl up traffic like nothing youve ever seen, Stacey Midgley told The Epoch Times. Im very passionate about this. And this is just the beginning. This is because all of us right now, weve started together as one and we will get this done.

Across Canada, other communities are showing solidarity with the Freedom Convoy 2022 with convoys of their own, including groups rallying at legislative buildings in Victoria, Regina, and St. Johns.

Jamie Olmstead is one of the organizers for the Regina rally. Speaking to The Epoch Times from her home in Moose Jaw, she said more than 300 rigs had confirmed their participation from around the province, including as far away as Lloydminster. And the trucks that cant make it to Regina are joining smaller convoys in other towns around Saskatchewan.

We didnt realize how big this was going to get, Olmstead said. When we thought we wanted to get this going, we just wanted it to be a support system. We had to get permits, we had to get Regina police to start an escort for us. It has gotten so big.

In St. Johns, Cherie Butler has been working to mobilize a Newfoundland and Labrador convoy since Jan. 25, and the response has been encouraging.

I think were going to have a really good turnout, she told The Epoch Times.

A lot of people had been afraid to speak out for fear of backlash and I think this [Freedom Convoy] has given them the comfort in knowing theres a lot of support out there. So while theyre rallying in Ottawa, we need to be rallying here in support of our truckers. Theyre doing this for us so the least we can do is to just throw our love and support behind them 100 percent.

Former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford, who filed a lawsuit against the federal government on Jan. 26 over mandates restricting travel for Canadians without a COVID-19 vaccination, is in favour of the support convoys, urging Canadians to peacefully gather at legislatures across the nation.

We should have tens of thousands at every legislature in the country, he said in an interview. Its an absolute disaster whats going on.

Social media sites in support of the protest continue to emerge, including the official Freedom Convoy Instagram account which grew from 20,000 followers on Jan. 25 to more than 310,000 followers three days later.

Posts are littered with images as convoys from Prince Rupert in B.C. to St. Johns in NL converge in Ottawa where thousands of people were already engaging in pre-rally gatherings on Jan. 28.

Many communities amassed hundreds of kilograms of food for the convoys, including significant contributions from Vaughan Mills, Port Hope, and London, Ontario.

The group Action4Canada, with its motto, We are committed to protecting faith, family and freedom, launched its own campaign in support of the Freedom Convoy with a call for peaceful non-compliance on Jan. 31, urging Canadians to take off their masks and for businesses to disregard the vaccine passports.

Chief Freedom Convoy organizer Martin Brodmann expected nationwide support, but says he was overwhelmed on his journey through New Brunswick and Quebec on the way to Ottawa.

Every overpass we drive under is packed, and not just with people, but with farmers and their farm equipment. Ive never seen anything like this, Brodmann told The Epoch Times.

Mr. Global has a plan to take our freedoms away, but Mr. Global didnt take into account that the people were going to stand up to him. And they are. And while truck drivers bring every imaginable thing to all of us every day, today they are delivering the most important cargo of all: hope.
Convicted Child Molester Will Serve Sentence in Female Juvenile Facility

A 26-year-old California man convicted of molesting a 10-year-old girl will serve out his sentence in a female juvenile facility because he now identifies as a woman.

James Tubbs was 17 when he grabbed the child by the neck, shoved her into a Dennys bathroom stall, and sexually molested her.

DNA only recently linked Tubbs to the assault eight years ago.

After being taken into custody Tubbs adopted a new gender identity of Hannah Tubbs, making him eligible to serve his two-year sentence in a detention facility for women.

Tubbs is still anatomically a male and has not undergone any gender reassignment surgery.

The prosecutor, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, tried Tubbs as a juvenile even though he is 26 years old, which made him eligible for sentencing as a juvenile. That means Tubbs will not only be housed with females, but with minors.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks at a press conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 8, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

As an adult, Tubbs was convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in separate attacks. Tubbs confessed and pled guilty when confronted with the DNA evidence and then adopted his new female identity.

Because of [LA District Attorney] George Gascons blanket policy against transferring any juvenile to adult court, even if the 17-year-old rapes or murders an innocent child, James Tubbs will not have to register as a sex offender, child abuse prosecutor Jon Hatami told Fox News.

[Tubbs] will not spend any time in county jail or state prison, will be 26, and housed with juveniles for a very short period of time, and will be released with no probation or parole monitoring.

The victims will get no justice. The public will get no safety, Hatami added.

Hatami criticized Gascons decision to decline to try Tubbs as an adult.

Tubbs was sentenced to two years in a minor detention center for the assault.

Last year California passed a new law that allows convicted criminals to be housed in a facility based on the gender they claim to identify with instead of their actual identity.

The law was born out of a call by LGBTQ+ advocates for better protection of transgender inmates.

It is believed to be the first case in the United States in which an adult male convicted of sexually assaulting a child will be housed with female juveniles.

In November, the Womens Liberation Front filed a federal lawsuit against the new law.

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that she was sexually assaulted by an inmate who transferred from a mens facility under the law, and another alleged she was molested.

There have been 261 requests for gender-based transfers filed by prisoners since the law took effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

One of them came from 53-year old Kelly Blackwell, a Mule Creek state prisoner in Sacramento and also a transgender woman, who said she has been asked by male inmates for sexual favors.
Supporters cheer on truck drivers in the "Freedom Convoy" headed for Ottawa from an overpass in Kingston, Ont., on Jan. 28, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg)

Convoy Demonstrations Will Be Massive in Scale, Says Ottawa Police Chief, Warning of Potential Lone Wolf Threats

With thousands of truckers en route to Ottawa for a mass demonstration against mandatory vaccination and other pandemic restrictions, officials from the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) provided an update Friday on preparations for the demonstration.

OPS Chief Peter Sloly said the main demonstrations will take place in Ottawa over the weekend of Jan. 29-30, but organizers plan to continue protesting into next week.

The demonstrations this weekend will be unique, fluid, risky, and significant. These demonstrations are national in scope, theyre massive in scale. Unfortunately, theyre polarizing in nature and they come almost two full years into a highly stressful and tragic global pandemic, Sloly said at a press conference on Jan. 28.

The organizers have advised us that this will be a peaceful demonstration, Soly added, noting that, as protesters have already begun to arrive in Ottawa, some small demonstrations have taken place in the city core that have been peaceful and uneventful.



The huge convoy, which includes truckers from across the country as well as some from the United States, was sparked by the federal governments COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers. It has since gained traction with Canadians who are upset with pandemic restrictions and mandates, and many have joined the convoy in support.



Over 10,000 truck drivers are expected to gather to the capital, rallying under the group Canada Unity. The group reiterated on Jan. 28 that the Freedom Convoy is a peaceful and lawful action, while warning about imbedded agitators that we are fully aware will be present.



The OPS said they have been in constant communication with core convoy organizers, including eight convoy captains.

However, Sloly warned that there are parallel demonstrators who the police have not been able to engage fully with, as well as social media actors who may not attend in person but who are nonetheless inciting hate, violence, and in some cases criminality to take place in our city.

In response to potential threats from these lone wolf individuals, he said, police are prepared to investigate, arrest if necessary, charge, and prosecute anyone who acts violently or breaks the law in the demonstrations or in association with demonstrations.

We have the capability and the commitment to pursue investigations and prosecutions well after the demonstrations have ended, he said.

On Jan. 27, the official in charge of security for the House of Commons, Sergeant-at-Arms Patrick McDonell, warned about the possibility of doxxingpublishing individuals personal information online so they can be targetedof some MPs who live in the Ottawa area.

If the situation becomes volatile and your security is at risk, call 911 and consider evacuating your location, he wrote on social media.

On Thursday, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre pushed back against reporting that frames the convoy as extremist in nature, after a reporter asked him about how he sees the extreme elements trying to attach themselves to the protest.

Poilievre said the question itself spoke to a larger problem with how the liberal media portray protests organized by conservative groups.

What I think is interesting is that when theres a left-wing protest on Parliament Hill, we dont see the liberal media going through every single name of the people who attend, to try and find one person that they can disparage the whole group with, he said. He added that its normal with such a large group of people that some could say unacceptable things, but those individuals should be held responsible rather than the whole group. That doesnt mean we disparage the thousands of hard-working, law-abiding, and peaceful truckers, who quite frankly, have kept all of you alive for the last two years by filling your grocery shelves with the food that you eat, and filling your homes with the products that you rely upon.

Noe Chartier and The Canadian Press contributed to this article
Curfews Have a Dark History: No Wonder People Are Resisting Them in the Pandemic

Over Christmas, the Canadian province of Quebec imposed a curfew on its citizens. This curfew, like lockdowns, mask mandates and other restrictions, was aimed at stemming the latest omicron-fuelled pandemic tide. Starting on New Years Eve, the curfew required citizens to be at home between 10pm and 5am.

Though curfews have not been a hot topic in the UK, they have been deployed relatively frequently as a response to the pandemic around the globe. In 2021, several European countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and France, imposed curfews of varying lengths. And in Canada, Quebec imposed its first curfew on January 9  only ending it in late May 2021. More recently, in response to the omicron variant, India also introduced curfews, of varying lengths, in 30 states.

Despite the relative ubiquity of curfews, and despite the relative acceptance of the curfew in Quebec last year, this time the policy was met with criticism, derision and defiance. Quebec political analyst Patrick Dery tweeted over the first weekend of 2022: I have never felt so infantilized by the government.

Though curfews have gained notoriety over the pandemic, they are not new. In the medieval period, curfews came in the form of an evening bell, rung to signify that the cooking and heating fires of the day should be covered for the night. From the French couvre feu, literally to cover the fire, these regulations were aimed at preventing unattended flames growing out of control.

Many people associate curfews with blackouts and bomb shelters that attempted to protect citizens from nocturnal air raids during the second world war. Here the rationale has often been an appeal to public safety  to keep civilians off the streets. But curfews were also strongly associated with conserving resources. During the first world war, curfew orders were instituted on British shops and other venues to save fuel for the war effort. Likewise, during the second world war, obligatory dim outs on Broadway cut short New Yorkers nightlife to conserve fuel and manpower for the boys overseas.

If curfews in times of war dont ring a bell, then most will have heard of curfews placed on children and young adults. Curfews imposed by governments on young people tend to rhetorically navigate the line between the protection of impressionable youth  from the trouble, as Harold Hill famously sang in The Music Man, associated with a lurid 1920s landscape of pool halls and horse racing when curfews were all the rage  and the protection of a city from those same young people.

By the middle of the 20th century, many cities worldwide had permanent youth curfews. California law still states that new, teenage drivers cannot be out driving by themselves after 11pm. And Detroits curfew on the under-18s was instituted to reduce violence and vandalism. It is probably this context that Dery was thinking of when he called the current Quebec curfew infantalizing.

Racism and Prejudice

Infantalising though curfews may be, this is hardly their most significant feature, historically. Curfews are also associated with a long history of racism and prejudice. And it is with this legacy, and not some vision of the nanny state, that contemporary curfews most need to contend.

In the 1700s, many cities in Europe and the US imposed curfews that targeted populations of enslaved people and low-income labourers. This troubled legacy of social control continued into the 19th century. In the wake of the American Civil War, for example, many communities in the southern states imposed curfews on newly freed slaves in an effort to perpetuate the conditions of slavery after its abolition. These were brutally enforced, beginning the legacy of racially fuelled police beatings that continue. They also radically restricted the economic opportunities for black workers.

These practices did not abate in the 20th century. In the 1920s, the British military authorities in Belfast instituted the Curfew Law, under which all citizens were required to remain indoors from 10:30pm to 5:00am. It is also worth noting that while New Yorkers were complaining about the inconvenient curtailing of their nightlife during the second world war, across the continent, in the west and southwest, the US army was enacting stringent curfews that specifically targeted Japanese Americans as part of a set of policies that also included internment camps.

It is this sort of legacy that taints current justifications for curfews, especially, but not only, those imposed in the wake of civil unrest and violence. Perhaps most notable have been the curfews imposed after George Floyds murder, or those that followed the 1992 brutal beating of Rodney King by LA police. But it is certainly not only in the US that curfews have been used to quell protest. In 1970, the British Army imposed a 36-hour curfew on the Falls neighbourhood of Belfast, which rather than calming tensions, bolstered anti-British feeling in the city.

Punishing the Vulnerable

Indeed, it is against this backdrop, and not the more benign legacy of errant teenagers or war-inflected patriotism, that we need to read curfews now because the people they most disadvantage are still marginalised populations. From sex workers to rough sleepers, from migrant workers to those experiencing domestic violence, curfews punishment of already vulnerable people is no historical artefact.

But thats not all. There is evidence to suggest that curfews have little effect on disease dynamics, especially when other measures, such as restricting large gatherings or business closures, are already in place. As a result, the imposition of curfews has rightly sounded alarm bells. Not only do curfews elicit what social scientists call reactance  a feeling of anger that drives non-adherence  but they also may motivate people to shift activities from night to day. Exactly that happened in cities like Detroit, where the initially promising statistic, that curfews on youths reduced the amount of crime at night by 7%, was met with the more sobering one: that over this same period, day crimes increased by 13%.

Disease, like crime and police brutality, does not observe distinctions between day and night. With the assurance that people will find other times of the day to conduct the activities that supposedly make the night so dangerous, curfews seem a doubtful solution. Predicated on flimsy logic, supported by limited evidence, capable of doing more harm than good, and with the capacity to perpetuate long-standing stigmatisation of certain people, curfews perhaps should be relegated to the history books where they belong.

Agnes Arnold-Forster, Researcher, Centre for History in Public Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Caitjan Gainty, Senior Lecturer in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Kings College London This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
EU flags flutter in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, on Oct. 2, 2019. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

EU Aims to Invest Billions Euros in Chip Push, EUs Breton Says

BRUSSELSThe European Union aims to invest tens of billions of euros to bolster its chip industry and double its share of global production to 20 percent, the blocs industry chief said on Friday, after a global shortage showed the risks of relying on Asian and U.S. suppliers.

The EUs ambitious plan comes after the United States last year announced its $52 billion CHIPS for America Act to better compete with Chinese technology.

I do not want to give you today the level of investment, but it will be commensurate to what the U.S. wants to put in, European Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton told journalists.

We are working with all the different payments, especially national, European, regional, but of course I confirm that when you add all this we will have what we need and it will be commensurate, he said.

The EU Chips Act, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last September and which the EU executive plans to flesh out on Feb. 8, will cover investments for the next 2030 years.

The EU chip push includes setting up a program financed by EU states targeting the production of cutting-edge chips and a design platform for producers, software companies, and users to test new applications.

Looser state aid rules will apply for European first of a kind production facilities.

We do whatever it takes to attract strategic investment. We set our conditions, first of a kind in Europe, security of supply, no state aid for catch-up technologies, Breton said.

I want the EU to be a net exporter in semi-conductors like we are in vaccines. In geo-strategic industries like batteries or pharmaceuticals we do the samenot do everything yourself but have the capacity if needed so that EU cannot be held hostage.

By Jan Strupczewski
Some solar panel production lines are moving out of China. The shift follows new U.S. import restrictions on products tied to forced labor.

Supply chains are shifting back to the United States. A new bill aims to help boost that process, especially for American semiconductor manufacturing.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is calling on Americans to watch an award-winning film. He calls the movie an honest, scathing indictment of the Chinese Communist Party.

The European Union takes action against China to back one of its member countries. Now, the organization is launching a case against the Chinese regime with the World Trade Organization.

Thousands of blossoms go up in flames. A Hong Kong flower farmer is cutting his supply in half ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday after strict pandemic measures sent demand on a downward spiral.

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150 Research Studies Affirm Naturally Acquired Immunity to COVID-19

Commentary

We should not force COVID vaccines on anyone when the evidence shows that naturally acquired immunity is equal to or more robust and superior to existing vaccines. Instead, we should respect the right of the bodily integrity of individuals to decide for themselves.

Public health officials and the medical establishment with the help of the politicized media are misleading the public with assertions that the COVID-19 shots provide greater protection than natural immunity. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, for example, was deceptive in her October 2020 published LANCET statement that there is no evidence for lasting protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 following natural infection and that the consequence of waning immunity would present a risk to vulnerable populations for the indefinite future.

Immunology and virology 101 have taught us over a century that natural immunity confers protection against a respiratory viruss outer coat proteins, and not just one, e.g. the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. There is even strong evidence for the persistence of antibodies. Even the CDC recognizes natural immunity for chicken-pox and measles, mumps, and rubella, but not for COVID-19.

The vaccinated are showing viral loads (very high) similar to the unvaccinated (Acharya et al. and Riemersma et al.), and the vaccinated are as infectious. Riemersma et al. also report Wisconsin data that corroborate how the vaccinated individuals who get infected with the Delta variant can potentially (and are) transmit(ting) SARS-CoV-2 to others (potentially to the vaccinated and unvaccinated).

This troubling situation of the vaccinated being infectious and transmitting the virus emerged in seminal nosocomial outbreak papers by Chau et al. (HCWs in Vietnam), the Finland hospital outbreak (spread among HCWs and patients), and the Israel hospital outbreak (spread among HCWs and patients). These studies also revealed that the PPE and masks were essentially ineffective in the healthcare setting. Again, the Mareks disease in chickens and the vaccination situation explains what we are potentially facing with these leaky vaccines (increased transmission, faster transmission, and more hotter variants).

Moreover, existing immunity should be assessed before any vaccination, via an accurate, dependable, and reliable antibody test (or T cell immunity test) or be based on documentation of prior infection (a previous positive PCR or antigen test). Such would be evidence of immunity that is equal to that of vaccination and the immunity should be provided the same societal status as any vaccine-induced immunity. This will function to mitigate the societal anxiety with these forced vaccine mandates and societal upheaval due to job loss, denial of societal privileges etc. Tearing apart the vaccinated and the unvaccinated in a society, separating them, is not medically or scientifically supportable.

The Brownstone Institute previously documented 30 studies on natural immunity as it relates to Covid-19.

This follow-up chart is the most updated and comprehensive library list of 146 of the highest-quality, complete, most robust scientific studies and evidence reports/position statements on natural immunity as compared to the COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity and allow you to draw your own conclusion.

This represents the judged trustworthy body of evidence that includes peer-reviewed studies and high-quality literature and reporting that contributes to that body of evidence. The aim here is to share and inform for your own decision-making.

Ive benefited from the input of many to put this together, especially my co-authors:

Dr. Harvey Risch, MD, PhD (Yale School of Public Health)

Dr. Howard Tenenbaum, PhD ( Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto)

Dr. Ramin Oskoui, MD (Foxhall Cardiology, Washington)

Dr. Peter McCullough, MD (Truth for Health Foundation (TFH)), Texas

Dr. Parvez Dara, MD (consultant, Medical Hematologist and Oncologist)

Evidence on Natural Immunity Versus COVID-19 Vaccine Induced Immunity:

Study/report title and the predominant finding on natural immunity

Cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was examined among 52,238 employees in an American healthcare system. The cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection remained almost zero among previously infected unvaccinated subjects, previously infected subjects who were vaccinated, and previously uninfected subjects who were vaccinated, compared with a steady increase in cumulative incidence among previously uninfected subjects who remained unvaccinated. Not one of the 1359 previously infected subjects who remained unvaccinated had a SARS-CoV-2 infection over the duration of the study. Individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection are unlikely to benefit from COVID-19 vaccination

Studied T cell responses against the structural (nucleocapsid (N) protein) and non-structural (NSP7 and NSP13 of ORF1) regions of SARS-CoV-2 in individuals convalescing from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (n = 36). In all of these individuals, we found CD4 and CD8 T cells that recognized multiple regions of the N proteinshowed that patients (n = 23) who recovered from SARS possess long-lasting memory T cells that are reactive to the N protein of SARS-CoV 17 years after the outbreak of SARS in 2003; these T cells displayed robust cross-reactivity to the N protein of SARS-CoV-2.

A retrospective observational study comparing three groups: (1) SARS-CoV-2-naive individuals who received a two-dose regimen of the BioNTech/Pfizer mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine, (2) previously infected individuals who have not been vaccinated, and (3) previously infected and single dose vaccinated individuals found para a 13 fold increased risk of breakthrough Delta infections in double vaccinated persons, and a 27 fold increased risk for symptomatic breakthrough infection in the double vaccinated relative to the natural immunity recovered personsthe risk of hospitalization was 8 times higher in the double vaccinated (para)this analysis demonstrated that natural immunity affords longer lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease and hospitalization due to the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity.

Studied SARS-CoV-2specific T cells in a cohort of asymptomatic (n = 85) and symptomatic (n = 75) COVID-19 patients after seroconversionthus, asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2infected individuals are not characterized by weak antiviral immunity; on the contrary, they mount a highly functional virus-specific cellular immune response.

A total of 2,653 individuals fully vaccinated by two doses of vaccine during the study period and 4,361 convalescent patients were included. Higher SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers were observed in vaccinated individuals (median 1581 AU/mL IQR [533.8-5644.6]) after the second vaccination, than in convalescent individuals (median 355.3 AU/mL IQR [141.2-998.7]; p<0.001). In vaccinated subjects, antibody titers decreased by up to 40% each subsequent month while in convalescents they decreased by less than 5% per monththis study demonstrates individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine have different kinetics of antibody levels compared to patients who had been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with higher initial levels but a much faster exponential decrease in the first group.

Researchers recorded 40 tentative re-infections in 14, 840 COVID-19 survivors of the first wave (0.27%) and 253 581 infections in 8, 885, 640 individuals of the remaining general population (2.85%) translating into an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.09 (0.07 to 0.13)relatively low re-infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 in Austria. Protection against SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection is comparable with the highest available estimates on vaccine efficacies. Additionally, hospitalization in only five out of 14,840 (0.03%) people and death in one out of 14,840 (0.01%) (tentative re-infection).

Spike-specific T cells from convalescent vaccinees differed strikingly from those of infection-naive vaccinees, with phenotypic features suggesting superior long-term persistence and ability to home to the respiratory tract including the nasopharynx. These results provide reassurance that vaccine-elicited T cells respond robustly to the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants, confirm that convalescents may not need a second vaccine dose.

Months after recovering from mild cases of COVID-19, people still have immune cells in their body pumping out antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Such cells could persist for a lifetime, churning out antibodies all the while. The findings, published May 24 in the journal Nature, suggest that mild cases of COVID-19 leave those infected with lasting antibody protection and that repeated bouts of illness are likely to be uncommon.

Neutralizing antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein persisted for at least 5 months after infection. Although continued monitoring of this cohort will be needed to confirm the longevity and potency of this response, these preliminary results suggest that the chance of reinfection may be lower than is currently feared.

Concurrently, neutralizing activity in plasma decreases by five-fold in pseudo-type virus assays. In contrast, the number of RBD-specific memory B cells is unchanged. Memory B cells display clonal turnover after 6.2 months, and the antibodies they express have greater somatic hypermutation, increased potency and resistance to RBD mutations, indicative of continued evolution of the humoral responsewe conclude that the memory B cell response to SARS-CoV-2 evolves between 1.3 and 6.2 months after infection in a manner that is consistent with antigen persistence.

Assessed the persistence of serum antibodies following WT SARS-CoV-2 infection at 8 and 13 months after diagnosis in 367 individualsfound that NAb against the WT virus persisted in 89% and S-IgG in 97% of subjects for at least 13 months after infection.

Eleven large cohort studies were identified that estimated the risk of SARSCoV2 reinfection over time, including three that enrolled healthcare workers and two that enrolled residents and staff of elderly care homes. Across studies, the total number of PCRpositive or antibodypositive participants at baseline was 615,777, and the maximum duration of followup was more than 10 months in three studies. Reinfection was an uncommon event (absolute rate 0%1.1%), with no study reporting an increase in the risk of reinfection over time.

The Western Journal-Makary

Makary writes its okay to have an incorrect scientific hypothesis. But when new data proves it wrong, you have to adapt. Unfortunately, many elected leaders and public health officials have held on far too long to the hypothesis that natural immunity offers unreliable protection against covid-19  a contention that is being rapidly debunked by science. More than 15 studies have demonstrated the power of immunity acquired by previously having the virus. A 700,000-person study from Israel two weeks ago found that those who had experienced prior infections were 27 times less likely to get a second symptomatic covid infection than those who were vaccinated. This affirmed a June Cleveland Clinic study of health-care workers (who are often exposed to the virus), in which none who had previously tested positive for the coronavirus got reinfected. The study authors concluded that individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection are unlikely to benefit from covid-19 vaccination. And in May, a Washington University study found that even a mild covid infection resulted in long-lasting immunity.

The data on natural immunity are now overwhelming, Makary told the Morning Wire. It turns out the hypothesis that our public health leaders had that vaccinated immunity is better and stronger than natural immunity was wrong. They got it backwards. And now weve got data from Israel showing that natural immunity is 27 times more effective than vaccinated immunity.

203 recovered SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in Denmark between April 3rd and July 9th 2020, at least 14 days after COVID-19 symptom recovery report broad serological profiles within the cohort, detecting antibody binding to other human coronaviruses the viral surface spike protein was identified as the dominant target for both neutralizing antibodies and CD8+ T-cell responses. Overall, the majority of patients had robust adaptive immune responses, regardless of their disease severity.

Analyze an updated individual-level database of the entire population of Israel to assess the protection efficacy of both prior infection and vaccination in preventing subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization with COVID-19, severe disease, and death due to COVID-19 vaccination was highly effective with overall estimated efficacy for documented infection of 928% (CI:[926, 930]); hospitalization 942% (CI:[936, 947]); severe illness 944% (CI:[936, 950]); and death 937% (CI:[925, 947]). Similarly, the overall estimated level of protection from prior SARS-CoV-2 infection for documented infection is 948% (CI: [944, 951]); hospitalization 941% (CI: [919, 957]); and severe illness 964% (CI: [925, 983])results question the need to vaccinate previously-infected individuals.

Employees were divided into three groups: (1) SARS-CoV-2 naive and unvaccinated, (2) previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and (3) vaccinated. Person-days were measured from the date of the employee first test and truncated at the end of the observation period. SARS-CoV-2 infection was defined as two positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests in a 30-day period 4313, 254 and 739 employee records for groups 1, 2, and 3previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 were associated with decreased risk for infection or re-infection with SARS-CoV-2 in a routinely screened workforce. The was no difference in the infection incidence between vaccinated individuals and individuals with previous infection.

Israelis who had an infection were more protected against the Delta coronavirus variant than those who had an already highly effective COVID-19 vaccinethe newly released data show people who once had a SARS-CoV-2 infection were much less likely than never-infected, vaccinated people to get Delta, develop symptoms from it, or become hospitalized with serious COVID-19.

A systematic antigen-specific immune evaluation in 101 COVID-19 convalescents; SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies, and also NAb can persist among over 95% COVID-19 convalescents from 6 months to 12 months after disease onset. At least 19/71 (26%) of COVID-19 convalescents (double positive in ELISA and MCLIA) had detectable circulating IgM antibody against SARS-CoV-2 at 12m post-disease onset. Notably, the percentages of convalescents with positive SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses (at least one of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen S1, S2, M and N protein) were 71/76 (93%) and 67/73 (92%) at 6m and 12m, respectively.

Recovered individuals developed SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies, neutralizing plasma, and memory B and memory T cells that persisted for at least 3 months. Our data further reveal that SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG memory B cells increased over time. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2-specific memory lymphocytes exhibited characteristics associated with potent antiviral function: memory T cells secreted cytokines and expanded upon antigen re-encounter, whereas memory B cells expressed receptors capable of neutralizing virus when expressed as monoclonal antibodies. Therefore, mild COVID-19 elicits memory lymphocytes that persist and display functional hallmarks of antiviral immunity.

Performed multimodal single-cell sequencing on peripheral blood of patients with acute COVID-19 and healthy volunteers before and after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine to compare the immune responses elicited by the virus and by this vaccineboth infection and vaccination induced robust innate and adaptive immune responses, our analysis revealed significant qualitative differences between the two types of immune challenges. In COVID-19 patients, immune responses were characterized by a highly augmented interferon response which was largely absent in vaccine recipients. Increased interferon signaling likely contributed to the observed dramatic upregulation of cytotoxic genes in the peripheral T cells and innate-like lymphocytes in patients but not in immunized subjects. Analysis of B and T cell receptor repertoires revealed that while the majority of clonal B and T cells in COVID-19 patients were effector cells, in vaccine recipients clonally expanded cells were primarily circulating memory cellswe observed the presence of cytotoxic CD4 T cells in COVID-19 patients that were largely absent in healthy volunteers following immunization. While hyper-activation of inflammatory responses and cytotoxic cells may contribute to immunopathology in severe illness, in mild and moderate disease, these features are indicative of protective immune responses and resolution of infection.

Bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs) are a persistent and essential source of protective antibodies durable serum antibody titres are maintained by long-lived plasma cellsnon-replicating, antigen-specific plasma cells that are detected in the bone marrow long after the clearance of the antigen  S-binding BMPCs are quiescent, which suggests that they are part of a stable compartment. Consistently, circulating resting memory B cells directed against SARS-CoV-2 S were detected in the convalescent individuals. Overall, our results indicate that mild infection with SARS-CoV-2 induces robust antigen-specific, long-lived humoral immune memory in humansoverall, our data provide strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans robustly establishes the two arms of humoral immune memory: long-lived bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs) and memory B-cells.

The SARS-CoV-2 Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation study 30 625 participants were enrolled into the study a previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an 84% lower risk of infection, with median protective effect observed 7 months following primary infection. This time period is the minimum probable effect because seroconversions were not included. This study shows that previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 induces effective immunity to future infections in most individuals.

Enrolled 200 patient-facing HCWs between March 26 and April 8, 2020represents a 13% infection rate (i.e. 14 of 112 HCWs) within the 1 month of follow-up in those with no evidence of antibodies or viral shedding at enrolment. By contrast, of 33 HCWs who tested positive by serology but tested negative by RT-PCR at enrolment, 32 remained negative by RT-PCR through follow-up, and one tested positive by RT-PCR on days 8 and 13 after enrolment.

Critical to understand whether infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protects from subsequent reinfection 12219 HCWs participatedprior SARS-CoV-2 infection that generated antibody responses offered protection from reinfection for most people in the six months following infection.

Evaluate 254 COVID-19 patients longitudinally up to 8 months and find durable broad-based immune responses. SARS-CoV-2 spike binding and neutralizing antibodies exhibit a bi-phasic decay with an extended half-life of >200 days suggesting the generation of longer-lived plasma cells most recovered COVID-19 patients mount broad, durable immunity after infection, spike IgG+ memory B cells increase and persist post-infection, durable polyfunctional CD4 and CD8 T cells recognize distinct viral epitope regions.

Used single-cell RNA sequencing and functional assays to compare humoral and cellular responses to two doses of mRNA vaccine with responses observed in convalescent individuals with asymptomatic disease natural infection induced expansion of larger CD8 T cell clones occupied distinct clusters, likely due to the recognition of a broader set of viral epitopes presented by the virus not seen in the mRNA vaccine.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody-positive persons from April 16 to December 31, 2020 with a PCR-positive swab 14 days after the first-positive antibody test were investigated for evidence of reinfection, 43,044 antibody-positive persons who were followed for a median of 16.3 weeksreinfection is rare in the young and international population of Qatar. Natural infection appears to elicit strong protection against reinfection with an efficacy ~95% for at least seven months.

Conducted a serological study to define correlates of immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Compared to those with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, individuals with severe disease exhibited elevated virus-neutralizing titers and antibodies against the nucleocapsid (N) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike proteinneutralizing and spike-specific antibody production persists for at least 57 months nucleocapsid antibodies frequently become undetectable by 57 months.

In the general population using representative data from 7,256 United Kingdom COVID-19 infection survey participants who had positive swab SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests from 26-April-2020 to 14-June-2021we estimated antibody levels associated with protection against reinfection likely last 1.5-2 years on average, with levels associated with protection from severe infection present for several years. These estimates could inform planning for vaccination booster strategies.

and the actual 2008 NATURE journal publication by Yu

A study of the blood of older people who survived the 1918 influenza pandemic reveals that antibodies to the strain have lasted a lifetime and can perhaps be engineered to protect future generations against similar strainsthe group collected blood samples from 32 pandemic survivors aged 91 to 101..the people recruited for the study were 2 to 12 years old in 1918 and many recalled sick family members in their households, which suggests they were directly exposed to the virus, the authors report. The group found that 100% of the subjects had serum-neutralizing activity against the 1918 virus and 94% showed serologic reactivity to the 1918 hemagglutinin. The investigators generated B lymphoblastic cell lines from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of eight subjects. Transformed cells from the blood of 7 of the 8 donors yielded secreting antibodies that bound the 1918 hemagglutinin. Yu: here we show that of the 32 individuals tested that were born in or before 1915, each showed sero-reactivity with the 1918 virus, nearly 90 years after the pandemic. Seven of the eight donor samples tested had circulating B cells that secreted antibodies that bound the 1918 HA. We isolated B cells from subjects and generated five monoclonal antibodies that showed potent neutralizing activity against 1918 virus from three separate donors. These antibodies also cross-reacted with the genetically similar HA of a 1930 swine H1N1 influenza strain.

No significant difference was observed between the 20B and 19A isolates for HCWs with mild COVID-19 and critical patients. However, a significant decrease in neutralisation ability was found for 20I/501Y.V1 in comparison with 19A isolate for critical patients and HCWs 6-months post infection. Concerning 20H/501Y.V2, all populations had a significant reduction in neutralising antibody titres in comparison with the 19A isolate. Interestingly, a significant difference in neutralisation capacity was observed for vaccinated HCWs between the two variants whereas it was not significant for the convalescent groupsthe reduced neutralising response observed towards the 20H/501Y.V2 in comparison with the 19A and 20I/501Y.V1 isolates in fully immunized subjects with the BNT162b2 vaccine is a striking finding of the study.

Characterized SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific humoral and cellular immunity in naive and previously infected individuals during full BNT162b2 vaccinationresults demonstrate that the second dose increases both the humoral and cellular immunity in naive individuals. On the contrary, the second BNT162b2 vaccine dose results in a reduction of cellular immunity in COVID-19 recovered individuals.

Epidemiologists estimate over 160 million people worldwide have recovered from COVID-19. Those who have recovered have an astonishingly low frequency of repeat infection, disease, or death.

To evaluate evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on diagnostic nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) among patients with positive vs negative test results for antibodies in an observational descriptive cohort study of clinical laboratory and linked claims datathe cohort included 3 257 478 unique patients with an index antibody testpatients with positive antibody test results were initially more likely to have positive NAAT results, consistent with prolonged RNA shedding, but became markedly less likely to have positive NAAT results over time, suggesting that seropositivity is associated with protection from infection.

Investigated the risk of subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection among young adults (CHARM marine study) seropositive for a previous infectionenrolled 3249 participants, of whom 3168 (98%) continued into the 2-week quarantine period. 3076 (95%) participantsAmong 189 seropositive participants, 19 (10%) had at least one positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 during the 6-week follow-up (11 cases per person-year). In contrast, 1079 (48%) of 2247 seronegative participants tested positive (62 cases per person-year). The incidence rate ratio was 018 (95% CI 011028; p<0001)infected seropositive participants had viral loads that were about 10-times lower than those of infected seronegative participants (ORF1ab gene cycle threshold difference 395 [95% CI 123667]; p=0004).

Of 9,180 individuals with no record of vaccination but with a record of prior infection at least 90 days before the PCR test (group 3), 7694 could be matched to individuals with no record of vaccination or prior infection (group 2), among whom PCR positivity was 1.01% (95% CI, 0.80%-1.26%) and 3.81% (95% CI, 3.39%-4.26%), respectively. The relative risk for PCR positivity was 0.22 (95% CI, 0.17-0.28) for vaccinated individuals and 0.26 (95% CI, 0.21-0.34) for individuals with prior infection compared with no record of vaccination or prior infection.

Followed up with a subsample of our previous sero-survey participants to assess whether natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2 was associated with a reduced risk of re-infection (India) out of the 2238 participants, 1170 were sero-positive and 1068 were sero-negative for antibody against COVID-19. Our survey found that only 3 individuals in the sero-positive group got infected with COVID-19 whereas 127 individuals reported contracting the infection the sero-negative groupfrom the 3 sero-positives re-infected with COVID-19, one had hospitalization, but did not require oxygen support or critical caredevelopment of antibody following natural infection not only protects against re-infection by the virus to a great extent, but also safeguards against progression to severe COVID-19 disease.

The researchers found durable immune responses in the majority of people studied. Antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which the virus uses to get inside cells, were found in 98% of participants one month after symptom onset. As seen in previous studies, the number of antibodies ranged widely between individuals. But, promisingly, their levels remained fairly stable over time, declining only modestly at 6 to 8 months after infection virus-specific B cells increased over time. People had more memory B cells six months after symptom onset than at one month afterwards levels of T cells for the virus also remained high after infection. Six months after symptom onset, 92% of participants had CD4+ T cells that recognized the virus 95% of the people had at least 3 out of 5 immune-system components that could recognize SARS-CoV-2 up to 8 months after infection.

The seropositive rate in the convalescent individuals was above 95% at all sampling time points for both assays and remained stable over time; that is, almost all convalescent individuals developed antibodies results show that SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisted at least 12 months after symptom onset and maybe even longer, indicating that COVID-19-convalescent individuals may be protected from reinfection.

ex vivo assays to evaluate SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in COVID-19 convalescent patients up to 317 days post-symptom onset (DPSO), and find that memory T cell responses are maintained during the study period regardless of the severity of COVID-19. In particular, we observe sustained polyfunctionality and proliferation capacity of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells. Among SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells detected by activation-induced markers, the proportion of stem cell-like memory T (TSCM) cells is increased, peaking at approximately 120 DPSO.

Analyzed 42 unexposed healthy donors and 28 mild COVID-19 subjects up to 5 months from the recovery for SARS-CoV-2 specific immunological memory. Using HLA class II predicted peptide megapools, we identified SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive CD4+ T cells in around 66% of the unexposed individuals. Moreover, we found detectable immune memory in mild COVID-19 patients several months after recovery in the crucial arms of protective adaptive immunity; CD4+ T cells and B cells, with a minimal contribution from CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, the persistent immune memory in COVID-19 patients is predominantly targeted towards the Spike glycoprotein of the SARS-CoV-2. This study provides the evidence of both high magnitude pre-existing and persistent immune memory in Indian population.

Current evidence points to most individuals developing strong protective immune responses following natural infection with SARSCoV-2. Within 4 weeks following infection, 90-99% of individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus develop detectable neutralizing antibodies. The strength and duration of the immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 are not completely understood and currently available data suggests that it varies by age and the severity of symptoms. Available scientific data suggests that in most people immune responses remain robust and protective against reinfection for at least 6-8 months after infection (the longest follow up with strong scientific evidence is currently approximately 8 months).

We conclude that memory antibodies selected over time by natural infection have greater potency and breadth than antibodies elicited by vaccinationboosting vaccinated individuals with currently available mRNA vaccines would produce a quantitative increase in plasma neutralizing activity but not the qualitative advantage against variants obtained by vaccinating convalescent individuals.

Measured antibodies in serum samples from 30,576 persons in Icelandof the 1797 persons who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, 1107 of the 1215 who were tested (91.1%) were seropositiveresults indicate risk of death from infection was 0.3% and that antiviral antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 did not decline within 4 months after diagnosis (para).

Analyzed multiple compartments of circulating immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 in 254 samples from 188 COVID-19 cases, including 43 samples at  6 months post-infectionIgG to the Spike protein was relatively stable over 6+ months. Spike-specific memory B cells were more abundant at 6 months than at 1 month post symptom onset.

Fifty-four studies, from 18 countries, with a total of 12 011 447 individuals, followed up to 8 months after recovery, were included. At 6-8 months after recovery, the prevalence of detectable SARS-CoV-2 specific immunological memory remained high; IgG  90.4% pooled prevalence of reinfection was 0.2% (95%CI 0.0  0.7, I2 = 98.8, 9 studies). Individuals who recovered from COVID-19 had an 81% reduction in odds of a reinfection (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.1  0.3, I2 = 90.5%, 5 studies).

Retrospective cohort study of one multi-hospital health system included 150,325 patients tested for COVID-19 infectionprior infection in patients with COVID-19 was highly protective against reinfection and symptomatic disease. This protection increased over time, suggesting that viral shedding or ongoing immune response may persist beyond 90 days and may not represent true reinfection.

The study results suggest that reinfections are rare events and patients who have recovered from COVID-19 have a lower risk of reinfection. Natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2 appears to confer a protective effect for at least a year, which is similar to the protection reported in recent vaccine studies.

We observed no symptomatic reinfections in a cohort of healthcare workersthis apparent immunity to re-infection was maintained for at least 6 monthstest positivity rates were 0% (0/128 [95% CI: 02.9]) in those with previous infection compared to 13.7% (290/2115 [95% CI: 12.315.2]) in those without (P<0.0001 2 test).

Using HLA class I and II predicted peptide megapools, circulating SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were identified in 70% and 100% of COVID-19 convalescent patients, respectively. CD4+ T cell responses to spike, the main target of most vaccine efforts, were robust and correlated with the magnitude of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA titers. The M, spike, and N proteins each accounted for 11%27% of the total CD4+ response, with additional responses commonly targeting nsp3, nsp4, ORF3a, and ORF8, among others. For CD8+ T cells, spike and M were recognized, with at least eight SARS-CoV-2 ORFs targeted.

Much of the study on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has focused on the production of antibodies. But, in fact, immune cells known as memory T cells also play an important role in the ability of our immune systems to protect us against many viral infections, includingit now appearsCOVID-19.An intriguing new study of these memory T cells suggests they might protect some people newly infected with SARS-CoV-2 by remembering past encounters with other human coronaviruses. This might potentially explain why some people seem to fend off the virus and may be less susceptible to becoming severely ill with COVID-19.

Our study demonstrates that convalescent subjects previously infected with ancestral variant SARS-CoV-2 produce antibodies that cross-neutralize emerging VOCs with high potencypotent against 23 variants, including variants of concern.

Requiring the vaccine in people who are already immune with natural immunity has no scientific support. While vaccinating those people may be beneficial  and its a reasonable hypothesis that vaccination may bolster the longevity of their immunity  to argue dogmatically that they must get vaccinated has zero clinical outcome data to back it. As a matter of fact, we have data to the contrary: A Cleveland Clinic study found that vaccinating people with natural immunity did not add to their level of protection.

Screened 21 well-characterized, longitudinally-sampled convalescent donors that recovered from mild COVID-19following a typical case of mild COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells not only persist but continuously differentiate in a coordinated fashion well into convalescence, into a state characteristic of long-lived, self-renewing memory.

Characterized the profiles of measles vaccine (MV) vaccine-induced antigen-specific T cells over time since vaccination. In a cross-sectional study of healthy subjects with a history of MV vaccination, we found that MV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells could be detected up to 34 years after vaccination. The levels of MV-specific CD8 T cells and MV-specific IgG remained stable, whereas the level of MV-specific CD4 T cells decreased significantly in subjects who had been vaccinated >21 years earlier.

The success of vaccines is dependent on the generation and maintenance of immunological memory. The immune system can remember previously encountered pathogens, and memory B and T cells are critical in secondary responses to infection. Studies in mice have helped to understand how different memory B cell populations are generated following antigen exposure and how affinity for the antigen is determinant to B cell fate upon re-exposure to an antigen the memory recall response will be faster, stronger, and more specific than a naive response. Protective memory depends first on circulating antibodies secreted by LLPCs. When these are not sufficient for immediate pathogen neutralization and elimination, memory B cells are recalled.

Examined the magnitude, breadth, and durability of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in two distinct B-cell compartments: long-lived plasma cell-derived antibodies in the plasma, and peripheral memory B-cells along with their associated antibody profiles elicited after in vitro stimulation. We found that magnitude varied amongst individuals, but was the highest in hospitalized subjects. Variants of concern (VoC) -RBD-reactive antibodies were found in the plasma of 72% of samples in this investigation, and VoC-RBD-reactive memory B-cells were found in all but 1 subject at a single time-point. This finding, that VoC-RBD-reactive MBCs are present in the peripheral blood of all subjects including those that experienced asymptomatic or mild disease, provides a reason for optimism regarding the capacity of vaccination, prior infection, and/or both, to limit disease severity and transmission of variants of concern as they continue to arise and circulate.

T-cell immunity is important for recovery from COVID-19 and provides heightened immunity for re-infection. However, little is known about the SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell immunity in virus-exposed individualsreport virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell memory in recovered COVID-19 patients and close contactsclose contacts are able to gain T-cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 despite lacking a detectable infection.

The CD4 and CD8 responses generated after natural infection are equally robust, showing activity against multiple epitopes (little segments) of the spike protein of the virus. For instance, CD8 cells responds to 52 epitopes and CD4 cells respond to 57 epitopes across the spike protein, so that a few mutations in the variants cannot knock out such a robust and in-breadth T cell responseonly 1 mutation found in Beta variant-spike overlapped with a previously identified epitope (1/52), suggesting that virtually all anti-SARS-CoV-2 CD8+ T-cell responses should recognize these newly described variants.

60) Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2,La Jolla, Crotty and Sette, 2020

Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2

Found that the pre-existing reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 comes from memory T cells and that cross-reactive T cells can specifically recognize a SARS-CoV-2 epitope as well as the homologous epitope from a common cold coronavirus. These findings underline the importance of determining the impacts of pre-existing immune memory in COVID-19 disease severity.

Better understanding of antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 after natural infection might provide valuable insights into the future implementation of vaccination policies. Longitudinal analysis of IgG antibody titers was carried out in 32 recovered COVID-19 patients based in the Umbria region of Italy for 14 months after Mild and Moderately-Severe infectionstudy findings are consistent with recent studies reporting antibody persistency suggesting that induced SARS-CoV-2 immunity through natural infection, might be very efficacious against re-infection (>90%) and could persist for more than six months. Our study followed up patients up to 14 months demonstrating the presence of anti-S-RBD IgG in 96.8% of recovered COVID-19 subjects.

Characterized humoral and circulating follicular helper T cell (cTFH) immunity against spike in recovered patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We found that S-specific antibodies, memory B cells and cTFH are consistently elicited after SARS-CoV-2 infection, demarking robust humoral immunity and positively associated with plasma neutralizing activity.

149 COVID-19-convalescent individualsantibody sequencing revealed the expansion of clones of RBD-specific memory B cells that expressed closely related antibodies in different individuals. Despite low plasma titres, antibodies to three distinct epitopes on the RBD neutralized the virus with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50 values) as low as 2 ng ml1.

COVID-19 patients rapidly generate B cell memory to both the spike and nucleocapsid antigens following SARS-CoV-2 infectionRBD- and NCP-specific IgG and Bmem cells were detected in all 25 patients with a history of COVID-19.

People who recover from mild COVID-19 have bone-marrow cells that can churn out antibodies for decadesthe study provides evidence that immunity triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection will be extraordinarily long-lasting.

In greater Vancouver Canada, using a highly sensitive multiplex assay and positive/negative thresholds established in infants in whom maternal antibodies have waned, we determined that more than 90% of uninfected adults showed antibody reactivity against the spike protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD), N-terminal domain (NTD), or the nucleocapsid (N) protein from SARS-CoV-2.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in COVID-19 patients and healthy donors, Braun, 2020

The results indicate that spike-protein cross-reactive T cells are present, which were probably generated during previous encounters with endemic coronaviruses.

The presence of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in a subset of SARS-CoV-2 naive HD is of high interest.

A cohort of 63 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 assessed at 1.3, 6.2 and 12 months after SARS-CoV-2 infectionthe data suggest that immunity in convalescent individuals will be very long lasting.

Long-lasting immunological memory against SARS-CoV-2 after mild COVID-19 activation-induced marker assays identified specific T-helper cells and central memory T-cells in 80% of participants at a 12-month follow-up.

71) IDSA, 2021

Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 following natural infection can persist for at least 11 months natural infection (as determined by a prior positive antibody or PCR-test result) can confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Denmark, during the first surge (ie, before June, 2020), 533 381 people were tested, of whom 11 727 (220%) were PCR positive, and 525 339 were eligible for follow-up in the second surge, of whom 11 068 (211%) had tested positive during the first surge. Among eligible PCR-positive individuals from the first surge of the epidemic, 72 (065% [95% CI 051082]) tested positive again during the second surge compared with 16 819 (327% [322332]) of 514 271 who tested negative during the first surge (adjusted RR 0195 [95% CI 01550246]).

Adaptive immune responses limit COVID-19 disease severitymultiple coordinated arms of adaptive immunity control better than partial responsescompleted a combined examination of all three branches of adaptive immunity at the level of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in acute and convalescent subjects. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were each associated with milder disease. Coordinated SARS-CoV-2-specific adaptive immune responses were associated with milder disease, suggesting roles for both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in protective immunity in COVID-19.

Collected blood from COVID-19 patients who have recently become virus-free, and therefore were discharged, and detected SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular immunity in eight newly discharged patients. Follow-up analysis on another cohort of six patients 2 weeks post discharge also revealed high titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. In all 14 patients tested, 13 displayed serum-neutralizing activities in a pseudotype entry assay. Notably, there was a strong correlation between neutralization antibody titers and the numbers of virus-specific T cells.

Analysed the magnitude and phenotype of the SARS-CoV-2 cellular immune response in 100 donors at six months following primary infection and related this to the profile of antibody level against spike, nucleoprotein and RBD over the previous six months. T-cell immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 were present by ELISPOT and/or ICS analysis in all donors and are characterised by predominant CD4+ T cell responses with strong IL-2 cytokine expression functional SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses are retained at six months following infection.

Performed a comprehensive analysis of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses from COVID-19 convalescent subjects recognizing the ancestral strain, compared to variant lineages B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and CAL.20C as well as recipients of the Moderna (mRNA-1273) or Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) COVID-19 vaccines the sequences of the vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes are not affected by the mutations found in the variants analyzed. Overall, the results demonstrate that CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in convalescent COVID-19 subjects or COVID-19 mRNA vaccinees are not substantially affected by mutations.

out of 149,735 individuals with a documented positive PCR test between March 2020 and January 2021, 154 had two positive PCR tests at least 100 days apart, reflecting a reinfection proportion of 1 per 1000.

Measured plasma and/or serum antibody responses to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 in 343 North American patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (of which 93% required hospitalization) up to 122 days after symptom onset and compared them to responses in 1548 individuals whose blood samples were obtained prior to the pandemicIgG antibodies persisted at detectable levels in patients beyond 90 days after symptom onset, and seroreversion was only observed in a small percentage of individuals. The concentration of these anti-RBD IgG antibodies was also highly correlated with pseudovirus NAb titers, which also demonstrated minimal decay. The observation that IgG and neutralizing antibody responses persist is encouraging, and suggests the development of robust systemic immune memory in individuals with severe infection.

To track population-based SARS-CoV-2 antibody seropositivity duration across the United States using observational data from a national clinical laboratory registry of patients tested by nucleic acid amplification (NAAT) and serologic assays specimens from 39,086 individuals with confirmed positive COVID-19both S and N SARS-CoV-2 antibody results offer an encouraging view of how long humans may have protective antibodies against COVID-19, with curve smoothing showing population seropositivity reaching 90% within three weeks, regardless of whether the assay detects N or S-antibodies. Most importantly, this level of seropositivity was sustained with little decay through ten months after initial positive PCR.

Progress in laboratory markers for SARS-CoV2 has been made with identification of epitopes on CD4 and CD8 T-cells in convalescent blood. These are much less dominated by spike protein than in previous coronavirus infections. Although most vaccine candidates are focusing on spike protein as antigen, natural infection by SARS-CoV-2 induces broad epitope coverage, cross-reactive with other betacoronviruses.

Study of 42 patients following recovery from COVID-19, including 28 mild and 14 severe cases, comparing their T cell responses to those of 16 control donorsfound the breadth, magnitude and frequency of memory T cell responses from COVID-19 were significantly higher in severe compared to mild COVID-19 cases, and this effect was most marked in response to spike, membrane, and ORF3a proteinstotal and spike-specific T cell responses correlated with the anti-Spike, anti-Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) as well as anti-Nucleoprotein (NP) endpoint antibody titrefurthermore showed a higher ratio of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ to CD4+ T cell responsesimmunodominant epitope clusters and peptides containing T cell epitopes identified in this study will provide critical tools to study the role of virus-specific T cells in control and resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells will likely prove critical for long-term immune protection against COVID-19mapped the functional and phenotypic landscape of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in unexposed individuals, exposed family members, and individuals with acute or convalescent COVID-19collective dataset shows that SARS-CoV-2 elicits broadly directed and functionally replete memory T cell responses, suggesting that natural exposure or infection may prevent recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19.

Provide a full picture of cellular and humoral immune responses of COVID-19 patients and prove that robust polyfunctional CD8+ T cell responses concomitant with low anaphylatoxin levels correlate with mild infections.

The first work identifying and characterizing SARS-CoV-2-specific and cross-reactive HLA class I and HLA-DR T-cell epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 convalescents (n = 180) as well as unexposed individuals (n = 185) and confirming their relevance for immunity and COVID-19 disease coursecross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 T-cell epitopes revealed pre-existing T-cell responses in 81% of unexposed individuals, and validation of similarity to common cold human coronaviruses provided a functional basis for postulated heterologous immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infectionintensity of T-cell responses and recognition rate of T-cell epitopes was significantly higher in the convalescent donors compared to unexposed individuals, suggesting that not only expansion, but also diversity spread of SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses occur upon active infection.

Results have just been published of a study suggesting that 40%-60% of people who have not been exposed to coronavirus have resistance at the T-cell level from other similar coronaviruses like the common coldthe true portion of people who are not even susceptible to Covid-19 may be as high as 80%.

Screening of SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools revealed that the nucleocapsid (N) protein induced an immunodominant response in HLA-B7+ COVID-19-recovered individuals that was also detectable in unexposed donorsthe basis of selective T cell cross-reactivity for an immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 epitope and its homologs from seasonal coronaviruses, suggesting long-lasting protective immunity.

COVID-19 patients showed strong T cell responses, with up to 25% of all CD8+ lymphocytes specific to SARS-CoV-2-derived immunodominant epitopes, derived from ORF1 (open reading frame 1), ORF3, and Nucleocapsid (N) protein. A strong signature of T cell activation was observed in COVID-19 patients, while no T cell activation was seen in the non-exposed and high exposure risk healthy donors.

Systematic review and pooled analysis of clinical studies to date, that (1) specifically compare the protection of natural immunity in the COVID-recovered versus the efficacy of full vaccination in the COVID-naive, and (2) the added benefit of vaccination in the COVID-recovered, for prevention of subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infectionreview demonstrates that natural immunity in COVID-recovered individuals is, at least, equivalent to the protection afforded by full vaccination of COVID-naive populations. There is a modest and incremental relative benefit to vaccination in COVID-recovered individuals; however, the net benefit is marginal on an absolute basis.

The third key finding is that previous infections with SARS-CoV-2 were significantly protective against all studied outcomes, with an effectiveness of 93% (87 to 96%) seen against symptomatic infections, 89% (57 to 97%) against moderate to severe disease and 85% (-9 to 98%) against supplemental oxygen therapy. All deaths occurred in previously uninfected individuals. This was higher protection than that offered by single or double dose vaccine.

Explore the impact of T cells and to quantify the protective levels of the immune responses5,340 Moscow residents were evaluated for the antibody and cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 and monitored for COVID-19 up to 300 days. The antibody and cellular responses were tightly interconnected, their magnitude inversely correlated with infection probability. Similar maximal level of protection was reached by individuals positive for both types of responses and by individuals with antibodies aloneT cells in the absence of antibodies provided an intermediate level of protection.

SARS-CoV-2 infection produces B-cell responses that continue to evolve for at least one year. During that time, memory B cells express increasingly broad and potent antibodies that are resistant to mutations found in variants of concern.

Impact of pre-existing antibodies to human coronaviruses causing common cold (HCoVs), is essential to understand protective immunity to COVID-19 and devise effective surveillance strategiesafter the peak response, anti-spike antibody levels increase from ~150 days post-symptom onset in all individuals (73% for IgG), in the absence of any evidence of re-exposure. IgG and IgA to HCoV are significantly higher in asymptomatic than symptomatic seropositive individuals. Thus, pre-existing cross-reactive HCoVs antibodies could have a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease.

Findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 reactive T-cells are likely to be present in many individuals because of prior exposure to flu and CMV viruses.

94) Neutralizing Antibody Responses to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Inpatients and Convalescent Patients, Wang, 2020

117 blood samples were collected from 70 COVID-19 inpatients and convalescent patientsthe neutralizing antibodies were detected even at the early stage of disease, and a significant response was shown in convalescent patients.

Reports that antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are not maintained in the serum following recovery from the virus have caused alarmthe absence of specific antibodies in the serum does not necessarily mean an absence of immune memory.

Although T cell durability to SARS-CoV-2 remains to be determined, current data and past experience from human infection with other CoVs demonstrate the potential for persistence and the capacity to control viral replication and host disease, and importance in vaccine-induced protection.

Multiple studies have shown loss of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-specific (SARS-CoV-2-specific) antibodies over time after infection, raising concern that humoral immunity against the virus is not durable. If immunity wanes quickly, millions of people may be at risk for reinfection after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, memory B cells (MBCs) could provide durable humoral immunity even if serum neutralizing antibody titers decline data indicate that most SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals develop S-RBD-specific, class-switched rMBCs that resemble germinal center-derived B cells induced by effective vaccination against other pathogens, providing evidence for durable B cell-mediated immunity against SARS-CoV-2 after mild or severe disease.

All memory T cell responses detected target the SARS-Co-V structural proteins these responses were found to persist up to 11 years post-infection knowledge of the persistence of SARS-specific cellular immunity targeting the viral structural proteins in SARS-recovered individuals is important.

The adaptive immune system is important for control of most viral infections. The three fundamental components of the adaptive immune system are B cells (the source of antibodies), CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cellsa picture has begun to emerge that reveals that CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and neutralizing antibodies all contribute to control of SARS-CoV-2 in both non-hospitalized and hospitalized cases of COVID-19.

These findings provide support for the prognostic value of early functional SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells with important implications in vaccine design and immune monitoring.

A multiplexed peptide-MHC tetramer approach was used to screen 408 SARS-CoV-2 candidate epitopes for CD8+ T cell recognition in a cross-sectional sample of 30 coronavirus disease 2019 convalescent individualsModelling demonstrated a coordinated and dynamic immune response characterized by a decrease in inflammation, increase in neutralizing antibody titer, and differentiation of a specific CD8+ T cell response. Overall, T cells exhibited distinct differentiation into stem cell and transitional memory states (subsets), which may be key to developing durable protection.

Most importantly, we demonstrate that infection generates both IgG and IgG MBCs against the novel receptor binding domain and the conserved S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Thus, even if antibody levels wane, long-lived MBCs remain to mediate rapid antibody production. Our study results also suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection strengthens pre-existing broad coronavirus protection through S2-reactive antibody and MBC formation.

103) Persistence of Antibody and Cellular Immune Responses in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients Over Nine Months After Infection, Yao, 2021

A cross-sectional study to assess the virus-specific antibody and memory T and B cell responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients up to 343 days after infectionfound that approximately 90% of patients still have detectable immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies against spike and nucleocapsid proteins and neutralizing antibodies against pseudovirus, whereas ~60% of patients had detectable IgG antibodies against receptor-binding domain and surrogate virus-neutralizing antibodiesSARS-CoV-2-specific IgG+ memory B cell and interferon--secreting T cell responses were detectable in more than 70% of patientscoronavirus 2-specific immune memory response persists in most patients approximately 1 year after infection, which provides a promising sign for prevention from reinfection and vaccination strategy.

A prospective, longitudinal analysis of COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors at multiple time points over an 11-month period to determine how circulating antibody levels change over time following natural infection data suggest that immunological memory is acquired in most individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 and is sustained in a majority of patients.

A long-term high rate of seropositivity persists after natural measles infection. By contrast, it decreases over time after vaccination. Similarly, the concentrations of antibodies in persons with measles history persist for a longer time at a higher level than in vaccinated persons.

The expansion of these rare types of memory B cells may explain why most people did not become severely ill, even in the absence of pre-existing protective antibody titersfound extraordinarily powerful antibodies in the blood of nine people who caught the swine flu naturally and recovered from it.unlike antibodies elicited by annual influenza vaccinations, most neutralizing antibodies induced by pandemic H1N1 infection were broadly cross-reactive against epitopes in the hemagglutinin (HA) stalk and head domain of multiple influenza strains. The antibodies were from cells that had undergone extensive affinity maturation.

Reinfection was identified in 0.7% (n = 63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .5%.9%) during follow-up of 9119 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Interrogated antibody and antigen-specific memory B cells over time in 33 SARS-CoV-2 naive and 11 SARS-CoV-2 recovered subjects In SARS-CoV-2 recovered individuals, antibody and memory B cell responses were significantly boosted after the first vaccine dose; however, there was no increase in circulating antibodies, neutralizing titers, or antigen-specific memory B cells after the second dose. This robust boosting after the first vaccine dose strongly correlated with levels of pre-existing memory B cells in recovered individuals, identifying a key role for memory B cells in mounting recall responses to SARS-CoV-2 antigens.

Six studies have reported T cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 in 20% to 50% of people with no known exposure to the virus in a study of donor blood specimens obtained in the US between 2015 and 2018, 50% displayed various forms of T cell reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 Researchers are also confident that they have made solid inroads into ascertaining the origins of the immune responses. Our hypothesis, of course, was that its so called common cold coronaviruses, because theyre closely relatedwe have really shown that this is a true immune memory and it is derived in part from common cold viruses.

We demonstrate the presence of pre-existing humoral immunity in uninfected and unexposed humans to the new coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 S-reactive antibodies were readily detectable by a sensitive flow cytometry-based method in SARS-CoV-2-uninfected individuals and were particularly prevalent in children and adolescents.

We detected SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in 100% and 80% of COVID-19 patients, respectively. We also detected low levels of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T-cells in 20% of the healthy controls, not previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and indicative of cross-reactivity due to infection with common cold coronaviruses.

T cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 was observed in unexposed peopleit is speculated that this reflects T cell memory to circulating common cold coronaviruses.

Memory T-cell immunity against S-OIV is present in the adult population and that such memory is of similar magnitude as the pre-existing memory against seasonal H1N1 influenzathe conservation of a large fraction of T-cell epitopes suggests that the severity of an S-OIV infection, as far as it is determined by susceptibility of the virus to immune attack, would not differ much from that of seasonal flu.

114) Cellular immune correlates of protection against symptomatic pandemic influenza, Sridhar, 2013

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic (pH1N1) provided a unique natural experiment to determine whether cross-reactive cellular immunity limits symptomatic illness in antibody-naive individuals Higher frequencies of pre-existing T cells to conserved CD8 epitopes were found in individuals who developed less severe illness, with total symptom score having the strongest inverse correlation with the frequency of interferon- (IFN-)(+) interleukin-2 (IL-2)(-) CD8(+) T cells (r = -0.6, P = 0.004) CD8(+) T cells specific to conserved viral epitopes correlated with cross-protection against symptomatic influenza.

Precise role of T cells in human influenza immunity is uncertain. We conducted influenza infection studies in healthy volunteers with no detectable antibodies to the challenge viruses H3N2 or H1N1mapped T cell responses to influenza before and during infectionfound a large increase in influenza-specific T cell responses by day 7, when virus was completely cleared from nasal samples and serum antibodies were still undetectable. Pre-existing CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells responding to influenza internal proteins were associated with lower virus shedding and less severe illness. These CD4+ cells also responded to pandemic H1N1 (A/CA/07/2009) peptides and showed evidence of cytotoxic activity.

No increase in cross-reactive antibody response to the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus was observed among adults aged >60 years. These data suggest that receipt of recent (20052009) seasonal influenza vaccines is unlikely to elicit a protective antibody response to the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Memory T cells that are specific for one virus can become activated during infection with an unrelated heterologous virus, and might have roles in protective immunity and immunopathology. The course of each infection is influenced by the T-cell memory pool that has been laid down by a hosts history of previous infections, and with each successive infection, T-cell memory to previously encountered agents is modified.

Individuals belonging to households with an index COVID-19 patient, reported symptoms of COVID-19 but discrepant serology results All index patients recovered from a mild COVID-19. They all developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and a significant T cell response detectable up to 69 days after symptom onset. Six of the eight contacts reported COVID-19 symptoms within 1 to 7 days after the index patients but all were SARS-CoV-2 seronegative exposure to SARS-CoV-2 can induce virus-specific T cell responses without seroconversion. T cell responses may be more sensitive indicators of SARS-Co-V-2 exposure than antibodiesresults indicate that epidemiological data relying only on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may lead to a substantial underestimation of prior exposure to the virus.

It important to note that antibodies are incomplete predictors of protection. After vaccination or infection, many mechanisms of immunity exist within an individual not only at the antibody level, but also at the level of cellular immunity. It is known that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces specific and durable T-cell immunity, which has multiple SARS-CoV-2 spike protein targets (or epitopes) as well as other SARS-CoV-2 protein targets. The broad diversity of T-cell viral recognition serves to enhance protection to SARS-CoV-2 variants, with recognition of at least the alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), and gamma (P.1) variants of SARS-CoV-2. Researchers have also found that people who recovered from SARS-CoV infection in 200203 continue to have memory T cells that are reactive to SARS-CoV proteins 17 years after that outbreak. Additionally, a memory B-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 evolves between 13 and 62 months after infection, which is consistent with longer-term protection.

This super antibody for COVID fights off multiple coronaviruses12 antibodiesthat was involved in the study, isolated from people who had been infected with either SARS-CoV-2 or its close relative SARS-CoV.

Taken together, our data indicate sustained humoral immunity in recovered patients who suffer from symptomatic COVID-19, suggesting prolonged immunity.

Whereas anti-CoV-2 IgA antibodies rapidly decayed, IgG antibodies remained relatively stable up to 115 days PSO in both biofluids. Importantly, IgG responses in saliva and serum were correlated, suggesting that antibodies in the saliva may serve as a surrogate measure of systemic immunity.

Early appearance, multi-specificity and functionality of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are associated with accelerated viral clearance and with protection from severe COVID-19.

Found a significantly faster decay in naive vaccinees compared to recovered patients suggesting that the serological memory following natural infection is more robust compared to vaccination. Our data highlights the differences between serological memory induced by natural infection vs. vaccination.

Followed a population of urban Massachusetts HCWswe found no re-infection among those with prior COVID-19, contributing to 74,557 re-infection-free person-days, adding to the evidence base for the robustness of naturally acquired immunity.

Compared the vaccination induced immune response profile with that of natural infection, evaluating thereby if individuals infected during the first wave retained virus specific immunitythe overall immune response resulting from natural infection in and around Kolkata is not only to a certain degree better than that generated by vaccination, especially in the case of the Delta variant, but cell mediated immunity to SARS-CoV-2 also lasts for at least ten months after the viral infection.

Evaluated humoral immune responses in 69 children and adolescents with asymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. We detected robust IgM, IgG, and IgA antibody responses to a broad array of SARS-CoV-2 antigens at the time of acute infection and 2 and 4 months after acute infection in all participants. Notably, these antibody responses were associated with virus-neutralizing activity that was still detectable 4 months after acute infection in 94% of children. Moreover, antibody responses and neutralizing activity in sera from children and adolescents were comparable or superior to those observed in sera from 24 adults with mild symptomatic infection. Taken together, these findings indicate that children and adolescents with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection generate robust and durable humoral immune responses that can likely contribute to protection from reinfection.

Symptomatic adult COVID-19 cases consistently show peripheral T cell lymphopenia, which positively correlates with increased disease severity, duration of RNA positivity, and non-survival; while asymptomatic and paediatric cases display preserved counts. People with severe or critical disease generally develop more robust, virus-specific T cell responses. T cell memory and effector function has been demonstrated against multiple viral epitopes, and, cross-reactive T cell responses have been demonstrated in unexposed and uninfected adults, but the significance for protection and susceptibility, respectively, remains unclear.

Reinfections had 90% lower odds of resulting in hospitalization or death than primary infections. Four reinfections were severe enough to lead to acute care hospitalization. None led to hospitalization in an ICU, and none ended in death. Reinfections were rare and were generally mild, perhaps because of the primed immune system after primary infection.

SARS-CoV-2 reinfection can occur but is a rare phenomenon suggestive of protective immunity against reinfection that lasts for at least a few months post primary infection.

Analyzed 28,578 sequenced SARS-CoV-2 samples from individuals with known immune status obtained through national community testing in the Netherlands from March to August 2021. They found evidence for an increased risk of infection by the Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), or Delta (B.1.617.2) variants compared to the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant after vaccination. No clear differences were found between vaccines. However, the effect was larger in the first 14-59 days after complete vaccination compared to 60 days and longer. In contrast to vaccine-induced immunity, no increased risk for reinfection with Beta, Gamma or Delta variants relative to Alpha variant was found in individuals with infection-induced immunity.

Studies did not address whether prior infection is protective in the absence of a detectable humoral immune response. Patients with primary or secondary antibody deficiency syndrome and reduced or absent B cells can recover from COVID-19Although there have been few mechanistic studies, preliminary data show that such individuals generate striking T-cell immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 peptide poolsSARS-CoV-2 specific T cell immune responses but not neutralising antibodies are associated with reduced disease severity suggesting the immune system may have considerable redundancy or compensation following COVID-19our results add to the emerging evidence that detectable serum antibody may be an incomplete marker of protection against reinfection. This could have implications for public health and policy-making, for example if using seroprevalence data to assess population immunity, or if serum antibody levels were to be taken as official evidence of immunity  a minority of truly immune patients have no detectable antibody and could be disadvantaged as a result. Our findings highlight the need for further studies of immune correlates of protection from infection with SARS-CoV-2, which may in turn enhance development of effective vaccines and treatments.

With a total of 835,792 Israelis known to have recovered from the virus, the 72 instances of reinfection amount to 0.0086% of people who were already infected with COVIDBy contrast, Israelis who were vaccinated were 6.72 times more likely to get infected after the shot than after natural infection, with over 3,000 of the 5,193,499, or 0.0578%, of Israelis who were vaccinated getting infected in the latest wave.

Nonetheless, fully vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections have peak viral load similar to unvaccinated cases and can efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts.

The neutralizing activity of vaccine-elicited antibodies was more targeted to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein compared to antibodies elicited by natural infection. However, within the RBD, binding of vaccine-elicited antibodies was more broadly distributed across epitopes compared to infection-elicited antibodies. This greater binding breadth means that single RBD mutations have less impact on neutralization by vaccine sera compared to convalescent sera. Therefore, antibody immunity acquired by natural infection or different modes of vaccination may have a differing susceptibility to erosion by SARS-CoV-2 evolution.

Limited knowledge is available on the relationship between antigen-specific immune responses and COVID-19 disease severity. We completed a combined examination of all three branches of adaptive immunity at the level of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell and neutralizing antibody responses in acute and convalescent subjects. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were each associated with milder disease. Coordinated SARS-CoV-2-specific adaptive immune responses were associated with milder disease, suggesting roles for both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in protective immunity in COVID-19. Notably, coordination of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific responses was disrupted in individuals  65 years old. Scarcity of naive T cells was also associated with aging and poor disease outcomes. A parsimonious explanation is that coordinated CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, and antibody responses are protective, but uncoordinated responses frequently fail to control disease, with a connection between aging and impaired adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2.

Protection from reinfection decreases with time since previous infection, but is, nevertheless, higher than that conferred by vaccination with two doses at a similar time since the last immunity-conferring event.

The protective effect of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on re-infection is high and similar to the protective effect of vaccination.

Compare SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (S1-RBD)-specific primary MBCs that form in response to infection or a single mRNA vaccination. Both primary MBC populations have similar frequencies in the blood and respond to a second S1-RBD exposure by rapidly producing plasmablasts with an abundant immunoglobulin (Ig)A+ subset and secondary MBCs that are mostly IgG+ and cross-react with the B.1.351 variant. However, infection-induced primary MBCs have better antigen-binding capacity and generate more plasmablasts and secondary MBCs of the classical and atypical subsets than do vaccine-induced primary MBCs. Our results suggest that infection-induced primary MBCs have undergone more affinity maturation than vaccine-induced primary MBCs and produce more robust secondary responses.

Optimal immune responses furnish long-lasting (durable) antibodies protective across dynamically mutating viral variants (broad). To assess robustness of mRNA vaccine-induced immunitycompared antibody durability and breadth after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccinationWhile vaccination delivered robust initial virus-specific antibodies with some cross-variant coverage, pre-variant SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced antibodies, while modest in magnitude, showed highly stable long-term antibody dynamicsDifferential antibody durability trajectories favored COVID-19-recovered subjects with dual memory B cell features of greater early antibody somatic mutation and cross-coronavirus reactivityilluminating an infection-mediated antibody breadth advantage and an anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody durability-enhancing function conferred by recalled immunity.

Compare antibody and cellular immunity in children (aged 3-11 years) and adults. Antibody responses against spike protein were high in children and seroconversion boosted responses against seasonal Beta-coronaviruses through cross-recognition of the S2 domain. Neutralization of viral variants was comparable between children and adults. Spike-specific T cell responses were more than twice as high in children and were also detected in many seronegative children, indicating pre-existing cross-reactive responses to seasonal coronaviruses. Importantly, children retained antibody and cellular responses 6 months after infection, whereas relative waning occurred in adults. Spike-specific responses were also broadly stable beyond 12 months. Therefore, children generate robust, cross-reactive and sustained immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 with focused specificity for the spike protein. These findings provide insight into the relative clinical protection that occurs in most children and might help to guide the design of pediatric vaccination regimens.

Abu-Raddad et al. has recently published on the severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections as compared with primary infections. They reported that in earlier studies, they assessed the efficacy of previous natural infection as protection against reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 as being 85% or greater. Accordingly, for a person who has already had a primary infection, the risk of having a severe reinfection is only approximately 1% of the risk of a previously uninfected person having a severe primary infectionReinfections had 90% lower odds of resulting in hospitalization or death than primary infections. Four reinfections were severe enough to lead to acute care hospitalization. None led to hospitalization in an ICU, and none ended in death. Reinfections were rare and were generally mild, perhaps because of the primed immune system after primary infection.

Assessed the ability of T cells to react with Omicron spike in participants who were vaccinated with Ad26.CoV2.S or BNT162b2, and in unvaccinated convalescent COVID-19 patients (n = 70). We found that 70-80% of the CD4 and CD8 T cell response to spike was maintained across study groups. Moreover, the magnitude of Omicron cross-reactive T cells was similar to that of the Beta and Delta variants, despite Omicron harbouring considerably more mutations. Additionally, in Omicron-infected hospitalized patients (n = 19), there were comparable T cell responses to ancestral spike, nucleocapsid and membrane proteins to those found in patients hospitalized in previous waves dominated by the ancestral, Beta or Delta variants (n = 49). These results demonstrate that despite Omicrons extensive mutations and reduced susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies, the majority of T cell response, induced by vaccination or natural infection, cross-recognises the variant. Well-preserved T cell immunity to Omicron is likely to contribute to protection from severe COVID-19, supporting early clinical observations from South Africa.

69% (54/78) of the epitopes recognized by CD8+ T cells are completely invariant. We further demonstrate experimentally that some memory T-cell immunity against S-OIV is present in the adult population and that such memory is of similar magnitude as the pre-existing memory against seasonal H1N1 influenza. Because protection from infection is antibody mediated, a new vaccine based on the specific S-OIV HA and NA proteins is likely to be required to prevent infection. However, T cells are known to blunt disease severity. Therefore, the conservation of a large fraction of T-cell epitopes suggests that the severity of an S-OIV infection, as far as it is determined by susceptibility of the virus to immune attack, would not differ much from that of seasonal flu. These results are consistent with reports about disease incidence, severity, and mortality rates associated with human S-OIVoverall, 49% of the epitopes reported in the literature and present in recently circulating seasonal H1N1 are also found totally conserved in S-OIV. Interestingly, the number of conserved epitopes varied greatly as a function of the class of epitopes considered. Although only 31% of the B-cell epitopes were conserved, 41% of the CD4+ and 69% of the CD8+ T-cell epitopes were conserved. It is known that cross-reactive T-cell immune responses can exist even between serologically distinct influenza A strains (14, 15). Based on this observation and the data presented above, we hypothesized that it is possible that immune memory responses against S-OIV exist in the adult population, at the level of both B and T cells.

PES against symptomatic reinfection was estimated at 90.2% (95% CI: 60.2-97.6) for Alpha, 84.8% (95% CI: 74.5-91.0) for Beta, 92.0% (95% CI: 87.9-94.7) for Delta, and 56.0% (95% CI: 50.6-60.9) for Omicron. Only 1 Alpha, 2 Beta, 0 Delta, and 2 Omicron reinfections progressed to severe COVID-19. None progressed to critical or fatal COVID-19. PES against hospitalization or death due to reinfection was estimated at 69.4% (95% CI: 143.6-96.2) for Alpha, 88.0% (95% CI: 50.7-97.1) for Beta, 100% (95% CI: 43.3-99.8) for Delta, and 87.8% (95% CI: 47.5-97.1) for Omicron.

Observe higher frequencies of cross-reactive (p = 0.0139), and nucleocapsid-specific (p = 0.0355) IL-2-secreting memory T cells in contacts who remained PCR-negative despite exposure (n = 26), when compared with those who convert to PCR-positive (n = 26); no significant difference in the frequency of responses to spike is observed, hinting at a limited protective function of spike-cross-reactive T cells. Our results are thus consistent with pre-existing non-spike cross-reactive memory T cells protecting SARS-CoV-2-naive contacts from infection, thereby supporting the inclusion of non-spike antigens in second-generation vaccines.

At 18 months, 97% participants tested positive for anti-NCP hinting towards the persistence of infection-induced immunity even for the vaccinated individuals.

Enrolled 412 adults mostly with mild or moderate disease course. At each study visit, subjects donated peripheral blood for testing of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and IFN- release after SARS-CoV-2 S-protein stimulation. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were identified in 316/412 (76.7%) of the patients and 215/412 (52.2%) had positive neutralizing antibody levels. Likewise, in 274/412 (66.5 %) positive IFN- release and IgG antibodies were detected. With respect to time after infection, both IgG antibody levels and IFN- concentrations decreased by about half within three hundred days. Statistically, IgG and IFN- production were closely associated, but on an individual basis we observed patients with high antibody titres but low IFN- levels and vice versa. Our data suggest that immunological reaction is acquired in most individuals after infection with SARS-CoV-2 and is sustained in the majority of patients for at least 10 months after infection.

Enrolled 412 adults mostly with mild or moderate disease course. At each study visit, subjects donated peripheral blood for testing of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and IFN- release after SARS-CoV-2 S-protein stimulation. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were identified in 316/412 (76.7%) of the patients and 215/412 (52.2%) had positive neutralizing antibody levels. Likewise, in 274/412 (66.5 %) positive IFN- release and IgG antibodies were detected. With respect to time after infection, both IgG antibody levels and IFN- concentrations decreased by about half within three hundred days. Statistically, IgG and IFN- production were closely associated, but on an individual basis we observed patients with high antibody titres but low IFN- levels and vice versa. Our data suggest that immunological reaction is acquired in most individuals after infection with SARS-CoV-2 and is sustained in the majority of patients for at least 10 months after infection.

By the week beginning October 3, compared with COVID-19 cases rates among unvaccinated persons without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, case rates among vaccinated persons without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis were 6.2-fold (California) and 4.5-fold (New York) lower; rates were substantially lower among both groups with previous COVID-19 diagnoses, including 29.0-fold (California) and 14.7-fold lower (New York) among unvaccinated persons with a previous diagnosis, and 32.5-fold (California) and 19.8-fold lower (New York) among vaccinated persons with a previous diagnosis of COVID-19. During the same period, compared with hospitalization rates among unvaccinated persons without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, hospitalization rates in California followed a similar pattern. These results demonstrate that vaccination protects against COVID-19 and related hospitalization, and that surviving a previous infection protects against a reinfection and related hospitalization. Importantly, infection-derived protection was higher after the Delta variant became predominant, a time when vaccine-induced immunity for many persons declined because of immune evasion and immunologic waning.

In this cross-sectional study of unvaccinated US adults, antibodies were detected in 99% of individuals who reported a positive COVID-19 test result, in 55% who believed they had COVID-19 but were never tested, and in 11% who believed they had never had COVID-19 infection. Anti-RBD levels were observed after a positive COVID-19 test result up to 20 months, extending previous 6-month durability data.

From the Brownstone Institute

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Farm Laborer Wage Board on Friday voted 2-1 to recommend that state Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon decrease the states farm worker weekly overtime threshold to 40 hours per week from 60 hours over the course of the next 10 years, beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

Unions and other groups, such as the New York Civil Liberties Union, applauded the board's recommendation as a measure that would promote equity and fairness to farm workers, while some farmers and food producers chafed at the prospect, having long claimed that decreasing the overtime threshold for farm laborers would destroy farm operations during busy harvest seasons.

Prior to 2019, farm workers in New York State were required to work up to 80 hours during the harvest season. That was before then-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a law that provided expansive new employment rights for farm workers, giving them certain rights that have been long provided to employees in other sectors of the economy.

The law provided for a 60-hour work week for farm workers before overtime has to be paid. An earlier version had put the level at 40 hours.

While critics balked, Cuomo called the new law a milestone in the crusade for social justice."

"As a practical matter, 100,000 farm workers will have better lives. Their families will have better lives. They will, finally, finally have the same protections that other workers have had for 80 years," Cuomo said at the time.

The bill also allowed farm workers to join unions, guaranteed them at least one day off a week, allowed them to apply for unemployment benefits and made it easier for farm laborers to obtain workers compensation coverage.

A last-minute change in the 2019 legislation also required that a three-person board meet again by Dec. 15 to consider changing the threshold to as low as 40 hours a week. The result of that meeting was the vote announced Friday.

The board  composed of the head of the state Farm Bureau, a trade group for the farm industry; a former AFL-CIO president; and Brenda McDuffie, the former president of the Buffalo Urban League  made a nonbinding recommendation to the state labor commissioner, who could reject or accept their ideas.

Critics, including state Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, whose district includes several agricultural communities, said if the state goes through with the overtime change it will put farms out of business and force workers to move to states with more favorable employment opportunities.

"Everyone agrees that family farmers and farmworkers deserve to be treated fairly. With this new burdensome mandate, they will be added to the exodus of people leaving our state," Ortt said.

The industry group Grow NY Farms released a statement predicting that the decision would force farmers to switch to growing less work-intensive crops, and would amount to a pay cut for workers already accustomed to a 60-hour week.

"Changing the overtime threshold to 40 hours a week for farmworkers in New York means that these workers will be limited to 40 hours, due to simple farm economics," the group said. "This is not a win for farmworkers that self-proclaimed worker advocates will claim. Agricultural production, diversification, and job availability will suffer."

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Swedens public health agency just put out a statement saying that they reject the idea of children under the age of 12 being forced to get the COVID vaccine.

However, here in America, its a much different story, because not only has the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the vaccine for everyone above the age of 5, but also, in a recent statement, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he predicts a three-shot vaccine regime for children who are below the age of 5 as well.

Meanwhile, there has been a new twist in the lawsuit between the FDA and a medical transparency group.

Just two weeks after a federal judge ruled against the FDA and ordered them to release all of their vaccine-related documents within the next eight months, the lawyers for Pfizer sent in a request and asked the judge to intervene in the case.

Lastly, while I was down in Texas, I had the opportunity to speak with Karla Mathis, the president of the National House of Hope, and we discussed how her organization helps to heal children and restore families.

Resources:

 Sekur (promo code: Roman)

https://ept.ms/3yW0Wul

 House of Hope:

https://ept.ms/3IQPPb1

 Sweden:

https://ept.ms/32GCjY1

https://ept.ms/32FFwXG

 Dr. Fauci:

https://ept.ms/3H7ciQu

 Pfizer Article:

https://ept.ms/3KTg2Yc

 Pfizer Court Docs:

https://ept.ms/3GcxzHk

https://ept.ms/3Ho6YrW

https://ept.ms/3rZyl5t

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Fighting the Good Fight for Election Integrity in Franklin, Tennessee

Commentary

It wasnt about Donald Trump. It was about saving our Republic, the speakers kept repeating, and that was true.

The perspective at the Election Integrity Symposium given by Tennessee Stands in Franklin, Tennessee, on Thursday evening was aimed at the future, at making sure we had transparent and fair elections in our country going forwardsomething we arguably, and in a way astonishingly, never have had.

Just who did win, for example, the presidential election of 1960 (Nixon versus JFK)? In truth, nobody knows for sure, to this day. Bizarre as it sounds, most of our elections seem to a great degree decided by news media that call the elections at certain points from their decision rooms. Remember the consternation when Fox called Arizona for Biden? Many doubt to this day the accuracy of that decision.

So, not surprisingly, the assumption of many in attendance at Thursdays event, and among those speaking, was that the 2020 presidential election had a problem, or, as Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble put itIm paraphrasing hereWe know, and they [Democrats] know, and they know that we know, and we know that they know, that we know or something like that regarding what happened in 2020.

The featured speakers were Garland Favorito, an IT expert from Atlanta environs and estimable leader of VoterGA, who has the most detailed knowledge of the myriad voting machines of anyone I have encountered; Bennie Smith, the Shelby County (Memphis) election commissioner, speaking ex officio, who also has great insight on election equipment; and Mark Finchem, member of the Arizona House and currently a candidate for secretary of state of that state.

Finchem has become a national figure by being one of those leading the charge for election integrity across the country. He had with him a sample ballot he has been attempting to have states adoptand some 17, he says, already have made pledges to do sothat by itself would go a long way toward ensuring that integrity.

The ballot is a piece of high-techyet inexpensivewatermarked paper that, although of course larger, resembles the cash produced by the Treasury, with similar built-in resistance to counterfeiting. It would also have QR codes and a numbering system that would make certain the number of ballots counted would actually match the number originally distributedsomething of a first in our elections.

(Remember the quote attributed to Stalin about how it isnt who makes the votes, but who counts the votes thats important. Yes, I know its probably apocryphal, but that doesnt mean its substance isnt true.)

The speakers were unanimous in their opinion that in order to have election integrity, we absolutely must abjure machines and go back to the hand-counting of ballots.

On the other hand, what the Democrats have on offermore mail-in voting, drop boxes, no voter IDis an open prescription for corruption, and racist as well, because its premised on the repellent assumption that black people cant vote like the rest of us. Somehow that supposed benighted minority cant get identification, although they have to drive, get on planes, open bank accounts, and dozens of other things for which they obviously do need it, and everybody knows this.

In other words, its a big lie, and a particularly noxious one. In fact, its hard to understand why they are proposing these thingsunless for entirely corrupt purposeswhen both The New York Times and Barack Obama were opposing them not long ago.

So, another Thursday night in Franklin, Tennessee. The fight for election integrity goes on. And, yes, it is the key battle in the fight for our Republic.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Witnessing troopers taking turns to dance with the daughter of a fallen colleague was a heartwarming moment that wedding attendees will never forget.

Heather Ritter, 34, got the surprise of her life when Florida Highway Patrol Troopers (FHP) stepped onto the dance floor for what would have been her father-daughter dance on her special day on Dec. 11, 2021, in Webster.

Their gesture was really touching and meant a lot to me and my family, Heather told The Epoch Times. Dancing with them was like having a piece of my dad there with me. It was all very emotional, but I couldnt have asked for a better surprise.

Heather with her fathers colleagues on her wedding day. (Courtesy of Florida Highway Patrol)

Heathers father, Nick Sottile, was a 48-year-old sergeant with the Florida Highway Patrol when he was murdered on the side of U.S. Highway 27 during a traffic stop on Jan 12. 2007.

My dad had been with the Florida Highway Patrol for 24 years and was looking forward to retirement so he could travel with my mom, Liz, Heather recalled.

Sharing more details of the tragic incident, Heather, a teacher at Pinecrest Lakes Academy in Clermont, said that her father was working overtime when he saw a car cut off a tractor-trailer. Pulling over the 19-year-old for reckless driving, he was shot in the clavicle artery, causing him to internally bleed to death.

Nick Sottile was a 48-year-old sergeant with Florida Highway Patrol when he was killed in the line of duty. (Courtesy of Florida Highway Patrol)

His killer was caught a couple of days after a massive manhunt. He pled guilty with the death penalty on the table, Heather said. He had no warrants, no drugs, no reason to fire upon my dad, he had mentioned to his passenger in the car that if he was to get pulled over that day, he was going to kill the cop. My dad just happened to be the one who pulled him over.

The sergeants murder came as a huge shock to family, friends, and the community of Lake Placid, where they lived. For a while, the family was surrounded by love and support from the community. But eventually, everyone went back to their life, and soon Heather, her brother, Nick, and her mother had to cope with their grief.

Although in the years that followed, the family moved on in with their lives, with Heather attending a Veterinary Technician Program at St. Petersburg College and her brother going to work for her dads previous squad in Tampa, Heather says the family never got over losing her dad and still have their moments.

Heather with her family during her childhood. (Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

Fifteen years on, on her wedding day with Anthony Ritter, Heather was aware that her fathers tightly knit squad members and friends would be there and she had planned to get a photo with all of them.

However, she admits that she was unaware of all the surprises that came with the mother-daughter dance. Soliciting the help of Anthony, Liz put on a special presentation that played during the dance.

Heather and her husband, Anthony Ritter. (Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

It included photos, videos, and audio of my dad and I, Heather said.

However, it didnt just stop at that, she explained: My dads squad members and friends decided, unplanned, to step in and ask my mom for turns to dance with me.

(Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

Although an emotional Heather was focused on watching the memorable montage of her father play in the background and taking the moment to dance with each of the squad members, attendees told her there was not a dry eye in the building.

Many people asked why we had not put tissues out beforehand, a touched Heather said. I told them in my defense, I had no idea any of it was going to happen.

(Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

(Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

Overcome with the emotion of the beautiful memories of her father, Heather described her childhood growing up with him.

My dad was your typical police dad who has a daughter, he was strict on me growing up but I knew that he was always there for me when I needed him, Heather recalled. I remember him coming to my elementary school to have lunch with me and having to try and fit at the lunch table with his gun belt and everyone being in awe of him.

(Courtesy of Heather Ritter)

Heather remembers her father, a popular figure in the community, as an amazing person who was always willing to help people out.

He was fair and honest, always trying his best at everything he did, Heather said. He was the best storyteller and would captivate an entire room with his stories and make people laugh so hard that theyd cry.

The sentencing of Nick Sottiles killer has still, after all these years, not been decided. Currently, the family is living through the heart-wrenching ordeal of having had their case with the Florida Supreme Court pushed back numerous times, due to the pandemic.

In an effort to support others who have lost a loved one in the line of duty, Heather has taken on the role of vice president of Central Florida Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), a volunteer organization that has programs to help survivors through the process of their grief and help them cope with their loss while being surrounded by professional counselors and those who have been in their place at one time or another.

Their mission, Heather states, is to support survivors in finding their new normal.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
An RCMP officer sits outside a home surrounded by police tape where four people were found dead Tuesday, in Richmond, B.C., on Jan. 26, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Four Deaths in Richmond, BC, Believed to Be a Murder Suicide, Police Say

RICHMOND, B.C.Homicide investigators say they believe the targeted shooting that left four people dead in a Richmond, B.C., home was a murder-suicide.

The victims were all members of the same family and include a 71-year-old father, a 58-year-old mother, their 23-year-old son and a daughter, aged 21.

Sgt. David Lee of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the shootings do not appear to be a case of partner violence and that the son had a firearms licence and access to weapons.

Lee says investigators are looking through journals and social media posts to see if they can determine a possible motive for the deaths.

The shootings were discovered Tuesday after a neighbour called police to report that the lights in the home had been left on for an unusual amount of time.

Police have said they believe the shooting happened Monday evening.

Lee says investigators are still interviewing witnesses and are asking anyone who was in the area on Jan. 24 or has information to contact the homicide team.

Were combing through evidence. Its difficult to determine how much we have.

He says determining who was the shooter through firearms ballistics could take weeks, if not months.

At this stage, preliminary findings suggest that one of the family members was the shooter, police say in a news release. (Homicide) investigators have followed the evidence, starting with a search warrant without presumptions on motive or responsibility.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger gives an update on the state of the election and ballot count during a news conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 6, 2020. (Dustin Chambers/Reuters)

Georgia Secretary of State Calls for Release of Secret Report on Dominion Voting Machines

Georgias secretary of state has joined plaintiffs in lawsuit filed against him in calling for the release of a report that analyzes Dominion Voting Systems equipment.

The report, completed by J. Alex Halderman, director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society, was filed under seal in Curling v. Raffensperger, a federal case that alleged hackers had the capability and easy access to voting machines in Georgia. It has been described by some as a secret report.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said Jan. 26 that the report should be made public because it is generating misleading media articles about the Dominion voting equipment used in Georgia.

Halderman was given full access to the states election system, which utilizes Dominion equipment, state officials say.

The public deserves to know the context of J. Alex Haldermans claims and his testimony regarding the 2020 election, Raffensperger said, adding that the system is safe and secure.

Little has been revealed about the report in court sessions and in court documents but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that it concluded hackers could change votes if they gained access to the machines.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg, an Obama nominee, told parties in the case a day after Raffenspergers call that she would review a version of the report with redactions and decide whether to release it.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in a recent filing that it has a process in place to address vulnerabilities that are disclosed and called disclosing such weaknesses as critical to the security of our Nations information systems. However, the agency later said it opposes the release of the report, at least for now.

Several media outlets are also asking for the reports release, as are plaintiffs in the case.

We do support public disclosure of a slightly redacted copy of the report and have been pushing for that for months, David Cross, one of the plaintiffs lawyers, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Cross noted that Raffensperger has until his recent statement opposed the release of the report, which was filed in July 2021.

His lawyers have objected to every request we and Dr. Halderman have made to the Court over the last several months to make the report public and provide it to federal and state election security officials. His implication that Dr. Halderman or the judge has prevented him and his office from learning the substance of the report and addressing the many serious BMD vulnerabilities identified in it is simply untrue, he wrote.

BMD stands for Ballot Marking Device.

A Dominion Voting Systems employee demonstrates a voting machine in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 13, 2019. (John Bazemore/AP Photo)

The timing of the Secretarys attacks is no coincidence. Now that Governor Kemp publicly called him out for failing to comply with his duties to address those vulnerabilities and for ignoring the report since last summer, hes desperate to point the finger at others. But he made the decision many months ago not to address the report, and hes accountable to voters for that deliberate dereliction. In classic fashion, he chose to politicize the issue rather than simply do what the Governor directed him to do and whats he obligated to do: secure Georgias election system, Cross added.

Kemp, a Republican running for re-election, said in a statement on Jan. 26 that the secretary of state should immediately gather all relevant information regarding this report, thoroughly vet its findings, and assure Georgians he is doing everything possible to ensure the system, procedures and equipment are completely secure.

Halderman, whose report on Michigans election system was cited by Democrat officials there, didnt respond to requests for comment.

John Poulos, Dominions CEO and president, said in a statement released by Raffenspergers office that Haldermans review did not include a holistic approach of all safeguards in place, including procedural and technical safeguards.

Dominion supports all efforts to bring real facts and evidence forward to defend the integrity of our machines and the credibility of Georgias elections, he added.

Multiple Georgia counties struggled with the 2020 election, with many irregularities taking place. An investigator tapped by Raffensperger identified massive issues, and activists have presented evidence of fraud, but Raffensperger maintains the election largely ran smoothly.

Raffenspergers office said in early January it was probing allegations of ballot harvesting.
Global Commodity Supply Chain Highly Volatile in 2022

Food and energy importers are being hit with export bans and restrictions in a number of countries at the start of 2022: Argentinas two-year ban on beef, Indonesias ban on coal, Malis ban on grain and related products, and Russia and Ukraines continued wheat export caps.

In an effort to curb rising prices in the country, the Argentine government issued decree No. 911 on Jan. 3, extending its export ban on seven beef cuts until Dec. 31, 2023.

In 2021, Argentina suspended beef exports to adjust domestic beef prices. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez once said the main reason for soaring Argentine beef prices is exports to China, which surpassed the United States as the worlds largest beef importer in 2019.

In addition to beef, the Argentine government announced restrictions on corn and wheat exports on Dec. 17, 2021. In 2022, Argentina restricted corn exports to 41.6 million tons and wheat to 12.5 million tons in an effort to secure domestic food supplies. Argentina is the worlds second-largest corn exporter, exporting 39.8 million tons in 202021, behind only the United States. It is also a major supplier of wheat to South America, exporting 11.2 million tonnes in 2021.

Mike Sun, a private investment consultant in North America, told The Epoch Times, Argentina is a food exporter. Restricting or banning food exports is not optimistic for the worlds food supply chain.

In 2021, due to the pandemic and extreme weather, at least 13 countries imposed export restrictions to ensure domestic food supplies. With tight supply and strong demand, international wheat prices have risen for several months. Uzbekistan, which imports 35 percent of its wheat, removed import duties on flour, vegetable oil, and other products on Dec. 30, 2021. The exemption will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2022.

Other than food, Sun believes the global supply chain for minerals is also fraught with uncertainty. An example is the new president of Argentinas neighbor, Chile, who has proposed nationalizing mineral resources, especially the globally contested lithium.

Chiles decision to go after lithium, one of the worlds hottest sources of clean energy, rather than the traditional copper, is a sign that countries are recognizing the value of bulk commodity, which is bound to affect global supply, he said.

Chile is the number one producer of copper and the number two producer of lithium in the world. On Jan. 4, Chilean lawmaker(s) introduced a bill to the lower house of Congress seeking an injunction to block the outgoing governments plan for a 400,000-ton lithium mine contract in the country.

Energy Supply Chain Highly Volatile

Chile is not the first country in Latin America to restrict exports of minerals. Octavio Romero Oropeza, chief executive of Mexicos National Oil Company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), said at a news conference on Dec. 28 that as the company ramps up refining capacity to meet domestic fuel demand, it plans to reduce crude oil exports to the United States to 435,000 barrels a day by 2022 and halt them completely by 2023.

In East Asia, Indonesias restrictions on coal exports have hit Japan, which said the ban has seriously affected its economy and peoples livelihood and called on Indonesia to resume exports as soon as possible. On the last day of 2021, the Indonesian government announced a ban on coal exports in January 2022. Even ships that are loading coal are required to supply it to domestic power plants.

While the Indonesian government has partially lifted the ban on coal exports ahead of schedule, it plans to restrict Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports in 2022.

To combat energy shortages, the Indonesian government plans to require Pertamina, the countrys National Petroleum Corporation, and private LNG producers to prioritize domestic demand in 2022, S&P Global Platts revealed on Jan. 14. This could affect Indonesias commitment to LNG exports.

In a statement released in early January, Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) said, Right now, all related parties are ensuring the availability of energy for electricity, especially in the first quarter of 2022.

How Far Can Chinese Companies Go in Overseas Lithium Bidding

On Jan. 14, a Chilean court accepted a request from the governor of the Atacama region and indigenous communities to suspend two lithium production contracts awarded by the Chilean government on Jan. 5. BYD Company Limited, a Chinese new energy vehicle company, is one of the contract recipients, while the other is a local Chilean company. The two companies were each awarded a quota of 80,000 tonnes of lithium ore for a total purchase of $120 million.

Huaxi Securities commented in its weekly industry report on Jan. 17, worrying that the acquisition agreement signed by Zijin Mining in October 2021 may not be as good as expected in terms of acquiring lithium resources in the future. At present, many countries are upgrading lithium as a national key strategic resource, which makes overseas acquisition complicated. According to Huaxi Securities, although the Canadian Liberal government on Jan. 12 allowed Zijin Mining to bid for Canadas Neo Lithium Corp without initiating a formal national security review, the Canadian governments initial approval does not guarantee that the bid will not be formally reviewed in the future.

The Conservative Party of Canada is calling on the government to conduct a national security review of the takeover. Its concerning that the foreign takeover of Canadian lithium mining company Neo Lithium was not immediately subject to a national security review by the Liberal government, Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel Garner and Ed Fast wrote in a statement.

In recent years, as the global output of new energy vehicles grows rapidly and the demand for power batteries expands, the price of upstream lithium ore is also rising. Due to tight supply and demand, Spodumene concentrate (6 percent, CIF China) averaged $1,900 per ton on Dec. 2, 2021, up more than 150 percent from August to December. CIF refers to the price of cost plus insurance and freight.

Although China has identified about 13.8 percent of the worlds lithium resources, ranking after Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and the United States, the vast majority of Chinas lithium resources are located in ecologically fragile areas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where the natural environment is harsh and the conditions for development are poor.

Restricted by this condition, Chinese companies have already started to snap up lithium resources around the world. In particular, in September and October 2021, Zijin Mining, Ganfeng Lithium, and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) all acquired rights to develop lithium mines in Argentina through equity acquisitions, costing a total of $1.335 billion.

Among them, Zijin Mining acquired Neo Lithium Corp. in cash, and if delivered, will receive 13 mining rights in Argentina. On Oct. 11, 2021, Zijin Mining announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the issued common shares in circulation of Neo Lithium Corp. for cash at approximately $5.1 per share. The transaction amount was approximately $758 million.

The core asset of Neo Lithium Corp. is the wholly-owned Tres Quebradas Salar (3Q) lithium salt lake project located in the Catamarca Province in northwestern Argentina. The 3Q project has 13 mining rights, with large resources, high grade, low impurities, and good development conditions. Argentine law provides that mining rights can be held for an unlimited period of time as long as the holder meets the provisions of Argentinas national mining law, including annual standard payments and minimum investment commitments.

On Jan. 11, Neo Lithium Corp said it had obtained an environmental impact assessment report from the Catamarca provincial government on the construction and development of the 3Q project, which was a condition for Zijin Minings deal to close.
I Wont Sit Down and Shut Up: Mark Finchem on His Race for Arizona Secretary of State

Mark Finchem, a four-term Arizona state representative and a Republican, said that he is running for secretary of state because he couldnt swallow the 2020 election and do nothing.

Elections belong to the people, not the government, Finchem told The Epoch Times. When people give their consent to be governed, they do not surrender their right to hold the government accountable for counting the vote.

Yet, it seemed like there was this growing number of political types that wanted the people to sit down and shut up. Well, Im just not that kind of guy.

A vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and an advocate for election integrity, Finchem was endorsed by Trump in Sept. 2021. Trump said, Mark was willing to say what few others had the courage to say.

During the Trump Save America rally in Florence, Arizona, on Jan. 15, Finchem told the audience, Ladies and gentleman, we know it and they know it: Donald Trump won.

Legacy media have called Finchem an election conspiracy promoter or QAnon-backer.

Arizona State Representative Mark Finchem and President Donald Trump in a file photo. (Courtesy of Mark Finchems Campaign)

Finchem told The Epoch Times that he was appalled during the November 2020 Senate hearing seeing all the claims of election irregularities. Later, some claims led to the Maricopa County forensic audit, which gained national focus.

I was asked, Can you think of anybody who could run for secretary of state that you would approve of in the political realm? Finchem said.

No, Finchem said. He couldnt think of anyone, firstly interested in the job, and secondly, really wanting to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of securing elections.

Its imperative that we make it easy to vote and hard to cheat, Finchem said.

If Im elected for secretary of state, I think the big issue is voter roll cleanup. Thats the biggie.

According to the Maricopa County forensic audit final report, 23,344 mail-in ballots were received from voters previous addresses. Jack Sellers, chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, responded at the time that the 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.

Finchem said everybody has a right to vote and have their vote counted as long as theyre qualified electors, and that means you have to be a U.S. citizen, you have to be registered to vote, we have to have your name in the voter registration rolls.

Thats why its so important for the secretary of state to periodically remove from voter rolls people who have moved, people who have died, people who are ineligible voters, and people who have registered with vacant lots, government buildings, or industrial warehouses, said Finchem.

The next is to make sure that the statutes that concern elections are faithfully observed by all those that are bound by them, Finchem said. One of the things that were pushing for right now is to expand the Attorney Generals Office election integrity unit and to establish the ability of the auditor general to engage in systems audits.

Finchem claimed that Katie Hobby, the current secretary of state, didnt faithfully execute the elections procedure manual, and instead, she expanded voter registration.

Hobbys office hasnt responded to a request from The Epoch Times for comment.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs removes a mask as she speaks to members of Arizonas Electoral College prior to them casting their votes in Phoenix, Ariz., on Dec. 14, 2020. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)

Finchem said the simple way to secure an election is paper ballots, hand counting.

He announced on his campaign website the Arizona Ballot Integrity Project, which would upgrade the paper ballots with currency-grade fraud countermeasures, such as watermark, microprint, and hologram. It can make an audit obsolete, and the cost is only 25 cents a ballot.

On Jan. 24, a Republican majority of the Arizona Senate Committee on Government passed a slew of election integrity measures, including one bill implementing currency-grade ballot safety measures. The bills key sponsor, GOP state Sen. Sonny Borrelli, credited Finchem with doing the legwork to identify a vendor to produce certified ballots.

The adopted bills are expected to go to a Senate vote in the next few weeks.

Arizona State Sen. Sonny Borrelli holds up a sample of the current ballot at a hearing of the Arizona Committee on Government in Phoenix on Jan. 24, 2022. Borrelli is the lead sponsor of a bill to establish currency-grade ballot security measures. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

We cannot allow the use of electronic tabulation. Because what that means is our system is open and vulnerable to somebody who might want to alter it, Finchem said.

He pointed out that during a hackers convention, DEF CON 2019, in Las Vegas, it was proved that every single electronic tabulation machine had a vulnerability where they could be hacked.

Finchem urges Republicans to run in school board elections, run for municipal offices, run for the legislature, or support somebody running for those offices.

Be politically active, Finchem said. Because the folks who would like to take over your country, theyre politically active.

Both Republicans and Democrats have shown unprecedented interest in elections of chief election officers nationwide, especially in the swing states. Democrats and the left have called the GOPs efforts an anti-democratic movement.

Were not a democracy. Were a republic, Finchem said. Anybody that uses the word democracy demonstrates their ignorance.  They apparently are the victims of a public education system that told them the wrong thing.

I find it interesting that theyre [Democrats are] upset that Republicans are putting up great candidates, Finchem said. We are working within the political process to promote those candidates, when ten years ago, George Soros, Tom Steyer, and their buddies did the exact same thing.

So it was okay then, but its not okay now? It was acceptable then, but its not acceptable now? Its called the election process. And if they dont like it, maybe they need to move to Venezuela, where they can control every aspect of peoples lives.

Allan Stein contributed to this report.
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chair of the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol, speaks during a committee business meeting as vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) looks on at Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 19, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas 14 Alternate Electors

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol announced Friday it issued subpoenas to 14 people in seven swing states who participated in casting alternative slates of Electoral College votes for President Donald Trump in December 2020.

A release from the Jan. 6 committee said it is seeking information from individuals who met and submitted purported Electoral-College certificates in seven states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The 14 people being subpoenaed are listed as chairperson and secretary of each group of alternate electors for the respective states.

Republicans who cast their alternate votes did so while certified Democrat electors in the same states had cast votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the winners of the 2020 election. The Republicans explained at the time their move would help preserve Trumps legal claim for the election while he was mounting legal challenges to the 2020 election outcomes in the seven states.

According to certified results, Biden won the seven swing states and their 79 Electoral College votes by a combined 311,257 votes out of 25.5 million ballots cast for president.

The Select Committee is seeking information about attempts in multiple states to overturn the results of the 2020 election, including the planning and coordination of efforts to send false slates of electors to the National Archives, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the committees chairman, said in a statement.

We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme, he alleged. We encourage them to cooperate with the Select Committees investigation to get answers about January 6th for the American people and help ensure nothing like that day ever happens again.

Related Coverage Timeline of Events in DC on Jan. 6

In his letter to each of the 14 individuals, Thompson wrote, The Select Committee seeks information from you on a narrow range of issues. We have sincere respect for your privacy, and we are not seeking information about your political views or your efforts in the 2020 presidential campaign more generally.

Rather, we are seeking information about your role and participation in the purported slate of electors casting votes for Donald Trump and, to the extent relevant, your role in the events of January 6, 2021.

The 14 individuals have been asked to provide documents and sit for deposition interviews in the coming weeks.

Related Coverage Jan. 6 Narrative Depends on Who Tells the Story

The nine-member Jan. 6 committee has previously been criticized for its partisanship. It consists of seven Democrats and two Republicans, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who are both known for their strong opposition to former President Donald Trump. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had chosen Kinzinger and Cheney after she refused to seat members picked by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

The House floor convenes before a joint session of the House and Senate convenes to confirm the Electoral College votes cast in Novembers election, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Supporters of President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

On Jan. 6, 2021, when lawmakers gathered at the U.S. Capitol for a joint session of Congress to count and certify electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election, proceedings in the chambers were temporarily interrupted when a sizable group of protesters entered the Capitol building and its surrounds. Thousands of protesters, mostly peaceful, remained outside.

A total of five deaths were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6 incident. Of the deaths, Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt was determined to have died from homicide on Jan. 6, having been shot and killed by Lt. Michael L. Byrd.

Another three people died on Jan. 6 outside the Capitol building but on Capitol grounds. Two of the deaths were found to be from natural causesboth were men in their 50s who died of hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The remaining death, involving a woman in her 30s, was ruled by the DC medical examiner as an accident from a drug overdose. However, new video unsealed in December 2021 confirmed that the woman, Rosanne Boyland, was crushed and trampled when the crowd was pushed out of the tunnel, then repeatedly struck by police as she lay unconscious.

Four police officers in July 2021 recounted to a House of Representatives special committee they were beaten and threatened on Jan. 6 amid clashes with the protesters. The Capitol Police officers union chairman, Gus Papathanasiou, told The Washington Post that about 140 officers were injured in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 incident.

It is unclear how many protesters may have been injured as a result of police actions on the day.

Update: This article has been updated with further details about the aftermath of Jan. 6, including the identity of the officer that killed Ashli Babbitt, and the recently released video prior to Rosanne Boylands death. The Epoch Times regrets any oversight.
Dominique Rivera (L), wife of NYPD Officer Jason Rivera, watches as his casket is loaded into a hearse outside St. Patrick's Cathedral after his funeral service in New York on Jan. 28, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

Killed Officers Widow Lashes out at Manhattan DA

Through tears, the wife, Dominique Luzuriaga, of slain police officer Jason Rivera, 22, recalled the horror of seeing cellphone alerts about two officers being shot in Harlem.

Her worries grew as she texted and called the former elementary school classmate she married this past October.

She got no answer until the call that summoned her to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Luzuriaga made the comments while speaking Friday morning at her husbands funeral at St. Patricks Cathedral.

NYPD officers assemble at St. Patricks Cathedral in NYC for the funeral of fallen PO Jason Rivera on Jan. 28, 2022. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

Authorities are still investigating what motivated the gunman, who was shot by a third officer and later died.

Luzuriaga lashed out at new Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who has instructed prosecutors not to pursue certain cases, including some allegations of resisting arrest.

The system continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore. Not even the members of the service, Luzuriaga said.

Dominique Luzuriaga (L), widow of slain NYPD Officer Jason Rivera, speaks at her husbands funeral at St. Patricks Cathedral in New York on Jan. 28, 2022. (Pool via AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Bragg, who had no involvement with the officers killer, responded in a statement that he was grieving and praying for the slain officers and will vigorously prosecute cases of violence against police.

Rivera was barely into his second year on the force. He and Officer Wilbert Mora were fatally wounded a week ago when a gunman ambushed them in an apartment as they responded to a family dispute.

Police filled the pews at St. Patricks Cathedral Friday, and a sea of blue uniforms stretched for blocks as snow drifted outside the citys iconic church.

A sea of blue uniforms stretched at least seven city blocks in New York during slain office Jason Riveras funeral at St Patricks Cathedral on Jan. 28, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

New York Police officers gather along Fifth Avenue for the funeral of Officer Jason Rivera, outside St. Patricks Cathedral in New York on Jan. 28, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem speaks at an event in Bismarck, N.D., in a file image. (Will Kincaid/The Bismarck Tribune via AP)

Longtime North Dakota Attorney General Dies Unexpectedly

North Dakotas attorney general died suddenly on Jan. 28.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, a Republican, passed away unexpectedly at age 68, his office said in a statement.

Reached on Saturday, a spokeswoman said the office had no further information to share at this time.

We know Wayne was a widely respected and well-known public figure, but we ask that his family be allowed time to grieve in private, the office said.

The brother of Stenehjem, who had been in office since 2000, told KFYR that the attorney general fell on Friday morning and was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance.

Allan Stenehjem, the brother, said his sibling had an ulcer. Inflammation from the ulcer may have caused the fall, Allan Stenehjem said.

Allan Stenehjem told the Bismarck Tribune that his brother didnt have any serious health issues and that the death wasnt related to COVID-19.

The attorney general in December 2021 said he wouldnt seek reelection, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

He also said he was in good health and was not in any way hampered.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican, directed all flags in the state to fly at half-staff in honor of the attorney general.

Like so many North Dakotans who treasured his friendship and admired him for his more than four decades of exceptional service to our state, we are absolutely devastated by the passing of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, Burgum said. Wayne embodied public service, both as a dedicated legislator and the longest-serving attorney general in our states 133-year history.

Other officials also offered condolences.

Attorney General Stenehjem spent four decades serving the people of North Dakota, and was a fierce advocate for the rule of law and the rights of our states residents. As our states longest-serving Attorney General, he worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe and took great pride in supporting our law enforcement officials, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said in a statement. We will remember Wayne as a true friend and colleague, who will be greatly missed. Mikey and I send our sincerest condolences to Beth, Andrew and the entire Stenehjem family. We will continue praying for all of his loved ones.
If it wasn't for a birthday present three years ago, an ongoing effort to bring a new skate park to Hamburg may have never happened.

But in 2019, Hamburg resident Timothy Carrig got his son, Jackson, a skateboard, with plans to teach the 5-year-old how to skate while the 39-year-old learned himself. The problem: The father and son found many local skate parks, including in their town, in a state of disrepair. Just about when Jackson was ready to call it quits, his father took him to a larger, updated concrete skate park in Buffalo's LaSalle Park  from there, Jackson was hooked.

"The idea was we just wanted to get something better in the Southtowns for kids out in this direction, because there really isn't any place to skate in this area," said Timothy Carrig, who, with his wife, Charity, founded the Hamburg Skatepark Project.

The couple, their seven kids and the Hamburg community appear to be closing in on that goal, which would be a roughly 10,000-square-foot concrete skate park constructed in Electric Park, off of Sowles Road. "If everything goes to plan," Carrig said the roughly $500,000 skate park could be built this fall or early spring 2023.

The plan got a monster jump on those efforts last April, when it landed an up to $250,000 matching grant through the Built to Play Skatepark Program, a partnership between the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation).

And progress is being made to ensure they get the full $250,000 match. On Saturday, for instance, Assemblyman Jon D. Rivera, a Democrat whose district includes Hamburg, announced $50,000 in State and Municipal Facilities funding to support the construction of the skate park.

With that grant, Carrig said the project has raised about $190,000, including $125,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds that the Hamburg Town Board allocated at a November meeting.

To get the full match from the Built to Play Skatepark Program, Carrig said they have until the end of April to raise the remaining $60,000.

To get there, they held a fundraiser Saturday afternoon at Hamburg Brewing Co., also where Rivera made the announcement. In addition, the project accepts donations through Venmo, started a GoFundMe and has a brick donation fundraiser, which allows donors to get their name on bricks that will be installed as a walking path at the skate park.

"I really have to give a shout-out to the Carrig family for identifying the opportunity," Hamburg Supervisor Randy Hoak said. "It's really amazing what this very busy and very young family has been able to do for the community."

Hoak said the town has committed space in Electric Park for the project and is committed to working with the Carrigs to see it through.

The town's existing skate park, near busy Route 5, has some ramps but is showing its age. Hoak said the location for the new skate park also is strategic, placed closer to residential neighborhoods it would serve.

For the Carrigs, it's been a wild ride the last several years. On top of trying to bring a skate park to fruition and parenting seven children, Timothy Carrig works as a manager at Lowe's and helps out where he can with the dance studio his wife opened during the pandemic.

"Never in a million years," Carrig said, did he think an idea born out of a birthday gift for Jackson, now 8, would become something that could benefit the community for years to come.

"It's going to have a lasting power of 30, 40 years," Carrig said. "So not just my kids, but my grandkids, will be able to skate there."

Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris.

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Supporters of the Freedom Convoy protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions in front of Parliament of Canada, in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 28, 2022. A convoy of truckers started off from Vancouver on Jan. 23, 2022, on its way to protest against the mandate in the capital city of Ottawa. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images)

Makes No Sense: Canadian Premier Vows to End Proof of Vaccine Policy as Truckers Protest in Ottawa

A Canadian premier said Saturday the proof of vaccine requirement makes no sense and he will end it in the not-too-distant future in his province.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a statement that being vaccinated doesnt prevent one from getting the virus and the vaccine mandate makes no sense.

I want to be clear on how I feel about vaccines. I am fully vaccinated with my booster shot. This did not prevent me from recently contracting COVID-19, but I believe it did keep me from becoming sick, he said in a statement.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as coronavirus.

That said, because vaccination is not reducing transmission, the current federal border policy for truckers makes no sense. An unvaccinated trucker does not pose any greater risk of transmission than a vaccinated trucker, he continued.

He will continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated though, believing it will prevent people from becoming seriously ill.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Canadian Prime Ministers Office and the White House for comments.

Supporters cheer on truck drivers in the Freedom convoy headed for Ottawa from an overpass in Kingston, Ontario, on Jan. 28, 2022. (Lars Hagberg/The Canadian Press)

Moe showed his appreciation to the truckers for keeping the country running during the pandemic and said the federal vaccine mandate for truckers poses a significant risk to Canadas economy and to the supply chain in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan is a Canadian province about 1,950 miles from Ottawa. It borders the United States from the south.

Moes statement came as over 10,000 Canadian truckers are holding the Freedom Convoy 2022 to protest the vaccine mandate for truckers.

After the Public Health Agency of Canadas announcement that foreign truck drivers can only enter Canada if fully vaccinated starting Jan. 15, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announcing similar requirements starting Jan. 22 for non-U.S. national truckers crossing into the United States, thousands of truckers decided to protest and will meet in Ottawa in an attempt to stop the mandates.

Truckers in west Canada started mobilizing on Jan 23.

As the record-breaking convoy passed through different cities, they were greeted with long rows of people cheering and holding Canadian flags, with some shooting off fireworks.

U.S. truckers started joining the protesting efforts swiftly after the creators of Freedom Fighter Nation, attorney Leigh Dundas, and her personal assistant Maureen Steele, heard the news and started organizing in the United States.

Supporters of Canadian truck drivers protesting the COVID-19 vaccine mandate cheer on a convoy of trucks on their way to Ottawa, on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg on Jan. 25, 2022. (David Lipnowski/The Canadian Press)

The premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, also voiced support of truckers and promised to discuss the vaccine mandates for truckers with his U.S. counterpart when hes attending the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.

I will be there to discuss growing supply chain problems, including the U.S. and Canadian governments policies that have impacted many cross-border truckers, causing further damage to supply chains and higher prices for consumers, he said in a statement.

Enrico Trigoso contributed to the report.
Video: Massive Crowds Gather in Ottawa as Trucker Convoy Protests COVID-19 Mandates, Restrictions

OTTAWAThe Parliament Hill area got filled to the brim as legions of truckers and other demonstrators protesting COVID-19 mandates and restrictions on Jan. 29 converged in Ottawa, their final destination after driving throughout the week in a convoy from all parts of the country.

Its like a Canada Day, but for the real reason that we celebrate Canada, said Andrew Broe, a truck driver of 20 years from Trenton, Ont., who parked his rig by Parliament Hill.

Trucks parked on a street by the Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

People gather in Parliament Hill as the trucker convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates and restrictions stages demonstrations in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Limin Zhou/The Epoch Times)

This is a day were going to reunite and come together and have freedom.

Broe said hes in Ottawa to ask politicians to listen to peoples demands.

Im here to fight for the freedom of not just the truckers, but for everybody that lives and resides in Canada.

Many protesters say they expect the protest to extend beyond the weekend.

There was a festive mood on the Hill on Jan. 29 despite the frigid -20C weather, as people of all backgrounds from across Canada came to support the call for an end to COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

Its vibrating here, said Terri Haydar, a retired corrections officer who travelled to Ottawa from Toronto.

Haydar said on the way to Ottawa, every overpass was filled with people waving the Canadian flag as trucks passed by.

Its been absolute bedlam, she told The Epoch Times.

Berdj Papa, a truck driver from Laval, Que., said its important to rally together in order to get Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to listen to the people.

Weve been in lockdown for too long  we needed a voice from the people, he said.

A protester participating in the truck convoy protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions holds a sign on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Sylvain, a military veteran wearing his units patches who would only give his first name, said he joined the protest to liberate my country.

Amberly Quakegesic said she travelled 900 kilometres from Chapleau in northwest Ontario because she couldnt trust the reporting in media or social media, and wanted to see what is happening for herself.

We dont know what to trust, she said.

What Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill was like walking down it #TruckersForFreedom2022 pic.twitter.com/4TB48mLpOl  Rahul Vaidyanath (@RV_ETBiz) January 29, 2022

Quakegesic, who is First Nations and works with the First Nations community, said she didnt want to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but was pretty much forced into it so that I could approach First Nation communities and do my actual job.

Now theyre talking about  if I have to get a booster to keep my vaxx-pass, then what?

She added that she sees both vaccinated and unvaccinated people joining the protest in Ottawa.

Everybodys here for their own reasons, she said.

Trucks and other vehicles parked on a street by the Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Limin Zhou/The Epoch Times)

People gather in Parliament Hill as the trucker convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates and restrictions stages demonstrations in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Ginny Bruneau, a Cold Lake Dene First Nations who travelled from Edmonton to join the protest, said she was overwhelmed with the number of people coming to Ottawa.

So many people have that sense that Canada is standing up for freedom, she said.

Bruneau said she takes issue with what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said about the protest, saying, the small fringe minority of people who are on their way to Ottawa, or who are holding unacceptable views that theyre expressing, do not represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other.

Its not like that at all, Bruneau said. Its like all of Canada. And the world is watching us. Canadians are standing together for one and for all.

Rob Jonkhans said he joined the protest for his children and other children and the impact the restrictions have had on them.

I think about all the other kids, who are not in a spot like my kids, who are in worse situations, whether abuse or mental anguish, depressionyou need to be active, you need to get out and live your life, he said.

Protesters participating in the truck convoy protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions gather on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times)

Jonkhans said those who are critical of the protest should come out and feel the love.

[I cant remember] the last time I ever felt this as a Canadian, its been an embarrassing ride the last couple of years, he said.

As the crowd behind him broke out in a rendition of O Canada, Jonkhans said no honest person can deny the good vibe in the crowd.

Freedom Convoy 2022 began as a protest against the federal governments vaccine mandate for truck drivers crossing the U.S.-Canada border but has since expanded in scope, with many joining the movement to protest various COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

The first convoy started from the West Coast on Jan. 23, with more trucks joining from different parts of the country, coming together to protest in the nations capital this weekend and into next week.

Peoples Party of Canada Leader and former cabinet minister Maxime Bernier takes part in the trucker protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Protesters participating in the truck convoy protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions gather on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

A GoFundMe page set up to support the convoy had collected more than $8 million as of Jan. 29.

While GoFundMe reviews the distribution plan for the funds, organizers said that the crowdfunding platform released the first batch of $1 million, which will be used to support drivers with costs of fuel, food, and lodging.

Due to the anticipated size of the protest, local police asked for backup from nearby forces. Ottawa police say they have officers from Toronto, Durham Region, London, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police and RCMP.

Jared Gnam and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.

Omid Ghoreishi Senior Reporter Follow Omid Ghoreishi is an Epoch Times reporter based in Toronto.

Noe Chartier Follow Noe Chartier is an Epoch Times reporter based in Montreal.

Limin Zhou Follow Limin Zhou is a reporter based in Ottawa.
Most Troops Seeking Religious Exemption to Vaccine Mandate Have Sincere Belief, but Rejected Anyway

Most members of the U.S. armed forces who have seen their applications for religious exemptions from the militarys COVID-19 vaccine mandate denied were deemed by a chaplain to have a sincere belief, which may lead a federal judge to block the mandate for them.

One hundred percent of the religious exemption requests that have been denied by the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard were based on a sincere belief, according to chaplains, branch officials said in recent court filings obtained by The Epoch Times.

Col. Kevin Mahoney, an official with the Office of the Army Surgeon General and U.S. Army Medical Command, said that approximately 92 percent of the requests denied by the Army were designated by the interviewing chaplain as being based on a sincerely held religious belief or the chaplain didnt otherwise find that the applicants stated reasons werent sincere.

The disclosures show that top military officials have overruled chaplains in more than 3,800 cases.

The number confirms what many of us suspected, which is that the procedure for service members to submit religious exemption requests is basically bogus, Jay Richards, a senior research fellow in the Heritage Foundations DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, told The Epoch Times.

The judge overseeing the case ordered the military to start on Jan. 7 detailing how many of the denied requests were judged by chaplains to be sincere, and the latest figures were to be reported on Jan. 21.

Navy and Air Force officials have defied the order, stating in exhibits that it is UNKNOWN how many of the denied requeststhe Navy has rejected 3,573 and the Air Force has denied 2,740came in cases where the chaplains made that determination.

The case was brought by Liberty Counsel on behalf of military members who said they had been denied religious exemptions and were either punished or threatened with punishment before or after the denials.

Lawyers asked the court to block the enforcement of the militarys mandate against the plaintiffs.

U.S. District Court Judge Steven Merryday, a George H.W. Bush nominee, turned down the request, but said it was quite plausible that the militarys procedures for religious exemptions is a ruse that will result inevitably in the undifferentiated (and therefore unlawful under RFRA) denial of each service members request. RFRA refers to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

At the time of the ruling, in November 2021, the military had granted zero religious exemption requests. As of Jan. 29, only one branch, the Marines, had granted any.

Merryday ordered the military to produce figures outlining how officials were handling religious exemption applications and kept open the possibility of ultimately ruling in favor of the plaintiffs.

Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, said the judge should have entered the injunction last year, but with the new disclosures, he will likely act.

He said our arguments were plausible. But I think what he was wanting to do is get more data to confirm that and force the military to reveal the true data. Now that he has received that, I think well get the injunction across the board. Because everything that we said was true, Staver told The Epoch Times.

At the heart of the case is the RFRA, which protects religious liberty under the First Amendment by preventing the government from placing a substantial burden on a persons exercise of religion. The Pentagon uses the laws standard to guide its process for accommodating military members religious practices.

A military member gets a COVID-19 vaccine in Fort Knox, Ky., in a file image. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

Plaintiffs say their exercise of religion compels them not to get a COVID-19 vaccine, despite the order requiring vaccination. Defendants have said theyre properly considering and adjudicating each request, which begins with a chaplain and is sent to various officials, depending on the branch.

At every step, each accommodation request is given full consideration with respect to the facts and circumstances submitted in the request. In each case, every reviewer weighs the compelling government interest against the individuals request and the circumstances of their situation, a Marines spokesman told The Epoch Times in an email, adding that the interest includes military readiness and health and safety.

Religious accommodation requests include interviews with the soldiers chaplain, recommendations from the chain of command, as well as a public health and a legal review. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on specific exemption requests, an Army spokesman added.

A Navy spokesman declined to comment, citing pending litigation. The Air Force didnt respond to a request for comment. Coast Guard spokespersons have refused to answer recent questions about how the branch handles exemption requests.

Philip Cave, a military lawyer with Cave & Freeburg LLP, told The Epoch Times that in his view, the military doesnt need to grant any religious exemptions to the mandate.

Its my professional opinion that its a lawful order and that there are substantial health and mission and national security reasons for enforcement of the order, despite the RFRA, he said.

Richards, though, said court precedent means service members retain their First Amendment rights after joining the military, which means the military has to respect their religious beliefs.

I would find it extraordinary if the courts determined that members of the military had no right to religious exemption requests under any circumstance, he said.

The case, which was filed in federal court in Florida, is ongoing. In a separate case, a federal judge in Texas blocked enforcement of the mandate against a group of Navy SEALs who were denied religious exemptions, ruling that the Navy rightly provides a religious exemption process, but by all accounts, it is theater.
An employee at a coffee shop in Manhattan wears a masks as signs ask for proof of vaccination, on the day that a mask mandate went into effect in New York on Dec. 13, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

New York Governor Extends Mask Mandate

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Jan. 28 announced an extension to the states indoor mask mandate through Feb. 10.

The mandate covers restaurants, stores, gyms, theaters, and other private businesses.

Well be extending that just through Feb. 10, Hochul said. Probably a couple days before then, well be evaluating. But if we continue on this rapid trend downward, well be in a good place. If it levels off or something else happens, I need that flexibility.

New coronavirus infections in New York have declined in recent weeks to about 20,000 daily during the week ending Jan. 26 from almost 70,000 during the week ending Jan. 12.

The governor initially imposed a mandate in December 2021 that required people to wear masks for all public indoor settingsunless they were vaccinated. The mandate was due to expire on Jan. 15, before Hochul moved the deadline to Feb. 1, and now to Feb. 10.

The directive has fines of up to $1,000 for each violation. But Hochul also said her administration wouldnt seek to compel counties to comply with the mandate.

The latest extension comes amid ongoing litigation over the mandate. Hochuls administration is currently pursuing an appeal against a ruling by Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Thomas Rademaker, who deemed the states mask mandate unconstitutional and unenforceable on Jan. 24, and that the state legislature would need to approve such laws for the mask mandate to be imposed.

Rademakers ruling doesnt prevent school districts from imposing their own mask mandates.

The following day, an appeals judge granted the states request for a stay while Hochuls office pursues an appeal.
NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Jan. 28)

A bridge in Pittsburgh collapses just hours before President Joe Biden arrives in the city, a leaked video shows people who may be illegal immigrants being flown into New York state, and Pennsylvania judges rule no-excuse mail-in voting is unconstitutional.
The Orange County Department of Education campus in Costa Mesa, Calif., on July 7, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Orange County Board of Education Files Lawsuit Over Voting Map

COSTA MESA, Calif.An ongoing dispute among education officials regarding the Orange County Board of Education voting maps may be solved with the intervention of a judge.

The Orange County Board of Education filed a lawsuit on Jan. 21 against the County Committee on School District Organizationwhich recommends the boards district mapsafter a month-long debate over where the board members district boundaries should be drawn, according to Orange County Board of Education President Mari Barke.

The lawsuit states that the committee allegedly didnt meet the Dec. 15 deadline to properly adjust the voting map and refused to accept the map provided by the board.

Rather, the committee proceeded to redo the entire voting map, according to the lawsuit.

We had established boundaries that were fully balanced, Barke told The Epoch Times. All the committee should have done was reviewed our established map and verified that it was fully balanced.

Trustee Mari Barke in an Orange County Board of Education meeting in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Oct. 7, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The committee is made up of 11 appointed members from 31 school and community college boards in Orange County.

The board of education approved a map of its own on Dec. 8 with the help of a demographer that utilized the 2020 U.S. Census to ensure the data depicts the correct population balance, Barke said.

The map kept all the board members in their current districts, allowing them to run for reelection in June.

The board expected the committee to give quick approval, Barke said.

Instead, the committee drew new district boundaries that would kick the board members out of their current districts and make them compete with one another during reelection periods, Barke said.

Barke speculates that the actions of the committee are a part of partisan efforts to prohibit conservative members from being able to run for reelection when their term ends.

We knew people would be after us because were a conservative board, and theres very few in the state, Barke said. They dont like that we protect parental rights and educate our constituents about whats going on.

The Orange County Committee on School Districts and the Orange County Department of Education didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.

Barke, along with her colleagues Lisa Sparks, and Tim Shaw, have terms ending in 2022.

The lawsuit has the support of most of the board members aside from District 1 representative Becky Gomez.

The committee now has until Feb. 2 to submit a district map to the Orange County Registrars Office.

The recent legal challenge is one of many filed by the board in recent years, including an ongoing lawsuit challenging the authority of California Gov. Gavin Newsom for allegedly abusing his emergency powers.

Were not your typical board, Barke said. Were not going to sit back for this.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department begin the use of body cameras in Yorba Linda, Calif., Oct. 4, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Orange County Law Enforcement Warns of New Car Theft Scheme Targeting Latinos, Over 50 Vehicles Stolen

Orange County, California, authorities are warning of a new scheme used by thieves that has resulted in over 50 vehicles being stolen from Latino residents since last July.

Victims are lured into the scheme first by answering a wanted ad on Facebook that they can earn up to $5,000 by providing their car to transport money from one location to the next.

The victim picks up the cash, as directed, but when they deliver the cash, the thief steals their car under the pretext that its needed to pick up more cash at another location. The thief drives off with the car and the victim is left on the street waiting for their vehicle to return, which it never does.

The criminals are creating opportunities to separate the unknowing victim from their vehicle, said Orange County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Ryan Anderson.

The crimes have happened throughout the county, and not in any one specific area, Anderson said.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement about the scheme that having a car stolen can really hurt families who may not have other transportation options.

Many people have to rely on a single vehicle for transportation for their entire family to go to work and school, and having that vehicle stolen is devastating. We will not allow these predators to continue to target vulnerable victims just to make a quick buck, Spitzer said.

Authorities are urging anyone who has been a victim of this crime to call OC Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.
A Brahmos supersonic cruise missile is on display at the International Maritime Defense Show in Saint Petersburg on June 28, 2017. (Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images)

Philippines Officially Signs Deal With India to Acquire Supersonic Cruise Missile

The Philippines have formally inked an 18.9 billion pesos ($370 million) contract with India for the acquisition of Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, its defense ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The 290-kilometer (180 miles) range Brahmos shore-based anti-ship missile system is produced by an Indo-Russian defense corporation BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia established in 1998.

The contract, under which three batteries of the shore-based anti-ship missiles will be delivered to the Philippines, was signed by the Philippines Defense Secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, and Brahmos Aerospaces Director-General Atul Dinkar Rane.

Indian Ambassador to the Philippines, Shambu Kumaran, was also present during the signing ceremony in Manila.

Indias defense ministry said in a statement that the deal represents an important step forward  in the governments strategy of promoting responsible defense exports.

Lorenzana had said earlier that the Philippine Marines will be the primary user of the new weapons system. The contract is inclusive of training for operators and maintainers, as well as the necessary integrated logistics support package.

Manilas acquisition of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles was perceived as a means of bolstering the countrys ability to defend sovereign claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims 90 percent of the seas based on its so-called nine-dash line.

The Philippine government had previously lodged a diplomatic protest against Chinas repeated disruptive acts toward its authorities patrolling the disputed sea, warning Beijing that a public vessel is covered under the Philippines-U.S. mutual defense treaty.

Lorenzana stated that the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles will assist the Philippines in providing deterrence against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea.

Equipping our navy with this vital asset is imperative as the Philippines continues to protect the integrity of its territory and defend its national interests, Lorenzana said in a statement on Friday.

The BrahMos cruise missile is 8 meters (26 feet) in length and carries a conventional warhead weighing about 200 kilograms (440 lbs). It has a flight speed of up to Mach 2.8 (970 meters per second), almost three times the speed of sound.

Indias defense ministry had previously test-launched the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from its new stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, saying that the missile hits the designated target ship precisely.

Indian Navys spokesperson said on Twitter that the successful test launch validates a new capability for the Navy with the induction of the BrahMos missile and that it certifies the accuracy of the ships combat system and armament complex.
Republicans Demand Answers After TSA Admits Illegal Immigrants Can Use Arrest Warrants to Fly

Senate Republicans are demanding answers from one of the top officials in President Joe Bidens administration after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) acknowledged that it allows illegal immigrants to use arrest warrants as a form of identification to fly inside the United States.

The revelation is alarming and presents a potentially serious threat to our nations homeland security, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and nine other senators wrote in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that was obtained by The Epoch Times.

TSA, which helps secure U.S. airports, confirmed to The Epoch Times recently that agents accept some DHS-issued forms if noncitizens dont have identification. That includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) form I-200, or a warrant for the arrest of an alien.

That form states that theres probable cause to believe a certain alien is removable from the United States and commands immigration officers to arrest and take into custody the named alien for deportation proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

By the plain text of these documents, the only flights these dangerous, criminal illegal immigrants should be boarding are those returning them to their home country, the letter reads.

They demanded answers to a set of questions by Feb. 25, including when the form was first deemed an acceptable form of identification, whether ICE was consulted before the decision was made, and why the aliens are being allowed to fly rather than being deported.

ICE and TSA declined to comment. DHS didnt respond to a request for comment.

A TSA official told The Epoch Times on Jan. 23 that the agency has been accepting form I-200 for nearly as long as the agency has been in existence. The official said they believed TSA agents didnt have the authority to arrest illegal aliens. ICE, when asked whether non-ICE law enforcement agents could enforce the arrest warrants, refused to answer the question.

The Biden administration has been flying illegal aliens across the United States, including to suburban airports, since taking office. Under President Joe Biden, a new record for arrests at the southern border was set, and overwhelmed immigration officers have released a significant number of the apprehended immigrants into the country, including roughly 78,000 of them without court dates.

The recent admission by TSA also sparked the creation of new legislation that would bar TSA from accepting an arrest warrant as identification for commercial flights.

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced the legislation on Jan. 25.

An illegal immigrant who commits a crime should be arrested and brought before a judge. The Biden Administration is instead putting our national security and American families at risk by allowing them to fly on U.S. airlines, Gooden said in a statement.

Illegal immigrants should not be able to board flights using warrants for their arrest or deportation, and it is ridiculous that the Biden Administration is allowing this to happen. Rep. Gooden and I are working on legislation that will put a stop to this insane practice and secure air travel in this country, Rubio added.
U.S. House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S Capitol Washington, on June 15, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Republicans Demand White House Release Transcript of Biden Call With Ukrainian President

Republicans are demanding that the White House release a transcript of President Joe Bidens conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after unconfirmed reports claimed that Biden told Zelensky that Kyiv would soon be sacked by Russian forces.

The allegations originated with CNN senior national security correspondent Alexander Marquardt, who reported the conversation in a Twitter post. According to Marquardt, the information was relayed by an unspecified senior Ukrainian official.

A Russian invasion is now virtually certain once the ground freezes, Biden said to Zelensky.  Kyiv could be sacked, Russian forces may attempt to occupy it, prepare for impact, Biden said, Marquardt wrote on Twitter.

Emily Horne, a National Security Council spokeswoman, took to Twitter on Jan. 27 to dismiss the alleged comments.

Horne retweeted Marquardts post and responded: This is not true. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.

The White House also issued a statement regarding the call between Biden and the Ukrainian president that states the U.S. president underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraines sovereignty and that the leaders discussed coordinated diplomatic efforts on European security.

Ukraines embassy said in a statement that the reports are completely false.

But Republicans believe that there may be more truth to Marquardts reports than U.S. and Ukrainian officials are suggesting, and have called on the White House to release the full transcript of the Jan. 27 conversation.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), House Republican Conference chairwoman and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the ranking GOP member of the House Judiciary Committee, noted in a statement that Democrats had similarly demanded a transcript of a call between President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president in 2019.

The White House must release the transcript of President Bidens call with President Zelensky immediately, Stefanik and Jordan stated.

It was House Democrats, led by Chairman Schiff and Speaker Pelosi, who spent months wasting American taxpayer dollars on a purely partisan attack propped up by their selectively-edited call between President Trump and President Zelenskyy. Joe Biden himself called on President Trump to release the transcript  let the House see it,' the GOP members said.

Now, as Bidens foreign policy disasters mount, Democrats are putting another double standard on display by not releasing the transcript of President Bidens call with Zelensky, Stefanik and Jordan said. To paraphrase our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, if there is nothing wrong with the call, this should not be a problem.

President Bidens weakness on the world stage has emboldened Americas enemies, abandoned our allies, and put us in the midst of an international crisis, the brief statement concluded. Now, the Biden administration is playing a game of he said, she said regarding yesterdays call with President Zelensky.

Republicans have been heavily critical of the presidents foreign policy since August, when Bidens decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan caused the U.S.-backed democratic government to fall to the Taliban terrorist organization.

After two decades of combat in the faraway desert nation, Republicans have argued that Bidens decision to suddenly pull out sent the wrong message to U.S. adversaries.

In the aftermath of the withdrawal, which left hundreds of Americans trapped in the country, Republicans warned that U.S. enemies such as Russia and China would be emboldened by the move. Since then, concerns about an imminent Chinese invasion of Taiwan or a Russian invasion of Ukraine have been rife.

In 2014, citizens in the pro-Russian Ukrainian Crimean peninsula voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and join Russia. Russia accepted the results and moved in to annex the region. Kyiv and Western nations decried the move, which they said was illegal, and imposed tough sanctions on Russia in response.

Over the past several weeks, Russia has amassed troops along Ukraines eastern border, igniting concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to invade all or part of Ukraine.

Putin, for his part, has denied any such intention, and has insisted that conflict can be avoided if the United States agrees not to attempt to add Ukraine to the NATO pact. If Ukraine were to join NATO, the United States could set up nuclear missile sites in the country that could potentially reach Moscow in minutes.

Russias central demand is that the United States and NATO permanently block Ukraine from membership in the alliance, a demand that Biden has refused.

This refusal has caused tensions to escalate; it remains unclear what roleif anythe United States and its allies would play in the event of a Russian invasion.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.
More than one-fourth of the students and nearly half of the teachers have had Covid-19 at Como Park Elementary in Lancaster since September.

At Forest Elementary in Williamsville, 30% of students have had Covid during that time.

And more than half of the teachers at Boston Valley Elementary School in Hamburg have had the virus.

These schools are among those with the highest percentages of students and teachers testing positive for Covid in the past four months, according to a Buffalo News analysis of data from the New York State Department of Health.

The data show which schools in Erie and Niagara counties have been hit the hardest by the pandemic during this school year, something that has not previously been readily available.

The News analyzed the information that each of the 348 public, private and charter schools in Erie and Niagara counties have provided to the state every day since September.

In eight schools, at least one-fourth of students had Covid. And in 92 schools, at least one-fourth of teachers had Covid.

A total of more than 3,200 teachers in the two counties have had Covid since September, The News found.

In terms of raw numbers, far more students than teachers have had Covid during that period  more than 21,000  but thats largely because there are so many more students than teachers.

Overall, a greater share of teachers have had the virus: 19% of teachers, compared with 13% of students.

Schools are required to notify families whenever someone in the building tests positive, and many post daily or weekly totals on their websites, but not cumulative figures.

On the New York State Covid-19 Report Card, the Department of Health provides cumulative figures on a separate webpage for each school, but does not provide a simple way to compare schools.

Increased risk?

Are people at greater risk of getting Covid in schools where a higher percentage of people have had Covid?

The answer is complicated.

Generally speaking, the rate of Covid in schools reflects the rate in the community at large. And as the rate in the community rises, the number of teachers and kids carrying the virus  many of them being asymptomatic  will increase, too.

That means there is more potential for people to be exposed to the virus.

At the same time, though, once a person has had Covid, they have a certain degree of immunity for some period of time.

If you have more active cases in a school, that holds the potential for more transmission, said Dr. Thomas Russo, the chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalos Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. But you have to balance that with the relative immunity that exists.

Higher vaccination rates among adults and children in a school also increase the immunity within a school. And the more that a school puts in place mitigation factors, such as masking, the less likely the virus is to spread.

As effective immunity in a school increases, its going to be harder for the virus to transmit, Russo said. The fly in the ointment is that we know immunity from Delta is imperfect against Omicron. It depends on when those individuals were infected, as immunity wanes over time.

Lower rates at charter schools

The average Covid rate at private schools was about the same as at public schools in Erie and Niagara counties. Charter schools, though, had a lower rate overall.

About 8% of the students in charter schools have had Covid this school year, compared with about 12% in public and private schools.

During the previous school year, many private schools remained in person most or all of the school year, while most public and charter schools were remote or hybrid most of the school year. Six percent of private school students got Covid in 2020-21, compared with 4% in public schools and 2% in charter schools, The News found.

Schools emphasize that although they are required to report the positive Covid tests to the state, it does not mean that the virus was spread within the school. Several studies have shown that the transmission rate of Covid in schools is usually lower than, or similar to, the rate in the community at large, according to the CDC. Many school officials point to safety measures such as masking as effective in mitigating the spread of Covid in schools.

Still, students and teachers alike do have some exposure in school, particularly during lunches, when students are not required to wear a mask for as long as 45 minutes.

Higher rates among teachers

Most schools say that 90% or more of teachers have been vaccinated, while the vaccination rate among students is likely much lower, partly because vaccines have not been available to children until much more recently.

In Erie County, for example, fewer than one out of three children ages 5 to 11 have been fully vaccinated; fewer than two out of three of 12- to 17-year-olds have been vaccinated.

So why would the Covid rate be higher among teachers than students?

There are a number of possible factors. For one thing, those numbers dont necessarily tell the full story. Children are more likely to be asymptomatic when they have Covid, and as a result, may be more likely to go undiagnosed.

And the state data includes only the results of laboratory Covid tests, not at-home tests.

Beyond that, although vaccines provide some protection against Covid-19, they are not a guarantee. After a certain amount of time, the level of protection declines. And many people who initially got vaccinated have not gotten a booster shot.

Their level of protection is quite imperfect against Omicron, Russo said.

Its also possible that some vaccinated adults think they are better protected than they are, or take fewer precautions if they think they are less likely to get seriously ill if they get infected, he said.

Perhaps theyre more likely to participate in behaviors that would put them at higher risk, he said.

Staffing shortages

At various points since September, many schools have found themselves without enough teachers to cover all their classes, in large part because teachers had Covid or were dealing with family members who were ill.

In Buffalo Public Schools, for example, teaching assistants and central office staff have sometimes been dispatched to cover classes.

Throughout Erie and Niagara counties, though, its been relatively rare for schools to go remote for a period of time this academic year because of staffing shortages.

It has happened, though. Consider, for example, Notre Dame Academy, a small Catholic school in South Buffalo. In mid-November, one kindergarten class had already pivoted to remote instruction, and children in another kindergarten class learned they would have to quarantine for 10 days.

And then two special area teachers tested positive. They had taught more than three-fourths of the school's students on a Tuesday, according to a letter that principal Jenniffer Maslakowski sent to parents.

Faced with a shortage of teachers and no substitutes, the school had to combine classes the next day. In some cases, there were more than 50 students in a single classroom.

The school moved to remote instruction for more than a week.

I did not make this decision lightly and do not want to be remote any longer than necessary, Maslakowski wrote. Please know I hate this just as much as all of you and know our kids need to be in school.

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Second Renewable Energy Zone Announced in Australia

The New South Wales (NSW) government has officially declared the nations second renewable energy hub as the Australian state plans to gradually phase out its fleet of coal-fired power stations.

The hub will be located in New England in the states north-east, with the NSW government banking on $10.7 billion from the private sector to fund the project, of which $78.9 million will come from state government coffers.

The billion-dollar figure is more than twice the private sector investment of $5.2 billion required for the nations previously announced renewable energy zones (REZs) in the Central-West Orana region, west of Sydney.

It comes as part of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which outlines plans for five REZs to supplant the states heavy dependence on coala source that currently makes up more than two thirds of the states generated electricity.

Liddell power station in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia on Apr. 22, 2018. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

NSW had previously announced its goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and halve its emissions by 2030. Australias overall rapid shift to more renewable energy could see coal power retire three times earlier than originally expected.

Australias overall push to lower its emissions comes following a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that concluded carbon dioxide to be the primary contributor to climate change, although this has been disputed by peer-reviewed research questioning the IPCC over its decision to not consider the effects of solar energy.

REZs have been lauded as a replacement to typical power stations and feature solar, wind, and energy storagesuch as batteriesall in one place. This promises to reduce overall costs by capitalising on economies of scale, such as reducing the amount of transmission cables required.

NSW Energy Corporation CEO James Hay said the New England REZ had great natural energy resources, including potential sites for pumped-hydro. Pumped hydro is a form of energy storage that involves pumping water into reservoirs at a higher elevation, and releasing the water to re-harness the energy when required.

REZs are the modern-day equivalent of a power station, combining low cost renewables with back-up energy from storage and transmission to deliver cheap, reliable, and clean energy, Hay said.

Unaddressed Concerns of the Rapid Renewable Rollout

With the accelerating adoption of solar, wind, and battery systems, concerns have been voiced regarding the use of slave labour in the renewable energy supply chain, along with the cuts to energy security brought on by a poorly planned transition.

Experts have warned of the need to not rush the transition to renewable energy, a point that has been backed up by the United Kingdoms energy crisis in 2021 which saw swathes of wind turbines sit stagnant following record low wind levels.

The rapid energy shift also prompted the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to enforce rules that require certain sectors to report annually on how theyre addressing the risk of slavery in the renewable energy supply chain.

Modern slavery risks are heightened when there is a change in procurement strategy and high volumes of manufactured goods are required at short notice, the AHRC states. The shift to renewable energy has revealed a number of areas of emerging modern slavery supply chain risk for energy companies.

This includes child slave labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where allegations have been put forward of children being regularly maimed and killed by tunnel collapses during the mining of cobalta critical material used in batteries.

A child walks past a truck carrying rocks extracted from a cobalt mine at a copper quarry and cobalt pit in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 23, 2016. (Junior Kannah/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinawhich has been the focus of numerous accounts of human rights abuses, such as the mass forced organ harvesting of Falun Dafa adherents and the persecution of Tibetan Buddhistshas also enslaved millions of ethnic Uyghur, Kyrgyz, and Kazakh citizens who have been found to work in the production of solar cells.

Most of Australias supply of renewable energy systems come from Chinathe worlds biggest producer of solar panels, wind turbines, and battery cells. This includes 90 percent of its solar panels, as Australia has little to none of its own renewable manufacturing capabilities.

Chinese wind turbines have also been put under the spotlight recently after nearly half of wind turbines inspected at Australias largest wind farm were found to be cracked and would need months of repairsdespite being in operation for less than five months.

Leader of the United Australia Party and federal MP Craig Kelly, who has been critical of NSW transition to net zero, highlighted the increasing dependence on China brought on by the energy transition.

The net result will be a wealth transfer out of Australia to the Communist Party of China, previously told The Epoch Times. It forces us to rely upon large batteries which come from China, more wind turbine parts, all of which come from China.
Video from a U.S. Capitol Police surveillance camera was recently released by the Department of Justice. It shows protesters streaming into the U.S. Capitol through the historic Columbus Doors on Jan. 6, 2021. (Video Still/U.S. Department of Justice)

Someone Opened the Doors From the Inside, Jan. 6 Defense Attorney Says

Kelly Meggs and other members of the Oath Keepers couldnt have done one of the major things of which theyre accused by federal prosecutors: forcing their way into the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 6, 2021, through the famous Columbus Doors, a defense attorney says.

The two sets of historic doors that lead into the Rotunda were opened by someone on the inside and not his client, according to defense attorney Jonathon Moseley.

Department of Justice video widely circulated on Twitter since last week shows a man trying to open the inner doors by leaning against them, before turning around as if listening to someone, then returning to the entrance and opening the left door for protesters.

The outer doors cast from solid bronze would require a bazooka, an artillery shell, or C4 military-grade explosives to breach, Moseley wrote in a letter to federal prosecutors. That of course did not happen. You would sooner break into a bank vault than to break the bronze outer Columbus Doors.

The 20,000-pound Columbus Doors that lead into the Rotunda on the east side of the U.S. Capitol are secured by magnetic locks that can only be opened from the inside by using a security code controlled by Capitol Police, Moseley wrote in an eight-page memo.

Impossible and Cannot Be Done

Imagine how the prosecution will prove at trial what cannot be proven because it is not true, Moseley wrote to prosecutors Jeffrey S. Nestler and Kathryn Leigh Rakoczy of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Who is going to testify that the defendants entered the Columbus Doors when the U.S. Capitol Police will begrudgingly testify that that is impossible and cannot be done?

In a superseding indictment on Jan. 12, Meggs and 10 other members of the Oath Keepers were charged with seditious conspiracy, destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, tampering with documents, and other counts related to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

The indictment charges that Meggs led a stack formation up the Capitol steps and to the entrance at the Columbus Doors. At 2:39 p.m., the doors were breached, and stack one entered the Capitol with the mob, according to the indictment.

Moseley said theres one big problem with that accusation: Its impossible to force entry from the outside. Only someone with the security code could release the locksand only from the inside.

Video evidence submitted in the case shows the glass panes in the inner doors were cracked, but intact, so no one accessed the building through the windows or by reaching for the inside door handles, he said.

Therefore, nobody opened the Rotunda doors from the outside, Moseley wrote. Someone opened the doors from the inside.

Video footage shot by multimedia journalist Michael Nigro shows the outer bronze doors were partially retracted before a large crowd gathered outside of the entrance. The inner doors were closed, and U.S. Capitol Police were stationed outside. Protesters sprayed police with pepper spray, threw items at them, and hit them with flagpoles.

A short time later, the inner doors were opened and hundreds of protesters streamed into the Rotunda, the video footage shows. A protester in the Rotunda is heard shouting, Dont vandalize the property!

Capitol Tour Confirms Door Security

U.S. sculptor Randolph Rogers designed the solid-bronze doors to depict scenes from the life of explorer Christopher Columbus. The doors were first installed in 1863, moved in 1871 to the central east entrance, and moved to their current location in 1961.

The doors are 17 feet high and weigh 20,000 pounds, according to the Architect of the Capitol. Once opened, the giant doors retract into pockets in the walls via built-in tracks.

First installed in 1863, the historic Columbus Doors depict scenes from the life of explorer Christopher Columbus. (Architect of the Capitol)

Moseley asked federal prosecutors for any and all specifications, details and operational information about the so-called Columbus Doors.

He and an assistant took a tour of the Capitol on Jan. 22, along with other attorneys and investigators. The U.S. Capitol Police officers on duty were emphatic that the doors couldnt be opened from the outside, he said.

These are facts that in the supposedly largest nationwide investigation in the history of the U.S. since the kidnapping of the Charles Lindbergh baby or the search for Al Capone could easily have been investigated, [checked], and determined before the U.S. Attorneys Office presented false information to the grand jury, Moseley wrote.

For these purposes, I dont care who opened the Columbus Doors from the inside, or why, or who they worked for. History will reveal all of that. History will care very much. But all I care about is that it wasnt my client or any of these defendants, and the U.S. Attorneys Office knows that or should have discovered it upon reasonable investigation.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia didnt respond to a request for comment on Moseleys letter by press time.

The superseding indictment states that Meggs and four other Oath Keepers became part of a mob that aggressively advanced toward the Rotunda Doors, assaulted the law enforcement officers guarding the doors, threw objects and sprayed chemicals toward the officers and the doors and pulled violently on the doors.

The mob breached the Rotunda entrance at about 2:39 p.m., according to the indictment.

Nigros video footage from outside the entrance shows a group of Oath Keepers near the Columbus Doors, which are clearly open at the time the men got near the threshold. By the time they entered the Capitol, dozens if not more than 100 people had flowed into the building, the footage shows.

Baseless Prosecution

Moseley accused prosecutors of crafting a fabricated case against the Oath Keepers thats false and reprehensible.

This baseless prosecution is the greatest threat to the Republic since 1812. This prosecution is not about an attack on our Republic. This prosecution IS the attack on our Republic, Moseley wrote, seeking to criminalize political dissent, free speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of political association, and the right to petition government for the redress of grievances.

Moseley criticized federal authorities for dishonestly trying to deceive the public for eight months by concealing the fact that six demonstration permits had been issued for the U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. Implicit in those permits is the permission for people to have ingress and egress across the grounds to reach each event, he said.

This baseless prosecution is the greatest threat to the Republic since 1812.  Jonathon Moseley

Moseley proposed a stipulation that both sides in the case agree that none of the demonstrators or the defendants opened the Columbus Doors on Jan. 6, 2021, and that the government strike three paragraphs of the indictment that refer to the defendants entering the Capitol because theyre untrue and withdrawn. Prosecutors refused that proposal, he said.

News of the Columbus Doors issue comes as more video footage released from protective court seal shows large groups of Jan. 6, 2021, protesters peacefully streaming into the U.S. Capitol through wide-open doors. Among them was Rabbi Mike Stepakoff, who spent about five minutes inside the Capitol, doing nothing more than looking around and taking photos.

On his way out, Stepakoff stopped to shake hands with a police officer and told him thank you for his service, we love you, and God bless you, according to his attorney, Marina Medvin.

Stepakoff was charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building, all misdemeanors.

Stepakoff pleaded guilty to the parading charge and received 12 months of probation. The other charges were dismissed, Medvin said in a statement. The government sought to punish him with a jail term for events he did not partake in, for destruction and violence he did not witness, for severity he did not experience, and for an effect he did not cause nor could foresee, she said.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 16, 2021. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)

South Dakota Governors Bill Would Let Workers Sue Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

South Dakotas governor has unveiled a legislative proposal that would prevent employers from denying medical and religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, provided certain criteria are met.

The proposed legislation (pdf) says an employee seeking a medical exemption must get a certificate signed by a doctor in South Dakota attesting that the worker has a medical contraindication or compelling medical reason that advises against the COVID-19 immunization.

Under the bill, it would be easier to get a religious exemption. A person would merely need to submit a signed statement that says they dissent and object to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds, which includes moral or ethical beliefs or principles but not social, political, or economic philosophies or mere preference.

Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, also included a carve-out for workers who have recovered from COVID-19, giving them some level of protection against the illness.

Any employee who provides proof of a positive serum antibody test from a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-approved laboratory showing they have antibodies against COVID-19 within 180 days of submitting the exemption doesnt need to get vaccinated, though they may have to resubmit the form down the road.

Noem, who already banned state agencies from requiring verification of vaccination, is taking aim at private companies who mandate COVID-19 vaccination for their workers.

The COVID vaccination should be a choice, and we should reject the efforts that we are seeing in other parts of the country to divide us into two classes: vaccinated and unvaccinated, Noem said in a statement. Unvaccinated Americans are still Americans. We live in a free countryfree to make our own decisions. In South Dakota, we will protect the liberty of our people to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.

South Dakota House Speaker Spencer Gosch, a Republican, told The Epoch Times in an email that he hadnt reviewed the proposal yet.

There are a lot of bills regarding COVID-19 vaccines, he wrote.

Ian Fury, a spokesperson with Noem, told The Epoch Times via email that the governor is optimistic about the legislations prospects.

Republicans, who have generally been opposed to vaccine verification requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, control both legislative chambers in South Dakota.

The South Dakota Democratic Party and South Dakota House Minority Leader Troy Heinert did not respond to requests for comment on the proposal.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

President Joe Bidens administration attempted to impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on all employers with 100 or more workers anywhere in the nation, but the Supreme Court in mid-January blocked the rule, finding it likely exceeded the authority granted by Congress to the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Southern Border Crisis a Threat to National Security: Former US Border Patrol Chief

The massive numbers of illegal immigrants crossing into the United States are only one part of the crisis at the southern border, says former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott. A deadly and more immediate problem is the drug cartels that are deliberately using the illegal immigrants to overwhelm agents and create unmanned land routes to funnel lethal drugs.

The cartels are using those large numbers of illegal aliens coming across the border, not just to make money on the illegal alien smuggling, but to create controllable gaps in border security, Scott told NTDs Steve Lance during an interview on the Capitol Report on Jan. 26.

They simply overwhelm agents with those massive numbers, and that creates other areas where theres no law enforcement at all. Thats where theyre bringing the narcotics, the criminal aliens, the people that want to avoid arrest, for whatever reason, and theyre just pouring across at will. This is a crisis and it is real.

According to U.S. CBP, agents arrested 178,840 migrants in December 2021, an increase of more than 100,000 from the year before, which brought the total number of apprehensions for 2021 to a record of more than 2 million.

The co-chair of the House Border Security Caucus, Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), told Lance in an interview on Jan. 25 that the border crisis is of Bidens own making, with policies that his caucus is trying to help change.

Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), in a still from an interview on Capitol Report, discusses the U.S. border crisis on Jan. 25, 2022. (NTD/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Both Babin and Scott are concerned about the exponential increase in drugs coming into the country.

Its because of the empowerment of the drug cartels by this Biden administration. Weve got the seizures  its up over, I think its a 1,066 percent increase, which has led to this, said Babin, who has traveled to the border numerous times in the last year.

In 2021, CBP seized 624,500 pounds of drugs, which was up from 2020, and included cocaine seizures increasing by 68 percent, methamphetamine seizures increasing by 7 percent, heroin seizures decreasing by 6 percent, and fentanyl seizures increasing by 134 percent.

Those seizures are up dramatically, at a time where actual patrol enforcement on the border is at an all-time low. Especially in Texas, the Border Patrol is completely overwhelmed with this migration issue. And theres large sections of border that have gone completely unmanned. Texas DPS has stepped in, and Texas National Guard, to try to help out, said Scott.

They also agreed that the problem goes beyond drugs and illegal immigration into national security threats because people from all over the world try to cross from the southern border.

Its not just a drug problem, either. This is a terrorist problem. This is a crime problem. Sanctuary cities, everything kind of dovetails into this entire issue. And the enormous cost to local and municipal governments, county, states, to take care, educate, Medicaid all of these people that are coming across, it is astounding, added Babin.

Before I retired last August, we had arrested people from 150 different countries from around the world, to include many of those that sponsor and are known to sponsor and support terrorism, said Scott.

Its not just about economic migrants, its a real threat to the United States.

However, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas thinks domestic terrorists are the greatest terrorist-related threat to national security, much more than the foreign terrorists potentially crossing into the United States from the southern border.

Let me then turn to what I have described as the greatest terrorism-related threat that we face in our homeland today. And that is the threat of domestic violent extremism. And just to make sure that I define it accurately for you: we are not speaking of individuals who espouse ideologies of hate, or who propel false narratives forward, said Mayorkas at remarks made at a Mayoral conference on Jan. 20. But where we become involved and where the threat materializes is when those ideologies of hate, those false narratives, are linked to acts of terrorism.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is seen at a Customs and Border Protection processing facility in Donna, Texas, on May 7, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Scott said the crisis is solvable with the right policies put back in place. He recommends that many of the Trump era immigration policies be reinstated and the physical wall completed.

Programs  like Remain in Mexico, the Migrant Protection Protocols that prevent people from being released into the United States before a judge adjudicates their case, are critical. That made a huge difference in the immigration. But that border wall construction was making every single Border Patrol agent more effective on the border. They could simply cover a larger area. It was a smart wall. No one wants to talk about that, but it involved technology that was helping the agents to respond in a smarter way, said Scott.

The Biden administration had canceled most of the Trump-era immigration policies, but Mayorkas is being forced by the court to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy in certain places.

We are implementing the Remain in Mexico program in certain areas as we build the capacity, and remember we rely on the partnership with Mexico to reimplement that program and were working through it all along the border in compliance with the courts order, Mayorkas told KYMA Wednesday.

Masooma Haq Follow Masooma Haq began reporting for The Epoch Times from Pakistan in 2008. She currently covers a variety of topics including U.S. government, culture, and entertainment.
Students React to CSUs Support for Permanent Removal of SAT, ACT in Admissions

LOS ANGELESAfter California State University (CSU) Trustees expressed their strong support earlier this week for permanently dropping the use of standardized tests for admission, high school seniors applauded, whereas current CSU students expressed concerns about the proposal.

On Jan. 26, the CSUs Admission Advisory Council made the recommendation to remove the SAT and ACT requirements for good for undergraduate applicants, after considering admissions data and national research and seeing the impact of testing on equity and access in higher education, according to Sylvia Alva, CSU executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.

Siding with the trustee board, high school students preparing for college applications expressed their support for the proposal.

Thats actually very helpful to me, Deanellie Ponce, a senior at South High School in Torrance, told The Epoch Times. I was stressing out about it. I was scared that [the tests] would set me back, and colleges would look at [test scores] and not consider my grades in high school. I was scared I would do terribly in the SAT and ACT.

Maedeline Salazar, a senior at South High School, said standardized tests may be a disadvantage to some people who arent good test-takers.

I think tests like the SAT are becoming more obsolete in this age. Intelligence cannot be recorded through how well you can take a singular test, Salazar said.

Another senior at South High School, Gen Yamamoto, said he didnt take the SAT, but he believed the change would benefit many students with financial hardships.

There are some students who cant take SAT and ACT because of their family circumstances. There are a lot of students who have to pay the college tuition themselves, so they dont have time to study for the [tests].

Yanqing Chen, a senior from San Gabriel High School who didnt plan to take any standardized tests, told The Epoch Times she believed the change is good for students because for people who are not performing very well [on the tests], [removing the requirements] give them the opportunity to go to a good college.

Yishuo Wu, a senior at San Gabriel High School, said he didnt take any standardized tests because it takes too long to study for them, and he wants to spend the time exploring new things.

Students can work hard and concentrate on their school stuff, like getting higher GPA. I agree with this change, Wu said.

However, some current CSU students are concerned that the change might lead to a less effective way of evaluating the qualifications of incoming students.

Luke Huang, a first-year graduate student studying Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona, said he thinks its better to retain the standardized testing requirement because theres more than one way to get admitted to CSU campuses.

The standardized test is a pretty fair way to examine all the students. Also, you can take [the tests] multiple times. If you still dont get into any school, just go to a community college and transfer.

Agreeing with Huang, Wanting Zhong, a senior studying liberal studies at CSU Long Beach, said that more admission criteria can help universities better identify students who are a good fit.

I think the standardized tests make it a lot easier for schools to understand ones strengths. [The tests] also make the admission process more competitive.

Jennifer Zhang, a college senior who entered CSU Fullerton as a freshman applicant, also said the test scores as an indicator can make the selection process more efficient in identifying the qualified since the admission quotas are always limited each year.

A standardized test is a tool that allows students who are ready and eligible for college education to stand out. If [the SAT and ACT tests are] removed, there should be an alternative test for a standardized evaluation.

At the Jan. 26 meeting, Trustee Yammilette Rodriguez shared in support of the proposal her personal experience back in high school when she had a 4.0 GPA but ended up going to a community college because she missed the deadline to take the standardized tests.

How wonderful would it have been for me to be able to go directly, Rodriguez said.

To address potential concerns, Trustee Jack Clarke also asked the council to clarify what to say to community members when they argue that were watering down the admission requirements, particularly in the areas of the hard sciences and mathematics.

Alva, executive vice chancellor, responded that taking a rigorous pattern of courseworks, what we refer to as AG [high school coursework required for admission into University of California and CSU campuses], and doing well in those courses is the best predictor of preparing for and doing well in college.

It is really about looking at the strongest predicators and rounding out our definitions  of talent and motivation and context to ensure that we stay closely aligned with our core values in the CSU for access, opportunity, and inclusive excellence, she said.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CSU has suspended the standardized testing requirements for admission and transitioned to the multi-factor admissions strategy, which the advisory council believed could offer a more effective assessment of student eligibility.

Alva said the recommendation can provide our campuses with a more comprehensive view of applicants from all backgrounds and zip codes by considering multi-layered factors that truly demonstrate their skills, determination, and potential for college success.

SATs recent transition from hard copy booklets to an online testing system will not have an impact on this recommendation, Alva said.

The proposal will be voted on by the Board of Trustees in March. If approved, CSU campuses will be joining the University of California, which put an end to the testing requirements last year.
Out of context, without the background, it would appear to be completely bizarre behavior. Gathered here in this plaza by the hundreds, everyone is doing strange things. One man holds his arms up and to the side, the palms of his hands flat, as if pushing back some strong, invisible force. A woman in a sparkling dress pretends to kick something down, a look of determination on her face. Still others squeeze their fingers together, seeming to dangle an unseen object. And everybodys getting their photo taken in the act.

Behind them allthe Leaning Tower of Pisa.

A marvel born out of mistake, today the image of the tower is unmistakable.

Its one of those ubiquitous landmarks thats instantly recognizable, from film and television to the wallpaper of every old-school pizza parlor that youve ever visited. And while taking and posting a joke photo pretending to hold it up, push it down, or dangle it from its tip-top may be an essential part of any visit there, a day in Pisa, Italy, is more than just a Kodak moment.

The Square of Miracles

Despite its familiarity, when you first see Pisas (in)famous tower, it will still shock you, even if just a bit. Built in the 12th century on soil too soft to support it, the structure began to shift immediately during construction. Walking up a nondescript street lined with a few souvenir vendors just opening up for the day, we reached the gate for the Square of Miracles, a walled space home to the citys cathedral and baptistry as well.

The biggest miraclethat we come at the end of the day, and the tower is still standing, the guide said, just before we rounded the corner. OK, are you ready for your wow moment?

Everyone in the group said it, despite ourselvesan audible wow, as we walked through the gate and saw it on the far side of the square, rising more than 185 feet. Somehow, the lean is even more pronounced when you see it in person, and those first few moments are spent sizing it up and reconciling its distinctive tilt.

Political Powerhouse

Pisa never wanted its tower to lean. In fact, from the start, this was an architectural embarrassment, a smudge on the citys pride. Today, Pisa is a very pleasant Tuscan center. Home to about 200,000 people in its metro area, the capital of the Italian province of the same name is surrounded by small mountains and set on the curving bends of the Arno River, very close to the Ligurian Sea. Its peaceful, if a bit sleepy, the streets near Miracle Square (even more lyrical in the Italian: Piazza dei Miracoli) filled with patio restaurants serving al fresco pizza and pasta and Tuscan favorites.

But in the 1100s, Pisa was a powerhouse looking to flex its muscle.

You need to remember, Pisa was an independent republic at the top of its power, the guide said. They built this to show that Pisa was the new Rome.

One of four major marine republics, Pisa profited as a commercial center and from its navy and merchant fleet. They fought successful battles against the Sicilians, Saracens, and Genovese and expanded their influence across the Mediterranean, all the way to the Levant and North Africa.

By the late 12th century, Pisas power was on par with Venice, Italy, and the two signed a peace treaty. Gathering wealth from these adventures at sea, the city fathers back home began to build structures worthy of their new, impressive standing in the world. The tower is actually the campanile for the cathedral, and work on the latter began in 1064 in Romanesque style, with Byzantine influences.

The Corinthian columns were taken from a mosque in Palermo, Italy. The facade is gray granite and white stone. Galileo even formulated his pendulum theory there, hanging an incense lamp from the churchs nave. They spared no expenseneither there nor on the new city walls, nor on the massive baptistery, located just next door, which dates back to 1152. (All of it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.)

But alas, it didnt go well. They built all of the structures on that same, soft, marshy soil, and all of them leanif you look very carefully, you can see it, these grand buildings set off by just a fraction. But none tilts so dramatically as the towerat an angle of less than 4 percent. Over its history, architects made various efforts at correction. During a subsequent phase in construction in the 1270s, engineers tried to compensate by building walls on one side higher than the other, resulting in a permanent curve.

Finally, in 1990, with the lean 15 feet off, the Italian government, fearing its collapse, closed the Tower. They evacuated surrounding apartments and shops and embarked on a decade-long project. Spending a total of $27 million and removing 77 tons of soil, they shored things up for the next 300 years and corrected the leanby just a fraction (by now, straightening the famous marble Tower entirely would be unthinkable).

I didnt make it to the top. I didnt walk up those famous stairwells, wide enough for a man and his horse. I didnt stand in the spot where Galileo dropped two cannonballs to the ground, proving that objects fall at the same speed of acceleration. But I did stroll through the grassy square, watching everyone having their fun, lining up their perfect photo, all of those hundreds of years of historya miracleright behind them.

If You Go

Fly: Pisas Galileo Galilei International Airport welcomes flights from across Europe, meaning that you can fly directly into the city from the United States with a single connection in places such as Paris, London, or even Helsinki. However, many of these flights are seasonal, so youre likelier to land in Rome or Venice, then take a fast train to town.

Getting Around: Although the city has a very serviceable public transit system, which includes surface trams and buses, the city, which is flat and compact, can be well explored on foot. If you want to travel to the nearby mountains or sea, youre best to rent a car.

Stay: Newly renovated, the four-star Grand Hotel Duomo is within easy walking distance of the Square of Miracles and provides views, from both suites and the restaurant, of the Leaning Tower.

Take Note: Less than a half hours drive away, LuccaPisas favorite rival cityis a beautiful and historic place and worthy of a visit. Its home to its own towers and a distinctive oval-shaped main square, which is set on the footprint of the former Roman amphitheater.
A doctor treats a patient infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province, China, on Feb. 24, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The Operating Room Filled With Money: Banner Displayed at Chinese Hospital Celebration Draws Criticism

In a new year celebration event by the staff of a hospital in southern China on Jan. 21, a banner displayed has drawn controversy.

Welcome the Majestic Year of the Tiger, The Operating Room Filled with Money, a banner read. A photo of this banner displayed at a gathering of the hospital staff went online on Jan. 26, and immediately drew waves of criticism on Chinese social media Baidu and Weibo.

The hospital, Dongguan Kang Hua Hospital, apologized through its online account the next day, but that only caused more netizen comments.

One person nicknamed Susu said, Why apologize? Its just a fact that was accidentally revealed: Its an unspoken rulea well-known secret; youll get nowhere in the hospital if you dont have money.

Another, using the name Do you know wrote, Dont bother explaining it. If this phenomenon didnt exist, how could such a banner be displayed?  It involves the issue of red envelopes in the hospitals operating room. It happened to me when my family was sick  the chief surgeon, anesthesiologist, and all other assisting doctors, you will need to provide everyone with a red envelope. Thats an unspoken rule that everyone knows.

The red envelope is a Chinese new year tradition when the elderly celebrate the holiday by giving children cash in a red envelope. Under the communist regime, it is also a term for bribery.

Netizen Demolition wrote, The hospital said the banner was the nurses good intention to build a relaxing atmosphere. But, how can it be relaxing? The hospital was built to make a profit, not for saving lives. It is a shame.

Big Game stated, The banner only speaks of their minds. How would the nurses decide on a banner like that? It wont get there without the managers approval.

The hospital issued a statement saying that the staff of the operating room spontaneously organized a gathering in a restaurant to celebrate the new year, In order to create a relaxed dining atmosphere, some nurses made the banner and hung it in the dining room; the hospital apologized to the public for the inappropriate content of the banner.

Kang Hua Hospital, founded in Sept. 2002, is a high-class private hospital with research capacity, in Dongguan City of Guangdong, a coastal province in south China.

Money-Driven System

Dr. Lin Xiuyan (pseudonym), a doctor from Hebei Province in northern China, said the hospitals emphasis on money-making as indicated by the banner was emblematic of a medical system in China that is fueled by financial incentives.

According to Lin, a doctors income is comprised of salary, bonuses, and prescriptions. Prescribing certain medicines is a gray income, which could be an average of an additional $10,000 a year, she told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times on Jan. 28.

Lin said, Hospitals rely on medicines, equipment, and supplies for making money.

The practice of giving red envelopesenvelopes that contain money giftshas always existed in hospitals in China. All doctors involved in an operation will receive onethe signing doctor, the chief surgeon, and the anesthesiologist. The wealthy patients in the north will give more, typically thousands of dollars, Lin said.

She said, A minor surgery used to be simple, sedation would be sufficient. But now, they use general anesthesia, along with various blood tests, respirator, vascular screening, electroencephalogram, and so forth. The total cost could add up to thousands of dollars. Thats why the operating room is full of money.

She indicated that hospitals use all possible means to increase the fees to patients. Some doctors even serve as a medicine sales agent for extra earnings.

Lin said that the banner actually tells the other side of the mentality: authorities hope that all operating rooms will make money. I have heard that some local governments borrowed money from hospitals to pay civil servants, Lin said.

According to Chinese media, the Chinese civil servants have experienced as much as a 25 percent decrease in pay this year because local governments are running out of cash.
Three-Time Transgender Killer Back to Jail Over Sex Crime

A transgender Australian three-time killer is back behind bars after being arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a young man last week.

Regina Kaye Arthurell, 75, formally known as Reginald, fronted court on Friday afternoon after being arrested by police in Campbelltown, New South Wales (NSW).

Police arrested Arthurell after a young man reported the killer. Arthurell was charged with four counts of sexual touching without consent. The alleged offender did not apply for bail and will be put on trial on Feb. 4.

The charges come eight months after Arthurells prison term for the 1995 murder of former fiance Venet Mulhall expired in May 2021.

Since then, the transgender killer has been subject to a two-year extended supervision order (ESO) that came with more than 40 conditions, including the requirement to be subject to electronic monitoring.

Arthurells lawyers contended that it was unnecessary and oppressive.

A police line is seen outside a house where four-year-old Cleo Smith was found in Carnarvon, Australia, on Nov. 3, 2021. (Tamati Smith/Getty Images)

In 1974, Arthurell, who was 28 years old at the time and identifying as a man, used a carving knife to stab his stepfather, Thomas Thorton, 49, to death in NSW, and then went on the run.

Seven years later, in 1981, Arthurell and an accomplice robbed and killed 19-year-old naval officer Ross Browning, whose mutilated body was found in a scrub 35 kilometres (22 miles) east of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory (NT).

NT police said the murder was the most vicious they had seen, but two murder trials were dropped and both men pleaded guilty to reduced charges of manslaughter, news.com.au reported.

When Arthurell was still on parole in February 1997, he killed his fiancee Mulhall by bashing her to death with a piece of wood at her Coonabarabran home in central NSW, which Mulhall had bought to forge their new life together.

Mulhalls decomposing body was discovered by her brother Paul Quinn, who has long-held fears Arthurell will re-offend.

These people commit crimes that are so outrageous that they exclude themselves from society, Quinn told radio station 2GB in May, 2021.

The first thing the judge should actually consider is how do you reintegrate these people back into society.

You cant. They should stay in prison for the rest of their life.

Alcohol was involved in all of the three killings, which were committed under Arthurells birth name Reginald Kenneth Arthurell before he identified as transgender while in custody.

According to NZ Herald, the three-time killers new transgender status was revealed in May 2021, with photos posted to social media while wearing different coloured wigs with the caption: Hi, Im Regina.

Arthurell is now blind in one eye and with other health problems, including significant hand tremors.

AAP contributed to this report.
Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat asks a question as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (not pictured) gives evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in London on Sept.1, 2021. (House of Commons/Screenshot via PA)

Tory Backbencher Hints Intention to Contest for Leadership If Johnson Loses in a Confidence Vote

A British Conservative backbencher who was reportedly floated as a potential candidate to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated on Saturday that hes willing to run if a leadership contest is triggered.

Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier who chairs Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, said it would be a huge privilege to become prime minister and that everyone should join the race if they think they can do it.

Several Conservative MPs have publicly called on Johnson to resign over a series of allegations of lockdown-breaching social gatherings in Downing Street during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and the way Johnson handled the allegations, while others are waiting for the result of an internal inquiry into the accusations led by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

With the imminent publishing of Grays report, theres a significant chance that a vote of no confidence may take place, potentially triggering a Conservative leadership contest.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have been considered by many as obvious choices of Johnsons successor, given the two ministers steady popularity. The latter has said shes 100 percent behind Johnson while Sunak kept his distance, saying Johnson was right to apologise while offering ambiguous support for the prime ministers request for patience while Sue Gray carries out her inquiry.

The Guardian on Friday reported that a number of Conservative MPs would support Tugendhat to run for the job, saying the outsider would offer the best chance for a fresh start, although the vocal China hawk and critic of the governments handling of Afghan evacuation may need to convince other colleagues hes got any sort of domestic policy ideas whatsoever.

Speaking to Times Radio on Saturday, Tugendhat said everyone eligible should go for it.

I think Im making it pretty clear that I think that its up to all of us to put ourselves forward. And its up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose, the MP for Tonbridge and Malling told the T&G programme.

I think its a position of absolute integrity to say that: Of course, you should offer yourself to the electorate if you think you can do it; Of course, you should talk to colleagues and see if you can get a group together. And if you can get a group together you should go for it.

The 48-year-old father of two said he doesnt know if he can get the first group together at the moment because he hasnt been canvassing support.

But if you could, of course, you should have a go, he said.

Son of high court judge Sir Michael Tugendhat, nephew of Conservative peer Christopher Tugendhat, and son-in-law of a French diplomat, Tugendhat said it would be a huge privilege to become the prime minister and he doesnt understand why his colleagues are coy about it.

I dont think you should be embarrassed to want to serve your country. I was very proud to serve my country in the armed forces and I got to the highest rank I could so that I could have the best effect that I could. And I was very proud to serve as a diplomat around the world, he said.

This is not the first time Tugendhat openly expressed his ambition. In 2017, two years after the former soldier became an MP, Tugendhat told Politics Home that he would serve wherever it is, adding it would be a fantastic opportunity to serve our country to be the prime minister or a minister of any kind.
TV-MA | 3h 16min | Drama, Black Comedy, Satire, Thriller | 28 January 2022 (USA)

It should be made clear from the start that the copiously titled The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window [WHASGW] certainly isnt for all tastes. Instead of being a straight-up mystery thriller or full-on satire of the same, the new eight-part, 196-minute limited series from Netflix is equal parts of both.

Presented through the eyes of unreliable narrator and lead character Anna (Kristen Bell, in a career defining role), WHASGW brazenly pilfers from The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl, House at the End of the Street, Identity, and not one but two Alfred Hitchcock classics (Rear Window and Vertigo). In a bit of cheeky, self-aware, uber-meta, it also acknowledges the similar 2021 Netflix feature clunker The Woman in the Window starring Amy Adams.

The once-promising artist Anna is going through an extended rough patch. Shes still reeling from the death of her toddler daughter three years earlieran event which led to a divorce from her psychologist husband Douglas (Michael Ealy). She imbibes way too much red wine and prescription meds and wont leave the house if its raining (an actual medical condition called ombrophobia).

A New Romance?

Things start looking up with her new neighbor Neil (Tom Riley, a cross between Pierce Brosnan and Hugh Jackman), a widower and the father of Emma (Samsara Yett). A housewarming gift of a casserole leads to what appears to be a fresh start for the three of them until the arrival of Neils girlfriend Lisa (Shelley Hennig), a flight attendant who perceives Anna as a threat and slips into territorial, mama bear mode.

Tom Riley as Neil in an episode of The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window. (Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix)

Needless to say, this is a huge letdown for Anna who regresses back into donning her well-worn bathrobe. She uncorks another couple bottles, plops down in an easy chair and observes Neil and Lisa through the windowsduring (of course) a rain storm. Certain she sees Lisa being murdered, Anna calls 9-1-1 but is dismayed when investigating officers tell her there is no dead body, and Lisa is currently on a plane headed for Seattle.

Anna as Detective

From this point forward, Neil and Emma understandably keep their distance from Anna, as do her snooty, holier-than-thou established neighbors who are already convinced shes a train wreck. Undeterred, Anna begins her own investigation of Neils past which includes the mysterious death of his wife and a local teacher. Instead of unearthing the truth, Anna digs an even deeper hole for herself to such a degree that even her sole friend Sloane (Mary Holland) becomes worried for her sanity.

Kristen Bell Kristen Bell (L) as Anna and Shelley Hennig as Lisa. Does Anna see Lisa murdered? (Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix)

Director Michael Lehmann and the three co-writers (Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson, and Larry Dorf) take full advantage of the extended running time by unfolding the last six episodes at a slow burn pace.

By her own admission, Anna has experienced multiple hallucinations in the past and the continued substance abusecoupled with her own mounting paranoia and persecution complexforces the audience to begin doubting her true intentions.

Black Comedy, Satire, and Parody Are Not Interchangeable

Best known for his feature debut (the cult favorite Heathers), Lehmann eventually became a fixture in episodic cable TV and his work with similarly darkly comic series such as Big Love, Nurse Jackie, Dexter, True Blood, and Californication made him a perfect choice for WHASGW. Lehmann and the writers understand that black comedy and satire are similar but not the same and neither equates to the often broad exaggeration of parody. By never drifting far from traditional drama and mystery tropes, the humor comes with greater sting and unease. Youll catch yourself laughing and recoiling often at the same time.

The series isnt without a few missteps. When Sloane says I know I said I wouldnt show up unannounced again but here I am for the umpteenth time, you wish shed just go away. A steamy and extended (but well blocked) romantic interlude serves no purpose other than titillating diversion and many viewers will find it hard to understand out why the resident handyman cant quite figure out how to repair Annas broken mailbox.

Kristen Bell (L) as Anna and Mary Holland as her best friend Sloane. (Colleen E. Hayes/Netflix)

Without spoiling anything whatsoever, the identity of the killer is ultimately revealed, although some might consider it something of a stretch, but with the use of flashback, it does make complete sense.

The casting of a big name, multi-award-winning icon in an uncredited cameo during the final 10 minutes  in tandem with an open-ended finale  indicates there is a possibility for a subsequent series. Unless it would be just Anna with a completely new set of supporting characters, this same premise likely wouldnt work nearly as well. Or, if Netflix chose to make more genre mash-ups, they could easily go the route of FXs American Horror Story where the same performers play different characters in similar stories.

The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window

Director: Michael Lehmann

Stars: Kristen Bell, Tom Riley, Mary Holland, Michael Ealy, Shelley Hennig, Samsara Yett

Running Time: 3 hours, 16 minutes

MPAA Rating: TV-MA

Release Date: Jan. 28, 2022

Rating: 4 out of 5
A federal appellate ruling Friday involving an Amherst martial arts studio signals more trouble for businesses counting on their insurance policies to cover financial losses from the government's pandemic-related shutdown orders in 2020.

In a case watched by the restaurant industry, the Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals backed an insurer that declined to cover the Covid-19-related losses of Kim-Chee LLC, which does business as Master Gorino's Pil-Sung Tae-Kwon-Do on Niagara Falls Boulevard.

The ruling could have a far-reaching effect for thousands of businesses in the state with similar insurance coverage, with the appeals judges ruling that a business must show a physical loss or damage to property to be covered for business interruption from Covid-19.

"This is the first appellate decision  not trial court or lower court  on New York law that addresses the issue of whether the presence of the virus at your property constituted direct physical loss or direct physical damage to that property," said attorney Christopher M. Berloth, who represented the Amherst business.

The appellate ruling affirmed a ruling last April from U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford, who dismissed Kim-Chee's lawsuit against Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. because the business could not establish it suffered "direct physical loss or damage."

"If theres a business that has a business interruption policy, and they were forced to shut down due to the presence of Covid at their location, this has the potential to impact them," Berloth said of Friday's ruling.

The New York State Restaurant Association and other industry groups filed a brief with the Court of Appeals backing the martial arts studio, saying many of its member restaurants have been "unreasonably and categorically denied coverage" since they also had to show physical damage to their properties. In state trial courts across the nation, roughly half have allowed businesses to proceed with their claims for business interruption coverage or ruled in their favor, according to their brief.

In his ruling, Crawford noted "this case is scarcely the first New York business interruption case to result from the Covid-19 pandemic."

"In an unbroken line of trial court decisions, federal courts applying New York law have ruled that the closure of businesses due to the suspected presence of the virus or due to New York State executive orders do not qualify as direct physical loss or damage," he wrote in his decision.

In their brief, the restaurant groups said many of the rulings that went against them in federal courts "may be the result of a reflexive, self-fulfilling feedback loop in which federal district courts appear to effectively treat other federal district courts as establishing a sort of federal common law on business interruption insurance."

The restaurant groups said the plain language of the martial arts studio's policy should dictate that Kim-Chee sufficiently alleged the shutdown orders caused physical loss by dispossessing it of its property and rendering that property nonfunctional. Kim-Chee should have been able to make its case in front of a jury, according to their brief.

"Policyholders should not have to hire lawyers to understand what the word 'loss' means," according to their brief. "They should not have to guess whether a judge will require a loss to involve something beyond what the policy describes."

Philadelphia Indemnity, in denying coverage to the martial arts studio, said for the business income coverage to be triggered, there must be direct physical damage to the property. The governmental mandates for non-essential businesses to close in the spring of 2020 in an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19 "is a cause of loss that is explicitly excluded under your policy," the insurer told the business.

And it made similar arguments in court.

"Plaintiffs have not, and cannot, cite any factual allegations describing how Covid-19 physically impacted the covered property, as they must to trigger coverage," according to a legal filing by the insurer's lawyers. "For this independent reason, their claims fail."

The business made two main arguments in favor of coverage. First, the policy provided "all-risk" coverage to protect against any loss not expressly excluded or limited in subsequent provisions of the policy. Second, the insurer's failure to include in the policy an exclusion of loss due to virus or bacteria is evidence of the insurer's intent to cover loss or damage resulting from a pandemic.

But the appellate judges found "Kim-Chee cannot base its business interruption claim on loss of possession or access."

"Rather, Kim-Chees complaint must plausibly allege that the virus itself inflicted actual physical loss of or damage to property" for the cases to be allowed to proceed.

While Kim-Chee did not have a virus exclusion in its policy like other businesses, "the absence of an exclusion cannot create coverage," the appeals judges wrote.

"We respectfully disagree with the courts decision," said Berloth, who represented Kim-Chee. "And were in the process of analyzing the next steps, because we intend to continue to fight for the policyholders rights with respect to these losses."

Local counsel for the Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. did not reply to a request for comment.

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US Should Be Aggressive in Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions as Situation Improves: Gottlieb

Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner and current Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb said he believes COVID-19 infections are going to continue to drop as spring approaches and that the United States should be as aggressive about relaxing restrictions as it was about imposing them.

Gottlieb made the remarks in a Jan. 28 interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe program, with the segment kicking off with a discussion on the current state of the pandemic in the United States, where data suggests the current Omicron-driven wave is on the wane.

Parts of the United States are rapidly improving, Gottlieb said, while other regions are just hitting their epidemic peak. Deaths, which lag infections in the data, will continue to rise for a period of time even after cases start coming down, he added.

New daily infections in the United States have been declining in recent weeks, falling to 522,300 on Jan. 28, 2022, from a peak of 895,624 on Jan. 7, according to Worldometers-compiled data. In terms of infections, the height of the current wavedriven by the more infectious but less severe Omicron variantexceeds the prior peak of 306,777 in January 2021 by nearly threefold.

Unlike COVID-19 case counts, however, the number of daily deaths in the United States during the current wave has so far remained below the prior peak, with 4,439 fatalities recorded on Jan. 21, 2021, compared to 3,408 on Jan. 26, 2022.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2.

A test tube labeled COVID-19 Omicron variant test positive is seen in this illustration photo taken on Jan. 15, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Gottlieb, in comments about the emergence of a new subtype of Omicrondubbed BA.2, said that while it appears to be more infectious, he doesnt think it will be able to evade the immunity Americans have acquired over the course of the pandemic and so is unlikely to cause another wave of infections. The new subtype could, however, lead to a longer tail in the data, referring to a less abrupt drop in case counts compared to the initial Omicron-driven run-up.

Britains UK Health Security Agency said on Jan. 28 that BA.2 appears to have a substantial growth advantage over the BA.1 strain of Omicron, although officials said preliminary evaluations dont suggest a difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease between the two Omicron subtypes.

Even with the emergence of BA.2, Gottlieb said he believes COVID-19 infection levels are going to continue to come down into the spring and summer months and that the United States should consider removing some restrictions.

People will resume their normal lives, hopefully, this spring and summer. We dont see anything on the horizon thats going to dramatically alter that trajectory, Gottlieb said. He added that currently theres much more immunity in the population and a much broader composition of immunity, reducing the likelihood of another wave.

Gottlieb then called for clear guidelines related to the removal of COVID-19 mitigation measures, arguing that the United States should be as aggressive in lifting restrictions as the situation improves as we were about putting them in place.

I think we need to prescribe very clear goalposts for how we take these mitigation measures off. When do we lift the vaccine mandates? When do we stop using masks in schools? he said.

Gottlieb added the United States should be willing to relax some of these provisions that have created a lot of acrimony, especially restrictions in schools such as mask requirements, and that we want our kids to try to get back to some kind of semblance of normalcy.

Gottlieb also argued that decisive moves to lift restrictions would restore confidence in public health guidance and make the reimposition of mitigation measures in response to a potential future wave less prone to backlash.
Western Australias Border Shutdown Will Slam Businesses: Industry

Industry experts are warning that businesses in Western Australia (WA) could suffer multi-million dollar losses as a direct result of the WA governments decision to keep its border sealed to interstate travellers.

Travel between WA and other states has been restricted since the start of the pandemic for states that had high cases of COVID-19, with every state currently on the blacklist. This was set to change from Feb. 5 as the vaccine rollout approached 90 percent for the states 12-and-over population.

However, WA Premier Mark McGowan revealed on Jan. 20 that the reopening would be delayed until further notice due to the inefficacy of two-dose vaccination against the novel coronavirus Omicron variant.

A survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) outlined that nearly a third of businesses reported they would experience a negative impact as a result of the continued border restrictions. On average, businesses reported a total loss of about $2.5 million.

Tourism and international education sectors reported to be the most hard-hit due to the immediate loss of revenue and long-term damage to reputation. However, the WA government has since granted an exemption to triple-vaccinated returning international students.

Other sectors included agriculture, manufacturing, construction, ICT, and professional services, with almost three in every four businesses reporting impact caused by a difficulty in recruiting new staff.

An empty seating area is seen outside a store in the Central Business District of Perth, Australia on Jun. 29, 2021. (Photo by Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)

Peak industry body Australia Industry Group (Ai Group) slammed the decision and accused the WA government of not engaging with business before pulling the pin.

The indefinite closure of Western Australia from the rest of the country and the world will have severe and long-lasting ramifications for the state and the nation, Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said.

The decision was taken with no meaningful consultation with industry and with clearly little understanding of the strain that big parts of the state economy are already under given a lack of staff, virtually no labour mobility, deeply stressed supply chains and the significant reputational damage as a place to do business that WA is already suffering.

The prime minister and many state premiers have come to accept living with the virus, particularly given the relatively low rate of hospitalisation from the Omicron variant. Although international borders remain closed off to non-citizens for now, the prime minister told 4CA Cairns radio on Jan. 28 that international tourists may be allowed to return by Easter.

WA is now an island within an island. The announcement flies in the face of agreements at national cabinet to reopen, gives industry no certainty when the state will reopen and provides businesses with no guidance about any support they will receive, Willox said.

The state now faces the prospect of being shut off from the rest of the country and the world for months. Industry will find it increasingly difficult to service the state and support critical infrastructure. The longer WA remains closed the longer it will slip from consideration around investment, job creation and skills development, Willox added.

The WA government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Concerns have also grown that WA hospitals are under immense strain due to a lack of staffing and bed availability, even before hospitalisations caused by the novel coronavirusa point highlighted by Ai Group WA Head Kristian Stratton.

Read More Hospitals in Western Australia Turn Away Patients As Vaccine Mandates Slash Staff

The state has had two years to prepare the health system to deal with the COVID outbreak and this raises questions as to why they apparently remain so ill-prepared to deal with the far milder Omicron variant, Strattons said.

But this point has been rejected by WA Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson.

Our hospital system is ready  weve been preparing our system to open for the 5th of February, Robertson told reports on Jan. 20.
Judge J. Michelle Childs of the United States District Court, District of South Carolina is seen in an undated photograph. (Courtesy U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina via Reuters)

White House Confirms 1 Woman Being Considered by Biden to Succeed Breyer on Supreme Court

The White House has confirmed the name of one of the women being considered by President Joe Biden to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court that will open when Justice Stephen Breyer steps down later this year.

J. Michelle Childs, currently a judge for the U.S. District Court, is on the list of candidates that Biden is considering, Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, told media outlets in a Jan. 28 statement.

Childs was nominated to the district court by former President Barack Obama. Biden, a Democrat, nominated Childs, 55, in December 2021 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But because of the possibility that shell be Bidens Supreme Court nominee, a confirmation hearing that had been scheduled before the Senate Judiciary Committee has been postponed.

Judge Childs is among multiple individuals under consideration for the Supreme Court, and we are not going to move her nomination on the Court of Appeals while the President is considering her for this vacancy, Bates said.

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the House majority whip, said during a recent appearance on MSNBC that he thinks Childs should be the replacement for Breyer.

She has had a fantastic career at both the state level and on the federal bench. And so, she has the experience that is needed, and she has the temperament thats required, he said.

Clyburn said he spoke with Biden about Childs some time ago, but not recently.

Childs told senators in the past (pdf) that she believes that judges should act as fair and impartial arbiters, treat all litigants courteously, assess the particular facts and evidence presented in individual cases, make deliberate and well-reasoned decisions based on established legal precedent, and abide by the judicial canons and ethical standards of conduct.

She also said she thinks that empathy should play no role in a judges application of the law to the facts of a case.

President Joe Biden, with retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Jan. 27, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Other judges that Biden reportedly is considering include California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger and U.S. Circuit Court Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson.

Biden has restricted his choices to black women, drawing criticism from Republicans and going against voters, a majority of whom believe that picking justices on the basis of race and gender is a bad idea. He originally pledged to nominate a black woman if a vacancy arose when he was in office while campaigning for president. The president told reporters after Breyer, 83, officially announced his plans to retire that he was sticking to his commitment.

The person I nominate will be somebody with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity, and that person will be the first black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court, Biden said on Jan. 27. Its long overdue in my opinion.

Two black men have served as justicesthe late Justice Thurgood Marshall, nominated by late President Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, and Justice Clarence Thomas, nominated by late President George H. W. Bush, a Republican.

Biden was a senator who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee when Thomas was nominated. He attempted to derail the nomination, but was unsuccessful. Thomas, 73, still sits on the court.

Nick Ciolino contributed to this report.
The Supreme Court picked up a hot topic this week: affirmative action in college admissions. Is it legal to prefer some races over others? Were joined by Ward Connerly, who has focused on this question for decades. He is the founding president of the American Civil Rights Institute and a former University of California Regent, during which time he lead the campaign to end discrimination by the state of California.

Connerly also weighs in on President Joe Bidens plans for the next Supreme Court appointment.

Then in America Q&A, we ask people across the country if theyd rather know they were hired or admitted to school based on skin color or merit?

Next, after two years of wearing masks, we must know by now how well they work. Our guest Ian Miller has crunched the numbers and published them in a book, Unmasked: The Global Failure of COVID Mask Mandates. We talk to him about what he found.

Finally, in our second America Q&A we ask: Do you feel well-represented by the party you voted for?

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People shovel outside of the Davis Square MBTA station during a snowstorm in Somerville, Mass., on Jan. 29, 2022. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Winter Storm Kenan Slams East Coast, Bringing Blizzard Conditions, Snarling Travel

People in parts of the northeastern United States awakened on Jan. 29 to more than a foot of snow as a powerful winter storm brought howling winds and whiteout conditions, putting parts of 10 states under blizzard warnings and prompting forecasts of more severe weather ahead.

Winter storm Kenan blanketed parts of New Jersey and New York with over 15 inches of snowfall by 11 a.m. on Jan. 29, after the National Weather Service warned of blizzard conditions and snow rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour in parts of the Northeast. Forecasters had predicted that more than two feet of snow could fall in some areas, accompanied by wind gusts of 70 miles per hour.

Expect whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at times, the National Weather Service said in a warning.

Overall, parts of 10 states were under blizzard warnings as of the morning of Jan. 29: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who on Jan. 28 declared a state of emergency, told a news briefing the next day that the storm could be life-threatening and urged people to stay indoors.

There could be a gust of wind that creates whiteout conditions while youre out in the store running to get that last gallon of milk you wanted to get, she said. This is not a time to be out there shopping.

Its high winds, heavy snow blizzard conditions, all the elements of a classic noreaster, and thats what were dealing with right now.

The refrain from Hochul and other state leaders was to avoid unnecessary travel.

This is serious. Were ready for this storm, and we also need Rhode Islanders to be ready, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said on Jan. 28. The best way to handle this storm is to stay home tomorrow.

A travel ban was imposed on all Rhode Island roads on Jan. 29, lasting until 11:59 p.m. for tractor-trailers and motorcycles, and until 8 p.m. for all other vehicles.

Due to dangerous conditions, the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the Newport Pell Bridge, and the Sakonnet River Bridge are closed until further notice. Emergency vehicles will still have access, McKee said in a Jan. 29 tweet. Stay home, stay warm and stay safe.

The key message for all Virginians is to stay aware of the weather conditions and to stay off the roads if possible, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. The most important thing everyone can do to minimize the risks is to prepare yourself and your family.

Airlines canceled over 1,400 flights at some of the nations busiest airports on Jan. 28, with the number of cancellations growing to over 3,500 the next day, according to FlightAware.

Amtrak announced modified service due to the storm, suspending or limiting service on the Boston-to-Washington corridor.

The worst of the storm was expected to blow into Canada on Jan. 30, with several provinces placed under warnings.
For more than 25 years, Cox employees, through Cox Charities, have donated more than $9 million to help the Arizona communities in which they live and work.
GREENWICH  What was that jolt early Thursday afternoon?

Numerous residents reported what felt like some kind of tremor around 1 p.m. in various neighborhoods around Greenwich.

Local authorities were unsure what the cause was, but the U.S. Geological Survey later reported a 1.4 magnitude earthquake had occurred two kilometers north-northwest of Cos Cob at 12:38 p.m.

USGS reported the quake was felt in Cos Cob, Greenwich, Old Greenwich and Riverside.

Social media detectives were on the case shortly after the rumbling, which some local residents also described as being accompanied by a loud noise.

Here in Cos Cob it was so loud the house shook, one local resident reported on Twitter. I ran out assuming a huge old oak tree had fallen over! another responded.

A Port Chester, N.Y., resident also described the phenomenon just over the state line from Greenwich. A Glenville resident chimed in that the mystery boom was felt in her neighborhood. One North Mianus resident initially thought something had fallen on his house.

Another commenter on Twitter wondered jokingly whether a science project had gone horribly wrong at Greenwich High School, but as of Thursday afternoon, the high school was perfectly intact.

Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella said the department had received some calls from residents in the afternoon, but he had no immediate answers to provide. There did not appear to be a public health threat, police said.

At fire headquarters, there was no indication of what might have caused rumblings.

We did not respond to anything like that, said Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Morris.

A small tremor was detected in Greenwich in 2016, as southern New England has been rocked by a few minor quakes in recent decades.

Staff writer Ken Borsuk contributed to this report.
Ed Stone, poking Thursday through a bin packed with hundreds of cards and letters he never expected to receive, reflected out loud on what he understands at 98 to be the dynamic that shapes a life:

It begins with chance, always meshed with the choices that put everything in action.

Stone, a witness and survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, provided a fast example. He was only a teenager in 1940 when he enlisted in Buffalo. A few months later he was home on leave in Towanda, Pa., where he spotted a grade school classmate on the other side of Main Street.

He hustled over, and they talked for a few minutes before Ed said, Do you think we can get together?

They did. His marriage to that classmate, Eleanor Ennis, would last 62 years, until he lost her in 2006, an absence he still feels every day. Their bond began both with chance and a decision, the same combination that brought the young sailor to Pearl Harbor and a ship called the USS Pyro on Dec. 7, 1941.

It was just one of those things, Stone said of a morning that hardly started as especially memorable duty. He was on board as the skies lighted up, as the Pyro withstood a strafing and minor damage during the Japanese attack that claimed about 2,400 American lives.

Sean Kirst: Don't just remember Pearl Harbor. Tell Ed Stone you will never forget him. Sue Zenger, at 61 the youngest child of Ed Stone, said her single favorite quality about her dad  a guy who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 80 years ago today  is the way he finds the positives in any situation.

Stone used to stay in touch with other survivors of Pearl Harbor, but that kind of living memory is increasingly rare and precious. Joined by photographer Mark Mulville, I stopped in to see Stone a few days ago at Brookdale Manlius, an assisted living facility where he has a room in suburban Syracuse. He has been there since last year, a concession to back problems that cause him to use a walker.

Stone, a great-grandfather who will turn 99 in September, had to face physical reality. It was impossible for him to move casually around a two-story house. He could no longer safely drive his car to the schools, veterans posts and civic organizations where he used to do presentations  or make the long journeys to Pearl Harbor that meant so much.

He settled into Brookdale, where he is content, despite such concessions as giving up on knocking out big-band rhythms on his beloved drums. He reads newspapers digitally, and he sends emails, watches television, stays in close touch with his children and enjoys an occasional beer. A month and a half ago, I wrote a column about him, noting that he is a particularly vibrant representative of the now-tiny group of veterans who witnessed the attack that brought this nation into World War II.

I suggested that anyone who had a moment might want to send Stone a card, and that I would hand-deliver them to spare the staff at Brookdale from any sorting. I had no idea if the result might be 25 or 50 notes, a number that in itself would have been a fine tribute.

This is Buffalo. The cards poured in by the hundreds, piling up until they spilled from a bin, and let me say this: Out of respect to both Stone and all those senders, I did not look at any of that mail until we dropped it off, and even then I saw only what Stone could show us in that short time  so know your correspondence was appreciated, even if it is not mentioned here.

Good wishes came in from several schools, such as Big Tree Elementary in Hamburg, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary in Cheektowaga and Heim Elementary in Amherst. There were popsicle sticks glued together in the shape of flags and colored by marker in red, white and blue, accompanied by the wisdom and humor of little kids.

There was a stack of notes from Catholic sisters, many written in the magnificent cursive of an earlier generation. That included a long reflection from Sister Marcia Klawon of Williamsville, closing in on the 80th anniversary of taking her vows, who replied with such feeling that she added tiny notes along the margins.

You and I, she wrote to Stone, are (of) the ages that we have specific memories of hearing President Roosevelt declare war.

Cards arrived from Maine and Maryland and points to the west. There was a collection of letters from West Seneca Senior High, where English teacher Diane Meaney said her students were inspired by an annual Veterans Day remembrance, and a envelope packed with student reflections collected by Bishop Timon-St. Jude English teacher Barbara Burgett, whose great-uncle, Angelo Tripi, died in the Normandy invasion and is buried in France.

There were greetings from such readers as Buffalo native Marcia Toczynski, 69, of suburban Rochester. Her wish and intention is to move back to her hometown, which she has never stopped missing since she left decades ago and where her young grandson, Jasper, awaits.

I read about Mr. Stone, a wonderful man with such spirit and so many uplifting stories despite all the losses, and how could you not want to write to him? Toczynski told me the other day.

"My God," Stone said in quiet amazement about all that mail, before he put on his reading glasses and spent a while wading through. He especially enjoyed the notes from children, such as the little kid who asked, Was it scary?, or the grade schooler who said she could not believe it had really been 80 years, or the youthful drummer who offered this salute:

As a fellow percussionist, I tip my drum to you.

Sean Kirst: As Honor Flight resumes, WNY veterans get daylong burst of gratitude A group of local veterans recently embarked on the first Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight since the pandemic began  an opportunity to visit the nation's great military monuments.

The notion of chance explains Stone's Western New York connection. As a teen, he tried to join the Navy in Elmira, but for what he wanted, he needed to take the train and join up in Buffalo. It was brutally cold, much like it is right now, and he remembers how he kept falling on the ice on the steps of the old Post Office.

About a year later, he was at Pearl Harbor for a day that is still changing the world, as he often says. He was moved last week by all the letters, and he understands that thanking him provides a symbolic opportunity for so many of us whose parents or grandparents were affected by the war, and are now long gone.

You dont get information like you do from somebody who was there, Stone said, sitting back in blue jeans and a sweatshirt. He cannot possibly write a response to every note, but he plans on putting together one sweeping "thank you" that we will publish on his behalf in The Buffalo News.

Before leaving, Mulville and I helped him move the letters to his room, where he again expressed astonishment at the packed bin that he saw as proof of one well-earned truth.

I have an awful lot of friends, Stone said.

Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Buffalo News. Email him at skirst@buffnews.com.

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Over seven Ebubeagu security operatives in Ebonyi state have been killed recently by gunmen in various parts of the state in the line of duty.

The All Progressive Congress party described the recent motion by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) National Assembly Lawmakers from the state against the Ebubeagu Security outfit as mischievous.

A Chieftain of the party in the state, Eni Uduma Chima stated this in a statement titled 'only the guilty are afraid of Ebubeagu'.

He was reacting to a motion by the House of Representatives Lawmakers from the state on the floor of the House on Thursday wherein they accused the state government of arming the group and using them for various extra judicial and illegal operations in the state.

The motion was moved by Idu Igariwey(Afikpo North/South) and supported by four other PDP Lawmakers from the state.

They are Livinus Makwe(Ohaozara,Ivo, Onicha), Sylvester Ogbaga(Abakaliki/Izzi), Chukwuma Nwazunku(Ebonyi/Ohaukwu) and Edwin Nwonu(Ezza North/Ishielu).

The Lawmakers also alleged that the security outfit is being used to hound, intimidate and even eliminate opposition party members in the state.

According to them, the group is being used to hunt one Linus Okorie, a former member of the House down in the state.

But Eni, who is the Chairman of Afikpo South local government area, debunked the allegations

He said: "I have observed the biased basis of the baseless motion by some dormant members of the House of Representatives on alleged insecurity in Ebonyi State.

He noted that the motion by the five PDP Lawmakers from the state is informed by destructive opposition politicking.

According to him: "This infamous quintet have never sponsored any meaningful bill or participated in any worthwhile debate on the floor of the House, only to wake up from their inactivity to attempt setting fire on the security infrastructure of Ebonyi State in a bid to play the script authored in Lagos to sabotage the political standing of Engr. Dr. David Umahi.

"It is unfortunate that the PDP National Assembly members of Ebonyi State extraction have chosen to play politics with the efforts of the State Government to curb insecurity bordering on communal clashes, farmers/herdsmen clashes, kidnapping and other violent crimes in Ebonyi State, by criticising Ebubeagu, the State Vigilante Outfit.

"Ebubeagu is a creation of an existing law duly passed by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and its mandate of complementing the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in securing lives and properties are well spelt out in the enabling law", he said.

Mr Eni said the Lawwakers lied by alleging that operatives of Ebubeagu are not professionally trained and wield AK 47 and AK 49 rifles alongside other dangerous weapons.

"The truth is that the vigilante group underwent diligent training in the use of arms which in all cases are limited to duly authorised pump action rifles.

"The group does not have any detention facility as it hands over any person suspected of committing an offence to the nearest police man or police station for investigation", he added.

The Council Boss noted that Ebubeagu is an answer to the insecurity question in the South East and neither indulges in torture nor other illegal activities as alleged by the Lawmakers.

"If there is any substance in the litany of allegations catalogued by Igariwey and his fellow misrepresentatives, one would expect them to make formal complaints to the police or even to the DSS against the suspects involved, rather than pushing for the proscription of a group which is part of the solution to the rife insecurity in different parts of Nigeria".

He noted that on the contrary, the security outfit has been under attack by hoodlums supported by opposing political elements leading to loss of lives of at least seven Ebubeagu operatives in recent times.

"Why did Iduma not mention it in the House? Why are they not complaining of lack of AK-47 and AK-49 licenses for Bandits, Anarchists and other Violent Criminals who are on the prowl"

"State vigilante has become a convention in Nigeria and discerning leaders have continued to support them to achieve their mandate of complementing police efforts in securing the people.

"We have Amotekun in all the States of the South West Region and Hisbah Police in the North and yet, resourceful National Assembly members from these States have never raised questions about the legitimacy, activities and modus operandi of these vigilante groups.

"Why are Igariwey and co against Ebubeagu? What are they hiding? They should come clean because only the guilty are afraid', Eni said.

He come see the APC led Leadership of the National Assembly for giving the PDP Lawmakers to make their suissions on the floor of the house.

"That these agent provocateurs were given ample time to fly their dummy kite on the floor of a House under APC leadership is a testament of the ruling partys tradition of fair play.

"Yet, such privilege must not be abused striving after wind and wasting national parliamentary time castigating their State vigilante instead of discussing federal questions.

"Why not discuss insecurity on a national scale? Why did Iduma Igariwey not raise motion of urgent public importance when gunmen attacked police stations and killed many including in his immediate constituency?

"Anybody antagonizing Ebubeagu must have a skeleton in his cupboard because an Ebonyi State without Ebubeagu will be a dystopia where only gunmen and their sponsors will survive.

"It is laughable that Sylvester Ogbaga is hand in gloves with the same elements who betrayed him from becoming House of Representatives Minority Leader, despite being a ranking member with over sixteen idle years experience. How ridiculous could people be just to get at one man?

On the declaration of a former Rep Member, Linus Okorie wanted by the State Security Council, Eni said the former Lawmaker should answer summons from security agencies and prove his innocence.

"I am aware that Linus Okorie has been serially disseminating seditious articles on facebook and other social media. If he has been invited by any law enforcement agency to come and adopt his inciting lies, there is no point hiding.

"Making himself a fugitive and his co-conspirators reading resolutions in the Green Chamber cannot shield him from the provisions of the Cybercrime Act", Eni said.

The Council Chairman, said the latest attempt by enemies of Ebonyi State to blackmail the Government will come to nothing as usual.

"The relevant authorities should investigate the people sponsoring the attack on Ebubeagu operatives and bring them to book.

"Criminals and their sponsors should get used to the fact that Ebubeagu has come to stay and will last for a very long time under the superintendence of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.

"Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo and co should spare the nation their myopic views and malicious resolutions which though are like the proverbial tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing", he concluded.

Ebubeagu security outfit was formed last year by governors of the southeast to help security agencies curtail the rising insecurity in the region.

The Ebonyi chapter was inaugurated ny Governor David Umahi in December last year even though it has been in operation for some moths before the inauguration.

It was established after the state House of Assembly passed a law to that effect which was assented to by the governor.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called out the former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, warning him of making "unguarded and nonsense statements" against its members and leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Reminding Dokubo that he is not an Igbo man and should stop portraying himself as such, IPOB in a statement released by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, told the former militant leader that he would appreciate what the group can do if any of its members in hinterlands and coastal region of Biafra die as a result of his threat.

The proscribed group also told him to withdraw his empty threat and stop exposing his "historical shortcomings and ignorance by dabbling into a matter that he has no idea of.

The statement read; We wish to put the whole world on notice particularly the Izon people, of the unguarded and nonsense statements coming out from Asari Dokubo against the people of IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because when it will start nobody will be blamed.

Dokubo numerated how he sabotaged and planned how our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU was abducted and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria.

He should equally remember that IPOB never declared war against him since he started his nonsense statements against IPOB and Nnamdi KANU. We dont want to be distracted or join issues with you.

But we want to make it categorically clear to you that if any IPOB member both in the hinterland and coastal region of Biafra dies as a result of your threat you will understand what IPOB is capable of doing.

Again, we want you to withdraw this your empty threat and stop exposing your historical shortcomings and ignorance by dabling into a century that you have completely no idea about.

You are not an Igbo and have no link with Igbo people. Igbo dont need Asari to live their lives. Asari should know that he doesnt and can never love Igbo people more than Nnamdi KANU and IPOB movement.

Asari Dokubo should know that his sabotaging the Biafran struggle will not stop us from getting Biafra freedom. Your grouse with Nnamdi Kanu was because you were more interested in becoming the President of Biafra, and he told you to wait first until Biafra comes. You turned against him and Biafra freedom because you hate truth.

Asari is thinking that his criminal gangs sponsored by Aso Rock and some politicians in the region will kill IPOB members and blame it on Igbo people. We know whom he is and he will soon regret his actions against a just cause.
This grab of a handout video released by Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina on January 27, 2022, shows the leader of Burkina Faso's new military junta Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba speaking during a televised address, three days after the overthrow of Burkina Faso's president. Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina / AFP

The West African bloc ECOWAS on Friday suspended Burkina Faso following a coup, but will not impose other sanctions for the time being, a participant at a virtual summit said.

ECOWAS is also calling for the new junta to release ousted president Roch Marc Christian Kabore and other officials detained during Monday's coup, the source said.

The bloc will hold another summit in Accra on February 3, it added.

The summit, which lasted around three hours, also decided to send a mission of ECOWAS chiefs of staff to Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe capital, on Saturday.

This will be followed on Monday by ministerial-level envoys from the bloc, the source said.

Kabore, 64, was elected in 2015 following a popular revolt that forced out strongman Blaise Compaore.

He was re-elected in 2020, but the following year faced a wave of anger over the mounting toll from a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali.

On Sunday, mutinies broke out in several barracks and the following day, Kabore was arrested and taken away by troops.

The impoverished Sahel state is being run by a junta led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who commands military units in the country's jihadist-torn east.

On the eve of the summit, Damiba made a televised appeal for the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible.

He promised Burkina would return to a normal constitutional life when the conditions are right.

Burkina Faso joins two other ECOWAS countries  Mali and Guinea  where there have been coups in the past 18 months.

Those two countries have been suspended by the regional bloc, which has also imposed an array of sanctions on them, including measures against individuals.
I was disappointed to read the recent Another Voice column in The News written by Tedd Kruse, the president of ADMs Milling Division, about the Great Northern grain elevator and why it must be immediately demolished.

What Kruse described in his letter is something our region has seen far too much of in the past regarding historically significant structures, which is demolition by neglect.

Demolition by neglect occurs when a property owner abstains from being a responsible owner, refuses to undertake preventative maintenance or reasonable improvements for years and even decades and then makes the case that the building is too far gone and a danger to public health. This is the definition of what Archer Daniels Midland has done through its irresponsible ownership of the Great Northern over three decades.

To emphasize his point that the Great Northern is too far gone, Kruse cited a piece of steel sheeting on the roof that recently fell, potentially injuring an employee. I am sure that is true, but not as a result of the wind event that recently damaged the structure, but a consequence of ADMs refusal to maintain that steel roof sheeting over the last 30 years.

Unfortunately for ADM, our region no longer just blindly accepts demolition by neglect. We have a newfound ethos of pride for our region and our rich history  that includes the Great Northern. The community will not passively watch as this structure is pulverized into a parking lot. When ADM purchased the Great Northern it had an obligation to properly maintain it, which it did not. It is time the company fulfills its obligation to treat the Great Northern and our region with the respect they deserve.

The Great Northern is the last remaining brick-enclosed grain elevator in the entire world and it resides here in Buffalo. It was the precursor to the concrete elevators ubiquitous in the grain trade.

This innovation was the catalyst to the rise of our region to become the powerhouse of transport of agricultural goods throughout the country and the world. This is a story that should be told and shown to future generations, which is why the preservation of the Great Northern is so important.

In lieu of court battles and long-term community animosity, I urge ADM to pivot. Work in partnership with the community to seize this crisis moment to give the Great Northern purpose for another 125 years  as a living legacy of our regions rich heritage and our unique role in building up our great nation.

The preservation community and private developers want to be true partners in this effort and significant federal and state tax credits are available to offset costs. Now is the time  I urge ADM to accept the communitys offer.

Rep. Chris Jacobs represents the 27th District of New York. Jacobs is also the founder of Avalon Development, which has redeveloped historic structures in the region.
The lawmaker representing the Benue South Senatorial District, Abah Moro, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, over the killing of one Shedrack Ochoche who was allegedly tortured to death by some police officers in Abuja.

Shedrach, a former worker at a Chinese restaurant in the Jahi area of Abuja, was accused of stealing the car battery of his ex-boss, a Chinese woman popularly known as Madam Pimpim.

A family member of the deceased, Napoleon Otache, said the allegation came five days after he resigned from his job because he was owed for three months.

Outraged by the incident, many Nigerians on social media have demanded justice for the victim.

Moro, who vowed that there must be justice for late Ochoche asked the Nigeria Police Force to come out with a clear explanation of the controversy surrounding the death of Ochoche.

The petition read in part, To ensure that justice is truly gotten for Shedrack Ochoche, I, today submitted a petition to the Inspector General Of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, over the gruesome murder of the young man. I also copied the Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Commission.

Like I prayed in my petition to the Senate over the sad incident, I'm requesting that the IGP and Human Rights Commission ensure that, The Nigeria Police Force comes up with an explanation as to why they murdered Mr Shedrack Ochoche over a frivolous allegation, which was baseless and without proof.

Late Ochoche never confessed to the stealing of any battery and was not charged to or arraigned in any Court of competent jurisdiction but tortured to death over a mere allegation.

To ensure that the men of the Nigeria Police Force who tortured and killed young Ochoche are identified and brought to book. Ensure the Nigeria Police Force takes full responsibility for the young struggling family Ochoche left behind, he said.

(The PUNCH)


Brigid Kennedy, Staff Writer  THE WEEK

Yes, Ukraine would like foreign assistance from the United States and its allies in its standoff with Russia ; but outside of providing defense weaponry, the country would prefer the U.S. just stay quiet, The New York Times reports Friday, per the head of Ukraines security council.

When they start saying that tomorrow, youre going to have war, just take into consideration that the first thing we do not need in our country is panic, Oleksii Danilov, leader of the security council, told the Times. Why? Because panic is the sister of failure.

Thats why we are saying to our partners, Dont shout so much,' he added. Do you see a threat? Give us 10 jets every day. Not one, 10. And the threat will disappear.

Danilov agreed, of course, that the threat from Russia was real, the Times notes, and he thanked the U.S. and other global powers for offering aid. But he also seemed to question the accuracy of the American intelligence assessment of the origins of Russias military buildup, the Times adds; in the fall, when the White House initially flagged Russias military buildup near Ukraines border, Ukrainian intelligence showed nothing out of the ordinary, he said.

We understand what is happening and where it is happening, he said. Dont try to make us out to be unexperienced.

When asked if he thought U.S. pressure was making matters worse, he declined to answer, but noted, I really like the movie Wag the Dog .

Russia and Ukraine have been at odds for weeks now, as Russia maintains its position on Ukraines border while simultaneously insisting it has no plans to invade. Though the U.S. is incredibly concerned, Ukrainian officials have expressed a diametrically opposite assessment , per the Times.
The Nigerian Army has stated that poor road networks, communication infrastructure and the vastness of the affected communities were responsible for the consistent attacks in Zamfara and Niger states.

The army confirmed that the roads in those areas were very poor and the communication infrastructure was not in good condition.

It added that it takes two to three days before they get information on the havoc wreaked by terrorists.

The Army Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, disclosed that military had taken this into views, adding that it had deployed troops to address the situation.

Akpor asserted that the whole of the South-East will be swallowed by Niger State if put inside.

Emphasising that the large expanse of land in Niger State is not something that can easily be blocked and neutralise.

In his words, The military has appropriately deployed troops to deal with the situation on the ground but you must understand these areas are vast. If you put the whole of the South-East inside Niger State, it would swallow it. When they tell you they moved from a place and went to cause havoc at another, if you dont know how large this expanse of land is you would think it is something you can easily block and neutralise them.

Also, the roads in these areas are very poor, and the communication infrastructure is also poor. Before we get information on the havoc wreaked by these terrorists, it takes two to three days. The road infrastructure to respond is terrible. We have taken everything into perspective and we are working very hard to ensure that no Nigerian suffers undue threat to life and properties.

A lot is happening in these states. That is why the heat is on them and they are running from their comfort zone. It means they would not have food and resources wherever they are running to. Therefore, they would pounce on villages along the way. It is unfortunate; we are carrying out a pursuit on them. Very soon, even the forests would not be a safe haven for the."

According to earlier reports, at least nine people were killed and several others displaced when bandits on Sunday night attacked communities in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Communities under Tsafe (in Zamfara) and Faskari (in Katsina State) are being terrorised by Adamu Aleru, a notorious banditry kingpin in the Tsafe forest.
Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has pledged to support the presidential ambition of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, if there is no consensus on a southern candidate.

In his words, he described Saraki as the best for Nigeria.

Chief Clark who spoke in Abuja when the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Contact and Advocacy Council, headed by its National Chairman, Prof Iyorwuese Hagher, paid him a courtesy call to inform him about the bid of the former Kwara Governor to contest the 2023 presidential election.

During the visit, the group discussed on the need for national cohesion through the emergence of a presidential candidate who, over time, has shown character and competence to deliver on national issues.

Clark reaffirmed the need to present a credible candidate who understands the dynamics in every part of Nigeria, citing the fact that Saraki possessed all the qualities.

Clark also appraised the sterling performance of Saraki in the 8th Senate, while emphasising that if the Southern part of the country fails to produce a consensus candidate, he would support Sarakis presidential ambition.

We have been agitating for the presidency to be zoned to the south. However, if we fail to come up with a consensus candidate in the South, I will have no option but to support Dr. Bukola Saraki, Chief Clark disclosed.

The delegation included Sen. Solomon Ewuga, Sen. Bello Adokwe, Hon. Idem Unyime, Hon Moses Aliyu and other prominent PDP chieftains.
Corruption probe launched over Phuket mangrove clearing

PHUKET: Officials from the National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) Phuket office are investigating the clearing of three rai of mangrove forest in Koh Kaew, with promises to take legal action if they find any wrongdoing.

Saturday 29 January 2022, 02:33PM

The officers conducted an inspection of the site, in Moo 6, Koh Kaew, on Tuesday (Jan 25). The report of the inspection was posted publicly last night (Jan 28). The investigation was branded as according to proactive protection policy.

Suksan Prasara-ae, Director of the NACC Office in Phuket, led the investigation, joined by officials from the Phuket Mangrove Forest Resource Management Center, Koh Kaew Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) and police officers from the Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division Region 5 branch.

Also joining the team of investigators were operations officers from the Phuket branch of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), the political arm of the Thai Armed Forces.

Local residents assisting the officers included the village headman (Phu Yai Baan) of Moo 6, Koh Kaew, and members of the STRONG Club  Sufficiency Against Corruption Phuket Province.

The investigation was launched after a whistleblower had reported the clearing of the mangroves, which are protected by Thai law, noted a report of the investigation on Tuesday, Mr Suksan explained.

Special permission from the Cabinet must first be given before any mangroves in Thailand may be cleared legally, even for government projects.

The preliminary field visits confirmed that approximately three rai of land had been cleared. The site is surrounded by mangroves. Remains of mangroves removed in the clearing of the land were found at the site.

The Phuket Mangrove Forest Resources Management Center reported that it will jointly investigate whether any legal land documents have been issued for the site

If the area does not have a document of rights, the Phuket Mangrove Forest Resources Management Center will continue to take legal action against those who cleared the area to make use of it, the agency reported.

In this regard, the Director of the NACC Office in Phuket instructs relevant agencies to perform their duties in accordance with their powers and duties and provide fairness to all parties, Mr Susan said in his report.

If there is an intrusion [onto a protected mangrove area], the intruder must be prosecuted and government officials must be charged with neglect of duty, he said.

This visit is intended to monitor the prevention of corruption in the area and encourage relevant agencies to perform their duties in accordance with the law, he added.
Indonesian boats caught fishing illegally off Phuket

PHUKET: A patrol boat of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command boarded and seized two Indonesian boats caught fishing illegally in Thai waters and brought the 19 crewmen, including a 13-year-old, to shore to face charges.

militaryeconomicsmarine

By The Phuket News

Saturday 29 January 2022, 12:27PM

The assembly of officials gathered to announce the checks on the four Thai boats yesterday. Photo: PR Phuket

The news was announced by Rear Admiral Sompong Nakthong, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, at Rassada Pier, where the boats and Indonesian fishermen were brought ashore, yesterday (Jan 28).

Joining R/Adm Sompong was R/Adm Tinakorn Kanchanatemi of the Third Area Command, Pol Lt Col Jerayut Niyomdej of the Phuket Marine Police, Nachapong Pranit of the Phuket Marine Office, and Pairote Kongsuwankhiri of the Phuket Fisheries Checkpoint.

The Indonesian boats were intercepted by the HTMA Klaeng on patrol some 38.5 nautical miles southwest of Phuket on Thursday (Jan 27).

Armed Navy personnel boarded the two boats about 5pm. They searched the vessels and placed the crews under arrest. The crew were also tested for COVID-19 before being brought back to Phuket.

The HTMS Klaeng was conducting a routine patrol as part of the operations conducted by the Third Area Commands Maritime Enforcement Coordination Centre (THAI-MECC Area 3), R/Adm Sompong explained.

Also present at the event to explain the arrests to the press yesterday was Capt Pichet Songtan, Director of the Information Division of THAI-MECC Area 3s Office of Operations.

The first boat board was the Sinarmakmur 05. Painted green, the boat is 4.6 meters wide, 14.5m long and weighs 25 tons gross. There were 14 crew members on board, including one who is 13 years old, R/Adm Sompong explained.

The boat uses a seine fishing net and a half-tonne of catch was found on board, he said.

The second boat was the KM.Bahagia 02, Painted white with an orange wheelhouse, the boat is 3.2m wide, 13.05m long, and has a crew of five, R/Adm Sonping continued.

The boat operated as a generator support boat for the Sinarmakmur 05, he said.

R/Adm Tinakorn explained that the Third Area Command had been receiving continual reports from Thai fishing vessels of boats from Indonesia fishing illegally in Thai waters off in Phuket and Phang Nga.

Some of the equipment they use to lure or catch fish destroys the environment. Other offences include catching protected species of aquatic animals, causing economic damage to the country and causing damage to the Thai fishing industry, he said.

No such offences had been detected, until yesterday evening (Jan. 27), he said.

The 19 Indonesians arrested will be handed over to the Chalong Police for legal proceedings, he added.

STILL NO ILLEGAL WORKERS AT HOME

Meanwhile, also at Rassada Pier yesterday afternoon, it was announced that checks on four Thai fishing boats operating out of Phuket had successfully confirmed there were no illegal migrant workers on board, and no evidence of human trafficking.

The news was announced by Phuket Fisheries Chief Watcharin Rattanachu, who explained that the checks, which are supposed to be continual and random, involved a multi-agency effort

Involved in the checks on the four boats, not named in official reports, were officers from the Department of Labour Welfare and Protection, Marine Police, Employment Office, Phuket Social Development and Human Security Office, Phuket Immigration Police, Phuket Regional Harbor Office, Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, and Provincial Police Region 8 and even the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor), Mr Watcharin said.

On board the four boats inspected were 112 workers, comprising 17 Thais, 97 Myanmar nationals and one Cambodian.

The operation did not find any workers under the age of 18 and no forced labor. By the results of random inspections and interviews, we did not find any illegal acts or behaviours that constitute human trafficking, he said.

The workers come to work voluntarily without any forced labour measures, and the labour inspections on the fishing boats are in accordance with the action plan of the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office that integrates with agencies involved in labour inspections in marine fisheries to prevent illegal activities, he added.
Oil spill reaches Rayong beaches

BANGKOK: Oil from the underwater pipeline leak in the Gulf of Thailand earlier this week has now reached beaches in Rayong province.

pollutionnatural-resourcesmarineenvironment

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 29 January 2022, 10:18AM

It may take up to a month to clean affected beach areas, the Royal Thai Navy reported, said the Bangkok Post, citing a Reuters report.

The leak from a pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining Plc started late on Tuesday, releasing an estimated 50,000 litres of oil into the sea some 20 kilometres offshore from Rayong province.

The leak was reportedly brought under control a day later.

An area of 47 square kilometres of the sea was affected before the oil reached the Rayong shoreline yesterday, a satellite image from the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency showed.

Pollution Control Department Director-General Attapon Charoenchansa told reporters late yesterday while inspecting Mae Ramphueng Beach in Rayongs Muang district that the oil spill had reached the shoreline.

Oil spill dispersants used over the past few days had likely lessened the impact from the spill, Mr Attapon said.

Officers and personnel from the navy, Star Petroleum and other trained volunteers will help clean the oil from the beach, he said.

Star Petroleum workers had earlier unfurled long inflatable oil boom barriers near the tide line to try and keep the slick from spoiling the beaches.

Authorities have previously warned the spill could affect the nearby Khao Lam Ya National Park, which is home to exotic coral reefs and marine life.

Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate told reporters on Friday that the government has filed an official complaint to seek compensation for the damages the oil spill caused.

This is not the first time residents in Rayong have been exposed to a major oil spill from an undersea pipeline. In 2013 a leak from an underwater pipeline blackened beaches in Rayong and caused environmental damage that affected fishing and tourism and took months to restore, the report noted.
Phuket Chinese New Year starts with Lantern Festival

PHUKET: Official festivities for the Chinese New Year got underway in Phuket Town last night (Jan 28) with the launch of the Phuket Lantern Festival in front of the iconic Standard Chartered Bank in the heart of the old town area.

ChinesecultureCOVID-19

By The Phuket News

Saturday 29 January 2022, 11:14AM

The festival will be observed from Jan 28 through to Feb 20, Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas explained at the launch, which began at 7:30pm and featured large illuminated models of imaginary animals, a traditional lion dance and fireworks.

The festival is being held to preserve and preserve the good culture of the Chinese Phuket people, said Mayor Saroj.

It creates an atmosphere and a good image in tourism. It stimulates the economy to generate income for the local area, he said.

The festival is popular for ethnic Chinese residents in Phuket Town to adorn their homes with red lanterns for auspiciousness as a celebration during the festive season and being a family reunion there will be a blessing to give happiness to celebrate within the family, Mr Saroj noted.

The festival was revived in 2016 by Phuket provincial officials working with the local Chinese Community, he explained.

In the run-up to Chinese New Year, which begins on Tuesday (Feb 1), ushering in the Year of the Tiger, Phuket City Municipality launched its Sweep the house to welcome Chinese New Year from Jan 20-28, Mr Saroj added.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year, it is customary for ethnic Chinese to prepare for the new year festivities with a cleanout of their homes, leaving many large discarded items needing removal and disposal. To facilitate this custom, Phuket City Municipality each year operates special services to collect large items from homes and from the footpaths, where many large items such as discarded furniture are left.

Meanwhile, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has called on people to observe COVID-prevention measures throughout the festivities being held for Chinese New Year.

Because it is a festival where relatives and brothers from many places gather together to pay respect to their ancestors. They meet at homes and at family gatherings, he said.

People are urged to observe the COVID-prevention measures during trips to the market or supermarket to buy things, when socializing at a restaurant or praying at a shrine, which [during the festival] become quite crowded, he said.

Governor Narong pointed out the plethora of government efforts underway to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The public health campaign is focusing on four main measures (VUCA), namely Vaccine, Universal Prevention, COVID Free Setting and ATK [testing by antigen test kits], he said.

We are ready. We have a treatment system for those infected with COVID, which may increase among both Thai people and tourists.

For Thai people we have prepared hospitals, field hospitals, CI [community isolation] and home isolation measures. For foreign nationals we have prepared hospitals, hotel isolation, hotel room isolation, alternative quarantine and Traveler Community Isolation, he said.

In addition, there is a system of quarantine for high-risk exposure groups at home or home quarantine and reducing local quarantine with surveillance and focusing on proactive testing with ATK

And we have the campaign for third- and fourth-dose vaccinations for the people and increased the vaccination service points to include Tambon Administrative organisations [OrBorTor and local municipalities] to increase the channels and convenience of vaccination for the people.

And in addition we have preventive measures to control COVID-19 in the Chinese New Year festival, Governor Narong said.

And Phuket Province [the provincial government] has prepared vaccinations for students aged 5-11 years and students 12-17 years old during this period, he added.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.


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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2022) - American Aires Inc. (CSE: WIFI) (the "Company" or "Aires"), a provider of scientifically-proven EMF modulation technology, is pleased to announce the opening of two new international fulfillment centers. As previously announced, Aires experienced record growth during the 2021 holiday period resulting in 20% YoY increases in revenue between November and December. In addition to record revenue, site traffic from new users saw increases of 32%. Traffic from countries outside of North America saw a YoY increase of 92.73% and traffic from users in the target geographies of UK, Australia and Ireland grew 389%. In response to the growing demand from many international markets, Aires will be opening fulfillment centers in Australia and Poland.

"Our mission is borderless, and the problem Aires is solving is worldwide. We have always viewed the opportunity as global, and this is just the next step in a strategy we set in motion last year. We have handpicked our team, partners and built a technology stack specifically designed to unlock this global opportunity. As we execute our strategy you will see Aires continue to cultivate new markets through hyper-targeted marketing, contextual messaging, localized web experience and now a complete end-to-end customer experience," said Josh Bruni, Chief Revenue Officer at Aires.

The Aires product uses components built in several countries and final assembly is in Europe. Today, once the product is assembled in Europe it is shipped to North America and distributed to several warehouses in the US and Canada. When orders are made from countries outside the US and Canada it is shipped back over to Europe or other destination country. This move will not only benefit the end consumers in these markets with reduced international shipping fees, taxes and tariffs as well as faster delivery but Aires will also benefit by gaining additional margin by keeping the product in Europe where it originates. This avoids unnecessary shipping costs, import fees, time and simplifies the full logistics process.

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"Our operations team has been hard at work reducing the friction our international customers experience. During Q4 of last year we focused heavily on setting up and optimizing the cross-border functionality of our website. As a result, we saw demand from countries outside the US and Canada continue to climb, specifically in many European countries, the UK as well as Australia. Opening these two centers will provide the consumer an even better localized experience by eliminating the often confusing and unexpected fees and removing the complicated last-mile delivery experience. Opening Australia was already on our roadmap. As we began rolling it out, it became clear that simultaneously opening Poland as the main distribution center for the EU market made a lot of sense and would benefit both Aires and the end customers," added Kris Guajala, Chief Operating Officer at Aires.

Although Aires only recently started marketing to a few regions outside of North America, it estimates orders were placed from consumers in 74 different countries in 2021. Aires is already operational at both fulfillment centers with Australia set to begin fulfilling orders this month. Poland is expected to be fulfilling orders and distributing product in Q1, 2022.

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/110642
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RIDGEFIELD  The town has largely used its American Rescue Plan monies toward COVID-19 related expenses, lost revenue and an infrastructure project, an analysis found.

During a Board of Finance meeting this month, finance director Kevin Redmond shared an analysis showing how much of the federal stimulus was initially delivered, how much has been allocated since, and what the remaining balance will be assuming the second tranche is received.

His report comes as the the town expects to receive its second tranche of these grants in the spring.

Ridgefields first tranche of ARPA funds, which it received last June, amounted to approximately $3.7 million. The total stimulus amounts to roughly $7.4 million.

Redmonds analysis included a series of deductions to demonstrate where some of the money from the first tranche has been allocated already.

Last summer, the Board of Finance codified a provision in the budget for fiscal year 2022 that reduced the tax rate from 1.7 percent to 0.3 percent. The reduction was made possible through the use of the ARPA monies.

About $1.5 million was allocated to replace revenue that Ridgefield missed out on due to the pandemic. With the offset, residents will only see a 0.3 percent increase on their taxes.

At a town meeting last fall, voters approved to allocate $2.9 million of the first tranche toward the Route 7 sewer project. The money will partially fund the construction of a new force-main sewer line connecting the District II plant on Route 7 to the upgraded District I plant on South Street.

Prior to that meeting, Ridgefields Water Pollution Control Authority voted to ensure that any grant money or rebates related to the project would be used to defray its overall cost, meaning the town would use less of the federal dollars.

Redmond factored in the likely sale of a related property, amounting to $440,000, into his analysis. Once the new sewer line is up and running, the town intends to demolish the District II plant.

Were looking at the possibility of a sale of that property, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said, (and) the revenue from that would go back into the ARPA account.

With the Board of Selectmens approval, the town recently purchased more than 17,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits from Florida to distribute to residents through various outlets. The Board of Finance subsequently voted to approve the use of $344,480 from the first ARPA tranche to pay for the kits.

Residents will get their say on the purchase during a town meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Marconi said voters will also be able to ask any questions related to the overall use of the ARPA funding during this time.

In order to provide a complete picture to the public and to the federal treasury in the event that we are audited  we have optimized the transparency, public notification and opportunity for input, he added.

Redmond expects the town to receive its second tranche of ARPA funds  a similar amount as the first  before the end of this fiscal year, in either April, May or June. The town has about $3 million left to spend, he said.

An informal working group was established to determine how to use the remaining funds based on guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department. As with normal budgetary proceedings, the expenditures would have to be approved via public hearings, town meetings or a natural referendum.

The group comprises representatives from Ridgefields Tri-Board, including: Marconi and Selectman Bob Hebert; Kenneth Sjoberg and Tina Malhotra from the Board of Education; and Mike Rettger and Greg Kabasakalian from the Board of Finance. Economic & Community Development Commissioner Geoffery Morris was invited to join as a seventh member.

The group is expected to hold an organizational meeting in the coming weeks to figure out what other requests should be pursued.

alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2022) - SunSwap, the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on TRON, is now officially integrated with SUN.io after a period of stable operation. The mining pool community has also completed its decentralization, and Governance Mining is open for applications on SUN.io's website to welcome more projects to the SUN Governance Mining.







Figure 1: SunSwap and SUN.io Now Integrated with New Two-Token Mining Launched

Cannot view this image? Visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8378/111967_f222b351145d1831_002.jpg

Created by SUN.io after it acquired JustSwap for an overall rebranding, SunSwap is the largest DEX on the TRON network. It then became TRON's leapfrog innovation in the DeFi space by integrating the advantages of both JustSwap and SUN.io, featuring TRON-based on-chain token swap, liquidity mining, stablecoin swap and staking, and platform governance.

The up and running Governance Mining on SUN.io is well received by users, with a TVL of over $600 million to date. As TRON's first platform that incorporates stablecoin swap, stake-to-mine feature, and self-governance, SUN.io always hopes to scale up cooperation with premium projects while improving the platform. This is why Governance Mining is now open for applications on the SUN.io website to invite community projects to the SUN.io ecosystem.

SunSwap V2.0 upgrade

Putting its mind to long-term value creation and better user experience, SunSwap makes sustained efforts to upgrade its products based on users' needs. With features like one-click liquidity migration and improved user interfaces for the exchange, fund pool, and explorer modules, SunSwap V2.0 delivers a friendlier user experience. Users can also add liquidity to trading pairs of any two TRC20 tokens on SunSwap V2.0, which frees them from redundant swaps and enables them to trade the most popular tokens right away.

Upon the launch of SunSwap V2.0, its TVL has surged past $1.7 billion, with a staggering 34.1% APY offered by the NFT-TRX liquidity pool. By upgrading both its user experience and functionality, SunSwap is gaining incredible traction among users, which marks not only another milestone for SUN.io and the TRON blockchain, but is also epoch-making for DeFi and the wider blockchain industry.

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SunSwap completes integration with SUN.io

Liquidity mining on SunSwap will end on January 28, 2022, at 20:59:59 (SGT), in parallel to which the reward distribution rules will be adjusted. Once concluded, SunSwap liquidity mining will no longer generate rewards. Previous rewards will be distributed according to the revised regulations, and users can still claim their rewards in SunSwap > Liquidity Pool as they used to. At the same time, the new pools will go live on SUN.io, marking the full integration of the two.

Upgraded two-token mining delivers decentralized community governance

The new pools launched on SUN.io will support two-token mining for selected LP tokens in SunSwap V1 and V2, enabling miners to earn dual rewards of SUN tokens and project tokens via Governance Mining. The new token SUN functions as the multi-purpose governance token for the platform (similar to CRV for Curve DAO and EPS for Ellipsis). It grants SUN holders various rights and benefits, including the right to vote, community governance, value capture, staking rewards, etc., in a bid to deliver truly decentralized community governance.

By staking LP tokens to participate in the new pools, users can earn mining rewards in addition to transaction fees.

How to mine on the SUN platform?

Users need to hold LP tokens to take part in liquidity mining, and mining pools only accept their respective LP tokens. For example, USDT-TRX LP mining pool only accepts USDT-TRX LP tokens.

LP token holders may visit the Liquidity Mining page on the SUN.io website, find the mining pool they want to participate in, enter the number of tokens they want to stake, and then wait to harvest their mining rewards when the staking begins.

Two-token mining rewards-the SUN token

In pools that support two-token mining, one of the reward tokens is SUN, which is given by the SUN platform to participants of Governance Mining. The amount of SUN rewards will be determined by the voting weights of the liquidity mining pools, which will be updated at 8:00 every Thursday (SGT). Users can lock SUN for veSUN and thus boost their SUN mining speed by up to 2.5x; they can also vote in liquidity pools with veSUN to decide how SUN rewards are allocated in different pools.

Two-token mining rewards-the project token

Unlike SUN rewards, rewards distributed in the project token are not affected by the voting weights of the liquidity mining pools, and the mining speed cannot be boosted by locking SUN. In pools that support two-token mining, rewards are distributed in the project token in addition to SUN: WTRX, the project token in the "stablecoin - TRX" liquidity pools, is provided by TRON DAO to incentivize users to co-build the TRON ecosystem. For other liquidity pools, the project token rewards are provided by project teams to boost users' engagement in providing liquidity and staking LP tokens. Project teams reserve the right to update the rules of distributing project tokens, including how many tokens will be distributed each week, if any. Please pay attention to the latest announcement on the websites of SUN.io and project teams.

Participate in SUN Governance Mining

At present, the project teams' pools supported in Governance Mining are SunSwap V2 liquidity pools. Once approved, eligible pools can be added to the list of liquidity pools in Governance Mining, and users can stake corresponding LP tokens for SUN rewards.

What is Governance Mining?

Governance Mining is a stake-to-mine project launched by SUN.io for community self-governance. It now supports LP tokens in stablecoin liquidity pools and SunSwap liquidity pools.

To participate in 3pool and USDC liquidity mining, users need to make deposits in the corresponding pool on SUN.io, provide liquidity to earn LP tokens, and then stake these tokens for mining. To participate in SunSwap liquidity mining, users must first add liquidity on s unswap.com to get LP tokens before staking these tokens on SUN.io for mining.

Governance Mining Phase II is now open. Users can choose a liquidity pool on the website to stake LP tokens in and boost the mining speed of the chosen pool with veSUN. They can claim SUN tokens earned from staking directly to their wallets. Also, users can vote with veSUN to decide the weight of a liquidity pool: the proportion of veSUN votes determines how much SUN will be allocated to a pool as rewards.

The SunSwap-SUN.io integration and new mining pools have diversified the use cases of SUN, giving play to community self-governance, further adding utility to the SUN token, and facilitating the growth of the SUN ecosystem. As an integral part of DeFi, and a key component of the TRON ecosystem, SUN will keep powering the entire DeFi space, providing its users with a solid platform that embraces complete autonomy across the board.

SUN.io is set to become a decentralized autonomous community with long-term vitality, and we will keep paying back to our community users with rewarding mining projects. Users are welcome to try out the brand-new mining pools on SUN.io, and our door is always open to high-quality project teams. We'll continue to keep coming up with more exciting plans, so please stay tuned.

About SunSwap

The upgraded SunSwap will incorporate TRON on-chain token swap, liquidity mining, stablecoin swap, staking and self-governance, benefiting the TRON DeFi ecosystem by giving total effort to the DEX system. Furthermore, as a native utility token on SunSwap, SUN will be used to govern the platform, reward liquidity providers, and buy back tokens with revenue on the platform, manifesting TRON's original aspiration to extend benefits to the broader public.

Media Contact:

service@sun.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/111967
ORESTE P. DARCONTE is a former publisher of The Sun Chronicle. Reach him at opd999@gmail.com .
ALTON  Over the last two years, Illinois American Water helped more than 15,500 residential customers receive financial assistance to help keep water service flowing.

The support came through the companys customer assistance program, H2O Help to Others, as well as customer grants credited to qualifying accounts.

We understand it can be hard to get back on track once an account falls behind. We want to help our customers receive the assistance they need and avoid service interruption, said Beth Matthews, Vice President of Operations.

Illinois American Waters H2O Help to Others program offers financial assistance to residential customers in need. The program is administered by Salvation Army agencies within the companys service area.

Information, including Salvation Army contact information, can be found online at illinoisamwater.com under Customer Service & Billing in the Customer Assistance Program section. The H2O Help to Others program provides customers who have experienced a financial hardship up to $200 in assistance, regardless of income.

Our customer assistance program is not based on income to support an inclusive approach for all of our residential customers who may be experiencing a hardship," Mathews said. "Its important we do what we can to help.

The H2O Help to Others program is supported by contributions from Illinois American Water as well as contributions from customers. Information regarding the program and how to donate is included on Illinois American Waters customer bills.

In addition to financial assistance, customers may also qualify to enroll in a payment plan to pay the balance of their bill over time. The company also offers budget billing so residential customers can pay a fixed monthly payment over a period of 12 months. Customers are not automatically enrolled in these programs and must call 800-422-2782 to enroll. More information can be found at illinoisamwater.com.

Customers may also be eligible for assistance through a new federal program - Low Income Household Water Assistance Program. Qualifying customers can receive one crisis grant each for water service and wastewater service. More information is available at https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/CommunityServices/HomeWeatherization/CommunityActionAgencies/Pages/default.aspx. Customers can also contact the LIHWAP hotline at 877-411-WARM (9276).
First Minister Paul Givan (left) and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings at Stormont, announcing new Covid restrictions for Northern Ireland (PA) (PA Wire)

Stormont ministers are meeting to discuss the latest Covid-19 surge.

Northern Ireland has been hit with record numbers of cases of the virus due to the Omicron variant.

The case numbers have sparked staff shortages, with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service saying a quarter of its staff are unavailable to work.

Testing capacity has also come under pressure.

Earlier this week, it was announced that, as a temporary measure, positive lateral flow tests will not need to be confirmed with a PCR test

Covid-19 case rates in UK nations (PA) (PA Graphics)

Earlier this week, chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young said as many as one in 10 people in some areas of the region may have contracted the virus over the festive period.

However, no further restrictions are expected to be agreed at the virtual meeting on Thursday morning.

Ministers are expected to discuss the enforcement of strengthened rules on face coverings.

It is understood that the grace period on enforcement, which had been due to end on January 7, will be extended.

Meanwhile the Department of Health has announced that pre-departure Covid tests for travellers arriving in Northern Ireland will be scrapped.

From 4am on Friday, fully vaccinated passengers and under-18s will no longer need to take a pre-departure test or self-isolate on arrival.

Fully vaccinated passengers still need to complete a passenger locator form and take a test on or before day two of their arrival.

From Sunday, this can be either a lateral flow or PCR test.

Anyone with a positive lateral flow test will be required to book a free confirmatory PCR test and isolate. If the PCR is negative, the isolation period can end.

The announcement follows a similar move in England.
I live in a three-bedroom house built in 1921. When we moved in, in 2009, our only source of heating was old and dated storage heaters that never worked and a wood burner which had been installed by a previous tenant.

In 2012 we upgraded to an air source heating system and an additional solar panel.

Currently it costs me the maximum amount you can top up on a smart meter (99 per week) to heat our home. I spend thousands per year just on heating, cooking and washing.

I've tried for several years to come off of the prepayment meter, but British Gas won't allow us.

A customer has found her energy bills are reaching 99 a week - despite being careful

I tried swapping providers, but British Gas blocked the move and said we owed them money even though we had been exclusively on a key meter from the moment we moved in.

Why can't we switch providers and why am I paying so much?

Grace Gausden, This is Money, replies: With energy prices at a record high, keeping costs as low as possible is a priority for many.

You have found yourself paying nearly 5,000 a year at times on your energy bills.

This is a huge amount of money, and despite trying to make changes to rectify the problem, you have been unable to.

Initially you changed how you heat your home to a more environmentally friendly  and usually kinder to the pocket  alternative, using air source heat pumps and a solar panel.

Whilst this is heating your home efficiently, it is also costing you 99 a week to stay warm.

This is the maximum you are allowed to top up on your prepayment meter, which you have had since moving in.

You say you try to keep usage at a minimum but even so, prices are sky high and you are struggling to keep up with the payments.

When you shopped around to find another supplier, you were told by other providers that your bills were certainly too high.

However, after trying to make a switch, you were told British Gas had blocked the move, saying you owed the firm money.

But you couldn't see how that was possible as you had been on a prepayment meter since moving into the property.

This is Money contacted British Gas to find out why your bills were so high and why it had blocked your move to another supplier.

TBritish Gas customer added air source heat pumps to her home to reduce her energy bills

A British Gas spokesperson replies: We would like to apologise to the customer for the issues she has been experiencing with her account.

There is an issue with the communication between her meter and energy account so we will be attending her property to get this problem fixed.

In the meantime, we have taken meter readings manually and cleared the debt on her account.

Grace Gausden, This is Money, adds: British Gas confirmed that, due to a fault with the communications hub for the meter, your account was showing up as having a large debt and is therefore blocked from being switched to a credit meter or to another supplier.

It said the block put in place would have happened automatically due to the supposed debt on your account, but now that has been removed you are free to switch.

However, it said based on the readings it has for you, you are a high electricity user hence the extortionate bills.

It confirmed your electricity meter is working correctly, as the fault instead lies with the communication hub. This is the device which allows British Gas to communicate with the meter and you to top up online.

The supplier said it would arrange an appointment to get this replaced, which will allow you to once again top up without having to manually input the code on your meter.

It will also allow British Gas to change the way your meter works from prepayment mode to credit mode without the need for a separate appointment.

You are on a Safeguard Pay-As-You-Go Tariff, which is the standard tariff for customers who are registered on British Gas' Priority Service Register.

The tariff rates for this are 20.240p per kilowatt hour with a daily standing charge of 29.460p per day. Prices are subject to the Energy Price Cap review.

Now you can switch, it may be worth comparing tariffs and prices online to see which providers are offering cheaper tariffs.

Although the options will be limited due to the current energy crisis, it will be worth seeing which providers offer the best deals.

It will also help to lower bills if you are able to cut down on your usage. To find out how, read our 20 top energy saving tips.
Investment house Fidelity International is convinced it pays to have fund managers located in the regions where the companies they invest in are based.

Although Zoom and the pandemic have changed things slightly, being on the ground means easier and quicker access to the management of companies they are either looking to invest in  or already have a stake in.

Investment trust Fidelity Japan is run in this way. The 250million stock market-listed fund has been managed by Nicholas Price from Fidelity's Tokyo office since September 2015.

Price has been based in the capital for the past 20 years, either running money or working as an investment analyst.

'Being on the ground is a big differentiator for us,' says Price. 'We see hundreds of companies every year  businesses we're already investors in and companies we're interested in.'

He adds: 'Over the past ten years, there has been an explosion in entrepreneurship across Japan. The result is more new companies, more disruptors being launched that are challenging the status quo.

'Some are listed, others are unlisted. Being based in Tokyo means we get a close-up perspective on what is going on and what is interesting from an investment point of view. As a result, we often buy into companies before others do.'

There are 3,500 listed companies in Japan, ten per cent are well covered by analysts. We like digging out opportunities outside that top 350

By way of example, the trust invested in Coconala in 2019, some two years before the business did an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The company provides a platform for businesses to buy and sell services  everything from marketing through to web design.

'It has been a four bagger for us,' says Price, referring to the fact that the trust's initial investment quadrupled in value.

Price has since crystallised some profits although he still holds the stock in the portfolio. The trust's board caps overall exposure to unlisted companies at ten per cent.

While the trust's 90 holdings do comprise some names familiar to UK investors such as Olympus  famous for its cameras  Price prefers to invest in companies that are not on the radar of other fund managers and analysts.

'There are 3,500 listed companies in Japan,' he says. 'About ten per cent are well covered by analysts. We like digging out opportunities outside that top 350.'

Examples, he says, include Mitsui High-tec, a company that provides precision machine tools for the car industry.

'We bought into the business last year,' says Price, 'but only after doing a lot of work on it. Its technology is leading edge and its sales are improving as Japanese car manufacturers move to hybrid and electric vehicles.'

The trust's long-term performance is strong. Over the past five years, it has delivered returns of 73 per cent, better than the average for its fund peer group (46 per cent). But over the past year, it has recorded losses (21 per cent) bigger than its rivals (an average 10 per cent).

Price says this is in part a result of the fact that the trust has exposure to companies that are still suffering from Covid restrictions imposed by the Japanese government.

For example, a key holding is Oriental Land, a business that owns Tokyo Disneyland which was closed for four months in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

Price expects earnings to grow strongly in the coming months as people flock back to the resort. Similarly, earnings at Olympus should improve as hospitals return to carrying out routine operations, using Olympus camera equipment such as endoscopes.

The trust's stock market identification code is 0332855 and the annual charges are a tad under one per cent.
Three of Britain's biggest water companies paid no corporation tax last year, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Our findings that they failed to contribute a penny of the business tax to the Treasury's coffers will infuriate critics at a time when water firms are under fire for pumping raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters.

Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Southern Water  controlled by wealthy overseas investors and foreign Governments  have been repeatedly accused of polluting bathing water and causing catastrophic damage to wildlife. Critics have demanded the overhaul of a 'broken' system that allows water giants to build up vast debts and siphon billions of pounds out of the country.

Leaking money: Thames, Yorkshire and Southern forked out a total of 1.4billion to service massive debts and satisfy other charges linked to their complex financial structures

Our probe discovered that the three companies forked out a total of 1.4billion to service massive debts and satisfy other charges linked to their complex financial structures.

This resulted in the wiping out of their profits and therefore of their corporation tax liabilities. The tax is only charged on companies that are in the black.

The three firms were singled out for criticism four years ago when Michael Gove, then Environment Secretary, complained that they made 'particularly keen use of sophisticated financial engineering' to reduce their tax burden while enriching their shareholders.

The Mail on Sunday revealed in November that nine water companies had amassed debts of more than 50billion despite being privatised in the 1990s free of borrowings. Thames, Yorkshire and Southern are responsible for half of that figure. A separate report earlier last month said a total of 72billion had been extracted by the owners of the companies in dividends and other payments.

The Public Accounts Committee has said there is a 'serious risk' that parts of England  particularly London and the South East  will run out of water in 20 years. Major investment will be required to repair leaking supply networks, as well as importing water into the worst hit regions and building reservoirs.

Feargal Sharkey, the pop star turned campaigner for clean rivers, said: 'What we have with these companies is smoke and mirrors. They have made off with 72billion and we've ended up with rivers full of sewage. They are out of control.

'A lack of investment means parts of the South East are running out of water. Someone is going to have to start spending huge amounts of money.

But with 50billion of debt sitting on the balance sheet, they can't afford to finance that. So the taxpayer gets screwed and our environment has been devastated. Who is picking up the bill for that?'

Sharkey, who is chairman of Hertfordshire's Amwell Magna Fishery, the oldest fly-fishing club in England, called for urgent action from the Government and regulator Ofwat to bring the companies into line. He also demanded that 30 per cent of each privately owned water company is returned to the stock market to improve transparency over their financial affairs.

Southern's biggest shareholders include Australian fund Macquarie, which is known as the 'vampire kangaroo' for squeezing billions of pounds in dividends from Thames Water, which it owned between 2006 and 2017. The company made a loss of 350million on revenues of almost 785million last year.

The owners of Thames now include funds controlled by the Abu Dhabi and Kuwaiti governments. Its parent company, Kemble Water Holdings, reported revenue of 2billion and a loss of 370million.

Yorkshire Water is owned by foreign sovereign wealth funds including GIC Special Investments, controlled by the Singapore government. Kelda Holdings, its parent company, reported revenue of 1.1billion and a loss of 152million.

Each of the water firms paid tax through National Insurance contributions, VAT and other taxes and is investing heavily in infrastructure. They argue the low-tax structure helps keep bills low.

Thames said: 'We have an unprecedented amount of investment directed towards safeguarding our rivers and streams. Between 2020 and 2025 we are spending 1.25billion on maintaining and improving our operational sites.'

A statement on Yorkshire Water's website said it has 'not been required to pay any corporation tax in recent years'. The company said it paid 148million in other taxes last year.
Britain's biggest building society, the Nationwide, has held talks to acquire TSB.

Initial discussions stalled, but the revelation of Nationwide's interest last night triggered a flurry of speculation the deal will be back on.

The mutual held discussions with investment bankers advising TSB's Spanish owner Banco Sabadell in 2020, when the UK arm was put up for sale.

Hotseat: Ex-TSB boss Debbie Crosbie is about to take the top job at Nationwide

Sabadell pulled the process last year  with new chief executive Cesar Gonzalez-Bueno saying he did not want a fire sale of the British bank. But, crucially, he added that he did not rule out selling TSB in the future.

Now Debbie Crosbie, recently departed chief executive of TSB, is to take over as boss of Nationwide later this year. Her knowledge of both lenders would make her perfectly placed to lead a merger.

Nationwide has grown by more than the size of TSB over the last six years and the ambitious Crosbie will be keen to make her mark. A link-up would create a major new force in mortgage lending and savings.

It would be snapping at the heels of Lloyds Banking Group, the UK's largest mortgage lender which has more than 300 billion of home loans, though insiders said it would be unlikely to trigger a competition probe.

Sabadell might look to offload TSB later this year following the bank's recent strong performance. The Spanish giant last week indicated it expects to reach its earnings targets a year early, noting TSB contributed 118million of its 530million profit.

Nationwide said: 'As members would expect, we are always looking at ways to grow the society to better serve them.'

But it would likely face competition from Cooperative Bank which has twice tried to buy TSB  most recently lodging a bid in excess of 1billion.
Top bosses at LV have been paid more than 100,000 in just seven weeks after the collapse of a deal they concocted with a US private equity firm.

While they continue to haul in the cash, LV's 1.2million members remain in limbo over the future of the mutual insurer.

Mark Hartigan, the chief executive, and chairman Alan Cook vociferously campaigned to sell the 179-year-old mutual, previously known as Liverpool Victoria, to US private equity giant Bain Capital.

In the money: Chief executive Mark Hartigan, left, and chairman Alan Cook

They suffered a humiliating defeat after LV members snubbed the 'derisory' offer in December, but remain in their lucrative posts raking in thousands of pounds a day.

As yet, members have had no update on what will happen next. So what is going on? The Mail on Sunday finds out.

What has happened at LV?

Members scuppered a deal concocted by Hartigan and Cook to sell the company to private equity group Bain.

The sale would have meant LV losing its cherished mutual status. Since it was established as Liverpool Victoria in the 19th Century to help poor families in Liverpool pay for funerals, it has been owned by members and run for their benefit.

Ownership by private equity would have meant handing control to a profit-hungry investor. Hundreds of policyholders contacted the Save LV Campaign in the weeks before the vote, outraged at plans to sell the mutual to a buyer likely to milk it for cash.

Hartigan and Cook, both in line for big gains under Bain, chose the private equity route in preference to a bid from fellow mutual Royal London. They refused to say why.

The upshot: members shot down Bain's bid, which included an offer of a paltry 100 each to members  well below the sums paid out in previous demutualisations.

Why are the duo still there?

Good question. After their humiliating defeat, Cook promised to leave when a path for LV's future was established. As things stand, he is still pocketing his 205,000-ayear fee as chairman. This tots up to 29,000 since the vote, which is only just below the median average full-time wage for a whole year.

Hartigan remains in his well-remunerated post despite an outcry from members. He has pocketed 72,000 since December 10. LV declined to comment on whether he would be handed a bonus for 2021.

In previous debacles, top bosses have been replaced with a credible industry heavyweight, brought in from outside to sort out the mess. A suitable person could be drafted by LV's independent directors.

Labour MP Gareth Thomas, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Mutuals, said: 'It beggars belief both Cook and Hartigan haven't had the courage to make way for new independent directors committed to a mutual and British future for LV. What's even worse is they're still trousering members' money. They should go now.'

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, who sits on Parliament's Treasury Committee, said: 'It's high time Cook and Hartigan left. Every day they stay they're earning more of members' money, and any delay is only acting in their interests.

'Members want independent leadership to make sure any new deal gets done quickly and is in their best interests.'

Former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann said: 'There's a strong case for members to request an independent assessment of the Royal London deal and the management's actions, given what's happened. Cook and Hartigan were clearly set on the Bain deal, and the tactics they used to try to persuade members were pretty strong-arm. But they didn't work, and members will now want some reassurance.'

What's the latest?

The announcement that the Bain bid had failed was accompanied by another, stating that Royal London wanted to step in with a new bid. Royal London was prepared to enter exclusive talks with LV and a deal seemed imminent. The original Royal London offer was almost identical to Bain's and the new proposal has been enhanced so it will maintain LV's mutual status.

What are LV bosses playing at?

They have decided to start from scratch, almost as if the years of talks to sell the business, including with Royal London, never happened. A spokesman said the calculations done back in 2020, when the process to find a buyer began, must be redrafted, since almost two years have passed since then. In the meantime, the clock is ticking lucratively for the expensive bankers, lawyers and advisers, all of whom continue to draw fees. The board is again assessing its 'strategic options'.

It is understood not to be actively looking for new bids beyond Royal London. Options now include a possible wind-down of the business  letting current policies mature and then shutting up shop  or continuing to run LV as a standalone operator.

Could LV go it alone?

Bosses claimed in late 2020 it desperately needed cash to survive and thrive. They said it needed to invest in its technology and growth, but didn't have the money to do this alone. So external investment from Bain or Royal London was better than using members' cash, they argued. This was at odds with earlier declarations that it had a flourishing future as a mutual.

Why the silence?

Another very good question. A full 50 days have passed without a peep from the LV board. The Mail on Sunday understands there have been 'high-level' discussions with Royal London, but Hartigan and Cook have so far refused to enter into formal talks. Have discussions stalled? It is not clear. A former LV executive said: 'The board would be mad if they're not in talks with Royal London. They've said they can't stay independent, so a mutual merger looks like the only path.'

Will Royal definitely buy LV?

Nothing is certain. Sources close to Royal London suggested under its initial offer, more money would have gone to LV members than with Bain, but those figures were never made public. And there is no guarantee it will table the same bid.

Are my savings at risk?

No. Members' money is not at risk, thankfully.
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The ongoing nationwide debate on censorship continues.

Mayor Gene McGee of Ridgeland, Mississippi, has withheld more than $110,000 in funding to the Madison County Library System (MCLS), refusing to pay up until they purge all LGBTQ-related books, according to Mississippi Free Press.

Mayor McGee's office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

RELATED: Chasten Buttigieg Denounces Proposed Ban on LGBTQ Discussions in Fla. Schools: 'This Will Kill Kids'

Tonja Johnson, executive director for the Madison County Library System, told MFP that she reached out to McGee after not receiving the City of Ridgeland's first quarterly payment of 2022.

"He explained his opposition to what he called 'homosexual materials' in the library, that it went against his Christian beliefs, and that he would not release the money as long as the materials were there," she recounted.

"I explained that we are a public library and we serve the entire community. I told him our collection reflects the diversity of our community," Johnson said, adding: "He told me that the library can serve whoever we wanted, but that he only serves the great Lord above."

Although McGee confirmed he was withholding the funds to WJTV 12, he claimed his reasoning was not in regards to LGBTQ books, but those with "sexual connotations."

"I have had many complaints from citizens about the display of certain books at the Library," McGee said in a statement. "In my capacity as mayor, I simply believe the books are inappropriate for children. There is a minimum, sexual connotations are not appropriate for children when they enter the library."

RELATED VIDEO: JoJo Siwa Celebrates 1 Year Since Coming Out as LGBTQ: 'I've Felt More Love Than Ever'

Bob Sanders, counsel for the library board, said in a Tuesday board meeting that the mayor does not have the authority to override the library system's contract and the decision of the city's aldermen, MFP reported, as the funding was already included in the city's 2021-2022 budget.

Story continues

Johnson tells PEOPLE that MCLS has since requested a hearing with the City of Ridgeland and Board of Aldermen, and they are currently awaiting a response.

"The Library Board and staff gladly serve all the people of Madison County with a wealth of cultures, religious beliefs, and views," MCLS said in a statement. "The library's collection is for people of all ages, races, gender identities/expressions, and orientations. Our books are not only a mirror to reflect our community but a window into different worlds and different experiences that enable us to learn. Our materials are available for all. Censorship has no place here in Madison County Library System. Our library is for everyone."

The news comes as Florida lawmakers consider the Parental Rights in Education bill (known by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill), which would allow parents to sue schools and teachers who engage in classroom discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Chasten Buttigieg is one of many pushing back on the legislation, calling out Governor Ron DeSantis over what critics fear will ban any lessons of LGBTQ history. "This will kill kids, @RonDeSantisFL," he wrote on Twitter. "You are purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in."
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Editors note: Minor spoilers for All Of Us Are Dead ahead.

Korean zombie series All Of Us Are Dead is set in a post-COVID-19 world.

In episode six, On-jos father, a firefighter and first responder, mentions this while talking about the amount of time they might need to spend in quarantine due to the mysterious nature of the disease. It was nine days for MERS, two weeks for Corona, and even three weeks for Ebola.

The 12-episode series, which is Netflixs first Korean original offering for 2022, treats the zombie outbreak in the fictional area of Hyosan as an epidemic. Based on the popular webtoon by Joo Dong-geun, the live-action follows high school students who find themselves at ground zero of a mysterious virus that turns its hosts into flesh-eating monsters.

Yoon Chan-young plays junior high school student Lee Cheong-san in "All Of Us Are Dead." Photo by YANG HAE-SUNG/NETFLIX

As the agile zombies roam the hallways of the school (and later, the rest of the town) in search of flesh to feast on, the students figure out how to get out alive and the authorities struggle to find answers. Its stressful, yes. But as you continue watching, you realize that the stress also comes from this premise being so close to home.

In her 2018 Polygon video on zombies, video producer Jenna Stoeber goes back to a cornerstone truth about horror, and by extension, zombie media: it reflects the crises of the culture its made in. In the world of All Of Us Are Dead, talk of martial law, quarantine, and getting tested are thrown around as the military scrambles to find a solution to the outbreak  terms that, pre-pandemic, I would have just glossed over with the assumption that nothing like that could ever happen in real life. Two years since this all started, and these words hold new meaning in a world still suffering from COVID-19. It especially hits different after I watch it mere days out of self-imposed quarantine after undergoing a mild bout of said disease.

During the press conference livestreamed from Seoul last Jan. 26, director Lee JQ told reporters that he chose the project because of its setting (most of the action happens within the confined space of the school) and because the main characters are students who are not yet mature adults.

We often say things like some adults are childish, he said. I felt that it would be extremely interesting and intriguing to look at the choices that these young adults make. And I felt like it could bring a new kind of meaning to the zombie genre.

And its true that the characters of All Of Us Are Dead are what make the show so engaging. While most of the fresh-faced cast already had a number of acting credits to their names, the series marked the first time that they took on leading roles  and crushed them.

You cant help but root for the Hyosan High School students because of how well they represent very real student archetypes and the nuances that come with those roles given the context. Theres the average-but-dependable boy-next-door (Cheong-san, played by Yoon Chan-young) who has a secret crush on his best friend (On-jo, played by Park Ji-hu); the overachieving-yet-silent and intimidating class president (Nam-ra, played by Cho Yi-hyun), and the jock-slash-reformed bully with a weird quirk (Su-hyeok/Baresu, played by Lomon).

You can't help but root for the Hyosan High School students because of how well they represent real student archetypes. Photo by YANG HAE-SUNG/NETFLIX

In her Polygon video, Stoeber also pointed to the community-centered wave of zombie media, such asThe Walking Dead and The Last of Us. The stories these games and shows tackle are reflective of the growth of their creators; a move towards the safeness of a familial community and how characters find their role within them.

This is where the rest of the cast comes in: this show would not be what it is without the other main players in the school, especially Cheong-sans classmates: the stubborn-but-lovable Gyeong-su (played by Ham Sung-min), awkward-but-ingenious megane (glasses boy) Oh Joon-yeong (played by An Seoung-Kyun), the class clown with a passion for singing (Dae-su, played by Lim Jae-hyeok), team player Wu-jin (played by Son Sang-yeon), best friends Ji-min (played by Kim Jin-yeong) and Hyo-ryeong (played by Kim Bo-yoon). Theres also much to root for in the second group of student survivors led by seniors Seung-lee and Eun-saem, with juniors Ho-eun and Han-yeol.

On the other side of things, there are the characters you learn to hate with a passion. Yoo In-soo is terrifying as school bully Gwi-nam. Lee Yoo-mi, who Netflix viewers may know from her role as Ji-yeong in Squid Game, shared how she worked hard to make her character Na-yeon as annoying as possible. She would ask Sung-min (who plays Gyeong-su) questions like am I upsetting you enough? or am I getting on your nerves enough?

"Squid Game's" Lee Yoo-mi (left) worked very hard to make her character Na-yeon as annoying as possible. Photo by YANG HAE-SUNG/NETFLIX

Yoo In-soo is terrifying as school bully Gwi-nam. Photo by YANG HAE-SUNG/NETFLIX

One thing that the series directly translated from the webtoon was the uncensored, unfiltered side of South Korea. Boil-ridden, guts-out, bloodthirsty zombie imagery aside, you can tell that this drama wasnt meant to be visually pleasing. Set outside of Seoul, the usual shots of sparkling skyscrapers are replaced with the grit of tenement buildings. The shows coloring isnt altered to beautify, and actors are made up in a manner that shows their imperfections, effectively making them look convincing as high school students. They also swear a lot (rare is a scene where a character doesnt say some some iteration of sibal, a common Korean profanity comparable to the English fuck).

Chun Sung-ils script condensed and shuffled around the originally slow-paced webtoon plot. The first two episodes hit the ground running, with cinematic action shots, intense stunts, and all the blood and gore that Director JQ felt was essential to immerse both the actors and viewers alike.

During the press con, the cast also shared that the slow and detailed zombie transformation process is something to look forward to. As in Kingdom, and similar Korean zombie shows and films, the zombies in All Of Us Are Dead are fast. In a behind the scenes video, its shown how a dancer and actor choreographed all of the zombies. They were so terrifying that actors In-soo and Chan-young even revealed that they puked on the first day of training because of the sheer intensity.

On-jo (Park Ji-hu) comes head to head with a schoolmate-turned-zombie. Photo by YANG HAE-SUNG/NETFLIX

Early on in the series, the characters already acknowledges that their schoolmates have turned into zombies, with Cheong-san asking everyone if theyve seen Train to Busan. Once thats established, they do everything they can to find help. As if clearing levels in a video game, the group passes through several stages using ordinary objects like desks and cleaning materials combined with skills learned as they go  taking shelter in classrooms, the broadcast studio, and the science lab inside the school, among other places  to work their way upwards to get to the rooftop.

Holding on to the hope for survival without depending on adults or authority figures is a major concept that the director wants to emphasize in the series. When the students realize that survival is solely in their hands, its heartbreaking. The tears and frustration they displayed during these moments were so tangible. You could really feel the exhaustion brought on from looking back at how much has already been done, so much already lost, and the frustration of thinking that there seems to be no end in sight. As we near the second anniversary of the very first lockdown announcement in the Philippines, these are very real emotions that resonate more given the current situation were in.

Since the show attempts to tackle issues of morality and justness, and the concept of losers and winners, corruption, and school violence within its 12-episode run time, some of these deeper meanings get lost in the narrative. After all, this is a lot to unpack for a show where emotions constantly run high, and the fact that this is all happening while these characters are fighting for their lives does not help. Hopefully this is something they can address if a second season is announced.

Sure, All Of Us Are Dead is an entertaining show to binge and even go back to. But if theres one thing that Director Lee JQ wants viewers to take away from the series, its this: Whatever happens within a school, there are perpetrators, there are victims. Thats exactly what happens in our society as well. Sometimes, due to the selfishness of a particular group, others are victimized and get hurt.

As this country approaches the turbulent waters of the next few months, I hope this is something we take into account well.

***

All Of Us Are Dead is out now on Netflix.
Kingsport, TN (37660)

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A Russian troop buildup along its border with Ukraine includes supplies of blood for the wounded, three U.S. officials told Reuters, a detail reinforcing U.S. comments that Russia clearly now has the capability to move on its neighbour.

The disclosure by the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, adds to growing U.S. concern that Russia could be preparing for a new invasion of Ukraine as it has amassed more than 100,000 troops near its borders.

The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West has not addressed Moscows main security demands in the crisis over the former Soviet state  but he said that it was ready to keep talking, offering some hope that an attack is not imminent.

Putin offered his first reaction to the U.S. and NATO responses to Russias demands in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron after weeks of personal public silence.

The Kremlin quoted Putin as telling Macron he would study the responses provided by Washington and NATO this week before deciding on further action.

Current and former U.S. officials said indicators like the blood supplies were critical in determining whether Moscow would be prepared to carry out an invasion, if Putin decided to do so.

A French presidency official said Putin, in his call with Macron, had underlined that he did not want the situation to intensify, echoing conciliatory comments by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said Moscow did not want war.

Attention was drawn to the fact that the U.S. and NATO replies did not take into account Russias principal concerns, the Kremlin said of Putins conversation with Macron.

It listed those concerns as avoiding NATO expansion, not deploying offensive weapons near Russias borders and returning NATO military capabilities and infrastructure to how they were before former Warsaw Pact states in eastern Europe joined.

The key question was ignored  how the United States and its allies intend to follow the principle of security integrity  that no one should strengthen their security at the expense of another countrys security, it said.

The United States and NATO have said some of Russias demands are non-starters but have also left the door open to dialogue.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military alliance was watching closely as Russia moves troops and arms into Belarus for drills.

He said NATO was ready to increase its troop presence in eastern Europe if Russia took further aggressive actions against Ukraine, and cautioned that a Russian attack could take many forms including a cyber attack, attempted coup or sabotage.

From the NATO side we are ready to engage in political dialogue. But were also ready to respond if Russia chooses an armed conflict confrontation, Stoltenberg said in Brussels.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States remained focused on countering Russian disinformation, including anything that could be used as a pretext for attacks on Ukraine.

While we dont believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has that capability, Austin told reporters.

He said there are multiple options available to (Putin) including the seizure of cities and significant territories, but also coercive acts and provocative political acts like the recognition of breakaway territories.

U.S. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Russias deployment was larger than anything in scale and scope since the Cold War and said the United States strongly recommended that Russia stand down.

If Russia invades, the outcome would be horrific and result in significant casualties, Milley said.

ENERGY SUPPLIES

Lavrov said he expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken again in the next couple of weeks. Their last meeting, in Geneva on Jan. 21, produced no breakthrough.

If it depends on Russia, then there will be no war. We dont want wars. But we also wont allow our interests to be rudely trampled, to be ignored, Lavrov told Russian radio stations.

He said, without giving details, that the U.S. counter-proposals were better than NATOs.

A senior U.S. administration official said the United States welcomed Lavrovs comment on Russia not wanting war, but we need to see it backed up by swift action.

A U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday on the build-up of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine will be an opportunity for Russia to explain what it is doing, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States and the European Union have warned Russia that it will face economic sanctions if it attacks Ukraine.

These would build on sanctions imposed on Russia since it annexed Crimea and backed separatists in east Ukraine in 2014, though there are divisions among Western countries over how to respond as Europe is dependent on Russia for energy supplies.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Ursula von der Leyen, who heads the EU executive, the European Commission, said they had agreed to cooperate on guaranteeing Europes energy security but gave no details.

Washington has been in talks with energy-producing countries and companies around the world over a potential diversion of supplies to Europe if Russia invades Ukraine, a senior Biden administration official told reporters this week.

EU officials have repeatedly called for unity in the bloc over Ukraine, with some concerned that Germany  worried about energy supplies  has not taken a tougher stance.

Russia has dismissed calls to withdraw its troops, saying it can deploy them as it sees fit on its own territory. It has cited the Western response as evidence that Russia is the target, not the instigator, of aggression.

Ukraine has suggested a Russian attack is not imminent though an economically damaging war is possible. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticised a feeling abroad that a war had already started.

We dont need this panic, Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv.

SOURCE: REUTERS
In Ernest Clines 2011 science fiction novel Ready Player One, life is divided into two disparate experiences: the real and the virtual. The story is set in 2045, in a future beset by environmental, economic and social problems that leave its inhabitants spending time in a vast, highly-detailed virtual environment called OASIS. Entering OASIS with advanced VR visors and gloves allows users to maintain fantastic identities with altered appearances and even superpowers. These alternate identities provide people with an escape  not just from their dystopian world, but from their own identities and perceived inadequacies.

Years before Ready Player One, author Neal Stephenson, in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, described a fictional immersive virtual world similar to OASIS, that he called the Metaverse. In this Metaverse, virtual inhabitants could build world features from scratch, creating entire neighborhoods and personae in a way similar to many modern online games.

The technology and culture described in Ready Player One and Snow Crash arent too farfetched when viewed in light of our own trajectory. AI and automation are rapidly eliminating the need for people to work or even live closely together. Advances in transportation and communication have allowed people to maintain seamless, instantaneous connections with each other anywhere on Earth. The world has become connected in a way that wouldnt have seemed possible just 100 years ago.

This has had a positive impact on most aspects of human society.

Telework is revolutionizing business and commerce. A software engineer can live in rural Kansas and work for a tech startup in Stockholm. Home-bound disabled people are becoming gainfully employed at record rates. Dating apps can find your perfect match 3000 miles away. Doctors can perform virtual life-saving surgeries. Making information almost universally available has led to more efficient processes of scientific discovery, education, cultural exchange and sociopolitical reform.

Even the term metaverse (which originated with Snow Crash) has taken on more concrete meaning, as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the social media company will focus on the development of a metaverse where users interact not just socially, but economically on a blockchain-based cyber-physical platform.

Yet despite this apparent condensation of our distances and our differences, mounting evidence suggests that increasing numbers of people are feeling more alone. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic forced drastic changes in our work and personal lives, humans had been becoming increasingly isolated from each other.

Related: Using Virtual Events to Drive Awareness, Brand Loyalty and Revenue

Electronic communication has taken much of the spontaneity and authenticity out of human conversation and relationships. Social media has encouraged people to manufacture personae for themselves for the short-lived endorphin rush of likes and followers. Even crime is becoming less personal  perpetrators no longer have to look you in the eye as they wipe out your savings or steal your identity from an anonymous basement on the other side of the planet.

Simple human social dynamics like trust, understanding and empathy are difficult to fully realize without in-person interaction. Virtual presence can only partially transmit subtle cues like eye movement, body language and voice inflection that are important components in communication. A recent Zoom call famously went awry when one of the participants was mistakenly rendered as a cat. Not knowing whether anyone attending a particular meeting is currently wearing pants has become a modern reality.

Other signals, like nervous or amorous pheromones, sweaty-palm handshakes and fast heartbeats are completely lost in virtual communication. These are primal, subconscious variables that people have been using for as long as weve existed to find mates, avoid bad guys and forge partnerships.

Related: 4 Essential Imperatives of Virtual Sales Success

Humans are, for all intents and purposes, primates. We are highly social mammals with an instinct to bond and interact  an instinct that was millions of years in the making. For 99% of human history, we lived in small semi-nomadic groups, with only each other to rely on for warmth, safety and survival. This reliance on physical, tangible connection is built into who we are and cannot be easily supplanted by more user-friendly apps, denser silicon chips, and clever source code.

Covid simply accelerated a process that was already underway  a process of redefining human interaction, for better or worse, in likely permanent ways.

As creators, we must strive to balance the speed, efficiency and productivity of our innovations with the recognition that we are flesh-and-blood creatures. Understanding and respecting our vulnerabilities as a social species plays a critical role in the impact our products can have as this new virtual world market moves from fiction to reality. Profit is essential to the livelihood of entrepreneurs and innovators, but it doesnt have to come at the cost of our humanity and that of future generations.

Related: Hiring Virtual Assistants is the 'New Normal'

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ALBANY - Political leaders in central New York and the Mohawk Valley are asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to reconsider her plans to break up SUNY Polytechnic Institute, arguing the move could harm her efforts to entice computer chip manufacturers to build billion-dollar factories in their regions.

Hochul announced during her first State of the State address earlier this month that she wants to merge SUNY Poly's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering back into the University at Albany.

But Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon  who both believe their communities are in the running for chip factories (known as fabs)  believe the split would hurt their chances, and Hochul's, of landing the facilities and the potential for thousands of high-paying jobs.

In a statement released Friday, Picente and McMahon along with local state legislators, expressed their concern a SUNY Poly breakup could jeopardize plans to attract chip companies to the White Pine Commerce Park outside of Syracuse and the Marcy Nanocenter outside of Utica.

"With multiple active semiconductor leads currently being considered at both Marcy and in White Pine in Syracuse, regional leaders believe the proposal could be perceived as a reduction in the states commitment to attracting the industry," the elected officials said in a statement.

SUNY Poly is somewhat unusual in the SUNY system in that it has two campuses - one in Albany and one in Utica.

The school was created in 2014 by merging the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering into SUNY IT near Utica.

CNSE was the brainchild of Alain Kaloyeros, a former UAlbany physics professor who founded Albany Nanotech, the most advanced government-owned semiconductor research center in the United States. Funded with hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate and state funding - which is unique to the SUNY system - Albany Nanotech was built by the state on Fuller Road in Albany, adjacent to the UAlbany campus.

Tenants at the Albany Nanotech complex, technically owned by a state-run nonprofit, include companies like IBM, Samsung and Intel, along with the world's top chip-making equipment companies.

Kaloyeros created CNSE to develop a pipeline of students that could become top-notch scientists and engineers to work at semiconductor companies that the state hoped would eventually build factories in the region. When he orchestrated the merger, Kaloyeros renamed the school SUNY Poly and became its founding president and one of the state's highest-paid employees before his 2016 downfall on federal bid-rigging charges.

Albany Nanotech and CNSE have been vital in the state's efforts to bring computer chip companies to upstate New York, including GlobalFoundries, which built its Fab 8 factory in Saratoga County. A second company, Wolfspeed, is building a factory across the street from SUNY Poly's Utica campus at the Marcy Nanocenter.

Kaloyeros was convicted on wire-fraud charges and is facing more than three years in federal prison if his efforts to appeal his case fail. Ever since, UAlbany has supported a plan to bring CNSE back into the UAlbany fold. Many faculty at CNSE have also supported the return to UAlbany.

The controversy over the plan comes at a sensitive time as New York is negotiating with companies to build billion-dollar chip sites upstate. Hochul said earlier this week that she was personally involved in negotiations with an unnamed chip company believed to be Intel.

Intel had announced only days before that it chose Ohio for two new chip fabs that would cost $20 billion. But Intel has plans to build many more factories in the U.S. as part of efforts by the U.S. government to thwart efforts by China to dominate the world's chip manufacturing sector.

Hochul said she has offered the unnamed chipmaker a "robust" incentive package to build a massive chip-making complex outside Syracuse that would employ 5,000 people, which would make it even larger than Fab 8.

"I personally have had meetings, phone calls, and Im working hands-on as we speak on this issue," Hochul told the Syracuse Post-Standard's editorial board. "We are waiting to find out what the decision is. We are very competitive right now.

Intel did not respond to a request for comment, but the company has expressed serious interest in building a fab within driving distance of Albany Nanotech, where it has entered into a research partnership with IBM.

GlobalFoundries is already planning an expansion at Fab 8, so that Saratoga County site may not have enough room for a second chip company.

SUNY Poly officials are trying to carefully balance Hochul's plan to give CNSE back to UAlbany with the concerns of local leaders in the Mohawk Valley and central New York who have been pitching the value of the current SUNY Poly model to prospective chip firms.

"We share many of their concerns," SUNY Poly said in a statement. "We are confident that SUNY Poly will continue to build upon this approach which has grown interconnected research and career opportunities across both campusesnot only for one region, but for all of New York state.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  Filipino favorite Sinigang is once again hailed as the best soup in the world, according to an international food database.

The popular dish was named the No. 1 soup in the 2021 Taste Atlas Awards  garnering a worldwide rating of 4.63 out of 5 stars.

The website described Sinigang as a "sour Filipino soup consisting of sampalok (fruits of the tamarind tree)," which is "traditionally served hot and steaming as a main dish, with rice as its accompaniment."

"It is an often-seen dish at special occasions, such as birthdays or weddings; and over time, as the dish became more popular, there were new variations that used guava or raw mango instead of sampalok," it added.

Taste Atlas highlighted Sinigang is "a unique soup that is a true representative of Filipino cuisine."

The four soups that rounded up the top five were Romania's Ciorba de fasole cu afumatura with 4.55, Japan's Shoyu ramen with 4.54, Turkey's Mercimek corbas with 4.53, and Japan's Tonkotsu ramen with 4.50.

In 2020, Sinigang was also Taste Atlas' "best-rated" vegetable soup, as it earned an overall rating of 4.8.

Lumpia, another local favorite, ranked second in the top side dishes with a rating of 4.51 out of 5 stars. It was described as a "simple and flavorful Filipino finger food that evolved from the Chinese spring rolls."

"It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and it is almost impossible to see a Filipino feast without at least one variation of lumpia," Taste Atlas said.

Belgium's Pommes frites placed first with a rating of 4.56. Poland's Kluski slaskie was third with 4.46, followed by Japan's Gyoza with 4.45, and Germany's Kartoffelkloe with 4.43.

Adobo and Sisig, two of the most loved dishes in the Philippines, were also recognized as among the 100 best eats across the globe.
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WATERVLIET  Dylan Goering ended up at St. Colman's Autism program in Watervliet as a last resort. The 12-year-old's needs were too difficult for the tiny Green Island school district to handle and he was rejected by the local BOCES program for being aggressive.

St. Colman's seemed like a good fit, his mother Amanda Nacco said. Dylan adored his teachers, aides and classmates, and his communication and behavioral skills improved. Then COVID-19 came along.

While other schools in the region have resumed full-day in-person learning five days a week, Dylan and his schoolmates have not had access to consistent services and full-time in-person instruction since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Due to staff turnover, Dylan has missed out on occupational therapy, physical education and speech services.

For kids on the autism spectrum, change is hard, Nacco said. "Dylan absolutely loved his speech teacher. They had an amazing bond. ... I try to do some of the things at home with him, but clearly I am not her, and he just doesnt adapt to it."

State and federal agencies have flooded public school districts with COVID-19 relief aid in an effort to maximize in-person learning for the 2021-2022 academic year, but those resources have not filtered down to private facilities serving kids with the most intensive needs.

Experts say remote learning has been uniquely challenging for the nearly half a million New York students classified as having disabilities, who represent about 18 percent of the total K-12 student population.

When disabilities are identified, students receive individualized education programs, or IEPs, that detail services and specialized instruction they are entitled to. Those whose needs cannot be met by the local public school district are referred to state-approved private institutions.

Next year, students with disabilities will have a right to compensatory services to make up for programs and services that they missed during the pandemic, according to Randi Levine, policy director of Advocates for Children New York.

"These services are not optional. Students with disabilities have a legal right to receive the services recommended for them. These are services they need to make educational progress," Levine said.

At St. Colman's, which has two programs  one serves kids with autism and the other specializes in students with emotional disabilities  a number of key employees left last August when public schools resumed in-person instruction, according to Heather Worthington, principal of St. Colman's Autism Program.

Tough work conditions and lower pay have made it nearly impossible to compete with school districts that dangle hiring bonuses and other incentives, according to school officials.

"To be perfectly honest, our staff can go work at McDonald's and make more," Worthington said.

There was a brief attempt to restore full-time programming in September but due to safety concerns, the school soon reverted to a hybrid model, involving three days a week of in-person learning, two days of remote instruction and heavy parental involvement.

Job listings have turned up few qualified candidates. Though school districts are legally required to ensure that IEP plans are met, St. Colman's requests for support from districts and local BOCES organizations  which are grappling with their own staff shortages  have elicited a "deer in headlights" response, Worthington said.

"We do have speech and occupational therapy in the building. ... Even though the services aren't being provided necessarily as they are listed on the IEP, we are able to provide guidance to the classroom teacher so that the services are at least being touched upon," Worthington said.

A shortage of special education professionals exists across the sector, but at specialized private schools, it has reached a crisis level, in part, because the state's tuition rate-setting formula has failed to keep up with providers' needs, according to advocates.

In this year's historically large state education budget, public schools got an average 7 percent increase in state aid while private special education providers received a 4 percent tuition increase.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Special education preschools are especially underfunded, according to Advocates for Children. Before 2015, spending for specialized preschools had been frozen for six years. Since 2015, the preschools have seen a 2 percent annual tuition boost.

The salary gap for teachers between specialized private schools and public schools can be tens of thousands of dollars, according to the organization.

Funding parity for private schools serving students with disabilities has long been a legislative priority for the Board of Regents and state Education Department, according to department officials.

A bill unanimously supported by both houses of the state Legislature would have reformed the funding formula for state-supported private schools, correlating tuition increases with growth in state funding for public school districts. Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the legislation in December and instead announced a one-time cost-of-living tuition increase of 11 percent, a total state investment of $240 million, as part of her budget proposal.

"Throughout my time in office, I've made it a priority to listen to the disability community and provide the resources and support they need to thrive," Hochul said in a statement.

State Sen. John W. Mannion, a Syracuse Democrat who sponsored the parity bill, said the 11 percent bump will provide much-needed help to special education programs this year, but providers will need a longer-term solution.

"This governor, I think, gets it," Mannion said. "She understands the importance of this ... I know that we cannot and the schools cannot fight year after year after year for fair funding. We want it in the statute. ... These kids deserve what other kids deserve."

Ahead of this year's budget talks, state education officials are requesting $1.25 million to design a new tuition rate-setting formula that aligns annual funding increases to special education providers with growth in aid for public schools.

Department officials have also requested that the state pause the end-of-year "reconciliation process," which requires specialized private schools to provide an accounting of their spending. If the allocated funds are not fully spent on qualifying expenses within a certain time frame, a private school could see a reduction in its per-pupil tuition rate.

In other words, if a school loses employees midyear and cannot immediately refill the positions, the program risks losing funding the following year.

The state should also allow state-approved schools five years to spend tuition revenue, state education officials said.
HOOSICK FALLS  The village police chief is under investigation by the State Police for allegedly taking confiscated fireworks for personal use and ensuring a police officer was reported as working when he was supposedly injured off the job, sources familiar with the probe confirmed.

Chief Robert Ashe, who aspires to run for Rensselaer County sheriff this year, was placed on a paid leave of absence by the village in December as the State Police investigation began to intensify. The case has been developing over the past two months and is expected to be presented to a recently empaneled Rensselaer County grand jury.

Ashe allegedly took the fireworks that had been confiscated by department personnel and set them off at a private party he hosted, sources said.

When a village officer was injured, Ashe allegedly had payroll records modified to show that the officer was working instead of being off the clock in order to secure benefits for him, sources said.

Ashes attorney, Brian Premo, said Friday the investigation will show that the chief acted properly.

Were certain the facts will show theres nothing wrong, Premo said. My client is not concerned about the case. Hes confident theres nothing to it."

Ashe was suspended with pay last month after the Village Board went into executive session to discuss the case. At that time, the State Police investigation was mounting. Ashe earned $52,784 as chief in 2020, according to SeeThroughNY.net, a database of government salaries operated by the Empire Center for Public Policy.

Premo said Ashe continues to remain out of the office while the investigation continues.

Hoosick Falls Mayor Robert Allen could not be reached for comment Friday.

At the time of Ashes suspension from duty, Allen issued a statement saying Ashe "was suspended with pay due to an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by the New York State Police." Bernard Davock was appointed as officer in charge.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The statement continued, The Board of Trustees remains committed to our police department and the necessary and essential work they do, as well as the safety and security of our community. We will ensure that our police department serves our village with the highest standards."

Ashe has told fellow Republicans that he has done nothing wrong in the case. He has been lobbying to win county Republican support to run to succeed incumbent GOP Sheriff Patrick Russo.

Ashe also has been touched by the ongoing ballot fraud investigation that began with issues regarding absentee ballots in the city of Rensselaer and has spread to Troy and other communities in the county. Premo said that Ashe did nothing wrong with any absentee ballots and doesnt expect that investigation to produce any results against him.

Rensselaer County and Troy political sources said FBI agents have recently turned their attention to the handling of absentee ballots in the citys 2nd Council District, which encompasses the North Central and South Lansingburgh neighborhood. Ashes sister, Councilwoman Kim Ashe-McPherson, the Republican candidate, was re-elected, defeating Democratic candidate Steven Figueroa.

Before the investigation began in the city of Rensselaer, Figueroa had raised questions regarding the handling of absentee ballots by Republicans at the county Board of Elections.
Public school superintendents in the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES network are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul and Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary Bassett to include them in future decisions about COVID-19 protocols at schools.

In the letter, 31 superintendents said they would like to be part of what they are calling A Pathway to Normalcy to refine guidance on masks and participation in extracurricular activities.

For the past couple of years, the school districts have been put in a very difficult position, said Hartford Central School Superintendent Andrew Cook, the primary signatory on the letter. Our primary mission and responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of anybody that enters our building. And as school superintendents we take that responsibility extremely seriously. ... We do a really good job at doing that. But since the start of the pandemic, the guidance and the operational protocols that have come from Albany, the Department of Health and the Governors Office have come without any conversations from superintendents, faculty and people in the field that are there every day who might be able to give insight into what is working.

The letter was inspired by Tuesday mornings mask confusion when a Monday night decision from a state Supreme Court justice in Nassau County ruled an executive order requiring masks to be worn indoors at businesses was unconstitutional in New York. However, a state appellate judge ruled Tuesday that the mandate will remain until the decision moves through an appeal. At the same time, state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa released a statement that the mask mandate remains in effect for schools across the state.

Hochul extended the state's indoor mask mandate for businesses until Feb. 10 on Friday and maintained the directive does not have any impact on the states continuing requirement for masks to be worn in schools.

The only reason we have this is because this is how we can keep our schools open." Hochul said in a statement regarding mask requirements for schools. "When our schools are open, and kids are safe there, moms and dads can get back to work.

The initial Nassau ruling gave some parents the impression that masks were no longer required in schools, which led to at least two confrontations between parents and school personnel in the Capital Region. In Saratoga Springs, commenters on the conservative Moving Saratoga Forward Facebook page attacked a teacher for giving a mask to a child who didn't have one. That led to the school getting an inappropriate phone call and a subsequent police investigation. In South Colonie, a parent told a principal to call the police on him when his daughter showed up at the high school without a mask.

In both instances, parents insisted that masks are illegal. But until the issue works its way through the appellate court, masks remain part of the protocol at schools.

Cook said the districts are doing their best to consult with their attorneys so they fully understand the law and communicate that to parents. Yet on Tuesday, he said the school got many calls from parents questioning if masks were necessary.

The confusion led to a great deal of frustration, Cook said. We feel our students and families frustrations. We are frustrated. I have two students in the district as well. I know what parents are going through.  For a lot of people, that was the straw that broke the camels back.



He said in addition to having a say in protocols, he wants state superintendents to give their school communities some hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel" with some easing of protocols.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Specifically, the letter indicates, the superintendents have asked if mask requirements can be optional as transmission rates decrease or vaccination rates reach a certain threshold.

They also want to discuss protocols for extracurricular activities, which are not the same as those for in-school learning, including vaccination requirements that the letter notes makes participation a significant challenge.

The superintendents also thanked the governor and the commissioner for the test-to-stay program that is allowing students who were exposed to a COVID-19 case at school to stay in school if they test negative and are asymptomatic. The program was piloted in Saratoga County.

Cook also said they are, unfortunately, faced with quelling a lot of misinformation that is circulating, for example, in the case of the Saratoga Springs teacher who, on Facebook, was depicted as grabbing and making a maskless child cry. District Superintendent Michael Patton said none of that happened and the district has the video to prove it. (The video is not public, however.)

As a superintendent, one of our responsibilities is to be receptive to feedback from our community about how schools are operating, Cook said. Throughout the period of the pandemic, we maintained an open-door policy. If you have questions, if you have concerns, please reach out to us. If we dont know the answer, we will contact the appropriate person and get right back to you.

Though confusion reigned this week, there has been no time since the start of the pandemic when masks were not required in schools. Originally, Cook said Hartford had a masks while moving policy and students, if they were 6 feet apart, could keep their masks off. Then the revised guidance came down that indicated all activity inside of a school must be done in masks, he said.

We have been doing this for two years now, Cook said. With this letter, we are asking what do we have to do to get back to normal. We want a seat at the table. We want to be part of the solution. We want to have a voice with the mandates that are coming through, when the guidance is coming through; and that we are given time to implement requirements in a proper fashion.
WHITEHALL  A crash Friday night on Route 4 killed a Vermont man, State Police in Granville said.

At about 7 p.m., Jesse Nesbitt, 25, of Wilmington was traveling south on Route 4 in Whitehall when his vehicle went off the eastern shoulder of the road and struck a guide rail. Nesbitt then returned to the road, crossed into the southbound lane and collided head on with another vehicle.
MALTA  Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner had strong words for Malta leaders this week: create affordable housing, or the state will force them to do so.

At a meeting of the Malta Sunrise Rotary at the Ugly Rooster Cafe on Thursday, Woerner told Malta officials that shes not thrilled with a state proposal to allow accessory dwellings on any existing housing. It could lead to an apartment-building boom beyond the limits of what a neighborhood could handle. But she said something must be done.

Every community should try to solve the problem (of affordable housing) and solve it in the way that works for their community, she said. Municipalities have had a long time to solve the problem and its time for them to step up and solve the problem.

If they dont, she warned, more than state action is at stake.

Communities need to step up and do this. Its about sustainability of the community. If you have a county that is aging because young people cant live there  that is not a sustainable community, she said. You have to support a variety of incomes in a variety of ways.

But after she described in detail the need for affordable housing, new town Supervisor Mark Hammond said hed rather find ways to improve public transit so workers could live somewhere else.

Residents dont want affordable housing developments, fearing were going to get all the derelicts, he said.

You dont always have bad people in and around these homes, he added in defense of the developments. They think its (housing) projects.

Hed rather that residents saw apartments as a way for their children to live in town when they grow up, or a way for aging people to downsize. But, he said, public sentiment is against it.

People think it will encourage people to move to our town who dont even care about our town, he said. Some think youre bringing people in who are transient, they wont have any loyalty. Theres a lot of people who feel they (the tenants) dont have any stake in the community. I think that is a legitimate concern.

Malta is a family town, he added.

There definitely has been a call to keep it that hometown feel. They want to maintain the rural areas of town, he said. If we really want to be that family town, we should act like it and make it so families can stay in town.

Allowing unlimited accessory dwellings would be too much, he said, predicting the towns small building and code department would be inundated with applications.

Height restrictions could be loosened to allow more apartments over businesses, but he's worried about the ramifications of that. And allowing apartments in the downtown zoning could hurt the towns chances of drawing in businesses to create a vibrant business district.

If we load that up with apartments, then youre not going to have three restaurants, you might only have one, he said. Its taking up a footprint thats not a restaurant, not a coffee shop, not whatever the people are asking for.

He thinks the town already has more apartments than necessary.

We certainly dont want to be known as an apartment town, he said.

Getting approval for affordable housing developments is also difficult, said Cynthia Young, a former member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. She recalled the outcry over one project, which did not get approved.

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 wasnt even subsidized housing, she said. People said were going to get drug dealers from Schenectady.

Woerner said it is that viewpoint that might lead to the state-allowed accessory dwellings everywhere. She said local leaders should take action instead.

Its about leadership taking a tone. Its time, she said.

Hammond said public transit may be the solution.

I am focused on that, he said, noting that it would let employees get to jobs in Malta without having to find housing there. It would also help with concerns from residents as the town becomes busier.

The common complaint in this town is traffic, congestion, he said. I know there are folks in town that would definitely use public transit. Its a matter of figuring out what might work.

Rotary members discussed ways to get CDTA to run shift-friendly bus schedules better suited to the needs of employers and their workers. Businesses could buy bus cards for their employees as a job perk, and then the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce could leverage those to negotiate bus schedules that would fit the hours employees actually work.

Traffic engineer Larry Levine argued that Woerner should get state funding for a new experiment: cars. The state could pay for Uber cars or provide one car or van for a stretch of businesses.

Look at the bus and how much it costs to maintain that bus and that driver  you could probably have four or five Ubers running all over, he said. If you have four people at a company, give them a car, subsidize the car.
"The evil that men do lives after them/The good is oft interred with their bones," Marc Antony says over the bloody corpse of Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's play. It's a line that a few people mentioned to me following Monday's news that former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver had died at age 77 in a federal prison hospital in Massachusetts.

One person inadvertently switched the line around, offering the optimistic hope that it's the good that men do that lives after them. To quote Hemingway and thus use up all my literary tickets for this column: Isn't it pretty to think so?

It's a little highfalutin to quote the Bard or Hemingway in reference to Silver, who was about as prosaic a figure as ever wielded a gavel at the Capitol. With his low growl, seemingly constant glare and overall turtle-like aspect, he was a rather minatory figure. He was definitely a wily opponent, whether you were Gov. George Pataki, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno or Gov. Andrew Cuomo, or even a lesser combatant like Michael Bragman, the onetime Assembly majority leader who sought to depose Silver in a 2000 coup. When it failed, the Syracuse lawmaker was stripped of title, staff and budget and consigned to a miserable office "in the marble"  meaning the lower depths of the Legislative Office Building, where the clip-clop of high heels across the vaulted atrium echo like drumbeats in a funeral march. He resigned the following year.

Silver held on to power for more than two decades, under five governors, by understanding the direction in which his conference was leaning, and knowing when they needed to be nudged or shoved. He also understood that controversial issues could be milked for campaign contributions for years if the right conditions obtained  as seen in the endless debates in the Assembly over legalizing mixed martial arts pro bouts, a classic example of a quasi-contentious issue with bales of money floating around it.

By the time I arrived at the Capitol in 2008, Joe Bruno had just resigned in the teeth of a federal investigation and Bragman was a character in a ghost story told to freshman Democrats to keep them in line.

Silver was still smarting from his shameless handling of two complaints brought by women against his longtime aide J. Michael Boxley, who ultimately pleaded guilty in 2003 to sexual misconduct. The Speaker learned the lessons of that episode so poorly that in subsequent years he tried to cover up serial harassment by Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez through the use of confidential legal settlements; when those payments were revealed, he and his flunkies  including people who remain in positions of influence in state government  offered the laughable claim they had done it to protect the victims' privacy. By keeping it under wraps, they helped maintain a pipeline of new victims into Lopez's office.

Silver's conference stuck with him, though, whether out of a belief that everyone makes mistakes (and some make the same mistakes repeatedly, I guess), or because Shelly kept the resources and favors coming, or maybe they just didn't want to go out like Bragman. Or all three.

I covered Silver for seven years before his arrest in January 2015, when federal prosecutors  the only prosecutors who did anything about public corruption at the state level in those days  charged him with fattening his wallet through two schemes: directing real estate interests to a tax law firm he secretly had an interest in, and funneling mesothelioma patients to another law firm where he was of counsel.

After the criminal complaint was released, the dimmer members of the Democratic delegation talked about how he was innocent until proven guilty and should therefore remain as speaker; the principled ones read the allegations and were thoroughly disgusted.

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After two trials, he was sentenced to more than six years. A case could be made that Silver succeeded in significantly reducing his prison sentence: His appeals delayed his arrival at Otisville Correctional Facility until August of 2020. He reportedly lost out on a last-minute commutation of his sentence from Donald Trump a year ago; a few months later, he was briefly furloughed back to his Lower Manhattan home for a few days  the federal Bureau of Prisons never explained the rationale for that decision  before being sent back to confinement.

Many of the Democratic lawmakers who served under Silver have fond memories of him  which is not surprising, because he was the boss when they were in positions of power. To hate him, even retrospectively, would be tantamount to acknowledging they had spent their time in partial thrall to a grifter.

There is an argument to be made that the newly dead deserve to have their evil left out of the conversation for a bit, at least while their family is in mourning  but such talk is for eulogists, not journalists. The counterargument holds that Silver's death is the perfect time to talk about his abuses of power, as a reminder of what awaits people who betray the public trust and the power we invest in them as elected officials.

Silver left behind a number of victims  of his actions as well as his inaction  and we owe a greater debt to them.
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ALBANY  The Farm Laborer Wage Board agreed Friday to set a path to a 40-hour work week for farm workers in New York, a landmark decision that was swiftly criticized by the agricultural industry and the Republican Party.

The decision, 2-to-1 vote of the panel, would lower the current 60-hour overtime threshold for farm laborers over a 10-year period, which would reach 40 hours by 2032. The board agreed to lower the threshold by four hours per week every two years beginning in 2024.

"We did something very historical today," Brenda McDuffie, president of the Buffalo Urban League, said Friday evening at the board's fourth public hearing.

The board's decision will be sent to state Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, who has the final say and could modify the recommendations.

A proposed overtime tax credit for farm owners by Gov. Kathy Hochul in her budget did not play into the deliberations of the board. Advocates on both sides of the issue could not explain the complicated tax credit proposed; the state Division of Budget declined to explain the credit.

The vote came quickly and appeared to surprise board member David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau. It followed nearly 12 hours of meetings this month, most of that public comment.

A majority of the comments were in favor of not lowering the threshold and came primarily from farm owners, who said that the change could cause the collapse of not only their family-run business but the industry at large.

The comments from farm owners, buoyed by the state Farm Bureau and a coalition supporting the bureau, were dramatically different from what civil and labor rights experts, advocates and activists proposed. The labor advocates argued that farm workers should be entitled to a 40-hour work week like the rest of the workforce.

In 1938, Congress agreed to the Fair Labor Standards Act, which established a federal minimum wage and the modern-day 40-hour work week. President Franklin D. Roosevelt brokered a deal with Southern Democrats to see the passage of his New Deal Era legislation by removing farm workers and domestic workers from those thresholds. It was not until the 80s that farm workers began becoming entitled to a minimum wage.

Some farm owners had argued that workers on visas, which make up a relatively low percentage of the overall workforce, wanted to work as many hours as possible and would leave the state if they could make more money elsewhere. A Cornell University study, which found similar outcomes, relied on convenience samples and small data collection; the university declined to release its data or surveys.

Labor rights groups argued that it's essential farm workers be given the right to have similar free time as the rest of the workforce. It also noted that if the hours were reduced to 40 per week before overtime kicks in, it could mean that farms would be more competitive to draw employees locally.

"This issue is not going to be ignored by either side and everybody needs time to adjust to it," said board member Denis Hughes, former president of the New York State AFL-CIO. "I think the smart thing for us to do as a board is to give a long leeway, a long amount of time to understand what changes can be and should be made."

New York Civil Liberties Union, which had fought for lowering the overtime threshold, urged the Department of Labor commissioner to agree to the terms set by the board.

New Yorks agriculture industry must no longer depend on the continued exploitation of farm workers," NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. "The NYCLU will continue to stand with farm workers in the fight for equal workplace protections, fair compensation, and basic rights across New York state.

The decision comes after lawmakers passed a "Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act" in 2019. It created a 60-hour overtime threshold and the right to a day off. A concurrent lawsuit also granted farmworkers the right to organize.

"Today will be remembered as the day that family farming died a slow death in our state  and it was radical, out-of-touch Senate Democrats who killed it," state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in a statement.

Grow NY Farms, a coalition representing the interests of the state Farm Bureau, similarly decried the decision.

."Further collapse of New York agriculture is on the hands of those who spread falsehoods and look to destroy the livelihoods of farm workers they say they represent," the coalition said in a statement.
ALBANY  The states mask-or-vaccine requirement for indoor businesses, which had been set to expire on Tuesday, was extended to Feb. 10 by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday.

The governor contends the directive will have no bearing on the states continuing requirement for masks to be worn in schools. She said that mandate, although it was part of the same emergency regulation governing businesses, will remain in place indefinitely.

The policy that covered indoor spaces for private establishments will now last until the weekend leading up to the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. Hochul said she will revisit the policy every two weeks and contends she can extend it  without needing authorization from the Legislature  based on COVID-19 infection data.

If we continue on this rapid trend downward (in positive cases), well be in a good place, Hochul said Friday at a news briefing on Long Island regarding the weekend snowstorm. If it levels off or something else happens, I need that flexibility and Ill continue to reserve that.

But as Hochul announced her extended mask mandate, a mid-level appellate court on Long Island is set to decide  possibly as early as next week  whether her administration had the legal authority to impose the mandate in schools. A state Supreme Court justice on Monday in Nassau County ruled the state's mask mandate is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced.

The state's directives on mask mandates have recently blurred whether there is one order that has been issued by the administration that applies to both indoor businesses and schools, or whether they all are being mandated to comply with masking requirements through separate emergency orders. That clarification will be critical to the effect of the final ruling in the court case, and whether it will apply to schools, businesses or both.

But several attorneys and a judge who is familiar with the legal arguments told the Times Union that if any of three lawsuits challenging the state's mask mandate in schools prevail, that will likely also unravel the state's mandate governing businesses and mass transit because the directives were implemented using the same emergency process.

Eight public school districts on Long Island, with more than 20,000 students, filed an amicus brief Thursday in the appellate case pending in Nassau County, asserting that the state has overstepped its authority and that the mask mandates "amount to unlawful overreach."

"Respondents (the state of New York) primarily argue that the mask mandate is needed to control COVID," attorneys for the school districts wrote in their submission to the court. "But lifting the mandate will restore authority to local governments and allow communities with differing population densities, average co-morbidities, positivity rates, vaccination rates, etc., to make their own decisions."

The school districts argue that Hochul's administration, after issuing an Aug. 27 emergency order mandating masks in schools, violated its authority when the emergency rule was renewed 90 days later. The districts say that violated the provisions of the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA). They said the second emergency mask rule expired on Jan. 23, but the administration continues to extend it.

Attorneys for the school districts characterized the state's actions as a "manufactured rule-making process (that) would allow any state agency to bypass regular SAPA requirements by continually issuing 'new' emergency regulations and entirely avoiding public comments."

Judith Vale, an attorney for the attorney general's office who is representing the state health department in the Nassau County case, argued in Tuesday's court proceeding that Hochul's administration had the authority to issue the mandate because it was emergency in nature and designed to stem the spread of COVID-19 as the omicron variant began to surge here late last year.

Vale said blocking the state's health commissioner, Mary T. Bassett, from invoking public health law to impose the mask mandate in indoor spaces would "radically disrupt" efforts to control the infectious disease and potentially imperil the public.

"DOH has ample statutory authority to issue this regulation," Vale said, adding that the health department's authority in imposing directives stretches back decades involving multiple public health crises.

Still, in a federal case last year, in which the attorney general's office was defending New York's vaccine mandate, attorneys for the state argued that "a masking requirement, while helpful  (would) not prevent transmission" of COVID-19. They also argued in an appellate brief in that same case that masks are "inadequate ... (in) preventing COVID-19 transmission.

The state's position about the ineffectiveness of masks in that case was raised in response to arguments by medical professionals who filed a lawsuit challenging the state's vaccine mandate for health care workers. Their argument, in part, was that wearing masks and being tested regularly would make them no more likely to spread the disease than their vaccinated colleagues would be.

Chad Laveglia, an attorney for the plaintiffs in the Nassau County case centered on schools, said they do not question the science behind the use of masks to prevent spread of infection. But he said the case centers on the administration's constitutional overreach in creating laws that have not been authorized by the state Legislature.

"They have no check or balance whatsoever," Laveglia told the judge this week. "It can be issued at any time and there's no limitation, and that's without the people's consent and without the peoples elective representatives taking part in the decision-making."

Many counties and businesses have refused to enforce the governor's mandate, and following Monday's ruling striking down the directive that groundswell of defiance began to expand across New York.

Hochul described the court decision in the Long Island case this week as a "little blip" in her efforts to keep children in school. The courts have since then ruled that the policy can temporarily stay in effect.

If it was needed to be passed through the Legislature, a new mask mandate may find support from state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. The Democrats this week told the press that they support mask mandates, but wanted to let the governor go through legal channels before making any moves themselves.

Hochul offered no timeline or benchmarks to when the school mask mandate could be lifted, while stating that the only reason the mask mandate is in effect is this is how we can keep our schools open.

There will come a time where we talk about lifting this as well, but were just not there yet, she said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  A lawmaker is seeking the establishment of a single ticket system for the two highest positions in the next polls.

Senator Win Gatchalian filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 3 to mandate a "tandem vote" for president and vice president in order to push for a "more unified and consistent ideological or platform-based election that will promote policy continuity and assure implementation efficiency."

"By institutionalizing a single ticket for the president, the focus of election will shift from the personalities involved to the political party's common and unified policy agenda and contribute to more programmatic political debate and more effective governance," Gatchalian said.

The senator specifically sought the amendment of the provision under Section 4, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution.

He said this can be done through the concurrence of three-fourths of the members of Congress, with each chamber casting votes separately.

Gatchalian also suggested that each tandem be floated even before the conduct of general elections within political parties or their coalitions.

"The election returns that will be transmitted to Congress for canvassing procedure will be as a single ticket," he added. "The ticket of candidates for president and vice president that will have the highest number of votes shall be proclaimed elected."

Gatchalian stressed the need for a "stronger" political party system, citing the "animosity" or "coalition of convenience" that happens when the country's top leaders come from different parties.

Such was the case in the last five presidential and vice-presidential polls which yielded a split ticket of winning bets, he pointed out.

A single or general ticket, or the type where voters opt for candidates of the same party, is a system used in the United States.
Tonight we note an EXCELLENT precursor to the playoff weekend ahead . . .



Take a peek at this town's favorite bit of infrasturure and what we'd like to be a metehpor regarding the strength of local neighborhoods . . .



The incident was reported just before 1:20 p.m. Friday at the bridge near White Avenue.



Kansas City police released video of the box truck driver crashing into the bridge.



"2-0 this month for the Independence Ave. Bridge," the department tweeted.



Two large yellow signs sit atop the bridge, show the bridges height at 12 feet of clearance, but truckers have trouble seeing them until its too late.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Video captures Kansas City bridge claim another truck KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second time this month, the Independence Avenue Bridge is causing trouble for large trucks in the Kansas City metro. The incident was reported just before 1:20 p.m. Friday at the bridge near White Avenue. Kansas City police released video of the box truck driver crashing into the bridge.

Semitruck hits Independence Avenue Bridge on Friday Hide Transcript Show Transcript HELP BACK UP AMBULANCE TEAMS THE INDEPENDENCE AVENUE BRGEID. STILL UNDEFEATED AS THEY SAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA TEAK A LOOK AT THAT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING YET ANOTHER TRUCK THAT TRIED TO MAKE IT UNDER THE BRIDGE, BUT COULDN'T THE TRUCK.

Independence Avenue Bridge claims another truck, no injuries reported KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- The Independence Avenue Bridge remains undefeated. On Friday, a semi-truck slammed into the bridge. The crash left the semi on its side. Kansas City police say no injuries were reported, but firefighters had to assist the driver to get out.

Developing . . .
Sadly, burning down the Country Club Plaza and helping the Internets to destroy local retail still hasn't resolved a longstanding debate about rising crime in Kansas City.

The unanswered question . . .

Who do we blame for worsening violence and a homicide count that continues to trend upward?!?

Sadly, this isn't just a KCMO question but a problem that's plaguing big cities across the nation.

Many of our progressive friends don't fault criminals and support efforts to empty jails and drop prosecutions against po'folk and people of color.

If voters listen closely . . . We we might hear a constant refrain which suggests that a bunch of old Republican white dudes in Jeff City in support of gun rights are responsible for so much violence in the urban core . . . Even if they don't visit that part of town very often or at all.



That's an interesting theory.

Even better . . .

Today we are assured by a local professor that elected officials aren't actually to blame for the problems that exist in their cities.



Apparently it's a crisis of correlation and not causation . . . Some people use this same kind of logic to argue that cigarettes don't cause lung cancer.



In this case, we must ignore partisan skepticism and let the city college scholar make his argument . . .



Each of the cities referenced is led by a Democratic mayor. But experts told USA TODAY that's a spurious correlation.



"Many  most  large cities have Democrat mayors," Ken Novak, a professor of criminal justice and criminology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said in an email. "There are many cities with Democrat mayors that are not on this list, so to suggest there is a cause and effect is pretty irresponsible."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Fact check: No evidence defunding police to blame for homicide increases, experts say Some conservative commentators on social media are blaming the "defund the police" movement for a recent spike in homicide rates. "12 major cities broke homicide records this year," reads text in a Dec. 16 Facebook post from a page called The Proud Republicans. "They are ALL led by Democrat mayors.

Further reading from both sides . . .

Kudlow: Americans won't stomach this crime wave I spoke earlier and ran a panel for the Republican Governors Association, much more on that in a moment. I want to begin with a few very brief thoughts on this tragic, heartbreaking funeral for slain police officer Jason Rivera in St. Patrick's Cathedral today. There were thousands of Police Department's finest.

Analysis: The politics of crime vs. the politics of gun violence Republicans are likely to say there's a crime problem. Democrats are likely to say there's a gun problem. Regardless, a surge in violent incidents is fast becoming a major political issue.

Mayor's anti-violence 'blueprint' could shape Democratic messaging: The Note If successful, New York City Mayor Eric Adams' plan to combat crime, dubbed the "blueprint to end gun violence," could become the blueprint to reorient Democratic messaging on public safety. Adams, a former NYPD captain, unveiled his strategy Monday in the wake of a shooting that left one NYPD officer dead and another critically injured.

Biden looks to navigate a 'moment of reckoning for Democrats' on crime When he spoke to a conference of mayors last Friday, President Biden didn't directly address an issue that has come to dominate many of those mayors' agendas and could pose a major challenge for Democrats in November's midterm elections: crime.

Rihanna, Jack Dorsey team up to fund 'defund the police' groups Pop superstar and founder Jack Dorsey are teaming up through their foundations to fund groups that support defunding the police. Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation announced its partnership with Dorsey's Start Small LLC to give "climate justice" grants to a dozen and a half groups.

The debacle of defunding the police is coming home to roost Liberal mayors across the country who took an ax to the budgets of their police departments following the death of George Floyd almost two years ago are scrambling. They now find themselves under extraordinary pressure from residents, including those who elected them, to address the unprecedented levels of crime and violence in their cities.

You decide . . .
A quick news collection to start the day . . .



We notice police beefing up their political power as life on local streets continues to get rougher.

Read the latest TKC collection . . .

Show-Me Police Political Power

Fraternal Order Of Police Launch Membership Initiative The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police has launched a new statewide membership initiative. The primary goal of the initiative, according to FOP President Rick Inglima, is to increase awareness while...at the same time...generating support for Missouri Law Enforcement officers.

Update And Outrage Against Appeal Bond . . .

'Safety Concerns': Lawyer for Former Detective Convicted of Killing Kansas Black Man Cameron Lamb Asks Judge to Let Him Remain Free After Sentencing The legal team for a Kansas City, Missouri, former cop convicted of killing a 26-year-old Black man wants a judge to offer their client a bond so he can remain free as the team appeals his case. His attorney says that they have "real safety concerns" about him in jail.

Sunflower State Threat

Kansas man charged for allegedly threatening President Joe Biden KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas man was charged Friday for allegedly threatening President Joe Biden. Scott Ryan Merryman is charged in the U.S. District Court of Maryland with threats against the President of the United States and interstate communication containing a threat to harm.

Homecoming Probs

After 43 years behind bars, freedom in Kansas City hasn't been easy for Kevin Strickland Kevin Strickland spent 43 years in prison in Missouri for a triple murder he didn't commit. Ricky Kidd spent 23 years in prison in Missouri for a double murder he didn't commit. Strickland was exonerated and released two months ago. Kidd was exonerated and released in 2019.

Local Tragedy Aftermath

Father of seven-month-old gunned down on his way to work KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A young father was gunned down on his way to work, and now Independence police are working to arrest the shooter. Riley Youngblood, 23, was less than five minutes away from arriving to his lawn care business on Highway 40 when Independence police say someone in a dark Chevrolet pickup shot at Youngblood's truck near Valleyview Road last Thursday morning .

More Deets On Charges Against Politico

Kansas lawmaker charged with traffic violations but not DUI A state legislator has been charged with two traffic violations over his late November arrest on Interstate 70 in northeast Kansas but not with driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, the potential crime initially listed by the Highway Patrol.

Family Fights For Change After Tragedy . . .

Family says policy slowed police from finding Kansas City mother dead, daughter injured KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mackenzie Hopkins' family said Kansas City police tell them they did go to the home when a 911 call was placed before the mother was found dead and her 4-year-old daughter critically injured. But a new policy prevented them from perhaps doing more to help the victims earlier, according to what the family said they were told by police.

Developing . . .
Until the midterms, cash giveaways will continue to rule the discourse of the nation.

And then we'll probably get back to biz as usual wherein only corporations take handouts with no challenge from the public.



Nethereless, here's the postscript reporting on today's visit from one of the top power players in the Beltway . . .



Buttigieg visited Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday to discuss how the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill will modernize infrastructure across the U.S.

On the topic of a recent tragedy in Pittsburg and plans for this administratrion in the countdown to the midterms . . .

"The bottom line is that this shouldn't happen in the United States of America, Buttigieg said. We are seeing before our eyes in very blunt terms, what the cost can be of disinvestment in our bridges."



The secretary originally came to the Kansas riverfront with 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids to talk about the infrastructure law that went into effect in November.



"It's going to help us build more electric busses, Buttigieg said of the law. It's going to help kids get to school without being exposed to toxic fumes. It's going to help us expand public transit to make commutes faster and traffic lighter."



Most importantly the secretary said the bills going to create what he called good paying union jobs, saying tens of thousands of bridges need repair across the country. He says more than 1,000 bridges in Kansas are in poor condition. More than 2,000 are in that case in Missouri.



"When they close, or when they need to be restricted because of load limits, or worse when a bridge collapses, it impacts everyone," he said.





Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Pete Buttigieg says 'historic levels of funding' coming to Kansas City to fix bridges and roads With the Rock Island Bridge as a backdrop, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday touted the Biden administration's $1 trillion infrastructure bill to fund improvements such as roads, bridges and public transportation in places like Kansas City, Kansas. Much of the money will go toward repairs for ailing bridges like the Central Avenue Bridge overlooking the Kansas River.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visits KCK to talk bipartisan infrastructure law KANSAS CITY, Kan. - U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday to talk about the benefits and outlook of the new $1.2 trillion infrastructure law. It will deliver $550 billion of federal investments over five years and benefit roads, bridges, airports and climate-conscious initiatives.

'This shouldn't happen in the United States:' Transportation secretary Buttigieg speaks in KCK hours after Pittsburgh bridge collapse KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) --- An early morning bridge collapse in Pittsburg injuring more than 10 people is putting the spotlight on infrastructure throughout the country, including the metro. On a scheduled visit to Kansas City, Kansas Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said, "it is a very blunt reminder," of the reason to invest in American roads and bridges.

Buttigieg addresses Pittsburgh bridge collapse in Kansas visit KANSAS CITY, Kan. - While along the Kansas riverfront near the Rock Island Bridge Friday afternoon, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg weighed in on the bridge collapse that happened in Pittsburgh earlier that morning. A port authority bus was on it when it collapsed, sending a number of people nearly 150 feet down before they were rescued.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg gets a taste of Kansas City barbecue KANSAS CITY, Mo. - During his visit to Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg got to try some of the area's best barbecue. Buttigieg was in KCK to highlight President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. After delivering a speech at the Rock Island Bridge, he visited Slap's BBQ located at 553 Central Avenue.

Developing . . .
In January 2005, Tiffany Burkett and Alicia Ali Widmer were at points of change in their lives. Burkett was engaged to be married and Widmer was six months pregnant with her first child.
SubmittedPaperback: As the old adage goes, good things come in small packages. This petite book of such great historical significance is currently on display at the Vigo County History Center.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29)  Moderna is expecting to have data on its vaccine specific for the highly contagious Omicron variant in two months, a company official told CNN Philippines.

Speaking to The Final Word, Moderna Chief Medical Officer Dr. Paul Burton said they already started their study on Wednesday (US time), which involves around 600 participants.

"We think probably, we can start producing middle of the year, scale up production. So from June-July onwards into the autumn, we should be able to begin manufacturing," he added.

The COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer earlier announced that the first participant for the trial has been dosed this week for the Phase 2 clinical trial of their Omicron-specific booster shot. This is after research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a booster dose of the vaccine remained effective against the variant despite showing signs of waning antibody protection.

Despite this, Burton emphasized that the best protection comes from primary vaccination, plus a booster dose. Citing observations in other countries, getting these shots would lead to a 97% reduced chance of getting hospitalized or even dying from the infection.

If a vaccinated and boosted person catches COVID-19, "it will be far less severe and far more manageable," he added.

Considering the waning protection, Burton said an additional booster may be needed by September to October this year.

In the Philippines, recent surveys revealed that vaccine hesitancy has been decreasing, while four out of five vaccinated Filipinos are also willing to get their boosters.

READ: SWS: Vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos drops further

READ: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy drops further nationwide  OCTA Research

Latest data showed over 58 million people in the Philippines are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 6.8 milion individuals have already received their booster shots.

Burton said the coronavirus won't be eradicated, but people can learn to live with it by following health standards and getting the vaccine doses.

"If ever there was a time to get vaccinated and get boosted, it's now," he said. "The best thing you can do for yourself, for your loved one - get vaccinated and get boosted."
Mark Bennett has reported and analyzed news from the Wabash Valley and beyond since Larry Bird wore Sycamore blue. That role with the Tribune-Star has taken him from Rome to Alaska and many points in between, but Terre Haute suits him best.

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(BPT) - A significant majority of parents want to be home every night to tuck their children into bed (based on a OnePoll and Amazon Glow survey of 2,000 American parents*). Thats not always possible if you work long hours or are among the more than six million Americans who have a job that
Over the past day, the Russian-occupation troops did not open fire on Ukrainian positions in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area.

Over the past day, January 28, and as of 07:00, January 29, no ceasefire violations by the Russian-occupation troops were recorded, the press center of the JFO Headquarters informs.

The Joint Forces members control the situation and continue to repel and deter the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

As reported, a meeting of the advisers to the Normandy format leaders took place in Paris on January 26 and lasted almost eight hours. Ukraines representative, Head of the Presidents Office Andriy Yermak announced a new meeting of advisers in two weeks.

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(CNN)  The Biden administration has decided to deny $130 million of military aid allocated for Egypt over the country's failure to comply with human rights conditions laid out by the US State Department, according to a senior US State Department official, congressional sources and activists.

The rare move against a close ally comes just days before a January 30 deadline for the State Department to announce plans for the funds, which are the remaining portion of a controversial $300 million tranche of aid that was split up in September with just over half given to Egypt then and the remaining amount held back until now over human rights concerns.

"The last place that needs $130 million is Egypt," the senior State Department official said, adding that Congress has been informed and there is "complete consensus" within the department on the recommendation that Secretary of State Antony Blinken not allow Egypt to receive the money which will now be allotted to other countries.

Two congressional sources confirmed that they were briefed on Wednesday about the State Department's plans, and human rights activists who spoke with CNN had also been informed.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Thursday that the status of the money has not changed and that Blinken "has yet to make a determination." Blinken spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, on Thursday about a range of issues, including human rights, but the department's summary of the call did not mention the aid money.

The Egyptian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment but the senior State Department official said they have been told they will not be receiving the money.

The "Egyptians are not thrilled," the official said.

The denial of the funds for Egypt is a first for the Biden administration, following on President Joe Biden's campaign trail vow to end "blank checks for Trump's 'favorite dictator,'" Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

While the move is both punitive and symbolic, human rights activists argue that those millions withheld are dwarfed by the $2.5 billion sale of US weapons and equipment to Egypt authorized just this week by the Biden administration.

"This is the right thing to do, but unfortunately the impact and effectiveness of this decision is undermined by simultaneously moving forward with arms sales, nearly 20 times more than the amount being reprogramed," said Seth Binder, the director for advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy.

The sale, which includes a dozen large transport planes and three radar systems, are in the US security interest and being paid for in part with American military aid money already received by Egypt, the State Department official countered.

"We're letting them buy things that are in our interest," the official said. "If we were letting them buy things that they believe are in their interest but are of no benefit to the United States, then I would understand that argument."

The amount Egypt will now not receive is ten percent of the roughly $1.3 billion in military financing the US gives Egypt each year. The State Department can use an oft-criticized national security waiver to bypass the human rights stipulations attached to the aid, as it has in the past.

Blinken did not use the waiver for the September tranche of $300 million, but the administration was harshly criticized by activists and some lawmakers for bypassing conditions set by Congress and releasing any money at all. The remaining balance of $130 million was contingent on ending what's known as Case 173, which saw the prosecution and investigations of human rights groups, as well as travel bans and asset freezes. Charges would also need to be dropped against 16 individuals targeted for political reasons.

Some progress has been made, according to activists, including releases that appear to be connected to the 16 people and some lifting of Case 173 investigations. That progress is connected to the US pressure, they argue. But the targeting and persecutions continue, the US conditions far from met.

"The Biden administration set an incredibly low bar for Egypt to clear  far lower than Congress intended  to receive its full military aid," said Andrea Prasow, the executive director of the Freedom Initiative. "At the same time, we now know that pressure works when our rhetoric has teeth. The fact that any progress was made on prisoner releases is only because the administration held firmly to its conditions, and we should insist that doing so is the only path forward in relations with Egypt."

In 2017, the Trump administration withheld almost $300 million in aid over human rights, and while $195 million of it was eventually released, almost $100 million was denied.

In September, the $170 million handed to Egypt was designated for counterterrorism, border control and non-proliferation.

This story was first published on CNN.com "US to block millions for Egypt over human rights"
The fourth batch of the U.S. military aid  81 tonnes of ammunition  arrived in Ukraine on Friday evening.

This time the 4th bird delivered 81 tons of ammunition of various calibers to Ukraine, Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov posted on Twitter.

He noted that more U.S. planes with military-technical assistance to strengthen Ukraines defense capabilities were expected to arrive next week.

Russia has been amassing its troops near Ukraine's borders since late October. Western media reported, citing sources, that the Russian invasion of Ukraine could take place in early 2022, involving about 175,000 Russian personnel.

In this regard, the United States, Britain, and other international partners provide Ukraine with defensive weapons. In particular, anti-tank weapons from Great Britain arrived in Ukraine on January 18.

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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin considers that the buildup of Russian forces along Ukraines border provides Putin with a complete range of military options, including a full-scale invasion.

While we dont believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has the capability, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Pentagon news conference on January 28, AP reports.

Austin said Putin could use any portion of his force of an estimated 100,000 troops to seize Ukrainian cities and significant territories or to carry out coercive acts or provocative political acts like the recognition of already occupied Ukrainian territories.

Austin spoke alongside Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley noted that there were not only ground troops and naval and air forces near Ukraines border, but also cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as special operations forces.

If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, it will not be cost-free, in terms of casualties and other significant effects, Milley said, noting that Ukraines armed forces are more capable today than in 2014.

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The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine makes efforts to create a comfortable environment for foreign investors and businesses to work in Ukraine.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal made a corresponding statement at a meeting with heads of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Kyiv on January 28, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Government portal.

The event took place with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

The Head of Government noted that Ukraine had made significant progress in implementing reforms that promote European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Moreover, Ukraine launched an agricultural land market and unlocked large-scale privatization last year. In particular, revenues from privatization in 2021 amounted to a record of UAH 5.1 billion over the last decade.

According to the Prime Minister, one of the unconditional priority reforms for the state is to create a comfortable environment for foreign investors and businesses in Ukraine.

"We are working hard to create a competitive and attractive investment policy of the country with transparent business conditions and high social standards. We are striving to increase investments in Ukraine, so the protection of property rights and protection of investors' rights is among the principal objectives of the Government," Shmyhal stressed.

He told about the formed package of initiatives that would accelerate Ukraine's economic growth and create opportunities for systemic investment. These include large-scale digitalization, the development of public-private partnerships, support for the IT sector, continued development of long and cheap money programs for small and medium-sized businesses, and other instruments.

Moreover, the Prime Minister stressed the priority of reforming Ukraine's judicial system. He noted that the Parliament of Ukraine had adopted two key laws that provide for completely new mechanisms for the formation of the High Council of Justice and the selection of candidates for the High Qualifications Commission of Judges.

As noted, Shmyhal thanked Ukraine's international partners for providing political, military, and economic support in countering Russian aggression.

Photo credit: Government portal

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By providing financial support, foreign countries and international organizations demonstrate that they believe in the stability of Ukraine's economy and give the right signals.

"It is a matter of financial guarantees, very correct signals, investments or financial guarantees provided by this or that state ... It is not a matter of the amount. It is important that they believe in the stability of Ukraine's economy and, therefore, give appropriate signals, for example, the IMF program worth more than two billion dollars," President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting with representatives of foreign media on January 28, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He noted that Canada had recently offered a 120 million loan. According to him, Ukraine also expects financial support from France and the United States.

He also mentioned that the European Union will provide macro-financial assistance in the amount of 1.2 billion euros, as well as some additional funds.

"We are talking about signals from different countries of the European Union, the United States, Canada, any of our friends and partners ... These are all signals, we are awaiting tranches," the President said.

As reported, on January 27, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden. This was the second conversation of leaders in 2022 and the third in the last two months. Among other things, the leaders discussed concrete steps by the United States to increase financial support for Ukraine, both bilaterally and by involving international financial organizations.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron on January 28.

"Conversation with a friend and reliable partner of Ukraine Emmanuel Macron. We are glad to resume the activities of the Normandy format  one of the steps for peace," Zelensky posted on Instagram.

He added that meetings and talks should be held while there is a favorable climate for dialogue. "As long as diplomatic efforts continue, the possibility of further escalation declines," Zelensky noted.

According to the Presidents Office, the heads of state welcomed the intensification of the Normandy format activities and the meeting of political advisers to the Normandy Four leaders in Paris on January 26. It was noted that a document on the negotiations results had been agreed upon for the first time since 2019.

"Zelensky praised the important personal role of Emmanuel Macron in organizing this meeting. He also thanked the French leader for his firm and consistent support for Ukraine, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state," reads the statement.

As noted, the parties agreed to maintain the dynamic pace and accelerate the next meeting of advisers to the Normandy format leaders. The importance of intensifying the work of the Trilateral Contact Group and its working groups in order to achieve rapid progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements was also discussed.

The presidents of Ukraine and France mentioned the visit of the Ukrainian delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister  Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko to Paris the day before. The President of Ukraine pointed out his interest in the successful implementation of existing important bilateral economic agreements, as well as in the development of new specific projects.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and members of the U.S. Congress bipartisan delegation discussed the ways to implement a comprehensive package to deter Russia from further aggression.

As the Ministrys press service informs, Kuleba met with the U.S. Congress delegation led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks and consisting of Mark Green, Victoria Spartz, Tom Malinowski, Ami Bera, Colin Allred, Sarah Jacobs, David Cicilline, August Pfluger, Mikie Sherrill, and Chrissy Houlahan on January 28.

The minister said that the unity of the international community with Ukraine today is key to maintaining and protecting peace, justice and security throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. He reminded that in early December he called on all foreign partners to plan visits to Ukraine in January-February 2022. The constant presence of high-ranking foreign guests in Ukraine plays an important role in deterring Russia and reducing tensions. In this context, the foreign minister thanked the U.S. Congress members for the timely and important visit.

"Ukraine has reliable bipartisan support from the United States against the background of aggressive actions by the Russian Federation. We are grateful for this long-standing and unanimous bipartisan position of the U.S. Congress," Kuleba said.

The talks focused on the implementation of a comprehensive package to deter the Russian Federation from further aggression by Ukraine, the United States, and European partners. The interlocutors discussed strengthening the international coalition in support of Ukraine, a package of tough sanctions against the Kremlin, deepening security cooperation, support from the United States and partners for the stability of our economy and financial system amid economic challenges of Russian escalation.

Kuleba underscored that the only way for Russia to prove it has no intentions of a new military operation against Ukraine is to continue diplomatic talks within the established formats.

The chief Ukrainian diplomat stressed that Ukraine is committed to the political and diplomatic settlement of the armed conflict. Russia's aggression against Ukraine will end not only when the current tensions are de-escalated, but also when the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and Crimea are returned fully, in political and diplomatic terms.

The delegation members reaffirmed the unanimous support of the United States for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in upholding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The politicians also reaffirmed the U.S. readiness to take concrete steps to strengthen Ukraine's security and promote the stability of our country's economic and financial system.

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Trying to learn core academic subjects when your head and heart are in knots is like trying to learn while you're hungry, says Heidi Stevens. (Dreamstime/TNS)
(CNN)  Ten people were injured when a snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed Friday morning, hours ahead of a previously scheduled visit to the city by US President Joe Biden to discuss infrastructure.

No fatalities have been reported, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said in a news conference at the scene in the area of Forbes and Braddock avenues.

Fire Chief Darryl Jones characterized the injuries as "minor," and said three people were transported from the scene. None of the injuries were life-threatening, he said.

Four vehicles were on the bridge when it fell, Jones said. Teams are still performing reconnaissance to ensure no one was under the bridge when it collapsed, he said.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation, he said. The National Transportation Safety Board has a team on site and is bringing in a crash reconstructionist who will map the scene with a drone. Once the mapping is done, authorities will remove vehicles and debris from the scene.

First responders used ropes to rappel down to get to the victims, Jones said. Crews also used what he called a "daisy chain" where they linked hands to reach the victims and pull them out.

US President Biden visited the site of the collapse Friday afternoon as he proceeded with his trip. Prior to his arrival, the President called Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Mayor Gainey, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

"I've been coming to Pittsburgh a long time, and as a former Pennsylvanian ... I didn't realize that there are literally more bridges in Pittsburgh than in any other city in the world," Biden said, adding, "We're going to fix them all."

"There's 43,000 nationwide," he said, referring to the number of bridges in poor condition across the country. "And we're sending the money."

In an interview with CNN, Pittsburgh City Councilmember Corey O'Connor said it was fortunate the collapse didn't happen later in the morning, when there likely would have been far more traffic on the bridge.

"If this would have occurred an hour later, this is a road that gets probably about 15,000 cars on it a day, and if it was rush hour, we would be looking at a couple hundred cars down in that valley," he said. "We got very, very lucky today, and hopefully those individuals at the hospital recover quickly and they're home safe in the next couple days."

The Allegheny County Police Department was notified about a partial bridge collapse sometime after 6 a.m. on Friday, according to Amie Downs, a spokesperson for the county.

Only minor injuries have been reported, including the driver of an articulated bus and two passengers, Downs said.

The collapse also caused a natural gas line in the area to break, Downs said, but the line has since been turned off. There are some reports of people feeling ill in the area from natural gas, Downs said, and those individuals are being treated on the scene.

Peoples Gas spokesperson Barry Kukovich confirmed the company had a gas distribution line on the bridge that collapsed. "It goes under the roadway and then it goes under the bridge," he said.

There is no evidence at this time there was a gas explosion prior to the collapse, Kukovich said. He described the gas line as a distribution line but said it was not a high pressure gas line.

Peoples Gas crews are on the scene assessing the situation, Kukovich said, and nearby customers are experiencing "minimal service interruptions."

Bridge is a 'vital artery' for the area, official says

According to CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller, a light snow was falling Friday morning in Pittsburgh, though only one to two inches had accumulated since it started around 2 a.m. ET. Light snow is expected to continue on and off through Friday afternoon, though not much more accumulation is anticipated.

The weather is not directly related to a strengthening nor'easter off the US East Coast, Miller said, but a separate system dropping in from the north.

In an interview on CNN's "New Day," Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman called the bridge a "vital artery" in the Pittsburgh area. The bridge crosses Frick Park, one of the city's largest parks.

"Thankfully, schools were on a two-hour delay for weather," he said, "so the traffic was less than it would have been normally on a normal day, but it's surreal to see this bridge."

Asked about the collapse coming the same day of the President's visit, Fetterman, a Democrat, said, "This is a horrible way to underscore just how critical our infrastructure needs are in this country."

Jeremy Habowski told CNN he feels lucky to be alive after surviving the collapse. He and other drivers were unable to stop in time after the bridge gave way, he said.

"The scariest part was definitely going over the edge because there was a gap and my car left the ground," he told CNN. His car and others are now sitting on top of what remains of the bridge.

Once things settled, Habowski checked on another driver, he said. Then he climbed up the hill to try and stop other drivers from driving into the debris.

"It was a lot to take in," he told CNN.

Greg Barnhisel lives about a quarter-mile from where the bridge collapse, so he and his wife went to see it on foot, he told CNN.

"We didn't hear it collapse," he said. "When we got to the site of the collapse, the roaring sound and the smell of the broken gas line were overwhelming."

Another nearby resident, Wendy Stroh, told CNN affiliate KDKA she heard the collapse, but thought it sounded like "a huge snowplow pushing along a raw tarmac surface with no snow."

"It's very frightening," she said. "My goodness, all these ambulances and fire trucks and what not. Just the thought of the bridge collapsing is a very scary prospect. I cross that bridge all the time."

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said normally there are a lot of people walking or jogging on trails under the bridge, but no one was there because of the weather and time of day.

"It's incredible to think that nobody was more seriously injured and quite frankly killed," Fitzgerald said. "We got to fix these things because one of these days our luck is going to run out."

Bridge received overall 'poor' rating, per state DOT

In Friday morning's news conference, Mayor Gainey said the bridge had last been inspected in September 2021.

In an interview with CNN, Jones, the fire chief, said the bridge was not a concern to officials prior to the collapse. The city's bridges are routinely inspected, he said, and "if there was any warning or concern, we would have been notified and we would have made sure that we didn't use this route."

"So this one caught everybody by surprise this morning," he said.

However, while the fire chief said the bridge had not been a concern for city officials, it had received an "overall condition" rating of "poor," according to the website for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which tracks bridges across the state.

The 447-foot bridge was built in 1970 and composed of a steel rigid frame, according to the website.

The PennDOT website says the condition of the deck, or road surface, was rated "4 - Poor," as was the superstructure condition. The substructure condition was rated "6 - Satisfactory."

According to PennDOT, a bridge's condition "is determined by the lowest condition rating of the primary components of a bridge or culvert."

"If the lowest rating is greater than or equal to 7, the bridge is classified as Good; if it is less than or equal to 4, the classification is Poor. Bridges rated 5 or 6 are classified as Fair," the website explains.

O'Connor said some "rehab" had been done to the bridge a couple years ago, including repaving the surface.

"But again, we are the City of Bridges. There are so many bridges in the city, in the county that we live in, and this infrastructure bill  you talk about irony, the President's coming to talk about infrastructure  we need it," the council member said.

In a statement, Fetterman, the lieutenant governor, called the collapse Friday "just the latest in a long line of preventable, man-made disasters that prove what so many of us in Pennsylvania have been saying for years: Our infrastructure is failing our people."

"In Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, and across America," the lieutenant governor said, "we cannot afford neglect any longer. It's time to rebuild this nation."

In the meantime, rebuilding the bridge could take "at least a year," Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald told CNN, citing a best-case scenario estimate by state engineers from PennDOT. He called it a "major, major inconvenience" for the people who rely on the bridge.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Bridge in Pittsburgh collapses hours before scheduled Biden visit to talk infrastructure"
(CNN) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday other world leaders have been overstating the likelihood of war between his country and Russia, causing "panic" and destabilizing Kyiv's economy.

Speaking to foreign reporters Friday, Zelensky said he explained in phone calls to world leaders like US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron that, though the threat from the Kremlin is "imminent and constant," Ukrainians have "learned to live" with it since Moscow invaded in 2014.

"They are saying tomorrow is the war. This means panic," Zelensky said.

Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, prompting fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning an incursion. Russia has repeatedly denied it plans to invade its western neighbor.

The exact severity of the threat posed by Russia remains unclear and has reportedly been a point of contention between Zelensky and Biden.

Their conversation Thursday purportedly did not go well, a senior Ukrainian official told CNN. On the call, which the Ukrainian official described as "long and frank," Biden was said to have warned that a Russian invasion was now virtually certain and imminent, while Zelensky restated his position that the threat from Russia remains "dangerous but ambiguous."

The White House disputed that account and said that anonymous sources were "leaking falsehoods." A spokeswoman said Biden warned Zelensky that an invasion in February was what she called a "distinct possibility."

When asked about his conversation with Biden, Zelensky thanked the US President for his support, but said the Russian troop build-up was not much more significant than what he had seen in the past.

"I'm the President of Ukraine, I'm based here, and I think I know the details deeper than any other President," Zelensky said. "We don't have any misunderstandings with President Biden. I just deeply understand what is going on in my country just as he understands perfectly well what's going on in the United States."

"I'm not being critical of President Biden," Zelensky added.

All sides appear to be holding out for a diplomatic solution, despite the disagreements. Zelensky said he was willing to meet with Putin for a serious conversation and suggested that Biden set up a platform for dialogue between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.

"People don't understand the value of human life and that's what it's about. I do support serious dialogue," Zelensky said.

The ball, right now, appears to be in the Kremlin's court. The US and NATO submitted separate written responses to Russia's publicly aired concerns on Wednesday, an overture that Moscow had requested.

While the US did not disclose what was in the document, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that it contained "our own proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground."

Blinken also said that "there will be no change" to NATO's "open-door policy," leaving the US at odds with Russia's demand that NATO commit to never admitting Ukraine to the alliance.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the document failed to address Russia's primary concerns, though he said there was hope for a "serious conversation, but on secondary topics."

"The main issue is our clear position on the inadmissibility of further expansion of NATO to the East and the deployment of strike weapons that could threaten the territory of the Russian Federation," Lavrov said.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Ukraine's President Zelensky urges world leaders to tone down rhetoric on threat of war with Russia".
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
Seoul, South Korea (CNN)  Images have emerged of a US Navy F-35C stealth fighter crashing into the South China Sea earlier this week.

The F-35C, a single-engine stealth fighter and the newest jet in the US Navy fleet, crash-landed on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during routine operations on Monday, the Navy said.

A spokesperson for the US Navy's 7th Fleet said Friday that an investigation into the incident is continuing while confirming images that have emerged on social media since the crash are genuine.

"The ship has assessed that the video and photo covered by media today were taken onboard USS Carl Vinson ... during the crash," Cmdr. Hayley Sims, public affairs officer for the 7th Fleet said.

A still photograph shows the stealth fighter floating on the surface of the South China Sea, its cockpit open and ejection seat missing.

A video shows the F-35 on its landing approach to the aircraft carrier but cuts off before the plane impacts the flight deck.

The Navy said earlier this week that the damage to the Vinson was only superficial, and it and the carrier's air wing have resumed normal operations.

An effort to recover the fighter jet from the bottom of the South China Sea had begun, said Lt. Nicholas Lingo, another 7th Fleet spokesperson.

Analysts said raising the aircraft would likely be a complex operation, and one that would be monitored by China, which claims almost all of the 1.3 million-square-mile South China Sea as its territory.

The F-35C contains some of the Navy's most advanced technology, and the analysts said Washington would want to keep it out of Beijing's hands.

However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday they were aware that a US Navy stealth fighter had crashed in the South China Sea, but "had no interests in their plane."

"We advise [the US] to contribute more to regional peace and stability, rather than flexing force at every turn in [the South China Sea]," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.The $100 million warplane impacted the flight deck of the 100,000-ton aircraft carrier and then fell into the water as its pilot ejected, Navy officials said. The pilot and six sailors aboard the Vinson were injured.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Images emerge of one of the US Navy's newest stealth fighters crashing into the sea"
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Saturday said that Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not have political stature to become national leaders as the country could not be handed over to political novices

JHELUM, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2022 ) :Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Saturday said that Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not have political stature to become national leaders as the country could not be handed over to political novices.

Talking to media here, the minister advised them to first contest the election of mayor. He said that political novices should vacate their positions for senior leadership of their respective parties. After the defeat of the Opposition in the Senate, he said it was once again proved that all the Opposition parties had no political weight against Prime Minister Imran Khan. No leader of all political parties could match the stature of Imran Khan, he added.

He said that Pakistan was a democratic country not a monarchy, so heirs of political hierarchies could not ascend to the throne. He said that change was now being discussed within PML-N as its workers want replacement of Sharif family.

He said a similar debate should also take place within the PPP to bring experienced leaders at top Party slots as if Bilawal and Maryam come up through the political process then they had the right, but there was no justification to impose them on the senior party leaders.

Fawad was of the opinion that the Opposition parties had no value inside or outside the Parliament and all their efforts to launch a movement failed in the past and their seventh attempt would be no different.

He said lacking public support, the Opposition had to depend on students of Maulana Fazlur Rehman's madrassas as he had an old habit of using them for political purposes but it was not possible to dislodge an elected government through an agitation by students of seminaries. "We have no personal enmity with Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif, we want to bring back the looted wealth from them as the people want national wealth to be brought back" Chaudhry Fawad maintained.

He said that many people meet Nawaz Sharif in expensive apartments but he still had the audacity to claim that apartments were not owned by him.

The minister said that Nawaz Sharif's monthly expenses were tens of millions of rupees but nothing was told about his source of income. Looking at tax returns of Nawaz Sharif, his wealth was illegal money stolen from the nation, he remarked.

He said that British government had rejected Nawaz Sharif's two applications for visa extension and after realizing the situation, Sharif family had started saying that Nawaz Sharif was coming to Pakistan. "Nawaz Sharif knows that he will not get another chance to stay in UK, he will have to come back," the minister said.

He said that the Opposition parties were not sincere with each other and working for their own interests, they might be involved in physical brawls in future.

He said that the effort to create political anarchy in the country had failed and the Opposition, which had the upper hand in the Senate, failed to block legislative bills moved by the government. The minister said now it had been proved that the government enjoyed majority support not only in the National Assembly but in the Senate as well.

Fawad remarked that PML-N and other Opposition parties were in a quandary, as they suffered a humiliating defeat in the Senate on Friday and they would face the same fate in future too.

The minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the then finance minister Ishaq Dar ruined the country's economy and the present government which inherited a truncated economy, had put it on the revival path. Fawad Hussain said that today the profit of 100 big companies was Rs 929 billion, industries including agriculture were on their feet due to prudent policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said that the profit of media houses had also increased significantly, some media owners have increased the salaries of their employees, other institutions and companies should also increase the salaries of their employees.

Today, he said that the industrial sector was earning profit and agricultural production had increased and farmers had benefited from this development, adding that that a deep conspiracy was behind sabotaging the operations in Balochistan. He expressed solidarity with the families of those Pakistan Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Balochistan. "Brave soldiers of Pakistan Army sacrificed their lives for defense of the motherland", Chaudhry Fawad said, adding that every Pakistani was grateful to the martyred soldiers and the whole nation stood with the parents of these martyrs and their families.

The blood of our martyred youth will not go waste and conspiracies of its enemies would not succeed, rather Pakistan will remain on the map of earth till eternity. We will continue the war against terrorism, the blood of our martyred soldiers will be fully accounted for, Chaudhry Fawad said emphatically.

About the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China, he said that it was very important which would help further strengthening of bilateral relations in various fields. He said that the Prime Minister would embark on more foreign visits in next few months which would further strengthen Pakistan's international standing and foreign policy would get a boost.

He said that if anyone thought that the PTI would backtrack from the accountability process, its voters would not allow it. The minister said Ravi Urban project was not a housing society, rather an entire new city was being built.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

An ailing young whale found near the coast of Athens in a rare sighting has returned to deeper waters after receiving medication, Greek officials said on Saturday

Athens, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2022 ) :An ailing young whale found near the coast of Athens in a rare sighting has returned to deeper waters after receiving medication, Greek officials said on Saturday.

The male Cuvier's beaked whale is now swimming near the southern island of Salamis, deputy environment minister Georgios Amyras told state tv ERT, adding that its condition remained precarious.

The dolphin-like whale, which normally lives in waters more than 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) deep, was first spotted near the Athens coast on Thursday.

On Friday, wildlife experts and lifeguards were mobilised after it reached the shallows of a popular beach in the Athens suburb of Palio Faliro.

The whale was hydrated and given antibiotics and after several hours it was escorted to the open sea late on Friday, Amyras said.

"This is a deep sea animal...the longer it stays in shallow waters, the greater the damage to its health," he said.

Cuvier's beaked whales can dive up to 4,000 metres and usually grow to up to seven metres (23 feet) in length.

Natascha Komninou, a professor at the University of Thessaloniki and head of the Arion cetacean rescue centre, told Skai TV the whale had a badly wounded lower jaw and blood tests showed it suffered from anaemia.

"With such a major injury, things are difficult," she said.

Cuvier's beaked whales often fall prey to ship propellers, but they are also acutely sensitive to "noise pollution" from human activity, Komninou added.

Alexandros Frantzis, a marine biologist at the non-profit Pelagos Institute, this week said the whale could have become disoriented due to ongoing seismic research for hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Kyparissia in western Greece, one of the mammal's main habitats.

"It's one of the four most important habitats in the world for these animals." "We are destroying their home...for hydrocarbons," Frantzis told ERT.

Although sightings of live whales are extremely unusual in Athens, whale carcasses occasionally wash up, mainly in the Greek islands.

A dead Cuvier's beaked whale was discovered on a small island near Crete in 2016, and another one was found on the island of Naxos the following year.
Hong Kong's oldest university covered up one of the last public tributes to the deadly 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on Saturday, as Beijing continues to muzzle dissent in the financial hub

Hong Kong, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2022 ) :Hong Kong's oldest university covered up one of the last public tributes to the deadly 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on Saturday, as Beijing continues to muzzle dissent in the financial hub.

Hong Kong was the only place in China where mass remembrance of Tiananmen was tolerated, but authorities have driven such activities underground after imposing a sweeping national security law on the city.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) last month removed a famous statue commemorating pro-democracy protesters killed by Chinese troops around Tiananmen Square.

At least two other local universities removed artworks in public areas marking the crackdown that same week.

On Saturday, a large slogan painted on an HKU campus bridge mourning the Tiananmen "martyrs" that had escaped the earlier censorship was blocked with metal sheets.

An AFP reporter saw construction workers covering the calligraphy, which read: "The heroic spirit of martyrs slaughtered in cold blood will live forever, the fire of democracy that overcomes evil will never be put out".

Created by HKU students shortly after the crackdown, it had adorned the campus for more than three decades according to local media.

The calligraphy birthed a campus ritual with students leaders annually repainting the words in white to symbolise mourning.

HKU did not immediately respond to AFP's questions on whether the words will be permanently erased.

But a spokesperson told reporters that the university "regularly conducts maintenance works at various locations and facilities, with the above site being one such project".

Hong Kong's universities, ranked among the best in Asia, had long been free of the political censorship that pervades mainland campuses.

But Beijing has begun remoulding Hong Kong in its own image following huge and often violent democracy protests in 2019.

The national security law has effectively criminalised dissent including commemorating Tiananmen with authorities stressing the need for schools to foster "patriotism".

An annual candlelight vigil to mark the June 4 crackdown has been banned for the past two years, with officials citing both security and pandemic fears.

Leaders of the now-disbanded group organising the vigil have been charged with subversion, and authorities have shut down a Tiananmen museum formerly run by the group.

After dismantling the "Pillar of Shame" Tiananmen statue last month, HKU said the decision was "based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the University".
India has delivered the fourth batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which includes 3 tons of essential medicines, the Indian Foreign Ministry reported Saturday

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2022) India has delivered the fourth batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which includes 3 tons of essential medicines, the Indian Foreign Ministry reported Saturday.

"As part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance, India supplied the fourth batch of medical assistance consisting of 3 tons of essential life saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also affirmed India's commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

"In this endeavour, we had already supplied three shipments of medical assistance, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine and essential life saving medicines to Afghanistan.

The same was handed over to the WHO and Indira Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul," the statement said.

In the coming weeks, India will send additional batches of humanitarian aid consisting of medical supplies and grain to Afghanistan, the ministry added.

The Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) came to power in Afghanistan in September, 2021. The international community, including several governments and NGOs, has provided various assistance to the population battered by the deepening economic, humanitarian, and security crisis in the country.
USM Gulf Park to Host Special Presentation on Mississippi River

Fri, 01/28/2022 - 16:33pm | By: Van Arnold

Have you ever wanted to know a little bit more about the engineering, navigation, and any other facets associated with the mighty Mississippi River? The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will offer that opportunity when the Gulf Park Cultural Arts Series kicks off Thursday, Feb. 3 on the campus in Long Beach.

Dr. Norma Jean Mattei will be the featured speaker for the spring semesters first event that begins at 6 p.m. in the Hardy Hall Ballroom. Her presentation is titled: The Mississippi River Commission and its Job Wrestling with Old Man River.

Mattei is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New Orleans. She is also an expert in sustainable engineering and construction and large watershed management initiatives. She currently serves as the senior civilian member and one of two civilian civil engineer commissioners on the Mississippi River Commission.

Heather Miller, business manager for Academic Affairs at USM Gulf Park and a member of the Cultural Arts Series committee, explains that Mattei is the perfect choice to lead-off the 2022 schedule.

Dr. Matteis role as civil engineer and senior civilian member on the Mississippi River Commission, coupled with her multi-faceted foci, made her an excellent candidate to present for our series, said Miller.

Miller notes that the Cultural Arts Series aligns with the overarching vision of USMs Coastal Operations.

Dr. Matteis presentation, and the series in general, speak to the three pillars guiding Coastal Operations vision: Understanding the Ocean and Coasts; Improving Coast Resilience and Supporting the Blue Economy, said Miller.
ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban.

IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you.
SEAN MORRISON is a News and Features Editor for The Vidette. He can be contacted at sgmorr1@ilstu.edu. Follow Morrison on Twitter at @ seanmorr122

IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you.
Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
There may be only one annual event in town that allows residents to taste local food and beverages while also supporting the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and a local nonprofit.

That event is Taste of Columbus.

The chamber is currently asking for local nonprofits to apply to be the 2023 Taste of Columbus recipient. The deadline to do so is Monday, Jan. 31.

Taste of Columbus is our annual fundraiser that we work with an area nonprofit to raise funds and awareness for both organizations, Chamber President Dawson Brunswick said, adding the event includes food and beverage vendors from local Columbus businesses, a raffle, silent auction and live royal auction.

The funds of the event are split between the chamber and the selected nonprofit organization.

To qualify, the nonprofit has to be in existence for at least three years with demonstrated contributions to the community and without significant funding resources, according to the chamber. Selected partners cannot re-apply for 10 years after being appointed.

The appointed nonprofit will help with planning the 2022 Taste of Columbus before being the recipient organization in 2023. This years upcoming fundraiser will be on Oct. 9.

To apply, visit the chambers website at thecolumbuspage.com.

Friends of Music will be this years recipient. The nonprofit  which has been around since 1945  has a mission to bring cultural enrichment to the community by providing concerts of exceptional quality with membership offerings at affordable prices, according to the Friends of Music website.

The concerts vary in genres including classical piano, soul, soft rock, gospel, dance and comedic music. Currently, Friends of Music is in its 75th season. The next show will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10, with Irish musician David Shannon performing at Nantkes Performing Arts Center at Columbus Middle School, 2200 26th St.

Columbus Music Owner Mike Moser - who is also the Friends of Music board vice president - said the shows are one-of-a-kind to Columbus. The nonprofit has brought in renowned musicians from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, he added.

Moser said because Friends of Music did not hold concerts in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its funding took a hit as the nonprofit uses money from membership costs to cover musical acts. The Taste of Columbus funds will help bring music acts to town, Moser added.

"We're really excited to be the recipient of Taste of Columbus," Moser said.

Columbus Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Katy McNeil said Taste of Columbus is a time-honored event that showcases amazing food options found in the area.

"It is a well-attended, community event (that) many look forward to on an annual basis," McNeil said.

Brunswick said the fundraiser is a chance for residents to know more about nonprofits.

Taste of Columbus is a premier event in our community and is not only a great way to raise funds for your organization but a great way to increase your nonprofits exposure and reach in the community, Brunswick said.

Last year, Habitat for Humanity of Columbus was the Taste of Columbus recipient. Half of the funds from the event went toward Habitats New Hope 2 subdivision. The other half went toward the chambers work in community and business development projects like 23rd Street Streetscaping, Drive for Five and events like Red, White, KaBoom! and Columbus Days, as previously reported by The Columbus Telegram.

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Rights activists are alleging that police and a paramilitary force in Bangladesh are coercing families of the victims of enforced disappearances to issue statements that they deliberately misled police by hiding information about how their relatives went missing.

A 57-page report by Human Rights Watch in August last year said that despite credible and consistent evidence that Bangladesh security forces routinely commit enforced disappearances, the ruling Awami League has ignored calls by donor governments, the U.N., human rights organizations, and civil society to address the culture of impunity.

Rights activists have said the security agencies themselves are writing the statements and asking the families to sign them to make them look like voluntary statements from the families.

According to the statements, the disappeared persons had gone into hiding on their own, and the families falsely reported them as cases of enforced disappearance, Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, liaison officer of the Asian Legal Resource Center in Hong Kong, told VOA on January 28.

The police and RAB are coercing the victim families into signing the so-called statements in an attempt to exculpate the perpetrators, he said, referring to Bangladeshs paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion.

The recent police pressure on the families of the victims of enforced disappearance was triggered by the U.S. human rights-related sanctions on the RAB last month, Ashrafuzzaman added.

On December 10, the U.S. imposed human-rights-related sanctions on the RAB and six former and current officers, saying they were responsible for hundreds of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Since 2010, human rights groups have published dozens of reports claiming police, military, RAB and other security agencies were involved in enforced disappearances of people who were mostly political activists and dissidents opposed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League-led government.

According to the Bangladeshi human rights organization Odhikar, between 2009 and September 2021, at least 605 people vanished by enforced disappearance in the country. Among those who disappeared, 81 were found dead and 154 people remain missing, the organization said.

Last month (DEC 2021), the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said it knew of 86 documented cases [of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh] in which the victims fate and whereabouts remain unknown.

One of the 86 cases of victims of enforced disappearance who remain missing is that of Mahabub Hasan Sujan, a student wing leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Sujan, then 31, went missing after some men, introducing themselves as members of a law enforcement agency, picked him up in December 2013.

Sujans father, Abdul Jalil Khan, said he refused to sign the statement the police brought to him on January 10.



The police brought a statement written by themselves to my house and asked me to sign it. When I read it, I found it did not carry the true description of how exactly my son had disappeared, Khan, 74, told VOA.

Sujans family all along has insisted he was picked up by members from a law enforcement agency. But the statement the police wanted Khan to sign said he had been taken away by some unknown person or group, the elder Khan said.

I told the police I would not sign it.  We are anxious. We fear that the police might return, trying to pick me up again, Khan added.

Farid Ahmed Raju, a BNP activist, remains missing after RAB allegedly picked him up in January 2014. His sister, Shilpi Akhtar, said in the second week of this month, her family was coerced into signing statements by police.

My husband, mother and I were forced to sign three separate statements. We do not know what the statements said, Akhtar told VOA.

When I asked why we had to sign the statements, police said they were in our interest or would help us.

Afroza Islam Ankhi, a co-founder of Mayer Daak, which represents families of the victims of enforced disappearance, said January 28 that police and RAB tried to coerce several families to sign the statements in the past three weeks.

I don't think that it is necessary to get any signed statement from any family in the interest of an investigation. The police are seeking the signed statements in an attempt to cover up their crimes, Ankhi told VOA. People fear the police in our country. So, some families are ending up signing the statements."

Despite many attempts, VOA failed to get a response from Bangladesh police and RAB.

Since the current Awami League-led regime came to power in 2009, Bangladesh has become all too familiar with enforced disappearance, said exiled BNP leader A.K.M. Wahiduzzaman. The former university teacher in Bangladesh fled to Malaysia in 2016, fearing for his life.

Statistical evidence shows that the number of cases of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing spiraled in the months leading up to the last two general elections. And more than half of the victims were political opposition activists and leaders. The government-compliant security agencies use enforced disappearance as a tool, largely to decimate the political opposition force in the country, Wahiduzzaman told VOA.

Now, the crimes committed by the security agencies of Bangladesh have been exposed to the world and the global pressure against the government has increased in recent weeks. This is the reason the agencies are desperately trying to hide their criminal records.

Ashrafuzzaman said the latest round of organized coercion by the security agencies indicates the masterminds within the government are afraid of the consequences of their command responsibilities and have been trying to wash the bloods from their hands.

The tactics of silencing the surviving families will not work finally. It is the time for the perpetrators to suffer the consequences of the crime against humanity that they have been committing for over a decade, he said.
Hundreds of Canadian truckers converged on Ottawa Friday for a major demonstration against vaccine mandates to cross the Canada-U.S. border.

Coming from as far as British Columbia on the Pacific Coast, the "Freedom Convoy", as the truckers have named it, has been growing and drawing more attention in recent days.

The meeting point for the weekend rally has been set for Parliament Hill, in the heart of the Canadian capital.

Since mid-January, Canada and the United States have imposed a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truck drivers crossing the border between the two countries, the longest in the world at nearly 9,000 kilometers (5,500 miles).

The vaccine mandate has been denounced by some truckers, who received an endorsement from Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who tweeted on Thursday "Canadian truckers rule."

"These demonstrations are national in scope. They're massive in scale. Unfortunately, they're polarizing in nature," said Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly Friday.

He was unable say how many trucks or demonstrators would show up but warned of "major traffic safety issues" in the capital and asked people to stay off the roads whenever possible.

He said organizers of the protest had told police it would be peaceful but warned that some people may join the movement to "incite hatred and violence."

Some businesses have shut their doors for the weekend, local media said, broadcasting footage of the first trucks arriving near parliament amid a loud honking of horns.

Politicians in the federal capital could also be targeted, the police chief said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, currently in isolation after a COVID-19 exposure, defended the vaccination mandate on Wednesday, noting that 90% of drivers are vaccinated.

He called the truckers headed for the city a "small fringe minority" whose "unacceptable views" do not represent the majority of Canadians.

The leader of the Conservative opposition, Erin O'Toole, said Thursday that he would meet with some of the truckers.

Some members of far-right groups have made threatening remarks on social media and urged demonstrators to copy the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

Canadian police fear that the mobilization of truckers will continue beyond the weekend.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance, a major association in the haulage industry, said most of the Canadian truck drivers are vaccinated and said it "strongly disapproved" of the gathering in Ottawa.
By filing a formal complaint against China at the World Trade Organization this week, the European Union is throwing its weight into support for member state Lithuania in what is being cast as a test of the EU's willingness to defend the interests of even its smallest members in the face of Chinese power and aggression.

The complaint, which seeks a ruling from the WTO, alleges that China has violated the trade body's rules by carrying out against Lithuania coercive actions that also interfered with the EU's all-member-inclusive single market and supply chain.

China's actions are widely seen as intending to punish the Baltic country of 2.8 million people for leaving the 17+1, a regional group Beijing established, and agreeing to host in its capital a Taiwanese representative office bearing the name "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania" rather than "Taipei Representative Office," as such offices are titled elsewhere.

"Over the past weeks, the European Commission has built up evidence of  a refusal to clear Lithuanian goods through customs, rejection of import applications from Lithuania, and pressuring EU companies operating out of other EU Member States to remove Lithuanian inputs from their supply chains when exporting to China," the EU said in a statement Thursday, adding that China's actions "appear to be discriminatory and illegal under WTO rules."

Before the announcement, a European Commission spokesperson in Brussels told VOA, "As we have consistently stressed, the EU will stand up against all types of political pressure and coercive measures applied against any Member State. We stand by Lithuania. Lithuanian exports are EU exports."

Jonathan Hackenbroich, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told VOA that while some within the EU initially questioned the extent to which Lithuania had consulted other member states prior to announcing its decisions concerning China and Taiwan, those concerns paled compared with the seriousness of the threat China's actions posed to the political and economic integrity of the 27-member bloc.

If China's action is left unchallenged, EU member states and businesses will end up losing more of their freedom, Hackenbroich warned in a recent essay, Coercion With Chinese Characteristics: How Europe Should Respond to Interference in Its Internal Trade.

The essay states that while China's aggressive thinking and deeds "should be a source of great worry for European businesses and governments," the EU must urgently do more to promptly identify and effectively counter China's coercive methods against nations that defy its wishes.

"Look, everyone can understand this is a test," said Benjamin Haddad, senior director of the Europe Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. "This is a test of whether Europeans will break off their solidarity with one of their smaller members in exchange of economic interests."

Haddad told VOA that he wouldn't be surprised if the EU came up with strong measures in support of Lithuania. "Because I think there's just this feeling that Lithuania should not be left on its own."

Besides, doing so is consistent with the vision for Europe spelled out by French President Emmanuel Macron. France took over the six-month EU presidency Jan. 1. "If you talk about sovereignty, or if you talk about strategic autonomy, that means defending all of the EU members against external challenges and threats. Clearly we have China being aggressive against one of the smaller (EU) members."

French and EU policymakers are no doubt mindful of "a broader shift in European mindsets about China," Haddad said.

"Three years ago, the EU released a paper saying China is a trade partner, an economic competitor but also a systemic rival; I think now you see more and more of the systemic rival piece take precedence."

The battle between Beijing and Vilnius has been closely watched around the world. Analysts in Poland recently wrote that China's new, more aggressive tactics are also meant to intimidate other EU countries, mainly those in central Europe, "where the economic cooperation model with China is similar to Lithuania's."

That model involves only minor direct sales to China but significant indirect export through the supply chains of Western European companies. China is applying its punitive measures to products containing any Lithuanian-made content, in effect issuing what analysts describe as secondary sanctions that also harm businesses and industries from third countries, including other nations in the EU.

Lithuania's direct exports to China constitute only 1% of its total exports, but its industry and manufacturing are closely linked with German and other multinational corporations that Beijing is pressuring to stop sourcing from Lithuania.

Given Germany's status as an economic powerhouse in the EU, the reaction of the German businesses and government to China's pressure is considered crucial.

Observers noticed that the Federation of German Industries, or BDI, supported the EU's WTO filing, saying the union needs to take decisive measures.

New message from Berlin

Addressing an audience gathered at the Mercator Institute to discuss its China 2022 forecast, Tobias Lindner, a German deputy foreign minister, described the disagreements with China as touching "the core of European values and interests  not addressing this now will cost us dearly in the long run."

"We will continue to seek cooperation between China and the EU and Germany," Lindner said. "However, the partnership that we seek will be looked at strategically: Does it conform with our values? Is it in our interest?"

Lithuania's top economic official said her government hasn't ruled out a diplomatic solution, while also underscoring the EU's role going forward. "If the EU talks in one voice, then there is always a solution," Ausrine Armonaite told Politico.

"When it comes to a situation that Lithuania is in, today it's Lithuania; day after tomorrow it may be any other European countries," she said.

There are signs that mutual support and solidarity are taking root among EU nations as the bloc and member states individually face challenges from multiple directions.

"The fact that we're a member of the European Union, it means we have to defend other member states of the EU should they feel they're being coerced by third parties," Anze Logar, Slovenian foreign minister, told VOA in an interview last month.

In September, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa wrote a letter to fellow EU member states urging them to support Lithuania as the latter started to receive punitive blows from Beijing.

Asked whether Slovenia came under fire from Beijing because of the letter, Logar said it wouldn't have mattered.

"It's a matter of principle," he said. "If you're a member of a club, you have to defend your partners in this club, because we expect we'll be defended when somebody from outside attacks us, that other member states will come to our own defense."

Slovenia may need help from the EU club quite soon. Slovenian businesses reported their contracts were being canceled by China after Jansa described the tactics China deployed against Lithuania as "terrifying" and said his government is in talks with Taiwan to establish representative offices.

On Thursday, following the EU's WTO filing announcement, the U.S. Trade Representative's office announced that "the United States will request to join these @WTO consultations in solidarity with Lithuania and the European Union."

The State Department announced Friday that Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose Fernandez will travel to Vilnius on Sunday, followed by a stop in Brussels.

Washington's "continuing strong support for Lithuania in the face of political pressure and economic coercion from the People's Republic of China" is on the agenda of discussions between Fernandez and his Lithuanian counterparts, the State Department said. Fernandez will also be discussing measures to counter economic coercion with EU officials in Brussels.
European allies agreed on Friday to draw up plans within two weeks for how to continue their fight against Islamist militants in Mali, Denmark's defense minister said, after France said the situation with the Malian junta had become untenable.

Tensions have escalated between Mali and its international partners since the junta failed to organize an election following two military coups.

It has also deployed Russian private military contractors, which some European countries have said is incompatible with their mission.

"There was a clear perception that this is not about Denmark. It's about a Malian military junta which wants to stay in power. They have no interest in a democratic election, which is what we have demanded," Danish Defense Minister Trine Bramsen told Reuters.

Speaking after a virtual meeting of the 15 countries involved in the European special forces Takuba task mission, she said the parties had agreed to come up with a plan within 14 days to decide on what the "future counterterrorism mission should look like in the Sahel region."

The ministers held talks after the junta had insisted on the immediate withdrawal of Danish forces despite the 15 nations' rejecting its claims that Copenhagen's presence was illegal.

"European, French and international forces are seeing measures that are restricting them. Given the situation, given the rupture in the political and military frameworks, we cannot continue like this," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio earlier in the day, adding that the junta was out of control.

He said the Europeans needed to think about how to adapt their operations.

'Full of contempt'

Speaking to France 24 TV, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said that Le Drian's comments were "full of contempt" and Paris needed to act less aggressively and respect Mali.

"France's attitude needs to change. ... We are reviewing several defense accords and treaties to ensure they don't violate Mali's sovereignty. If that's not the case, we will not hesitate to ask for adjustments."

He said that Paris welcomed military coups "when they served its interests," referring to a coup in neighboring Chad that has drawn little resistance from France.

The junta's handling of Denmark is likely to affect future deployments, with Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Romania and Lithuania due to send troops this year. It raises questions about the broader future of French operations in Mali, where there are 4,000 troops. Paris had staked a great deal on bringing European states to the region.

Colonel Arnaud Mettey, commander of France's forces in Ivory Coast, which backs up Sahel operations, told Reuters that the junta had no right to refuse Denmark's presence given agreed treaties.

"Either they are rejecting this treaty and so put into question our presence, or they apply it," he said. "France and the European Union will not disengage from the Sahel. Takuba will carry on."

Diop said the departure of French troops was not on the table for now.

However, Denis Tull, senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said Paris may ultimately not be left with a choice.

"If this confrontation continues, there probably will simply be no political context in which the French transformation agenda for [France's counterterrorism force] Barkhane can be applied and implemented as planned," he said.
The president-elect was warned  there was a conspiracy to prevent the counting of the electoral ballots and disrupt his inauguration. There was even talk of seizing Washington by military force in a deeply divided nation.

It was not Joe Biden receiving the alarming reports after his 2020 election, but Abraham Lincoln following the vote of 1860.

There was also an assassination plot against the president-elect to prevent him from arriving in Washington at all, according to Lincoln historian Howard Holzer.

Members of a white supremacist secret society and a Baltimore militia, both committed to preserving slavery, had discussed seizing Washington by force before looking to sabotage the train carrying Lincoln to his inauguration.

Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States on March 4, 1861. By then southern states had already begun seceding to form the Confederated States of America. To get to the ceremony in Washington, Lincoln avoided going through the slaveholding city of Baltimore, as had been announced, detouring to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania disguised as an ordinary passenger in a sleeping car on a night train.

The plot to kill the president-elect (who was assassinated in 1865 after winning a second term) turned out to be little more than rumor and drunken boasting and Lincoln was afterward so embarrassed that he had listened to any of it that he almost went to the other extreme in disregard of his personal safety, according to Princeton University Professor Allen Guelzo.

As in 2020, some Americans in 1860 were incensed by unfounded charges about the legitimacy of the popular and electoral votes.

It was even more ridiculous than the recent charges by Donald Trump, Holzer told VOA of the claims that Lincoln was not legitimately elected because he prevailed in the North but had no electoral votes in the South.

Lincoln won the election on the strength of the electoral college vote, but with only 39 percent of the popular vote. However, the states where he won the popular vote  and thus the electoral vote  gave him whopping margins of victory, so there was never any question about challenges to electors in those states, says Guelzo, director of Princetons Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions.

The first mob at the Capitol

In another parallel to recent events, on Feb. 13, 1861, a mob tried to force its way inside the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the electoral vote count. Unlike the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, authorities were prepared.

General Winfield Scott, a Southerner and hero of the Mexican War in charge of defending Washington, had even sent a cannon to Capitol Hill.

The general made it known that any intruder would be be lashed to the muzzle of a twelve-pounder and fired out the window of the Capitol. For emphasis, he added: I would manure the hills of Arlington with the fragments of his body.

That intimidated the group a bit, notes Holzer.

A major difference between 1861 and 2021 is that all the senators and many of the House members from the breakaway states had already permanently departed Washington.

So, there was no one there really to take votes and object to the state counts. And that's one of the other reasons why it actually went much more smoothly than it did in 2020, says Holzer, director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.

The vice president of the United States, who is the president of the Senate, in both 1861 and 2021 did not tamper with the ceremonial but crucial electoral vote count. On that fateful day in 1861, Vice President John Breckinridge of Kentucky (the runner-up presidential candidate from the Southern side of a split Democratic Party) presided over the event.

Two months later, civil war began when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. Army fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

Modern day dispute

On the first anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, deadly attack on the Capitol, Biden declared: "We are in a battle for the soul of America, accusing Trump of trying to unravel the countrys democratic system by continuing to repeat lies about the 2020 election.

Trump continues to insist, without evidence, there was massive vote fraud in several states he lost.

A special House committee, meanwhile, is investigating the siege of the Capitol and the violent attempt to disrupt the electoral vote counting.

The U.S. election system has improved since Lincolns days, but more reform is needed, according to numerous politicians, analysts and historians.

In those days, state electors were elected in many states by the legislature, not even by voters. There was a lot of possibilities for fraud, or at least over-politicization that ignored the will of the people, says Holzer. We don't have that now. We have electronic and computer counts. We have poll-watchers, we have the popular vote.

Numerous technical issues with the certification and counting of the electoral votes remain concerningly vague, however, according to Michael Morley, a law professor at Florida State University and a member of the National Task Force on Election Crises.

Its an issue that four years ago wouldnt have been on anyones political radar, says Morley, who explains he is now cautiously optimistic that we might see some changes.

The danger for the next presidential election in 2024 in a deeply divided nation, as it was in Lincolns time, is both the possibility, as well as a public perception of the possibility, that the outcome of the election could be determined by politically motivated decision-making rather than the dictates of the law and what the actual outcome of the vote is, Morley tells VOA.

Will law be updated?

Such concerns have a bipartisan group of U.S. senators examining ways to modernize the law concerning the electoral ballots.

The 1887 Electoral Count Act is woefully out of date, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, told reporters on Wednesday. She explained that lawmakers are exploring how to raise the requirements for members of Congress to challenge state-certified election results and ensuring the vice presidents role is purely ceremonial when the electoral votes are certified.

The 1887 act written in reaction to the presidential election of 1876, in which Democrat Samuel Tilden won the popular vote but ultimately lost to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. Three Southern states had sent in multiple competing electoral returns and Congress had no rules in place to resolve the conflicts.

It is critical, according to Collins, to prevent a repeat of last year when Trump pressured his vice president, Mike Pence, to overturn electoral results.

"Fortunately, Vice President Pence did the right thing and followed the 12th Amendment, but the Electoral Count Act is ambiguous about the role of the vice president," Collins told WMTW-TV. But what if we had a vice president who wasnt as ethical and bound by his constitutional duty?
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat in a deep-red state, was immersed in a difficult reelection campaign when he received a text message from the head of the state police: Troopers had engaged in a violent, lengthy struggle with a Black motorist, ending with the mans death.

Edwards was notified of the circumstances of Ronald Greenes death within hours of his May 2019 arrest, according to text messages The Associated Press obtained through a public records request. Yet the governor kept quiet as police told a much different story to the victims family and in official reports: that Greene died from a crash following a high-speed chase.

For two years, Edwards remained publicly tight-lipped about the contradictory accounts and possible cover-up until the AP obtained and published long-withheld body-camera footage showing what really happened: white troopers jolting Greene with stun guns, punching him in the face and dragging him by his ankle shackles as he pleaded for mercy and wailed, Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared!

The governor has rebuffed repeated interview requests and his spokesperson would not say what steps, if any, Edwards took in the immediate aftermath of Greenes death. The governor does not direct disciplinary or criminal investigations, said spokesperson Christina Stephens, nor would it be appropriate for him to do so.

What the governor knew, when he knew it and what he did have become questions in a federal civil rights investigation of the deadly encounter and whether police brass obstructed justice to protect the troopers who arrested Greene.

The question is: When did he find out the truth? said Sen. Cleo Fields, a Baton Rouge Democrat who is vice chair of a legislative committee created last year to dig into complaints of excessive force by state police.

The FBI has questioned people in recent months about Edwards awareness of various aspects of the case, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe. Investigators have focused in part on an influential lawmaker saying the governor downplayed the need for a legislative inquiry.

The governors spokesperson said he is not under investigation and neither is any member of his staff.

Edwards kept quiet about the Greene case through his reelection campaign in 2019 and through a summer of protests in 2020 over racial injustice in the wake of George Floyds killing. Even after Greenes family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit that brought attention to the case in late 2020, Edwards declined to characterize the actions of the troopers and refused calls to release their body-camera video, citing his concern for not interfering with the federal investigation.

But when the AP obtained and published the long-withheld footage of the encounter that left Greene bloody, motionless and limp on a dark road near Monroe, Edwards finally spoke out.

Edwards condemned the troopers, calling their actions deeply unprofessional and incredibly disturbing.

I am disappointed in them and in any officer who stood by and did not intervene, the governor said in a statement. He later called the troopers actions criminal.

But Edwards, a lawyer from a long family line of Louisiana sheriffs, also has made comments since the release of the video that downplay troopers actions, even reprising the narrative that Greene may have been killed by a car crash.

Did he die from injuries sustained in the accident? Edwards said in response to a question on a radio show in September. Obviously he didnt die in the accident itself because he was still alive when the troopers were engaging with him. But what was the cause of death? I dont know that that was falsely portrayed.

Weeks after those remarks, a reexamined autopsy commissioned by the FBI rejected the crash theory outright, attributing Greenes death to physical struggle, troopers repeatedly stunning him, striking him in the head, restraining him at length and Greenes use of cocaine.

The federal investigators have taken interest in a conversation Edwards had last June with state Rep. Clay Schexnayder, the powerful Republican House speaker who was considering a legislative inquiry into the Greene case following the release of the video.

Schexnayder said this week that the governor told him there was no need for further action from the legislature because Greene died in a wreck. The speaker said he never moved forward with the investigation to avoid interfering with the federal probe.

The governors spokesperson acknowledged he briefed the legislative leadership on his understanding of the Greene investigation and said his remarks were consistent with his public statements. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment.

Its time to find out what happened, who knew what and when, and if anyone has covered it up, Schexnayder told the AP. The Greene family deserves to know the truth.

Edwards received word of the Greene case in a text from then-Louisiana State Police Superintendent Kevin Reeves on May 10, 2019, at 10 a.m., about nine hours after the deadly arrest.

Good morning. An FYI, the message read. Early this morning, troopers attempted to stop a vehicle in Ouachita Parish. The driver fled thru two parishes in excess of 110 mph, eventually crashing. Troopers attempted to place the driver under arrest. But, a violent, lengthy struggle took place. After some time struggling with the suspect, troopers were joined by a Union Parish deputy and were able to take the suspect into custody. ... The suspect remained combative but became unresponsive shortly before EMS arrived.

The explanation given to Edwards, which his spokesperson called a standard notification, was far different from what Greenes family says it was being told by troopers at almost the same time -- that the 49-year-old died on impact in a car crash at the end of a chase. A coroners report that day indicates Greene was killed in a motor vehicle accident and a state police crash report makes no mention of troopers using force.

Reeves ended his text by telling the governor that the mans death was under investigation.

Thank you, Edwards responded.

Those words were among the few statements from Edwards himself released in response to an extensive public-records request the AP filed in June for materials relating to Greenes death.

The governors office has not released any messages from Edwards to his staff and has yet to fully respond to a separate December request for his texts with three top police officials.

Hundreds of other emails and text messages released by the governors office show that while he has publicly distanced himself from the case and issues of state police violence, his staff has been more engaged behind the scenes, including his top lawyer repeatedly contacting state and federal prosecutors about the Greene case.

Alexander Van Hook, who until December oversaw the civil rights investigation into Greenes death as the acting U.S. attorney in Shreveport, said in November there has been no attempt by the governor to influence the investigation. That wouldnt go over very well with us if there had been, Van Hook told AP.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, said Edwards had a duty to at least follow up with the head of the state police after being informed of Greenes death.

When something goes wrong ... hes shocked, Landry said, when behind the scenes he is intimately involved in trying to control the message and distort it from the public.

Meanwhile, state police recently acknowledged that the department sanitized the cellphone of Reeves, intentionally erasing messages after he abruptly retired in 2020 amid APs initial reporting on Greenes death. The agency said it did the same to the phone of another former police commander, Mike Noel, who resigned from a regulatory post last year as he was set to be questioned about the case by lawmakers. Police said such erasures are policy.

Edwards office said the governor first learned of the allegations surrounding Mr. Greenes death in September 2020  the same month in which a state senator sent Edwards lawyers a copy of the Greene familys wrongful-death lawsuit that had been filed a few months earlier.

No one has yet been charged with a crime in Greenes death and only one of the troopers involved in his arrest has been fired. Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth, who was recorded saying he beat the ever-living f--- out of Greene, died in a car crash in 2020 soon after learning he would lose his job.

In early October 2020, after AP published audio of Hollingsworths comments, the governor reviewed video of Greenes fatal arrest, his spokesperson said.

Some observers of Edwards response to the Greene case see it as partly political calculation.

At the time of the deadly arrest, the centrist Democrat was in a tough reelection campaign in a deeply conservative state against a Republican backed by Donald Trump. His path to reelection depended on high Black turnout and crossover support from law enforcement.

Greenes death  and the footage that ultimately went viral  would have politically threatened both voting groups simultaneously, said Joshua Stockley, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

But the first public indications that Greene had been abused did not emerge until months after Edwards eked out 51% of the vote over businessman Eddie Rispone. He won in large part due to massive turnout by Black voters in urban areas, taking 90% of the vote in Orleans Parish, the 60% Black parish that includes New Orleans.

I find it hard to believe that the release of this video during the election would not have had a profound consequence, Stockley said. It would have been enormous.
A powerful winter storm was forecast to hammer the U.S. New England and the Middle Atlantic regions this weekend with up to 60 centimeters of snow, bringing the potential for coastal flooding, power outages and significant travel woes.

Airlines have canceled more than 5,000 flights scheduled to depart between Friday and Sunday, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware. A total of more than 8,500 flights were delayed.

The storm was developing as a low-pressure system off the Southeast coast and was expected to gain in intensity as it moves up the East Coast, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

The NWS issued a blizzard warning for the Boston metropolitan area and its nearly 4.9 million residents on Friday.

"Expect whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at times. The strong to damaging winds will lead to scattered power outages. Also, significant coastal impacts are possible, including coastal flooding and beach erosion," the weather service said in an advisory.

Forecasters said up to 60 centimeters of snow could fall across the region and wind gusts of 112 kph could be expected starting early Saturday. Southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the island of Martha's Vineyard, were expected to get the highest snow totals.

"Were declaring a snow emergency starting tonight," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a tweet. "Residents are encouraged to stay home."

Winter storm advisories and warnings were also in effect from the Carolinas up through Maine, where snow was forecast to start falling Friday afternoon and expected to continue Saturday. Wind gusts could reach 80 kph.

"It will make travel pretty much impossible," said Patrick O'Hara, an NWS meteorologist based in New Jersey. "It is the first very big storm of the year."

The storm was approaching nearly 44 years to the day when a monstrous blizzard crippled New England. Striking with little warning and dumping more than 68 centimeters of snow on Boston, the 1978 storm killed dozens of people, trapped others in their homes and shut down major highways for a week.

New York City, the nation's biggest metropolis, may see 9 inches of snow, weather forecasters said.

"As we head into the weekend, please closely follow local forecasts, stay off the roads, and avoid unnecessary travel," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Twitter.

Photographs posted on social media showed shoppers crowded into grocery stores, picking shelves clean as they stocked up on essentials ahead of the storm.

"I just spent over $100 for groceries ahead of this alleged storm. Snow girl, if you gon do it, do it big," Twitter user ChelsLynne17 posted on the social media platform.

The weather service warned that blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility and strong winds could bring down tree branches and knock out power in parts of the region.

Libraries, churches, clinics and various retail stores in the region said they were closing Saturday.

"We will be closed tomorrow, Saturday the 29th, for the snowstorm. Call us wimps, if you dare " said RiverRun Bookstore, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire, retailer, in a tweet.
A group of 300 scientists say wealthy nations failure to provide the rest of the world with access to COVID-19 vaccines is a reckless approach to public health that results in conditions that allow for variants, such as the highly contagious omicron variant, to emerge.

In a letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the scientists said Britains people and the National Health Service have been placed at risk because of Britains global vaccination policy, according to a report in The Telegraph.

Reuters reports that the letter urges Britain to support the waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments

The scientists who signed the letter include a Nobel prize winner and a former National Health Service chief executive, The Telegraph reported.

Three billion people worldwide remain unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, more than 100,000 daily cases of the coronavirus were reported in Russia for the first time Saturday as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads throughout the country. The governments coronavirus task force reported a record high 113,122 new cases, a sevenfold increase from earlier in January.

The task force also reported 668 more COVID-19 deaths, increasing the countrys death toll to 330,111, the highest by far in Europe.

In New Delhi, a curfew was lifted for the weekend, allowing restaurants, markets and theaters to temporarily reopen at half their normal capacity.

The Indian capital has been among the hardest hit areas in a third wave of infections led by the omicron variant. The weekend reprieve came after the city government imposed the curfew on January 4 and ordered schools and restaurants to close.

Nineteen COVID-19 cases were reported Friday among Winter Olympics athletes and officials in China, bringing their total number of cases to 36.

Pope Francis said Friday at the International Catholic Media Consortium on COVID-19 Vaccines, To be properly informed, to be helped to understand situations based on scientific data and not fake news, is a human right.

More than 370 million global COVID infections have been recorded, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and nearly 10 billion vaccine doses have been administered.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters.
Many in Taiwan do not see parallels between Russias threats against Ukraine and their situation with China. Instead, much of the concern in Taiwan has focused on whether their closest ally, the United States, would become distracted by Europe or act in bad faith toward Ukraine -- hinting at how Taiwan might be treated one day.

I think people in Taiwan, or people that I am closest to, they havent expressed any concerns regarding the issues of a Russian possible invasion in Ukraine. They have mentioned briefly saying that the crisis in Europe is worsening, but theyve kept it quite vague, said Daniel Ha, who helps manage a co-working space in Taipei.

I think people are always concerned about [whether] China could use this opportunity to flex its muscles again or move forward with their plans of unifying Taiwan, he said. I personally am concerned that it would be a big distraction if the West began a full-blown invasion trying to protect Ukraine. Taiwan could easily be sidelined."

Syrena Lin, who works at a headhunting firm in Taipei, told VOA that while she was following the conflict in Ukraine, she had also not found much discussion of it in her daily life.

I dont think Taiwanese people are really treating this as a big deal, especially as I have a lot of friends in politics and I dont really see any discussion among them, Lin said.

I am interested in this issue, and I care about how its going because the U.S. and China are both involved in it, she added. I think China is watching how the U.S. is reacting to military offensives and maybe China will take it as an example to how the U.S. would react when China really [attacks] Taiwan one day.

Taiwans government has expressed similar sympathetic but measured views about Ukraine. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou said in a statement that Taiwan was concerned about the current situation of Russia-Ukraine relations and called for dialogue as soon as possible.

One reason for the relative distance may be that many Taiwanese  including young professionals like Ha  see more distance between themselves and China than between Russia and Ukraine, who were united for much of modern history by the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union.

"Communist China has never ruled Taiwan officially or ever, Ha told VOA, adding that the last time Beijing direct controlled Taiwan was in the 19th century.

"It was Qing dynasty that predated the Japanese colonial period so if youre talking about historical facts, the Chinese Communist Party doesnt have a right to claim Taiwan, he said.

Ha said some Taiwanese may disagree with his view, particularly those who are descended from Chinese emigres to Taiwan in the 1950s after the end of the Chinese revolution, but their numbers are also waning with demographic shifts and the rise in Taiwanese nationalism among young people.

His feeling were shared by other Taiwanese, such as Kuan-ting Chen, CEO of the think tank Taiwan NextGen Foundation, who also found Ukraine and Taiwan to be a false comparison because of vastly different historic and logistical factors.

Chen said there are few geographic obstacles for Russia to invade Ukraine, but Taiwan has notoriously difficult geographical defenses like the 130-kilometer Taiwan Strait that would be a nightmare for China -- at least for the next few years until the Peoples Liberation Army completes a major modernization program.

China and Taiwan have had three close calls in the past that could have led to military conflict, although the last time China came close to landing on Taiwanese soil was in the 1950s. The most recent conflict was in 1996 when China fired missiles in the direction of Taiwan, but since then it has focused primarily on grey zone tactics such as flying military planes in the direction of Taiwan to erode morale.

For those who are closely watching the conflict in Ukraine, most of their focus has instead been on how the U.S. will respond, said Kwei-Bo Huang, an associate professor in diplomacy at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in September raised uncomfortable questions in Taiwan about whether Washington might abandon another long-time ally, and the Ukraine conflict could resurrect many of these concerns.

I can sense that in Taiwan, those having some knowledge of the Ukraine-Russia case are waiting to see whether the U.S. will fulfil its commitment to Ukraine and make more direct and strong responses to Russia's threat of use of force. If the U.S. doesn't do so, then the U.S. commitment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act will be doubted (again) by many in Taiwan, he said by email, citing a major piece of U.S. legislation.

In the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act the U.S. has pledged to help Taiwan to defend itself against an attack but that does not guarantee that it will provide military assistance.

Many Taiwanese are also aware that while the U.S. and Taiwan have recently grown closer under the presidencies of Donald Trump and now Joe Biden, U.S. interest in the East Asian democracy has fluctuated over the decades.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Canada's capital on Saturday to protest vaccine mandates, masks and lockdowns.

The sounds of honking horns echoed around Ottawa's downtown core. A convoy of trucks and cars parked in around Parliament Hill with some parking on the grounds of the National War Memorial before police asked them to move.

"Parking on this sacred ground that includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a sign of complete disrespect," Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson tweeted.

Some compared COVID restrictions to fascism and made use of Nazi symbols on upside down Canadian flags. One truck carried a Confederate flag while many carried expletive-laden signs targeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The statue of the late Terry Fox, a national hero who lost a leg to bone cancer as a youngster, then set off in 1980 on a fundraising trek across Canada, was draped with an upside down Canadian flag with a sign that said "mandate freedom."

David Santos said he came from Montreal because he believes the vaccine mandates are not health-related but what he calls a "control thing" by governments.

Police prepared for violence

The convoy of truckers and others prompted police to prepare for the possibility of violence and warn residents to avoid downtown. A top Parliament security official advised lawmakers to lock their doors amid reports their private homes may be targeted.

Trudeau has said Canadians are not represented by this "very troubling, small but very vocal minority of Canadians who are lashing out at science, at government, at society, at mandates and public health advice."

The prime minister's itinerary for the day usually says he is in Ottawa if he's at home, but on Saturday it said "National Capital Region" amid a report he's been moved to an undisclosed location.

Some are, in part, protesting a new rule that took effect January 15 requiring truckers entering Canada be fully immunized against the coronavirus. The United States has imposed the same requirement on truckers entering that country.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance said a great number of the protesters have no connection to the trucking industry, adding they have a separate agenda to push. The alliance said in a statement that the industry must adapt and comply with this mandate, noting the vast majority of drivers have done so.

The organizers of the protest have called for the forceful elimination of all COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates and others called for the removal of Trudeau.

Conservative support

Some opposition Conservative lawmakers served coffee to the protesters and the party leader met with some truckers. The protest has also attracted support from Donald Trump Jr. and some Fox News personalities.

"Today the threat against democracy isn't only happening in America," former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman tweeted. Heyman earlier said the confederate flag and what it represents is offensive to most Americans and should be to Canadians as well.

The Parliamentary Protective Service expects as many as 10,000 protesters as part of a weekend-long rally.

"I'm locked into my own country right now," said Tom Pappin, an unvaccinated man who came from just outside Ottawa. "I can't go on a holiday. I can't go to a restaurant, I can't go bowling. I can't go to a movie. You know, these are things that it's just gotten out of control."

The 52-year-old said attendees are likely to stay parked by Parliament until vaccine mandates are lifted.

Phil Haggart was among the group to counter-protest the convoy's message, saying he wanted to show that there were voices in favor of public health measures to slow the spread of the virus. "Masks are important, vaccines are important, and mandates are important only because we need them to stay alive and not fill our hospitals up," he said as protesters rang cow bells close by.
Continuing her work in workforce and youth development, Kara Asmus will be joining the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) team as the new affiliated fund development coordinator for East-Central Nebraska.

According to a press release, Nebraska Community Foundation  headquartered in Lincoln  assists communities, donors and organizations by providing financial management, strategic development, education and training to a statewide network of 1,500 volunteers serving over 270 communities. With the help of NCF, organizations can truly focus on bettering and growing the community.

Asmus obtained a bachelor of science in home economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, specializing in human development and family rehabilitation services. Previously, Asmus worked at the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. In her role at the chamber, she led multiple programs including Drive for Five, a workforce development and talent-attraction initiative.

Her work history also includes leadership roles with the Mid-America Council Boy Scouts of America, Columbus Downtown Business Association and The Columbus Telegram. Asmus has also served as a member of the Columbus Area Future Fund Advisory Committee, an NCF-affiliated fund.

Asmus is very involved in the community with volunteer experience at UNL Extension, Columbus Public Schools Foundation, United Way and the Columbus Jaycees, among many other organizations.

Nebraskans have so many talents and are capable of great things if given the right tools, Asmus said. I look forward to challenging people to dream bigger dreams about how they can improve their hometown, then providing them with the resources to take action in turning dreams into reality.

As NCF has grown, her position  as an affiliated fund development coordinator  has been added. The area she will be serving is just north of Columbus down to the Kansas border and east of that, she explained. The main areas will be around Columbus, Lincoln and Stuart.

There are about eight people on the coordinator team, including supervisor K.C. Belitz, the chief operating officer. Each coordinator oversees about 15-25 different funds.

Kara brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our already talented coordinator team, said NCF CEO and President Jeff Yost. We are thrilled to have her on staff, where she can use her talents and connections in East-Central Nebraska to help our communities cultivate their active hope and build prosperity in Greater Nebraska.

In her new role, Asmus will help communities discover their potential and unleash local assets that are already there so they can develop their communities, she explained. This would include vision planning, impact planning, goal setting, fundraiser and peer learning and sharing.

As a seventh-generation Nebraskan, my love for Nebraska communities and their citizens seems innate, Asmus said. As much as I enjoy learning about the successes of others, I am even more drawn to helping people visualize the things they could accomplish if they had the right tools. Nebraska Community Foundation provides the tools.

A lot of what NCF does, betters Nebraska as a whole, Asmus said. The work that she has done previously in workforce development and youth development, she will be able to do in communities across the state.

In regards to youth development, NCF will be surveying them to see what they value and what it would take for them to stay in their hometowns. Asmus said adults think they know but may not. When youth are asked directly, leaders will be able to help build the communities for future generations.

Asmus will continue to be involved in workforce development. This would be a continuance of the statewide discussion regarding attracting people to Nebraska and what needs to be offered to keep them in local communities. This could include housing development, engaging alumni, being more welcoming and inclusive, and early childhood education.

We talk a lot about what we wish for, what we wish our communities would be, and my goal is to really maximize people so that they can be more active in making those dreams come true, Asmus said. We call it active hope. In the NCF world, you can hope all day long for something but if youre not actively pursuing the steps to the end goal, you arent accomplishing anything.

We activate those people that have those dreams so we can get those steps accomplished and see growth.

Asmus is really excited about how she can impact the community, and she is looking forward to igniting that excitement in others.

Helping people really recognize that Nebraska is a wonderful place and our communities are fabulous places, Asmus said. We are responsible to make sure that were invested in that community. Whether its through a financial donation or whether its through the actions we take to make our communities better. I want people to see the potential and then activate that potential for them. Help activate that drive to get the job done.

For information and to see different opportunities through NCF visit NebraskaHometown.org.

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Ukraines leader and his defense and security aides are assessing Russian leader Vladimir Putins intentions differently from many of their Western counterparts. Are they just more stoical after eight years of persistent Russian provocations and a long-running war in eastern Ukraineor are they misreading their Russian adversary?

Washington and London have both warned the chances are high that Putin will order an invasion of Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden has been warning for weeks of the distinct possibility Russia might invade Ukraine next month, and he reiterated the point Thursday in a phone discussion with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to the White House.

Britains defense secretary, Ben Wallace, says he is not optimistic a Russian incursion into Ukraine can be stopped. He told the BBC while visiting Berlin there was still a chance an invasion could be halted, but added, Im not optimistic.

Russia denies it is preparing to launch a major assault on Ukraine, accusing Western powers of alarmism. The Kremlin insists the more than 100,000 troops it has deployed along Ukraines borders are just taking part in exercises.

But Zelenskiy appears to suspect Moscow will do something short of launching a full-scale invasion and more likely will continue to wage the highly sophisticated form of psychological and hybrid warfare it has been using against Ukraine and Europe with growing intensity for the past decade and more.

The Ukrainian president has been calling for calm ahead of Wednesdays meeting among officials of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France  known as the Normandy format  to discuss once again the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, nearly half of which has been occupied since 2014 by Russian soldiers and armed local proxies.

Asked at a news conference Friday for foreign media about the different assessments and of a possible rift with Biden, Zelenskiy cited his concerns over Ukraines economy, saying that talk of an imminent invasion is adversely affecting the economy. For me, the question of the possible escalation is not less acute as for the United States and other partners, he said.

But he complained the media was giving the impression we have an army in the streets and that's not the case. And he said Ukraine doesnt need this panic because it is damaging the economy. We may lose the current economy, he added.

The Ukrainian leader pointedly took issue last week when the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia announced evacuations of personnel from their embassies. Zelenskiy and his aides expressed frustration, saying the withdrawal of some diplomatic staff was premature.

One official told VOA the evacuations undermined efforts to calm the fears of ordinary Ukrainians. The United States and Britain also have told their nationals to leave Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian officials, Zelenskiy has broached the issue of evacuations with U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying the withdrawal of staff is an overreaction and something Russia can exploit to sow fear and to destabilize.

Aside from worries about the economy and Ukrainian morale, though, Kyiv appears to be at odds with Washington and London over Putins strategy, as well as over how near he is to completing a military buildup that would allow him to launch a full throttle invasion.

According to Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, Russia doesnt have enough troops in place to mount a full-scale invasion. He told reporters this week, The number of Russian troops massed along the border of Ukraine and occupied territories of Ukraine is large, it poses a threat to Ukraine, a direct threat to Ukraine, however, at the moment, as we speak, this number is insufficient for a full-scale offensive against Ukraine along the entire Ukrainian border.

Some independent Ukrainian analysts agree with Kyivs assessment that a full-scale invasion isnt likely. I don't believe there will be a full-scale military invasion, said Taras Kuzio, an analyst at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based research group, and a professor at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy.

In that sense, I agree with Ukrainian military officials, he said in a recent British television debate. There arent enough troops there. Ukraine is a huge territory. It has the third largest army in Europe. And if you're working on the basis of a three-to-one ratio of invading versus defending armies, which is the number you need to be successful, then Russia would need 500,000 to 600,000 troops to overcome Ukraine. It doesn't have that, and it's not projected to have that.

Kuzio believes it is more likely Russia may mount an incursion around the Black Sea coast and expand on territory it holds in the Donbass region.

Ukrainian officials admit privately they are caught somewhat in a quandary. They need Western military assistance and materielfrom anti-tank rockets to surface-to-air missilesand they need the West to be strong, to stand up to Putin and to deter Russia from any kind of attack, limited or otherwise. But they dont want to talk up the threat, wreck their economy and panic their people. It is a fine line theyre walking, several officials told VOA.

Western officials say they have to be ready for all eventualities and they dont want to be caught wrong-footed, as they were in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Russia then encouraged and assisted armed proxies to seize part of the Donbass in the wake of a popular uprising that toppled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a Putin ally.

That means, they say, reinforcing NATOs military presence in eastern Europe, in neighboring NATO countries, and making sure everyone understands the stakes are high. Putin is unpredictable and any gaps he sees he will jump through; any weakness, he will exploit, a senior NATO official told VOA.
The United Nations Friday called for the investigation by the Saudi-led coalition into its recent airstrikes on a Houthi-run detention facility in Yemen to be independent and transparent.

Three airstrikes in quick succession hit a Houthi-run detention facility in the northern Yemen city of Saada January 21, one of the deadliest single attacks in Yemens nearly-seven-year civil war.

Initial findings by aid agencies indicate 91 detainees were killed and 236 injured. United Nations human rights spokesman Rupert Colville says colleagues who were in Saada this week as part of an interagency mission are working to verify the number of civilian casualties.

The information they have collected paints a chaotic and desperate picture after the remand prison, which was believed to be holding some 1,300 pretrial detainees as well as 700 migrants was struck by these airstrikes," said Colville.

The most severely injured have been taken to a hospital in Saada. Colville says the medical staff is struggling to deal with the number of patients needing urgent treatment.

The Saudi-led coalition says it has begun an investigation into the attacks. Colville says such a probe must be conducted in a transparent, independent, and impartial manner in line with international standards.

To be credible, he says the investigation must establish why the prison was hit. It must ensure individual accountability for any breaches of international humanitarian law and must identify steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

During our recent visit there, our team this week, we saw no signs indicating that this site, which was formerly a barracks, continues to have a military function," said Colville. "And in light of this, we have asked the coalition to share their information with us.

The United Nations recorded just under 600 airstrikes a month across Yemen by the government-backed Saudi-led coalition last year. Also in 2021, it reported the Iran-backed Houthi rebels had launched 340 missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory.

The escalating conflict has taken a devastating toll on Yemens civilian population. The United Nations reports more than 377,000 people have died, 60% by indirect causes such as disease and hunger.
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Electric vehicles are in high demand as gas prices and concerns about carbon emissions and global warming climb. VOA's Saqib Ul Islam examines where consumers and car manufacturers think all-electric vehicles are heading in the future. Camera: Saqib Ul Islam Produced by: Saqib Ul Islam
Supporters of Burkina Faso's military coup were seen celebrating with Russian flags and calling for their country to switch alliances from France to Moscow. While the extent of pro-Russian sentiment in Burkina Faso is unclear, many are fed up with French efforts to help fight militant groups.
The most senior U.S. military officer warns Russia will end up blazing a path of death and devastation, for all sides, should it decide to resolve its differences with Ukraine by using military force.

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley issued the blunt admonishment Friday during a rare news conference at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, where both men insisted tragedy could be avoided if Moscow was willing to pull back from the brink.

"Given the type of forces that are arrayed, the ground maneuver forces, the artillery, the ballistic missiles, the air forces, all of it packaged together, if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant," Milley told reporters.

"It would result in a significant amount of casualties. And you can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas," he said. "It would be horrific. It would be terrible. And it's not necessary."

The U.S. warning Friday comes as the standoff between Russia and Ukraine appears to have reached a tipping point.

Later Friday, President Joe Biden told reporters he would add U.S. troops to the NATO presence in Eastern Europe.

"I'll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many," Biden said upon return to Washington from a speech in Pennsylvania.

Putin's call with Macron

Senior U.S. defense officials cautioned that Russia had amassed sufficient firepower to launch a full-scale invasion at any time, while Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron that the West had failed to adequately address Moscow's security concerns.

Putin, according to the Kremlin, told Macron that the most recent Western diplomatic responses did not consider Russia's concerns about NATO expansion such as stopping the deployment of alliance weapons near Russia's border and rolling back its forces from Eastern Europe.

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian radio stations Friday that Russia did not want war with Ukraine but that it would protect its interests against the West if necessary.

"If it depends on Russia, then there will be no war. We don't want wars," Lavrov said. "But we also won't allow our interests to be rudely trampled, to be ignored."

Escalating tensions and rhetoric

But the U.S. defense secretary pushed back, telling Pentagon reporters Friday that no one has done anything to lead Russia to encircle Ukraine with more than 100,000 troops.

"There was no provocation that caused them to move those forces," Austin said Friday at the Pentagon, calling out Moscow for a new wave of disinformation campaigns.

"Indeed, we're seeing Russian state media spouting off now about alleged activities in eastern Ukraine," he said. "This is straight out of the Russian playbook. And they're not fooling us."

Austin also painted Moscow's saber-rattling as counterproductive.

"A move on Ukraine will accomplish the very thing Russia says it does not want  a NATO alliance strengthened and resolved on its western flank," he said.

But with no sign of give from any side  U.S. and NATO officials have repeatedly rejected Russia's demands  there are growing concerns that fear or hysteria could spread, making an already fragile situation more perilous.

"We don't need this panic," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told a news conference in Kyiv on Friday, accusing U.S. leaders of talking up the possibility of conflict.

"Are tanks driving here on our streets? No. But it feels like this (reading the media)," he said. "In my opinion, this is a mistake. Because those are signals of how the world reacts."

Despite the disagreement over rhetoric, U.S. and European officials said they continue to hold out hope that diplomacy can prevail.

One senior U.S. administration official, talking to reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss developments, said remarks like those Friday by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov are a positive sign.

"We welcome the message," the official said. "We need to see it backed up by swift action."

The official added that Monday's United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine will be "an opportunity for Russia to explain what it is doing, and we've come prepared to listen."

Ramping up military preparations



While Russia and the U.S. and its allies have spent much of the past week trading demands, both sides have also ramped up military preparations.

Russia has launched military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.

Ukraine's military held artillery and anti-aircraft drills in the country's southern Kherson region Friday near the border with Russian-annexed Crimea.

And the U.S., which has been providing Kyiv with anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, artillery and ammunition, said another shipment arrived Friday to help bolster Ukrainian defenses.

Also Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance has already bolstered its troop presence in Eastern Europe and continues to watch Russia's military movements, including the positioning of aircraft and S-400 anti-aircraft systems in Belarus, closely.

"The aim now is to try to reduce tensions," Stoltenberg said, speaking online from Brussels at a Washington think-tank event.

"We urge Russia, we call on Russia to engage in talks," he said, adding that opting for the use of force will not work out well for Moscow.

"When it comes to Ukraine, I am absolutely certain that Russia understands they will have to pay a high price (for invading)," Stoltenberg said. "I am certain President Putin and Russia takes NATO very serious when it comes to our ability to protect and defend all allies."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Zimbabwe has relaxed COVID-19 lockdown regulations following a decline in coronavirus cases and deaths in the country where over 5,000 have succumbed to the disease since March last year.

In a statement, acting President Constantino Chiwenga said over the past two weeks the country has recorded a decline in new COVID-19 cases, a situation that has resulted in the southern African nation to relax the lockdown measures.

The Natural COVID-19 epidemic curve is indicating that the 4th wave is at its tail end and this wave appears to being brought under control.

Chiwenga said the general school calendar is now expected to start on February 7, 2022, following a week of finalizing all reopening preparations by school administrators and parents.

He said the business community is also expected to go back to working from their offices while continuing to observe COVID-19 prevention measures such as social distancing.

Chiwenga said employers should encourage workers and clients to get vaccinated.

Curfew shall now begin at midnight and end at 0530 hours the following day and restaurants and hotels offering catering services to operate from 0800 hours and close at 2200 hours and allow sit-ins only for fully vaccinated persons.

He noted that all people entering Zimbabwe should undergo a valid COVID-19 PRC test not more than 48 hours from the time of their departure for the country.

Those who do not have a valid negative PRC test and a certificate to that effect shall be denied entry into Zimbabwe  Quarantine for locals, returning residents and visitors is lifted for those fully vaccinated.

He said the wearing of masks in public places is still mandatory and eligible people should get vaccinated.

The practice of WHO (World Health Organization) recommended COVID-19 preventive public health and social measures that include washing of hands, sanitizing, social distancing, avoiding crowds and gatherings to continue.

As at 27 January 2022, Zimbabwe had 229,096 confirmed cases, 216,699 recoveries and 5,324 deaths. To date, a total of 4,256,799 people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and over 3.2 million their second dose.
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WASHINGTON  The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection subpoenaed more than a dozen individuals Friday who it says falsely tried to declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 election in seven swing states.

The panel is demanding information and testimony from 14 people who the panel says allegedly met and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to a letter from Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the panel. President Joe Biden won all seven states.

The subpoenas order the witnesses, all of whom claimed to be either a chair or secretary of the fake elector slates, to turn over documents and sit for depositions in February.

The committee subpoenaed Bill Bachenberg and Lisa Patton from Pennsylvania. The Lisa Patton who served on Trumps slate of electors was described by Spotlight PA last year as Trumps Pennsylvania state events director from Cumberland County. Social media profiles for the Lisa Patton who served in that role with the Trump campaign indicate she is also the former owner of the Twin Ponds ice rink, which has since been sold. An individual by her name is registered to vote at an address in Silver Spring Township.

We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme, Thompson said in the letter. We encourage them to cooperate with the Select Committees investigation to get answers about January 6th for the American people and help ensure nothing like that day ever happens again.

The nine-member panel said it has obtained information that groups of individuals met on Dec. 14, 2020  more than a month after Election Day  in the seven states. The individuals, according to the congressional investigation, then submitted fake slates of Electoral College votes for Trump. Then alternate electors from those seven states sent those certificates to Congress, where several of Trumps advisers used them to justify delaying or blocking the certification of the election during the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021.

Lies about election fraud from the former president and his allies fueled the deadly insurrection on the Capitol building that day, as a violent mob interrupted the certification of the Electoral College results.

Last March, American Oversight, a watchdog group, obtained the certificates in question that were submitted by Republicans in the seven states. In two of them, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, the fake electors added a caveat saying the certificate was submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors. That would only have been possible if Trump had won any of the several dozens of legal battles he waged against those states in the weeks after the election.

In the other five states, however, Republicans certified that they were their states duly elected and qualified electors.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a CNN interview this week that the Justice Department has received referrals from lawmakers regarding the fake certifications, and that prosecutors were now looking at those.

An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in six of the states disputed by Trump has found fewer than 475  a number that would have made no difference in the 2020 presidential election.

Biden won Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and their 79 Electoral College votes by a combined 311,257 votes out of 25.5 million ballots cast for president. The disputed ballots represent just 0.15% of his victory margin in those states.

The fake electors are the latest subpoenaed in the large-scale investigation the committee has been pursuing since it came together last summer. The congressional probe has scrutinized Trump family members and allies, members of Congress and even social media groups accused of perpetuating election misinformation and allowing it to spread rampantly.

The committee plans to move into a more public-facing phase of its work in the next few months. Lawmakers will hold hearings to document to the American public the most detailed and complete look into the individuals and events that led to the Capitol insurrection.

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Update, Friday January 28 at 7:10 p.m.: Joe Rogan isnt the only reason Neil Young felt better about no longer having his music on Spotify. In a new letter posted to his website, Young claimed that Spotify sells downgraded music at 5% of its original quality. He encouraged listeners to switch to streaming services like Amazon, Apple Music, and Qobuz, which he said fully preserve music and sound a lot better than the shitty degraded and neutered sound of Spotify. Variety reported earlier this month that plans for Spotify HiFi, which would have provided higher quality audio, have been delayed indefinitely. If you support Spotify, you are destroying an art form, Young wrote. Business over art.

He closed his letter by clarifying that he supports free speech and is against censorship. Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information, Young wrote. I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others. As an unexpected bonus, I sound better everywhere else.

Update, Thursday January 27 at 9:31 a.m.: Just like in Powderfinger, the trigger has been pulled. Neil Youngs music is no longer on Spotify. Young confirmed this with a new letter posted to his website, in the name of truth. I realized I could not continue to support SPOTIFYs life threatening misinformation to the music loving public, Young wrote on the Neil Young Archives Times Contrarian. He went on to thank Warner Bros. and Reprise Records for supporting him in removing his music from Spotify, while noting the service represented 60 percent of his total streaming income. Young also posted a separate letter additionally thanking Hipgnosis Song Fund, which owns 50 percent of his publishing rights, along with Universal Music. Meanwhile, a Spotify spokesperson told the Hollywood Reporter they regret Neils decision. We want all the worlds music and audio content to be available to Spotify users, Spotify said. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. Young, for his part, concluded his first new letter by calling on other musicians to stand against Spotify and stop supporting SPOTIFYs deadly misinformation about COVID.

Update, January 26 at 4:25 p.m.: My my, hey hey, it looks like Neil Youngs discography is not going to stay on Spotify. The Wall Street Journal reported that Spotify is working to remove Youngs music from the service, after conversations with Young and his label, Warner Records. The label made a formal request to Spotify on January 26, per the paper, which should take effect within hours. But hey hey, my my, at least we still have the archives!

Original story follows.

Neil Young has requested that his music be taken off of Spotify, Rolling Stone reports. I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines  potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them, he explained in a since-deleted letter. Earlier this month, 270 medical professionals wrote an open letter asking Spotify to take action against misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines spread by Joe Rogans podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, which is the platforms top podcast.

Young addressed his message to his management team and record label. I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform, he said. They can have Rogan or Young. Not both. The legendary musician is no stranger to removing his work in order to make a statement. Back in 2015, he temporarily took his music off several streaming services, including Spotify, because the sound quality didnt meet his standards. So its definitely possible his discography could disappear from the platform again. Good thing Young has already made an archive of every song hes ever recorded.
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 51F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 51F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
HARRISBURG  A statewide court declared Friday that Pennsylvanias two-year-old mail-in voting law is unconstitutional, agreeing with challenges by Republicans who soured on mail-in voting after then-President Donald Trump began baselessly attacking it as rife with fraud in 2020s campaign.

The decision, by a five-judge Commonwealth Court panel of three Republicans and two Democrats, was deemed to be on hold immediately since Gov. Tom Wolfs administration swiftly appealed to the state Supreme Court.

Still, the decision throws Pennsylvanias voting laws into doubt as voters prepare to elect a new governor and a new U.S. senator in 2022.

Just over 2.5 million people voted under the laws expansion of mail-in voting in 2020s presidential election, most of them Democrats, out of 6.9 million total cast.

Wolfs office said its appeal means the lower court ruling has no immediate effect, and criticized Republicans as trying to kill the law in the service of the big lie of Trumps baseless election fraud claims.

We need leaders to support removing more barriers to voting, not trying to silence the people, Wolfs office said.

Trump and Republicans lauded the decision.

Big news out of Pennsylvania, great patriotic spirit is developing at a level that nobody thought possible. Make America Great Again! Trump said in a statement through his political action committee.

Nearly every Republican candidate for governor  including two of three state senators who voted for it  has vowed to repeal the mail-in voting law.

Even Republicans who avoid repeating Trumps baseless election fraud claims have perpetuated the idea that Democrats cheated in the 2020 presidential election, routinely distorting the actions of state judges and officials as unconstitutional or illegal in settling legal disputes and questions over the mail-in voting law.

In Fridays decision, the three Republican judges agreed with Republican challengers  including 11 Republican lawmakers who actually voted for the law  and ruled that no-excuse mail-in voting is prohibited under the state constitution, until the constitution is changed to allow it.

The two Democrats on the panel dissented. The state Supreme Court  which will hear the appeal  has a 5-2 Democratic majority.

Pennsylvanias attorney general, Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who is running for governor, said he is confident the state Supreme Court will uphold the mail-in voting law as constitutional.

He criticized the lower courts opinion as based on twisted logic and faulty reasoning and wrong on the law.

In 2019, the Republican-controlled Legislature authorized no-excuse mail-in voting for all voters, expanding upon a provision in the state constitution that required the state to provide the option for voters in specific circumstances.

Those circumstances include being out of town on business, illness, physical disability, election-day duties or religious observance.

Every Republican lawmaker, except one, voted for the legislation in a deal with Wolf, a Democrat who had sought the mail-in voting provision. In exchange, Wolf agreed to get rid of the straight-ticket voting ballot option that Republicans had sought as a way to protect their suburban candidates from an anti-Trump wave in 2020s election.

The Constitution does not explicitly say that the Legislature cannot extend absentee voting to others.

However, Republican challengers say the constitution intended that absentee voting be strictly limited, citing a passage that says voters must live in an election district for at least 60 days where they shall offer to vote.

In the opinion, the three Republican judges agreed, saying that passage had been cited in two prior state Supreme Court decisions invalidating laws passed in 1839 and 1923 to expand absentee voting.

The dissenting Democrats say a separate provision of the constitution empowered lawmakers to provide no-excuse mail-in voting. That provision says elections shall be by ballot or by such other method as may be prescribed by law.

In addition to baselessly attacking mail-in voting through much of 2020, Trump also later claimed, without evidence, that the election was stolen from him in some states including Pennsylvania.

In one post-election lawsuit in 2020, Republicans sought to invalidate the mail-in voting law and throw out all ballots cast under it in a bid to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens victory in Pennsylvania.

The state Supreme Court threw it out, saying the plaintiffs failed to act with due diligence in waiting to challenge the law until after Trump lost the election.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused appeals to intervene.

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Italian folklore celebrates the Giorni della Merla amid hopes for a beautiful spring.

One of Italy's best known legends in winter revolves around a bird and the last three days in January, a tradition known as i giorni della merla, or the Days of the Blackbird.

According to tradition, if the days of 29, 30 and 31 January are particularly cold, the incoming spring should be warm and sunny and arrive early. If the contrary, spring will be late and rainy.

Legend has it that these final days of January are traditionally the coldest in the year (even this is not supported by any scientific evidence and this weekend the temperatures in Rome will be relatively mild).

So where did this old Italian adage originate?

There are various versions of the ancient tale, all of which involve the blackbird, la merla, and the last days of January.

The most popular version tells the story long ago of a white blackbird tormented by a spiteful January, which at the time had 28 days while February had 31.

Every time the poor blackbird left her nest to seek food, the mischievous January pounced on her with snow, freezing temperatures and an icy breeze.

The following January the blackbird stocked up on food and stayed in her nest for 28 days before emerging triumphant to sing and tease January.

In revenge, the resentful month borrowed three days from February and unleashed a fierce snow storm, causing the blackbird to go into hiding once again.

The bird took shelter in a chimney pot, where she stayed for three days, and when she emerged on 1 February her white feathers were forever black with soot.
News in Italy: Mattarella elected president a second time after ruling parties implore him to stay.

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella was re-elected on Saturday evening after lawmakers begged him to stay, amid a failure by parties to find another mutually agreeable candidate to serve as head of state.

Mattarella was elected at the eighth ballot, passing the quorum of 505 votes, days before his seven-year term of office was due to end on 3 February.

The 80-year-old, who had repeatedly made it clear that he wanted to retire, agreed to serve again after Italian premier Mario Draghi and party leaders pleaded with him on Saturday to stay on "for the good and stability of the country," sources told news agency ANSA.

"I had other plans but I am here if needed," Mattarella reportedly said, adding: "I will do my best."

His re-election follows a week of disagreements and deadlock between Italy's centre-right and centre-left, neither of which had enough votes in parliament to push through their own candidates, resulting in a sucession of vetoes, abstentions and fruitless votes.

The complex process of electing a new head of state began on Monday, with an electoral college comprising 1,009 parliamentarians and regional delegates convening at Palazzo Chigi in Rome.

Draghi, 74, had long been tipped as the frontrunner to succeed Mattarella, and he recently hinted he would be willing to switch from premier to president.

However by the time it came to voting for a new head of state, there was a growing fear among Italy's parties that Draghi's departure would risk political turmoil, either triggering elections a year ahead of schedule or resulting in the installation of a new premier to lead the broad coalition.

It is also a widely-held view that the former European Central Bank chief is the most qualified person to oversee reforms and implement the EUs multi-billion post-pandemic recovery fund.

Under the "new" arrangement, Mattarella and Draghi retain their existing roles, maintaining the status quo and keeping the national unity government intact, at least until the scheduled end of the parliamentary term in spring 2023.

Mattarella, who has been in office since 2015, recently signed a lease for a house in Rome which he had been set to move into next week after vacating the president's residence at the Quirinal Palace.

Voting in Italy's presidential race is held in secret and a two thirds majority is needed on the first three ballots and then after that by an absolute majority.

Mattarella is Italy's 12th president since the office was established on 1 January 1948 after Italians voted in a post-war referendum to replace the monarchy with a republic.

The role of head of state, Italy's highest office, is largely ceremonial and the president acts as guarantor of the constitution.

However the president plays a key role during times of political crisis and has the power to appoint a prime minister and give mandates to form a government.

Mattarella's predecessor Giorgio Napolitano is Italy's only president to have been re-elected, as part of efforts to resolve the political stalemate left by an inconclusive general election. He served for a further two years before standing down.

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Effective this week, Art Spiegelmans Maus, the acclaimed graphic novel about the Holocaust, has been removed from the eighth-grade public school curriculum in McMinn County, Tennessee. The reasons given included rough, objectionable language as well as unnecessary use of profanity and nudity and its depiction of violence and suicide. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Bowdlerizing the Holocaust takes chutzpah, no doubt. But Spiegelman can take comfort in the fact that hes part of a long, distinguished history of targets.

Partisans enmeshed in todays battles over efforts to cleanse the culture of offensive speech and speakers tend to focus on clashing contemporary sensitivities over race and identity. But the battle is part of much longer American tradition of book banning, particularly when it comes to works made available to children.

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Though theres some difference of opinion among literary scholars, the prize for first-book-banned in America probably goes to Thomas Mortons New English Canaan, written in 1634 by a dissident who fled the Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts. Morton attacked the Pilgrims for their religious zealotry and cruelty toward the natives of the land they settled, going so far as to claim that the Divell was the setter of their church.

William Bradford, governor of the Plymouth Colony, took grave offense. He complained that Morton had written an infamouse & scurillous booke against many godly & cheefe men of ye cuntrie; full of lyes & slanders, and fraight with profane callumnies against their names and persons, and ye ways of God. He got his revenge by arresting Morton and banning the book.

So began an American pastime.

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One instructive episode revolved around an antislavery broadside, Appeal, that rolled off the presses in Massachusetts in 1829.

David Walkers book counseled African-Americans to take revenge. The whites have had us under them for more than three centuries, murdering, and treating us like brutes, he wrote. Kill or be killed.

Slaveholders began seizing and burning copies of the book that trickled into the South. Pro-slavery politicians remonstrated with the governor of Massachusetts, who sympathized with their anxiety but patiently explained the principles of free speech. Ineffectual book bans also trailed Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin.

Books deemed obscene also evaded bans at first. But over the course of the 19th century, individual states, and then the federal government, passed obscenity laws that permitted the seizure and destruction of books and other material deemed prurient.

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This led to ban on many books, some frankly erotic ones like Fanny Hill and others far less so. But obscenity laws began falling by the wayside in the early 20th century, making it harder to ban books on this basis. In one case decided in 1913, Judge Learned Hand issued an opinion in the federal district court in New York City in which he questioned whether Americans would be content to reduce our treatment of sex to the standard of a childs library.

As it became increasingly difficult to ban books for adults, books available to children in schools and public libraries became the focus of aspiring censors; so, too, did books elevated to prominent places in the curriculum. Many Americans concluded that childrens literature would be the hill that they would die on in their fight to stop the circulation of ideas they found offensive.

Southern segregationists took the lead. In 1941, it came to the attention of Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge that African-American children in his state had been given access to We Sing America, by the prominent Harlem Renaissance intellectual Marion Vera Cuthbert. It addressed the plight of African-Americans and made a plea for racial equality. The discovery prompted Talmadge to hold what one newspaper described as a big book burning.

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As the civil rights movement gathered steam, book bans and bonfires multiplied. A book that attracted some of the most virulent attacks in the 1950s was The Rabbits Wedding by Garth Williams, who also illustrated classics like Charlottes Web (itself a target of a book ban in 2006 that called talking animals blasphemous and unnatural.)

Williamss story, aimed at the five-and-under set, described two fuzzy bunnies who get married in the company of equally adorable woodland creatures. It was perceived as a full-scale attack on the Southern racial order because one rabbit was white and one was black. An Alabama state legislator declared that the book should be taken off the shelves and burned. Not long afterward, the White Citizens Council of Alabama managed to have it removed from the states libraries.

But book banning wasnt just a Southern thing. In New York City, many parents targeted Howard Fasts Citizen Tom Paine, an admiring portrait of the Revolutionary War agitator famed for his contempt for Christian theology and George Washington. Critics cited its vulgarity and lascivious passages in school board meetings, but the real reason seems to have been that Fast was a Communist who portrayed the American Revolution as a class struggle. The parents got their way and the book disappeared.

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In the 1960s and 1970s, a new generation of books attracted parental ire. Down These Mean Streets, by Piri Thomas, was both a staple of high-school reading lists and a perennial target; many parents held its depiction of life in Harlem to be profane and vulgar. In 1971, activists in Queens succeeded in having it removed from reading lists. One told the New York Times: Why is everyone so upset? Controlling what children read is entirely different from controlling what adults read.

The same argument animated a growing number of bans promoted in progressive circles at this time. Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn was a famous target, but other works also ran afoul of left-leaning censors, who prefigured todays enforcers of cancel-culture orthodoxy.

In general, though, book bans in the late 1960s and 1970s tended to originate from the right. One study found that none of the 20 most frequently banned books during this period had been attacked for racist or sexist content. Rather, popular targets  To Kill a Mockingbird, Black Like Me, and Manchild in the Promised Land  drew fire because they directly discussed racism.

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The legal questions raised by book bans came to a head after a school board in Island Trees, New York banned a number of books in 1976. The offending titles included the usual suspects, including Eldridge Cleavers Soul on Ice, Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five and Oliver LaFarges Laughing Boy. The reasons given were much the same as the ones offered up for banning Maus: vulgarity, profanity and sex. One of the boards press releases also claimed that the books were anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic and just plain filthy.

Unlike other book bans, though, this one went all the way to the Supreme Court. In a landmark case finally decided in 1982, the justices ruled that the school board could not remove a book simply because it disagreed with the ideas contained in the text.

Unfortunately, the decision also sanctioned the vague idea that books could be removed from schools based on educational suitability, opening a door to book bans that are nominally constitutional.

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This led to a trickle, and now a flood, of efforts to remove books from schools. It is perhaps inevitable that the Supreme Court will be asked to rule on this question once again. When it does, it should reaffirm an obvious point: that book banning has an odious history and deserves no place in the nations schools.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Solutions to Democracys Problems Lie in Books: Stephen L. Carter

 Amazon Should Ban Auschwitz Ornaments, But Not Hitlers Book: Tyler Cowen

 Dislike of Woody Allen Isnt an Excuse for Censorship: Joe Nocera

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen Mihm, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, is a contributor to Bloomberg Opinion.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Millions of people took to the streets in the Philippines to force President Ferdinand Marcos from office in 1986 after a two decade reign in which thousands were killed under martial law, the economy contracted and government coffers were plundered -- infamously symbolized by his wife Imeldas extravagant shoe collection. Lately, however, the family has seen a resurgence in popularity, much of it driven by social media. Scion Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. has been the front-runner to succeed another strongman, Rodrigo Duterte, as president in this years May 9 election. Yet the Marcos candidacy has also reopened some old wounds -- and he could still be disqualified.

1. Who is Bongbong Marcos?

Bongbong, 64, is the only son of the former first couple. While in his 20s he was already governor in their home province of Ilocos Norte, about 440 kilometers (273 miles) north of Manila. He fled to the U.S. with the family after his father was ousted. The Marcoses returned to the Philippines in 1991, two years after the patriarchs death. Bongbong won a congressional seat a year later, then became governor again. He lost his first attempt for a position elected nationwide -- a 1995 race for the Senate -- but won a seat in 2010. With his term ending, he ran in 2016 for vice president, narrowly lost to Leni Robredo, then unsuccessfully protested the results. His resume has also caused a stir: His Senate profile initially stated that he had an Oxford degree in philosophy, politics and economics. Critics said he had a special diploma that fell short of an actual degree. In October, the University of Oxford waded in, saying that Marcos didnt complete his degree. The website has been amended.

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2. How did they get so popular?

Family members have been in politics and government for decades in their home province, which includes a village named Ferdinand in a municipality called Marcos. Their power didnt initially translate nationally after their return; along with Bongbongs Senate loss, Imelda failed in two presidential bids. But in a country where dynastic politics is common and embraced, the Marcoses rebuilt their political capital by forging alliances with other politicians including Duterte, who allowed a heros burial for the late dictator. This influence now is bolstered by social media like Facebook and YouTube, where posts rewriting history about the Marcos dictatorship, painting it as a golden era, have spread widely, boosting Bongbongs campaign. He has denied any connection to the posts. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa last year called disinformation on social media an atom bomb for public discourse in the Philippines.

3. What about the past?

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Thousands were killed or disappeared and many more were tortured or suffered other human rights violations under martial law. The government in 2013 allocated 10 billion pesos ($195 million) from Swiss bank deposits recovered from the Marcoses as compensation. Some victims, not wanting to see another Marcos as president, have filed petitions trying to disqualify Bongbong, citing his conviction for failure to file tax returns in the 1980s as grounds. One petition has been dismissed, while others are pending and could take months to be resolved. (If he is disqualified, he could still run while he appeals to the Supreme Court.) Bongbong has dodged questions about his fathers regime, telling television interviewers on Jan. 24: We will no longer go back to 35-year-old issues, he said.

4. Whats his strategy?

He has teamed up with Dutertes daughter Sara, whos running separately for the vice presidency, aiming to benefit from her fathers continued popularity. (The constitution bans Duterte from seeking a second term.) In the Senate, Bongbong helped pass bills mostly pertaining to local governments. If he becomes president, Bongbong has promised unifying leadership and to prioritize pandemic recovery and the economy. He also has pledged to aid the farm sector, de-congest Manilas roads, push renewables and continue fighting a long-running communist insurgency. He said he plans to negotiate a resolution to territorial disputes with China while fostering ties with the U.S. and Russia. There is some concern that public efforts to hold the Marcoses accountable and to recover ill-gotten wealth will stop if Bongbong wins. In the 2019 documentary The Kingmaker, Imelda Marcos is quoted saying becoming president is her sons destiny.

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5. Who else is running?

Vice President Robredo, the opposition leader who defeated Bongbong in 2016, has been a distant second to the dictators son. Also among the contenders are Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, boxer-turned-Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Ping Lacson and labor rights activist Leody de Guzman. Duterte is supporting his daughter but hasnt named his favorite for president. Whoever gets the most votes wins; theres no runoff.

6. Whats happening with the Marcos fortune?

The Marcoses amassed between $5 billion to $10 billion from the government through their cronies, associates and dummies, but only $3.4 billion has been recovered as of the end of 2020, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which was set up to identify and retrieve the assets. For this, the dictator Marcos holds the Guinness world record for the greatest robbery of a government. Most of the recovered wealth was remitted to the national treasury and used for agriculture programs. The commission is still selling or privatizing some $1.1 billion worth including land, shares of stocks and jewelry. Its also going after another $2.5 billion from the Marcos fortune, some of which was concealed in various foreign banks, including in Switzerland, as well as in the form of vacation homes and fine art.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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The fight against global warming is rapidly moving into the courtrooms. In the past few years, in landmark cases in the Netherlands, Germany and France, courts have agreed that state and corporate entities have a duty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and demanded they adopt more aggressive policies. A Dutch court, for example, ordered the government to reduce emissions to 25% below 1990s levels, forcing it to go beyond its proposed goal of 17%.

These rulings mark an encouraging shift. Over the decades, plaintiffs have brought  and lost  more than a thousand major cases accusing governments and private companies of causing specific damages through climate emissions.

One reason this dismal record may be changing is that plaintiffs are making more persuasive arguments. But they could be doing even better. According to a recent a study of arguments put forth in 73 recent or ongoing cases, plaintiffs are generally failing to use the up-to-date science capable of linking climate emissions to direct harmful consequences.

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Attribution  the term scientists use to describe the evidence linking human behavior to global warming  isnt as easy as it might seem. Proving that some flood or storm damage is due to climate change, and not just a freak event of normal weather, means showing that such an event would have been much more unlikely in a world in which climate change wasnt happening. To do that, scientists have to rely on good statistical understanding of the normal climate system and weather  if warming werent happening  and make a clear distinction from what is actually happening now.

Collecting that historical data and building those scientific models has been difficult. But researchers have persisted. In 2018, a summer heat wave in northern Europe brought average temperatures more than 5C higher (9 F) than the recent historical norm. Detailed studies of this event based on available data and atmospheric modeling eventually concluded that such an event was roughly 100 times more likely than it would have been in the absence of climate change. In a realistic statistical sense, climate change caused it, as well as the damage following from it, which included many hundreds of excess deaths caused by extreme temperatures in Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

The science for making such causal links has matured in the past decade due to concerted efforts of groups such as the World Weather Attribution organization, created by scientists who have developed exhaustive methods for determining which events are and arent good candidates for realistic attribution. Its unfortunate that, so far, the activists bringing climate cases dont seem to be keeping up with the science.

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In their study of recent cases, for example, Rupert Stuart-Smith of the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme and colleagues found that plaintiffs in nearly 75% of the cases  typically relating to damages from extreme temperatures or sea-level rise  made no effort to demonstrate a clear causal link between the damage they experienced and defendants emissions. Instead, plaintiffs mostly hoped it would be enough if the court accepted the existence of a general link between climate emissions and increased risks for extreme events.

The better alternative, these researchers argue, would be to present specific evidence to link particular damages at one time and place to defendants actions. That may seem inherently difficult, as emissions come from so many sources, but attribution has developed statistical techniques to reliably estimate the portion of damage attributable to individual emitters. And such arguments are in spirit no different from arguments courts have long accepted in other areas  for example, in cases determining partial liability for health consequences from tobacco smoke or asbestos. Such estimates see Exxon Mobil and Chevron as each having contributed more than 2% to the cumulative acidification of the oceans, with coal and cement producers in China accounting for more than 10%.

More specific arguments could make a big difference. A decade ago, a courts that rejected climate-related lawsuits suggested that legitimate links could never be made between defendants emissions and plaintiffs injuries. That view was premature. The science has decisively moved on. Now, in many cases, such links can be made with high confidence.

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Its not surprising, perhaps, that legal experts havent kept up with latest science, which is getting stronger all the time. If activists and their legal teams begin employing better science, the legal battles could soon start tipping the other way, in which case courts might drive real change on emissions policies.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Cost of Cutting Carbon Is Sure to Shock Investors: Gary Shilling

 Climate Change Will Kill National Sovereignty As We Know It: Andreas Kluth

 Lets Go Back to Calling It Global Warming: Faye Flam

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Mark Buchanan, a physicist and science writer, is the author of the book Forecast: What Physics, Meteorology and the Natural Sciences Can Teach Us About Economics.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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News coverage of recent medical research often comes with a caveat that, before the pandemic, would have baffled many physicians  let alone other readers: This study was posted on a preprint server and has not yet undergone peer-review. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Preprint servers  free online archives where scientists can post their research before formal publication  are a relatively new phenomenon in medicine (although popular for decades in other fields).

The traditional method of sharing new findings with the medical community is through a confidential process known as peer-review where study authors submit their research  including details on study design, results, conclusions and limitations of their findings  to a journal.

If the journal editor deems it worthy of further consideration, the research is usually sent to external experts in the field (the peers of peer-review) for comments. Based on their feedback, a study can be accepted for publication, rejected or given the opportunity for resubmission with revisions.

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In the past, this back-and-forth process could drag out for months  sometimes for more than a year.

So when the coronavirus erupted in spring 2020, preprint servers were poised to lead a revolution.

MedRxiv (pronounced Med-archive) is one such server geared for the health-care community. It saw a five-fold jump in submissions in spring 2020 as researchers rushed to share knowledge of the deadly pandemic. More than 30,000 of the coronavirus articles published in 2020 were preprints  a trend that continued, albeit tapering, in 2021 even as major journals hastened their editorial review processes to accommodate the surge of studies.

The paradigm shift has forced scientists, journalists and the general public to change how they approach new studies.

In many cases, using a preprint server can lead to rapid dissemination of valid, much-needed data  such as this preprint study from June 2020 demonstrating that dexamethasone reduced deaths from severe covid-19  a lifesaving treatment that changed medical practice weeks before the data was preliminarily published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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In December, data from a preprint study revealing the critical immune benefits of a booster shot against the omicron variant bolstered widespread recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration leading up to the holidays. Those findings were published online more than a week later by Cell and will be published in print in a February issue of the journal.

Some preprint studies, however, never make it through the peer-review process  or worse, report inaccurate findings that are spread by the media and public.

These rarer cases such as this summers notorious, now debunked preprint study on ivermectin can have dangerous consequences for public trust. Although the study was later retracted from the server, the damage was difficult to contain: It had been viewed more than 150,000 times and covered widely by the news media  not to mention contributed to a host of serious side effects among those who ingested ivermectin with no proven benefit against covid-19.

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People should realize that preprint data should be considered a preliminary version of the report, said Douglas Jabs, director of the Center for Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The final interpretation could be subject to some change.

Most articles that are ultimately accepted by peer-review are revised prior to publication, indicating there is usually potential for improvement, he said.

Still, preprint servers offer many benefits if understood in the right context  and they arent going anywhere soon. Heres what you need to know:

Why is posting a study on a preprint server so appealing?

Besides getting new information out quickly, posting a study on a preprint server opens the door for broader comment on the study (in theory by fellow scientists), allowing the authors a chance to address critiques and make revisions before journal submission. They help scientists see who else may be investigating similar questions and learn from cutting-edge methods that can be applied to their own work. Scientists can even cite studies posted to preprint servers in grant applications. And unlike many medical journals, preprint servers typically do not charge readers, increasing a studys accessibility (since the pandemic, many medical journals have lifted their paywall for coronavirus-related studies).

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Can anyone post anything on a preprint server?

No. The majority of these servers have a vetting process, albeit limited, such as for plagiarism or competing interests.

In the wake of the pandemic, platforms popular in the health-care community, such as medRxiv and bioRxiv, also include a screen against unfounded medical claims or those that may cause harm in an effort to combat mushrooming conspiracy theories. But generally, they reserve evaluation of a studys quality for peer-review.

So should I exclusively trust peer-reviewed studies?

Not necessarily.

When a group of authors puts any study in the public domain, including preprint servers, they are placing their reputations on the line. An accompanying assumption is that they have done their best to perform a rigorous analysis and interpret their own results fairly.

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Nonetheless, Jabs cautions, it can be hard to notice the pitfalls of your own research.

That is where peer-review comes in. Once a study has been vetted and revised by peer-review, the journal and its editors are also putting their reputations on the line, adding a hefty layer of security in the validity of the findings.

Peer-reviewed studies are held to a much higher standard, and are much less likely to have problems associated with them, Jabs said. And you want your finished product to be as good as possible before it goes out to the public at large.

Nonetheless, every study has weaknesses, which are typically addressed upfront in the publication itself. While peer review is considered the gold standard, like with any human process, the external peer-reviewers may bring their own biases to the table  so much so that in academia, the critiques of a stereotypically condemning anonymous reviewer #2 have spawned a treasure trove of jokes and memes.

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Keep in mind, many preprint studies are simultaneously being submitted to peer-review journals. According to medRxiv co-founder John Inglis, one-fourth of their covid-19 preprints went on to be published in peer-reviewed journals by the end of 2020. If a paper has been on a preprint server for months and not accepted at a peer-reviewed journal, however, that might raise your suspicion for major flaws.

What are some examples of things that get addressed during the peer-review process?

The most respected or high-impact journals tend to hold studies to extremely rigorous standards. If a study is deemed unsuitable because of inherent design flaws, it probably will not be accepted at all. But other issues can be addressed with modifications or more experiments.

For instance, a reviewer might request further exploration of a particular group of patients to clarify a key result. They may catch a critical factor distorting the findings and suggest revisions to the statistical analysis. Sometimes, the results may be meticulous, but the conclusions could be misleading, warranting a more balanced rewording.

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What should nonscientists look for when reading coverage about preprint studies?

Ask yourself who is discussing this study and why.

Most reputable news sources interview experts in the field for comment (often someone not involved in the original study) and include warnings about the studys limitations. Television or social media personas may skip those steps to gain attention and clicks, contributing to the spread of misinformation.

Were moving to, as a consequence of social media and a variety of other things, unedited information transfer thats frankly not always accurate, Jabs said. And in the field of science, accuracy is paramount.

Trisha Pasricha is a journalist, physician and research fellow in gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Follow her on Twitter @TrishaPasricha.

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Kerrville, TX (78028)

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Court: Mail-in-voting law unconstitutional Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight A Pennsylvania court struck down the states expansive mail-in-voting law as unconstitutional, delivering a temporary win to state Republicans who challenged the law after President Donald Trump falsely claimed mail-in-voting resulted in election fraud. While the two-year-old law was struck down by a majority of the five-judge panel of the Commonwealth Court, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) and the states attorney general, Josh Shapiro (D), promised a swift appeal to the state Supreme Court, criticizing the courts opinion as being based on twisted logic and faulty reasoning.

The states Republican-controlled legislature passed the law establishing no-excuse mail-in voting for all voters in 2019 with bipartisan support. Previously, Pennsylvania voters could cast absentee ballots if they met certain criteria.

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Amid the pandemic, more than 2.6 million Pennsylvania voters cast mail-in or absentee ballots out of 6.9 million.

The court said Friday that any changes to voting law would require a constitutional amendment.

No-excuse mail-in voting makes the exercise of the franchise more convenient and has been used four times in the history of Pennsylvania. Approximately 1.38 million voters have expressed their interest in voting by mail permanently, Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt wrote. If presented to the people, a constitutional amendment to end the Article VII, Section 1 requirement of in-person voting is likely to be adopted. But a constitutional amendment must be presented to the people and adopted into our fundamental law before legislation authorizing no-excuse mail-in voting can be placed upon our statute books. 

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In bringing the legal challenge, some Republicans in the state echoed Trumps baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and his criticism of mail-in voting, with several seeking to undo the law for which they once voted.

Shapiro, in his statement, stressed that the courts ruling will not have any immediate impact on upcoming elections. The state is holding elections for governor and a U.S. Senate seat this year.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court took up a similar challenge to the states expanded voting law after the 2020 presidential election. Republican plaintiffs demanded that all mail ballots be thrown out after the fact. The court rejected the challenge on the grounds that it had been filed too late.

 Mariana Alfaro

Rittenhouse's rifleto be destroyed

A judge on Friday approved an agreement by lawyers to destroy the assault-style rifle that Kyle Rittenhouse used to kill two people and wound a third during a 2020 street protest in Wisconsin.

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Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the state crime lab would destroy the gun, probably in April. Judge Bruce Schroeder, the Kenosha County judge who presided over Rittenhouses trial, approved the agreement. Rittenhouse was not in court for Fridays hearing.

The judge also ordered that Rittenhouses $2 million bail be divided among his attorney, a foundation that solicited donations for his defense and actor Ricky Schroder, who donated to the defense fund.

Rittenhouse shot the men during the protest in Kenosha in 2020. He killed Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz in the arm. Rittenhouse argued he fired in self-defense after each of the men attacked him. A jury last year acquitted him of multiple charges, including homicide.

Rittenhouses attorney, Mark Richards, filed a motion Jan. 19 asking prosecutors to return Rittenhouses rifle, his ammunition, his mask and other clothing he was wearing the night of the shooting. Richards and David Hancock, a spokesman for Rittenhouse, said last week that Rittenhouse, now 19, wanted to destroy the rifle and throw the rest of the items away so nothing can be used as a political symbol or trophy celebrating the shootings.

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We didnt think anyone should profit from it, Richards told reporters after the hearing. Asked whether anyone had reached out about purchasing the gun, Richards responded, Lots of people. He didnt elaborate.

Destruction of the gun will be recorded as part of the agreement that was approved Friday. The rest of Rittenhouses property has already been returned to him, Binger told the judge.

 Associated Press

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Killings by Islamist militia up almost 50% Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight An Islamist militia in eastern Congo killed more than 1,200 people in 2021, up almost 50 percent over the previous year, the United Nations said Friday, even as the government imposed martial law and joined with Uganda to root it out. The surge in killings occurred as the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan armed group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, extended its attacks farther northward into Ituri province, the U.N. Joint Human Rights Office said.

The group often massacres civilians as retaliation for military campaigns against it.

 Reuters

Salvini seeking deal for a female president

Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party, said Friday that he was looking to secure a deal with other parties so that a woman could become Italys next president.

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Im working so that a smart female president [is chosen], Salvini said after a fifth straight day of voting in Parliament failed to break a deadlock over who should be head of state.

The two women most often cited in the media as possible candidates are Justice Minister Marta Cartabia and Elisabetta Belloni, a career diplomat who heads the secret services.

Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement, said he also wanted a woman to replace outgoing head of state Sergio Mattarella, whose seven-year term ends next week.

Unlike in the United States, presidents are chosen in Italy by some 1,009 members of Parliament and regional representatives in a secret ballot, which party leaders sometimes struggle to control.

 Reuters

Limits sought in probe of Johnson gatherings

An inquiry into lockdown-breaking gatherings in Downing Street that might determine the future of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be further delayed after police asked for the report to make only minimal reference to those events.

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Led by senior civil servant Sue Gray, the inquiry is looking into allegations that staff, and Johnson, attended parties in breach of the rules they had imposed to fight the pandemic.

The report had been expected to be released this week but that was derailed Tuesday when Londons Metropolitan Police said it had opened a probe into some of the events to assess whether criminal offenses had been committed.



Commander Catherine Roper said the request was made in order to protect the integrity of the police investigation ... and to be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it.

The force had faced criticism for initially declining to investigate the allegations.

 Reuters

West African bloc suspends Burkina Faso after coup: West Africa's main regional bloc suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies over this week's military coup but stopped short of imposing sanctions, its member states said in a statement. Burkina Faso's army ousted President Roch Kabore on Monday, presenting the latest test to the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, which has struggled to mount an effective response to a series of coups in the region in the past 18 months.

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Guatemala detains 10 in raids on migrant smugglers: Guatemalan authorities working with U.S. Homeland Security arrested 10 people in raids against a migrant smuggling group linked to the massacre of 19 people in Mexico last year, officials said. Guatemala's Public Prosecutor's Office said 19 raids were carried out in the western town of Comitancillo to dismantle the network that took the migrants to Mexico. Sixteen of the 19 people killed in the massacre in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas in January 2021 were Guatemalans.

Brazil's Bolsonaro fails to appear to testify: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro did not show up to testify after a Supreme Court justice subpoenaed him and ordered federal police to question him in a probe of leaked documents. The government's solicitor general went instead and filed an appeal, but the judge said the request was too late.

 From news services

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Danny Hong shows where the water reached up to him during flooding in his basement apartment in the Queens borough of New York last September. (AP)

Researchers say individuals should respond to the hazard most pressing at the time and be prepared to move locations if necessary.
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My doctor told me I wasnt depressed, but I counterargued that I was anxious. He suggested therapy while I introduced the idea of valium. He said that pregnant women dont take valium, and what did I think I needed it for? I told him we were one year into a global pandemic, my debut novel was about to be released, and I was due to give birth. Congratulations, he said, and I left with a referral for six sessions of therapy.

In the therapists office, I sat on a stiff chair and told her I was open to valium if she thought it was a good idea, but she remained silent. I said that when I signed the publishing contract, it felt like the eye of luck had opened, and shone the precious light of legitimacy over me. Finally, I wasnt an unemployed pregnant person bobbing aimlessly through life, I was a novelist. I tried to explain to her that as good as this was, I still felt the need to read every review of my book. She put her pen down and frowned. That doesnt seem to be coming from a place of love, she said.

Australian author Ella Baxter, whose debut novel is New Animal. Credit:Keith Little

I couldnt decide whether I liked this novel or not. Three stars.

The eye of luck stayed open, which meant cases were down and my book launch could go ahead. I bought an aqua coloured 70s sparkling pantsuit to wear, but in front of the linen literary crowd, it made me feel too bold and flammable. Twenty minutes in, I disassociated like a shucked oyster from nerves and spent the rest of the evening floating between the industrial fans of the bar. Occasionally, I was pulled back to earth by someone trying to touch the fabric of my outfit.

No plot. Two stars.

The eye of luck blinked closed, and all book launches moved to Zoom. Most people kept their cameras on throughout, but as the pandemic raged, and the fatigue of being perceived online set in, many chose to take the form of a black square. I watched as authors released books that contained years and years of meticulous effort and time, and I softly applauded them from the dark, welcoming their beloved work into the world.
Sometimes Bridget Everett, the actress, comedian and self-proclaimed cabaret wildebeest, wonders what would have happened if she had never left Kansas. She has a pretty good idea.

Id probably live in Kansas City, or Lawrence, she said. I would probably work in a restaurant and have two DUIs and sit on the couch a lot in my underwear.

This was on a Monday afternoon in mid-December at John Brown BBQ, a purveyor of Kansas City-style barbecue in Queens, which is to say the closest that a person can get to Kansas within the New York City limits. (Not very close, as it turns out, though Everett said that the sides were delicious.) She was joined by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, the creators of Somebody Somewhere, a wistful Kansas-set half-hour HBO comedy screening on Fox Showcase.

Bridget Everett, actress, comedian, self-proclaimed cabaret wildebeest and now star of dramedy Somebody Somewhere. Credit:Krista Schlueter/New York Times

Everett, 49, stars as Sam, a woman whose biography parallels her own, to a point. After years of bartending in a big city, Sam has returned to her hometown. She has a soul-eating job at an educational testing centre and various family obligations  a father (Mike Hagerty) with a struggling farm, a mother (Jane Brody) with addiction issues, and a sister (Mary Catherine Garrison) with a wobbly marriage and an Instagrammable approach to evangelical Christianity. Sam sits on the couch a lot in her underwear.
The Oregon Health Authority reported 7,222 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, raising Oregons case total to 620,652, on Friday, Jan. 28.

In addition, 19 more COVID-19-related deaths were reported, bringing the statewide death toll to 6,086 people. Details on those deaths weren't immediately available and are expected on an upcoming release.

Oregon health officials continue to stress the urgency of getting vaccinated as the optimal way to ward off the pandemic.

Locally, Linn County reported 331 new cases on Friday, bringing its total caseload to 22,374. Linn Countys death toll remains at 221.

Benton County reported 166 new cases, bringing that countys total caseload to 12,440. The county's death total remains at 46.

Hospitalizations: Currently, there are 1,125 Oregonians hospitalized with COVID-19, 176 of whom are in intensive care unit beds. Of 651 ICU beds, 51 are unoccupied, an 8% availability rate. There are 240 of 4,185 adult non-ICU beds available, or 6%.

In the region that includes Linn and Benton counties, three adult ICU beds are unoccupied, or 4%, and four adult non-ICU beds are available, or 1%.

Vaccinations: OHA reported that 12,052 coronavirus vaccine doses were added to the state immunization registry on Jan. 27. There are now nearly 3.1 million Oregonians who have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and more than 2.8 million who have completed a vaccine series. More than 1.4 million Oregonians have received a booster dose.

Nationally: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 596,860 new confirmed and presumptive cases of the virus, raising the nationwide case total to nearly 72.8 million. There were 2,288 new deaths, bringing the U.S. death total to 873,957.

Tim Gruver covers the city of Albany and Linn County. He can be contacted at 541-812-6114 or Tim.Gruver@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @T_TimeForce.
Loading Still, the sudden announcement of a nuclear substitute was a rude surprise, prompting cries of betrayal and the recall of French ambassadors from Washington and Canberra. Deeper ocean currents had been revealed. A common thread to all the talk was something called the Indo-Pacific, a term barely heard in international affairs just a few years earlier, but now code for what to do about China. The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures, said Prime Minister Morrison at the AUKUS launch. His British counterpart explained the new three-nation partnership as working hand in glove to preserve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. President Biden declared the future of each of our nations  and indeed the world  depends on a free and open Indo-Pacific enduring and flourishing in the decades ahead. Days later, the leaders of the so-called Quad countries  America, Australia, India and Japan  convened in Washington for their first in-person meeting of this important new grouping.

With a less confronting agenda than AUKUS (spanning vaccines, technology, environment and infrastructure) they committed to a region that is a bedrock of our shared security and prosperity  a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is also inclusive and resilient. But all was not well within the tent. Canberras diplomatic activism had propagated the Indo-Pacific as a unifying idea. Now, Australia was at the centre of a family feud in which different democracies preached their own versions of the creed. France expressed its outcry over the sunken submarines deal not in the crude terms of the global arms trade, but as a regretful lack of consistency in upholding shared interests and values in la region indo-pacifique. On the same day as the AUKUS bombshell, the European Union had released its own strategy for co-operation in the Indo-Pacific. A US Navy guided missile destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, December 30, 2020. Credit:AP The European approach was high sounding, but its plea for multilateral diplomacy, inclusiveness and non-confrontation sidestepped the hard question of what to do if China had other ideas, especially with its coercion of Taiwan.

By October 2021, tensions were escalating across the Taiwan Strait, with Chinese bombers making sinister daily air shows in skies it contested with the self-ruling island. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen was declaring that the course of the Indo-Pacific, the worlds fastest-growing region, will in many ways shape the course of the 21st century. That included the increasingly real possibility of catastrophic war. The Indo-Pacific is a place, an idea and a wave sweeping global diplomacy. Many powers and international groupings now invoke this term to define how they are rising to the China challenge. In early 2021, the new US administration of President Biden hit the ground running with a policy of competitive coexistence with China. This was underpinned by strengthened engagement of diverse allies and partners. Thus President Bidens first international summit was with fellow leaders of the Quad. This theme of Indo-Pacific solidarity was developed further a few months later in the Cornwall summit of the Group of Seven (G7) and its new democratic partners, Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) subsequently warned that China posed systemic challenges. How to blunt Chinas bid to dominate the vital Indo-Pacific region  in security, economics, technology and values, and amid the aftershocks of COVID-19  was now a first-order question in global diplomacy.

The Indo-Pacific answer is a practical reimagining of the world map to suit the problem and the times. It reframes an Asia-centric region to reflect growing connectivity and contest across two oceans, driven in substantial part by Chinas expanding interests and influence. This vision explains and encourages the balancing and dilution of Chinese power through new partnerships across collapsed geographic boundaries. Loading In a global discourse dominated by Beijings transgressions and triumphalism, or simplistic narratives of USChina bipolarity, the Indo-Pacific idea offers a useful alternative. It is about incorporating a more powerful China into a regional order where the rights of others are respected, and counterbalancing that power when those rights are not. My book Contest for the Indo-Pacific has been described as a manifesto for this Indo-Pacific idea. The first edition was published in early 2020, just as COVID-19 was starting to spread across the globe. Much has changed in the subsequent two years of upheaval. But the Indo-Pacific idea has emerged tempered and true.

No plague truce The global storm of COVID-19 and its impact on gathering great-power rivalry was not readily foreseen. My original analysis was over-optimistic in identifying a future pandemic as an opportunity to rebalance the worlds relations with China towards co-operation. In 1348, the bubonic plague brought a seven-year pause in the Hundred Years War between England and France. There has been no plague truce in the long struggle of our era. A pattern politely described as assertiveness underwent a step change towards confrontational wolf warrior diplomacy. Had the moment arrived for some confident execution of Chinese grand strategy? Or was this more a manifestation of anxiety, shaped by awareness that the window to lock in relative gains would close, as Chinas demographic, environmental, financial, political and strategic constraints hit home? Or had Chinas rampant nationalism become an unavoidable function of its internal repression, less strategy and more pathology? Rather than the careful implementation of a grand plan, perhaps we are seeing traces of a political autoimmune disease, where the Chinese Communist Partys hyper-defensiveness runs out of control, every germ of foreign criticism a trigger for counterproductive reaction in an empire of hurt feelings.

The Chinese military featured prominently in 2021s Community Party centenary in a year when Beijing flew a record number of test flights over the Taiwan Strait and also parked dozens of vessels in a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Credit:AP Whatever the cause, China accelerated its bid for dominance: a sphere of instability and pressure against not only Taiwan but Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Britain and much of Europe, even little Lithuania. No wonder a growing number of nations have sought new ways to band together in protection of their interests and principles. Middle players make a move A core theme of my book is the agency of middle players  not China, not America  in mapping the future. The spread of the Indo-Pacific concept was a quiet achievement from years of activist diplomacy by these powers, notably Australia and Japan.

Now Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan are renewing their efforts to engage America as a security provider. These same powers and many others are continuing to strengthen themselves while also weaving a diplomatic web of new connections, however Lilliputian this may seem at first. Part of the logic of these middle players banding together was to guard also against American unreliability under Trump. But the coalition building has not abated with the return to a more internationalist United States; instead, it is providing fertile ground for Washingtons re-engagement, demonstrating to America that its allies are increasingly interested in building their own united front. This makes eminent sense at a time when American leadership and credibility is under such strain, from Russias war threats against Ukraine to the tragic aftermath of withdrawal from Afghanistan. Washington may well be serious about a long game of rivalry with China, but this will require new levels of burden-sharing with partners. Thus the new spirit of self-help among Indo-Pacific allies, to influence the balance of power and forcefully defend national interests if stability fails. Australia is expanding its warfighting capabilities  missiles, satellites, warships  amid warnings from Mr Morrison that the era is starting to feel like the 1930s: poorer, more dangerous and more disorderly.

Rather than isolating or subduing the middle players, Chinas actions have bolstered their resolve to seek common cause with one another, while building domestic resilience and keeping the door open for engagement on terms of mutual respect. Australia, India and Japan continue to strengthen bonds with each other and in the Quad with America. In 2020, Australia and India finalised a comprehensive strategic partnership reaching beyond maritime security into cyber, critical technologies, supply chains and infrastructure. Australia and Japan have committed to military access arrangements, allowing their forces to use each others bases. Plus there is new collaboration on cyber, advanced technologies, critical minerals, supply chains, pandemic response and strengthening third countries through aid and training. Indo-Pacific security co-operation has gone global. A few years ago, Indonesia led the 10 member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in devising an Indo-Pacific outlook, a policy of inclusiveness, coexistence and respect for maritime rules across this vast region. France was the first European power to redefine its strategy as Indo-Pacific, back in the 2010s. Despite the AUKUS rupture, France insists its attention will stay on this region, where it retains territories, citizens and military presence.

Meanwhile, Germany, the Netherlands, Britain and the European Union have released Indo-Pacific policies to reframe their diplomacy in support of democratic values and a peaceful, rules-based order, while still hedging somewhat to preserve what commerce and other co-operation they can salvage with China. Quad summit: US President Joe Biden in the White House with, from left, Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Credit:AP Western nations are backing this up with shows of military presence, notably the 2021 deployment of a British aircraft carrier strike group through the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. Loading Taiwan has endorsed the Indo-Pacific in its so-called New Southbound policy. South Korea is starting to do the same in its New Southern policy, regaining confidence in its American ally and looking beyond the Korean Peninsula to sea lanes on which its economy is even more acutely dependent than Chinas. New Zealand and Canada are reframing their foreign policies through an Indo-Pacific lens.

Most prominent among the new partnerships is the Quad. In March 2021, the first Quad summit recast the groupings agenda around public goods: co-operation and capacity in technology, vaccines and climate policy. A second summit at the White House reinforced this plan, including a vaccine rollout predicted to reach 2 billion doses in 2022. All this was hardly hawk talk, and undercut the theatrics of fulmination that Beijing has used to claim it was being threatened by an Asian NATO. The Quad is becoming a core for larger coalitions. As Biden promotes renewed partnership among democracies worldwide, there is scope to coordinate overlapping groups, including the Quad, the Five Eyes (the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand), the new AUKUS trio and the G7. Rory Metcalfs updated edition of Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China wont map the future. Credit:Black Inc. For all the gloom and disruption of the early 2020s, the Indo-Pacific idea should be about building islands of trust and co-operation, in an era when global institutions are under intense strain yet standing alone is not enough. Professor Rory Medcalf is head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. This article is based on an extract from the updated edition of his book Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Wont Map the Future, to be released by Black Inc. on February 1.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

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Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Ballard HS student arrested after he was found with more than 10 knives, report says
KSP: 1 trooper taken to hospital after being shot in Harrison County
Yesteryear

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Great Depression made Denton County, other Texas communities ripe for bloodthirsty bandits

Courtesy photo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, pictured sometime between 1932 and 1934, pose in front of a 1932 Ford V8 automobile. The photo was recovered after the couples deaths on May 23, 1934.

Two of Dentons four banks failed in 1928. Dentons First National Bank closed after father and son H.F. and L.H. Schweer were found guilty of embezzlement. Dentons oldest bank, Exchange National, closed after a rumor sparked a run on a bank, forcing a band that was otherwise solvent to liquidate.

Times were tough, but no one could have known how terrible things would become.

The 1929 stock market crash plunged America into the biggest economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. Denton County residents mantra became use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.

In Denton, the Depression was magnified by the Dust Bowl, in which dust storms killed crops, livestock and people in the drought-stricken southern Plains. John Steinbeck was a journalist commissioned to write about farmworkers impacted by drought, economic hardship and bank foreclosures. He subsequently wrote The Grapes of Wrath about a family forced from their Oklahoma home. Although Eleanor Roosevelt applauded the book, it was banned in many communities, reportedly for rough language, but probably because it uncovered harsh labor practices.

Herbert Hoover was the first Republican president elected by Texans in 1928 by a narrow 3.7% margin, but Texans eventually vilified him. According to the Texas State Historical Association, Texans called armadillos Hoover hogs, homeless encampments Hoovervilles and pants pockets turned inside-out Hoover flaps.

Texans turned their frustration on the police, who, according to the Texas State Historical Association, were often connected to the Ku Klux Klan. Many people hated banks because the banks took homes from people who could no longer pay their mortgages.

Hatred toward police and banks created opportunity for Depression-era criminals, many of whom struggled financially, to rob Denton County banks. Criminals helped by family, friends or complete strangers brazenly robbed banks after cutting off communication by severing phone or telegraph lines.

In October 1929, Dallas Morning News articles reported Eddie Bentz, a known associate of George Machine Gun Kelly, robbed the Ponder Bank in broad daylight. Bentz was arrested. For some unknown reason, he was released on $15,000 bail. After Bentz failed to attend his hearing, authorities found him in New York.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were romanticized as bank robbers in a 1971 movie starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, which showed the pair robbing the Ponder Bank  they didnt. The real Bonnie and Clyde robbed local restaurants and businesses and a handful of banks in five states, never getting more than $1,500. Bonnie and Clydes biggest crime was the ruthless murder of nine police officers and five bystanders.

Newspapers sensationalized Bonnie and Clyde as Robin Hood figures, an image that appealed to Depression-era locals who believed they had been hurt by banks and law enforcement. Bonnie and Clydes love affair and 21-month crime spree was recorded by newspapers across the country.

Clyde was born near Telico, Texas, in 1909; Bonnie was born a year later near Rowena. The Barrow farm was a Dust Bowl failure. Both families struggled financially, and they moved to Dallas. Clyde met and fell in love with Bonnie, a beautiful 19-year-old waitress. After they met, Clyde did time for automobile theft at Texas Eastham Prison Farm, which Texas Monthly called the worst of the worst prisons. Those close to Clyde believed his time in Eastham changed him negatively.

An April 1934 Dallas Morning News story reported the Lewisville Bank was robbed by Ray Hamilton, who Bonnie and Clyde had just helped escape from Eastham. Two hours later, Bonnie and Clyde shot and killed two state highway patrolmen, likely because they were waiting for Hamilton, who had already been arrested.

On May 23, 1934, Texas Ranger Frank Hamer led a six-man posse that caught up with Bonnie and Clyde outside Sailes, Louisiana. They killed Bonnie and Clyde in a 167-bullet ambush. Bonnie and Clydes autopsy pictures fascinated Americans. Their stolen Ford V8 death car made the rounds to county fairs for years; its currently on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.

Charles Pretty Boy Floyd was an Oklahoma Dust Bowl farmer who turned to crime. During Floyds bank-robbing spree in Oklahoma, insurance costs for Oklahoma banks rose significantly. Floyd was generally liked by locals, who called him a Robin Hood because they believed he freed farmers from debt by destroying mortgage papers during bank robberies. That myth hasnt been proven.

Despite their despicable behavior, criminals during the height of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl appealed to peoples beliefs about bank instability and law enforcement corruption.

In a 1932 landslide, 76% of Texans voted for Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the 32nd president. Two of FDRs programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, gave jobs to World War I veterans, taught farmers better farming methods, employed Denton County residents and provided free labor for much-needed Denton projects.

The CCC, WPA and two growing universities helped Denton recover from the Great Depression.
Weatherford, TX (76086)

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Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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NEW LONDON  City officials are urging residents to be aware of potential signs of crisis after two young adults died in a murder-suicide this week.

Arisleidy Batista, 18, and 20-year-old Nicolas Rodriguez-Vargas were identified Friday by the states chief medical examiner as the victims of Wednesday nights incident.

Batista died of gunshot wounds to the head, torso and extremities. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Rodriguez-Vargas died of a gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.

Batista and Rodriguez-Vargas were both residents of the Granite Street apartment where they were found.

Fire Marshal Vernon Skau said his offices investigation indicated that the fire was intentionally set in Batista and Rodriguez-Vargas apartment at 28 Granite St.

Capt. Matthew Galante said in an update on Friday that the police investigation is still ongoing.

In a statement, Mayor Michael Passero called the murder-suicide a tragedy and a violent event that left the community distressed and saddened.

Our hearts go out to the grieving families, he said. We are a small city with close relationships and extended families. We will rally together to comfort the brokenhearted. We will also redouble our efforts to try and prevent this type of violence in the future.

The mayor urged anyone in crisis or in need of help or resources to reach out.

It is important for each of us to recognize the signs of someone in crisis, Passero said. We are a strong and resilient community and the best way we can honor these two lives, lost so young, is to resolves not to let it happen again.

Authorities have not said what might have led up to the deadly encounter, or how the two knew each other.

New London police said officers found the pair while responding to a reported fire in a Granite Street apartment building around 8 p.m. Wednesday. Police said units were already en route to the area of Granite and Williams streets for a report of gunfire nearby.

Galante said Rodriguez-Vargas was pronounced dead at the scene. Batista was rushed to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

The residents of the other units in the building were temporarily displaced by the fire, which was contained to Batista and Rodriguez-Vargas apartment, and have since been able to return.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Detective Bureau at 860-447-1481 or submit tips anonymous by texting NLPDTip and the information to TIP411.
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

 Sephora at Kohl's to open at Whitehall Kohl's

 Juliette Bridals by Ivana has relocated to 161 Glenworth Rd., Pottsville and is having a "relocation celebration" on May 19 at noon.

 Iqor has opened a new 30,000 square-foot call center in Allentown

 Life Advance Fitness at 436 State Ave. in Emmaus opens on May 11

 Grocery Outlet Bargain Market is open at 561 S. Broad Street in Lansdale, in the former Super Foodtown location.

 The Caribbean Grill will hold its grand opening on May 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 1800 Sullivan Trail in Forks Township.

 A new mafia-themed bar named Capo & Co. Keg and Cork Kitchen is hiring staff in Emmaus. The restaurant is at 1375 Chestnut St. and will feature a self-tap wine bar.

 Terrain on the Parkway, at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown is open and renting apartments ranging from studio to three-bedroom size.

 Sports and Social opened April 28 in Allentown. The sports bar and restaurant at 645 Hamilton St. is part of a national chain.

 McCall Collective Brewing plans a May opening for its second location at 7743 Hamilton Blvd. in the Breinigsville section of Upper Macungie Township. The original brewpub is in Allentown.

 Project Paw cat cafe and thrift shop opens April 30 at 452 Northampton St., Easton. The cats in the cafe will be available for adoption. The business supports The Center for Animal Health & Welfare in Williams Township.

 McDonald's of Coopersburg is opening at 6690 Short Drive, Upper Saucon Township, just off Route 309.

 Oley Valley Inn in Oley Township is coming back as The Riedenau House, a farm-to-table restaurant. It will serve a German menu.

 Margaritaville resort, a Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort is coming to Monroe County. Construction in Tobyhanna and Pocono townships may begin next year, with an opening in 2024 at the site of the old Pocono Manor.

 La Dolce Casa, at 16 W. Broad St. on Tamaqua's main thoroughfare, has added La Dolce Casa Bakery and Italian Market just three doors away at 32 W. Broad St. in the former Bittner's General Store.

 Rutter's opens 3rd location in Berks at Route 222 and Long Lane in Maxatawny Township, north of Kutztown.

 Berks Nature opened The Rookery. The Rookery is in Angelica Creek Park, on top of the existing Nature Place structure.

 New Santiago's Restaurant at 125 S. Third St. in Coopersburg has reopened after about a year off.

 Obsidian Tattoo & Piercing Parlor of Bethlehem has expanded to Emmaus. The 173 Main St. location is open now.

 Ocean State Job Lot, a Rhode Island-based discount store, will open at the former site of the Kmart at Shillington Plaza in Cumru Township.

 Elpedio's Ristorante will open May 1 at the site of the Seipsville Inn in Palmer Township.

 King Wing has opened at 129 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem, serving buffalo wings, along with sandwiches.

 Royal Farms convenience store and gas station is headed to the site of the Brass Rail in Allentown on Lehigh Street.

 3 Men & A Bagel is back open after a brief closing for surgery for the baker. The shop is located at 3350 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem.

 Wert's Cafe is back after a brief closing following the death of owner Greg Wert.

 Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has moved to 15 S. Second St. in Emmaus. A grand opening will be held May 5.

 Juliette Bridals by Ivana will hold a ribbon cutting May 19 at 161 Genworth Road, Pottsville.

 JPMorgan Chase & Co., the biggest bank in the U.S., is coming to downtown Allentown.

 The Easton Farmers' Market will open May 7 at Scott Park along Larry Holmes Drive.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Quincy, IL (62301)

Today

Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Linda Riggs Mayfield is a researcher, writer, and online consultant for doctoral scholars and authors. She retired from the associate faculty of Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and is a previous Board member and officer of the Historical Society.

The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County is preserving the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History Museum on the Square, the 1835 Log Cabin, the Livery, the Lincoln Gallery displays, and a collection of artifacts and documents that tell the story of who we are. This award-winning column is written by members of the Society. For more information visit hsqac.org or email info@hsqac.org.
Solutions Architect (Microsoft 365), Vienna, Austria

Organization: IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency

Country: World

City: Vienna

Office: IAEA Vienna, Austria

Grade: P-3

Closing date: Monday, 7 February 2022

Solutions Architect (Microsoft 365)(P3)

( 2021/0595 (014364) )

Organization: MTIT-Enterprise Software Services Unit

Primary Location: Austria-Vienna-Vienna-IAEA Headquarters

Job Posting: 2022-01-17, 3:21:56 PM

Contract Type : Fixed Term

Regular

Probation Period : 1 Year

This is a re-opening of the vacancy. Candidates who already applied do not need to re-submit an application.

Organizational Setting

The Division of Information Technology provides support to the IAEA in the field of information and communication technology (ICT), including information systems for technical programmes and management. It is responsible for planning, developing and implementing an ICT strategy, for setting and enforcing common ICT standards throughout the Secretariat and for managing central ICT services. The IAEAs ICT infrastructure comprises hardware and software platforms, and cloud and externally-hosted services. The Division has implemented an IT service management model based on ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) and Prince2 (Projects in a Controlled Environment) best practices.The Business Solutions Section provides information systems development and support services to IAEA programme areas and to the IAEA as a whole.The Enterprise Software Services Unit (ESSU) provides enterprise software architecture services that serve as foundations for the implementation of management and programmatic solutions.

Main Purpose

The Solutions Architect (Microsoft 365) is a technical specialist and a client liaison who provides advice and support for computerised solutions aimed at improving business processes and systems to meet organisational needs and applies technical knowledge to design, build and implement effective Microsoft 365 based information systems.

Role

The Solutions Architect (Microsoft 365) plays several roles in the Section: (1) solution designer, liaising with internal clients , defining challenges, and devising solutions.

(2) project manager, initiating, planning, executing, and controlling agreed work.

(3) software engineer, performing relevant software engineering disciplines either as a project leader or a member of a team.

(4) solution architect, providing architectural and implementing Microsoft 365-based solutions.

(5) a specialist in the Section, taking part in various activities as required, such as quality assurance, continuous process improvement and providing Microsoft 365 expertise across the organisation.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Reviews and determines client and business needs; and develops sustainable solutions to meet needs/challenges. c43VVUo Dh7qKS

Plans, designs, and implements Microsoft 365 based solutions based on the needs analysis.

Leads the assigned software projects by applying effective project management skills/tools to ensure deliverable and outputs are achieved within the expected quality and timeline.

Provides advice and guidance across the organisation on the Microsoft 365 platform.

Be responsible for the operation, maintenance, trouble-shooting and other technical support for existing software systems.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies

Name Definition

Communication

Communicates orally and in writing in a clear, concise and impartial manner. Takes time to listen to and understand the perspectives of others and proposes solutions.

Achieving Results

Takes initiative in defining realistic outputs and clarifying roles, responsibilities and expected results in the context of the Department/Divisions programme. Evaluates his/her results realistically, drawing conclusions from lessons learned.

Teamwork

Actively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions.

Planning and Organizing

Plans and organizes his/her own work in support of achieving the team or Sections priorities. Takes into account potential changes and proposes contingency plans.

Functional Competencies

Name Definition

Client orientation

Helps clients to analyse their needs. Seeks to understand service needs from the clients perspective and ensure that the clients standards are met.

Commitment to continuous process improvement

Plans and executes activities in the context of quality and risk management and identifies opportunities for process, system and structural improvement, as well as improving current practices. Analyses processes and procedures, and proposes improvements.

Technical/scientific credibility

Ensures that work is in compliance with internationally accepted professional standards and scientific methods. Provides scientifically/technically accepted information that is credible and reliable.

Required Expertise

Function Name Expertise Description

Information Technology

Information Security

Experience in architecture and development with Microsoft 365.

Information Technology

Software Development

Strong knowledge of secure coding techniques and information security.

Asset Expertise

Function Name Expertise Description

Information Technology

Project Management

Experience in the use of established formal methods and a disciplined approach to software engineering as well as Lean/agile methodologies such as SCRUM and DevOps is desired;

Information Technology

Software Engineering

Experience in managing software development projects using a recognized Project Management methodology such as PMP or Prince2.

Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

University Degree in Software Engineering or a related field (such as information management, electronic engineering, or computer science).

Internationally recognized certification of Information Security is desirable.

A minimum of five years of relevant experience in Microsoft-based software development, at least 3 of which must be implementing SharePoint solutions. Experience with Data Engineering and processing, such as SQL, Analytics/SSAS, ETLs Azure Data Services as well as experience with Azure and Azure Cognitive Services. Strong customer relationship skills and ability to lead customers successfully through scoping, statement of work development, gathering requirements and provide solutions.

Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $62120 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 27581*, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; 6 weeks annual vacation, home leave, pension plan and health insurance

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are encouraged

Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The IAEA is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. As part of the United Nations common system, the IAEA subscribes to the following core ethical standards (or values): Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for diversity. Staff members may be assigned to any location. The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above. Testing may be part of the recruitment process

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1642527820316
Fund Raising Officer (Digital Strategy), Manila, Philippines

Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Childrens Fund

Country: World

City: Manila

Office: UNICEF in Manila, Philippines

Closing date: Monday, 31 January 2022

Fund Raising Officer (Digital Strategy), NO-1, Fixed Term, Manila, 118393

Job no: 547487

Position type: Fixed Term Appointment

Location: Philippines Division/Equivalent: Bangkok (EAPRO), Thailand

School/Unit: Philippines

Department/Office: Manila, Philippines

Categories: Private Fundraising and Partnerships

UNICEF works in some of the worlds toughest places, to reach the worlds most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a fair chance

UNICEF is an active partner of the Philippines, working for the realization of the rights of every child and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. UNICEF is focused on improving the lives of the countrys most vulnerable children.

UNICEF has its only field office in Cotabato City, in Mindanao, southern Philippines. The city is the centre of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a newly created Muslim-majority region that is the countrys poorest, and where the situation of children lags significantly behind that of children elsewhere in the country. Mindanao is conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoon storms.

Visit this link for more information on UNICEF in the Philippines https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

How can you make a difference?

The Fund Raising (FR) Officer (Digital Strategy) leads the Philippine Country Offices digital fundraising operations to grow and scale up online revenues and provide proactive digital knowledge support and advice on areas of strategic digital-related investments. It is responsible for developing the overall digital fundraising strategy and targets, implementing fundraising campaigns, maintaining and improving digital infrastructure and optimizing and reporting results promoting donor acquisition and retention for UNICEF Philippines.

The FR Officer collaborates and partners with other members of the PFP team and the Communications Section particularly on crafting and delivering a strategy for social media channels, the UNICEF donation website, and other digital communication plans to ensure cohesive messaging. The post coordinates and implements all digital fundraising plans and budgets with suppliers, digital agencies and the Global Private Sector Fundraising team and Regional Support Centre. The FR Officer ensures compliance with all prescribed and required standards relating to digital payments, data security, data privacy and digital fundraising infrastructure security, such as PCI DSS standards, UNICEF ICT standards, local/national data privacy standards and other similar requirements.

Under the supervision of the Chief of Private Fund raising and Partnership (PFP) the post shall undertake the following tasks: 1. Develop the overall digital fundraising strategy and workplan with annual targets in consultation and collaboration with the supervisor. To ensure income and donor acquisition targets are met according to budget and schedule, the role is expected to:

Create campaign/marketing briefs or concept notes, and to lead the briefing process or agencies/suppliers

Work with digital agencies for campaign and channel strategy and media planning, providing strategic guidance to ensure they perform with the highest standards

Lead the development of new digital fundraising products

Develop and maintain digital partnerships with e-Commerce channels

2. Perform day-to-day implementation of digital acquisition and retention activities:

Collaborate with suppliers, digital agencies and other relevant PFP and Communications colleagues to launch, run and optimize organic and paid media efforts and tests on social media, search, display, e-mail marketing and other digital channels.

Perform project management on all ongoing and upcoming digital efforts, prioritizing activities with the highest impac.t

Coordinate approvals and integration of digital fundraising content within UNICEF and externally.

3. Maintain and improve UNICEFs donation infrastructure and e-Commerce ecosystem:

Set-up UNICEF donation pages for both regular and emergency campaigns.

Serve as focal for all website improvements, updates and troubleshooting, including UX/UI, e-Commerce/analytics tracking, and payment gateway set-up and coordination.

Work with digital partners (i.e. e-Wallets like GCash, PayMaya, Grab and marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee) to maximize income from e-Commerce streams.

4. Provide strategic guidance and support for the wider PFP and Communications teams:

Lead the digital implementation of cross-cutting activities such as lead generation, crowdfunding, direct response television, legacy fundraising and other acquisition efforts.

Support donor retention activities by growing e-mail marketing and SMS programmes and helping optimize donor journeys for value maximization and conversion.

Provide corporate fundraising support with donor-partners as needed.

Assist in Communications-led activities such as celebrity/influencer management and social media community management and chat commerce.

5. Monitor and evaluate digital fundraising activities as per agreed key performance indicators and metrics of success, including budget expenses:

Track KPIs, analyze and report on results and provide actionable, data-driven recommendations to continuously improve donor acquisition and retention.

Write and present reports on a periodic basis to PFP and to regional or global teams.

Develop TORs for Long-Term Arrangements (LTA) and Purchase Orders (PO) and participate in procurement activities with the Supply section as needed.

Provide agency/supplier evaluations and ensure deliverables are met prior to payment.

6. Supervise and manage digital support staff and its anticipated expansion over time

Manage and oversee the role of Fundraising Associate for Digital Analytics (GS-6), co-creating the workplan for the development of the teams in-house digital analytics expertise. c4x5Nqj Dh7qKS

Along with HR, participate in the recruitment and hiring process of future digital staff.

7. Act as focal point for the digital aspects of emergency fundraising. Develop and implement emergency fundraising campaigns when needed and ensure fundraising materials are immediately set up within an agreed time-frame.

8. Oversee regular security assessment of our donation sites and monitor PCI-DSS compliance

Coordinate security assessment regularly with digital agency, security provider and web hosting provider (as needed).

According to project plan, manage and execute PCI-DSS compliance activities and monitor ongoing compliance.

9. Keep up to date with PFP global plans, strategies and guidelines and best practices to ensure all global best practice and key learnings are utilized and applied to private sector fundraising in the Philippines:

Attend local, regional or global trainings on digital trends and learnings

Build relationships with other UNICEF markets and local industry peers for knowledge-sharing purposes

Work with senior stakeholders within the organization to build awareness and understanding of digital opportunities

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

A university degree in Communications and Marketing, Digital Advertising, Digital Fundraising, Business, Management or another relevant field is required. Other additional training and certification in digital channels is an asset.

Minimum of one year of professional experience in the digital marketing field, whether in digital agencies or the client side or related fields, is required.

Experience in digital marketing may include: o Agency-side roles: advertising account management for digital campaigns, strategic planning, data analytics, social media management and related roles.

Client-side roles: brand and product management, marketing, sales, customer loyalty and related roles.

Proven success in launching campaigns and delivering successful digital marketing programs with demonstrated financial results.

Proven project management skills delivering complex projects on time and on budget with a strong knowledge of all the financial aspects of fundraising or marketing including analysis of costs/income, ROI, conversion/sales data and all other relevant KPIs.

Experience in digital fundraising or private sector fundraising areas such as acquisition, conversion, retention, loyalty and multi-channel campaign management is an advantage

Knowledge of digital audience research, segmentation, and trends (qualitative and quantitative research methods) is an asset.

Strong international professional experience is an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEFs values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

Works Collaboratively with others (2)

Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)

Innovates and Embraces Change (2)

Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)

Drive to achieve impactful results (2)

Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by

31 January 2022. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal will be considered.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Advertised: Jan 17 2022 Singapore Standard Time Application close: Jan 31 2022 Singapore Standard Time

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1642447712715
Sean Penn says "cowardly genes" lead some men into "surrendering their jeans" for skirts
Following news that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe V. Wade, pro-choice protesters took to the streets of Moscow, and Planned Parenthood officials want to remind people that its health centers are still open and abortion services are currently legal.
For Abi Torquato and Tyler Rogers, home is where the giant, blue-footed ceramic alligator head is.

For Abi Torquato and Tyler Rogers, home is where the giant, blue-footed ceramic alligator head is.

After closing amid the pandemic, the owners of Garry Street Coffee have reopened their cafe in a new location under a new name  the businesss signature Italian espresso beans and oddball art pieces, however, have come along for the ride.

"We brought an alligator, an astronaut riding a dachshund and an espresso machine," Rogers says, pointing at the ceramic sculptures atop the bar. "And now its home."

Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press Dealers Choice owners Tyler Rogers, left, and Abi Torquato.

The new venture, called Dealers Choice, is located at 111 Princess St. inside the Exchange Event Centre, where Rogers works as a production manager.

While the space is exponentially larger than the eclectic, 12-seat coffee shop the pair ran for four years, there are some definite perks: namely, a fully functioning kitchen and a liquor licence. The cafes tagline has been extended accordingly to: "Your favourite coffee shops favourite coffee shop, now with booze and food."

"The skys the limit," says Rogers, who is also known around town as rapper Charlie Fettah. "We can accommodate a lot more and a wider variety of events."

When restrictions allow, the goal is to host everything from book readings to movie screenings to live music.

Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press The spacious interior design of Dealers Choice Coffee offers the opportunity to put on a variety of events.

Aside from a small crew of part-time kitchen staffers, Rogers and Torquato are the cafes only employees. As such, the food menu has been kept small, with eggs, toast and omelets available for breakfast, and sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd.

Partnering with the owners of the event centre has also benefited the operational side of the cafe.

"Its still essentially me and Abi," Rogers says. "But now we have partners that help and give input and have tons of business experience."

"Weve really been given a gift  that we deserve," Torquato adds with a hearty laugh. "We have this structure now that we never had before, but always wanted."

Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press Tyler Rogers, left, and Abi Torquato share a laugh while sipping freshly made coffee in their new cafe, Dealers Choice Coffee.

Previously, the best way to find out if Garry Street Coffee was open or not was by scrolling its Instagram feed. Hours could change daily and the owners had, on occasion, closed early to go get ice cream. The fluidity was part of the charm.

"That space was very special, and not just to us, to everybody," Torquato says. "People could come in and pour themselves coffee; we didnt even have to be there, we just had to open the door."

Closing the old shop was undeniably sad, but they aim to foster the same sense of community at Dealers Choice. In addition to events, the interior will be a rotating gallery of work by local artists. The aforementioned alligator and astronaut sculptures were made by Manitoba ceramicist Jakobi Heinrichs, for example.

The new name is a nod to a tradition started at Garry Street.

Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press A coffee menu leans up against a La Spaziale espresso machine, which was originally used at the former Garry Street Coffee shop

"We never had a menu so people would come in and be like, What should I get? and wed be like, Dealers choice?" Torquato says. "That caught on you might get lucky and get a latte or a mocha latte or a coconut matcha or you might get an espresso."

Day-to-day, the shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday as a casual place to grab a coffee, made with top-secret beans from Italy, and a bite to eat. With ample seating and free Wi-Fi, laptop loiterers are more than welcome.

"We want to bring people downtown again," Torquato says. "Come work for four hours in a booth we have the room, so you can leave your house and come do that (safely)."

The coffee shop is holding a pop-in, pop-out grand opening Saturday during regular business hours. Visit @dealerschoicewpg on Instagram for more information.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney
Breakfast bowls across the country remain bare as a mini-cereal crisis continues to confound Canadians.

Breakfast bowls across the country remain bare as a mini-cereal crisis continues to confound Canadians.

A labour dispute, supply-chain issues and the pandemic have resulted in a shortage of family favourites such as Kelloggs Rice Krispies and Cornflakes.

Bereft breakfast eaters have noticed a distinct lack of the staples on supermarket shelves with many taking to social media to voice their frustrations.

The official Rice Krispies account on Twitter has been fending off queries from bemused breakfasters and bakers alike.

"Due to supply constraint in manufacturing there is a temporary shortage of Rice Krispies. At this time we do not have an estimated date on when it will be back in stock but can assure you, we are working as fast as we can to get it back on store shelves," the tweet, published on 25 January, said.

The Kelloggs pay dispute  which saw 1,400 cereal plant workers down tools from October to December last year  has been resolved but the effects of the 11-week strike are still being felt in our kitchen cupboards

Winnipeg resident Becky Lett is disappointed after not being able to source the crunchy rice cereal which she uses in a treat she makes for her friend.

"I make Rice Krispies whenever I visit because she cant quite do it without burning the marshmallows," said Lett, who has been searching in shops and online.

She recently visited her neighbourhood store to check on the status but there was nary a box on display with only pre-made squares and brown Rice Krispies on offer.

"I get groceries delivered and tried for weeks to get it in. Ended up getting a no-name brand once and switched for the brown rice kind another time," she continued.

Nurse Jane Kraut has also not been able to source Rice Krispies or Cornflakes and has been forced to make substitutions, often opting for no-name brand cereals.

Kraut has mostly been doing her shopping online and has found the cereals have vanished from her order app or are removed from her shopping cart as out of stock, she says.

"We tried to get a few other types but to no avail," she said.

As well as serving them for breakfast, Kraut also uses Rice Krispies and Cornflakes her cooking, with the latter being a key ingredient in her kugel.

"Noodle kugel is a Jewish dish eaten with sour cream and berries. I cant make it without the cornflakes," she explains.

The Kelloggs pay dispute has been resolved but the effects of the 11-week strike are still being felt in our kitchen cupboards. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)

On Amazon packs of the product are being sold for anything from between $19.99 to $26.

"That is way over the top," Kraut said," I would not pay that kind of money for a box."

As well as cereals, pantry staples such as tinned soup, noodles and spices seem to also be dwindling.

Extreme weather conditions are being blamed for the temporary lack of items.

Independent grocer Darren Miller who owns Portage Supermarket in Portage la Prarie has certainly noticed the shortage.

"A lot of the Campbell soups are shorted," he said.

"Ichiban noodles are starting to disappear and some of the rices - the different varieties - are harder to find," he continued.

A spokesperson from the Retail Council of Canada has urged shoppers to keep things in perspective.

"Retailers are concerned with a range of challenges in the supply chain, posed by COVID impacts, labour shortages, inclement weather and other factors," said Michelle Wasylyshen, National Spokeswoman of the Retail Council of Canada.

"But lets not lose sight - there is no threat to the overall robustness of the food supply system in Canada."

Anthony Fuchs, VP of Communication at Food Health & Consumer Products (FHCP) Canada says a "perfect storm of disruptions is impacting Canadas supply chains".

"More than 75 per cent of FHCP members report labour shortages are impacting their production and ability to supply product in Canada," he said.

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Extreme weather and shortages of shipping containers, packaging and ingredients also complicate the issue.

The result of these challenges will felt in our pockets with rising grocery costs and fewer discounts given product scarcity in the months to come.

But Fuchs counsels caution.

"Its important to remember though that often what appears to be a shortage is really just temporary low inventory.

"If you arent finding your preferred product, wait a few days or talk to the store manager; its usually on its way," he explained.

Twitter: @nuchablue
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Montana wildlife commissioners on Friday moved to shut down gray wolf hunting in a portion of the state around Yellowstone National Park, amid mounting criticism over a record number of the animals shot or trapped after roaming across the park boundary this winter.

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)

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Montana wildlife commissioners on Friday moved to shut down gray wolf hunting in a portion of the state around Yellowstone National Park, amid mounting criticism over a record number of the animals shot or trapped after roaming across the park boundary this winter.

But commissioners rejected calls to revive quotas that would limit the number of wolves killed along Yellowstone's northern border to just a few annually. Those longstanding quotas were lifted last year after Republican lawmakers passed laws intended to drive down the wolf population by making it easier to kill the animals.

This Dec. 5, 2019 photo provided by the National Park Service shows the Junction Butte wolf pack taken from an aircraft in Yellowstone National Park. Park officials say seven wolves from the pack that's popular among tourists have been killed by hunters in Montana and Wyoming in recent months. (National Park Service via AP, File)

Yellowstone officials had pressed the state beginning in mid-December to suspend hunting in some areas along the parks border. They said the deaths marked a significant setback for the long-term viability of Yellowstone's renowned wolf packs.

Under Friday's unanimous commission vote, hunting and trapping for wolves in southwestern Montana will be barred once the number killed in the region hits 82 animals. So far 76 have been reported killed in that area.

Twenty-three wolves from park packs have been killed so far this winter  18 in Montana, three in Wyoming and two in Idaho, according to Yellowstone officials. That's the most in a season since the predators were restored to the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains more than 25 years ago after being widely decimated last century.

The park is now down to 91 wolves, spokesperson Morgan Warthin said.

Urged by ranchers and hunters who want fewer wolves, Republican lawmakers in Montana and Idaho last year loosened hunting and trapping laws to allow night hunting, higher harvest limits, the use of snares and even aerial hunting in Idaho. Montana also eliminated the longstanding quotas.

FILE - This March 21, 2019, aerial file photo provided by the National Park Service shows the Junction Butte wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. Park officials say 23 wolves have been killed by hunters and trappers after roaming out of the park in recent months. (National Park Service via AP, File)

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte told Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly in a recent letter that once a wolf exits the park and enters Montana it may be killed under state rules. Gianforte trapped and killed a radio-collared wolf from Yellowstone last year on private land near the park. He was later given a warning for violating state hunting rules by killing the wolf without first taking a mandatory trapper education course.

Sholly told wildlife commissioners in a letter released Friday that park wolves spend only 5 % of their time outside the park. In the last three years, Sholly wrote, there's been only one attack on livestock by wolves in Park County, Montana, just north of the Yellowstone. Such attacks are frequently cited by ranchers who want to reduce wolf numbers.

The 184 wolves killed statewide so far this season has been in line with recent years, Montana officials said. There are more than 1,000 wolves in the state.

We have a statutory obligation to reduce the wolf population, said Patrick Tabor, vice chair of Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, prior to Friday's vote.

But the killings just outside Yellowstone have infuriated wildlife advocates and brought condemnation from some businesses that depend on park tourism.

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.

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Nature guide Cara McGary, who leads tourists on wildlife watching trips into the park from Gardiner, Montana, said the hunting along the park's border targeted wolves where their greatest economic value was in being alive so tourists can see them.

These are the most viewable wolves in the lower 48, if not the world, McGary said. The same packs that my clients pay me to see on every wildlife watching tour all year round ... What's the justification for this damage?

The wolf season for the rest of the Montana is scheduled to run through March 15. State regulations allow Montanas fish and wildlife commission to review hunting seasons for different regions of the state when their individual harvest thresholds are met, or statewide when the total number killed reaches 450 wolves.

The increasingly aggressive attitude toward the predators among state lawmakers has raised concerns within the federal government that overhunting could scuttle the costly effort to restore wolves in wild areas of the West.

In September, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it would examine if federal endangered species protections should be re-imposed for more than 2,000 wolves in six northern U.S. Rockies states including Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Those protections were lifted a decade ago, based in part on assurances the states would maintain viable wolf populations.
OTTAWA - An organization that develops health-care standards has released a draft of new long-term care guidance that the authors hope will fundamentally change the way Canadian care homes are accredited and inspected.

A home-care worker is shown outside Orchard Villa long-term care home in Pickering, Ont., on May 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

OTTAWA - An organization that develops health-care standards has released a draft of new long-term care guidance that the authors hope will fundamentally change the way Canadian care homes are accredited and inspected.

Drafted in response to the thousands of resident deaths related to COVID-19, the new standards are designed to avert such tragedies in the future, said Dr. Samir Sinha, chair of a Health Standards Organization technical committee that wrote the new document.

"I think a lot of the standard has been written in that line of thinking, about what have we experienced and what further things we need to do in the standard to have avoided a lot of what we had been witnessing over and over again during this pandemic," Sinha said in a media briefing ahead of the document's release.

The pandemic highlighted some of the severe and long-standing gaps in long-term care, including poor working conditions for staff. Those poor conditions gave way to staff shortages while COVID-19 surged in 2020, which in turn fuelled the spread of infections as support workers moved from home to home to fill the gaps.

At times residents have been locked down against their rights, Sinha said, cut off from loved ones and unable to leave their residence.

COVID-19 killed 14,000 residents of long-term care as of Aug. 15, 2021, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, accounting for about 43 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in the country to date.

Sinha, who serves as director of geriatrics at Sinai Health in Toronto, said there are several new criteria in the draft standards that he believes would have prevented the thousands of deaths among long-term care residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The standards are focused on providing care and quality of life for residents, as well as a positive work environment.

That includes fair pay and benefits and appropriate staff levels for workers, and aligning infection prevention and control in the homes with the kind of measures used in hospitals, he said.

The standards also reflect the residents' rights to live with a certain degree of risk if they choose, which might mean residents who are prone to falls eschewing restraints, or some visitors allowed in during outbreaks of illness.

"We have to find that balance in terms of allowing residents to live with risk and respecting their right to live with risks, but also balancing the safety of everybody who's living at (the) home," Sinha said.

The proposed standards make reference to several key areas highlighted by the pandemic, but don't include the kind of hard, measurable benchmarks long-term care advocate Vivian Stamatopoulos hoped to see.

"The problem is, it's a lot of good points being discussed too vaguely and with a lack of specificity to actually create the meaningful standards that I think we need," said Stamatopoulos, who researches long-term care as an associate teaching professor of criminology at Ontario Tech University.

The standards don't lay out how many care hours each resident should receive per day, for example, or what percentage of the staff should be full time employees.

"This is the opportunity to set evidence-based, clear standards that would benefit all Canadians, and that opportunity was missed," she said.

Sinha said the committee intentionally avoided being too prescriptive, because they wanted to be open-minded about the ways different provinces and homes measure and evaluate progress.

Instead, the standards lay out what kind of data and metrics should be gathered and used to improve quality care, he said.

"We think that really what you'll see is the blueprint for that, that has much more clear language, that's goal oriented," he said.

Previous standards were developed by HSO in 2012 have been updated over the years. They're currently used to accredit about 68 per cent of long-term homes in Canada, Sinha said.

Where the old standards listed 35 criteria for offering good-quality long-term care, the new draft includes 183.

The standards touch on residents' care plans, making sure the residence offers the qualities of home, disaster procedures, whistleblower protection, and workforce qualifications.

They also call for workforce data collection and assessments of residents' quality of life, health and well-being to drive quality improvement at the homes.

HSO has requested public feedback on the draft over the next 60 days, which will be collected and used to inform the final draft.

The HSO standards have been developed in parallel with CSA Group, formally known as the Canadian Standards Association, which will focus on more physical elements of long-term care like the design of the buildings, air filtration, and infection prevention and control.

CSA Group's draft long-term care standards are expected to be released for public review next month.

While the federal government requested the new standards, it's still not clear how it plans to implement them since long-term care is under the jurisdiction of provinces and territories.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government pledged $3 billion over five years to support the implementation of the new standards, but ultimately provinces and territories will need to be on board with any changes.

Trudeau has also issued a mandate to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos to draft national legislation for long-term care safety though no details have been publicly released yet.

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Sinha envisions the standards being used to inform every part of long-term care, from legislation, to accreditation, inspections, and even the curriculum for staff training.

Governments also need to give the standards some teeth, so they can be enforced and homes are made accountable for following them, he said.

"My God, I'm hoping that this will be a clear blueprint that really can enable provincial and territorial and federal action to move long- term care to where all Canadians are demanding it to," he said.

The new standards are expected to be finalized and published at the end of the year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2022.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version erroneously reported that the HSO's previous standards are used to accredit 61 per cent of long-term care homes in Canada.
OTTAWA - The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is now recommending teenagers with underlying conditions or at high risk of COVID-19 exposure get a booster shot.

Sayed Rahman owner of Phone Cards Plus at the Jane and Finch Mall, is given a COVID-19 vaccine by Nurse Sandra Bernal during a mobile clinic, operated by Black Creek Community Health Centre, in Toronto, on Thursday, January 13, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

OTTAWA - The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is now recommending teenagers with underlying conditions or at high risk of COVID-19 exposure get a booster shot.

The advice comes as more provincial health officers are transitioning to a position of learning to live with COVID-19 and loosening public health restrictions.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says kids and adolescents are still at low risk of serious illness in general from COVID-19 but because of the high rate of infection due to Omicron more kids are being admitted to hospital.

Health Canada data suggest in the last week 251 children under 12 and 84 adolescents between 12 and 19 were admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

That data is not broken down by vaccination status but Tam said teenagers with two doses are at very low risk of severe outcomes, which is why for now Canada isn't following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recommending all adolescents get a third shot.

Just over half of Canadian children five to 11 now have at least their first dose, while 82 per cent of teens 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated. Most kids five to 11 only became eligible for their second dose in late January and there is no talk of boosters for that age group yet.

NACI's new advice for teenagers between 12 and 17 is to get a booster if they have an underlying medical condition or live in congregate settings or racialized or marginalized communities that have been hard hit by COVID-19 infections.

The booster should be six months after their last dose, and would include fourth doses for teenagers with severely compromised immune systems who got a third dose as part of the primary vaccination series.

"This is their recommendation right now," Tam said of NACI. "That doesn't mean it couldn't shift. But they will monitor the evolving evidence and update the guidance as needed."

Tam said NACI is also now looking at what to tell people about getting a booster shot after they have been infected with COVID-19, advice needed after the number of people infected with Omicron hit new highs.

How high is hard to know, because the widespread PCR testing used in previous waves disintegrated under the sheer weight of Omicron's infection rate. Tam said indicators including the percentage of tests coming back positive and wastewater tracking are continuing to show Omicron is starting to wane.

Tam said there are also immunity studies underway looking to test for Omicron antibodies in blood samples that will give us a far better picture of population-based immunity and help drive more decisions about whether COVID-19 is shifting into endemic status.

An endemic virus is one that is constantly present in an area, usually with mostly mild impacts, such as flu. The World Health Organization warned it's too early to see COVID-19 as endemic because of the widespread infection rates all over the world but Tam said she is "certainly cautiously optimistic" we're getting close.

"I think it would be great to be driven by a bit more data," she said.

Even so, many provinces are moving to lift restrictions and treat COVID-19 waves more like flu seasons. Saskatchewan moved Friday to stop requiring people who come into close contact with COVID-19 to isolate, and those who get sick will only have to isolate for five days regardless of vaccination status.

"So many of us, on any given time, are notified as a close contact and its really not feasible for us to isolate every time were a close contact," chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said Thursday.

British Columbia's provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said health officials are aiming to ease COVID-19 restrictions starting in mid-February, as 90 per cent of residents aged 12 and up have received two doses of the vaccine.

Henry said more people need to get a booster shot with new variants expected to emerge as immunity wanes.

"But, we will reach a point where we no longer need public health orders and we no longer need those extraordinary societal efforts."

Ontario chief medical health officer Dr. Kieran Moore said Thursday we have lived with the fear of COVID-19 driving decisions for two years and we need to adjust our thinking now, as Omicron starts to wane.

"I think we have to start to understand we have to learn to live with this virus," Moore said.

He said a new troubling variant could upend that hope, however.

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Tam said the new sublineage of Omicron, BA. 2, is being monitored but isn't currently of much concern.

She said Canada has been finding it as far back as November, and while it sometimes makes it harder to pick up Omicron on a test, it does not appear to be causing more severe illness than the original Omicron.

Hospitalizations and deaths from Omicron are still high  the number of daily deaths averaged 168 in the last week, Tam said, the highest it has been since the early days of the pandemic in April and May 2020.

An average of 10,800 people were in hospital with COVID-19 over the last seven days, up from 10,041 the previous week. These numbers blow away the pre-Omicron hospitalization record of about 5,000 in mid-January 2021.

There were 1,200 people in ICU, up from 1,143 a week earlier. The record for ICU admissions with COVID-19 was almost 1,400 during the Delta wave last May.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.
You may have noticed emptier grocery shelves.

You may have noticed emptier grocery shelves.

Produce might be closer to its expiry date than normal; certain brands may be unattainable or in short supply.

However, Winnipeggers are not in panic-buying mode.

"Were not ordering that much more than we normally do," said Food Fare owner Munther Zeid. "Everythings normal."

Sylvain Charlebois, a Dalhousie University professor of food distribution and policy, disputed a National Post article that quoted him saying Winnipeg is experiencing panic buying.

"For Winnipeg itself, I couldnt find any strong evidence it was happening," Charlebois said, noting he emailed the reporter before the articles publication on Thursday.

Still, many grocers are trying to fill gaps in their aisles.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Food Fare owner Munther Zeid says he is ordering what he normally would. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Politicians from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to federal MP Melissa Lantsman have pointed to such shortages as a reason to end Ottawas new vaccination policy for truckers, which took effect last Saturday.

Halfway around the world to source products John Atama left for Nigeria Thursday to source hard-to-find goods for his Fort Garry grocery store. Hell be in the African country for three months, sorting items for My Spice House and packing them into a 40 ft. container to be shipped to Canada. Its cheaper that way for us, Atama said in his Pembina Highway shop hours before the trip. Prices are going up, salaries are not. click to read more John Atama left for Nigeria Thursday to source hard-to-find goods for his Fort Garry grocery store. Hell be in the African country for three months, sorting items for My Spice House and packing them into a 40 ft. container to be shipped to Canada. Its cheaper that way for us, Atama said in his Pembina Highway shop hours before the trip. Prices are going up, salaries are not. The ethnic grocery stores products mainly come from India, Africa and the United States. Atama has watched prices soar. Everything from raw materials to the cost of fuel  and subsequently, the cost of transport  has jumped. Were just trying to survive and stay in business, Atama said. Its really hard, but it is what it is. Customers are unhappy about increased grocery bills, but the Nigerian-Canadian said he cant help the trickle-down effect. I say, Look, I can show you my invoices. Its not about me. My Spice House has already lost patrons due to a lack of supply. Items that used to arrive in three days now take several weeks, Atama said. Sometimes, shelves are empty. People get so frustrated when they come one, two, three times and ask for the same product, and we cant supply (it), Atama said. Its really frustrating because youre wasting your gas to come down here. He encourages customers, many of whom are Indian or Nigerian, to call ahead to ensure if something specific is in stock. The products with shorter expiry dates are the trickiest, Atama said. Basmati rice from India is often scarce. But, the entrepreneur has loaded up on goods with long shelf lives, including the basic necessities for families like certain beans and lentils. The lengthy wait for goods isnt new, Atama said. He believes it began getting worse after Ottawa announced in November it has plans to change vaccine rules for truckers. Fresh meat products were almost gone Thursday in 88 Mart, a Korean market off Pembina Highway. (Theres) too many different products frozen, fresh, dried (that) are delayed, said co-owner Leon Park. Ninety per cent of the stores offerings come from South Korea, Park said. Shipments come through Toronto or Vancouver, but the backlogs have been unrelenting. Smaller grocers have been closing during the pandemic. In the West End alone, Crown Grocery, Kims Mini Market and LinLan Grocery have shuttered. The latter, a Vietnamese grocery, closed in November, but its sister company, a restaurant called Banh Mi Mr. Lee, opened in December. - Gabrielle Piche Close

However, the situation is far more multi-faceted than a truck driver shortage, and it wont be resolved right away, according to those in the industry.

"Ive seen empty shelves for months. Were just talking about it now because its politicized," Charlebois said.

People can blame the shortages on the global pandemic, which is entering its third year. But, the pandemic is an umbrella sheltering many variables.

"Consumers shouldnt be walking into a grocery store expecting perfection right now," Charlebois said.

Tom De Nardi has watched stock fluctuate at family-run Piazza De Nardi, which houses a grocery centre and wine shop. The group also runs Mondo Foods, a wholesale distributor that ships across Canada.

"Anything thats flowing across the border, either by import container or a truck is certainly subject to challenges," De Nardi said.

The amount of stock has fluctuated at Piazza de Nardi. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Mondo Foods circulates a New Zealand grass-fed butter. Currently, its waiting an extra three months for the spreads.

"Its not the problem of getting the butter," De Nardi said. "The people producing the labels in Quebec do not have the staff to run the machines."

Worker shortages due to illness, or a general lack of staff, can happen at any time during the manufacturing process. Severe weather events, including flooding in British Columbia, have also backlogged goods production, causing companies to play catch-up. Labour disputes, like the U.S. Kelloggs strike that ended last month, also contribute to supply chain slowdowns.

Once a product is ready to go, it needs to be transported.

"Finding a shipping container is difficult," De Nardi said, noting its been hard getting imported dairy products from Italy and fresh produce from the United States.

Again, worker shortages are a factor  this time, including truck drivers. Some fear Ottawas new mandate will cause current workers to leave their jobs. Unvaccinated truckers entering the country from the United States face a two-week quarantine.

A semi-truck convoy protesting the new rules crossed Winnipeg Monday on its way to Ottawa. Neither the Canadian nor American trucking associations responded to Free Press queries about vaccination levels by print deadline.

"It looks like a lot of trucks, but in the grand scheme of things, it isnt," said Barry Prentice, a University of Manitoba supply chain management professor.

Worker shortages due to illness, or a general lack of staff, can happen at any time during the manufacturing process, says Piazza de Nardi's Tom De Nard. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

It will still be hard to pick up the slack, regardless of how many people leave, he said.

"We already have a shortage and very high prices for freight," Prentice said. "If the truckers arent there to move (goods), then those things wont be there."

People may see fewer fresh fruits and vegetables from the United States in the coming weeks, if the mandate has any effect on the trucking industry, Prentice said.

The change comes during winter, when transporters tackle winter storms and unpredictable conditions.

Challenges dont end when goods reach the grocery store, De Nardi said. Some markets are short-staffed due to sickness or unfillable job openings.

Last week, about 10 of over 60 staff at Piazza De Nardi were ill at home. Workers do their best, but less hands means products hit shelves at a slower pace, De Nardi said.

"Our business doesnt grow by having empty shelves," said Scott Clement, owner of Dakota Family Foods. "(And) we dont want to let (customers) down."

Hes experienced shortages from fresh produce to cereals and soups.

Shoppers bought stores out of toilet paper in March 2020. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"Theres no rhyme or reason as to what items were getting shorted on," he said, adding things change weekly.

The independent business has purchased goods from smaller wholesalers, in addition to their main source, in an attempt to fill gaps.

A product might not be in stock one day but readily available the next.

Snap, Crackle, Pop: Some cereals are hard to find A labour dispute, supply-chain issues and the pandemic have resulted in a shortage of some cereal brands. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press) Posted: 3:33 PM Jan. 28, 2022 Breakfast bowls across the country remain bare as a mini-cereal crisis continues to confound Canadians. A labour dispute, supply-chain issues and the pandemic have resulted in a shortage of family favourites such as Kelloggs Rice Krispies and Cornflakes. Read Full Story

"Theres no reason to bulk buy or to load up on any specific items," Clement said. "Its just going to be a matter of time when it all starts coming through again."

Some companies have begun using "empty shelf camouflage" to prevent people from hoarding, Charlebois said. Instead of leaving gaps on shelves, businesses put a single row of product to look more stocked than they are.

Bulk buying will worsen supply chain issues, as evidenced by the toilet paper and disinfectant shortages of COVID-19s first wave, Charlebois said.

Grocery store owners avoid over-purchasing, because it leads to wasted products and money, according to Rick Reid, the executive director of the Manitoba Institute of Supply Chain Canada.

"Consumer demand is really volatile at the moment," Reid said, referencing 2020s toilet paper supply.

It makes it hard to predict how many items grocery stores should buy, he said.

Reid said supply chains will catch up, but it depends on consumer demand. Charlebois predicts it will take months for the supply chain to stabilize. De Nardi thinks it will normalize as the pandemic wanes.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
A Canadian financial website may not be offering a free lunch. But like so many other enterprises in the industry, its raising the stakes in using contests, giveaways and other freebies to win over the fealty of consumers in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

A Canadian financial website may not be offering a free lunch. But like so many other enterprises in the industry, its raising the stakes in using contests, giveaways and other freebies to win over the fealty of consumers in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Companies like ours, especially in the fintech space, are trying to up the ante  to get the attention of Canadians, says Stephen Weyman, founder and co-chief executive officer of creditcardGenius.ca.

An online marketplace for credit cards, creditcardGenius.ca rates cards according to their benefits like loyalty-rewards programs. And it recently launched its own rewards program  GeniusCash  which involves giving consumers who sign up for a credit card through the site, and are approved, $50 to $100.

Additionally, those consumers are then automatically entered to win $10,000, and if 5,000 people apply for a card successfully through the site, the contest prize increases to a Tesla Model 3 automobile.

As Weyman explains, he looked to YouTube and social media influencers to see what sort of extraordinary things they were doing to get people excited, and that led me to MrBeast and his promotions.

MrBeast is a video blogger on YouTube renowned for outrageous giveaways, including dropping thousands of dollars from a drone over a big box store parking lot.

He obviously has a business model behind it aimed at driving viewers to his YouTube channel to generate advertising revenue, Weyman adds.

The goal is much the same for creditcardGenius.ca: Drive consumers to the website, and entice them to sign up for a credit card in exchange for free cash and a chance with a contest. He adds thats on top of the extra bonuses  like 70,000 free reward points  offered by the credit card providers.

The Tesla contest may be unique, but the strategy of using giveaways and other freebies to attract consumers is a tried and true marketing strategy, says Peter Hughes, partner at KPMG, who has helped design loyalty programs including PC Optimum.

Everyone in these scenarios is winning, he says, adding thats what has made them so popular.

On the industry side, free-stuff offers allow companies to get their digital foot in the door. Its less about selling Visas or Mastercards, Hughes notes. These strategies are more about establishing a beachhead to sell additional products: mortgages, chequing accounts and mutual funds.

Moreover, most cards come with highly effective loyalty programs. Theyre sticky; once you start you will likely continue so you can earn more rewards.

Canadians are a particularly loyal lot, too.

Hughes points to KPMG research finding that globally Canadians, outside of Australians, are the most likely to participate in loyalty programs.

He adds 56 per cent of Canadian adults participate multiple times a week in loyalty programs with the average adult enrolled in 14 programs and active in nine.

Thats also an indication  of the crowded nature of the space, Hughes further says.

Given the saturation, layering freebies on top of each other is a means for companies to differentiate their products, says Roger Dooley, Forbes columnist and author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing.

Credit cards are largely interchangeable, so companies must offer increasingly significant incentives.

Beyond that, freebies are a particularly powerful marketing tool because they generally appeal to our emotions instead of our sense of reason.

Dooley points to one noted study in which most participants consistently chose a high-quality chocolate truffle for 15 cents over a Hersheys Kiss for one cent. But when both candies prices were reduced by one cent, most participants chose the free Kiss.

Dr. Tanjim Hossain, a behavioural economist at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, explains there is a tendency for people, when getting something for free, to ignore what theyre giving up in exchange.

Just like the old adage there is no free lunch, freebies almost always entail something in exchange.

In the case of credit cards, incentives are a means to overcome consumer inertia. They need to give up their time among other things.

So free becomes the nudge to sign up, fill out some forms and get approved, Dooley says.

But inertia with credit cards is especially challenging because so many people already have them.

Once you start using one, the chances are youre not going to change easily, especially if youre already part of a loyalty program, he adds.

Canadian personal finance blogger and educator Jessica Moorhouse says these promotions can indeed be beneficial for many consumers but not all.

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Maybe you wanted that credit card anyway, so youre not losing anything by signing up and taking part in this contest, she says, referring to the Tesla giveaway.

Where a problem could arise is if you fall into the trap of signing up for things just for the freebie.

In turn, less thoughtful consumers might end up with multiple credit cards, spending more than planned and deeper in debt.

On average these offers may not be bad, but they could be harmful for some, Hossain says, noting credit card debt is already a significant problem for many Canadians.

Yet if you are on the hunt for a new credit card, promotions from websites like creditcardGenius.ca are potentially to your advantage, Weyman argues.

You might as well get the best credit card with the best welcome bonus and the most rewards, he says. And you get GeniusCash on top of that with a chance to win a Tesla.
VIENNA (AP)  Germanys Greens party elected a new leadership team Saturday that vowed to continue fighting for the partys core issues, especially combating climate change, as it adjusts to its role in Germanys new governing coalition.

The party's co-chairwoman and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, left, and the party's co-chairman and German Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck attend a virtual party convention of the German Green party (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

VIENNA (AP)  Germanys Greens party elected a new leadership team Saturday that vowed to continue fighting for the partys core issues, especially combating climate change, as it adjusts to its role in Germanys new governing coalition.

Omid Nouripour, 46, and Ricarda Lang, 28, will serve as the partys co-leaders. They are replacing Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck, who had led the party since 2018 but have both taken ministerial posts in Germanys new government. Baerbock is the country's new foreign minister while Habeck is a vice chancellor and minister for economics and climate.

In December, the three-party coalition between the center-left Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats took office under Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The government marks a new era after 16 years of Angela Merkels leadership, and the Greens' first time in government since 2005.

The Greens traditionally have two leaders on the national level, one woman and one man. Lang ran unopposed while Nouripour had two challengers but won easily.

Nouripour, who was born in Iran and immigrated to Germany at 13, is a veteran Greens politician who has served in the Bundestag since 2006. He was previously a member of the partys national board and also served as its foreign policy spokesman.

Lang, at 28, is the youngest-ever Greens leader. Elected to the Bundestag in September, Lang got her start in the partys youth wing and served as its spokeswoman on womens issues. She is seen as a representative of the left wing of the party.

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The two politicians face the challenge of following in the footsteps of Baerbock and Habeck, who are popular in the party and widely credited with broadening the Greens voter base in recent years. They also need to shape the Greens to operate as part of the ruling coalition, instead of in opposition.

Both nodded to those challenges in their speeches.

Baerbock, Habeck and other Greens leaders need our solidarity, Nouripour said, but they also need a smart and self-confident party to help them develop their plans even further.

Lang encouraged party members to see the compromises of governing as an opportunity: Governing isnt a punishment, its a huge chance, she said.

___

Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate.
BANGKOK (AP)  The governor of a province in eastern Thailand on Saturday declared a state of emergency after an oil slick washed up on a sand beach, shutting down restaurants and shops in a setback for the pandemic-hit tourism industry.

Workers carry out a clean-up operation on Mae Ramphueng Beach after a pipeline oil spill off the coast of Rayong province in eastern Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, At least 20 tons of oil leaked Tuesday night from an undersea hose at an offshore mooring point of the Star Petroleum Refining Co. used to load tankers, and despite efforts to disperse or contain it, some reached the beach Saturday morning, while a large slick remains at sea. (AP Photo/Nava Sangthong)

BANGKOK (AP)  The governor of a province in eastern Thailand on Saturday declared a state of emergency after an oil slick washed up on a sand beach, shutting down restaurants and shops in a setback for the pandemic-hit tourism industry.

Some 20-50 tons of oil are estimated to have leaked Tuesday night in the Gulf of Thailand from an undersea hose used to load tankers at an offshore mooring point owned by the Star Petroleum Refining Co.

The leak was stopped within hours, the company said, but efforts to keep an oil slick from reaching the Mae Ramphueng beach in Rayong province southeast of Bangkok were unsuccessful, and some oil began spilling onto the sand there on Saturday morning.

A major part of the slick remains at sea and there are concerns it may hit Koh Samet, a popular tourist island that's just beginning to recover from the coronavirus pandemic slump along with the rest of the country.

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Aircraft have been dropping chemicals to disperse the oil and deploying floating booms to trap it so that it can be skimmed from the surface and removed.

Rayong Gov. Channa Iamsaeng on Saturday declared the stricken beach a disaster area and ordered it closed for swimmers and commercial activities.

Some 200 navy personnel and 150 people from Star Petroleum were helping in the cleanup with equipment to absorb and skim the oil, while two backhoes dug a trench to capture the incoming oil.

The beachside area is largely dependent on tourists. It has been suffering economically from the pandemic that has kept visitors away, and the spill will make recovery harder. The local fishing industry was also affected by the pollution.

The Thai chapter of the environmental action group Greenpeace said the spill was the second involving Star Petroleum after an incident in 1997.

It issued a statement demanding that the oil company show clear accountability for the accident, pay for the cleanup and issue a complete report on the economic, social and environmental impacts of the spill.
Manitoba chiefs are calling on Premier Heather Stefanson to halt an auction of provincial land on Monday.

Manitoba chiefs are calling on Premier Heather Stefanson to halt an auction of provincial land on Monday.

They accuse the PCs of ignoring their pledge to help First Nations get land they were promised more than a century ago.

"They wordsmith and everything, but to actually do it, and (uphold) the honour of the Crown, theyre not doing it," said Nelson Genaille, a Cree chief who heads the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee.

It was formed to ensure that First Nations get the portion of land promised to them by the British Crown in treaties signed between 1871 and 1910.

The province signed a 1997 deal that called for 1.1 million acres of land to be transferred, or in some cases purchased.

Almost 25 years later, just 51 per cent of that quota has been met, including nine per cent transferred since the Progressive Conservatives took office in 2016. Former premier Brian Pallister had told the committee hed push to meet that quota, which Genaille said fell flat.

"They just basically brushed off all the work we did previously, not just with the lands department but with everything."

First Nations want to convert the land into reserves to be used for cultural practices such as hunting and harvesting medicine, as well as for economic opportunity.

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Thats become increasingly hard as agriculture groups and public utilities buy up some of the best parcels of land, chiefs argue.

Genaille is chief of the Sapotaweyak reserve on Lake Winnipegosis.

His group is calling on Stefanson to halt auctions of Crown land that start Jan. 31, arguing First Nations have a treaty right to first select parcels of land.

He said it would show the new premier is serious abut changing how the PCs have handled Indigenous issues.

Stefansons office referred queries to the press secretaries for her Indigenous relations and agriculture ministers; neither office provided a response.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
A Fisher River man has been accused of making an additional six threatening hoax phone calls to provoke an armed police response on unsuspecting victims in the U.S.

A Fisher River man has been accused of making an additional six threatening hoax phone calls to provoke an armed police response on unsuspecting victims in the U.S.

Sean Murdock, 18, was charged in September after hoax calls warning of an active shooter were placed to schools in Tennessee and North Carolina in August.

Police alleged Friday the accused had placed so-called "swatting" calls to six police departments in August prior to his arrest. They said investigators had examined the accuseds electronic devices which had been seized from his home.

The six calls ranged from active shooter threats to bomb threats involving large facilities, RCMP said. As a result of the phone calls, numerous law enforcement personnel were dispatched to those locations.

The calls were determined to be false, RCMP said.

In August, a high school in rural Tennessee was placed on high alert after a caller said an armed shooter was stalking the halls.

"The caller claimed he had a gun, he was on campus, he was heading toward the gym, he was in one of the main restrooms and he was going to open fire," Hawkins County Schools director Matt Hixson told the Free Press at the time.

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No one was hurt.

In North Carolina, a similar threat was called in to Watauga High School Aug. 18.

Manitoba police were first contacted for help Aug. 17, after U.S. law enforcement traced fake calls to the province. RCMP and the Winnipeg Police Service said they later determined the messages came from Fisher River, 190 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

Murdock is scheduled to appear in court in Peguis First Nation on March 8. Hes now facing an additional six counts of public mischief.

Twitter: @erik_pindera

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Jo-Ann and Lloyd Camire promised their beloved dog Shadow that once she was gone, theyd do all they could to honour her memory by making a difference in the lives of other animals. They kept that promise.

Jo-Ann and Lloyd Camire promised their beloved dog Shadow that once she was gone, theyd do all they could to honour her memory by making a difference in the lives of other animals. They kept that promise.

This year, Shadows Mission celebrates a decade of building doghouses for strays and dogs at large in Manitobas northern communities.

Both born in Winnipeg, and now in their early 70s and retired, the creators of Shadows Mission are passionate about making sure as many dogs as possible have shelter to protect them from Manitobas harsh winters.

The couple adopted Shadow, part schnauzer and part Pomeranian, in 1998 and she quickly became an integral part of their family until she died in 2012.

We have no children. She was our kid, says Jo-Ann, who worked in childcare for 26 years.

When we got Shadow she was to be put down that night. She had severe food allergies and she was very sick. She was sitting in this little cage. I went up to her, put my hand on the glass, she put her paw on my hand, said Jo-Ann, tearfully remembering how she had to have that particular dog. A week later, the couple brought Shadow home during the Christmas holidays.

When Shadow passed away 14 years later, we told her that we would do something to honour her, Jo-Ann says, recalling her important role in their family. She fought so hard.

Now we have Louie and Ginny. Theyre the crew. They sit there and tell Lloyd what to do, she laughs.

In the last decade Shadows Mission has connected with animal rescues across the province and built 325 doghouses.

Lloyd does all the building. Weve been very lucky, friends supported us. Bits and pieces, scraps, are donated to us. Weve had piles of lumber in our backyard.

We couldnt do what we do without the animal rescues, mostly the rescues up north. We are also here for people who rescue dogs that are injured. We have done that. We are truly blessed. We dont rescue; we just give them the houses. Lloyd also makes dog beds and donates those. He spends his whole life in the garage.

All the Shadows Mission doghouses use the same design.

They have a specific shape. The roof comes off and is on a slight angle so the water can run off, Jo-Ann explains. The shingles hold the heat in winter and help keep the houses cool in summer. The floors are insulated. Theyre mostly blue to draw the sun, and to blend in with the area or neighbourhood.

Supporters can sponsor a doghouse for $60. The Shadows Mission angel wings logo in the shape of a dogs head is painted on the house along with the name of the donor. Donors will also receive a card and a certificate to frame. Supporters can also honour the memory of their beloved dog, or any loved one, by sponsoring the construction of a doghouse. The loved ones name and Shadows Mission angel wings will be painted on the house and given to a dog in need of shelter in a northern community.

It makes me cry to know we have saved over 300 lives. If it wasnt for the animal rescues these dogs would be dead. Many of these dogs are loved but people just dont have the money. The dogs that live in the wild, with nowhere to go  theyre starving, theyre lonely and theyre cold. Our houses help.

The animal rescues in Manitoba are truly amazing. We only hear the bad, we never hear the good. Its so important to talk about that. One of the animal rescues, they built a compound for the dogs. They save every dog that they can possibly save.

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The not-for-profit registered charity welcomes donations of gift cards, cash, cheques or supplies, including lumber donations, plywood, chipboard, shingles, solid-core foam board and fibreglass insulation, paint, hardware and packing items like tape and heavy plastic. The couple also hopes to make a connection with a trucking company to get a discount rate so they can take the doghouses up to the northern communities when contacts there arent able to travel to the city to pick them up themselves.

Shadows Mission also builds wooden dog beds, some of which are sold to help cover the costs of the mission and to raise funds for other rescue organizations. Other beds are donated to other groups doing their own fundraising.

American actor and animal welfare advocate Bettys Whites 100th birthday was recently celebrated around the world by all who appreciated her love of animals, by making donations to animal rescue organizations. Jo-Ann knows the value of these donations and encourages animal lovers to give what they can.

Even $5 can make a difference. Keep the animal rescues going. There are over 100 of them in Manitoba; theyre sanctuaries, they save lives.

Etransfer donations can be made through jcamire@mts.net. Visit Shadows Mission on Facebook.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca
Since the start of 2022, 140 Manitobans have died after catching COVID-19.

Since the start of 2022, 140 Manitobans have died after catching COVID-19.

"Its tragic, and my condolences and my sympathies go to the family of the loved ones that have been lost in this pandemic," Health Minister Audrey Gordon said Friday during a public health update at the Manitoba Legislative Building.

"Every life is important. We dont want to lose life as a result of this pandemic and that is why were taking the steps that we are as public health, as (a) health system to ensure that were learning the lessons of the prior three waves and making changes to ensure individuals recover and are able to return to a good quality of life."

COVID-19 data published by the provincial government show 140 people died from the disease between Jan. 1 and 28.

On Friday, the provincial government announced the deaths of nine more Manitobans, in addition to providing details of 14 COVID-19 deaths reported Thursday.

Nineteen were from the Winnipeg health region and most were 70 or older; eight were connected to outbreaks at personal care homes. Three of the four deaths reported in rural and northern Manitoba were connected to care home outbreaks.

According to the province, the risk of dying after catching COVID-19 is five times greater for people who are unvaccinated, compared to those who have received two doses of the vaccine, based on local data collected over the past six weeks.

Between Jan. 8 and 15, about 58 per cent of the pandemic deaths reported were in people who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the most recent report from the province. Of the 53 deaths reported that week, 37 were not fully immunized.

Since COVID-19 vaccines became available in Manitoba in mid-December 2020, 110 fully vaccinated people have died from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, as of Jan. 15.

The provinces pandemic death toll was 1,543, as of Friday.

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Gordon encouraged Manitobans to get vaccinated with either their first, second or third dose, and emphasized the need for a booster shot.

Provincial data show receiving two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of needing critical care by 19 times, compared to someone who is unvaccinated. Getting three doses of the vaccine reduces the risk by 139 times, according to the province.

While speaking with reporters Friday, Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew also acknowledged the many Manitobans who died this month after catching COVID-19, and expressed his condolences to families, friends and communities in mourning.

"Given the context that were in right now, it also speaks to the continued severity of this surge of COVID-19. And when you look at the increase to hospitalizations, as well and whats happening with ICUs, it does underline the importance of us continuing to take those steps to keep one another safe in the community," Kinew said.

As of Friday, Manitoba had the second-highest COVID-19 death rate in the country after Quebec, with 111 deaths per 100,000 people.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
Over her two decades working on and off in Canadas long-term care sector, retired registered nurse Joyce Kristjansson saw the needs of residents have changed dramatically.

Over her two decades working on and off in Canadas long-term care sector, retired registered nurse Joyce Kristjansson saw the needs of residents "have changed dramatically."

A couple of years ago, the former executive director and director of care at Golden West Centennial Lodge was revamping the Salvation Army facilitys resident bill of rights to better protect privacy, considering the number of residents with dementia who were prone to wandering.

She was reminded the main concern when the bill of rights was drafted 25 years earlier was: where would residents park their cars and would they have to pay for parking?

"Such a huge difference in the types of people in long-term care, in the needs of those people, and yet the funding and the models havent really changed, so it becomes hard to meet the standards," Kristjansson said.

The former Winnipegger is the lone Manitoba resident working on a national committee to create new standards for long-term care homes across Canada.

The updated draft standards were released for public review this week through the Health Standards Organization; the final version is expected to be released by the end of the year.

The federal government tasked a technical committee, chaired by National Institute on Ageing director of health policy research Dr. Samir Sinha, with updating standards first developed in 2012 and revised in 2020. A call went out in March 2021, seeking policy makers, physicians, long-term care staff, and residents and their families to take part.

Kristjansson was getting ready to retire, and the timing seemed right. "It was something I was passionate about, so I put my name forward," she said.

The committee worked on the draft standards over the course of seven months, with input from 18,000 Canadians.

Kristjansson was one of the 32 members advocating for "home-like" care and good working conditions for staff, with appropriate management in place. She said many of the regulations already in place, including in Manitoba, make it difficult to treat residents as individuals, and the goal of these standards is to focus on whats best for residents.

"We call them long-term care homes, but they are so regulated that really they arent a home. They cant be and meet all the rules. And here in Manitoba, many of them, built many years ago, have three- and four-bed rooms," she said.

The 42-page draft standards have new focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, data collection, accountability measures, and the rights of residents to live with a certain amount of risk that doesnt harm others (such as accepting visitors or choosing not to be restrained despite their risk of falling).

The standards have been intentionally left broad, for example: "The team communicates complete and accurate information to residents about their care in a way that is timely and understandable."

The next step, after the 60-day public consultation that began this week, is developing guidelines that will set out how the standards can be measured or enforced.

During a technical briefing this week, Sinha said he hopes it will lead to meaningful change. Accreditation Canada, which accredits 68 per cent of long-term care homes across the country, has agreed to use these standards in its process, but theres no requirement for provinces and territories to adopt them or change legislation accordingly.

"I am hoping, my God, Im hoping, that this will be a clear blueprint that really can enable provincial and territorial and federal action to move long-term care to where all Canadians are demanding it to go," Sinha said.

The standards cant be upheld without increased funding, improved working conditions, and accountability in facility ownership, he added.

Manitoba hasnt committed to adopting the new standards.

The committee invited all deputy ministers responsible for long-term care across Canada to be part of a government advisory table. When asked if a provincial representative participated, a spokesperson for the Manitoba minister of seniors and long-term care didnt answer the question.

Tory MLA Scott Johnston (Assiniboia) was appointed to lead the newly-minted department Jan. 18.

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The spokesperson also did not answer when asked if Manitoba will adopt the standards, saying only the department will review the draft report.

Instead, the spokesperson said the province is "already working on resulting modernization and adaptation" in long-term care, via the Stevenson report it commissioned following deadly COVID-19 outbreaks at Maples personal care home in 2020.

Kristjansson has requested a meeting with Johnston.

She said social change is necessary for ending the ongoing long-term care crisis. "For me, if these standards are adopted nationally, that would be wonderful. If theyre adopted in Manitoba, that would be even better."

Whats critical, she said, is to "continue to keep the conversation going about the need for reform in long-term care. Because Ive been part of discussions like this for 20 years, and I knew that many of the reports Id worked on had just sat (unused)."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca
Politicians should not be assailed for making shrewd real estate investments. But they should be challenged if they fail to reveal details of those investments from ethics watchdogs and the general public.

Politicians should not be assailed for making shrewd real estate investments. But they should be challenged if they fail to reveal details of those investments from ethics watchdogs and the general public.

From the highest ranks of the party executive down to the grassroots, Manitoba Progressive Conservatives are, no doubt, scratching their heads about the news that Premier Heather Stefanson didnt disclose the sale of $31 million in Winnipeg real estate to the provinces conflict-of-interest commissioner.

Stefanson had disclosed her financial interests in a holding company and its assets in previous disclosures to the provinces conflict of interest commissioner, as she is required to do annually.

Stefanson admits breaking conflict-of-interest rules Premier Heather Stefanson (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press files) Posted: 7:00 PM Jan. 27, 2022 Premier Heather Stefanson has admitted she failed to follow the provinces conflict-of-interest rules after the sale of properties worth millions of dollars. The real estate deals that tripped up the premier involve rental and commercial properties that are the subject of a letter the NDP sent to the provinces conflict-of-interest commissioner; however, Stefanson is unlikely to face any consequences under legislation that critics have long complained has no teeth. Read Full Story

However, she did not update those filings in 2016 when her holding company (McDonald Grain Company Ltd.) sold a $1.8 million storage facility in St. James. She failed again in 2019 to disclose the sale of two additional properties  two apartment blocks in Winnipeg  that together reaped $29.5 million.

How did the premier explain her transgressions? She would not do an interview with Free Press reporter Carol Sanders, who broke the story. In an emailed statement, she called it "an oversight."

No matter how you view this story, the term "oversight" does not seem appropriate.

If she had done it once, with a less-valuable investment, she might have fairly claimed it was an oversight. When the premier did it twice, over three years with three separate properties, all sold for notable sums of money, "oversight" does not cut it.

These were not small or mundane transactions. Even for someone of obvious personal wealth, eight-figure capital gains are typically noteworthy events.

When the beneficiary of a non-disclosed financial transaction is a high-ranking member of a governing political party, there are all kinds of legal and ethical consequences that could arise.

For example, provincial legislatures in this country have their legal and regulatory fingerprints all over the real estate industry, from land title registration to transfer taxes and regulation of the people who buy, sell and process sales.

Its worth noting the provincial government is also, arguably, the biggest employer in the province. In addition to the tens of thousands of people who are employed directly through the public service, governments have financial relationships with anyone who works or provides services to Crown corporations and special operating agencies.

Which is to say, when a holding company owned, in part, by a senior government minister cashes in on millions of dollars in real estate in a transaction with other business people in her jurisdiction, there are any number of possible conflicts of interest. Do these people also do business with the government? If so, in what capacity? And is business being steered their way?

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Heather Stefanson would not do an interview with Free Press reporter Carol Sanders, who broke the story. In an emailed statement, she called it "an oversight."

Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch put it best when he told the Free Press the public demands and deserves to know what "politicians own and what they owe."

Notwithstanding the principles behind disclosure of financial relationships and assets, the requirement is, essentially, toothless. The conflict-of-interest commissioner currently does not have the power to investigate these types of transgressions. And while members of the public can launch a complaint, they must do so at their own cost through the court system.

Stefanson also knew a new and somewhat more stringent conflict-of-interest law that was passed by the Tories last May, would not come into effect until 2023, after the next provincial election. There is no evidence that Stefanson played a role in delaying the introduction of a new law, so it remains a happy coincidence.

Given that she will not face any legal sanctions, the more pressing issue for the Tories is calculating any political damage.

Stefanson is hardly the only wealthy politician in Manitoba, but flaunting that wealth is not generally considered a best political practice.

Heather Stefanson is hardly the only wealthy politician in Manitoba, but flaunting that wealth is not generally considered a best political practice.

Her predecessor learned that the hard way.

Throughout his five years in government, former premier Brian Pallister was hounded for owning a multimillion-dollar home in Winnipeg and a luxury vacation home in Costa Rica. Even though he earned the money to buy those properties honestly through hard work as a financial adviser and insurance broker, he nonetheless suffered at the hands of opposition parties, who used those trappings to portray him as profoundly self-interested.

For example, Pallister drew criticism for rushing through the first major cut to education property taxes in the 2021 provincial budget even though his government faced a $1 billion deficit driven by pandemic spending. He was subsequently hammered by opposition critics when it was learned the premiers fiscally risky move would provide a $4,000 windfall on the property tax bill for his Wellington Crescent mansion.

Thanks to her own governments inability to modernize conflict-of-interest legislation in a timely fashion, it appears Stefanson will not face legal consequences for the "oversight."

Political consequences, however, have yet to be tallied.

dan.lett@winnipegfreepress.com
Recent social media reports of widespread, organized car theft in the Sage Creek neighbourhood dont pass muster for the Winnipeg Police Service.

Recent social media reports of widespread, organized car theft in the Sage Creek neighbourhood dont pass muster for the Winnipeg Police Service.

A community Facebook page was abuzz this week with reports of auto thievery in south Winnipeg. On Friday, a WPS spokeswoman didnt dismiss concerns in the suburban neighbourhoods and the city overall  but said there have not been large numbers of vehicles reported stolen in the area recently.

Looking at 2019, 2020 and 2021, cumulatively, plus just this month of January, there is an uptick in all of those (south Winnipeg) neighbourhoods, but in general, theres kind of been an uptick (in auto thefts), said Const. Dani McKinnon.

(However) just this month alone  which is almost completed but not quite  weve only had three reported (auto) thefts from Sage Creek.

McKinnon said any increase in auto thefts city-wide is likely tied to the extremely cold weather of recent weeks.

When you look at the mode of these thefts, almost all of them are as a result of people leaving their keys in the vehicle running Obviously, we always tell cautionary tales to not leave your vehicle running, but with the temperatures the way theyve been  I know why people are doing it, she told the Free Press.

Of 18 recent car thefts in Winnipeg, McKinnon said, 12 were nabbed while the vehicle was running, few saw tampering to the ignition or steering column (hot-wiring).

The constable added modern cars are harder to steal than vehicles of the past.

(Auto thieves) had to break into the steering column and thats when we started getting the (steering wheel) bars or the immobilizer, McKinnon said.

Now, with the ignition pads being so much more electronic, different things happen  you usually have to have that fob to have the car move.

Between 2003 and 2007, Winnipeg had the highest rate of auto theft in North America, noted a 2009 report produced by a task force of WPS, Manitoba Justice and Manitoba Public Insurance.

At the time, the report said car theft and subsequent joyrides  mostly meant for excitement, not primarily for the reselling of the vehicles to chop shops or out of the city  was commonplace amid the culture of inner-city youths.

When I started in 2004, there was a crew they were just wreaking havoc, McKinnon said.

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(The gang) were youths that were responsible for a big chunk of the auto theft within the city, and so that is more of an organized crime (element). They were purposefully doing that, and they were joyriding.

In recent years, McKinnon said, many vehicle thefts are actually carjackings  vehicles robbed outright from citizens often to use as getaway cars to help scofflaws commit further crimes.

There is a lot of stolen vehicles in Winnipeg but those are by criminals who are using those vehicles as a mode to, more than likely, commit an additional crime, she said.

McKinnon noted the theft and shipment of luxury vehicles from Winnipeg to other locations is not on the police services radar, although high-end vehicles are often targeted for catalytic converter thefts.

Twitter: @erik_pindera

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Premier Heather Stefanson may be relatively new to the job, but Manitobans already believe her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic response is as bad as that of former premier Brian Pallister.

Premier Heather Stefanson may be relatively new to the job, but Manitobans already believe her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic response is as bad as that of former premier Brian Pallister.

A Probe Research poll this month has found Stefansons performance has gleaned the support of only three out of 10 Manitoba residents  a level Pallister had slumped to before the Tory leader announced his resignation in August. Stefanson took over the role in November.

Health Minister Audrey Gordons numbers arent much better.

Only four in 10 Manitobans say Gordon is doing a good job shepherding the province through the pandemic  a 12 per cent drop since October.

"Wow, thats quite a pretty clear message to this government that Manitobans are not happy," Kelly Saunders, an associate professor of political science at Brandon University, said Friday.

"Not only is the pandemic an important issue, it is the issue. Theres no question it will be the ballot box issue (the next election must be held on or before Oct. 3, 2023) because of the length, breadth and damages of the pandemic."

The poll is the latest to show the popularity of the Tories  the premier of almost three months  is much lower than the 47 per cent the party polled at before the 2019 election.

In December, Probes omnibus poll put the Progressive Conservative party at 37 per cent support, just two percentage points higher than the six per cent bump it got in September, when Pallister officially stepped down.

The Probe Research poll also found: Click to Expand Premier Heather Stefansons approval for handling the COVID-19 pandemic was at 31 per cent; then-interim premier Kelvin Goertzen was at 61 per cent in October; then-premier Brian Pallister was at 29 per cent in June and 41 per cent in October 2020. The Tory governments performance in protecting the health of Manitobans was at a high of 77 per cent in June 2020, tumbled to 46 per cent in October 2020, went back up to 50 per cent in October 2021, and was now at 40 per cent. The Tory governments performance in dealing with the economic impact of the pandemic was at 61 per cent in June 2020, down to 45 per cent in October 2020, 49 per cent in October 2021, and was now at 40 per cent. Only 46 per cent of Manitobans believe the provincial government is doing a better job compared to western neighbours Alberta and Saskatchewan. Thats down from 77 per cent in October 2020.

An Angus Reid poll last week put Stefansons approval rating at 21 per cent  lowest among her peers in the country. That poll also showed one in five Manitobans approved of Stefansons handling of the pandemic.

Saunders said the pandemic is a window into the effectiveness of earlier Tory government moves, including shutting down of some Winnipeg emergency rooms, reorganizing hospitals, and overall cutbacks to reduce debt.

"It goes much deeper than Omicron (variant) is fading," she said. "It will be very difficult for them to effectively manage and rebound from this.

"It will be really hard for (Stefanson) to carve another image. Shes been painted with this brush and I think it will stick."

Probe principal Curtis Brown also says the numbers show "Manitobans are not in the mood to give Heather Stefanson a pass or be really pleased with the job they perceive her to be doing. People are less impressed with the job she is doing."

While two leading politicians are low in the polls, it hasnt pulled down Manitobans belief in two of the bureaucrats who have been the face of the public health fight against COVID-19.

Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for the vaccine rollout, and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, have the support of seven out of 10 Manitobans for the work they are doing. (Seventy-seven per cent of Manitobans approve of the job being done by Reimer, with 71 per cent for Roussin.)

University of Manitoba political studies Prof. Royce Koop said it is interesting to see the difference in the numbers between politicians and bureaucrats.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Seventy-seven per cent of Manitobans approve of the job being done by medical lead of the Vaccine Implementation Task Force, Dr. Joss Reimer.

"It shows a certain level of sophistication on the people responding to this poll," said Koop.

As for the premier, he said the poll shows Stefanson has a lot of work to do.

"Right from the beginning, she had wanted to make a clean break from Brian Pallisters legacy, and she didnt really do it," he said. "There were some changes but, fundamentally, people dont see a huge difference in how premier Stefansons approach to the pandemic is.

"Theres probably a feeling the pandemic will come to an end and then the party will have a chance to move beyond it, but time is running out," he added.

Overall, the poll says the provincial governments performance is at the lowest point since the beginning the pandemic, with only two in five (a drop of 10 percentage points since October) believing it has done a good job protecting the health of Manitobans.

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The government also didnt get good marks for its handling of the economy through the pandemic, with only 40 per cent (a drop of nine percentage points since October) approving of what it is doing.

The poll of 800 Manitoba adults was taken through an online survey conducted Jan. 19-26, using the companys proprietary panel supplemented with respondents from a large national panel provider.

No margin of error for an online panel survey can be given, but a random and representative sample of 800 adults would be accurate within plus or minus 3.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

kevin.rollason@freeepress.mb.ca
A village in India will shut down Saturday to pay respects to a family who died on the frozen prairie half a world away, as Manitobans with roots close to theirs hold a prayer service in their memory.

A village in India will shut down Saturday to pay respects to a family who died on the frozen prairie half a world away, as Manitobans with roots close to theirs hold a prayer service in their memory.

The village of Dingucha in the western state of Gujarat is mourning the loss of the Patel family - Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, 39; his wife, Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, 37; their daughter, Vihangi 11; and three-year-old son, Dharmik.

The Patel family, Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, 39, and his wife, Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, 37, with their three-year-old son, Dharmik and daughter, Vihangi, 11.

"All the village is closed for one day due to those poor people dying," said Amrut Patel, 70, a retiree who spends his winters in Dingucha after immigrating to the U.S. 33 years ago.

RCMP officers found their bodies on Jan. 19, 10 kilometres east of Emerson, Man., just 12 metres from the Canada-U.S. border in a human smuggling case.

Nearly 11,000 kilometres away in their home town in India, those who knew and loved them are still stunned by the tragedy that befell the family in search of the "American dream."

"They are in big shock," Amrut Patel in Dingucha said. The village has planned a day of mourning Saturday.

"All the shops will be closed," said the man who is friends with Jagdish Patels father. He said he visited the grieving father and grandfather Friday to comfort him. The farmer in his late 60s told Amrut Patel that his sont familys funeral will be held in Canada instead of India.

The cost of repatriating the bodies is too expensive, he said.

In Winnipeg, the Gujarati Cultural Society of Manitoba will hold a virtual prayer service for the family at 5 p.m. Saturday. Sanjay Patel, president of the society, said in a text message that all are welcome to join the online service but details were still being finalized.

As investigators from three countries try to find out who is responsible for the smuggling operation that led to the familys death from exposure, back home in Dingucha folks have an idea of what motivated them to leave.

Amrut Patel said the Patels were believed to have obtained visitor visas valid for six months. He suspected that Jagdish Patel was taking his family to the U.S. to find work that would pay him much more than he had earned in India working at a school in Dingucha.

"(The salary) is not sufficient for everybody," he said.

Two of Jagdish Patels uncles moved to the U.S. from Gujarat, said Amrut Patel, who believes one settled in Chicago and the other in Pennsylvania.

Many villagers have moved to Canada and the U.S. in pursuit of a better life, he said.

"There are three reasons people go. One is for status, one is for money and one is for a good life," said Amrut Patel who settled in Maryland.

"Regular life over there in the U.S.A. is better than India. Everybody knows that."

In Canada, the Indian and Canadian governments are looking for ways to prevent such deaths.

"This tragedy has brought into focus the need to ensure that migration and mobility are made safe and legal and that such tragedies do not recur. "

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The Indian High Commission said Thursday it has proposed a migration plan that aims to "prevent and suppress irregular migration, smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human being and to facilitate sustainable and circular mobility."

It didnt provide details but said it is a "comprehensive migration and mobility partnership" which the Canadian government is considering.

A spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Canada did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Manitoba RCMP have asked anyone with information about the familys movements  from the time they arrived in Toronto on Jan. 12 to the time they attempted to cross the border  to contact investigators. They believe the family went to hotels, gas bars and stores.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
DISCUSSING the dispersal of our body parts after death is not an uplifting conversation, granted, but a noteworthy landmark has been achieved in the field of organ donations.

Opinion

DISCUSSING the dispersal of our body parts after death is not an uplifting conversation, granted, but a noteworthy landmark has been achieved in the field of organ donations.

On Jan. 18, Nova Scotia marked one year of presumed consent, the first jurisdiction in North America to try this social experiment. It means Nova Scotians are presumed to agree to donate their organs when they die, unless they opt out. It reverses the practice of other places, including Manitoba, where consent isnt presumed and people must opt in to donate.

Nova Scotia released last week statistics on its first year. In a province of one million people, only 57, 382 people opted out.

Meanwhile, officials have seen a sharp rise in referrals, the term medical officials use to notify each other of potential donors. More than 200 referrals were made for organ donations in 2021, a rise of about 130 per cent over 2020. A total of 1,581 referrals for tissue (skin, corneas, bone) were made in the past year, a rise of 228 per cent.

Nova Scotias paradigm shift from opt-in to opt-out is being closely watched by provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Alberta that are reconsidering their organ-donation laws.

Manitoba? Not so much. The idea has been previously raised and rejected in this province. In 2017, the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Pallister shot down a private members bill by former Manitoba MLA Stephen Fletcher to impose presumed consent for organ donations.

There are implications for particular religions that want to see their loved ones buried whole, Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer said at the time, apparently missing the point that people who want to be buried whole can always opt out of presumed consent.

Instead, in 2019, Manitoba stopped sending out paper opt-in cards that people were supposed to keep in their wallet, moving its organ donor registry entirely online for people who chose to opt in and sign up.

Even though the PCs dismissed the prospect of switching to presumed consent, the issue continued to be explored in a 2021 consultation paper by the Manitoba Law Reform Commission. The report aired the issue thoroughly and, rather than making a direct recommendation about whether Manitoba should change The Human Tissue Gift Act, it sought public input about surrounding issues.

Public input on the issue is typically controversial. Some people insist presumed consent is unethical. They say people unaware of a presumed-consent law, including marginalized people, may not understand they have a choice. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is among groups that have expressed concern that a government is going too far when it makes such decisions about citizens bodies.

Ethics aside, public discussion about Nova Scotias pioneering legal change has also prompted practical questions as people ponder the implications of their organs being recycled.

Common questions include: can I still be displayed in an open casket if my organs are taken? Yes. Donation does not change the appearance of the body.

Can I sell my organs? No. Thats illegal in Canada.

If doctors are eager to get my organs, will they be less likely to make every possible effort to prolong my life? No. Medical care and organ recovery are done by entirely separate teams. The organs are taken only after all efforts to save the patients life have been exhausted.

While its true that stigma around death leaves some people feeling skittish about removing body parts, at least 4,400 people wish wed get over our qualms. Thats the number of Canadians on waiting lists for transplants. Some will die before they get a transplant because this countrys supply cant meet the demand.

The necessity of a larger supply of organs is particularly important in Manitoba, where an average of 200 people await new kidneys. Data show Manitoba has Canadas highest rate of end-stage kidney disease, which is often due to diabetes.

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Regardless of whether Manitoba ever progresses to the presumed-consent concept, as it should, Manitobans remain free to take it upon themselves to save lives. It takes only minutes to call up the relevant website and register our intent to donate our organs and tissue. The site is signupforlife.ca.

Unfortunately, many people intend to opt in, but few do. Surveys show as many as 90 per cent of Canadians favour the practice in theory, but only about 20 per cent actually give consent.

If one definition of a hero is someone who saves lives, organ donors are heroes. One body has many transplantable parts, which lets a single organ donor save up to eight lives, and a single tissue donor improve the lives of as many as 50 people.

Donating our organs is a way for us to become a living legacy, literally. None of us can live eternally, but our final gift can be helping other people. An admirable end.

carl.degurse.freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.
POLITICAL memoirs are a distinctive, undervalued genre of writing covering the lives of politicians and the dynamics of the political process. This thought was prompted by my recent read of former Progressive Conservative premier Gary Filmons memoir Yes We Did: Leading in Turbulent Times, which I found to be an informative and readable account of his life and public service.

Opinion

POLITICAL memoirs are a distinctive, undervalued genre of writing covering the lives of politicians and the dynamics of the political process. This thought was prompted by my recent read of former Progressive Conservative premier Gary Filmons memoir Yes We Did: Leading in Turbulent Times, which I found to be an informative and readable account of his life and public service.

This is not, however, a review of the Filmon book. Rather, based on five decades of studying and writing about Canadian politics, I will offer some thoughts on what political memoirs can contribute to our understanding of why individuals enter political life, what their accounts of events reveal about politics and governing, and what those accounts tell us about how they see themselves and want to be remembered.

There are several forms of personal political writing. The rarest is the political diary, in which a politician regularly records observations on events as they occur. William Lyon Mackenzie King kept a diary during all three terms as prime minister (192126, 192630 and 193548), resulting in more than 50,000 pages, which were excerpted in two books and have been available in a digital format since 2002 at Library and Archives Canada.

Most of the publicity related to Kings diary focused on his ongoing engagement with spiritualism. However, the diaries also offer scattered glimpses into the tough side of politics, such as Kings hard-headed calculations on how to enlist new Canadians into the Liberal cause.

More common forms of political writing are autobiographies and memoirs. The two genres are similar, but with subtle differences. Autobiographies tend to be more personal than memoirs; more attention is paid to the human side of politics, a dimension of political life that is too often ignored.

In contrast, memoirs deal more with the social context in which political careers occur, on the dominating issues of the times, and on interactions among actors in the political and governing processes.

Memoirs have become more popular than autobiographies, in part because they typically draw on recent experience, involve less background research and attract more readers. In larger political systems, such as those in the U.K. and the U.S., memoirs can make politicians into celebrity authors who are paid advances, achieve lots of media coverage and receive sizable royalty payments.

In a small province like Manitoba, former politicians do not write their stories for fame and fortune; sales of such books are typically limited.

Beyond a bit of extra cash, the motives for writing memoirs vary. Some leading public figures must be coaxed into the task, out of a sense of social responsibility. This was the case with Manitobas greatest premier, Duff Roblin (1958-67), who resisted for decades before publishing Speaking for Myself in 1999.

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Filmon introduces his memoir by writing, Leaving it to those with a political agenda to define the Filmon years has been a frustrating and unsatisfactory experience. Former NDP premier Howard Pawleys 2013 memoir, Keep True, was clearly meant to protest what he saw as abandonment of social democratic values through adoption of third way thinking made popular by Labour prime minister Tony Blair in the U.K., although he diplomatically avoided directly criticizing NDP premier Gary Doer for doing so.

Many political scientists ignore memoirs as too self-serving. They are said to be subjective, because politicians decide what to include and what to leave out. There is also a tendency to exaggerate the pressures and constraints involved with making government decisions. Overall, they seek to paint a favourable portrait of the author.

While mindful of the inherent limitations of memoirs, I have found them valuable in my research. They represent a middle ground between journalism, which covers contemporary events, and historical studies of the past based on such documents as cabinet papers, which are only made public after 20 or 30 years.

By providing accounts of family backgrounds and early influences, memoirs help us to understand the beliefs politicians bring into public life. They can also provide insights into how issues arise, are understood by decision-makers and why certain policy responses occur. They can also reveal the interplay of different interests and personalities.

Just like British mysteries, which I also avidly read, there are good and bad memoirs. The best among them include not just the recital of accomplishments, but also some reckoning with mistakes.

Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba.
Its hard to imagine how the government could consider loosening restrictions when hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, surgeries continue to be cancelled and dozens of patients per week are transferred to hospitals far from home.

Opinion

Its hard to imagine how the government could consider loosening restrictions when hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, surgeries continue to be cancelled and dozens of patients per week are transferred to hospitals far from home.

However, thats what the provincial government is contemplating, even with COVID-19 deaths reaching some of their highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon said during a news conference Friday that Premier Heather Stefanson plans to announce updated public orders next week. The minister said she hopes the announcement will include "an outline to reopen the province."

The province isnt exactly closed. There are some restrictions in place, including capacity limits in public places, and measures such as a ban on serving alcohol past 10 p.m. However, compared with some provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, Manitobas measures are relatively mild.

Stefanson was urged to bring in more stringent public orders prior to Christmas to slow the spread of the Omicron variant and reduce the impact on hospitals. She refused. We are now seeing the consequences of that: more than 700 COVID-19 patients in hospital (the highest since the beginning of the pandemic), rising ICU numbers, more cancelled surgeries, and the daily transfer of patients to hospitals that are sometimes hundreds of kilometres away from a patients home.

Manitoba also has the second-highest COVID-19 death rate in the country over the past two weeks at 7.2 per 100,000 people.

Fridays news conference was mostly about setting the tone for a likely loosening of restrictions next week.

"Were seeing early signs of stabilization and positive indicators that COVID-19 is stabilizing in our province," said Gordon.

Thats not entirely true.

Hospital bed occupancy has not "stabilized." The only reason its not growing further is because hospitals are still cancelling surgeries and moving low-acuity patients out of Winnipeg. Meanwhile, total ICU numbers have grown to 110, of which 52 are COVID-19 patients (pre-pandemic ICU capacity was 72 beds). Thats not stability, thats chaos.

Gordon said the government will continue to monitor public health data and hospitalization numbers before making a final decision on restrictions next week.

"We need to ensure that we continue to have hospital beds and staff available to provide care for patients in need," said Gordon.

They dont have hospital beds available for patients in need now  what makes Gordon think they will be available next week?

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Premier Heather Stefanson refused to bring in more stringent public orders prior to Christmas to slow the spread of the Omicron variant and reduce the impact on hospitals.

Tens of thousands of surgeries have been cancelled to free up hospital space for COVID-19 patients. As a result, surgery patients are not getting the care they need. Many are suffering in pain and agony; some have no idea when their procedures will be rescheduled. Its inhumane.

Even if hospitalization numbers decline slightly over the next week, hospital wards will still be full, surgeries will still be cancelled and patients will still be sent to hospitals hundreds of kilometres from home.

The government is trying to downplay those negative impacts, including by withholding vital data, as it prepares to loosen restrictions. When asked during the news conference how many surgeries have been cancelled in January, Dr. David Matear, health system co-lead for the provinces unified health-sector incident command, said he didnt know. Of course they know, they just dont want to share the information.

When asked about patient transfers to remote communities, Gordon tried to normalize them by saying the province has been transferring patients for years (it has, but not dozens per week to hospitals hundreds of kilometres away).

If there was any empathy in the past for patients suffering on long waiting lists or languishing in emergency room wards, it is now gone. The government is shifting its focus away from that as it prepares Manitobans for a "good news" announcement next week.

This is the Stefanson governments "new balance."

The Omicron variant was going to spread no matter what restrictions were in place. However, transmission could have been mitigated to ease the burden on hospitals. The Stefanson government chose not to take those actions. They now seem prepared to ease restrictions further, the consequences of which could be dire.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
A new internal review of the Conservative Party of Canadas heartbreaking election loss last fall concludes that overall party brand and data management  and not leadership  is to blame. During a national caucus this week, the question on everyones mind was whether MPs will accept the reports conclusions, or put an end to Erin OTooles leadership.

A new internal review of the Conservative Party of Canadas heartbreaking election loss last fall concludes that overall party brand and data management  and not leadership  is to blame. During a national caucus this week, the question on everyones mind was whether MPs will accept the reports conclusions, or put an end to Erin OTooles leadership.

Its not an exaggeration to say that this is a watershed moment for the federal Conservatives. In two consecutive elections, the Tories have garnered more votes that Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberals, but finished second. They were results made possible by the inefficient Tory vote: huge pluralities in western seats but insufficient support in larger cities, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Even though these results lay bare structural problems with the Conservative party, a few Tory riding associations and MPs have tried to lay the blame solely at the feet of Mr. OToole who, since winning the leadership in 2020, has tried to move the partys agenda more to the centre of Canadian politics.

Blaming Mr. OToole for last falls election result is short-sighted and only puts off the painful soul-searching this party must do to make itself palatable to a broader swath of the Canadian electorate.

The internal review found the partys voter database  long seen as a strength in the heat of election battles  is now desperately out of date. Modern elections are fought using voter intention data that goes well beyond the names and email addresses of supporters and potential supporters. The Tories need to get with the times.

The review also said the party must reinvent its candidate selection process to recruit more diverse candidates, and hire more diverse staff to ensure that it can communicate in the languages of choice of powerful ethnic voting blocks.

Finally, the review noted that larger brand issues must be addressed. In the last election, the Tories were forced  once again  to fight the perception they were xenophobic, homophobic and on the wrong side of issues like climate change and vaccine mandates. Mr. OToole is trying to change those perceptions, but hes going to need more time to get the job done.

The Conservative party remains the Frankensteins monster of Canadian politics. Created in 2003 out of the wreck of the failed Canadian Alliance party, the Conservative Party was supposed to be the vehicle that would help right-of-centre Canadians to build a truly national right-of-centre coalition.

(Justin Tang / The Canadian Press) Conservative Leader Erin OToole

Unfortunately for conservative Canadians, the Conservative Party has failed in that goal.

It is still dominated by western conservative sentiments that, while they earn enormous support across the prairies, do not play well in many other regions. The Tories may have won more votes in the last election, but they remain well short of earning a national disposition.

It is a critical moment for the Conservative party. If a leadership vote were to be held right now, it is quite likely the party would be overwhelmed with party members who are much farther right-of-centre than Mr. OToole. Although they may see that as a victory, its quite clear the further the party reaches in that direction, the less support it will get in regions necessary to win a federal election.

The Tories asked for an unflinching review of the partys performance in the last election. Now that it has arrived, they should take the advice in it to heart, and start building a truly national conservative political party.
OTTAWA  The federal government paid a courier to drive 10 hours to collect a COVID-19 test sample Friday from a Manitoba man, who argues that money could have gone to local health care.

OTTAWA  The federal government paid a courier to drive 10 hours to collect a COVID-19 test sample Friday from a Manitoba man, who argues that money could have gone to local health care.

"When I see the blatant misuse of taxpayers dollars in this way, it just angers me," says Swan River insurance broker Curtis Cook.

"Its feeding into this whole COVID frenzy and it just disturbs me."

Cook and his wife crossed home to Canada Thursday after a short visit with relatives in the U.S. Border agents at the Coulter crossing in the southwest corner of the province told the pair they had been randomly selected for a take-home COVID-19 test.

Cook and his wife are triple-vaccinated, and had a PCR test done in the U.S. within 48 hours of returning to Canada.

They were given supplies for a nose-swab, which they performed Thursday night during a video link with an employee of Dynacare, which Ottawa pays to administer the program. She told them that the tests, which go into a package the size of a tissue box, could be sent via Purolator. Otherwise, someone from Dynacare would phone to arrange a pickup.

Cook lives on a farm, and Purolator mostly serves addresses in more-populated areas. In the video call, he said hed send the parcel through his insurance office in Swan River. Thats because asymptomatic, vaccinated people tested under the program are permitted to continue going about their business.

Hours after he sent the parcel from his office, a man arrived, explaining he had driven 500 kilometres from Winnipeg to pick up the tests for Dynacare, a trip that takes about five hours.

"This young fellow, I think he said he made a special trip up here for these (tests)," said Cook.

"How much carbon did he put in the air to drive this far, whereas that money could have been used at our local hospital here much more efficiently?"

When asked how often Dynacare makes such journeys, and how much they cost Ottawa, the company referred Friday afternoon queries to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Cook contacted his MP, who was unimpressed by the situation.

"This is another example of Justin Trudeaus Ottawa-knows-best approach, that does not take into account the concerns and realities of rural Canadians," wrote Dan Mazier, the Conservative MP for the riding of DauphinSwan RiverNeepawa.

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Mazier was particularly troubled that triple-vaccinated constituents who already had a negative test result still had to go through the hoops of submitting a test.

"We need to have policies that are effective and make sense," he said, emphasizing he has no wish to add fuel to the COVID-19 fire that has caused so much bitterness and angry debate across the country.

But knowing the federal government is paying for testing supplies, a video consultation with a health worker, a courier and lab resources  all of it unnecessary  is aggravating, Cook said.

"Whats the point of this test at the border?" he said. "Im at work paying taxes like everybody else in this country, and for them to blatantly waste valuable resources like that just really angered me, to be honest."

The Free Press has requested comment from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The province says it will help cover some costs of a loved one visiting a patient that has been transferred to a hospital far from home.

The province says it will help cover some costs of a loved one visiting a patient that has been transferred to a hospital far from home.

After announcing Friday trip costs wont be covered for those whove already travelled to visit any of the 253 stable hospital patients moved to another region to make room for the seriously ill amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the province changed course later in the day. It said the compensation would be retroactive.

A release Friday said the program would be available in early February, but at a news conference later in the day, Health Minister Audrey Gordon said the hardship supports would be available effective today.

The details havent yet been finalized, but the program will allow for up to eight visits per month by a designated support person, the release said. It will provide financial assistance for meals, transportation and accommodation when a person is moved to a facility outside of their home region for inpatient care.

It will include meal vouchers, so the designated support person can dine with the client when on-site meal service is available. When it isnt, the province will cover the cost of meals  up to $8 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner. It will provide transportation assistance of return bus fare or gas expenses and accommodation assistance up to a maximum of $70 per night, plus taxes.

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NDP Leader Wab Kinew had said the program should be retroactive  before the province announced it would be.

Many folks have already incurred these expenses and they should not be left out of consideration at this time, Kinew told reporters. These are challenges that families are being forced to confront because of decisions made by the government.

The government should be there to help  if not to make these families completely whole, they should at least offer them consideration.

On Friday, Dr. David Matear, health system co-lead with the unified health-sector incident command, said more patient transfers may be required but there is capacity in the health-care system to handle it.

Care teams are trained to provide appropriate, high-quality care for a wide range of patient needs, he said virtually at the news conference with the health minister.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Image from the city of Winona

This map shows the portion of HBC's headquarters the city is seeking to buy. Just south of the red rectangle is the HBC Wizards building the city is also pursuing.
Photo by Chris Rogers

From left, Winona Fire Department Firefighters Tim Carlson, Pete Brueggen, and Assistant Fire Chief Joel Corcoran spoke with Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Governor Tim Walz, and Winona Fire Chief Curt Bittle at Central Fire Station in 2019.
Weather Alert

...The National Weather Service in Indianapolis IN has issued a Flood Warning for the following rivers in Indiana... Wabash River at Lafayette and Covington. .Multiple rounds of rain over the last few days is bringing minor flooding along lower portions of the White River and upper portions of the Wabash River. Additional rainfall Thursday evening through Friday evening should keep portions of the White and Wabash above flood stage through the weekend. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/ind. This statement will be updated later this evening. && ...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING TO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Wabash River at Lafayette. * WHEN...From this evening to early Saturday morning. * IMPACTS...At 12.0 feet, High water affects a few low river cabins and county roads. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 5:30 PM EDT Wednesday the stage was 10.7 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late this evening to a crest of 12.6 feet early tomorrow afternoon. It may then fall below flood stage Friday afternoon depending on Friday's rainfall. - Flood stage is 11.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. [Xinhua/Lin Hao]

SOFIA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua)  A Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1.

The three-week long event, organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, is staged at the Slaveykov square, a popular place in the center of Bulgaria's capital city.

Many visitors were attracted by the bright colors and diversity of the photos.

Prof. Nako Stefanov, an expert in East Asia of Sofia University and a visitor, told Xinhua the exhibition "is a significant event for Sofia that will be seen by many people."

The exhibition gives a very interesting look at such a traditional festival, Stefanov said, adding "I think it is very good that Bulgarians have the opportunity to look into the life of the Chinese people at such a festive moment."

Vladislav Mihaylov, another visitor, spent more than 20 minutes enjoying the photos. "I look at the exhibition with great interest, wishing to go to China someday to see these festivities live," Mihaylov said.

People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. [Xinhua/Lin Hao]

A girl visits a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. [Xinhua/Lin Hao]

(Source: Xinhua)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowd while touring Pingyao, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Xi extended Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese people during his visit to Shanxi Province from Wednesday to Thursday. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua)  Braving the snow, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited north China's Shanxi Province from Wednesday to Thursday on an inspection tour ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1 this year.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learned about local post-disaster reconstruction, crop replanting, and measures to keep people warm in the winter during the trip.

For 10 years in a row, Xi has made it a tradition to visit ordinary people, especially the disadvantaged groups, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar.

The following are some of the most memorable moments of Xi's interactions with these people during his pre-Spring Festival tours.

2022, Shanxi

Visiting Duancun Village in Fenxi County, Shanxi Province, Xi checked the kitchen, the bedroom and the sheepfold in a villager's home, and asked about the family's income and their life.

Xi was pleased to learn that the family, after shaking off poverty in late 2016, has prospered through raising sheep and seeking work in other places.

"The CPC's resolve to ensure all Chinese people live happy lives has remained unchanged for more than a century, and it will not falter," Xi said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks to villagers who are participating in festive activities, and extends his New Year's greetings to people of all ethnic groups across the country, on a public square of Huawu Village, Xinren Miao Township of Qianxi County, Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 3, 2021. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

2021, Guizhou

Xi visited Huawu Village, which successfully eliminated poverty through crop planting and animal husbandry as well as tourism, during his inspection to southwest China's Guizhou Province.

He was invited to the home of Zhao Yuxue, a Miao villager, and made traditional festival food "Huangba" with Zhao's family.

He also visited a Miao embroidery workshop, urging efforts to promote ethnic and traditional cultures.

"This year, we will secure the great victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, achieving the first centenary goal," Xi told villagers at a public square. "No ethnic group should be left behind."

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in a village of the Wa ethnic group in Qingshui Township of Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 19, 2020. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

2020, Yunnan

Xi went to the home of farmer Li Fashun in Simola Wa Village, Yunnan Province, where he learned about the family's daily life, and was invited to join the family in making rice cakes. He also beat a wooden drum of the Wa ethnic group three times, a local ritual activity to bless the coming year.

The year 2020 marked the deadline for China to eliminate absolute poverty. During the inspection, Xi noted that shaking off poverty is the starting point for a new and happy life, urging vigorously promoting rural vitalization after a moderately prosperous society in all respects is achieved.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits residents' homes in Qianmen area in central Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 1, 2019. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

2019, Beijing

Xi visited the hutong neighborhoods of central Beijing and dropped into two courtyards along the hutong, inquiring about the living conditions of local residents after the renovation projects in the neighborhood.

"What the CPC pursues is to make the people's life better," he told the residents, gladly chatting and making dumplings with them.

Xi also went to a property service center to visit staff and community workers, and stepped into a restaurant, chatted with the owner and some customers, and wished them good luck.

Visiting an express delivery station, Xi stressed that priority should be given to solving employment problems and creating more jobs.

He praised the hard work of deliverymen, saying they were "busy as bees" to bring convenience to people's lives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the home of an impoverished family in Sanhe Village of Sanchahe Township in Zhaojue County of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Feb. 11, 2018. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

2018, Sichuan

Xi went deep into the mountains of impoverished Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In two ethnic Yi villages, Xi was happy to learn that villagers have increased their incomes by raising cattle and growing potatoes, peppers and walnuts.

"Not a single ethnic group or family should be left behind in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Xi said.

He also told villagers later during the inspection: "My job is to serve the people."

Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the home of villager Xu Wan in Desheng Village, Xiaoertai Township of Zhangbei County in north China's Hebei Province, on Jan. 24, 2017. [Xinhua/Lan Hongguang]

2017, Hebei

Xi went to a village in Hebei Province, a short drive from Beijing. In the house of poor villager Xu Wan, Xi asked about the family's drinking water, TV programs and activities the family had planned for the Lunar New Year.

Xi sat down with Xu and helped him with his household budget.

While visiting villager Xu Haicheng's home, Xi chatted with village cadres and farmers, and said poverty eradication is the "bottom-line task" in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd L), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, makes ciba, a kind of food made of sticky rice, with villagers while visiting Shenshan Village in Jinggangshan, east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 2, 2016. [Xinhua/Lan Hongguang]

2016, Jiangxi

Xi visited the house of Zuo Xiufa, grandson of a revolutionary martyr living in a poverty-stricken village in the city of Jinggangshan, Jiangxi Province. Xi was glad to see that Zuo had shaken off poverty by using local bamboo resources to start his own processing business.

Calling Jinggangshan the cradle of the Chinese revolution, Xi called for carrying forward the Jinggangshan Spirit in the modern context.

Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping (3rd L), also chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the cave dwelling he lived in during his teenage when he came to Liangjiahe Village as part of a campaign launched by Chairman Mao Zedong that asked urban youth to experience rural labor life, in Wen'anyi Township of Yanchuan County, Yan'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 13, 2015. [Xinhua/Lan Hongguang]

2015, Shaanxi

Xi met with old acquaintances from Liangjiahe Village, Shaanxi Province, where he had spent seven years as an adolescent and young adult. "I will never forget the villagers here and the people in the old revolutionary base," Xi said.

"A well-off society is incomplete if people in old revolutionary base areas cannot shake off poverty," Xi said later during a meeting with officials from Shaanxi and neighboring provincial regions in northwest China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st L) visits the family of Guo Yongcai, in Yi'ershi Township of Arxan City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2014. [Xinhua/Lan Hongguang]

2014, Inner Mongolia

Braving the cold in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xi visited the home of forestry worker Guo Yongcai in a border town.

Inside the house in a dilapidated neighborhood, Xi checked the cellar and the fireplace and chatted with Guo to learn about his difficulties.

He later went to a children's welfare home where he used sign language to interact with the hearing-impaired. Xi called for love for children, especially orphans and the disabled, from across the society.

2013, Gansu

Xi went to villages located in a hostile natural environment in northwestern Gansu Province, asking villagers whether they had enough food, sufficient subsistence allowances, and access to medical and educational resources.

He emphasized stepping up efforts to ensure millions in arid parts of Gansu have access to stable supply of drinking water.

Xi also visited a construction site to learn about the rebuilding work of the county seat, where a landslide two years earlier had caused severe damages. There, he chatted with migrant workers, ordering better protection of their legitimate rights and interests.

(Source: Xinhua)
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More than 300 leading scientists, health experts and academics warned Friday that the policy of allowing billions of people in low and middle-income countries to go unvaccinated was a reckless approach to public health. Among the dangers was that it could lead to new variants of coronavirus emerging.

The scientists issued an open letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. UK at risk of new variants if poorer countries left unvaccinated, was published on the website of the Global Justice Now charity, formerly known as the World Development Movement. Alongside the letter was a link for the public to send an email to their MP, with the message Ask your MP to back global vaccine access.

The call falls on deaf ears. The letter was published the day after the Johnson government ditched every COVID mitigation measure, under conditions in which the Omicron variant continues to tear throughout the population with around 100,000 new cases reported each day and hundreds of deaths. Almost a quarter of Britains population (16.3 million people) have already been infected, with over 176,000 people killed by COVID.

In a statement released alongside the letter, Laura Merson, Associate Director of the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory at the University of Oxford, said, The easing of plan B restrictions may give the impression that the pandemic is coming to an end. But this wont be over until we address the risk of new variants at the rootin populations that have not had access to vaccines. The protection provided by boosters will be tragically limited if most of the world remains unvaccinated.

The letter was signed by 324 experts, including, in a personal capacity, 13 members of the Conservative governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) committee and subcommittees, and an adviser to the UKs Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Other signatories include several advisers to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Among the letters backers are scientists who have long argued for a strategy to eliminate COVID-19, including Dr. Deepti Gurdasani, a public health researcher at the Queen Mary University in London, Professor Anthony Costello of University College London and Christina Pagel, Professor of Operational Researcher University College London.

The authors write of their concern about the emergence of the Omicron variant and the threat that future variants may pose to public health, the NHS [National Health Service], and the UKs vaccination programme.

The letter states, Vaccinating the vast majority of the worlds population is the best way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from mutating. However, as the UK has provided booster doses to up to one million people every day, more than 3 billion people across the world have yet to receive their first dose. More boosters have been delivered in rich countries than the total number of all doses administered so far in poorer nations.

Allowing huge numbers of people in low- and middle-income countries to remain unvaccinated is a reckless approach to public health that creates conditions where new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern are more likely to develop. Indeed, the Omicron variant was first identified in Botswana and South Africa, on a continent in which fewer than one in ten are fully vaccinated.

The experts note that we have a number of vaccines that remain highly effective against all known Covid-19 variants. Yet, unless we share this technology with the world and increase global vaccination coverage, vaccines will not be effective at stopping new variants of concern. We must use and expand domestic vaccine manufacturing and distribution capacity within low and middle-income countries. However, intellectual property rules and trade secrets remain a major barrier to this task.

They call on Johnson to support the temporary waiver of intellectual property rules under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for Covid-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to scale up and diversify production of the tools needed to end this pandemic.

The UK government should also use all means at its disposal to pressure pharmaceutical companies to share their technology and know-how with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) and its mRNA technology transfer hub in South Africa.

The letter concludes, The crisis posed by the Omicron variant is a stark warning of the dangers posed by global vaccine inequality. The pandemic does not stop at the UK border. Ensuring global vaccination coverage will help to prevent unnecessary loss of life and avert further variants of concern from emerging, including variants that could potentially render existing vaccines less effective, or variants that confer greater transmissibility or virulence. We urge you to put public health before the commercial interests of the pharmaceutical industry to prevent another year of uncertainty and tragedy.

The letters warning could not be more timely, given the spread of the BA.2 variant which, as of January 17, had been detected in at least 40 countries on every habitable continent. Predictions are that it could become the dominant variant of COVID in Britain within a month, as infections caused by it are doubling every few days.

The only priority of the Johnson government, as with the political representatives of the capitalist class the world over, is the wellbeing of the corporations, banks and super-rich. It is this agenda of profits over public health that has governed its every move since the pandemic first hit. As far back as November, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi declared, Ultimately our plan, we will, I hope be the first major economy to transition from pandemic to endemic.

The media, who across the spectrum advocate varying forms of herd immunity, are fully on board and are calling for the current boosters to be the last made available, and the end of mass testing in order to supposedly achieve endemicity.

The Johnson government declared its opposition to patent waivers in December at the World Trade Organization, cynically stating that they would not increase the number of vaccines reaching peoples arms. The Daily Telegraph reported that instead the UK was in favour of technology transfer and licensing agreements. The pharmaceutical giants couldnt have made their opposition to the C-TAP scheme any more emphatic, with Pfizers CEO Albert Bourla dismissing waiving intellectual property rights as nonsense.

Vaccinating the vast majority of the worlds population as called for by the scientists and health experts in the open letter, is a pipe dream under capitalism. Over 10 billion doses have been administered globally, but less than 10 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. As an example, as of January 24, in Ethiopia just 6.5 percent of the population had been partly vaccinated and 1.3 percent fully vaccinated.

The World Health Organizations COVAX programme, set up with the remit to ensure COVID-19 vaccines reach the worlds poorest people, has missed every target it set. After nearly a year in operation, it only this month finally managed to ship its billionth vaccine dose, having aimed to deliver 2 billion by the end of 2021.

How long COVAX can even remain in operation is in doubt. Last week, the programme announced that it required an additional $5.2 billion to support its global vaccine rollout this year. This would only cover a further 600 million doses, as well as expenses for required associated commodities including syringes.

The Financial Times reported, The Covax vaccine initiative set up to ensure Covid-19 vaccines reach the worlds poorest people is unable to accept new dose donations because it has nearly exhausted the funds needed to buy crucial accessories including syringes

Seth Berkley, chief executive of the Gavi vaccine alliance that helped to establish COVAX said, We are in a position where we will not be able to accept more dose donations [that come without syringes or other accessory elements] unless we get more cash. According to the FT, When asked how much money Covax had left, Berkley replied: None.
A tweet by Laurent Lafrance, an educator from Montreal, revealing that the Quebec government supplied masks to his school that failed to meet quality standards went viral this week. Over 40,000 people viewed the message, which noted that the surgical masks designated with the MC9501 code were deemed unsuitable for use in December 2020.

In an interview with the World Socialist Web Site, Laurent noted that the masks typically used in his school have the marker ASTM Level 1 on the packaging. This refers to the American Society of Testing and Materials, which grades face masks. Level 1 masks are described as offering a low-barrier protection, and are explicitly not recommended for use against airborne contaminants like COVID-19. Only masks with a Level 2 or Level 3 designation protect the wearer against infection by COVID-19, which is primarily transmitted by aerosols, tiny particles expelled in an infected individuals breath that can float in the air for hours.

Ineffective masks provided for Laurent's classroom

It was a regular day under pandemic conditions, and I was sitting at my desk doing some work, he said. Ive always been concerned about my own and my co-workers safety. One particular concern for me is that we are provided with surgical masks marked with the ASTM Level 1 designation, which experts say are not adequate to protect against airborne transmission.

Examining the box of masks on a nearby table, Laurent observed that the ASTM Level 1 marking was absent.

I was intrigued, so I performed a search for the masks code online, he continued. The first thing I saw was an article from December 2020 noting that this type of mask had not met safety standards. The piece noted that these masks were withdrawn from day cares and replaced with adequate masks.

I was quite shocked, because these were precisely the masks we had been using for several weeks. So I wrote a tweet about it and stated at the end that we need an explanation for this. I also warned my principal that these masks were prohibited. She wrote to the designated institution about it.

Laurent noted that the widespread anger generated by his tweet reflected the fact that many teachers and other education staff recognized that the hard-right Coalition Avenir Quebec government has no interest in safeguarding their health and safety. Many teachers said that these were the same masks they were using at their school, Laurent added. A day care worker wrote that they took a picture of the mask in December 2020 to ensure they would never come back into use.

Last year, we were provided with masks with toxic components in them. They contained graphene, which can cause lung damage. We wore them for weeks. All of this shows that our safety is not taken very seriously by the authorities.

In line with the homicidal policy of mass infection adopted by the Canadian ruling elite, the CAQ government has throughout the pandemic positively welcomed the spread of COVID-19. In April 2020, Premier Francois Legault mused during a press conference that only herd immunity, i.e., mass infection, would provide a way out of the crisis. Government officials explicitly rejected the need for educators and other essential workers to have access to N95 masks, which are necessary to protect the wearer against aerosols.

How can we have confidence in a government that is prepared to accept mass infection? Laurent stated. Legault asked at a recent press conference, What does living with the virus mean? He then said that we have to accept more death and hospitalization in Quebec.

The way they have changed the rules in schools shows they are letting the virus rip. The threshold for closing class is 60 percent of kids being infected. Last year, if there were two cases that were linked in a single class, they were supposed to stop in-person learning. Even then they would try to get around this by denying that transmission occurred in class.

Laurents tweet was picked up by the nationalist Parti Quebecois (PQ), which called for answers from the government. Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge avoided replying to Laurent directly, merely responding to the PQs tweet with a vague assurance that the masks manufacturer had confirmed to the government that although the box said they were only good for one year, they could be used for up to two years if they were properly stored.

Roberge made no reference to the December 2020 report noting that masks bearing the MC9501 code were withdrawn from use because they were deemed unsafe. Nor did he explain why the government, two years into a deadly pandemic, is not providing masks to education workers that protect them from infection by a deadly virus.

Laurent rejected the bogus claims made by government officials that they want to keep schools open to ensure that kids receive a good education and to protect their mental health. We learn every day that a teacher has COVID in school and needs to be replaced, he commented. The government sent a memo to schools telling them to prepare lists of parents and volunteers who are not qualified but can babysit. They are conscious that teachers and students will fall ill but theyre letting it go.

This ruthless class policy is supported by all governments, which see schools as warehouses for children so that their parents are free to go to work and generate profits for big business.

Laurent insisted that a drastic change is necessary so that students, staff, and the community at large are protected from infection. Teachers should have access to the highest level of PPE, he said. The virus is airborne, and experts say that N95s or elastomeric respirators are the safest options. However, we have to fight under current conditions to close schools. They are not safe in this pandemic. Schools should only be opened when the situation is under control as part of a Zero COVID strategy.

When schools are reopened, teachers should have the safest PPE, including N95s at a minimum, along with a whole series of measures to prevent transmission. These include reduced class sizes, use of outdoor settings where possible, and smaller cohorts.

Teachers and other education staff need to establish rank-and-file committees to fight for a Zero COVID strategy. Teachers and support staff should work together with parents and scientists to determine the necessary measures to be taken in schools when its safe to reopen. Teachers also require education about the science of the virus. On this basis, they can support the adoption of measures that will ensure everyone remains safe, including the kids.

We encourage all educators across Canada who wish to share their experiences of conditions in their school during the pandemic to contact the Cross-Canada Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee at cersc.csppb@gmail.com. You can also follow the committee on Twitter.
Temporary closures of Californias university and college campuses are ending as COVID-19 cases continue to rise as a result of the Omicron variant. In unison, the higher institutions throughout the state that host some 1.8 million students are reopening starting Monday, January 31. This comes despite the fact that nearly 4,000 people are dying across the US daily, the seven-day average of new cases in the state is 105,000 and ICU beds in many regions are pushing towards 90 percent capacity with hospitals buckling under the sheer volume of COVID patients.

University of California Berkeley (Wikimedia Commons)

California is a hub of higher education, with two of the largest public university systems in the US. The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems host 280,000 and 485,000 students respectively, while the California Community Colleges is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, with 2.1 million students.

Throughout the pandemic, colleges and K-12 public schools have been shown to be major hubs of mass transmission of the virus. Mass outbreaks on college campuses throughout the US in mid-December forced a number of colleges and universities to close, transfer classes online and commit to starting the spring semester remotely as a result of student outcry. However, the recent, temporary closures of the campuses are themselves an admission to the dangers of the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant, which has spread like wildfire even among the highly-vaccinated and boosted populations on college campuses.

The policies of these institutions set an example for countless other colleges and public-school districts. They are therefore prime targets for reopening, as their continued closure gives credence to the growth of opposition by college students and faculty as well as K-12 teachers, students and families pushing for remote learning. In the effort to keep public schools open in the face of growing opposition, University campuses are being forced to reopen to bolster the illusion of safety.

Los Angeles has the second largest college student population in the country, just behind New York, at 950,000. K-12 schools in the county are reporting absentee rates averaging over one in four students, and the seven-day average of new cases is a whopping 30,000 people in Los Angeles county as of Thursday. Despite these facts, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), a school of nearly 45,000 students, intends to reopen Monday. With UCLA leading the charge, nearly a million college students will soon be forced back into unsafe university environments.

Responding to the surge in cases, over 2,000 UCLA students, faculty and alumni have undersigned a statement addressed to the University from the Disabled Student Union, demanding a remote learning option and calling for a mass sick out and demonstration Monday.

Also in opposition to unsafe conditions, faculty at Pasadena City College, a primarily working class college with a student body of over 25,000, held a demonstration against holding classes in-person after reopening on January 24. This demonstration was significant in that faculty made appeals to students to join the struggle against reopening. In the face of the opposition of nearly 80 percent of faculty, the college coldly responded that The timing of the return to campus is not open for negotiation.

The situation is nearly identical across the state. Further south, the major San Diego County universities continue with their reopening plans in the middle of the current surge. At the University of California San Diego (UCSD), which has a student population of 39,000, there have been over 3000 student cases since the start of the term on January 3 of this year. UCSD leadership boasted it would be ending its ghost town appearance, a bitter statement given the rising daily death toll predicted to surpass last winter.

Responding to concerns, the administration of UCSD has given professors the choice to hold class in-person or remain online. For professors that hold their classes in-person, there is no efficient system of accommodations for students who have to quarantine. According to users on the UCSD subreddit social media platform, accommodations are only made upon proof of COVID-positive status. This effectively creates an incentive for students to come to class sick, or go untested, as missed days may be penalized before COVID test results come back.

Although many professors have committed to remaining online, this places the pressure and onus on the individual faculty members. Students are expressing concern at these policies, with one warning on social media that, in 3-4 weeks were gonna see that this was a really bad idea.

At San Diego State University (SDSU), which has a student population of 36,000, classes will reopen to in-person instruction on February 7. SDSU is relying on a combination of booster mandates and biweekly testing for students who do not have the booster. These weak mitigation measures have already been exposed as inadequate when facing the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

In Northern California, Bay Area colleges are also in the middle of reopening. Stanford reopened for in-person instruction on January 24, and the University of California, Berkeley plans on reopening Monday. Stanfords reopening comes despite the infection of nearly 700 students and faculty just two weeks ago. The Bay Area has seen a surge in cases in the tens of thousands; Alameda County and Santa Clara County both saw over 50,000 cases in the last two weeks.

Alice, a researcher at Stanford, whose name has been altered to protect her identity, spoke with the World Socialist Web Site about her experiences dealing with the unsafe conditions on campus.

First of all, this is a matter of life and death, she said. Transmission is happening in schools no matter how much politicians are trying to deny that.

She said it was so frustrating to deal with the exceptionalist attitude of the university. To see Stanford saying, We really want to welcome our freshmen back, we are ignoring the global pandemic to make sure that the Stanford product is something we can sell.

Its completely in line with the pattern you see everywhere, Stanford putting the profit motive above all else. She explained, This is happening on a national level; the administration is completely ignoring science, epidemiology, virology, etc.

She noted that in the first week after winter break, there were over 1,000 infections on the Stanford campus.

She said a difference between college campuses and K-12 is that it is less about getting parents back to work and more about the profits of the university. They want to have kids physically at Stanford paying for their dorms, paying for their dining halls, paying for their tuition, so they dont question whether this private elite education is worth it, whether it would be better to be at home on my PC at a community college.

Alice expressed concern, in particular, about professors she knew who were older or who had vulnerable people in their family and also said she was moved and heartened to see so many people go on strike, in reference to the wave of teacher and student struggles against school reopening.

Alice said, In the current political system [it has been decided] that we need to sacrifice millions of people. What were seeing now is completely unacceptable, she said.

According to a report by the SFExaminer citing the California Hospital Association (CHA), hospitals expect the current surge to continue for another four to six weeks. The CHA further warned that the peak of the surge will triple COVID hospitalizations. This is compounded by severe staff shortages and low ICU capacity, which is between 80 to 91 percent full in all six of Californias regions. Particularly troubling is the 9.3 percent availability of beds in the San Joaquin Valley.

Currently, the seven-day average of cases in California remains over 100,000 per day. In an admission of the severity of the crisis, Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has been compelled to reinstate the states sick pay. Deaths, the most lagging indicator of the severity of a surge, are still expected to peak in the coming weeks.

This finds a stark contrast with the tone of the media towards the current state of the crisis. A recent article in the Hollywood publication Deadline celebrates that the Omicron variant not only develops faster than previous strains, it also cycles through the infected host more quickly. For all the jubilation that the peak has passed and celebrations of drops in cases, the author is still forced to admit that there were nearly 20,000 new COVID cases in Los Angeles alone that day, and the number of Covid-infected people dying will continue to increase for the next several weeks.

Claims by the entire political establishment and corporate media that the virus is endemic and the population must learn to live with the virus does not mean that COVID will become less severe, it means that the ruling class will do nothing to contain the spread of the virus and is working to normalize thousands of daily deaths. The more the virus is allowed to spread throughout the population, the more likely the virus will develop further mutations that make it more transmissible and vaccine-resistant.

There is only one takeaway from this danger: The working class must take up the struggle to protect their lives and health and organize opposition to policies of mass infection and death. This struggle must be based on a scientific perspective and must be bound up with a struggle against the capitalist system. We call on students, teachers, parents, and workers to join an online meeting this Sunday, January 30 of the West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Committees to organize a fight to halt the deadly reopenings. Sign up here to join Sundays meeting and to learn more.
The West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees is meeting at 12:00 Noon Pacific Time this Sunday to organize educators, students and parents in order to temporarily close schools as part of a broader strategy to stop the pandemic. Register today to attend this weekends meeting!

Richmond High School (Credit: West Contra Costa Unified School District, wccusd.net)

Nearly 1,500 teachers, nurses and other school staff in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) in the San Francisco Bay Area of California could begin strike action over COVID-19 safety in the coming days. Last weekend, a poll conducted by the United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) of its members found that 72 percent supported the action.

The UTR has advanced a series of limited demands, stating that if these were not met that they would request a strike authorization vote on Friday, January 28. As of this writing, there have been no reports on whether a vote has taken place.

The resounding support for a strike shown by last weekends poll is the latest indication of the growing rebellion by educators and students against the herd immunity strategy of mass infection now adopted by the Democratic Party, from the Biden administration down to the state and local levels.

As in much of California and the rest of the country, educators report nearly empty classrooms as parents keep their children at home either due to COVID-19 exposure or infection or as a protective measure against the rapidly spreading disease. The hostility of educators, supported by parents and students, to the government-sanctioned push to keep schools open under these conditions, will not be addressed by the half-measures proposed by the UTR.

The UTR, which covers educators serving 27,000 students in the cities of Richmond, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, and San Pablo, is following the example of the Oakland Education Association (OEA) in nearby Oakland, which reached a tentative agreement this week to unsafely reopen schools and influenced the decision of students to end their week-long walkout.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, over 10 percent of the population of Contra Costa County (or 170,123 people) have officially contracted COVID-19, resulting in 1,101 documented deaths. The county reports 28,362 cases in the past two weeks alone, coinciding with the reopening of schools amid the Omicron surge.

The UTR is now announcing the same completely inadequate demands the OEA settled on with OUSD. The union has posted no information about the strike on its website, but according to the East Bay Times, its demands are:

High-quality masks provided daily to teachers Weekly voluntary COVID-19 testing for all A qualified adult in every classroom A choice between twice weekly testing or remote learning for classrooms with 3 or more cases

Throughout the past week, the UTR has been encouraging teachers to work to rule in an effort to pressure WCCUSD to agree to their demands. None of these demands will prevent continued mass infection of students and educators with COVID-19. The virus spreads through aerosols, which can remain suspended in the air for hours and easily travel the length of a classroom.

There are also apparently no demands related to ventilation or air filtration, which are critical preventive measures to slow transmission. Having a qualified adult in every classroom will do nothing to stop the spread between students and teachers in classrooms.

The KN95 masks, which the union is requesting, block only 95 percent of aerosolized particles at 0.3 microns, meaning that infection is still possible even if the mask is sized and worn correctly, and KN95 masks are more often counterfeit than N95 masks. At best, such masks will slow the rate of infection. Reusable elastomeric respirators offering 99.97 percent protection are not even discussed by the union.

The form of voluntary testing is left ambiguous in the unions demands. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is highly accurate, but results often take days or longer to arrive from backlogged laboratories. By the time an educator or student learns he or she is positive, tens or hundreds of people will have likely been exposed to the virus. Rapid antigen tests produce results more quickly but are more prone to false negative results, particularly with the Omicron variant, allowing asymptomatic COVID-19-positive individuals to unknowingly spread the virus.

The last demand, added on Wednesday, makes clear that these demands have nothing to do with trying to make schools safe. According to the Contra Costa Health Services regulations, an unvaccinated worker who comes into contact with someone who has COVID-19 is supposed to quarantine for at least five days and test negative on the fifth day before returning to work. Yet UTR only demands twice a week testing for students (most of whom are still unvaccinated), who come into contact with at least three other infected students in the same classroom.

Completely absent is the only demand that would actually keep educators and students safe from a virus that has killed nearly 900,000 in the US alone: Remote learning.

There is no lack of resolve by workers to fight for safe working conditions or for better pay for that matter. The completely inadequate nature of the unions demands is rooted in its intimate connections to the Democratic Party. The Biden and Newsom administrations have made clear that schools must remain open so parents can return to work, no matter the state of the pandemic.

Californias Democrat-led state government has gone so far as to tie school funding to in-person instruction, which has severely curtailed safe remote learning options.

The fight for remote learning is an essential component of a public health strategy aimed at placing lives before profit: Global elimination of COVID-19.

The West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees (WCERFSC) fight for this perspective, calling on educators across the West Coast to unite with their brothers and sisters in health care, logistics and other industries based on the following demands:

The immediate closing of school buildings until teachers themselves, on the advice of trusted scientists, determine that it is safe to return

The implementation of fully funded, high-quality remote education

Financial support for all workers and small business people affected by temporary lockdowns

A program of mass testing and contact tracing, including of children, with thousands of testing and vaccination centers set up throughout every major city

A reversal of the CDCs shortening of its quarantine guidelines. Those infected or exposed must quarantine for at least 14 days, with full compensation made for missed work

Mandatory masking with N95 grade or better masks to be provided free of charge in all public places

A science education program directed at the working class, conducted with the assistance of scientists and physicians, to popularize understanding of airborne transmission and all other science related to the pandemic

The installation of the highest quality HVAC and air filtration systems in every school

A tax on the West Coasts 189 billionaires to pay for the needs of parents, educators and other workers impacted by the pandemic

The UTR is aiming to repeat the union betrayals that have transpired in Oakland, Chicago and elsewhere, in support of the bipartisan eugenicist policy of living with the virus. Teachers, students and workers know that such a policy actually means many workers and their loved ones will die with the virus. It means living with Long COVID or caring for a family member with this affliction. The only safe option for students and teachers is a return to remote learning, and the only way forward in that struggle is through the organization of the broadest possible layers of workers, students and parents into democratically controlled rank-and-file committees.

For this reason, we call on educators and students in Richmond and throughout Contra Costa County to form rank-and-file safety committees, independent of and in opposition to the unions and the Democratic Party. We urge all who agree with this perspective to attend this weekends meeting of the West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees at 12:00 Noon Pacific Time this Sunday.
Detroit Public Schools Community District is set to reopen for in-person instruction on Monday, January 31, following the demand by Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to end the month-long switch to all-virtual learning.

Detroit Teachers during 2016 sickout over working conditions. (WSWS media)

The demand by Vitti, in line with the policy of the administrations of Biden and Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, is not the result of a lessening of the danger of COVID-19. In fact, the states test positivity rate stands at 30.5 percent and Detroits at 20.1 percentboth statistics indicating a vast undercount of cases. Underscoring the devastating toll the virus has wrought on the state, it was announced last week that 2020 was the first year in Michigans 187-year history where deaths exceeded births. In 2020 alone, 11,362 Michigan residents perished from COVID, with a total 31,985 lives lost so far in the Wolverine state.

On Wednesday, January 26, Governor Whitmer gave her State of the State address from the headquarters of auto parts producer Detroit Diesel, indicating her priorities. She made a point of demanding that children must be in buildings. I want to be crystal clear. Students belong in school. We know its where they learn best. Remote learning is not as fulfilling or conducive to a childs growth.

Her concerns, however, were not the growth of children, but were symbolized by her choice of venue for the yearly speech. She answers above all to automakers and industrialists, most of whom face a labor shortage. Whitmer, therefore insisted that schools reopen so that parents can work.

Whitmer also announced a $2,500 state tax rebate to new purchasers of electric vehicles, part of a near $1 billion state subsidy to automakers through the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) program and cut-rate industrial electrical pricing. At the same time, schools are being starved of adequate resources and parents have been told that high-quality robust remote learning and pandemic aid is too expensive.

In response to this social crime, the Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality held a meeting Wednesday. It brought together educators from districts across Michigan, autoworkers from Michigan and Indiana, and students and instructors from the University of Michigan and Ohio.

Participants mapped out a campaign to bring their fight to Detroit auto plants, issuing an Open Letter calling for a two- to three-month shutdown of schools and nonessential businesses, financial and social supports to families and small businesses, a systematic system of contact tracing, testing and high-quality remote instruction.

Motivating the initiative, Michigan educator Mitch Marcus pointed out that there were 117 new school outbreaks this week, up from 74 a week ago. He pointed to the critical fight to keep Detroit schools closed, stating, Detroit has a very important history to the working class of the region and this country. We must wage a fight here. This is a battleground. The profit interests and their political lackeys want to set a precedent in Detroit, which is home to the largest school district in the state, to reopen under conditions of massive, continued spread. It is likewise spreading in the factories and killing autoworkers.

We as school staff, parents, autoworkers and all workers must draw a line in the sand here. We should unify the movement to shut schools and move to remote learning with the struggle of autoworkers for their own safety. Any fight by teachers to address the pandemics impact in schools requires breaking out of the narrow confines imposed by the unions.

I look forward to a discussion about fighting to build the broadest unity between teachers, students and larger sections of the working class.

Members of the committee spoke enthusiastically, agreeing to join a campaign at Detroits auto plants and determined to fight against the needless herding of children and workers into deadly workplaces.

I can only say Im scared to death in my office, said a school worker. To me it just sounds like they want us to get sick or theyre trying to get herd immunitysomething! I dont know what theyre doing but none of this makes sense with not being able to quarantine when you have somebody with COVID in the home. We can do our jobs from home. Weve done it. She explained that her coworker has an infected child at home but is not allowed to quarantine due to the districts revamped mitigations.

As a parent, a university worker related, I still dont feel comfortable because  even though my son is vaccinated, breakthroughs can happen. It just doesnt make me feel safe. She concluded that thats all about dollars My heart hurts for these kids and teachers and administrators.

A University of Michigan public health student emphasized that ICUs in the area were overflowing, citing examples including St. Joes [Mercy Hospital] 98 percent; Beaumont Hospital in Taylor, 94 percent; Beaumont Hospital in Trenton, 92 percent. She emphasized, When hospitals get overwhelmed patients cant get the care they need. Policies that are being implemented in the schools and universities across the country and state are absolutely nonsensical. What exactly do students gain being taught by a teacher on the screen in an auditorium while all the students are in the same room? The only reason for it is to keep kids in school so the parents can go to work.

She expressed her gratitude to the Rank-and-File Educators organizers, saying, Im just glad that we do at least have a group where we can discuss it and think about what we can do because this is not tenable and we should not stand for it.

A paraprofessional school worker debunked the claim reopening schools was necessary for the mental health of children. He cited a 2018 study, The Burden of Bereavement, which emphasized that the loss of a parent is one of the most stressful events that a child can experience. Bereaved children suffer depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and functional impairment. He concluded, The shutdown and closure of schools would help childrens mental health, not take away from it.

A founding member of the Autoworkers Rank-and-File Committee in Columbus, Indiana, informed the educators and parents, We follow your struggle. Youre not the only ones in this struggle. The autoworkers are in this struggle. The mine workers are in this struggle. Were all in the struggle together.

Our government is confusing its own people to try to get away from having to deal with this COVID-19. They dont want to deal with it because they want the billionaires and millionaires to keep making money because that means it puts money in their pocket. Well, they dont care about us. Jeff Bezos spent $80 million to go up in the capsule and come down. Eighty million dollars could have helped a whole lot of people quarantine.

He urged others to join and build rank-and-file committees, stating, We the people could stop it, the rank-and-file committees. Theyre made up by the people, for the people. The government doesnt want that because they cant stop us. They are few. We are many. We need to stick together no matter what job were in, whether its teachers, bus drivers, ironworkers, miners, auto plant workers, whatever. When we stand together, we are a force to reckon with.

We need to make sure that they dont try, like with the wars, to divert our minds from what were doing against this COVID-19. Like they blame China for the COVID-19, yet China is the one that showed that if they quarantine, if they get the shots, if they do the contact tracing, and everything like theyre supposed to do, they can get rid of it. They have more people in that country, the most, and yet they have a relatively low count of COVID-19. They did it right. All the other countries, they want to get it wrong because they dont want the millionaires to lose money. Thats all it is about is money.

Another teacher said, Its going to be scary in terms of being back in the classroom with 25 to 30 kids sitting three feet apart. Theyre not doing the contact tracing. I feel as though were going back into an unsafe environment, but the reason is because Count Day [the state-mandated day to determine funding levels] is coming up. And the students are not showing up for virtual.

She concluded, echoing the sentiments of the committee, The walkouts are great. It shows that the students feel unsafe in the classrooms as well. Linking up with the auto workers would be great because a lot of the other workers have children in the school and that would help on a larger scale.

Randall, a parent and an autoworker, said, One of the very big fears I have is sending my five-year-old who is vaccinated back to school. If she were to bring it home and my other kids were to get it, it could possibly lead to my 81-year-old grandmother who lives upstairs. Its just a terrifying, terrifying situation that were in right now. I do believe that we all need to unite, auto workers and teachers, for a walkout together. We need to stand up and fight for this. This is something thats not going to go away if we dont fight.

One schoolworker added, Were going to have to take this to the streets because theres so much money involved. Its all about greed. So were going to have to stand up and have a revolution. Bottom line.
Two death row prisoners with documented intellectual disabilities were executed in the US on Thursday, January 27. In both cases, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for their death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection. In last-ditch efforts, both men had asked that they be executed by methods other than lethal injection as a means of forestalling their impending state killings.

Oklahoma carried out the first execution of the new year in the US at the State Penitentiary in McAlester on Thursday. Donald Grant, 46, was injected with a three-drug chemical cocktail whose constitutionality is the subject of a federal trial set to begin in just one month on February 28.

Donald A. Grant (Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections)

Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor claimed in a statement that Grants execution was carried out with zero complications at 10:16 a.m. Grant was sentenced to death for the 2001 murders of Brenda McElyea and Felecia Suzette Smith.

Grants lawyers had asked the states Pardon and Parole Board to commute his death sentence to life in prison, citing his brain damage and diagnosis with schizophrenia. The lawyers argued before the parole board, Executing someone as mentally ill and brain damaged as Donald Grant is out of step with evolving standards of decency. On November 30, 2021, the board voted 4-1 against Grant. Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt concurred and allowed the execution to go forward.

The severity of Grants mental illness became apparent when he was a teenager. His intellectual disability stemmed from prenatal alcohol exposure and lack of oxygen from complications at birth, along with traumatic brain injury he suffered in abuse by his alcoholic father. Grants mother was addicted to cocaine when he was a young child. Grant and his siblings were often homeless and hungry on the streets of Brooklyn, New York. When child welfare took custody of the young Grant and his siblings, they were often separated and bounced around from one foster or group home to another.

Grant and death row inmate Gilbert Postelle, who is scheduled for execution February 17, had petitioned a federal judge to intervene and allow their death sentences to be carried out by firing squad rather than lethal injection. There is ongoing litigation in Oklahoma over whether the states method of execution, lethal injection, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, which is outlawed by the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution.

Testimony submitted by the plaintiffs from a board-certied anesthesiologist and a board-certied pain medicine specialist alleged that execution by ring squad would reliably cause a death that will be quick and virtually painless.

Oklahoma has a gruesome history with execution by lethal injection.

On April 29, 2014, Clayton Lockett writhed and groaned on the execution gurney as Oklahoma injected midazolam for the first time in an execution. Locketts lawyer reported that his whole upper body was lifting off the table. The prison director halted the execution, but Lockett died 43 minutes later, apparently from a heart attack.

The execution of Charles Warner, scheduled for the same day, was postponed and eventually rescheduled for January 15, 2015. An AP reporter who witnessed the execution said Warner called out, My body is on fire. No one should go through this. The Oklahoman reported months later that the state had used potassium acetate, not potassium chloride, to execute Warner.

After a nearly seven-year effective moratorium on executions in Oklahoma, John Marion Grant (no relation to Donald Grant), was injected with a cocktail of midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloridethe same toxic mix of chemicals used in the states botched executions of Lockett and Warner. A witness to the execution said that as soon as the first drug, midazolam, a sedative, was injected, Grant began to convulse and vomit on the execution gurney in Oklahomas new state-of-the-art execution chamber.

In August 2021, US District Judge Stephen Friot dismissed the petitions of six death row prisoners in Oklahoma, including Donald Grant and Postelle, asking that they not be executed by lethal injection. The judge dismissed the petition on the legal technicality that the men had failed to specify their preferred alternative method of execution. Although the six plaintiffs have been reinstated to the litigation, the state carried out Grants execution and is pushing forward with Postelles.

Grants lawyers appealed to the US Supreme Court for a stay, but Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied the application. Grant was the 116th person to be executed in Oklahoma since the high court reinstated the death penalty in 1977, second only to Texas, with 579.

Also on Thursday, the Supreme Court cleared the way for Alabama to execute Matthew Reeves by lethal injection. Reeves, 44, was convicted and sentenced to death for the robbery and murder of Willie Johnson in 1996. He was the 69th person to be put to death in Alabama since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the US.

Matthew Reeves (Source: Alabama Department of Corrections)

In an after-hours order, the Supreme Court reversed a lower courts opinion that had blocked Reeves execution because he sought to be executed by nitrogen gas instead of lethal injection. In 2018, Alabama became the third state, along with Oklahoma and Mississippi, to authorize the untested use of nitrogen gas to execute prisoners. Death would be caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, thereby causing asphyxiation by depriving the person of oxygen.

Justice Elena Kagan, writing for Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, wrote in a brief dissent that the court majority should have abided by the lower courts decision. Justice Amy Coney Barrett also would have denied Alabamas request. Reeves was executed less than two hours after the Supreme Courts ruling.

At his trial, Reeves court-appointed lawyers were granted funds by the court to investigate hundreds of pages of psychological and other records suggesting their client needed to be evaluated for intellectual disability, but they never hired an expert to evaluate him.

The jury did not hear mitigating evidence of intellectual disability, including that Reeves failed numerous elementary school grades and never advanced beyond middle school. He was treated for mental health issues beginning at eight years old; testing at age 14 revealed that he had severe deficiencies in non-verbal social intelligence skills and his ability to see consequences. IQ testing revealed scores between 68 and 71, at the threshold of intellectual disability.

Alabama claimed Reeves execution should proceed on the grounds that he had missed the deadline for making the decision to choose nitrogen gas over lethal injection. The condemned mans lawyers sued, saying that their client should have received assistance in designating his choice of execution methods due to his cognitive limitations.

There are 12 more death row inmates in the US scheduled to be executed before the end of 2022. That condemned prisoners like Donald Grant and Matthew Reeves have resorted to choosing gruesome alternative methods of execution in an effort to stave off their state killings is yet another exposure of the barbarity of capital punishment in 21st century America.
Protestors show their support for the Freedom Convoy of truck drivers who are making their way to Ottawa to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates by the Canadian government on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, in Vaughan. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)

Anyone following the Canadian corporate medias news coverage in recent days will have been bombarded by reports about a relatively small protest initiated and led by far-right, owner-operator truckers against a federal government-imposed vaccine mandate.

Mainstream media outlets have breathlessly reported the progress of the Freedom Convoy as it has traversed the country from Vancouver on the Pacific Coast to Ottawa, where the protest concludes today. Leading politicians from the official opposition Conservative Party have made pilgrimages to the convoy as it passes through cities across the country, hailing it as a movement for liberty and freedom.

The protest targets a federal Liberal government vaccine mandate for truckers crossing the US-Canada border that came into force, after months of warning, on January 15. The mandate has little, if any, practical significance for most truckers, including those who own their own rigs, since close to 90 percent are already fully vaccinated. Moreover, the Biden administration has imposed a similar vaccine mandate, barring Canadian truckers who are not fully vaccinated from entering the US.

Nevertheless, the vaccine mandate has been bitterly denounced by a small minority of owner-operator truckers, many already active in far-right politics and conspicuous in their opposition to all anti-COVID-19 containment measures, including mask mandates. Egged on by other far-right and outright fascist forces, including the likes of Rebel Media, they launched their cross-country Freedom Convoy.

The claims advanced by this unrepresentative minority, made up overwhelmingly of far-right activists, conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers, are fatuous and absurd. Tamara Lich, an official in the far-right, western separatist Maverick Party and the organizer of a GoFundMe campaign that to date has raised more than $6 million to support the convoy (much of it from anonymous donors), rails against the government overreach and tyranny of elementary public health measures.

In truth, no individual has the right or freedom to go around infecting others with a potentially deadly virus. To the extent that vaccines are freely available, there is no legitimate reason for workers to refuse them. Arguments to the contrary are based on a combination of unscientific nonsense and social Darwinist and fascistic conceptions of survival of the fittest.

The only freedoms the protesters support are the freedom of the virus to run rampant and the freedom of big business to keep operating at full tilt, herding workers into unsafe workplaces amid a raging pandemic, so as to maximize profits.

This is why the protest is being trumpeted by broad sections of the ruling elite, who view any impediment to profit accumulation, no matter how small, as intolerable. For the mainstream media outlets, opposition Conservative Party and business leaders who have backed the protest, the trucker vaccine mandate is not the real issue. Rather they have rallied round the Freedom Convoy with the aim of using the far right as a battering ram in their push to end all pandemic restrictions. They are deeply frustrated that despite their relentless efforts to promote the lie that there is no alternative to living with the virus and the elimination of most pandemic income relief, the majority of the population continues to support lockdowns to halt the spread of COVID-19.

The list of prominent Conservative Party politicians endorsing the convoy has grown throughout the week. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, notorious for comparing COVID-19 to the flu and triggering a devastating wave of infections and death by scrapping all pandemic restrictions last summer, claimed the vaccine mandate was creating a crisis in the food supply chain and solidarized himself with the convoy. Former federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who participated in a rally as the convoy passed through his hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan, attacked Trudeau as the biggest threat to freedom in Canada. Tory Finance critic Pierre Poilievre claimed power-hungry authorities were using COVID-19 to replace our freedom with their control, and accused Trudeau of imposing a vaccine vendetta that was emptying grocery shelves and causing Canadians to go hungry.

After being criticized for his refusal to explicitly support the convoy, Tory leader Erin OToole announced Thursday he would meet with the protesters in Ottawa, while claiming absurdly that he would not engage with extremists.

Support for the Freedom Convoy has also come from Canadas top boardrooms. Perrin Beatty, head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, accused the government of failing to prove with statistics that truckers are a major source of COVID-19 transmission and demanded a delay of the mandate. The Canadian Manufacturers Coalition, which represents over 30 associations in the manufacturing sector, called for the mandate to be scrapped. Coalition President Dennis Darby asserted that it was making supply chain bottlenecks worse and demanded concrete action by the government  starting with reversing the trucker vaccine mandate.

This bunkum turns reality on its head. The true source of supply chain problems is not a vaccine mandate that impacts less than 10 percent of the countrys truckers but the mass infection of millions of workers every single day around the world by a potentially deadly virus due to the reckless policies pursued by the ruling elites of almost every country.

The embracing of the ragtag assembly of far-right activists and COVID-19 deniers by the mainstream media has been no less fulsome. The hard-right Toronto Sun and National Post newspapers have filled their pages with enthusiastic reports of the frontline workers protesting authoritarian government policies.

The state-funded broadcaster CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) gave Tamara Lich a prominent platform from which to assuage concerns about extremists in the Freedom Convoy. Conveniently omitted from the CBC report was vital information about Lichs far-right political career, which includes representing the now-defunct far-right Alberta separatist Wexit party. In her capacity as head of the Yellow Vests in Medicine Hat in 2019, she felt compelled to propose the group change its name because it had been associated with so many death threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The anti-democratic, anti-worker and outright authoritarian views animating the Freedom Convoy are underscored by a so-called memorandum of understanding issued by protest organizers. It calls for the Governor Generalthe unelected representative of the Queen, Canadas head of stateand the Senate, Canadas unelected upper chamber of parliament, to join with the people of Canada to usurp the powers of government and abolish vaccine mandates.

Online posts from protest participants have urged the military to abide by its oath to the Canadian people and reject orders from the elected civilian government. Other participants have explicitly compared the truckers protest, which will culminate with a rally today on Parliament Hill, with the January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. by far-right and fascist supporters of Trump. The seizure of the Capitol was part of a carefully prepared coup attempt supported by substantial sections of the Republican Party and military security apparatus aimed at overturning the 2020 presidential election and installing Trump as an authoritarian strongman.

One of the leading groups in the convoy is United We Roll, a group of far-right truckers previously used to intimidate workers. During the seven-month lockout of oil refinery workers by FCL (Federated Co-operatives Limited) in Regina, United We Roll thugs were encouraged by the police, company management and the provincial government to breach solidarity pickets at isolated gas stations and provoke picketing workers outside FCLs main facility.

Trudeau and other Liberal ministers have denounced the Freedom Convoy protest as a far-right mobilization and chastised the Conservatives for courting such forces in unseemly competition with Max Bernier, the former Harper Conservative cabinet minister who now heads the far-right, anti-vaxx Peoples Party of Canada.

But it is the Trudeau Liberal government that bears chief responsibility for emboldening the far-right and fascist dregs. Throughout the pandemic, the Liberal government has prioritized the protection of corporate profits and investor wealth over protecting lives. It has pressed for the rapid reopening of the economy, resulting in successive waves of mass infection and death, while funnelling a never-ending supply of cash to the banks and big business. Meanwhile, pandemic aid to workers, if accessible at all, has been slashed to a meagre $300 per week, and small business owners have largely been left to fend for themselves.

The Trudeau government has effectively let the virus run rampant, especially since the emergence of the more infectious Omicron strain. It has allowed hard-right governments like Doug Fords in Ontario and Kenneys in Alberta abolish virtually all public health protections and implement in its essentials the murderous herd immunity policy long advocated by Trump, Britains Boris Johnson and their far-right supporters.

The promotion of the far-right independent truckers protest by substantial sections of Canadas ruling elite marks a further intensification of this process. As the nations daily COVID-19 death toll approaches levels never before seen during the pandemic, the political establishment wants to create conditions where it can abolish all regular reporting of COVID-19s spread and impact, relegating it to the status of the flu and other endemic respiratory diseases. This homicidal policy, which will mean mass infection and death in perpetuity, requires violent bands of far-right thugs to enforce it in the face of mass popular opposition.

Far-right protests have been similarly used by capitalist elites internationally. In Germany during the summer of 2020, the so-called Lateral Thinkers protests, led by fascist forces around the right-wing extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD), were systematically promoted by the media and sections of the political establishment to enforce the abandonment of lockdowns. This paved the way for the countrys second pandemic wave, which killed more than 60,000 people in the winter of 2020-21. Protesters enjoyed so much support within the police and security forces that they were able to mount the steps of the Reichstag Building, which houses Germanys federal parliament, while waving the flag of the German Empire.

In the United States, small anti-lockdown protests in April 2020 dominated by far-right activists were blown out of all proportion by the corporate media to paint a fraudulent picture of a mass movement demanding freedom from pandemic restrictions. In truth, these staged mobilizations of fascists, military veterans and conspiracy theorists served as a breeding ground for violent plots, including the plan by a fascist militia to kidnap and kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Many of the forces involved went on to play prominent roles in the January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol, serving as shock troops for Trumps attempted coup.
In the second part of the interview with Lucas Ferrante, the researcher at the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) talks about the criminal negligence of the government of the fascistic Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his local allies in the implementation of the herd immunity policy in Manaus and the criminal policy toward the indigenous population in Brazil during the pandemic.

Read the first part here.

Manaus: Negligence that resulted in a pandemic crime with deadly results

INPA researcher Lucas Ferrante (Credit: CNPq)

All the warnings that Lucas Ferrante and his collaborators published in the worlds most prestigious scientific journals in the first months of the pandemic were ignored by the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima, a local ally of Bolsonaro. Twice, in April 2020 and January 2021, Manaus shocked the world with images of mass graves being dug for COVID-19 victims and of desperate patients dying for lack of oxygen in the hospitals.

According to Ferrante, after these publications, the State Public Attorneys Office of Amazonas ... contacted me to participate in a technical note. I coordinated this technical note and we told them that Manaus would need a lockdown on June 1, 2020. On that same date, the governor of Amazonas decided to open non-essential activities in the state.

Then, throughout the second half of 2020, I presented epidemiological models showing that Manaus would have a second wave... We were completely ignored, they even disseminated fake news, slander. I, who was the leader of the studies, received death threats. There was political reprisal.

I have even presented the epidemiological models in the Amazonas Legislative Assembly, for its health commission. The deputies questioned me in November 2020 [beginning of the second wave]: you say that in two months Manaus will have six thousand deaths. How are we going to triple the number of deaths? And in January 2021, at the peak of the second wave, we had 6,500 deaths from COVID. Up to that point of the pandemic, Manaus had had two thousand deaths.

And there was the collapse of the health care system, Ferrante continues. [Bolsonaros former health minister General Eduardo] Pazuello allowed an oxygen shortage. What is the ideal strategy to transport oxygen to Manaus? If it is an urgent demand, by air, with Brazilian Air Force planes. If it is a medium-long-term need, by boat via the Madeira River, which is much cheaper, much faster. At the time, the Madeira River was at the height of its flood and totally navigable. In two days, the oxygen would be in Manaus.

Minister Pazuello decided, however, together with the National Traffic Department (DNIT), to send the oxygen via the BR-319 highway, which was a campaign promise of the Bolsonaro administration ... It took six days for it to get in Manaus. The worst logistical strategy ... just to promote lobbying for a campaign promise of Bolsonaro.

Oxygen was not supposed to run out in Manaus. We warned four months in advance and pointed to the two emergency and medium- and long-term routes that were cheaper and faster. That was the negligence, responsible for deadly results, of former minister Pazuello and the president of the republic, Jair Messias Bolsonaro.

Oxygen crisis in Manaus. (Twitter)

Ferrante also pointed to the role of the Manaus Industrial Complex, an industrial hub with about 600 industries that employs half a million people directly and indirectly, and the reopening of schools in the explosion of the second wave of COVID-19 in Manaus.

Throughout the pandemic, the industries in Manaus never stopped, he stated. Before and when the second wave started, the neighborhoods that presented the most cases of COVID were the industrial ones. So, without any doubt, industries and factories contributed to the spread of COVID, also because the protocols were not as efficient.

This kept the pandemic active, with a constant community transmission rate, [which] contributed to the emergence of the second wave... [However], a situation that was stable exploded with the return of in-person classes.

In several meetings with the Public Attorneys Office, the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas, the State Government, and the State Health Secretariat we warned that the return of in-person classes [at the end of September 2020] would trigger the second wave. Exactly 21 days later, the second wave started, and in January 2021 the health care system collapsed.

The strategy of promoting a return of in-person classes earlier than other [Brazilian] states was orchestrated by the president of the republic [Jair Bolsonaro] and the governor of Amazonas Wilson Lima with the purpose of leading Manaus to herd immunity. ... This did not lead to herd immunity, but to the emergence of a new variant, Gamma, which today is responsible for two thirds of the deaths in Brazil. That is a crime of the pandemic resulting in deaths by the president of the republic, the governor of Amazonas and the former minister of health, confirmed by the report of the CPI [Parliamentary Investigation Commission of the Brazilian Senate]. We have also confirmed in a scientific article in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities that this action gave rise to the Gamma variant. That is already peer-reviewed and published scientific data. Its a fact.

Some legal experts were reluctant to admit the pandemic crime resulting in death because they said that Bolsonaro did not create the pandemic. He didnt, but he, Pazuello, and Governor Lima did give rise to the Gamma variant by political negligence, encouraging a misguided public policy to try to get the population to herd immunity.

The role of hydroxychloroquine in the Manaus crisis

Hydroxychloroquine played a central role in the Bolsonaro administrations policy of herd immunity throughout the pandemic, especially in Manaus during the second wave. While oxygen was lacking in the city, the government was recommending the use of hydroxychloroquine as part of the so-called COVID kit for the Manaus health care system under collapse.

Ferrante claims that Bolsonaros frenetic promotion of hydroxychloroquine as a quack cure for COVID-19 led people to believe that the drug would solve the problem and they wouldnt have to stay at home. So, that helped increase community transmission.

He continues: There is a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that reviewed the effects of hydroxychloroquine. It increases the time of hospitalization by an average of three days, it increases the risk of death and the need for ventilation, and it increases the severity of symptoms and the viral load of the patient. What happened then? Patients depending on longer hospitalizations, needing intubation because of the hydroxychloroquine, and a much worse scenario, including higher risk of death. This aggravated the health care system collapse. A drug was being given that worsened the condition of COVID patients, requiring on average, for each patient taking hydroxychloroquine, three more days in the hospital. That amid a collapse is very serious. Three days for one patient is crucial in terms of giving a vacancy to another. Now, consider everyone who received hydroxychloroquine, if you increase their time by three days.

This is also the responsibility of President Bolsonaro and the Ministry of Health, specifically former minister Pazuello, because forcing this initiative [the use of hydroxychloroquine] contributed to the collapse of the health care system in Manaus and increased the number of deaths in the second wave.

The COVID-19 pandemic and state crimes against indigenous peoples

During the presidential election campaign in 2018, Bolsonaro stated at one of his rallies: Where there is an indigenous area, there is wealth underneath it. We have to change that ... there wont be an inch demarcated for indigenous or quilombola areas [during my term]. Since he took office, in 2019, that policy has been implemented.

Most of the 775,000 indigenous people in Brazil, distributed in 436 indigenous lands over an area equivalent to 14 percent of the national territory, are located in the northern region of the country, particularly in the state of Amazonas. Soon recognizing that the pandemic could increase violations of indigenous peoples rights, particularly invasions of their lands, and the threat that an infectious disease like COVID-19 posed to these populations, Lucas Ferrante published in April 2020 a letter in Science presenting measures to protect them.

Protest last year in Brasilia against the Temporal Landmark, which hinders the demarcation of indigenous lands in Brazil (Credit: Raissa Azeredo/Aldeia Multietnic)

According to Ferrante, We spoke [in the letter] of the need for social isolation, including avoiding air traffic to the Amazon, avoiding boat traffic. This isolation would be crucial mainly to prevent the virus from spreading inland. And we also classified the indigenous peoples as a risk and priority group to be vaccinated due to genetic factors. Respiratory viruses have always been used as weapons against indigenous peoples.

None of these warnings led to the implementation of public policies to protect Brazils indigenous populations. On the contrary. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, the invasion of indigenous lands grew by 137 percent compared to 2018. The vaccination rate among indigenous people, who have a record of broad adherence to vaccination campaigns in the country, is about 50 percent, much lower than the 70 percent of Brazils total population. Only earlier this year, the Bolsonaro administration established a committee to protect indigenous peoples from COVID-19.

According to Ferrante, in several publications we have pointed to specific provisional measures, or even presidential decrees by Bolsonaro himself ... with projects to arm landowners and favor the groups that are invading indigenous lands. He is arming these groups and dismantling environmental legislation and enforcement in their favor, and denying basic rights, medical supplies and even drinking water to indigenous peoples. Ricardo Salles, former minister of the environment, has even punished inspectors of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) who properly inspected indigenous lands in Para. It is a process built for genocide.

One of the articles questions the intention of the Federal Government to classify gold miners and cattle ranchers as traditional peoples. This is ridiculous. Thus, they would have the right to these indigenous areas. We show that there are more than 20,000 mineral prospectors in the Yanomami lands [in Amazonas and Roraima], using the coronavirus as a weapon against these indigenous populations. In another article, we show that the death of an indigenous leader, a cacique, represents the extinction of an ethnic group because their knowledge is oral, transmitted by their elders, who belong to a risk-group.

The BR-319, which the Bolsonaro government has used to take oxygen to Manaus, is a highway that since 1988 has most of its almost 900 km unpaved, and connects Manaus to Porto Velho, capital of Rondonia. Ferrantes work has pointed out that along the highway there exists a combination of deforestation and threats to indigenous peoples.

We had two papers published on January 21, one in Science and the other in Nature, about the indigenous issue and a new cycle of deforestation of the Amazon. This new publication in Nature shows that via the BR-319 highway, a new cycle of deforestation is emerging in the Amazon. Soybean planters from Mato Grosso do Sul are migrating to Rondonia, acquiring land at an extremely high value from cattle ranchers, and these cattle ranchers, who have taken a very large amount of money, are buying cheap land along the BR-319 highway.

In another paper published last year ... we showed a network of land grabs on the BR-319, including invasion of indigenous lands in which the invaders are using the coronavirus as a weapon to decimate these populations ... And the rate of deforestation on the BR-319 highway is three times greater than that of the entire Amazon. We demonstrated in that article that the deforestation started after the promise to pave it in 2015.

There are more than 18,000 indigenous peoples living in the Purus-Madeira interfluve and in the area affected by the BR-319 highway, who should be consulted [for the paving of the highway] as established by ILO Convention 169 ... but [the government] refuses to consult with them. This also represents a violation of indigenous peoples rights.
Night raid captures 390 pounds of marijuanaApproximately 390 pounds of marijuana was confiscated late Friday afternoon and led to the arrest of one local Marianna man, 31-year-old Kenneth Paul Laramore, due to the combined efforts of state and federal agencies, and the Jackson County Sheriffs Department, authorities say.

Sheriff Johnny McDaniel said he anticipates other arrests in Atlanta and Chicago in conjunction with the case.

An undercover agent negotiated a deal to purchase 300 pounds of marijuana from Laramore for $300,000 in a room at the Marianna Holiday Inn. The suspect was arrested there, but not before law enforcement tracked the delivery to an alleged storage site on Highway 73, 12 miles south of Marianna.

Laramore will be charged in federal court for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana. Jackson County Floridan, Sunday, Jan. 24, 1982

3 convicted, 1 acquitted in DC-6 caseThree men  Hubert J. Yon, Gary Weeks, both of West Palm Beach, and Hugo Sanes-Saavedra of Columbia  were found guilty by a federal court in the Load Star case involving a DC-6 that landed in Marianna in November 1981, this week in Panama City. Gregory Hertz of West Palm Beach was acquitted of the charges. The case dealt with a DC-6 airplane that landed in Marianna and was to depart for Columbia to pick up a 10,000-pound load of marijuana, with a street value of $4 million, for return to South Florida.

Yon and Weeks were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 1,000 pounds of marijuana, and conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States. Sanes-Saavedra was convicted of conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States. The three will be sentenced Feb. 22. Jackson County Floridan, Sunday, Jan. 24, 1982

Inflation at

lowest level in yearsBarring unforeseen disasters, the nations inflation rate, at its lowest level since 1977, should continue declining this year, economists say.

Inflation had risen 9 percent in 1978 and 13.3 percent in 1979 before starting to ease in 1980. Nearly everything the government measures cost more in 1981, but none of the major categories except medical care went up as much as in 1980, a new report said.

Medical care costs climbed 12.5 percent, the highest since 1947, compared with the 10 percent rise in 1980. Main reasons cited for the decline in inflation were the recession, big U.S. food harvests, and a steady supply of oil imports coupled with conservation at home. Jackson County Floridan, Sunday, Jan. 24, 1982

Follow @JCFloridanNews on Twitter.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States granted review of two consolidated cases concerning racial preferences in college admissions, for which the court will likely hear oral arguments this October.

The Supreme Court building in Washington, Sunday, May 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Commentators have widely expected that the first caseStudents for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvardwould end up at the Supreme Court. In that case, the plaintiffs are a group of Asian Americans and whites who argued that the Ivy League schools remarkably stable acceptance rate of African Americans and Latinos over decades could not have been accomplished without an illegal quota system. The plaintiffs lost in the trial court and in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

While prevailing at trial and on appeal, Harvard came out of court with considerable egg on its institutional face. The litigation uncovered internal admissions emails and memoranda depicting a culture of anti-Asian sentiment. While African American and Hispanic applicants scored well for intangible leadership qualities, notes on the applications of Asian Americans wallowed in racial stereotypes, describing otherwise qualified candidates as quiet/shy; science/math oriented. One evaluator described an Asian applicant derisively hes quiet and, of course, wants to be a doctor.

The Harvard trial also underscored the fact that applicants from wealthy backgrounds cruised into the school in huge numbers while qualified candidates of all ethnic backgrounds vigorously compete for a handful of seats.

The second case also has the SFFA as plaintiff, but this time against an elite public institution: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While the facts of the case are similar, the UNC case raises the legal issue of whether the US Constitutions Equal Protection Clause prohibits the consideration of race in admissions decisions, an issue that is absent from the Harvard case, which concerns Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Procedurally, the Supreme Court made the highly unusual move of skipping over the Court of Appeals and putting the UNC case directly on the high courts docket. This fast-tracking has happened only 14 times since February 2019 and prior to that, not a single time for 14 years. Given the composition of the Supreme Court, the move indicates a haste to overrule precedents allowing for some consideration of race in university admissionwhether in private or public universities.

There is no genuinely progressive force on either side in these cases.

Racial preferencein university admission, employment, and now, alarmingly, in healthcarerests on the unstated premise of scarcity. There are only so many spots at great universities, only so many professional posts, good jobs, vaccines, etc. That is what is meant by references to equality of opportunity, of equal access to this and that privilege. Socialists reject this scarcity premise with contempt, in contrast to both the Democratic and Republican wings of the ruling class.

A broader historical review of the Democratic partys turn to identity politics is beyond the scope of this article. But briefly put, the former party of slavery and secession took on a new role in the 20th century: that of diverting popular movements into safe, bourgeois political channels. For a period, the Democratic Party championed limited social reforms such as the New Deal and the Great Society. As the post-war economic boom gave way to stagflation and class war, the partywith the help of phony socialists like Michael Harringtonturned ever further from economic populism and sought instead to build an electoral base among women and minorities of the upper middle class. While the policy behind this shift was more budget-friendlyit was easier to advance a relative handful of people in select groups than the entire working classthe political right cynically seized the mantle of equal treatment under the law.

On the other side of the cases, the Students for Fair Admissions is a pet project of American Enterprise Institute fellow Edward Blum, who funded the legal attack on the Voting Rights Act in the case Shelby County v. Holder. The result of that 2013 Supreme Court decision was the end of the preclearance provision of the VRA which allowed state legislators to devise voter repression schemes with a free hand. Changes in voter procedureseliminating Sunday voting, requiring valid photo ID at the pollstarget likely Democratic voters: youth and African Americans, and low-income people of all races.

The social forces behind the SFFA could care less about the unequal treatment of Asian Americans. Elements around the Republican party first cultivated the Wuhan lab lie and whipped up an atmosphere of suspicion and hostility to Asian Americans with violent repercussions. Nor would these forces hesitate for an instant to use nuclear weapons to annihilate the entire Peoples Republic of China, should the opportunity arise.

While the Democratic Party and the section of the bourgeoisie it speaks for believe that racial quotas in the military command, corporate America, academia and in the higher-paid professions adds a bit of social stability to a grotesquely unequal society, the Republican faction is unconcerned with stability in the conventional sense. Instead, the party of Trump offers itself as men of violence who will crush opposition, including rising working-class militancy, by force.

In this context of unprecedented crisis, the right-wing dominated Supreme Court is poised to end racial preferences in university admissionsnot as part of a general advance of democratic rightsbut as a sop for the racialist militia forces that increasingly comprise the popular base of the Republican Party.
The Autoworker Newsletter encourages workers to contact us and share information about conditions at your plant. Email us at autoworkers@wsws.org. Comments will be published anonymously.

Ford Kansas City Assembly workers assembling Transit vans in 2021 (Source: Ford Media)

COVID spreading out of control. Workers dying. Silence by management and the UAW over the sickness and death stalking workers in the plant. Conditions at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant (KCAP), the largest manufacturing facility in the Kansas City region, are a microcosm of the perilous situation confronting workers at auto factories, warehouses, schools and other workplaces around the US and the world.

The highly transmissible Omicron variant is continuing to ravage Kansas City, with COVID hospitalizations in both the Kansas and the Missouri sides of the metro area at or near all-time highs.

A nurse at St. Lukes Hospital in Kansas City, describing the impact of the virus on younger patients, recently told a local NBC affiliate this week, We have a guy in his early 20s here, he was fortunately extubated, but he had no past medical history and he lifted weights and stuff. I can barely get him into the chair and he has a baby on the way, so thats a lot to take away from a healthy, young, 20-year-old. Dr. Andrew Schlachter, a pulmonologist at the hospital, told the news station, Im a broken doctor. So many of us are disillusioned. So many of us are at our wits end and we are so fatigued. And we worry that we dont see the end of this in sight.

Autoworkers, teachers, and other sections of workers have initiated rank-and-file committees, independent of the pro-company unions, in order to fight for policies to protect workers lives and livelihoods. Earlier this month, a national autoworkers rank-and-file committee issued a statement calling for the shutdown of the auto plants, with full income provided to all affected workers, to stop the spread of COVID.

The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter spoke with workers at KCAP this week about the situation in the plant. Their names have been changed to protect them from retaliation from management or the UAW.

Kelly, a worker in the Truck Department, said, I dont work super close to anybody, and Im thankful for that. Other jobs, there are three to four people in the actual truck at the same time, putting on rearview mirrors, snapping pieces together. Trim and chassis, most people are smushed together. Body shop, paint, they might be more spaced out.

But in the bathrooms, everything is close quarters. There wasnt even soap in the bathroom for two or three days. Everybody goes through the same turnstiles together. I dont think Ford is taking it seriously enough. They did have a COVID temperature check outside, they took that down a while ago. There were some times, theyd be taking someones temperature three or four times, until eventually theyd get a reading okay enough for them to come in.

Our masks are really flimsy too. You can blow through your mask, and feel the air. Its so much you have to do to not get infected in there, it almost seems impossible.

Kelly spoke about a worker who tragically died after collapsing in the plant last year, not long after he had ostensibly recovered from COVID-19. Lamar Taylor, he had gotten over COVID and came back to work. He collapsed, and there were workers who literally saw him hit the floor. Its not good. And Ford wont say anything about it. Its becoming so commonplace.

Lamar Taylor (Facebook)

Deaths in the plant from lack of safety measures have become regular occurrences, she said. Usually during every shutdown well have somebody pass away. There was one person in the trades, he was working on something, a pipe hit him and the water pressure killed him. So many more people are passing away. Its ridiculous. Its just crazy.

John, another worker in the Truck Department, told the WSWS, A lot of people are sick, a lot of people have died. People are coming to work sick. You dont know whos sick. For financial reasons, people are still coming to work after testing positive for the virus. People are concerned, and afraid. The bad part of it is its kept secret by the [United Auto Workers] and the company. But people are concerned and pretty upset in the plant because theyre not being informed about whos sick, or whos dying. They just want people to keep doing production.

Theyre still trying to run production, he continued. Theyre having to cancel shifts, and are trying to say its because of lack of parts, but its people. About 100 or so part timers quit, right around before Christmas. Its real bad here. The hospitals are full, and its getting worse.

John said he had known Lamar, the worker who had died. He was from Ohio, and a tool and die maker. He had tested positive for COVID last year. I know he lost a lot of weight and was under a lot of stress.

Asked if the company shut down the line when he collapsed, he replied angrily, No, they didnt stop anything. He came in on a midnight shift. People saw him fall, he collapsed right in the doorway walking in. He laid on the ground for 20 or 25 minutes. He died on his way to the hospital. I didnt realize it was Lamar at first cause he usually wears glasses. Someone who was there told me Lamar was trying to talk, but he couldnt get it out what he was trying to say. So that was pretty sad.

And you know what? Ford has a medical department about 60 yards from the door, but no ones ever in the medical department. Its unbelievable. And of course, Ford and the UAW are going to try to hide, are going to try to keep it hush-hush. The building is not that old. So, the question is why wasnt anyone in the medical office? It was locked shut.

Then we had another guy die recently, a tool guy. He passed away probably five weeks ago. He was on a ventilator for like two weeks, and then they pulled him off and he passed away.

The UAW has done nothing to protect workers, instead protecting Fords interests, he said. I cannot believe the corruption in the UAW. The last three years have been a rude awakening. Its unbelievable, the corruption, the crookedness, the good old boy network. I was under the assumption for years that they were for the working man, but I found out that theyre basically for the company. Sometimes I have to watch my tongue when I talk to some of them. I just hate the way they set up to my face and lie to me.

Its unbelievable man. Its just the waythey dont care about the working-class people, just all of the profits we make for then.

John said the pandemic is a global problem. All over the world, this is happening, this thing is worldwide. There are so many things we have to be concerned about. With this thing with the US maybe going to war with Russia, the virus, the pandemic. Theres no end in sight.

Its so bad here, the school districts, they tried to enforce the mask mandate, but the Missouri lieutenant governor said he was going to sue them to stop. Its like what you all say, theyre pushing herd immunity. People are going to have to come together stop this. I talk to the guys at work, and quite a few agree.

The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter is assisting autoworkers in organizing rank-and-file factory committees independent of the UAW. These committees have called for Zero COVID policies, including a shutdown of non-essential production and the payment of workersfull income during downtime, as well as other necessary public health measures to halt the pandemic and save lives. To get in touch with us about forming or joining a committee, fill out the form below:
The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with Mark Kruger about his new book, The St. Louis Commune of 1877: Communism in the Heartland. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Douglas Lyons: Mark, could you tell us something about your background and how you became interested in this little-known yet extraordinary and revolutionary event in American history?

Mark Kruger: Thanks very much for inviting me. I went to college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison during the late 60s and that was a life changing event, just being on that campus then. After that I went to law school at Washington University in St. Louis and then later received a PhD from Saint Louis University.

Through the years in reading labor history, I kept coming across these short remarks about how during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 workers seized power in St. Louis. I had to wait until my retirement when I had time to sit down and look at it to begin to try to piece together the answers to some of those questions. So, the subject was on my mind for a number of years but it was really about four years ago that I began to really research it and delve into it.

Mark Kruger

DL: Were you involved in left-wing, working class politics?

MK: I formed a group that would go after individual kinds of problems, political, environmental, that sort of thing. For a while I was involved with the Workers League [forerunner of the Socialist Equality Party]. They came down from New York and sponsored a talk on campus on the Vietnam War. And also, the YSA [the youth organization of the Socialist Workers Party]. I always liked the Black Panther Party because they had that class analysis, so I began selling their newspapers on the Washington University campus.

DL: What's so important about your book is that you put the St. Louis Commune in the international context of the First International, the Paris Commune of 1871 and the 1848 revolutionaries. I was wondering if you can explain more about this influence on the American working class.

MK: As I got into it, I realized that this was almost more of a European event than it was an American event, because the roots of the St. Louis Commune were in Europe and that you had to look at those events to understand the Commune. So, for example, you had the 1848 revolutions throughout Europe but especially in the German-speaking states and after that was suppressed those people moved to the United States and many of them settled in St. Louis because the city had a very long history of German immigration. It was very attractive to German immigrants to come here because there were a lot of people who spoke their language and had their culture. All of those things were present.

Workers barricade during the Paris Commune

You had all these revolutionaries from the German-speaking areas coming to St. Louis, as well as Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Chicago and other places. Then, in 1871, the Paris Commune was suppressed. A lot of those people also came to the United States, many of them settling in St. Louis because it was originally a very French city.

Marx formed the First International in 1864, and that moved headquarters to the United States in 1872. So, you had a thread between all these revolutionaries where they were all members, or mostly members, of the First International. And it came together in the city. St. Louis had a very strong section of the International with German, French, Bohemian, and British or English-speaking sections. You had all of these European influences that ultimately resulted in the St. Louis general strike that grew out of the Railroad Strike of 1877.

DL: What was the city itself like? Could you compare it to others such as Chicago or Pittsburgh?

MK: It was the fourth-largest city in the country and growing by leaps and bounds. There were even efforts to move the nations capital to St. Louis. The city was big in manufacturing. It had large iron ore deposits in the Carondelet area of the city. It rivaled Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Birmingham, Alabama in steel production. There was massive trade going through the city into the West and South. Hence, its claimed today to be the Gateway to the West.

St. Louis is sort of a mix between a northern and southern city and some people have joked that it combined the best of northern hospitality with southern efficiency. It was a racist city, but at the time it was a very racist country so that was not unusual. But before the Civil War, because of the German immigrants, there was a very strong anti-slavery feeling to the city and as a result there was strong support for the Republican Party and strong support for Abraham Lincoln.

A panorama of St. Louis in 1861

The state of Missouri on the other hand was very conservative, very Confederate in the southern and western parts of the state. St. Louis was kind of an island in this sea of Confederacy. The governor of Missouri during the Civil War was Claiborne Jackson who was a Confederate sympathizer, trying to get Missouri to join the Confederacy. St. Louis residents resisted, especially the Germans, many of whom became Union generals and very strong Unionists.

DL: Your book does a fantastic job covering Joseph Weydemeyer, a German revolutionary and friend of Karl Marx. Were there other prominent 1848ers in St. Louis?

MK: In St. Louis, the big hero was Franz Sigel. There is still a statue to him in Forest Park. He had been in the Prussian army and then took part in the 1848 revolutions and at one time considered going to Italy to fight in the revolution there, but instead came to the United States and fought for the Union during the Civil War. To this day he is still a hero among the German-descent citizens here.

Franz Sigel

DL: Why did these German revolutionaries support Lincoln?

MK: Lincoln kind of fit into the Marxist perspective of the capitalists taking control from feudalists in the South. Marx would support that as part of the progressive movement toward socialism. So, Lincoln was a very progressive figure and was supported by a lot of these German revolutionaries.

DL: You mentioned racism in St. Louis and Missouri, but, during the strike, white and black workers united along class lines, as did different nationalities.

MK: Its always hard to put your yourself in the place of people 150 years ago. You get bits and pieces, like a puzzle, and you try to give an idea of what something looked like. But 1877 was a very racist time and you had a young working class in the United States. Slaves were only recently freed, and as a result, a lot of the early unions were racist in nature. Most unions did not allow blacks. Blacks formed their own unions in many cases. Only later did we overcome that. The Knights of Labor and the National Labor Union (NLU) were two unions that went out and specifically attempted to organize women and black people, which was very unusual 150 years ago. The NLU was immense in its membership, having about 800,000 members. They were two unions that tried to organize on the basis of class rather than race.

A poster featuring Knights of Labor leaders Terrence Powderly and other figures from the union

What emerged in St. Louis in 1877 was a coming together of black and white people in the general strike. You had black workers on the bargaining committee that met with the railroad owners. You had white workers supporting black steamship workers and helped them get a 50 percent raise in wages. You had blacks marching with whites through the streets. The newspapers at the time were full of descriptions of black hordes marching with white people and taking over society, so the Commune actually brought together black and white workers in a class focus.

DL: One episode which definitely showed the evolution of American society was when two former Union and Confederate generals united and took orders from the government to squash the revolutionaries.

MK: When I saw that a Union general and a Confederate general were both chosen to lead the forces against the St. Louis community, against the workers, I thought how symbolic is that: Two former enemies that were killing each other came together now to suppress the workers. In the antebellum South, the generals supported the southern plantation owners, the feudal interests. In the North, the capitalist class was emerging, and they controlled their own forces, so when the North won the Civil War and the northern capitalists took control of the American government, the army then was going to follow the orders and support the interests of that ruling class. The new enemy was not slaveowners in the South; the new enemy of those capitalists was the working class.

DL: Can you talk more about the labor movement after the Civil War and how it coalesced around the international trends you study?

MK: At that time, what was happening in Europe and in the United States was a big change in the working class with the industrial revolution and new machinery in the factories. A lot of the skilled workers were being forced into factories as wage earners. Before they were earning a pretty good wage and they controlled their own lives and working conditions. But now their skills were not valued, and as a result their higher wages were lowered because they were just running the machines like any unskilled worker.

Low wages and bad working conditions were ubiquitous all through American industry. This is a very young working class that really is searching for its consciousness. At the same time, you have all these German and French revolutionaries coming to the United States and joining the working class and trying to instill this class consciousness in the workers and unite them.

A shoemaker, a skilled worker of the 1840s, left, and a Scottish shoe factory later in the 1800s, right

DL: Why do you think the Great Railroad Strike followed a spontaneous course, and why did it draw in skilled and unskilled workers, white and black workers, and the unemployed?

MK: Conditions were so bad for the working class at that time. The railroad industry plays a big part in the book because the working conditions were so dangerous and with the three pay cuts in 1877. But the whole working class was really suffering. There was no social safety net. If you could not buy coal to heat your house, then you would freeze to death. If you could not buy food, you would starve to death, and that was a pretty general situation. All it took was one spark and then everybody who was in the same boat began to react. These strikes began happening in Martinsburg, West Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland, and then spreading west from there. It was all spontaneous and within a week it had reached California. That is how fast it was moving.

DL: But in St. Louis the Workingmens Party (WP) harnessed this eruption.

MK: Workers did form, out of the First International, the Workingmens Party of the United States, but in 1877 it was only a year old. You have got a young party that is watching this, and they are taken by surprise. In the eastern states it happened too fastthey could not react to it but in St. Louis it took a few days to reach the city and the party tried to provide some leadership. They organized a general strike, and when the city was abandoned, they took it over. But they were not ready to take leadership and make it a national movement, rather than individual movements in different localities.

Maryland state militia open fire on workers, July 20, 1877

DL: The demands of the WP, such as nationalization of the railroads and telegraph industries under the control of the working class, underscore the influence of the First International.

MK: The 1848 revolutionaries that came to St. Louis provided the philosophy of class consciousness that was otherwise lacking among workers in the city. You had with the WP a radical leadership. James Cope was one of the leaders and he was a member of the London, England trades council before he came to the city. Albert Currlin was a member of the First International and a founder of the party. Twenty percent of the WP lived in St. Louis, so you had a lot of revolutionaries and radicals, and that had the effect of changing what was a strike over wages and working conditions into something broader. These were Marxists that recognized this was a struggle between classes that was emerging, and they tried to provide that leadership and that philosophy to educate the workers.

The WP held these mass meetings where a number of speakers were talking about not just wages and working conditions such as the eight-hour day and the end to child labor, but also planned out the takeover of these different industries to be run for the benefit of the working class rather than a few rich capitalists. They infused the philosophy of socialism.

DL: This era was termed the Gilded Age, and today the term the Second Gilded Age is being used to describe the state of society. What similarities do you see between 1877 and today and what do you think will happen when another working class uprising happens in the United States?

MK: There were so many things about the Gilded Age that are similar to today. The expansion of capitalism, the control of the government by the capitalists, the suppression of working class organizations. And today unions are at their weakest point they have been in many years. You have voter suppression and a tremendous gap in wealth between the capitalists and the workers. A lot of the conditions are there for a struggle to emerge.

When I was a kid, I grew up in a very working class town just north of Chicago which has become infamous in recent days Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city of [fascist killer] Kyle Rittenhouse. The town was extremely working class. American Motors was headquartered there and so was Simmons Mattress. Everyone it seemed belonged to a union and all of my friendsall of their fathers belonged to unions, and they all lived in middle-class neighborhoods, a very middle-class life. That was the post-war period when the economy was good, and the unions were strong.

When I was a sophomore in Madison in 1968, I thought there was going to be a revolution before I graduated college. People were talking about what are you going to do after the revolution. But today is similar to 1877, nobody expected it to break out when it did and so that could happen at any time.

I think that what was lacking in St. Louis in 1877, which is lacking today, is a leadership that was socialist, was Marxist. There was a Workers Party there, which attempted to lead this uprising. But it was young and inexperienced. I think a socialist leadership is necessary if something is going to happen now.

Joseph Kepplers The Bosses of the Senate (1889) depicts the power of capitalists over the American government

DL: We saw the immense power of the youth and workers after the horrendous murder of George Floyd. That was a huge spontaneous uprising sending shockwaves throughout the entire world. But I would have to disagree with you on the leadership, because we have the World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party.

I would also have to argue that the trade unions have not done anything for workers. They are going along with the capitalist class to keep workers in COVID-infested workplaces and schools for profit. We are calling on the working class to create new organizations of struggle based on internationalism and socialism, rank-and-file committees. This will not come through the corporatist and nationalist AFL-CIO and other unions.

MK: I think you are right. When we talked about the earlier movements, leadership is so important. When the Occupy Wall Street movement emerged, one of the things that they stressed was a lack of leadership. And they were proud of that. The first thing that entered my mind was the Students for a Democratic Society meetings in the 1960s, where there was no leadership in those meetings. It went on for hours and hours and hours, and accomplished very little. The leadership of a socialist organization like yours I think is crucial to any kind of working class movement.

Marx talked about building up workers organizations and then a workers party, and he said that if workers supported any of the mainstream parties, the capitalist parties, they would be exploited by those parties for their votes but they would not get anything in return. And that seems to me to be exactly what has happened in this country. It is going to take some real leadership, I think, in order to point the working class in the direction of class interests rather than just a few more dollars or one hour less of a workday.

That is totally related to my biggest fear right now and that is the emergence of fascism in the United States. This is being fed by the Republican Party today. The threat is a lot stronger than I think a lot of people realize.

DL: This brings me to the other capitalist party that divides the working class through identity politics, the Democratic Party, which, through its main organ, the New York Times, has waged a falsification of history in the 1619 Project. What are your thoughts on this?

MK: I did read a number of those articles and interviews that are in your book, and to me it is so simplistic and wrong to say that race is the one factor that has defined all of history. History is so complicated, and there are so many different things going on at the same time. It takes a great deal of thinking and research to try to understand what forces are at work and what effect they were having.

To me, the 1619 Project is the logical consequence of identity politics. I do not say that looking at certain groups or focusing on them to understand those groups is not important, for example, the Black Power movement. I think it serves some ends in understanding what has happened to that particular group. Courses on womens history helps women understand why they have been repressed in the society. But it is not the answer to the ultimate question.

The claim that the American Revolution was primarily in order to preserve slavery in the United States, is, to me, ridiculous. It totally ignores the Enlightenment. All the leaders of the American Revolution were students of the Enlightenment, children of the Enlightenment. The 1619 Project does not touch the issue that the purpose of colonies was to exploit them and provide profits for the mother country. You had the fledgling capitalist corporations in England setting up colonies, and the whole idea was to take as much from them as possible and line your pockets with that exploitation.

There are a number of factors that go into the American Revolution. A lot of the colonists were slaveowners. But we are talking about the 1700s, and there were slaves all over the world at the time, not just in what was to become the United States. So to say that a countrys entire history is based on its treatment of black people I think is very simplistic, very one dimensional. And what it has is the effect of dividing the working class into a number of different groups, each with their own interest, each with their own complaints, and failing to see the common denominator.

Malcolm X, 1964

I just read a book by Les Payne called The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X. No one was more race conscious in his earlier years than Malcolm X. He attributed all the problems of black people to the blonde-haired blue-eyed devil, white people. An extremely racist-focused interpretation of history. But then he began to change in his later years. There were a couple of things in the book that caught my attention: Malcolm told [civil rights leader and later Congressman] John Lewis in Nairobi, Kenya, to shift focus from race to class. Malcolm came to a certain understanding that class and capitalism lead to racism, rather than it being some kind of natural thing, a natural conflict between white people and black people. I think that is where the 1619 Project goes wrong. It just focuses on one thing, tries to draw conclusions based on one element in American history, and that is much too narrow and much too simplistic to explain anything.

DL: Martin Luther King Jr. moved towards a class analysis of society as well, which the 1619 Project completely ignores.

MK: Right, they went from marches in the South for black civil rights to the Poor Peoples Campaign, trying to unite black and white workers. It may be a coincidence, but that raises the question of his assassination, when he started this campaign. This raises a point with the Workingmens Party. For them the problem of racism and the repression of women would all be solved when capitalism was ended, the basic problem that led to both of those problems was capitalism.

DL: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about this important book and subject.

MK: Thank you for having me. Its not everybody that is interested in a weeklong event that occurred in St. Louis 150 years ago. But I always thought that the first general strike in American history, and the only time an American city was being run by communists, was pretty interesting.
The Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Committee invites autoworkers to attend its next online meeting Wednesday, February 16, at 7 p.m. Eastern, and discuss the way forward in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. Register to attend.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are the teachers of many of your children in the Detroit Public Schools. We appeal to you to join us in demanding that the schools remain closed and our children and communities kept safe, while the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to rage throughout the city and the state, as well as across the US and internationally.

By keeping the Detroit schools closed since holiday break, test positivity rates have fallen from 40 percent to 20 percent in the city, proving that the temporary closure of schools drastically reduces the transmission of this deadly disease. Now is not the time to retreat and unleash a new, even more horrific, surge of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

For the first time in Michigan history, more state residents died in 2020 than were born, due to the unchecked spread of COVID-19. More than 30,000 Michigan residents have died since the beginning of the pandemic, a greater number than in all of Canada. Across the country, 1.1 million children were infected last week, the highest number since the pandemic began, and 27 died, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Detroit teachers during 2016 sickout over working conditions (WSWS Media)

We appeal to you because the only reason the politicians want the schools open is so workers can be kept in equally dangerous factories to produce corporate profits. We know COVID-19 is running rampant in the auto plants and that many workers have needlessly lost their lives. With thousands of Detroit area autoworkers out sick, the auto companies are barely keeping up production by forcing many workers to labor 12-hour shifts, six and seven days a week.

Keeping the assembly lines moving, no matter how many workers get sick and die, is the only reason why they want the schools open. Its not about learning. They even went so far as to pass a law in Michigan allowing school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other non-teaching personnel to substitute for sick teachers.

In her State of the State speech earlier this week, Governor Whitmer declared, I want to be crystal clear. Students belong in school. We know its where they learn best. Remote learning is not as fulfilling or conducive to a childs growth.

Is it conducive to a childs growth to infect them with COVID-19? What long-term trauma will children experience who inadvertently infect and kill their loved ones? Politicians like Biden and Whitmer, and their Republican counterparts, feign concern for childrens emotional and mental health, while covering up and ignoring the reality that schools are hotbeds for infection and over 167,000 American children have lost their parents or primary caregivers to COVID-19.

The Biden administration and governments all over the world are carrying out a horrifying experiment with our children. Scientific studies have warned that the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the mental development of children can be as bad or worse than lead poisoning. Then there are the thousands of children suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome-Children, or MIS-C, a condition characterized by inflammation of vital organs such as the heart, lungs and brain.

It may be hard to believe, but the truth is, the politicians want to deliberately infect our children. This is part of their insane herd immunity policy, the quack theory that if everyone is infected and COVID-19 becomes endemic that it will eventually disappear. They never state openly how many people will die from this reckless policy, which threatens to produce more lethal and vaccine-resistant variants.

In March 2020when the number of US infections was around 10,000 and there were fewer than 40 deaths from COVID-19workers at Jefferson North Assembly Plant and factories across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and other states carried out wildcat strikes, forcing the shutdown of the North American auto industry and saving hundreds of thousands of lives. But the corporations, the politicians and the unions rushed to reopen businesses and schools because they were determined to save profits, not lives. As a result, there have been over 900,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US, with a current daily average of 2,500 deaths each day.

All these deaths were and remain entirely preventable. If the US and other countries had followed the basic public health measures implemented in China, New Zealand and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the transmission of the virus could have been completely stopped, and businesses and schools reopened safely.

It is not too late to act now and prevent an even greater tragedy from unfolding.

We know that autoworkers face the same problems as teachers. The United Auto Workers union, just like the Detroit Federation of Teachers, has collaborated with the corporations and city and state officials to keep us at work. That is why we have organized the Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee (MERFSC), independently of the unions, to unite teachers, parents, students and other workers to fight to close schools and save lives.

We urge you to build and expand your own rank-and-file committees to unite with educators and other workers to fight for this. In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of teachers and students, from Chicago, New York, St. Paul, Oakland, and Okemos here in Michigan, to France, Greece, Israel and Austria, have engaged in strikes, student walkouts and other protests to oppose the reckless reopening of schools.

We are not appealing to the powers-that-be. They are interested in protecting profits, not lives. We aim to unify with autoworkers and other workers to prepare a city-wide strike to fight for the necessary public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan, in unity with rank-and-file committees across the world fighting for the same global strategy to end the pandemic.

What must be done?

All schools and nonessential workplaces must be closed, and full income provided to all workers and small business owners until it is safe to reopen. Scientists say if these temporary lockdowns are combined with mass testing, an aggressive campaign of contact tracing, the isolation of infected patients and the quarantining of the exposed, that it would take two or three months to eliminate COVID-19, just like smallpox and other diseases have been eliminated in the past.

Instead of tax cuts for the corporations, billions of dollars should be immediately allocated to guarantee free, high-quality internet service and computers to carry out remote learning. Meals should be provided to low-income families whose children get breakfast and lunch in schools. This must be paid for through a sharp increase in taxes on the corporations, including GM, Ford and Stellantis, which have made billions during the pandemic.

If we draw the line in the sand in Detroit, we will win powerful support from workers throughout Michigan, across the US and internationally. We wont sit by and let our children, other family members and co-workers suffer life-long debilitation or death. We are humans, not machines, and we will fight for the right to live.

Join us in this fight today!

Fraternally,

The Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee

**

The WSWS is assisting workers in organizing rank-and-file committees, independent of the pro-corporate unions, in order to carry out a fight to stop the pandemic, save lives, and make sure workers needs are met. To get in touch with us about joining or forming a committee at your workplace, fill out the form below:
On Thursday, the United States passed the grim milestone of 900,000 deaths from COVID-19 according to the Worldometer tracker. All other major trackers will pass this horrendous figure within one week.

Registered nurse Bryan Hofilena attaches a COVID Patient sticker on a body bag of a patient who died of coronavirus at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

With the Omicron variant pushing COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations to record levels, 53,000 Americans have lost their lives so far this month. One American has died every 45 seconds. The seven-day average of deaths now stands at 2,514, higher than the peak of any previous surge except last winter.

In the year 2020, 351,754 Americans lost their lives to COVID-19. In the year 2021, 475,680 succumbed to the virus. If Januarys death rate continues throughout 2022, 636,000 more Americans will be dead in the third year of the pandemic.

The massive death toll is now simply ignored in the print and broadcast media. On Friday, a day that BNO newsroom reported that 3,826 people died from COVID-19, NBC Nightly News did not even mention the pandemic in the first half of its broadcast, focusing instead on the weather and the New York City police.

Far from doing anything to stop the ongoing wave of mass death, every institution in American society, from the Biden administration to state and local governments and major corporations, are flooring the accelerator on mass infection.

The tone has been set by the Biden White House. Having forced the reopening of all schools and businesses and the end of social distancing measures, the Biden administration has set its sights on the only two remaining measures to stop the spread of COVID-19: masking by the general public and the isolation of those who are actively infected with COVID-19.

In an interview with Politico this week, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky advocated ending masking and isolation. She stated, If cases are high, severity will be such that were in an OK spot in our hospitals our masks might be more likely to come off. And then if you get a case of a runny nose, you might say, Okay, well, I'm going to stay home, because thats what I do when I have a runny nose. But you dont necessarily have to isolate.

All serious public health experts and epidemiologists advocate masking and isolation under conditions where a disease that kills and maims at the rate of COVID-19 is spreading throughout society. Doing otherwise is a recipe for the continual infection and reinfection of the entire population, which is now the deliberate policy of the US government.

The Omicron variant will find just about everybody, Dr. Anthony Fauci said earlier this month. Most people are going to get COVID, said Janet Woodcock, the director of the Food and Drug administration.

Walenskys calls for ending masking and isolation were taken up this week by a group of academic proponents of mass infection, calling themselves Urgency of Normal. The group is led by Monica Gandhi, a school reopening advocate who has ties to the White House and has continuously downplayed the pandemic and the dangers facing society.

In a statement, the group writes, Masks should become optional in US schools (we suggest, by February 15), and we can also return to pre-pandemic norms for quarantines: if you are sick, stay home.

The comments by Walensky and the statement by Gandhi, et al. have been accompanied by a massive anti-masking propaganda barrage in the US media, including media outlets aligned with the Democratic party. Recent headlines include, The case against masks in schools in the Atlantic; New questions about whether kids should wear masks by NPR; Should kids wear masks in schools? Maybe not in the San Francisco Chronicle; and Let Kids Take Their Masks Off After the Omicron Surge in the New York Times.

The importance of wearing masks, and especially high-quality masks, in reducing the spread of COVID-19 is not, and never has been, in dispute. But from the standpoint of the ruling class, masking is a constant reminder that the pandemic is not over and that the population should take measures to protect itself. For the sake of herding workers back on the job, masking must go.

These demands are already being implemented around the world. On Tuesday, the city of San Francisco will end its indoor masking requirements for offices and gyms, setting the stage for other cities to follow suit.

In Denmark, where COVID-19 cases are surging due to the new, more infectious subvariant of Omicron called BA.2, the government is ending its mask mandate on February 1. Starting Thursday, face coverings will no longer be required anywhere in the UK.

In practice, even the totally inadequate five-day guidance on isolation from the CDC is a dead letter. A survey by Harvard Universitys Kennedy School noted that nearly two-thirds of workers who reported being sick in the last month during the survey period said they worked through the illness, according to the Wall Street Journal, with many citing financial reasons and fear of reprisals.

In May 2021, Walensky, acting under the direction of Biden and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients, called on vaccinated people to stop all social distancing and masking, saying, Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing. This prompted nearly every state to end mask mandates in the ensuing weeks, setting the stage for the catastrophic surge of the Delta variant that killed over 175,000 Americans.

According to the New York Times, Mr. Biden, Mr. Zients and others in the White House were ecstatic at Walenskys announcement last May. Take your mask off. Youve earned the right, Biden told the public that month.

After the end of these restrictions led to a surge in cases last summer, Walensky and Biden were forced to backtrack and once again urge the population to mask. But amid record case rates, with 3,000 people now dying every day and hospitals fuller than at any other time during the pandemic, the Biden administration is renewing its push against all public health measures.

In May 2021, the dropping of masking recommendations was justified with the false claim that vaccinated people do not transmit COVID-19. Today it is accompanied by the open promotion of mass infection through an embrace of the herd immunity strategy first implemented by the Trump administration.

At this months World Economic Forum, the annual conclave of oligarchs, Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked, Is 2022 actually the year that we go from pandemic to endemic and on the current speed up (sic) the process given its ability to spread and offer immunity through infection?

In other words, is mass infection with COVID-19 the appropriate response to the pandemic?

To this, Fauci replied, I would hope that thats the case, adding, it is an open question as to whether or not Omicron is going to be the live virus vaccination that everyone is hoping for.

In 2020, Fauci and White House Coronavirus Coordinator Deborah Birx warned that those who promoted the benefits of mass infectionled by Trump adviser Scott Atlaswere dangerous. Birx wrote in an email that Atlass views were a true threat to a comprehensive and critical response to this pandemic, calling the proponents of his views a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health or on the ground common sense experience.

Birx warned that following a herd immunity approach would lead to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and have immense public health ramifications, stating, We all know the long-term consequences of simple viral infectionswe have seen the pericarditis, myocarditis, even cardiomyopathy, vasculitis, and the long continued open question of the relationship to autoimmunity.

In the year and a half since Fauci and Birx made these secret warnings, the entire political establishment has embraced the murderous policies promoted by Atlas and Trump.

COVID-19 is to become the new normal, in the words of the eugenics advocate Ezekiel Emanuel. The public must embrace the benefits of natural immunity, as a Wall Street Journal op-ed recently declared.

Most troubling of all, the daily reporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths is under attack. On February 2, the US Department of Health and Human Services will end its requirement for hospitals to report COVID-19 deaths every day.

The only remaining source of death reporting will be the CDC, which receives its reports from state health departments. Most states, however, do not report daily, and a growing number are moving toward once-a-week reporting in the near future.

The modus operandi of the ruling class and its media apologists is clear: The COVID-19 pandemic is to continue in perpetuity. Hundreds of thousands of peoplepredominantly the sick and elderlywill die, and the health of millions more will be compromised each year. Deaths and cases will be reported less and less each day, and the media will, day by day, stop reporting on it.

But the ruling classs strategy for a perpetual pandemic is coming into headlong collision with a growing movement of the working class and young people determined to resist mass infection, taking the form of a wave of strikes and struggles to demand protections from the pandemic.

This growing movement of the working class must embrace a Zero COVID strategy, based on ending transmission of COVID-19 through contact tracing, isolation, quarantine and the temporary closure of all schools and nonessential businesses with full compensation for all affected workers and small business people.

The struggle against mass infection is a political struggle against the financial oligarchy and the entire capitalist system. The most critical task is to build a revolutionary socialist leadership in the working class, fighting for a unified global strategy to stop the pandemic and save lives.
A medic wearing a special suit to protect against coronavirus treats a patient with coronavirus at an ICU at a hospital in Poltavskaya village, Krasnodar region, south Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Vitaliy Timkiv)

In a mirror image of the Omicron crisis gripping Europe and the United States, Russia is seeing its COVID-19 case rates skyrocket. Like the governments in Washington, Berlin, Paris and London, the Kremlin is doing nothing to contain the virus.

On Friday, the country registered another 98,040 infections over the previous 24-hour period, a number that Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov acknowledged that same day to be undoubtedly an undercount. Omicron has been detected in 74 of Russias 82 regions, and the situation is getting worse in 32 of those.

Officially, coronavirus deaths in Russia now total 329,443. However, the countrys main statistical agency, which also counts those who have technically died from a comorbidity, estimates the number to be many times higher. There have been more than 929,000 excess deaths since the onset of the pandemic. While daily fatalities have fallen to about half of what they were during the recent Delta surge, that number is expected to rise in coming weeks.

In an extraordinary expression of the impact of COVID-19 on the Russian population, Moscow State University researcher Vera Karpova told Bloomberg at the end of December that life expectancy in the country has fallen by three years due to COVID-19, wiping out a decades worth of gains. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the rise in mortality rates in his end-of-the-year remarks, describing it as a geopolitical as well as a humanistic problem, but offered no solution.

Currently Omicron is tearing through the under-17 population, with cases increasing among children by 14 times in comparison to two weeks ago. Fifteen percent of all newly recorded instances of the disease are now among kids.

In Moscow, child infections leapt from 2,000 to 28,000 in a seven-day period and hospitalization rose tenfold. A three-week halt has been placed on non-emergency hospital treatments for children, apart from those with cancer and other life-threatening diseases that cannot be delayed. Overall, the number of people admitted to medical facilities due to COVID-19 in the countrys capital is now close to what it was during the previous peak.

Alexander Gorelov of the Institute of Epidemiology, which is under the direction of Russias consumer watchdog agency Rostrebnadzor, told Gazeta.ru this week that Omicron is especially dangerous for kids two to five years old because it attacks the upper respiratory system and can cause severe bronchitis. Symptoms can be as bad as those seen in adults.

Federal authorities have said that they will not order a nationwide shift to online learning, much less any other sort of lockdown. But across the country, schools are shuttering due to outbreaks, exposures and shortages of employees.

In Tambov, after infections increased by five times, regional authorities announced a cancellation of all K-12 classes from now till February 7. In Tyumen and Buryatia, in-person learning has been halted for two weeks. In Perm, where COVID-19 cases have doubled among children, schools shuttered on Thursday. In the city of Volgograd, home to just over 1 million people, 92 schools are closed. In Saint Petersburg, extra-curricular activities have been halted. In Tver, which has not ordered a universal shift to online learning, health officials are adding another 300 beds to the regions childrens hospitals.

Some of these regions and othersSverdlovsk, Kursk, and Nizhny Novogord, for instanceare also taking a handful of extremely limited mitigation measures, such as restricting the operations of drinking establishments, night clubs and restaurants. Moscow, however, with a population of 20 million in the city and surrounding region, is doing nothing. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared this week that he would not shut down the city, but rather open up more hospital beds in the city. In other words, people can just get sick.

In doing so, Sobyanin is following the lead of the Kremlin, which has announced a similar response. Former Russian president and now deputy chairman of the Security Council Dmitri Medvedev said Friday, There is no sense in a lockdown now, particularly under conditions of the appearance of new variants. He admitted that such a measure, if put in place for just two weeks, would stop the spread of COVID-19, but claimed it was simply impossible to do.

Anna Popova, head of Rostrebnadzor, made clear the same day that the government is completely aware of the impact of ending mitigation measures. She noted that cases are spiraling out of control in those regions that were the earliest to roll back all restrictions, a fact which she described as unfortunate.

Anticipating a massive wave of sickness, the government has recruited 81,000 professors and students from medical schools, including those in the first years of their education, to provide care. In addition, it is investing 300 million rubles, about US$3.85 million, in research into a vaccine suitable for 6- to 12-year-olds.

But it is already clear the vaccine-only approach, adopted in nearly all countries except China and a handful of other states in Asia, cannot contain the pandemic. Barely 50 percent of Russias population is vaccinated, and the vaccination rate, which ticked up during the Delta surge, is slowing again. The government just halted the production of more doses of EpiVacCorona, one of the countrys vaccines, due to lack of demand.

Alexander Ginzburg, director of Russias leading epidemiology research center, warned this week that new variants of the virus are on the horizon. Russia would need 80 percent of the population to have some degree of immunity due to vaccination and/or prior infection to arrest the spread of Omicron. Without this he explained that mutations would ultimately render Russias vaccines ineffective. Ginzburg added that Omicron is just as dangerous as Delta for the unvaccinated who are elderly or have chronic conditions.

The domestic crisis hitting Russia comes alongside a massive escalation of tensions with the US and NATO. These are on the brink of erupting into armed conflict and drawing the world into World War III. Moscow has no answer to either disaster.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the US into ever-more reckless and mad policies directed against Russia as it seeks to convince the American population that the greatest threat it faces are the occupants of the Kremlin and not those of the White House. President Putin, who presides over a population that is opposed to war and terrified of both it and the ferocity of American aggression, cannot offer anything to 146 million people beleaguered by two years of sickness and death.
The Southern Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees (SERFSC) held an emergency meeting on January 23 to discuss the spread of COVID-19 in schools and the wave of walkouts by teachers and students internationally.

Emma Arceneaux, a writer for the World Socialist Web Site and member of the Socialist Equality Party, gave a presentation that placed the emerging global struggle into context. In the US, over a million children were infected with COVID-19 last week, while thousands of schools have had to temporarily close due to mass infections of educators and students. She displayed a photo collage of 15 educators across the South who have died of COVID-19 in just the last month.

She presented a map that showed the cities and countries where student and teacher walkouts have taken place in the past three weeks, arguing that the struggle against school reopenings is fundamentally international and must be fought on that basis. She showed videos and read quotes from students who participated in the protests, which exposed the cynical, lying claims of the politicians that students must be in school for their mental health and to prevent learning loss. The example of the unmasked and armed police being used as substitutes in Oklahoma proves that keeping schools open is neither about education nor well-being.

Map of student and teacher walkouts in US and Europe (WSWS media)

Arceneaux played a video interview of Jared, a Chicago high school student, who told the IYSSE, CPS has decided not to enable remote learning in this time of need, and we need to secure the safety as well as rightful education of all students at CPS. Mental health is important, but we need to actually be safe and secure before we can focus on our mental health. If were sick, there is not really space to focus on mental health.

Finally, she brought attention to the fact that the federal government is actively trying to suppress COVID-19 data, with the Department of Health and Human Services no longer requiring hospitals to report daily COVID deaths. This comes as at least 1,150 pediatric deaths have been recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Sunday.

In the discussion, educators were asked to report on their working conditions, how reopenings have impacted students, their thoughts on the student walkouts and the international character of the struggle.

Everyone in attendance voiced their full support for the courageous stand taken by students and teachers across the globe and expressed a strong desire to forge an alliance to combine the struggle into a national and international strike.

American educators who have died of COVID in the last month (Source: School Personnel Lost to COVID)

A teacher in Alabama reported, They started state testing this week. They are making students go report to the building to test. Students are questioning this: Will we get in trouble if we dont go? Because I dont want to. They are scared to go into the building. She endorsed the walkouts in Chicago, New York and elsewhere, The walkouts are necessary, and I wish everybody would. You have to love teaching to be a teacher. I miss being in the classroom, but Im not going to put my health on the line.

A university student in Florida reported on the thwarting of a planned student walkout by Broward County school officials:  the school board threatened reprisals against any students participating. Students would have been punished, and the school district reinforced security personnel and police officers to block the school entryway and lock students inside the buildings.

He explained that the Broward students had issued an open letter to the school board on social media, demanding a return to remote learning for at least two weeks, the provision of N95 masks to all students and staff, and weekly PCR tests for staff to isolate and contain COVID-19 outbreaks. The school district released an email to parents saying all advocacy efforts for better safety protocols are prohibited, signaling that school officials are willing to ally with Florida Governor Ron DeSantiss fascistic policies. The use of police and security to suppress opposition to the deadly school reopenings confirms that education authorities, with the support of the teacher unions, will go to violent lengths to defend the politicians back-to-school agenda.

Educators confirmed that students education, as well as their physical and emotional well-being, are suffering from the school reopening drive.

A Texas high school teacher reported, I am a teacher of American and World History. Ive been covering for government and economics teachers. I dont have a curriculum. There has been no learning. We were operating at 50 percent under the best of circumstances.

A preschool teacher from Virginia said, I dont see the situation getting better. They put subs in my class. According to Virginia law, the ratio in my [infant] class is 1:4, the sub had 6 babies by herself for 2 hours. I was really upset about this, and they didnt even tell the parents.

Another Alabama educator noted, Subs come and then they leave. Subs come in and then walk out because they cant social distance in the class. Here, in Alabama, a lot of school systems have shut down in the last two weeks because there arent enough staff to cover classes.

At the end of the meeting, the committee called a vote to issue a statement in support of the students and to raise the demands for the immediate closure of schools, for transparent and daily COVID-19 data, and for the removal of police from classrooms. The statement is forthcoming.

Arceneaux raised the fact that no other political tendency, organization or publication aside from the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site was seeking to educate the working class on the scientific nature of COVID-19, on the political nature of the struggle to end the pandemic and striving to unite the working class on an international basis.

The meeting concluded with the call for educators to help build the committee by bringing their co-workers, to host discussions at their school to develop a core group of opposition and to join the Socialist Equality Party.
Like universities across the US, the University of Chicago (UChicago) is seeing an eruption of COVID-19 cases across its campus. The resumption of in-person learning since the fall has triggered this wave of infections, placing the health and lives of students, faculty and staff and the surrounding community at risk.

University of Chicago Classics Courtyard facing Northwest (Wikimedia Commons)

UChicago resumed in-person classes and all campus services January 24, following a three-week shift to remote instruction after the new year in response to the surge in cases. The universitys COVID-19 dashboard shows that 307 total cases and 189 close contacts were confirmed for the week of January 21 through January 27, compared to 245 cases and 105 close contacts the week prior.

Its weekly surveillance testing program, which tests mainly individuals without symptoms, climbed from 23 positive results to 163 within three weeks from December 10 to December 31. Positive test results from the program have trended downward during the remote instruction period yet have still stayed above the levels reported in the first three weeks of December.

UChicagos testing program of those with symptoms reported 148 positive test results as of January 26, and it is not known over how long a period the data has been collected. Overall, the symptomatic testing program shows a high positivity rate of 25 percent, indicating many infections are occurring which are not being reported.

In response to UChicagos reckless decision to reinstate in-person instruction, students, staff and faculty penned an open letter addressed to University President Paul Alivisatos, Provost Ka Yee C. Lee, and Executive Vice President Katie Callow-Wright, An Open Letter to Admin on Conditions of Return to Campus. The letter was authored by the group UChicago In This Together and published by the student newspaper The Chicago Maroon on January 20. As of this writing, it had received nearly 1,000 signatures.

The letter begins by exposing the university administrations silence on the groups efforts to seek clarification regarding the process and measures by which the conditions of our work, teaching, and learning in the face of surging COVID infection rates are being decided.

It explains that the University of Chicago Medical Center, among other hospitals in the city, is being pushed past its breaking point and dispels myths that infection by any variant of COVID-19 is mild. Across the city, just 13 percent of ICU beds are available, and 211 ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients as of January 27, according to the chicago.gov Hospital Capacity Dashboard.

The group listed three requests for immediate consideration and action: the postponement of in-person learning until at least February 14, transparent disclosure of the public health metrics by which the administration would determine that in-person teaching is safe beyond February 14, and an open forum for the discussion and appeal of the administrations decisions regarding our shared conditions of work, teaching, and learning.

One day after the publication of the open letter, Provost Lee sent a message addressed to all university staff, students and faculty on January 21. In a display of blatant disdain for the concerns of students and staff, the message stated, After more than a month of closely monitoring the impact of the Omicron variant nationwide and in Chicago, the University is moving forward with plans to resume in-person instruction on January 24, in consultation with experts at the University of Chicago Medicine. It remains unclear who the unnamed experts were or what evidence prompted them to believe that it was safe to resume all in-person activities on the campus.

Like University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the UChicago administration claimed that it could justify a return to in-person learning because overall infections in Chicago had decreased since January 1. This deliberately glosses over the critical fact that the struggle of Chicago Public Schools against in-person learning after the winter holidays forced the shutdown of in-person schooling citywide. Furthermore, major universities in the city such as UIC and UChicago itself delayed the start of their winter quarters due to the spread of the Omicron variant in the US throughout the holiday season.

The university has also touted a number of inadequate safety precautions, including expansion of the on-campus UChicago COVID-19 Testing Program to include symptomatic and exposure testing; limiting dine-in service on campus; updates to UChicagos exposure protocols with the most recent CDC guidance; encouraging travelers to schedule tests before and after returning to the city; and revisions to the non-instruction meeting guidance. UChicago also requires booster shots for all students, faculty and staff on campus, with limited exemptions.

Another inadequate measure as part of the safety theater at the university that has been called out by students is the announcement that free surgical-grade masks would be available for students, staff and faculty entering all university buildings.

A user on the r/uchicago Reddit forum posted: Most other universities I know are distributing KN95 masks and some even making it mandatory to wear a well fitted respirator. The new CDC guidelines are reinforcing the same. Weird how they still decided to not go that routeespecially if the rationale is to reduce costs, given the shit ton of money they have. Another commented in response, Im not even surprised at this point, their safety measures are beyond arbitrary, then theyll act shocked at an outbreak.

UChicago Student Government has begun to distribute KN95 masks to undergraduate students in the absence of support for adequate masks from university administration. Like campuses across the United States, the attitude of the University of Chicago administration toward student health and safety is to let the virus rip, with every student and staff member left on their own to protect themselves from the highly contagious and life-threatening Omicron variant.

All of this reveals that the primary concern of the highly paid top administrators like Provost Lee, Chancellor Robert J. Zimmer and President Alivisatos is to satisfy the business interests of the millionaires and billionaires on its board of trustees, which includes millionaire Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella; Thomas J. Pritzker, billionaire brother of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker; and billionaire Kenneth C. Griffith, the wealthiest man in the state and head of the hedge fund Citadel LLC.

It is clear that the administration is fully devoted to carrying out the herd immunity policy of the ruling class which they serve, allowing the virus to infect as many people as possible worldwide. They are more concerned with inflating their stock portfolios rather than spending resources on the public health measures necessary to halt the pandemic, which would need to include full funding for remote learning.

UChicago students and staff who are ready to take up the fight for remote learning and a Zero COVID strategy must turn to the working class, the social force which comprises the majority of the population and which has suffered the brunt of the pandemic and its consequences. Join the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee today to learn about how to build the critical connections with teachers, other workers and students in Chicago Public Schools and schools and workplaces worldwide to lay the groundwork for this fight.
For weeks, Washington and its NATO allies have stoked a global war crisis with Russia, claiming that NATO must prepare to defend Ukraine from Russian invasion. Yesterday, in a stunning rebuke to NATO, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied that a Russian invasion was imminent and asked NATO to dial down its war rhetoric.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky (en.kremlin.ru)

Yesterday morning, senior Ukrainian officials told CNN that a call between Zelensky and Biden did not go well. They said Biden claimed that a Russian attack may be imminent, saying that an invasion was now virtually certain, according to CNN. They said Zelensky, on the other hand, restated his position that the threat from Russia remains dangerous but ambiguous, and it is not certain that an attack will take place, CNN reported, urging Biden to calm down the messaging.

The US National Security Council (NSC) initially denied this account. Anonymous sources are leaking falsehoods, said NSC spokeswoman Emily Horne. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.

Zelensky then gave a press conference, however, publicly reiterating statements Horne had denied he had made to Biden. Zelensky was urging NATO heads of state to stop inciting panic with talk of an imminent NATO war with Russia over Ukraine, he said. I started talking to the leaders of the countries and to explain to them that we need to stabilize the economy, Zelensky told the press. They are saying tomorrow is the war. This means panic.

The possibility of an attack exists, it has not disappeared and it is not less serious than in 2021, he continued, but added that we do not see an escalation greater than last year, and that he was taking this danger in stride.

We are grateful for the assistance, but we have learned to live with this and develop with this, he said. We have learned to protect ourselves, to defend ourselves, and those are our lives to lead.

Given Russias overwhelming military superiority over Ukraine, this statement indicates that Zelensky does not fear an all-out Russian invasion.

Zelensky accepted an invitation from Putin for talks: Im not afraid of any format of the meeting, bilateral, OK, I dont care, Im ready I do support serious dialogue.

Similarly, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed the risk of a Russian invasion. He said: The number of Russian troops amassed along the border of Ukraine is insufficient for a full-scale offensive along the entire Ukrainian border. They also lack some important military indicators and systems to conduct such a large full-scale offensive. He concluded: We can say 100 times a day invasion is imminent, but this doesnt change the situation on the ground.

NATO war propaganda stands exposed as a pack of lies. For weeks, led by Washington, the NATO powers have been holding war games and announcing new deployments in Eastern Europe. Countless pundits like MSNBCs Colonel Alexander Vindman, who was involved in high-level US-Ukrainian talks, argued that Russian aggression meant that a NATO war to defend Ukraine was virtually unavoidable.

Saying that NATO is almost locked into a course of action, Vindman insisted that America had to prepare to fight Russia. He recently said: Why is this important to the American public? Its important because were about to have the largest war in Europe since World War II. Theres going to be a massive deployment of air power, long-range artillery, cruise missiles, things that we havent seen unfold on the European landscape more than 80 years, and it is not going to be a clean or sterile environment.

Now, the US-backed regime in Ukraine itself is making clear that NATO calls for war do not reflect Russian preparations for an invasion or Ukrainian requests for help. Rather, they are a provocation concocted by the Biden administration and echoed by the European imperialist powers. The aggressor is not Russia, but NATO.

Beyond their geopolitical appetites in Eurasia, the NATO powers are responding to the deep crisis caused by the pandemic, during which they have suffered over 2 million COVID-19 deaths. Amid a massive new wave of cases from the Omicron variant, the NATO powers are moving to scrap whatever remaining public health measures still limit the circulation of the virus. As this policy provokes growing protests across North America and Europe, the NATO powers attempt to divert class tensions outward into an utterly reckless campaign for war with Russia.

The exposure of NATO lies makes all the more urgent the independent mobilization of the international working class against the danger of nuclear war.

Washington, which backed a far-right coup in Kiev that toppled a pro-Russian Ukrainian government in 2014 and set up the current regime, will not abandon its plans against Russia due to Zelensky. To the extent that popular opposition to war in Ukraine and internationally becomes an obstacle, Washington will intensify its far-right plotting of wars and coups.

At the same time, there are increasing signs that the Kremlin, fearing military encirclement and financial strangulation by NATO, is considering military action. Russia is also receiving unusually open support from China, which fears that Washington could bring similar pressure to bear on it over Taiwan or other conflict zones.

In a column by its former editor, Hu Xijin, titled, If US provokes China or Russia, the other wont be indifferent, the Global Times, a paper known to be close to the Chinese army, issued a blunt warning to Washington.

The US is strategically squeezing China and Russia at the same time It is pushing China and Russia together to strike back, Hu wrote, adding: But when it comes to resisting a US crackdown, Russia is not alone. Most of the Chinese people will support it and are willing to see the Chinese government assist Russia in this aspect. Because we know well that if Russia is crushed by the US, this will bring no good to China at all.

The Kremlin is also mulling a response to the ultimatum delivered this week by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding that Russia allow neighboring states such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to join NATO and host NATO military facilities.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke yesterday, making clear that Moscow is considering a military response. He said, If the choice is left up to Russia, there will be no war. We do not want war. But we will not either allow our interests to be grossly violated or ignored.

With NATO discussing possible sanctions and a cut-off of Russian gas exports, Lavrov added: As for the menace of sanctions, we told the Americans, also at the presidential level, that if they are accompanied by a complete blockade of the financial and economic systems controlled by the West, this will be the equivalent of breaking relations with Russia. He said that the Kremlin would take retaliatory measures if this happened: These measures can be very different. I will take decisions based on the proposals that our military command will present.

Russia is already mounting a highly unusual total mobilization of its navy. Some 140 vessels of all four Russian fleetsthe North Fleet, Baltic Sea Fleet, Black Sea Fleet and Pacific Fleetwill join exercises in the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean and Okhotsk seas.

Ina Holst-Pedersen Kvam of the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy has raised that these exercises likely aim to secure stretches of ocean in which Russian ballistic missile submarines can hide. She notes: It is a fact that in a potential conflict, these submarines will operate from so-called bastions underneath the Arctic Ocean ice, with nuclear attack submarines and other forces as gatekeepers to secure the operational freedom of these submarines.

The purpose would be to threaten NATO with Russias ability to launch a devastating strategic strike, obliterating the United States and its NATO allies in a hail of nuclear ballistic missiles.

That such operations are doubtless being considered both by NATO and by Russia and its allies testifies to the mortal crisis of world capitalism and the nation-state system. It is urgent to alert the international working class to the growing war danger and to mobilize it in an international movement against the COVID-19 pandemic and against the danger of a new world war.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Indiana... White River at Edwardsport. White River at Elliston. Wabash River at Montezuma. .Multiple rounds of rain over the last few days will lead to minor flooding along lower portions of the White River and upper portions on the Wabash River. Additional rainfall later this week should keep portions of the White and Wabash above flood stage through Saturday. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/ind. This statement will be updated within the next 12 to 24 hours. && ...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Wabash River at Montezuma. * WHEN...Until Monday evening. * IMPACTS...At 18.0 feet, Montezuma agricultural levee is overtopped. Fourteen hundred acres of low bottomlands flood. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 10:45 AM EDT Wednesday the stage was 13.0 feet. - Forecast...The river will rise to 13.4 feet just after midnight tonight. It will then fall to 13.3 feet and begin rising again early tomorrow afternoon. It will rise above flood stage early Friday morning and continue to rise to 17.1 feet early Saturday afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage Monday morning. - Flood stage is 14.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
Finding quality, reliable child care can be a challenge for parents trying to balance family and work, but a new guide puts 177 child care providers in one place in hopes of making the search a little easier.

The online Southeast Alabama Child Care Providers guide  compiled by Southeast AlabamaWorks, the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, and Grow Southeast Alabama  features a list of providers for 11 counties in Southeast Alabama, including phone numbers, addresses, and emails as well as the names of owners and directors of child care facilities.

And while the guide can be useful to parents, its also intended as a tool for businesses.

We must do all we can to help our businesses fill their workforce needs, Dean Mitchell, executive director of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, said. Access to quality and affordable child care is a huge hurdle. In Alabama, two out of three children birth to age five have all their parents in the workforce. So, that makes it essential that we continue to work to improve our child care system, to help working parents and to help the business community.

There have been child care challenges for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problems.

In the early days of the pandemic in 2020, child care centers shut down as Alabama tried to stem the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. With public schools also going to virtual learning at the same time, parents had no choice but to stay home with children, either working from home or simply not working at all.

Once child care centers could reopen, they faced the same problems that many businesses faced  added costs to buy personal protective equipment like masks and social distancing requirements. One of the bigger issues, however, was a shortage of workers. Fewer workers meant fewer children a facility could accept.

Currently, about 90% of child care facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and 43% say its been more difficult to recruit and retain qualified staff, Mitchell said.

In all, there are 177 providers included in the guide, providing an average child care cost of $568 a month per child.

This guide is just the first step to provide businesses with good information that they can share with current and future employees, Mitchell said. We wanted to create something that was simple and accessible where businesses could simply hand this off to those current employees or future employees. We know this is not going to solve all the problems, but having the good information is a good start.

The child care guide can be found at www.southeastalabamaworks.com under the Job Seekers tab or by going to the case-sensitive web address http://bit.ly/SEChildcare2022. Any facility that wants to be added to the guide can contact the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce to have the guide updated.

Counties covered in the guide include Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Pike. In some cases the lists are short  Bullock County has three providers included. Houston County has the longest list of providers with 55.

Were a regional economy, Mitchell said. People might live in one county and work in another county; parents might work in multiple counties. Having it all in one place just really provides a lot of information to our business community, which they can in turn provide to parents.

The guide was one of several measures mentioned at a child care workshop held late last year with the Alabama Partnership for Children and local stakeholders. The workshop focused on many aspects affecting the child care industry from how current fees dont cover the actual costs to care for children to worker shortages and the lack of child care for parents who work non-traditional shifts.

But the points made in the workshop were clear  the child care system is broken and theres no easy fix.

Still, those involved in the workshop said, communities have to start somewhere.

Mitchell encouraged anyone with ideas or suggestions to contact the chamber.

This is an issue that is very, very important to the business community because it affects workforce development, and when you affect workforce development youre affecting productivity of our businesses, which in turn affects so many things, Mitchell said. This is long-term challenge that were going to all have to collectively move the ball down the field 10 yards at a time.

Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.

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Robots, food, and social media experiments were among the creative learning projects presented at the 2022 Wiregrass District Science Fair on Friday.

This years fair, hosted by the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, showcased more than 100 elementary, middle, and high school student science projects from Geneva and Houston counties.

A group of sixth-graders from Highlands Elementary School used the opportunity to answer the question: How does social media affect your grades?

The three girls instructed their classmates to use social media normally one night (3-6 hours) and take a reading comprehension test the next morning. That night, their peers were only able to use social media, including Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, for up to two hours before taking another reading comprehension with the same difficulty level.

We compared our results and when they werent on social media as much, their test grades were better, Anna Lee Steltenpohl said, proving the teams hypothesis that excessive social media use may negatively affect student test performance.

Thats not all they learned through the scientific method however. The group discovered that five of their test subjects were unwilling to give up social media for the experiment, which skewed the results of the study. Data also suggested that some students may not be as affected by social media use than others.

We know nowadays students and kids are on social media so much we felt like this was a very relevant topic to do, Steltenpohl said.

Nautica Knight said she believed students tested better because they had more time to prepare and the social media break helped some students regain focus.

Our test proved that if you have a test the next day, you most likely want to limit your time on social media, Erin Mckinley said.

They hope their study will help students be more conscientious of how they are spending their time.

Other experiments tested which popcorn brand had the least un-popped kernels per bag, whether crystals could form on eggshells  they can  and how far a paper airplane traveled based on the number of folds.

Dr. Whitney Karriger, assistant professor of anatomy at ACOM, helped organize the district fair this year that will give top-scoring students in grades 6-12 a chance to go the regional competition in Auburn.

There are a lot of career opportunities in science and I think getting interested in science from an early age just increases their opportunities for science careers in the future and makes them excited about science, Karriger said.

Students in grades 4-5 were given the opportunity to learn about the scientific method and put it to practice.

Students were judged on many factors, including their creativity, design of their research plan, methodology, data collection, and presentation.

A select few will get to present the outcome of their experiments to judges at the Greater East Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair in Auburn on March 3.

Sable Riley is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at sriley@dothaneagle.com or 334.712.7915. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com .
Alabama Republican primary voters will have the final say in eight of the statewide races on the ballot this year because no Democrats signed up to run.

Friday was the deadline for candidates to fill out their paperwork and pay their qualifying fees with the two state parties to compete in the primary, which is May 24.

Fifteen candidates qualified to run for the Republican nomination in the two top races on the ballot.

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey drew eight challengers in her party. Six Republicans are running for the U.S. Senate seat that comes open with the retirement of Sen. Richard Shelby after this year.

Six Democrats qualified to run for governor. But that will be the only contested statewide race for the Democrats in the primary. No other statewide race drew more than one Democratic qualifier.

Fridays deadline does not apply to the races for the U.S. House. A federal court extended that to Feb. 11 as part of a lawsuit over how the Legislature reapportioned Alabamas seven congressional districts after the 2020 census.

U.S. SenateThe top candidates have been campaigning for months in the race that drew six GOP qualifiers and no Democrats.

Republican qualifiers are former Shelby chief of staff and Business Council of Alabama chief Katie Britt, Congressman Mo Brooks of Huntsville, and former Army aviator and businessman Mike Durant. Others are Lillie Boddie, Karla M. Dupriest, and Jake Schafer.

GovernorIvey, who became governor when Robert Bentley resigned in 2017 and was elected in 2018, is seeking a second full term.

Democrats who qualified are retired educator Yolanda Flowers of Birmingham, Patricia Salter Jamieson, Arthur Kennedy, businessman Chad Chig Martin of Enterprise, state senator and attorney Malika Sanders Fortier of Selma, and Doug New Blue Smith.

Lieutenant governorRepublican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth is seeking a second term. Ainsworth was the only Republican qualifier.

No Democrats qualified for the race.

Attorney generalAttorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, is running for a second full term. Marshall was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley to fill a vacancy in 2017 and elected to a full term in 2018.

Harry Bartlett Still III qualified to run for the Republican nomination against Marshall.

Wendell Major qualified to run in the Democratic primary.

Secretary of StateFour Republicans qualified to run for the open seat. Twice-elected Secretary of State John Merrill could not run because of term limits.

Republican qualifiers are Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, Christian Horn, Ed Packard, a former election official in the secretary of states office, and State Auditor Jim Zeigler.

Patricia J. Laffitte has qualified for the secretary of states race in the Democratic primary.

State TreasurerState Treasurer Young Boozer is running for the Republican nomination for what would be a third full term in the office. Boozer, a former banker, was elected treasurer twice, serving from 2011 until 2019. Last year, Boozer returned to the office when Gov. Kay Ivey appointed him to replace State Treasurer John McMillan, who was named executive director of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission.

Boozer has no opposition for the Republican nomination.

There were no qualifiers in the Democratic party.

Commissioner of Agriculture and IndustriesCommissioner Rick Pate, a Republican elected in 2018, is seeking a second term. No other Republicans qualified.

The Democratic Party had no qualifiers.

State auditorThree Republicans are running for the nomination. Its for an open seat because twice-elected State Auditor Jim Zeigler is term-limited.

The Republican qualifiers are Jefferson County pastor Stan Cooke, former state senator and retired teacher Rusty Glover of Mobile, and state representative and business owner Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals.

No Democrats qualified.

Alabama Supreme Court Place 5The race is for an open seat. Associate Justice Michael F. Bolin is prohibited by an age-70 limit from seeking another term.

Republicans who have qualified for the race are Greg Cook and Debra Jones.

Anita L. Kelly qualified for the Democratic primary.

Alabama Supreme Court Place 6The incumbent, Justice Alisa Kelli Wise, is unopposed for the Republican nomination.

No Democrats qualified.

Public Service Commission Place 1Commissioner Jeremy Oden, a Republican, is seeking another term.

John Hammock, Stephen McLamb, and Brent Woodall are also seeking the Republican nomination.

The Democratic Party lists no qualifiers.

Public Service Commission Place 2Commissioner Chip Beeker is running for another term. Beeker is a Republican.

Others who qualified for the Republican primary are Robin Litaker and Robert L. McCollum.

No Democrats entered the race.
MONTGOMERY  Roy Moores wife wiped tears as she testified Friday about the aftermath of a sexual misconduct allegation raised against her husband, saying their lives had been upended and maintaining he is not the kind of person who would do this.

Moores defense began presenting their evidence Friday in a trial dealing with dueling defamation claims. Leigh Corfman, a woman who says Moore sexually molested her in 1979 when she was 14, has sued Moore for statements he made as he denied the accusation during the 2017 U.S. Senate race. Moore has countersued.

Kayla Moore testified about meeting her husband in the 1980s described him as perfect gentlemen. She also described a wave of harassment after The Washington Post published Corfmans account. She said they received threatening messages, had pedophile written in orange spray paint near their home and still remain unsure how they will be received when they go places.

It is one of the worst things weve ever been through.  He is not the kind of person who would do this. He has always been a perfect gentleman, Kayla Moore said. She said their lives have not been the same.

Corfman attorney Jeff Doss, during cross-examination, reiterated that Kayla Moore hadnt met her husband in 1979 and didnt know Corfman and other women who said Moore dated them, or asked them out as teens.

Circuit Judge John Rochester on Friday rejected a request from Moores lawyers for a directed verdict in the case. Julian McPhillips argued Corfmans attorneys had not proven their case.

He made it real clear how convinced he was what was said about him was false, McPhillips said.

Doss, an attorney for Corfman, argued the question of truthfulness is one for the jury.

Two things are clear. One: Ms. Corfman told the truth to The Washington Post. Two: When Mr. Moore responded as he did, it was defamatory, Doss said.

Rochester on Friday also cautioned Moores attorneys to speak to him about his demeanor and said Moore would face admonishment if emotional outbursts continued.

Rochesters warning came after Moore was seen repeatedly getting up from the defense table as lawyers presented arguments over what witnesses would be allowed to give testimony.

Moore later apologized to the judge.
My Dad loved his daily newspaper. He treasured and trusted the information found on the black and white pages, and Im pretty sure my lifelong love affair with the Fourth Estate was spurred in part by his passion.

I cannot recall a time when there was not a newspaper in our house  the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Journal, the capital citys afternoon newspaper that was shuttered years ago, were both delivered to our house for years. Newspaper content was the source of many memorable conversations with Dad  I learned a lot discussing and debating stories and columnists.

In todays technology world, I sometimes wonder how Dad, who made a career change in the mid-1960s into the world of data processing  a cornerstone of what is known today as technology or IT  would be reading his newspaper if he was still with us; digitally or print? I believe with his computer trailblazing ways, a tablet would likely be near the coffee pot every morning to start his day.

Dad, like many of you, would enjoy the value of a digital newspaper subscription, especially when traveling and having a trusted local information source always available on his smart phone.

A digital-first approach of reporting information is now at the forefront of many newspapers, including the Eagle. Our newsrooms strategy of posting stories, photos, videos, and breaking news online at dothaneagle.com and on our social media platforms and providing exclusive digital content via a variety of newsletters is the way we operate to keep our community informed.

Delivering content in a manner only imagined a decade ago highlights our commitment to change. Digital delivery allows the Eagle to send information  news, advertising, and more  to mobile devices for immediate consumption to meet the I want my information now demand thats prevalent in todays world.

Recently, Eagle digital subscribers had first access to stories with high readership and social media interaction, including: the local impact of COVID-19 and several schools converting to virtual learning due to omicron transmission rates; a decision by Houston County to sell the Farm Center and how Dothan leaders reacted; the positive local economic news highlighted by Dothans strong tax revenue collection; a journey back in time to the once-popular lower level of Dothans Northside Mall; and an interview with the new Miss Alabama USA Katelyn Vinson from Dothan.

Yes, our delivery services still include a daily print edition, but I invite those who have not yet experienced a digital subscription to join the growing number of readers.

For current print subscribers who have not activated your free digital access, which includes a replica e-edition of the days print edition and unlimited digital access, you can activate it at dothaneagle.com (activation link located in the menu bar on top left-hand side of website). And, yes, you will still receive your print edition.

For non-subscribers, an attractive offer for a digital-only subscription, which includes a replica e-edition of the Eagles print edition and unlimited digital access, awaits you at the subscribe link in the customer service listing at dothaneagle.com.

Then each morning you will receive an email announcing your e-edition on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. Plus, when new content is posted 24/7, its immediately available. You can also set alerts notifying you of breaking news, trending stories, and more. Additionally, plans call for more aspects to our digital offerings to be unveiled in the weeks and months ahead.

With the delivery of information evolving, Im sure Dad would welcome his digital newspaper access, and I would welcome his text messages about our content. For those of you who are reading this digitally, thank you, and for everyone else, take a minute and connect with us today.

Terry Connor, editor of the Eagle who fondly remembers his Dad saying, Ill see you in the funny papers, can be reached at tconnor@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7962.
Jordan Scheffer performs with Kinobe on Jan. 21, 2022, at Isis Music Hall.

After Jordan Scheffer completed her initial vocal recordings for her debut release, Until We Try, she wasnt completely happy with the takes.

She had recorded in Winston-Salem and New Orleans, but decided to stay local to perfect the songs.

Scheffer ended up at Ashevilles Echo Mountain Studio to finish off the tracks. The album was released last year, and now Scheffer will celebrate its release with an 8:30 p.m. show Jan. 21 at Isis Music Hall.

The recording process for me was very interesting and exciting. Since Ive never recorded an album before, especially in a professional studio, it was a new and sometimes confusing, but overall, it was fun, Scheffer said in an email interview. The confusion comes from not being able to see and not to be able to fully understand what was happening on the computers and the sound boards.

Scheffer, who is visually impaired and attended the prestigious Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, is currently a student at UNC Asheville. So far, the challenge to be a student and performer hasnt been too daunting.

I think that its been easy, however since my career hasnt really taken off in a big way yet, it could become more challenging, she said.

Scheffer has earned high accolades in recent years. She won the Blind Idol talent competition in Raleigh with contestants of all ages from around the country and in 2018, she was invited to sing at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. She then was asked back to compete at the Amateur Night at the Apollo Competition, where she placed second.

Scheffers music combines American roots, West African and Afro-Caribbean-Funk rhythms and instruments into a unique vocal and musical style.

For her show at Isis Music Hall, she will perform with Ugandan musician, educator and philanthropist Kinobe, who has performed throughout his career with traditional African instruments.

I met Kinobe in the spring of 2021, after he performed an amazing show at the bi-annual LEAF festival, Scheffer said. We instantly had a connection, and we both are very much about preserving African traditions and cultures as they have been centuries ago.

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I think his music will enhance the show by providing the setlist with something different, something cultural and a kind of sound that not many people really have heard before. The introduction of African rhythms and instruments into the music I preform is so magical and the beat, well its impossible to just sit still in your seats. You want to move, and you get drawn into the music. I truly believe there is a magical quality that transforms all of us from such beautiful, primal rhythms. Of course, we bring a blended contemporary experience to it all. Its so much fun.

Jazz-swing band plays downtown

Caravan Palace, a French electro-swing band, recently opened its North American tour and will play Asheville on the tours third date.

The group, which will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at The Orange Peel, is known for catchy hooks and has more than a billion streams across all platforms.

The groups most streamed song on Spotify is 2015s Lone Digger, which has more than 132 million streams.

These accomplished musicians mesh traditional jazz with modern club music to form its danceable tracks.

Local artists celebrate album release

Its been only about two years since Jeremy Boger and the Golden Eagles began to play together, and the group has already dropped an album.

Boger and his bandmates released The Race To Mars last November and will celebrate its release at 8 p.m. Jan. 27 at The Grey Eagle.

The group is made up of Boger (who sings and plays a multitude of instruments), Kevin Rumley (vocals, drums, percussion), Billy Sheeran (vocals, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, organ, orchestral arrangements) and Joshua Carpenter (vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar).

On the groups Bandcamp page, it states that proceeds from album sales this month will be donated to the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court, which is directed by Rumley.

Big Something set for 2 nights

One night just isnt enough for Big Something to play locally.

The Burlington-based group is set to start its six-week Escape From The Living Room tour with two nights in Asheville. The group, which released its sixth studio album in 2020, will play at 8 p.m. Jan. 21 and 22 at Salvage Station. Little Stranger will open the show.

The group recently released a nine-song collection of live recordings, which shares a title with the current tours name.

The six-piece Big Something mixes alternative rock and jam elements to its music and are known for a high-energy live experience.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville live music: Local funk rhythms, 'Big' jam, swing, more
Urge your legislator to support the End of Life Options Act

A 2020 poll by the Boston Globe showed that 70% of Massachusetts residents support medical aid in dying. The Massachusetts Medical Society went from opposing it, to declaring themselves neutral. Individual physicians practicing in Massachusetts support it by a ratio of 2:1.

The End of Life Options Act is now before the Joint Committee on Public Health. The bill has a Feb. 2 deadline, which means the committee must vote on it before that date in order for the bill to move forward. Because the committee has more bills than it can vote on by that deadline, our legislators need to hear from us about which issues are most important to us, their constituents.

Please join me in contacting our legislators to urge them to support the bill. Call, tweet, email or write a letter. You can find your legislators by using the Find My Legislator tool at malegislature.gov. Another option is to go to the Compassion & Choices website at compassionandchoices.org, click on How You Can Help at the top of the page, then click on Contact Your Legislator.

Whether this is your first time contacting legislators about the End of Life Options Act, or your second, third or fourth time, please do it now, ahead of the Feb. 2 deadline, to remind them to support the bill. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Joan Milnes, Acton

Medical decisions should be made between a doctor and patient

Id like to respond to Richard Careys Jan. 5 letter equating abortion to the simplicity of adding two plus two. While not denying an unborns right to life, abortion is not as black and white as his math example. What if the mothers health is endangered by the childs birth? Or the child will be born with unsustainable defects? Or the mother is a 13-year-old rape victim?

Who provides care for the mother during pregnancy? Once born, who provides care for the unwanted child? If killing humans denies their right to life, should a policeman not shoot a criminal? Should a criminal found guilty of killing a policeman not receive a death sentence?

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Can someone defend themselves using lethal means? Should do not resuscitate instructions be ignored because everything should be done to save a life despite its resulting quality and cost?

The right to life must consider many circumstances that two plus two does not. I suggest that medical decisions are made between a doctor and patient, not by an insurance company, and certainly not by the Supreme Court. Using Mr. Careys words, equating a complex issue with simple math is making a misstatement.

Dale Donchin, Framingham

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Letters: End of Life Options Act and a women's medical decisions
The Nghi Son Oil Refinery in the central province of Thanh Hoa, January 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Le Hoang

The Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Company and state-run Petrovietnam (PVN) have reached a short-term financial assistance deal to keep Vietnams largest refinery going.

The new deal will help enable the cash-strapped Nghi Son Oil Refinery to continue operations, Do Thang Hai, deputy minister of industry and trade, told VnExpress on the sidelines of a government press conference Friday.

The ministry has asked the refinery to be responsible for ensuring sufficient supply according to contracts signed with gasoline traders, he said.

In case it is not able to produce enough gasoline and oil, the products should be imported or sourced elsewhere to make up for the shortfall, he added.

"Currently, we can still ensure supply. We are trying our best to ensure the supply of gasoline for domestic consumption," the deputy minister said.

The Nghi Son Oil Refinery in the central province of Thanh Hoa has recently cut production by 20-25 percent because it no funds to import crude oil and had said it might have to suspend operations starting mid-February if the problem was not resolved.

If the production cut continues, Vietnam could experience a gasoline shortage, given that the refinery has a market share of over 35 percent, observers said.

PVN said Friday it has negotiated and reached a consensus with Nghi Sons foreign partners. Accordingly, all sides have accepted proposed principles on restructuring the refinery in return for the provision of short-term funds.

An expert in the local petroleum industry said the refinery will not be able to restore 100 percent of capacity immediately. "Disbursing capital and then importing crude oil takes time," he explained, but expressed his belief that gasoline supply would be "less messed up than happened over a week ago."

Capitalized at $9 billion, the refinery has a phase 1 capacity of 200,000 barrels of crude oil a day, or 10 million tons of crude oil a year, nearly double that of the Dung Quat Oil Refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai. It started commercial operations in late 2018.

PVN has a 25.1 percent stake in Nghi Son, while the rest is owned by three foreign firms, Kuwait Petroleum International (35.1 percent) and Japans Idemitsu Kosan (35.1 percent) and Mitsui Chemicals (4.7 percent).
Colorado Governor Jared Polis faced bipartisan criticism after he stepped in to commute the sentence of a truck driver who killed four people in a fiery crash in 2019 before a judge had a chance to issue a ruling. Critics claimed his actions could set a troubling precedent.

Fox News reports that Mr Polis commuted the sentence of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, who was sentenced to 110 years in prison after he was convicted on 27 charges, including four for vehicular homicide.

The sentence sparked backlash, particularly among truck drivers, who claimed the punishment did not fit his crime. Mr Polis stepped in and reduced the sentence to 10 years in prison.

Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King said she would have recommend that his sentence be lowered to 20 to 30 years in prison, according to KMGH-TV.

After Mr Polis intervened, Boulder and Mesa County District Attorneys Michael Dougherty and Daniel Rubenstein penned a letter to the governor accusing him of potentially degrading the institutional stability of the state's justice system.

That sentence is far too low for someone who kills four people in the appallingly reckless way in which Mr. Aguilera-Mederos chose to do so, they wrote. As we look to the future, though, our greatest concern is that you chose to intervene in a pending case, thereby undermining the integrity and confidence that Coloradans place in the justice system.

According to the DA's, a governor intervening in a pending case is unprecedented.

To intervene prior to allowing the judge  who heard every witness, saw all the evidence and knew the case better than anyone  to exercise his statutory authority, was unprecedented, premature and unwarranted, they wrote.

Both did agree with the governor that the 110-year sentence was too high.

On Wednesday Mr Polis' office released a statement defending his actions, calling the sentence bizarre and that it undermined confidence in our criminal justice system. Mr Polis office said he used his authority to step in and fix it.

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While there were calls for Mr Aguilera-Mederos to receive a full pardon, the governors office did not feel that was warranted when considering the details of the case.

The accident occurred when the truck driver's brakes failed, sending the 18-wheeler hurtling into more than two dozen stopped vehicles. Four people died. The investigation into the crash revealed that the driver had manipulated his driving records, had noted his brakes were showing signs of malfunction, and that he had disabled safety monitors in his truck. Further, the driver apparently did nothing to warn the other drivers that he had lost control of the his vehicle.

The individual is guilty and is serving his sentence, Mr Polis' office said.

There was clearly an urgency to remedy this sentence and restore confidence in the uniformity and fairness of our criminal justice system. Let the punishment fit the crime is a basic tenant of justice, and Coloradans are relieved to know that the punishment now fits the crime in this case.
Heidi Klum spoke to 'The Sunday Times' about why she doesn't like the comments on her social media feed. (Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS)

Heidi Klum wants her social media to be a positive place  which, for her, means turning off her comments.

The supermodel, 48, spoke to The Sunday Times about why she decided to make that social media move on her accounts. She currently boasts more than 9 million followers on Instagram alone.

Some people say mean things to me. Or else they say mean things to each other, which is in some ways worse, the Project Runway star explained. They are coming onto my platform and fighting among themselves and I dont want to be the person fuelling that hatred. I have an If I dont like something then move on type of outlook. The planet is big enough for everyone as long as youre not hurting anybody. They should take their negativity elsewhere because I am definitely not trying to tell any woman they need to be this or that. Thats not me.

The so-called Queen of Halloween may not like any hate in her comments section, but overall, shes very unfiltered about what she posts. She told The Sunday Times that just because shes getting older, doesnt mean she wants to change what she posts.

I know I dont look 20 any more but inside, my spirit, my heart, my joy for life is the same, she noted. Sure there are jeans I can no longer get into.

Recently, those more revealing pics have included a photo of her sporting a red string bikini as well as one of her wearing barely-there lingerie from Fendis collaborations with Kim Kardashians SKIMS.

In December 2020, she spoke to People about unapologetically posting content that her kids arent always thrilled with.

"I'm definitely more open with my body and I'm an outgoing person. I am from Germany and I am, you know, I don't always tend to wear the most clothes," she said. "So you know sometimes they will give me a nudge and be like, 'Mom, really?'"

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Almost 10 pounds of avocados are consumed per person per year in the U.S., according to data from Rabobank. Demand for this magical fruit has grown exponentially over the last few years.

Shipments from South America help California supply the country, but this is yet another crop that faced a tough year in 2021and the effects are still being felt at supermarkets.

Related: 6 Things You'll See at Costco This Year

Avocado prices are rising while supply is down.

avocado fridge

If avocados are on your list right now, be prepared to pick through a lower supply and pay almost double the price versus a year ago. The average price of a Haas avocado is currently about $1.50, whereas the average price in January 2021 was about $0.99. Unfortunately, it's not a "more bang for your buck" situationin fact, it's the opposite.

An Austin-based reporter with Axios wrote that the price of one small avocado at his local H-E-B rose from $0.52 (last year) to $0.91 (this week). The same phenomenon is happening at other stores, too. Walmart is currently retailing small avocados for around $1.

The problems stretch beyond the strained supply chain.

avocado brown paper bag

Supplier Limoneira recently told analysts that conditions in California over the past year had been less than ideal for avocado production, according to Supply Chain Dive. Fewer rainfall totals in the Golden State now mean smaller fruits and a smaller crop. The company sold only 3,000 pounds of avocados from October to December 2021, whereas in 2020 it sold 478,000 poundsthat's a 99% decrease.

Not only is it costing consumers more for avocados, but it's also pricier for producers to grow them. The cost of soil and fertilizer is up across the globe, including where a chunk of this beloved fruit is imported from in South America. "Farms are failing, and many people are not growing," one farmer in Colombia told The Wall Street Journal.

A spokesperson for California Avocados told Eat This, Not That!, "Like many farmers, California avocado growers have been experiencing rising costs, including cost of water, labor and other inputs. Additionally, freight costs attributed to COVID-19 impacts can be a factor in pricing."

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Labor shortages are also impacting the industry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture told Axios that truck and labor shortages plaguing other industries (and grocery stores and convenience stores themselves) are also causing the shortages and price hikes. But while the guac may stay extra for a while longer, hope is in sight.

Projections for 2022's crop look positive.

Picking an avocado about to check the inside of the stem

"The California Avocado Commission's 2022 pre-season crop projection for California avocados is 306 million pounds, which is a nearly 15% increase over last season," the spokesperson for California Avocados said, adding that came through the state in December 2021 and earlier in January 2022 helped move the region from severe to moderate drought conditions.

"The 2022 California avocado crop is presently being harvested in a light way and consumers will find more California avocados in their grocery stores in the coming months, with peak volume expected April through August and a tailing off in September as the California avocado season ends," they continued.

Eat this, not that



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Disbarred lawyer Robert Menard pleaded guilty to theft and embezzlement Thursday in a plea deal that calls for prosecutors to recommend the once-prominent lawyer serve three years in prison, followed by three years of extended supervision.

Menard, 59, pleaded guilty to four felonies for bilking four clients, including his uncle, out of tens of thousands of dollars. Menard, who is in Alaska and attended the hearing via Zoom, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Milton Childs is not bound by the recommended sentence and Menard's attorney, Craig Mastantuono is expected to seek a lesser sentence that would not include prison time.

Attorney Robert Menard appearing for a deposition in March. The deposition was taken as part of a lawsuit involving Menard's former law partner. A transcript of the deposition is on file with the Milwaukee County Clerk of Courts.

For 25 years, Menard and his then partner Alan Derzon ran the well-known firm of Derzon & Menard. The firm specialized in workers' compensation cases and billed itself as lawyers for the "average Joe" and used the fictional "Joe Bob" as its mascot.

The partner's breakup became a public feud in 2017 when Derzon sued Menard charging him with stealing from their law firm and pocketing more than $1 million, including funds from Derzon's retirement account, according to the suit filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court and Derzon's lawyer.

Two years later Menard was charged by the Milwaukee County district attorney with stealing more than $700,000 from the law firm and from numerous clients, including his uncle. Additional charges were filed the following year, bringing the total he was charged with pocketing up to nearly $1 million.

In March 2020, the state Supreme Court took the unusual move of issuing an emergency suspension against Menard's license saying his "continued practice of law poses a threat to the interests of the public." The court disbarred Menard two months later.

Mastantuono asked that the sentencing hearing be in April because Menard is working on his mother's farm in Alaska.

"His mother farm requires winter labor that should be over by April and he very much wants to help her," Mastantuono said.

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Several of Menard's former clients who were victim's of his thefts will likely testify at the sentencing in April, said Nicolas J Heitman, assistant district attorney told Childs

"There are a multitude of victims in these cases and I know several of them will want to address the court in person," Heitman said.

Contact Cary Spivak at (414) 550-0070 or cspivak@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cspivak or Facebook at facebook.com/cary.spivak.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Disbarred lawyer Robert Menard pleads guilty faces 3 years in prison
Both the state and defense in the Kayla Giles second-degree murder trial rested their cases Friday, meaning jurors will hear closing arguments Saturday morning before they start deliberations.

Giles is facing life in prison if convicted on the homicide charge. She also faces an obstruction of justice charge in the Sept. 8, 2018, death of her estranged husband, 30-year-old Thomas Coutee Jr.

Friday afternoon's testimony resumed with the defense's cross examination of Alexandria Police Department forensic examiner Sgt. Doug Alford, who extracted information from Giles' cellphone.

Alford was questioned from Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Brooke Harris before Friday's lunch break. He read from screenshots and calls logs.

Giles' attorney, George Higgins III, asked Alford if an iPhone could delete searches when the browser was closed. Alford said he wasn't aware of that.

Both the state and defense in the Kayla Giles second-degree murder trial rested their cases Friday, meaning jurors will hear closing arguments Saturday morning before they start deliberations. Giles, shown here with attorney George Higgins III in a file photo, faces life in prison if convicted.

When Higgins asked if he checked for that setting, he said he wasn't asked to do so.

Higgins had Alford read an Aug. 13, 2018, text from Coutee to Giles in which he said the only reason he hired an attorney was because she wanted to leave the state with their daughter. He also offered to help with costs for the girl's school and other things.

He then introduced another exchange in which Coutee wanted to meet at the police department's location for child swaps and online sales transactions to get his daughter a few days before the shooting.

Giles' reply stated she waited for him there, but Coutee didn't arrive.

Earlier on Friday: 'I may make the news': State presents computer, phone data from Kayla Giles

After Alford's testimony, the state and defense told 9th Judicial District Court Judge Greg Beard they had a joint stipulation  an agreement that both sides accept something as undisputed. The document was passed out to jurors, but neither side said what it concerned.

The two sides also agreed to introducing an enhanced and shortened clip of surveillance video from a Sonic restaurant that captured the incident.

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The state then rested its case.

Giles' sister says 'she was like a mother to me'

The first witness for the defense was Jessica Giles Austin, Giles' younger sister. Defense co-counsel Rocky Willson asked Austin to describe their relationship.

"She was like a mother to me," said Austin of her sister. Their mother, who was sitting in the gallery, worked a lot, she said.

When Giles joined the U.S. Army, Austin said, she sometimes would visit her around the country.

Day 4 afternoon coverage: Friend testifies Kayla Giles told her she wanted to kill husband, asked to borrow gun

Willson asked her if she knew Coutee, and Austin said yes. He asked her to describe him.

She said he was "very stern, but very nice" compared to her sister's "protective" personality.

Willson asked if Giles told her much about her personal life, and Austin said no.

He asked whether Giles would tell Austin if there were marital problems.

She again said no.

He asked what Giles said when she called her from the shooting scene. "She literally told me to come get the girls," Austin testified.

Willson asked if Giles asked her to destroy or hide evidence. Austin said no and, as she talked about the flower-print bag that held Giles' computer, she contradicted herself when talking about when she received it.

The state had played audio from a jail telephone call placed from Giles to Austin in the days after her arrest. Giles had asked her if someone could get "the flower thing" away from her.

Austin gave the computer bag to a friend of Giles', Jennifer Dunn, who testified that she was not aware she was going to get it. She later turned it over to police.

When asked by Willson about the computer, Austin testified she got it a few weeks before the shooting. Later, she told Harris she got it a few months before the shooting.

She told Willson that her sister was acting differently when she dropped it off at her workplace, but couldn't put it into words. However, she was clear about being uncomfortable having it.

Willson asked why.

Austin testified that she was raising three children and that she had a good job. Later, she told Willson that she had a lot of trouble since the shooting because she's Giles' sister. She said she's received threats and almost lost her job.

In her cross examination, Harris asked Austin if she ever saw bruises or red marks on Giles. Austin said no.

Did Giles ever tell her Coutee put hands on her, asked Harris. She said yes, back when the couple first got together.

Day 4 morning coverage: Forensic pathologist testifies Thomas Coutee Jr. died from single gunshot wound

Harris also brought up the computer bag, asking what her objection to having it was. Austin said someone had just been killed, so that concerned her. Harris pressed her, and she said her sister was involved in killing someone and she was concerned about her own situation.

Austin testified that she went to Giles' home the night of the shooting, after getting permission from police, to get clothes for the girls. Harris asked her if she saw the Ruger LCP .380 box and bullets. Austin said no.

Then Harris asked her how she got her sister's Sony voice recorder when she went back to the home to get some of Giles' personal items. Austin said she couldn't remember where it had been.

Harris asked if she and Giles talked about the recordings, and Austin said no.

Harris asked her about her testimony for the defense, that she had seen Coutee with a gun in his truck when he picked up his daughter from her mother's house. Austin had testified that she'd seen the gun in a holster in the truck.

When Harris asked her if she ever saw Coutee threaten anyone with a gun, she said no.

Friend said Giles was afraid of Coutee

The defense also called a friend of Giles, Natasha Lacombe, who testified about how Giles told her she moved from the couple's Pineville home to a gated community beside the Coliseum Boulevard Walmart because she thought she was being stalked.

Lacombe told the defense Giles had expressed a fear of Coutee to her.

Harris asked her why a woman who was scared like that would allow her children who aren't related to him to go with him to a birthday party. Lacombe said Giles wasn't afraid for her children but for herself.

Giles' aunt, Evelyn Giles Jones, was called to testify for the defense, too. She described Coutee repeatedly calling Giles on one occasion when her niece came to her house to microblade her eyebrows

But when Higgins asked Jones to repeat what Coutee had said, Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Joseph LeBeau objected because on ground of it being hearsay. Beard agreed.

Before the last witness was called, the state and defense told Beard they again had a joint stipulation for a short video. This time, it showed Coutee in a 2014 mixed-martial arts fight.

As jurors watched the video, which featured music, both of Coutee's parents and a number of other family and friends cried.

Lead detective takes the stand again

Then Higgins called William Butler, the lead detective in the case who already had testified for the state.

He asked Butler about all the charges Giles was arrested on. Second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, misdemeanor domestic abuse battery and felony theft, said Butler.

Higgins questioned the timing of the domestic abuse battery and theft arrests because those happened about two weeks after Coutee's death. Butler said warrants came in after the shooting.

Next, Higgins played the enhanced video clip of the shooting for Butler and the jurors. At one point, the video was stopped, and Higgins asked Butler if he saw Coutee go toward the door of Giles' Dodge Durango.

Yes, he said.

LeBeau, in his cross examination, asked Butler if seeing the MMA video of Coutee changed his mind about the charges against Giles.

"Absolutely not," he replied.

Then LeBeau asked Butler about baby car seats, asking if Coutee and Giles' daughter was in a backward facing seat in Coutee's truck at the time of the shooting. He said yes.

But another seat, one for an older child, remained in the back seat of the Durango, said LeBeau, who showed Butler and jurors a photo of the seat.

Daughter testifi: Giles' oldest daughter testifies in court after jurors see her 2018 video interview

Later, when Higgins redirected him, he asked Butler who the car seat belonged to, and Butler said it was Giles' older daughter. He asked Butler how he knew that.

Butler said it was mentioned twice in interviews, but Higgins disagreed. He said the car seat belonged to the youngest daughter. Butler said, if that was the case, it was against the law because both girls needed car seats.

Higgins asked Butler how far away their home was, and he said about 100 yards.

LeBeau also asked Butler about Jessica Giles Austin's testimony and whether several parts of it conflicted their interview just after the shooting. He said yes.

LeBeau asked if Austin told him she had taken the voice recorder from a counter, that Giles had told her about recording Coutee and that Austin said she wanted to listen to it.

Is that consistent with her 2018 interview, LeBeau asked Butler?

"No sir," Butler replied.

After the defense rested, Beard asked Giles if she wanted to testify in her own defense. When she said no, he asked her if that was solely her decision.

"That's my decision," she said.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Jury to decide Kayla Giles' fate Saturday after closing arguments
Iowa State University

More than 9,700 Iowa State University students, including Christian Taylor of Fairbury, have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the fall semester 2021 Dean's List. Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Taylor, a 2021 graduate of Prairie Central High School, is the son of Tracy and Julie Taylor of Fairbury.

Southeast Missouri State University

Weston Cottrell of Fairbury, has been named to the Southeast Missouri State University Dean's List for academic achievement during the fall 2021 semester.

Students named to this list earned at least a 3.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, completed at least 12 hours of standard graded credit, achieved no grade below a B and received no failing grades in enrolled, credit/no credit or pass/fail courses.

Cottrell, a 2020 graduate of Prairie Central High School and the son of Ty and Marda Cottrell, was also named to the fall 2021 President's List. Students named to this earned at least a 4.0 grade point average and completed at least 12 hours of standard graded credit in a semester.

Monmouth College

Nathan Reed, a exercise science major from Chenoa, has made the Dean's List at Monmouth College for the Fall 2021 semester. Students on the list achieved a grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale while taking at least three full academic credits. Reed is a 2021 graduate of Prairie Central High School.

Founded in 1853, Monmouth College is a nationally ranked liberal arts college. Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the birthplace of the women's fraternity movement, the college offers 38 majors, 42 minors, 17 pre-professional tracks, and two innovative Triads in Global Food Security and Global Public Health.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Chandlar Ifft of Fairbury, school of Human Ecology, has been named to the Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a 2019 graduate of Prairie Central High School and the son of Mark and Brenda Ifft of Fairbury.

Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call the honor "dean's list", but some grant the "Dean's Honor List" and "Dean's High Honor List."

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Area college students earn academic honors
Jan. 28LEWISTON  The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending another team of medical personnel to Central Maine Medical Center next week, Gov. Janet Mills' office announced Thursday.

A team of up to 20 physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists from the U.S. Department of Defense will work at the Lewiston hospital starting Tuesday through March 2, where they will help provide care for COVID-19 patients and others in critical care.

This is the second time FEMA has approved Mills' request for a federal COVID-19 surge response team for CMMC. On Thursday, a group of four federally contracted clinicians departed CMMC, where they had been assisting with administering COVID vaccines since Jan. 10.

FEMA was unable to approve Mills' first request on behalf of CMMC made in early December due to a lack of resources, Maine Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Jackie Farwell confirmed earlier this month. Another request on behalf of Maine Medical Center in Portland that was submitted at the same time was approved a day later.

The Mills administration also announced Thursday that FEMA approved the governor's request for a 30-day extension to the eight federal ambulance teams working throughout the state.

The teams, which arrived in December and had been scheduled to leave Thursday, have been stationed at Maine hospitals, including CMMC and Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, to assist with nonemergency patient transfers.

FEMA is sending a ninth ambulance team to Cary Medical Center in Caribou.

According to Farwell, the Mills administration made the request for the military medical personnel team for CMMC on Jan. 14, and for the ambulance teams' extension on Jan. 19. She said the state has no other pending requests at the moment.

"The influx of skilled providers is great news for our patients and for our hardworking team members," Central Maine Healthcare President and CEO Steve Littleson said in a prepared statement. Central Maine Healthcare is CMMC's parent company.

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As of Thursday, providers at CMMC were caring for an average of about 28 patients per day during the week prior.

"We are thrilled to have them on our team providing patient care in our ongoing battle against COVID-19," Littleson said.

Statewide, daily COVID hospitalizations have decreased slightly over the past few days. However, the seven-day moving average as of Thursday stood at about 417 patients per day, which was higher than where it stood one week ago thanks to a bump in hospitalizations at the start of the week.

In addition to the federal teams, members of the Maine National Guard were deployed to health care facilities throughout the state last week, joining more than 200 members that have been on COVID response orders since November.

There are more than 50 Guard members deployed at CMMC, Franklin Memorial, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, Rumford Community Home and Bolster Heights Residential Care in Auburn.

The deployment of a separate group of roughly 80 members on COVID response orders at CMMC, Franklin Memorial, Stephens Memorial, Rumford Hospital and Bridgton Hospital ended Wednesday.
Plaza de Espana in Seville, Spain, at dusk

Sylvain Sonnet/Getty Images

Digital nomadism was on the rise even before the pandemic, as remote workers packed up their laptops and bounced around the world, doing their jobs from wherever they could find good Wi-Fi. Most of these roaming workers simply make the most of the tourist visas in their chosen destinations, but some countries are getting creative in their economic recovery by creating long-term visas specifically geared toward digital nomads.

The latest country to jump on this trend is Spain.

With the recently introduced Startup Act, foreigners will be able to live and work in Spain for six to 12 months without needing an official work visa, as long as they make at least 80% of their income working for non-Spanish companies, The Independent reports. Up to two extensions would be allowed, meaning remote workers could potentially stay in Spain for up to three years, without the right to residency. If approved, this new visa would apply to foreign nationals from non-European Union countries.

With the Brexit transition period officially over, people from the U.K. are now also considered non-EU nationals and will be eligible for this digital nomad visa. Currently, travelers from the U.K., the U.S., and several other nations are only allowed to stay in Spain, as well as other EU countries, without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

While this potential digital nomad visa is exciting news for remote workers looking to trade in their home office views for something a bit different, the new law has yet to be passed. It is currently awaiting approval from the Spanish parliament, according to SchengenVisaInfo.com.

But with several other countries already offering some type of digital nomad or self-employed visas, including several European nations, the chances are looking good for this visa to get approved. Spanish officials say a decision should be announced within the next few months.

Jessica Poitevien is a Travel + Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but she's always on the lookout for her next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
As the threat of domestic violent extremism intensifies, federal law enforcement agencies are asking communities to report family members, friends or peers who show signs of extremist behavior. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center have published a resource designed to help the public spot "ideologically motivated U.S. based violent extremists."

The 34-page report, released Friday, is the first of its kind to be published following the U.S. Capitol assault on January 6, 2021. The lengthy "see something, say something"-style public service announcement comes at a time when federal law enforcement has pumped out warnings of unsophisticated  but potentially lethal  attacks by lone actors that provide law enforcement with a sparse paper trail.

With past threats, law enforcement typically had more clues to go on, FBI director Christopher Wray said last week, in the wake of the hostage standoff in Colleyville, Texas.

"The sleeper cell-type of threat of the past, that's a bunch of people plotting an attack over a long period of time. Between their training and planning their fundraising, there's a lot of dots to connect," said Wray. "The threat we as Americans face today is more and more of these lone actors plotting essentially fairly simple and unsophisticated but just as deadly attacks. That means there are a lot fewer dots, if you will, to connect and a lot less time in which to connect them."

U.S. violent extremism: 2021 edition / Credit: FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center

The booklet lists 42 "indicators" that range from "unusual goodbyes or post-death instructions" to "surveilling potential attack targets" to "isolating oneself from family and peers, particularly if citing violent extremist doctrine or ideology."

"Previous editions of this booklet have focused solely on the indicators of homegrown violent extremist mobilization to violence," the report says. "This edition has been expanded to include indicators that apply to multiple ideologically motivated US-based violent extremists, given the evolving complexity and variety of factors influencing the domestic threat landscape."

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The booklet was first published in 2015, and updated in 2017 and 2019.

The first indicator listed in the 2021 update is "traveling, within the United States or abroad, to carry out or participate in violent extremist activity" a warning sign that resonates as hate crimes reach two-decade highs.

Local law enforcement spotted one of those single dots last month, when a Cass County, Iowa, police sheriff pulled over a California man driving cross-country to the White House on a mission to "do whatever it takes" to kill top officials, including President Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The man, Kuachua Brillion Xiong, 25, made it as far as Iowa before authorities discovered an AR-15-style rifle, ammunition, loaded magazines, and body armor in his car, according to the complaint. Targeted shootings across the country  including mass casualty events in Denver, Indianapolis and Atlanta  have underscored the challenges faced by law enforcement, as some suspects were reported to law enforcement prior to the attacks.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced a new domestic terrorism unit centered on tackling the rising U.S.-based threats. "The threat posed by domestic terrorism is on the rise," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen told lawmakers this month. "The number of FBI investigations of suspected violent extremists has more than doubled since the spring of 2020."

Last week, Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, told CBS News that he supports efforts to double funding to non-profit organizations, including places of worship, to combat the heightened threat environment.

Last March, U.S. intelligence agencies issued a classified, joint assessment of the national security threat posed by domestic violent extremism. An unclassified summary revealed social and political factors, including the coronavirus pandemic and "emboldening impact of the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol," will "almost certainly" spur domestic violent extremists to engage in further violence.

Friends, families, teachers and local law enforcement have played an increasing role in alerting federal law enforcement to potential or established security threats.

Although the newly-released public guidance is not specifically tied to the January 6 attack, families and friends of defendants have played an outsized role turning in relatives after learning of their alleged involvement in the breach.

In one such instance, prosecutors say Guy Reffitt of Texas, who was indicted on multiple counts including obstructing the official proceeding of counting electoral college votes, threatened his children after they learned of his alleged involvement in the attack.

Reffitt allegedly told his son and daughter following January 6, "If you turn me in, you're a traitor and you know what happens to traitors...traitors get shot," according to conversations investigators had with Reffitt's spouse as described in court documents. "Reffitt's son took Reffitt's statements as a threat to his life," prosecutors wrote in another court filing.

Reffit pleaded not guilty to all charges, has made multiple attempts to get the charges dismissed, and plans to fight the indictment at trial starting next month.

Last year, FBI Director Christopher Wray pledged that his department would do more to prevent events like January 6. "January 6 was not an isolated event," Wray said, adding that the threat of domestic terrorism was "metastasizing" across the country. "The FBI will not tolerate agitators and extremists who plan or commit violence."

Paying attention to warning signs and early intervention could be the difference between life and death for students, too. Last year, the U.S. Secret Service analyzed nearly 70 disrupted school plots that were reported and averted between 2006 and 2018. The key to preventing school attacks, researchers found, is early intervention by someone close to a student possibly planning violence.

In the first year of the Biden administration, DHS issued more than 80 intelligence products related to domestic violent extremism over the past year, including four National Terrorism Advisory System bulletins. The latest also warned of an uptick in online activity by al Qaeda- and ISIS-affiliated groups following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

75 million Americans in path of dangerous Nor'easter

Powerful Nor'easter expected to slam East Coast

"CBS Evening News" headlines for Friday, January 28, 2022
Customers look at clothes at a mall in Ho Chi Minh City, November 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Nhat Thuc

Vietnam will cut its value-added tax by 2 percentage points to 8 percent starting Feb. 1 to boost recovery after two years of Covid-19 impacts.

The tax break will last until the end of other year, according to a government decree issued Friday.

Some sectors that will not be eligible for the tax break are communications, information and technology, finance, banking, securities, insurance and real estate, which have not been affected by the pandemic.

The tax break is set to reduce government revenue by VND49.4 trillion ($2.18 billion).

The reduced VAT is part of the VND350 trillion stimulus package that lawmakers approved earlier this month to revive the economy.

The proposed 3 percent tax waivers and deferrals for businesses and 2 percent cut in value-added tax would help encourage consumption, and this could help the country bounce back from the "massive shock" of the third quarter last year, said Dorsati Madani, senior economist, World Bank Vietnam.

The bank forecasts Vietnams GDP growth this year at 5.5 percent, against the countrys target of 6-6.5 percent.
At some point in the past 30 years, the concept of the free world fell out of favor.

Maybe it seemed dated once the Cold War ended. Or an afterthought in an era in which economic development, not political freedom, became the primary measure of human progress. Or too smug in an American culture increasingly obsessed with its own sins, current and original. Or no longer befitting countries where democratic norms and liberal principles were being eroded from within  from Hungary to India to the United States.

But we urgently need to restore the concept to its former place, both for its clarifying power and its moral force.

Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to think that dividing and humiliating the West over Ukraine would reduce NATO and its partners to a collection of states, Bret Stephens writes. [Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File]

The prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is being treated by Vladimir Putins many apologists as a case of reasserting Russias historic sphere of influence, or as predictable pushback against NATOs eastward expansion.

Its a tempting logic that implies diplomacy can work: Give Putin something he wants  say Ukraine wont join NATO, or remove NATO forces from former Warsaw Pact states  and hell be satisfied.

But the logic ignores two factors: Putins personal political needs and his far-reaching ideological aims. Putin is neither a czar nor a real president, in the sense that he governs according to fixed rules that both legitimize and limit him. Hes a dictator, liable to charges of corrupt and criminal behavior, who has no guarantee of a safe exit from power and must contrive ways to extend his rule for life.

Whipping up periodic foreign crises to mobilize domestic support and capture global attention is a time-tested way in which dictators do this.

The second factor follows from the first. The ultimate way to consolidate dictatorship is to discredit democracy, to make it seem divided, tired and corrupt. There are many ways to do this and Putin practices plenty of them, from supporting extremist parties and politicians to sponsoring the Russian bots and trolls peddling conspiracy theories on social media.

Story continues

The most effective method is a blunt power play that exposes the gap between the Wests high-flown rhetoric about democracy, human rights and international law, and its unheroic calculations about commercial advantage, military spending, energy dependence and strategic risks. Attacking Ukraine will have costs for Putin, but theyll be more than compensated for if he can imbue the West with a profound sense of its own weakness. The bullys success ultimately depends on his victims psychological surrender.

The best short-term response to Putins threats is the one the Biden administration is at last beginning to consider: The permanent deployment, in large numbers, of U.S. forces to front-line NATO states, from Estonia to Romania. Arms shipments to Kyiv, which so far are being measured in pounds, not tons, need to become a full-scale airlift. NATO troops need not, and should not, fight for Ukraine. But the least we owe Ukrainians is to give them a margin of deterrence that comes with being armed before they are invaded, along with a realistic chance to fight for themselves.

The longer-term response is to restore the concept of the free world.

Whats meant by that term? It isnt just a list of states that happen to be liberal democracies, some bound together by treaty alliances like NATO or regional trading blocs like the European Union.

The free world is the larger idea that the worlds democracies are bound by shared and foundational commitments to human freedom and dignity; that those commitments transcend politics and national boundaries; and that no free people can be indifferent to the fate of any other free people, because the enemy of any one democracy is ultimately the enemy to all the others. That was the central lesson of the 1930s, when democracies thought they could win peace for themselves at the expense of the freedom of others, only to learn the hard way that no such bargain was ever possible.

The concept of the free world is not a perfect one  its constituent states are so often imperfect. It can be prone to overconfidence (as in Afghanistan) or strategic incoherence (as it was, for several years, in the Balkans) or bitter division (as it was over the war in Iraq).

But it would be foolish to think that the loss of Ukraine would mean nothing to the future of freedom elsewhere, including in the U.S. Success in risky ventures tends to beget admiration, and Putin has never lacked for Western admirers, including a certain former  and possibly future  U.S. president.

Putin seems to think that dividing and humiliating the West over Ukraine would reduce NATO and its partners to a collection of states, each fearful and pliable. Its not a bad bet, and it wont be easy to stop him. But a free world that understands that the alternative to hanging together is hanging separately can at least begin to face up to the menace he represents.

Stephens writes for The New York Times.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Stephens: Bring back the free world
The Current highlights business news throughout Yakima County. Send your information to business reporter Joel Donofrio at jdonofrio@yakimaherald.com or call 509-759-7851.
A day after he was arrested on suspicion of official misconduct, former Wapato City Administrator Juan Orozco is a free man.
To the editor -- Prelim: "Inslee to rescind ban on, "...sections of Affirmative Action, " (Yakima Herald-Republic, Jan. 9).

Main Event: Gov v. I-200, R-88, Directive 88-01.

Announcer: Here we go again.

Contender: Jay Inslee.

Record: "... our greatest strength is diversity ..." "... systemic changes ... designed to break down barriers ..."

Champ: Linda Yang.

Record: "... pretty sure we can beat them again."

Audience luminaries:

1. Supreme Court Chief Justice John "Poof" Roberts.

Achievements: Recross-referenced documents into the Supreme Court Library catalog as -- History/Never Mind (see: Dustbin): Naturalization Act of 1790, "...any white person ...," Indian Removal Act, 1830, "... enable them to pursue happiness in their own way ...," Dred Scott v. Stanford, 1857, "... were not intended to be included under the words 'citizens,' " Immigration Act of 1924, "... to preserve the ideal of U.S. homogeneity ...," Black Reconstruction In America 1860-1880, 1935, "... guide humanity by telling the truth ...," 1964 Civil Rights Act, "No person ... shall ... (be denied) the right ..."

Advice to Champ: "There is no longer such a disparity," his opinion, Shelby v. Holder, 2013.

After-party: Galleon's Lap, "... before us ... the enchanted place."

2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Achievements: "I have a dream."

Advice to Contender: "... keep moving forward."

After-party: "... the mountain of despair."

Purse: "... a stone of hope."

JOHN EUTENEIER

Nile Valley
ELKO  MedX AirOne Rotor Wing Lead Pilot Nathan Gnehm sets down the Bell 407 in a layer of soft snow. As he works the skids into the snow under the nose of the helicopter, he rests the rear of the craft on the bear paws that are attached to the skids. These bear paws act like snowshoes, dispersing the weight of the helicopter so that it doesnt sink into the snow. They are one of the safety measures used by air medical services across the nation to ensure they can continue to provide essential services during inclement weather.

We (MedX AirOne) often respond to emergency requests in remote locations, Gnehm said, and soft snow can be an issue for landing helicopters. Another safety measure is the deflection baffles. These protect the intake from any snow or ice that may be in the air because if the snow gets into the engine we are in trouble.

Despite winter temperatures in Northern Nevada dropping below freezing, and having to cross peaks above 10,000 feet in elevation, MedX AirOne must be prepared to transport patients with little to no notice.

If conditions are right in the winter we can safely load and transport a 350-pound patient and the crew. The 407 is powerful enough to allow us to do that. So far, I have never had to refuse to take a parent because of a safety concern.

MedX AirOne also utilizes Pilatus PC-12 airplanes. Kevin Smith, one of MedX AirOnes Pilatus PC-12 pilots, explains the aircraft has a system on the leading edge of the wing called a deicing boot that is essential for flying in icing conditions. The deicing boot allows the pilot to mechanically remove ice that may begin to build up in flight. Kevin describes the system as almost like a balloon: The pneumatic system pumps air into the boot, expanding and deflating, so that the ice cracks and sheds off the wing.

Sometimes the weather is too severe for air medical transport. This is when MedX AirOne utilizes its fleet of ambulances.

Regularly, our ground ambulances provide 911 emergency medical services to the City of Wells and surrounding area, Nancy Abrams, MedX AirOnes EMS manager, said. They work with our critical care air team to transport the critically ill and injured patients from the hospital to the airport and they provide non-emergent transport to larger facilities outside the area. However, when travel by air is not possible due to weather, our ground service will transport our flight teams and patients to the care they need in Salt Lake City, Reno, Twin Falls and elsewhere.

MedX AirOnes fleet of ground ambulances consists of Type 1 and Type 2 ambulances, which are either 4WD or AWD. The EMTs that drive them are no strangers to winter roads. Most live locally and train for all road conditions. Each vehicle is equipped with chains for icy and snowy roads.

While EMS providers are doing all of these things to make sure they are prepared to provide assistance in the worst of weather, Abrams says there are things the community can do to help emergency responders.

Its really important to make sure your house numbers are visible from the street. We want to arrive as quickly as possible and this helps ensure that we do. Keep your driveway and walkways clear of snow and ice. We dont want to slip while transferring you to our ambulances. Stay on the line with the dispatcher until we arrive. They are our connection to you up until we make personal contact. When operating a vehicle in winter weather be sure you are prepared with essentials: shovel, gloves, blankets, emergency reflectors, first aid kit, flashlights, water, and snacks.

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ELKO  The Elko County Library is turning 100 years old. After the ups and downs of so many years, this public institution continues to grow and change with the times.

January 31 is the day of our actual birthday, said Elko County Library Director Kassie Antonucci.

The official funding of the library began in 1922.

We were put into the second story of the (former) Elko High School, Antonucci said. In 1942 the library burned down.

Elkos most outstanding landmark and the center of much of the social and educational life of the community for nearly half a century, was badly damaged today when fire broke out in the attic of the Legion-Homemakers Hall, burning the roof of the old structure and gutting the upper floor where the county library, housing some $15,000 worth of books, was located, reads a story from the Elko Independent.

Eight thousand books were lost.

According to Antonucci, the library still has some of the old furniture from the original location with some scorch marks on it. They are slowly restoring it.

After it burned, they tore down the second floor and rebuilt the first floor, Antonucci said.

The library was located at 569 Court St., currently the Public Defenders Office.

In 1974 the library was moved to its current building. Construction cost $563,619. It was built to house 50,000 items.

In the 1987, the building was enlarged to add on the childrens library.

Before we were officially founded, there were different versions of us, Antonucci said. The earliest version was in 1910 when we were in the Commercial.

The new Elko Public Library has been installed in a corner of the lobby of the Commercial Hotel, reads a story from the Elko Daily Free Press. Although its use is restricted to hotel guests and the businessmen who contributed to it, it is a start in the right direction.

In 1919 a group of female members of the 20th Century Club started collecting and cataloguing donated books which then became the county library, according to the September 1946 issue of Nevada Libraries. It was first housed in the law library of the Elko County Courthouse. The ladies who facilitated its origin took turns acting as librarian. In 1926 the library was moved to the high school, also known as the American Legion Hall. Mrs. Rae E. Caine was the official librarian, according to notes the library has on record.

The library was robbed twice during this time, the second robbery resulting in damage to many books.

Later, branches were added to outlying communities, including Wells, Eureka, Carlin, Crescent Valley, West Wendover, Tuscarora and Jackpot.

Tuscaroras library is in the U.S. Post Office and the Jackpot Branch is located at the high school. According to Antonucci, the high school uses it in the day and at night it becomes public.

Our mission statement, as it stands today, is to be a recreational, cultural and educational community hub that is open to everyone. We try to have resources everyone can use.

With the centennial, Antonucci is planning a number of new things.

We are getting ready to rebrand. Our official name is Elko Lander and Eureka County Library System, which is a mouthful.

Lander County is no longer with the system, having recently left.

They (Elko County Library system) werent able to offer us what we wanted to do, have some changes and new programming, things like that, said Lander County Commissioner Kathleen Ancho. We also wanted to have it our library, and, thankfully, we are able to afford that kind of thing with net proceeds (mine tax collections). I know it scared a lot of people thinking we were just going to shut down the library. That was never on the table.

The library board felt that since Lander County decided to not participate in the Elko County Library [system], we felt the need to be rebranded, said Elko County Commissioner Cliff Eklund. We are coming up on 100 years and I think it is a great way to celebrate.

Eklund was not sure of the exact budget for the project.

We are in the process of having meetings now to see how we are going to proceed, he said.

We sent out requests for proposals, Antonucci said. We got bids from across the country. We ended up going with a company out of Colorado that has experience rebranding libraries. They have rebranded two award-winning libraries.

The library has already put out a public survey for suggestions on the rebranding.

The Elko building may also get fresh paint and an updated look. The reference area will be transformed to include more technology, including new computers.

We were able to get 20 brand new computers, Antonucci said.

The library will also be doing at least one new thing a month, including family events. In January they will have a scavenger hunt, crafts and treats at the different branches.

We are going to create our own summer reading program around Elko and the library and just have fun, Antonucci said.

We want to remodel and get new seating. We want to arrange all of our libraries to be more inviting places.

I am hoping this program affects all libraries in Elko and Eureka County, said Eklund, who lives in Carlin. This library in Carlin has been so important to the community. We have a very active Friends of the Library in Carlin that work to keep it up-to-date. They are all volunteers and spend a lot of time.

Sometime after April we will do our grand reopening, but everyones branches will still be their branch, Antonucci said.

The Elko library has Virtual Reality equipment, but they have not been able to use it much because of limited space.

By rearranging the space, I am hoping we can create a new space where the VR stuff is there, she said.

VOX Books (audio book readers) are also a new thing the library will offer. These help children learn to read.

It helps English learners, Antonucci said.

Bilingual VOX books will be available in Spanish and Chinese.

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In the latest draft notification issued by the Transport Ministry, Government of India, modification of vehicles has been allowed for retro fitment of CNG and LPG kits for vehicles. This modification can also be done in the case of diesel and petrol engines to be replaced by CNG and LPG engines in the case of Bharat Stage (BS-VI) vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes.

The type-approval requirements for retrofitting are outlined in the announcement. When compared to petrol and diesel engines, CNG is an environmental friendly fuel that reduces carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, particulate matter, and smoke emissions.

Till now, retro fitment of CNG and LPG kits is permissible in motor vehicles under the BS-IV emission norms.

MoRTH has issued a draft proposal to allow retro fitment of CNG & LPG kit, and replacement of diesel engines with CNG/LPG engines, in case of Bharat Stage (BS)-VI vehicles, less than 3.5 tonnes. pic.twitter.com/yKEoBpUFmf  MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) January 29, 2022

Recently in Delhi, retro fitment of electric kits was allowed on Petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles more aged than ten years. This was done after govt announced to cancel RC of all older vehicles to reduce pollution.

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With the return of Air India to Tata. The Air India Flyers received a special message from their captain on the first day of the flight after Tata's takeover. The captain broadcasted the message on the flight before it took off.

The message referred to the flight as the "historic flight," the message said, "Welcome to this historic flight." The reference of the flight as the historic event has been made to mark the special occasion of Air India's takeover by Tata.

Adding to it, the captain also said, "The flight marks a special event, as today Air India becomes a part of the Tata group again after seven decades." The captain also reassured the flyers of the "renewed commitment."

Also read: 69-year-old 'wrong step' corrected: Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tata acquiring Air India

The assurance of "renewed commitment " can be traced back to the announcement Tata made of providing better services to the flyers and improving the overall services by providing better amenities and a new app.

"This is your captain speaking. Welcoming you to this historic flight when #AirIndia has become part of the #TataGroup after 7 decades" #aviation pic.twitter.com/4dxaI8jVtr  Arindam Majumder (@ari_maj) January 28, 2022

The Tata group founded air India; at the time of its foundation in 1932, it was named Tata Airlines. The ownership of the airline was later transferred to the govt in 1953, marking the nationalisation of Tata Airlines and the establishment of Air India. The ownership of Air India has now been returned to the Tata Group after 69 years.

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New Delhi: There will be no 'Zero Hour' on 31st January and 1st February 2022, the first two days of the 8th session of the 17th Lok Sabha, due to the address of the President to both Houses assembled together and the Presentation of Union Budget 2022-23, respectively.

President Ram Nath Kovind will address a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 31 on the first day of the upcoming budget session. On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget.

According to a report by ANI, the two houses - the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha - are likely to discuss the Motion of Thanks to the President's address for three days starting from February 2.

Sources quoted in the report pointed out that while the Lok Sabha could take up the debate on February 2,3,4 and 7, while the Rajya Sabha may take the discussions up on February 2,3, 7 and 8.

The report added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's Address on February 7 in Lok Sabha and on February 8 in the Rajya Sabha. Also Read: Garena Free Fire redeem codes for today, January 29: Check steps to get free rewards

For the unversed, the President's address brings out the Central government's policies, priorities and plans. The speech will also highlight the governments work done in the past year while providing a framework for its agenda ahead. Also Read: IMF urges El Salvador to scale back $150 million Bitcoin trust fund, drop crypto plans

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New Delhi: 'Beating Retreat' ceremony was held at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Saturday (January 29, 2022), marking the formal end of Republic Day celebrations.

To commemorate 75 years of India's independence, this years ceremony witnessed a novel drone show of around 1,000 'Made in India' drones. The drone show was organised by a startup 'Botlab Dynamics' and supported by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the Department of Science & Technology. During the show, the drones fabricated through indigenous technology flew with synchronised background music.

#WATCH | The Beating the Retreat ceremony, which marks the formal end of Republic Day celebrations, is being held at Vijay Chowk in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/Zzq3vmWGbj  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

Commenting on the drone show, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, "It's a matter of pride that for the first time 1000 drones will light up the sky during the beating retreat ceremony. India will become the 4th country in the world after UK, Russia & China to have achieved this feat."

The event was attended by President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ram Nath Kovind.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chiefs of tri-services earlier arrived at Vijay Chowk for the Beating Retreat ceremony.

Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chiefs of tri-services arrive at Vijay Chowk for the Beating the Retreat ceremony, which marks the formal end of Republic Day celebrations pic.twitter.com/d69L1ENqv0  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

A total of 26 performances captured the spectators with foot-tapping music played by the bands of Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), along with martial musical tunes.

'Beating Retreat' ceremony is conducted on the evening of January 29 and is organized by the Defence Ministry. The ceremony was started in 1955 and has been a hallmark of Republic Day celebrations ever since.

The event came to a close with the tune of `Sare Jahan Se Acha`. This year, the hymn `Abide With Me` was dropped from the event as per the Indian defence officials.

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Bengaluru: On Saturday (January 29), a day after former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's granddaughter was found hanging in the apartment, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot met the BJP veteran. The Governor's office informed that Gehlot offered his condolences on the demise of the granddaughter of Yediyurappa.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called the former Karnataka CM and consoled him over the death of his granddaughter.

Dr Soundarya (30), B.S. Yediyurappa's granddaughter, had reportedly left her nine-month-old baby in the other room of the flat before allegedly committing suicide on Friday, an IANS report stated. Meanwhile, High Ground police lodged a case of unnatural death following the complaint by her husband Dr Neeraj.

According to sources, Dr Soundarya conducted the naming ceremony of her baby three months ago. Police sources say that there are very less chances of family dispute and the reason for the suicide is yet to be ascertained. The statements collected so far from domestic help and those in the apartment indicated that the couple lived happily, the same report mentions.

Dr Soundarya worked at the Bowring hospital as an Assistant Professor and she was a practicing doctor. Her husband Dr Neeraj, a radiologist, works at the M.S. Ramaiah hospital.

Neeraj is the son of the elder brother of Zilla Panchayat member Mariswamy. Dr Sathish, one of the doctors who conducted the autopsy, stated that there is a mark on the neck and no other mark had been found in the body. A team of three doctors conducted the post-mortem the report of which has been generated and submitted to the tehsildar, he stated. The body has been handed over to the family after the autopsy.

Soundarya, the daughter of Yediyurappa' daughter Padmavathi, got married to Dr Neeraj in 2018 and the couple studied in the same medical college in the city, sources said.

The incident has come to light at 10.30 am when the domestic help came to wake her up for breakfast. When she didn't open the door of her room, the help informed her husband Dr Neeraj and others.

The apartment staff arrived and saw her body hanging from the balcony and informed the police. Though she was rushed to the hospital immediately, the doctors declared her dead at arrival. The couple stayed in the apartment since two-and-a-half years. Dr Neeraj had left the house at 8 am yesterday (Jan 28) morning.

According to family sources, the final rites will be carried out in the farmhouse of her husband Dr Neeraj. High Ground police are investigating the case.

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Bengaluru: Schools for all the classes will reopen in Karnataka from Monday (January 31), as per the revised guidelines by the government.

Everyone has to follow the COVID appropriate behaviour, as has been recommended by the experts.

However, If someone tests positive in a class, that particular class will remain shut and every child will undergo a test but the school will function as usual.

The decision comes after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired an expert committee meeting to take a final call on lifting Covid-19 restrictions in Karnataka.

The state government also announced several other Covid restrictions as the number of new Covid cases are higher in Bengaluru, quick recoveries are exceeding the number of positive cases.

According to the guidelines issued after a review meeting, there will be no night curfew in Karnataka from Monday.

Apart from this, pubs, bars, restaurants, other eating places and hotels will reopen with 100% capacity while cinemas and multiplexes will reopen with 50% of the capacity.

For marriages, 300 people's congregation will be allowed in open spaces and 200 people in closed spaces and offices will now have 100 per cent occupancy.

Religious places and services that were earlier closed can now open. The occupancy related norms of 50 per cent maximum will continue.

All other relaxations will also come into force from Monday.

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New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has banned exit polls for five states Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur-- that will witness elections in the coming days.

In an order dated January 28, 2022, the poll body wrote, "No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize by means of print or any other manner, the result of any exit poll."

In a notification, the Election Commission of India said, "No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize by means of print or any other manner, the result of any exit poll." pic.twitter.com/omMfYb7kWV  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

The publishing of exit polls has been prohibited from 7.00 am on February 10 to 6.30 pm on March 7 i.e. during the polling period. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Earlier, in view of Covid-19 situation, ECI had extended the ban on physical rallies and roadshows till January 31, 2022.

Elections to 403 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats will be held in seven phases on these dates: February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27; March 3 and 7. Uttarakhands 70 seats and Goas 40 seats will go to polls on February 14 in a single phase, while 117-member Punjab Assembly on February 20. A 60-member Manipur Assembly will go to polling in two phases on February 27 and March 3.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Gujarat government on Friday (January 28, 2022) extended the night curfew imposed in 27 cities in the state till February 4, 2022 to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. The night curfew will be imposed from 10 pm to 6 am.

The announcement to extend the night curfew restrictions came after a core committee meeting in Gandhinagar, which was chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

After the meeting, the officials in a release stated that though number of new coronavirus cases were declining in Gujarat, 12,131 persons were found infected during the last 24 hours.

Earlier, on January 21, after witnessing a sudden surge in coronavirus cases in the state the authorities had imposed a night curfew in 19 cities apart from eight major ones where it was imposed much earlier.

The tenure of the curfew between 10 pm to 6am was to end on January 29, so the decision was taken to extend it, an official said.

While shops, shopping complexes, marketing yards, salons, spas and beauty parlors, etc are allowed to operate till 10 pm, home delivery of food from hotels and restaurants is allowed 24 hours, said the release.

Meanwhile, Gujarat recorded 12,131 new coronavirus infections and 30 deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health department said on Friday evening.

The caseload rose to 11,32,791 and death toll reached 10,375, it said in a release. During the same period, 22,070 persons recovered from Covid-19, taking the tally of recoveries to 10,14,501. The rate of recovery now stands at 89.56 per cent. Ahmedabad city recorded the highest number of new infections at 4,046.

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New Delhi: Owners of gyms and an association representing them on Saturday (January 29, 2022) will stage a protest near the Delhi lieutenant governor's office to demand reopening of their establishments, which have been shut for a month under Covid restrictions.

Though the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday lifted the weekend curfew and also allowed restaurants, bars and cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity, gyms and schools in the city are still shut.

Restrictions had come into force under a 'yellow alert' issued by the authority in December last year when the Covid positivity rate had crossed 0.5 per cent in the national capital.

Delhi Gym Association, vice president, Chirag Sethi, said gym owners have suffered the most due to the Covid pandemic and they should be allowed to reopen their establishments.

Gyms are always the first to be shut and the last to be opened, he claimed.

"Cinema halls, multiplexes and banquet halls were shut along with gyms as a first step to curb the virus' spread in December. But yesterday, everything was opened except for gyms and spas," Sethi told PTI.

"To oppose this biased decision, we will stage a massive protest outside the L-G's (lieutenant governor) office. We want authorities to allow us to function and permit us to open our establishments in the next DDMA meeting," he said.

Sethi said the gym fraternity criticises the DDMA's decision to keep fitness centres shut, which is affecting the livelihood of over 1 lakh people.

Even liquor shops and weekly markets in the city are open, but gyms have been asked to be closed, he said.

"This decision by the government shows that health is never the priority. If the DDMA doesn't want people to be healthy, please let us know and we will also open liquor shops. This is really unfair to the fitness industry of Delhi," Sethi rued.

He said that gym owners have no option left but to hit the streets and protest to make their voice heard.

In Delhi, there are about 5,500 gyms and over 1 lakh people are dependent on this industry.

Gym and spa owner Pradeep Tyagi said that fitness centres follow all Covid norms, but still they are shut, while there is no action to prevent crowding at weekly markets.

"At such places people hardly follow any norms but authorities don't bother about it. Our customers and staff are fully vaccinated and follow all norms but still our establishments are shut. We request authorities to permit our establishments to function," Tyagi said.

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New Delhi: India on Friday (January 28, 2022) said that there is an interest on both, the Indian and Pakistani sides, to expand the agreed list of shrines and mode of travel under the 1974 protocol for visits to religious places.

New Delhi asserted that it has a 'positive approach' on the matter and is 'willing' to engage with Islamabad on it.

While addressing a virtual media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also talked about India's stand on the issue and if approvals had been given and said, "As you are aware, under the 1974 Protocol between India and Pakistan, visits to religious shrines are being facilitated regularly. There is an interest on both sides to expand the agreed list of shrines and mode of travel."

It naturally needs to be discussed under the protocol, he added.

"Let me underline that India has a positive approach on this matter and is willing to engage the Pakistani side. You are also aware that currently restrictions are in place on movement and gatherings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the situation normalises, we expect that this time can be utilised to hold discussions under the bilateral Protocol," Bagchi said.

"It is our hope to facilitate early exchange of visits to all shrines of interest to pilgrims," he stated.

The assertion comes days after a prominent Hindu lawmaker from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's ruling party urged India to issue visas to a delegation of pilgrims to visit the country as part of his faith tourism initiative between the two neighbours.

Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and member of the National Assembly Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani had said that he would lead a delegation of Pakistani pilgrims to India on January 29 on a special chartered flight of the Pakistan Airlines International (PIA).

On human rights violations in Balochistan, Bagchi urged Pakistani 'continuing' authorities to stop the violations in the region.

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Kashmir: A policeman was shot dead by suspected terrorists in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir. IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar confirming the incident said that head constable Ali Mohammad son Ghulam Qadir Ganie was fired upon by unknown terrorists at his home Hassapora village.

The attack left the cop critically injured and he was shifted quickly to Government Medical Collage Anantnag, but he succumbed on the way to the hospital. Doctors declared him bought dead.

Meanwhile, security forces rushed to spot and cordoned the area and massive searches are launched to nab the attackers.

it is the second incident in the last 24 hours in Kashmir of attack on a policeman. yesterday in Srinagar Batamaloo area one policeman was targeted by unknown terrorists but the bullet didnt hit him, and he escaped unhurt.



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New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday (January 29) held Covid-19 review meeting with five eastern states and asked them to remain vigilant despite a decline in active coronavirus cases.

As per the official release, state health ministers, principal secretaries/ additional chief secretaries and information commissioners of Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal were present in the meeting. The health minister held a detailed discussion on Covid-19 management including increasing hospital infrastructure, more testing and following Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya virtually held a meeting with eastern states on the #COVID19 situation. "Discussions held on telemedicine, vaccination & COVID guidelines," the minister tweeted pic.twitter.com/IIAlFnzZyB  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

Heres what the Union Health Minister said during the interaction:

1. While the active cases in most of the states and the positivity rate have shown a fall in the last two weeks, we still need to be vigilant and not lower our guard.

2. It is important to analyse at the state level the proportion of vaccinated and unvaccinated of the hospitalised cases, the deaths and those on ventilators and oxygen support.

3. He told the states that test-track-treat-vaccinate and adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour' remains tested strategy for Covid-19 management.

4. Mandaviya recommended the states ramp up vaccination of all eligible populations, especially of the 15-17 age group and those whose second jab is due.

5. Emphasising the importance of teleconsultation through platforms such as eSanjeevani, the minister suggested states to establish teleconsultation hubs in every district hospital. He also asked states to accelerate creation of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers (AB-HWCs) at the earliest.

6. Mandaviya asked states to fully and effectively utilise the ECRP-II funds for strengthening the existing healthcare infrastructure as well as create new as per requirement.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will virtually review the Covid-19 situation, public health preparedness as well as response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh today at 3 pm.

Earlier on Friday, Mandaviya conducted a high-level meeting with Southern states and UT`s Health Minister`s and stressed upon e-Sanjeevani, teleconsultation, Monitoring home isolation and increasing RTPCR in States which are reporting lower percentage testing.

The State Health Ministers who joined the high-level review meeting included Dr K Sudhakar (Karnataka), Dr Veena George (Kerala), Ma Subramaniam (Tamil Nadu) and Thanneeru Harish Rao (Telangana).

He also requested the states to accelerate the pace of vaccination of the 15-17 years age group and those whose second dose is due.

Earlier, he conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States and UTs and advised them to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely.

The Union Health Minister also said that testing should be ramped up in the States where it has gone down.

He also advised states and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation are efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines.

He said, "This will ensure that the vulnerable categories of active cases in home isolation get the required medical help in a timely manner."

Mandaviya said that with our past experience, `Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour` along with monitoring of cases remains crucial for Covid management.

The Union Health Minister also urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model for teleconsultation.

Mandaviya also urged the nine States and UTs to review and expedite the implementation of activities under the India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II (ECRP-II package) for strengthening the health infrastructure, an amount of Rs 23,123 Crores which was approved by Union Cabinet in view of the second wave of the pandemic.

"Health Ministers and the State authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilizing the amount sanctioned for various infra projects. With strengthened health infrastructure, we can meet any health emergency and public health crisis with better preparedness," he added.

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New Delhi: India, observes January 30 of each year as the Martyrs' Day or 'Shaheed Diwas' to mark the death anniversary of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and to pay homage to the freedom fighters, soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their Motherland.

On January 30th, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse during his evening prayers in the Birla House.

Each year on January 30, the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and all the three Chiefs of armed forces (Army, Air Force, and Navy) pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in Delhi.

All the educational institutes, work places, offices in all the states, and UTs across the country observe 2 minutes of silence in the memory of martyred freedom fighters.

However, the country observes Martyrs' Day on March 23 of each year as well to pay tribute to the freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar, who were hanged to death by the British on the very day in 1931.

Mahatma Gandhi is an inspiration. Here are some of his motivating quotes:

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."



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New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (January 29, 2022) attacked the Centre over a report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel and said that 'Modi Govt has committed treason'.

Slamming the Centre, the Congress leader alleged that the Narendra Modi government 'bought' Pegasus to spy on the primary 'institutions of our democracy, leaders and the public'.

"Modi Govt bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason. Modi Govt has committed treason," he tweeted.

Modi Govt bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason. Modi Govt has committed treason.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 29, 2022

According to the report in The New York Times, the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the 'centerpieces' of a roughly USD 2-billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

Addressing a press conference, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the Modi Government is the deployer and executor of the 'illegal and unconstitutional snooping and spying racket'.

"This is a brazen 'Hijack of Democracy' & 'An Act of Treason'," Congress said in a press statement.

Shocking new expose in an international publication has now confirmed what we have long asserted Modi Govt the deployer & executor of illegal & unconstitutional snooping & spying racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus & PM Shri Modi is himself involved Statement- pic.twitter.com/hXjlgmNDBt  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 29, 2022

It is noteworthy that an international investigative consortium had claimed last year that many people including Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by the NSO Group's phone hacking software.

The government, however, had denied all allegations made against it in the matter.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court had set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India.

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New Delhi: The Congress upped its attack against the Modi government on Saturday (January 29) after a media report claimed India purchased the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a defence deal in 2017.

Accusing the Centre of deceiving Parliament, duping the Supreme Court and hijacking democracy, the grand old party said it will raise the issue in the upcoming budget session next week, PTI reported.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the central government "deceived" the Parliament and "duped" the Supreme Court of India.

The Congress leader said the BJP machinery 'engaged in a massive strategy to also dupe the people of the country', adding that it is now clear that the Modi government "purchased the illegal and unconstitutional" spyware from Israel and used it against opposition leaders, the judicial, the media and its own functionaries.

"Brazen hijack of democracy and act of treason. Modi govt purchased Pegasus in 2017 along with other military technologies as centerpiece of a package, including weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly US$ 2 Bn from Israel during PM Modi's visit," Surjewala was quoted as saying by ANI.

#WATCH | "Brazen hijack of democracy&act of treason. Modi govt purchased Pegasus in 2017 along with other military technologies as centerpiece of a package,incl weapons&intelligence gear worth roughly US$ 2 Bn from Israel during PM Modi's visit," says Randeep Surjewala on Pegasus pic.twitter.com/IQTm4OC1AJ  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

"It is now very clear that Parliament was deceived by the Modi government, the Supreme Court was also duped and the people of India were lied to by the Modi government and its ministers," he added.

Further, Surjewala said the role of the Prime Minister and his responsibility is now directly in question. "We will seek accountability from the prime minister on the floor of the Parliament along with that of the government in the people's court," he said.

ALSO READ: 'Modi Govt has committed treason': Rahul Gandhi on report that India bought Pegasus as part of deal with Israel in 2017

The Congress spokesperson asked the apex court to take sou moto cognizance in the matter. "We will urge upon the Supreme Court to suo moto now take note and issue appropriate penal proceedings against this government for attempting to deliberately and knowingly deceive the Supreme Court," Surjewala was quoted as saying by PTI.

As per a recent report in The New York Times, the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly USD 2-billion deal of "sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear" between India and Israel in 2017.

The government had all denied snooping allegations earlier.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Schools and colleges in Maharashtras Pune will reopen for physical classes from February, announced Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday (January 29).

As per the latest order, school timings for classes 1 to 8 would be half of its regular timings while classes above 9 standards will operate as per usual timings.

Parents' consent required

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said that the consent of parents would be mandatory for sending their children to school for classes 1-8.

Consent from parents will be required to attend the school. The further decision for classes 1 to 8 will be taken in the next meeting, said Pawar.

The decision comes as for the first time in nearly five months, Maharashtra recorded a massive spike in Covid-19 deaths and Omicron cases crossed the 3,000-mark

Maharashta Covid numbers

Maharashtra on Saturday recorded a spurt in new COVID-19 cases at 3,900, including 85 of Omicron, with the daily count rising by 1,728 from a day before, the state health department said even as Health minister Rajesh Tope expressed concern over the spiralling number and termed it as alarming.

The state recorded 20 fresh deaths, taking the number of fatalities to 1,41,496, the health department said in a bulletin. It said 1,306 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the number of recovered cases to 65,06,137. The coronavirus recovery rate in the state is 97.61 per cent, it said.

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Jaipur: The Ashok Gehlot government on Saturday (January 29) sacked the chairman of Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, Ajmer, D P Jaroli, in connection with the paper leak during the teachers' recruitment exam (REET) in September.

The suspension order of the Board secretary Arvind Kumar Sengwa, a RAS officer, was also issued by the department of personnel.

The development came after a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday night.

Irregularities occurred in the conduct of Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET)2021 in September leading to protests. The opposition BJP has been demanding a CBI inquiry in the matter.

Gehlot in the meeting on Friday (January 28) night also decided to constitute a committee headed by a retired judge of the high court to give suggestions for ensuring that papers leak incidents do not take place and exams are conducted in a fair manner, official sources said.

Education minister BD Kalla, Minister of State for Home Rajendra Singh Yadav and senior officers were present in the meeting.

The Special Operation Group (SOG) has arrested several persons in the case. It recently arrested Ramkripal Meena and Udaram Vishnoi. Meena was employed by the district coordinator for the purpose of security of papers at Shiksha Sankul in Jaipur.

Shiksha Sankul is a building where the offices of the education department are located.

Meena allegedly stole the paper from Shiksha Sankul and gave it to Udaram Vishnoi who is accused of circulating the paper.

After it was confirmed that the paper was leaked from Shiksha Sankul, the role of the board chairman, secretary, and other officers came under the scanner.

When the irregularities in the conduct of exams had emerged in September, the state government had suspended one RAS and two RPS officers, 13 personnel of the education department, and three other policemen.

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To beat this global pandemic, keep Americans safe, and prevent more dangerous COVID-19 variants, the United States has donated 4 times more free doses than any other nation  over 400M vaccines  to countries in need worldwide.  The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 26, 2022

The federal government continues to urge those eligible to get their third "dose" or booster shot, as the best way to protect ones self and family from covid-19. However, with the number of breakthrough cases increasing in the latest wave, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, many are wondering if a fourth dose will be in their future.

Some doctors believe that for those with compromised immune systems, a fourth shot may help them to bolster a possible antibody response. For others, however, a doctor is unlikely to create a better response when compared to that available after three doses.

Immune response after three doses

During a White House press conference with the Covid-19 response team on 21 January, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that at this point the data showed that those who had been booster were far less likely to end up in a emergency room, an urgent care clinic, or to require hospitalization.

More studies are now showing that the booster provides similar protection to that which many had during the Delta wave after receiving two vaccine doses.

Global vaccine inequities

When thinking about a possible fourth shot, some public health experts believe that it would be a waste of resources. Other experts have also said that a much more effective approach would be to distribute vaccines globally to increase the herd immunity and limit the possibilities of more contagious or virulent strains from emerging.

Naor Bar-Zeev, the deputy director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, made this point in an interview with Fast Company, when saying "The endless chasing of boosters in order to increase antibodies and increase marginal relative protection but modest absolute benefit is a waste of resources."

The World Health Organization (WHO) actually called for a suspension of booster shots in 2021 before the Omicron wave, as an attempt to get wealthy countries to stop hoarding vaccines. In August, WHO Director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called out the unjust behavior saying "Were planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets ... while were leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket.

The White House announced on 26 January that it had shipped more than 400 million vaccine doses shipped to 112 countries. This forms part of a total 1.2 billion doses the nation plans to send abroad.
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (January 29) blamed the Samajwadi Partys rule in the state for the killing of hundreds of Hindus during the Muzaffarnagar riots and said that the red Samajwadi cap is actually painted with the blood of Ram Bhakts. Adityanath made the statements during a campaign rally in Baghpat.

#WATCH | In Baghpat, UP CM Yogi Adityanath says, "More than 60 Hindus were killed and over 1500 Hindus were put behind bars during in Muzaffarnagar riots... This is the identity of Samajwadi Party. Their cap is painted with the blood of innocent Ram Bhakts." pic.twitter.com/KQSvrPMqhM  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2022

More than 60 Hindus were killed and over 1500 Hindus were put behind bars during in Muzaffarnagar riots... This is the identity of the Samajwadi Party. Their cap is painted with the blood of innocent Ram Bhakts, ANI quoted Adityanath as saying.

The BJP leader also talked about his opponents issuing tickets to criminals.

There is a competition between SP and BSP to give tickets to the biggest criminal. If these criminals become MLA, they will produce guns, not flowers and there is only one way to treat them: JCB and bulldozer, said Adityanath.

#WATCH | There is a competition between SP and BSP to give tickets to the biggest criminal. If these criminals become MLA, they will produce guns, not flowers and there is only one way to treat them: JCB and bulldozer: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Baghpat pic.twitter.com/H3hs0xoinm  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2022

The chief minister also addressed the issue of women safety during the rally and blamed the previous Samajwadi Party regime for not providing enough security to women.

How was the (law and order) situation before 2017? Women safety was in danger, so much so that girls could not go to school and Mulayam Singh Ji would say: boys make mistakes. Their sympathy is not with women and youth, asked Adityanath.

Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda conducted a door-to-door campaign at Bareilly.

All the 403 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh will go into the polls in seven phases from February 10 to March 7.

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Hyderabad: After a long Sankranti festival vacation, schools and colleges in Telangana are set to reopen on February 1. Telangana Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy announced on Saturday that all educational institutions in the state will resume classes in physical-mode, from Tuesday. She made it clear that it is mandatory for all educational institutions to implement Covid regulations on premises.

The decision comes in the wake of declining Covid numbers in the state, as also the fact that several other states are gradually resuming physical-mode classes.

Schools in Telangana had closed for Sankranti vacations from January 8 to January 18. However, due to rising number of Covid cases, the state government had on January 16, further extended the holidays till January 30. The government had however permitted schools to conduct online classes during this period.

The state government`s announcement comes a day after the High Court had queried it on the issue.

On Friday, the High Court had asked if the state government would reopen schools on January 31. The state government counsel had replied that a decision on the matter is pending.

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Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh): With UP Assembly Polls knocking at the door, Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (January 29) held door-to-door campaigning in Muzaffarnagar in support of BJP candidates contesting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. A day after participating in similar public engagements in Uttarakhand, Shah on Saturday met people in some of the key regions of Western Uttar Pradesh including Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur.

This is Shah's second public event in Uttar Pradesh in the last three days that started from Mathura and Greater Noida on Thursday. At about 3 pm, the Home Minister held effective voter communication in Kota village in the Saharanpur Dehat area. Shah's day-long event will culminate with a door-to-door campaign in the New Shardanagar area in the Saharanpur constituency at 5.30 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hit battleground Uttar Pradesh by holding a virtual rally on January 31. Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases.

Earlier today, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda conducted a door-to-door campaign in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, ahead of Assembly elections in the state. "Did a door-to-door campaign in Bhojipura Vidhan Sabha, Bareilly today. The abundant blessings received from the people is a testimony to the fact that due to the welfare policies of the BJP, our government is going to be formed again here with a grand victory," Nadda tweeted in Hindi. In the run-up to the elections, Nadda has been conducting door-to-door campaign in Uttar Pradesh. On Friday (Jan 28), he conducted a door-to-door campaign in Shahjahanpur in support of BJP candidates.

The first phase of the UP Assembly election will take place on February 10 and the last phase on March 7. The counting will take place on March 10.

(With ANI inputs)



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New Delhi: As the poll campaigning for the high-stakes battle of all the 403 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh continues with full fervour, Zee News - one of the country's largest media houses - has conducted a massive and possibly the biggest-ever opinion poll - with the largest sample size ever collected to check the mood of the voters in this Puravanchal region of the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh.

As per the Zee News opinion polls conducted to understand the mood of the public before the voting in the state, which is scheduled to be held in seven phases, the ruling BJP party is expected to score the highest with 39% of the vote share, while the second emerging player is Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party with 36% vote share.

As far as the Chief Ministerial choice for the region goes, about 48% of people in the region want BJPs Yogi Adityanath back in the office and 35% want to see Akhilesh Yadav as their chief minister.

On the other hand, 9% are expected to vote for Mayawati as their CM and just 4% want Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as their leader, according to the Opinion Polls.

As far as the seat share is concerned, the saffron camp is predicted to capture over 53-59 seats, as per the Zee News Opinion poll. Samajwadi Party, which is shaping up to emerge as the runner-up in the UP race, is expected to bag 39-45 seats in the Purvanchal region.

The BSP and Congress may win 2-5 and 1-2 seats respectively.

As per the Election Commission schedule, the Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be held in 7 phases from February 10 to March 7 and the results will be announced on March 10.

The Purvanchal region has 102 seats and is divided into 17 districts including Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Gorakhpur.

This opinion poll was jointly conducted by Zee News in association with Design Boxed - a political campaign management company with a portfolio of conducting opinion polls. In terms of sample size, this is also the largest opinion poll ever conducted in the history of India.

The Janata Ka Mood - billed as the biggest opinion poll ever - has received over 12 lakh responses from people of the five states.

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New Delhi: Days ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session 2022, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday (January 28) personally reviewed and inspected the Parliament premises to ensure smooth conduct of the session with proper Covid-19 protocols.

Visuals released by news agency ANI shows the Lok Sabha speaker inspecting the Covid preparedness at the Parliament premises.

Delhi | Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reviewed & inspected facilities & preparations at the Parliament ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session (28.01) pic.twitter.com/qMaMjf1xyt  ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2022

This comes a day ahead of an all-party meeting called by Birla to seek cooperation from all the parties during the Budget session and for a smooth season.

As per IANS, Birla inspected the Lok Sabha Chamber, Central Hall and several other facilities in the Parliament House Complex and has issued instructions to ensure the safety of the members, officials and the media persons during the Budget Session, keeping in view the necessary Covid-19 guidelines.

The speaker was apprised about the implementation of the Covid protocol norms in Parliament House Complex by senior officials.

Birla was also briefed about the progress of the construction of the New Parliament Building.

The leader also provided several inputs to ensure world-class landscaping around the New Parliament Building. The Speaker also enquired about the building materials and architectural highlights of the building.

The budget session of Parliament Part 1 will begin on January 31 and will continue until February 11.

The Budget will be presented on February 1 in Lok Sabha. The budget session of Part 2 will begin on March 14 and continue till April 8.

The budget session of Parliament will function in two shifts this time. In the first shift, Rajya Sabha will function from 10 am to 3 pm and Lok Sabha will function from 4 pm to 9 pm except for Budget day February 1. On Budget day Lok Sabha will function from 11 am.

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Indian Army Recruitment 2022: The Indian Army has issued a notification for unmarried male and unmarried female Law graduates for grant of Short Service Commission in the Army for Judge Advocate General Branch.

According to the official website, the notification states that the selected officer will be on probation for a period of six months from the date he/she receives his/her commission.

"If he/she is reported on within the probationary period as unsuitable to retain his/her commission, his/her services may be terminated any time whether before or after the expiry of the probationary period," the notification read.

The interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official site of the Indian Army- joinindianarmy.nic.in.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Number of vacancies

Men - 06

Women - 03

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Educational qualification

Candidates should have a minimum of 55% aggregate marks in LLB Degree (three years professional after graduation or five years after 10+2 examination). They should also be eligible for registration as an advocate with the Bar Council of India/State. The candidate should be from a College/University recognized by the Bar Council of India.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Age limit

Candidates should be between 21 to 27 years as on July 1, 2022.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: How to apply

Interested candidates need to apply ONLINE at www.joinindianarmy.nic.in.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Last date

Candidates need to apply by February 17 (3 PM).

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New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking withdrawal of its new rules wherein a woman who is over three months pregnant will be considered "temporarily unfit" and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery.

SBI, the country's largest lender, could not immediately be reached for comment.

"State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as 'temporarily unfit'. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti-women rule," DCW Chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.

In the notice, the panel sought a copy of the new guidelines as well as a copy of the similar rules operational before this. It has also sought an action taken report in the matter.

State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as temporarily unfit. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule. pic.twitter.com/mUtpoCHCWq  Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) January 29, 2022

The bank's move has elicited criticism from some quarters, including from the All India State Bank of India Employees' Association.

In its latest medical fitness guidelines for new recruits or promotees, the bank said a candidate would be considered fit in case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months.

"However, if pregnancy is of more than three months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery of child," as per the medical fitness and ophthalmological standards for new recruits and promotees dated December 31, 2021.

Earlier, women candidates with up to six months of pregnancy were allowed to join the bank subject to various conditions.

The conditions include furnishing a certificate from a specialist gynaecologist that her taking up bank's employment at that stage is in no way likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus, or is not likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health.

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New Delhi: The Karnataka government on Saturday (January 29, 2022) relaxed existing Covid-19 curbs and decided to lift the night curfew.

According to the guidelines issued after a review meeting, there will be no night curfew in Karnataka from Monday (January 31). All other relaxations will also come into force from Monday.

Check Karnataka's complete new Covid-19 guidelines

Pubs, bars, restaurants, other eating places and hotels will reopen with 100% capacity.

Cinema and multiplexes will reopen with 50% of the capacity.

For marriages, 300 people's congregation will be allowed in open spaces and 200 people in closed spaces.

Offices will now have 100 per cent occupancy.

Religious places -- Services that were earlier closed can now open. The occupancy related norms of 50 per cent maximum will continue.

Fairs, rallies, sit-in demonstrations, protests, social gatherings and religious gatherings will remain prohibited.

Swimming pools and gyms can function with 50% occupancy.

Sports complexes and stadiums can reopen with 50% capacity occupancy.

Mandatory RT-PCR for passengers coming from Maharashtra, Kerala and Goa will continue.

Schools from 1st to 9th standard that were closed due to Covid-19 third wave will reopen from Monday.

Karnataka's Covid-19 caseload on Friday has reached 37,23,694 after 31,198 fresh cases were reported, while 50 deaths took the coronavirus death toll to 38,804.

Bengaluru contributed about 50 per cent of the infections of the day with 15,199 cases. The city also reported eight deaths. Other districts too had fresh cases including 1,877 in Mysuru, 1,500 in Dharwad, 1,315 in Tumakuru and 1,037 in Hassan.

Fresh infections saw a dip by about 7,000 cases compared to Thursday when the number was 38,083. Currently, the state has 2,88,767 active cases.

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New Delhi: Agrochemicals company Dharmaj Crop Guard has filed preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise up to Rs 300 crore through an initial share-sale.

The initial public offering (IPO) consists of fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 216 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 14.83 lakh equity shares by existing shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).

The offer also includes a reservation for subscription by eligible employees.

As per market sources, the Ahmedabad-based company looks to raise anywhere between Rs 250 crore and Rs 300 crore.

Proceeds from issue will be used for funding capital expenditure towards setting up of a manufacturing facility at Saykha Bharuch in Gujarat, funding incremental working capital requirements, payment of debt and general corporate purposes.

The company is engaged in the business of manufacturing, distributing, and marketing of a wide range of agro chemical formulations such as insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulator, micro fertilisers and antibiotics to B2C and B2B customers.

The company exports its products to more than 20 countries across Latin America, East Africa, Middle East and Far East Asia. Also Read: Budget 2022: No Zero Hour in Lok Sabha on 31 Jan, 1 Feb; heres why

Elara Capital (India) Private Limited and Monarch Networth Capital Limited are the book running lead managers to the issue. Also Read: Garena Free Fire redeem codes for today, January 29: Check steps to get free rewards

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New Delhi: The happy bride and groom Mouni Roy and Suraj Nambiar looked absolutely smitten by each other as they enjoyed their cake-cutting ceremony in Goa's plush Hilton resort. An inside video of the couple has hit the internet.

Mouni Roy and Suraj Nambiar can be seen sharing a passionate kiss as they cut a huge three-tier cake. Actor friend Arjun Bijlani can be seen cheering them up too. The video has been shared by the Instant Bollywood Instagram page. Take a look here:

After solemnising their wedding as per Malayali rituals, Mouni Roy turned into an ethereal Bengali bride, looking simply breathtaking. Mouni married longtime boyfriend Suraj Nambiar in Goa's Hilton resort on January 27, 2022.

Mouni Roy's wedding was attended by family and close friends including Mandira Bedi, Aashka Goradia, Meet Bros Manmeet Singh with his wife, Arjun Bijlani, Rahul from DID fame among other celeb buddies.

The Naagin actress wore an exquisite Sabyasachi Mukherjee lehenga in pop red colour, looking breathtakingly picture perfect.

As per reports, Suraj is a Dubai-based businessman and banker.

Mouni ushered in her 2021 New Year celebrations in Dubai with Suraj and his fam-jam, reportedly. He hails from Bangalore and studied investment science and International management at Stanford University.

Congratulations to the couple!
Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

The Management Board of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum informs agencies, organizations, political and social organizations, people and foreigners about the organization of a ceremony to visit President Ho Chi Minh on January 31.

Specifically, on that day, the mausoleum is open to welcome people and international visitors to the Mausoleum to visit President Ho Chi Minh from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

President Ho Chi Minh passed away on September 2, 1969. His body was embalmed and placed in a glass coffin inside the granite mausoleum.

The mausoleum has become an important landmark of the capital city and is integral to the political and social history of Vietnam.

Tet (Lunar New Year) is the largest and longest traditional festival of the Vietnamese people. This year's Tet falls on February 1./.
Mumbai: After their dreamy wedding, newly married couple Mouni Roy and Suraj Nambiar hosted a Sangeet night to celebrate their happiness with their friends and family. Mouni and Suraj tied the knot on January 27 in Goa and exchanged vows in a Malayali wedding followed by another as per Bengali traditions. A day later, on January 28, the newlyweds hosted a Goa-style pool brunch for their closed ones at the resort.

Coming to their shimmery Sangeet night, the bride wore a heavy golden lehenga with emerald jewellery. Suraj looked dapper in a royal blue sherwani, as seen in their cake cutting and dance videos on social media. Meanwhile, an inside video of the newlyweds, where they are locking lips with each other has been going viral on the internet.

Mouni Roy's wedding was attended by family and close friends including Mandira Bedi, Aashka Goradia, Meet Bros Manmeet Singh with his wife, Arjun Bijlani, Rahul from DID fame among other celeb buddies. The 'Naagin' actress wore an exquisite Sabyasachi Mukherjee lehenga in pop red colour, looking breathtakingly picture perfect.

While not much is known about Suraj Nambiar other than that he is a Dubai-based businessman and banker. Mouni ushered in her 2021 New Year celebrations in Dubai with Suraj and his fam-jam, reportedly. He hails from Bangalore and studied investment science and International management at Stanford University.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Mouni will soon be seen playing an antagonist in Ayan Mukerji's 'Brahmastra', also starring Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, and Amitabh Bachchan. As per reports, Mouni will be seen in a negative role in the film.

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New Delhi: In what could be good news under the 7th Pay Commission, the Central government employees could soon hear about the final decision on 18 months DA arrears next week. The Union Cabinet is expected to take the decision on the pending DA arrears pretty soon, according to media reports.

For the unversed, the Central government had restored the dearness allowance and dearness relief for employees and pensioners from 17% to 31% from October 2021. However, the government hasnt paid the arrears for the time the dearness allowance hike was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, new media reports suggest that the employees and pensioners could receive the pending 18 months arrears at one go. This means that few employees could receive up to Rs 2 lakh in their bank accounts.

Reports also suggest that the Union Cabinet could discuss the matter of the delay in the payment of DA arrears next week. The cabinet could discuss the quantum of the DA in the upcoming meeting around the Budget 2022 presentation.



However, the government has not officially said anything in relation to the payment of DA arrears, meaning that the reports could be mere speculation.

A report by Zee News Hindi recently pointed out that the DA arrears of Level-1 employees range from Rs 11,880 to Rs 37,554, while the arrears for Level-13 and of the 7th CPC basic pay scale will range from Rs 1,44,200-2,18,200. Also Read: Planning to invest in FDs? Check banks offering highest interest on deposits for less than 3 Years

The report, quoting Shiv Gopal Mishra of the National Council of JCM, had also mentioned that the issues related to arrears were discussed between the National Council of JCM, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Finance Minister. However, as of now, theres no concrete decision taken by the government. Also Read: Dealshare becomes 5th unicorn of 2022, raises $165 million at over $1.6 billion valuation

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New Delhi: UIDAI has replaced the existing QR code on e-Aadhaar that featured demographic information for residents with a secure QR code that includes demographic information as well as the Aadhaar holder's photograph.

Aadhaar now has two QR codes, and this data will be authenticated by a UIDAI digital signature to make it more secure and tamper-resistant. A tiny one on the front with merely demographic data and another large one on the top portion of the cutaway portion's front and back sides with demographic data and a photo.

e-Aadhaar QR codes, according to the UIDAI website, contain demographic information about the resident, including Name, Address, Date of Birth, Gender, and Masked Aadhaar Number. A photograph is also included in the larger QR code.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) developed the Aadhaar QR Code Scanner software to allow users to scan and check the data included in the QR code displayed on eAadhaar and printed Aadhaar PVC cards.

According to UIDAI's tweet, you may swiftly and easily authenticate your identity by scanning the QR code on your Aadhaar PVC card with QR code scanners or the mAadhaar mobile application.

You may have noticed that the printed Aadhaar has a QR Code. This is a QR code that has been digitally signed and can be used for authentication. Simply launch the QR Code Scanner in your mAadhaar app and scan the QR Code on the given Aadhaar. On the screen, the demographic information as well as a photograph of the Aadhaar bearer would be presented. You can match these to the Aadhaar presenter to verify identification.

How to Verify Aadhaar with a QR scan via the mAadhaar app:

Step 1: Get the mAadhaar app and open it.

Step 2: Open the QR Code Scanner application. Please remember that every printed Aadhaar card has a QR Code on it.

Step 3 Scan the QR Code on the Aadhaar card that has been presented.

Step 4: Double-check the information with the physical copy you were given.

"This new digitally signed QR code can be read ONLY utilising UIDAI's windows based Custom client for desktops/laptops and validated against UIDAI digital signatures in real time," according to the UIDAI website. As a result, any effort at e-Aadhaar fraud can be immediately identified using a QR Code reader."

Online or offline, any Aadhaar card may be validated. To verify offline, scan the QR code on your e-Aadhaar, Aadhaar letter, or AadhaarPVCcard. This QR code scanner can be used to check the validity of an Aadhaar card that has been provided to you.

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New Delhi: Pushpa star Allu Arjun never fails to impress fans with his 'doting father' avatar, and gives a sneak-peek into many adorable moments alongside his children, son Allu Ayaan and daughter Allu Arha.

However, this time around, the actor himself was in for a sweet surprise after he returned home from abroad as Arha did preparations to make his welcome memorable.

The little one decorated the floor with flowers stating 'welcome nana', a gesture that surely melted Allu Arjun's heart. He called it the 'sweetest welcome'.

The actor was recently seen in Sukumar directorial Pushpa: The Rise, which also starred Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil among others in pivotal roles.

The film became a massive hit globally and continues its winning streak via Amazon Prime Video.
New Delhi: Popular sitcom on Indian television, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has managed to keep the viewers entertained for years. The decade-long successful run of the show has been possible only because the desi Indian audience could connect with the fun-loving characters of the Gokuldham Society.

Well, the latest round of rumours doing the rounds is that Disha Vakani, who played one of the lead roles of Dayaben on the show is making a comeback. But, several reports allege that she is charging a whopping amount per episode.

However, no official word has been made on this development either by Neela Telefilms production house owned by Asit Kumarr Modi or Disha Vakani as yet.

Reports also allege that she has demanded Rs. 1.5 lakh per episode of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma and a caveat of working only 3 hours a day.

Disha Vakani kickstarted her career quite early. Having worked in several Gujarati stage plays, Hindi movies, she gradually moved to television.

Dayaben's absence from the show after Disha Vakani's maternity break led to many speculations over her return and replacement but no official statement has been made as yet.

In fact, several names like Vibhoutee Sharma and Ami Trivedi replacing the actress also popped up. However, all these turned out to be rumours and nothing else.

Disha took a maternity break from the show after she was blessed with a baby girl in 2018. She got hitched to Mayur Pandya on November 24, 2015.
By Sidhant Sibal/Anas Mallick

New Delhi/Islamabad: No bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will be taking place next week in Beijing. Both leaders will be in the city for the start of the Winter Olympics, diplomatically boycotted by the West. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov to Russia's TASS said, "I would like to reiterate that there are no bilateral meetings on President Putins schedule, except for full-scale talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping." President Putin will be in China on February 4 and also hold summit-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The controversial mega sporting event in China will see many world leaders attending the opening. Leaders of all 5 Central Asian countries, Monaco, Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE are among the world leaders to attend the opening of Beijing winter Olympics.

According to Pakistani sources, both sides were quite keen that the meeting happens in China but owing to Covid-19 protocols and restrictions, the in-person meeting is not being held. Peskov as quoted by Tass said, "Ceremonys organisers have to impose a number of severe restrictions, both on athletes and guests, including officials", explaining, "so the Russian presidents schedule for the Beijing trip does not include any bilateral meetings for the obvious reasons".

Earlier this month, Pakistan PM had spoken to Russia's President. According to the Kremlin readout, "The discussion focused on the development of Russian-Pakistani ties in different areas, including trade, the economy, energy and the humanitarian sphere, as well as combatting the spread of the coronavirus infection."

Also read: It's the one thing that keeps me awake at night, says Pakistan PM Imran Khan on soaring inflation

This is the second time plans for a bilateral has not come to fruition. Imran Khan and Vladimir Putin were to meet at the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Dushanbe in September 2021 but the meeting could not take place in person because the Russian President pulled out of the summit last minute following a Covid-19 outbreak in his inner circle.

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Swiss Ambassador Ivo Sieber (L) and Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen make Tet biscuits at Hope Box (Photo: Screenshot)

The ambassadors and women in Hope Box made Tet biscuits and spread the message of hope in the new year.

Through the special visit, the diplomats expressed their hope to contribute to raising awareness about gender equality and preventing gender-based violence in Vietnam.

New Zealand Ambassador Tredene Dobson expressed her delight to welcome her first Tet in Vietnam, describing it a great opportunity to learn from some extraordinary women about what this holiday means to the people of Vietnam and to share some stories of Hope for the New Year.

2022 is the Year of the Tiger. Tigers are known for their courage, generosity and their drive to help others. And that pretty much sums up the women Ive met here at Hope Box. I hope that in the Year of the Tiger, all of our countries have the courage to nurture, educate, support and protect our women and girls. May our girls especially, find their voice and shout it from the roof tops  the future is ours, she said.

Canadian Ambassador Deborah Paul thanked Hope Box and other organisations for women and by women for all their efforts to promote womens rights and to provide opportunities for women to reach their full potential in the face of challenges.

In the year of the Tiger, we all have a role to play  as partners and allies  in achieving gender equality and building a world where women and girls can do anything and be anything, free from violence, she added.

Ambassadors to Vietnam of the G4 countries visit Hope Box (Photo: Screenshot)

Meanwhile, Swiss Ambassador Ivo Sieber stated that gender norms are constructed and reinforced by men and women. It is key that men and boys are mobilised to help changing social norms and to promote womens rights.

According to him, violence against women and girls is an especially unacceptable form of gender disparity, and tends to get worse in times of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Easing access to support becomes more important than ever. Women and men must work together to tackle the root causes of gender-based discrimination and violence in particular. Equal opportunities for all not only benefit women, but the society as a whole, he stressed.

Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen, for her part, said she is grateful for the opportunity to meet and support these inspiring and strong women, and together with them share experiences and make cookies for Tet.

Tet means Hope. I hope for a better 2022 that brings love, health, and equal opportunities to everyone, particularly women and girls who have been even more marginalised due to COVID-19, she said.

It has become a tradition that every year on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the G4 ambassadors visit a group of disadvantaged people in society.

Hope Box is a new social enterprise model that helps Vietnamese women who experience domestic violence get stable jobs and live a new life./.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

The campaign, launched by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a recent conference of the Health Ministry, also targets the completion of full COVID-19 vaccination for all children from 12-17 years old by the end of January, while continuing to consider and prepare for vaccination for children from 5-11 years old.

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of COVID-19 cases, including infections of the Omicron variant, may rise strongly during the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival and this years festive season, putting high pressure on the health care system.

Vietnam has so far detected 166 Omicron infections, including six found in the community, it said.

Therefore, the ministry expects that the Spring vaccination campaign will help reduce the number of fatal cases, and enable the reopening of schools in a safe manner.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said that the campaign will run until February 28 at national level, with the support of military and public security forces as well as other sectors.

Mobile vaccination posts and mobile emergency aid teams will also be set up to speed up the progress of the campaign, he said.

As of January 27, Vietnam had recorded 2,203,208 COVID-19 cases, with 1,945,611 having recovered and 37,291 succumbing to the disease.

The fatality ratio in January 2022 is five out of 100,000 cases, down by two compared to December 2021.

Vietnam has become one of the six countries with highest COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the world, with almost 100 percent of people of 18 years old and over receiving at least one shot of vaccine and 95 of them being fully inoculated. The corresponding ratios among children from 12 to 17 are 92 percent and 76 percent./.
It is more dangerous when honest men and women face criminals barehanded, and safer when the good guys are armed. That isn't hard to understand. It is easy to calculate the additional lives we'd save each year if a state allows honest people to carry guns in public. I can explain it in a minute. I will, but the real mystery is why we're still talking about fantasy-problems while violent criminals are killing our neighbors.

We're acting as if our bad dreams were more real than the bodies with chalk marks around them. Part of that problem is political. Politicians appeal to our fantasies and we're suckers for that. Politicians also suck-up to anti-gun billionaires to get campaign contributions. Ultimately, voters like us are the problem when we hide behind sound-bite solutions. Back in the real world, disarming our neighbors costs lives.

Who disarmed the victim?

When you take even the shallowest look at violence then you notice that an armed attacker usually overpowers an unarmed victim. Criminals may break the laws but they are not stupid. They choose the tools that work. To quote one thug, 'Guns and knives make people so generous.'

Robbers sometimes threaten to shoot us even when they don't have a gun. Criminals only use guns in one-seventh of violent crimes. Unfortunately, violent criminals wait until they have an advantage in strength, in number, or in surprise. Rather than struggle with the insoluble problem of knowing if the robber's threat is real, the real solution is for good men and women to go armed.

We don't need clever calculation to know how many lives are saved when the victims are armed. We know that about 1.7 million legal gun owners use a firearm in self-defense each year. .....
Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

In his remarks, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang expressed his sympathies for Vietnamese expatriates over their COVID-19-induced difficulties.

He said he is proud to see the Vietnamese community in France integrating well, preserving their traditional culture and tradition, and contributing to their home nation, particularly regarding Vietnams response to the pandemic.

The diplomat wished the expats a lunar new year of happiness, health, prosperity.

On the occasion, Thang presented the Prime Ministers certificate of merit to the Association of Vietnamese in France (UGVF) for its outstanding achievements in consolidating and developing the Vietnamese community in France. He also handed over the head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs certificates of merit to individuals and organsations with significant contributions to Vietnams COVID-19 prevention and control.

Participating associations affirmed Vietnamese people in France always care for their fatherland, striving to build a united and strong community and joining hands in contributing to Vietnams development./.
Photo released on Jan. 28, 2022 by twitter account Pittsburgh Public Safety shows a collapsed bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States. A bridge in Pittsburgh, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, collapsed early Friday morning, authorities said.

Emergency personnel are responding to "a confirmed bridge collapse" near Forbes and Braddock avenues in east Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Public Safety department. (Pittsburgh Public Safety via Twitter/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A bridge in Pittsburgh, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, collapsed early Friday morning, authorities said.

Emergency personnel are responding to "a confirmed bridge collapse" near Forbes and Braddock avenues in east Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Public Safety department.

The agency also tweeted a "gas line has been cut" after reporting "there is a strong smell of natural gas in the area."

It added that updates on injuries will be provided later and that the Red Cross has been contacted for victim assistance.

Several cars and a bus were involved in the collapse, photos of the scene showed.

U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Pittsburgh later in the day to discuss infrastructure. 

Photo released on Jan. 28, 2022 by twitter account Pittsburgh Public Safety shows a collapsed bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States. A bridge in Pittsburgh, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, collapsed early Friday morning, authorities said.

Emergency personnel are responding to "a confirmed bridge collapse" near Forbes and Braddock avenues in east Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Public Safety department. (Pittsburgh Public Safety via Twitter/Xinhua)

Editor: JYZ
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits the home of a Huajian Village local in Minqin County of Wuwei City, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

LANZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation work and coordinate COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for practical work to improve the people's well-being during his visit to Jinchang and Wuwei of northwest China's Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday.

He visited various market stalls and a restaurant to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City.

"China has a large number of micro, small and medium-sized firms and individually run businesses, which directly links to employment and supports the livelihoods of countless families," Li said.

The country is considering increased tax and fee cut policies, Li said, urging local governments to devise plans for other fee cuts.

In Minqin County of Wuwei City, Li said that desertification control and management is a major issue for the improvement of the ecological environment and the local living environment, which will continue to be supported and invested in by China.

Efforts should be made to ensure the supply of drugs for rare diseases and increase aid for families in need, Li said while in the home of a Huajian Village local, adding that the country is also mulling more subsidies for agricultural supplies to support spring farming.

While visiting a non-ferrous metals company, Li called for efforts to stabilize production and increase productivity, strengthen coordination among large, medium-sized and small enterprises in the industrial chain, and make more contributions to stabilizing the supplies and prices of bulk commodities.

Li urged the company to fully leverage the preferential tax policies to expand investment in research and development, and develop more key materials and highly processed products. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a non-ferrous metals company in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 28, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, learns about desertification control and management in Minqin County of Wuwei City, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a market stall to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 27, 2022. Li visited Jinchang and Wuwei of Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Editor: JYZ
Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows the Chinese and English versions of a white paper on China's space program during a press conference in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China issued a white paper on the country's space program on Friday.

The white paper was published by the State Council Information Office of China.

Titled "China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective," the white paper introduces China's purposes, principles, policies and measures, and cooperative mindset in its space exploration. It summarizes China's achievements in space science, space technology and space application.

"The space industry is a critical element of the overall national strategy, and China upholds the principle of exploration and utilization of outer space for peaceful purposes," the paper says.

The major achievements in China's space industry since 2016 include a steady improvement in space infrastructure, the completion and operation of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), the completion of the high-resolution Earth observation system, steady improvement of the service ability of satellite communications and broadcasting, the conclusion of the last step of the three-step lunar exploration program, the first stages in building the space station, as well as Tianwen-1's landing and exploration of Mars, according to the paper.

It lays out key space areas China plans to focus on in the upcoming five years, concerning the space transport system, space infrastructure, manned spaceflight, deep space exploration, space launch sites and telemetry, tracking and command, experiments on new technologies, and space environment governance.

China is ready to explore the moon's polar regions and is mulling over a manned lunar landing. The country also vows to improve space debris monitoring and expand the space environment governance system with a near-Earth object defense system and space-ground space climate monitoring system planned, according to the paper.

The country will further boost public services with satellites and expand space application industry.

It will continue with the research on space science, including the research and development of the satellite for space gravitational wave detection, the Einstein probe satellite, and the advanced space-based solar observatory.

Meanwhile, the white paper notes that China calls on all countries to carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation in outer space on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful utilization, and inclusive development.

More cooperation in astronaut selection and training, joint flights and other fields will take place between China and foreign countries. China will strengthen cooperation in international lunar research station project, it says.

It is the country's fifth white paper on space activities. China issued white paper on space activities in 2000, 2006, 2011, and 2016. 

Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows the press conference for a white paper on China's space program in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows the press conference for a white paper on China's space program in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows the Chinese and English versions of a white paper on China's space program in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Editor: JYZ
Photo taken with a mobile phone shows disaster relief materials loaded onto two Chinese air force transport aircrafts to head for Tonga at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

GUANGZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China plans to send a second batch of disaster-relief supplies from its southern metropolis of Guangzhou to the tsunami-hit Tonga by sea on Jan. 31, according to the foreign affairs office of Guangdong Province.

The supplies are being assembled at the Nansha port in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and include donations from the Red Cross Society of China and the China-Pacific Island Countries Reserve of Emergency Supplies (Guangdong).

The relief supplies weigh more than 60 tonnes and include 15 tonnes of drinking water, approximately 10 tonnes of food, and 3,000 packages of household necessities.

The new batch of supplies is expected to reach Tonga in early February under the guidance of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first batch of aid flew to Tonga on Friday and included drinking water, canned meat, masks, gloves, tents and walkie-talkies.

Guangdong Province and Tonga have maintained close contact over the years, with frequent cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation, according to Li Hongzhi, an official of the provincial foreign affairs office, which works closely with the Chinese foreign ministry concerning the needs of the Tongan people following volcanic eruptions. 

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows staff members unloading disaster relief materials from Chinese air force transport aircrafts at an airport in Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows disaster relief materials loaded onto two Chinese air force transport aircrafts to head for Tonga at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

Editor: JYZ
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to boost public services with satellites and promote the application and transfer of space technology in the next five years, according to a white paper on the country's space program.

The white paper, titled "China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective," was issued Friday by the State Council Information Office.

In the coming five years, China will cultivate and strengthen its space application industry by integrating it with the digital economy, and deepening the integration of communications technology, satellite navigation, and remote-sensing information, Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), made the remarks at a press conference on the white paper.

China will intensify the integration of satellite applications with the development of industries and regions and space information with new-generation information technology such as big data and the Internet of Things, the white paper said.

The country will extend the integrated application of remote-sensing satellite data for land, oceans, and meteorology. China will also advance infrastructure construction for the integrated application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), satellite communications, and the ground communications network to improve its capacity to tailor and refine professional services.

All these efforts will help achieve the goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, revitalize rural areas, and realize new-type urbanization, coordinated development between regions, and eco-environmental progress.

The significant role of satellites is evident in resource and eco-environment protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, management of emergencies, weather forecasting, and climate change response. It is also apparent in social management and public services, urbanization, coordinated regional development, and poverty eradication.

The satellite remote-sensing system has been used by almost all departments at national and provincial levels to conduct emergency monitoring of over 100 severe natural disasters countrywide.

The communication and broadcasting satellite network has made direct services available to over 140 million households in China's rural and remote areas.

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has guaranteed the safety of more than seven million operating vehicles, provided positioning and short message communication services to over 40,000 seagoing fishing vessels, and offered precise positioning services for the freighting of supplies and tracking of individual movement for COVID-19 control and hospital construction.

"The space applications have been extensively serving all socio-economical fields and helping to improve people's lives," Zhao Jian, director of the Earth Observation System and Data Center of the CNSA, said at the press conference.

They have covered diverse fields such as the land and resource survey, agricultural development, forest and grassland monitoring, disaster prevention and mitigation, weather forecasting, transportation, education, and construction, said Zhao.

In the next five years, China's space industry will seize opportunities from the expanding digital industry and the digital transformation of traditional industries to promote the application and transfer of space technology.

More efforts would expand and extend the scope for applying satellite remote-sensing and satellite communications technologies and realizing the industrialized operation of the BDS.

"This will provide more advanced, cost-effective, high-quality products and convenient services for all industries and sectors and mass consumption," the document noted.

New business models for upscaling the space economy such as travel, biomedicine, debris removal, and experiment services will develop to expand the industry, it said.

Editor: WXL
People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)

SOFIA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1.

The three-week long event, organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, is staged at the Slaveykov square, a popular place in the center of Bulgaria's capital city.

Many visitors were attracted by the bright colors and diversity of the photos.

Prof. Nako Stefanov, an expert in East Asia of Sofia University and a visitor, told Xinhua the exhibition "is a significant event for Sofia that will be seen by many people."

The exhibition gives a very interesting look at such a traditional festival, Stefanov said, adding "I think it is very good that Bulgarians have the opportunity to look into the life of the Chinese people at such a festive moment."

Vladislav Mihaylov, another visitor, spent more than 20 minutes enjoying the photos. "I look at the exhibition with great interest, wishing to go to China someday to see these festivities live," Mihaylov said.

People visit a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)

A girl visits a Chinese New Year photo exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Jan. 28, 2022. The Chinese New Year photo exhibition opened here on Friday, featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people in different parts of the country celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1. (Xinhua/Lin Hao)

Editor: WXY
Zelensky on possible Russian invasion of Ukraine: It's crucial to weigh one's words not to do harm at this trying time

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on foreign journalists at a meeting with them to refrain from ramping up panic and "to weigh one's words not to do harm" in case of a possible full-scale Russian invasion of the country.

"Foreign journalists who arrived in Kyiv today were able to see that the streets of our peaceful cities are calm, there is no panic, no tanks or calls for duty. It is crucial to weigh one's words at this trying time not to do any harm," Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel.

Ukraine expects from its international partners support and personal presence in the first place, security, investments and increasing economic stability, he said.

"But the most important thing is faith in our state. We need the unity of the people and confidence in our army," the head of state stressed.

Zelensky said he is convinced "we will preserve peace and make the guns stay silent together."
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to visit Ukraine in the coming days to hold a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, British media reported on Saturday night, citing a Downing Street representative.

"He will reiterate the need for Russia to step back [in Ukraine] and engage diplomatically when he speaks to president Putin this week," said the interlocutor of British journalists.

"The prime minister is determined to accelerate diplomatic efforts and ramp up deterrence to avoid bloodshed in Europe," he added.

In addition, some UK media claim that London plans to impose additional sanctions against the "strategic and financial interests" of the Russian Federation on Monday.

In turn, The Guardian says on Saturday that Boris Johnson will visit Ukraine and hold a telephone conversation with Putin next week amid fears of a Russian invasion.
The United States, in the package of sanctions being prepared in case of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, focused on measures that will lead to a decrease in Russian industrial potential, White House national security official Peter Harrell said.

In his virtual speech at the Export Center in Massachusetts , he said: "We can't preview every action, but the intent there really is to have measures that we think will degrade Russia's industrial capabilities and industrial production capacity over time, not to go after individual, everyday Russian consumers."

Harrell also stated that in the event of military escalation, Washington is ready to immediately impose "crippling financial costs on major Russian financial institutions" as well as "to impose a range of quite sweeping export controls that will degrade Russian industrial capacity over the mid- and long term." According to the official, the measures aim to "degrade Russia's ability to have industrial production in a couple of key sectors."

He did not specify the sectors, but other White House officials did mention the aviation, maritime, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and defense industries.

Harrell also said that Washington is "quite confident we will have a very high degree of alignment with Europe if Russia does invade Ukraine."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized in a telephone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron the need for further diplomatic dialogue and called for continuing meetings and talks thanks to which escalation is reduced.

"We are glad that work of the Normandy format has resumed, it is one of steps towards peace. As long as there is a favorable climate for the dialogue, time must be filled with meetings and talks. As long as diplomatic efforts are ongoing, the likelihood of further escalation is reduced," Zelensky wrote on his Instagram page on Friday evening.

The press service of the President reported that the heads of state noted that for the first time since 2019, a document has been agreed on the results of negotiations.

Zelensky noted Macron's role in organizing and holding a meeting of political advisers to the leaders of the Normandy Four in Paris on January 26 and thanked the French leader for consistent support of Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The parties also agreed to maintain the dynamic pace and accelerate the next meeting of advisers to the leaders of the Normandy format participating countries. They also discussed the importance of activating the work of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) and its subgroups in order to make rapid progress in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

Zelensky and Macron positively noted the visit to Paris of the Ukrainian delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.

The Ukrainian President also noted the interest in the successful implementation of the existing significant bilateral economic agreements, as well as in the development of new specific projects.
The Russian Federation has illegally detained two citizens of Ukraine without providing official information about it to the authorized bodies of Ukraine, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has said.

"Two fishermen Ruslan Romaniuta and Ivan Gerasymenko went to the Black Sea on January 25, 2022 on the Volga fishing vessel from the town of Henichesk, Kherson region and did not return home. According to preliminary information, the ship's engine failed and it was washed up in the town of Shcholkine in the temporarily occupied Crimea. As it became known, the fishermen were detained by Russian border guards in the Black Sea, which the Ukrainian side was not informed about," Denisova wrote on the Telegram channel.

Based on the fact, the police of Kherson region initiated criminal proceedings under Part 1 of Article 146-1 (enforced disappearance) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Denisova stressed that the detention of fishermen contradicts all international norms of law, and called on Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Tatiana Moskalkova to take measures to release illegally detained Ukrainians.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky took part in a ceremony honoring the memory of the Heroes of Kruty, the press service of the head of state reports.

"The head of state laid flowers at the memorial cross to the Heroes of Kruty at the Askold grave in Kyiv. The memory of the victims was honored with a minute of silence. The national anthem of Ukraine was played. The soldiers of the honor guard company saluted from their personal weapons and marched solemnly at the memorial cross," the message says.

It is noted that the ceremony was also attended by head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny and cadets of higher military educational institutions.

The battle of Kruty took place on January 29, 1918 near the railway station of the same name between Bakhmach and Nizhyn. The Ukrainian forces numbered about a thousand people and consisted of foremen and cadets of the 1st Kyiv Military School named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 115-130 students of the first hundred Student Hut and volunteers from the Free Cossacks. The Bolshevik forces in Kruty area comprised about 6,000 soldiers and Baltic sailors, and up to 3,000 people took direct part in the battle.

The battle near Kruty ended with an organized retreat of Ukrainian units by train.

The losses of Ukrainians, according to various sources, ranged from 80 to 100 dead. According to the researchers, the total losses of the enemy could reach 1,500 killed and wounded.

During the battle, the Bolsheviks captured seven wounded students, another 27 students fell into the hands of the enemy, retreating in the dark. They were tortured and then executed. The bodies of the dead were buried by a local priest at the cemetery of the village of Pechi.

In 1918, by the decision of the Central Rada, the bodies of the student soldiers who fell in battle near Kruty were solemnly reburied at the Askold grave in Kyiv.
Interpol has recognized that the Russian Federation is persecuting Ukrainian theater director Yevhen Lavrenchuk for political reasons, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova said.

According to the press service of the Ombudsman's Office, the National Police of Ukraine appealed to Interpol to clarify the legality of the use of the Interpol information system by the Russian Federation, in particular, by abusing Interpol tools and capabilities in the prosecution of Lavrenchuk.

"According to the information received from the National Police of Ukraine, information about the citizen of Ukraine Yevhen Lavrenchuk, which was processed in the Interpol records at the request of the National Central Bureau of Interpol in the Russian Federation, was deleted due to their inconsistency with the provisions of Article 3 of the Interpol Statute, according to which it is strictly prohibited to carry out any interference or activity of a political, military, religious or racial nature," a message posted on the telegram channel says.

The Ombudsman's Office also noted that during the court session in Naples on January 27, Lavrenchuk's lawyers filed a petition for the cancellation of house arrest and granting him permission to travel to Ukraine, since there are no grounds for further detention in connection with the removal of Interpol statements about him from the registers. The Naples City Court refused to satisfy the claims, explaining that the process of verifying the arguments of the Russian Federation, which sent the extradition materials, has already begun in court. Therefore, at this stage it is impossible to terminate the consideration, since a court decision must be made.

The court granted a deadline of 30 days, during which the prosecutor's office of Naples should study the materials received from the Russian Federation and inform about its vision of this issue: whether there are grounds for the extradition of Lavrenchuk to Russia. After that, the court will make an appropriate decision.

As reported, Lavrenchuk was detained in Naples, through which he was flying transit from Tel Aviv to Lviv, and since December 17 has been in an Italian pretrial detention center in connection with Russia's request for his extradition. The Consulate General of Ukraine in Naples provides him with consular assistance.

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova reported that Lavrenchuk was detained not on the basis of establishing a "red card", as is usually done in the practice of cooperation with Interpol, but by presenting a circular message, the distribution of which is limited to certain countries, which indicates Russia's abuse of the Interpol charter and its misuse as a tool of hybrid warfare for politically motivated persecution of Ukrainians.

According to Denisova, Russia accuses Lavrenchuk, who lived, studied and worked in Moscow from 1998 to 2014, of "financial violations" that he allegedly committed eight years ago. Russian media, citing the Tagansky Court of Moscow, say that Lavrenchuk was arrested in absentia in July 2020 on charges of large-scale fraud, but do not disclose details.

In 2014, the director left the Russian Federation in protest against military aggression, after which he worked as the chief director of the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater for three years, and also had other projects in various theaters.
The information spread on the Internet that Russia is sending medical materials and blood supplies to the border with Ukraine does not correspond to reality, said Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar.

"Now, the information is being spread on the Internet with reference to anonymous sources that Russia allegedly sent supplies of blood and other medical materials for the wounded to the Ukrainian border. This information is not true. Such 'news' is an element of information and psychological warfare," Maliar wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

"The purpose of such information is to spread panic and fear in our society," the deputy minister added.

Earlier, the media reported that the buildup of the armed forces of the Russian Federation at the Ukrainian border was expanded by supplying donated blood and other medical materials to help the wounded.
Amnesty International on Wednesday accused a powerful Libyan armed group of abuses against migrants and Tripoli residents.
The Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers to deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it, officials said Wednesday.
The Kuwaiti prime minister lauded the role of the Egyptian community in Kuwait in the construction and development process in the country as a bridge of interdependence between the two brotherly peoples

Related Sisi discusses bilateral relations with Iraqi president ahead of Baghdad cooperation conference

The security of the Gulf region is one of the main pillars of the Arab national security, and is closely linked to the Egyptian national security, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah on Saturday.

El-Sisis comments came during a meeting with Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, which is set to start later in the day.

El-Sisi and Al-Sabah agreed to maintain joint efforts to enhance cooperation and coordination among Arab countries to face the growing challenges and threats to regional security and the stability of Arab countries and peoples, Egypts Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Rady revealed that they exchanged views on the most prominent files on the regional arena, and the discussions reflected a mutual understanding of ways to deal with these files.

El-Sisi highlighted the close relations binding the two brotherly countries, and Egypts keenness to develop the mutual distinguished cooperation at various levels in an effort to consolidate security, stability and development in the region, Rady said.

The Egyptian-Kuwaiti cooperation and coordination towards developments in the Middle East represent a mainstay for achieving regional stability, and a major pillar of the priorities and constants of the Egyptian policy, El-Sisi said.

The Kuwaiti premier, from his side, emphasised the depth and strength of the historical relations that unite the two countries, lauding the role of the Egyptian community in Kuwait in the construction and development process in the country as a bridge of interdependence between the two brotherly peoples.

Al-Sabah stressed Kuwaits keenness to enhance cooperation with Egypt at all levels, and to consult and coordinate with Cairo periodically on various issues, appreciating in this context Egypt's pivotal role in the region as a fundamental pillar for the security and stability of the Arab world, the statement said.

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President Sisi affirmed the link between Gulf security and Egyptian national security, praising the important role played by the State of Kuwait and its leadership in addressing the challenges facing the Arab nation

Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi received on Wednesday a message from Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawwaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in which he commended Egypts strategic and pivotal role in protecting Arab national security and defending the issues of the Arab nation.

The message was delivered by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah during his meeting with El-Sisi in Cairo in the presence of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Kuwaiti Ambassador in Egypt Mohamed Al-Zoweikh, said a statement by Egypts Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

The Kuwaiti Emir hailed Egypts tireless efforts to consolidate security, stability, and development at the regional and international levels.

He also expressed in the written message the pride of the Kuwaiti government and people for the strong historical ties and close relations that unite them with Egypt and its people in various fields, according to Rady.

From his side, El-Sisi asked Al-Sabah to covey his greetings to the Kuwaiti Emir, stressing the significance of Egyptian Kuwaiti relations, which extend through decades of fruitful mutual cooperation and close coordination.

Such depth of mutual relations was embodied in the common denominators and mutual consensus in views and visions between Egypt and Kuwait towards the various issues and crises of the region and mutual support to the stances of the two sisterly countries in all international and regional forums, the statement quoted El-Sisi as saying.

El-Sisi also stressed Egypts keenness to develop close bilateral cooperation and coordination for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples, as well as the Arab nation, Rady noted.

During the meeting, the president discussed with Al-Sabah various aspects of bilateral relations in light of the imminent convening of the joint committee between the two countries.

They also deliberated on issues on the Arab and regional arena, especially the developments in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan, Rady said.

Moreover, the president affirmed the link between Gulf security and Egyptian national security, praising the important role played by the State of Kuwait and its leadership in addressing the challenges facing the Arab nation.

President El-Sisi has recently stressed that the Gulf region is one of the main pillars of Arab national security and is closely linked to Egyptian national security.

His remarks came during a meeting with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid in late August on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership.

Egyptian Kuwaiti cooperation and coordination towards developments in the Middle East represents a mainstay for achieving regional stability and a major pillar of the priorities and constants of Egyptian policy, the Egyptian president said.

While from his side, Al-Khalid stressed Egypts pivotal role in the region as a fundamental pillar for the security and stability of the Arab world, an Egyptian presidency s1`tatement said at the time.

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Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced on Monday that they had thwarted a double missile attack launched by the Houthi militia in Yemen.

The UAE defence ministry said that Emirati forces launched a counter offensive by F-16 fighters against the platform from where the missiles were launched in Al-Jawf governorate, northern Yemen.

At the same time, the UAE confirmed that it did not sustain any losses from the Houthi missile attack. The Saudi statement said that some workshops in an industrial area in Al-Dhahran suffered material damage.

On the other hand, the Houthi militia announced that Operation Yemen Hurricane II targeted Saudi and Emirati territory and that the attack used drones and missiles. They added that the targets included the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, the Emirate of Dubai, and other unspecified vital sites. Other reports say that the UAE Al-Dhafra military airbase was among the targets.

This context reflects that both warring parties in Yemen (the coalition and the Houthi militia) are determined to evolve the rules of engagement. It is believed that the militia is betting the UAE will withdraw from the counter offensive against the Houthis and will instead consolidate the role of the Giants Brigades and will aid them in their attempts to regain areas occupied by the Houthi militia. However, the UAEs counterattacks are a clear message that it will not back down.

These attacks reveal the Emirati readiness to face the Houthi military escalation, for the UAE managed to repel the last attacks, which was not the case in the first strike.

It also asserted its readiness to launch a second attack, which reflects that the Emirati air defence systems are operating and actively engaged, in the light of UAEs realisation that there is a cost to the Houthi escalation that must be faced.

The Houthi twin attacks on the UAE included Abu-Dhabi and Dubai  assuming the Houthi statement is truthful  which means that the militia will increase the rate of its attacks on the UAE compared to its attacks on Saudi Arabia. Thus, it will launch new operations solely against the UAE, which the militia described in its statement as the enemy.

The Houthi militia is diversifying its range of targets, stretching from military objectives, such as Al-Dhafra military airbase, to other vital commercial and touristic sites in Dubai, where the Houthis say they are targeting investment sites.

This was evident in the first strike targets, which proved that vital installations can be reached, such as Abu-Dhabi Airport and Al-Masfah commercial site. It follows that it will target sites with the same civilian and military characteristics in Saudi Arabia, where it has already reached an industrial zone.

The Houthi strikes intensity and timing indicate that the militia still has enough of a military stockpile to escalate further. Moreover, the precision in targeting, even in intercepting some attacks, confirms that the militia is capable of expanding the range of targets. As a matter of fact, the Houthi militia cannot perform this action single-handedly, i.e. to aim at precise coordinates to this extent. The launched missiles, Quds-II and Zulfiqar, were developed in Iran recently.

This confirms that Iran has managed to transfer this technology to Yemen without being intercepted by international and regional parties monitoring smuggling routes from Iran to Yemen.

On the other hand, US President Joe Biden announced that he is studying the re-inclusion of the Houthi militia on the black list, following its first attacks on Abu-Dhabi, amid pressure from the Republicans in Congress.

US Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking went on a tour in the region last week where he called on all parties to reduce armed escalation and return to the negotiating table, although none of the parties headed this call.

This demonstrates the failure of the US administration to push the political option, which is viewed by the Arabian Gulf officials as both unproductive and unpersuasive, and that currently the main option is the military one.

The US has also failed in its attempt to link the ongoing negotiations in Vienna to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) (5+1) concerning the nuclear deal with Iran and Irans backing down from its regional expansion policy.

Washington announced this week that the progress is linked to the release of American citizens detained in Iran, which has further shaken confidence between the US and its Middle East allies.

In contrast to this US standpoint, Israel is raising its presence in the regional developments formula in general. Israeli reports revealed Tel Avivs readiness to supply Abu Dhabi with possible air defence reinforcements. This was confirmed by Itzik Huber, CEO of Skylock System, in an interview last week with Yedioth Ahronoth, saying that communications were made with Abu Dhabi after the incident.

The UAE asked for what Israel can provide as soon as possible from a long list of air defence systems. He revealed that his company supplied the UAE months ago with systems capable of detecting hostile drones from a distance of more than 20km. However, it seems that the UAE needs additional reinforcements. On the domestic level, Israel conducted manoeuvres simulating Iranian attacks on its nuclear sites as well as launching a military operation against Iran.

The formula of escalation is still confined to the Yemeni crisis, but it is believed that if the escalation continues on this scale, the engagement formula will witness another qualitative leap with the entry of regional powers into the arena. This in turn will move the formula from a war in the Gulf into a wide-scale regional war.

Prominent Saudi writer Abdulrahman Al-Rashed recently wrote two articles in Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper where he said that Saudi Arabia is preparing for a direct war with Iran, not with its proxies, that the UAE will not back down from continuing to escalate, and that Israel is undergoing a process of preparedness.

So, the question here is, to what extend will the US support its allies in the region in this regard considering that Washington is reducing its military presence in the Middle East.

Despite the military escalation in the Gulf, the US has not sent even one additional aircraft carrier to the region and is still manoeuvring in the nuclear negotiations and seeks to gain time in spite of the extreme pressures exerted by Iran on the US in the negotiations path. It seems that the US is preoccupied domestically with the midterm Congressional elections.

So, the issue will depend on the regional willingness to engage in war. It should be taken into account that there are large powers showing greater interest in the region, namely China and Russia, which are currently conducting a naval manoeuvre near Iran in the Indian Ocean.

Iran is currently using proxies to drain regional powers. So, will the regional powers launch the first strike against Iran? So far, the regional powers have been confronting Iranian proxies, especially the Houthi proxy in Yemen, while other proxies are embroiled in political tension in Iraq and Lebanon following the Iraqi elections and the forming of the Lebanese government. Will the regional powers also expand the range of targets against Iranian proxies? For example, will Israel expand its strikes against moving targets in Syria and will the Arab alliance increase its strikes on Al-Hudaydah?

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall agreed Saturday to bolster coordination and consultations over the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in light of Senegals chairmanship of the African Union (AU) scheduled to start in February.

According to an official statement by the Egyptian presidency, El-Sisi discussed in a Cairo meeting developments on the GERD crisis with Sall, and the latest regional developments of common interest.

El-Sisi and Sall mulled strengthening cooperation between Egypt and Senegal in countering terrorism in the Sahel Region and enhancing the numbers of troops in the region to face terrorism organizations.

El-Sisi expressed appreciation of the close historical relations and cooperation between the two countries, expressing Egypts keenness to boost relations and consolidate strategic cooperation with Senegal in various areas especially amid Senegals vital role in western Africa.

He also hailed political, economic, security and cultural aspects of the relationship, and the growing cooperation in the field of capacity building between the two countries.

Sall lauded his countrys special historical relations with Egypt, stressing keenness to develop ties further in various fields, especially in trade and economic cooperation.

He praised the Egyptian companies operating in the field of building, construction, infrastructure and tourism in Senegal, expressing his wish for further Egyptian investments in his country.

The Senegalese president also affirmed keenness to benefit from the Egyptian vision and efforts to boost common African work during its chairmanship of the AU in 2019 especially amid Senegals chairmanship of the AU during the upcoming annual AU summit.

Sall added that ongoing challenges seen by Africa especially in the Sahel Region and eastern Africa require intensified coordination and cooperation with Egypt and its leadership due to its weight in the region and continent in preserving peace and security.

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Egypt's Senate  the consultative upper house of parliament  will reconvene on Sunday and Monday to resume discussions over the articles of the country's new labour law following a two-week holiday.

The Senate, which gave preliminary approval of the law on 2 January, has finished discussing and passing 104 articles out of a total of 267.

In its plenary session on 16 January, the Senate approved articles which regulate child labour, stipulating that "whoever is less than 18 years in age is considered a child."

Article 58 states that "employment of children less than 15 years in age is banned."

"A child who is 14 years in age, however, can be employed or can receive job training and that his/her employer should provide him/her with a job identity card to be endorsed by the concerned administrative department," said article 58.

Article 60 states that child labour for more than six hours a day is banned.

"After six hours, a child should take a rest for no less than one hour in order to take rest and have something to eat," said Article 60, adding that "child labour is also banned during official holidays and week ends."

The Senate also approved articles related to labour by women. Abdel-Khaleq Ayad, chairman of the Senate's Energy, Environment, and Labour Committee, said the draft adopts a legislative policy aimed at protecting women against discrimination and making sure that working women and men are treated equally as long as the working conditions are similar.

"The minister of labour is also authorised by the law to issue decrees regarding the conditions and occasions in which women are allowed to take paid holidays," said Ayad, indicating that "according to the law, working women cannot be dismissed while on a labour leave."

The Senate has rejected a proposal aimed at allowing "fathers to take a week's paternity leave during the six months after a baby's birth."

The draft took four months of discussions.

"The committee held a series of hearings during this period to listen to the viewpoints of labour experts on the draft law," said Ayad.

Ayad added that "in our four-month discussions we focused on how the draft law will serve production and workers and how it will encourage businessmen and investors to set up new projects that can generate new job opportunities for young people."

According to Ayad, the new labour law was drafted to strike a balance between the interests of both the employers and employees. "The law does not serve the interests of one party at the expense of the other. It is a progressive step for the country," said Ayad.

He insisted that the draft labour law does not include any articles that can lead to the "automatic dismissal of workers."

"The new labour law is meant to regulate the relationship between employers and workers and in this respect, it includes rules that can be used to settle differences between the two parties," said Ayad, adding that "the law states that a worker can be dismissed only upon a final judicial order from a labour court."

He added that in general the law makes it harder for employers to fire staff for illnesses, but allows workers to lose their jobs if convicted of a felony.

Minister of Labour Mohamed Saafan said the number of workers in Egypt is estimated at 30 million and that private-sector employers account for 80 percent of the total.

"This means that private-sector businessmen and investors represent the majority of employers in Egypt, and the new labour law was drafted to reflect this fact," said Saafan.

He indicated that in drafting the new labour law, the government was keen to note the remarks of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). "We also tried our best to make the law in line with foreign agreements and conventions which Egypt signed in this respect," said Saafan.

The law sets a minimum annual bonus equal to three percent of the employee's wages.

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Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is heading to Kuwait to take part in a consultative meeting of the Arab foreign ministers on Sunday in light of Kuwaits presidency of the current session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level.

In September 2021, Qatar handed over the presidency of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level to Kuwait during the launching of the 156th session of the Arab League Council at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League.

Shoukrys participation in the meeting aims at continuing consultations with the Arab foreign ministers on the current Arab issues and topics, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The top Egyptian diplomats participation in the meeting also seeks to coordinate stances with the aim of supporting joint Arab work mechanisms in the face of the ongoing regional and international challenges, the statement added.

During his visit to Kuwait, Shoukry will meet with a number of Arab foreign ministers for talks about bilateral relations and coordination on issues of mutual concern, according to the statement.

In a speech he delivered at the opening meeting of the 156th ordinary ministerial session of the Arab League Council in September, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah said his country will proceed with efforts to push for joint Arab action.

He also vowed that Kuwait will seek to clear the air among Arab states, bring their views closer, and emphasise the strength of fraternal inter-Arab ties.

In January last year, Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed an agreement in the Saudi city of Al-Ula that paved the way for restoring ties with Doha and ended a boycott by the Arab quartet that started in mid-2017.

The reconciliation agreement, signed during the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit held in Saudi Arabia, came a month after the Kuwaiti foreign minister revealed fruitful discussions that had been taking place to reach an end to the Gulf rift.

The Kuwaiti statements was praised by Egypt and the UAE. Following the statements, Bahrain also called for an end to regional disputes and the UAE reiterated support to the Saudi efforts to end the rift.

During the ministerial session in September, Shoukry reiterated Egypts commitment to stand by all Arab countries to endure the current exceptional circumstances, voicing Cairo's welcome of the recent reconciliations between Arabs.

The top Egyptian diplomat voiced rejection of flagrant foreign interference in the Arab countries affairs. He also called for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, supporting Libya, and putting an end to the humanitarian suffering in Syria and Yemen.

He also highlighted Egypts stance regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam dispute with Ethiopia, affirming that Egypt calls for a binding legal agreement on the mega dam that Ethiopia has built on the Blue Nile.

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A UAE-trained militia said Saturday some of its fighters remained on the front lines in key Yemeni conflict zones as part of defensive measures after driving out the Houthi rebels.

The Giants Brigades said Friday it had begun repositioning its forces after pushing the insurgents back from oil-rich Shabwa province and stopping short of launching a northward offensive towards the strategically vital city of Marib.

The surprise announcement followed two drone and missile attacks by the Houthis on the United Arab Emirates, the first of which killed three oil workers.

Having lost ground to the Emirati-trained forces, the Houthis have warned of further attacks on the UAE unless such operations are halted.

The Gulf state pulled out of Yemen in 2019 but remains an influential player in a Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognised government against the Iran-backed rebels.

"The forces completed their mission in liberating the district of Shabwa and securing it and pushed the Houthis out of the district of Harib, south of Marib," a Giants Brigades official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

"The force that was repositioned did not leave the front lines, but rather began putting up defensive measures to repel any military attacks by the Houthis.

"What is not yet liberated in Marib (province) is left up to the government which has hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and it is their turn to kick out the Huthis from Marib."

The Houthis and pro-government troops have been engaged in months-long battles in the south, north and west of Marib city, the government's last northern holdout.

The Giants Brigades, fighting as part of the Saudi-led pro-government coalition, dealt a serious blow to the Houthi campaign after moving into Shabwa.

After their defeats in Shabwa, the rebels seized a UAE-flagged ship on January 3 before launching a deadly strike on Abu Dhabi on January 17. A second strike a week later was intercepted.

An Emirati official said Thursday that Houthi attacks would not become a "new normal" for the UAE, vowing a robust defence.

"This is not going to be the new normal for the UAE," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The UAE has world-class defence capabilities and is constantly seeking to update them."

The Yemen conflict, which erupted in 2014, has killed hundreds of thousands of people directly or indirectly and left millions on the brink of famine, according to the UN.

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Egypt said on Saturday it has received around 4 million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom as part of its keenness to support Cairos efforts in facing the pandemic.

According to an official statement by the health ministry, acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said the vaccines have been received at Cairo International Airport in three batches on Thursday and Friday.

The vaccines have been delivered under the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), an international initiative that seeks to ensure equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines in cooperation with the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), with support of UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO)|.

The new batches will be tested in the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) laboratories before distribution to the countrys vaccination centers nationwide.

Abdel Ghaffar said Egypt has been able to secure all available and World Health Organization (WHO) vaccines, including Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer under the states plan to expand and diversify accessible vaccines.

The British Embassy in Cairo said on Saturday that the package donated by the UK is one of its largest bilateral donations of vaccines through COVAX.

Egypt has so far received over 134 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including raw material needed to manufacture vaccines at its state-owned vaccine maker Vacsera.

It has administered total of 37,146,343 first vaccine doses and 25,675,923 second vaccine doses.

A total of 612,311 booster shots have been injected in recent weeks, bringing the total number of coronavirus vaccines administered to the population since the start of the mass vaccination campaign in January 2021 to 63,434,577 jabs.

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A security source has denied the recent allegations of the now-released subversive activist Ramy Shaath, saying that he resorts to such claims to gain the sympathy of foreign public opinion for personal gain.

In remarks to CNN and the European Parliament over the past few days, Shaath accused the security apparatus in Egypt of mistreating him inside prison.

What refutes his claims is that he had been receiving all his rights during his imprisonment and that he had been allowed all his visits as well as receiving health care, the source said.

In addition, all the requests made by Shaaths wife to come to the country and visit him at exceptional times had been also responded to, the source added.

In early January, the Egyptian investigation authorities ordered the release of Egyptian-Palestinian activist Shaath, who had been detained since 2019 over charges of assisting a terrorist group in the case known in the media as the Hope Cell case.

On 8 January, the activist arrived in France, with photos showing him holding his wife, Celine Lebrun-Shaath, while leaving the Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris.

Shaath is a co-founder of Egypt's branch of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the Egyptian authorities decision to release Shaath in a tweet, saying he shares the relief of Shaaths wife.

Macron also thanked everyone who has played a positive role in this happy outcome.

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US President Joe Biden is maintaining pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin over Ukraine after announcing a small troop deployment to eastern Europe even as top Pentagon officials backed a renewed push for diplomacy.

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western leaders to avoid stirring "panic" over the massive Russian troop buildup on his country's borders, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on the need for de-escalation.

Neither Putin nor his European and American counterparts had until now appeared ready to give ground in the weeks-long crisis, the worst in decades between Russia and the West.

But according to a Macron aide, Putin told the French leader in a call lasting more than an hour that he had "no offensive plans."

In Washington, Biden nevertheless said Friday he would soon send a small number of US troops to bolster the NATO presence in eastern Europe as tensions remain heightened.

The United States already has tens of thousands of troops stationed across mostly Western Europe.

At the Pentagon, top officials urged a focus on diplomacy while saying that Russia now had enough troops and equipment in place to threaten the whole of Ukraine.

Any such conflict, warned the top US general, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, would be "horrific" for both sides.

"If that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and it would result in a significant amount of casualties," Milley said.

But speaking alongside Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there "is still time and space for diplomacy.

"Mr Putin can do the right thing as well," said Austin. "There is no reason that this situation has to devolve into conflict."

During his talks with Macron, Putin "expressed no offensive plans and said he wanted to continue the talks with France and our allies," the aide to the French president said.

Their conversation "enabled us to agree on the need for a de-escalation," the aide told journalists. Putin "said very clearly that he did not want confrontation."

Complex threat

Since October, Russia has amassed more than 100,000 combat troops and equipment, as well as support forces, along its frontier with Ukraine and more recently in Belarus, which borders Ukraine on the north.

Western officials say Russia has also mustered more air and sea assets in the region, creating a complex threat like none seen since the Cold War.

Moscow has demanded wide-ranging security guarantees, including that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO.

Those demands have been the subject of intensive negotiations, with the West warning of far-reaching consequences if diplomacy fails and Russia attacks.

"We don't need this panic," Zelensky told a news conference with foreign media, expressing concern over "signals even from respected leaders."

He said he sought to avoid hurting his country's already battered economy.

Later this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to speak with Putin and add to the chorus of Western leaders urging him to back down.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is due in Kyiv on Tuesday to meet the president and prime minister.

"Poland supports Ukraine in preventing Russia's aggression," Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller tweeted. "We will do everything possible to maintain peace in Europe."

Russia's concerns not addressed

To Macron, Putin made clear that the written responses from the West to his demands this week had fallen short of Russia's expectations, the Kremlin said.

"The US and NATO responses did not take into account Russia's fundamental concerns including preventing NATO's expansion," Putin said, according to the Kremlin's readout of the call.

He added that the West had ignored the "key question," that no country should strengthen its security at the expense of others, adding Russia would "carefully study" the responses, "after which it will decide on further actions."

Russia has also demanded a pullback of NATO forces deployed to eastern European and ex-Soviet countries that joined the alliance after the Cold War.

In a sign of continued tensions, Russia announced Friday evening it had added several EU officials to a list of people banned from entering the country, saying they were responsible for "anti-Russian policies."

Threat to key pipeline

The Putin-Macron phone call followed talks in Paris this week between Russia and Ukraine, with France and Germany alongside, which produced a joint statement committing to preserving a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between government forces and pro-Moscow separatists.

They also agreed to hold new talks in Berlin in February.

"Taking into account the results of the meeting" in Paris, the Kremlin said, "the mood for further work of Russia and France in this format was confirmed."

In tandem with the diplomacy, the West has upped its threats of a tough response to an invasion.

Washington and Berlin have warned that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to double supplies of Russian natural gas to Germany, was at stake.

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Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian radio stations Friday that Russia did not want war with Ukraine but that it would protect its interests against the West if necessary. "If it depends on Russia, then there will be no war. We don't want wars," Lavrov said. "But we also won't allow our interests to be rudely trampled, to be ignored."

Putin, according to the Kremlin, told Macron that the most recent Western diplomatic responses did not consider Russia's concerns about NATO expansion such as stopping the deployment of alliance weapons near Russia's border and rolling back its forces from Eastern Europe.

Senior U.S. defense officials cautioned that Russia had amassed sufficient firepower to launch a full-scale invasion at any time, while Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron that the West had failed to adequately address Moscow's security concerns.

The U.S. warning Friday comes as the standoff between Russia and Ukraine appears to have reached a tipping point.

"Given the type of forces that are arrayed, the ground maneuver forces, the artillery, the ballistic missiles, the air forces, all of it packaged together, if that was unleashed on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant," Milley told reporters. "It would result in a significant amount of casualties. And you can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas," he said. "It would be horrific. It would be terrible. And it's not necessary."

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley issued the blunt admonishment Friday during a rare news conference at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, where both men insisted tragedy could be avoided if Moscow was willing to pull back from the brink.

The most senior U.S. military officer warns Russia will end up blazing a path of death and devastation, for all sides, should it decide to resolve its differences with Ukraine by using military force.

 Escalating Tensions and Rhetoric

But the U.S. defense secretary pushed back, telling Pentagon reporters Friday that no one has done anything to lead Russia to encircle Ukraine with more than 100,000 troops. "There was no provocation that caused them to move those forces," Austin said Friday at the Pentagon, calling out Moscow for a new wave of disinformation campaigns.

"Indeed, we're seeing Russian state media spouting off now about alleged activities in eastern Ukraine," he said. "This is straight out of the Russian playbook. And they're not fooling us." Austin also painted Moscow's saber-rattling as counterproductive. "A move on Ukraine will accomplish the very thing Russia says it does not want -- a NATO alliance strengthened and resolved on its western flank," he said.

But with no sign of give from any side -- U.S. and NATO officials have repeatedly rejected Russia's demands -- there are growing concerns that fear or hysteria could spread, making an already fragile situation more perilous.

"We don't need this panic," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv on Friday, accusing U.S. leaders of talking up the possibility of conflict. "Are tanks driving here on our streets? No. But it feels like this (reading the media)," he said. "In my opinion, this is a mistake. Because those are signals of how the world reacts."

Despite the disagreement over rhetoric, U.S. and European officials said they continue to hold out hope that diplomacy can prevail. One senior U.S. administration official, talking to reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss developments, said remarks like those Friday by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov are a positive sign.

"We welcome the message," the official said. "We need to see it backed up by swift action." The official added that Monday's United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine will be "an opportunity for Russia to explain what it is doing, and we've come prepared to listen."

 Ramping up Military Preparations

While Russia and the U.S. and its allies have spent much of the past week trading demands, both sides have also ramped up military preparations. Russia has launched military drills involving motorized infantry and artillery units in southwestern Russia, warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, dozens of warships in the Black Sea and the Arctic, and Russian fighter jets and paratroopers in Belarus.

Ukraine's military held artillery and anti-aircraft drills in the country's southern Kherson region Friday near the border with Russian-annexed Crimea. And the U.S., which has been providing Kyiv with anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, artillery and ammunition, said another shipment arrived Friday to help bolster Ukrainian defenses.

Also Friday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance has already bolstered its troop presence in Eastern Europe and continues to watch Russia's military movements, including the positioning of aircraft and S-400 anti-aircraft systems in Belarus, closely.

"The aim now is to try to reduce tensions," Stoltenberg said, speaking online from Brussels at a Washington think-tank event. "We urge Russia, we call on Russia to engage in talks," he said, adding that opting for the use of force will not work out well for Moscow.

"When it comes to Ukraine, I am absolutely certain that Russia understands they will have to pay a high price (for invading)," Stoltenberg said. "I am certain President Putin and Russia takes NATO very serious when it comes to our ability to protect and defend all allies."


KYODO NEWS - Jan 29, 2022 - 21:29 | World, All

Cambodia is considering rescheduling the annual ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting for Feb. 16-17 following its postponement earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Cambodia, the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for this year, is planning to exclude the foreign minister of Myanmar from the meeting as the country's ruling military has not stopped violence against protesters, sources close to the matter said.

Only a "nonpolitical figure" from Myanmar would be invited unless the junta shows some progress in implementing ASEAN's so-called five-point consensus, which includes a call for an immediate end to violence and the dispatch of the group's special envoy to meet with all stakeholders in the conflict in Myanmar, the sources said.

ASEAN adopted the consensus at its special summit in April last year in the hope of resolving issues in Myanmar where political turmoil has continued since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021.

Related coverage:

ASEAN foreign ministers meeting scheduled for next week postponed

U.S.-China rivalry makes ASEAN vital, says ex-secretary general

FOCUS: ASEAN may face bigger challenge on Myanmar under Cambodia's chair

The foreign ministry said in a statement that the ministers of ASEAN member nations will discuss a planned visit to Myanmar by Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, the group's special envoy to Myanmar this year, who is tasked with pushing for dialogue between all the parties in the conflict.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who said he would invite Myanmar's foreign minister to the meeting, met opposition from Indonesia, Malaysia and some other member countries who insist Myanmar should only be represented by nonpolitical people at ASEAN meetings unless progress is made on implementing the consensus.

Cambodia originally planned to hold the meeting in the northwestern town of Siem Reap on Jan. 18-19 but it was postponed after some members said they were having difficulties in attending. It is now mulling to use a hybrid format of online participation and in-person meetings, the sources said.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 29, 2022 - 14:03 | All, Japan, World

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to visit Japan in mid-February for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.

During Johnson's planned trip on Feb. 15 and 16, the two leaders are likely to agree to enhance security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, where China has become increasingly assertive in its territorial claims in the East and South China seas, the sources said.

It would be Johnson's first visit to Japan since taking office in 2019. But the two governments may change the dates of the trip depending on the level of coronavirus infections in the two countries and Johnson's political fate, which is threatened over alleged COVID-19 lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.

If the visit is realized, Kishida and Johnson are expected to call for speeding up negotiations on the Reciprocal Access Agreement, aimed at enhancing interoperability and coordination between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and Britain's military, according to the sources.

Tokyo and London started talks on the RAA last October to facilitate swifter deployment of defense personnel and ease restrictions on the transportation of weapons and supplies for joint training and disaster relief operations.

The leaders are likely to agree to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific and express opposition to unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in the East and South China seas in Beijing's favor.

Kishida is expected to welcome Britain's increased commitment to the region through measures such as the dispatch of the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier the Queen Elizabeth to Japan last year and London's application for joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

The 11-member free trade agreement, formally called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, involves regional economies, such as Japan, Australia and Canada.

It would be the second face-to-face meeting between Kishida and Johnson after they met on the sidelines of a U.N. climate summit last November in Glasgow, Scotland.
Leaders and representatives pose for a group photo during the Arab League summit in Tunis, Tunisia, March 31, 2019. (Xinhua/MENA)

CAIRO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's visit to Egypt, the first by an Algerian president in 14 years, has helped set the agenda for the upcoming Arab League Summit hosted by Algeria, according to analysts.

During the meeting between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Algerian counterpart on Tuesday, they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral political, economic, and commercial relations, regional issues such as the situations in Libya, Syria and Palestine, and terrorism in Africa and the Arab world, according to a statement released by Egypt's presidency.

"Both sides agreed on activating the mechanism of unified Arab action and maintaining Arab national security in view of common regional challenges," the statement read.

Tebboune's visit, according to Tariq Fahmy, a political science professor at Cairo University, will help coordinate efforts to resolve Arab issues ahead of the Arab League summit, which is scheduled for March 22 in Algiers but has been reportedly delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Egyptian expert sees Egypt and Algeria as regional and Arab heavyweights and believes that their active cooperation will help their fight against a number of regional threats.

"Algeria wants the summit to be a success and consultations with Arab powers are important," Fahmy said.

"During his visit to Cairo, President Tebboune aimed to seek Egypt's support for increasing the level of participation in the summit, particularly from Arab Gulf states whose presence might have an impact on the summit's success," he added.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune attends a meeting of the Algerian government with local governors in Algiers, Algeria, Feb. 16, 2020. (Xinhua photo)

"The Algerian president seeks top-level Gulf representation," said Mohamed Sadiq, chairman of the Arab Center for Political Studies in Cairo.

However, given Algeria's objection to normalizing ties with Israel, the country may have issues with Arab Gulf states and other Arab countries that have signed peace treaties with Israel, Sadiq noted.

Algeria, possibly along with Egypt, also supports the restoration of Syria's membership in the Arab League despite reservations from several Arab countries, which will be a contentious issue at the upcoming Arab summit, he added.

According to Sadiq, the region is facing threats that require a clear and quick response, and therefore joint efforts between Egypt, Algeria and other concerned countries will be important.





Meanwhile, Egypt and Algeria share similar concerns about Libya's security, and both countries continue to provide support for Libya's political path, which will be completed by holding parliamentary and presidential elections, Sadiq told Xinhua.

Egypt and Algeria support peaceful and political solutions to many Arab concerns, as well as the rejection of any threat to Arab national security, he said. 
TEHRAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Saturday condemned a recent rocket attack on Baghdad International Airport compound, saying such "suspicious" moves are aimed at destabilizing Iraq.

"Such suspicious moves cause unrest in Iraq and compromises the country's security, smoothing the path for the ill-wishers and seditionists and adversely impacting the government's efforts to provide services to Iraqi citizens," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh, according to the ministry's website.

He reaffirmed Iran's constant support for efforts to establish and preserve security in Iraq and safeguard its territorial integrity, and for the Iraqi government's measures to achieve and maintain stability in the country.

Early on Friday, six Katyusha rockets were fired on the area of Baghdad International Airport, damaging two civilian planes, according to a statement released by the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC).

The security forces launched an investigation into the incident and found some clues about the perpetrators who will be brought to justice, the JOC statement said.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. 
South African President Ramaphosa extends blessings in celebrating Chinese New Year

Xinhua) 08:33, January 29, 2022

JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is looking forward to the deepening of the relations with China on the economic and cultural fronts, and prosperity of both countries this year, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Friday during a virtual celebration of the Chinese New Year.

He wished the Chinese in South Africa and abroad a happy lunar New Year of the Tiger.

"As we recover and rebuild in the wake of COVID-19, it is our wish that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and South Africa will lead to mutual economic growth, development and common prosperity, prosperity for ourselves, for our respective regions, and for the rest of the world," said Ramaphosa, thanking China for the support during the COVID-19 pandemic and for assisting Africa to get the vaccines.

The Minister of Arts and Culture Nkosinathi Mthethwa wished the Chinese community a prosperous 2022 and expected the "already existing relations" between China and South Africa to be enhanced this year as the two have common interests.

Chinese ambassador to South Africa Chen Xiaodong said in 2021, the leaders of China and South Africa interacted frequently and deepened mutual political trust. The two countries overcame the challenges of COVID-19 while the bilateral practical cooperation was also steadily advanced.

He expressed the wish for the New Year of the Tiger to bring strength to cement Sino-South Africa relations.

In accordance with the lunar Chinese calendar, the Spring Festival, the first day of the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb. 1 this year.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
SUVA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Fiji is on Saturday shipping a batch of relief supplies to Tonga, which was heavily hit by a recent massive volcanic eruption and tsunami.

According to local media, 11 forty-foot containers are heading to Tonga with 12 Fijian government officials being on board the vessel of Lomaiviti Princess 1. They will not make any contact with the Tongan people upon arrival.

Fiji's Minister for Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu said that after days of discussion, the Fijian government has decided to send relief supplies to assist the Tongan people.

All the personnel traveling, including the crew of the vessel, have been tested and cleared, he said, adding that no one will disembark the vessel when they reach Tonga due to quarantine reasons.

The minister expressed gratitude to all the donors of the supplies, including the New Zealand government, the Chinese government and non-governmental organizations. 
TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing talks in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and the world powers on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal will pause for a few days, a source from the talks told Tasnim news agency on Friday.

"Given the importance of the remaining issues and the need to make political decisions, it was agreed that the delegations would return to their capitals for consultation," the source said on condition of anonymity.

"The negotiation process has been generally constructive and forward-looking, and if the opposing parties make the necessary decisions after returning from the capitals, it is possible to move faster toward an agreement," the source added.

The eighth round of negotiations between Iran and other remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), began on Dec. 27, 2021. So far, the United States has been indirectly involved in the Vienna talks because of its pullout from the landmark pact in 2018. 
New Delhi:

Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi will visit India later this month to hold boundary talks and review implementation of key decisions taken at the second informal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, diplomatic sources told PTI on Wednesday.

Indias key concerns relating to the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is also likely to figure prominently in Wangs talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, they said.

The Chinese leader is expected to impress upon India to review its decision to pull out of the RCEP and may offer to address its concerns over the proposed trade pact which could become the worlds biggest free trade deal.

It will be first high-level visit from China after the Modi-Xi informal meet in October as well as after India pulled out of the RCEP following a meeting of the groups leadership in Bangkok recently.

The agenda of Wangs visit will be exhaustive, said a highly-placed source, adding the dates of the trip will be announced shortly.

Sources said Wang is primarily visiting India to hold boundary talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. However, he and Jaishankar will engage in detailed deliberations on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interests.

Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives (SRs) of the two countries for the boundary talks.

Sources said the two sides are likely to review implementation of decisions taken at the second informal summit.

They said Indias core concerns over the RCEP is likely to be discussed during the meeting between Jaishankar and Wang as a number of countries of the grouping were ramping up efforts to bring New Delhi back to the trade bloc.

After years of negotiations, India last month pulled out of the proposed RCEP over unresolved core concerns at a summit of the participating countries, saying the proposed pact in its current form would have adverse impact on lives and livelihoods of all Indians.

During their talks, Wang and Jaishankar will also review implementation of decisions taken at the Modi-Xi summit, sources said.

The significant outcome of the second informal summit included setting up of a new high-level mechanism to boost trade and investment, enhance defence and security cooperation and work on additional confidence building measures.

Wang was to visit India for the SR talks in September but the trip was postponed then.

The two sides have already held over 20 rounds of talks under the framework of SR dialogue which was set up to find an early solution to the border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

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New Delhi:

Nirbhayas parents on Wednesday met Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal and extended their support to her protest demanding the death penalty for the convicts in rape cases within 6 months. Speaking to ANI on the matter, Swati said, I am being told by Delhi police that I can no longer sit at Jantar Mantar, they are shifting me to Raj Ghat, and I am continuing my indefinite strike.

Swati Maliwal sat on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, against the increasing incidents of rape being reported from across the country, demanding strict and swift punishment to the convicts in these cases.

Hundreds of women joined Maliwal in her protest against the gangrape and murder of a young veterinarian in Hyderabad and the brutal rape of a six-year-old girl in Rajasthan.

Maliwal said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding that rapists be hanged within six months of their conviction.

My demand to PM is that we want capital punishment for the rapists of minor and major victims. The accused in the Hyderabad case must be hanged. Last year, I sat on protest and within 10 days, the government made a law that the rapists of minors will get capital punishment within six months, but this did not happen.

I want the PM to implement the law now. I am demanding strict and swift punishment, she said, adding that the process to decide on mercy petitions should be time-bound.

The DCW chief said there is a shortage of 66,000 police officers and 45 fast-track courts in the capital Delhi. We need to enhance the infrastructure for a better implementation of the law.

She claimed she did not receive a single reply from the prime minister to the hundreds of letter she wrote to him as chief of the Delhi Commission for Women.

He should encourage us that we are with you. We are not against the government.

She said the Delhi police denied her permission to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar, but police said they have not rejected her demand.

Police said a letter was sent to DCW seeking details about the nature of the protest, mode of transport, microphone arrangements and the number of protesters expected there, with a copy of an undertaking to be filled according to Supreme Court guidelines.

Those details are awaited, they said.

But Maliwal said, The Delhi police is also not supporting us. We do not have any tent here and it will be difficult for us to spend the night. They are threatening us that they will throw the protestors out by 5 in the evening.

I want to tell Delhi police that we are protesting so that your force will get 66,000 new officers. I am not a criminal, I want your (Delhi police) support and I appeal to the countrymen that they should come out in large number and support us, Maliwal added.

The women supporting Maliwal in the protest shouted slogans to highlight the lack of security women feel in the country. They also raised slogans demanding justice for the Hyderabad veterinarian Udane do parindo ko, phansi do darindo ko, we would not tolerate this anymore, Nirbhaya hum sharminda hai, tere kaatil zinda hai.

We got to know about the protest through media and came to show our support. There must be fear in people: if they do anything against the law, they will be punished, Isha Jaiswal, a college student, said.

Chanchal Solanki, 18 and Class 12 student, said, We want the accused in the Hyderabad gangrape and murder case hanged, or allow the public to punish them.

We have come here to protest against the gangrape and murder of the Hyderabad veterinarian. She was burnt alive and we want to know what was her fault asking for help or stepping out of her house to see a patient? The accused should not be hanged, they must be burnt alive. We do not feel safe and our parents do not allow us to step out of the house after sunset, Rajani Chaudhary, a 19-year-old Delhi University student, said.

The protesters were also holding placards on which their messages and demands were mentioned. One of them asked, Police uncle, are we safe?

We want the government to give justice to the veterinarian and hang the culprits. They won't be spared," Kiran Khattar, a social worker protesting at Jantar Mantar, said.

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New Delhi:

Amid the outrage over the Hyderabads horrific rape and murder of a veterinary doctor, social media is on an overdrive of disinformation. From fake assault reports to linking old news with half-truths, the social media has become web of lies and deceit. One such news doing the rounds is Narendra Modi government passing new law that will award death sentence to the potential rapists. The message, in form of WhatsApp forwards and emails, talks about new rape-deterring law. Finally a new law passed by Modi govt today. As per Indian Penal Code 233. If a girl is suspected to be raped or getting raped, then she has the supreme right to kill the man, injure his sexual part or harm that person as dangerously and girl won't be blamed for murder, the message read.

Alarmed at such disinformation, the Press Bureau of India has issued an explicit clarification, which clearly states that above mentioned information is totally false and baseless. The PIB took to Twitter to issue the clarification. Claim: New law passed - "Section 233 of Indian Penal Code", allowing a potential rapist to be killed Reality: Section 233 deals with counterfeiting of currency. Sections 96 to 100 deal with right of private defence of body and property. Hashtagging it as fake news, the PIB has informed the netizens about the hoax.

However, there is a law that talks about self-defence. According to a report by The News Minute, there is a Right of Private Defence of body in the Indian Constitution and those apprehensive that their lives are in danger can exercise this right. This law  Section 100 of IPC  can be exercised by anyone and not just women.

Section 100 of the IPC states: When the right of private defence of the body extends to causing death.The right of private defence of the body extends, under the restrictions mentioned in the last preceding section, to the voluntary causing of death or of any other harm to the assailant, if the offence which occasions the exercise of the right be of any of the descriptions hereinafter enumerated.

The fake news on Section 233 of the IPC has been circulted in media earlier too. A similar message was spread in 2013, and again in 2015.

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New Delhi:

The contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there, is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 9. The Citizenship Bill, which was cleared by the Cabinet on Wednesday, will be taken up for passage the next day, official sources said. It will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after being dealt with by the Lower House of Parliament.

Its passage in the Lok Sabha is all but certain due to the massive majority the BJP and its allies have, and the Union government is confident of its passage in the Rajya Sabha as well with the support of several non-aligned regional parties which have often joined the treasury benches in the past. To ensure the smooth passage, the BJP has issued a which asking its Parliamentarians to be present in huge numbers in the House.

Meanwhile, several Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha led by the Congress held a meeting to firm up their strategy on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which is likely to be tabled in Lok Sabha next week, sources said on Thursday.

The meeting of senior Rajya Sabha members of Opposition parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, CPI and CPI(M) was held in Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azads chamber.

Congress sources said party chief Sonia Gandhi will discuss with senior party leaders the partys strategy on the bill, and will also hold discussions with like-minded parties over the next few days.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the party will oppose the bill aimed at providing citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Congress party is against any form of discrimination against anybody in this country. So anybody who discriminates against anybody who is Indian, we are against them. That is our line. We believe that India belongs to everybodyall communities, all religions, all cultures, Gandhi told reporters in Kozhikode.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh alleged that the CAB is an attempt of the BJP to hide its sin of National Register of Citizens (NRC).

NRC is a very big failure of the BJP in which 11 lakh Hindus, nearly 3 lakh people from UP and Bihar and 3 lakh Muslims have been excluded. So in our own country these people have been made foreigners and they will be kept in detention centres, he claimed.

It is a conspiracy to target people from UP, Bihar specially in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi. It is their (BJP) mega plan and CAB is just a drama to shoo away people of Bihar and UP from other states, claimed Singh, who attended the meeting in Azads chamber.

With PTI Inputs

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New Delhi:

Morris Garages has unveiled the production-spec version of electric compact SUV - ZS. The British auto brand is leaving no stone unturned in creating a hype around the electric vehicle which is slated to be launched in January 2020. There is hardly any competition in India when it comes to electric vehicles, but the China-based SAIC Motor-owned British carmaker is still working on making the model the best in its class. This is only the second electric vehicle, after Hyundais Kona, to be launched in the Indian market. The ZS EV, the 'pure electric internet SUV', has been especially modified to make it compatible for Indian roads. MG Motor India President and Managing Director Rajeev Chaba claimed the vehicle has been tested successfully through mud and over rough terrain at different weather conditions for a hundred thousand kilometers. The vehicle will be initially available in five cities - Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Bangalore - and sales will start in January 2020.

Adopting a very unconventional way of promotion, MG Motors has urged car-lovers to go for both technical specifications and, most importantly, its pollution-curbing features. Apart from being the largest and spacious, as claimed by the company, the vehicle is said to be the best electric vehicle in B-segment. At the unveiling event, Chaba claimed that the EV ZS is 'efficient, comfortable, reliable and affordable.' However, only the time would tell how affordable India's first pure electric internet SUV is going to be as the company is yet to disclose the price. Though, reports suggest that it would be priced in the range of Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

READ MORE | MG Motor India Installs First Fast-Charging Station For Electric Vehicles In Gurugram

Battery and performance:

The MG ZS EV variant, which will be available only in India, is powered by a 44.5 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack with the IP67 motor which is powerful enough to touch 0-100 kilometres per hour (kph) in just 8.5 seconds. The vehicle is powered by a synchronous motor that belts out 143 PS power and 353 Nm of peak torque. The battery pack comes with IP67 protection which makes it water-resistant up to level of 1 metre and also dust protection. Batteries have been designed to offer thermal management for Indian cities where temperatures can go up to 50 Degrees Celsius during a hot summer afternoon. The ZS electric SUV is claimed to offer a ride of up to 340km on one full charge and it is ARAI certified range.

7.4 kW AC home charger for daily or overnight charging. It can fully charge your vehicle in 6-8 hours.

The battery of EV ZS is reusable as it would still retain enough capacity to service second life functions. MG Motor India has partnered with Exicom Tele-Systems for this purpose.

Charging:

Where and how I will charge my ZS EV? is something that would come to the mind of every individual before buying this electric vehicle. To address the key concern of the customers, MG Motor has partnered with EXICOM and Delta Electronics to develop an ecosystem for charging. MG Motor is offering a 5-way charging infrastructure with the electric vehicle. These are:

- An onboard charging capable will be provided with every ZE EV that can be simply plugged in any standard three-pin 15 Amp power socket.

- 7.4 kW AC home charger for daily or overnight charging. It can fully charge your vehicle in 6-8 hours.

- 50 kW DC fast charger is being installed at select dealership across the country and will be available for the customers 24X7. It is capable of charging ZS EV to 80 per cent in less than an hour.

- The carmaker is setting up an extended charging network along key routes in satellite cities.

- The company will also provide charge on the go facility  a roadside assistance programme to help charge your car when it is running out of charge at some deserted location.

READ MORE | MG Motor India partners with Fortum to install EV charging stations

In terms of dimension, the ZS EV is 4314 mm long, 1809 mm wide, and 1620 mm tall.

Key Features:

As mentioned in the beginning, ZS EV is an internet SUV that is enabled by iSmart EV 2.0 and the company claims that this system is better than the Hector, the first vehicle of MG Motor that made inroads in India earlier this year. This comes with internet car features enabled by CISCO, unlimit, Airtel, Microsoft, NUANCE, gaana, OTA, TOMTOM, and AccuWeather. MG Motor claims that ZS EV would be equipped with never seen before features but that are essential for driving an electric car. It connects to external Wi-Fi connections, including your home network and mobile hotspot. The other key features are a CO2 saver display, charging station finder with voice support, real-time car charging status. It also has an inbuilt PM 2.5 air filter that can bring bad air quality level of up to 300 AQI down to regular levels in just 35 mins. ZS comes with a sky roof, much bigger than the panoramic roof.

Exterior and Interior

In terms of dimension, the ZS EV is 4314 mm long, 1809 mm wide, and 1620 mm tall. The wheelbase of this electric vehicle is 2579 mm, which means it will have a decent space to offer. On the design front, it has a bold and distinctive styling than can catch several eyeballs. It has a blacked-out, boat-shaped front grille with 'MG' logo at the centre and charging port behind it. LED DRLs, creases on the bonnet, silver-toned roofrail, plastic cladding on the lower half of the SUV, and side profile are some of the things that give a very upmarket feeling.

In the interiors, the sub-4.5 metre SUV has an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, USB mobile charging function, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, Bluetooth functionality, and rearview parking camera among others.
Bengaluru:

The crucial byelections to 15 assembly constituencies in Karnataka that will determine the fate of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government will be held on Thursday amid concerns of political parties of a possible low voter turnout. Polling will be held between 7 am to 6 pm on Thursday in the 15 constituencies where a total of 37.78 lakh electors are eligible to cast their votes and all arrangements have been made for the exercise, officials said.

The byelections are being held to fill the vacancies caused by the disqualification of 17 rebel Congress and JDS MLAs, whose rebellion led to the collapse of the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July and paved the way for the BJP to come to power.

The BJP needs to win at least six of the seats to remain in majority in the 225-member assembly (including the Speaker, who has a casting vote), which would still have two vacant seats -- Maski and RR Nagar.

In the assembly with the current strength of 208 after the disqualifications, the BJP has 105 MLAs (including an independent), the Congress 66 and the JD(S) has 34 MLAs. There is also one BSP member, a nominated member and the Speaker.

Thirteen of the disqualified MLAs have been fielded by the BJP after they joined the party last month following the Supreme Court allowing them to contest the bypolls. During the campaign, the BJP sought votes for "stability", while the Congress and JD(S) urged the electorate to defeat the disqualified legislators responsible for the collapse of their coalition government in July.

Among 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JD(S).

BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators as its candidates from their respective constituencies from where they had won in the 2018 assembly elections on Congress and JDS tickets.

A total number of 165 candidates -- 156 men and 9 women -- are in the fray.

Among the major political parties, while the BJP and the Congress are contesting all the 15 seats while the JD(S) has fielded candidates in 12.

The going to bypolls are: Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagar, Chikballapur, KR Puram, Yeshwanthpur, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagar, Hoskote, KR Pet and Hunsur.

Speculations are rife about the Congress and the JD(S) not being averse to joining hands once again to form a coalition government in case the BJP fails to garner the required number of seats to stay in majority.

Political parties and officials were of the view that there is a general feeling among public at large against the bypolls and political developments that led to it and this might affect the turnout.

In any by-election voter turnout will be low, it is not surprising but it cannot be said it will affect or benefit any particular party, because, if the turnout is low, across the constituencies it will be low, a senior BJP functionary said.

A senior Congress office-bearer too said the voter turnout was expected to be low according to the party's internal analysis.

However, he said, despite low voter turnout, it would be advantage the Congress as most of those who will come to vote this time will be those who want to defeat the disqualified.

The voice and sentiments are against the disqualified, so it will benefit us," he claimed. He also said there were chances of core BJP supporters 'displeased' with tickets being given to outsiders (the disqualified MLAs) staying away from mobilising voters and this would also help the Congress.

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has urged the voters to come out and vote in large numbers as it was their right.

Only if there is 80-85 per cent voter turnout it will give a meaning to democratic system. As there is holiday in 15 constituencies going for polls, I request the electorate to come out and vote, he said.

The Election Commission and police have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the bypolls in all the 15 constituencies.

According to election officials, a total of 37,77,970 electors, including 18,42,027 women, are eligible to cast their votes in 4,185 polling stations in the bypolls. There are also 4,711 service voters.

Out of total 42,509 personnel deployed for election management, 19,299 are polling personnel. As many as 11,241 personnel from state police and 2,511 Central Armed Police

Forces (CAPF) would be on security duty. Polling officials said 884 polling stations have been marked critical and 414 stations will be manned by CAPF.

The bypolls were earlier slated for October 21, but the EC had deferred them to December 5 after the apex court decided to hear the petitions of the disqualified MLAs.
New Delhi:

Kamala Harris, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, has told the US president that she will see him at his impeachment trial after he mocked the Indian-origin Senator for abruptly withdrawing from the 2020 presidential race.The 55-year-old Democratic White House hopeful announced on Tuesday that she is withdrawing from the crowded presidential race, citing financial woes to sustain her campaign.

Im not a billionaire. I cant fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, its become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete, she said in a post on online publishing platform Medium. Harris, once seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party, could not cement her position in the top tier of candidates alongside Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. President Trump, a Republican, has announced that he would seek re-election next year.

Reacting to her abrupt withdrawal, President Trump, now in the UK to attend the NATO Summit, tweeted, Too bad. We will miss you Kamala! Not to be outdone, the California Senator replied, Dont worry, Mr. President. Ill see you at your trial.

The Opposition Democrats are gunning for President Trumps impeachment and removal from office. The Democrats say they have overwhelming evidence for impeaching Trump for misconduct in office since he placed personal political interests above the national interests of the United States.

The Democrats-led House Intelligence Committee, spearheading the impeachment inquiry on Tuesday said President Trump undermined US national security by trying to solicit foreign interference from Ukraine to help his 2020 re-election bid.

But Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and has described the ongoing Democrats-led impeachment inquiry as a witch-hunt.

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Lt Col John R. Albright, USAF (Ret), of Dunkirk, Maryland, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2022, in his home, surrounded by loved ones.



Born in 1928, John was raised in New Jersey and Connecticut with his brother and two sisters. After attending High School in Connecticut, he enlisted in the Army and served in the 19th Infantry Regiment in the Army of Occupation, Japan.



He received an honorable discharge and returned to New Jersey to attend Newark College of Engineering (currently, known as NJIT).



In June of 1952, John received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, a regular commission as a second Lieutenant in the Unites States Air Force, an assignment to pilot training and married Elenore Felber of Maplewood, New Jersey. He and Elenore had gone to Saint Joseph's Grade School together (Elenore was two years behind him and a classmate of his sister.) Their marriage was blessed with seven children, Jack (Laura), Terry (Freddy) DiZebba, Ann (Zubair) Habib, Jim (Irma), Margaret (Dan Matthews), Joe and Julie, 18 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren.



During his 25 years in the Air Force, John was stationed in West Palm Beach, Florida, for five years flying B-50's and completed four 6-month deployments - two to Alaska and two to Philippines. He entered the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1960 and graduated in 1962 with a Master of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He served as Director for Test and Deployment in the XB-70 System Program Office in Dayton, Ohio, and then as Chief of Engineering for the Air Force A 7D Aircraft in the joint Navy/Air Force Program Management Office in Washington, D.C. His next assignment was as a forward Air Controller and Air Liaison Officer in Vietnam flying the O-1 Aircraft from August 1968 to August 1969. Upon his return from Vietnam, he was assigned to the Pentagon and subsequently to Air Force Systems Command at Andrews Air Force Base, from which he retired in 1977.



In 1977 he began his career with Veridian-then known as Veda. His first assignment was to write a manual on FMS Pre-Case for the F-14 Class Desk. During the next 20 plus years, he held several additional positions supporting the F-14 and the F/A-18.



John taught CCD at Holy Spirit Church from the 1970-72. He was a Special Minister of the Eucharist for eight years at Holy Spirit Church. President of the Fathers' Club of Bishop McNamara High School and a member of their Board of Directors.



John joined the Knights of Columbus in 1959 in Albany, Georgia and transferred into Saint Pius X Council in Forestville, MD in 1970. He received his Fourth Degree and became a charter member of Bishop Walsh Assembly. He immediately became active and served as Purser and then went through the Chairs of Assembly. He began his service in St. Pius X serving coffee and ice-cream at the Boys and Girls dinners. He proceeded to Council Activities Director and Oktoberfest Chairman and rose through the Chairs, becoming Grand Knight in 1977.



John served three years as District Deputy before being appointed Master of the Fourth Degree for Maryland District 2 (now the Washington Archdiocese District) from 1984-1988. In 1988 John was elected State Warden of Maryland, worked through the State Officer Positions and was elected State Deputy in June 1996.



In 2000, John and Elenore moved into their empty nest retirement home in Dunkirk, Maryland. There they enjoyed the visits of their children, grandchildren,and great grandchildren. They also enjoyed the beauty and peacefulness of their wooded lot, viewed best from the deck, with a cup of coffee. John was proud to have a home large enough to host all the family holiday parties.



John was predeceased by the love of his life, Elenore; his parents, William, and Gertrude; his brother, Bill; his sisters Mary Greenwald and TrudyKohaut; his sister-in-law Irene Felber; his brothers- in- law Bob and Joe Felber, Doug Mohrhauser, Bob Greenwald, and John Kohaut; a granddaughter, Daniah; and son-in-law Fred DiZebba.



John would not want anyone to put themselves at risk of getting Covid so for those who are uncomfortable in public gatherings the service will be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/c/JesustheGoodShepherdCatholicCommunity



The family welcomes all who wish to come, but asks that everyone please mask and respect social distancing.



Visitation will be on Tuesday February 1stat 10 am, followed by the funeral Mass at 11:30 at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 1601 W Mt Harmony Road, Owings, Maryland 20736.



Burial service with Military Honors will be at Jesus Good Shepherd Cemetery, February 3, at 10:30.

John enjoyed his hot coffee and chilled Guinness. Please raise a toast to him- with hot coffee, a Guinness, or whatever your favorite beverage.

.

In lieu of flowers you may send donations in his memory to:

Disabled American Vets Charitable Service Trust: https://cst.dav.org/

Knights of Columbus Charities: https://www.kofc.org/en/charities/knights-of-charity.html

Alzheimer's Association, https://act.alz.org/, Home Office 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.



The family requests masking and social distancing.



The family hopes to host a celebration of life in early summer for friends to remember and honor John's legacy.




Gurgaon:

Police have busted a fake call centre in Haryana's Gurgaon district and arrested 14 people, including eight women, for allegedly duping unemployed youths on the pretext of getting them jobs in multinational companies, an official said on Wednesday.

A team of cyber cell on Tuesday raided the call centre, 'Anasdivi Infotech Pvt Ltd', in Spazedge Tower in Sohna and recovered two laptops, 10 mobile phones, 10 sim cards and over Rs 1,50,000 in cash from the spot, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Gurgaon police, Subhash Bokan said.

The matter came to light when a complaint was lodged against the fake call centre on July 15 by one Rahul Kaushik after he was duped by the accused, he said. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they obtained contact details of unemployed youngsters from an online job portal, Bokan added.

The women in the group used to call the young job seekers and offer them guaranteed jobs at big firms. The victims were then asked to upload their resume on a website, 'Carreerzap.in', so that "experts" could modify them, Bokan said.

After gaining confidence of the job seekers, the woman used to ask them to deposit fee for the services through a payment gateway, he said. Once the money was transferred, the accused used to take down the website, Bokan said.

The fake company duped people from February to October this year but shut down its operations after they started getting several calls for refund, he said. Recently they opened their new office in Sohna and started a new website, careersbuzz.in, Bokan said. Efforts are on to get their bank details and ascertain the number of people who have been cheated, the PRO said.
New Delhi:

Four soldiers were killed in two separate incidents of snow avalanches near the Line of Control in north Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday. An Army post in Tangdhar area of Kupwara district was hit by an avalanche on Tuesday afternoon, trapping at least four soldiers, they said. The officials said bodies of three soldiers were recovered on Wednesday, while one soldier was rescued alive. In another incident, a foot patrol of the Army was hit by an avalanche in Dawar area of Gurez sector of Bandipora district, trapping two soldiers. While one of them was rescued alive, the body of the other soldier was recovered during search operations, the officials said.

On November 30, two Indian Army personnel were killed after an avalanche hit their patrol at an altitude of about 18,000 feet in southern Siachen glacier in the Union Territory of Ladakh , a defence spokesperson said. An Army patrol operating at an altitude of approximately 18,000 feet in Southern Siachen Glacier was hit by an avalanche, Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.

Earlier on November 18, four Indian Army personnel and two civilian porters were killed in an avalanche in the northern part of the Siachen Glacier.

The Siachen Glacier at the height of around 20,000 ft in the Karakoram range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where the soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds. Avalanches and landslides are common at the glacier during winters with temperatures often dropping to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.

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New Delhi:

Amid the growing rage over the rising crime against women, Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Ranvendra Pratap Singh on Thursday said that 100 per cent assurance on crime cant be given in a society. "When there is a society, one can't give 100 per cent assurance that crime wont take place. I dont think so Lord Rama would have been able to give 100 per cent assurance," the minister is heard saying in Hindi in a video shared by news agency ANI.

"However, there is surety that if a crime has been committed, the person behind it will be punished and put behind bars," he added.

The remarks of the minister were in reference to the recent incident in Unnao, where a rape victim was set a blaze while she was on her way to court to file an FIR against the accused. The victim is still battling with her life and was moved from Lucknow to Delhi for the treatment.

Slamming the Yogi Adityanath government over the incident, the Opposition Congress said that a jungleraj was prevailing in the state. "It is strange that even after such heinous cases, the BJP government is patting its back. The accused, who were in jail, come out and commit another crime. No one is safe in the state," UPCC chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said, adding that the Congress was standing firmly with the victims of such incidents and would fight for them from the House to the streets.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi also launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the law-and-order situation in the state. "Yesterday the home minister of the country and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister clearly lied that law and order in Uttar Pradesh has become better. Seeing such incidents everyday angers the mind. BJP leaders should now come out of false propaganda," she said in a tweet.

The Congress general secretary also tagged a news report of the incident, wherein the rape survivor from Unnao was allegedly set ablaze early on Thursday morning by five men. In another tweet, she said, "Hurt by the news of health of the Unnao victim. Pray to God that the victim gains health soon."

"The BJP government's statement of yesterday was that all is well in UP. Today another statement has come. But it is the responsibility of the CM and UP government to issue false statements and false propaganda," she added.

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New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram walked out of the Tihar jail in New Delhi on Wednesday night after spending 106 days in prison in the INX Media money-laundering case. Several Congress workers greeted the former Union minister after he stepped out of the prison. Earlier in the day, Chidambaram was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the INX Media money laundering case.

Waking out of the jail, Chidambaram said: "After 106 days of incarceration, not one charge was framed against me."

Even before Chidambaram's release, his supporters had gathered outside gate no 3 of the prison, bringing traffic to a standstill on the stretch. Chidambaram's son Karti who was waiting outside the jail said he was elated as his father was all set to return home after 106 days.

"It has been a long wait. I am very grateful that the Supreme Court has given him bail. I am very grateful to entire top Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who have supported him through all this," he told reporters.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice R Banumathi, granted bail to the 74-year-old former Union finance minister, who has been in custody since August 21 when he was arrested by the CBI in the INX-Media corruption case. The Enforcement Directorate had arrested him on October 16 in the money laundering case.

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New Delhi:

Out of jail after months, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday teared into the Narendra Modi government over the poor state of economy. In a no holds barred attack, Chidambaram said that the "catastrophic mistakes like demonetisation, flawed GST, tax terrorism, regulatory overkill, protectionism, and centralized control of decision-making in the PMO" were behind the current economic mess but the Modi government was still clueless about it.

After Chidambarams salvo, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar alleged that he violated bail conditions by claiming that clear track record as minister as the case against him is about corruption during his tenure.

The former finance minister, who has been in custody for 106 days in the INX media case, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on the condition that he will not give "any press interviews" or make "any public comment" in connection with the case regarding him or the other co-accused.

"Chidambaram violated bail conditions by claiming clear record as minister as case against him is about graft during his tenure," Javadekar told reporters on Thursday.

.@PChidambaram_IN aa aa aaaAAaaa aaAAaYaaYaaaaY aaaa aaaa aa aaa aaAAaaAAaaa aaaaAAaY aa aaa aaaAAaaa aa aaaAAaaaa aaaaa@INCIndia leader P Chidambaram, who was released on bail in corruption case yesterday has violated the conditions of bail on which Supreme Court had released him#PChidambaram pic.twitter.com/SiKcfOZEpO  Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) December 5, 2019

At the start of his presser, Chidambaram had said that he will not be making any comments about the case involving him and added: "My record as Minister and my conscience are absolutely clear. Officers who have worked with me, business persons who have interacted with me and journalists who have observed me know that very well."

While setting aside the November 15 verdict of the Delhi High Court denying him bail in the case, a bench headed by Justice R Banumathi had Wednesday said Chidambaram will have to make himself available for interrogation during further probe as and when required by the ED. The bench, also comprising justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, said Chidambaram "shall not tamper with evidence or attempt to intimidate or influence the witnesses" and not leave the country without specific orders of trial court.

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New Delhi:

On December 4 every year, India celebrates Navy Day in commemoration of Operation Trident, the attack launched by the Indian Navy on Karachi harbour during 1971's Indo-Pakistan war. Well, December 4 is a remembrance day to those who guard our nation by considering waves as a challenge without bothering for their own lives. These brave security personnel keep an eye on the enemys activities in the waters. Navy personnel are always ahead to sail the oceans and carry the passion of patriotism in hearts. The occasion Navy day reminds us of the sacrifices they have made for Mother India by giving up their lives, the sacrifices they have made by leaving their loved ones back. It is the day to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country.

As mentioned earlier, Navy Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the courageous attack on the Karachi harbour during the Indo-Pakistan war (on December 4, 1971) by the Indian Naval Missile ships as well as to reverence all the martyrs of that war. Navy Day is celebrated using a particular theme of the year for making it more powerful and potent. A few years ago, a film named "The Ghazi Attack" was released which is based on the Indian Navy's brave attack on Pakistan's Submarine Ghazi during the Indo Pak War of 1971.

On this proud occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and many other top ministers greeted the Naval Force.

Take a look:

On Navy Day, my good wishes to all officers and men and women of the Indian Navy.



Nation is proud of your commitment in protecting our maritime frontiers, securing our trade routes, and providing assistance in times of civil emergencies.



May you ever rule the waters. Jai Hind!  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 4, 2019

I convey my warm greetings and best wishes to #Navy personnel and their families on #NavyDay2019 Day. I join the nation in saluting their patriotism, valor, and commitment. pic.twitter.com/uZnc2r6eBW  Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) December 4, 2019

On Navy Day, we salute our courageous navy personnel. Their valuable service and sacrifice have made our nation stronger and safer. pic.twitter.com/AVe6rMIZkF  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 4, 2019

On the Navy Day, I convey my best wishes and greetings to all the @indiannavy personnel and their families.



The nation has unwavering faith and pride in the Indian Navy. It is the manifestation of Indias maritime power. We salute their indomitable courage and valour.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 4, 2019

It is worth mentioning here that the Indian Navy is the marine branch of the Indian Armed Forces and the President of India is its Commander-in-Chief. Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhosle, Maratha emperor, is considered as 'Father of the Indian Navy'.

Indian Navy plays an important role in securing the marine borders of the country as well as enhancing the international relations of India through seaport visits, joint exercises, humanitarian missions, calamity relief and so on.

Also Read: Navy Forces Suspicious Chinese Ship To Return From Indian Waters

The Navy also organises a Beating Retreat ceremony at Gateway of India in Mumbai on the eve of the Navy Day. The Indian Naval Band performs across places between Gateway of India and Radio Club in Mumbai. The Indian Navy warships and aircraft are open to visitors, especially school children.

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New Delhi:

US President Donald Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani returned to Ukraine Wednesday, shrugging off the scandal over seeking dirt from Kiev on rival Democrats. In a tweet, Giuliani wrote that he was working on an important project with @OANN, aimed at exposing what he said was information covered up by hearings conducted by Democratic Party impeachment chief Adam Schiff.

According to the New York Times, Giuliani, who is the former mayor of New York, was meeting with former Ukrainian prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, a central figure in the impeachment case Democrats are building against Trump.

He was also planning to meet with two other ex-prosecutors, Viktor Shokin and Kostiantyn Kulyk.

Giuliani has approached all three over the past year to aid Trumps effort to find dirt on Democrats, especially former vice president Joe Biden, who could face the president in next years election.

Trumps July 25 call with Ukraines president is at the centre of the House impeachment probe, which is looking into Trumps pressure on Ukraine to investigate political rivals as he held back nearly USD 400 million.

On Wednesday, a key Congressional committee from the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has alleged Donald Trump abused his power of office, in a report based on its impeachment hearings against the president. "The evidence is clear that President Trump used the power of his office to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and a debunked conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 election," said chairs of the three House Committees after the release of a report.

The White House dismissed the report and slammed the House Democrats.

At the end of a one-sided sham process, Chairman Schiff and the Democrats utterly failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by President Trump, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.

This report reflects nothing more than their frustrations. Chairman Schiffs report reads like the ramblings of a basement blogger straining to prove something when there is evidence of nothing, Grisham said.

The three lawmakers alleged that evidence is clear that after his scheme to secure foreign help in his reelection was uncovered, Trump engaged in categorical and unprecedented obstruction in order to cover-up his misconduct.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The countrys largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it will hike prices of its vehicles from January to offset rising input costs. Other car manufacturers such as Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra and Mercedes-Benz said they are also contemplating a similar move.

Hyundai Motor India and Honda Cars India, however, said they will not increase vehicle prices in January, but their products will see rise in prices when BS-VI compliant models are introduced in the market. Taking the first step for the year-end price hike announcements, Maruti Suzuki India said in a regulatory filing that over the past year the cost of companys vehicles has been impacted adversely due to increase in various input costs.

Hence, it has become imperative for the company to pass on some impact of the above additional cost to customers through a price increase across various models in January 2020, it added. This price increase shall vary for different models, the company said. Currently, the company sells a range of vehicles starting from entry-level small car Alto to premium multi-purpose vehicle XL6 with price ranging from Rs 2.89 lakh to Rs 11.47 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Deputy Managing Director N Raja also said that the company is working out details to offset rising input costs by passing it to customers. We are in discussion for a January timeline for the price increase. We will be reviewing prices along with the model year change and we will look at price increase, he told PTI.

When asked for details, he said, We are just finalising. It will be more to offset input costs which has happened over the last six months. For BS-VI vehicles, he said price increase will be more timed with their introduction in the market. Mahindra & Mahindra also said it is reviewing the prices of its vehicles. We are contemplating a price hike during early January. However, a final decision will be taken closer to the end of the current month, a company spokesperson said.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz also said the company is mulling over a similar price increase. If input costs go up, you have to deal with that. So we will also potentially look at how to manage that. It is possible that we do something. We have not decided but it will depend on our cost reviews, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director & CEO Martin Schwenk said when asked if the company was planning a price hike in January.

On the other hand, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) spokesperson said the company has no plans at the moment for a price hike in January. Similarly, Honda Cars India Senior Vice-President and Director, Marketing and Sales, Rajesh Goel said, We do not have a price increase plan from January. Going forward, as we sequentially introduce BS-VI versions of our products, the relevant BS-VI prices will be applicable and the ongoing offers available on BS-IV versions might not be extended to BS-VI versions.

Recently, the Indian automaker achieved a milestone of 20 million passenger vehicle sales in India. The company accomplished this landmark number in less than 37 years of selling its first car on December 14,1983, when it first rolled out the iconic Maruti 800, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement.

The company said while it crossed 10 million vehicle sales in nearly 29 years, the next 10 million passenger vehicles were sold in a record time of 8 years. Commenting on the milestone, MSI Managing Director & CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said, We are overwhelmed with this new record.

It along with its parent, Suzuki Motor Corporation, plans to introduce a small EV for the Indian market. Currently, it is road testing 50 electric Vehicle prototypes across the country to check their real-life performance in multiple terrains and varied climatic conditions, it added.

(With inputs from PTI)
Bengaluru:

The crucial byelection to 15 Karnataka assembly constituencies that would have a bearing on the stability of the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government saw an estimated 66.49 per cent voter turnout on Thursday and was by and large peaceful. After a slow pace in the first half of the day since polling began at 7 am with only 33 per cent till 1.30 pm, voting picked up later in the day though it was below the percentage recorded in the assembly elections in 2018.

The four constituencies in the city clocked poor voter turn outs. Officials said an estimated 66.49 per cent of the 37.78 lakh eligible electors cast their votes in the 15 segments till 6 pm. The figure was likely to go up as at some places people standing in queues at close were allowed to vote.

According to the figures available, the highest turnout of 90.44 per cent was recorded in Hosakote while the lowest of 43.25 per cent at KR Puram here. Citys three other constituencies too have recorded comparatively lower turnout, Mahalakshi Layout 50.92 per cent, Shivajinagar 44.60, Yeshwanthpura 54.13 per cent.

Turnout in other constituencies are: Athani- 75.23 per cent, Kagwad 76.27, Gokak 73.08, Yellapur 77.52, Hirekerur 78.63, Ranebennur 73.53, Vijayanagara 64.95, Chikkaballapura 86.40, K R Pete 80, and Hunsur- 80.71, officials said.

The byelections are being held to fill the vacancies caused by the disqualification of 17 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs, whose revolt led to the collapse of the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July and paved the way for the BJP to come to power.

The BJP needs to win at least six of the seats to remain in majority in the 225-member assembly (including the Speaker, who has a casting vote), which would still have two vacant seatsMaski and RR Nagar.

In the Assembly with the current strength of 208 after the disqualifications, the BJP has 105 MLAs (including an independent), the Congress 66 and the JD(S) has 34 MLAs. There is also one BSP member, a nominated member and the Speaker.

While the BJP exuded confidence that the people will vote in favour of the party for stability and development, the Congress and JD(S) are optimistic that the voters will defeat the defectors, who have been disqualified and are now the ruling party candidates.

BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators, who joined the party following the Supreme Court allowing them to contest the bypolls, as its candidates from their respective constituencies from where they had won in the 2018 assembly elections on Congress and JD(S) tickets.

While in most of the constituencies that went for the bypolls there was direct contest between Congress and BJP, in the southern parts of the state JD(S) comes into the picture, making it a triangular fight.

In Hosakote however, BJP rebel and independent candidate supported by JD(S) Sharth Bachegowda is a key factor.

Speculations are rife about Congress and JD(S) not being averse to joining hands once again to form a coalition government in case the BJP fails to garner the required number of seats to stay in majority.

Besides Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, whose governments future is at stake, the bypoll results are crucial for CLP leader Siddaramaiah who faced growing discotent against his unilateral style of functioning and selection of candidates for the polls.

The poll outcome is also keenly awaited by JD(S) Kumaraswamy who aims to keep his party flock together amid threats of further internal bickering. Among 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JD(S). A total of 4,185 polling stations were set up in the 15constituencies.

The fate of 165 candidates -- 156 men and ninewomen were sealed in the voting machines. While BJP and Congress had 15 candidates each in the fray, the number of JD(S) candidates was 12. Remaining were all from smaller parties and independents.

Bypolls have been by and large peaceful, barring some stray incidents of arguments between workers of political parties and with police at some places like in Hunsur, officials said. Tension prevailed in Hunsur after a Police Inspector allegedly asked MLA C Anil and his supporters to move away from the polling centre.

There were reports of electronic voting machines malfunctioning due to technical problems in some places like Singayyanapalya in KR Pura, Athani and Hunsur among others, but they were set right and voting resumed, officials said. Senior citizens and differently-abled citizens came out in good numbers to cast their votes at several places.

The bypolls were earlier slated for October 21 but the Election Commission had deferred them to December 5 in view of then pendency of petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the disqualification of the 17 MLAs. The apex court last month allowed them to contest the bypolls, while upholding their disqualification by the then Assembly speaker.

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New Delhi:

The 15th edition of India's biennial flagship automobile show, Auto Expo, will be held from February 5-12 next year with many Chinese companies set to make their debut. While the likes of Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors will continue to make their presence felt, notable absentees from the expo will be Honda, BMW and Ford among others.

As per schedule shared by the organisers Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) and industry body CII, the motor show will be open to public from February 7-12, 2020.

While February 5 will be reserved for exclusive media preview, February 6 will be reserved for official inaugural ceremony besides preview for media and special guests.

According to industry sources companies from China such as Great Wall Motor Company and First Automotive Works (FAW) will participate for the first time along with MG Motors India. They will share the stage with Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, M&M, Tata Motors and Kia among others.

After skipping the 2018 edition, Skoda and Volkswagen brand will also make a comeback at the expo. Notable absentees from the expo are Honda, which has decided to skip the event with its future product disclosure timing not matching with the expo, BMW and Ford.

Audi, Lexus, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover are also reportedly not participating in the Auto Expo 2020.
In November 2021 Tom Cruise interviewed NASA astronaut Victor Glover during the World Extreme Medicine conference to talk about how the human body behaves in space. The one hour interview is fun and informative.

When a Hollywood star needs to know how being in weightlessness really effects the human body, who does he ask? If it's Tom Cruise doing the asking, the answer is NASA astronaut Victor Glover, recently returned from a long-duration mission to the International Space Station. In this rebroadcast of a November 2021 conversation during the World Extreme Medicine conference, the two get into the details of how people in space adapt to microgravity in both daily activities and dynamic events, as well as their shared interest in fast planes and cool movies (starring guess who!)

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
New Delhi:

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 is likely to be tabled on Monday in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to give citizenship to all non-Muslim immigrants facing persecution in the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Citizenship Bill was cleared by the Cabinet on Wednesday to be tabled in Parliament. BJP has asked its Parliamentarians to be present in huge numbers in the House to support the Bill for smooth passage.

According to the sources, the bill be up for discussion on Tuesday after the introduction on Monday.

The government on Wednesday approved the Personal Data Protection Bill which proposes a penalty of up to Rs 15 crore and up to three-year jail term for company executives for violating privacy norms.

The bill also mandates storage of critical data of individuals by internet companies within the country while sensitive data can be transferred overseas only after explicit consent of the data owner, a source said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the bill has been approved by the Cabinet and will be introduced in Parliament during the current Winter Session.

The bill has been drafted following a Supreme Court judgement in August 2017 that declared Right to Privacy a fundamental right.

The need for a strong personal data protection regime was further highlighted by the apex court in its judgement in September 2018 in which it held Aadhaar as a constitutionally valid scheme but struck down some provisions in the Aadhaar Act.

Giving details about the provisions of the bill, the source said that all internet companies will have to mandatorily store critical data of individuals within the country. However, they can transfer sensitive data overseas after explicit consent of the data owner to process it only for purposes permissible under the proposed legislation.

Critical data will be defined by the government from time to time. Data related to health, religious or political orientation, biometrics, genetic, sexual orientation, health, financial etc have been identified as sensitive data.

A penalty of up to Rs 15 crore or 4 per cent of an entitys global revenue will be imposed on the entity found guilty of a major violation under the Bill, the source said.

For minor violations, the bill proposes a penalty of Rs 5 crore or 2 per cent of the global turnover. It also has the provision of jail term for officers of the entity that is found breaching provisions under the bill.

A companys executive in-charge of conduct of the data business would face a jail term of up to three years if found guilty of knowingly matching anonymous data with publicly available information to find out the identity of an individualcalled as re-identify de-identified data in technical parlance, the source said.

Social media companies will be required to come up with a mechanism to identify users on their platform who are willing to be identified on a voluntary basis.

Under the provision, a social media fiduciary will have to give users on its platform an option to get verified. It will be voluntary for individuals if they want to get verified or not, the source said.

The bill has provisions to grant the right to be forgotten to data owners as well as right to erase, correct and porting of data.

The Bill will encourage entities to start processing data in India and with a high level of data consumption, the country is expected to become one of the worlds biggest centre of data refinery. The Bill allows processing of data for lawful purpose only, the source said.

The Bill exempts processing of personal data in case of national security issues, court order etc.

Any data which can identify an individual has been defined as personal data. While all entities will need to obtain the explicit consent of the data owner, in some cases like the security of the state, providing relief in case of a medical emergency, detection of unlawful activity, whistleblowing etc an explicit consent may not be required, the source said.

The Bill mandates entities in the business of data processing to register with the government as data fiduciary for the purpose of data processing.

The government will have the right to direct data fiduciary to share anonymised or non-personal data for better targeting of service, policymaking, relief work, etc, the source said.

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New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump abused his power of office, a key Congressional committee from the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has alleged in a report based on its impeachment hearings against the president. "The evidence is clear that President Trump used the power of his office to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and a debunked conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 election," said chairs of the three House Committees after the release of a report on Tuesday.

Trumps July 25 call with Ukraines president is at the centre of the House impeachment probe, which is looking into Trumps pressure on Ukraine to investigate political rivals as he held back nearly USD 400 million.

The White House dismissed the report and slammed the House Democrats.

At the end of a one-sided sham process, Chairman Schiff and the Democrats utterly failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by President Trump, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.

This report reflects nothing more than their frustrations. Chairman Schiffs report reads like the ramblings of a basement blogger straining to prove something when there is evidence of nothing, Grisham said.

The three lawmakers alleged that evidence is clear that after his scheme to secure foreign help in his reelection was uncovered, Trump engaged in categorical and unprecedented obstruction in order to cover-up his misconduct.

These matters are not seriously contested. To the contrary, they make it plain that President Trump abused the power of his office for personal and political gain, at the expense of our national security, they alleged.

The Presidents actions have damaged our national security, undermined the integrity of the next election, and violated his oath of office. They have also challenged the very core of our Constitutional system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and rule of law, the joint statement said.

According to the executive summary of the report impeachment inquiry into Trump, "uncovered a months-long effort" by him "to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference" on his behalf in the 2020 election.

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New Delhi:

Congress MP and leader of the party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has apologised for her Nirbala remark saying Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is like his sister. During a discussion in the House, I had addressed our Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as Nirbala. Nirmala ji is like my sister and I am like her brother. If my words have hurt her then I am sorry, he was quoted as saying by ANI.

Chowdhury on Monday took a swipe at Sitharaman, which immediately drew protest from BJP members in the House.

Participating in the discussion on the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, Chowdhury suggested that the finance minister has become weak and called her 'Nirbala Sitharaman'.

As the BJP members protested against his comment, Speaker Om Birla ruled that any unparliamentary remark would be removed from the records.

During her reply, Sitharaman did not directly refer to Chowdhury's comment but concluded her speech by saying she still is Nirmala and "sabla" (empowered).

"Under this government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women are sablas," she said.

Chowdhury had also attacked the government during the debate, saying the ruling National Democratic Alliance can also be called the "Non-Delivery Agency" as it only makes promises.

Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur demanded that Chowdhury apologise and withdraw his remark against Sitharaman.

"You are raising question marks on her capability... She is here due to her merit," he said, adding that such remarks are disrespectful to women.

Chowdhury refused to withdraw his remark but said, "You can remove it from proceedings, if you wish." He sought to defend himself saying he had said the finance minister did not have the freedom to work freely, therefore, "I wonder whether you are Nirmala or Nirbala."

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said instead of apologising, Chowdhury was defending his remark which was not right.

Seeking to calm the agitated members, Speaker Birla said unparliamentary comments from opposition as well as the treasury benches would be removed from the records.

With PTI Inputs

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New Delhi:

The Allahabad High Court on Monday granted bail to former Union minister Chinmayanand, accused of sexually abusing a law student. Chinmayanand, whose trust runs the Shahjahanpur law college where the woman studied, was arrested on September 20 under section 376-C of the IPC, a charge short of rape. It is applied when someone in authority takes advantage of his official position and ''induces or seduces' a woman to have sex with him.

In a parallel case, the woman was charged with trying to extort money from the BJP leader, whom she had accused of rape. The high court granted her bail in that case in December.

The Special Investigation Team probing sexual harassment allegations against Chinmayanand and a related extortion case filed a voluminous charge sheet in a court on November 6 in the two cases.

The former Union minister was arrested on September 20. The section 376-C of the IPC is a lesser charge than section 376, under which a rape convict faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The punishment under section 376C is between five and 10 years in jail.

The four accused in the extortion case include the woman law student. All of them are in jail.

The 72-year-old Chinmayanand also faces the charges of stalking under section 354D, wrongful confinement under section 342 and criminal intimidation under section 506 of the IPC.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday suggested in Rajya Sabha that Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri should recommend that the prime minister name Vijay Goel as the BJP chief ministerial candidate in Delhi, leaving members amused and even evoking chuckles in the House. Singh, who spoke immediately after Goel during a debate on the bill to grant ownership rights to residents living in 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, said that city BJP unit Manoj Tiwari cannot stake claim to be the CM candidate and Goel is the natural choice for it.

After this speech of Vijay Goel, now I would request minister Hardev Singh Puri ji to recommend to the prime minister to make him the chief ministerial canidate in Delhi, said Singh as Goel sat in the House.

In his speech, Goel attacked the AAP government in Delhi, alleging that it has done nothing in the last five years for the residents.

When some BJP members tried to interrupt him, Digvijay Singh said Goel has a right to claim the post.

I am saying this in favour of Vijay Goel. Manoj Tiwari cannot stake claim to be CM canddate. It is yours (Goel)(main to Vijay Goel ji ki paksh me bol raha hu ki Manoj Tiwari jo hai wo mukhyamantri ke davedaar nahi ho sakte hain. Ye hak apka banta hai), said Singh.

Legislative Assembly elections in Delhi will be held in Delhi in early 2020. The upper house was debating the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, which was later passed by voice vote.

The proposal to grant ownership rights is applicable to 1,797 identified unauthorised colonies spread over 175 square-km of the national capital inhabited by people from lower income groups.

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Chandigarh:

The Hinduja Group on Wednesday offered to help Punjab in addressing stubble burning problem in the state by lifting all paddy straw from the fields for use in ethanol plants. The offer was made during a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Hinduja Group Chairman Prakash Hinduja, an official statement said. During the meeting, Hinduja, who was leading a delegation, also showed interest in partnering the state's progress through investments in agriculture, transport, banking, healthcare and automobile sectors. Offering transport and technology solutions to mitigate the menace of stubble burning, Hinduja assured Amarinder that the tippers of the group could ensure timely lifting of stubble from fields to support the state government's efforts to eliminate the problem.

Hinduja was in Chandigarh to discuss investment opportunities as part of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, it said. The chief minister asked his chief principal secretary to look into the group's proposal, the statement said.

Hinduja said the group could also make investments in banking sector to facilitate loans for unemployed youth, self-help groups and progressive entrepreneurs to establish their ventures.

Acceding to a proposal from the chief minister, the group also agreed to join hands with state government in its flagship programme 'YAARI Enterprises' to provide easy loans to skilled drivers to run buses, for which permits would be allotted by the state government, the statement added.

Hinduja said the group was also interested in partnering the state government and Israeli companies to utilise superior technology for enhancing quality of fruit produce to international standards, and exporting the same through joint ventures on profit sharing basis.

He also proposed public private partnership with Punjab government to set up a manufacturing unit for Ashok Leyland and a driving school for skill development and employment generation in the state, the statement said.

Assuring his government's full support in setting up the new projects in the state, the chief minister proposed establishment of an auto park in Kapurthala district.

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New Delhi: A new New York Times report on the deal for Israeli spy software Pegasus has raised the political mercury in Delhi even in the bitter cold. The revelations, just before the elections in five states, have given the opposition parties a chance to attack the government. The Congress has hit out at PM Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning whether the PMO will give any reply to these revelations.

Congress has become inundating the central government after the New York Times reported on the Pegasus deal. Congress has said that the PMO should respond to the report. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Srinivas BV, Shaktisinh Gohil, Karti Chidambaram have tweeted that the report has proved that the government has purchased Pegasus spyware to spy on journalists and leaders for Rs 300 crore from taxpayers' money.

The New York Times, in a report published on Friday, claimed that when PM Narendra Modi visited Israel in July 2017, India had signed a hefty $2 billion defence deal with Israel. The deal included missile systems as well as the Pegasus spyware made by the Israeli company NSO.

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New Delhi: Controversy has started once again regarding the spying software Pegasus. Now in a new report on this, surprising claims have been made. The report said that the Indian government had bought Pegasus spyware along with missile systems from Israel in 2017 in a huge deal. The deal was worth $2 billion. In this regard, The New York Times published a report on Friday, in which it has been claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had also purchased this spyware and tested it.

Giving information in the report, it has been told how Pegasus has been used globally. It said that Pegasus was sold to Poland, Hungary and India as well as other countries in the Israeli Defense Ministry deal license. It mentions about PM Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in the year 2017 that both the countries had agreed on a $2 billion arms and intelligence gear package deal. This included Pegasus and missile systems. Referring to PM Modi's historic visit to Israel in July 2017, the report said that the visit took place when "India had made a policy", which spoke of "commitment to Palestine" and "for Israel". Relations with him were cold."

The report noted that Modi's visit, though notably cordial, was that he and PM Benjamin Netanyahu went to a beach in Israel and relations between them seemed to be warm. But there was a reason behind its warmth. Their countries had agreed to the sale of a package of sensitive weapons and espionage equipment worth about $2 billion. The main focus of this deal was Pegasus and a missile system. Let us tell you that till now neither the Indian government has accepted that it has bought Pegasus software from Israel nor has the Israeli government ever said that it has sold this spying system to India.

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TEHRAN: Iran's Ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, said local media that the fifth round of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia will be place in Baghdad, Iraq's capital, to normalise bilateral relations.

Masjedi said on Friday that the meeting will take place "soon," according to the state media news agency, without giving the specific date or details. After a six-year break, Tehran has dispatched three ambassadors to Saudi Arabia as part of the Iranian mission to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Iran and Saudi Arabia have recently had four rounds of talks, which were brokered by Iraq, in order to resolve their diplomatic standoff.

In 2016, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran in the aftermath of the Saudi death of a Shia cleric.

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Mali on Wednesday received a new batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by China in Bamako, the Malian capital. Chinese Ambassador to Mali Chen Zhihong and Malian Minister of Health and Social Development Dieminatou Sangare attended the reception ceremony held at Bamako International Airport.

Sangare expressed her gratitude to the Chinese government on behalf of the Malian transitional president Assimi Goita, the transitional government and the people of Mali. She said that China has always provided support to Malians and Mali is ready to continue to deepen cooperation with China.China had provided Mali with several batches of anti-epidemic supplies, which strongly supported Mali's fight against the pandemic, and the current situation in Mali has proven that the Chinese vaccine is effective and reliable, she said.

Chen said that the new vaccine donation from China to help the Malian government and people to fight against COVID-19 reflects the traditional deep friendship between the two countries.

China is willing to continue cooperation with Mali to fight the pandemic, to further strengthen cooperation in health and other fields, and to build a community with a shared future for health between China and Mali, he said.

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This week's edition of Rewind takes readers back over 50 years as Robert Smith recalls the opening and early years of racing at the town of Orangeville, Ontario. This little track advertised itself as "B-Circuit Racing At Its Best." His piece recalls some names and faces from the early days and even a special milestone happening. He also covers a bit of very early history well before this time.



When the rejuvenated Orangeville Raceway was updated and revamped for modern day racing in May of 1970, it was yet another chapter in the long history of this Dufferin County facility. Races had been held here at least on an annual basis for as far back as records had been kept. For decades the renowned Dr. W.H. Riddell, a local veterinarian, had put on race days that were known throughout the sport. His famous race meetings held annually on the July 1st weekend were among the Province's most highly regarded.

The good Doctor realized how important the purse money was to the competing horsemen and reportedly promised to pay the competitors out of his own pocket if weather or other unforeseen factors created a financial failure. Little wonder he was referred to as "The Dean of Ontario Harness Racing." A one-time mayor of the town, he staked his reputation on the success of each race day. He was held in such high regard that when he died in 1943 Dufferin Park in Toronto canceled the day's scheduled races out of respect to him.

In 1970 when a group headed by Keith and Murray Waples along with several other business partners including Jim Keeling decided to stage racing on a regular basis at Orangeville, the idea was well received by the horsepeople as well as racing fans from a fairly wide area. The parking lots were often filled on race days and buses hauled people from as far away as downtown Toronto. It was a pretty popular spot for quite a few years.



A full parking lot at Orangeville was a common sight during the track's heyday.

Opening day was Sunday May 3, 1970 and it marked the first of 18 consecutive Sunday cards that first season. Many well-known drivers were on hand to help launch the opening of the Dufferin County track, due in large part to the persuasive powers of Keith and Murray Waples. The first ever race was won by a horse named Jack Honers, owned and driven by Bill Carroll, a fellow who was born and raised not too far away from here at Riverview. Second was 12-year-old Innocent Bob for Ray Gemmill with third spot going to Pauls Signal.

Purses on opening day ranged from $200 to a high of $600 for the Free For All Pace won by Piper Herbert and driver John Hayes, Sr. who was followed in second spot by Jet Adios and Jack Gordon. A few other winning drivers on that day included John Murphy, Reg Lipsett, Brent Davies, Andy Avery, Carman Hie, Joe Truckle, George Wain. Veteran Jimmy "Red" Holmes closed out the day with a victory behind Glenholme Joe. By the end of May, two races were held which each carried a purse of $1,000 and both were won by Barbara D Pride driven by Retta Herrington for owner Hilliard O'Connell of Roseneath, Ont.



An early year Orangeville program from 1972 shows that a frugal race fan could save 10 cents by purchasing one at the track instead of offsite

Known as the "Dean of Ontario Harness Racing," Orangeville veterinarian and former town mayor, Dr. William Henry Riddell, played a pivotal role in the provinces harness racing history With large numbers of horses conscripted to the First World War, quality Standardbred race horses were on a decline. Riddell began breeding horses with proven lineages and shared his resources, which allowed racehorse stables across Ontario to thrive. Never married to my knowledge, he was known to drive a horse called The Bison to make his vet calls. Local legend had it that he was known on occasion to pay a visit at the odd young lady's residence while making his rounds.



A full house at Orangeville is shown above as patrons enjoy the outdoor betting area on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A full grandstand is visible in the background.

The First Sub 2:00 Mile At Orangeville



In 1980 after 10 years of racing at the Orangeville oval, the track experienced its first sub-2:00 mile. On the afternoon of May 25th the Dufferin County half miler recorded its first ever "miracle mile" when the winning horse Happy Hoot stopped the timer in 1:59.4. The five-year-old son of Rob Ron Robbie was driven by Fred Gillis for owners Lou Civil of Willowdale and Lloyd Smith of Brampton, Ont.

Fred Gillis, the man who scored the first sub-2:00 mile at Orangeville, learned his early lessons far from here. He grew up in Nova Scotia where his uncle had Standardbreds which spawned his early interest. By the age of eight he had already started jogging horses and his lifelong interest began. He spent a number of years driving and training horses in Ontario and Quebec and at one time worked for top Ontario horseman Ron Feagan. He eventually made his way to Western Canada. After driving there for a time he eventually traded his driver's suit for a position as Executive Director of the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association some 15 years ago.



Happy Hoot and driver Fred Gillis made history at Orangeville Raceway on the afternoon of May 25th when they scored the first ever sub-2:00 mile in the history of the Orangeville track. Second but not in the picture was Gamblin Adios for Ray McLean and third was Jumbo Be Good driven by Ron Hutton. (Photo courtesy of the Standardbred magazine)

Quote For The Week: "An elderly man in our farming community had been living alone and lonely for several years since the passing of his wife after a long marriage. He had decided to find a new "lady friend" and made it known that he was looking. After some time had passed he was asked "Fred, how is your search going for a new mate?" His answer was "Not good at all; what I want I can't find, and what I can find the devil himself wouldn't take!" (True story)

Who Is It?



Can you identify the above quartet of drivers from the Ontario Jockey Club circuit that appeared at Orangeville track to raise money for charitable purposes on Sunday June 1, 1980? The two ladies at the left, Huda Scott and Maiken Crole, were present on behalf of the benefitting charitable group based in Dufferin County. This event was held just a week after the new track record described above was set. (Photo courtesy of the Standardbred magazine)

Who Else Is It?



Can you identify the winning driver in the above photo? A few clues will be given. On the afternoon of May 25, 1980 a portion of the Orangeville race day was dedicated to fund raising events to aid a local charity. One of the events was a groom's race using jog carts instead of sulkies. Each entrant paid a $20.00 entry fee which was donated to the charity. This will be a multiple choice question. (Photo courtesy of the Standardbred magazine)

Who was the above driver?

a) - Ron Leskey

b) - Harold Livingston

c) - Dan Riddell

Let us know your answer or even your wildest guess.

Orangeville Trivia

Most people familiar with harness racing's recent past know that the Orangeville track is no longer in operation. The question is: What is happening at the former site of the racetrack these days?
South Korea has expressed "deep regret" for Japan's attempt to suggest a former gold mine connected to forced labour during WWII as a candidate for Unesco World Heritage status, and has demanded that the proposal be withdrawn.

After Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced plans to nominate the controversial mine on Sado Island for the Unesco heritage list in 2023, Seoul's Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon summoned Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi to lodge a protest, according to media reports.

A Cabinet meeting scheduled for February 1, the application deadline, is anticipated to ratify the decision. "Despite our repeated warnings, the Japanese government has decided to push for the Sado mine, where Koreans were forced to work during World War II," Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam said in a statement.

According to his office, Vice Minister Choi sent the protest letter to Aiboshi, demanding for Japan to immediately halt its pursuit of the historic designation while "ignoring the terrible history." The Sado mine began as a gold mine in the 17th century, but during World War II, it was converted into a facility that produced war-related materials such as cooper, iron, and zinc.

In 1989, it was shut down completely. 2,000 Koreans were reportedly compelled to work in the mine, according to historical archives. If the proposal is approved, a Unesco advisory group will investigate the mine site in the fall and determine whether to add it to the list in May of the following year. That summer, the World Heritage Committee will present its findings.

Pakistan's 'World Cup' campaign ends, Team India will take on Bangladesh

Many Palestinian protesters injured in West Bank

Talks with Qatar and Turkey for Afghan airports in progress
Taking Make in India slogan to a whole new level, entrepreneur Kishan Mali broke the glass roof of china make with his leading brand Varni, making the impossible, possible. Chinese products rule the Indian market, and their supremacy in electronic goods has never been challenged by any brand, except Kishan Malis Varni.

Talking about his inspirational journey into the digital accessories market, Kishan Mali said, See I have nothing against china make, they showed the world how to make product affordable, but not durable. I wanted to create something Indian, it wasnt easy, people and even my close ones laughed at me, mocked me, sort of distant themselves, but I had faith and I created Varni with only a handful of people. Now were the leading brand in electronic goods market, with products which are affordable, durable, and made in India, for India and by Indians

Kishan Mali, a young boy from Jalor district in Rajasthan, with nothing but dreams, stepped into the uncharted territory of the digital accessories market and evolved, making India digital with his sheer dedication, quality work, and grounded value system. Further adding, Kishan said, Indian market has untapped potential, every major economy in world is eyeing our market because we have a huge consumer base. I had a very limited exposure when I started my business, with some success, I can certainly claim that make in india is possible, its not that impossible

Rather than world leading us, we can lead and provide the world with whatever they need. We have the resources, technology, work force and ideas, all we need is little bit of faith and belief in our making. I am not a big fame of import; I want to export now. Varni is India's leading high-quality mobile accessory brand. The company, which was founded in 2009, manufactures Wireless Speakers, Headsets, Wireless Headphones, Power Banks, Mobile Batteries, USB Cables, Touch Screens, LCDs, Spare Parts, Mobile Cases, and a variety of other mobile accessories.

Pakistan calls India's nuclear proliferation claims "dubious."

The bridegroom's procession came out with the constitution in hand

Bumper jobs for 12th pass here, apply soon
UNITED NATIONS: According to a UN official, the UN has provided USD 20 million in emergency funds for 270,000 people in Yemen, including those displaced by recent attacks.

According to reports, UN Emergency Help Coordinator Martin Griffiths provided money from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support humanitarian relief for residents in Marib, al-Jawf, and Hadramout. "It will also assist in scaling up operational capacities to support the response, particularly humanitarian air transport," Haq said in a daily press conference.

Three airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition attacked a prison centre run by the Houthi rebels in the northern city of Saada in quick succession a week ago.

Staff from the United Nations Human Rights Office in Yemen were in Saada this week collecting information in the aftermath of the attacks, he added. According to the personnel in charge of certifying civilian casualties, 91 inmates were killed.

Iran condemns airstrikes in Yemen carried out by Saudi-led coalition

Anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 567 percent in San Francisco

Japan: Close contacts of Covid will have their quarantine days shortened
The general conventions of the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress reelected former party chairs for the next tenure while the CPN-Maoist Centre concluded its convention handpicking the central committee members by the party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The committee chose Dahal as the chairman again. No cadres in the party got a feeling that intra-party democracy was present there.

The timely intra-party election is the skeleton for intra-party democracy in any political party. An open and meticulous discussion on the partys ideological orientation and vision for the countrys prosperity and evaluation of its set strategies for the achievement of the same makes the party ideologically vibrant. This is what intra-party democracy means. In contrast, the lack of debates on the ideological direction of the parties within CPN-UML and Nepal Congress conventions signals the pertinent ideological crisis within the parties. The Maoist Centre somehow discussed the issues, but it also could not show an example of intra-party democracy. Hence, the recent trends are a threat to the nascent republic of Nepal.

Democracy in peril

In the Maoist Centre, Chairman Dahal brought into discussion the partys vision and further strategy, but it was criticised by the convention representatives claiming it to be incomplete and it failed to analyse the current political concerns. Further, he remained silent on the counter-proposal tabled by Ram Karki and dissenting views forwarded by other few leaders. The failure of Dahal to answer the issues raised by the discussion groups upon his ideological and political report indicates the growing dissatisfaction of party cadres with their leadership including the issues of lavish lifestyles of Maoist leaders and their relationship with big contractors and businesspeople. On the other hand, it is also a suggestion of shrinking intra-party democracy.

The common pattern against the idea of intra-party democracy among the three major parties is the consolidation of the ruling elites in the leadership, sidelining the principles of inclusion in the selection of officeholders. This is visible among the personalities appointed as UMLs top officials and elected candidates for Nepali Congress leadership. Although Nepali Congress tried to make its structure inclusive through the reservation system for various identity clusters in the positions of deputy general secretary, the candidates from minorities, women and other unrepresented groups got largely defeated in the direct elections for various party posts, giving a clear signal that intra-party democracy is in peril there too.

Nonetheless, the selection of youth in the top party positions within the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress can be seen as a positive move towards intra-party democracy. The election of new-generation politicians Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma as general secretaries of Nepali Congress, Gokarna Raj Bista and Yogesh Bhattarai as secretaries of CPN-UML among many other youth leaders in various central positions is a positive step to shift the party leadership to the younger generation.

The CPN-UML convention organising committee meeting in Kathmandu, on Wednesday, January 30, 2021.

Restriction on dissent

Except for the Nepali Congress, the lack of intra-party democracy was vividly surfaced during the conventions of the major three political parties. UML Chairman KP Sharma Olis motive was to appoint all leadership positions and central committee members through consensus, restricting dissent and competition. Although he was challenged by Bhim Rawal for the post of party chair, Oli handpicked most of the central committee members and office-bearers.

Olis strong disregard for democratic practice, ideological discussions or political programmes in the disguise of consensus politics and his desire to be appointed as the unchallenged party president signal his authoritarian dynamics and institutionalisation of his cult personality within the party.

Likewise, at Maoist Centres convention, democratic elections for the party positions were kept aside in the name of appointing the office bearers and central committee members through consensus.

Nepali Congress selected its party officials and central committee members through democratic practice, giving a sense that some intra-party democracy still exists there. However, the Nepali Congress convention focused entirely on the election of the central committee members and office bearers, failing to open up the platform for ideological debates and discussion of the partys vision and further strategies. Surprisingly, there were no political reports presented in the convention from the leadership, leaving no grounds for discussion on the partys ideological dynamics. This deconstructed the idea of intra-party democracy it wanted to show.

Although a candidate for party chairman, Shekhar Koirala, and candidates for general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma put forward their concept papers on their vision, priorities and partys further direction, there was no formal space for discussion on their proposals. The reelected chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba oriented himself solely on the election rather than unveiling his vision, ideas and further action plan for the party. This gap on the convention of Nepali Congress testimonies the escalating ideological crisis within the party that claims to be the largest social-democratic political party in Nepal.

This escalating ideological crisis within the political parties, a lack of vision and clear action plan, disregard for the democratic norms in the selection of party leaders and setting aside the issues of inclusion as envisioned by the constitution of Nepal leave ample grounds for suspicion about the intention of political parties to institutionalise not only intra-party democracy but the nascent republican system of governance in Nepal.
CHENGDU, China, Jan. 29, 2022 /CNW/ -- At the approaching of the Chinese New Year, Hao Ren Jia brand will launch a series of small-sized hot pot bases and recipe-style seasonings covering handmade butter hot pot base, bobo chicken seasoning, soup pickled fish sauce seasoning, hawthorn clear-oil hot pot base, etc. The deliciousness continues into the alone time. With Hao Ren Jia, people can enjoy a good taste every moment.

Hao Ren Jia, a leading brand in China's compound condiment industry, belongs to Sichuan Teway Food Group (Teway). Teway is one of the few listed companies in the industry and one of the top two condiment companies in China's Hurun Most Valuable China Brands 2020. It owns National Key Leading Enterprises in Agricultural Industrialization, China Well-known Trademarks, and other honorary titles, it is one of the drafting units of the national standard for hot pot base and chili sauce. Teway has been focusing on the design, research and development, production, sales and service of Chinese recipe seasonings, hot pot seasonings and other products. At present, its marketing network has covered more than 20 countries and regions around the world. It has always insisted on strict adherence to raw materials and has several patented technologies.

The bell rang, the calendar turned over, and a new year was ushered in. Regardless of the region, the New Year's theme is inseparable from family reunion, sumptuous food, and exciting activities. In China, there is nothing more important in the New Years' time than a family reunion to enjoy prepared delicacies, and hot pot can best carry the mood of this reunion.

The delicious gene of hot pot lies in the hot pot base. Whether it's vegetables, noodles, or meat, just one pot of Sichuan-style hot pot with all kinds of spicy, fragrant, and colorful flavors is enough to turn your beloved ingredients into worldly delicacies. The Hao Ren Jia brand has been focusing on Sichuan-style hot pot base ingredients for many years and has accurately mastered the ultimate delicious key to hot pot - mellow butter, fresh and spicy peppers, peppery peppers, thick bean paste, rich spices... multi-flavor integrated to create authentic Sichuan-style hot pot, makes every reunion moment is pleasant and happy, and the friendship stronger.

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HRJGlobal

Amazon(US): https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Chinese-seasoning-Haorenjia-szechuan/dp/B09MQB2ZLT/ref=sr_1_24?m=A21ZYX7HIRX2LU&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1640675797&s=merchant-items&sr=1-24

YAMI(US):

https://www.yamibuy.com/zh/p/hrj-seasoning-for-fish-with-sour-cabbage-300g/1148004211?scene=item_search.result&index=3&bu_type=search&module_name=input&content=haoren%20jia

Weee(US):

https://www.sayweee.com/zh/product/Hao-Ren-Jia-Hot-and-Spicy-Seasoning-Paste/50163

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SOURCE Sichuan Teway Food Group Co., Ltd

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MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australia will seek to be included in consultations about a trade dispute between the European Union and China launched by the EU at the World Trade Organisation, the Australian trade minister said on Saturday.

Thursday's EU challenge accuses China of discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania, saying they threatened the integrity of the single market.

"Australia has a substantial interest in the issues raised in the dispute brought by the European Union against China ... and will request to join these consultations," Trade Minister Dan Tehan said in a statement.

China, which regards self-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has downgraded ties with Lithuania and pushed firms to sever links with the Baltic nation of 2.8 million people after it allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius. [L8N2U71GE]

Its strictures include a refusal to clear Lithuanian goods through Chinese customs, rejection of import applications from Lithuania and pressure on EU firms to remove Lithuanian content from supply chains when exporting to China.

Relations between Australia and China, its top trade partner, soured after Canberra banned Huawei Technologies from its 5G broadband network in 2018, toughened laws against foreign political interference, and urged an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Beijing responded by freezing ministerial contacts and imposing tariffs on several Australian commodities, such as coal, beef, barley and wine.

Australia has filed two WTO complaints in the past 18 months over China's duties on imports of bottled wine and barley.

In a statement on Saturday, the foreign ministry said Australia "welcomes" an invitation from France to take part in a February meeting of Indo-Pacific foreign ministers.

"Australia greatly values cooperation with France and with Europe, including in the Indo-Pacific," it said in an e-mailed statement, without saying if Foreign Minister Marise Payne would attend.

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Australia's relations with France, which holds the rotating six-month presidency of the EU Council, have also soured after Canberra signed a security pact last year with Britain and the United States, dubbed AUKUS, scrapping a multi-billion-dollar submarine deal with France.

The pact, widely viewed as an attempt to shore up regional military muscle in the face of China's growing presence, riled Beijing, but also caused fury in France.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Stephen Coates and Clarence Fernandez)
BEIJING, Jan. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StarRocks, a new-generation massively parallel processing (MPP) database service designed for all analytical scenarios, launched the 2.0 version. This new version delivers a myriad of performance improvements in both single-table and multi-table query scenarios. The single-table query performance is twice that of its competitors. The multi-table query performance is five to ten times that of other database systems. StarRocks 2.0 introduces a new model, the primary key model, which enhances real-time update performance by three to ten times. In addition, the memory management scheme is redesigned in 2.0 to accommodate customers' requirements for higher availability and stability.

Last September, StarRocks opened its source code to global communities and communities have become a key driving force behind the improvement of StarRocks. StarRocks has received more than 2,000 GitHub stars within the first 135 days after the code is open. Hundreds of large and medium-sized enterprises are attracted to use StarRocks.

Benchmark: StarRocks 2.0 v.s leading competitor, StarRocks 2.0 v.s StarRocks 1.19

2X Single-Table Query Performance Compared to Competitors

StarRocks 2.0 is ideal for single-table and multi-table queries. For single-table queries, StarRocks 2.0 innovatively uses global dictionaries to optimize queries on low-cardinality fields, delivering a single-table query performance twice that of its earlier versions and also other leading database service providers. For multi-table queries, StarRocks 2.0 has resigned the cost-based optimizer (CBO) to handle complex multi-table queries, improving multi-table query performance by two times and making StarRocks 2.0 five to ten times faster than other database systems.

In terms of data updates, traditional OLAP systems use the merge-on-read mode to update data, which is not the best solution because it pursues data loading efficiency at the cost of query performance. As real-time data update requirements keep rising in the finance and logistics sectors, this model no longer lives up to expectations. StarRocks 2.0 introduces a novel data model, the primary key model, to update data in delete-and-insert mode. This innovation enhances query performance by three to ten times in real-time update scenarios.

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In addition, the memory management scheme is redesigned in StarRocks 2.0 to improve system stability. A pipeline execution engine built for higher concurrency and faster complex queries on multi-core machines has been released for trial use. This engine will be officially released in StarRocks 2.1.

Five Technical Highlights and R&D Directions in 2022

StarRocks announced its five major R&D directions in 2022 to the community.

Resource Management

StarRocks will introduce a new resource management mechanism to provide separate resource groups for different businesses. This mechanism guarantees sufficient resource quotas and isolated resources for businesses. This way, different services can run on the same cluster, which simplifies O&M and improves cluster resource utilization.

Materialized Views with JOINs

Data modeling in a majority of companies requires complex data development from data engineers. Materialized views with JOINs enable data engineers to create various types of materialized views to construct data models. This significantly reduces the workload of data engineers and simplifies data modeling.

StarRocks also introduces intelligent materialized views. This feature intelligently recommends materialized views to users based on query behavior to accelerate queries.

Separation of Storage and Compute

In the earlier versions of StarRocks, compute and storage are tightly coupled for excellent query performance. However, this architecture cannot achieve on-demand resource allocation and may result in unnecessary costs. In 2022, StarRocks will implement a new architecture where storage and compute are decoupled. This new architecture supports offline analytics in parallel with real-time analytics and can be deployed on public, private, and multiple clouds.

Lightning Fast Data Lake Analytics

Currently, StarRocks serves more like a data warehouse. Customers import high-value data from data lakes to StarRocks for ultra-fast data analytics. In 2022, StarRocks will press ahead with its endeavors to enhance data lake analytics capabilities and provide unified and blazing fast analytics experience for customers.

The StarRocks community has completed the first-phase development of data queries on Iceberg, with the collaboration from renowned communities and developers in world's leading cloud computing companies. Test results show that StarRocks offers a 5X performance improvement compared to Trino. In the future, the StarRocks community will extend its support for Hudi and offer more feature enhancements.

Unified Batch and Stream Processing

StarRocks plans to implement unified stream and batch processing across hundreds of nodes. This way, customers' raw data can be processed and then analyzed all in StarRocks. This guarantees a one-stop, unified, and blazing fast data processing and analytics experience, bringing the vision of unification to a new level.

About StarRocks

StarRocks is a new-generation MPP database designed for all analytical scenarios. It features a simple architecture, vectorized engine, redesigned CBO, and a query speed (especially for multi-table join queries) beyond the reach of other database products. StarRocks supports real-time data analytics and achieves efficient queries on data that is updated in real time. StarRocks provides materialized views to further accelerate queries. Customers can use StarRocks to flexibly build various schemas such as flat tables and the star and snowflake schemas. StarRocks is compatible with the MySQL protocol and can interconnect with various MySQL clients and tools. StarRocks does not rely on any external systems. The simple architecture makes it highly available, scalable, and easy for O&M.

StarRocks meets requirements in various data analytics scenarios, such as multi-dimensional filtering and analytics, real-time data analytics, and ad hoc queries. It allows access from thousands of users at the same time. Typical use scenarios include business intelligence, real-time data warehousing, user profiling, reports and dashboards, order analysis, O&M and monitoring, anti-fraud analysis, and risk management. Hundreds of large and medium-sized enterprises from various sectors have deployed StarRocks to their production environments and have seen thousands of StarRocks servers run stably and steadily on their platforms.

Cision

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SOURCE StarRocks
The global off-road tires market size is predicted to worth around US$ 882.2 billion by 2030 and expanding growth at a noteworthy CAGR of 7.3% from 2021 to 2030.

Tokyo, Jan. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Precedence Research, the global off-road tires market size was estimated at US$ 469.3 billion in 2021. The off-road tires are a type of vehicle tire with a deep tread pattern to increase friction on uneven surfaces such as mud, dirt, and sand. When it comes to off-road driving, off-road tires are the best option. Off-road tires allow a vehicle to glide over rocks and boulders with ease. The different regional, local, and global service providers in the global off-road tires market are looking to expand their market share. Off-road tires market players are also concentrating on increasing their geographical reach and upgrading their services in order to meet customer requests.



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The off-road tires market expansion is being fueled by infrastructure development initiatives and an expanding construction sector. Off-road vehicle demand is being fueled by government investments, particularly in developing countries.

Report Highlights

Based on the materials, the synthetic rubber segment dominated the global off-road tires market in 2020 with highest market share. Due to its good ageing stability and great abrasion resistance, synthetic rubber is commonly utilized in the off-road tires. It also gives directional stability, rolling resistance, wet traction, speed and run flat capabilities, high fuel efficiency, and weather resistance to the tires, allowing it to perform under difficult situations.

Asia-Pacific is the largest segment for off-road tires market in terms of region. The increased government investment in construction operations is expected to boost demand for construction vehicles, boosting the off-road tires market across the Asia-Pacific region.

Europe region is the fastest growing region in the off-road tires market. The surge in demand for off-road tires in the Europe region is due to a number of factors, including increased construction activities, increased industrial development, and an increase in the demand for energy efficient technologies.





View full report information@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/off-road-tires-market

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Report Scope of the Off-road tires Market

Report Highlights Details Market Size US$ 882.2 billion by 2030 CAGR 7.3% from 2021 to 2030 Largest Revenue Holder Asia Pacific Fastest Growing Region Europe Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2021 to 2030 Companies Covered Hengfeng Rubber, Yokohama, Continental AG, GITI Tire, Triangle Group, Hankook, Nokian Tires, Toyo Tire, Michelin, Maxxis

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Surge in farm mechanization

Off-road machines are used in the farm and agriculture industry to carry out major day-to-day operations. Off-road utility vehicles are used in agricultural operations such as crop plotting and scouting, rock selection, irrigation, and so on. Nowadays, most of the work in the fields is done with this machinery, which necessitates tires replacement at regular intervals, boosting the growth of the global off-road tires market during the forecasting period.

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Restraints

Volatility in the prices of raw materials

The raw material of any automotive component is an important factor in determining the component's price. As a result, changes in the prices of raw materials have an impact on the prices of finished goods. The cost of raw materials varies by country, depending on regulations and season. Rubber is the most common raw material used in the production of off-road tires, followed by steel and fibers. Natural and synthetic rubber are the most essential raw materials, therefore changes in demand and price have a big impact on the cost of off-road tires. Thus, the volatility in the cost of raw materials is the restricting factor for the growth of the off-road tires market.

Opportunities

Rise in sales of off-highway vehicles

The global manufacturing of off-road vehicles is currently undergoing a radical transformation. The increased use of off-road vehicles in military and recreational operations is a major factor driving the growth of the off-road vehicles market. Military operations use off-road trucks to transport cargo, fuel, and ammunition. During wartime, these vehicles are also used to transport heavy-loaded weapons. Furthermore, advanced technologies such as global positioning system (GPS) on these vehicles, which are used to create field boundaries and mark field lines, allow for less soil compaction and faster planting by plotting the lines. As a result, the rise in sales of off-highway vehicles is creating lucrative opportunities for the growth of the off-road tires market during the forecast period.

Challenges

High research and development costs

Off-road tires are used in a variety of commercial off-road vehicles, including those used in construction, mining, agriculture, and industrial applications. These tires are designed and engineered to work in extreme conditions such as high load-bearing, rough surfaces, various weather conditions, and traction. Material compositions tread patterns, and a variety of other off-road tire parameters vary depending on vehicle type and requirements. Designing, manufacturing, and testing off-road tires entails research and development activities in which tires are developed while taking into account all requirements and standards. Large special press machines are used in the production of OTR tires, where processes such as vulcanization and curing take place. The cost of raw materials used in the production of OTR tires, as well as the cost of press machines used in the process, is both high. As a result, no key market player can afford to invest heavily in research and development, which is a major challenge for the growth of the off-road tires market.

Browse more automotive industry research reports@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/industry/automotive

Segments Covered in the Report

By Material

Synthetic Rubber

Natural Rubber

Fabrics & Wire

Carbon Black

By Tire Height

Below 31 inches

31-40 inches

41-45 inches

Above 45 inches

By Vehicle

4WD

HDT

SUV

UTV

Dirt Bikes & Quad

OTR

By Distribution Channel

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

Secondary/ Replacement

Distributor/ Dealer Equipped





By Geography

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)





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VAUGHAN, ON, Jan. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada's iconic full-service family restaurant, Swiss Chalet, announces an upcoming restaurant closure in Chatham, Ontario.

As of spring 2022, the Swiss Chalet restaurant located at 160 Keil Dr. S, Chatham, will be closing its doors. "We've had many years of success in this region," said Ron Simard, Chief Operating Officer at Swiss Chalet, "and we would like to thank the Chatham community for all of their support over the years."

Swiss Chalet is committed to continuing to serve the community of Chatham and is actively searching to replace it with a more contemporary Swiss Chalet restaurant in order to meet the needs of guests in the community. "We are excited to return to the region in the near future," Simard explains.

About Swiss Chalet

Swiss Chalet was founded in 1954 with more than 200 locations across Canada under the operation of RECIPE Unlimited Corporation, Canada's oldest and largest full-service restaurant company. As a Canadian brand, Swiss Chalet prides itself in bringing Canadian families together for mealtime by serving real, delicious and wholesome comfort food. The brand is known for its iconic Swiss-inspired rotisserie chicken served with Signature Chalet Dipping Sauce. For more information, visit SwissChalet.com.

About Recipe

Founded in 1883, RECIPE Unlimited Corporation is Canada's largest full-service restaurant company. The Company franchises and/or operates some of the most recognized brands in the country including Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, St-Hubert, The Keg, Montana's, Kelsey's, East Side Mario's, New York Fries, Prime Pubs, Bier Markt, Landing, Original Joe's, State & Main, Elephant & Castle, The Burger's Priest, The Pickle Barrel, Marigolds & Onions, Fresh Since 1999 and Ultimate Kitchens.

RECIPE's iconic brands have established the organization as a nationally recognized franchisor of choice. As of June 27, 2021, Recipe had 25 brands and 1,327 restaurants, 82% of which are operated by franchisees and joint venture partners, operating in 11 countries (Canada, USA, Bahrain, China, India, Macao, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE). RECIPE's shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RECP. More information about the Company is available at www.recipeunlimited.com.

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SOURCE Swiss Chalet

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2022/28/c4397.html
Nearly five months after thousands of New Jersey families lost their homes, belongings and loved ones to Tropical Storm Ida's devastating floodwaters, many of those still displaced are panicking.

As unclear deadlines loom for them to leave the hotels that local governments have been housing them in, some are still finding it hard to find new affordable places to live in their communities  and they don't know how long the government's hospitality will last.

Recovery is a long, stressful and confusing process for those whose lives were uprooted, and in a state with a serious shortage of available affordable housing, a disaster such as Ida wiping out hundreds of affordable units adds another high hurdle.

NJ weather: These Ida victims were left without warm clothing. The NAACP stepped in to help

Close to 600 former residents of Oakwood Plaza Apartments, a public housing complex in Elizabeth where four residents died in Ida's floodwaters, lost access to their homes in the flooding with no long-term housing to turn to. Elizabeth paid for the displaced families  many of them refugees who had come to the United States after fleeing disruption in their homelands  to stay in hotels as they searched for new housing.

Salim Ismail (right) with the African American Alliance USA speaks during a press conference at the Oakwood Plaza Apartments in Elizabeth on Wednesday October 27, 2021. The complex flooded during Hurricane Ida killing four residents and displacing about 600 people. The displaced residents formed the Oakwood Tenants Rights Organization to demand vouchers in order to find safe housing and not have to move back into Oakwood Plaza.

Salaam Ismial, a local activist and director of the National United Youth Council, said Friday he has been fielding calls all week from frightened residents who say they are being told they have to leave the Embassy Suites in Elizabeth soon  and the families don't have backup plans.

One woman said Friday she was given less than a day's notice to leave her hotel room  even as a strong winter snowstorm with the potential for blizzardlike conditions approached the state on Friday.

And conflicting statements from local and county governments didn't make things any clearer for the families.

The city is not evicting anyone, the County of Union is, Ruby Contreras, communications specialist with the city of Elizabeth, told NorthJersey.com Friday in an email.

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Union County said that wasn't true, pointing the finger back at Elizabeth officials.

"The city of Elizabeth is in charge of Embassy Suites," said Kelly Martins, director of public information for Union County. "We have 11 families in WoodSpring and APA and we wouldn't evict anybody during a Code Blue in the first place," she said, referring to a designation that opens up warming centers and relaxes shelter rules when the temperature drops below freezing, which was in effect on Friday.

"They were given a deadline of the 31st and are being transitioned into other housing until they can find permanent housing," Martins said. "They will not be on the streets. Nobody will be without housing."

A memorial in front of the Oakwood Plaza Apartments in Elizabeth shown on on Wednesday October 27, 2021. The complex flooded during Hurricane Ida killing four residents and displacing about 600 people. The displaced residents formed the Oakwood Tenants Rights Organization to demand vouchers in order to find safe housing and not have to move back into Oakwood Plaza.

In response to Union County's comments, Contreras said, "The city of Elizabeth has worked to provide apartments for over 700 people left homeless. Currently only 252 remain in hotels. If tenants turn down multiple opportunities for relocation, they are advised the hotel voucher will cease."

Lataiyyah Washington, one of the displaced Elizabeth residents staying at the Embassy Suites, told NorthJersey.com that as she stepped off a bus Friday morning on the way to take her 3-year-old son to the doctor, she got a call from an Elizabeth city official who told her she and her two sons had to leave the room in the hotel that the city was paying for by 11:00 p.m. Friday  even as Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency and the Northeast braced for a winter blizzard and brutal winds.

Washington started to cry.

I dont have anywhere to go, said Washington, 35. I said, Its about to be a snowstorm, so where are we gonna go, we dont have anywhere to go, and the worker was like I dont know. I dont know.

CIS Management, the company that owns Oakwood Plaza, did not respond to questions by time of publishing. Mayor Christian Bollwage did not return calls to his office for comment.

A HUD spokesperson said, "Residents of Oakwood Plaza are not being forced out of hotels tonight. That statement is not true. There is no HUD rule requiring residents to leave their hotel rooms tonight. The City of Elizabeth continues to fund the hotel costs for displaced residents with financial assistance from FEMA."

A desk attendant at the hotel reached Friday afternoon who declined to give her name said a manager was unavailable, but that the displaced residents will be there until the end of the month and that the city has been extending them each month. A spokesperson with the Hilton corporate office said the Elizabeth hotel was independently owned and operated and that they could not comment on the hotel's behalf.

They are really scared and frightened, Ismial said of the displaced residents. Weve been trying to get all the agencies to sit down  FEMA, HUD, CIS, and the city and tenants  to set up something more comprehensive to try and deal with this and theyre not trying to hear people. Theyre telling these people over and over again, Youve got to go.

They told me I had to leave today because I turned down apartments they offered me, Washington said. Ive been stressed out all day today. The governor declared a state of emergency  Im not understanding why we have to leave today.

Washington said CIS tried to place her and her two children in a one-bedroom apartment in New Brunswick  too small for her family's size  and an apartment in South Jersey.

That was two hours away in Woolwich from where my kids go to school, and where my baby goes to the doctor at Beth Israel in Newark, Washington said. Looking for a new place has been very hard. Its very hard.

Samaria White, 42, also staying in the Embassy Suites, received a call Friday from Elizabeth officials and a representative from CIS Management.

More: Refugees who fled strife abroad started over in NJ, but are homeless after Ida

For subscribers: NJ puts affordable homes in flood-prone areas and residents at risk

"They offered me a two-bedroom in Atlantic City," White said. "I can't take that, I have a 17-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter and we left a three-bedroom. This doesn't fit my family size. They said, 'Well if you are not willing to take this when we're offering you something, we can no longer pay for you and February 4th will be your last day."

"I would be leaving behind everything if we had to go to Atlantic City," White said. "I have a special needs son who requires important services, and his therapists are here in Elizabeth. I've lived in Elizabeth since I was 20. I'm a little furious but I feel like God is on my side."

White received a housing voucher on Dec. 29, and finding housing in the area has been "rough," she said.

"Six hundred families were evacuated, and everybody is looking for the same thing in the same area," White said. "So right now there is nothing, unless you want a hole in the wall."

HUD provided 113 vouchers to families who lived on the first and second floors of Oakwood Plaza Apartments, and was trying to help residents find HUD-approved housing nearby. But these units are in short supply, said Olga Alvarez, a HUD spokesperson.

Of those with vouchers, 44 families have found housing, and 69 are still searching for an apartment, according to HUD. Another 86 families are temporarily living in other privately-owned HUD-subsidized apartments.

Bollwage told NorthJersey.com in November that the city has a team calling apartment owners to find vacant units. Elizabeth is spending $40,000 a week housing flood survivors temporarily in hotels.

He said his focus was "trying to get 600 people into an apartment and out of hotels."

Ashley Balcerzak is a reporter covering affordable housing and its intersection of how we live in New Jersey. For unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: balcerzaka@northjersey.com

Twitter: @abalcerzak

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ida flooding victims face housing concerns with snowstorm
By Trend

Azerbaijan is ready to supply Europe with some emergency gas, said Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijans ambassador to the UK, Trend reports.

If there is an urgent need as we saw in Turkey, some volumes of course would be made available, Suleymanov said in an interview in London.

Azerbaijan can produce more gas and expand its Southern Gas Corridor. It can also channel flows from Turkmenistan as the two nations are set to develop Dostlug field in the Caspian Sea, the ambassador said.

We dont look at energy security and potential expansion and increase in volumes through a short term crisis, you cannot succeed with short-term mandates. Its long-term planning, it is a process, its not like someone shows up and says Give me more gas, he added.

The Southern Gas Corridor, which is comprised of Shah Deniz 2, the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion, the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) became fully operational on December 31, 2020.

A total of 8.1 billion standard cubic meters of gas was transported via TAP from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021. TAP supplied 6.8 billion cubic meters to Italy and 1.2 billion cubic meters to Greece and Bulgaria.




The number of people flooding into emergency rooms in the Northeast is slowing, and the percentage of school staff testing positive in the Philadelphia area has dropped dramatically, according to news reports.

Hospitalizations nationwide have dropped from 26 per 100,000 on Jan. 8 to 14.4 per 100,000 on Jan 18. At Mary Washington Hospital, admissions dropped from 177 on Jan. 17 to 154 on Jan. 21.

The omicron surge in South Africa and the U.K.places that are usually considered to be a month ahead of the U.S.seems to have peaked.

Those are all encouraging signs that this wave of COVID-19 has already hit its high spot in the U.S., and we may be over the worst. However, rates may be rising in some places still, as the omicron variant makes its way from the East Coast to the Midwest and the Great Plains, in the same way the Spanish flu spread out in 191819.

I am writing this nearly a week before it will be published, so by the time you read this, a pi or sigma variant may have suddenly emerged, and were back to fear and lockdown again. Or maybe everyone is reporting that its abating and the news Im bringing you is old hat.

God knows, we need a little optimism, even though it bucks the cynical media trend of bad news being good newsmeaning reporting strife, catastrophe and horrors all helps keep readers/listeners/viewers subscribing.

From Pandemic to Endemic

The big question is, Whats going to happen to COVID?

Viruses in the past, such as SARS and the 1918 Spanish flu, gradually mutated into less virulent forms. We will see increased natural herd immunity from those who have gotten over COVID. And as we continue to vaccinate more people, hopefully reeling in more and more of the vaccine hesitant, things are liable to become manageable.

The world will probably never be completely COVID-free. The virus is unlikely to be eradicated, said Dr. Anthony Fauci. Instead, it is likely to turn endemic, meaning it will take up permanent residence in the U.S. and cause intermittent outbreaks, but not be a pandemic and spreading around the globe.

The prediction is it will become like a cold or the flu that somehow we live with, without having to close schools and businesses, be constantly tested, or wear a mask. For perspective of what sort of mortality rates we can live with, flu causes 20,000 to 50,000 deaths per year; motor vehicle accidents, 38,680; opioids, 68,630 in 2020, and gun violence, 38,355.

Also like the flu, it seems likely regular vaccination against COVID will become the norm. There are companies working on a combined fluCOVID vaccine, which could be available this fall.

The development of antiviral medicines also adds hope. Most hopeful is Pfizers Paxlovid, which is a combination of two medicines that work like HIV drugs as a protease inhibitors, interfering with viral replication. Taken twice daily for five days, it is reported as 89 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations and death in at-risk people. Though the $540-per-course price tag is a bit steep, the government is buying a supply of Paxlovid to make available for free, so you wont feel the pain directly. It will be your taxes paying Pfizer what seems an exorbitant price.

There are also repurposed drugs like the anti-flu drug molnupiravir (reputedly costing $700), as well as others that should be cheaper, such as the antidepressant fluvoxamine and cholesterol drug fenofibrate.

Reason for Hope

I know that we were all feeling relief when the delta surge started to abate, and then along came omicron. But it appears to be less severe, suggesting there is a trend for new mutations to be less virulent. I acknowledge it may not feel less virulent to those on the front lines, such as medical professionals or teachers, who are still being overburdened just by the large number of people affected.

Even if weve bent the curve, the advice is, however much you feel government or other authority is over-reaching, you can help mitigate the disruption this virus is causing by doing all those things people are fussing at you about: Get vaccinated, wear a mask (preferably an N-95) and be responsible about being in contact with your fellow community members.

And maybe thank God you dont live in Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan or somewhere with somewhat graver problems than a virus that is taking its time to go away.

Dr. Patrick Neustatter of Caroline County is the author of Managing Your Doctor: The Smart Patients Guide to Getting Effective Affordable Healthcare.
Fredericksburg officials have commissioned an architectural firm to conduct a feasibility study on converting the former Mary Washington Hospital into a school to relieve capacity issues.

Moseley Architects is also reviewing the possibility of placing the new middle school and Mary Washington Hospital offices on the same tract of land in the Idlewild subdivision.

Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley briefed City Council on the status of the study at Tuesday nights meeting.

Whitley said itll be four to six weeks before the study is completed.

Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw said city officials arent trying to interfere with the construction of the new school to address capacity concerns, but added the option of swapping the Idlewild land with the hospital must be thoroughly explored.

Nobodys trying to stop the train, Greenlaw said. We know we have to deal with capacity issues. Nobody is trying to unduly slow anything down. But we need good information to make decisions.

Whitley noted that the Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority put forth $50,000 for the study, which should cover the complete cost.

Mary Washington Healthcare officials approached the city earlier this month about the possibility of swapping the former hospital at 2300 Fall Hill Ave. for the Idlewild tract. The notice came just before City Council and the School Board were set to hold a public hearing to approve an interim agreement to build the new school in Idlewild.

Given the intriguing possibilities of that [swap], the public hearing was put on hold, Whitley said.

City and school staff have met since then to discuss the parameters of the study.

City Councilman Matt Kelly said hes concerned that Moseley is conducting the study because it is the same firm thats been selected to build the school, which could cost approximately $65 million if it's a middle school.

Kelly also expressed concern that not enough community members understand that in addition to the possibility of a new middle school, there would be operational costs of a third elementary school, which would be located at the current Walker-Grant Middle.

We havent spent a lot of time talking about what the impacts of that are, Kelly said of the third elementary school.

Kelly suggested that City Council hold a work session to discuss the study and other issues prior to a joint session with the School Board.

In other business Tuesday night, City Council deferred a second vote on the modified redistricting plan that was submitted by resident Tina Morris. The vote will now be held during the Feb. 8 meeting.

Council also approved a budget amendment to appropriate $700,060 of state and federal COVID-19 relief funds to replace the HVAC chiller and pump at WalkerGrant Middle.

Vice Mayor Chuck Frye announced plans for the annual gun giveback event with the Fredericksburg Police Department and the citys Sheriffs Office on Saturday. But that event was postponed to an undetermined later date because of the possibility of a winter storm.

Frye also announced plans to honor the WalkerGrant High School Class of 1950 with a plaque on Feb. 10. The graduating class for the citys Black high school at the time was denied entrance into the front door of the Dorothy Hart Community Center for its ceremony 72 years ago. There was then a march and protest held to dispute the denial.

Taft Coghill Jr: 540/374-5526 tcoghill@freelancestar.com

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Im not sure if I would be classified as a Hatfield or a McCoy, but this ongoing division over COVID-19 in this country is starting to feel like a family feud.

No doubt weve all heard about the infamous fighting that began in the hills and valleys of West Virginia and Kentucky in the late 19th century. One person apparently stole a prize pig from another and things went south.

In the same vein, modern-day Americans have gone hog wild with their contrasting viewpoints about the seriousness of the virus and the need for masks and vaccinesas well as their disdain for anyone who doesnt agree with them.

Without launching into a political debatebecause thats not my thingI wonder if were becoming like the Hatfields and McCoys of latter generations. Maybe weve lost sight of what all the fighting was about in the first place. We just dig our feet even deeper into the sand on whatever side of the line were planted.

I would say thank goodness the shooting hasnt started yet, but footage from Jan. 6, 2021, shows how close weve come.

COVID-19 obviously isnt the only thing that divides us because we all see obstinate attitudes in other areas of life. Last week, I wrote about new residents of a King George County subdivision who havent been able to get mailboxes assigned to them, more than half a year after settling into their homes.

One woman said she felt like there was probably some blame on both sides of the situation, namely with the builder and the postal service. But neither seemed willing to budge, she said, and the ones suffering were residents who just wanted to be able to get birthday cards in the mail and the occasional Amazon package.

Lots of innocent people get hurt in a feud, part of the collateral damage when parties take potshots at each other.

My mother and Sarah Palin also reminded me last week that what we do impacts others. Palin, the former GOP candidate for vice president, tested positive for COVID-19again. She said she would get vaccinated over her dead body, and I thought, she very well could get her wish.

My mother said she hoped Palins decision wouldnt result in someone elses dead body. Maybe the Alaskan woman was healthy enough to withstand two bouts of the virus, but whos to say others she exposed would fare as well.

Theres been a lot of talk in this COVID-fueled feud about personal choices and how we should respect an individuals right to make them. I thought about that while listening to the news about a man who needs a heart transplant.

Apparently, his name was taken off the list because hes refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. A hospital spokesman said donated organs are in such short supply, health officials have to be sure theyre given to candidates likely to survive.

Because those with heart failure are at high risk for respiratory infections, theyre required to get the annual flu shot as well as the pneumonia and COVID vaccine, according to hospital websites. They also have to get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

Did the person involved get every other shot but stop short of the COVID-19 vaccine? One story stated he was worried about the rare side effect of temporary heart inflammation that one type of vaccine had caused in some young men.

My older, teenage grandson was in the same boat. Then his grandfather, who was fully vaccinated, got COVID last summer and died, prompting everyone on that side of the family to get vaccinated. Suddenly, the risk of temporary heart inflammation paled in comparison to death.

Americans seem to think they can pick and choose the options they want or the rules they care to follow and disregard what they dont like because their constitutional right guarantees that. Im afraid it doesnt work that way. We make choices, take actions and those actions have consequences, whether we want to acknowledge them or not.

Some people obviously are too pigheaded to see it that way. Choices being made in this ongoing COVID-19 feud are killing people every day as well as overwhelming hospitals and wearing out our long-suffering medical workers.

There are about 878,000 reasonsand countingto stop feuding now.

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When talking about the importance of Fremont Municipal Airport, Eric Johnson points out the important role the airport played during the flood of 2019.

Johnson, a member of the airports advisory committee, points to an article in the Nebraska Aviation Counts! Study of the impact of airports in the state.

The article told how Fremont was surrounded by flood waters after two levees were breached.

With no available roads in or out of the city, the airport became a hub for rescuers.

It said Fremont Aviation Vice President Greg Kjeldgaard estimated at least 1,000 people were transported to nearby airports in Omaha, Columbus, Lincoln and Wahoo.

These efforts proved to be a lifeline for the remaining victims in the four days it took emergency crews to clear the roadways, the report stated.

Pilots brought supplies  like baby diapers, formula and toiletries - into a city that had become an island as water-covered highways became impassable.

They brought people to and from the city. Pilot Mike McGillick flew Curt Goracke, who needed quadruple bypass surgery, out of Fremont to the Millard airport, where a relative picked him up so he could have the operation in Omaha.

A Nebraska Army National Guard helicopter that airlifted seven first responders from the Elkhorn River landed at the airport so the men could be taken to Methodist Fremont Health hospital.

Members of the Blackhawk helicopter crew said in a Fremont Tribune article how theyd already conducted five or six rescues before heading to the Arlington area and had considered stopping for fuel first before going to rescue the first-responders, now in the cold, debris-filled water.

Pilots wondered if theyd have enough fuel to rescue all the men.

Flying over Fremont, they contacted a civilian EMT pilot and asked if he could call someone so they could get fuel at the Fremont airport after the rescue.

In the darkness, the crew pulled all seven men up 75 feet to safety  as they watched the fuel gauge fall like a rock  then flew to Fremonts airport and refueled before heading out to other rescues.

Our airport throughout the Midwest and other regions has kind of become a poster child for how an airport functions during an emergency, Johnson said. That example has gone through other states on how an airports valued.

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Saturday

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 11 a.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart-to-heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Spiritual 12-Step Recovery Program, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous The Lie is Dead meeting, 8 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday

Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast, 8:30-11:30 a.m., Delaney Hall, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Fremont. Pancakes, ham, sausage, eggs, toast, coffee and juice will be served. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity meeting, 10:30 a.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to 6 p.m., 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Lightkeepers Womens Group, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

American Red Cross blood drive, noon to 6 p.m., Mohr Auditorium, Scribner. All blood types are needed. Masks are required. Those donating blood are asked to use rapid pass if possible.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Fresh Hope Mental Health Support Group, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

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Mark Vyhlidal was inducted into the Czech Musicians Hall of Fame during its 22nd annual ceremony, accordion jamboree and dance Saturday at Lodge Tabor Hall in Dorchester.

Vyhlidal is superintendent of public services for the City of Fremont.

All honorees are of Czech descent and have made significant contributions in preserving Czech musical traditions in Nebraska and the Midwest throughout their lives, a hall of fame press release stated.

Born in 1961, Vyhlidal attended elementary school at District 14 in Morse Bluff and junior and senior high school at District 92 in North Bend, graduating in 1980.

Vyhlidal started as a drummer playing polka music professionally at age 7 in 1968 and has continued playing Czech polka music and a variety of other styles for more than 53 years.

He has played with numerous Nebraska bands including: Adolph Nemetz Orchestra, Ernie Kucera, Al Grebnick, Moostash Joe Polka Band and many more.

Vyhlidal was self-taught and started his own band as a combo in 1973 at age 12.

By 1976, the band grew to six members and performs and promotes polka music to this day.

Vyhlidal plays accordion, trumpet, valve trombone, baritone, tuba, keyboards and drums.

In junior high, Vyhlidal had to learn how to read music notes. Since that time, he has arranged more than 400 polkas and waltzes, almost all of the music in his bands library of music.

He and his group play other varieties of music as requested.

Vyhlidal has composed numerous tunes including The Maryann polka which was selected as the No. 1 song in the country in May 2000, on Chuck Stastnys National Polka Countdown radio show. The band has made 13 recordings since 1982 which include some of Vyhlidals own compositions.

The Mark Vyhlidal Orchestra was selected to perform on the Garrison Keillor Prairie Home Companion Show, in May 1991 playing for a live broadcast with more than 1 million listeners on National Public Radio.

The Smithsonian Institute featured the band playing four numbers on its national recording, Deeper Polka.

In addition, The Mark Vyhlidal Orchestra has performed extensively throughout Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and Canada.

The band also received the National Polka Festival Recognition of Czech Heritage Award in May 2003.

Vyhlidal was inducted into the Sokol Omaha Polka Hall of Fame in September 2004, and he was the recipient of the national Frankie Award in 2012.

The Nebraska Music Hall of Fame inducted him in November 2017.

Vyhlidal has been a polka disc jockey promoting polkas and waltzes for more than 32 years.

In 1989, he started airing the All Star Polka Show, on Radio KJSK AM 900 in Columbus, with the help of Louie Oborny, Phil Herink and the late Dan Pasonault.

The live four-hour polka show airs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Sunday. Call-in requests are taken on the air until the 11:15 a.m. Polka Dance Update.

Vyhlidal started airing a second All Star Polka Show on Jan. 3, 2021, broadcasting every Sunday afternoon on Radio KHUB AM, 98.9 FM and on the web at Big Dog Now.com. The second show airs from 1:05-4 p.m. each Sunday.

To the Musicians Hall of Fame, Vyhlidal said he appreciates and thanks all of his fellow musicians in the band: Sam, Jan, Kevin, Jeff, Jacob, Mike and others. I care a lot about them. They have always been like family.

Vyhlidals philosophy is to play, not only polkas and waltzes, but a variety of music like modern country, 50s, 60s and 70s when suitable and requested at dance engagements to help promote and expose all types of music to younger generations.

Vyhlidal is the father of four children: Jeffrey, Michelle, Tyler and Jacob. He and his wife, Tami, are the grandparents of Emma, Jude, Hailey and Layla. Mark has two of his sons, Jeffrey and Jacob, following in his footsteps, playing the music and helping keep the Czech heritage and music alive.

Five other Nebraska natives were also inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and include: Allen Moravec out of David City, Dorothy (Dottie) Sladky from Valparaiso and Allen Valish from LaVista.

Two other Nebraskans were honored posthumously at the event and include Bud Comte from David City and Lumir (Lou) Vajgrt from Lincoln.

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The meeting will focus on the health standards put forth by the Nebraska Dept. of Education last year. The Protect Child Health Coalition (protechchildhealth.org) has produced a documentary of what this proposal entailed beyond health to their version of sex education beginning with kindergarten. This is a documentary for parents and adults concerned about this issue, not children.
By Trend

A memorandum of understanding on joint actions and cooperation was signed between the Agency for State Support to NGOs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Interior of Turkey on Jan. 28 in Ankara, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijans Agency for State Support to NGOs.

The document has been signed by the executive director of the Agency for State Support to NGOs of Azerbaijan Aygun Aliyeva, and the Director of Civil Society Relations Department of the Turkeys Ministry of Inteior Erkan Kilic.

The purpose of the memorandum is to promote the development of friendly relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey by supporting the expansion of dialogue, cooperation and joint activities between Azerbaijani and Turkish civil society institutions, and the implementation of joint social projects and programs.
A former welder wanted to become an over-the-road truck driver.

So he went to Keene Memorial Library.

There, Dan Moenning, a library technology specialist, spent considerable time helping the man. Moenning helped him access the Federal Motor Safety Career Administration practice driving testing for his Commercial Drivers License.

It would be a door opener, not just to a truck but new opportunities. The man later told Moenning he got to practice driving semis.

And he got a job offer from a good company.

Built in 1971, the local library has served patrons from students to senior citizens and the general public in many ways.

Now, funds are being raised for a $9.4 million renovation and expansion project designed to provide new technology and make the library easily accessible. It will offer more meeting space, separate adult, teen and kid areas and additional parking.

We are looking for a late spring groundbreaking in 2022 with projections of October 2024 as the latest we would be opening the expansion, said Laura England-Biggs, library director.

Those dates are dependent upon factors including the weather and supply chain.

The library building is 23,000 square feet. A small building to the east will be demolished and an estimated 13,000 square feet will be added to the current library.

England-Biggs said the completed expanded library will increase meeting room size from 75 to 125 people. The project will provide a large meeting room for 125 people, a medium-size one for 12 and two small meeting rooms for four people each.

The facilities will become ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Accessible.

Childrens services, including an activity room and mothers quiet room, will be on the first floor. The first-floor expansion will feature a large community meeting room and a separate teen/young adult area. The childrens activity room will be separate from the community room.

A computer lab and a separate teaching room will be part of the project as well.

Adult services will be on the second floor.

Handicapped accessible bathrooms will be available on both floors.

England-Biggs said 76% of the funds  $7.1 million  has been raised or committed for the project.

The library submitted a letter of intent for a Civic and Community Center Financing Fund grant and the application process opens soon. That potentially could provide $750,000. Its the same type of grant that went to the Fremont City Auditorium renovation project.

England-Biggs said the library also has applied for a $1.5 million Shovel-Ready grant through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Were hoping to hear on that this month yet, England-Biggs said.

Keene library already has received some substantial donations.

Our project speaks to a need in the community for a community hub, England-Biggs said. We serve the very young and the not-so-young. We serve the whole age spectrum with differing needs at different ages.

People served at the library include:

Families without internet.

Students.

Senior citizens.

Parents encouraging their kids to read.

People wanting free, educational and entertaining programs.

Patrons from all walks of life benefit from a library.

When theyre little, they need to learn to read, England-Biggs said. As they get older, we find people need community and social interaction as well as materials to keep their minds busy.

England-Biggs said the library serves those who are disadvantaged economically and educationally.

Twenty percent of Fremont doesnt have internet at home.

I would guess a large percentage of those folks are out looking for jobs, she said, adding, They can come to the library to do that. We have people who can help them with the job search.

Families with no internet at home can check out a wireless device that allows them access to it. They can use their own devices to do homework, check out e-books or do business, banking or job searching online.

Its a safer alternative than public Wi-Fi, because you have to have a password to get on that internet, England-Biggs said.

Children from disadvantaged homes dont tend to have the same access to books.

We know from studies that the more a child is read to the more words they absorb, the better they do when they start school. Libraries can provide those books for free, England-Biggs said.

Older individuals on a fixed income can check out books, magazines and movies for free. Audio books are available for those with vision problems.

Elisa Cruz, circulation manager and adult services librarian, takes materials to people unable to get to the library.

Cruz makes multiple visits in a week. Once a month, she and Ann Hoppe, library assistant, take materials to residents at the Fremont towers, who have no transportation.

Keene works with the inter-library loan program. If Keene doesnt have a book, it can get it.

The library also has patron-driven acquisitions  meaning patrons can suggest a book or movie theyd like the library to purchase.

Patrons also can download the Libby app (Overdrive) on their device, connect their Keene Memorial Library card and search for books and magazines they want to read for free.

The library also has a free book club for adults, who can read a book and discuss it.

In addition, the library offers free events with special speakers.

It offers free arts programs, too, like the recent one with Celtic guitarist Jerry Barlow. It has hosted Humanities Nebraska speakers.

The library provides activities for kids such as Storytime, which includes stories, songs and a craft, and the Summer Reading Program. In the past, experts have brought in different animals and birds to show the children.

Other services are available at the library.

For instance, people can make Xerox copies.

We proctor tests for students, England-Biggs said.

If a student needs to take a test with someone observing them to be make sure the test is taken with integrity, they sit in England-Biggs office and she keeps an eye on them.

The library wants to provide larger meeting spaces and other opportunities for patrons.

Since 2004, weve known this library is not big enough to serve the community, England-Biggs said. Weve had three different space studies done that say, You need to grow and the time is now.

Fremont voters recognized the need in 2018 when they approved a $2 million bond issue for the library. The library then would raise the rest of the money via grants and donations for its expansion.

England-Biggs said the best part about the project has been the opportunity to meet new supporters of the library and getting to work with the expansion committee.

Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg foresees a bright future for the library with the expansion project.

"The Keene Memorial Library Expansion will become an innovative leader among its peers, Spellerberg said. The renovations embrace technology and create more opportunities for community engagement and collaboration, allowing our library to serve the needs of our community well for decades to come. Getting to this point was an entire community effort, and I couldn't be more excited about the future of the Keene Memorial Library."

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Mark Shepard knows the vital role mental health plays in student success.

Amid the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have been enlisting the help of mental health experts and working to maintain communication with staff and students.

Shepard, the superintendent of Fremont Public Schools, said the focus on mental health didnt start during the pandemic, but during an arguably darker time for the city of Fremont.

In the spring of 2019, we had a 400-year flood, Shepard said. That was when our awareness got heightened initially and that was pre-pandemic. We saw the need for community resources. We saw the need for the follow up with the students and their families.

Thats when FPS first partnered with Lutheran Family Services, United Way, The Fremont Family Coalition and various churches.

We wanted to meet the communitys needs beyond just an educational need, Shepard said.

Then the COVID hit in 2020 and schools began seeing the pandemics impact.

A theme among school districts' struggles has been the implementation of COVID precautions such as mask mandates and online classes - a divisive and political issue since the start of the pandemic.

Cedar Bluffs Superintendent Harlan Ptomey described what districts have been facing.

Some of these issues are coming from the political divisions in the country, Ptomey said. Masks or no masks, vaccination mandates, its stressful. We have two sides who are battling and that has to have an impact on our adults as well as our students. Its unfortunate right now because it is so divisive.

Shepard cites other cause for uneasiness among students.

It's beyond the pandemic, Shepard said. Some of the social unrest in the country and what they see and experience on media or social media has added to some of that concern.

Statewide statistics have pointed to mental health concerns among teachers and students.

In early December, the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) released statistics about substitute shortages and overall negative feelings from educators about their districts.

One statistic that rang true for many schools across Nebraska were those relating to the impact on students.

The NSEA found that 84% of educators who participated in the survey have seen an increase in student mental health concerns.

It said this could be due to multiple factors like the pandemics effect on student workload, activities, extra-curriculars, social limitations and many more. The NSEA also stated that this doesn't necessarily have to be due directly to the pandemic.

Since the start of the pandemic, school districts within Dodge and Saunders counties have seen an increase in mental health awareness and support.

The last two years, weve added social workers and partnered with community resources including Lutheran Family Services and the Fremont Family Coalition with providing additional resources in the school and providing support for not just the students but also their families, Shepard said.

Cedar Bluffs Schools have taken extra measures as well.

We hired additional staff this year, Ptomey said. We have two full time mental health practitioners on staff.

Cedar Bluffs unfortunately knows this feeling of mental health concern all too well.

In late November, a freshman at Cedar Bluffs High School passed away due to suicide. Since then, Ptomey states the support for students has been more apparent.

We added our two practitioners and they come here pretty regularly, Ptomey said. They would come and talk to kids and we just wanted to have that support there for our students.

Shepard indicated other things FPS has done to help students.

Another thing that we have tried to do, and have been successful with, has been whenever possible keeping our students in school, Shepard said. That was probably one of the biggest issues our teachers and school district had.

Shepard pointed out concerns with online learning.

When we were online learning, it was really difficult to gauge a students mental, social and emotional wellbeing, he said.

Shepard said mental health was the driving force behind keeping students in school.

We were really pleased when the CDC relaxed its guidelines so that students will only be out for five days instead of 10, because that does get them back into school quicker, Shepard said.

Another local administrator cites smaller class size and faith for helping students.

Archbishop Bergan Catholic Principal Dan Koenig says that schools saving grace for mental health among students aligns with the size of its classrooms and school.

Were going to do what we always do, which is do whats best for our kids, Koenig said. In a smaller atmosphere, we are able to have our teachers have a good pulse on what's going on with each and every one of our students.

Koenig explained how the system works.

We have a house system set up, so each kid belongs to a family so not only do you have grade level teachers checking up on kids constantly, but also other staff members who act as a mentor and check up on their kids in their house programs, Koenig said.

This smaller size is what Koenig believes makes Bergan able to handle cases of mental health concerns amongst students.

Even as a principal, Koenig believes hes involved in this process as well.

I teach social studies in the morning, Koenig said. I've got 14 to 15 students in each of my classes.

Koenig said the small class numbers allow him to know how kids are doing and whats going on with them.

If I see something going on with a kid or if I notice something is not right, I pull them aside in a discrete way and check in on their mental health, how they are feeling and what is going on in their lives, Koenig said.

Along with smaller class sizes providing more interconnected relationships between staff and students, Koenig also said Bergan also has guidance counselors from junior high to high school, but they are used as almost a last resort.

Caseload is not very large because we have 197 students at the middle school/high school level. Thats about 200 students to check in on and take care of their basic needs as well as their mental health, Koenig said.

Koenig believes another aspect of Bergans ability to tackle student mental health concerns lies in a core principle of the school, religion.

We know our kids extremely well, Koenig said. We know their families. We know what they are going through. We not only have the ability to check in on them mentally, but we have the ability to talk to them about their faith life as well.

Koenig talked about the importance of that faith life.

We lean on our faith constantly, with us being a Catholic school. We talk about how faith is going to get them through these times, Koenig said.

Koenig recognizes the value of a close-knit environment.

We have a family atmosphere, and families take care of each other, Koenig said. We are raising these kids as if they are our own. We are working hand-in-hand with their parents so these kids can get through the tough times and to be the very best they can be.

North Bend Public Schools Superintendent Dan Endorf touched on what the pandemic itself has brought to school districts and the country as a whole.

The pandemic has and continues to create heightened anxiety among students, staff, community and all of society, Endorf said. The virus has led to an increased workload, more stress and difficult conversations in relation to how we normally operate a school. These are unprecedented times and all of us are learning as we go. I'm very pleased with how our students and staff have reacted through these times.

Endorf appreciates students and what theyve experienced.

Students are resilient, but they have undergone a traumatic couple of years, Endorf said.

With administration, staff and the community at large taking a more in-depth look at mental health problems and solutions amongst students at various schools, it now relies on the resources available to different districts to get their students the support they may need.

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Rep. Jeff Fortenberry has mounted a TV ad attacking his Republican challenger, state Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, for his 2012 vote as a state senator in favor of a bill that provided prenatal care for immigrants.

Flood said his vote demonstrated and responded to his pro-life commitment.

In his TV campaign ad, Fortenberry said Flood's vote 10 years ago resulted in "tax-funded health care benefits to illegal immigrants" and mirrors the immigration positions now taken by Democratic President Joe Biden.

Responding to the TV ad, Flood campaign manager Ryan Kopsa said the 1st District congressman is "desperately lying about Mike Flood to distract from the felony criminal charges he is facing" in an indictment in California alleging that he lied to federal officials about illegal contributions that were funneled into his 2016 reelection campaign.

"Ten years ago, with the support of Nebraska Right to Life, Nebraskans United for Life and the Nebraska Catholic Conference, Mike prioritized his pro-life principles on a difficult bill," Kopsa said.

"Mike Flood has always fought to protect innocent life, including making Nebraska the first state in the nation to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy when babies can feel pain," he said.

Last week, Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman endorsed Flood in his bid for the House seat.

The eastern Nebraska 1st District includes Lincoln and has been represented by Fortenberry, a former Lincoln city council member, since 2005.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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Pakistani authorities say four people have been killed in twin blasts in the volatile Balochistan Province in the countrys southwest.

Eight others were wounded when two improvised explosive devices went off near a village tube well in the Madani area of the Dera Bugti district late on January 28.

Three of those killed in the explosions were security personnel and the fourth victim was a local tribal elder, officials said on January 29.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The twin blasts come days after 10 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a militant attack on a security post in Balochistans Kech district.

Local separatist group, the Balochistan Liberation Front, claimed responsibility for the attack that took place overnight from January 25 into January 26.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has been the scene of a long-running insurgency, with various separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces. The separatists demand independence from the central government in Islamabad.
Pakistan's national-security adviser has met with high-ranked members of the Taliban-led government in Kabul, to discuss bilateral cooperation, border issues, and efforts to avert a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, officials said on January 29.

Moeed Yusuf arrived in Kabul as the head of a delegation that includes cabinet ministers and economic and security experts.

Yusuf and the Talibans acting deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam Hanafi, discussed trade, transit, and the implementation of major regional projects, including the TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia (TAPI) Pipeline, and the Central Asia-South Asia electricity power project, known as CASA-1000, a Taliban spokesman said.

Hanafi invited Pakistani entrepreneurs and companies to invest in Afghanistan's energy, mining, and agriculture sectors, the spokesman added.

Pakistani media reported that the meetings in Kabul will also focus on Islamabads economic and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan where millions are facing extreme hunger and the economy is on the brink of collapse.

Pakistan is alleged to have supported and sheltered the Afghan Taliban while the hard-line group fought an armed insurgency against Afghan and international forces for two decades.

But the relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban-led government has become strained in recent months as Pakistan continued erecting a 2,500-kilometer fence along the border with Afghanistan.

Yusuf was initially scheduled to visit Kabul on January 18, but his trip was postponed.

With reporting by dawn.com and dpa
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August, information has trickled in about tensions building between the ethnic Uzbek, Turkmen, and Tajik communities in parts of northern Afghanistan and the mainly Pashtun Taliban fighters who have moved to the area in recent months.

The growing animosity between those ethnic groups and the Taliban ignited briefly in Faryabs provincial capital of Maimana in mid-January when protests over the arrest of a local leader led to fighting.

Makhdum Alem (Makhdum Mohammad Alem Rabbani) is a local Taliban commander in Faryab Province, which borders Turkmenistan.

An ethnic Uzbek, Alem was influential in working with local leaders and elders from ethnic groups in northern Afghanistan and securing the loyalty of those regions for the Taliban.

On January 12, Alem was summoned to Mazar-e Sharif, in Balkh Province, where he was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a kidnapping, reportedly by Taliban Deputy Defense Minister Mullah Fazel.

When word of Alems arrest reached Maimana the next day, a protest erupted with hundreds of mostly ethnic Uzbeks surrounding the security headquarters in the city and demanding Alems release.

Shooting started and at least four people were killed.

The protesters forced the Taliban fighters to surrender their weapons and they were then marched out of Maimana.

Alems deputy, Turkoghlu, said if the Taliban did not release Alem the Taliban flag would be lowered from the security headquarters building.

The Taliban reportedly sent reinforcements to the area, including a squad of suicide bombers, but after four days of negotiations the standoff ended.

While the protests were happening another prominent Taliban commander in the region -- ethnic Tajik Qari Wakil -- was invited to Mazar-e Sharif to mediate the dispute in Maimana.

Wakil was also arrested and Alem was taken to Kabul.

It is not clear what happened to Wakil.

Ataullah Omari, the commander of the Talibans 209th Al-Fatah Corps in northern Afghanistan, said outside forces were to blame for the unrest in Maimana without naming any specific group or country.

Omari claimed that In the future, opportunists will not be allowed to create disputes among Uzbeks, Pashtuns, Tajiks, Turkmen, and others."

Ghulam Nabi Ghafoori, the deputy head of the Ulema (Religious) council in Faryab, warned that People have the right to politely and respectfully investigate the reason for the arrest of Mahmud Alem, but they are not allowed to demonstrate against the regime.

Videos have been posted on social networks for many weeks showing ethnic Turkmen and Uzbeks in northern Afghanistan being forced from their homes by Pashtun nomads with the help of the Taliban after they gave the land they were on to their fighters and supporters.

The Taliban leadership remains predominantly Pashtun in its ethnic makeup and a lack of representation within the government seems to be one of the main complaints of ethnic groups in northern Afghanistan.

There is still armed resistance to the Taliban in parts of northern Afghanistan.

RFE/RLs Afghan service, Radio Azadi, has received information of fighting between Taliban forces and guerrilla bands in Afghanistans northern provinces of Baghlan, Balkh, Badakhshan, and Faryab.

The guerrilla bands are believed to be part of the National Resistance Front (NRF), a group that emerged after the Taliban seized control over most of Afghanistan and is led by Ahmad Masud, the son of legendary Afghan field commander and leader Ahmad Shah Masud.

According to Azadi, there are no reports of fighting in the Panjshir Valley, the NFR stronghold before Taliban forces seized that area in fighting in September.

But northern Afghanistan remains restive nearly a half year after the Taliban chased the government from power.

The so-called Islamic State of Khorasan (ISK) has been active in northern Afghanistan, as well.

ISK claimed responsibility for a bombing at a Shiite mosque in Kunduz in October that killed more than 60 people.

Local officials from the previous Afghan government who now live abroad point to the Talibans theft of land and arrests of local ethnic commanders as proof the Pashtun-dominated Taliban will not treat ethnic groups as equals.

Many in northern Afghanistan seem to have similar concerns and, despite Taliban warnings about protests, there is no sign tensions in the region will ease anytime soon.

RFE/RL editor Frud Bezhan and Radio Azadi's Mustafa Sarwar contributed to this report.
We hold cops accountable. Now how about the rest of the justice system? | Vince Bzdek
The federal prison in Littleton has largely refused to properly screen staff or broadly test inmates for COVID-19, employees there say, ignoring federal guidance despite repeated pleas from the union that represents the facility's workers.

The result, those workers said, is the largely unchecked spread of the virus in the sort of setting that has been a hotbed for outbreaks for nearly two years.

Inmates at FCI Englewood have to "beg and plead" to get tested, one union official said, and he alleged that the understaffed, in-house medical team had told some symptomatic inmates that they just have allergies. Personnel are told to self-screen when entering the facility, despite federal policy calling for "enhanced screening."

The vast majority of the understaffed worker force doesn't use the thermometer in the entrance, officials said, providing another entry point for the virus.

In response to a message seeking comment for this story, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said it would begin requiring enhanced screening for anyone entering the facility  the kind that employees say they've sought for months  starting Friday.

"The whole pandemic response plan has failed; it just hasnt been enforced," said Chris Janssen, the vice president of the local American Federation of Government Employees union representing the prison's staff. "We're just seeing a second round of COVID coming through the prison."

Englewood prison was the site of one of the largest federal prison COVID-19 outbreaks in the country last year. Now, inmates aren't being tested on any significant level, three union officials who work in the prison said, despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance suggesting broad-scale testing and Bureau of Prisons policy requiring that inmates be tested "when they are symptomatic, asymptomatic but exposed, during movements, and when surveillance is needed."

The level of mitigation controls in a prison depends in part on the level of spread within the broader community. Englewood's status is at level three, the highest level of modification under the bureau's pandemic-response plan.

A message sent to FCI Englewood was not returned this week. The Bureau of Prison declined an interview request.

In response to an email about the allegations made by prison employees, the bureau said in a statement that wardens have "final authority" to "tailor and apply restrictions in according with CDC guidance" and based on data from their facility. It said the agency is using "mass testing," as well as specific testing on symptomatic inmates, to monitor the virus, and that infected inmates are isolated and given appropriate treatment.

The three union employees, who had seen a similar statement sent to another media outlet, said the bureau's comments were not reflective of what's happening in Englewood. They said testing has been limited for inmates, symptomatic inmates remain in the general population and untested, and screening for employees is essentially voluntary.

The local American Federation of Government Employees union representing the prison personnel has raised concerns with Warden J.F. Williams for months, said union president James Simmerman. Last weekend, Simmerman met with Williams and the bureau's regional director. Simmerman said the regional official told Williams to follow federal policy on screening and testing. That still hasn't happened, Simmerman said.

"If you don't test, you can't show that you have an outbreak," said David Dollard, the chief steward for the union.

Simmerman said the facility tested 70 inmates this week after an inmate was sent to a local hospital with COVID-19 and pneumonia. Bureau of Prisons data indicates 18 inmates  out of a population just over 1,000  are currently ill with COVID-19. The union officials flatly rejected that number.

The hospitalized inmate "had been (in that housing unit) with symptoms for over a week," Simmerman said. "Those test results are pending, but the numbers the (Bureau of Prisons) is representing are massively deflated to the reality."

Even without testing, the evidence of an outbreak is apparent when walking through the housing units, Simmerman and Janssen said.

"There's a lot of inmates that are sick in here," Janssen said. "We're seeing the simple symptoms of sneezing, watery eyes, stuff like that. And the inmates are telling us that medical is telling them that they just have allergies. So the inmates are like, 'No I dont believe that, I want a test.'"

In its statement, the bureau said it was "using critical testing tools to help mitigate the spread of the virus and continues to provide testing for COVID-19 symptomatic inmates, as well as mass testing or serial testing when indicated," per CDC guidance.

That guidance indicates that all inmates should be tested in a housing unit where one inmate has tested positive. If there are infections in multiple areas of the prison, the entire facility should be tested, as happened at Englewood last year, when it had its large outbreak.

Janssen said infections are not isolated to one area in the prison. He said there are about 70 inmates on a "range," which is essentially a housing unit. Recently, two or three inmates on a range may test positive and be put in isolation, he said, but prior to this week, none of those infections had sparked broader level testing.

Because prison personnel live in and interact with the broader community, they carry the largest potential to bring the virus into the facility. The bureau said in its statement that effective Friday, "staff, contractors, and other visitors to (Englewood) must undergo a screening and temperature check by a staff member wearing appropriate (protective gear) prior to entering the facility, with those who register a temperature of 100.4 Fahrenheit or higher denied access to the building."

The union officials said they've been asking for that level of screening for months and that Williams, the warden, has ignored those requests. No staff member has been dispatched to conduct the screenings, Janssen and Simmerman confirmed Friday. Simmerman said the bureau's message was misleading and that anything short of a 24-hour staffer doing consistent screenings would be inadequate.

Employees have for months been told to take their own temperature upon walking into the facility; nearly all of the personnel don't self-screen when they arrive at Englewood, Dollard said. Tests are not provided for staff on-site: Personnel must get tested elsewhere.

Because of the current rate of spread in the area, the prison is supposed to "implement daily COVID-19 symptom screen and temp check prior to entry into the institution," according to the plan posted to Englewood's website. CDC guidance also calls for facilities to "ensure" that there is "verbal screening and temperature checks for all staff daily on entry."

The facility's corrections officers are staffed at below 70%, Dollard said. Mandatory overtime is frequent, and any guard who calls in sick is putting a colleague in line for an additional eight hour shift.

Medical personnel are also understaffed, Janssen said. In its statement, the bureau wrote that Englewood "has an ample number of trained medical personnel" to provide a variety of services to inmates, including those infected with COVID-19.

"The staff morale is the lowest Ive seen in the 19 years Ive worked for the bureau," Dollard said.

Inmates, he said, "are bearing with it."
By Trend

Another passenger bus departed from Baku to Shusha, Trend reports.

The bus left the Baku International Bus Terminal Complex for Shusha at 06:30.

Regular passenger bus routes to the liberated territories began on 24 January. Trips will be organized on the Ahmedbeyli Shusha route four times a week, to other destinations  twice a week. The activities of the bus route Fuzuli Shusha International Airport will be coordinated with air travel.

The fare on the route Baku-Shusha-Baku in one direction will be 10.4 manats, on the route Baku-Agdam-Baku - 9.4 manats, on the route Akhmedbeyli-Shusha-Ahmedbeyli (express) - 7 manats, on the route Barda-Agdam -Barda (express) - 5 manats, on the route Fizuli International Airport - Shusha - 6 manats.

Passengers must book round-trip tickets at the same time.

Those wishing to travel to the liberated territories can purchase tickets electronically. For this purpose, the portal yolumuzqarabaga.az has been created.




UAE-based Azizi Developments has partnered with leading global technology company ABB for the supply of wiring accessories for residential and commercial units coming up within its flagship waterfront project, Riviera, in Dubai.

Designed to introduce the French-Mediterranean lifestyle to Dubai, Riviera represents a new landmark destination that is both residential and commercial, with an abundance of retail space.

It features three districts: an extensive retail boulevard, a lagoon walk with artisan eateries and boutiques, and Les Jardins  a vast, lush-green social space.

As per the deal, ABB will supply Azizis premium, soon-to-be-completed residential and commercial developments in Riviera, MBR City, with switches and sockets.

CEO Farhad Azizi said: "ABB has a 130+ year history of innovation excellence. This partnership comes in light of our strategy to directly join forces with best-in-class providers and is sure to add immense value to our investors and end-users, who will benefit from added sustainable, advanced and sleek technology within their homes."

ABB is a Swiss-based, leading technology company that connects software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio to energise society and industries transformation to achieve a more productive and sustainable future.-TradeArabia News Service
Records show former state veterinary medicine board member Ellen Kessler resigned to shield Gov. Jared Polis from blowback after she made what ranchers viewed as incendiary remarks about the livestock industry.

"The controversy has gotten out of hand and I believe I would be most helpful to our governor if I resigned," Kessler said in a Jan. 24 email to Karen Phelan, program director for the State Board of Veterinary Medicine.

The resignation came as, behind the scenes, thousands signed a petition calling for her removal, while several emails called for the same to the state vet board.

Kessler's latest comment, made Jan. 19 on a Facebook post authored by first gentleman Marlon Reis, claimed ranchers were "baiting" the wolves in order to obtain compensation from the state when wolves killed livestock. Kessler, an animal rights activist and vegan, also called ranchers "lazy" and "nasty." Her comments have since been deleted, but screenshots of those comments were widely circulated on on social media and have garnered national and international attention.

The blowback from those comment included thousands of new signatures on a petition calling for Kesslers removal. The agricultural publication FencePost launched the petition last year in response to Kessler's history of making what many in the agriculture community view as hostile remarks about the industry. Several social media posts made after her appointment showed support for a position that dairy farmers sexually abuse their cows and that youth organization 4-H "teaches children that animal lives don't matter."

It's standard practice for dairy farmers to artificially inseminate cows so they give birth and produce milk. As for 4-H, among its guiding principles is teaching young people how to humanely care for and respect the animals in their possession. Those posts have also since been deleted.

The FencePost petition has drawn more than 24,000 signatures, including almost 5,000 in the past week. A records request filed with the Department of Regulatory Agencies, under which the state vet board is housed, also revealed the board received several complaints in the past about Kesslers latest remarks.

Among those emails was a message from Jackson County rancher Faith Anderson, who said: "I understand she is appointed by the governor, but she also has a duty to the public and her negative comments on social media are very disheartening and disgusting."

Kesslers comments "speak volumes" about the state vet board, Anderson added. Another email called on Reis to apologize.

In a statement to Colorado Politics Tuesday, Polis spokesman Conor Cahill said, "Ms. Kessler emailed her resignation from the voluntary board position shortly after these comments and her resignation was accepted."

In the past, Polis has refused to refute Kesslers remarks, which have in part fueled claims by Republicans and the agriculture community that he doesn't support agriculture. Other instances cited include signing a farmworkers' bill of rights that was opposed by the industry, encouraging the Agriculture department to support meatless alternatives, declaring a "Meat Out Day," and making appointments affecting agriculture that exclude representation from the agriculture-producing counties.

He also has signed legislation that provided economic support for the Colorado State Fair, the National Western Stock Show and other agriculture-related fairs, to help farmers and ranchers during the pandemic.

Polis told reporters during a visit to Sterling in September 2020 that he would take a "wait and see" approach on how Kessler and other members of the board perform before making any changes.

"I think everybodys waiting to see how the board upholds the professionalism of veterinary medicine," Polis said, as reported by the Sterling Journal-Advocate. "If they make any missteps, if they do anything detrimental to animal health in ag, then well have to take action."
Abu Dhabi Maritime, the custodian of all of Abu Dhabis waterways and marine ecosystems, has announced that it has assumed responsibility for all ferry services operating within the UAE capitals waterways.

Operating under the AD Ports Group, with guidance from the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), the organisation is integrating the Ferry Operations Branch of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) under the scope of its services.

The move will see it manage and oversee the daily operation of the emirates two major ferry lines - the Dalma Island Water Transport Service, which connects Dalma Island and Jebel Dhanna Port, and Al Aliah Island Water Transport Service, which connects Al Aliah Island and Al Saadiyat Island.

The transition is in-line with Abu Dhabi Maritimes mandate to position Abu Dhabi as a top global maritime centre through development of user-friendly regulation, advanced infrastructure, and world-class services.

As part of its new responsibilities, the organisation will also drive the development of several key business areas associated with ferry operations. This includes the creation of new infrastructure such as ferry stations, acquisition of vessels, enhancement of staff capabilities, fostering third-party contractor relationships, as well as leading the digitalisation of Abu Dhabis ferry services.

Hamad Al Mutawa, the Executive Director of Planning and Infrastructure Sector at DMT, said: "The integration is part of DMTs long-term plan to deliver our leaderships vision to establish our emirate as a top global maritime centre with streamlined ultra-modern services and infrastructure of the highest standards."

"The move will also support developing the maritime transport infrastructure further to serve the growing number of ferry users and will ensure a smoother experience for all commuters," noted Al Mutawa.

"This will also provide a sustained push to attract more tourists, support the economic development and give residents and tourists alike a safe, comfortable and reliable travel option in the emirate," he added.

Group CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said: "Consolidating ferry operations under a single entity that is focused solely on growing Abu Dhabis maritime sector, will help achieve our governments vision of positioning our Emirate as a global maritime hub."

"Offering a world-class ferry service for vehicle and passenger traffic is a hallmark of a well-developed maritime capital, and the transition will help enhance the sectors contribution to Abu Dhabis non-oil GDP by enhancing user experience and further attracting the local and global community to explore all that our maritime domain has to offer," he noted.

Captain Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Maritime, AD Ports Group, said: "The transfer of all ferry services under the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi Maritime marks yet another critical step in our organisations efforts to consolidate all related water transport services under a single umbrella."

"We will support and oversee the ferry services daily operations and the future expansion of their activities, in-line with the overall growth of our maritime sector. Our userbase and the broader maritime community can rest assured that the transition is seamless and allows us to work together to pursue further service enhancements and drive the ferry network expansion," he added.
DES MOINES  Teachers should not have to worry about jail time for distributing books that some people might consider vulgar, Republican Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said Friday.

Whitver made the comment while appearing on this weekends episode of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS.

Whitver was asked about comments made before the legislative session by two Senate Republicans  Sens. Jake Chapman of Adel and Brad Zaun of Urbandale  who said they felt educators should face jail time for distributing literature that they deemed vulgar or obscene.

When asked about the possibility of criminal penalties for teachers, Whitver on Friday appeared to dismiss the idea.

Librarians pushback on calls to remove LGBTQ books from school libraries As a father of five children, I can tell you if this material was in my school, Id be going to law enforcement."

I think charging anyone with felonies for these types of things, I dont think is a good idea, he said. Whitver said no legislation has been proposed in the Senate that would criminalize the distribution of certain literature in schools.

Republican lawmakers are hearing concerns from parents about some books in schools and their libraries, he said. When books have been singled out by legislators or at school board meetings, they typically have been about LGBTQ characters or written by LGBTQ authors, and include brief passages that describe sexual acts or feelings.

Whitver said he thinks the topic should be addressed through transparency. That aligns with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who proposed legislation that would require schools to post a catalog of all of their library books and curriculum materials online. Schools are already required to have that information available.

Were hearing concerns from parents and our job is to listen to those concerns and try to address them, Whitver said. I think adding transparency is a really good way to do that: make sure our parents have a seat at the table in their kids education, give them a process to address any concerns they have.

Book with mature language leads to Charles City teacher's resignation EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been changed to correct that Alecia Feckers was not reprimande

Many school districts already have a process in place for considering books and other materials that some people may deem inappropriate.

The phenomenon is not unique to Iowa, and other states elected officials have taken action. Floridas Republican lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban schools from, in their instruction, making people feel discomfort over historic actions by their race, nationality or gender. And a Tennessee school board banned a book about the Holocaust over concerns of graphic drawings.

Iowa Press airs on Iowa PBS at noon Sunday, and can be viewed online at iowapbs.org.

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Get excited folks, one of the biggest annual events in the state is returning to North Iowa.

On Friday night, the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) announced its route for its 2022 event, and Mason City and Charles City were both named as overnight stops for the event.

"It will be incredible," Executive Director of Visit Mason City Lindsay James said. "I can't even put it into words, it [will] feel like we are back."

RAGBRAI is a seven-day bike ride across the state of Iowa, with 2022 aiming to be the event's 48th running. According to RAGBRAI, the event is the oldest, longest and largest recreational bicycle touring event in the world.

Mason City last hosted RAGBRAI in 2014, and the economic impact it had on the city in just one day can not be understated. According to Mason City Mayor Bill Schickel, when RAGBRAI came to town in 2014 it had a $3 million economic impact in just the one day it was here.

"We would expect that to be even more this year... $3 million is a baseline of what we should expect," Schickel said of the $3 million from 2014. "It would be great to give our local businesses a benefit from this influx of people."

Charles City played host to RAGBRAI even more recently in 2017.

Back in 2014 the event was massive, with over 14,000 people entering into the community for just one day, and with an even larger turnout expected for 2022.

"There are a lot of opportunities for our community to benefit (from RAGBRAI)," James said.

RAGBRAI 2022 is scheduled to take place from July 24-30. That gives both cities just under six months to prepare for the largescale event.

"It's going to be all hands on deck that's for sure," Schickel said.

But the expectation with being a host city is that Mason City and Charles City need to go all out.

"Back in 2014 it was a party... We hear all the time from RAGBRAI riders that they want to come back to Mason City," James said. "The expectation when applying is that we do that again this year."

In 2014 Mason City hosted former Poison frontman Bret Michaels, and while there isn't officially an artist lined up for 2022, James said that host cities will have to put on a concert as part of being picked to host.

James also noted that for a mid-week stop, like Mason City has, RAGBRAI prefers to have a "big" headliner.

In addition to the concert, several vendors will travel to Mason City and Charles City to set up shop for the day, and food and beverage stands will be set up across the festival area. Local businesses will also take advantage and get involved with vendor stands of their own, according to James.

In addition to Mason City and Charles City, Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, West Union and Lansing will be the other host cities for RAGBRAI 2022.

Zachary Dupont covers politics and business development for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at 641-421-0533 or zachary.dupont@globegazette.com. Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZachNDupont

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Among the earliest published literature by African Americans were slave narrativesautobiographical accounts of the lives of slaves who lived primarily in the American South in the early to mid-1800s. The themes addressed in these accounts, which consist of letters, notes, or a diary, frequently included escapes, slave auctions, interactions with plantation owners and abolitionists, and the forced separation of family members, often parents and children. Some of the best known slave narratives were written by Josiah Henson and Frederick Douglass. In the last three decades, a renewed awareness of the lives of enslaved African Americans has prompted a wave of novels and biographies, sometimes called neo-slave narratives, in which modern writers such as Toni Morrison and Octavia Butler offer a historical or fictional representation of the lives of slaves.

1. According to the passage, each of the following could be described as a slave narrative EXCEPT:

2. The authors description of the characteristics of a slave narrative suggests which of the following conclusions?

A. an autobiography by a free-born African American man who lived in New Orleans in the 1830s.B. personal papers of African American field hands who were enslaved in Alabama.C. an account of two sisters being auctioned to different plantation owners in rural Georgia.D. a letter smuggled to an escaped slave from her brother, a slave in South Carolina.E. the diary of a Mississippi slave who was captured while attempting to escape.A. The work of abolitionists in the northern states helped bring about the publication of slave narratives.B. All of the narratives published in the early to mid-1800s were written by slaves living in southern states.C. Most slave narratives were not published until over a century after they were written.D. In the mid-1900s, fewer people knew about slave narratives than did people in the late 1900s.E. The work of neo-slave narratives such as those by Butler and Morrison has helped to bring attention to older narratives by other writers.
Bunuel wrote:

The United Nations General Assembly term runs from September to January. The greatest part of this time is taken up with useless chatter. Delegates debate endlessly, never arriving at decisions. The delegate from each and every 300-square-mile archipelago in the South Pacific must make a lengthy presentation on every topic that reaches the floor, yet almost no attention is paid to solving practical problems that are actually capable of being solved.



The author's argument is based on which one of the following assumptions?



A. The purpose of the General Assembly is to deal with specific practical problems.

B. Too many small states with insignificant problems are members of the General Assembly.

C. If the General Assembly spent less time debating, it would devote most of its attention to providing relief for famine areas.

D. The term of the General Assembly is too short for any important work to be accomplished.

E. Members of the General Assembly who are from large countries tend to concentrate more on global issues, rather than on minor topics.

Official Explanation:

Step 1: Identify the Question Type

Step 2: Untangle the Stimulus

Step 3: Predict the Answer

Step 4: Evaluate the Choices

TAKEAWAY:

This is an Assumption question. The correct choice will be something the author left out, but must believe to be true for the conclusion to follow from the evidence.The author's bottom line, paraphrased, is that the UN General Assembly is wasting its time. Most of the time it meets is spent in useless talking, debating, and making presentations, but not in solving practical problems.The time spent by the General Assembly in talking, debating, making presentations, and general chatter is only useless if the G.A.'s purpose is to actually solve problems. The author must believe this to be the case, or else he would have no reason to complain.(A) matches the prediction and is therefore the correct answer.(B) is not assumed by the author, even though he mentions how the delegate from each and every 300-square-mile archipelago in the South Pacific has to make a presentation. The author might be fine with the current membership - he just wishes they would stop talking and start solving problems.(C) is something the author may or may not believe, but he isnt assuming this in his argument. The specific problems that the G.A. would work on simply do not come into play in the authors reasoning.As for (D), the author doesn't complain about the length of the G.A.s term, so he is not assuming a longer term would allow work to be accomplished. The author's problem is with what the delegates do with the time they do have - useless chatter.(E) is incorrect because the author makes a general claim about all G.A. members. His reasoning is not based on any belief about the focus of large countries.Be very clear on the evidence and conclusion of the argument, and stick to the connection between them. Irrelevant choices are quite common, and can be easily spotted by having a good paraphrase of the argument._________________
Sovah Health is treating more COVID-19 patients this week despite a slight decline in the overall infection rate in Danville and Pittsylvania County, exasperating an already strained health care system operating at capacity.

On Friday, there were 70 people undergoing treatment for COVID-19 across facilities in Danville and Martinsville, a 16% jump in a week and nearing the all-time high of 75 patients in mid-January last year.

A pause on elective and non-emergent procedures  originally planned for 14 days  will enter a fourth week Monday after officials evaluated the current capacity at the Danville campus, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer, told the Register & Bee on Friday.

As we have shared before, hospital capacity is fluid and changes rapidly, she said, referencing an ongoing increase in emergency room visits. Sovah Health-Danville continues to operate at or near the top of capacity, she said.

Sometimes this means the facility goes on whats known as diversion, a situation first brought to light during the delta wave of the pandemic. This means a hospital isnt able to accept any patients for admission, however they will care for emergency situations and try to stabilize a patient.

Gunn-Nolan stressed this shouldnt be a sign for residents to avoid coming to the hospital if they need critical care.

We implore our patients: do not delay emergency care, she wrote in an email Friday. Community members experiencing a medical emergency should still call 9-1-1 or always go to their nearest emergency room.

However, if a situation isnt life-threatening, the hospital asks individuals to go to an urgent care clinic or a primary care providers. This will allow the ER staff to focus on the most critical needs, she said.

In one week, the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District added 1,200 new cases of COVID-19, data from the Virginia Department of Health shows. While slightly down from a week ago, the figures only account for cases officially reported to the health department. At-home test kit results often arent known to the health department.

A dip suggests the peak of the omicron wave may have past, but it also shows daily cases are still 42% higher now than during the 2021 wave before vaccines were readily available to the public.

In Pittsylvania County, more than half of the people who take a COVID-19 test yield a positive result. Known as the positivity rate, its a way health experts gauge the pandemics impact on the local community. At 53%, the countys rate is among the highest in the nearly three-year-long pandemic.

Danvilles figure  45%  also is at record levels. By comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention views a figure above 5% to indicate the virus is spreading uncontrolled in a community.

Wearing face masks properly and socially distancing are important to reducing the spread of the virus, Heather Conner, a COVID-19 District Epidemiologist with the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, said. This variant is highly infectious, so it is not possible to say one particular variable is causing the spread and surge in cases.

Because of the extreme number of cases, the Virginia Department of Health has ceased contact tracing individual cases. That practice involves getting a list of close contacts from someone whos tested positive for COVID-19 and alerting those people theyve been exposed to the virus.

Instead, health officials will focus on outbreaks and infections in high-risk settings.

The omicron variant accounts for nearly all of new cases, health officials report, and the altered version of the novel coronavirus appears to cause less severe illnesses on average compared to earlier strains.

Outbreaks

Two new outbreaks at long-term care facilities emerged in Fridays update from the health department, but local officials stress the cases are milder in the current wave.

An outbreak at Piney Forest Health and Rehabilitation Center reported Jan. 20 has infected 26 people. A dozen cases are related to an outbreak reported to health officials Jan. 11 at Chatham Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Reports appear to present a milder clinical picture than weve seen in past outbreaks, Chris M. Andrews, the senior epidemiologist with the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, told the Register & Bee. Were currently receiving few reports of severe illness.

Thanks in part to high vaccination  and booster  rates among facility employees and residents, the rate of hospitalization is much lower compared to the delta wave, Conner said.

Some residents, although testing positive for COVID-19, show no symptoms.

In all, six new outbreaks with 345 cases were added in the last week. Two of those were in congregate settings, a catch-all category that includes everything from businesses to community events. The figure marks the highest weekly jump in outbreak cases for the district.

The information on the outbreak dashboard is all that we can provide, Linda Scarborough, a spokesperson for the health department, told the Register & Bee when seeking more information on the outbreaks.

Deaths

Three new deaths were recorded this week in the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, but the fatalities likely occurred at least weeks ago. Thats because the health department uses a strict process to verify a death was caused by COVID-19.

The new deaths  one woman and two men  involved a person in his or her 50s and two people in their 70s.

Deaths are known as a lagging indicator in the pandemic. At total of 363 residents of Danville and Pittsylvania County have died of COVID-19 since the first local fatality was reported in March 2020.

Vaccinations

Vaccination remains the key strategy to avoiding/minimizing illness or its serious consequences, said Dr. Scott Spillmann, the director of the local health district.

However, only half of residents in Danville and Pittsylvania County are considered fully vaccinated and only about 1-in-5 have received a booster shot, something health experts urge for an added layer of protection in the omicron wave.

The threat of winter weather canceled a vaccination clinic planned Saturday at Gibson Elementary School. That event will now happen from 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 12 at Schoolfield Elementary School.

These clinics provide first, second and booster doses free for residents. Shots are available for anyone 5 and older, however a parent or guardian must be with those under 18.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appoints also may be made at vase.vdh.virginia.gov or by calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA.

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GREENSBORO  A Virginia man who used a detention officers Taser against him in the Guilford County jail earlier this week is wanted in connection with a recent homicide and armed robbery in Roanoke, according to court documents.

Eric Dwayne Swain, 21, of Roanoke was jailed early Monday on multiple charges after his arrest following a carjacking late Sunday night in Greensboro. He also is charged with being a fugitive from justice.

According to authorities, Swain is accused of killing a 33-year-old Roanoke man on Jan. 23.

Swain also is wanted in connection with an armed robbery in Henry County, Va., according to court documents.

Earlier this week, Henry County authorities said Swain was expected to be extradited back to Virginia to face charges filed against him both there and in Roanoke.

The Henry County case centers on a robbery reported around 10 p.m. on Sunday at a convenience store off of U.S. 220 in Bassett, Va. Authorities said Swain entered, placed a food order and had money in his hand. But instead of paying, Swain pulled out a gun and pointed it at the clerk.

The food was the only thing taken. No shots were fired, and no one was hurt.

It was roughly 45 minutes later that Swain found himself in Greensboro  at another convenience store. There, Greensboro police say Swain stole a car at gunpoint.

According to employees at the Great Stops on North Church Street, a man  later identified as Swain  walked up to a woman in the parking lot, flashed a gun and demanded she get out of her car.

The woman ran into the store for help.

She came in and just hollered, gun, car, man, recalled cashier Judy Hamadou in an interview with The Roanoke Times.

Worried someone was chasing the woman, Hamadou said she hid her in a backroom and called police.

When an officer arrived, Swain was in the stolen car at a traffic light next to the store, Hamadou said. After the officer ordered him out of the car, Swain gunned the engine and took off only to be apprehended later.

It was on Wednesday morning, while in the Guilford County jail, that Swain assaulted the detention officer with a Taser.

Its still unclear how Swain was able to get the weapon from the guard.

He remains in jail without bond.

The timeline for Swains extradition back to Virginia isnt yet known.

The Roanoke Times contributed to this report.
Barcelo Hotel Group celebrated its 90th year in 2021 and registered significant levels of growth, recording over 70% in occupancy rates across all operating properties in the UAE.



Additionally, the company attained a prestigious accolade by World Travel Awards as the 'World's Leading Hotel Management Company in 2021', further solidifying its leading status globally.



The family-owned hotel management company, renowned for its unique Spanish hospitality flair, celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2021 and consolidated its positioning as leading Spanish hospitality company in Middle East.



Highlighting major strides in the UAE hospitality industry, the company's flagship hotel Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, Barcelo Residences Dubai Marina, Occidental Sharjah Grand, Occidental Dubai Production City and Occidental Al Jaddaf, recorded strong performances in 2021 by rapidly adapting to the changing market realities.



In 2021, Barcelo Hotel Group appointed Jose Canals as the new Managing Director for the Middle East, Mediterranean and Asia to bolster the company's growth strategy, spearheading the Spanish hotel chain's expansion in the Middle East.



Jose Canals commented: "Barcelo Hotel Group has persevered despite the previous year's challenges, benchmarking a successive growth in 2021. This was all thanks to our team of passionate and dedicated hoteliers, which enabled us to attain the World's Leading Hotel Management Company at the World Travel Awards. I would also like to share our heartfelt gratitude to Barcelo's loyal guests for trusting in us.



Lastly, I would like to also thank the UAE government for their phenomenal efforts in creating a safe space and renewing confidence in local and international guests to travel to the UAE, which supported the hospitality industry to recover and grow."



Juan Carlos Reina, General Manager of Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel added: "On a group level, we rapidly responded to the evolving needs of guests, by tapping into different guest profiles and ever-changing travel trends. We have seen robust performances across our city and beach-front hotels. From long and short-stay packages to corporate and leisure-driven offers, we adapted our business model to ensure all guest needs were met with the highest quality of Spanish hospitality."



Eduardo Espiritusanto Marrero, Cluster General Manager commented: In addition, we launched Occidental Jaddaf during the onset of the pandemic, and despite these challenges and travel restrictions from key source markets like India and Saudi Arabia, our 4* property has accomplished exceptional performance, attracting business and leisure travellers since its opening in February 2021."



Speaking on the overall occupancy rates, Nestor Del Toro Benitez, General Manager of Occidental Sharjah Grand said: "We diversified our source markets, focusing on offering appealing long and short-stay packages to cater to the preferences of guests in the local market and to establish our hotel as a safe destination for our guests. We experienced tremendous support from Russian and CIS guests visiting the UAE."



"At Barcelo Hotel Group guest health and safety have always been a top priority, and through the past year's tribulations, we ensured to safeguard guests while providing specialized experiences. We incorporated the Barcelo vision to present visitors and residents a signature service, which resulted in overall 25% long-stay guest retention by offering them a luxurious home-away-from-home experience, concluded Birthe Bolz, General Manager of Barcelo Residences Dubai Marina.  TradeArabia News Service
On the 20th of January, ISIS mercenary cells launched an attack on Al-Sinaa prison, with the aim of smuggling detainees. The Syrian Democratic Forces confronted them and thwarted their plan. Simultaneously, the Turkish occupation launched attacks on the countryside of Ain Issa and Tal Tamr, at a time when the Damascus government claimed that SDF was killing civilians in prison and that those in prison are elderly and children.

To talk about the objectives of the attack and its supporters, and the international community's demand to resolve the file of ISIS mercenaries, our agency hosted the Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, in a special program broadcast last night.

Rami Abdel Rahman, in his speech at the beginning of the program, indicated that the attack of ISIS cells mainly serves Turkey, and continued, "While Russia and Iran serve to say that the regions of north and east Syria are not safe and that the Syrian Democratic Forces are unable to control them to justify . occupation of the region, and this matter is clear to far and near. ".

The director of the Syrian Observatory, asked about Turkey's claims that the area is not safe, while al-Baghdadi was found in areas under Turkey's occupation and close to its borders, and his deputy was also in those areas?

Turkey is the main reason for the growth of international terrorism in Syria

During his speech on the program, he stressed that ISIS elements are heavily involved in the ranks of the "National Army" affiliated with Turkey, and that the extremists who entered Syria came through Turkey, and said: Turkey is the main reason for the growth of international terrorism in Syrian territory.

Rami Abdel Rahman, and about the attack on the Al-Sinaa prison, added that the pressure on north and east Syria is great and they bear a great burden. These are for the unknown, meaning that what should be thought about is what if the escape process and the smuggling of detainees succeeded.

12 thousand martyrs in north and east of Syria as part of counter-terrorism operations

Rami Abdel Rahman, and following up on his speech during our questions to him, added that those who participated with ISIS must be held accountable by the Syrian Democratic Forces, and that the corruption must be fought in north and east Syria, about 12,000 martyrs were provided in the framework of anti-terror operations.

You talk about children and civilians being killed in your prisons

With the beginning of the Syrian Democratic Forces' confrontation with ISIS mercenaries, the Damascus government issued statements claiming that SDF kills civilians in Ghweran prison, including children, and displaces Ghweran's people from their homes. And his prisons, there are thousands of disappeared in his prisons and people who were killed under torture."

He continued in the context of his speech: The people of Ghweran participated in confronting the mercenaries of ISIS, and this file should not be used in such slanderous words.

Rami Abdel Rahman pointed out that some intellectuals who do not count on the Turkish affiliated opposition, said that what happened was coordinated with the SDF in order to benefit from international support, and about that he added: Is it reasonable for the SDF to provide its fighters for the sake of such a scheme, why when it comes to With Qasad, there will be doubts and what is happening in the occupied areas and in Afrin, no one talks about it.

It can be said that the most secure area in Syria is the area under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Why haven't you talked about the "cubs of the caliphate" since 2019

Recently, voices have been raised from some human rights organizations claiming that minors should be avoided from the battles in Ghweran prison, protected and transferred to another center.

The director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said: Which of these organizations have been since 2019, when the so-called cubs of the caliphate were transferred to Ghweran prison, why did you not leave then, why did you leave now?

Yes, of course, we stress that they must be transferred to other centers so that they are not exploited by ISIS elements.

Rami Abdel Rahman, while talking about the statement of the International Coalition and Britain about the battles of Ghweran prison, noted that the matter does not need to welcome the heroism of the Syrian Democratic Forces and praise and denounce what happened, but rather that it needs real support, militarily, technically and financially.

In other words, you cannot condemn what happened at a time when it allows Turkey to distract fighters from fighting terrorism.

The most important thing is for the international community to take a clear position on the "ticking bombs" that must have a solution, but they do not want a solution. These people must go to their countries and be tried. They cannot remain in Syrian territory.

A.

ANHA
After midnight, towns within the so-called "De-escalation" area witnessed missile bombardment carried out by Damascus government forces, targeting areas in Sfuhun, Felifel, Al-Bara, Benin and Al-Fateera within Jabal Al-Zawiya in the southern countryside of Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Al-Ankawi axis in the Al-Ghab Plain, northwest of Hama, witnessed an exchange of targeting with medium and heavy machine guns, between the forces of the Damascus government and the mercenaries of the Turkish occupation, without information about casualties.

Yesterday, Friday, Damascus government forces bombed with dozens of artillery and missile shells 11 sites within the "De-escalation" during the evening hours. The shells fell on the villages of al-Zaqqum, al-Kahira and al-Ankawi in the al-Ghab Plain in Hama countryside, and the villages of Majdalaya al-Nayrab in Idlib countryside, near which there are points of the Turkish occupation, in addition to the towns of Maarat al-Naasan, Kansafra and al-Fateera village in the Idlib countryside.

T/S

ANHA
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Three seats are up for grabs on the Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees this May, and four candidates have filed so far.

The three seats are currently held by board vice-chair Siobahn Hathhorn, trustee John McEwen and trustee Elizabeth "Libby" Goldes. The deadline to file for these seats is 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 24. These seats represent the elementary (K-8) district and have a three-year term. To run for a school board seat, a candidate must be qualified to vote and live within the Helena Elementary District boundary.

According to district business manager Janelle Mickelson, four candidates had filed for these seats as of Friday.

Hathhorn is seeking reelection after serving one term on the board. She won a seat as a write-in candidate during the 2019 election. Hathhorn is the board's vice-chair and is a former elementary principal for Cascade Public Schools and spent 15 years working as a teacher in Helena Public Schools.

McEwen is also seeking reelection after serving one term on the board. McEwen spent most of his career as an analyst and manager in the public sector. He spent nearly 30 years of his career working for the Montana Department of Administration. He is also a former substitute teacher.

Greg Guthrie, who unsuccessfully ran for school board during the last election, is running again this year. He served in the US Marine Corps, retiring as a staff non-commissioned officer. He currently works in CNC fabrication for Boeing in Helena. Guthrie also has some board experience, serving as a trustee for two nonprofits in the past.

Robert Durrant, formerly known as Robert John Gutowski, is also seeking election. Durrant has worked as a police officer for Motor Carrier Services and the East Helena Police Department. The Public Safety Officer Standards and Training council decided to revoke his police certification in 2017, after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault for punching a 70-year-old man following a car crash.

Goldes did not return a request for comment. It is unclear whether or not she will seek reelection.

Candidate filing forms can be found online at helenaschools.org by navigating to the "Board of Trustees" tab. Additionally, forms are available from either the school district's business office at 1325 Poplar St. or at the Lewis and Clark County Elections Office. Forms must be filed with the county elections office in the city-county building. Forms or additional information can also be obtained by calling Mickelson at 406-324-2040 or jmickelson@helenaschools.org.

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Sean-Paul Schulte had just returned to Helena after burying his daughter in Billings when he immediately packed for a trip to Utah where she was killed.

He said he didnt know what was going to happen, but knew he had to do something.

Schulte divides his time between Helena and Utah, where his daughter Kylen Schulte, 24, and her spouse Crystal Turner, 38, were killed in August. He set up a clue booth in Swanny City Park in Moab, Utah and asked anyone who knew or had heard anything about their deaths to come forward.

He said he received nearly 50 clues in the course of one month and turned that information over to law enforcement.

People came by and told me clues and persons of interest who may be involved, Schulte, 53, said in a recent telephone call from Moab.

Crystal's and Kylens bodies were found Aug. 18 in an irrigation ditch west of their campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. Both women had been shot several times, officials with the the Grand County Sheriffs Office said in a Jan. 19 news release. Officials were made aware of the discovery by an acquaintance of the victims who had been searching for them in the area.

Authorities said they have narrowed the date of death to Aug. 14, and they said they have a person of interest but have not identified a suspect.

The sheriffs office said it spent the next several days processing the scene and collected the victims tent, personal belongings and vehicle as well as blood, shell casings, bullet fragments and video evidence nearby, sheriffs officials said.

They said the state medical examiner determined there was no sign of forcible sexual assault.

Sheriffs officials discounted comments that Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie were somehow involved. Petitos death garnered international attention. On Aug. 12, Moab officers questioned Petito and Laundrie about a potential assault.

The van Petito and Laundrie were traveling in was pulled over after a 911 call was received about a possible assault. An officer found Petito was "crying uncontrollably" in the passenger seat. They reportedly saw the incident "more accurately as a mental/emotional health break than a domestic assault," and separated the couple for the night.

Petitos body was found Sept. 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Officials believe she had died in late August. Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Florida.

But the FBI and Florida investigators have determined Petito and Laundrie had no involvement with the deaths of the two women, Moab police said.

In a nutshell, the FBI said the ballistics, cellphone pings and evidence doesnt match, Sean-Paul Schulte said.

Schulte said most of the clues people passed along were good, adding that only a handful were not useful.

He said there were multiple leads involving multiple creeps and weirdos. They were all there.

Schulte said some tips lined up with the evidence. He said there were some reports of people who were anti-lesbian or anti-people in general at the park.

Maybe the weirdo they knew was our weirdo, he said. Then those clues started to fade away and people came to give hugs and support.

I think it will be awful interesting that if one of the clues I passed along solved the case, he said. It would be unbelievable.

He said the waiting is tough, adding that one day is too long to wait.

Do I feel like they are working the case? Yes. Do I feel someone will be cuffed and stuffed soon? No, he said.

Schulte said Jason Jensen, a private investigator, has contacted him and is working on the case for free.

I met with him in Moab and we had a good working relationship, Schulte said. I gave him all my notes and he said I could go home. Bless his heart.

Kylen was buried next to her brother at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park in Billings. Tragedy previously struck the family in 2015 when MacKeon Mackey Schulte, 15, was shot and killed by a 17-year-old friend in Billings after tapping onto the friends window at 2:30 a.m. He was apparently mistaken for an intruder.

Schulte said he has divided his time between Helena and Moab for years, and Kylen had moved to Moab to be with him after Mackey died. She had also lost a baby who she had named Blayke Sinead.

Schulte said his daughter and her spouse were the brightest shining light of a couple living in Moab.

He said he often tells people to be Crystal clear and Kylen kind.

Schulte plans to return to Helena, where he works open-mic nights at a local bar and plans to set up a touring business in which people visit the sapphire mines or see the area at sunset.

He said he has three remaining children, Marlo, Xander and William.

I still have three kids to live for, he said. Of course, Ive been through the wringer  but if I look at the odds now, they may be pretty good in my favor.

I have had a lot of sad things happen to me, shocking things that have happened in a split second that I had nothing to do with, but I have three beautiful kids to live for," Schulte said.

The Grand County Sheriff's Office could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. Officials said in their Jan. 19 news release that the FBI is helping them with the investigation, which includes video, forensic and behavior analysis. Sheriffs officials ask the public to be careful about sharing information via social media. People with information should call 435-259-8115 or 435-259-1397.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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When a young adult goes to college for the first time they are saying goodbye to friends, family and their faith.

According to the Barna Group, roughly 70% of high school students who enter college as professing Christians, will leave with little to no faith. These students usually dont return to faith, even after graduation.

There are many reasons for this staggering statistic, but it falls into one of two categories. First, their faith is not strong enough to withstand the attack it is about to face, from agnostic roommates to atheist professors and a smorgasbord of debauchery to choose from, faith in college is under constant siege.

Second, is that their faith is too shallow or not their own. For most students coming to college, a huge reason they went to church was because of their parents. They have not thought about why they have faith. Coupling these two factors creates a spiritual graveyard for most coming to college.

It does not have to be like this though, enter campus ministry, specifically Helena Chi Alpha. Helena Chi Alpha is a campus ministry, pioneered 20 years ago, aiming to reconcile college students to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:20: We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: be reconciled to God.

Helena Chi Alpha finds its identity in this passage, we believe that God longs to have each and every person be reconciled to Himself. Each of us who takes on the identity of Christ becomes his ambassador  or christou apostoloi in Greek, which we shorten to the first letters Chi and Alpha, or XA.

We believe the college campus is the most strategic missions field in the world because of the influence and impact students will make on this earth, for good and bad. As a nations campuses go, so goes the future of the nation. Today they learn, tomorrow they lead.

There are three areas we reach out to campus. First, helping to protect the investment the local church has made in our youth. Based on the stat from above, something needs to be done about the alarming rate at which students lose their faith in college. We exist to help those with faith thrive in college and help make their faith their own.

Second, Chi Alpha nationwide, has access to more than one million international students studying in the United States. We have such a unique opportunity to impact the nations as they come study at American Universities. Think about it, many students come from closed countries (where the Gospel is not allowed) to learn English, make American friends, and learn about our culture and religion. These students are at our doorstep.

Third, is sharing the Gospel with those who have never heard before. As America is becoming more post Christian there is an increasing number of students who have never heard the Gospel, let alone who Jesus Christ is. If a student has not put their faith in Christ by the time they graduate, statistics say they probably never will. These are our future leaders. The social, scientific, and spiritual theories of todays campuses will become the accepted norm for tomorrows grade schools, businesses and television programs.

We believe college ministry has the ability to make a huge impact not only in individuals but in a nation. In campus ministry we only have a short time to impact students; we have to be as strategic as possible.

Here at Helena Chi Alpha we try and implement what Jesus did in his short three-year ministry. Intentional discipleship is our primary mode of doing ministry. Meeting with students in small groups and one on one meetings is our best way to impart the Kingdom principles Jesus taught. We only have a short time to make a lasting impact on these University students, so we have to be as intentional as possible.

As Carroll College graduates and Chi Alpha members during our time in college, Helena Chi Alpha made a huge difference in me and my wife Haylees life. So much so, that we have given our life to afford other college students the same opportunity. We are in our 10th year of campus ministry and are looking forward to 10 more. Our hope and prayer is the campus, marketplace and world is changed because of the students who come through Helena Chi Alpha.

We would like to thank the Helena community for their support of Helena Chi Alpha, we would not be able to minister to college students without your support. If you would like more info about who we are or what we do, please visit our website at helenaxa.com.

Nick Petrusha is the director of Helena Chi Alpha, we are a ministry reaching out to the college aged youth in Helena and part of a nationwide ministry called Chi Alpha.

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For Helena, some of the growth is coming from within the state.

Out-of-staters are not only moving to the Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell areas, but also to Helena. But Helena also has what is called in-migration, in which 45% of the people moving into the Queen City are from other Montana communities.

McKinley Winkle, director of Helena WINS (Workforce Innovation Networks) at the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, recently discussed a labor report released in July which was written by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

In 2020 there were 45,000 people in Helenas labor force, which at 0.5% grew slower than the state average of 0.9% from 2014-2019. During that time Lewis and Clark Countys population grew by about 750 people per year, while its labor force grew by 180 people per year.

She told members of the grassroots civics group Hometown Helena that Helenas workforce is also made up of residents from Jefferson and Broadwater counties, noting 40% of Jefferson County and 25% of Broadwater County residents work in Lewis and Clark County. She called it a great opportunity for the chamber to expand efforts into those communities as well.

The WINS report shows Lewis and Clark Countys wages are higher than the Montana average, which helps businesses recruit workers from across the state. But the wages in the Helena area are lower than the U.S. average, which makes it difficult to recruit workers from outside Montana.

Winkle said Lewis and Clark County has more affordable housing than the Montana average but less affordable housing than the U.S. average. She said licensed child care facilities meet 45% of the estimated demand.

Helena has a higher percentage of higher wage jobs and educated workers than the rest of the state and ranked eighth in wages among Montana counties with an average of $51,130 in 2020. According to the WINS report released in July, Jefferson County ranked 14th at $44,208 and Broadwater County was 37th at $38,475.

Worker turnover, retirements and new jobs are estimated to generate over 5,000 job openings annually in the Helena area through 2029, the report found. Industry projections estimate more than 600 new jobs per year in the Helena area. Another 2,700 job openings are expected to be created from people exiting the labor force, from retirements or for other reasons. Another 2,000 job openings are expected in the area due to people transitioning into a new career.

Winkle said Helena earns its reputation as a government town, with 29% of the jobs in Lewis and Clark County listed as government jobs. She said health care and leisure are the largest industries and make up 38% of jobs.

She said manufacturing and construction are the fastest growing sectors. Manufacturing is growing at 4% and construction at 2.9%.

Winkle said Lewis and Clark County is second to Gallatin County in terms of high-tech industry jobs. These jobs make up 6% of the private sector and pay about $78,000 annually.

She said 66% of Lewis and Clark Countys population is in the labor force, with the statewide and national average both at 63.4%. Of those not participating in the workforce, 61% is due to retirement.

Office and admin support are expected to have the most job openings in the next 10 years. The share of the local population 65 and older increased from 14.2% in 2010 to 20.1% in 2019, a greater shift than the average for Montana and the U.S.

In terms of in-migration, those ages 25-54 and 0-17 are the two highest age groups coming into the community.

This goes to show that families and young professionals are those being attracted to our community and wanting to come here, to live, work and play, Winkle said.

She said high-quality education and a high quality of life in Lewis and Clark County make it an attractive place to live.

Its a no-brainer that people are coming to our community, she said.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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A man is in custody following a multi-agency chase around eastern Idaho and western Montana Thursday night into Friday morning.

Jesse R. Spitzer, 30, of Sultan, Washington, led law enforcement on a pursuit across the Idaho-Montana border starting around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night, Mineral County Sheriff Mike Toth said.

Spitzer was on the run from authorities in Washington state after he was suspected of stealing a vehicle and other items in east Snohomish County, according to the Associated Press. He was at the scene of an accident last Friday but fled.

The following day, law enforcement chased him into the woods near Gold Bar in Washington state, but he got away. Then, on Sunday, he got into another accident in Chelan County in Washington but fled that scene, too, according to the AP.

Officers searched for him in Post Falls, Idaho on Wednesday when a firearm was reported stolen from someone's house, but Spitzer was able to elude officials. His next encounter with law enforcement happened in Kellogg, Idaho, on Thursday night, the AP reported. Officers pursued him over Lookout Pass and into Montana.

Montana Highway Patrol was able to disable his vehicle near the Haugan exit on Interstate 90, but Spitzer fled on foot after threatening officials with a handgun. Authorities found and arrested him shortly after 9 a.m. Friday in a trailer in an RV park behind the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar, Sheriff Toth said. They located him using a canine unit and arrested him.

While he did not fire any shots at law enforcement in Montana, he did in Idaho, Sheriff Toth said. There were no injuries to any officers, but Spitzer was bitten by the dog.

In 2011, Spitzer was sentenced for shooting at a sheriff's deputy in Nevada, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.

Toth thanked the several agencies that responded to the incident, including Mineral County Sheriff's deputies, U.S. Marshals from Missoula, Montana Highway Patrol, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office and other agencies from both states.

There is no threat to public safety at this time, Toth said.

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MACON  For Paul Butler, time spent in the field is the most fun part of farming.

Much of what farmers do could be described as business management  paperwork, taxes, marketing, and more  said Butler, who farms in Macon and Logan counties. And all that work isnt nearly as fun as working in the field.

The fieldwork, the actual act of farming, is a pretty small percentage of the work that we do anymore, he said.

Soon, it might not be part of it at all.

John Deeres fully autonomous tractor consists of its 8R tractor and 2430 chisel plow, combined with six pairs of stereo cameras and an advanced artificial intelligence system that allow the tractor to navigate itself.

The high-tech vehicle emblazoned with the Moline company's iconic deer logo marks a massive leap forward for farmers, who will have a solution for improving yields and efficiencies. That could mean a shift in a crucial sector of the economy that generates billions for the state every year.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the marketing of agricultural commodities in Illinois alone makes over $19 billion annually. Related industries like ag manufacturing and food production contribute additional billions to the state's economy.

John Deere has long been a major contributor to Illinois' economy. The Fortune 500 company's world headquarters are located in Moline, providing numerous jobs in the Quad-City area. John Deere reported a worldwide net revenue of over $44 billion for 2021.

One reason for the agriculture industry's push towards automation is that the demographics of farming are changing, said Stuart Birrell, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University.

The average American farmer is getting older and farm workers' skill sets are changing. Well-calibrated machines can be more effective and productive than can humans, he said.

"The modern combines and the modern tractors, they are so big and their performance so high that only a few of them need to be built," Birrell said. "You're really looking at a custom build, sort of like a Lamborghini versus just a normal run of the mill car."

The real question, Birrell said, is will John Deere's autonomous technology prove worthy of such a high investment or become a liability for farmers?

No one inside these vehicles

Companies like Tesla Inc. have been developing and testing self-driving cars for decades. Tesla's autopilot technology currently allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road, similar to the autosteer features many farmers have in their tractors today.

The main difference between most self-driving cars and John Deere's autonomous tractor is that the tractor requires no person inside.

The fully autonomous 8R tractor must first be transported to a field and given coordinates to follow. From there, farmers can control the process via a smartphone app which allows them to start and stop the machine, monitor its progress, and adjust its speed and depth.

The tractor can only till land; it cant autonomously perform other tasks like seeding or harvesting. Farmers could theoretically run the tractor 24/7 with it only requiring breaks every 8 to ten hours for refueling.

John Deere, which declined an interview request for this story, said the tractor will be available for purchase later this year but did not specify when.

The development comes as farms across the country experience sharp labor shortages, with 2020 census data showing increasing amounts of Americans moving away from rural areas. Self-driving tractors could eliminate some farms need for additional labor, said Andy Dole, a sixth generation family farmer from Mattoon.

Without a doubt, this is going to have a huge positive impact on the employment issues, Dole said.

Labor issues in farming have worsened during the pandemic as many other industries experience worker shortages. This makes any autonomous technology more attractive to farmers who cant find  or cant afford to hire  additional workers, according to Mattoon farmer Kris Heller.

Being able to take somebody out of that seat and have them doing something else is a valuable asset, he said.

For Deere, the self-driving tractor is marketed as a way to feed the world. According to Virginia Techs 2020 Global Agricultural Productivity Report, the global population is expected to grow to nearly 10 billion people by 2050. To feed that many people, agricultural productivity must also increase an average rate of 1.73% per year.

In addition to meeting increased food demands, self-driving tractors also have a more personal appeal, Dole said  giving farmers a break.

Farmers are typically a breed that work themselves to death, he said.

The ability to monitor a tractors progress away from the field could mean more time for family dinners or kids sporting events. That could reduce stress and improve the overall mental health and well-being of all farm laborers, he said.

Still, some are hesitant to trust new technology. Part of that might be due age differences, Butler said. People whove been in the industry longer tend to be slower to adapt to new advancements.

But farmers of all ages care about their machinery and might be skeptical of technology that John Deere says can detect and avoid obstacles. Anything from rocks to deer antlers could be half buried in dirt and could cause thousands of dollars in damage to equipment if not properly avoided, Butler said.

Heller worries increased reliance on autonomous machinery could lead to the loss of valuable knowledge some farmers have been honing for decades.

They know every problem area, every good spot, he said. They just know the ground that they farm and have farmed for years.

Some family farmers also fear that new technology like John Deeres self-driving tractor might make it harder for smaller operations to compete with larger corporate farms. But even as the new tractor enters the market this year, many local farmers will probably still not be able to afford it, said Jack Bartholomew, Operations Manager at Bottom Line Solutions in Morton.

John Deere hasnt released official pricing yet, but Bartholomew estimates a full system, complete with the 8R tractor, plow, and autonomous tech, will likely cost upwards of $700,000. John Deere has said the self-driving system will retrofit back on some recently-purchased John Deere tractors.

Farmers might also run into repair issues with new, more complex systems, Bartholomew said. John Deere has in the past faced criticism for its controversial right-to-repair policies, which some farmers say make it more difficult for them to repair machinery on their own.

It could take decades for autonomous tractors to become the new normal. Bartholomew still sells new autosteer systems to farmers across central Illinois, and the first hands-free autosteer tractor was introduced in the late 1990s.

There's a curve for people who like technology, Bartholomew said. Then there's the next group that sits back to wait to see what happens.

The financial outlook

While some sit back and wait, investors continue to push the ag industry closer to an automated future. Venture capitalist firm AgFunder's 2021 Farm Tech Investment Report found that annual Investment in farm technology jumped from $1.1 billion in 2012 to $7.9 billion in 2020.

A December study from PitchBook Data Inc. similarly found that investors put a record $1.54 billion into AI agriculture software companies in 2021, compared to $1.42 billion in 2020 and a combined $1.03 billion in 2018 and 2019.

In just a few decades, farming could change dramatically.

With industry giants like John Deere pushing automation, real-life farming might end up mimicking computer games like FarmVille, Bartholomew said.

Who knows? You know, 10 to 20 years from now, there could be a couple of people sitting in an office in front of a whole bunch of computer screens, basically running (a farm), he said.

Its that very idea that makes some farmers nervous, that the fun aspects of farming will become rarer.

I think there's some fear of having that being taken away, Butler said.

But Dole said he chooses to be cautiously optimistic. Innovation in agriculture is necessary to increasing food production and ensuring American farms can compete on the global stage.

If our competitors are doing it, we're only giving ourselves a disadvantage by not at least giving it a shot, he said.

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DECATUR  On a typical Tuesday at BLDD Architects, there might be a handful of people in the office.

At BLDD, we were a little bit ahead of the curve when the pandemic hit, said Eric Sary, director of people and culture at the Decatur firm. We had already decided that we would go to a more hybrid model to be more flexible with our team. We're just continuing with the hybrid model. People come into the office as needed.

BLDD has been doing business this way since 2017, he said. People come in one day a week or multiple days, depending on what they're working on, and productivity has actually gone up during the pandemic.

We feel like, if we establish trust with our team, we don't need to have them in the office to know that they're doing their work, he said.

Working from home, he said, makes it easier to get the work done for some of them. They don't have to drive back and forth to the office, and with technology that allows for conference calls and sharing files, they can still collaborate with each other.

As the pandemic nears its two-year anniversary and people head back to work in person, some businesses, like BLDD, have found that having employees work from home is just as efficient, if not more so in some cases. The flexibility that Sary mentioned is appreciated by those workers who have the choice, and if the work is getting done, it doesn't matter where the team is doing the work.

COVID's 'momentous' impact

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the impact of COVID-19 on the workplace was "momentous," eliminating millions of jobs and, especially in the early months of the pandemic, forcing companies to figure out a way for employees to work remotely. Fully one-third of workers reported working from home in the period May to December 2020, as compared to the same period in 2018, when only 13% of workers did so.

With a large number of jobs impossible to do from home because they require face-to-face interaction with customers or clients, the Bureau of Labor Statistics adjusted its definition of "suitable for telework" under the pandemic conditions. For example, teachers were teaching over the internet during school shutdowns, and usually teaching K-12 would be considered an occupation that requires face-to-face and in-person work.

Surveys taken from May to October 2020 on the number of workers who lost work in the previous four weeks declined from 42 million in May 2020 to 12 million in October 2020 before leveling off. In each month, most of these workers were in occupations classified as not suitable for telework, although both types of occupations showed declines in lost work as the year progressed.

Balancing act

However, the lines between work and home do blur, and it might make it more difficult to unplug or, alternatively, to concentrate if you also have family and pets at home distracting you. Sary said he knows that the team is probably putting in hours outside of work hours  and that most people working remote are doing the same  because those lines are blurred. You're watching TV on a Saturday night and you hear your computer chime and you go see that you have a work email and you answer it, or take phone calls. The other side of that, however, is that working from home allows the chance to do an errand or a chore because you can make up the time when you get back since your office is in a spare bedroom or the living room or a corner of the kitchen.

I think for us in the world of marketing, at least, our work can be primarily remote, said BLDD marketing director Alida Sullivan. We do some of our work in-house when it comes to trade show prep and things like that. ... The biggest shift, I think, has been, not having the same culture we had prior to the pandemic. What we're missing out on is some of that same social culture that BLDD had prided itself on. I think we're still figuring that part out.

During the months that schools were in remote learning, said Nicole Bateman of the Economic Development Corporation in Decatur, people like her who had kids at home would have found it very difficult to juggle child care and work if they'd not been able to work remotely. She enjoys working from home, but she also enjoys going into the office.

It's a mixed bag of feelings around remote work, she said. Some love it, some hate it.

The tide is turning, however, and most of the businesses the EDC has been talking to about moving to Decatur are the kind that would expect employees to work in person, she said.

Staying home

Sherrie Dhermy works in information technology for the healthcare industry, and has been totally remote for some time, with no plans to return to an office environment. Unless she has to physically work on someone's computer, she can do everything else from home.

The challenge is staying focused, knowing in the next room there is laundry to be done or dishes or play with the kitties, Dhermy said. Perks are I dont have to go out in bad weather. I am saving money in gas. I dont have to wake up as early to get ready and drive. I also get to start my work day very early in the morning so there are times I am off early afternoons, but have days I work longer hours because of meetings.

At Archer Daniels Midland Co., employees who can work remotely are encouraged to do so, said spokeswoman Jackie Anderson.

We continue to encourage all employees to get vaccinated as well, Anderson said Right now, we are targeting a return date of Feb. 1, but we are closely monitoring the situation and will adjust protocols as necessary to ensure the safety of our employees remains our highest priority.

Richard Lynch, partner in charge of Central Illinois for Sikich LLP, the firm who handles auditing services for Richland Community College, said the company has been transitioning to a remote model for several years.

A couple of years ago, the pandemic arrived and really accelerated our process in terms of pushing us to more remote reality, Lynch said. Certainly since March two years ago, we've been pretty much fully remote.

Balancing the upsides and downsides to being remote, he said, means making opportunities for people to get together safely. However, for the most part, he said, working remotely has taken some of the stress out of their work lives.

Schools' cancellations, day cares closing, people watching children or taking care of loved ones, coming down with COVID and being restricted for a period of time, having that flexibility of an employer that says, 'Hey, we can work with you through those realities' has been massively beneficial, Lynch said. I look forward where we can get to a place of having that flexibility and also having opportunities for us to get together face-to-face, but right now, respecting the safety and well-being of our people is paramount.

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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China to deliver new batch of aid to Tonga

Xinhua) 08:39, January 29, 2022

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows disaster relief materials loaded onto two Chinese air force transport aircrafts to head for Tonga at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

GUANGZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China plans to send a second batch of disaster-relief supplies from its southern metropolis of Guangzhou to the tsunami-hit Tonga by sea on Jan. 31, according to the foreign affairs office of Guangdong Province.

The supplies are being assembled at the Nansha port in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and include donations from the Red Cross Society of China and the China-Pacific Island Countries Reserve of Emergency Supplies (Guangdong).

The relief supplies weigh more than 60 tonnes and include 15 tonnes of drinking water, approximately 10 tonnes of food, and 3,000 packages of household necessities.

The new batch of supplies is expected to reach Tonga in early February under the guidance of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first batch of aid flew to Tonga on Friday and included drinking water, canned meat, masks, gloves, tents and walkie-talkies.

Guangdong Province and Tonga have maintained close contact over the years, with frequent cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation, according to Li Hongzhi, an official of the provincial foreign affairs office, which works closely with the Chinese foreign ministry concerning the needs of the Tongan people following volcanic eruptions.

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows staff members unloading disaster relief materials from Chinese air force transport aircrafts at an airport in Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga, Jan. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows disaster relief materials loaded onto two Chinese air force transport aircrafts to head for Tonga at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Zengyi)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions as Covid-19 continues to evolve from the pandemic to endemic stage.

IATA called for removing all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine, enabling quarantine-free travel for non-vaccinated travellers with a negative pre-departure antigen test result, removing travel bans, and accelerating the easing of travel restrictions in recognition that travellers pose no greater risk for Covid-19 spread than already exists in the general population.

"With the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travellers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of Covid-19," said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director-General.

"The measures have not worked. Today Omicron is present in all parts of the world. That is why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations. The billions spent testing travellers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening healthcare systems," he added.

A recently published study by Oxera and Edge Health demonstrated the minimal impact of travel restrictions on controlling the spread of Omicron.

The study found that if the United Kingdom's (UKs) extra measures concerning Omicron had been in place from the beginning of November (before the identification of the variant), the waves peak would have been delayed by just five days with three percent fewer cases.

The absence of testing measures for travellers would have seen the Omicron wave peak seven days earlier with an overall eight percent increase in cases.

Now that Omicron is highly prevalent in the UK, if all travel testing requirements were removed, there would be no impact on Omicron case numbers or hospitalisations in the UK.

"While the study is specific to the UK, it is clear that travel restrictions in any part of the world have had little impact on the spread of Covid-19, including the Omicron variant. The UK, France and Switzerland have recognised this and are the first to begin removing travel measures. More governments need to follow their lead. Accelerating the removal of travel restrictions will be a major step towards living with the virus," Walsh said.

Last week, The WHO Emergency Committee confirmed their recommendation to "Lift or ease international traffic bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced by States.

The failure of travel restrictions introduced after the detection and reporting of the Omicron variant to limit its international spread demonstrates the ineffectiveness of such measures over time."

All indications point to Covid-19 becoming an endemic condition, one that humankind now has the tools (including vaccination and therapeutics) to live and travel with, bolstered by growing population immunity.

Walsh said: "The current situation of travel restrictions is a mess. There is one problem Covid-19. But there seem to be more unique solutions to managing travel and Covid-19 than countries to travel to. Indeed, the Migration Policy Institute research has counted more than 100,000 travel measures worldwide that create complexity for passengers, airlines and governments to manage."

Mutually recognised policies on vaccination will be critical as the world approaches the endemic phase. Barrier-free travel is a potent incentive for immunisation, he noted.

The sustainability of this incentive must not be compromised by vaccine policies that complicate travel or divert vaccine resources. Issues to address include: The calls of WHO and health experts for vaccine equity are not universally prioritised. Only half the states in Africa have been able to vaccinate more than 10 percent of their populations, while many developed countries are reducing vaccination validity and considering second rounds of boosters.

"While Europe is aligning around a nine-month validity period for primary vaccinations, this is not universal. And booster shot validity has not been addressed," noted Walsh.

"As the first quarter of the year is key to bookings for the peak-northern summer travel season, it is important to provide certainty to potential travellers as early as possible. Governments have declared intentions to support a travel recovery," he stated.

In October, the Ministerial Declaration of the ICAO High-level Conference on Covid-19 called for "one vision for aviation recovery." IATA followed up by publishing From Restart to Recovery in November.

"The over-reaction of many governments to Omicron proved the blueprint's key point the need for simple, predictable and practical means of living with the virus that does not constantly default to de-connecting the world. We must aim at a future where international travel faces no greater restriction than visiting a shop, attending a public gathering or riding the bus," Walsh said.

"Whatever the rules are for vaccination requirements, the industry will be able to manage them with digital solutions, the leader of which is the IATA Travel Pass," he added.
A news release from Illinois State Police stated that Terieica L. Smith, 44, of Decatur, was driving a gray 2017 Toyota Camry on eastbound Interstate 72 late Friday night. At approximately 11:49 p.m., for an unknown reason, the vehicle drove off the right side of the roadway near milepost 105 and struck a tree, according to ISP.
Omicron, the highly contagious coronavirus variant sweeping across the country, is driving the daily American death toll higher than during last fall's delta wave, with deaths likely to keep rising for days or even weeks.

The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been climbing since mid-November, reaching 2,267 on Thursday and surpassing a September peak of 2,100 when delta was the dominant variant.

Now omicron is estimated to account for nearly all the virus circulating in the nation. And even though it causes less severe disease for most people, the fact that it is more transmissible means more people are falling ill and dying.

Omicron will push us over a million deaths, said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine. That will cause a lot of soul searching. There will be a lot of discussion about what we could have done differently, how many of the deaths were preventable.

Omicron symptoms are often milder, and some infected people show no symptoms, researchers agree. But like the flu, it can be deadly, especially for people who are older, have other health problems or who are unvaccinated.

With more than 878,000 deaths, the United States has the largest COVID-19 toll of any nation.

Scientists and health officials around the world are keeping their eyes on a descendant of the omicron variant that has been found in more than 50 countries, including the United States.

This version of the coronavirus, which scientists call BA.2, is widely considered stealthier than the original version of omicron because particular genetic traits make it somewhat harder to detect. Danish scientists reported this week that preliminary information suggests it may be 1 1/2 times more contagious then the original variant.

Receipt of three doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is associated with protection against delta and omicron compared with being unvaccinated and receipt of two doses, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
EAST ST. LOUIS  A former southwestern Illinois police officer has been sentenced to five months in federal prison after pleading guilty to collecting about $60,000 in fraudulent pay by his falsifying time cards.

A federal judge also ordered Ricky Perry, 51, on Wednesday to repay the money and serve five months of supervised release after he's released from prison, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.

The former Alorton police officer had pleaded guilty last September to obtaining funds from Alorton by fraud by falsifying time cards between May 2018 and April of 2021. Perry, who had also previously been an East St. Louis police officer, admitted receiving $60,346.25 for his false time cards.

Last year, FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Alorton City Hall and removed boxes of personal records. According to court records, agents compared Perrys time cards with GPS records on the patrol cars he used after clocking in for duty.

Investigators identified about 4,000 hours of conflicting time where Perry traveled outside the Alorton jurisdiction, usually to go to his home in East St. Louis.

According to court records, he parked his patrol car outside his house and sometimes ignored calls from dispatchers, even if he was the only officer on duty.

Embezzling money from a unit of government that receives federal funds can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

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After 1,214 days in custody for the murder of Laquan McDonald, former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is about to go home.

The white patrol officers decision on Oct. 20, 2014, to fire 16 shots into McDonald as the Black teenager walked away from cops while holding a knife once seemed destined to alter the trajectory of a city long plagued by allegations of police brutality and a code of silence that allowed the routine trampling of the rights of citizens.

And in many ways, the city Van Dyke will return to has changed.

The mayor whose mishandling of the crisis helped derail a third term is gone  now the newly minted U.S. ambassador to Japan. The Chicago Police Department has seen wholesale changes in leadership.

Body-worn cameras are now the norm for beat cops, as it was a video of the teens killing that spread around the globe, and videos of shooting incidents that used to be kept under wraps are now released to the public as a matter of policy. A federal consent decree is in place with the hopes of ushering in even more reforms.

But in other ways, Van Dykes prosecution has not turned out to be the watershed moment many hoped for. Progress on the consent decree benchmarks has been frustratingly slow. Trust between the police and the communities they serve is more frayed than ever. The union representing rank-and-file officers has become increasingly radicalized. There has been an alarming spike in violent crime for which city leadership has had few answers.

Cara Hendrickson, a former assistant to the Illinois attorney general who helped draft the parameters of the federal consent decree, said that despite the hard work of many stakeholders to overhaul the Police Department, the city has come up woefully short in establishing a modern system of police accountability, including early intervention programs to get support and training to officers in need and identify and discipline problem officers.

Not nearly enough has been done to ensure that there will not be another Jason Van Dyke, said Hendrickson, who is now the executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Business and Professional People for the Public Interest.

Randall Samborn, a former spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys office who made an early pitch for a federal pattern and practice investigation of Chicago police, said its way too soon to tell what the final legacy of the Van Dyke case will be, particularly in deterring unjustified use of lethal force.

Right now, the city is in a kind of quagmire of reform, said Samborn, who now heads his own consulting firm, Randall A. Samborn & Associates. The consent decree will continue to plod along for years. With Van Dyke, people can reasonably differ over the length of his sentence and whether he should be released early, but his prosecution and conviction are what was important in setting a standard of accountability.

Exactly where Van Dyke has been serving his 81-month sentence has been shrouded in mystery, and prison officials have declined to comment on his release, citing an interstate agreement allowing other jurisdictions to house high-profile prisoners in secret.

McDonalds relatives, however, have said they were notified by authorities that the former officer was to be released Thursday.

McDonalds killing, like many prior shootings by Chicago police, barely made news when it happened. But when gruesome dashcam video of the shooting was ordered released more than a year later, it sparked a firestorm of protests, prompted the firing of then-police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, and allegations of a City Hall coverup by Mayor Rahm Emanuels administration.

Van Dyke became the first Chicago police officer to be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting in half a century, and the fallout continued. A team of special prosecutors led by then-Kane County States Attorney Joseph McMahon was appointed to handle the Van Dyke case; then-States Attorney Anita Alvarez lost her primary bid to Kim Foxx, who ran on a platform heavily criticizing Alvarezs handling of the McDonald shooting.

The allegations against Van Dyke were in many ways a harbinger for other cases nationwide that put a spotlight on the excessive use of force by police on Black citizens, most notably the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that led to nationwide unrest in the summer of 2020.

Convicted by a jury in October 2018 of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, Van Dyke received a relatively lenient sentence of 6 3/4 years behind bars, a term made even lighter by a procedural technicality that made him eligible for a 50% reduction for good behavior. Van Dyke in 2020 withdrew his appeal, meaning his release will close the final chapter in the case.

Though it was widely reported at the time he was sentenced, Van Dykes projected release date of February 2022 seemed to catch many by surprise as it grew closer. Activists are planning a Feb. 3 rally in Federal Plaza and have announced their intention to try to shut down parts of downtown in protest.

In recent weeks, a cadre of Black leaders, including Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, have joined some members of McDonalds extended family in calling on the U.S. Justice Department to bring federal civil rights charges against Van Dyke that could land him back in prison.

At least one person on the jury that convicted Van Dyke thought the sentence he received was too lenient. Charlene Cooke, who was the only Black person on the panel, told the Tribune this week she thought it was a slap on the wrist.

To me, its an insult to the jurors and the time we spent (during the trial), Cooke, a 63-year-old retired FedEx driver, said in a telephone interview. Its an insult to the family, like Laquan McDonald meant nothing.

McDonalds great-uncle, Rev. Marvin Hunter, said that while he believes Van Dykes sentence was legally improper, most of the family does not support the effort to bring Van Dyke up on new charges.

My hope is that Jason Van Dyke went to jail and was rehabilitated, he told the Tribune in an interview last week. I hope he becomes a better man  If he gets 1,000 more years its not going to bring Laquan back, so we would be better served as a country and as a people if he became better. Our family, were not victims, and were not going to live our life as victims. We want to be better and not bitter.

Choice I will live with forever

Van Dyke, 43, was last a free man on Oct. 5, 2018, the day the jury found him guilty after about 7  hours of deliberations. After Cook County Circuit Judge Vincent Gaughan ordered him immediately taken into custody, Van Dyke said his goodbyes to his wife and family, then put his hands behind his back as sheriffs deputies escorted him to a lockup behind the courtroom.

Three months later, Van Dyke was back in Gaughans courtroom for his sentencing hearing, which featured hours of often-tearful testimony from Van Dykes relatives and supporters as well as emotional accounts from purported victims of his abuse during his police career.

Toward the end of the hearing, Van Dyke himself stood and said the day he shot McDonald was the worst of his life. The last thing I wanted to do was to shoot Laquan McDonald, he said, head bent as he read from a piece of paper. It is a choice that I will live with forever.

One witness called by the prosecution wept uncontrollably on the stand as he described in detail how Van Dyke allegedly brutalized him after a traffic stop in 2007. The man required two surgeries after Van Dyke threw him down to the floor in the back seat of a squad car, he said, and he still had not regained full use of his arms.

McMahon told the Tribune this week that he recalled that witness breaking down emotionally in the hallway outside the courtroom, afraid to testify.

I needed the judge to hear about how Van Dyke had treated other people, McMahon told the Tribune. I know  how difficult it was going to be for him to testify in open court. And I think it was probably damaging to him to have to go in there and testify, (but) to tell as much of the story of Jason Van Dyke as possible, I felt like I needed to put him on the witness stand.

Prosecutors had asked Gaughan for a sentence of 18 to 20 years on aggravated battery, which would have required Van Dyke to serve about 85 percent of the term. Van Dykes defense, by contrast, argued that he should be sentenced only on the second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of probation or four to 20 years in prison, with the possibility of day-for-day credit for good behavior.

Gaughan sided with the defense in making a key finding that dramatically reduced Van Dykes exposure, ruling that second-degree murder was actually the more egregious of the two charges and should be the one Van Dyke was sentenced on, even though a previous state appellate ruling had found the opposite.

Is it more serious for Laquan McDonald to be shot by a firearm or is it more serious for Laquan McDonald to be murdered by a firearm? Gaughan said in explaining his reasoning. Common sense comes to an easy answer on that in this specific case.

When he announced his sentence, Gaughan said he expected 100% of those in the courtroom to be disappointed. Afterward, Van Dykes lead attorney, Daniel Herbert, said his client truly felt great.

He was not just relieved, he was happy, Herbert told reporters after the sentencing. Its the first time Ive seen the guy  honestly since this whole ordeal started  where he was happy. Hes certainly not happy about going to jail. Hes certainly not happy about missing his family. But hes happy about the prospect of life ahead of him.

In his recent interview with the Tribune, McMahon acknowledged that for Van Dyke to be released less than four years later can be difficult to accept for some. But any time in prison is difficult, no matter how short the sentence  particularly for an ex-cop, McMahon said.

I dont think (Van Dyke) had an easy sentence, he said. And I understand people wish that his prison sentence was longer but I think - what I said three-plus years ago now  was that with the passage of time, hopefully what people remember about this case is that a police officer can be and will be and was held accountable for his crimes in this case, for the killing of Laquan McDonald, and thats what I hope people will remember.

Prison time

After the January 2019 sentencing, Van Dyke was transferred to a downstate prison for a few weeks, where he was held in isolation as a standard security measure.

In early February, Van Dyke was moved to a federal detention center in Danbury, Connecticut for unexplained reasons, his attorneys said. Shortly after he was processed at the medium-security facility and moved into the general population, several people attacked him in his cell.

My No. 1 fear for my husband has always been his safety, it always has been that somebody is going to get him and hurt him, and the worst has happened, Van Dykes wife, Tiffany, told reporters at the time.

Van Dyke was put into a segregated unit after the attack, his attorneys said.

Federal prison records show Van Dyke was released from federal custody in November 2019, again for unexplained reasons. News reports stated he was transferred briefly to a state-run facility in Maryland, then again to an undisclosed location.

For the next two years, he was off the radar. An Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman declined to say where Van Dyke was being held, citing an interstate agreement where high-profile prisoners can be kept off databases of inmates available to the public online.

Jason Van Dyke remains under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Corrections, but is not in our custody, the agency said in an emailed statement last week. For safety and security purposes, the Department does not discuss details concerning individuals who have transferred under the terms of the Interstate Corrections Compact Agreement.

The only indication of where Van Dyke may have spent prison time in Illinois comes from a two-page release order from the Prisoner Review Board, the government agency responsible for scheduling a prisoners supervised release program.

The document, obtained by the Tribune through an open records request, stated Van Dyke had been at the Taylorville minimum-security prison near Springfield as of September 2021 when the order was signed.

Van Dyke must now complete his term of mandatory supervised release, Illinois version of parole. The only requirement marked on the review boards form was that he participate in a cognitive behavioral therapy program  a common measure aimed at reducing recidivism.

Trying to move on with his life

In light of the relatively lenient sentence, Van Dykes attorneys backed away from their promises to appeal his conviction.

But not long afterward, McMahon and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who had just begun his first term, decided to bring the case directly to the state Supreme Court.

Gaughans sentence relied on improper legal reasoning, they argued. Since Illinois law makes aggravated battery with a firearm the more serious offense, the state Supreme Court should order Gaughan to resentence the ex-patrol officer on those convictions instead.

The states highest court declined to hear the petition by a 4-2 vote. No explanation was given for the courts refusal to hear the case. But the decision fell largely along political lines, with the courts three Republicans joining Anne Burke, a Democrat who is married to longtime Chicago Ald. Edward Burke, a onetime Chicago police officer who is facing federal corruption charges.

The two dissenting judges both noted that Gaughan made his ruling relying on a dissenting opinion that stated the exact opposite of the majority, and the majority opinion is the law of the land.

McMahon speculated in his recent interview with the Tribune that Van Dyke chose not to pursue an appeal in part because an appellate court could have chosen to kick the case back for a re-sentencing.

I think the prospects of getting the conviction overturned were extremely low and the risk of being sent back to the trial court for resentencing were much higher, he said.

Jennifer Blagg, one of Van Dykes attorneys, disputed that, saying that if prosecutors had tried to argue Van Dykes sentencing as part of the appeals process, they would not be on solid legal ground.

Van Dyke formally dropped his appeal in the fall of 2020, before the case had been fully briefed.

Hes trying to move on with his life and move forward, Blagg told the Tribune at the time. He thought it was in the best interest of all the parties involved, including the McDonald family, that there be some finality.

A federal look

As the drama of the criminal case against Jason Van Dyke was unfolding before the public, another probe into McDonalds shooting was going on behind the scenes, with the U.S. attorneys office and FBI looking into filing possible charges against Van Dyke and other officers involved.

Then-U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon took the unusual step of confirming the investigation in April 2015  seven months before the release of the dashcam video that would force the hand of the Cook County states attorneys office to move forward with charges against Van Dyke.

Fardon confirmed that the investigation was still ongoing in September 2016, nearly a year after Van Dyke was charged with murder. It remained active at least until 2019, when prosecutors asked a federal judge to keep a search warrant related to the probe under seal until the investigation was complete, which was estimated in the filing to be August 2019, court records show.

No federal charges were ever filed in the case. Last week, several prominent Black leaders cited the case against former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged both in state court and federally with Floyds death, in renewing calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to go after Van Dyke.

Though there is no statute of limitations to bring a civil rights case involving a fatality, it would be exceedingly rare for the U.S. Attorneys Office to charge Van Dyke now, given his conviction and sentencing for the same incident in another jurisdiction.

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney John Lausch declined to comment.

Blagg, one of Van Dykes attorneys, told the Tribune this week justice isnt served in the court of public opinion, justice is handed out in a courtroom.

Jurors heard Jasons case. A judge gave Jason his sentence. And even if you dont agree with it, you have to appreciate the long-term consequences of what youre arguing for, she said. Arguing that someone should be charged by the feds because you dont agree w the judges sentencing decision could have far-reaching consequences in our society.

Hunter also told the Tribune he feared that charging Van Dyke twice for the same set of actions could set a bad precedent. Most of the family does not support further charges against the ex-cop, he said.

I am not an advocate for Jason Van Dyke, he has not asked for forgiveness  but am I going to live my life harboring hate? Hunter said. The answer is no. I dont. And my family dont.

If politicians and activists wanted to help, they should have supported Raouls push at the state Supreme Court to re-examine the sentence Gaughan handed down - instead of pushing for Van Dyke to be imprisoned again for something separate, Hunter said.

If a man serves his time, he needs to be freed, Hunter said. If were going to be a civilized society we must follow the doggone laws and have them work for everybody the right way.

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MADISON, Wis.  A Wisconsin judge was set to hear arguments Friday on whether prosecutors should return to Kyle Rittenhouse the assault-style rifle he used to shoot three people during a street protest.

Rittenhouse shot the men during the protest in Kenosha in 2020. He killed Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz in the arm. Rittenhouse argued he fired in self-defense after each of the men attacked him. A jury last year acquitted him of multiple charges, including homicide.

Rittenhouse's attorney, Mark Richards, filed a motion Jan. 19 asking prosecutors to return Rittenhouse's rifle, his ammunition, his face mask and other clothing he was wearing the night of the shooting to him. Richards and David Hancock, a spokesman for Rittenhouse, said last week that Rittenhouse wants to destroy the rifle and throw the rest of the items away so nothing can be used as a political symbol or trophy celebrating the shootings.

Conservatives across the nation have praised Rittenhouse, saying he was defending Kenosha from far-left militants. Liberals have painted him as a trigger-happy vigilante.

The motion hearing was before Judge Bruce Schroeder, the Kenosha County judge who presided over Rittenhouse's trial. Hancock said Rittenhouse would not be in court for Fridays hearing.

Meanwhile, another legal fight is brewing over the fate of the $2 million conservatives raised to cover Rittenhouse's bail. Richards filed a motion Thursday seeking the money, with plans to divide it between his law firm and the #FightBack Foundation. Attorneys Lin Wood and John Pierce, who were representing Rittenhouse in the early days of case, formed the foundation to raise money for him.

Richards also wants to give $150,000 back to actor Ricky Schroder, who donated to Rittenhouse's defense.

The Patent and Trademark Hedge Fund Trust filed a motion Thursday laying claim to the $2 million as well. The trust's attorneys argue they're Pierce's creditors so they deserve all the money.

It was unclear whether the judge would take up the motions Friday.

Demonstrators took to the streets for a number of nights in Kenosha in August 2020 after a white police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back as Blake was resisting arrest during a domestic disturbance. The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist down.

The protests turned chaotic at times, with people burning buildings. Rittenhouse and his friend, Dominick Black, joined a group of militia members to protect a used car lot on the night of Aug. 25, 2020.

Rittenhouse, who was 17 at time and living in Antioch, Illinois, was armed with an AR-15-style rifle that Black had purchased for him earlier that year because he was too young to buy a firearm under Wisconsin law.

According to the motion, Black had agreed that the rifle would become Rittenhouse's property on his 18th birthday, Jan. 3, 2021.

Bystander and surveillance video shows that just before midnight Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse down and Rittenhouse shot him as he closed in on him. He shot Huber after Huber swung a skateboard at his head and Grosskreutz after Grosskreutz ran up to him holding a pistol. Everyone involved in the shooting was white.

Black pleaded no contest to two citations earlier this month for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in exchange for prosecutors dropping two felony charges of intent to sell a dangerous weapon to a person younger than 18.

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Jonathan Jackson, a son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, announced Friday his intention to seek the Democratic congressional nomination for the congressional seat being vacated when U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush retires at the end of his term.

I have been fighting for working people my entire life and am dedicated to social and economic change, said Jackson, a construction business owner in Bronzeville and a leader in his fathers Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. As a businessman, college professor and activist, I have been on the forefront of the struggle for civil and human rights.

Jackson, 56, enters a crowded field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the redrawn 1st Congressional District, which stretches from the South Side and southwest suburbs down to nearly Kankakee, following Rushs announcement earlier this month that he would retire after 30 years in Congress.

He becomes the 12th candidate to file notice of seeking the Democratic nomination in the district, joining a field that includes Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd; state Sen. Jacqueline Collins and Karin Norington-Reaves, the head of workforce development for Chicago and Cook County, who has received Rushs endorsement.

Jackson said in a statement he would focus on job creation and expanding access to health care and day care.

It is time for increasing our focus on the economic issues that impact families and expanding economic opportunities, he said. We will spur a transformation that can bring justice and equity to our communities, creating safer environments where we can nurture our children to become tomorrows leaders.

Jackson said the street he lives on was moved one block out from the 1st District boundary under the states new congressional redistricting map. While members of Congress are not required to live in the district they represent, he said he plans to move into the district.

If elected, Jackson would become the second child of Rev. Jesse Jackson and wife Jacqueline to be elected to Congress.

Eldest son Jesse Jackson Jr. served from 1995 to 2012 from the neighboring 2nd congressional district. Under investigation for misuse of campaign funds, he resigned in November 2012 citing health problems. He pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud in February 2013 and was released from prison in March 2015.

Jonathan Jackson said a formal campaign kickoff announcement was planned for early February.

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The ethics reform proposal put forth by Illinois Senate Republicans is a step in the right direction to address desperately needed change in state government.

Senate Bill 363 would ban state lawmakers, a spouse or an immediate family member from lobbying during his or her tenure in the legislature. General Assembly members also wouldnt be able to secure work in a lobbying firm until they leave office if the firm lobbies the General Assembly. And they couldnt have a lobbyist serve as an officer on his or her campaign committee.

If youre surprised these rules arent already in place  especially in corruption-prone Illinois  youre not alone.

Closing loopholes and improving transparency continually fail to gain traction in the Statehouse. That was especially true under powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, who controlled state politics for decades.

Measures that did break through were tepid at best. Earlier this month, Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope, who served as a watchdog of state lawmakers, resigned.

Senate Republicans are pushing to give that position more power and provide more tools for investigations.

An existing six-month ban on General Assembly members working for a lobbying firm would expand to 12 months under Senate Bill 363. The proposal would also expand state laws on bribery and legislative misconduct.

Such oversight is badly needed.

Case in point: The Better Government Association this month reported that lawmakers inserted $4 billion of pork-barrel projects into the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois infrastructure initiative. The itemized projects were selected by lawmakers (and in some cases, the governors office) and added without any public input. Four of the projects were secured by Madigan.

That doesnt mean anything unethical was happening per se. But it could, and there need to be safeguards. At the federal level, lawmakers have to disclose earmarks on their websites, a step that should be applied at the state level, too.

Senate Bill 363 faces an uphill climb. But comprehensive ethics reform is commonsense  and long overdue in Springfield.

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DECATUR  Months after the city of Decatur suspended its contract with an energy supplier under the municipal aggregation program, the sun is shining down on Soy City.

The city announced Friday that it was partnering with solar energy company Arcadia to offer residents an opportunity to save on their monthly utility bills while simultaneously supporting clean energy.

Basically, Acadia connects Decatur residents to local solar farms, giving them the benefits of renewable energy without having to install solar panels on their roofs. When the solar farm generates electricity, ratepayers get savings  up to 10% on average  credited to their monthly utility bill.

In addition, Acadia is offering a $25 credit toward Decatur customers utility bills for the first four months  a total of $100.

We support this program that is both good for the environment and our residents household budget, but you must opt in, said deputy city manager Jon Kindseth.

The partnership comes just two months after the city halted its contract with Homefield Energy as its energy supplier under the municipal aggregation program, meaning residents who received the rate negotiated by the city returned to Ameren.

Under Illinois law, municipalities and counties are allowed to negotiate for the purchase of electric supply for their residents and small businesses from suppliers other than utility giants Ameren and Commonwealth Edison. The aim is to save residents on their energy bills through the use of collective bargaining power.

Decatur approved the aggregation program via referendum in 2012. Residents have the option to opt-out of the program if they would like to choose their own energy supplier.

The citys most recent deal with Homefield  approved in October 2020  secured a rate of 4.52 cents per kilowatt-hour through last month. However, Homefields lowest offered price beyond that was more than 7.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, higher than Amerens 5.4 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The change-over took effect in December and is reflected on ratepayers January utility bills.

After attempts to negotiate a better rate with an alternative supplier failed to materialize, the city is now barred from doing an aggregation program until at least December. And Kindseth said it might be even longer as the city waits for more favorable pricing.

So this community solar is the only program for our residents unless they just go to Ameren and ride it out there, Kindseth said.

Unlike aggregation, which is an opt-out program, customers interested in community solar must opt-in. More information about the program can be found at https://arcadia.com/decatursolar.

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%.


After a 43-year-old daily wage labourer allegedly died in police custody in West Bengal, the incident has left his family questioning the circumstances of his death.

Sukanya Roy | TwoCircles.net

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KOLKATA  The custodial death of a daily-wage labourer from Nadia district of West Bengal on 5 December 2021 has left his family in distress. The family of the deceased, 43-year-old Abdul Goni Sekh demanded justice and punishment against the accused policemen.

Talking to TwoCircles.net, the family of the deceased alleged cover-up by district and state police forces, and the civil administration. They have said that the polices conductincluding denial of entry into the morgue during the post-mortem and withholding information about their loved one throughout the casehas left them traumatised.

Abdul used to come home rarely, brother of the deceased, Shahjahan, TwoCircles.net. He was very hardworking.

Sekh is survived by his mother, a brother and brothers wife.

Originally from Panighata village in Nadia district, Sekh used to work in Haryana as a mason.

Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), a West Bengal-based human rights group found out that Sekh had come to West Bengal to attend a festival in December, and was temporarily staying at his friend, Majid Mollas house.

On December 2, locals of Nelua village saw sleuths of state polices Special Operations Group apprehending Sekh from Mollas house. He was kept in custody, without informing his family.

On December 4, the Bhimpur town police filed an FIR under IPC sections 489 (B) and 489(C) for trafficking in counterfeit currency.

In the wee hours of December 5, officers from the Kaliganj police station informed Sekhs family that he had been admitted to the Shaktinagar district hospital. Early in the morning, they were informed that Sekh was dead.

The details of what exactly happened that night elude his family.

Sekhs bereaved family waited outside the hospital for hours but were denied entry, except to identify the deceaseds body.

On-duty police officers from Kotowali police station told the family that the inquest and post-mortem had already been conducted.

Discrepancies in case

MASUMs complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) blames Bhimpur police and Kotowali police for the tragedy.

Biswajit Mukherjee, an activist at MASUM, observed, This case is not just about brutal police torture, but also its subsequent cover-up.

Mukherjee pointed out multiple discrepancies in the case.

The first discrepancy is why the Bhimpur police mention 4 December as the arrest date in the arrest memo,

While locals maintain that police apprehended Sekh on December 2, the arrest memo mentions December 4 as the date of arrest.

Sekh was not produced in front of a Magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest as was his legal right.

Sekhs family was presented with the arrest memo only after his death.

The Kotowali police got them to sign the memo amidst all the panic at the hospital, without explaining what the document was, Mukherjee said.

Additionally, the police informed Sekhs family at 7:30 am that he had died of a heart attack when the post-mortem was conducted eight hours after his death. The real cause of death remains unclear as the post-mortem report has not yet been disclosed.

Post-mortem and inquest of the deceaseds body were also carried out in violation of Criminal Procedure Code Sec 176 (A). Only an Executive Magistrate, Mr Ajoy Saha, was present at the morgue that day and not a Judicial Magistrate, said Mukherjee.

Regarding the charges of Sekh possessing and distributing counterfeit currency, MASUM secretary Kirity Roy questioned why the seizure list has not been made public. What was the date and time of confiscation, and the amount? Who were the independent witnesses present during the arrest? he said.

Demands for accountability

The police officers of Bhimpur and Kotowali stations in nexus with civil administration violated CrPC Sections 41B(b), 41C, 50, 50A, 53, 54, 57, 58 and 176(1)A, notes MASUMs fact-finding report. The incident also violates Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, and the DK Basu guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.

Data on custodial deaths paints an alarming picture.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha in 2021, the Minister of State for Home Affairs said that 348 people died and 1189 people were tortured in police custody between 2019-2021. That translates to roughly one torture case per day and one death every three days in police custody.

Police forces have enjoyed impunity for custodial deaths in India. This analysis notes for 1,004 custodial deaths between 2010-2019, only four police personnel have been found guilty.

Fair compensation needs to be provided to the victims of custodial torture and killings. Mukherjee said that the West Bengal Victims Compensation Fund (2017) has a provision for this. What will his family do for sustenance now?, he said.

What is most pressing in this case, is that a fresh post-mortem and enquiry be conducted under established norms by the NHRC or CID. We need to get to the bottom of this, said Roy.

However, even after writing to the NHRC, the Central and State Home ministries, the District Magistrate, the Police Superintendent and the Sub-Divisional officer, no acknowledgement of MASUMs complaint has been provided by any of these offices. This has never happened before, and is indeed very troubling, Roy adds.

Sukanya Roy is a Masters student at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia. She works as a freelance journalist and tweets at @_aynakus_
The new chairperson of the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia Chamber of Commerce asked those gathered for the chambers annual meeting Friday what they are willing to do differently to move the cities forward.

Jerry Kirk, market president of Renasant Bank, accepted the gavel from outgoing 2021 Chairman Jasen Eige of The United Co. during the first in-person annual meeting at the Bristol Conference Center and Hotel in two years.

As a longtime Bristol resident, Kirk described some of the economic transitions he has seen and said Bristol is positioned for success.

Bristol has come a long way. Today our city is much different, Kirk said while mentioning the availability of full-time jobs, Bristol Motor Speedway, downtown, the casino opening and a variety of educational institutions as some of Bristols strengths.

We are blessed by being the big city without the big city hassles, he said.

Still, Kirk said there are issues that need attention such as a lack of housing, homelessness, workforce issues and a very competitive economic environment.

How can we be more successful at all these challenges and simply do it better than our competition? Kirk said. What are we willing to do differently to have greater progress than our competition?

He said having all the businesses involved in working for Bristols success is key.

Our success in 2022 will take greater participation from our membership, great engagement along with collaborating and having very intentional input from you [the business community] as we advance our economic vitality, Kirk said.

The meeting also featured a keynote address from Patrick Kilbride, the senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber Global Innovation Policy Center.

Piney Flats own Carson Peters, fresh off his appearance on NBCs The Voice, sang the National Anthem and two other songs to entertain those gathered at the tailgate-themed luncheon.
When progressive Catholics list their heroes in the church hierarchy, most would include Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C.

When preparing their own lists, most conservative Catholics would include Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco.

Thus, its important to note how these two shepherds reacted to the spectacular protest staged by Catholics for Choice during the 2022 National Prayer Vigil for Life inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

While worshippers gathered for overnight rites and prayers before the Jan. 21 March for Life, pro-abortion-rights Catholics  using a nearby projector  displayed their own beliefs on the 329-foot tower and facade of Americas largest Catholic sanctuary. Catholics for Choice appeared inside a glowing cross, accompanied by a litany of slogans, such as Stop stigmatizing; start listening, Mi cuerpo, mi decision (My body, my decision in Spanish) and Pro-choice Catholics, you are not alone.

Archbishop Cordileone released this response via Twitter, using language implying the actions of Satan: The attempted desecration is enormous. Diabolical. Mother Mary, pray for them, now and at the hour of death. Amen.

Cardinal Gregorys press statement pointed readers to a specific scripture to find the context for his words: The true voice of the Church was only to be found within The Basilica. ... There, people prayed and offered the Eucharist asking God to restore a true reverence for all human life. Those whose antics projected words on the outside of the church building demonstrated by those pranks that they really are external to the Church and they did so at night  John 13:30.

That verse describes the moment when Judas exits the Last Supper to betray Jesus: So ... he immediately went out; and it was night.

Catholics for Choice offered no apologies on Twitter: Our faith teaches us that EVERY person, including the 1 in 4 abortion patients who are Catholic, should be able to make their own decisions about their lives and bodies without interference from the church or the state. #AbortionIsEssential!! The groups communications director, Ashley Wilson, added: I am tired of feeling shame and stigma for being a pro-choice Catholic. And Im not here for people to judge my own personal relationship with God.

At the same time, Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson acknowledged that there was more to this clash than a stereotypical argument with religious conservatives.

Some moderate Catholics are unhappy we projected our messages on a church, she said on Twitter. But where in our church is the place to present facts, ask questions & tell abortion stories? This dialogue isnt welcome inside its walls, so we really had no choice but to project on the outside of them.

Its hard to imagine where these tactics could lead, given the bitter political and religious divisions present in American life, argued J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor of the Jesuit magazine America, an influential forum on the Catholic left.

How would Catholics respond, he asked, if a powerful corporation  Coca-Cola or Pepsi, perhaps  projected advertisements onto the National Shrine? What if Republicans began projecting Trump 2024 images onto the homes of Democrats living next door?

Catholics for Choices messaging was certainly arresting. Sacrilege often is, wrote Long-Garcia. It is appalling to see an organization that claims to be Catholic project pro-abortion messaging onto a structure that celebrates the conception of the Mother of God. What am I supposed to take from this? That St. Anne should have been given the choice to abort Mary?

It is logical to ask who Catholics for Choice hoped to sway with this culture-wars gambit.

After all, President Joe Biden released this statement after the March for Life and in anticipation of a looming U.S. Supreme Court judgment: The constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade 49 years ago today is under assault as never before. We must recommit to strengthening access to reproductive care, defending the right established by Roe, and protecting the freedom of all people to build their own future.

Meanwhile, Catholics gathered inside the basilica, praying for our government to respect the sanctity of life, certainly were not likely to be convinced by the Catholics for Choice display, noted Long-Garcia. Was ... offending Catholics across the nation the point, a demonstration to please their choir of supporters on social media?

Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.
The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

The Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Nelson-Jameson are proud to announce that Maggie Becher and John Larsen have both been selected to receive the inaugural Nelson-Jameson Scholarships to advance dairy foods research being conducted by CDR. Maggie and John are graduate students in the Department of Food Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and are mentored by CDR scientists Rani Govindasamy-Lucey and Rodrigo Ibanez, respectively.

Maggie is currently pursuing an M.S. degree and hopes to continue on for a Ph.D. in dairy chemistry and is researching string cheese and examining possible strategies to extend its shelf life. Her research involves looking at functional properties like stringiness as well as flavor changes during storage. In addition, Maggie is also researching how to extend the characteristic squeak of fresh Cheese Curds. Both projects have the potential to improve the quality of these products and expand their distribution.



John is also pursuing an M.S. degree and his research is studying a possible new source of late gas formation in cheese. The formation of biogenic amines produces carbon dioxide and is believed by CDR staff to be one cause of late gas formation in some cheeses. John is looking into what is causing this gas production and possible strategies to mitigate it, such as enzymes or adjunct cultures.

These scholarships from Nelson-Jameson help support graduate students that are working on new innovations, and we know that more trained students are needed by the dairy industry for technical positions, said John Lucey, CDR Director. We are delighted to partner with Nelson-Jameson on this initiative.

As part of the scholarship, both students can be awarded $10,000 over the course of two years. Nelson-Jameson established the scholarship in 2021 to support the advancement of dairy science knowledge at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that is being conducted by CDR staff/faculty.



Nelson-Jameson is proud to continue to support the important work of the Center for Dairy Research and all they do for the industry, said Mat Bartowiak, Nelson-Jameson Director of Strategic Relationships. There is great shared alignment in the pursuit of helping the industry to create safe, quality food, and seek out new innovations to push us collectively forward. We are excited to see what important work Maggie and John accomplish in their pathways towards careers in the industry.

Based in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Nelson-Jameson has been a trusted source of food and dairy processing supplies for over 70 years.


The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

TechMix, LLC has reached an agreement with Elanco Spain for sales and marketing of YMCP Vitall in Spain. Elanco Spain is building onto their Vitall 90TM fresh cow protocol and has reviewed many post-freshening products and now will be adding YMCP Vitall. YMCP Vitall stands out because it offers a complete recipe for supporting fresh cow recovery. Recent data shows that fresh cows require more than just calcium for optimal recovery*, and the ingredient list in YMCP Vitall will allow Elanco Spain to stake a unique market position, and help cows thrive.

YMCP Vitall has live yeast to help get cows on back on feed, consuming their new ration, and positioned for the rigors of lactation. Plus, YMCP Vitall includes additional nutrients like magnesium, potassium and niacin along with rapidly-absorbable calciumall nutrients lost during freshening. But not only is the YMCP Vitall ingredient list unique for a fresh cow bolus, so is the delivery method. YMCP Vitall is an effervescent bolus that disburses critical recovery nutrients throughout the rumen upon ingestion, thereby supporting quicker uptake.



Like producers around the world, Elanco Spain recognized that getting a fresh cow back on feed quickly was the simplest and least-cost means of getting nutrients from the ration into the cow. These benefits are far reaching and include the ability to regain or maintain rumen fill, reduce the chance of rumen acidosis, support body condition, encourage post-freshening recovery, and lead to better peak milk.



Elanco Spain recognizes the uniqueness of YMCP Vitall and the farm results that customers have been experiencing. This partnership is a win-win for both companies, but even more so for producers, and cows, in Spain who desire welfare and performance benefits while reducing antibiotic use, says David Muysson, Director International, TechMix.



*M. Al-Qaisi et al., Res. Vet. Sci., 129 (2020), pp. 74-81

For more information, visit: http://www.techmixglobal.com

About TechMix, LLC: Since 1983, TechMix has been manufacturing and marketing BlueLite, the most recognized brand in livestock hydration support. It is often recognized as Gatorade for animals. TechMix innovates with livestock producers, veterinarians, nutritionists and universities around the world to provide the best hydration products to protect animals and producer investments. The TechMix dairy product lineup includes Bovine BlueLite, Fresh Cow YMCP, YMCP Vitall and BlueLite ReplenishM. Products for swine include Swine BlueLite, Baby Pig Restart, BlueLite Pro2Lyte and Dual Dry. All our products are science-designed to optimize hydration and nutrient absorption when needed most for recovery from stress events or improved performance. By providing the right hydration at the right time, TechMix is redefining hydration to keep animals drinking, eating and producing.




Bessemer City wants to see more jobs coming into the area with the development of an 118-acre business campus park called Edgewood 85 Commerce Park.

Were really looking forward to seeing more foot traffic in, said City Manager James Inman.

Charlotte-based commercial real estate company Trinity Capital Advisors bought the $790,800 property with plans to build an industrial park consisting of four industrial buildings.

The park will take up 1 million square feet and be located along Edgewood Road near Exit 13 on I-85.

Inman says that Trinity Capital has yet to release the names of its tenants in the park, but plans to include many distribution and manufacturing centers in the park for large businesses.

Were hoping that the project recruits a lot of restaurants, stores and brings in more traffic, said Inman.

Edgewood 85 will have more square footage than all the businesses combined within Bessemer Citys Southridge Business Park, Inman says.

The Southridge Business Park began in 1998 and continues adding businesses to the area.

Some of these businesses include manufacturers of large corporations like Dole Foods and electronics and automotive manufacturers.

This property was already zoned for industrial use for the last 15 years, so that made this process move pretty quickly, said Bessemer Citys Director of Administration Joshua Ross.

Bessemer City, Gaston Countys Economic Development Commission and Clarion Partners, LLC began working together over the last six months to develop the park.

Inman says Trinity Capitals next steps include presenting a site plan before Bessemer City City Council for approval. The commercial real estate company will be developing the land and recruiting manufacturers for the business park.

Inman expects the company to begin construction in the next six months.
For Oak Island resident Mark Greene, what happens off the shore of Brunswick County is his business.

Greene pilots Angry Pelican Charter fishing trips, which departs from Southport daily. He said anything that could affect fish migration patterns in the area, like a wind turbine, is a concern for his livelihood.

"I'm trying to figure out what the effect will be because 90% of our living is between that beach and this turbine," Greene said. "If it runs the fish off, I'm out of business."

On Jan. 28, the Offshore Wind for North Carolina coalition held an open house presentation to give residents an idea of what wind energy coming to the area might look like.

Talk of potential wind turbine leases off the Wilmington-area coast began last year, with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper setting a goal for the state to develop 2.8 gigawatts of offshore wind energy resources by 2030 and 8 gigawatts by 2040.

In response, several Brunswick County Board of Supervisors and area towns passed resolutions opposing wind turbines within 24 nautical miles of their coast, citing potential visual impacts.

At the presentation, the coalition provided residents with visuals of how wind turbines would look in the Wilmington East Wind Energy Area  roughly 17 miles south of Bald Head Island  as seen from Bald Head Island, Oak Island, and Holden Beach.

In all the images, the wind turbines were not noticeable from the shore. Tiny white dots on the horizon were their only trace.

The visualizations can be viewed online at sewind.org/images/fact_sheets/Wilmington_East_Visualization_Presentation_.pdf.

Though the presentation was focused on the turbine's aesthetic impacts, several residents were also concerned about how wind energy could impact tourism, which many beach towns rely on.

Others said they'd like to see data on how wind turbines have affected similar communities.

While offshore wind energy is still in its infancy, with the nation's first commercial wind farm off the Rhode Island coast beginning operation in 2016, advocates said the early data is promising.

A 2019 study from the University of Rhode Island analyzing effects on tourism showed occupancy rates during the peak summer months increased by 19% after the Block Island Wind Farm began operating.

A 2021 survey by the University of Rhode Island found the wind farm  which is just three miles from shore  detracted from people's boating experience. However, the survey results showed people who boat for fishing were more accepting of turbines, while non-fishermen were more likely to have a negative reaction.

Pat Artman, a Winding River resident and member of the Alliance of Brunswick County Property Owners Associations, said she's eager for alternative energy but at the meeting was still looking for answers.

"I just think that it's something that we're going to have to look towards in the future, but we want to do so with precaution and that's why we're here," Artman said.

Reporter John Orona can be reached at 910-343-2327 or jorona@gannett.com.
Walter Reed

Walter Reed (Sept. 13, 1851-Nov. 22, 1902) was a U.S. Army physician who contributed to the completion of the Panama Canal, built between 1904 and 1914, by first understanding the cause of yellow fever and then assisting others in breakthrough research to reduce the spread of the dreaded disease to workers in Panama.

First, it was the Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay who found that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species.

Reed followed the work started by Finlay and it was his yellow fever studies that is now considered a milestone in biomedicine. Finlay and Reed recommended that to control the mosquito population would result in the control of the spread of yellow fever.

Being very bright, young Reed enrolled at the University of Virginia and with only two years of study completed the doctor of medicine degree in 1869, two months prior to his 18th birthday. Reed was the youngest-ever recipient of an doctor or medicine degree from the university.

Reed then enrolled at the New York Universitys Bellevue Hospital Medical College, where he earned a second doctor of medicine degree in 1870. After interning at several New York City hospitals, Reed worked for the New York Board of Health until 1875.

Reed joined the U. S. Army Medical Corps where he was assigned as an assistant surgeon.

While in the Army, Reed married Emily Blackwell Lawrence on April 26, 1876 and took her with him on his many assignments with the Army. Emily would give birth to a son, Walter Lawrence Reed, in 1877 and a daughter in 1883. The couple also adopted a Native American girl with the name Susie.

The Army assigned Reed to various outposts in the American West. Over the next 16 years, Reed was responsible for American military and their dependents.

Reed was also responsible for several hundred Apaches, including Geronimo. Reed was obsessed in providing sanitary conditions for the Indian tribes and thought that devastating epidemics were responsible for most of the Indian diseases.

In 1893, the military allowed Reed to join the faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine and the newly opened Army Medical School in Washington, D.C. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he actively pursued medical research projects.

In 1896, Reed distinguished himself as a medical investigator. He proved that yellow fever among enlisted men was the result of drinking river water. The enlisted mens officers did not drink from the river and thus avoided yellow fever.

Upon Reeds return from Cuba, where he studied with Finlay, he would receive honorary degrees from Harvard and the University of Michigan.

In November 1902, Reed suffered a ruptured appendix. He died on Nov. 23, 1902, as the result of peritonitis. Reed was only 51 at the time of his death. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

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The year 2021 witnessed the highest number of restrictions on Friday prayers at Jamia mosque in Srinagar. The mosque remained shut for at least 47 Fridays.

Auqib Javeed | TwoCircles.net

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SRINAGAR  Maala Begum used multiple modes of transport, hoping to offer Friday prayers at Srinagars Jamia Masjid. She was pained to discover that the mosque was shut.

Begum, 62, waited for a few hours outside the gate thinking that the management of the mosque might open the gates for senior citizens.

She had to return.

The authorities have not allowed congregational Friday prayers at the 14th-century mosque since January 2021except once.

This is the only major place of worship in the valley.

As other religious institutions are open and political rallies continue in full swing, devotees have rejected the governments version that the mosque is shut because of Covid protocols. When the church is open, why is the mosque shut? Ghulam Mohammad, a devotee from the Pampore area of South Kashmirs Pampore, told Twocircles.net.

Moulana Ahmad Sayeed Naqshbandi, Imam Hai of Jamia Masjid wondered what the governments policy is regarding the allowing of Friday prayers at Masjid.

I think their policy is that the Auqaf of the Jamia Masjid should give in writing that the atmosphere after the prayers should remain peaceful but who can assure that? Naqshbandi told TwoCircles.net.

Naqshbandi has been leading the prayers in the mosque since 1964. He said he has never witnessed such a restriction.

Even during the height of the armed insurgency in the nineties, prayers wouldnt be disallowed at the mosque. However, when the Hurriyat came into existence, we saw some restrictions, he told TwoCircles.net.

Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, which manages the mosque, expressed strong resentment over the decision.

In a statement, the Auqaf said that the central Jama Masjid, the religious and spiritual centre of the people of Kashmir, remains out of bounds for Muslims of the valley for obligatory Friday prayers as its lockdown by authorities continues.

The sorrow and pain this causes people is unmitigated, Auqafs statement read.

Anjuman said that the mosque has been forcibly locked down for 47 Fridays in the last year, and consecutively for 26 Fridays so far.

Under a well-planned policy, continuously preventing the people from performing important religious duties like Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid is a serious violation of fundamental religious rights as well as interference in religion, the statement reads.

The mosque has been an important place in the history of Kashmirs political activities. Every Friday, the top Hurriyat leader and Mirwaiz of Kashmir Dr Umar Farooq would deliver speeches from the pulpit regarding the situation in Kashmir.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been under house arrest since the abrogation of J&Ks special status in August 2019.

He said the authorities have allowed political rallies in different parts of Kashmir.

The area where the mosque is located used to be the epicentre of protests and clashes between youth and security forces after Friday prayers.

During the civilian unrest in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016 the area witnessed frequent protests and clashes. Consequently, the authorities discontinued Friday prayers at the mosque.

According to data, the year 2021 witnessed the highest number of restrictions on Friday prayers. The mosque remained shut for at least 47 Fridays.

The data further revealed that the authorities disallowed congregational prayers for 21 Fridays in 2020, 26 in 2019, 16 in 2018, 18 in 2017 and 30 in 2016 when poster boy of Kashmir militancy Burhan Wani was killed.

In December last year, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu wrote a letter to LG Manoj Sinha and urged him to restore Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar.

If Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid are being disallowed due to COVID concerns, then it seems to be a very discriminatory and selective application of those guidelines, the letter read.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K. Pole didnt respond to phone calls of this report for the governments version. We will update the story as and when we get a response.

Auqib Javeed is a journalist based in Kashmir. He tweets at @Auqib Javeed.
Christine M. Dowdell has been named the new director of the Forsyth County Department of Social Services following a nationwide search, the county announced.

Dowdell currently serves as the director of the Chowan County Department of Social Services in eastern North Carolina. She starts her new job here on Feb. 28.

County officials said that as DSS director here, Dowdell will oversee a department with more than 500 employees.

DSS provides a variety of benefits to help individuals and families, provides protective services for children and adults, oversees foster and adoptive services, and enforces child support.

The social services director is a critical position for our community, said Shontell Robinson, deputy county manager and health and human services director. Christines experience, references, and passion for serving our most vulnerable populations rose to the top during our thorough recruitment and selection process.

Dowdell has been in her current position since 2018, and has almost 30 years of varied experience in the field of social services.

She has been a child welfare supervisor in Mecklenburg County, a program consultant and trainer with the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, a licensed school social worker, and case manager and teacher for students with learning disabilities.

Dowdell has also taught undergraduate social work, counseling and child psychology courses at Wingate University, Johnson C. Smith University and Bennett College.

She and her husband have four children, two of whom are graduates of Winston-Salem State University. Dowdells own degrees include a bachelors in social work from Kean University in New Jersey, a masters in social work from Fordham University in New York, and a Practical Nursing Diploma from Montgomery Community College in Troy.

Dowdell said she was elated to be given the opportunity to serve as the next DSS director for Forsyth County.

I look forward to the continued great work that the staff is doing and look forward to serving the residents of Forsyth County, she said.

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North Carolinas Outer Banks are a beautiful natural wonder, rich with history. Unfortunately, sea level rise caused by global warming is washing them away.

On Jan. 4, the Winston-Salem Journal reported that N.C. 12 had washed out between the Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, which is the third time since September that ocean overwash closed the road. Rising seas are taking away the land, along with some important North Carolina history.

Virginia Dare became the first English child born in the New World on Aug. 18, 1587, on Roanoke Island. The pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was slain in November 1718 in Ocracoke Inlet. Successful aviation began when the Wright brothers made the first controlled, powered aircraft flights near Kill Devil Hills in December 1903; that feat has been commemorated on N.C. license plates since 1982.

The Outer Banks contain Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States, and Nags Head Woods Preserve, one of the best remaining examples of a mid-Atlantic maritime forest. Climate change threatens the Outer Banks natural beauty, historical sites and tourism industry, as increased temperatures send sea levels higher.

Scientists tell us that, if we dont act soon to reduce emissions from heat-trapping greenhouse gases, much of the Outer Banks will be underwater by 2100. Ocean overwash wont trouble N.C. 12 between Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, because that land will disappear. Most of Roanoke Island will vanish, including the part traversed by U.S. 64, our main access to the Outer Banks. U.S. 158, the other major road to the Banks, will flood north of Kitty Hawk. It may not matter if the Wright Brothers National Memorial drowns, because getting there will be difficult if not impossible.

The window for action has already begun to close. We need an effective national policy that will reduce not only U.S. emissions of greenhouse gas, but Chinese emissions, too. China produces about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the largest amount in the world and twice as much as the United States. (Were in second place.)

Chinas economy is built on coal. It burns more than 4 billion metric tons of coal a year, about half of the worlds consumption. China added 30 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity in 2020 and has more than 200 gigawatts of coal-fired power under construction.

The Chinese Communist Party has made a huge investment in coal, the dirtiest of all fossil fuels. As a result, Chinas economy is the dirtiest in the world, emitting more than twice as much carbon per unit of GDP than the United States, Japan or Germany. Simply put, Chinas economy is more than twice as carbon intensive as the United States.

The United States remains Chinas biggest export market, worth $452 billion in 2020. All those Chinese goods come from the dirtiest economy in the world and encourage emissions that damage our coast. But theres good news: A simple, market-based solution would give China incentives to reduce emissions.

A carbon tax with a border adjustment would tax Chinese goods based on their carbon footprint. That would make Chinese goods less competitive and reduce the disadvantages American manufacturers face from coal-fired Chinese competitors. More importantly, it would force China, which needs access to our market, to get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, by spurring China to decarbonize, a carbon border adjustment would upset Chinas coal-based economic model. Those new coal-fired power plants would become uncompetitive in a global market and the Chinese Communist Partys core growth model would be upset.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) recognizes the advantages of a carbon tax and border adjustment for U.S. manufacturers and the challenges theyd create for Chinese companies. Its time for N.C. Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis to join the growing consensus and support the most effective way to reduce emissions and preserve the Outer Banks.

Bill Blancato is a volunteer with Citizens Climate Lobby who lives in Winston-Salem.
Misfigured dollars

In response to the Jan. 19 letter Teacher salaries, how were millions of dollars misfigured in the school budget? If the so-called North Carolina Education Lottery money was applied to its original intent, maybe our teachers wouldnt have to spend their own money on classroom supplies. With all of the weapons carried to school in backpacks, they should be getting combat pay!

Decades ago, Gov. Jim Hunt preached jobs, schools and education. Nothing has changed as North Carolina still ranks in the lower half of our nation in education. Where does the tax money for schools really go? Think about it.

Randy Stafford

Kernersville

Our COVID history

COVID hit the country, the world, like a brick.

At first the reaction was slow as the then-president denied its seriousness and urged people to ignore it. It will soon disappear, we were told.

Instead, it got worse, filling hospitals and morgues and straining medical resources.

People started to wise up and began hoarding toilet paper and other modern essentials. Some people took precautions as best they could, using masks and social distancing. Society shut down. But conspiracy theories about cures and motives, generated by know-nothings, allowed the virus to spread.

The problem started affecting our economy, creating supply chain shortages of goods. Protective and effective vaccines were soon developed, but so few took them that the virus had time to evolve, creating new variants that required boosters.

The conspiracy theorists, perhaps in a lie-inspired panic, are still fighting for their right to become infected  and to infect others. They reject the well-established scientific truth, instead turning to movie-villain-like snake-oil salesmen who too often lead them to death. Which they ignore. Legislators go to court to fight against the precautions that keep us alive. Its like a suicide pact.

Worse, its like legislated murder.

Some of these people once claimed to be pro-life, but I dont think they were very sincere to start with.

The problem continues to get worse as almost half the country still fights on behalf of the virus.

But dont forget: its all President Bidens fault.

Jason Close

Winston-Salem

Even less joy

Not too many years ago my post office box cost $25-$30 a year: a year. My recent bill for it is now $176. It has gone up so fast over the past few years its hard to believe.

It makes no sense that the USPS pays the drivers and independent contractors to deliver the mail for free right to your front door. Trucks, maintenance, insurance, oil, tires, benefits, etc.! But I have to drive 10 miles to get my mail.

This is totally backward. I should pay a reduced box-rental rate and folks who have home delivery should have to pay a nominal fee.

If every home only paid $10 a year (a year!) for home delivery the problem would be solved.

Besides that, I only get junk mail.

Wendell Burton

Advance

Full agreementI am in full agreement with the writer of the Jan. 19 letter Teacher salaries that we the citizens and businesses of Forsyth County should all make a monetary gift to the school system to provide a salary increase for our teachers. I would propose that some prominent citizen in our community might step up and spearhead a campaign to accomplish this. I will be among the first to donate.

Elizabeth Martin

Winston Salem

Statistics

More than 1,000 Tarheels per year are lost due to traffic fatalities, based on statistics from the past few years. Compare that to the 20,000 lives in our state lost due to COVID-19 (N.C. reaches 20,000 COVID deaths, Jan. 19). Now ask why former President Trump, Fox News, the GOP, the QAnon crowd and conservative hacks dont diminish and deny the former statistic, but find it necessary to lie about the latter.

The party of family values doesnt give a hoot about you or your family. And they never have.

Steve Hanes

Winston-Salem

It would go away

Hey! To all the Trump supporters who said that COVID-19 was designed to make their man look bad and that it would go away after November 2020: Well, its January 2022. Ive just been diagnosed with COVID. What happened?

Howard Wimbley

Elkin
Arizona real-estate group expands Triad portfolio

An Arizona commercial real-estate investment group has expanded its Triad footprint by spending a combined $5.94 million on two Winston-Salem business properties, according to a Forsyth County Register of Deeds filing Thursday.

The properties are: 1947 Union Cross Road, a 10.21-acre tract that contains a 95,888-square-foot building; and 1945 Union Cross Road, a 2.73-acre site that contains an 8,960-square-foot building. Each tract was listed as selling for $2.97 million.

The buyer of both tracts is Store Master Funding XXI IILLC, an affiliate of Store Capital of Scottsdale, Ariz.

The seller of the 1947 Union Cross tract is Lyndon Steel Co. LLC of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., while the seller of the 1945 Union Cross tract is Winston Steel LLC, also of Fort Lauderdale.

In June, a Store Capital affiliate paid $1.85 million for a 7,884-square-foot building in Green Valley Office Park in Greensboro.

In March, another Stone Capital affiliate paid $17.18 million to buy the High Point corporate campus of Advanced Home Care Inc.

Richard Craver

Eli Lilly plans $1 billion pharma plant in Concord

Eli Lilly and Co., a global health care and biopharmaceutical company, said Friday it plans to create nearly 600 jobs and spend between $939 million and $1 billion on capital investments for a pharmaceutical plant in Concord.

Lilly, based in Indianapolis, said the plant will utilize the latest technology to manufacture parenteral (or injectable) products and devices and increase the companys manufacturing capacity.

Lilly committed in 2020 to a manufacturing plant in Research Triangle Park. It currently has seven manufacturing sites located in North Carolina, Indiana, New Jersey and Puerto Rico.

The average annual salary will be $70,555, compared with the average annual salary of $43,687 in Cabarrus County.

The company is eligible for up to $12.13 million in performance-based incentives over 12 years from the states Job Development Investment Grant program.

Richard Craver

First National Bank branch in Danbury set for closing

F.N.B. Corp plans to close its branch in Danbury on April 22, according to an advance-notice filing with federal regulator the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The branch at 1101 N. Main St. in Danbury is one of two in Stokes County. Deposits will be transferred to its branch at 647 S. Main St. in King.

F.N.B., under the First National Bank brand, has two branches in Winston-Salem, one each in Clemmons and Kernersville, and 33 overall in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina.

Richard Craver

Greensboro developer pays $8 million for retail tracts

A company affiliated with Greensboro commercial real-estate developer Roy Carroll II has paid $7.97 million to buy two retail tracts off Hornaday Road in Greensboro, according to a Guilford County Register of Deeds filing Friday.

Carroll Hornaday Road Investments LLC bought the former 140,000-square-foot standalone Macys department store and a 9.51-acre tract at 5410 Hornaday Road, and an adjacent 0.84-acre tract and a 8,800-square-foot property at 5402 Hornaday Road.

The seller was Hornaday Road Associates LLC of High Point. That group bought the former Macys property for $1.24 million earlier on the same day as the Carroll Hornaday transaction.

Carroll operates The Carroll Cos., which has more than $4 billion in real estate assets that Carroll owns or has under development without outside equity or partners.

Richard Craver

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If todays California is what the rest of America will look like tomorrow, you might want to brace yourself for too little water, too much animal manure, and gasoline that costs $4.65 per gallon.

And, weird, too, because in California these too-little, too-much, and too-expensive elements have been combined to create what was thought to be a partial cure for climate change.

The first, water, is precious. The same amount of municipally supplied water that costs $23 a month in Nebraska costs $65 a month in the Golden State. Only 20% of all water, however, flows to 39 million Californians; agriculture gulps the other 80%.

Thirsty crops, right? More like thirsty livestock: 47% of Californias water footprint is associated with the production of meat and dairy, reports the Sacramento-based Comstocks Magazine.

Animals and water - no matter the livestock or the state - means manure. In California, that combination also means taxpayer subsidies to build manure handling systems to capture methane generated in anaerobic digesters to be burned by vehicles or put into the natural gas grid.

That recipe sounds like a two-birds-with-one-stone solution to ags two growing problems, increased methane pollution from a deepening dependence on confined animal feeding operations and animal ags growing role in global climate change.

Or at least it did until manure digesters were built and monitored. Their early results were worse than poor, according to a January report on manure digesters by Reuters. In fact, the results were dismal.

In 2009, the story noted, the Obama administration and an industry group, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, pledged to reduce the industrys greenhouse gas emission by 25% by 2020 over levels in 2007, in part by expanding federal support for new digesters.

Instead, methane emissions in the sector have risen more than 15%, in part driven by growth in herd size.  In short, one solution  methane-making manure digesters  led to a second, bigger problem, more manure-making cows.

Thats just basic ag economics, explained Rebecca Wolf of Food & Water Watch, an environmental watchdog group, in the Reuters story: If you start making money off of pollution, youre not going to stop polluting.

Indeed, pollution grows with digesters because livestock numbers grow with digesters.

States like Iowa, however, are choosing to ignore the acrid evidence. Recently, Iowa enacted a digester-promoting law that, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, not only doesnt worry about livestock expansion it allows Iowa animal feeding operations to exceed confinement capacity if [farmers] install an anaerobic digester to treat all manure.

Uncle Sam wants in the bigger CAFOs/bigger digester game, too. The Biden Administration's still-unpassed, $1-trillion-plus Build Back Better program contains a river of federal subsidies to promote climate mitigation strategies like manure digesters in the coming years.

Some ag researchers, however, want to flatten that rising trend.

In a Dec. 14 podcast titled On biodigesters - are they a real win-win technology? three University of Iowa research professors, Silvia Secchi, Chris Jones, and Dave Cwiertny, agreed that Iowas new focus on digesters as a solution to the states overwhelming livestock manure problem almost guarantees more and bigger CAFOs in Iowa and even more unmanageable manure.

If this is such a winning proposition for farmers, noted Secchi, an economist and geographer, in the episode, why should public money be spent on it; why not private investment?

Secchi goes on to add, We are rushing headlong into these so-called solutions because they have this feel-good factor like soil health but dont yet have the results to prove it.

California, however, now faces some digester indigestion. Recently, noted Reuters, Environmental groups petitioned the California Air Resources Board to make [manure digesters] ineligible for [state] credits, arguing their presumed role in combating climate change was inflated and that the credits encourage making more manure.

Which California - and the rest of the U.S. and its taxpayers - neither need nor want.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Source material and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com.

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Fulfilling a promise she made when she was a finalist vying to become Lincoln's top cop, Police Chief Chief Teresa Ewins engaged with residents at a town hall-style meeting Thursday night, where she grappled with what transparency means for her department.

In some ways, Ewins' presence at the Malone Community Center, where she appeared alongside Assistant Chiefs Brian Jackson and Michon Morrow and Capt. Anthony Butler, was itself a step toward openness  the kind she promised as a candidate for the job she holds now.

"I'm gonna come here and I'm gonna listen to you," Ewins said at a candidate forum last June, a week before Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced her hiring from four finalists. "This is gonna be very normal if I'm here. ... If you're upset, then you're gonna tell me."

And for more than two hours at the Hold Cops Accountable town hall on Thursday, that's exactly what about 25 community members did, raising concerns about policing in general and airing their specific grievances with LPD directly to the new chief.

In a pair of exchanges about 20 minutes apart, Ewins faced questions about the department's transparency from both sides  with one resident calling for LPD to unseal internal records on officers accused of wrongdoing, while another resident questioned the chief's public comments on the recent firing of Sgt. Angela Sands.

"Is it safe for the public to assume that in the future we can expect to hear from you on LPD matters surrounding internal investigations ... considering the fact that you spoke publicly on the circumstances and facts surrounding the termination of Sgt. Angela Sands?" asked Laura Nigro, referencing an Jan. 12 interview Ewins did on a local radio show.

In her response, Ewins said she "will not" talk publicly about internal matters, but also described responding to lawsuits and media coverage about the department's internal culture as a responsibility.

"It is about public trust," Ewins said. "And I have to put something out.

"For a long time, we've been asked to be transparent, and I didn't give details that really  I did not say names, and I did not give details to the point where it really tells you much about the case," she said, referring to her KFOR interview. "I hope we have our day in court, so the public can understand. Because transparency is exactly what communities are asking for."

But in the radio interview, Ewins did identify Sands by name, and her comments on internal investigations came as a direct response to a question from KFOR's Dale Johnson, who specifically asked about Sands' firing.

"It's all a very big conversation, and, first, we don't really talk about personnel matters," she said in that radio interview, before addressing former Officer Sarah Williams' $65,000 settlement with the city over alleged sexual harassment Williams experienced at LPD.

Then, Ewins addressed Sands' termination directly.

"Some of (what) you just said in regards to personnel matters and discipline is about performance," she said. "It's not about these lawsuits. It's not about anything that has to do with that. I don't know these people personally. I don't have experience with them. I make the decisions on whether or not we go towards discipline, or if internal affairs does an investigation," she told Johnson.

"Some things came to me, and, unfortunately, Sgt. Sands was one of those cases. As I have also told our members, that personnel issue had to do with one other member, who was also terminated. It was about untruthfulness and the lack of supervision by the sergeant and directing that member to do certain things that resulted in both of them being terminated."

In her response at the town hall Thursday night, Ewins said her prior comments on personnel matters were the result of the microscope LPD has been placed under since she arrived in Lincoln five months ago.

She wasn't apologetic for answering questions, instead painting the comments as a matter of public interest, a product of her commitment to transparency.

But that commitment was called into question less than 20 minutes later, when resident Jason Witmer sought to gauge the chief's support of the California's Right To Know Act, a law passed by that state's legislature in 2018, giving the public access to certain employee records relating to police misconduct and serious uses of force.

The bill, passed while Ewins was still a commander with the San Francisco Police Department, makes public records on any officer-involved shootings and anytime law enforcement uses force that results in serious injury or death. The records are public regardless of whether the department found the officer acted properly or not, according to the ACLU of Southern California.

The bill also provides access to records in instances where an officer is found to have committed sexual assault against a member of the public, including attempts to coerce sex while on duty.

And the bill opens internal records in instances where an officer is found to engage in dishonesty in criminal investigations or internal misconduct reviews  a category that would seem to apply to Sands' termination, as Ewins has described it, if the law was in place in Nebraska.

Acknowledging similar legislation hasn't been proposed in Nebraska, Witmer asked Ewins if she would support such a bill here, where internal affairs findings remain outside the scope of the state's public records laws.

"It's a good question," Ewins said. "My fear, on one hand, to just open it completely is that some officers are innocent."

She noted the advent of vehicle and body-worn cameras, which every LPD patrol officer is outfitted with, has allowed the agency to thoroughly review footage of every accusation of excessive force against in LPD. And, she said, sergeants randomly review bodycam footage of each officer under their command each month.

(In the last three months of 2021, LPD recorded five complaints of excessive force from Lincoln residents, according to quarterly data released at a Citizens Police Advisory Board meeting Wednesday. Every officer involved was exonerated by body cam footage, Assistant Chief Morrow said at that meeting.)

"When it comes to terminations, when it comes to transparency, it's being redefined today," Ewins said. "But we have to be fair to our officers. ... They deserve their due process as well. Is it fair to just open up a file and say, 'This person was accused of this, but they were exonerated.' But they're still gonna be on the front page of the paper ... saying that they did this."

Ewins' exchange with Witmer went on, with Witmer noting that individuals convicted of crimes in Nebraska who then have their sentences pardoned still have their wrongdoings broadcast publicly.

A pardon doesn't parallel an exonerated police officer, Ewins countered, noting convicted criminals who are pardoned have been earlier proved guilty in a court of law, while officers investigated for alleged excessive force have only been accused.

Still, Witmer raised questions of the inherent inequities that exist surrounding the privacy of internal police investigations when compared to criminal charges.

When an ordinary defendant is charged with a crime, the allegations against them become public record and are only sealed after a defendant is found to be not guilty. When an officer is accused of wrongdoing, the results of internal affairs investigations in Lincoln are never made public, even if the allegations are sustained.

Ewins noted that when criminal charges are brought against an officer, the allegations against them do become public.

"I get your fear, but that's the problem, too," Witmer said. "When are you gonna cross that boundary? When are you gonna cross that boundary and say, 'We will open all records of fully investigated cases  exonerated or not?'"

He didn't dispute that officers deserve to keep their reputation intact, but said they should also be held accountable by the department and the community they are supposed to be protecting.

"And that's what we're asking for," he said later. "Real transparency. Not the appearance of transparency or limited transparency  because that's not transparency."

Responding to Witmer, the police chief said she wasn't afraid of accountability or transparency. She asked for every attendee at the town hall to hold her and the department accountable.

And, in her response, she underscored the dual-edged sword that transparency in modern policing is: It comes at the crossroad of the competing interests of the public and the department's employees, a paradox that Ewins will have to navigate in Lincoln.

"Now, I got questions because I put too much information out," Ewins said, referring to her earlier exchange with Nigro. "So which one do you want?"

"Too much information," Witmer said, as some of the 25 or so attendees at the Malone Center echoed his stance.

After imploring the attendees to express their concerns to elected representatives, Ewins ultimately ended her exchange with Witmer  and the town hall's discussion of internal transparency  by toeing the line between too much and too little.

"Do I agree that these records should be open to everyone?" she said. "I think there's a middle ground, if you're gonna ask me that question. I think there's a middle ground."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley

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A Lincoln garbage hauler is accused of negligently causing more than $200,000 damage to a limestone wall at the Nebraska State Capitol.

The building is a registered National Historic Landmark.

In a civil complaint filed this week, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Erik Fern said that on April 28, 2020, a truck owned by Uribe Refuse Services Inc. rolled down the loading ramp on the south loading dock, colliding with the west limestone wall.

He said that Uribe Refuse had been negligent for failing to maintain control of the truck, to properly engage the brake and to operate it at a safe speed.

To fix the damage, Fern said the state sought a bid for materials and labor from Masonry Construction, a contractor qualified to work on national historical landmarks.

The expected price tag to repair the damaged wall is $211,302 -- the amount the state is seeking -- plus costs, attorney fees and interest.

Uribe Refuse hasn't yet filed a response to the lawsuit.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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A Lincoln Public Schools student suffered a concussion Thursday when a school bus rolled forward into a curb, causing the student inside the bus to fall, LPS Transportation Director Ryan Robley said in a statement.

The bus should've had its emergency parking brake engaged, as is standard procedure for all LPS buses parked at student stops, the statement said.

The incident occurred outside the student's residence while staff were helping the 8-year-old child, who is in a wheelchair, out of the bus.

The parent of the child was present and took the child to see a medical professional.

Robley called the incident unfortunate and said LPS will be communicating safety reminders to all transportation staff and providing retraining on the required safety protocols.

Reach the writer at jthompson@journalstar.com

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The Nebraska College of Law was one of six schools in the country chosen to present at a webinar Friday convened by the White House and U.S. Department of Justice for the school's Tenant Assistance Project, launched in April 2020.

The webinar  which featured remarks from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, a lawyer and visiting faculty member at Georgetown  served as recognition for the 99 law schools across the country that have responded to a call for action from Garland last summer.

In late August, Garland asked the law community to help their communities through rental assistance application support and by volunteering with legal aid providers, helping courts implement eviction diversion programs, among other initiatives aimed at increasing housing stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm grateful to the law school students, the professors and the deans who are working on this project," Garland told the law students viewing the Webinar Friday. "And I'm even more grateful that when I issued the call for action to this community, you responded."

In Lincoln, though, law students had already been working to mitigate the eviction crisis as a part of the Tenant Assistance Project launched by University of Nebraska law professor Ryan Sullivan, who received a national award for the program earlier this month.

In the months since, the program has helped keep more than 700 families in their homes, connecting Lancaster County tenants to available resources, including more than $9 million in federal aid for rental assistance.

Third-year student Rachel Tomlinson Dick spoke on behalf of Nebraska Law at the Webinar Friday  one of fewer than 10 law students nationwide given the chance to do so.

Tomlinson Dick opened her remarks by pointing to the state's eviction laws as some of the "most unfair" in the nation, noting that tenants don't have to be provided actual notice on upcoming eviction hearings.

As a result, she said, most tenants weren't previously aware of a looming eviction until they were being removed from their homes. Before the pro bono project kicked off, Tomlinson Dick said more than 80% of eviction hearings in Nebraska resulted in tenants being displaced  even though half of evictions filed were brought unlawfully, she said.

"Attorney General Garland's call to action ... helped us to expand from a small group of dedicated volunteers to a community of students engaging with efforts to prevent mass eviction in our state," she said.

Students and volunteers with the initiative visit the homes of every tenant with an upcoming eviction hearing. And when the tenants arrive at the hearing, a team of volunteers is there to help.

In nearly 98% of the cases, the tenant is able to avoid immediate eviction  a success rate that Tomlinson Dick called "astounding."

"Contributing to this work has shown me the impact that is possible when people within the legal community prioritize working to prevent injustice in tangible ways," she said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley

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Three children were killed after a fire broke out early Saturday at a home in rural northeast Nebraska, according to the State Fire Marshal Agency.

Firefighters were called to a home in the small town of Pierce just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday. There were six people in the house at the time, and a 12-year-old, 15-year-old and 17-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene. The Pierce County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine their cause of death.

Of the three other occupants, two reported no injuries and one was treated for injuries at a local hospital and later released.

State Fire Marshal Investigators have determined the fire was accidental and was caused by a wood-burning stove.

Pierce Public Schools posted on its Facebook page that it was opening the high school Saturday to students seeking support after the loss of Pierce High and Pierce Elementary students."

Fire crews were still on the scene Saturday afternoon.

State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk called the fire an unspeakable tragedy in a statement.

Todays news is heartbreaking and hard to understand, but I know the community spirit of Pierce is resilient, may it comfort this family and our region," Flood said.

Pierce, with a population of about 1,700, is 15 miles northwest of Norfolk.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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A cellphone found in the staff bathroom of a west Omaha retirement home led to the discovery of multiple videos and charges against an Omaha man accused of surreptitiously recording people, including a 10-year-old girl, while they used the bathroom.

Prosecutors have charged Jason Hunter, 43, with at least two counts of unlawful intrusion for recording an individual without consent, a felony. He has pleaded not guilty to a least one of those counts.

Police were first notified after a Lakeside Retirement Community staff member on Dec. 13 discovered a cellphone that appeared to be recording people in an employee restroom, according to court documents. The staff member noticed a light from the floor between a wall and a bench.

When he investigated the source of the light, the staff member found a phone propped up and recording. The staff member stopped the recording and saw the phone contained a video of him using the toilet, court documents state. The video also briefly showed a person setting up the phone at the start of the recording, though the video did not show the person's face.

Lakeside staff contacted executives at Immanuel, the parent corporation of the retirement home, and Immanuel immediately contacted the Omaha Police Department, said Kelly Medwick, marketing and sales vice president at Immanuel. Medwick said Immanuel is cooperating with authorities on the investigation.

Residents were not affected by the incident, she said.

Immanuels priority is to ensure the safety of its staff, residents and families, as well as the privacy of those impacted, she said.

Police viewed security camera footage, shot from the hallway outside the bathroom, that appeared to show Hunter was in the single-occupant restroom on Dec. 13 when the phone started recording, according to court documents. Police also said Hunter was wearing the same clothes as the person in the cellphone video. The clothes resembled a Lakeside employee uniform.

According to affidavits, Hunter worked as a cook at the center. Medwick said Hunter no longer is an Immanuel employee.

After obtaining a search warrant for the cellphone, police found another recording, this one of an unidentified woman who was recorded in August, according to court documents.

In an interview on Jan. 5, Hunter "admitted to placing the camera in the restroom to capture females in a state of undress," according to police. He provided the names of four additional victims and said he had been recording in the bathroom since at least September, according to police.

Police reports show at least 11 people were recorded at Lakeside.

During the investigation, police said they found videos of two different people  a woman and her 10-year-old daughter  using a bathroom at Hunter's residence. Videos of the 10-year-old appear to have been recorded on Oct. 23 and Nov. 5.

Police said Hunter admitted in a later interview to placing a camera in the bathroom at his residence.

When reached Thursday, a Douglas County public defender representing Hunter declined to comment, saying they were not at liberty to discuss the case.

Hunter was taken to the Douglas County Jail on Jan. 14. He was listed as an inmate as of Friday morning.

A pretrial conference is scheduled for March 2 in Douglas County District Court.

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It seems to be a striking proposal: That Nebraska could use eminent domain in Colorado and build a canal that diverts water from the South Platte River for irrigation in Nebraska.

But the idea  floated earlier this month by Gov. Pete Ricketts and other Nebraska officials  is laid out in a compact agreed to by the two states and approved by Congress almost 100 years ago.

Nebraska officials want to invoke the 1923 South Platte River Compact to build that canal and a reservoir system, and ensure Nebraska continues receiving water that they say is at risk as the population on Colorados Front Range booms.

But with a $500 million estimated price tag, a history of failed attempts, confusion from Colorado, the potential for lawsuits and a stream of unknown details, one fundamental question hangs over the proposal: Would it be worth it?

Canal idea predates compact

Even in communications between Delph Carpenter, who negotiated the compact for Colorado, and then-Nebraska Gov. Samuel McKelvie, the canal project was referred to as old.

The old Perkins County canal was projected in the early (1890s) with the object of diverting water from the South Platte some miles above Julesburg, within the State of Colorado, for the irrigation of lands in Nebraska lying south of the river and particularly of that beautiful area of land in Perkins County between Ogallala (sic) and Grant, a 1921 letter from Carpenter reads.

Construction efforts started in 1891, according to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. But it was abandoned because of financial troubles.

Remnants of the abandoned ditch are still visible near Julesburg.

Another effort to pursue the canal, this time by the North Platte-based Twin Platte Natural Resources District, was derailed in the 1980s because it didnt comply with requirements of the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act.

The compact, borne out of a desire to resolve litigation, is more than the canal.

It currently entitles Nebraska to up to 120 cubic feet per second of water between April 1 and Oct. 15. Brian Dunnigan, who served as Nebraskas director of natural resources from 2008 to 2015 and spent over 30 years with the department, said he and other directors had always been very aware of the compact and its provisions.

We made sure that Nebraska was getting what Nebraska was entitled to under the provisions of the compact, he said.

Current director Tom Riley told The World-Herald that flows drop below 120 cfs nearly every year at times. When it happens, Nebraska calls Colorado and it addresses the issue by limiting its users who are subject to the compact.

Another part of the compact would allow Nebraska to also claim water outside that growing season  provided theres a canal.

The canal could run from near Ovid, Colorado, east near the route of the abandoned Perkins County Canal, it says. And Nebraska could buy land or even use eminent domain to make it happen.

With such a canal, the state would be entitled to divert 500 cfs for irrigation between Oct. 15 and April 1.

However, data from the Julesburg gage suggests Nebraska has been getting about that much from Colorado for the past 10 years of record during the nonirrigation season, Riley said. The goal of the project would be to keep it that way.

Asked how the state would avoid what happened in the 80s, Riley pointed out that was 40 years ago. And, as he understands it, those proponents chose not to try to comply with endangered species requirements.

For us, such compliance and meeting those conditions  thats just a foregone conclusion in the design process. This is just what we do, he said.

Colorado disputes Nebraskas rationale

In revealing his desire to resurrect the plan, Ricketts earlier this month sounded alarm bells that without the project, agriculture, drinking water across the state, power generation and the environment could be affected.

After our people, water is the greatest natural resource that we have in our state, Ricketts said at a news conference, where he announced he would seek $500 million from the Legislature to pursue the project.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and the states Department of Natural Resources said they learned of the situation the same day Ricketts announced it publicly.

We hope to more fully understand Nebraskas concerns and goals, as so far those concerns and goals are quite simply hard to make sense of, Polis said in a statement.

Since then, officials havent shared a vision of an exact route for the newly proposed Perkins County Canal, nor details of the reservoir system it would feed into.

Despite its colloquial name, the canal wouldnt be located in Perkins County, according to the governors office. It could be on or close to the countys northern border, though.

The general manager of the Twin Platte Natural Resources District, Kent Miller, has been promoting the project for over 25 years.

I think its absolutely critical. And I've thought this for over 25 years: That it was critical that Nebraska utilize this provision of the compact, he said. And basically, finally, the governor is doing it.

The impetus for doing this now: Ricketts cited projects in Colorado and said the states long-term goals could deplete flows on the South Platte River by 90%.

He referenced nearly 300 announced projects set to cost about $10 billion, referring to a list of projects identified through Colorados local roundtable process, based in river watersheds.

The process feeds into the statewide Colorado Water Plan.

Polis said Ricketts comments seemed to reflect a misunderstanding of that process.

These ideas should not be taken as formally approved projects that will be implemented, and all are subject to major conversations, including with Nebraska, he said.

The projects in that list arent guaranteed funding and many havent begun any permitting process, according to Colorado Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Chris Arend.

Ninety-eight of the projects are in process or complete, according to Sara Leonard, spokesperson for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. But not all are construction projects. Some are water conservation projects, she said, and environment and recreation enhancements.

Joe Frank, a roundtable member and general manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District in Colorado, said he hadnt sorted through how many of the projects would even affect the flow of the river, but said that many of them would not.

As for Nebraskas assessment that flows could be restricted by 90%, he cant understand how that figures.

A Nebraska Department of Resources fact sheet features that projection. That sheet shows the 90% was inferred from a 2017 Colorado report on water storage options along the South Platte to capture flows that would usually leave Colorado in excess of the minimum legally required amounts.

But Frank said that level of restriction could never actually happen.

Were at the tail end of the river here and depend on those flows.  We would never allow that to happen  Colorados own water law would prevent that development upstream to impact our flows here, let alone the state line, by 90%, he said.

Dollars and sense

Theres a long list of steps before the interstate canal could become a reality. Theres legal analysis to be done, engineering, permitting, endangered species considerations and more.

But Riley said the first step is securing funding.

Ricketts is asking for $500 million in his budget proposal for the project, which he said would develop over a number of years. The half-billion may not be enough to finish it, he said.

Of that, $400 million would be transferred from the states cash reserve fund into a new Perkins County Canal Project Fund in the Department of Natural Resources, and $100 million would come from Nebraskas allocation of federal pandemic relief money in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Ricketts office said that funding request was based on historical information, including a 1982 engineering study from the Bureau of Reclamation.

More important than the straight cost estimate, though, may be another question: Would the water Nebraska actually gets out of this be worth the cost?

Anthony Schutz, a law professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Dave Aiken, longtime water and agricultural law specialist at UNL, both pointed out its uncertain how much water Nebraska could get out of such a canal.

The price tag is very high for this kind of project, Schutz said. The likes of which we havent seriously considered building for a very long time.  So it requires, I think, a significant inquiry into: What, exactly, are we going to get out of this?

Colorado would have dibs on some water before Nebraska, even if it were to build the canal. Colorado has the right to divert the first 35,000 acre-feet of water for its own offseason storage, Aiken said, even if it cuts into what Nebraska wants to divert. (For reference, Nebraskas Calamus Reservoir currently stores about 94,000 acre-feet at 74% full.)

Schutz pointed out that there are other water users in line ahead of Nebraskas canal in the compact, too  anything on the upper part of the river, and uses in place before Dec 17, 1921.

How much water are we looking at getting in Nebraska? Aiken said. You know, is it 5,000 acre-feet a year? Is it 50,000 acre-feet a year? Is it 100,000? I mean, we really dont know. And, you know, the South Platte River is not a river with a lot of water in it.

Could canal lead to a court battle?

Theres some ambiguity in the compact, Aiken said, and people have built projects and invested in them in the years since it was signed. The states could resolve any differences by negotiation, or by litigation.

If Nebraska ends up being really serious about this, I think its inevitable theyre going to end up in court, Aiken said.

Riley, with DNR, said that Nebraskas approach will be to work collaboratively with Colorado, and that he expects Colorado to comply without a need for court action. If disagreements arent resolved, though, he said interstate compacts and conflicts like that are addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

We have a good relationship with the Colorado state engineer. And well keep that dialogue open, Riley said.

The question still remains, though: How much water would Nebraska actually get out of this? Riley didnt give an estimate, but said actual yield would vary year to year.

Were not going to necessarily get any more, we just wanna make sure we dont get any less, Riley said. Thats the real risk, right? Losing water that we already might have.

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RACINE  A Milwaukee woman has been accused of punching two department store employees in the face and causing $3,500 worth of damage.

Bryanna D. Williams, 21, was charged with a felony count of criminal damage to property, two misdemeanor counts of battery and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Thursday, officers were sent to Kwik Pantry at 600 Three Mile Road for a woman destroying items in the store.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke with an employee who said that Williams came into Kwik Pantry and tried to buy tobacco. He said the ID Williams showed him did not look like her so he refused to sell her the tobacco. This started a fight where she struck him in the face. She then got into an argument with another employee who tried to get her out of the store. Williams ended up punching her in the face as well.

The officer spoke with another employee who said that after the first fight, Williams came back to the store and began destroying items by tipping shelves and throwing merchandise. She left the store and then came back again with a large knife sharpener. She used the sharpener to damage more parts of the building, including an exterior window pane.

The estimated value of the broken glass and destroyed merchandise was $3,500. Williams was given a $500 signature bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Friday. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 9 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.

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RACINE  Minutes before a jury was likely to begin deliberations, a homicide trial in Racine County Circuit Court ended abruptly Friday afternoon when a mistrial was declared, after the court ruled that statements made by defense counsel in closing statements violated the rules.

Judge Maureen Martinez declared the mistrial. A new trial is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Donley M. Carey, 36, is charged with intentional first-degree homicide in the Feb. 25, 2020, shooting death of DeMarcus Anderson, 28, at the Sin City Biker Club at the southeast corner of Ninth Street and South Memorial Drive.

Mindy Nolan represented the defendant in court. In her closing statements to the jury, she made references to witnesses and asked where they were, although those witnesses had invoked their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. She also asked the jury to imagine how they might feel years after the verdict.

Leading the prosecution was Assistant District Attorney Antoinette Rich, who objected to the statements made by Nolan.

The jury was excused while Martinez considered the matter.

Still outside the presence of the jury, Martinez told defense counsel her comments were way over the top.

Martinez said: Its unacceptable to refer to people who have taken the Fifth.

There were other comments the judge felt were unacceptable. For example, Nolan asked, Where is the gun? What was in the garbage bag?

By asking those questions, she was basically asking the jury to speculate, Martinez said.

The Golden Rule, Martinez continued, is to avoid asking people how they are going to feel in the future about their verdict.

All of these bells have been rung, and theres not a way around them, she said.

Rich would have preferred not to have a mistrial and be put into a position of having to try the case a second time. She requested additional instructions for the jury, but Martinez said no.

Im very sorry, she said to Rich. I know youve worked hard, but I dont have a choice.

Defense

The mistrial came after a long, emotional day in which the defendant made the rare decision to take the stand, then denied being the shooter that took Andersons life.

It was the fifth day of the trial and fourth day of testimony; all that happened Monday was jury selection.

Carey told the jury he was held at gunpoint by Anderson and a second man over allegations he was the police  in other words, a snitch  and made to undress because they were looking for a wire.

It was the intervention of a friend that saved his life, Carey said.

I am grateful, honestly, he added.

Eyewitness

It was not direct evidence that led to the arrest of Carey; rather, a man who claimed to have been in the bathroom when the murder occurred named Carey as the person who did the shooting. That man, whose name is withheld to protect his identity, was reportedly a friend of Andersons.

The two went into a tiny bathroom in the club and took their clothes off, the witness said, to show the other person they were not wearing a wire.

The witness claimed that Carey then dressed, left the bathroom, and came back with a handgun he used to shoot Anderson seven times.

However, the witness testimony was problematic. By his own admission, he had been awake for three or four days and taking ecstasy.

A second witness said he saw a very angry Carey come out of the bathroom, get a gun from a man in the club, and return to the bathroom just as the shooting started.

However, a witness for the defense who saw the friend of Andersons immediately after the killing told the jury said that the friend had said, they shot him, indicating more than one shooter.

My people

Carey took the stand and refuted the previous testimony, telling the jury the testimony of the primary witness was a lie.

The defendant referred to Anderson as my people and said the two called each other cousin.

He said in the early-morning hours he was cornered in the club by a group of people with guns who told him we know what youve been doing and we kill rats here.

Carey alleged he was taken to the bathroom and held at gunpoint by Anderson and a second man, and made to undress. The two were looking for a surveillance wire of the kind investigators use.

When asked if he was scared, Carey replied: Yeah.

He testified that he tried to reason with the second man, who was a friend, reminding him that Carey had four kids, one of whom has a chronic illness. Carey told them he was no snitch.

The two men went through his clothes and took his money and cellphone, he said. When his pants did not come down immediately, he said he was hit in the head with a pistol.

Carey claimed when Anderson saw a string hanging down from the waist of his pants, he said: The wire is right here. Shoot. Shoot.

Carey claimed he showed them it was a string and said, I dont have no wire on me.

Anderson allegedly turned to the second man and said, Do it.

I was like, you see I aint got no wire on. What you mean do it? Carey said.

Allegedly, Anderson told the second man, He might go to the police. Do it.

Carey responded, No, no, no.

He begged the man to think of his kids, especially the sick one.

The man told Anderson, He doesnt have a wire, according to Carey.

Anderson allegedly told the second man, Youre a (expletive). If youre not going to do it, Ill do it.

Carey said no, no, no and tried to squeeze behind the little sink in the bathroom.

However, he claimed Anderson looked like he was pulling the trigger but nothing happened.

The defendant said he began screaming for help. The door partially opened. It was blocked by Careys clothes, which had been left in a pile on the floor.

Through the partially open door Carey said he could see the face of a friend, who forced the door open, and charged at Anderson.

Carey kicked his clothes into the hallway; as he was dressing, he said, he heard multiple gunshots.

He ran from the club and jumped into the car with the person he credits with saving his life.

Carey said all he could think of was his kids.

Aftermath

The defendant said he was informed almost immediately that he was being blamed for the homicide.

So, he fled to Michigan, where he ended up being taken into custody.

Within two weeks of the killing, a warrant had been issued for his arrest and Carey was brought into custody.

When asked why he did not call the police and tell them what happened, he said the club had cameras and he anticipated investigators would soon know the truth.

However, the cameras had been ripped out after the homicide. Carey also said he did not think the police would believe him.

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RACINE  Noe Hernandez, a Horlick High School junior wearing a furry hat, couldnt have been more excited Friday.

Normally, he has to ask his parents for a ride to an Educators Credit Union branch to deposit or withdraw money. Now, he only has to go to the school cafeteria.

A new ECU branch opened Friday inside Horlick. Students can open a bank account there or transfer cash.

This is a full-on financial institution, said Victor Frasher, ECU director of community engagement.

Students wont have to pay transaction fees if they have an account with ECU, as they have to pay every time they use the in-school ATM.

Oh yes! That makes this so much easier! Hernandez said Friday while standing inside the new branch  which shares a space with the new school store, the Rebel Market. Now I dont have to ask my parents to take me to the bank anymore  this is a lot easier. Saves me time.

Now, all three of Racine Unified School Districts comprehensive high schools have an ECU branch inside them, as do Kenoshas Bradford High School and Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School in Milwaukee. At Horlick, the ECU will be open on B days, i.e., every other school day.

The school and ECU hope this will help increase financial literacy among youth.

Filling in knowledge gaps

Two of every nine 15-year-olds from developed countries dont have basic financial skills, meaning they dont know how to create a budget, invest or balance a checkbook, according to a 2015 international study. A study last year found that nearly three in four American teens say they are not confident in their financial education; nearly half of them dont know what a 401(k) is.

However, U.S. students who actually have a bank account score 22 points higher in financial literacy than students who do not, after accounting for socioeconomic status, according to a report from Next Gen Personal Finance. In the United States, socioeconomically advantaged students are about six times more likely than disadvantaged students to hold a bank account.

The average person opens their first bank account when they are 17, the Motley Fool reports, and doesnt start investing in a 401(k) until they are 25.

Getting a credit union in a school, where students can become comfortable dealing with money and ask questions, can help fight those educational lapses.

Leading the effort to bring ECU into Horlick were two new teachers, Keith Cruise and Megan King. Both of them found teaching as a second career, having previously worked in business, and both joined Horlick within the past year. Cruise had been both a banker and financial adviser. King left a business career and now teaches marketing.

Personal finance is one of those things everyone needs. I wish, growing up, I would have had that when I left high school, said Cruise, who now teaches personal finance and accounting. If you dont make the right decisions, it could harm you for a long time.

He noted how common predatory lending practices can harm the financially illiterate, especially those who are young and inexperienced. Giving teenagers an early start in understanding personal finance can help them avoid those traps.

Its about giving students the experience, Frasher said, starting their financial journey on the right foot.

Students also can get jobs working in the ECU branch, where they can learn how to do customer service and have conversations in a professional setting, King said. This is why I became a teacher.

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YORKVILLE  The Racine County District Attorneys Office, which prosecutes nearly all criminal cases in the county, is expected to expand after receiving a new federal grant.

The Racine County Board at its meeting Tuesday authorized acceptance of a $323,000 Smart Prosecution Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant will provide funds for equipment and staff to support the DAs Office and a multi-agency Violent Crimes Task Force.

Ninety communities around the nation applied for the Smart Prosecution Grant. Racine County was one of only 25 to receive an award.

The grant will fund a specialized prosecutor and a machine that will add shell casings recovered by law enforcement to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.

The VCTF, by utilizing the NIBIN, hopes to solve and prosecute more cases to make Racine County streets safer. The NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. The county said in a release that the technology is vital to any violent crime reduction strategy because it enables investigators to match ballistics evidence with other cases across the nation.

DA looks to imprison gun offenders

Racine County DA Tricia Hanson said in a news release that shes grateful the county received the grant. The resources from the grant will allow the county to enter data into NIBIN faster and more efficiently.

The problem of gun crime in our community is very real and ever-present, Hanson stated. Prosecutors in Wisconsin have the laws we need to prosecute gun crimes; what we need is resources. The endless debate on gun control does little to help those of us on the front lines of this problem.

I have said it before and I will say it again, in Racine County, prosecutors recommend prison in every case in which a felon possesses a firearm illegally. These cases have the highest priority in my office and the illegal use of firearms will not be tolerated here.

The task force will involve a partnership with federal and local law enforcement including the DAs office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Racine Police Department. The goal of the task force will be a reduction in gun crimes within Racine County.

We must take steps to reduce gun violence in our community, and this award will make a difference in this effort, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said in a statement. I will continue to work with the District Attorney and our partners in law enforcement to keep Racine County residents safe.

Lt. Michael Smith of the Racine Police Department said the RPD is honored to have partnered with the DAs Office on the application for the grant. Funds from this grant will allow the department to further the NIBIN program which is currently housed and managed by the RPD.

We are extremely pleased that Racine County was awarded this grant, Smith said in the release. In partnership with the ATF, the Racine County District Attorneys Office, and surrounding law enforcement agencies we can further our mission of becoming a regional NIBIN site.

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RACINE  After a late start to the semester and adding extra early release days to provide relief to teachers, Racine Unified School District is asking that some instruction requirements be waived.

During the close of winter break earlier this month, COVID-19 cases were on the rise, with a dramatic spike in cases, prompting RUSD to hold off on welcoming students back to the classroom. Beginning Feb. 9, the district is to undergo a series of eight early release days, as presented by RUSD Chief Academic Officer Soren Gajewski.

The waiver is to account for lost instructional minutes from the two days following winter break, and is also accounting for a series of early releases every other week, beginning Feb. 9, through our early releases on Wednesdays to provide teachers, who have significantly missed their planning professional learning opportunities, to take care of their professional responsibilities to improve the quality of the classroom experience, Gajewski said.

While the measure was ultimately approved, concerns were raised by board members Scott Cooey and Ally Docksey about whether teachers would truly be allowed to use the time as they need it rather than have it infringed upon by administration, while Docksey also questioned if it would be worth the upheaval it would cause families.

Superintendent Dr. Eric Gallien assured the board that such infringement would not happen.

There is always a level of mistrust when youre dealing with a situation like this, Gallien said. Im going to show you what I have told the administration to do, that is to give them this time. And when Mr. Gajewski is talking to them, its to give them this time, and so were gonna make sure that happens. If its not happening, teachers should contact me directly.

While elementary school students will still exceed the hours of instruction required, according to RUSD Spokesperson Stacy Tapp, middle school and high school students, on average, will be about 5 hours short of the required time.

These 3-hour early releases will provide time for our educators to catch up on any professional learning that they had to miss because they were subbing or doing extra duties, Tapp said in an email. It will also give them time to prepare instructional materials and lessons. Right now, educators are often subbing and filling other extra duties during their normal prep time due to ongoing staffing challenges.

Racine Educators United has previously called for more serious COVID mitigation, including remote learning and providing N-95 masks, to protect students and staff from the faster-spreading omicron variant. The organization has also decried the extra work that has fallen to educators in the midst of the pandemic.

But the organizations president, Angelina Cruz, said the additional early-release days will help staff cope with the burdens of the pandemic.

Racine educators and parents all support in-person schooling, but only if we can be sure students are safe and learning, Cruz said. Educators cannot effectively teach if we dont have time to prepare lessons, but we currently have little to no planning time as we cover for staff who are sick or caring for their own families. Our district has recognized the extreme stress educators are under during this staffing crisis. The early-release days will provide some measure of relief so we can keep learning on track.

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KENOSHA, Wis. (AP)  A Wisconsin judge on Friday approved an agreement by lawyers to destroy the assault-style rifle that Kyle Rittenhouse used to shoot three people during a 2020 street protest.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the state crime lab would destroy the gun, probably in April. Judge Bruce Schroeder, the Kenosha County judge who presided over Rittenhouse's trial, approved the agreement. Rittenhouse was not in court for Friday's hearing.

Rittenhouse shot the men during the protest in Kenosha in 2020. He killed Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz in the arm. Rittenhouse argued he fired in self-defense after each of the men attacked him. A jury last year acquitted him of multiple charges, including homicide.

Rittenhouse's attorney, Mark Richards, filed a motion Jan. 19 asking prosecutors to return Rittenhouse's rifle, his ammunition, his face mask and other clothing he was wearing the night of the shooting to him. Richards and David Hancock, a spokesman for Rittenhouse, said last week that Rittenhouse, who is now 19, wanted to destroy the rifle and throw the rest of the items away so nothing can be used as a political symbol or trophy celebrating the shootings.

The rest of Rittenhouse's property has been returned to him, Binger told the judge.

Conservatives across the nation have praised Rittenhouse, saying he was defending Kenosha from far-left militants. Liberals have painted him as a trigger-happy vigilante.

Meanwhile, another legal fight is brewing over the fate of the $2 million conservatives raised to cover Rittenhouse's bail. Richards filed a motion Thursday seeking the money, with plans to divide it between his law firm and the #FightBack Foundation. Attorneys Lin Wood and John Pierce, who were representing Rittenhouse in the early days of case, formed the foundation to raise money for him.

Richards also wants to give $150,000 back to actor Ricky Schroder, who donated to Rittenhouse's defense.

The Patent and Trademark Hedge Fund Trust filed a motion Thursday laying claim to the $2 million as well. The trust's attorneys argue they're Pierce's creditors so they deserve all the money.

Demonstrators took to the streets for a number of nights in Kenosha in August 2020 after a white police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back as Blake was resisting arrest during a domestic disturbance. The shooting left Blake paralyzed from the waist down.

The protests turned chaotic at times, with people burning buildings. Rittenhouse and his friend, Dominick Black, joined a group of militia members to protect a used car lot on the night of Aug. 25, 2020.

Rittenhouse, who was 17 at time and living in Antioch, Illinois, was armed with an AR-15-style rifle that Black had purchased for him earlier that year because he was too young to buy a firearm under Wisconsin law.

According to the motion, Black had agreed that the rifle would become Rittenhouse's property on his 18th birthday, Jan. 3, 2021.

Bystander and surveillance video shows that just before midnight Rosenbaum chased Rittenhouse down and Rittenhouse shot him as he closed in on him. He shot Huber after Huber swung a skateboard at his head and Grosskreutz after Grosskreutz ran up to him holding a pistol. Everyone involved in the shooting was white.

Black pleaded no contest to two citations earlier this month for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in exchange for prosecutors dropping two felony charges of intent to sell a dangerous weapon to a person younger than 18.

***

Richmond reported from Madison, Wisconsin.

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Wisconsins Democratic attorney general has again asked a Dane County judge to block or narrow subpoenas issued by Michael Gableman after yet another expansion of the former state Supreme Court justices ongoing review of the 2020 election.

Gableman, who was hired last year by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, at a cost of $676,000 in taxpayer money, has previously demanded documents and/or interviews with the mayors of Wisconsins five largest cities, the states top elections official, immigration rights group Voces de la Frontera Action and two companies that make vote-counting systems, Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems. The growing list of subpoenas has led to a plethora of legal battles over the one-party review.

Gableman filed the new subpoenas on Dec. 28 demanding in-person testimony from Ann Jacobs, the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, the state Department of Administrations chief information officer Trina Zanow and Sara Linski, a civil-service employee with the Elections Commission, according to court documents.

The request for private meetings at Gablemans temporary office in Brookfield, as well as another swath of election-related documents, prompted Attorney General Josh Kaul to file a request Friday in Dane County Circuit Court seeking to block or narrow the broad scope of the subpoenas.

In the filing, Kaul reiterated his previous stance that state statutes require that any meeting with Gableman occur in a public setting before a legislative committee. He added in a Friday letter to Gableman that, pending a resolution in the case, Jacobs, Linski and Zanow will not be appearing for depositions requested in the subpoenas.

The subpoenas for depositions of additional people behind closed doors are just as unlawful as the previously issued deposition subpoenas, Kaul said in a statement. However long Speaker Vos chooses to keep this investigation flailing on, wasting more and more tax dollars, it must be conducted in accordance with the law.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford earlier this month rejected Kauls request to block an earlier subpoena from Gableman seeking an in-person meeting with the Wisconsin Elections Commissions nonpartisan administrator Meagan Wolfe.

Lanford also denied Gablemans request to dismiss the case entirely, a decision that left the door open to a future challenge by Kaul, who is representing Wolfe.

Should Defendants seek to enforce the subpoenas before this case is decided on the merits through contempt, imprisonment or other means similar to the action pending in Waukesha County  plaintiffs can certainly file another motion for temporary injunction that the Court will schedule as soon as its calendar permits, Lanford wrote.

Lanfords reference was to another ongoing case challenging a separate request by Gableman for the Waukesha County sheriff to compel the mayors of Madison and Green Bay to meet with him or else face jail time.

In his initial lawsuit, Kaul contended that Gableman issued numerous subpoenas to state and local election officials in furtherance of an unlawful investigation focused on debunked theories about the November 2020 election.

Gableman made a baseless claim at a pro-Donald Trump rally in 2020 that the election in Wisconsin had been stolen by bureaucrats, and he has met with and hired people for his investigation who formerly worked for Trump and espoused conspiracy theories about the election.

Biden defeated Trump by about 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. A recount, multiple court challenges and two in-depth reviews of election processes  including one by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty  have revealed no evidence of widespread fraud.

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The state Supreme Court ruled Friday that absentee ballot drop boxes can be used in the Feb. 15 spring primary, while also agreeing to take up the case to ultimately determine the legality of the boxes for future Wisconsin elections.

The ruling came hours after the states Elections Commission failed to take action on Republicans demand for emergency rules on ballot drop boxes due in part to the pending case.

Also on Friday, Republican lawmakers unveiled a package of election bills that would prohibit the use of private funds to administer elections, limit those who could vote using indefinitely confined status and bar election clerks from filling in any missing information on a voters absentee ballot envelope.

The Supreme Court decision stems from a request by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed earlier this week asking the states high court to take up the matter after the District 4 Court of Appeals stayed a ruling earlier this month by Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren, which barred the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in the state.

In a 4-3 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the appellate ruling to stay Borhens decision until after the upcoming primary to avoid confusion among voters who have already requested ballots.

Nearly 8,400 absentee ballots had already been sent out by local clerks and at least 1,845 ballots had already been delivered or were currently out for delivery as of Monday morning, according to court records.

The voting process is even further along now than it was last week when the circuit court made its decision, said conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, who joined with the courts three liberal justices in concurrence of the stay. As a general rule, this court should not muddy the waters during an ongoing election.

Conservative Justices Rebecca Bradley, Patience Roggensack and Annette Ziegler dissented in the ruling.

Astonishingly, Justice Hagedorn says it doesnt matter whether the circuit court properly denied a stay of its order or not; apparently, once again, its simply too close to the election to undo the court of appeals mistake, Bradley wrote. In Wisconsin, there is always an impending election. Under the logic of his concurrence, WEC may declare the rules as it wishes, the court of appeals may disregard the law when it wishes, and the majority will do nothing in response.

All seven justices agreed to take on the case.

A focal point of the case stems in part from guidance issued by the commission in early 2020 to allow election clerks to use their discretion when determining whether to make use of drop boxes. The boxes were widely used that year as an alternative for voters worried that the rising number of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential delays in mail delivery could result in their ballots not making it back before Election Day.

Elections Commission

The Wisconsin Elections Commission met Friday to take up a GOP-led committees demand that the agency quickly create rules for what sort of missing information clerks may fill out on absentee ballot envelopes as well as rules governing the use of ballot drop boxes.

The commissions three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees did not reach a consensus on the matter, resulting in no official action. In addition to the Legislatures demand for emergency rules, the commission voted unanimously last month to begin the lengthy administrative rules process over the same matter.

The ongoing battle over the use of the freestanding, mailbox-like drop boxes has persisted since the 2020 election, due in part to baseless claims of election fraud by former President Donald Trump, who lost Wisconsin to President Joe Biden by about 21,000 votes.

State statutes do not address the use of ballot drop boxes, prompting allegations by Republicans that their use is illegal, while proponents of the boxes say the lack of specific reference in statutes does not explicitly ban drop boxes and local election officials should have discretion over using them.

I think the best way to handle this thing until this stuff is resolved, and it should be resolved pretty quickly, is to withdraw our guidance, said Republican commissioner Robert Spindell. We had no right to put it in there in the first place.

A Republican motion to withdraw the commissions previous guidance allowing for the use of drop boxes failed 3-3 along party lines, with Democratic commissioners noting that, if the matter is upheld in the courts, the agency might not be able to secure the four votes needed to reinstate the guidance.

I dont think its going to be easy to put Humpty Dumpty back together on that one, commission chair Ann Jacobs said.

A Democratic motion to begin the emergency rulemaking process in line with the commissions 2020 guidance also failed to pass on a split vote.

The bipartisan commission voted in early December to begin the lengthy administrative rule-making process for drop boxes. Once submitted as rules, the Legislatures rules committee can vote to eliminate the policies.

The commission also voted Friday to withdraw guidance issued in 2016 allowing election officials to correct errors on absentee ballot certificates, typically the envelopes that contain the ballots. The commission voted unanimously to begin drafting an emergency rule, as demanded by the rules committee, but will decide on Monday if the new rule will follow previous guidance.

Sen. Steve Nass, who co-chairs the Legislatures rules committee, criticized the commission Friday for failing to adhere to the committees demands. Nass, R-Whitewater, urged the Legislature to pursue litigation against the commission if emergency rules are not in place by Feb. 9, the deadline set by the committee.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature last year limited where the boxes could be located and set limitations on who was allowed to return an individuals ballot, but the proposal was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who criticized the legislation as an attempt to suppress voting.

At least 34 states used or planned to use ballot drop boxes in the 2020 election and about 16% of voters nationwide in the 2016 general election made use of the boxes, according to the Elections Commission. Only four states prohibited the use of the boxes when the commission issued its guidance for their use in Wisconsin in 2020.

Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe said at least 528 drop boxes were set up in 430 communities throughout the state in the November 2020 election. In Madison, 13 of the citys 14 drop boxes are located at city fire stations, with one box near Elver Park.

Election bills

Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, who chairs the Senate elections committee, and six other Republicans in the state Senate and Assembly announced a package of election-related bills Friday based on reports from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but did make recommendations on how elections can be improved.

Bernier said in a statement the bills will fix the problems that have led to unprecedented questions about the last presidential election.

Anyone who opposes these bills falls into two camps; there is no other characterization: Either they wish to impugn the integrity of our highly respected nonpartisan audit bureau, or they wish to undermine faith in democracy by lying to the public about election administration for their own personal gain, Bernier said. I will not stand for either.

One of the proposed bills would prohibit the use of private grants to help administer elections. Republicans have criticized private election grants provided to cities in 2020 by the Chicago-based Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, that they say were used to unfairly increase turnout in the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha and Racine.

Court rulings have found nothing illegal about the more than $10 million in grants CTCL distributed to about 214 municipalities in 39 of Wisconsins 72 counties, including many in areas solidly won by former President Donald Trump. Nor did CTCL turn down grant requests from any of the Wisconsin municipalities that made them.

Another bill would modify the states definition of an indefinitely confined voter to only apply to those who cannot travel independently without significant burden because of frailty, physical illness, or a disability that will last longer than one year.

Individuals who apply for indefinitely confined status would have to provide either a photo ID or the last four digits of their social security number, along with a witness signature. Anyone who was approved for indefinitely confined status between March 12, 2020, and Nov. 6, 2020, would need to submit a new application.

Yet another bill would prohibit election clerks from filling in any missing information on a voters absentee ballot envelope.

The package also would prohibit special voting deputies from being barred from assisting nursing home residents with casting absentee ballots unless a public health emergency is in place or the facility is closed due to an infectious disease  at which point personal care voting assistants must be trained to assist residents.

The bills would put in statute data sharing agreements between the Wisconsin Elections Commission and departments of transportation, health services and corrections related to changes of address, deaths or felonies. And they would put in place more stringent requirements for post-election audits and complaints.

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With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, Wisconsin regulators are signaling interest in scrutinizing plans to decommission a former nuclear power plant, but questions remain about how much authority the state has.

The Public Service Commission will require the owner of the shuttered Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant to disclose details about a deal to transfer the plant and its decommissioning trust fund to a contractor that will also be required to share information about its financial resources.

Dominion Energy is seeking approval to sell the 49-year-old plant to EnergySolutions, a Utah company that specializes in nuclear waste disposal and decommissioning.

Under the proposal, EnergySolutions would assume ownership of the plant and about $780 million set aside to cover the cost of decommissioning, which the company estimates will cost about $724 million.

A competitor, NorthStar Group Services of New York, says it could do the job for just $550 million and return the rest to ratepayers.

The commission is reviewing the sale to determine whether it complies with a 2005 order that authorized Alliant Energy and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation to sell the plant to Dominion for $220 million.

That order included a condition that any excess decommissioning funds be returned to ratepayers and gave the utilities the right of first refusal to match any future offer to buy the plant. NorthStar offered the utilities $25 million for that right of first refusal, but the utilities declined.

Without competitive bidding on the project, NorthStar argues that Dominion and EnergySolutions, which contracts work to its own subsidiaries, have no incentive to spend the funds prudently.

NorthStar is seeking information on EnergySolutions financial resources and details about Dominions decision to sell the plant, which the company says will help regulators evaluate whether the sale is in the public interest.

EnergySolutions, Dominion and the utilities asked the PSC to suppress that information and limit the proceedings to the questions of whether EnergySolutions has the financial resources to complete decommissioning and whether the utilities acted prudently when they declined to buy back the plant.

The PSC took no action Thursday, effectively denying the request.

Chair Rebecca Valcq and Commissioner Tyler Huebner said they want more information to determine how much authority the PSC has over the sale and the funds.

These are Wisconsin ratepayer dollars, Valcq said. What type of controls or guardrails can we put in place to make sure whoever ultimately decommissions the site doesnt just blow through the entirety of that decommissioning trust?

Commissioner Ellen Nowak suggested the commission may have given up that authority long ago.

You cant relinquish jurisdiction you dont have, she said.

Nowak cited the order authorizing the sale to Dominion.

The commission is willing to relinquish its approval authority over the use of (Kewaunees) decommissioning funds and rely on federal control because of the overall benefits of the sale, yadda yadda, Nowak said. Its some strong language.

Valcq noted the issue may not be so clear.

I think its the yadda yadda part, right? Valcq said. What are those benefits and what is the yadda yadda in the rest of the order?

All three commissioners said theyd like to know more about the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions authority over decommissioning expenses.

The NRC oversees site cleanup and verifies that license holders have enough money to cover the costs, which it says generally costs $300 million to $400 million, but does not review line-item expenses, said spokesperson Viktoria Mitlyng.

A spokesperson for Dominion Energy declined to comment on the commissions actions. A spokesperson for EnergySolutions did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

NorthStar CEO Scott State said he was encouraged by the commissions focus on protecting ratepayers.

It is not the NRCs job to determine whether this decommissioning deal will end up shortchanging state ratepayers of hundreds of millions of dollars, State said. Thats the PSCs duty.

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1. Yes. Raising the bar for future developments will boost the citys housing market.

2. Yes. It will help in newer areas, but more needs to be done to change Killeens image.

3. No. The new standards will just slow down homebuilding and drive away developers.

4.No. The ordinance will do little more than drive up the price of new homes in the city.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the effect will be until they have been in place for a while.

Vote

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KEARNEY  As COVID-19 cases soar, the number of people being tested at the Two Rivers Public Health Department test sites has soared, too.

Two Rivers is doing 100 tests a day two mornings a week at its site at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. Tests are up 40% in January, Jeremy Eschliman, the health director at Two Rivers, said at the departments weekly clinical conference.

This week, tests are confirming about 157 new cases of COVID a day, with the most in ages 20-40, but the positivity rate has dropped from 37% last week to 31% this week, according to Von Lutz, the Two Rivers clinical services supervisor.

Dr. Brady Beecham, a Lexington physician and a Two Rivers board member, said, We need to recognize that COVID has found a home with us.

Figures from local hospitals bear that out. CHI Health Good Samaritan had 21 COVID-19 patients Friday morning. Kearney Regional Medical Center had eight.

As she has in recent weeks, Beecham urged people to get the vaccine. She said some people are waiting to see more safety data before they get vaccines, but we have years of data that the vaccines perform exceptionally well, yet we still have people dying in hospitals. This thing is not done. It still has secrets in store for us. What we thought would be a short story is turning into a long novel with multiple chapters.

However, she added, We understand our adversary (COVID) better than we did in the beginning.

Currently, 38 adult patients are hospitalized with COVID in the Two Rivers region, which includes Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties. Five patients are on ventilators. No children were hospitalized with COVID as of Friday morning, according to Susan Puckett, the Two Rivers community health nurse.

subhead in story State pilot program

Two Rivers also introduced the Infection Control and Assessment Promotion program, a seven-year-old state initiative that is part of Nebraska Medicine, supported by the state Department of Health and Human Services and funded by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant.

ICAP has launched a new pilot program that aims to prevent infections of all kinds  not just COVID-19  in schools, health centers, long-term care facilities, dental care facilities and more facilities.

It is offering free assessments of infection control practices such as hand-washing, respiratory infection control and environmental cleaning in those facilities. It also offers training programs for school nurses, secretaries, staff members and others. For more information, visit nebraskaICAP@nebraskamed.com.

Lutz said Two Rivers has worked closely with ICAP for the last 20 months regarding COVID at long-term care facilities, and theyve been such a huge help in preventing more (COVID) outbreaks in these facilities.

Puckett added, This is someone outside your facility who can offer constructive advice, look at your infection conrol plans, and more.

In other topics:

n Puckett also talked the stress of caregivers. I dont think I have to tell anyone how taxed we have all been with the pandemic. We need to be aware of that and of how we are responding physically emotionally spiritually because of it.

n The term fully vaccinated means having received one dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine, or two doses of the Moderna and Pfizer innoculations. The term up-to-date means having a booster shot along with those innoculations.

n Puckett called meth the number one drug threat in rural and urban communities in Nebraska. She said meth is a synthetic substance prepared in mega-labs by criminal organizations in Mexico. The purity and potency of the meth being brought into Nebraska is more than 90%.

In the last five years, the amount of meth seized by law enforcement has gone up 293%. In 2021 alone, 768 pounds of meth were seized in Nebraska, she said. Nationwide, such seizures have climbed 77% in the last five years.

Meth is deadlier and cheaper, and that makes it very attractive to people who are suffering most from mental health problems, and to people with addictive behaviors who have fewer healthy resources to tap into. This is having a tragic impact on Nebraska families, Puckett said.

n Preregistration is a must for anyone being tested for COVID. Registrants receive a consent ID number, which is needed to enter lab results. Two Rivers cannot look it up. Two Rivers offers free COVID testing 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds at 3807 N Ave. Register for tests at trphd.org.
SHELTON  As bitter winter winds blew outside on a recent afternoon, Janice Dittmer and Patty Primm were happily working on a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle inside the Shelton Public Library.

Weston Currin, 11, a fifth grader at the Shelton School, sat engrossed at a computer.

Library Director Tony Crouse is gratified. In his first year as director  he started on Jan. 18, 2021  he has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments.

He has increased visitors, bought new books, formed a Friends of the Library group, installed an educational TV, launched new programs and obtained $15,000 in grants. He personally delivers books to people who cant get to the library.

He raised $4,600 for the library in the Kearney Area Community Foundations Give Where You Live event in December.

Most impressive: He got the library reaccredited again, something that had not been done since 2005.

Linda Van Orsdall, president of the library board, cant say enough about Crouse. I have been checking out books again instead of reading them on my phone, she said.

Books and a lot more

Ask Crouse about his daily duties and he rolls his eyes. As the librarys sole employee, he puts in 30 hours a week.

People think librarians just sit and check out books. I order new materials. I accept donations of books and money. I catalogue materials. I deal with publishing companies. I purchase office supplies and other materials, he said.

He communicates with the Nebraska Library Commission, which oversees all libraries in the state.

Ive been so busy. If I miss anything or have to take sick time, I make it up, he said.

Reviving the library

The village has owned the library since 2005, but its on a shoestring budget of just $50,000 for utilities, book acquisitions, maintenance, upkeep, Crouses salary and more.

Crouse served as assistant librarian for seven years, working under then-library director Kathy Holley. When she retired a year ago, he was a bit apprehensive about stepping up to replace her, but he plunged in. We were at a standstill. I didnt know what steps to take or what to do first, he said.

Our program attendance was low. People werent checking out books. We were seriously stagnant, he said. Wed had programs, but it was hit or miss.

Village leaders were concerned, too. They were asking, Is it worth keeping it open? They werent sure we were being used enough to justify the expense, he said.

Crouse decided to go outside the box. At first, he worked so hard that a few city officials cautioned him to slow down. He didnt listen.

Making changes

Crouse grew up in Omaha and worked for various state agencies until moving to Shelton 20 years ago. When he took over the library a year ago, he searched for ways to bring people in.

The library, an original Andrew Carnegie library, was built in 1914. The state once had 59 such libraries. Now, that figure has dwindled to 19, but it includes Sheltons library. Instantly, he knew that accreditation could raise its stature and its image.

The library was last accredited in 2005, but by not being accredited, the library wasnt getting the funds from the state, and it was ineligible for most grants. I had to figure out how to change that, he said.

Within a week after being named library director, he contacted the Nebraska Library Commission to learn how to become accredited. Then he set out to make that happen.

During his first two weeks as director, he completed a public library survey and filed a lengthy report to get state financial assistance to purchase some technology. He made cold calls to other libraries to learn about bylaws, functioning, committees and more.

He wrote a 43-page community needs response plan detailing the current library status, its collection size, technology and its programs. He created a Friends of the Library board, which was required for accreditation.

He also formed a planning team of volunteers to assist him, but he did his own online research and grant writing. This was a first time for that, too.

During the pandemic, he learned that many grants were available to non-accredited libraries as well as accredited ones, so I applied for whatever grants I could. It was the first time I ever did that. It was a learning experience, he said.

A Christmas gift

Right before Christmas, he learned that the library had won accreditation after a 16-year hiatus. The accreditation lasts for three years.

All three grant applications were approved as well. They are the Youth Services Grant, the Library Improvement Grant and an Internship Grant, which will allow him to hire a teenager to shelve books and assist with programs this summer. These projects are supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission.

At years end, in an annual report, he noted that library patronage was up by 150 to 200 people a month. Circulation has climbed almost 15%, from 560 in 2020 to 633 in 2021. The library had 2,160 patrons in 2021, 148 more than in 2020. It now has 8,852 volumes, including books, magazines, videos and more. Thats up from 7,207 in 2020.

This is a transformation. Things are getting better, Crouse said.

A nose in a book

Growing up in Omaha, Crouse always had his nose in a book. Sometimes it drove my parents crazy. I was the odd kid. Instead of toys, I wanted to buy Indian Chief notebooks and write in journals, he said. He assisted in his high school library.

As an adult, he worked for various state agencies in Omaha until moving to Shelton 20 years ago. Im a big-city person, but when a friend moved here, I decided to give it a shot, he said. This town is open to new people, and they support each other. This is a very welcoming town. In Omaha, you dont get that, he said.

In turn, he has made the library a welcoming place. Along with getting the library accredited, he has launched childrens activities and created a library newsletter. He puts library news in the local paper and social media. The new Friends of the Shelton Library planned the librarys first book sale since 2006.

Several times a week, he leads a two-hour program with creative themes like National Penguin Day or National Thesaurus Day or Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day. Attendance ranges from five or six up to 14 or 15.

He has offered traditional arts and crafts, paper mache and collage events, and multi-age programs, too. The success was phenomenal. Kids have more fun with an older person helping them. We had a big St. Patricks Day party that drew 75 people. We did egg decorating for Easter, he said.

The library received one of a limited set of posters produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, courtesy of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Still dreaming

Crouse has nine volunteers who help him prepare for programs. Donations are up, both in books and dollars. He plans to get two new laptops and more bookshelves this year,

Twice a month, the library has a Brighten a Day program, in which it creates cards and writes letters to retirement home residents, hospitalized patients and front-line health care workers.

The Kearney Public Library bookmobile visits every other week. As for homebound delivery to seniors, I want people to read. If they cant get here physically, I will go to them, he said.

Thats not all. This spring, he will offer Project Grapes, which stands for gravity, reading, assembly, programming and engineering and skills. Its his idea, made possible through the Youth Services grant. I want kids to have fun finding new inventions and discussing changes in technology, he said.

He has purchased four model engines for kids to assemble. They will learn to program circuit boards to turn out lights, fans and more, and to assemble functioning model robots. In July, he will offer the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program.

He also hopes to clean out the librarys basement to use for community meetings and presentations.

He also envisions practical programs for adults on immigration issues, unemployment claims, Social Security claims, cellphone assistance and even booking airline tickets. Not everyone out there is computer-literate, he said.

Westin Currin, 11, loves spending afternoons at the library. I try to come as often as I can. I like the computers and the new books and the activities, he said.

Van Orsdall, president of the library board, cant say enough about Crouse. Tony utilizes every resource to improve and implement programs for our community. He has made the library an inviting place for young and old to come for fun, learning and companionship. He will help with anything. All you have to do is ask.
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

COVID vaccines lower hospitalizations across the board, not just in the US

CLAIM: Vaccines only reduce hospitalizations in the U.S., not in other countries.

THE FACTS: COVID-19 vaccines, with or without a booster dose, have been shown to reduce rates of hospitalization in several countries. Social media users are sharing video clips of a COVID-19 discussion panel held on Monday by Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican representing Wisconsin, leading to the spread of false information about vaccines.

Dr. Peter McCullough, a Dallas cardiologist and vaccine critic who spoke at the conference, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting academic fraud and that COVID-19 vaccines are not effective at preventing hospitalization from COVID-19. He also falsely claimed that the U.S. is the only country reporting a decline in hospitalizations from the vaccines while South Africa, the United Kingdom and Israel are not. Publicly available data contradicts McCullough's claims.

Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said that globally, people who are vaccinated have lower rates of hospitalization. When comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated people, he said, "consistently across all countries" that report data, vaccinated people have lower hospitalization rates than those who are not immunized.

On Friday, the CDC published a report finding that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are preventing hospitalizations. The report detailed how the third shot provided 90% protection against hospitalization. The U.S. is not the only country seeing these results. Israel, South Africa and England have shown similar results on preventing hospitalizations. Data from multiple countries has demonstrated that the vaccines are effective, said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of ICAP, a global health center at Columbia University.

The AP reported on an analysis from South Africa in December that found that those who had two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had 70% protection against hospitalization from COVID-19 during the country's omicron surge. The UK Health Security Agency released data earlier this month that found that after three months of receiving the third dose, those 65 and older had 90% protection against hospitalization. Those with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had 70% protection from hospitalization after three months of receiving the vaccine and 50% at six months. According to the World Health Organization, evidence shows that the COVID-19 vaccines remain effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death against all variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus, including omicron, although data on omicron is still early. McCullough did not respond to a request for comment via email.

UK report did not find COVID-19 vaccines damage immune response

CLAIM: A report by health officials in the United Kingdom showed that the COVID-19 vaccines are "damaging the immune response" in people who were vaccinated after a previous infection.

THE FACTS: The report did not reach that conclusion. The finding being referenced dealt with people who were infected after being vaccinated  not the reverse  and experts say it showed that vaccine-induced immunity was working properly. A Yale epidemiologist made the false claim speaking during a panel discussion on COVID-19 hosted by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Monday.

Dr. Harvey Risch said at the discussion that an October report from U.K. health officials "showed that people who've had COVID and then get vaccinated have lower levels of anti-nucleocapsid antibodies"  which he said meant that the vaccines are "damaging the immune response."

But Risch had details about what the report said out of order. The report referred to people who were vaccinated against COVID-19, and subsequently infected. And its statement on such people having lower levels of such antibodies  referred to as "N antibodies" and generated following an infection with the coronavirus  is not indicative of a problem with the vaccines, the U.K. Health Security Agency and experts said. On the contrary, "It shows the vaccine is limiting the natural infection from the virus, lowering the level of virus replication and therefore limiting the number of antibodies against N that are generated," Kevin Brown, consultant medical virologist at the U.K. Health Security Agency, said in an email.

In an email to The Associated Press, Risch acknowledged that he mixed up the order in his remarks. Asked if he stood by his claim that the vaccines are "damaging the immune response," Risch said his "interpretation is that by involvement in N antibody levels, that is more general than just their direct involvement in the spike antigens and antibodies."

But several experts disputed Risch's claim that the vaccines do damage. "It's untrue in its implication and it reflects a complete misunderstanding of the way vaccine immunity works," said E. John Wherry, director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania.

The COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.K. and the U.S. work by instructing cells to produce spike proteins in order to trigger an immune response; they do not generate N antibodies. When someone is vaccinated, and later becomes infected, their immune system works to limit the virus from replicating, Wherry said. Therefore, it's not surprising that antibodies to other parts of the virus would be lower. Dr. Taia Wang, a Stanford University assistant professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology, offered a similar assessment. She also said in an email that lower levels of N antibodies "does not indicate that the vaccines are damaging to the immune system," and that it "simply means that the vaccine worked exactly as it should."

 Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.

UK police haven't launched criminal investigation into COVID-19 vaccines

CLAIM: London's Metropolitan Police Service has launched an investigation into alleged public health threats caused by the country's COVID-19 vaccine program.

AP'S ASSESSMENT: No such investigation has been launched, the Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. Still, social media users shared videos, tweets and homemade press releases to spread the false claim. One widely shared false post claimed that Metropolitan Police and those in the west London district of Hammersmith have agreed there is enough evidence to conduct the "world's largest criminal investigation" into public health threats resulting from the vaccines. As alleged proof that an investigation is underway, many posts listed a supposed "case number": 6092967912. Some posts did not specify what "crimes" are being alleged, while others offered a list of unsubstantiated allegations from "misconduct in public office" to "murder."

But the Metropolitan Police Service says no such criminal investigation has been launched. The police force, whose jurisdiction includes the borough of Hammersmith, issued a statement saying that "a number of documents were submitted at a west London police station in support of allegations of criminality in relation to the UK's vaccine programme" on Dec. 20. The "case number" identified in the claims is just a routine crime reference number that was generated when the complaint was filed. It is not a sign that any investigation is underway. "Officers have been tasked with reviewing the documents. This process is time consuming and has been prolonged by the submission of further documents by people encouraged to do so online," the Metropolitan Police said in the statement. "While the assessment continues, to date there is nothing to indicate that a crime has been committed and no criminal investigation has been launched."

One video circulating on Twitter and fringe platforms showed a woman making a report to police. In the clip, a woman, who appears to be in a police station, reads from a statement where she claims evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines are responsible for serious harm and death. Health officials internationally have said that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious illness, and reports of serious adverse reactions and death are rare.

 Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed this report.

COVID-19 vaccines do not cause new variants

CLAIM: COVID-19 vaccines are facilitating omicron's infectiousness and mass vaccination might spur the development of new mutations.

THE FACTS: Experts say that they have seen no credible evidence to support the claim that COVID-19 vaccines are making the omicron variant more infectious, or that the vaccines will increase the likelihood of new variants. During a panel discussion on Monday hosted by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, Dr. Robert Malone, a frequent critic of the COVID-19 vaccines, suggested that mass vaccination will produce new variants of the virus, and that the vaccines increase the infectiousness of the omicron variant. "If we continue to pursue universal vaccination, the high probability is that what we will continue to see is the evolution of additional escape mutants that are increasingly infectious and may well become more pathogenic," Malone said. "Omicron is not only resistant to the vaccine but its infectivity seems to be facilitated by the vaccine." A video clip of Malone's comments has circulated widely on social media and on blogs.

But the claims are false, according to epidemiology and vaccinology experts, who say vaccine-induced immunity actually decreases the chances that new forms of the virus will spread. John Swartzberg, a clinical professor of infectious diseases and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeley, told the AP that variants are more likely to emerge in unvaccinated populations because the virus replicates better in people who aren't vaccinated, giving it a better chance of evolving. "An unvaccinated person produces so much more virus so there's a much greater chance of a variant being produced." Of the claim that the vaccines make omicron more infectious, Swartzberg said, "I've seen no evidence to suggest, much less indicate that."

Chris Beyrer, a professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, confirmed in an email to the AP that Malone's claims were false. While it's possible for new variants to emerge alongside mass vaccination, infections in unvaccinated people pose a greater overall risk, John Mittler, an associate professor of microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, told the AP. "The big picture is that vaccination reduces the amount of virus circulating in the body," Mittler wrote in an email. "The net effect of the vaccine is to reduce the total number of cells that get infected."

In response to the AP's request for comment, Malone wrote in an email, "Right now, I am getting so many emails that I just don't have time to personally respond to them all. I apologize, but I just don't have enough hours in the day."

 Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

Wisconsin Assembly did not vote to withdraw Biden electors

CLAIM: The Wisconsin Assembly voted this week to withdraw its 10 electoral votes for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

THE FACTS: No such vote took place, nor would it be possible within the law for Wisconsin to recall its 2020 electors. Though Republican state Rep. Timothy Ramthun last week introduced a resolution to reclaim the state's presidential electors, no one voted on it and the Assembly's rules committee chair has said he will shut the resolution down.

"(asterisk)(asterisk)HUGE BREAKING NEWS(asterisk)(asterisk) -- Wisconsin Assembly Votes to Withdraw Its 10 Electors for Joe Biden in 2020 Election -- VIDEO," read a Tuesday headline from The Gateway Pundit, a conservative website that has spread numerous election-related conspiracy theories. The Gateway Pundit later changed its headline to claim that the Assembly voted "to advance" a resolution that would reclaim the state's electors  which is also false. Thousands of social media users shared the article or similar claims, including Kari Lake, a 2022 gubernatorial candidate in Arizona endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Jim Steineke, the Assembly's majority leader and rules committee chair, tweeted to dispel the false claim on Tuesday. Steineke, a Republican, explained in his tweet that Ramthun introduced a resolution to withdraw the state's electors. Because it was a "privileged" resolution, the Assembly's rules required it to be referred to committee. The resolution was sent to the rules committee, which Steineke chairs.

In a separate tweet Tuesday, Steineke explained that Ramthun's proposal was illegal and he wouldn't advance it.

Steineke is right that there's no constitutional or statutory authority to take back the state's electors in an election that already has been certified, according to Kenneth Mayer, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Experts including the nonpartisan Wisconsin Legislative Council have come to the same conclusion.

Ramthun did not comment. His legislative assistant, Erin Yager, said the representative stands by his position that the resolution was constitutional.

Biden beat former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by about 20,000 votes, and there's no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election in Wisconsin or elsewhere. Neither Lake nor The Gateway Pundit responded to emailed requests for comment.

 Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report.

Video and image don't show South Carolina trucks or Mennonite buggies going to Canada protest

CLAIM: A video shows trucks traveling from South Carolina to Ottawa to protest COVID-19 mandates for cross-border drivers, and an image shows Mennonites in horse-drawn buggies traveling to the same protest.

THE FACTS: Neither claim is true. A video of a truck convoy on a highway shows trucks during a Special Olympics South Carolina event last year, according to an official for a trucking company whose owner posted the video. And an image of horse-drawn buggies traveling on a snowy road shows Old Order Mennonites going to church outside the Waterloo region in Ontario on Jan. 16, photographer Michelle Graham confirmed to the AP.

Both false claims circulated online as truck drivers began heading to Ottawa, Canada, this week to protest a new Canadian mandate requiring truckers entering the country to be fully vaccinated as of Jan. 15. The U.S. has imposed the same requirement on truckers crossing the border in the other direction. Social media users shared the video and image as alleged proof that people from different locations were uniting to join the "freedom convoy."

But the truck video, posted Jan. 22 on TikTok by Mitchell Bottomley, the owner of the South Carolina trucking company Bottomley Enterprises, is being misrepresented. It has "nothing to do" with the protest in Canada and was taken during a "Truck Convoy for Special Olympics" event in August 2021, according to Michele Bryant, vice president of compliance at Bottomley Enterprises.

Meanwhile, the image of horse-drawn buggies depicts members of the religious order headed to church  a common sight outside the Waterloo region in Ontario, where it was captured  and is not related to the protest, said Graham, a sports photographer based in Canada. Graham took the photo on Jan. 16 and posted it to social media the following day. "I took it and a full series of shots from that morning, as seen on my website and various social media platforms," said Graham in an email to the AP. "Zero relation to any political protest or movement. Just going to church."

 Associated Press writers Fichera in Philadelphia and Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report.
Youve heard a lot in this space about the challenges breweries have with flagships. Establishing one is really hard. Building it to its potential is hard. Improving it without losing what people love about it is hard. Maintaining it as a go-to when people crave something new is hard.

All of that is especially hard when that flagship beer isnt available year-round.

Thats the case, kind of, with Hinterland Beer and its popular Door County Cherry Wheat, a beer with a long history at the Green Bay brewery thats turning 27 this year.

Cherry Wheat is, of course, a quintessential summer beer in just about every way:

Door County  

Cherry 



Wheat 



And beyond the name, its just a really solid summer quencher, not overly sweet, and with a nice fruity finish thats true to those perfect little tart orbs that come out of Door Countys orchards.

From a sales standpoint, breweries with highly successful seasonals know not to push their luck into year-round territory. Theres a reason you dont see year round Oktoberfests (at least in Wisconsin), and its not just because of the name.

When a beer  or really, anything  has been gone for a while, theres excitement around its arrival, and when you know its going away at some point, theres apprehension over its departure. For a fan of this beer, those factors might spur an extra six-pack purchase or two each year.

So instead of extending Cherry Wheat, Hinterland is extending the idea behind it: that base wheat beer, augmented with a clear and faithful expression of a fruit thats found right here in Wisconsin.

Hinterland introduced Blueberry Wheat in November, and sales rep Justin May said it has been a solid performer for the brewery  not quite Cherry Wheat levels, but solid for a seasonal debut. A second batch was released in mid-January to carry the beer through March, around the time Cherry Wheat makes its return. (Similarly, Strawberry Wheat will be a draft-only variant offered mainly at the Hinterland taproom this year.)

Wait, a fruited wheat beer over winter? Well, as much as seasonal drinking is definitely a thing for me, especially in our most challenging season, I dont drink only stouts and other winter beers all winter. I mean, the heat is on inside, and thats where I do almost all of my drinking in winter. I suspect you do, too.

Shall we take a closer look?

Hinterland Blueberry Wheat

Style: American wheat ale

Brewed by: Hinterland Beer in Green Bay. If you havent visited the gleaming brewery near Lambeau Field, youre missing out like Aaron Rodgers at a vaccine clinic. And while there may not be as much to do in town during winter, the Titletown District features a skating rink and sledding hill, with Hinterlands intensely cozy taproom  think fireplaces and big, warming beers  just steps away.

What its like: There are other blueberry beers out there  Milwaukee Brewings Weekend at Louies is one of my favorites  but the obvious comp here is Cherry Wheat. And while the base beer is the same, Blueberry Wheat is quite a departure, far more fruit forward and a bit sweeter than its tart cherry sibling. What I like about both of these beers is they really taste like the actual fruit rather than some sugary, artificial approximation.

Where, how much: The larger bottle shops are your best bets in Madison for this one; if your smaller local doesnt carry it, its not too late to ask. Six-packs of bottles (yes, bottles!) will be around $10.

Booze factor: The 5.4% ABV is on the lower end of the craft beer scale.

Up close: The first thing youll notice about this beer is the color, a lovely pinkish-violet thats significantly darker than Cherry Wheat. The aroma is sweet blueberry cobbler, but on the palate a nice balance emerges. Theres plenty of fruit, yes, and the beer pokes through most prominently in the middle of the sip, but theres a synergy here that just works  perhaps better than the more compartmentalized Cherry Wheat. Ive written often that the greatest compliment I can pay a beer is when its components arent clearly distinguishable in favor of a more singular overall experience, and thats whats going on with Blueberry Wheat.

Bottom line: 4 stars (out of five)

Got a beer youd like the Beer Baron to pop the cap on? Contact Chris Drosner at chrisdrosner@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @WIbeerbaron.

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When I read about the loss of freedom in Hong Kong, I think about the book of Revelation.

In Hong Kong, as the Chinese dictator tightens his grip on a once democratic society, he is imposing restrictive measures against religious groups and churches. Moreover, religious leaders are being persecuted.

During the Roman empire, when the book of Revelation was written, Christians were persecuted and killed. Many biblical scholars believe Revelation was written during the reign of Domitian; a few think it could be under Nero. In either case, the emperor was paranoid, vicious and insane, demanding to be worshiped as a god as he tightened his grip on Christians.

A few authors have made a great deal of money writing stories that Revelation is about the future and telling us how the world will end. I am leaving them all behind.

To understand anything in the Bible, one has to understand its historical context.

When Revelation was written, there was a crisis at hand. Christians were being persecuted and killed. The purpose of Revelation is to give Christians hope.

Even if Christians face martyrdom, the way of Christ  the way of compassion and nonviolence  will triumph.

To understand any book in the Bible, one has to understand its literary form  that is, what kind of literature it is. The literary form in Revelation is apocalyptic  a form unfamiliar to modern readers.

I researched the definition of apocalypse on the Internet. It said apocalypse is the complete final destruction of the world, or an event involving destruction on a catastrophic scale.

Neither definition is what apocalypse means in the Bible. In the Bible, it simply means unveiling or disclosure. Even if the emperor is insane, it is not the end of the world. Revelation is about the unveiling or disclosing that the way of Christ will triumph. It offers hope to an oppressed people.

Another challenge of apocalyptic literature is its use of symbolic language.

Symbolic descriptions are not to be taken literally or are capable of being pictured realistically. Here is what the introduction to the book of Revelation in the New American Bible states: One would find it both difficult and repulsive to visualize a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes; yet Christ our Lord is described in precisely such words.

To understand Revelation, one needs to be familiar with the Hebrew scriptures.

Examples of apocalypse are in Daniel, Enoch, and the wisdom tradition. Also, one needs to know the story of the oppression of Jewish people. The author could not safely say the Roman empire was doomed. Rather he wrote about another empire that oppressed them, the Babylonians, and how this empire collapsed in failure.

There is a beautiful scene at the end of Revelation. Then I saw a new heavens and a new earth  I also saw a new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride prepared to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne cry out: This is Gods dwelling among men. He shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people and he shall be their God who is always with them  (Rev 21:1-3).

Here is Brian McLarens understanding of this passage in his book, We Make the Road by Walking. It doesnt picture us as being evacuated from Earth to heaven as many assume. It pictures a New Jerusalem descending from heaven to Earth. This new city doesnt need a temple because Gods presence is felt everywhere.

Gods work in history has never been about us escaping Earth. It has always been about God descending to dwell with us. That is the wonderful news of Christmas: God became one of us in the birth of Jesus.

The book of Revelation is not a coded blueprint of the future. It is about God dwelling with his people even as they live through the oppression of the Roman Empire.

Meanwhile, back to Hong Kong. As the grip of the Communist Chinese Empire tightens and oppresses the 1.2 million Christians in Hong Kong, what was true for the original audience of Revelation is true for them today. They need a message of hope. They are Gods people, and God is always with them. Understanding and reflecting on the book of Revelation could be a source of hope and strength for the oppressed people of Hong Kong.

It could also be a source of strength and hope for us as we enter the third year of being oppressed by COVID-19.

Vince Hatt has been a spiritual director for over 40 years. He has a masters degree in religious education from Catholic University and a masters degree in theology from the Aquinas Institute.

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More than two years after UW Hospital nurses asked managers to recognize the revival of a union lost after a 2011 state law, the dispute may be headed for federal action as both sides claim a state memo supports their opposing positions.

Unlike other public employees affected by former Republican Gov. Scott Walkers Act 10, which banned collective bargaining except for cost-of-living pay increases, UW Hospital workers are not state or municipal employees.

When the hospital became a public authority separate from the university in 1996, it acquired its own special status. How Act 10 and other laws apply to that status accounts for most of the legal arguments over whether UW Health, one of the largest employers in Dane County, can recognize the union for collective bargaining.

UW Hospital is a very unusual entity, said Madison attorney Lester Pines, whose Pines Bach law firm represents SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, which is trying to reestablish the union.

The debate could be headed to the National Labor Relations Board to determine if the National Labor Relations Act pertains to the nurses. The federal law does not apply to public employees and involves interstate commerce, but an unrelated court ruling has considered UW Hospital to be a privatized independent entity, and in 2014 UW Health acquired SwedishAmerican in Rockford, Illinois.

An NLRB organizing campaign among the UW Hospital nurses may be what happens, Pines said.

Amid the legal debate, nurses are drawing attention to what they say are difficult working conditions that threaten patient safety as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Families need our attention now more than ever, but with the staffing and retention crisis its difficult to give the care they need, Kelly OConnor, a UW Hospital nurse, said in an SEIU statement Jan. 13.

OConnor and other nurses met that day with UW Health CEO Dr. Alan Kaplan and presented him with what they said were more than 1,500 cards signed by nurses supporting a union.

In a Dec. 21 email to UW Health staff, Kaplan acknowledged strain from the pandemic and high patient volumes. Other than the pandemic, no issue has consumed UW Health leadership ... like the workforce challenges we face  staffing challenges, stress and well-being, work flexibility to handle external pandemic stressors, he said.

Administrators couldnt verify the 1,500 signatures because the nurses did not leave anything with us, UW Health spokesperson Emily Kumlien said. UW Health has about 3,400 frontline nurses, she said, though SEIU says about 2,600 would be covered by the union.

Kumlien said nursing councils use shared governance to allow nurses to influence policies and guidelines, and a recently started internal stoplight report evaluates ideas or concerns raised by nurses.

Delia Pertzborn, a UW Hospital nurse who has participated in the councils, said in a statement they are not capable of addressing the systemic crisis at UW Health because administration has the final decision-making power and the scope of issues we address is limited.

Both sides agree state law no longer requires UW Hospital to recognize the union and collectively bargain with employees, as it did before Act 10. The question is whether the hospital can choose to do so.

At the time of Walkers signature legislation, hospital administrators said they didnt ask for the law to abolish unions at the hospital but that it did. In 2014, when a contract for about 2,000 nurses and therapists represented by SEIU expired, they lost the union.

Legal memos

In December 2019, shortly before the pandemic began, nurses announced they were restarting the union and asked the UW Hospital Board to voluntarily recognize it. Initially, the nurses called for a meet and confer process, which is what Madison Teachers Inc. and the Madison School District used after Act 10 to develop an employee handbook. Recently, the nurses have called for full collective bargaining of a contract.

A May 20, 2021, memo from the nonpartisan Wisconsin Legislative Council seemed to back the position of the board, formally known as the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority, or UWHCA. Act 10 removed the authority for UWHCA to recognize a union as an exclusive bargaining representative for employees, the memo said.

An Oct. 4, 2021, memo appeared to reach a different conclusion. Act 10 simply deleted the obligation and duty for UWHCA to engage in collective bargaining with its employees, and did not replace the former duty with language prohibiting collective bargaining, it said.

Both memos were written by Margit Kelley, a senior staff attorney with the legislative council, for state Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison. Agard and state Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison, in June introduced a bill that the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau said restores the rights of UW Hospital employees to collectively bargain.

The bill has little chance of passing the Republican-controlled Legislature. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has spoken in favor of the hospital recognizing the union.

Kelleys second memo said that to determine wages, hours and conditions of employment, employees may seek to meet and consult with UWHCA to discuss those topics, may argue for NLRA coverage, or may seek voluntary recognition by UWHCA.

Opposing views

In addressing the crux of the legal matter  Act 10 removing the requirement that the hospital recognize the union  the memo seemed to summarize the stances of both sides.

Under Wisconsin law, the elimination of a statutory provision often means that the subject of the law is thereafter prohibited, the memo said, which is what UW Hospital argues.

On the other hand, silence in state law may also mean that the subject is not regulated, and that the subject at issue is permitted, the memo said, which is SEIUs position.

In an email exchange with the Wisconsin State Journal, Kelley said, a voluntary recognition has not been tested in court.

Since UW Hospital is defined as a public body and its board includes state officials, it is arguable that UWHCA is exempt from the NLRA, Kelleys latest memo said. But a 2005 court ruling defining the hospital as a privatized independent entity could support a private status governed by the federal law, the memo said.

Pines said the disagreement likely wont be taken to state court. At the federal level, the next step would be an NLRB organizing campaign, he said. UW Healths acquisition of SwedishAmerican in Rockford bolsters the argument for the hospital falling under the federal law, he said.

Pat Raes, a UnityPoint Health-Meriter nurse who is president of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, said the current organizing effort involves only the nurses at UW Hospital in Madison. If Rockford nurses unionized, they would have a separate bargaining unit and contract, she said.

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Chet Beiler, a Lancaster County entrepreneur who previously ran for Congress, pitched an expansion of his Gap chicken coop company to a group of celebrity investors Friday night on "Shark Tank."

Beiler, 58, of Penn Township, the last entrepreneur to be featured on the ABC competition show Friday night, received offers from two investors but let them slip away and went home empty handed.

Beiler entered the Shark Tank stage in black clothing, smiling, with a chicken in his arms.

"Sharks, I'm Chet Beiler from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he said to investors Kevin OLeary, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, and Mark Cuban. My company is OverEZ Chicken Coop. And this is my pal Chuckles."

That got a chuckle from Greiner.

Beiler said he developed OverEZ Chicken Coop because America is crazy for backyard chickens right now, families want more sustainable living and self-reliance, and they love having fresh organic eggs every day.

He showcased one of his companys coops with live feeding chickens  including Chuckles. His presentation also included an accelerated video demonstrating the coops assembly, and he added that his company offers them in four different sizes to can accommodate between five and 20 chickens.

"America is so cuckoo for these coops that we can hardly keep up with the demand, Beiler said. We're chickens running around with our heads cut off. Sorry, Chuckles."

That earned a laugh from several of the investors.

"Sharks, I need a partner so I can finally stop having all my eggs in one basket," he said in conclusion.

After Beiler finished his presentation, he offered the investors 4% of OverEZ Chicken Coops for an investment of $1 million, which drew a collective "Woah" from several investors and an outburst of laughter from Herjavec.

Beiler said his company is worth the investment because its intellectual property is locked down, its cash register is ringing, and its only just begun.

"We're on a path to become the category king for backyard chickens in America, and with your help maybe," said Beiler pointing to Herjavec, who is from Europe, "or anybody else who's interested, we will expand to Europe, where the interest in backyard chickens is even stronger than in the United States."

Herjavec responded, "Chet, you're one crazy chicken."

Beiler provided each investor with a golden egg with a mini brochure inside each that provided quick facts about the company.

Greiner was underwhelmed.

Beiler said OverEZ Chicken Coop this week surpassed $21 million in sales over the life of the company, which prompted another collective "Woah" from several of the investors. Year-to-date as of the recording of the show, Beiler said, the company, of which he is full owner, made $9 million in sales and $1.35 million in profit.

He noted that, due to supply-chain issues, the soaring price of lumber and having been unprepared for the demand of his product during the COVID-19 pandemic, the companys profit was less than expected. He said he came to Shark Tank to make more money for inventory.

Although Beiler provided his business's data, a few of the investors said he left out important details about his product and showed a lack of clarity and consistency in some of his responses to their questions.

"My fear with going into business with you is it is going to take me longer than the life span of a chicken to find out the details of your business," said Herjavec said.

Herjavec and Greiner both dropped out of the offer partly for those reasons.

Cuban dropped out of the offer, saying Beiler's talk about doing business in Europe seemed to be purposed to impress the investors but didn't seem to be projected out.

Although, OLeary said he thought Beiler's pitch was "wandery," he made him an offer for $1 million as a loan at 11.5% interest for a 4% stake in the company.

"That's an offer, OLeary said. At least you can peck on that one."

John also gave Beiler an offer to peck on: $1 million for a 25% stake in the company.

However, Beiler was still focused on gaining Herjavec as an investor, which seemed to confuse O'Leary and John.

"Chet, I asked you not to entertain him  which you're a grown man, you can do whatever you want  but you have two offers on the table, and you just keep getting distracted," John said. "I just got to say that I think that's exactly what it's going to be in business with you. I like you, but I'm out."

The deal from O'Leary was still on the table, and Beiler accepted it, saying, "We have a deal."

But Beiler quickly shifted the focus back to his aspirations for the European market and getting Herjavec to invest and be a part of it.

Frustrated, O'Leary withdrew his offer and encouraged Beiler to leave. Beiler tried to reiterate that he accepted O'Leary's offer, but by then it was too late.

"Well, it looked like I had a shark, but then he swam away," Beiler said afterward.

Beiler bought OverEZ Chicken Coop in 2020 as part of a growth strategy for his 33-year-old, Manheim-based outdoor structures business, Amish Country Gazebos.

Already, OverEZ has expanded beyond a 70,000-square-foot facility on Hostetter Road in Manheim to an additional 75,000-square-foot space in Dublin, Georgia, he said. All told, he said, the operation supports about 100 employees.

Hes expressed interest in expanding his business to include a facility in the Czech Republic to serve the European market.

OverEZs website markets the coops  which range in price from about $1,200 to about $3,500  as easy to ship, assemble and move.

A former chairman of the Lancaster County Republican Committee, Beiler ran a pair of unsuccessful primary election campaigns against U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker. Earlier this month, Beiler said his political aspirations are on hold.

For now, my focus is on business, he said.

.

[Click here to learn more about Beiler and his business.]
Walk in the front door of Grandview Church and the first thing you see is a shopping cart overflowing with groceries.

Members and friends of the Manheim Township church keep the cart full day in and day out for friends and neighbors in need.

And now the church is collaborating with Anchor Lancaster to get COVID-19 tests to people who need them, too.

Both efforts are part of the churchs Fairness Fund, which was prompted by pandemic-related need in the community. When stimulus checks went out about two years ago, a member asked, But what if we dont need the money?

The congregations Fairness Fund received about $51,000 from members checks  anywhere from $30 per check to the entire amount. So far, the church, at 888 Pleasure Road, has donated $33,500 from the fund: $15,000 for local housing, utilities and medical bills; $6,500 for racial justice causes locally and regionally; $1,000 to Native American justice work in New Mexico; and $11,000 for local food ministries, including the Parish Resource Center, which distributes free bagged meals.

Hospitals will call us about people in need so they dont get evicted from their homes after being released from the hospital, says the Rev. Andrea Brown, lead pastor at the open and affirming church.

The U.S. government launched covidtests.gov on Jan. 18, a website on which Americans can order four COVID-19 tests to be sent to their home free of charge. At drugstores and online retailers, the tests cost about $10 each.

That prompted a member to ask, But what if you dont have an address?

So, the Fairness Fund is not finished.

The congregation, with about 500 members, is putting out the word in the community that Grandview will take any unneeded tests and give them to Anchor Lancaster. The nonprofit serves a free breakfast from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. every weekday at First United Methodist Church, 29 E. Walnut St., which also offers showers and a warm living room.

Patty Eastep, director of outreach at Anchor, said Anchor will give out the COVID-19 tests at the breakfasts, pending their availability. If Anchor has any extras, she will coordinate with other community groups who help those in need.

We will share extra tests with other social services that provide outreach to our neighbors, Eastep wrote in an email.

The Rev. Jane Dutton, Grandviews associate pastor for care and connection, said Grandviews youth group recently volunteered for Anchor.

Certainly what started out as a thought, two years later is a pretty robust program, especially the need for food, Dutton said. I anticipate it continuing. COVID tests are just the most recent way to share.

The Rev. Liz Fulmer, who serves as Grandviews associate pastor, sees the role of the pastoral staff as listening to the ideas of the congregation and helping them come to life.

Whats cool about this idea is its simplicity, Fulmer said. Its so simple. It comes from an awareness that there are inequities in the distribution of resources and other inequities, too.

Fulmer recounted how one time the church sent money to someone who didnt ask for it but had lost $30,000 in income due to COVID-19.

There are huge disparities in needs, she said.

Dutton recalls a woman who used to come to Grandviews food pantry.

When her financial situation improved, she came back to help out, Dutton said. Some people just need a little help and then theyre eager, more than willing, to do the same for others.
Editor's note: The original version of this story said masks must be worn from day six to 10 of a students isolation period if they return for school in the Conestoga Valley, Elizabethtown Area, Hempfield and Manheim Township school districts but masks are optional as part of those districts isolation protocol.

The original version of this story said more than 100 children had been admitted to Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health since the start of the pandemic. This article has been updated to reflect that, as of Feb. 4, LGH has had over 135 pediatric COVID inpatients since the start of the pandemic.

Lancaster County parents and students in a few school districts have voiced dissatisfaction with a reduction in mitigation efforts during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but they have not been successful in convincing school boards to adopt more stringent measures.

All but three Lancaster County school districts have adopted a mask optional stance since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out Gov. Tom Wolfs mask mandate for students last month. Meanwhile, many districts are relaxing COVID-19 isolation procedures in accordance with new guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One school district where parents have pushed back is Warwick, where Kayla Cook organized pro-mask parents because I wasnt hearing a voice that represented my own. The other voice was so loud.

Over the last two months, the 38-year-old mother of four said she has sent 40 emails to the district  most of which have gone unanswered. She began a Facebook group, Warwick Pro C.A.R.E. Work Group encouraging others to do the same.

The private group has 234 members and Cook said she keeps another 20 in the loop via email. The district has 3,835 students.

Two similar groups - Conestoga Valley Stands Up and COVID Safety for Lancaster County - were formed by Elizabeth Rickard, 40, with a goal of countywide organization. She has since expanded the CV Stands Ups purpose to address equal accessibility and justice issues in the Conestoga Valley area.

Rickard enrolled her two children in the Conestoga Valley Virtual Academy at the beginning of this school year because she felt mitigation efforts in the district's brick-and-mortar schools were lacking. She had hoped to return them for some in-person instruction for the second half of the year, but the schools mask-optional approach deterred her.

It was just not worth the ongoing daily risk and stress, she said.

Loosening mitigation policies

In accordance with new recommendations by the CDC, Conestoga Valley, Elizabethtown Area, Hempfield, Manheim Township and Warwick school districts, all mask-optional districts, recently shortened isolation periods from 10 to five days for students who have COVID-19 but are asymptomatic. According to the school districts' policies students returning on day six, should wear a mask until the 10th day of isolation but are not required to wear a mask. Warwick's policy says that a mask must be worn in its policy.

Despite student input, which was requested by school board President Grant Keener, and opposition from the teachers union, the board voted to change its isolation protocols.

Hempfield High School senior and student council President Jack Kirchner, 17, polled the councils 25 members on shortening the isolation period. A majority - 16 - were opposed.

Alexandra Solosko, 46, a Lancaster County pediatrician, withdrew her daughter from the district at the beginning of the school year because she sees the dangers of COVID-19 in her work. Solosko said she didnt even consider re-enrolling her daughter for the second half of the year because the environment surrounding COVID mitigation is too politically charged.

Marcie Brody, a spokesperson for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, said more than 135 children have been admitted to the hospital since the start of the pandemic, with half of those admissions occurring since August 2021.

We should undertake COVID mitigation strategies not because were being legally forced to, but because we know that its the right thing to do for the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and staff, Solosko said.

Dee Strunk, 46, a mother to two Manheim Township students, is experiencing similar frustration.

Strunk, who has spoken at several meetings and other parents in support of a mask mandate wrote to the board, Strunk said.

And, at a January school board meeting, Manheim Township High School Junior Teagan Harris shared results of a poll she conducted on mitigation efforts she said was completed by 272 fellow students. Over half of the respondents indicated a mask mandate would make them feel safer and nearly 70% felt mandatory quarantines would be similarly effective.

Harris and Strunks efforts, however, didnt sway the board.

I just think they had made up their mind before hearing any of the numbers about how the cases were rising and the concerns, Strunk said

Harrison Crawford, a junior at Elizabethtown Area High School, has similar concerns about the school board there.

I just want to see (COVID-19) become less of a political issue for the school board and more of a we need to keep the students in school type of thing, he said.

His mother, Sarah Crawford, 43, said of the school board, Youre representing a community as a whole and the minute you put yourself in that public position, I feel that your own personal opinions dont matter anymore. I want them to do what they're supposed to do, which is put kids first.

Elizabethtown High School senior Eleni Houck opted out of in-person classes due to her concerns. She is taking dual-enrollment classes through HACC to not only get ahead on college credits but to complete her education virtually. She had originally intended to take in-person classes but did not feel comfortable being around students without masks.

Im scared of getting COVID, Houck said. Im glad Im at home and not around everybody.

Elizabethtown Area School District parent Timothy Runkle said the district is ignoring community feedback and data laid out by medical professionals.

Its troubling because were not really certain that theyre actually looking at (the data), Runkle said, adding that the board receives a packet of medical recommendations each week from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. They have this information in front of them but then they have this conversation about their feelings and they never talk about what the data looks like.

Runkle filed a Right-to-Know request for a physician letter, backed by 77 references, mentioned in a Dec. 21 Elizabethtown school board meeting. Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law allows citizens access to government records.

In the letter, Shawn F. Phillips, a board certified family physician with Penn State Health, advises the district to implement a mask mandate to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and writes Data has shown that districts that have maintained mask mandates have had fewer cases of COVID within their schools.

Frustrated by a continuation of the mask-optional policy and the decision to loosen isolation requirements, Runkle emailed board member James Read only to receive a response putting the word pandemic in quotation marks and stating that the vaccine is not a real vaccine, but an experimental treatment.

While Runkle and others push for change, many other parents and students across the county are happy with the way COVID-19 mitigation rules stand now.

We can choose what we want to do

Theresa Draeger and her daughter Lucy are in that camp.

Everybody needs to make the choice for themselves based on weighing the risks and the benefits of the mask and make that personal choice on their own, said the Hempfield School District mother. I think they are minimally effective when it comes to disease prevention but if it makes some people feel better then by all means they have the choice to go ahead and wear them.

Shes also happy that isolation procedures at Hempfield allow asymptomatic students to return to school.

Its important for kids to be in school, Draeger added.

Draeger, a certified Pennsylvania special education teacher, said that wearing masks could be a detriment to a childs ability to learn.

An article from the American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization Draeger said would have more information about her argument, acknowledges that a concern for speech and language development is understandable but no known studies have proven it.

Watching faces, mouths and expressions of others is a key part of learning communication for children, according to the article. However, it indicates visually impaired children develop speech and language skills at the same rate as their peers.

Lucy, 14, hasnt worn a mask to school this year, even as mask mandates returned briefly from time to time. The eighth-grader said she filed for exemption with the school because she doesnt like wearing a mask and she said its a distraction. Her exemption was approved.

Its hard to hear, Lucy said. I think students and staff should all have the choice to wear (a mask) because we do have freedom and we can choose what we want to do.
When: Cocalico School District school board meeting, Jan. 24.

What happened: The board approved an amendment to district policy guidelines for immunization and communicable diseases to allow immunization exemption on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.

Background: Exemption has been allowed for religious or medical reasons.

The upshot: Policy requires student immunization for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, hepatitis, chickenpox, and meningitis. COVID-19 immunization is not required.

Substitute teacher pay raise: To aid in recruiting substitute teachers, the board approved an increase in substitute pay from $125 per day to $150 per day, going to $160 per day after 20 days.

Also: The meeting was highlighted by recognition of educators, students and leadership. Teachers retiring after long service include elementary teacher Lori Good, 32 years; elementary music teacher and band director Howard Boots, 31 years; and ESL teacher Jeffrey Shenk, 26 years. Administrative Assistant Katherine Schweitzer is retiring after 25 years. Superintendent Ella Musser recognized middle school eighth-graders for their elective projects. Because this month is School Board Recognition Month, Musser announced that school library books will be purchased in honor of the boards support of community education.

When a parent has a question: The Rev. Kevin Eshleman, board president, asked that parents with educational questions follow the prescribed chain of command from teacher to principal to board.

Delinquent taxes: The 160 properties delinquent in school tax payments will be referred to the Lancaster County Tax Claim Bureau. The county bureau can accept installment payment of back taxes which the school district cannot.
Baltimore City firefighters salute as an ambulance carries the body of Lt. Paul Butrim from the scene of a vacant row house fire on S. Stricker Street. Four firefighters were trapped in a collapse while fighting the fire Monday morning. Three have died and a fourth is in critical condition. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward for information about a man they called a person of interest in an investigation into the rowhouse fire that killed three Baltimore firefighters and injured a fourth Monday.

The original $10,000 reward grew to $100,000 by Saturday with pledges from the state of Maryland, local officials and firefighters.

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The agencys Baltimore field office is investigating the cause of the fire that burned through a vacant rowhome in Southwest Baltimores Mt. Clare neighborhood.

Baltimore City Fire Department Lieutenants Paul Butrim and Kelsey Sadler and paramedic/firefighter Kenny Lacayo were killed when the building collapsed, making the blaze one of the deadliest for firefighters in city history. EMT/firefighter John McMaster also was caught in the collapse and seriously injured, but he was rescued quickly and, after several days at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, returned home Thursday.

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Investigators have not yet determined a cause of origin of the blaze, but are seeking a person of interest, ATF spokeswoman Amanda Hils said Friday.

ATF is offering a $10,000 reward for info that leads to the identification of this person of interest in the case of the Jan. 24 fire on South Stricker Street that killed three Baltimore firefighters. (ATF handout)

Pledges from the state of Maryland, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and two local firefighter unions brings the total reward offered to $100,000.

Scott said he was matching the original $10,000 reward so that we can bring justice to the families of the fearless men and women ... we lost this week.

Olszewski echoed the sentiment, saying: Baltimore County is matching this $10,000 reward in support of efforts to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this act to justice.

Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 and Baltimore Fire Officers IAFF Local 964 announced a $10,000 pledge each to the ATF award on Saturday.

After the reward grew to $50,000 by late Saturday morning, the state of Maryland said theyd double the total to $100,000.

We urge anyone with tips or information regarding the person of interest to contact federal or state authorities, said Gov. Larry Hogan in a statement Saturday.

Hogan added: I want to thank all Marylanders for the tremendous outpouring of support for our firefighters and their loved ones.

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We are looking for information on an individual who may be connected to the fire at 205 South Stricker Street. I am matching the reward offered by @ATFBaltimore, so that we can bring justice to the families of the fearless men and women of @baltimorefire that we lost this week. https://t.co/c8uJwOXPZS  Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) January 28, 2022

The ATF said the man was captured on surveillance cameras around the scene of the fire on S. Stricker Street the evening before the fire occurred.

The brave men and women of the Baltimore City Fire Department are always ready to respond when the people of Baltimore need them, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr. said in a statement. Now it is our time to be there for them when they need us.

Anyone with information about the person being sought or the fire is asked to call investigators at 888-ATF-TIPS or by emailing ATFtips@atf.gov. The agency also is seeking photos and video of the fire.

Baltimore Sun reporter Jessica Anderson contributed to this article.
When: Manheim Central school board meeting, Jan. 24.

What happened: The board approved a resolution not to exceed the districts Act 1 index of a 3.4%, the maximum real estate tax allowed by the state for the 2022-23 school year without an exception or voter referendum.

Background: Chief Financial Officer Bryan Howett said Manheim Central has never raised the districts millage rate above the index.

Preliminary budget: Howett reviewed preliminary numbers for the 2022-23 budget. Based on preliminary numbers, if the district were to increase taxes the maximum of 3.4%, the district would face a shortfall of $2.06 million. He told board members to not panic at the deficit amount because both income and expense numbers will change in the next few months as the district receives more concrete information.

Whats next: The board will take action on the final 2022-23 budget at the June 20 meeting.

Career & Technology Center budget: The board approved its share of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Centers 2022-23 budget. The districts contribution to the operating budget is expected to be $981,083; up from $931,156 in 2021-22. Manheim Central will contribute $78,036 toward the CTCs debt service. Howett said the district has 143 students enrolled in CTC programs.

Public comment: Two residents expressed concern about recent requests to ban certain books from school libraries. Both Terrie Eshleman and Genevieve Zercher said the board should not ban books. Eshleman said school board members are elected public officials and need to represent the views of their community, not their personal ideologies. She pointed out that in 1982, the US Supreme Court ruled in Island Trees School District vs. Pico that school boards cannot remove books because they do not agree with them, describing libraries as spaces for voluntary inquiry. Zercher said the school board should refrain from considering the validity of school library materials without a transparent formal process as outlined by the American Library Association.

Quotables: Eshleman said, The courts have told public officials at all levels that they may take community standards into account when deciding whether materials are obscene or pornographic and thus subject to censor. However, they cannot censor publications by generally accepted authors to placate a small segment of the community. I ask this school board to rebuff any calls to remove books from our school libraries. Zercher said, Librarians are trained to curate a collection of materials for all the people in the community, not just those who are the loudest, not just those who may be in a majority group. A perspective that one family finds objectionable may be just the perspective that another learner needs to see. If I must trust anyone with the best interests of my child, it would be the trained librarians and learning facilitators who interact with my child on a daily basis; the professionals who know my child and her needs and abilities. That is why we have hired them. We need to allow them to do their jobs without political interference.

High School renovation: Jeff Straub of Crabtree Rohrbaugh Associates presented an update on the $55 million multi-year high school renovation project. He said the project is about 22% complete and is on track to meet the July 2024 completion date.
Each day, we read and hear of many more children and adults contracting COVID-19, especially with the surge of the omicron variant.

It is very clear that most of this could have been avoided through widespread vaccination, the use of quality masks and social distancing. This certainly is true for public and private schools in the country.

The recent issues in schools regarding the virus and its variants clearly warrant closer attention. Noisy and aggressive parents and others have pressured and threatened local school board members and administrators to force schools to open regularly  while ignoring all we know about the virus.

Most schools have relaxed their standards and vigilance, allowing unprotected or inadequately protected students to attend schools with other students, causing COVID-19 infections to increase rapidly.

It seems to many that fully open schools and online learning are the only two options.

As a person who has been the chair of the education departments at two local colleges  Franklin & Marshall and Elizabethtown  my experience offers an alternative for those districts that have been forced to put all students together in schools.

It has long been a pattern in American education to assign students to classroom areas based on their inherent characteristics and needs. The pandemic has just added another set of characteristics to be considered.

I and my teacher education and content faculty colleagues have observed student teachers weekly in many schools within our four-county area. I have even flown to South Dakota several times to monitor student teachers at the Pierre Indian Learning Center there. (I obviously did not visit them weekly.) Our visits were to see how well our instruction served these students and to work with them, their teachers and building administrators on optimizing their interactions and instruction. Virtually all schools we visited have more than one classroom at each grade level. Some have many more.

Districts should assign students to those classrooms based on their vaccination status and on their willingness to abide by masking and distancing standards. As many classrooms as needed should be reserved for those students whose parents are not willing to care for them fully.

In smaller districts, students could be assigned to other schools where these special classrooms have been established. The classrooms should be isolated as much as possible, in wings or floors of the building, from those classrooms serving other students. The isolated students should be kept separate for busing, lunch, recess and other group activities.

Perhaps students who do not enjoy such limitations might begin to move beyond the care their parents have given them, so that they can move to a protected classroom.

Knowing the dedication of teachers as I do, Im confident that enough teachers could be found to deal with the isolated students, even if they are not necessarily excited about doing so. Special attention would need to be made for distancing and classroom barriers, but I know they could make it work.

Whatever we do, we should not mix students together to spread the all-too-serious dangers. In-class instruction very clearly is to be preferred for student academic and personal growth, but students should not have to become infected to get it. We all should be smarter than this, and we should act in appropriate ways.

Classroom assignment based on student history and behavior is an excellent way to do this, and it can quite easily be handled efficiently and effectively. We just need to do it as soon as possible, so that our schools can function safely.

Terry W. Blue, Ph.D., is an Elizabethtown College emeritus professor of education.
THE ISSUE

As LNP | LancasterOnlines Dan Nephin reported Wednesday, Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized firearms from a Leacock Township property earlier this month and an Amish farmer at the property acknowledged selling guns without a federal firearms license. No criminal charges have been filed so far in the matter, and ATF sources provided little information. LNP | LancasterOnline learned of the raid from a tip.

As far as Lancaster County news stories go, this was a strange one.

A local Amish farmer is being investigated for selling guns.

Im not going to deny that I was selling some, Reuben King said Tuesday.

As Nephin reported, the gun sales were not advertised and King does not know how they drew the ATFs attention.

ATF agents, as part of ongoing investigation, executed an enforcement operation at the Cattail Foundry and seized evidence Jan. 12, bureau spokesperson Robert Cucinotta said Monday.

The foundry  an iron-casting business  is located on the King property. But it has nothing to do with the firearms sales, King told Nephin.

He said the guns taken by the ATF were part of his personal collection.

King declined to say how many guns he had or sold, but that more than 600  which is what a tipster told LNP  didnt sound right, Nephin noted.

Someone selling guns ought to know just how many guns he has or had sold, and to whom. Selling guns isnt like selling eggs at a roadside farm stand. Or at least it shouldnt be.

King was interviewed in his cow-filled barn as he swept the barns concrete floor. This is my business: Im a dairyman, he told Nephin.

He said he primarily sold long guns to the Amish for hunting, though he acknowledged selling some to non-Amish people, too.

I was not dealing in handguns, positively not, he said.

As Nephin reported, Federal laws require photo identification when purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer. The Amish contend their religious beliefs prevent them from being photographed, so they cannot buy a firearm from a licensed dealer. However, private sellers dont have to require the buyer to present photo identification.

We mean no disrespect to the Amish faith and its beliefs and practices regarding photography. But weve long maintained that all firearms sales  including sales of long guns  ought to be handled by licensed dealers and be subject to background checks. (Pennsylvania law requires background checks on handgun sales, but not on private sales of long guns by unlicensed sellers.)

In our view, no matter who you are, you shouldnt be allowed to buy a gun without a background check. And you shouldnt be regularly selling firearms without a license.

A document on the ATF website explains clearly why the licensing of firearms dealers is essential: Licensed gun dealers are critical partners in promoting public safety because  among other things  they help keep firearms out of the hands of prohibited persons by running background checks on potential firearms purchasers, (and) ensure that crime guns can be traced back to their first retail purchaser by keeping records of transactions.

This isnt government control. This is government service in the aim of keeping all of us safe  including law enforcement officers, who too often find themselves harmed by illegal guns.

King pointed out that the government cant tell him how many guns a person may sell or over what time frame before a license is required.

This is true, Nephin reported. He cited the 15-page document posted to the bureaus site and titled, Do I need a license to buy and sell firearms? It states that the federal Gun Control Act requires that persons who are engaged in the business of dealing in firearms be licensed by the bureau.

Determining whether you are engaged in the business of dealing in firearms requires looking at the specific facts and circumstances of your activities, the document states, noting that no federal law sets a bright-line rule for when a federal firearms license is required.

The ATF document says that, as a general rule, a person will need a license if you repetitively buy and sell firearms with the principal motive of making a profit.

Well leave it to federal prosecutors to decide whether Kings activities fit that description. (The sentence for dealing in firearms without a license is up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, or both.)

Whatever happens, we thank the ATF for working to keep our community safe.


Scientists say genetic testing of baby whales and their mothers can provide better information about endangered whales.

They say more detailed genetic information could increase the chances of saving whales from disappearing.

Researchers from the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts, published their findings in Mammalian Biology.

The researchers studied the North Atlantic right whale. It is easily identified by hard, white markings on parts of its skin. The animal is mainly dark-gray in color.

The whales are critically endangered. This means that the whales have a high risk of disappearing. There are fewer than 340 North Atlantic right whales in the world. Their numbers have decreased in recent years because of a high death rate and poor reproduction.

The researchers studied information about the whales going back many years. They found they had more success following the animals survival, growth rates, and life history when they had genetic information from the whales.

The scientists studied 13 baby right whales, called calves, that were identified by genetic information. They were able to find the age of 12 of the whales and identify 11 of the whales mothers. They even found that four whales, believed to be dead, were still alive.

Philip Hamilton is a senior scientist at the New England Aquariums Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. He is also the lead scientist of the study.

Right whales have long been tracked using images. Hamilton said the history of those images is important. But it is even more useful when combined with genetic information.

The more accurate the information, the better our conservation measures can be targeted, Hamilton said. He said using better information means it is easier for scientists to understand the whales and easier to save them.

Right whales were once found in great numbers near the East Coast of North America. But, their numbers sharply fell after being hunted as a resource. The whales are now at risk of being struck by ships and being trapped in fishing equipment. New fishing restrictions are aimed at protecting the whales.

Regina Asmutis-Silvia is a biologist and executive director of the non-profit group Whale and Dolphin Conservation North America. She said scientists still have a lot to learn about the whales. She added that genetic information can help scientists learn more.

Asmutis-Silvia was not involved in the study. However, she said that using only images or tracking sounds provides information about one moment, not a complete picture of how the whale is.

For example, the researchers learned that it is possible for mother right whales to be seen without their calves at feeding areas for short periods of time.

The study noted that in the past, if mothers were seen feeding without their calves, the calves were believed to have died.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Patrick Whittle reported his story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

tracked adj. following something (such as an animal) to try to find out more about it

accurate adj. free from mistakes or errors

conservation n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources

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War kept Naseer Shamma away from his homeland of Iraq for years. Now, the famous musician hopes to rebuild his country with performances and projects to support culture and education.

Shamma performed last week at the Iraqi National Theater. The crowd was on their feet cheering as Shamma played classic Iraqi and modern songs. He played with an orchestra, as well as young women musicians, who played traditional instruments.

We will work on lighting the stage, to get out of the darkness into the light, he told the crowd.

The 59-year-old Shamma is considered a master oud player. The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument similar to a lute. The instrument is central to Arabic music.

Born in the southern city of Kut, he received his first oud lesson at the age of 11. He later graduated from the Baghdad Academy of Music in 1987.

He fled Iraq in 1993 during Saddam Husseins dictatorship. He eventually gained international fame, performing around the world, and receiving many awards. In Cairo, he started the House of the Oud, a school for teaching the instrument to new generations.

Shamma currently lives in Berlin, Germany. He returned to Iraq for the first time in 2012 for a performance supported by the Arab League. He said he was shocked and felt great sadness to see what had become of his country. Iraq had been through repeated war and violence after the U.S.-led war that defeated Saddam.

He returned several times since, most recently in 2017. At that time Iraq was torn apart in its battle with Islamic State group militants who had captured much of the north.

This was Shammas first time back to a country mostly at peace. But it is in the middle of an economic crisis. He said the city is more at ease and the audience more responsive.

The audiences artistic taste had changed as a result of wars, but last night it was similar to the audiences of the 80s. I felt as if it was in an international concert like one in Berlin, Shamma said after a recent performance. It was the first of four concerts he is holding in Baghdad this month.

The concerts aim to bring attention to Iraqs worsening education system. The education system has suffered under years of conflict, government carelessness and corruption.

The World Bank says that education levels in Iraq are now among the lowest in the Middle East and North Africa. They were once considered one of the highest in the area. Money gained from the concerts will go toward improving the Music and Ballet School in Baghdad.

In Iraq, there are still schools made of mud, and students dont have desks, they sit on the floor, Shamma said. Education is the solution and answer for the future of Iraq.

Shamma is known for using his fame to support causes that help people, children, and art. A few years ago, he led an effort that rebuilt 21 destroyed main squares in Baghdad. He is also a UNESCO peace ambassador.

Shamma said he hopes he can return to Iraq permanently soon. He has several other projects in mind for the countrys reconstruction.

Fatima Mohammed, a 55-year-old Iraqi woman, attended the Friday concert. She said the event was a message to everyone that Baghdad will never die.

I felt as I witnessed the women playing that Baghdad is fine and will return despite all the pain that we carry with us, she said.

I will come tomorrow also to listen to music, it gives me hope in life.

Im Dan Novak.

The Associated Press reported this story. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

orchestra  n. a group of musicians who play usually classical music together and who are led by a conductor

master  n. a person who has become very skilled at doing something

responsive  adj. reacting in a desired or positive way

audience  n. a group of people who gather together to listen to something

concert  n. a public performance of music

mud  n. soft, wet dirt


The United States Supreme Court has agreed to review a legal effort aiming to overturn the consideration of race in college admissions. The courts ruling could affect affirmative action policies used to increase diversity at American colleges.

Affirmative action is a set of policies designed to end unlawful discrimination. It is also used to help people in a group that has been discriminated against in the past.

The nations highest court said Monday that it will hear the appeal by a group called Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The group is founded by Edward Blum. He has worked for many years to fight against racial consideration in the college admission process.

The SFFA accused the universities of discriminating against applicants based on race in violation of federal law or the U.S. Constitution. It claimed Harvard has discriminated against Asian Americans with higher test scores and chosen to admit Black and Hispanic students with lower grades.

But Harvard said the school only considers race in a way that earlier Supreme Court cases have permitted. Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement that its admission policy produces a more diverse student body which strengthens the learning environment for all.

The university also noted that its share of Asian Americans has grown in recent years. Harvard reports that nearly 26 percent of the latest first-year students are Asian-American. Black students make up 16 percent and Hispanic students are 12.5 percent of the class.

Two lower courts agreed with Harvards argument and ruled that while its admission policy is not perfect, it is constitutional. The decisions were based on 40 years of Supreme Court rulings related to affirmative action.

Affirmative action rulings

The Supreme Court first ruled in 1978 that race could be considered in college admission. But the decision banned the Medical School of the University of California at Davis from establishing racial quotas. In other words, schools cannot set aside a percentage or number of students for admission based on race alone.

The high court again ruled in 2003 that the University of Michigans law school could consider race in its admission process to create a diverse educational environment."

In the latest filing, Edward Blum and the SFFA asked the court to overturn its own 2003 ruling in the University of Michigan case known as Grutter v. Bollinger. It is the second time that Blum has tried to appeal the court to end the consideration of race in college admission.

In 2016, Blum and others asked the court to review the admission policy of the University of Texas at Austin. But the court followed its earlier decisions and ruled that the use of race in the university's admissions efforts was constitutional.

What has changed?

Since 2016, two of the justices who voted to support the use of affirmative action in college admission are no longer on the court.

The addition of three new justices, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett has greatly expanded the courts conservative majority. And the upcoming retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer is not expected to change its make-up.

The administration of former President Donald Trump had backed Blums case against Harvard. It also filed legal action alleging discrimination against Asian American and white people at Yale University.

But the administration of President Joe Biden recently dropped the case against Yale. It also urged the Supreme Court to stay away from the case against Harvard and UNC and asked the court not to take the extraordinary step of overruling the 2003 decision.

The Supreme Court will review the Harvard and UNC cases later this year and issue a ruling sometime in 2023.

A striking out of affirmative action will certainly be devastating to Black applicants. It will be very, very harmful to Latinx applicants.

That is Kevin Brown, a professor at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University.

Brown said affirmative action enabled Black students like him to go to law school at Yale in the early 1980s. It helped white students to learn new ideas from Black students in discussion groups. Some of these law students who got to know Black students for the first time are now lawyers, professors, and judges, he said.

What youre also taking away from the white students is this multicultural background, which means when they become the decision-makers of our society, they are most likely to make some very bad decisions because they dont have enough experience dealing with the different races and ethnicities and cultures that exist in the U.S.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting by Reuters, the Associated Press, and his interview with Indiana Universitys Brown.

What do you think the Supreme Court will decide about Affirmative Action? Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - US High Court to Review Race Consideration in College Admission Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

diverse  adj. different from each other

applicant  n. someone who asks for something, like a job or entrance to a college

allege  v. to state something without proof

devastate  v. to destroy something or cause great damage

grade  n. a number or letter that shows how a student performed on a test or in a class

quota  n. an official limit on the number of things or people that is allowed

latinx  adj. a way of describing people who are of Latin American or Hispanic identity in the U.S. without using a gender
In an increasingly online world where everything is digitized, more and more people are starting to wish they had not thrown away the physical
Still, at the current rate of three bridges annually, it will take 900 years to replace the 2,750 bridges in the state system.
Theres a Baltimore destination that goes one better than the phrase shop local  Hermans Discount in Waverly. At this quirky emporium, what many shoppers carry home has a Baltimore edge to it.

This Greenmount Avenue shop is the go-to place for highly specific school shirts and caps. The crucial uniform components for many Baltimore City Schools students are embroidered upstairs, above a main floor that spreads out like an eclectic shopping bazaar.

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Outerwear is a huge part of kids fashions, said the owner, Ricky Ralph Herman. Its our job to make it cool, so theyll want to wear them.

Ricky Herman, owner of Hermans Discount on Greenmount Avenue, chats with customer Camira Black, a 9th grader at City College. The sale of school uniforms is a large part of his business, but survival during the pandemic depended on the sale of other clothing and household items. His business also produces custom embroidery and silk-screening for school and team uniforms. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

Making a school uniform appealing might seem like an uphill assignment. Hermans job is to take knit polo or button down Oxford shirts and blouses, generally made overseas, and imprint or embroider a local school brand on them.

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To that end, Herman has a bank of automated machines whirring in a compact space one flight up from his sales floor. Bolts of colored thread coupled with flying needles stitch out Poly Engineers, City College Knights and Mervo Mustangs along with the names of elementary schools like Govans and Montebello. Theres a shirt thats been silk screened for the Belair Edison neighborhood.

Taveon Harmon, 9 and his sister, Mimi Harmon, 7, of Govans, rest by a display of school uniforms while their mother, Siara N. Daye shops at Hermans Discount, a variety and clothing store on Greenmount Avenue in Waverly. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

The schools logos and names also find their way on hoodies, caps and sweatshirts.

It was 1998 when the extended Herman family decided to take a chance on Greenmount Avenue.

Herman, 45, was born in Trinidad and Tobago. His father owned a grocery and liquor store there and the family came to Baltimore in 1993.

Hermans dream was to become a physician. He earned a degree at Towson University and worked at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in its blood lab to gain experience.

The more I pounded the books and studied and studied, I realized how hard it was going to be, he said. So my father was operating his own store, formerly a Princess Shops, on East Monument Street and it was time for me to do something when I graduated.

There was a family conclave. They found a vacant storefront, a largish double wide retail space. It was not promising. The old Beckers clothing shop closed in 1995. Its premises didnt have much to offer.

Even the Provident Bank across the street had closed, Herman said.

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But he never looked back, cleaning out the old interior and bringing in goods  shower curtains, cleaning supplies, adhesive bandages, a few toys and everyday clothing.

To this he added his extended family. He works alongside his wife, Aarti, and his mother, Alexandra. His sons, Raja and Kiran, are being groomed to join the venture.

Donnisha Booth is one of the operators of the embroidery machines located on the second floor of Hermans Discount, a variety and clothing store on Greenmount Avenue. The business produces custom embroidery and silk-screening for school and team uniforms. She is monitoring a machine that is embroidering Western Doves on hoodies for Western High School. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

One shopper, Sandy Waters, said: I love the place. Any little thing I need, Ill find it there. And Hermans support for the school system is incredible.

She said she likes shopping in a family-operated business, one that reminds her of an old fashioned F. W. Woolworths.

My goal is to get my two sons, my boys, totally immersed here, said Herman, who is enthusiastic about the Baltimore school system.

While he initially sent his two sons to the Saint Pius X School on York Road, he later enrolled them in public high schools.

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Hermans Discount produces custom embroidery and silk-screening for school and team uniforms, including this hoodie for City College. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

City College offered my son Raja a real, real education, Herman said. He met people from all walks of life. I wanted him to stay humble and stay grounded.

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Raja Herman recently created Hermans Discount website and a New York City school recently placed an order for custom embroidered shirts.

Herman laughs a bit about the interior of his business, the part shoppers see.

People tell me its a bit chaotic, he said. The shirts are next to the boxes of toilet seats, which are next to the computer mouse pads.

His office is no larger than a closet and he struggles to find inventory because of supply chain issues.

You might be able to find some small and extra larges, but no mediums. Its crazy outright, he said.

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Herman said that while much of his stock is intended for students, certain high schools, like City College, have graduates who remain faithful to the school colors, blazing Oriole orange and jet black.

City College has a crazy loyal alumni, Herman said. Theyll pay $250 for a premium leather jacket.
LEXINGTON  Congressman Adrian Smith made a visit to Lexington on Tuesday, Jan. 25 and toured the Dawson Area Development TIE Center, Central Community College and visited with community members.

Smiths tour started out in Central Community College where Regional Director Amy Hill showed the Congressman the different types of classrooms on site, as well as the new mechatronics lab.

In 2019 the City of Lexington began the process of renovating a space in the Dawson County Opportunity Center to create a space for working labs for electrical and motor type classes, with the goal of providing people with trade skills for positions which require this knowledge.

Josh Brant is an instructor with CCC and told Smith there are three different rooms in the training space, one devoted to pneumatics and motor type work and the other is focused on electrical applications.

Brant himself has worked in the Columbus area in the past before returning to college and taking mechatronics classes. After two years in the program he was offered the position of teaching in the training space in Lexington.

Pneumatics is a branch of engineering that makes use of gas or pressurized air. Pneumatic systems used in industry are commonly powered by compressed air or compressed inert gases.

Brant showed Smith a station where students had been working and what they were able to accomplish with the correct wiring and compressed air.

With the electrics, the students are working with various schematics and learning the basics of hook ups, and how to wire stop and start functions.

Tyson employees have been using the space to bring them up to speed on the different types of mechanical and electrical processes that are used in the plant.

In the mornings at 8 a.m. the group comes in to learn hands on until 12 p.m. when they go over to Tyson to work and learn how the knowledge will be applied at the plant itself.

After the CCC tour, Smith crossed the building to the Dawson Area Developments (DAD) Training, Innovation and Entrepreneur (TIE) Center.

The TIE Center includes a co-working space for entrepreneurs, remote workers and small businesses or nonprofits to use an office at an affordable level. Workspace is provided along with office amenities like fiber internet, a large copier/printer, kitchenette and large meeting room fully setup with AV capabilities.

The meeting room which holds approximately 16 people is also available for community organizations to use for free. The TIE Center includes a makerspace which includes equipment such as 3D printers, laser printer, robotic arm, vinyl cutter, etc.

Smith then sat down and met with Lexington community residents hearing their concerns and thoughts.

DAD Assistant Director Scott Foster brought up the lack of child care in Lexington and that 800 children have been identified to be without access to child care. He mentioned the City of Lexington, Tyson, and Lexington Public Schools are getting on board to help find a solution.

Smith asked how much employer based child care there was in Lexington, Foster said, very little.

Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather Heinemann said there is also a lack of housing, which compounds the issues when trying to bring new people to the workforce in town.

On the healthcare front, Lexington Regional Health Center Executive Director of Human Resources and Physician Liaison Jill Denker mentioned the challenges faced by health care employees during the pandemic and the extra pressure created by the vaccine mandate on those workers.

If hospital providers are good enough to dispense medical advice, they should be good enough and well prepared and equipped to decide what is best on the vaccine for the community, Smith said, I get very discouraged at the federal government questioning medical professionals decisions.

KRVN News Director Dave Schroeder asked Smith his thoughts about the ongoing situation with Russia and the Ukraine.

The situation has been ongoing since 2014, primarily involving Russia and pro-Russian forces on one side and Ukraine supported by NATO and the European Union on the other.

A decision by Kremlin-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to reject an association agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Moscow led to mass protests that saw him removed as leader in 2014.

Russia responded by annexing Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and throwing its weight behind a separatist rebellion that broke out in Ukraines east.

NATO, fearing a ground invasion by Russia, has stepped up support by sending additional troops and equipment to the Ukraine. Moscow for its part claims its actions are necessary to secure its interests in the region and blames NATO for undermining the regions security.

Moscow doesnt want Ukraine in the NATO alliance and sent a list of security demands to the United States last December. One of the major goals is getting NATO to withdraw from Eastern Europe, long under Russian influence dating back to the days of the Russian Empire.

Smith said the fact western Europe is expressing the concerns they have about the situation speaks volumes and the United States will have to stay firm, but what those actions look like is unknown at the moment.

When asked what would happen if Russia decides to force the issue using their military, Smith said he cannot speak for the President, the Commander-in-Chief, but options need to be kept on the table but said it is not his desire to send troops.

He said the fact Russia is so adamant about Ukraine not become a part of NATO, speaks volumes on its own. That they would apparently feel threatened by that, Smith said, When NATO is not the aggressor.

When asked if Russia would act out of fear, Smith said he thinks Russia wants to maintain a strong position, especially with former Soviet republics, many who have had a taste of freedom since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Smith was asked about the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and said some of the physical damage is still being fixed. Whats not patched up is, how do we prepare moving forward, he said.

He said the Speaker of the House is ultimately in charge of the Capitol Police and he said there were failures that day. Smith said the first thing that needs to be done is to plan for the future and prevent it from happening again.

He was also asked about the partisanship and rancor that is defining politics in Washington D.C., Smith said politics can still be an exchange of ideas, rooted in respect.

When disrespect is perpetrated, things fall apart, Smith said.
LEXINGTON In 2020, healthcare workers were hailed as heroes on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. Two years later and the well-wishing signs may be gone, but healthcare workers have perseverated through several surges of the virus.

In an effort to combat compassion fatigue and burnout, Lexington Regional Health Center is providing self-care seminars for its staff members on how to better understand compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, moral distress, etc.,

Chief Operating Officer and Clinic Administrator Kirsten Faessler told the LRHC board during their Tuesday meeting the seminars are being provided through-out January and February.

Compassion fatigue, put simply, is a condition characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion leading to a diminished ability to emphasize or feel compassion for others, often described as the negative cost of providing care.

Faessler read an email, sent by CEO Leslie Marsh to LRHC employees regarding the situation and training.

The email said in part, The past 18 months have been incredibly challenging and have left many feeling completely spent. As caregivers, we have all been hit especially hardall of you have spent countless hours caring for people with COVID-19.

Director of Social Services Kristina Messersmith said the training is specifically tailored toward healthcare. The training will help LRHC staff identify the signs of compassion fatigue within themselves, providing coping skills and teach leaders how to help employees who may be dealing with fatigue, burnout or other situations.

I think its going to be a great thing to learn how to deal with the emotions and how we as a facility can be supportive of each other, Messersmith said.

CEO Marsh spoke to the board about LRHC compliance when it came to the United States Supreme Court upholding a federal vaccine mandate Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) healthcare workers.

Marsh said the LRHC pharmacy is working with those who have not yet gotten a vaccine dose and are interested to get one by the deadline of Feb. 14 and the second by March 15 per the CMS mandate for our state.

Director of Finance Tara Naprstek told the board the CMS mandate was quite broad when it came to the definition of employee. It includes volunteers, students, board members, people of organizations hospitals may contract with for services, etc.; it goes well beyond people employed by LRHC.

Naprstek said they have reached out to those individuals about what the requirements are going forward.

Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations Brenna Bartruff gave her marketing update to the board and LRHC continues to use social media to reach the community, inform them of changes and let them know what is going on at the hospital.

Bartruff said the wellness lab screenings are returning and are available by appointment starting on Wednesday, Feb. 9, they offer complete blood counts, lipid panel and complete metabolic panel. Other tests include thyroid, prostate for men, diabetes and Vitamin D.

LRHC employees have also volunteered their time at the Majestic Theater recently. Bartruff noted that this is a great, fun way to give back to our community and allows employees to bring their family as well.

Chief Financial Officer Wade Eschenbrenner presented the financial report to the board saying November and December had a high volume of activity, owing to COVID-19, seasonal illnesses and year end surgeries being scheduled.

Looking at the year, Eschenbrenner noted their first quarter was slower, while activity picked up in the second.

The board approved appointments and reappointments for January, they included:

Andrew Lundstrom, APRN

Ashley Lundstrom, APRN

Ayodale Odulate, MD

Azariah Kirubakaran, MD

Christy Nickels, APRN

David Kiple, MD

Gordon Still, MD

Jennifer Dwyer, APRN

John Ray, MD

Jose Mayorquin, MD

Joseph Kummer, MD

Justin Thankachan, MD

Matthew Johnson, MD

Melinda Barratt, DO

Richard Koefoot, MD

Roger Wells, PA-C

Sara Hargreaves, MD

Serena Schweitzer, APRN

Shane Kohl, MD

Todd Kumm, MD

Troy Kluthe, CRNA

William Ingham, MD

After the regular meeting, the board entered executive session to discuss contracts; no action was taken after the session was adjourned.
It seems to be a striking proposal: That Nebraska could use eminent domain in Colorado and build a canal that diverts water from the South Platte River for irrigation in Nebraska.

But the idea  floated earlier this month by Gov. Pete Ricketts and other Nebraska officials  is laid out in a compact agreed to by the two states and approved by Congress almost 100 years ago.

Nebraska officials want to invoke the 1923 South Platte River Compact to build that canal and a reservoir system, and ensure Nebraska continues receiving water that they say is at risk as the population on Colorados Front Range booms.

But with a $500 million estimated price tag, a history of failed attempts, confusion from Colorado, the potential for lawsuits and a stream of unknown details, one fundamental question hangs over the proposal: Would it be worth it?

Canal idea predates compact

Even in communications between Delph Carpenter, who negotiated the compact for Colorado, and then-Nebraska Gov. Samuel McKelvie, the canal project was referred to as old.

The old Perkins County canal was projected in the early (1890s) with the object of diverting water from the South Platte some miles above Julesburg, within the State of Colorado, for the irrigation of lands in Nebraska lying south of the river and particularly of that beautiful area of land in Perkins County between Ogallala (sic) and Grant, a 1921 letter from Carpenter reads.

Construction efforts started in 1891, according to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. But it was abandoned because of financial troubles.

Remnants of the abandoned ditch are still visible near Julesburg.

Another effort to pursue the canal, this time by the North Platte-based Twin Platte Natural Resources District, was derailed in the 1980s because it didnt comply with requirements of the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act.

The compact, borne out of a desire to resolve litigation, is more than the canal.

It currently entitles Nebraska to up to 120 cubic feet per second of water between April 1 and Oct. 15. Brian Dunnigan, who served as Nebraskas director of natural resources from 2008 to 2015 and spent over 30 years with the department, said he and other directors had always been very aware of the compact and its provisions.

We made sure that Nebraska was getting what Nebraska was entitled to under the provisions of the compact, he said.

Current director Tom Riley told The World-Herald that flows drop below 120 cfs nearly every year at times. When it happens, Nebraska calls Colorado and it addresses the issue by limiting its users who are subject to the compact.

Another part of the compact would allow Nebraska to also claim water outside that growing season  provided theres a canal.

The canal could run from near Ovid, Colorado, east near the route of the abandoned Perkins County Canal, it says. And Nebraska could buy land or even use eminent domain to make it happen.

With such a canal, the state would be entitled to divert 500 cfs for irrigation between Oct. 15 and April 1.

However, data from the Julesburg gage suggests Nebraska has been getting about that much from Colorado for the past 10 years of record during the nonirrigation season, Riley said. The goal of the project would be to keep it that way.

Asked how the state would avoid what happened in the 80s, Riley pointed out that was 40 years ago. And, as he understands it, those proponents chose not to try to comply with endangered species requirements.

For us, such compliance and meeting those conditions  thats just a foregone conclusion in the design process. This is just what we do, he said.

Colorado disputes Nebraskas rationale

In revealing his desire to resurrect the plan, Ricketts earlier this month sounded alarm bells that without the project, agriculture, drinking water across the state, power generation and the environment could be affected.

After our people, water is the greatest natural resource that we have in our state, Ricketts said at a news conference, where he announced he would seek $500 million from the Legislature to pursue the project.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and the states Department of Natural Resources said they learned of the situation the same day Ricketts announced it publicly.

We hope to more fully understand Nebraskas concerns and goals, as so far those concerns and goals are quite simply hard to make sense of, Polis said in a statement.

Since then, officials havent shared a vision of an exact route for the newly proposed Perkins County Canal, nor details of the reservoir system it would feed into.

Despite its colloquial name, the canal wouldnt be located in Perkins County, according to the governors office. It could be on or close to the countys northern border, though.

The general manager of the Twin Platte Natural Resources District, Kent Miller, has been promoting the project for over 25 years.

I think its absolutely critical. And I've thought this for over 25 years: That it was critical that Nebraska utilize this provision of the compact, he said. And basically, finally, the governor is doing it.

The impetus for doing this now: Ricketts cited projects in Colorado and said the states long-term goals could deplete flows on the South Platte River by 90%.

He referenced nearly 300 announced projects set to cost about $10 billion, referring to a list of projects identified through Colorados local roundtable process, based in river watersheds.

The process feeds into the statewide Colorado Water Plan.

Polis said Ricketts comments seemed to reflect a misunderstanding of that process.

These ideas should not be taken as formally approved projects that will be implemented, and all are subject to major conversations, including with Nebraska, he said.

The projects in that list arent guaranteed funding and many havent begun any permitting process, according to Colorado Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Chris Arend.

Ninety-eight of the projects are in process or complete, according to Sara Leonard, spokesperson for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. But not all are construction projects. Some are water conservation projects, she said, and environment and recreation enhancements.

Joe Frank, a roundtable member and general manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District in Colorado, said he hadnt sorted through how many of the projects would even affect the flow of the river, but said that many of them would not.

As for Nebraskas assessment that flows could be restricted by 90%, he cant understand how that figures.

A Nebraska Department of Resources fact sheet features that projection. That sheet shows the 90% was inferred from a 2017 Colorado report on water storage options along the South Platte to capture flows that would usually leave Colorado in excess of the minimum legally required amounts.

But Frank said that level of restriction could never actually happen.

Were at the tail end of the river here and depend on those flows.  We would never allow that to happen  Colorados own water law would prevent that development upstream to impact our flows here, let alone the state line, by 90%, he said.

Dollars and sense

Theres a long list of steps before the interstate canal could become a reality. Theres legal analysis to be done, engineering, permitting, endangered species considerations and more.

But Riley said the first step is securing funding.

Ricketts is asking for $500 million in his budget proposal for the project, which he said would develop over a number of years. The half-billion may not be enough to finish it, he said.

Of that, $400 million would be transferred from the states cash reserve fund into a new Perkins County Canal Project Fund in the Department of Natural Resources, and $100 million would come from Nebraskas allocation of federal pandemic relief money in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Ricketts office said that funding request was based on historical information, including a 1982 engineering study from the Bureau of Reclamation.

More important than the straight cost estimate, though, may be another question: Would the water Nebraska actually gets out of this be worth the cost?

Anthony Schutz, a law professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Dave Aiken, longtime water and agricultural law specialist at UNL, both pointed out its uncertain how much water Nebraska could get out of such a canal.

The price tag is very high for this kind of project, Schutz said. The likes of which we havent seriously considered building for a very long time.  So it requires, I think, a significant inquiry into: What, exactly, are we going to get out of this?

Colorado would have dibs on some water before Nebraska, even if it were to build the canal. Colorado has the right to divert the first 35,000 acre-feet of water for its own offseason storage, Aiken said, even if it cuts into what Nebraska wants to divert. (For reference, Nebraskas Calamus Reservoir currently stores about 94,000 acre-feet at 74% full.)

Schutz pointed out that there are other water users in line ahead of Nebraskas canal in the compact, too  anything on the upper part of the river, and uses in place before Dec 17, 1921.

How much water are we looking at getting in Nebraska? Aiken said. You know, is it 5,000 acre-feet a year? Is it 50,000 acre-feet a year? Is it 100,000? I mean, we really dont know. And, you know, the South Platte River is not a river with a lot of water in it.

Could canal lead to a court battle?

Theres some ambiguity in the compact, Aiken said, and people have built projects and invested in them in the years since it was signed. The states could resolve any differences by negotiation, or by litigation.

If Nebraska ends up being really serious about this, I think its inevitable theyre going to end up in court, Aiken said.

Riley, with DNR, said that Nebraskas approach will be to work collaboratively with Colorado, and that he expects Colorado to comply without a need for court action. If disagreements arent resolved, though, he said interstate compacts and conflicts like that are addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

We have a good relationship with the Colorado state engineer. And well keep that dialogue open, Riley said.

The question still remains, though: How much water would Nebraska actually get out of this? Riley didnt give an estimate, but said actual yield would vary year to year.

Were not going to necessarily get any more, we just wanna make sure we dont get any less, Riley said. Thats the real risk, right? Losing water that we already might have.
If not for Jane Does courage, former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, R-Lewiston,  a man who stands convicted of raping her and now faces spending the rest of his life in prison  would no doubt be on his way toward securing a second term representing this area in the Legislature.
Mustafa Abdullah, field director with Chesapeake Climate Action Network, double checks the number of chairs being displayed in the shadow of the Maryland State House - each representing one hundred lives lost every six hours due to climate change across the world, Jan. 12, 2022. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun) (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

As Linda Harder stated so clearly in her recent letter to the editor, Time for serious action on climate change (Jan. 23), it is time for serious action in Maryland on climate change. Several important bills are being introduced. They set more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals and promote important actions in areas like electrifying school buses and making buildings more energy efficient.

The Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act (House Bill 171/Senate Bill 126) helps in all these areas. It sets new goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions  60% by 2030 and 100% by 2040  and helps us meet them by putting a fee on fossil fuels as they come into Maryland. Leading economists have told us a price on carbon, like the one in this bill, is the most effective weapon against climate change.

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But what is done with the funds collected is vitally important. Half of the money collected would go into a benefits fund to protect low and moderate income households in Maryland and vulnerable businesses from financial harm. The other half would go into an infrastructure fund to invest in projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build the resilience of our communities. At least 50% of the infrastructure funds would be invested in projects that directly benefit environmental justice communities. Those funds would help county and municipal governments across Maryland as they make essential changes to protect the health and welfare of our people and communities.

We have no time to lose. Tell your local delegates and state senator to pass the Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act.

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Frances Stewart, Bethesda

Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.
A Santa Maria man wanted in connection to the shooting death of a 19-year-old Guadalupe man near the intersection of Lincoln and Mill streets last month was arrested in Las Vegas on Wednesday, according to police officials.
A 23-year-old Darlington High School gym teacher has been placed on leave after being charged with four felonies for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old student.

Jesse Sturtz, of Darlington, faces four counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff in Lafayette County after the student at first lied to investigators but then admitted the two had had sex on four occasions, either in a vehicle or at his home, between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15, according to a criminal complaint.

Darlington School District administrator Cale Jackson said Sturtz  a first-year drivers and physical education teacher, according to the complaint and the districts website  has been placed on leave.

Upon becoming aware of a Sheriffs Department investigation into the off-duty conduct of Mr. Sturtz, he was immediately placed on a leave of absence pending further information and decision making, Jackson said in a statement. The district is cooperating with the Sheriffs Department with respect to their investigation and will undertake its own investigation when appropriate to do so.

He declined to say whether Sturtz continues to draw his pay.

According to the criminal complaint:

The investigation began after a sheriffs deputy found Sturtz and the 17-year-old having sex in a vehicle behind a Wiota church on Jan. 15. The girl told the deputy she was 18.

A detective later met with the girl at the school, where she said she met Sturtz in September and had him as a teacher for two classes.

Over the next three months, she and Sturtz got comfortable with each other, she said, and would flirt with each other and on Dec. 12, he sent her a private message outside of school.

In the weeks that followed, theyd take drives together to get food and talk, getting take-out from places including Taco Bell and Culvers because they were worried about people seeing them in public.

The girl initially told the detective the two only had sex once, outside the Wiota church, but when the detective told her hed be requesting a warrant to search her phone, she told him theyd had sex a total of four times.

Sturtz refused to speak with investigators.

Each count against Sturtz comes with up to three years in prison and three years of extended supervision.

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A man died Saturday morning after crashing his SUV into a tree outside of Stoughton, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies were alerted around 6:40 a.m. to the single-vehicle crash that occurred south of Stoughton in the town of Dunkirk, sheriff's Lt. Jonathan Triggs said in a statement. The driver and lone occupant of the Ford SUV  a 32-year-old man  died at the scene, Triggs said.

He wasn't wearing a seatbelt, according to the Sheriff's Office, and speed and alcohol are thought to have contributed to the crash.

The preliminary investigation indicates the man was driving north on Highway A when his vehicle went off the road and hit the tree, Triggs said. The crash occurred in the 3100 block of Highway A where the road takes a tight bend.

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With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, Wisconsin regulators are signaling interest in scrutinizing plans to decommission a former nuclear power plant, but questions remain about how much authority the state has.

The Public Service Commission will require the owner of the shuttered Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant to disclose details about a deal to transfer the plant and its decommissioning trust fund to a contractor that will also be required to share information about its financial resources.

Dominion Energy is seeking approval to sell the 49-year-old plant to EnergySolutions, a Utah company that specializes in nuclear waste disposal and decommissioning.

Under the proposal, EnergySolutions would assume ownership of the plant and about $780 million set aside to cover the cost of decommissioning, which the company estimates will cost about $724 million.

A competitor, NorthStar Group Services of New York, says it could do the job for just $550 million and return the rest to ratepayers.

The commission is reviewing the sale to determine whether it complies with a 2005 order that authorized Alliant Energy and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation to sell the plant to Dominion for $220 million.

With billions at stake, Wisconsin lawmakers seek to block power line competition Wisconsin's three transmission utilities would be able to block competitors from bidding on projects within their territories, which opponents say would boost their profits at ratepayers expense.

That order included a condition that any excess decommissioning funds be returned to ratepayers and gave the utilities the right of first refusal to match any future offer to buy the plant. NorthStar offered the utilities $25 million for that right of first refusal, but the utilities declined.

Without competitive bidding on the project, NorthStar argues that Dominion and EnergySolutions, which contracts work to its own subsidiaries, have no incentive to spend the funds prudently.

NorthStar is seeking information on EnergySolutions financial resources and details about Dominions decision to sell the plant, which the company says will help regulators evaluate whether the sale is in the public interest.

EnergySolutions, Dominion and the utilities asked the PSC to suppress that information and limit the proceedings to the questions of whether EnergySolutions has the financial resources to complete decommissioning and whether the utilities acted prudently when they declined to buy back the plant.

The PSC took no action Thursday, effectively denying the request.

Meteor Timber asks Wisconsin Supreme Court to reinstate permit for frac sand facility Meteor Timber is asking the high court to grant a permit for the $75 million project, overturning findings of two lower courts and an administrative law judge.

Chair Rebecca Valcq and Commissioner Tyler Huebner said they want more information to determine how much authority the PSC has over the sale and the funds.

These are Wisconsin ratepayer dollars, Valcq said. What type of controls or guardrails can we put in place to make sure whoever ultimately decommissions the site doesnt just blow through the entirety of that decommissioning trust?

Commissioner Ellen Nowak suggested the commission may have given up that authority long ago.

You cant relinquish jurisdiction you dont have, she said.

Nowak cited the order authorizing the sale to Dominion.

The commission is willing to relinquish its approval authority over the use of (Kewaunees) decommissioning funds and rely on federal control because of the overall benefits of the sale, yadda yadda, Nowak said. Its some strong language.

Valcq noted the issue may not be so clear.

I think its the yadda yadda part, right? Valcq said. What are those benefits and what is the yadda yadda in the rest of the order?

All three commissioners said theyd like to know more about the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions authority over decommissioning expenses.

The NRC oversees site cleanup and verifies that license holders have enough money to cover the costs, which it says generally costs $300 million to $400 million, but does not review line-item expenses, said spokesperson Viktoria Mitlyng.

A spokesperson for Dominion Energy declined to comment on the commissions actions. A spokesperson for EnergySolutions did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

NorthStar CEO Scott State said he was encouraged by the commissions focus on protecting ratepayers.

It is not the NRCs job to determine whether this decommissioning deal will end up shortchanging state ratepayers of hundreds of millions of dollars, State said. Thats the PSCs duty.

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The U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol has subpoenaed two Wisconsin Republicans, including the former chair of the state Republican Party, who signed official-looking documents in late 2020 seeking to hand Wisconsins Electoral College votes to President Donald Trump.

Committee chair and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol seeks information about attempts in multiple states to overturn the results of the 2020 election, including the planning and coordination of efforts to send false slates of electors to the National Archives.

The committee has subpoenaed 14 individuals in seven states, including Andrew Hitt, former chair of the state Republican Party, and 8th Congressional District GOP chair Kelly Ruh, who joined eight other Wisconsin Republicans in the state Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign official-looking documents purporting that Trump had won the state. The meeting occurred on the same day that the Democratic slate of Wisconsin electors convened in the same building to deliver the states 10 electoral votes to President-elect Joe Biden.

We believe the individuals we have subpoenaed today have information about how these so-called alternate electors met and who was behind that scheme, Thompson said. We encourage them to cooperate with the Select Committees investigation to get answers about January 6th for the American people and help ensure nothing like that day ever happens again.

Official-looking certificates like those signed in Wisconsin were also submitted by Republicans claiming to be electors in six other states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

The subpoenas call for Hitt and Ruh to sit for depositions on Feb. 28 and provide documents by Feb. 11 detailing any information about your role and participation in the purported slate of electors casting votes for Donald Trump and, to the extent relevant, your role in the events of January 6, 2021.

Hitt is listed in the signed documents as the chairperson, and Ruh is listed as the secretary.

Hitt said in a statement he absolutely will cooperate with the committees request to provide information.

As I said in the past, the Wisconsin Electors were simply following the guidance of Wisconsin legal counsel to preserve the ongoing Wisconsin legal strategy, Hitt said. There was no intent beyond that and Im happy to participate in this process to clarify any confusion that may exist.

Ruh, a De Pere city council member, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Others to sign the documents in Wisconsin include Robert Spindell, a Republican who sits on the state Elections Commission; 1st Congressional District GOP vice chair Carol Brunner; Dane County Republican Party chair Scott Grabins; La Crosse County Republican Party chair Bill Feehan; 5th Congressional District GOP chair Kathy Kiernan; 6th Congressional District GOP chair Darryl Carlson; 1st Congressional District GOP vice chair Pam Travis; and Mary Buestrin, vice chair of the Midwest region for the Republican National Committee.

Liberal law firm Law Forward last year filed complaints with the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office alleging the Wisconsin Republicans committed fraud. A third complaint was filed against Hitt with the Office of Lawyer Regulation, the agency that handles complaints against lawyers.

So far, none of the agencies has formally taken up the complaints, while Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Matthew Westphal sent a letter last week to Jeffrey Mandell, an attorney with Law Forward, suggesting that the state or federal justice department would be best suited to determine what steps, if any, should be taken on the matter.

Mandell on Wednesday wrote in a letter to the Elections Commission that, if the agency fails to take action on the complaint in a timely manner, Law Forward will file a lawsuit over the matter. Assistant Attorney General Mike Murphy replied to Mandells request in a Friday email indicating that the complaint could be taken up in closed session as soon as March 9.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, who has not ruled out the possibility that he may look into the complaint, said earlier this month he believes its critical that the federal government fully investigates and prosecutes any unlawful actions in furtherance of any seditious conspiracy.

In a separate letter sent to Kaul on Wednesday, Mandell urged state and local prosecutors to also investigate the matter.

Republican Party of Wisconsin chair Paul Farrow, who earlier this month called the allegation of fraud a frivolous complaint that doesnt deserve the time of day, said in a statement Friday the Republicans who signed the documents were advised to do so by attorneys and the actions were done in accordance with precedent.

That Democrats are now trying to fabricate a story from a simple procedure is nothing more than a desperate attempt to divert attention from their record as they face the electorate in 2022, Farrow said.

National news reports indicate the Republican electors were coordinated by Trumps legal team in an attempt to present Vice President Mike Pence with conflicting slates of electors during the congressional certification so that he could throw the election to a House vote, which would have handed the election to Trump. Pence refused to participate in the purported scheme.

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Wisconsin was considered Americas Breadbasket from 1840 to 1880.

Wheat was a highly profitable cash crop for new settlers and farmers. By the 1850s, 60s and 70s, nitrogen depletion was cutting yields and quality, and insect populations were damaging crops. The profitability and opportunity in wheat was moving west to Iowa, Minnesota and beyond. The void in Wisconsin caused a change to more livestock, requiring feed crops rather than cash crops.

Thus came the rise of Wisconsin as Americas Dairyland.

Just as the economic forces of narrowing margins drove wheat from Wisconsin, improvements in production eventually drove dairy to richer feed crops and, in more recent decades, large scale dairy parlor operations that greatly reduced labor costs. This has made the smaller traditional dairy barn approach obsolete.

When dairying or livestock are no longer viable on your farm, you are left to raise cash crops, rent your land or sell while seeking employment elsewhere. In cash cropping, your crop can be marketed as corn for food, feed or fuel. All three markets are based on the same price, meaning customers and our greater society hold all three in similar regard.

If you take one acre of corn and convert it to ethanol, it will allow an average family to drive their car for close to 10 months.

Now compare that to the energy created from one acre of solar panels. Those panels will provide 74 families with a year of driving the average electric car, according to Invenergy, the company building Badger Hollow Solar Farm in Iowa County, about 55 miles west of Madison. And that doesnt account for all of the fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fuel that an acre of corn requires.

So while a driver using an acre of corn to power his vehicle ran out of fuel in October, 74 of his neighbors using solar power from an acre of panels made it all the way to the New Years Eve party.

Also, solar fields can have thriving grassland reestablished beneath the panels. This provides carbon sequestration and an undisturbed soil environment for all forms of life below the surface. One teaspoon of soil contains more living organisms than there are people in the world. Among the benefits of this subsoil culture is the ability to filter water and support other life.

I am a farmer who has been boxed out of my previous revenue source of hog production. I have been presented with an opportunity to pioneer the hottest commodity market available to me, my family and land  solar. Without hesitation, I made the move to secure my farm and familys future. And I know I did the right thing.

After all, it is just the next wave of farming to find a home in Wisconsin.

Bishop, of Cobb, is a Badger Hollow solar farmer in Iowa County, dedicating about 40% of his crop land to panels.
SUPERIOR, Mont. (AP)  A fugitive wanted after a series of burglaries and vehicle thefts in Washington and Idaho was arrested while hiding in a camper in western Montana on Friday morning, Mineral County Sheriff Mike Toth said.

Jesse Spitzer, 30, of Sultan, Washington, was on the run for a week after he was suspected of stealing a vehicle and other items in east Snohomish County, Washington. He eventually fled the scene of an accident last Friday.

The next day, officers chased him into the woods near Gold Bar, Washington, but he got away. He got into another accident in Chelan County, Washington, on Sunday, but fled the scene.

He eluded officers searching for him in Post Falls, Idaho, on Wednesday after a firearm was reported stolen from a residence. Officers said the suspect, whom they believed to be Spitzer, brandished a weapon and threatened to shoot himself if officers didnt leave, KHQ-TV reported.

His next encounter with law enforcement happened in Kellogg, Idaho, on Thursday night, Toth said. Officers pursued him over Lookout Pass and into Montana.

The Montana Highway Patrol disabled the vehicle he was driving near the town of Haugan. Spitzer threatened officers with a handgun and then ran away, Toth said. Spitzer was arrested shortly after 9 a.m. Friday after officers found him hiding in a camper.

Spitzer was to be held initially the Mineral County jail in Superior, Toth said.

Spitzers criminal record includes convictions for attempted murder with a deadly weapon and burglary in Nevada. He and a co-defendant fired shots at a Nevada sheriffs deputy who was pursuing a vehicle matching the description of one involved in a burglary. The officer was not injured. Spitzer was sentenced to up to 22 years in prison in July 2011.

His mother blamed his actions on an addiction to narcotics at his Nevada sentencing hearing. On Thursday, she called KHQ-TV in Spokane, Washington, and said her son has drug and mental health problems that led to his actions.

At the time of Spitzers arrest in Nevada, he and his co-defendant had fled Washington state in a stolen vehicle with a stolen gun to avoid warrants stemming from burglaries in that state.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Wes Moore talks with friends at coffee shop in Baltimore's Pigtown neighborhood after announcing he's running for governor of Maryland. June 7, 2021. (Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Sun). (Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Sun)

As former Baltimore County executives, we know the importance for local officials to have a partner in Annapolis. Whether responding to a public health crisis, renovating and building schools, making our neighborhoods safe by leveraging every state resource to drive crime down, rebuilding aging infrastructure, improving transportation access  leadership in Annapolis matters.

Wes Moore knows whats needed to bring about progress. That is why we enthusiastically endorse him to be the next governor of Maryland (Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Wes Moore raises most cash as election season approaches, Jan. 20).

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Wes will work tirelessly to ensure that every child in Maryland has access to opportunities and every family has the chance to improve their work, wages and wealth. Wes knows that our communities must be safe and secure, and the state must play a significant role in making this happen.

Wes is raising his family in Baltimore. He knows that Maryland cannot succeed if the Baltimore region does not.

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Wes graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins and earned a Rhodes Scholarship. Driven by a sense of duty, he joined the Army and led soldiers in combat.

Wes has the leadership experience Maryland needs from our next governor. For the past four years, Wes was the CEO of one of the nations largest anti-poverty nonprofits. Under his leadership, the organization raised and distributed over $600 million to help lift families out of poverty. But Wes never left Baltimore, commuting to New York and launching national initiatives to bring the organizations impact to Maryland.

As county executives, we know there are not Democratic potholes and Republican potholes to fill, Democratic schools and Republican schools to build, Democratic and Republican water main breaks to repair.

There is simply work to be done and we do that work better when we work together to make a difference.

Both of us are proud that during our tenures we worked regionally with Democratic and Republican officials to make Baltimore County a better place. We worked hard for communities that supported us and just as hard for those that did not. That is how government should work. And that is exactly the type of governor Wes Moore will be.

Jim Smith, Mays Chapel

Don Mohler, Catonsville

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After an initial denial, the Henry County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) has approved another solar farm for Axton.

The Rocky Ford Solar Energy LLCs large scale solar energy facility on the east end of Henry County would be the countys fourth, but its not the last one in the works.

It follows one set for Bassett, one at the old Lynwood Country Club off DuPont Road and another already in operation in Axton. More companies also are courting the county to turn land over to solar energy panels.

On Nov. 25 the BZA turned down petitions from both Rocky Ford and Axton Solar LLCs to transform thousands of acres to solar energy facilities.

Rocky Ford pared down its initial request to have 800 acres rezoned to 378 acres, and the single request for rezoning to accommodate a solar farm operation on Thursday was less than a third of the size of the two requests combined by both companies that had petitioned the Board in November.

This addressed the initial objection that Director of Planning, Zoning and Inspection Director Lee Clark had that Henry County was not opposed to solar projects, but was opposed to those of such size that they would alter a large part of the landscape.

The complaint from Mountain Valley Brewery, which hosts outdoor events in the area, had also vanished when Rocky Ford said it would protect the brewerys country-landscape view from solar panels.

In addition to addressing specific issues at Novembers meeting, Rocky Ford proposed to pay the County $1 million as a siting agreement, to be satisfied in payments of $250,000 within 30 days after the Board of Zoning Appeals approval, $500,000 upon receipt of the building permit, and $250,000 when construction is complete.

The company also estimates $270,000 would be derived by the County from Rocky Ford in the first year from a machinery and tools tax and then about $180,000 a year for the assumed duration of 30 years of operation.

We are pleased to present to you the revised and updated Special Use Permit Application (SUP) for Rocky Ford Solar Energy, LLC in Henry County, Virginia, a letter from the company to Clark stated. Rocky Fords initial SUP application, submitted October 18, 2021, was denied by the Zoning Board of Appeals on November 24, 2021, based on the Countys interpretation of the solar density threshold and what constitutes existing solar projects. We appreciate your statement at the hearing that the Rocky Ford project and presentation were the best you had seen for any project in the County. With that said, we were disappointed by the decision that the Rocky Ford and Axton Solar, LLC projects could not co-exist as presented without exceeding the existing solar project density threshold.

While we disagree with that interpretation of existing (in the absence of any other definition in the Countys ordinance, under accepted rules of statutory construction the plain meaning of existing can only be built, and since Axton Solar has neither commenced construction nor is built, it should not be counted in the density threshold under any definition.

Before voting, Board Chair Paul Setliff read verbatim four additional conditions that would be required of Rocky Ford:

setbacks

conservation easements

areas not to be developed with panels

vegetative buffer areas.

Additional screening must be provided on the western boundary of Sandy River Farms and the area that abuts Dees Road and three residences off the eastern side of Mountain Valley Road.

The company must complete construction within three years or risk going through the approval process again from the beginning. A plan to mitigate the noise during construction must be submitted to Clark and approved before it begins.

Setliff told the residents and business owners in attendance that he realized it must seem to them like they were having to force the Board to come kicking and screaming into the age of modern operations, but it was out of an over abundance of caution on the Boards part to insure the obligations of the Countys responsibility to the landowners at large.

The Board then approved the request for a Special Use Permit to Rocky Ford for the construction of its solar energy facility on the properties located generally in the north east vicinity of Mountain Valley Road and Dees Road, and along Summerset Drive and Rufus Road.

The proposal is to develop a 90 MW facility cover approximately 378 acres in the Iriswood District.

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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A 50-year-old bridge that collapsed in Pittsburgh had been rated as poor on a recent inspection report, but transportation officials and engineering experts cautioned that doesn't necessarily signal imminent danger for the thousands of other U.S. bridges with the same designation.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Highway Administration have been combing through rubble from the collapse early Friday of the Forbes Avenue Bridge, looking for what caused it.

President Joe Biden, who was in Pittsburgh on Friday to promote a $1 trillion infrastructure law, said it was miraculous that there were no fatalities and that only a few people were injured.

A September 2019 inspection showed the bridge's deck and superstructure were rated 4 and in what inspectors said was poor condition. City officials said the most recent inspection report of the city-owned steel bridge from September wasn't available Friday, so it was unclear if the number rating had been updated.

Infrastructure spending advocates noted there are thousands of bridges across the country with the same poor designation but few instances of collapse. Many said funding has not kept up with the need for repairs and replacements.

HOW DO BRIDGE INSPECTIONS WORK?

The Federal Highway Administration's bridge inspection program was developed after the 1967 Silver Bridge collapse in West Virginia, which killed 46 people. It has expanded over the years to include state- and municipally owned bridges, not just those in the federal highway system, and to include rules for underwater inspections and regulations for qualifications of inspectors.

Keep scrolling for photos from Friday's bridge collapse in Pittsburgh

Generally, bridges are inspected every two years, with some older or lower-rated bridges inspected more often.

The municipal or state entities that own and maintain the bridges submit those inspection reports to state departments of transportation, which are required to provide them to the Federal Highway Administration.

WHAT DOES A POOR DESIGNATION MEAN?

Inspectors, who are trained engineers, largely perform detailed visual inspections of the three major structures of a bridge  the deck on which vehicles drive, the structure that carries the deck, and the substructure or culverts that hold up that superstructure. Other inspection methods are used underwater or when needed to determine whether corrosion has affected the weight a bridge can carry.

If any of the three structures of a bridge is rated 4 or below on a 9-point scale, the bridge is rated as poor, said Andy Herrmann, past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

"A poor rating doesn't mean bridges are unsafe, it just means one of those components are rated at that level," Herrmann said. "It's a rigorous system, and frankly the federal system is what gives me confidence in the safety of our bridge infrastructure."

New bridges are rated 9, and bridges with minimal or no wear are rated 7 or 8. Bridges considered in what the federal program deems fair or satisfactory condition  some signs of deterioration or minor loss or cracking  are rated 5 or 6.

When a bridge reaches a 4 rating, it means there is advanced deterioration or section loss, but the primary structural components are still sound. A 3 rating means those structural components are starting to see deterioration, and a 2 or 1 rating means there are critical issues or an imminent failure of the structure is possible.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A BRIDGE IS RATED POOR?

One of the inspection program's goals was to create a system that could identify deterioration that could be repaired before a bridge needed replacement.

Sometimes the deterioration is minor enough that the bridge will be put in the queue for repair and the frequency of inspections will increase, said Jerome Hajjar, professor and department chair at Northeastern University's College of Engineering.

"When a bridge is added to the queue, it can be years before there's funding to take care of those repairs, even if it's added to the top of a state's queue," Hajjar said. "The engineers have been working to repair as much as they can. Safety and keeping safe bridges open is the goal, but the struggle is related to the insufficient funding that goes into repairing the aging infrastructure in this country, including bridges."

If more serious deterioration is found, authorities will limit the amount of weight the bridge carries by restricting heavy vehicles or traffic. In dire situations when the structure is affected, a bridge could be immediately closed for repairs.

The Interstate 40 bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee over the Mississippi River was shut down in May after inspectors found a crack in one of two 900-foot (275-meter) horizontal steel beams critical for the bridge's structural integrity, forcing thousands of trucks and cars to detour until the bridge reopened at the end of July after repairs.

HOW MANY BRIDGES ARE RATED POOR?

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association, which advocates for transportation infrastructure investment, issues an annual report on the state of U.S. bridges based on inspection reports. The most recent report using 2021 data showed more than 43,500 of the country's roughly 615,000 bridges were rated poor.

That number is about 4,000 less than those reported to be in poor condition nationally in 2017. Advocates at the association say that it's a glacial pace for repairs and that dedicated funding is critical to catch up.

In Pennsylvania, the association's report showed almost 3,200 bridges with a poor rating a drop from five years ago of nearly 1,000 bridges. But more than 2,100 of those bridges have reached a level of deterioration requiring weight or traffic limits.

***

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A family wearing masks to help curb the spread of coronavirus outbreak rides on a motorbike past a COVID-19-related mural honoring health workers in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Indonesia is bracing for a third wave of COVID-19 infections as the highly transmissible omicron variant drives a surge in new cases, health authorities and experts said Saturday. Credit: AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

Indonesia is bracing for a third wave of COVID-19 infections as the highly transmissible omicron variant drives a surge in new cases, health authorities and experts said Saturday.

The country reported 9,905 new infections and seven deaths on Friday in the latest 24-hour period. It was the highest daily caseload since August last year when the country was struggling to contain a delta-driven wave.

Indonesia had recovered from last year's spike in cases and deaths that was among the worst in the region, and daily infections had fallen to about 200 by December. But cases are rising again just weeks after the country reported its first local omicron case.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the next few months will be critical because omicron is spreading "rapidly and massively."

"Its upsurge will be extremely fast ... We will see a sharp rise in the near future," he told a news conference Friday, adding that the current wave would likely peak at the end of February or in early March.

The government has prepared mitigation measures to deal with a potential surge, including dedicating more hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, ensuring adequate tracing and testing measures, strictly enforcing health protocols and intensifying vaccination efforts in all regions, Sadikin said.

A man reacts as he received a Moderna COVID-19 booster shot during a third dose vaccination campaign in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Indonesia is bracing for a third wave of COVID-19 infections as the highly transmissible omicron variant drives a surge in new cases, health authorities and experts said Saturday. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Bed occupancy rates in the capital, Jakarta, the epicenter of the country's omicron outbreak, rose from 5% in early January to 45% on Saturday, said Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria. He said "omicron is moving too quickly" in the city, where more than 80% of the 10 million residents have been vaccinated.

Pandu Riono, an Indonesian epidemiologist and academic adviser to the government, said Indonesians are still traumatized from the delta variant when many died in isolation at home or while waiting to receive emergency care as hospitals were swamped.

During last year's surge, hospitals erected plastic tents to serve as makeshift intensive care units, and patients waited for days before being admitted. Oxygen tanks were rolled out on the sidewalk for those lucky enough to receive them, while others were told they would need to find their own supply.

A health worker administers Moderna COVID-19 booster shot to man during a third dose vaccination campaign in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Indonesia is bracing for a third wave of COVID-19 infections as the highly transmissible omicron variant drives a surge in new cases, health authorities and experts said Saturday. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Health workers administer Moderna COVID-19 booster shots to residents during a third dose vaccination campaign in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

A Red Cross worker sprays disinfectant inside an empty classroom during the suspension of activities after a case of COVID-19 is found at a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Dozens of schools in the capital city were temporarily closed following the findings of coronavirus cases among students and staff. Credit: AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

A health worker administers a Moderna COVID-19 booster shot to an elderly woman during a third dose vaccination campaign in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

A health worker checks vital signs of an elderly man before a booster shot of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a third dose vaccination campaign in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Riono said a third wave would be unlikely to push Indonesia's healthcare system to the brink of collapse because omicron generally causes less-severe symptoms than delta.

President Joko Widodo on Friday urged asymptomatic patients to self-isolate at home for five days and to use telemedicine services through which they can access doctors, medicines and vitamins for free, or to visit a community health center.

"This is important so that our healthcare facilities can focus on treating patients with more severe symptoms or patients of other diseases that need intensive care," Widodo said.

Some health experts doubt the measures will be enough, given the lax enforcement.

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, said a third wave of infections is inevitable as long as a large portion of Indonesia's population remains unprotected against COVID-19. As of Friday, only 61 percent of Indonesia's 208 million people eligible for shots were fully vaccinated.

Overall, Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation that is home to 270 million people, has reported more than 4.3 million infections and 144,268 deaths from COVID-19.

Explore further Indonesia detects first omicron case in hospital worker

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers have identified abnormalities in the lungs of long COVID patients who are experiencing breathlessness that cannot be detected with routine tests.

The EXPLAIN study, which involves teams at Sheffield, Oxford, Cardiff and Manchester, is using hyperpolarised xenon MRI scans to investigate possible lung damage in long COVID patients who have not been hospitalized with COVID-19 but who continue to experience breathlessness.

The study, which received government funding in 2021, is supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The findings were published on the bioRxiv pre-print server.

A previous study had used the same cutting-edge method of imaging to establish that there were persistent lung abnormalities in patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 several months after they were discharged.

Hyperpolarised xenon MRI is a safe scanning test that requires the patient to lie in the MRI scanner and breathe in one liter of the inert gas xenon that has been hyperpolarised so that it can be seen using MRI. As xenon behaves in a very similar way to oxygen, radiologists can observe how the gas moves from the lungs into the bloodstream.

The scan takes just a few minutes and, as it does not require radiation exposure, it can be repeated over time to see changes to the lungs.

While the full EXPLAIN study will recruit around 400 participants, this initial pilot had 36 people taking part, consisting of three groups:

Patients diagnosed with long COVID, who have been seen in long COVID clinics and who have normal CT (computerized tomography) scans

People who've been in hospital with COVID-19 and discharged more than three months previously, who have normal or nearly normal CT scans and who are not experiencing long COVID

An age- and gender-matched control group who do not have long COVID symptoms and who have not been hospitalized with COVID-19

These initial results show that there is "significantly impaired gas transfer" from the lungs to the bloodstream in these long COVID patients when other tests are normal.

The method, development and clinical applications of hyperpolarised xenon MRI was pioneered by Professor Jim Wild and the Pulmonary, Lung and Respiratory Imaging Sheffield (POLARIS) research group at the University of Sheffield. The team performed the first clinical research studies in the UK and the world's first clinical diagnostic scanning with this technology.

Professor Jim Wild, head of imaging and NIHR research professor of magnetic resonance at the University of Sheffield, said: "Xenon MRI is uniquely placed to help understand why breathlessness persists in some patients post COVID.

"Xenon follows the pathway of oxygen when it is taken up by the lungs and can tell us where the abnormality lies between the airways, gas exchange membranes and capillaries in the lungs. This multicentre study is very exciting, and I really look forward to it helping translate lung MRI methods that we have developed further towards clinical use in the UK."

EXPLAIN is one of 19 studies that have received nearly 40 million investment from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to improve understanding of long COVID, from diagnosis and treatment through to rehabilitation and recovery.

The study's chief investigator, Fergus Gleeson, professor of radiology at the University of Oxford and Consultant Radiologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We knew from our post-hospital COVID study that xenon could detect abnormalities when the CT scan and other lung function tests are normal. What we've found now is that, even though their CT scans are normal, the xenon MRI scans have detected similar abnormalities in patients with long COVID.

"These patients have never been in hospital and did not have an acute severe illness when they had their COVID-19 infection. Some of them have been experiencing their symptoms for a year after contracting COVID-19.

"There are now important questions to answer. Such as, how many patients with long COVID will have abnormal scans, the significance of the abnormality we've detected, the cause of the abnormality, and its longer-term consequences. Once we understand the mechanisms driving these symptoms, we will be better placed to develop more effective treatments."

Dr. Emily Fraser, respiratory consultant who leads the Oxford Post-COVID Assessment Clinic, said: "These are interesting results and may indicate that the changes observed within the lungs of some patients with long COVID contribute to breathlessness. However, these are early findings and further work to understand the clinical significance is key.

"Extending this study to larger numbers of patients and looking at control groups who have recovered from COVID should help us to answer this question and further our understanding of the mechanisms that drive long COVID."

The full EXPLAIN study will recruit 200 long COVID patients with breathlessness, along with 50 patients who have had COVID-19 but now have no symptoms at all; 50 patients who have no breathlessness, but do have other long COVID symptoms, such as 'brain fog'; and 50 people who have never had long COVID who will act as controls for comparison.

Professor Nick Lemoine, Chair of NIHR's long COVID funding committee and Medical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network, said: "More than a million people in the UK continue to experience symptoms months after having COVID-19, with breathlessness one of the most commonly-reported symptoms. This early research is an important example of both the committed effort the UK research community is taking to understand this new phenomenon, and the world-leading expertise that community contains."
SATURDAY, Jan. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Most parents have dealt with having to hurry a sleepy child out the door on a school morning, but experts say taking the time to establish good sleep routines for your kids is worth the effort.

Amid the pandemic, there can be a great deal of uncertainty around school, but a set sleep regimen can help ease youngsters' stress and anxiety, according to Stephanie Centofanti and Alex Agostini, sleep experts at the University of South Australia.

"Having a relaxing pre-bed routine and going to bed at the same time every night can teach the body when it's time to fall asleep. This can make falling asleep easier, leading to a longer and more restful night's sleep," Agostini said in a university news release.

"We recommend parents sit down with their children to design a pre-bed routine that will be relaxing for their child. This might include a bath, reading a book, listening to music, or even talking about tomorrow's plans. The important thing is getting kids involved in this process to ensure their buy-in," Agostini advised.

Centofanti recommended "making small changes to your child's routine over time  perhaps moving their bedtime by five or 10 minutes each night  [which] can adjust their biological rhythms more easily. And if you have kids who sleep in, make sure you wake them a little earlier each day."

Putting away all cellphones before bed can also get the entire family into a good sleeping rhythm, Agostini said.

"Setting clear boundaries around technology use is critical so that it doesn't creep into the late evening hours when kids should be preparing for sleep," she explained.

It's also important for parents to remember "that sleep needs change with age and are different for every child," Agostini noted.

Other suggestions to help children get a good night's sleep include having them exercise during the day, giving them lighter meals in the evening and keeping the bedroom dark, cool and quiet.

"Nobody wants a cranky kid in the morning," Agostini said. "A regular, predictable and relaxing bed routine will help get your child off to sleep and start the day in the best way possible."

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on healthy sleep habits.

SOURCE: University of South Australia, news release, Jan. 23, 2022

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A Missoula woman killed in a domestic violence homicide last weekend was dead for about a full day before the accused killer  her boyfriend  reported it to law enforcement, according to court documents.

Jacques David Bernard is charged with one count of deliberate homicide, a felony. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

In the early hours of Monday morning, a man called 911 reporting he had been stabbed by his girlfriend. Officers responded to an apartment on First Street West in Missoula  when they knocked on the door, they received no response but gained entry by knocking it down.

There was a visible path of blood spots in the entryway continuing to the kitchen area and living room. A woman was deceased with many visible stab wounds, the documents said. She was holding a knife, but officers noted that it was in a perfectly upright position, not in a manner consistent with how someone would typically hold a knife.

Further observations by law enforcement indicated some of the marks on the victim were defensive wounds.

Police then found Bernard with visible knife wounds, the documents said. He told them he had been asleep, and awoke to find he was stabbed, prompting him to call 911. As the investigation evolved, detectives noted the odd blood patterns where Bernard was lying, specifically that they were not consistent with patterns that would indicate someone had lain there sleeping for an extended period of time.

Bernard was treated for his injuries on scene and transported to Providence St. Patrick Hospital.

Officers spoke with neighbors in adjoining units, who reported hearing an argument coming from the apartment around 5:30 a.m. the previous day, about 20 hours prior to Bernards call to police.

When a coroner conducted an autopsy of the victim at 6:40 a.m. Monday, he estimated the womans death to have been 20 to 30 hours prior to the examination, a time frame consistent with when the neighbors heard the argument.

The case was filed directly into Missoula County District Court. Prosecutors asked for a warrant for Bernard's arrest, and a bail amount of $1 million was requested. As of Friday afternoon, he was not in custody at the Missoula County Detention Facility.

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Economists painted an overall positive picture of Montana's economy during the 47th annual Economic Outlook Seminar, though housing issues in the state remain a barrier to growth.

The seminar, which was being presented in nine Montana cities, was hosted by the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Abigail St. Lawrence, an attorney and lobbyist who has spent nearly two decades working on water rights, land use, and housing and development projects, was the keynote speaker.

St. Lawrence spoke broadly about the challenges facing housing in the state, but also more directly to the audience, saying Montanans need to say yes to change. The state's growing population is tied to Montana's successful economic pushes in its recreation sector.

"All of a sudden, two years ago about this time, folks who we had pulled in and asked to please come and spend your money and then leave, had the opportunity to work from where they had always vacationed," St. Lawrence said. "We have a very tenuous relationship with tourism, but that is a story of our success because it is (a recreation economy) that we have encouraged in our state."

Montana's population has grown by 10% since 2010, but new housing units have only increased 7%, St. Lawrence said.

There are a variety of other issues in play, too  Patrick Barkey, the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, said that in Q3 of 2021, 18.2% of all homes sold nationally were sold to investors.

That number used to be around 6% and has increased drastically since the beginning of the pandemic, but Barkey said he does expect that trend to go down.

Housing prices have skyrocketed in Missoula, of course. Brint Wahlberg, a local Realtor who was on a panel during the seminar, said that as of Friday morning, there were only 18 houses under $500,000 currently on sale in the Missoula area.

Wahlberg also noted another trend he has seen  owners who would normally sell homes after renting them out for five to seven years are keeping those houses for the continued income.

St. Lawrence also noted that more elderly people are also staying in their homes longer, which has impacted housing availability.

The median home sales price in the urban Missoula area was $489,950 in September 2021, according to the Missoula Organization of Realtors.

"I think we talk a lot, jokingly, that Montana is full and we like to pick at our new neighbors coming to us, specifically from some of the coastal areas as we drive around with coexist stickers on our cars," St. Lawrence said. "But the reality is that if we are continuing to reject the new folks who are coming in and resisting new change, we're only going to accelerate our problems rather than embracing those folks and inviting them to come in and join us."

Renting and multifamily housing were also a major topic of discussion during the keynote speech and throughout the seminar.

The rental vacancy rate in Missoula is around 1% and renters have been experiencing vastly increased prices. Multifamily unit building permits are skyrocketing, said Eran Pehan, Missoula's director of community planning and development.

Missoula County has nearly 49,000 households, approximately 19,000 of which are renters. Increased density has been a major concern for many residents during public processes for recent development in the area.

"I understand that sometimes you buy into these subdivisions or buy into these lovely neighborhoods and all the houses around you look the same and that feels very comfortable," St. Lawrence said. "But it's OK to say yes to the multifamily, it's okay to say yes to the renter."

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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China firmly opposes malicious U.S. suppression of Chinese telecom operator

Xinhua) 08:44, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes the United States' generalization of the concept of national security, its abuse of state power and its repeated malicious suppression of Chinese telecom operators in the absence of facts, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday revoked China Unicom America's authority to provide telecom services in the United States.

The move is a severe deviation from market-oriented principles, and it has damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and consumers, including those in the United States, and disrupted the normal order of the international economy and trade, the ministry said.

The ministry urged the United States to immediately cease its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies and treat Chinese firms investing and operating in the United States fairly.

The Chinese side will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, according to the ministry.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Du Mingming)
The legal clock is ticking for anyone who wants to challenge the new map of Marylands General Assembly districts.

Following Thursdays final adoption of a map laying out the boundaries for all 47 senators and 141 state delegates, Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty of the Court of Appeals issued a schedule on Friday for the anticipated legal challenges.

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Those who wish to challenge the maps must do so by Feb. 10, and the state will be required to offer its response by Feb. 15. On Feb. 17, a conference will be held to schedule the rest of the legal process.

Getty appointed retired Judge Alan M. Wilner as a special magistrate overseeing the scheduling issues.

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The scheduling order was issued at the request of Attorney General Brian Frosh, whose office will be tasked with defending the map that lawmakers approved.

Time is of the essence, as the legal process runs up to the Feb. 22 deadline for candidates to file paperwork with the Maryland State Board of Elections to run in the 2022 election. All seats in the General Assembly are up for election this year, with primary elections scheduled for June 28 and a general election in November.

At least one group, Fair Maps Maryland, has already vowed to challenge the new map, charging that it was drawn in secret to give Democrats an unfair advantage. Several Republican lawmakers have said they hope the court overturns the map.

Democratic leaders have been circumspect in their defense of the map, saying generally that they considered public testimony and the resulting districts are in compliance with the state constitution and federal voting rights laws.
The Montana Red Cross is urging patience to those wishing to donate blood as the country sees a major shortage.

Earlier this month, the Red Cross announced it is facing its worst blood shortage in a decade and that donations have dropped nearly 10% since the beginning of the pandemic.

In response, many Missoulians have tried to make appointments and some were not able to, according to a variety of social media posts.

"I tried (Wednesday) after seeing posting about the urgent need for blood and how some patients were in dire straits because of it. Tried to sign up and soonest slot open was mid-February," Charlie Palmer, a Missoula resident, said on Thursday.

Missoula-area blood drives are booked out until Feb. 11, according to the Red Cross website.

Staff shortage is a major issue and in response, the organization is increasing wages for both new hires and existing staff, said Matt Ochsner, Red Cross of Montana communications director.

"We're really trying to tackle that head-on," Ochsner said. "We're also seeing some blood drives being canceled because of the rise of COVID, whether it be a business or a school canceling drives because of the outbreak."

Ochsner also said that training for phlebotomists  those who are trained to draw blood  has been shortened to seven weeks.

It is a combination of virtual and on-the-job instruction and was shortened "to get more phlebotomists into the field more quickly to help collect lifesaving blood while also making sure we are collecting blood safely," Ochsner said.

The Red Cross pays for that training and those interested in working for the organization should go to RedCross.org.

January is normally a tough time for donations and the omicron surge is not helping matters, he added. Even prior to the pandemic, winter weather as well as cold and flu season are challenges Montana's Red Cross deals with while collecting blood each year.

Blood demand has kept steady during the pandemic, but Ochsner said there is always a constant need.

"Every two seconds, somebody in this country needs lifesaving blood. And we're grateful for our donors for coming out, Montanans have been incredibly generous," Ochsner said.

More than 17.9 million blood transfusions occur in the country each year, making it one of the most common medical procedures performed, according to a 2020 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report to Congress.

Blood supply also varies region by region to the more than 6,000 hospitals and medical providers that do transfusion procedures, the report said. Donations have also gone down in recent years, with a 7.2% decrease in total number of donors from 2015 to 2017.

The Red Cross supplies around 40% of the nation's blood.

"The blood system is struggling to meet the daily demand for blood and ensure the necessary investments for the future of blood safety and availability," the report states. "The blood donor base is rapidly aging, and innovative approaches to recruiting blood donors are compromised because of lack of funding and insufficient data about evolving donor motivations and changing social norms."

Missoula is currently experiencing its own blood shortage  on Wednesday, Missoula City-County Health Officer D'Shane Barnett said Providence St. Patrick's hospital is having to "prioritize and ration" its supply.

At Community Medical Center, the hospital is at 25% to 75% of its normal blood supply, depending on the type.

Appointments for Red Cross Blood donations in the Missoula area can be found at rcblood.org/3g0MMk0.

"We're just incredibly grateful for our donors and we understand that they want to come out, they want to donate and they might not be able to make an appointment in the next couple days," Ochsner said. "But please, please sign up for an appointment going forward."

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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As Republicans in Montana debate a possible special session in the coming weeks to preempt a court from redrawing the states Public Service Commission districts, Gov. Greg Gianforte's office says he's willing to call one if lawmakers can settle on a new district map.

It's still unclear whether GOP legislators can find sufficient common ground to do so. But many in the party see a special session as necessary to preserve the Legislatures role in redrawing the PSC district map, after federal judges indicated this month that they may side with plaintiffs in a court case challenging the outdated districts.

The governor continues to talk with legislative leaders, Gianforte spokeswoman Brooke Stroyke wrote in an emailed statement Friday. If and when they have ample support for a PSC map and an agreement a special session's single focus will be limited to PSC districts, the governor is willing to call a special session for the sole purpose of PSC redistricting."

The states five PSC districts havent been updated in nearly two decades. Voters who filed a lawsuit late last year challenging the current map argue that the disparate numbers of voters in each district  which have since diverged by as many as 53,000 voters  violate the Fourteenth Amendments one-person, one-vote principle.

The court indicated earlier this month that it may step in to redraw the districts for the 2022 election, a process that would have to be finalized by the March 14 candidate filing deadline. The court has promised a decision by March 4. Two PSC districts are on the ballot this year.

While Republican lawmakers said several potential replacement maps are being circulated within their caucuses, many insisted they'd need to arrive at a general consensus before agreeing to convene in Helena. As of Friday afternoon, Senate President Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, said that hasnt happened yet.

A map chosen by the courts would be a hard sell for Montanans, Blasdel said, but he also echoed other GOP legislators who believe that ultimately the best way to reapportion the districts will be to take their time during the next regular session, in 2023.

I think this whole process is much better in a regular session, Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, said. Its going to take some time, we need the public involved, we need to review maps and come to a consensus on whats best for the people of Montana.

Democrats and some Republican lawmakers noted that multiple proposals to do so have been rejected by lawmakers in recent regular sessions. Hertz said he hasnt taken a position on a possible special session.

Republicans in favor of reconvening this year have pointed to the fact that the Legislature adjourned 10 days early last year, leaving money in the budget to cover the cost of meeting in Helena. An estimate of costs for a special session provided by Legislative Services indicates that a special session would cost $108,000 for the first day, plus $56,000 for each subsequent day. Blasdel suggested such a special session could be limited to a single day if the Legislature holds public hearings in advance.

While special sessions have been called 33 times in Montanas history, according to the Legislatures website, all but one were initiated by the governor. Lawmakers can also call a public session if 10 of them submit a petition to do so to the Secretary of State, which would then poll all 150 legislators on the issue. A simple majority of 76 lawmakers is needed to reconvene in Helena.

Blasdel said hes spoken with Gianfortes office about the possibility of the states top executive bringing lawmakers back to Helena, which would likely be quicker than polling legislators on the issue. Legislative staff would ideally need two weeks to prepare for the session if one is called.

What's in the call?

Keeping the focus limited to redrawing PSC districts remains a sticking point for many legislators. Calls for a special session can include multiple subjects for legislators to address, and Republicans could also potentially use their majorities to vote to expand its scope once they reconvene.

In a recent op Ed submitted to the Billings Gazette and other Lee Montana papers, Sen. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, argued against reconvening, writing that a hastily called special session will do more harm than good, especially as there are legislators who will work to extend the session to include their pet topic.

Several lawmakers on the partys right wing made that pitch during an unofficial ad hoc committee event last week in Helena, where they discussed allegations of election fraud and potential measures to combat what they view as security holes in the states election system.

Unless were called into a special session, and then expand the call, which were already getting push-back on, ... to vote on this issue of election integrity, and have our legislation ready to go and have the noses counted to know that we have the vote, we will not have any of this in place for the 2022 election, Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, told the audience.

In an interview afterward, Manzella said her top legislative priority would be to eliminate the use of tabulation machines in the state, and require hand-counting of all ballots in future elections. Montana Republicans won by large margins up in all the statewide races in 2020, and to date no evidence has emerged that there was any widespread attempt to commit fraud in the state's elections.

Great Falls Rep. Lola Sheldon Galloway, the No. 2 Republican in the state partys leadership, told the audience that Montana Republicans were backing a map that would reapportion the PSC districts fairly, but which would also draw Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, out of the PSC district hes currently campaigning in. In exchange, she said Skees, who is also an officer within the state party, wanted election integrity issues to be addressed during the special session.

He is willing to give up that drive of his to be a Public Service Commissioner, but you know, you always wheel and deal, and he had an opportunity to wheel and deal, Galloway said.  He said 'OK, but theres a price youre going to pay for me not running.'

Skees, who is also the current House Majority Whip, characterized it differently in an interview. Rather than an ultimatum to win his support, he said it was simply a suggestion he had offered up. He hasnt seen any prospective PSC district map, he said, but that he would accept a map that is good for the state of Montana even if it meant he couldnt run in 2022. PSC commissioners are elected to four-year terms, and only two seats are up for reelection this cycle.

I suggested that the win-win for everybody would be to have a one-day special session to do the map while also appointing a special committee during the interim to investigate the states elections, he said.

Some Montana Republicans have been pushing for the creating of that committee, and 88 of the states 98 GOP lawmakers signed onto a letter in September urging their leadership to do so. The top Republicans in the House and Senate would have to appoint the committee. Neither has publicly indicated they will do so, and Blasdel reiterated on Friday that there may not be sufficient funds in the budget to pay for it.

One of the main GOP lawmakers pushing for the special election panel, Rep. Brad Tschida, R-Missoula, in December requested $50,000 for the committee to perform its work during the interim.

A legal memo prepared by the Legislative Services Division also indicated that the House would need to be in session in order to appoint members to a special interim committee.

But Skees also acknowledged that trying to expand a special session beyond the PSC map could be a deal-breaker within the party. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, said Friday that even without it expanding into non-PSC issues, lawmakers have limited appetite for a special session, period.

Theres lots of discussion on that, but theres also lots of concerns that youd have a long, expensive session that would accomplish little, and those big issues are best served in a full session, Jones said. Thinking you can do justice to a complicated topic in a short session is a concept not supported by many folks.

Several other GOP lawmakers contacted for this story also said they would not entertain a special session if it bleeds into other topics.

If Republicans manage to whip up enough votes for a special session, they will have to do it on their own. Both Democratic leaders in the House and Senate said Wednesday their caucuses wont support a special session to redraw the PSC map.

Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, called the proposal a waste of time and money, particularly in light of the Republican-led Legislature having had ample opportunities since the 2010 Census data was available to realign the PSC districts with past population shifts.

I think that would be problematic, to bring us together for something like this  not even saying that I think we have the time to do what we need to do on PSC redistricting, Cohenour said.

House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, agreed, while also balking at the idea of adding election issues to the agenda.

Montana elections are run in a secure and transparent way, local officials run our elections and they do it with integrity, she said. So we want to make sure Montanans can cast their ballots. Thats always been our position, and theres just no evidence of any fraud in our election system.

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Marin Ackerman, 10, of Upper Arlington gets a bandage after receiving a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine during a clinic for kids ages 5 to 11-year-olds at Nationwide Children's Hospital in November. More than 50,000 Ohio children tested positive for the virus in December as the virus surged around the state.

More Ohio children were diagnosed with COVID-19 in December than any in month since the start of the pandemic, and experts fear even more kids could be infected as they returned to schools this week following holiday gatherings.

A record 50,866 Ohio children tested positive for the virus in December, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The last week of 2021 also saw the highest number of weekly childhood infections with 15,095 reported, state data shows.

The latest surge in cases, which has occurred among both children and adults, threatens to upend winter activities and has already forced some area schools to temporarily close or switch to remote learning.

Cases high among children but omicron peak still hasn't been reached in Ohio

"Now we're entering the third year of these events being interrupted and it has tremendous impact on the mental health and normal development of children and adolescents," said Dr. Rustin Morse, chief medical officer at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "I suspect we will continue to have these waves."

COVID-19 in Ohio: mRNA technology in COVID vaccines could one day lower your cholesterol, prevent cancer

So far in the new year, 23 individual schools that are part of Columbus City Schools, Reynoldsburg City Schools and Westerville City Schools have been forced to pivot to remote learning due to staffing shortages, bus driver shortages or heating issues.

School nurses are already beginning to notice more COVID infections among students who have returned to classes in person, said Kate King, a nurse at World Language Middle School in Columbus who is also president-elect of the National Association of School Nurses.

King said she's fielded several calls from parents saying their child contracted COVID-19 during winter break. Its too soon to know how easily the highly infectious omicron variant will spread in schools since this marks the first week back for most students, King said.

Story continues

The omicron variant of COVID-19 accounted for 25% of all Ohio cases while the delta variant made up nearly 75% of all Ohio cases for the two weeks ending Dec. 18, according to the latest data available from the Ohio Department of Health. Nationwide, the omicron variant is already thought to have overtaken delta as the dominant strain of the virus.

COVID-19 in Ohio: Ohioans face a 'coming crisis' with COVID hitting new record, doctors and nurses say

Were seeing a bit of an explosion of reports of positive cases, said King. "...I think well see next week or the week after how omicron affects school because we just really havent seen it at its peak."

How schools are handling in-person learning during current COVID surge

While decisions about COVID-19 protocols have been left to local school district leaders, Columbus Public Health has advised various schools throughout the pandemic and continues to monitor outbreaks as they arise, said spokeswoman Kelli Newman.

Students should remain in the classroom as long as everyone is masking, getting vaccinated when eligible, socially distancing, washing their hands and staying home when sick, Newman said.

Marco Renalli, 8, of Westerville, holds still as nurse Amy Wahl, right, administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine during a clinic for kids ages 5 to 11-year-olds at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus in November. Vaccination remains the most critical tool to halting the spread of the virus among kids, health experts say.

"We have been very clear that we believe kids should remain in the classroom with all mitigation practices in place," Newman said.

Westerville City Schools has required students and staff to wear masks since the start of the school year, with the goal of slowing down the spread of the virus and maintaining "in-person learning as much as possible," Superintendent John R. Kellogg said.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended COVID-19 isolation period from 10 days to 5 days in an attempt to address things like staffing shortages at a variety of workplaces.

Westerville schools has yet to shorten its quarantine period, hesitating out of an abundance of caution. Instead, Westerville is sticking with a 10-day quarantine with the option to test back to school on day eight, Kellogg said.

We just want to get a better handle on what were dealing with before we reduce some of our mitigation strategies, he said.

COVID-19 in schools: Not 2020 again? Tell that to parents where COVID cases, test shortages are closing schools

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, 295,223 pediatric infections have been reported across Ohio, along with 2,739 hospitalizations. At least 21 Ohioans ages 0 to 17 have died of COVID, according to the state.

As cases among Ohio kids reached an all-time high in December, Nationwide Children's was nearing its 1,000th patient admitted with symptomatic COVID since March 2020, said Morse. The hospital has also treated another roughly 700 patients who tested positive for the virus while being seen for another reason, Morse said.

As with most patients hospitalized for COVID, the vast majority of children admitted to Nationwide Children's are unvaccinated, Morse said. More than 94% of Ohioans hospitalized with the virus in 2021 were unvaccinated, according to the state health department.

The numbers show that vaccination, Morse said, remains the most critical tool to halting the spread of the virus among kids. But, just 23% of Ohioans ages 0 to 19 are fully vaccinated, state data shows.

"It's safe, it's effective  We have never admitted a child because of a vaccine reaction," Morse said. "If you're a parent and your child is unvaccinated, they might end up in the hospital on a breathing tube. That's what would concern me."

mfilby@dispatch.com

@MaxFilby

mhenry@dispatch.com

@megankhenry

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: COVID infected more Ohio children in December since pandemic started
During its Monday meeting, the Burke County Board of Education agreed on very little.

But one thing all of the members did agree on was to forgo a health department requirement of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to the classroom.

At the very end of the five-hour meeting, Board Member Leslie Taylor made a motion to make the required negative test to return to the classroom for students and staff optional. As part of the motion, a negative test for those who have been exposed to the virus would be optional and it would allow them to return but they would have to wear a mask for five days.

A message went out to families from Burke County Public Schools the day after the meeting, saying that a negative test on day five to return to school following an exposure is recommended, but not required. It said a student who is out of school and on day six or later of a quarantine and is not symptomatic, then he or she is eligible to return to school without a test.

Masks are required for students who return to school on days six through 10 after being exposed, symptomatic or testing positive for COVID-19, the message said.

When making her motion, Taylor said it follows the school systems COVID-19 Toolkit, which says those exposed should be tested on day five, if possible.

After she made her motion, Board Attorney Chris Campbell, in confirming Taylors motion, said, in part, they would inform families that testing on day five is something the health director would like for them to do but is not required for them to return to school.

However, the requirement for testing before returning to school was a health department order.

In an Jan. 14 email to Superintendent Mike Swan, Burke County Health Department Director Danny Scalise said when a student or staff member has an exposure (within school or outside of school), that person is required to quarantine for five days after their last known exposure to a positive or symptomatic person. On or after day five of the persons quarantine, he or she is required to test negative for COVID-19 to return to in-person school instruction or work, the email said.

Scalise, in the email, goes on to say the COVID-19 test can be an antigen or PCR, but it must be administered by a health care professional. The test administrator and person of interest should not be related, it says.

The state is conducting a mass testing clinic in Burke County through Feb. 18. While it is a drive-thru clinic where the PCR test is a self-swab, Scalise said because it is done in front of a health care professional, the tests are acceptable to meet the health department requirement of testing to return to school. The health department has said test results are returned in two days or less.

This pandemic has changed our lives. The professionals at the Burke County Health Department and all health care providers in the area are truly worried about the health of all Burke County citizens, Scalise said in a statement to The News Herald about the boards decision. I am disappointed in the school boards decision to ignore sound public health advice. Cases of COVID-19 are up as are hospitalizations and deaths. Fortunately, the school board has the opportunity to fix this situation next week and vote on a mask mandate that will last until this pandemic is over. Until then, we will continue to do the testing and vaccine clinics we know will help Burke County get through this.

The next school board meeting is Monday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. at Olive Hill Resource Center, located at 700 E. Parker Road in Morganton.
Recently, Texas passed the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, which enforces humane guidelines for restraining pet canines outdoors. Unfortunately for me, the act fails to impose similar guidelines for the treatment of grouchy husbands and embarrassing dads.

This news about dogs has had me thinking a lot about these magical creatures whom we love so much that were willing to stand outside in nostril-chafing weather and praise  even applaud  them for soiling our landscaping. When was the last time someone scratched behind your ears and offered you a treat as you exited the restroom?

Actually, Ill bet our two doglets would praise me for my bathroom habits if they could. (Maybe thats why they insist on joining me in there  to return the favor.)

I truly think that God must have had at least two purposes in blessing humans with dogs. First, He wanted to give us a form of unwavering companionship, the kind that doesnt mind (and even prefers) when we dont smell so good.

Second, He wanted to demonstrate his imaginative power in creating an animal that routinely displays so much of the potential for good in people (unwavering loyalty, unconditional love, unending forgiveness, unbridled joy, etc.)  never mind the incessant yapping and carpet scooting.

I have some wonderful memories of the dogs in my life.

The first dog I could call my own was an apricot-colored toy poodle named Fluff, gifted to me by my parents when I was a kindergartener in the 1970s (No, I wasnt into using people names for my dogs, though I did consider Art Garfunkel.)

Fluffs claim to fame was that he was paper-trained, meaning that instead of going outside to do his business, he used a variety of local periodicals arrayed on my bedroom floor. This probably explains why I was always caught up on current events, but Im still afraid to get out of bed in the dark.

My family soon adopted a second dog  a beautiful springer spaniel/golden retriever mix named Happy, whom I met when she was still a puppy with her littermates. Ironically, my first meeting with Happy included having her mother mistake my left buttock for a Texas Roadhouse dinner roll.

Because the bite broke the skin, there had to be an investigation, which, thankfully, revealed that there was no risk of the mother dog catching rabies since I was current on all of my vaccinations.

When I was in middle school, our canine menagerie grew again with the addition of Sparky, a hyperactive Boston terrier who quickly earned the nickname Spaz. Due to a desperate need for more discipline, Spaz and I attended formal obedience training one summer, but regardless of how much we practiced and how many Oscar Mayer wieners were offered, Spaz could never teach me to sit and stay properly.

After my marriage and the purchase of our first home, my wife and I decided to make a trial run at having children by adopting two pet pugs, Wilkie and Benny, both of whom lived a full 16 years. Of course, we have since discovered that having human babies and having dogs are extremely different experiences  except for the long-term expense, the slobbering, the chewing, the cleaning up of someone elses accidents ... Wait a minute. How are they different, again?

Seriously, though, dogs have been an important part of my life so far, and I hope they always will be. Our current doglets are Bailey  a terrier mix who looks like the offspring of an Ewok and that fuzz you find behind the refrigerator, and Biscuit  a Maltese mix who looks like the offspring of the same Ewok and Sam Elliots mustache.

Bailey and Biscuit bring our family a lot of happiness, and now that our three teenage daughters are more independent, its a comfort to my wife and me that the pups are always excited to see us and spend quality time with us  especially when we go to the bathroom.

Jase Graves is an award-winning humor columnist from East Texas. Email him at susanjase@sbcglobal.net.
Butte Central Catholic Schools will join 5,981 Catholic schools and over 1.6 million U.S. students in celebration of National Catholic Schools Week 2022. The week-long celebration begins Saturday and continues through Saturday, Feb. 5. Twenty-three Montana Catholic schools will participate.

The national theme for 2022 is Faith, Excellence and Service. It reflects the challenge of Pope Francis, who calls on Catholic schools to prepare future leaders of the Catholic Church.

Throughout the week, Butte Central Schools will hold a series of special events and activities.

On Saturday, Butte Central parents and staff members deliver thank you messages to parishioners. On Wednesday, an All-School Mass will be held at St. Anns Church at 1:45 p.m. Students from Butte Central High School and elementary school will attend and it is open to the community.

On Thursday, the Butte Central Foundation will host a Parish Appreciation Luncheon. Lunches will be delivered to staffs of Buttes six Catholic Parishes as a thank you for their support of Catholic education.

In addition, a series of activities will be held throughout the week to honor volunteers, faculty and students.

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Butte police responded to a call about a possible drowning at Fairmont Hot Springs late Friday afternoon.

A 14-year-old male was transported from the scene to St. James Healthcare but as early evening, Sheriff Ed Lester said his condition was not known.

Police got a call about the incident at 4:09 p.m. and CPR was reported in progress, Lester said. Butte Police, Butte Fire and Rescue and A-1 ambulance all responded to the scene.

Lester said no further details were immediately available. The Fairmont Hot Springs is on the western edge of Butte-Silver Bow County.

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Sean-Paul Schulte had just returned to Helena after burying his daughter in Billings when he immediately packed for a trip to Utah where she was killed.

He said he didnt know what was going to happen, but knew he had to do something.

Schulte divides his time between Helena and Utah, where his daughter Kylen Schulte, 24, and her spouse Crystal Turner, 38, were killed in August. He set up a clue booth in Swanny City Park in Moab, Utah and asked anyone who knew or had heard anything about their deaths to come forward.

He said he received nearly 50 clues in the course of one month and turned that information over to law enforcement.

People came by and told me clues and persons of interest who may be involved, Schulte, 53, said in a recent telephone call from Moab.

Crystal's and Kylens bodies were found Aug. 18 in an irrigation ditch west of their campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. Both women had been shot several times, officials with the the Grand County Sheriffs Office said in a Jan. 19 news release. Officials were made aware of the discovery by an acquaintance of the victims who had been searching for them in the area.

Authorities said they have narrowed the date of death to Aug. 14, and they said they have a person of interest but have not identified a suspect.

The sheriffs office said it spent the next several days processing the scene and collected the victims tent, personal belongings and vehicle as well as blood, shell casings, bullet fragments and video evidence nearby, sheriffs officials said.

They said the state medical examiner determined there was no sign of forcible sexual assault.

Sheriffs officials discounted comments that Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie were somehow involved. Petitos death garnered international attention. On Aug. 12, Moab officers questioned Petito and Laundrie about a potential assault.

The van Petito and Laundrie were traveling in was pulled over after a 911 call was received about a possible assault. An officer found Petito was "crying uncontrollably" in the passenger seat. They reportedly saw the incident "more accurately as a mental/emotional health break than a domestic assault," and separated the couple for the night.

Petitos body was found Sept. 19 near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Officials believe she had died in late August. Laundrie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Florida.

But the FBI and Florida investigators have determined Petito and Laundrie had no involvement with the deaths of the two women, Moab police said.

In a nutshell, the FBI said the ballistics, cellphone pings and evidence doesnt match, Sean-Paul Schulte said.

Schulte said most of the clues people passed along were good, adding that only a handful were not useful.

He said there were multiple leads involving multiple creeps and weirdos. They were all there.

Schulte said some tips lined up with the evidence. He said there were some reports of people who were anti-lesbian or anti-people in general at the park.

Maybe the weirdo they knew was our weirdo, he said. Then those clues started to fade away and people came to give hugs and support.

I think it will be awful interesting that if one of the clues I passed along solved the case, he said. It would be unbelievable.

He said the waiting is tough, adding that one day is too long to wait.

Do I feel like they are working the case? Yes. Do I feel someone will be cuffed and stuffed soon? No, he said.

Schulte said Jason Jensen, a private investigator, has contacted him and is working on the case for free.

I met with him in Moab and we had a good working relationship, Schulte said. I gave him all my notes and he said I could go home. Bless his heart.

Kylen was buried next to her brother at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park in Billings. Tragedy previously struck the family in 2015 when MacKeon Mackey Schulte, 15, was shot and killed by a 17-year-old friend in Billings after tapping onto the friends window at 2:30 a.m. He was apparently mistaken for an intruder.

Schulte said he has divided his time between Helena and Moab for years, and Kylen had moved to Moab to be with him after Mackey died. She had also lost a baby who she had named Blayke Sinead.

Schulte said his daughter and her spouse were the brightest shining light of a couple living in Moab.

He said he often tells people to be Crystal clear and Kylen kind.

Schulte plans to return to Helena, where he works open-mic nights at a local bar and plans to set up a touring business in which people visit the sapphire mines or see the area at sunset.

He said he has three remaining children, Marlo, Xander and William.

I still have three kids to live for, he said. Of course, Ive been through the wringer  but if I look at the odds now, they may be pretty good in my favor.

I have had a lot of sad things happen to me, shocking things that have happened in a split second that I had nothing to do with, but I have three beautiful kids to live for," Schulte said.

The Grand County Sheriff's Office could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. Officials said in their Jan. 19 news release that the FBI is helping them with the investigation, which includes video, forensic and behavior analysis. Sheriffs officials ask the public to be careful about sharing information via social media. People with information should call 435-259-8115 or 435-259-1397.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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ARCHIVED - Blood pressure drugs withdrawn from pharmacies across Spain



Patients who have purchased the affected medication in Spain should return the drug to their local pharmacy

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health products (Aemps) has recalled six batches of Irbestan, a drug used to treat blood pressure, due to the detection of an impurity in the medicine. The product is widely available in pharmacies all across Spain.

The following batches have been withdrawn from the market:

Irbesartan Combix 300 mg (lots M000689 and M012157)

Irbesartan Combix 75 mg (lots M010064 and M100406)

Irbesartan/Hydrochlorothiazide Combix 150 mg (lot M011549)

Irbesartan/Hydrochlorothiazide Pharma Combix 300 mg (lot M015999).

Aemps has ordered that all of the affected medications be returned to the laboratory due to the detection of an impurity in the active ingredient Irbesartan above its accepted limit". Any patients currently taking this blood pressure treatment should refrain from using it and return the drug to their local pharmacy.

Image: Archive
WAPELLO  A major commercial revaluation effort has been launched through the Louisa County Assessors Office because of a five-year savings plan that was started in 2017; and the additional savings will now provide the down payment on new aerial photography, the Louisa County Conference Board agreed Thursday.

County assessor Cathy Smith, who announced she would retire in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, told the board the commercial revaluation was progressing and the new values would likely be ready by March 2023.

That will also be around the time the new aerial photography flights will begin, according to budget proposals developed by EagleView Technologies, Bellevue, Wash.

Following a presentation by John Wenande, Iowa Technical Manager for EagleView, the board voted to accept a $68,310 proposal. Smith indicated around $30,000 would be available in the fiscal year 2023 budget from the savings plan to cover a partial payment for the flights.

Wenande said the remaining payments could be spread over two additional budget years if necessary.

In other budget action, the board reviewed the fiscal year '23 budget proposal and after two votes settled on a 3 percent pay hike for the assessors office, with an additional 3 percent stipend for the workers.

The salary decision mirrors what the Louisa County Board of Supervisors has approved for most county employees for fiscal year '23.

Smith had proposed a 6 percent hike, explaining the additional salary adjustment only added 2 to the budgets proposed levy of just over 52 per $1,000 valuation.

She pointed out that was still below the current rate of slight above 54.

Supervisor Randy Griffin said he was concerned if the board approved a 6 percent hike for the assessors office, it would generate dissent in other county offices.

When a motion was put on the table for a 6 percent hike, it failed, with all three voting blocks  supervisors, mayors and school districts  opposed. A second motion to set a 3 percent salary hike and a 3 percent stipend then passed.

Before the board opted for the split salary settlement, the budget proposal totaled $538,731, which compared to the current budget of $527,978. The board will hold a public hearing on the budget on Feb.16 at 4:30 p.m.

Smith also alerted the board to the possible future need to begin a new savings plan, which would begin putting money aside for a needed residential revaluation effort. She said that project could cost over $600,000.

Supervisor Brad Quigley questioned if the effort could be conducted in-house by hiring temporary staff. Both Smith and chief deputy assessor Audrea Bowen said that likely could not be done because it would require specialized training and other abilities that would be difficult for seasonal or part-time personnel to meet. Smith told the board she would not be interested in assuming that role following her retirement.

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Naomi Judd died Saturday at age 76. Here are some of the entertainers, leaders, athletes and other notable people we've lost so far this year.
Afrihost expects 2022 to see the fibre industry focus more on the lower-income markets in South Africa, and it plans to highlight several of its offerings that were launched late last year.

The Internet service provider (ISP) told MyBroadband that it plans to continue its focus on fibre and LTE by maintaining efficient customer support and client services.

It also said it wants to focus more on providing competitive mobile offerings.

The ISP said that, when it comes to fibre, it expects fibre network operators (FNO) to focus more on lower-income neighbourhoods.

These FNOs include Frogfoot Air, Openserve Web Connect, and Vuma Reach.

Afrihost also expects the FNOs to introduce prepaid fibre offerings in these markets in 2022.

This year, the services it wants to highlight include its new Air Mobile packages and its uncapped LTE offerings.

These services, as well as Afrihosts fibre offerings for lower-income markets, are summarised below.

Air Mobile packages

Afrihost unveiled new pricing for its Air Mobile data packages in December, cutting the price of its 1GB prepaid bundle from R69 to R30.

In addition to the price reduction for the 1GB package, Afrihost also dropped the price of its 2GB, 3GB, and 5GB bundles to R60, R90, and R100, respectively.

The ISP also added several larger packages up to 100GB and slashed prices for its monthly offerings.

The changes took effect on 1 January 2022, and Afrihost said that all Air Mobile Monthly packages will receive three times more data, at no additional cost.

Afrihosts Air Mobile offerings are summarised below.

Afrihost Air Mobile Data Price 100MB R10.00 250MB R20.00 500MB R25.00 1GB R30.00 2GB R60.00 3GB R90.00 5GB R100.00 7GB R130.00 10GB R150.00 15GB R220.00 20GB R250.00 30GB R350.00 40GB R450.00 50GB R500.00 100GB R1,000.00

Fixed-LTE

Afrihost offers fixed-LTE packages on MTN and Telkoms networks, and its uncapped plans cost R949.00 and R997.00, respectively.

The plans are all subject to fair usage policies.

On Telkoms network, Afrihosts uncapped packages allow for 250GB of data usage at 10Mbps, after which speeds drop to 4Mbps for 50GB, and eventually slowing to 2Mbps.

Afrihosts Pure LTE offerings, on MTNs network, offer unlimited speeds until subscribers hit a 1TB threshold, after which speeds drop to 2Mbps.

Afrihosts fixed-LTE offerings are summarised below.

Afrihost fixed-LTE Data allocation* Pure LTE (MTN) Telkom LTE 5GB R49.00  20GB  R199.00 40GB R199.00 R219.00 60GB  R319.00 90GB R349.00 R429.00 130GB  R539.00 180GB  R699.00 200GB R549.00  220GB  R799.00 300GB  R999.00 400GB R749.00  Uncapped R949.00 R997.00 *Each package comes with double data allocation for use between the hours of 00:00 and 06:00 Afrihosts Vuma Reach, Frogfoot Air, and Openserve Web Connect packages

Afrihost offers fibre packages on the Vuma Reach, Frogfoot Air, and Openserve Web Connect networks aimed at the lower-income markets.

Customers in these markets can get 10Mbps fibre connectivity from R297 a month.

The asymmetrical packages download speeds range from 10Mbps to 40Mbps, while upload speeds range from 1Mbps to 10Mbps.

Those looking for a faster connection can sign up for the Vuma Reach package with a download speed of 40Mbps and upload of 10Mbps for R529 a month.

Afrihosts fibre packages on the Frogfoot Air, Openserve Web Connect, and Vuma Reach networks are detailed below.
Valuable records in Parliaments library are likely to have been damaged or destroyed in the fire earlier this month.

A project about five years ago was supposed to create a digital store of Parliaments archive.

But quality-control samples suggest that nearly half the pages were not scanned properly, and there are troubling questions about how the project was managed, especially by Parliament itself.

A botched digitisation project has probably condemned irreplaceable documents to extinction following the fire in Parliament.

Over the course of two years, an outside company was paid millions of rands to scan Parliaments collection of about 7,000 volumes of material or seven million individual pages.

Much of this collection was unique to Parliament  no other store of archival material in the country has a copy. Of particular importance are the annexures to the Hansard  the official record of Parliaments deliberations going back to 1910. The records include unpublished government reports, annual reports, research, and manuscripts.

Parliament staff cannot yet access the buildings where these records are kept. While the library and stores at the National Council of Provinces are understood to be safe, a 4 January report to the Parliament Library warns that the entire collection in the stores at the National Assembly were affected by the fire, and may be lost. These stores contain South Africas entire pre-1994 parliamentary records.

The basement in the National Assembly that houses the archives is believed to have suffered grave water damage during the fire. At one point the water was chest-high, according to a report. This would be disastrous for the documents housed there, most of which are decades old.

The 4 January report offers some mitigation: these records have been digitised. But this is not accurate.

Almost half of the scans are semi-legible or even completely unreadable. This failure was identified by Parliaments library staff after the records were scanned in 2017. The service provider returned to Parliament to rescan the botched records  but abruptly stopped this work long before it was completed.

Despite that millions of pages needed to be scanned again in order to be legible, the project was listed as being finished in official records.

In Parliaments Annual Report for 2017/18, listed among the key achievements that year was the digitisation of approximately seven million pages of rare and fragile library material which included books, Hansard, artwork, microfiche, photographs and maps.

The annual report was presented to the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament (Joint Committee) on 31 October 2018 by Acting Secretary to Parliament, Baby Tyawa.

The legacy report of the fifth term of Parliament repeats this claim, saying that the Enhanced Library Service Project had digitised this huge archive and that the project had been completed in 2017.

But the monthly reports filed in 2017 by the Rare & Historical Information Services (RHIS), the division of the Parliamentary Information Centre that deals specifically with the huge archives at Parliament, show a different picture.

In January 2017, the librarian in charge of RHIS at the time, Ingrid Henrici, reported that 6,092 volumes had been scanned by that stage, or 88% of the total archive. This was being performed by a service provider called i-Kno, at just under R5 million according to Parliaments spokesperson.

But the quality control that was done on the project suggested that the project was far from complete. Of the 1,746 scanned volumes that had been checked by the RHIS library staff, 44% had to be rejected. The Annexures to the Hansard and manuscripts were a particular problem. Three staff members had been assigned to the project.

At this stage, according to the delivery schedule in the report, the digitisation project was already two months overdue.

In the next report for February 2017, the situation is worse. Delivery of re-scanned items did not take place as projected, writes Henrici. Quality checks revealed more deficient scans, with the error rate rising to just under 50%. Of the 2,014 scanned volumes that had been checked, 1,001 had to be rejected and redone.

In March 2017, it was reported that a seventh harddrive used to store the digitised records had crashed, a very concerning issue, wrote Henrici. More worrying was that the quality control of the scans was suspended until delivery of re-scanned volumes takes place. The report states that the service providers had made no further deliveries of scanned materials, nor had they rescanned any new items.

The April report does not mention the digitisation project, and in June the only mention is a note that quality checks on the scans were continuing slowly.

In July, a farce: An attempt was made by i-Kno to access Parliament to complete the outstanding rescans and pack up the equipment and remove it from Parliament. This was unsuccessful due to their vetting having expired and their problem in getting revetted due to outstanding tax documents.

In its last available report, from September 2017, RHIS gives up. Quality checking of previously digitised resources from the project has currently come to an end. QC will be put on hold as there are no further developments with regards to getting the project completed.

These reports were sent to Albert Ntunja, the Chief Librarian of the South African Parliamentary Library at the time. From here, Ntunja should have reported on the progress of this project to the Divisional Manager of Knowledge and Information Services. In 2016, Neil Nel retired from this role, and his position was taken over by Dr Leon Gabriel.

In turn, Nel and Gabriel should have reported to the Deputy Secretary to Parliament: Core Business, who should have reported to the Secretary to Parliament.

The Secretary to Parliament at the time until his suspension for suspicion of maladministration and abuse of power in June 2017 was Gengezi Mgidlana. Baby Tyawa was appointed as Acting Secretary to Parliament after Mgidlanas suspension, and remains in the role.

Someone in this chain of responsibility reported that this vast multi-million rand digitisation project had been satisfactorily completed, and this claim was confirmed in various official reports, and transmitted to the Joint Committee.

How was this failure swept under the rug? Why was it not identified as fruitless and wasteful expenditure in Parliaments annual reports?

On 25 October 2017, Tyawa, Acting Secretary to Parliament, presented Parliaments 2016/17 annual report to the Joint Committee, and announced that in that reporting period irregular expenditure had decreased by 84%, from R15 million in 2016 to R2.4 million in 2017 while fruitless and wasteful expenditure had increased by 29%, from R830,000 in 2016 to R1 million in 2017.

The digitisation project was not considered among these expenditure items. Further, the project was not listed among the failed performance targets that year. In fact, no mention was given to this project at all in this performance report.

When Mgidlana presented Parliaments 2015/16 annual report to the Joint Committee on 21 October 2016, he announced that of the fruitless and wasteful expenditure during the financial year, R257,000 was from backlogs of digitisation of library books due to unavailability of Parliament staff. Mgidlanas presentation explained that the service provider (i-Kno) could not easily access Parliament or receive barcodes from Parliament staff during the period that staff were on strike. The annual report itself declares that the project under which the digitisation fell was mostly on track.

In the financial performance review of Parliament for 2016/17, the incomplete digitisation is not accounted for. Instead the R257,000 in wasted expenditure from the 2016 strike is rolled over.

The digitisation of the archives was designated as a sub-project in a larger effort (the so-called Enhance parliamentary information centre services project). Once the records were successfully digitised, they were to be entered into a database that could be accessed by a proprietary system called uVimba (Parliaments central document management system). According to a mid-year report presented to the Joint Committee, uVimba was operational by mid-2018  even if the digitised documents that could be accessed through uVimba were desperately deficient.

GroundUp has found no mention of the digitisation effort or the problems recounted in the RHIS reports in any documentation sent to the Joint Committee by Parliament officials between 2016 and 2018.

In response to our questions, Gerrit van Dyk of i-Kno and Smarter Image, said that i-Kno rescanned most of the items that were noted to be of poor quality and the items were provided on hard drives to Parliament for further review. He said that the scanned images were large due to the quality that Parliament required. Parliament did not have sufficient space on their servers for the images at the time, and so all the images were located on hard drives supplied by i-Kno.

The main reasons for the defective scans can also be found in the project documentation at Parliament. More than 80% of scans were successful and i-Kno did rescan those defective documents, as far as possible.

In response to our questions, Parliament confirmed that the project ended in September 2017, as established in the RHIS report. That means that no further scanning or re-scanning was done by i-Kno after that date. Van Dyk of i-Kno likewise confirmed that to his knowledge, Parliament did not complete the checking of the rescans. (Read Van Dyks full response.)

But the volumes that we have seen were not rescanned. They are filled with defective pages.

According to Parliament: Rescanned materials returned to Parliament were not rechecked and a final error rate was not determined. Library statistics confirmed that 95.35% of digitised materials were delivered to Parliament.

But it is not clear how the 95% completion rate was achieved when read with the RHIS reports. The last report that provides information on total job completion says that 89% of all scans had been completed, excluding rescans. Quality control in the subsequent months slowed to a trickle and then stopped completely. Any digitisation from then on was done on demand by library staff.

Parliament concedes that the job was not done. The Close-out report [to I-Knos contract] acknowledged that approximately 4.65% of the work was not delivered to Parliament. As a result, according to Parliament, the 20% retainer, R1.1 million, was withheld. (Read Parliaments full response.)

So while the contract was closed out, the work was not completed  and yet it was marked as complete in both the Annual Report and the Legacy Report.

What is possibly lost?

Parliamentary staff cannot yet access the library collection stored beneath the National Assembly. It is believed that the following archival materials are likely permanently damaged.

The Annexures: all of the House of Assembly Reports covering the period from 1910-1980

Commission Reports, including from Departmental Committees

Hansard Debates

Senate Debates

Select Committee Reports from 1910-1992

Legal Deposit Books

Selected works of South African History and Geography  general collection items housed in the journals store were moved to the National Assembly store due to renovations to the National Council of Provinces and library

Parliamentary Correspondence  Imperial Blue Books

Statistical registers

Bills 1910-1990

Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports

House of Lords, Australia, New Zealand and Canada Hansard Debates

Minutes of proceedings

Question Papers

Almost all of UCTs Hansard collection from 1920 was lost in last years fire. The National Library has copies and they will provide digital scans on demand but they will be missing annexures and many other documents only located in Parliament.

By James Stent, originally published on GroundUp. Republished under CC BY-ND 4.0.
Napa police arrested a Napa man early in the morning Thursday on suspicion of attempting to rob the 7-Eleven at 2010 Redwood Road with a knife.

Eduardo Jose Salazar, 26, dressed in black and in possession of a knife, asked the 7-Eleven clerk to hand over the money in the register, police said. The employee refused to give him the money. Salazar then reportedly knocked items off the shelves and counters, police said.

Police responded to a report of a robbery with a weapon at the store. Surveillance footage corroborated the clerks story, according to police.

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Police found Salazar, who matched the clerks description, in a nearby parking lot and arrested him. Salazar was booked into Napa County jail at 2:48 a.m. on Thursday for investigation on charges of attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Napa City Council is pretty much set to adopt its current district map as the map that will set in place city of Napa voting districts for the next decade.

That map, created with 2010 Census data during the citys switch to district elections in 2020, remained the top choice of councilmembers during a redistricting public hearing Tuesday, and as the city heads for the final hearings of its 2021-22 redistricting process.

The first reading adoption of a final map is scheduled for Feb. 8; that adoption is set to be finalized in a second reading on March 8, slightly over a month before an April 17 deadline.

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Under the threat of a lawsuit, the city carried out a truncated, 4-month process to create the current map and switch to district elections from an at-large voting system back in 2020. Despite the tight timeline, the city received a great deal of community participation, including 44 proposed maps and 58 community of interest worksheet, and the map was used for the 2020 City Council elections.

But the city, like all jurisdictions using district elections, was required by law to go through redistricting once 2020 Census data came out, to potentially create a new map based on the new data. And despite an extended timeline and more chances to participate this time around, engagement has been lower than it was when the city was switching to district elections.

Napa City Clerk Tiffany Carranza attributed the relative lack of participation in redistricting to the high amount of community input that previously went into creating the current map.

Though we havent had quite as much participation as we had hoped, we would like to attribute that lack of participation per se to a successful transition to districts back in 2020, following the FAIR Maps Act and establishing lines that do comply with each element, Carranza said.

Though the Napa councilmembers said they largely supported the current map  as they also have at past meetings  two public commenters urged the council to consider a new map that would take into account annexation of the West Pueblo-Linda Vista neighborhood, the largest of the unincorporated islands scattered around the city, which contains roughly 1,800 people.

Larry Alexander, speaking on behalf of the Napa County Progressive Alliance, urged the council to annex the island, so it can be considered in redistricting or, barring that, draw the map in such a way that its eventually incorporated into District 4  which has the smallest population of the districts at 19,029  instead of District 2, which makes up most of Browns Valley and has the largest population of 20,520.

The FAIR Maps Act, a California law, requires the largest district to not have more than 10% of the population of the smallest district when adopting a new map. The current map, using 2020 census numbers, maintains a 7.6% population differential between the largest and smallest districts.

We suspect the reason the council wants to wait to annex this island until after redistricting is because annexing the island now would put District 2 over the ideal 10% population allowed by the FAIR Maps Act, necessitating a change to the current map, Alexander said.

Alexander added that island residents are working-class and majority Latino, which he said means the Latino vote would be diluted if the island was added to District 2, which has the lowest Latino citizen voting age population of the four districts.

City attorney Michael Barrett has previously said the city has started the annexation process and will finish going through with it after redistricting is over. However, one reason the annexation has been delayed, he said, is that the lead manager of the project left the city of Napa for a different job.

Barretts also previously said that though bringing the island into District 2 would bring the map above the 10% population differential, it wont violate any relevant laws. Thats because annexations comprised of up to 25% percent of the citys population are allowed before another redistricting process is triggered.

Barrett added on Tuesday that the city may go through a separate process to annex the island into a district other than District 2 after the districts are in place, but that will require a separate public process. He also said that annexation is a separate topic from redistricting.

A key, important thing to keep in mind for todays conversation is that today is about district boundaries for the existing city limit lines, Barrett said. And so thats what were here to talk about today. All of the discussion about annexation, that is a different topic, that requires a different agenda item in order to discuss.

Councilmember Mary Luros said she didnt feel that anything had changed enough to warrant switching to a new map.

The districts are equal; theyre contiguous; we havent confused anyone by changing from our current districts, Luros said. In my opinion, I think we would need a pretty drastic change to want to change our current districts, considering how much time we spent on it last time.

Mayor Scott Sedgley, who also supported the current map, pushed back against claims from the Progressive Alliance that not annexing the islands before redistricting is disenfranchising Latino voters who live there. Sedgley added that, even though island residents don't have a Napa City Council vote, they're represented by Napa County government.

The whole idea that council or somebody is deliberately redlining communities is the farthest thing from the truth, Sedgley said. Those pockets and those islands, they are represented; they are represented by elected officials, and they do vote.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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A Canadian man has been sentenced to six months in U.S. federal prison for groping an American Airlines flight attendant, AP reported.

Enio Socorro Zayas, 50, was sentenced Monday in Miami federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to assault in October.

According to a criminal complaint, Zayas was traveling on an American Airlines flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Miami International Airport in August when a flight attendant serving refreshments left snacks on Zayas lap because she believed he was asleep. Zayas then reached around his side, intentionally grabbed the woman on the back of the leg and moved his hand up to her buttocks, all without the flight attendants consent, investigators said.

When she turned away, the flight attendant "felt a hand grip the bottom of her thigh and move upwards towards the lower portion of her buttocks before rubbing firmly from side to side," the affidavit reads, CNN reported.

One of the passengers on board corroborated details of the incident to law enforcement, according to the affidavit.
Denmark, Finland support European Commission proposal on Russian oil sanctions

Bulgaria to seek exemption from EU proposed Russian oil embargo

Biden says he is ready for additional sanctions against Russia

Switzerland braces for serious power shortage

Uruguay freezes ambassador appointment to Ankara after Cavusoglu's gesture

Czech Republic to seek exemption from proposed EU embargo on Russian oil imports

Charles Michel on the likelihood of Moldova's EU membership

Resistance Movement actions to resume tomorrow early morning

Elon Musk is invited to UK Parliament for buying Twitter

Disobedience march reaches France Square, rally starts

US crude oil shipments to Europe hit highest level in April

NEWS.am digest: Large-scale protests being held in Armenia to demand PMs resignation

Armenia Defense Minister meets with Georgian PM

UK bans imposes sanctions on 63 individuals and organizations in Russia

EU plan to completely ban Russian crude oil threatens Hungary's energy security

EU interested in expanding energy cooperation with Azerbaijan

Germany: Gradual EU ban on Russian oil imports could lead to 'supply disruptions'

Opposition demonstration reaches government residences

Aliyev insists so-called Zangezur corridor 'is already a reality'

Slovakia seeks exemption from EU oil embargo for three years

Defense Ministers of Armenia and Georgia sign cooperation program for 2022

Romanian President approves entry of Stryker Brigade and US fighter squadron into country

Dollar goes up, euro also rises in Armenia

EU studying possibility of providing military assistance to Moldova

Public demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation

Opposition supporters move toward Armenian parliament building

EU envoys can not agree on Russian oil

Armenia Security Council chief briefs Georgia PM on Karabakh conflict settlement process

Armenia deputy police chief says law enforcement has right detain MPs

Large-scale opposition rally starts in central Yerevan

Many teenagers in New Zealand are illiterate

AFP: EU proposes to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill

Arestovich says Israel could supply Ukraine with weapons Azerbaijan used in Karabakh war

Parliament speaker threatens Armenian opposition, clergy

Armenia opposition MP: Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan will not hold office in new government

Beijing closes over 60 subway stations due to COVID-19 outbreak

Bayramov, Roquefeuil discuss Azerbaijan-Armenia relations normalization process

Armenia FM meets with US National Democratic Institute president

Armenia ruling force MP: Opposition will not achieve its goal

Armenia 2nd president Robert Kocharyans son blocking road with citizens in Yerevan

Oklahoma bans almost all abortions

Number of children in Japan falls to record low

Karabakh President meets with of Free Homeland-UCA parliamentary faction members

Armenian judge waves Artsakh flag at Ironman Triathlon (PHOTOS)

There is still lot to do in 'October 27' case, says Armenia Prosecutor General

Ambassador Wiktorin to finance minister: EU ready to continue providing assistance to Armenia government

Armenia Prosecutor General admits there are difficulties in investigation of 'March 1' criminal case

Copper price is stable

3 COVID-19 new cases confirmed in Armenia

American Armenian youth hold protest rally outside Armenia embassy in Washington

Japan protests against North Korean missile

Gold is getting cheaper

U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue issues joint statement

Newspaper: Armenia Patrol Guard Service head to be summoned to Investigative Committee to give explanation

Armenia parliament regular sittings continue

Newspaper: Armenia opposition members falling into National Security Service trap by opening links

Civil disobedience protests resume in Yerevan

Earthquake shakes Armenia-Georgia border zone

Microsoft urges to abandon Internet Explorer

Mark Milley: Potential for significant international conflict between great powers is increasing

EU: Poland fines in rule of law dispute now top $170 million

Putin and Lukashenko discuss ongoing situation

Greece and Bulgaria say new LNG terminal will help reduce dependence on Russia

German vice chancellor calls for rapid construction of LNG terminals

Rally of Resistance Movement takes place in France Square

Robert Kocharyan takes part in opposition march

Mario Draghi calls on EU to abandon requirement of unanimity in making foreign policy decisions

Finland and Sweden not yet decided whether to join NATO

Croatian president uses veto power to block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO

Slovakia will seek exemption from the EU embargo on Russian oil imports

NEWS.am digest: Blinken meets Mirzoyan in US, people detained during protests in Yerevan

Turkish Foreign Ministry on meeting of special envoys in Vienna

Opposition rally in central Yerevan starts with Sirusho's performance

Italy to face serious issues in winter if Russian gas supplies are cut off now

Johnson announces new military aid to Ukraine in amount of 300 million euros

Resistance Movement rally on France Square in Yerevan

EU hopes to adopt sixth round of sanctions against Russia at next EU Council meeting

Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Spitak

Spain extends OVID-19 entry restrictions

Vayk joins demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation

Putin and Macron discuss Ukraine

Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block road from Vayots Dzor to Yerevan

Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Vanadzor demanding PM's resignation

Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block Gyumri-Yerevan highway

Sirusho: Today I will join our compatriots in France Square

Third meeting of Armenia and Turkey special representatives held in Vienna

Dollar rises slightly after long decline, euro also goes up in Armenia

Civil disobedience actions in regions: Yerevan-Goris highway blocked

Azerbaijan settling occupied Armenian Hadrut, Shushi cities of Artsakh

New colors and new services: Team Telecom Armenia completes rebranding

Armenia legislature speaker receives France-Armenia Friendship Group delegation

France senator: We are leaving for Armenia with Senate group

Putin signs decree on economic measures against unfriendly countries

Armenia legislature speaker: Authorities have repeatedly proposed dialogue to opposition

Backpack action of protest being held outside Armenia parliament (PHOTOS)

Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD statement does not correspond to reality

Armenia defense minister receives Kansas National Guard delegation

Armenia Police: Yerevan-Sevan motorway reopened

Ned Price: Mirzoyan-Blinken meeting will launch US-Armenia strategic dialogue

Mirzoyan, Nuland discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement process
YEREVAN.  Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The resignation of President Armen Sarkissian continues to be discussed in various circles, and people state that he has not become passive even after his announcement on resignation. His staff has issued two or three statements, and yesterday the RA President delivered a message dedicated to the Army Day.

Analysts believe that a person leaving Armenia does not behave like that, and this proves that Armen Sarkissian has some plans for the future.

And as for the resignation, it, apparently, was a surprise not only for [PM] Nikol Pashinyan and the [Armenian] society in general, but also for his own staff. Moreover, our presidential sources say that in the days before the resignation, Armen Sarkissian contacted the staff, gave instructions to prepare documents related to a new project, as well as to book tickets to participate in a European conference, whereas the next day called and canceled the instructions given yesterday.

The [presidential] staff is also surprised and does not find an explanation for what happened.

It is true that in the past there were rumors about [Sarkissian] resigning [from office], but at this moment there was no fact attesting to that.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that there are different views among the allies on the need to supply weapons to Ukraine, TASS reported.

I believe that NATO allies have an obligation to offer support to Ukraine, he said in an interview with El Pais newspaper posted on Saturday. We provide political support, practical support, we help them modernize their defense agencies, we help them fight corruption, we help them establish cyber defense mechanisms. As for defensive weapons, the allies have different views. Some allies, such as the United Kingdom, the United States or the Baltic countries, provide this type of weaponry. This is Ukraines right to defend itself. Ukraine has the right to defend itself, it is a principle enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

No one is interested in an armed conflict, Stoltenberg assured. From the outset, we offer to sit down and listen to what your [i.e., Russias] security concerns are. And to study issues such as arms control, nuclear weapons, missiles, transparency in military activity, establish better channels of political and military.

Speaking about the possibility of a neutral status for Ukraine, the NATO Secretary General said: () this matter goes beyond Ukraine. Russia wants to sign a legally binding treaty that would block any future NATO membership. If Sweden, for example, wants to enter, it is the decision of the Swedes, not of Moscow. Second, it was Finland that made the sovereign decision to be neutral and to seek a middle way between the Warsaw Pact and NATO. So we must respect Ukraines decision, regardless of whether it is in favor of accession or not.

And asked whether it would be acceptable if Russia lowered its demand to stop only Ukraine from entering the NATO and not other countries, Jens Stoltenberg, responded: We never negotiate in public, so the response we have sent to Moscow is confidential. Confidentiality is a prerequisite for moving forward diplomatically. But the freedom of choice of each country is a fundamental principle.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of a number of significant events in the history of independent Armenia. Despite the small time distance by historical standards, not everyone now has a correct idea of the events of those years. The respective facts and documents were discussed in the below interview to Armenian News-NEWS.am by the First Ombudsperson of Armenia, human rights activist Larisa Alaverdyan.

How did the internationalization of the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflict begin?

2022 is a special year in the history of independent Armenia. It was in 1992 that Armenia became a member of the European Conference on Security and Cooperation, which later became the OSCE. Thus began Armenia's entry into the international community. Although the process of sovereignty and independence began in 1990, Armenia, like other former USSR republicsexcept the Baltic stateswas not yet a member of the international community, was not a member of the UN, was not a member of the OSCE, as well as was not a participant in or member of other international intergovernmental organizations.

The only thing that happened before 1992 was in the end of December 1991, when Armenia, along with several other former Soviet republics, began the process of joining the CIS, which was founded in early December by Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. It should be noted that Azerbaijan (represented by A. Mutalibov), which was present at the meeting of the leaders of the countries participating in the meeting in Almaty, did not join the CIS. (It happened in September 1993, after the military coup, when the popularly elected President A. Aliyev (Elchibey) was overthrown and H. Aliyev seized power). The Baltic states were not included in the CIS; they were recognized by the members of the international community back in September 1991.

In January 1992, Armenia and Azerbaijan invited the OSCE Mission to the region, which visited Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the NKR [(Nagorno-Karabakh Republic)] in February. The history of the formation of the CSCE deserves special attention. Few remember that the organization was established on the initiative of the Soviet Union. It was the Soviet Union and the other countries of the Warsaw Pact that offered to sign such an agreement in the early [19]70s, whose participants will be both Western and Eastern European countries, as well as Canada and the United States; that is, the two opposing camps (socialist and capitalist) of the time, as they thought the Cold War was over.

During the two years (1973-1975), as a result of discussions, the Helsinki Final Act (HFA) was formulated and adopted, which played a significant role in the institutional development of the CSCE. The HFA's goal was to unite30 years after the end of World War IIthe borders and territories of the states that then resolved the existing, if not disputes, then the "unevenness," and consolidate the easing of international tensions.

When we talk about the CSCE (OSCE since 1995) and the UN, it is necessary to distinguish the positions of these organizations on the principle/right of peoples to self-determination. In the UN documents, the self-determination of peoples is a RIGHT, whereas in the HFA it is interpreted as one of the ten PRINCIPLES which will play its unique role in the future, proceeding from the political interests of the OSCE members. Looking ahead, we note that the OSCE Lisbon Summit (December 1996) proposed three principles for the settlement of the "Karabakh conflict," previously agreed with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to which Nagorno-Karabakh (not NKR) can self-determine as part of Azerbaijan, not to be independent of it as it already existed. And all that was "substantiated" by the "principle of territorial integrity."

In all those years, the Azerbaijani leader, claiming that "the principle of territorial integrity is more important to the international community than the principle of the right of peoples to self-determination," referred to that resolution which was not adopted. It was not accepted due to the disagreement of Armenia, which used its veto power (this was not due to a change of position, but to the tense situation in the country, which was connected with the well-known fact of "illegitimacy of the election" of the first president for the second term, "destabilization of the situation, and the authorities threatening to suppress the discontent"). Armenia's refusal caused understandable bewilderment by all other OSCE members and the leadership, as in all previous years the Armenian leadership, led by L. Ter-Petrosyan, put forward such a model for "resolving" the agreed conflict with Azerbaijan. And from that position, as it became clear from the subsequent events, neither the first president nor the leadership of the ANM [(Armenian National Movement party)] has ever retreated.

Going back to 1992, it should be reminded that in response to the application of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Council of Ministers of to the CSCE in late January 1992, it was decided to send a special mission to the region, which was instructed to study the issue on the ground and submit a report on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The mission report was presented on February 28, 1992, and on the same day the Committee of High-Level Officials of the CSCE adopted a decision in which twicein points 1 and 2it is spoken about "the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan." Thus appeared the wording according to which the national liberation movement of the Armenians against genocidal Azerbaijan was described as a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, or in Soviet terminology, a "conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh."

All the attempts of the NKR leadership, as well as many analysts, to prove to the international community that the essence of the complete distortion of what is happening in the region directly threatens the right of the Armenian population to live and create in their historically uninterrupted settlements, as well as the impeccable international legal basis for NKR independence from Azerbaijan as the only way to avoid genocide met with this wording that reflected Yerevan's position but contradicted reality, which clearly ignored national interests and threatened the security of the Armenian state, nation, as well as of the region.

Thus, the internationalization of the Karabakh conflict started from a completely distorted point of view; that is, at the suggestion of the Armenian leadership, the CSCE considered everything taking place in the region on the eve of the former Soviet republics to join the UN as a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which "claimed" the territory of another independent (in a few days) state.

At that time I was an analyst at the Special Commission on Artsakh of the Supreme Council of Armenia, and that document also appeared in our commission. On that occasion, I spoke on the radio. At the suggestion of the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, I prepared a text that reflected on the main risks of that wording and the complete contradiction of the realities, both legal and factual. All the members of the commission were also convinced that such a beginning completely distorts the essence of what is happening and predetermines the status of the NKR, whereas it should have been the subject of discussion within the CSCE. Moreover, there was hope that, unlike the Gorbachev Moscow, the international organization would assess the impeccability of the international legal and domestic legitimacy of the formation of the NKR.

However, the first president of the RA [(Republic of Armenia)] did not agreefrom the lips of infamous G. Libaridianwith that, and therefore the above-mentioned absolutely biased opinion and position, which, apparently, has long been rooted in the ANM leadership, became the beginning of the so-called internationalization of the Karabakh conflict, catastrophically distorting the essence of the issue.

The current [Armenian] authorities regularly reprimand the second president of "withdrawing Karabakh" from the negotiation process. How justified are such allegations? And to what extent are the statements about the recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity by Armenia justified?

It is a completely different story. Recently, many have begun to use "oral folk art" even in matters that require serious discussion and require minimal familiarity with real events and documents. There is a definite time: the beginning of April 1997, when L. Ter-Petrosyan was still president when the last meeting took place around one [negotiating] table with the participation of NKR representatives. All the other "opinions" are idle talk, aiming to mislead the general public of the country and all Armenians.

The logic of pulling Karabakh out direct trilateral contacts (but not from the negotiation process) came from the initial position of the ANM, or rather the party leadership, and contradicted the people's movement the roots of which were the Karabakh movement. One of the most important consequences of the Karabakh movement becoming the ANM was the transformation of the NKAO into a constitutional demand to reunite Armenia against corruption, a movement against democracy, totalitarianism, which soon turned into a struggle to leave the USSR. Such movements took place in 1989 in all (except Central Asia) Union republics. Already in September of the same year, the ANM party leaders and the non-governmental organizations created by them voiced the idea that an end would be put to ethnic discrimination in democratic republics, as a result of which the demand for the NKAO to leave Azerbaijan would lose its meaning. This artificial "idea" became the unchanging basic thesis of the ANM team that came to power in August 1990 and personally of the first president.

Let us also turn to Armenia's commitments under other ratified documents, indicating its entry into the CSCE, the UN and later other international organizations. There is not a single document that mentions Soviet borders. There is not and cannot be such a document recognizing any state within its declared borders. Modern international law understands recognition as a bilateral political act that is not tied to designated borders. And the periodic voicing of a statement of recognition, allegedly by the UN, is both illiteracy and gross manipulation, since the UN does not have the function of recognizing a state, it accepts (or does not accept) it as a member of the organization.

For three decades now, gross manipulation has been going on both on the part of Azerbaijan and certain political circles of Armenia, which find themselves in power and implement plans that directly contradict international law in its correct sense outside the political conjuncture and are ultimately directed against Armenia and all Armenians. Finally, if we are talking about existing borders at the end of 1991, it should be emphasized that the NKR was not part of Azerbaijan, and in this sense, all attempts to prove that Azerbaijan has any rights over the NKR only emphasize the depth of the crisis in modern international relations. Thus, everyone should be well aware that there is no such document in which Armenia recognized the Soviet borders of Azerbaijan.
Italy's reluctant president stays on for second term

Lawmakers applaud as Sergio Mattarella is re-elected as Italy's president by the Chamber of Deputies in Rome. Photo: AP

Italian head of state Sergio Mattarella was re-elected for a second term on Saturday, with party chiefs asking him to carry on after a week of fruitless, often fraught voting in parliament to choose a successor.



Relieved party chiefs thanked 80-year-old Mattarella for agreeing to remain, but the failed attempts to replace him during seven rounds of balloting have left deep scars, with potentially dangerous repercussions for political stability.



Nonetheless, financial markets are likely to react positively to the status quo, which will see Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who had made clear he hoped to become president himself, continuing on as prime minister instead.



At the eighth round among more than 1,000 lawmakers and regional delegates in the Chamber of Deputies, loud and prolonged applause broke out when Mattarella passed the 505 votes needed for election.



Mattarella had ruled out remaining in office, but with the country's political stability at risk he changed his mind in the face of appeals from parliamentary leaders who met him at his palace earlier in the day.



In Italy's political system, the president is a powerful figure who gets to appoint prime ministers and is often called on to resolve political crises. Governments in the euro zone's third-largest economy survive around a year on average.



The leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) Enrico Letta, who had championed Mattarella's re-election, spoke to reporters to express his "enormous thanks ... for his generous choice towards the country."



Draghi earlier called Mattarella and urged him to stay on, a political source said.



Relations among the parties in the ruling coalition have deteriorated during the election process amid mutual recrimination over the failure to find a consensus figure.



Draghi's coalition includes the main centre-left and centre right parties as well as the right-wing League, the once anti-establishment 5-Star movement and a range of smaller parties.



"The overall political backdrop has become less supportive for Draghi's government, which is facing a daunting task in the year or so left before the next general election," said Wolfango Piccoli of political risk consultancy Teneo. (Reuters)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 29 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Saarthi.ai, a pioneer in multilingual Voice AI technology, announces 'Sphot - Defining Meaningful Innovation', a virtual conference to mark its 5th Anniversary on 1st Feb. The full-day event will host keynote address, panel discussions, and fireside chats on evolution and real-world implementation of voice AI technology. The event will see linguistic experts, AI professionals, and BFSI have an open discussion on an eclectic range of topics. "We have duelled with active problems of research to implement Voice AI in the real world, since its inception. As we complete five successful five years, we want to celebrate the day with our community and end-users. The idea is to have a thought-provoking discussion on language and AI, and how these are transforming businesses," says Vishwa Nath Jha, Co-founder and CEO of Saarthi.ai. Through its Voice AI and analytics solutions, Saarthi.ai is scaling the contact centers of Ola Money, Cred, Avail Finance, Manappuram Finance, Shriram Finance, among others. The company is endorsed by industry bodies, such as NASSCOM, FICCI, MEITY, IAMAI, and many others. Saarthi.ai is also part of NVIDIA Inception Accelerator, Microsoft for Startups, AWS ML Elevate, and NASSCOM DeepTech Club. "Saarthi.ai continues to make deeper inroads into scalable implementation of Voice AI in end-to-end customer communication. Our efforts have been recognized by both investors and users, as we continue to deliver value to customer contact centers. As we complete 5 enriching years, we're bringing to you Sphot, the most prolific Voice AI event. The event aims to unite AI and business community towards meaningful innovation," says Sangram Sabat, Co-founder and COO of Saarthi.ai. Sphot will feature eminent speakers, including, Prof. Girish Nath Jha, Professor of Computational Linguistics, School for Sanskrit and Indic Studies, JNU Dr. Sriparna Saha, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna Ritesh Kumar, Assistant Professor of Linguistics, K.M. Institute of Hindi and Linguistics, Program Coordinator (M.Sc. in Computational Linguistics), Centre for Transdisciplinary Studies, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra Sivakumar Nandipati, Chief Digital Officer, Fedfina Dr. Pushpak Bhattacharya Professor at Computer Science and Engineering Department, IIT Bombay, ex-Director of Indian Institute of Technology Patna Prassanna Lohar, VP - Technology, DCB Bank Dhiraj Agrawal, Sr Vice President & CEO TW & EV BUSINESS at Manappuram Finance Limited Aishwarya Jaishankar, Co-founder, Hyperface Technologies Anujeet Kudva, Chief Risk Officer, Avail Finance K V Dipu, President at Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Shreejit Menon, CEO - Indostar Home Finance Sphot, presented by Saarthi.ai, is a full-day virtual event. It will start at 10 AM, Feb, 1. Be a part of this exciting event to gain exclusive insights on the confluence of linguistics, AI, and BFSI. Register for Sphot https://sphot.in/ This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], January 29 (ANI/NewsVoir): The Haryana government has devised a new policy for change of land use (CLU) in the state's agriculture zones to prevent uncontrolled farmhouse construction and encourage eco-friendly housing units. A major real estate firm, Raheja Developers, has applied for the CLU to construct Haryana's first CLU approved farmhouse. With the announcement of the new policy, Haryana's urban landscape will change. Haryana's Town and Country Planning Department has adopted a policy that considers farmhouses to be self-sustaining entities. Owners of land beyond 500 metres of the urbanisable zone of towns and cities in the agriculture zone would be able to apply for a change of land use (CLU) to build farmhouses on one acre or 1-2 acres under the policy, which would be applicable in the area beyond 500 metres of the urbanisable zone of towns and cities in the agriculture zone. The necessity of adopting a healthy lifestyle is increasing like never before. To give people the option of eating organic food and living healthy, Raheja Developers has planned Riyasat Hills Farmlands. Over 70 approved farmlands would be available over 100 acres of Land and will be located in Sector 95B, one of Gurugram's highest capital appreciation zones. The best feature of 'Riyasat Hills Farmlands' is that it is well-connected to various regions of Gurugram and Delhi while remaining away from the city's congestion. The property is accessible via the New Delhi-Jaipur Super Expressway, which is only a few minutes' drive from Delhi and Gurugram's most prestigious residential regions. To the north, the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary; to the west, the Kundli Manesar Palwal (KMP) Expressway; to the south, New Delhi and the Residential Sectors of the 1980s and 1990s - Gurugram; and to the east, the Dwarka Expressway. 'Riyasat Hills Farmlands' is now accessible via Pataudi Road, Prithviraj Chauhan Crossing, with access to the 60-meter Sector Road commencing from Dwarka Expressway at Sector 88A Gurugram expected soon. The primary housing unit and ancillary units (servant quarters, farm and animal outbuildings) would be allowed in the 1-2 acre and above 2 acre of land under the new policy, while only one dwelling unit would be allowed on farmhouses spread over a minimum of 1 acre of land. In the 1-2 acre category, a maximum ground covering of 8% will be allowed for the main unit. According to the new CLU policy, the company intends to offer Farmlands of 1-acre and larger, providing buyers with a limitless number of options. The acreage could be used for organic farming, dairy/poultry farming, plant nursery maintenance, apiculture, horticulture, and other activities. The installation of solar water heating systems, 100 percent wastewater treatment, rainwater collection, and on-site processing of all green/animal waste will all be closely regulated during the construction of the self-sustaining farmhouses. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
The foreign currency assets, which is the biggest component of the forex reserves, dipped by $1.115 billion to $569.582 billion during the week under review, according to the RBI's weekly statistical supplement.

Expressed in US dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-dollar currencies like Euro, UK's Pound Sterling, and Japanese Yen held in the foreign exchange reserves.

The value of India's Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) declined by $68 million to $19.152 billion, while India's reserve position in the IMF dropped by $22 million to $5.216 billion.

However, there was a sharp increase in the value of gold reserves. The value of gold reserves rose by $567 million to $40.337 billion in the week ended January 21, 2022. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI/PNN): Sunday opened its first flagship experience centre in New Delhi, India on October 6, 2021. This warm and welcoming space is about much more than just furniture. It aims to bring together like-minded people and showcase a lifestyle filled with cultural expression and intellectual appreciation. Combining uncompromising quality with a classic contemporary aesthetic, Sunday commissions well-known designers from around the world to bring you unique and beautiful products at attainable prices. The first collection is in collaboration with renowned Italian designers. The products are manufactured in India to the highest calibre specs, localized for the Indian lifestyle and preferences, while remaining authentic to its Italian design. The brand aims to deliver all orders within three weeks, making it a game changer in customer satisfaction. Curated by Art Director, Iram Sultan, the brand has a unique International aesthetic. Speaking about the launch, Iram said, "We aim to bring together contemporary pieces to create interesting, unusual and beautiful spaces. Blending different pieces to create the perfect design, Sunday pieces are a desirable combination of warm, elegant and contemporary style with absolutely no compromise in quality". Also speaking on the occasion Founder, Gautam Baid said, "We are excited to launch our first Sunday collection. This new concept in design is international in outlook, but clearly very Indian in feel. We look forward to collaborating with many new designers around the world to bring their designs to the Indian customer. We are in sync with the well-travelled customer who wants quality products that are also unique and well-priced. Customers can buy pieces online on our website, but we also encourage them to come and experience this lifestyle in person at our flagship space, which is slated to be a hub of cultural activity with programs scheduled every week" A note about the collections: Fifties Collection The Fifties Collection pays homage to the utopian design revolution in mid-20th century Italy. It plays with texture: combining natural elements like leaf vein and rattan, with sleek, smooth glass and metal. Think cheerful colors, foam padding, eco-leather and brass legs: the quintessential elements of the 1950s post-modernist boom but reimagined to fit into a contemporary home. Perfect for retro-design nerds who appreciate a sense of fun. Bowie Collection Inspired by the perfect curve of a bow, The Bowie Collection is rooted in elegance, comfort and versatility. At its core is leather, which wraps itself around soft sofas, beds and lounge chairs to bring warmth and subtle luxury to any room. The combination of modern fluid contours and classic marble, wood and leather is what makes this collection timeless. Add a soft color palette with pops of blue, and you have a collection that will capture your senses. Nelson Collection The Nelson Collection captures Danish modern with minimalist accents: ideal for the person who has one foot in classical design, and the other in playful, and minimalist modernity. Warm wood, glass and leather bring in a sense of comfort, while metal and marble accents add a tasteful touch of glamour. The end result is a set of pieces that exude a quiet richness that will never go out of style. The ideal collection for anyone who appreciates an innovative take on old-school cool. Harper Collection The Harper Collection is an earth-toned set of pieces that place comfort at the core of its design. Merging terrace, natural soft walnut and light-coloured fabric along with metal accents, Harper creates an environment that feels natural and elegant. The star of this collection is the bed: conceived as an independent space in itself, the padded headboard comes with side flaps, creating your own private sanctuary. Sparks Functional and elegantly designed: that's Sparks in a nutshell. The collection combines solid wood, lush velvet, eco-leather and stone, with organic curves and edges. The result is a set of innovative and immaculately built pieces, including an elliptical dining table with a terrazzo turntable, the bed with a specially crafted curved headboard and the fluted solid wood drawer faces. Ideal for anyone who enjoys high-quality, creative design and understated luxury. Sunday - Make Everyday Better with Sunday Capturing that feeling, the moment of calm and contentment as you make your way through a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend. Peaceful as the week winds down, and excitement for the new week ahead. Sunday creates enthralling experiences with furniture that combine great design and everyday comfort. Sunday commissions well-known designers from around the world to make products for you that are distinctive and unique, you won't find them anywhere else. The latest lines include the works of Italian designers Simone Colombo, Shannon Salder and Fabio Azzolina. With designers based around the world, the products are manufactured in India by skilled local craftsmen. Curated by renowned creative director Iram Sultan, Sunday pieces are a desirable combination of modern contemporary style with absolutely no compromise in quality. The Sunday experience center is located in the capital and has a digital footprint that covers the entire country. This bridge to luxury brand is much more than just furniture, it is a lifestyle and cultural hub that taps into the city's design-conscious brands and like-minded people, to bring them together on a single platform. Be it, music, art, food, performances or experiences, Sunday is the feeling of making every day better. The Designers SHANNON SADLER In 2003 Shannon Sadler invented and focused on a new technology for the denim business worldwide founding his studio in Italy. Coming from a designer family, he is self-taught and has traveled to 33 countries, and lived in 6 of them. His work focuses on all aspects of design and graphics projects from furnishing to lighting, from art direction to corporate identity, catalogs and packaging. Shannon worked and collaborated with world-leading companies and brands in Italy & Europe, China, USA and Asia, to mention a few: BONTEMPI, INGENIA, ALBAPLUS, CALLIGARIS, BOFFI, KUKA, ARMONIA, DUE MONTI, KBH, BAICHENG, GABER, METALMOBIL, CAPODOPERA. Shannon Sadler's designs have been are presented at SALONE DEL MOBILE in Milano, IMM and ORGATEC in Koln, LIGHTING JAPAN, AMBIENTE in Frankfurt, INTERZUM, CIFF GUANGZHOU, 3F DONGGUAN FURNITURE FAIR, FURNITURE CHINA, BIFF BEIJING, etc Shannon has been invited to speak about design & innovation at many different conferences also in China: PEKIN UNIVERSITY, ARTOP DESIGN CENTER in CHONGQING, CHENGDU DESIGN WEEK and WUHAN DESIGN CONFERENCE. SIMONE COLUMBO An Italian designer, born in Milan in 1988, he obtained a degree in applied experimental art. In 2012 he obtained a master's degree in industrial design from IED (Institute of Engineering Designers) in Milan. Simone has the typical characteristics of Italians, enthusiastic, energetic and creative! Cooperation with Studio Lissoni and Associates, Plumen, Adidas, Reebok, MADAgency and other teams, he has accumulated rich design experience. He has participated in numerous exhibitions, including Salone Satellite in 2008, Milan Design Week in 2014 and 2015, Homi MakerDesign Award in 2015, MakerFair European Edition in 2015. He was included in the Forbes 30U30 European annual list. FABIO AZZOLINA FABIO AZZOLINA is a Milan-based Italian architect widely known for his outstanding works in the field of interior design and architecture. For more than 20 years his studio has been developing highly elaborate projects for private and commercial spaces in Italy and worldwide. Spaces created by Azzolina always feature an outstanding sense of modernity combined with a light touch of nostalgia. After graduating from the Politechnico di Milano Azzolina, he started at the studio Piero Lissoni as a graphic designer and continued his path collaborating with Ettore Sottsass, where he worked for years and helped developed his skills and personal style in the field of industrial design and art direction. The wide client base includes a number of private commissions and well-known fashion brands as Pirelli, Jil Sanders, Isaia, Calligula, Truzzi, etc. The works of Azzolina are frequently published in international design magazines such as Elle Decor, Casaviva, Interni, AD and others. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Steps should be taken in the upcoming Union Budget to ensure hassle-free credit availability to industry, particularly for MSMEs, and reduce the costs of doing business, said Pradeep Multani, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In an interview with ANI, Multani suggested that the reforms should be undertaken to bolster the MSME sector given its significant contribution to the economic and social development of the country. Multani said that the union budget 2022-23 is being presented at a very crucial juncture when the Indian economy is recovering from the daunting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and expectations of a positive growth trajectory is strengthening on the back of a string of bold economic reforms announced by the Government since April 2020. PHD Chamber President suggested for extension in the timeline of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for another year till 31st March 2023. On the taxation front, Multani suggested a reduction in Tax on MSME firms working as Proprietorship/ Partnerships as it will benefit the entire MSME sector. For such businesses, it is suggested that the maximum tax slab be brought down to 25 per cent, he said. Multani said that for the new units, the effective rate of tax is around 17 per cent. "So we suggest enabling the entities to take benefit of Section 115BAB the time limit allowed to start manufacturing by a new unit may be extended by 31st March 2025." To give great momentum to exports, PHD Chamber suggested that export income should be made tax-free for MSMEs for 3 years and income of large enterprises from incremental exports (Y-o-Y) be made tax-free. This will help in partly compensating the additional cost of logistics and other bottlenecks which Indian exporters face. Multani said that applicable Basic Custom Duty (BCD) needs to be reduced by 50 per cent on raw materials for manufacturers, increase the public investments in agriculture infrastructure from the current level of 6 per cent of the total Gross Capital Formation to at least 10 per cent in the next 3 years with an enhancement of 1.5 percentage points every year. This will also reduce the agri-wastages from more than 25 per cent to less than 10 per cent in the coming times. On Health Infrastructure Multani said that like last year government enhanced health expenditure by 137 per cent, we suggest the continued focus on the expenditure on health infrastructure as new variants of Coronavirus are hitting the country again and again. Talking about the Direct Taxes Multani suggested increasing the tax base by encouraging people to pay the taxes with lucrative tax-paying benefits such as providing a threshold of pension (after their retirement above the age of 60 years) for those who pay taxes continuously and honestly. This will increase the tax base in the country. In a nutshell, the Budget should be vibrant and reform-oriented with a focus on refueling the consumption demand; enhancing private investments, and creating avenues for employment creation. (ANI)
Months after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot at the 'Rust' film set, her family is taking the first step toward filing a wrongful death lawsuit. As per Variety, a Santa Fe, N.M., attorney, Kristina Martinez, filed a petition on Wednesday to be appointed as the personal representative of Hutchins' estate. Martinez is seeking an appointment "solely for the purpose of investigating and pursuing a lawsuit under the New Mexico Wrongful Death Act in the courts of New Mexico," the filing obtained by Variety states. For the uninformed, Halyna Hutchins was preparing for a scene in a church building at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, near Santa Fe, when actor Alec Baldwin fired a Colt .45, killing her and injuring the film's director in October. Baldwin, for his part, has earlier stated that he did not pull the trigger and that the gun went off when he released the hammer. Santa Fe County Sheriff's investigators continue to probe how the gun came to be loaded with live ammunition instead of dummy rounds. The actor recently submitted his phone to the investigation agency for further probe in the case. Halyna is survived by her husband, Matthew, and a 9-year-old son. They are represented by attorney Brian Panish, of Panish, Shea, Boyle, and Ravipudi in Los Angeles, as per Variety. Under New Mexico law, the estate has three years from the time of Hutchins' death to file a wrongful death suit, the outlet has learned. There already exist two other lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court which have been filed by two other 'Rust' crew members, Serge Svetnoy and Mamie Mitchell. Both were in close proximity to Baldwin when the gun went off, and Svetnoy has alleged that he was close enough to have gunpowder spray his face and etch his glasses. Both crew members accused the producers of cutting corners and creating hazardous conditions on set. In a response to Mitchell's suit on Monday, Baldwin and several of the producers argued that the shooting was a workplace accident and as such can only be addressed through the New Mexico workers compensation system. According to Variety, OSHA is also investigating the incident and that the 'Rust' production had an insurance policy with a liability limit of USD 6 million. (ANI)
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Momoa is in final negotiations to join the cast of what is being called 'Fast and Furious 10' as a working title.

Reports suggest the plot details are being muffled and the 'Aquaman' actor could be one of the film's villains.

Justin Lin, who returned to the franchise with 2021's 'F9: The Fast Saga,' is back to don the director's hat. Longtime stars Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges and Sung Kang are also returning for the 10th installment.

Charlize Theron, who first appeared in the eighth film, 'The Fate of the Furious,' and returned for F9, is also expected to be back.

Diesel and Lin are producing the 10th installment.

The search for a new star began after Dwayne Johnson refused to return to the franchise, despite Diesel's plea for him to come back after skipping F9.

However, because the script is still a work in progress, it is unclear whether Momoa's part is protagonist or antagonistic in nature, or perhaps even both.

It is unclear who else would return for Fast 10 which shoots this spring. Universal currently has the movie set for a May 19, 2023, release. (ANI)
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Adam joins the impressive cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Claire Danes and Lizzy Caplan in the show, which chronicles the fallout from a marriage that has broken apart.

Maxim Jasper Swinton and Meara Mahoney Gross have also been added to the show's ensemble.

As per the logline obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, 'Fleishman Is in Trouble' follows recently separated surgeon Toby Fleishman (Eisenberg) as he enters the world of app-based dating and finds more success than he ever had the last time he was single.

"When his ex-wife, Rachel (Danes), disappears, he's left with their kids and no hint of where she is or whether she plans to return. Balancing parenting, friends, a long-awaited promotion at the hospital and all the eligible women Manhattan has to offer, he realizes he'll never be able to figure out what happened to Rachel until he can more honestly examine what happened to their marriage," the logline reads.

Caplan plays Libby, Toby's long-time friend and the narrator of the novel.

Brody will play Seth, another of Toby's old friends. Swinton and Gross will play Toby and Rachel's children, Solly and Hanna.

ABC Signature is producing 'Fleishman Is in Trouble' that will stream on FX's hub on Hulu.

Brodesser-Akner is adapting the novel and executively producing with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Susannah Grant, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the latter two of whom will direct several episodes. (ANI)
A federal judge has re-sentenced Joe Exotic of Netflix's 'Tiger King' fame to 21 years in prison on Friday, reducing his punishment by one year. According to Variety, the updated sentencing comes after Exotic had begged the court for leniency as he begins treatment for prostate cancer. The former zookeeper, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder-for-hire for the plot to kill animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both appeared as archenemies in the Netflix docuseries 'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness'. The re-sentencing on Friday came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the sentence Exotic is serving on the murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Maldonado-Passage's attorneys told the judge their client is suffering from stage-one prostate cancer, along with a disease that compromises his immune system, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Stage-one prostate cancer means it has been detected early and hasn't spread. Maldonado-Passage previously said that he planned to delay treatment until after his resentencing. Federal officials have said Maldonado-Passage will need up to eight weeks of radiation treatments and would be unable to travel during the treatments. His attorney Amy Hanna told the judge he's not receiving the proper medical care inside the federal prison system and that a lengthy prison sentence is a "death sentence for Joe that he doesn't deserve." In January 2020, Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of attempting to hire two different men to kill Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and has been publicly outspoken against Exotic's animal abuse. Prosecutors said Exotic offered an undercover FBI agent USD 10,000 to kill Baskin. In a recorded meeting from December 2017, Exotic told the agent, "Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off." Exotic's attorneys insisted he was not being serious. Baskin, who attended the proceedings with her husband, said she was still fearful that Exotic could threaten her. "He continues to harbor intense feelings of ill will toward me," she told the judge. Baskin said even with Maldonado-Passage in prison, she has continued to receive "vile, abusive and threatening communications" over the last two years. She told the judge she believes Maldonado-Passage poses an even more serious threat to her now that he has a larger group of supporters because of the popularity of the Netflix series. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records. (ANI)
Is even a little alcohol consumption bad for health, contrary to popular beliefs? A study led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has made some shocking discoveries about the same. According to the research published in the journal 'Clinical Nutrition', drinking less than the UK's recommended limit of 14 units of alcohol per week still increases the risk of cardiovascular issues such as heart and cerebrovascular disease. Academics from ARU examined hospitalisations related to cardiovascular events among more than 350,000 UK residents aged between 40 and 69 from data obtained from the UK Biobank study. The sample included 333,259 people who drank alcohol. Participants had been asked about their overall weekly alcohol intake and their intake of specific types of alcohol including beer, wine and spirits. Those participants were followed up for a median of approximately seven years, capturing all incidents where patients had been hospitalised through cardiovascular events. Anyone who had suffered a previous cardiovascular event was excluded from the analysis, as were former drinkers or those who had not completed information on alcohol intake. The analysis found that, for those participants that drank less than 14 units of alcohol per week -- the limit recommended by the UK's Chief Medical Officers -- each additional 1.5 pints of beer at 4 per cent strength (alcohol by volume) is associated with a 23 per cent increased risk of suffering a cardiovascular event. The authors argued that biases in existing epidemiological evidence have resulted in the widespread acceptance of the "J-shaped curve" that wrongly suggests low to moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial to cardiovascular health. These biases included using non-drinkers as a reference group when many did not drink for reasons of existing poor health, pooling of all drink types when determining the alcohol intake of a study population, and embedding the lower risk observed of coronary artery disease among wine drinkers, potentially distorting the overall cardiovascular risk from the drink. Lead author Dr Rudolph Schutte, course leader for the BSc Hons Medical Science programme and Associate Professor at ARU, said: "The so-called J-shaped curve of the cardiovascular disease-alcohol consumption relationship suggesting health benefit from low to moderate alcohol consumption is the biggest myth since we were told smoking was good for us." "Among drinkers of beer, cider and spirits in particular, even those consuming under 14 units a week had an increased risk of ending up in hospital through a cardiovascular event involving the heart or the blood vessels. While we hear much about wine drinkers having lower risk of coronary artery disease, our data shows their risk of other cardiovascular events is not reduced." He went on to say, "Biases embedded in epidemiological evidence mask or underestimate the hazards associated with alcohol consumption. When these biases are accounted for, the adverse effects of even low-level alcohol consumption are revealed." "Avoiding these biases in future research would mitigate current confusion and hopefully lead to a strengthening of the guidelines, seeing the current alcohol guidance reduced," he concluded. (ANI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a balanced and measured response to the Centre's proposal to amend IAS cadre rules. In his letter, Reddy, while welcoming the concept of officers to go on central deputation, mentioned that the officers who should be sent to the central deputation, should be decided by the state government, as it is in a better position to assess who all can be spared for the government of India deputation, keeping their professional as well as personal requirements in mind. "I wholeheartedly welcome such initiative taken by Government of India under your leadership to ensure that the departments and offices at the Central Government are manned by able officers from the Indian Administrative Service. Such strong and the sufficiently manned team at the helm of affairs in the Central Government would be essential to ensure smooth and seamless functioning of the Government," he wrote in his letter. "While I fully appreciate the need for such a move and extend my complete support to your kind self regarding this proposal, I humbly request your attention towards a few issues which might arise during operationalisation of the proposed amendments," Reddy wrote. Reddy said that the requirement of a no-objection certificate gave flexibility to the state governments to plan the deputation of the IAS officers, however, the proposed changes might take away this flexibility. "The State Government, in general, issues the No Objection Certificates (NOC) to officers requesting for central deputation after assessing his/her skill set, experience and the need of the officer to handle some critical departments/projects. Such requirement of NOC from the State Government gave some flexibility to the State Government to carefully plan such deputation of officers from the State to Central Government without adversely affecting the State's interests while duly meeting the requirements of the Central Deputation Reserve. The proposed amendment may take away such important flexibility from the State Government to plan such deputation of officers," he wrote. "I would like to also bring to your kind consideration that such sudden deputation orders to an officer without his/her willingness will affect the personal lives of such officer considering their families, children and their education and he/she may not be able to deliver to the best of his/her abilities in such circumstances," he said. Reddy requested the Prime Minister to reconsider his decision in view of the issues that he raised in his letter. "While the intent behind the proposed amendments to the IAS (Cadre) Rules is well received and much appreciated, I request you to reconsider the operational procedure provided under the proposed amendments in view of the issues put forth above," he wrote. (ANI)
Amid the row over the delay in Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav's helicopter take off at the Delhi airport, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday took a dig at the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister saying that Yadav is not contesting assembly elections but cracking jokes adding that he does not understand his politics over technical things calling it an "outcry" of his defeat in upcoming polls. "Samajwadi Party contesting elections or cracking jokes ahead of elections? I do not understand his politics on something that was technical. You'll say my helicopter flew 10 minutes late, then you'll also say my cycle was punctured and BJP did it. You'll also blame disruption in mobile network connection on BJP. This is an outcry over the results after the election. It is an outcry of defeat in the election and the depression of the feeling of defeat. Nothing more than that," said Naqvi. Akhilesh Yadav had alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can do anything before the upcoming Assembly polls adding that his helicopter was stopped at Delhi airport "without any reason." However, the Delhi airport officials on Friday said that his helicopter for Muzaffarnagar was delayed due to high air traffic. Yadav reached Delhi by commercial flight from Lucknow and had to travel by helicopter to attend a joint press conference with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Choudhary on his way to Muzaffarnagar from Delhi. Ahead of polls, Yadav has promised a slew of things to the people of Uttar Pradesh if his party is voted to power including 300 units of free electricity and arrangements for farmers to purchase at MSP. Reacting to this, Naqvi said, "You have been in power five years ago and had then also promised certain things. Why did people not bring you to power then? No one has succeeded in politics by doing such things." Alleging that SP is a party of criminals and gangsters, the union minister said, "Now you are promising people to work in their welfare with the support of these criminals. Nobody will believe this. You are not coming to power for the first time." Highlighting the works of the ruling BJP in the state, Naqvi said that his party has freed the state of corruption, criminals, and communalism. Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Raghubar Das on Friday attacked the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress government in the state accusing it of indulging in illegal businesses of sand, stone and coal mining. "There has been much exploitation in the 25 months tenure of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Illegal works relating to sand, minerals, stones, coal mines along with deforestation is practised in open. All work is going on under the patronage of the ruling family", said Das. He further said, "After gaining power based on the slogan of 'Jal, Jungle aur Jameen', he is now doing business on it, cheating the people of the state." Das claimed that the illegal businesses which are carried out in the state are being done under the patronage of the Hemant Soren family. "The illegal work of sand and stone mining in the Santhal Pargana has come under the responsibility of one brother and illegal business of coal is going on under the protection of the other brother. The government officials are also into corruption along with them", said the BJP leader. The former Chief Minister alleged that at present under the Soren-led government, there is rampant corruption in the state. "Every day more than Rs 20 lakh worth sand are being transported out from the state's Bhurbhuri river on the instructions of the government. Since the illegal lifting of sand continues even after 25 months of CM's tenure, it is clear that the sand ghat leasing issue has not been resolved by the state government", alleged the former CM. (ANI)
It will be four hours (half-day) classes for Classes 1 to 8 while classes 9 to 10 will have school as per the regular schedule.

"Schools and colleges will reopen in Pune district from February 1. For classes 1 to 8, the school timings will be half of the regular timings, but for classes 9 to 10, the school will run as per the regular schedule. Colleges will also function as per regular time," said Pawar.

However, the Deputy CM also sought parents' opinions regarding the reopening of the educational institution. "Consent from parents will be required to attend the school. The further decision for classes 1 to 8 will be taken in the next meeting", said Panwar.

According to Pawar, reopening schools for Class 9 and above will help in increasing vaccination. For colleges, students who have received both doses of vaccines will only be allowed to attend offline classes.

Earlier in the month, the Maharashtra government announced the closure of schools amid rising COVID-19 cases. (ANI)
Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2022-23, which is scheduled to take place on February 1, healthcare industry professionals feel that health & well-being, which is one of the six crucial pillars of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat campaign, should also be given top priority in the budget this year. The health professionals said that there is a need to further strengthen medical services in rural areas and equip tier 2-3 towns with facilities like diagnosis centres, ventilators, ICU, critical care facilities and oxygen plants. The health professions shared with ANI that Tax incentives should also be extended to Research and Development to encourage further innovation in healthcare "The Government had rightly placed health and well-being as the first of the six pillars in the Union Budget 2021 and the focus must continue in 2022 too," Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD and CEO, Fortis Healthcare, told ANI. "Firstly, the outlay for healthcare infrastructure is to be increased. Since the hospital sector is at the forefront as cases in India are on surge again, facilities in Tier 2-3 towns need to be equipped with diagnosis centres, ventilators, ICUS, critical care facilities and oxygen plants," he further said. "We need greater investment in NCD programmes as comorbidities are driving pandemic deaths and long COVID ailments. There is an urgent need to allocate a separate budget for a national campaign around preventive health, testing and screening as these are key to reducing the overall disease burden in India," he added. "The Government needs to also focus on building asset-light models powered by digital health to drive out-of-hospital care, remote monitoring and home care to reduce the burden on hospitals. We need to strengthen the digital ecosystem to speed up the adoption of new technologies to foster telemedicine for diagnosis and treatment," he stated. "There needs to be more investment in advanced training and capacity building programmes through affordable study tools and courses for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in intensive and critical care, pulmonology, cardiology, oncology, emergency and trauma care," he further stated. "Healthcare should be accorded priority status so that the sector can derive benefit from the GST transition and providers and healthcare service delivery institutions can avail loans at lower rates and extended tenure. It is also essential that the Government reduces duty and cess for critical care and life-saving equipment and drugs to reduce costs for both providers and patients," he explained. Meanwhile sharing her expectations from the budget, Apollo Hospitals Group Jt Managing Director Sangita Reddy said, "The pandemic has shown the potential of India to become a global centre for R&D in drugs and vaccines. Tax incentives should also be extended to R&D as this would encourage further innovation in healthcare." "Another key area that the budget needs to address is skilling of healthcare workers. This will help to address the manpower challenge that we face and bring India up to par with the recommended ratio in terms of trained doctors and nurses. A policy for a PPO model in health education would help us to ramp up the healthcare workers to population ratio." Further and most importantly encourage "health" care and not Sick care. Enhancing the health check-up exemption from Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000 per family will be a true step towards Indian Medical Association President Sahajanand Prasad Singh said, " Expectations from Indian Medical Association first to increase the allocation of GDP from 1.2 per cent to 3.3 per cent, the government should spend more on primary healthcare, need to provide services in rural areas, promotion of resources and production of drugs and medicines for the doctors and the people, issue of shortage of nurses and paramedics, we have to improve the quality of the hospitals in rural areas, we have to send doctors to the rural areas to serve the people." (ANI)
Under this scheme, the Chhattisgarh government will give annual financial aid of Rs 6000 to rural landless families. The registration for the scheme was started last year in September.

As per the Chhattisgarh government's public relations department, Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel had invited Rahul Gandhi on behalf of the state government.

The event will be held at Rajyotsav Ground.

The Wayanad MP will also attend the foundation laying ceremony of a 'Sevagram' being built in Nava Raipur during his visit to the state.

The program is scheduled amid Assembly elections to five states including Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Punjab.

Polls to elect the 70-member Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14. Punjab will go to the polls on February 20.

In Uttar Pradesh, the first phase polling will be held on February 10, the second phase on February 14, the third phase on February 20, the fourth phase on February 23, the fifth phase on February 27, the sixth phase on March 3, and the seventh phase on March 7.

Goa is scheduled to go to the Assembly polls on February 14 while Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 and March 3.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Supporting the interests of sugarcane farmers in the state, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the party will take action if payment for sugarcane produce gets delayed. "Some farmers told me that sugarcane payment gets delayed. We have decided that in the manifesto of the BJP, we are going to announce that the interest for the delay will be recovered from that mill, and sugarcane produced along with interest will be paid to the farmers," Shah said while addressing an effective voter interaction program in Muzaffarnagar. Slamming the role of Opposition for not supporting this stratum of farmers, the former BJP chief said, "In sugarcane industry, about Rs 1 lakh 48 thousand crore cane payment has been made by the BJP government. Earlier, 21 sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh were closed during the rule of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Whereas in our time not a single sugar mill was closed." "SP-BSP government in Uttar Pradesh lasted for about 10 years. What did they do for the farmers? PM Modi ji has done work of sending more than Rs 2 crore to the accounts of farmers in Uttar Pradesh at the rate of Rs 6 thousand per year," he said. Thanking the people of Muzaffarnagar for supporting the BJP previously, Shah said, "It is Muzaffarnagar that has laid the foundation of BJP's massive victory in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, 2017, and 2019. It is from here that a wave rises which goes up to Kashi and clears the dust of our adversaries." "When I became BJP in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, there were riots here in the very beginning. At that time, the accused had become victims and those who were victims were made accused. I have not forgotten the pain of those riots," he said. Shah expressed confidence in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging victorious in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls for its 403-member assembly in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The Romeo Force of the Indian Army organized a workshop on Friday to encourage the Kashmir youth to join the Indian Armed Force. "It was a good session. Army weapons were also displayed for us. We thank the Army for organizing it," said Mohd Kasam, a participant of the workshop. Around 300 youth participated in it. As a part of the workshop, the Romeo Force also delivered a motivational lecture for the youth. They displayed weapons like AK-47s and told them about the usage of different weapons, making, and features. "The workshop is aimed to link the army with the youth. We have discussed how the youth can join the Indian Army. Through this program we want the youth to know about the lives of army jawans so that they connect with us more", said Ishaan, an Indian Army personnel. (ANI)
The number of United Nations Selection Assistance and Assessment Team (UN SAAT) 2022-2024 members for the upcoming Assessment of Mission (AMS) visit has been curtailed to 150 including at least 25 per cent women, and the documents related to listed officers to be submitted by Saturday. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) took the decision following a communique from the United Nations in view of the situation of COVID-19 and its potential impact on upcoming Selection Assistance and Assesment Team (SAAT) visit. With the move, nominations of 264 have been segregated and now the AMS is going to be conducted from January 31, 2022, to February 7, 2022, for only 150 candidates. As per the United Nations fresh communique, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) circulated revised orders to 19 states and 10 organizations under the Central government, including a few Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to follow the instructions. Issued on January 25, the MHA order accessed by ANI has been circulated to the Directors General of Police and Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. A similar order letter has been sent to the Director-General of Assam Rifles, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Railway Police Force (RPF), National Investigation Agency (NIA), as well as the Director of Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "United Nations has decided to reduce the maximum number of candidates to 150, including at least 25 per cent women for the Assessment of Mission (AMS) SOP after monitoring the situation with COVID-19 and its potential impact on upcoming Selection Assistance and Assessment Team (SAAT) visit," the order mentions. As per the changes, United Nations Selection Assistance and Assessment Team 2020-2022 has been renamed for 2022-2024. The decision also serves to deploy fewer instructors due to COVID 19 with the ultimate goal of running the AMS while keeping in mind the wellbeing, safety and best favourable conditions for all concerned parties, it said. "Under the decision of a maximum number of candidates to be 150, the nominations of 264 have been segregated and now the AMS is going to be conducted from January 31, 2022, to February 7, 2022, for only 150 candidates." The assessment of remaining candidates may be conducted in due course of time superseding earlier order, said the order. Therefore, it is directed to all states and Central divisions "to relieve only listed officers as per enclosed to report to the Commandant, 22nd ITBP Battalion, National UN CIVPOL Centre, Tigri Camp, New Delhi by January 29". It is also directed that all listed candidates should submit documents like two sets of uniforms, individual PPE Kits, a negative RTPCR test report done 72 hours prior, a valid driving license, Identity Card and passport photographs and 9mm pistol with 25 rounds. All the requirements and documents are mandatory and any candidate who fails tobring any of the documents will not be allowed to participate in the UNSAAT, the order reads. UNCIVPOL may provide the accommodation facilities for the candidates at a nearby location to the UNPOL Centre so as to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID. If not provided by UNCIVPOL Centre, the order mentions, then officers are to make their own arrangements for stay and transportation in Delhi. "The guidelines issued by the Central Govt. to mitigate COVID-19 have to be strictly adhered to during the assessment and it is the responsibility of the individual officer or participant to follow all the COVID protocols-- Masks to be mandatory for every participant, Hand Sanitizers mandatory to be used by everyone, and Social distancing while conducting AMS," it said. "All officers may be directed to fill up their EASP form containing late information and details and submit the same in soft and hard copy to the Commandant, National UN CIVPOL Centre upon their arrival along with photographs. The format of EASP circulated is already available on the MHA website. No handwritten or unsigned EASP will be entertained." It is the responsibility of the sponsoring state, organizations and departments to ensure that the non-inated officers fulfil all the eligibility conditions circulated by this Ministry's communication dated July 15, 2020, and should be clear from a disciplinary and vigilance angle Failure to meet the guidelines may result in cancellation of the candidature. (ANI)
The Congress on Saturday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) purchased Pegasus spyware from Israel during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in July 2017 and termed it as an "act of treason." "Brazen hijack of democracy and act of treason. Modi government purchased Pegasus in 2017 along with other military technologies as the centerpiece of a package, including weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 Bn from Israel during PM Modi's visit," said Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewalaa while addressing a press conference here in Delhi. The Congress leader accused the Prime Minister of himself being involved in the spyware deal and alleged that the BJP government is "deployer and executor of illegal and unconstitutional spying." "Shocking and new expose in an international publication has now established what INC always maintained, that Modi government is deployer and executor of illegal and unconstitutional spying and snooping racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus and PM Modi is himself involved," said Surjewala. He also alleged that the increase in the budget of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) reporting to the national security advisor (NSA) went up from Rs 33 crore to Rs 333 crore in 2017-18. In July 2021, names of several Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and over 40 Indian journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, according to a report published in The Wire. However, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said there is 'no substance' in the media report regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp, adding that the report was an attempt to malign Indian democracy and its well-established institutions. Later, journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, SNM Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Ipsa Shatakshi, who are reported to be on the potential list of snoop targets of Pegasus spyware, had also approached the Supreme Court along with The Editors Guild of India (EGI) among others. The Supreme Court, had in October last year, formed a three-member committee to oversee a technical committee comprising of three members, including those who are experts in cyber security, digital forensics, networks, and hardware, which will probe Pegasus spyware case. (ANI)
Former MP and Congress leader Meem Afzal on Saturday attacked the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav and RLD leader Jayant Choudhary saying that it is not possible for the two leaders to stop Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from retaining power in Uttar Pradesh while the main obstacle for the BJP would be the farmers. Meem Afzal claimed, "The biggest obstacle in BJP's way to victory will be the farmers." While referring to the farmers' agitation and the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Afzal said, "The farmers have not forgotten their insult. Therefore, the Bharatiya Janata Party will have to bear a big loss in western Uttar Pradesh." According to the Congress leader, the BJP's strategy in the ensuing Assembly elections is "power and money". Commenting on RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary's alliance with SP in the poll-bound state, Afzal said, "Small parties have a very weak backbone, so it is very difficult to say about Jayant Chaudhary next step after polls. Jayant Chaudhary will not be in a political position to help anyone after the polls." Referring to the Congress party, he said, "Since the last few years, the Congress party has been raising the issue of women, youth and employment, including farmers while Akhilesh Yadav including Jayant Chaudhary was sitting silently on these issues." It is worth mentioning that at present, ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, there is a lot of political upheaval in the western part of the state. Home Minister Amit Shah taking charge of BJP is constantly in touch with the voters in western Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, Akhilesh Yadav along with Jayant Chaudhary is trying to work out a new political equation in western Uttar Pradesh by portraying the Yogi government as a failed government. (ANI)
Buffalo, WY (82834)

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The Governor's office informed that Gehlot offered his condolences on the demise of the daughter of Yediyurappa.

Yediyurappa's granddaughter Soundarya was found hanging at a private apartment in Bengaluru, said BS Yediyurappa's Office. (ANI)
Taking a jibe at opposition parties ahead of the assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said there is competition between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) over giving tickets to the biggest criminals. Addressing a public meeting here, the chief minister said, "There is a competition between SP and BSP to give tickets to the biggest criminals. If these criminals become MLA, they will produce guns and would not bring development. There is only one way to treat them -- JCB and bulldozer. SP used to set up factories of firearms and we are establishing defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh. Now the cannon made here will run on Pakistan." "SP is giving tickets to criminals. Look at their candidates from Moradabad. One of them had said that it is good to see the Taliban in Afghanistan. Taliban is against humanity. They are supporting it shamelessly and giving tickets. How was the law and order situation before 2017? There was no women safety, even girls could not go to school. Mulayam Singh Ji would say that boys make mistakes. Their sympathy is not with women and youth," said Adityanath. He also alleged that Hindus were oppressed during the SP rule in Uttar Pradesh. "If there is any development in the SP government, then it is just the boundary of graveyards. More than 60 Hindus were killed and over 1,500 Hindus were put behind bars during in Muzaffarnagar riots. This is the identity of the Samajwadi Party. Their cap is painted with the blood of innocent Ram Bhakts. Earlier, there were attacks on Kanwar Yatra. Now, flower petals are showered through helicopters on Kanwar Yatra," added the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
"It's a complicated matter. I don't think it requires media trials. The investigation is underway and everything will be made clear," Joshi told media persons today.

Speaking about the law and order situation of the state, he said that people can today register FIRs without any fear as criminals are afraid.

"Today people can register FIR without any fear as criminals are afraid because police are doing good work," he stated.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gulab Chand Kataria said that the party has demanded a CBI enquiry in a time-bound manner.

"We have demanded a CBI enquiry in a time-bound manner. There should be no delay in the probe and a result should be out soon... It's state government's responsibility to nab the accused," Kataria said.

Earlier on January 16, the Rajasthan government decided to hand over the Alwar rape case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Alwar case, where a specially-abled girl was found lying in a distressed condition, took a political turn on Saturday after the opposition parties started blaming the ruling Congress for suppressing the case. Earlier, the Police said that medical reports of the girl had ruled out rape. (ANI)
Congress on Saturday once again put up strong allegations on the Central government on the issue of Pegasus Software Purchase stating that the Modi government deployed it for snooping and spying upon Rahul Gandhi and his staff members. "The shocking new expose in an international publication has now confirmed what the Indian National Congress has long asserted - "The Modi Government is the deployer and executor of the illegal and unconstitutional snooping and spying racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus and the Prime Minister PM Modi Modi is himself involved!," said Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewalaa while addressing a press conference here in Delhi. "This is a brazen 'Hijack of Democracy' and 'An Act of Treason', said Congress. Surjewala also said that the five damning truths about the Pegasus purchase software are now clear by adding "Modi Government purchased Pegasus Spyware in 2017 and other military technology as the "centrepieces" of a package including "weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion" from Israel during PM Modi's visit. He also alleged that it is not a coincidence that the Budget of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) reporting to NSA went up from Rs 33 crore to Rs 333 crore in 2017-18.The Congress leader asserted that the spyware Pegasus not only breaches Whatsapp and phone but is also able to turn over the cellphones camera and microphone to capture all activities in the vicinity of the phone, besides hacking all the security features of the phone and can also plant fake material into the cellphone to falsely incriminate people.Continuing his allegations on Modi Government over the issue, he said that it deployed Pegasus spyware for snooping and spying upon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his staff members (former PM Deve Gowda, former Chief Ministers - Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy), former BJP Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia; BJP Cabinet Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, his wife and staff, former head of VHP and others.In addition, Supreme Court judges, Election Commission of India, CBI Director Alok Verma and his wife and family, advocates, activists and even journalists of prominent media organisations and many others were also targeted by Pegasus, he added. Surjewala also alleged that the Modi Government duped and deceived Parliament. He also alleged that the Ministry of Home Affairs also deceived the people of India by denying the purchase of Pegasus in response to an RTI query. "Defence Minister and Defence Ministry also on record misled the Parliament and the people by denying purchase of Pegasus spyware from NSO. The BJP machinery engaged in a massive and coordinated strategy to dupe and betray the Indian public," he said. Modi government misled the Supreme Court which directly questioned it on the purchase and use of the questionable software. In July 2021, names of several Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and over 40 Indian journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, according to a report published in The Wire. However, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had attacked the reports of India's Pegasus use as "baseless" and "highly sensational". Later, journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, SNM Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Ipsa Shatakshi, who are reported to be on the potential list of snoop targets of Pegasus spyware, had also approached the Supreme Court along with The Editors Guild of India (EGI) among others. The Supreme Court, had in October last year, formed a three-member committee to oversee a technical committee comprising three members, including those who are experts in cyber security, digital forensics, networks, and hardware, which will probe Pegasus spyware case. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday accused Shiromani Akali Dal of doing politics over demand for "permanent release" of 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar and said he had no role in the bail process. "I have no role in the bail process of Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar. Akali Dal is doing bad politics on this. The Sentence Review Board will make a decision (on permanent release) and Lieutenant Governor (LG) will take the final decision. I asked Home Secretary to hold a meeting of the review board soon," Kejriwal said. Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had on Sunday last accused Kejriwal of not signing release papers of Bhullar and said that the matter should not be kept pending. "Both Centre and judiciary approved the release of Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, who has completed his jail term, but due to some unknown reasons, Kejriwal not signing release papers," he had alleged. The Chief Minister who addressed a programme in town hall said he was from the 'baniya' community but 'baniyas' of Delhi did not vote for him as they were BJP but started voting for AAP after he won their hearts. He urged people to vote for AAP and said the party will win the hearts of people through its governance if voted to power. "Industrialists were considered BJP's vote bank in Delhi. I myself am a 'baniya but Delhi's baniya never voted for me. They started voting after I won their hearts. Give us five years, we will win your hearts too," he said. Kejriwal also said a law should definitely be made against religious conversions but nobody should be wrongly harassed through this. He said any conversion through use of force is wrong. He announced that no new tax will be imposed in Punjab after the AAP comes to power. Punjab will go to the polls on February 20 and counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Addressing a political programme called 'Prabhavi Matdata Samvad' in Etawah city of Uttar Pradesh today, JP Nadda said, "Many people tried to project themselves as a farmer leader but no one could do for the welfare of farmers what PM Narendra Modi did."

"India's agriculture budget has been increased to Rs 1.23 lakh crore per annum from Rs 22,000 crore per annum (2014)," he said citing an example of the country's agriculture budget.

The BJP National President slammed Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) for working for certain castes during their governance in Uttar Pradesh.

"During the rule of SP and BSP, there used to be the influence of certain castes. But during the last years, the BJP government worked on the principle of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sakba Vishwas'," he added.

In the run-up to the elections, he has been conducting door-to-door campaigns in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh will go for a seven-phase election from February 10 to March 7

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The Supreme Court has posted for February 25 the hearing of the plea of CBI challenging the Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to four persons in connection with the 1994 ISRO espionage case relating to the alleged framing of scientist Nambi Narayanan. A Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar adjourned the matter after the investigating agency sought four weeks' time to file the affidavit. Earlier, the apex court had issued notices to the accused on the petition of CBI. The Kerala High Court on August 13 last year had granted anticipatory bail to four accused -- the former Gujarat Director-General of Police (DGP) RB Sreekumar, two former police officers of Kerala S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, and retired intelligence official PS Jayaprakash -- in connection with the case.Seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted them, the CBI had said the grant of anticipatory bail might derail the investigation in the case. Additional Solicitor General AS Raju, appearing for CBI, had told the apex court that CBI has found in its probe that some scientists were tortured and framed in the matter due to which development of the cryogenic engine was hit and this led to India's space programme going back by almost one or two decades. Opposing the bail granted to the accused, Raju had said it's a "very serious matter" and there may be a larger conspiracy at the behest of foreign hands which is being investigated. The CBI had alleged that there was a clear indication that the accused were part of a team, which had ulterior motives to torpedo the attempts of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for manufacturing the cryogenic engine. It had registered a case against 18 persons for various offences, including criminal conspiracy, in connection with the arrest and detention of former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was accused of spying in 1994. The case relates to allegations of transfer of certain confidential documents on India's space programme to foreign countries by two scientists and four others, including two Maldivian women. CBI had earlier given a clean chit to Narayanan and said that the Kerala police had "fabricated" the case. The investigating agency stated that the technology ex-scientist was accused to have stolen and sold in the 1994 case did not even exist at that time and then top police officials in Kerala were responsible for his illegal arrest. On September 14, 2018, the top court had appointed a three-member committee and directed the Kerala government to give Rs 50 lakh compensation to Narayanan for compelling him to undergo immense humiliation. Terming the police action against Narayanan as a "psycho-pathological treatment", the top court had also said that his liberty and dignity, basic to his human rights, were jeopardised as he was taken into custody and, eventually, despite all the glory of the past, was compelled to face "cynical abhorrence". (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday promised that if the BJP government is voted to power again in Uttar Pradesh, then the farmers will get paid interest money on the delayed payments of sugarcane. Addressing voters in Saharanpur, the senior BJP leader said, "Some farmers told me that sugarcane payment gets delayed. We have decided that in the manifesto of the BJP, we are going to announce that in case of delay in clearance of payment, the interest for the delay will be recovered from that mill and the payment of sugarcane along with interest will be paid to the farmers," said Shah. Shah also targeted the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on the farmers' issue saying there were 42 sugar mills in the state, of which 21 mills were closed by the SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He further claimed that there was no continuous electricity during the earlier SP regime but the BJP government has worked to provide 24x7 electricity in the cities and about 22 hours in the villages. "The maximum number of vaccinations took place in Uttar Pradesh, you misguided people about the vaccine that you had taken yourself. You see Modi in everything, you must be seeing Modi even in the vegetables in your house. Under our government, the food scheme, work is being done to provide food to people. What did your government do? the food grains were sent directly to Nepal via Gorakhpur," said the Home Minister.Shah also slammed the Samajwadi Party government for its alleged role in the Muzaffarnagar riots and claimed that those who were involved in the riots were made victims and the victims were made accused and put behind bars, just for the sake of appeasement. "Samajwadi Party government gave a mini Chief Minister, a bahubali (strongman), a scam and a riot to each district during its rule. That was the definition of development for SP. On the contrary, the BJP government gave a product (One District, One Product scheme), a major industry and a medical college to each district," he said. The senior BJP leader thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh with folded hands and urged them to trust, bless and encourage the BJP and appealed people to ensure a win for the party candidate Jagpal Singh. "I appeal to the voters here, I appeal to the voters of western Uttar Pradesh, vote for the respect and security of women, vote for the development of youth, vote for making Uttar Pradesh number one, which is in development today. Has reached number two, make it number one and press the button on the lotus," he added. The Home Minister said that he cancelled his campaign in Deoband and Muzaffarnagar today due to a huge crowd that had gathered amid Covid-19. (ANI)
The first such session-related virtual interaction will be held at 5 pm on January 31.

Naidu will return to the national capital on Sunday after a week-long home quarantine in Hyderabad after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.

The first part of the Budget Session will begin on January 31 and will continue till February 11. The second part of the budget session will be held from March 14 to April 8.

President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of two Houses on January 31 and the Union Budget will be presented on February 1.

Rajya Sabha is likely to function from 10 am till 3 pm on working days while the Lok Sabha will function from 4 pm to 9 pm.

The parliament session will begin amid electioneering for assembly elections in five states. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Minister Madan Mohan Mittal today joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the presence of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Chandigarh on Saturday, said a press release. According to the release, the veteran leader, who was instrumental in cementing communal ties after a period of strife along with former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, said he had always stood alongside Mr Badal who was a symbol of unity and would also stand alongside Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal who was carrying forward the same legacy. He also lauded the SAD President for fast-tracking development during his stint in government as Deputy Chief Minister as well as bringing in massive investment into the State. Madan Mohan Mittal, who was accompanied by his son Arvind Mittal and the entire rank and file of the BJP of Anandpur Sahib constituency, said he was also resigning from the BJP to fight the injustice being done to the constituency. He said while all projects had been taken away from Anandpur Sahib during the Congress regime, the local BJP leadership had failed to safeguard the rights of its people. "We have seen rampant illegal mining in Anandpur Sahib Constituency which needs to be stopped. Truckers and truck unions have also been robbed of their livelihood. I have stepped forward to work for the welfare of Anandpur Sahib and end the discrimination being meted out to it". Sukhbir Badal while welcoming Mr Mittal into the SAD fold appointed him the party's halqa incharge from the seat. He also announced the appointment of Mr Mittal as the senior vice president of the party. When queried whether Mittal would contest the forthcoming elections from Anandpur Sahib, he said this decision would be left to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). A large number of panchayat and block Samiti members also joined the SAD along with Mr Madan Mohan Mittal. They were all honoured with 'saropas' on the occasion. (ANI)
The nonprofit CASH Campaign of Maryland announced Friday where in the Baltimore region and around the state it plans to offer its free tax preparation services this tax season to anyone who earned $58,000 or less in 2021.

About 1.3 million state taxpayers qualify for free tax preparation, or almost 42% of residents who file taxes, the group said.

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The nonprofit, in its 21st year helping residents with taxes, also is urging residents to take advantage of the much-promoted yet underused Earned Income Tax Credit, for workers with low to moderate income.

More than 230,000 state residents have claimed more than $102 million in such credits, with the highest numbers in Baltimore and Baltimore County, Prince Georges County and Montgomery County, according to the Maryland Comptrollers office.

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Despite the CASH Campaigns advocacy work, about 20% of those who qualify for the earned income credit fail to apply for it, said Charles Chuck Rettig, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, during a virtual press conference Friday to kick off the groups work this tax season.

This is not something that people take advantage of, and we want them to receive these funds, Rettig said. It lifts millions of people out of poverty. It changes lives.

This year, even more filers may be eligible for the credit since Marylanders who file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, now may be able to claim the credit, state Comptroller Peter Franchot said during the event.

ITINs are used by those who cannot get a Social Security Number, including resident and nonresident aliens, their spouses and dependents.

With a coalition of statewide partners, the CASH Campaign since its start has served more than 235,000 households with free tax preparation and brought more than $330 million in refunds and tax credits to families, said Sara Johnson, chief operating officer and co-founder of CASH, short for Creating Assets, Savings and Hope.

Last year, in Baltimore and Baltimore County, the group prepared more than 5,000 returns with more than $10 million in federal and state refunds. This tax season, group volunteers expect to help state taxpayers save $36 million.

Providing tax services the past two years has been a real challenge, Johnson said. With tax credits and economic impact payments, he said, weve seen a huge demand for our services.

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Last year, the group received more than 16,000 phone calls on its Baltimore scheduling line alone and was only able to serve half those families.

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But, she said, we know what works. The earned income tax credit and other tax credits that put money in the pockets of low- and moderate-income families have been proven time and time again to lift people out of poverty. Families ... buy food, they pay bills, they pay rent.

Tax filers can qualify for the credit based on factors such as family size, filing status and income.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott warned residents to beware of commercial tax preparers who claim to prepare free returns, but dont live up to the billing, when it applies to only a few filers and during limited-time promotions.

The earned income tax credit is a specialized tax refund that can put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of working families, and the CASH Campaign is here to help them get that, Scott said.

IRS-certified volunteers and CASH staff will help prepare and electronically file residents federal and state returns. Volunteers also can help people open low-cost or free bank accounts in which to direct deposit refunds.

Taxpayers can find information about sites and appointments at www.bmorefreetaxes.org or by calling 410-234-8008.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the Samajwadi Party (SP) saying there was "a bahubali, a mini CM, a scam and riot" in every district of the state during its rule while the BJP government has given "industry, a product, a medical college and identity" to each district of the state. The Home Minister, who was campaigning in Saharanpur for the assembly polls in the state, accused Samajwadi Party of practising "appeasement politics". "What was SP Government's role in Muzaffarnagar riots? Those who were involved in the riots were made victims and the victims were made accused and put behind bars, just for the sake of appeasement," he said. "During Samajwadi Party rule, there was a 'bahubali', a mini CM, a scam and a riot in every district of the state. This was the definition of development for the Samajwadi Party. Today the BJP government has given industry, a product, a medical college and identity to every district," he said. Amit Shah also took a dig at Akhilesh Yadav over its alliance with Rashtriya Lok Dal led by Jayant Chaudhary and asked if RLD will be given the same prominence after the polls. "Akhilesh Yadav held a press conference yesterday in which Jayantji was also given a seat beside him. Akhilesh Babu, though your party would not come to power but if it did, who will be sitting beside you then, Jayant Bhai or Azam Khan?" Amit Shah asked. The Home Minister said the BJP had promised ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections that its government will free the state of goons and mafia. "The people of Uttar Pradesh gave their support to BJP and gave more than 325 seats to NDA," he said. Referring to the alliance between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah said he had stated at that time that whoever wanted to come together could do so but BJP will win the polls. He said the people of Uttar Pradesh gave 65 seats to BJP in the polls and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and made him the PM of the country for the second time with full majority. He urged the people of the state to trust, bless and encourage BJP and vote for party candidates. The BJP has fielded Jagpal Singh from Saharanpur. "Today I have come here to appeal for our candidate Jagpal Singhji to win. This in itself is a unique thing in Uttar Pradesh that in a general seat, BJP has done the work of giving tickets to a candidate from the Dalit community. This tells us that in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has worked for realizing on the ground the Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas mantra of Narendra Modiji," he said. The Home Minister said that he cancelled his campaign in Deoband and Muzaffarnagar today due to a huge crowd that had gathered amid COVID-19. Uttar Pradesh will go for seven-phased election beginning February 10. (ANI)
The Union Budget should have provisions for incremental budgeting for healthcare services so that the health sector can upgrade the infrastructure and be ready to protect the nation from the onslaught of any disease that comes down, said Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman-MD of Medanta Hospital on Saturday. The health experts mentioned the key expectations of the health care industry from Union Budget 2022. "It is important to look after the health sector from ground level. We should focus on preventing the diseases from spreading through community spread," Dr Trehan told ANI. Citing an example of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, he said that the movement needs to be reinforced and sped up because the community spread of disease affects the productivity of people and later, create a huge economic burden. He further suggested that the government should focus on creating more wellness centres. "Early detection of disease is very important and it will come from wellness centres. For example, there is a provision of 1,50 thousand wellness centres under Ayushman. We must complete the project faster because the COVID-19 pandemic has shown cracks in our health system," he added. According to Dr Trehan, civil hospitals should be upgraded because these wellness centres need to be guided properly. "We should upgrade the services of civil hospitals, nursing homes and district hospitals. The government should focus on strengthening the health care system from the base," Dr Tehran said. Meanwhile, Dr Suneeta Reddy, MD of Apollo hospital, also stated that the country should spend more on the health care system. "Currently, we spend 1.15 per cent of our GDP on health care, but it needs to be 2.5 per cent soon. The Centre can also work with the private sector to be a party of this journey," Dr Reddy said. She also said that the country should emphasise building health infrastructure and its access to every individual. "It is the most important thing that everybody should have access to health care facilities once the infrastructure is built. I request the government to look at section ATD and allow for a higher deduction both on private health care as well as medical insurance," she added. The first part of the Union budget session of Parliament will be held from January 31 to February 11 and the second part of the budget session will take place March 14 to April 8. (ANI)
Taking a jibe at Samajwadi Party (SP) and lauding the work done by the Yogi Adityanath government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the "goons and mafia" of Uttar Pradesh are either in jail or have fled away or are in the candidates' list of the main opposition party for the upcoming assembly election. Campaigning in Saharanpur for Uttar Pradesh elections beginning February 10, Amit Shah accused Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav of speaking "lies" about the law and order situation in the state. He said the BJP government has chased away criminals and mafias who flourished during the earlier regimes. "He does not have shame and speaks lies in such a manner that it could be taken as truth. I have brought statistics with me and if you have the courage, hold a press conference with figures of your earlier government," Amit Shah said. "Mafia Raj is over in Uttar Pradesh today. People like Azam Khan and Mukhtar Asari are in jail. The goons and mafia of Uttar Pradesh are either in jail or either fled away... or they figure in the list of Samajwadi Party," he added. The Home Minister also referred to riots that took place during the Samajwadi Party rule in the state. "Have you forgotten the riots? If you make a mistake during vote, the rioters will come to power in Lucknow. If the SP-BSP government is formed, then once again mafia raj will come, casteism will come. But if you vote for BJP, we'll make UP number one," he said. He alleged that Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhary are together only till election results are announced. "These days Akhilesh Yadaji and Jayant Chaudharyji are seen together. But this is only till the elections. If their government is formed by mistake, then Jayant Chaudharyji will not be seen anywhere again. Azam Khan and Atiq Ahmed will come in the forefront. Their candidates' list says what will happen after elections," said Shah. He urged people to give their full support to BJP for the continuous and rapid development of the state. "If the vote goes to SP, there will again be 'mafia raj' and if it goes to the BJP, it will help Uttar Pradesh become number one state in the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership," he added. He urged the people of the state to trust, bless and encourage BJP and vote for party candidates. The BJP has fielded Jagpal Singh from Saharanpur. "Today I have come here to appeal for our candidate Jagpal Singhji to win. This in itself is a unique thing in Uttar Pradesh that in a general seat, BJP has done the work of giving tickets to a candidate from the Dalit community. This tells us that in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has worked for realizing the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' mantra of Narendra Modiji," he said. The Home Minister said that he cancelled his campaign in Deoband and Muzaffarnagar today due to a huge crowd that had gathered amid COVID-19. Uttar Pradesh will go for a seven-phase election from February 10. (ANI)
Former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19. "I and my wife, both have tested positive for COVID-19. Both of us are doing well except for mild symptoms. Friends who have come into close contact with us are requested to self-isolate for a few days and observe for any symptoms and get tested if needed," he said in a tweet. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 2,422 active cases in the state. (ANI)
The Home Minister, who was campaigning here for assembly polls in the state, said that modes of the campaign have changed due to the situation created by COVID-19.

He said he went to Deoband and there was a large presence of people.

He apologised to people of the areas where he was to campaign personally for not being able to make it.

"Today, due to the large crowd in Muzaffarnagar and Deoband, I had to stop the door-to-door campaign. I had a programme of door-to-doo campaigning. My apologies to voters... ," said Shah.

Campaigning in Saharanpur, the Home Minister accused Samajwadi Party of practising "appeasement politics".

"What was SP Government's role in Muzaffarnagar riots? Those who were involved in the riots were made victims and the victims were made accused and put behind bars, just for the sake of appeasement," he said.

"During Samajwadi Party rule, there was a 'bahubali', a mini CM, a scam and a riot in every district of the state. This was the definition of development for the Samajwadi Party. Today the BJP government has given industry, a product, a medical college and an identity to every district," he added

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address a virtual rally in Uttar Pradesh on January 31.

The state will go to the polls in seven phases beginning February 10.

Election Commission has extended a ban on physical rallies and roadshows in poll-bound states till January 31. (ANI)
Home Minister Amit Shah, who campaigned in Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, also held an organisational meeting and laid thrust on the work by 'panna pramukhs' and booth committee chiefs to boost party's prospects in the seats in the region, many of which have a sizeable presence of the Jat community. Sources said the organisational meeting in Saharanpur lasted for about 45 minutes and around 100 leaders and workers of the party were present. All the seven candidates of the Saharanpur district were part of the meeting. The party's district chief was also present. They said Amit Shah paid talked about special attention to the work done by the booth committee president and 'panna pramukh'. There was also discussion on the ways to increase the polling percentage, roles of various office-bearers and how the work to be done. BJP leaders said 'panna pramukhs' and booth presidents have a significant role to play in the polls. A panna pramukh is assigned the role to stay in touch with 60 voters, tell them about policies and initiatives of the government and encourage them to vote, they said. The sources said Amit Shah asked the workers to ensure that the campaign is effectively carried out at booth level. During the effective voter dialogue in Saharanpur, Amit Shah said that the lotus (electoral symbol of BJP) has not blossomed in Saharanpur Dehat for over two decades and workers should strive for the party's victory. Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls for its 403-member assembly in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Judicial Magistrate (judge) Shradha Dolare also imposed a fine of Rs 9,000 on a 31-year-old convict Sameer Shrirang Jadhav, adding, "If he fails to pay the fine, then he will have to stay in jail for one more month.

According to an official statement issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police Anand Bhoite, the case was filed on January 25 after a woman filed a complaint in the Hinjawadi police station, alleging that a hotelier entered her residence and molested her after threatening to kill her.

After receiving the complaint a women officer was immediately assigned the case to start the investigation.

FIR was registered under sections 354, 452, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"After collecting sufficient evidence against the accused, he was arrested on January 27 at 9:30 am and produced before the court along with a chargesheet," reads the official note.

The police investigation was completed within 36 hours while court proceedings also got completed in 36 hours (working hours of the court). After hearing both sides and perusing the evidence, the court convicted the accused.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Vijaysinh Jadhav argued the case, expedited the proceedings and prayed for maximum punishment for the accused. (ANI)
"I strongly condemn the brutal killing of our J&K Police HC Ali Mohammad in Anantnag district by terrorists. His supreme sacrifice won't go in vain," Sinha tweeted.

"The perpetrators of this barbaric act will be punished soon. My deepest condolences to the family of the martyr," he added.

Terrorists fired upon a policeman in Hassan Pora locality of the Bijbehara area in the Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

Ali Mohammad was rushed to the hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.

"Police has registered a case and investigation is under progress. The area has been cordoned and searches in the area is going on," said local police. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly on Saturday welcomed CBI's decision to reward the informant, while keeping their identity secret, for providing information on nine more absconding accused in connection with the murder case of a BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar in cases related to post-poll violence in West Bengal. "I believe that the people of West Bengal will come forward to give information to CBI related to the incident (post-poll violence) after CBI promised anonymity and reward to informers," said Ganguly. "As per rule state police needs to assist CBI in investigation across country, they are not doing it here. Since the police are not helping CBI, I believe the people of West Bengal will," she said. Rajya Sabha members also slammed the state government for denying incidents of violence in the state. "State Government is not ready to accept that these (post-poll violence) incidents have taken place, this proves that they know it has been done by their own people. They celebrate their victory by thrashing opposition party leaders, this shows their politics and fear," Ganguly said. The CBI, which is investigating the post-poll violence in West Bengal, has announced Rs 50,000 reward each on nine more absconding accused in connection with the murder case of a BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar. This comes after CBI's earlier announcement of Friday of similar reward and anonymity for information on five other accused in the same case. CBI took over the investigation of post-election violence on the orders of the West Bengal High Court, informed CBI. Sarkar was killed in the post-poll violence in the Narkeldanga area of West Bengal shortly after the assembly election results were announced on May 2. (ANI)
The 2nd ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) meeting with India was held on a virtual platform on January 28 where two sides finalized India-ASEAN Digital work plan 2022 for future collaboration in the field, the Ministry of Communications informed on Saturday. Devusinh Chauhan, Minister of State for Communications (MoSC) and Admiral Tin Aung San, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Myanmar co-chaired the meeting. The ADGMIN is an annual meeting of Telecom Ministers of 10 ASEAN and dialogue partner countries - Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, UK and US. The meeting discussed and deliberated various matters relevant to strengthening regional digital cooperation in the spirit of digital inclusion and integration, the Ministry of Communications said in a release. Addressing the august gathering of Digital Ministers, Devusinh Chauhan emphasized that Information and Communication Technologies enable and strengthen democratic systems and institutions through enhanced engagement between citizens and the state. He added that the use of ICTs promotes free speech, human rights and the free flow of information besides expanding citizens' opportunities to participate in the decision-making process and have the potential to transform the lives of people living in rural areas. The Minister recalled the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leverage different technological solutions for the development of the nation. In his address, Devusinh Chauhan stated that COVID-19 is not only a challenge for the public health system, but it is also, shaking the economic and social orders of the countries. In this scenario, Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) have emerged as powerful tools to mitigate the effects of pandemic in different spheres of public life and they are foundations of the global economy. The Ministers meeting approved the India-ASEAN Digital Work Plan 2022. The work plan includes a system for combating the use of stolen and counterfeit mobile handsets, WiFi Access network interface for nationwide public internet, the capacity building and knowledge sharing in emerging areas in the field of Information and Communication Technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, Advanced Satellite Communication, Cyber Forensics, etc. The ongoing and proposed projects in ICTs will strengthen collaboration between India and ASEAN by leveraging complementary strengths of each other. (ANI)
The Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County reached an agreement with the Board of Education this week that will provide $50 to teaching and nonteaching staff who are asked to cover a class when a substitute teacher is not available, as well as up to $1,000 in retention bonuses for employees.

Union President Russell Leone said in a statement Friday that the agreement was a good first step toward its goal of moderating and getting compensation for the extra work they are being asked to complete amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Educators have worked tirelessly to cover classes or groups of students for their peers who were absent due to shortages of substitute teachers. Both staff shortages and educator absences have increased over the last two years, causing educators to lose critical planning time, increase duties and responsibilities, and more, he said in a statement.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools announced Friday that all full-time permanent employees will receive a $1,000 bonus, including teachers, food service employees, school secretaries, technology support, executives and more. Those working less than full-time will receive a prorated bonus, depending on how much they work.

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The bonus pay will be divided into two payments; employees will get their first payment March 10 and the second in June, provided they work through the end of the school year or fiscal year, whatever their contract specifies.

The bonuses and the $50 in compensation for covering classes will come from the countys allocation of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, according to schools spokesperson Bob Mosier.

The school system needs to secure approval from the Maryland State Department of Education to use its ESSER funds for the bonuses and payments. Mosier said the system has amended its plan to spend ESSER money to include $6.5 million to pay employees to cover classes, and that amendment was submitted Friday.

Mosier said the amendment submitted to the state education department accounts for about $12 million in funding.

The system said in a news release that school employees have also had their work year reduced by a day, with no cut in pay, and received two hours of personal wellness time in December.

In every school and office throughout our system, the members of our AACPS family have done far more than the public will ever see to propel our students forward. These bonuses are one small way to acknowledge that incredible work, Superintendent George Arlotto said in a statement.
The freedom of expression in Hong Kong witnessed a massive crackdown by the Chinese authorities in the past months and the latest example of it is a pro-democracy media outlet Citizen News, which was shut down at the starting of 2022. In past months, crackdowns against news organizations and pro-democracy activists have intensified in Hong Kong. On January 3, the independent Hong Kong news site Citizen News has announced that it will shut down to "ensure the safety of everyone", days after the city's national security police raided another independent online news outlet over allegations of sedition. On December 29 last year, the arrests and raid on the offices of the now-defunct news outlet Stand News attracted condemnation from the United Nations, the European Union as well as other countries including the US, Germany, and Canada. 7-year-old pro-democracy digital news outlet saw seven people connected to it arrested by national security police over suspected conspiracy to publish seditious materials, including its top editor, former editor-in-chief, his wife, as well as four former directors, Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported. However, Citizen News was the largest remaining independent news outlet in Hong Kong following the shuttering of Apple Daily in June last year. The award-winning organization which was crowdfunded in 2017 with over 8,00,000 followers informed its followers through their website, according to The Singapore Post. Chris Yeung, the former president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association and the lead writer of Citizen News, informed the media "the decision to shut down was made within a very short span of time. The trigger point is the fate of Stand News. "Another important motive in Citizen News' decision to shut down, was the ambiguity about whether its reporting had infringed any laws under the new Chinese national security framework. China's new restrictions, according to observers, have created a state of fear, suffocating any free speech. Citizen News is among Hong Kong's last Chinese-language pro-democracy publications, as per The Singapore Post. (ANI)
Washington [US], January 29 (ANI/Sputnik): Shortage of microchips in production processes in the United States cost the American economy 240 billion USD last year, and electronics companies encountered the most significant impact, the US broadcaster CBS News reported, citing experts. Disruptions were sparked by closure of major chip production plants in Asia due to the pandemic, according to the broadcaster. "Sometimes we've had to scale back production because of chips that were just frankly unavailable... I think it's important for us to make this product in the United States. We're not making enough of it now. We have to make more of it. And the only way that you do that is to have more plants. And so this is the investment, frankly, in the future. It's not that far off," the CEO of the Optimal Design company, Sajid Patel, told the broadcaster on Friday. The microchip shortage also hindered car production, CBS News added. For example, Ford trucks were sent to parking lots from the production line where they were waiting for chips, instead of going directly to the dealership. Thus, the company incurred losses of $210 billion, the broadcaster said. The shortage is reported to be unlikely to ease in the near future, but domestic chip production is expected to develop, and Intel announced construction of a chip plant in the US state of Ohio. (ANI/Sputnik)
"On January 28, Russian Ambassador to Japan M. Galuzin met with the leadership of the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly. During the conversation, they discussed ways to restore and maintain ties at the level of legislative assemblies of Russian and Japanese regions," the Russian agency wrote on Facebook on Friday.

The Russian Embassy to Japan said that the officials had a deep, constructive dialog concentrating on prospects of development of ties between Hokkaido and Russian regions including the Moscow region and Saint Petersburg.

"The Japanese representatives highly appreciated substantial exchanges with Russian regions. They noted the interest in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as economy, medicine, education, sports, youth contacts, science and technology, problems of winter cities, and fishing," the embassy said on Facebook.

Galuzin also met with the mayor of Sapporo, Katsuhiro Akimoto, and the officials shared their views on implementation of the Year of interregional ties and twin cities program and discussed deepening humanitarian ties between Japan's Sapporo and Russia's Novosibirsk that have twinning relations. (ANI/Sputnik)
Citing Iranian State media, Khaama Press reported that the security forces in the port interfered after the protestors started attacking trucks that belonged to the Afghan people.

According to eyewitnesses, the protestors broke the windows of trucks.

Meanwhile, another group of Iranian protestors rallied at the Afghan consulate in Zahedan city and demanded the flow of Helmand water to the country, Khaama Press reported further.

The demonstrations come a year after former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the Kamal Khan hydroelectric Dam on Helmand River and said that they will no longer give water to Iran for free but in exchange for oil, Khaama Press reported.

The flow of the Helmand River to Iran has been a matter of conflict for years between Afghanistan and Iran which has not been fully resolved yet, as per an Afghan media outlet. (ANI)
The improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted in a tube-well room on agricultural land in Sui Tehsil were detonated by remote control, the Dawn newspaper reported. Three Pakistani personnel and one Bugti clan elder was killed in the blast.

No one has claimed responsibility for the explosions so far.

"Four people lost their lives in the blasts and eight others injured," an official of the Sui administration said, The official added that the solar penal of the tub-wall was badly damaged in the last night attack.

This comes a few days after ten Pakistani soldiers were killed after terrorists attacked a security force check-post in Balochistan's Kech district.

The recent surge in the insurgency in Balochistan and elsewhere in Pakistan is a cause of worry for the Imran Khan government. (ANI)
The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), John Sopko, said that the Taliban should not have access to the aid and that it should be channelled directly to Afghan people. During a virtual conference hosted by the Atlantic Council on Thursday, Sopko said that the aid pledged by the international community to the people of Afghanistan will be wasted unless the assistance is delivered directly to the needy people in the country, reported Tolo News. "The unvarnished truth is that we can spend all the money in the world into Afghanistan, but it will be a tragedy if that money winds up in the hands of the Taliban or other bad actors, other than the Afghan people who need it the most," said Sopko. He called on the international community to deliver its assistance to the people of Afghanistan using the lessons learned from the past two decades of US engagement in the country, reported Tolo News. "Look for activities that the Afghans can eventually sustain without, or with limited, outside support," he said. Meanwhile, the Taliban said that the Afghan bank assets should be freed to address the economic challenges, reported Tolo News. "Considering the situation that we have today, it is required that our money should be released, and we should be supported in the development sphere also," Islamic Emirate deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi said. Afghanistan is contending with drought, a pandemic, an economic collapse and the effects of years of conflict. Some 24 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the population will be facing famine this winter and 97 per cent of the population could fall below the poverty line this year. (ANI)
Afghanistan's mission at the United Nations on Friday proposed the freezing of assets illegally transferred to the accounts of former Afghan government officials. Afghans citizens have praised the proposal by the charge d'affaires Naseer Ahmad Faiq and pointed out that many former Afghan government officials were involved in corruption and were currently living a life of luxury abroad while the country was struggling and on the edge of a catastrophe, reported Tolo News. At a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Naseer Ahmad Faiq said, "I would like to request freezing and confiscating of all Afghan assets illegally transferred to the accounts of former government officials who were involved in corruption and embezzlement of international aid to the Afghan people." "They must be held accountable and tried. It is not fair that 28 million people are starving and mothers sell their children to survive but these corrupt former government officials live in luxurious houses and villas in different countries in Europe and the US," he added. He also called on the international community to not grant asylum for former corrupt Afghan officials and the former government officials involved in corruption must be held accountable, reported Tolo News. Political analysts also criticized the corrupt Afghan officials who fled the country after the fall of the Republican government. "Today, while the Afghans are in the worst conditions and are in need of support, these individuals are enjoying their life out of Afghanistan with the money they have stolen from the people of Afghanistan," said Sayed Ali Riza Mahmoodi, a political analyst. The international donors have provided billions of dollars for the previous Afghan governments as part of their support for Afghanistan. Based on statistics, the US--which was the main supporter of the Afghan economy--spent around USD 140 billion on reconstruction in Afghanistan, reported Tolo News. The Afghans expressed frustration over the massive amounts of embezzlement by previous government officials, saying that despite the flow of a great amount of aid, they are still living a difficult life. Citizens speaking to Tolo News also demanded the assets of former corrupt Afghan officials be frozen. "Those who have stolen the money of this poor nation, their assets must be frozen. The money doesn't belong to them, it belongs to the Afghans," said a Kabul resident. (ANI)
"As part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance, India supplied the fourth batch of medical assistance consisting of 3 tonnes of essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement on Saturday.

The Ministry further stated that India stands committed to continuing its special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and providing humanitarian assistance.

"We had already supplied three shipments of medical assistance, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine and essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the WHO and India Gandhi Children Hospital, Kabul," the statement added.

The Ministry also informed that in the coming weeks India would be supplying more batches of humanitarian assistance consisting of medicines and foodgrains for the people of Afghanistan. (ANI)
A trilateral meeting between Turkey, Qatar, and the Taliban officials agreed on "several key issues" on how to manage and operate Kabul Airport. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said that the Taliban has reached an agreement with Qatari and Turkish joint ventures on the details of aviation security, ground services and airspace of the five airports of the country at a meeting held in Doha on Thursday, reported Tolo News. "The details have been discussed, a series of general decisions have been taken, but the talks are still ongoing and we are moving in a positive direction," said Imamuddin Ahmadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation. Meanwhile, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that the three-party delegation agreed on "several key issues" on how to manage and operate Kabul Airport. However, the Qatari Foreign Ministry did not provide further details, reported Tolo News. The former chairman of the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) called on the Taliban to prepare the terms of the agreement in such a way as to provide a fair and equal basis for Qatari and Turkish companies to operate with domestic companies. "If the contract is to be regulated from the beginning for the operating contract, the liability of the airlines should become a supervisory role over a period of two to three years," said Mohammad Qasem Wafayeezada, former chairman of the ACAA, reported Tolo News. Since the fall of the previous government, regular commercial flights have been suspended in the country. Now with the handover of the Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar, and Khost airports to foreign companies, optimism about the resumption of these flights has increased, reported Tolo News. "Aviation services at Kabul Airport by international companies will have a positive impact on the resumption of flights," said Ghulam Masum Masumi, air traffic expert. (ANI)
The meeting comes amid differences between the Taliban and Islamabad over the issue of Durand Line, which decides the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Our NSA Moeed Yusuf is in Kabul with an interministerial delegation," said Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan in a tweet on Saturday.

"Had a productive meeting with Acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi to kick off the visit," Khan further said in the tweet.

The Taliban insists that the Durand Line "has divided one nation on both sides," which the Islamic outfit "does not want."

Pakistan wishes to fence the border to control the movements of Pashtuns across its border, who are scattered between the Durand Line.

Earlier, the Taliban military has tried to stop the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line.

So far, there has not been any official engagement over the matter but Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that the issue will be solved diplomatically with the Taliban. (ANI)
Baltimore City firefighters salute as an ambulance carries the body of Lt. Paul Butrim from the scene of a vacant row house fire on S. Stricker Street. Four firefighters were trapped in a collapse while fighting the fire Monday morning. Three have died and a fourth is in critical condition. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward for information about a man they called a person of interest in an investigation into the rowhouse fire that killed three Baltimore firefighters and injured a fourth Monday.

The original $10,000 reward grew to $100,000 by Saturday with pledges from the state of Maryland, local officials and firefighters.

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The agencys Baltimore field office is investigating the cause of the fire that burned through a vacant rowhome in Southwest Baltimores Mt. Clare neighborhood.

Baltimore City Fire Department Lieutenants Paul Butrim and Kelsey Sadler and paramedic/firefighter Kenny Lacayo were killed when the building collapsed, making the blaze one of the deadliest for firefighters in city history. EMT/firefighter John McMaster also was caught in the collapse and seriously injured, but he was rescued quickly and, after several days at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, returned home Thursday.

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Investigators have not yet determined a cause of origin of the blaze, but are seeking a person of interest, ATF spokeswoman Amanda Hils said Friday.

ATF is offering a $10,000 reward for info that leads to the identification of this person of interest in the case of the Jan. 24 fire on South Stricker Street that killed three Baltimore firefighters. (ATF handout)

Pledges from the state of Maryland, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and two local firefighter unions brings the total reward offered to $100,000.

Scott said he was matching the original $10,000 reward so that we can bring justice to the families of the fearless men and women ... we lost this week.

Olszewski echoed the sentiment, saying: Baltimore County is matching this $10,000 reward in support of efforts to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this act to justice.

Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 and Baltimore Fire Officers IAFF Local 964 announced a $10,000 pledge each to the ATF award on Saturday.

After the reward grew to $50,000 by late Saturday morning, the state of Maryland said theyd double the total to $100,000.

We urge anyone with tips or information regarding the person of interest to contact federal or state authorities, said Gov. Larry Hogan in a statement Saturday.

Hogan added: I want to thank all Marylanders for the tremendous outpouring of support for our firefighters and their loved ones.

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Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

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We are looking for information on an individual who may be connected to the fire at 205 South Stricker Street. I am matching the reward offered by @ATFBaltimore, so that we can bring justice to the families of the fearless men and women of @baltimorefire that we lost this week. https://t.co/c8uJwOXPZS  Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) January 28, 2022

The ATF said the man was captured on surveillance cameras around the scene of the fire on S. Stricker Street the evening before the fire occurred.

The brave men and women of the Baltimore City Fire Department are always ready to respond when the people of Baltimore need them, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr. said in a statement. Now it is our time to be there for them when they need us.

Anyone with information about the person being sought or the fire is asked to call investigators at 888-ATF-TIPS or by emailing ATFtips@atf.gov. The agency also is seeking photos and video of the fire.

Baltimore Sun reporter Jessica Anderson contributed to this article.
Taiwan's envoy to the U.S. Hsiao Bi-khim said that Pelosi had during a virtual meeting with Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te on Friday said that Pelosi had personally expressed to the WHO Secretary-General that Taiwan should participate and that its inclusion in the organization is crucial based on its pandemic prevention response, reported Taiwan News.

During the meeting, Pelosi expressed concerns about the security situation in the Taiwan Strait.

She stressed that she has been promoting pro-Taiwan initiatives and also expressed her concerns about human rights issues in China and the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Lai praised Pelosi's advocacy for democracy and human rights and called her an "internationally respected human rights defender," according to Taiwan News.

The Taiwanese Vice President urged her to continue leading the world in defending freedom, democracy, and the universal value of human rights and thanked her for continuously supporting Taiwan, reported Taiwan News. (ANI)
The Chowk was renamed as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk on January 2018 during the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit to India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Netanyahu had attended the ceremony to mark the formal renaming of the iconic Teen Murti Chowk as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk on January 14, 2018.

The two leaders had laid wreaths and paid tribute at the Chowk.

The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers, who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, which carried out the victorious assault on the fortified Israeli city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.

There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the brave valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned town protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria Hungary.

The capture of Haifa cleared a route for the Allies to supply to the city through the sea. About 44 Indian soldiers had made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I. To date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates 23rd September as its Raising Day or Haifa Day. (ANI)
The Pakistan government's continuous attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan may result in deteriorating its ties with the Taliban as Afghans feel Islamabad more than required in Kabul's affairs, according to a report. The Taliban were grateful to Islamabad for playing a supportive role in helping them grab power in Kabul as the American troops withdrew last August. But since then, the historic good ties with the Taliban have taken a few hits, according to International Forum For Right And Security (IFFRAS). Currently, many Afghans feel that Pakistan interferes more than required in Afghan affairs. However, Islamabad tried in all 2021 to rectify this image primarily by extending crucial aid to the Afghans. But its aid could not make a lot of changes as Islamabad's all trade routes along the border with Afghanistan were closed, inconveniencing many Afghans for whom Pakistan is the biggest market for agricultural products, said IFFRAS. The border closure resulted in the waste of tons of Afghan vegetables and fruits. The closure, causing inconvenience to Afghans, has made the Taliban officials in Afghanistan unhappy. Recently, the Imran Khan government's announcement to send the trained Pakistani professionals to Afghanistan also drew criticism. "Pakistan Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to explore bilateral cooperation with friendly countries as well to stave off humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan by exporting qualified and trained manpower especially in medical, IT, finance and accounting," Imran Khan's office had said in a tweet earlier in January. The remarks drew criticism from Afghanistan with the former and current leaders of the Kabul regime saying Afghanistan does not need foreign manpower. Earlier, the Pakistan government had urged the Taliban to trade in Pakistani rupees, a request which was rejected by Kabul. The Taliban and Pakistan have a lot of differences. It ranges from disagreements over Durand Line, border closure, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and many others. Recently, TTP has scaled up its attack in Pakistan following the breakdown of its talks with Islamabad. The Imran Khan government faced a lot of criticism over its talks with proscribed group TTP, which attacked a Peshawar Army School in 2014 and claimed the lives of over a hundred children. A new threat of the Islamic State also looms around Pakistan. If Islamabad does not play its cards cleverly in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2022, it may end up losing the trust of both the ruling Taliban and the Islamist terror group, ISIS-Khorasan, waiting in the wings to spread orthodox Islamist law in both countries, according to IFFRAS. Further IFFRAS said that as to the threat from the IS and ISIS-K, Pakistan thinks if in the near future the growing economic crisis in Afghanistan makes the Afghans and the moderate Taliban rise against the hardliners, the IS would want to woo them to their side. In that event, Pakistan would escape the blame of the international community because the IS is not its creation but an Arab phenomenon. (ANI)
Celebrating 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the importance of ties between the two countries has increased in recent years and it is time to achieve "new milestones in mutual cooperation in the coming decades." "Today, when the world is witnessing important changes, the importance of India-Israel relations has increased even more. This is the time for new milestones when India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independence this year, Israel will celebrate its 75th independence anniversary next year and both countries are celebrating the 30th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations today," said PM Modi in a special video message. Speaking on the occasion of 30 years of establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations with Israel, PM Modi greeted both Indians and Israelis in their native languages - Namaskar, Al Salom. "Today is a significant day for the relations between India and Israel. 30 years ago on this day, we established diplomatic relations between Israel and India. A new chapter opened up between the two countries. Though the chapter was new, the historic relations between the two countries are very old. We have had deep people-to-people contact for many years," said the Prime Minister said. "The history of the relationship between our countries is very old. There has been a strong relationship between the people of India and Israel for centuries," he added. He also said that the Jews have been living in India for generations. "For hundreds of years, Jews have been living in India without any discrimination, and they have evolved in a friendly environment. They played a significant role in the development of India," said PM Modi. "I extend my wishes to you all. I'm fully confident that the India-Israel friendship will achieve new milestones in mutual cooperation in the coming decades. Dhanyavad, Toda Raba," said the Prime Minister. India officially recognized Israel in 1950. However, the diplomatic ties between the countries were established only in 1992. As of 2020, India is one of the 164 countries to have diplomatic ties with Israel. India's embassy is located in Tel Aviv and Israel's embassy is located in Delhi. Meanwhile, to mark the occasion of 30 years of diplomatic ties, the Gateway of India in Mumbai and the Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in Delhi were lit up in the colours of India and Israel's flag. (ANI)
Amidst a demographic crisis, China is happily rolling out a slew of supportive measures to encourage couples to have a third child. Fabien Baussart, President of CPFA (Center of Political and Foreign Affairs), in a blog post in The Times of Israel said that the new sets of incentives include perks such as baby bonuses, extended paid leaves, tax cuts and childbearing subsidies, among others. The Chinese authorities are pushing organizations and local administrations to offer handsome douceur to the parents as an inducement to have a third child. Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group is offering its employees benefits including cash up to 90,000 yuan (USD14,100), supplementary maternal leave of up to 12 months and 9 days paternal leave. Online travel company Trip.com announced that it would offer additional benefits in the form of subsidized cost of freezing the eggs of Managers of the company, reported The Times of Israel. The move comes amid immense pressure on the Communist Party-led China to address and improve the deepening demographic crisis in the country. There is also the challenge of the rapidly ageing population in the country. The one-child population left the Chinese demographic in a weird state where the national workforce shrank too low, said Baussart. The Chinese government's vigorous efforts to achieve a birth rate turnaround are highly motivated by President Xi Jinping's big economic plans for the country to double China's gross domestic product by 2035. The National People's Congress introduced the three-child policy in August last year. A revised Population and Family Planning law was passed to amend the existing policy of allowing Chinese couples to have two children. Thereafter many local provinces in China made the necessary changes in their jurisdictional regulations, localities such as Nantong announced a housing subsidy for 400 yuan (USD 63) per square meter to couples with three kids, meanwhile the Northern province of Jilin started providing loans of 200,000 yuan (USD 31,500) to couples who wish to have children. But this relief in the policy didn't work out as positively as the authorities expected it too and the birth rate kept declining. The new relaxations of the three-child policy were then introduced with attractive financial benefits to tempt people to procreate more and more, said Baussart. The fact of the matter is that today China's population consist of too many men, too many old people, and very few young people. An extensively declining workforce is supporting a vast ageing population. Chinese urban youth born between 1990 and 1999 is a product of China's one-child policy. The women from this generation are reluctant to have a child, let alone three. Just like many other nations, educated Chinese women are postponing childbirth as they continue to focus on their careers. Moreover, the high cost of raising kids is holding Chinese couples back from having more children. Millennials in the country are overcome with mounting debt and extortionate living expenses and are indefinitely putting off plans to have kids in order to avoid the monetary burden that comes with reproducing, reported The Times of Israel. The couples in China are invested in a double-income-no-kids lifestyle or "DINK". In the country's hustle culture where people work 12 hours a day, six days a week, having kids is definitely not on the menu. People on social media voiced that they don't need trivial financial encouragement but substantial pecuniary support to raise children in the overburdened economy. The Chinese population is uninterested in having kids not because they don't like children but because they can't afford to have any. Many citizens are asking how a three-child policy might mean more kids when the two-child version did not. These continued policies have resuscitated the perennial accusations against the government's invasive control over women's bodies and strict violation of sexual and reproductive rights, said Baussart. What Chinese authorities can instead do is, focus on genuine concerns of the couple rather than offering subpar benefits. (ANI)
Masada Fortress on Saturday was lit up with flags of India and Israel to celebrate 30 years of full diplomatic relations between the two countries. "The #Masada Fortress in #Israel, a symbol of #Jewish heroism, is lit to celebrate 30 years of full diplomatic relations between India and Israel," tweeted Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel to India. Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 AD. It was built as a palace complex, in the classic style of the early Roman Empire, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, (reigned 37 - 4 BC). To mark the occasion of 30 years of diplomatic ties, the Gateway of India in Mumbai and the Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in Delhi were lit up in the colours of India and Israel's flag. Earlier today, celebrating 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the importance of ties between the two countries has increased in recent years and it is time to achieve "new milestones in mutual cooperation in the coming decades." India officially recognized Israel in 1950. However, the diplomatic ties between the countries were established only in 1992. As of 2020, India is one of the 164 countries to have diplomatic ties with Israel. India's embassy is located in Tel Aviv and Israel's embassy is located in Delhi. (ANI)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's upcoming visit to Turkey, has more to do with Ankara's gas and financial interests while Turkey continues to support Hamas and other Islamist groups bent on destroying Israel, according to a media report. Erdogan on Wednesday announced that Israeli President Isaac Herzog will pay an official visit to Turkey in February. Erdogan aims the visit will open a new chapter in relations between Turkey and Israel, reported The Times of Israel. "If a leader of an important Muslim country like Turkey reaches out to Israel, there is no option other than giving a positive answer," a senior Israeli official told Axios Wednesday. In the same Axios report, Barak Ravid writes that Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency stressed in the internal discussions about Turkey that any normalization process must include limiting Hamas activity in Turkey, according to the Israeli officials, according to the Israeli publication. Turkish President, being ready to welcome the Israeli President and continuing his support to Hamas points that Erdogan, is following a 'duplicitous' strategy which is not new for the Turkish President. Ankara's agenda with Israel is to give nothing and take everything. This seems the basic Islamist policy of the day. The Taliban visit to Oslo, Erdogan's seemingly useless olive branch to Herzog or Pakistan's rants about being the victim of terrorism. All examples of deception. Unfortunately, as the Asma Jahangir conference in Lahore concluded, all such actions would eventually be counterproductive to Turkish and Pakistani societies. Until then we will have to see what price Israel will pay to keep the Sultan (Erdogan), amused, according to The Times of Israel. The Turkish President is just one example of an instance where a fundamentalist ideology gives the driving seat to emotion and the backseat to reason. Anything which the rulers believe to be religious injunctions become the driving force in all matters of the state. All principles of democracy are put on the back burner and all forms of criticism and dissent are classified as anti-religion when leaders follow the religious injunctions to driving force in all matters of the state. Anakara, under Erdogan, in its quest to take the leadership of the global Islamic umma, has developed deep relationships with Islamabad, another US ally. Islamabad and Ankara enjoy close cultural, historical, and military ties which are now expanding into more deepening economic relations, especially with the sliding lira and the destroyed Pakistani rupee, according to The Times of Israel. (ANI)
The delegation met with the Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi.

"The Islamic Emirate held talks over different issues such as politics, trade, the economy, transit and the extension of bilateral relations," Tolo News Inamullah Samangani, deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate as saying.

According to Afghan media, the Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, called the negotiations between the Moeed and acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi "constructive."

"Moeed Yusuf called on Afghan acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah (Abdul) Salam Hanafi and discussed strengthening of Pakistan- Afghanistan brotherly relations to promote trade, transit, connectivity," Khan said.

Moeed is the third senior Pakistan official visiting Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate swept into power, Tolo News reported.

The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crisis.

A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis. (ANI)
Hope's Nick Hoffman

Two Hope College track and field athletes broke school records Friday at the Bill Clinger Classic at GVSU.

Senior Nick Hoffman broke the 800m Indoor Track record, clocking a time of 1:52.15. This is the Holland, MI (Holland HS) native's second time breaking a time record this season. Hoffman took fourth in the mile on Friday. Elijah Meder grabbed 10th place, also in the 1 mile, with a time of 1:56.02.

On the women's side, freshman Greta Robrahn notched a new Hope College record in the indoor women's shot put event. The Zeeland native (Zeeland East HS) sent a throw for 12.59 meters to come in second place. Robrahn surpassed Jenna Brueker who set the bar at 12.26 meters in 2020.

The rest of the meet was quite successful for both the men and women's team. For the men, senior Drew Dow grabbed a top-five finish in the 400 meter dash after running a time of 51.17. Dow would take home 4th place for the Flying Dutchmen.

Senior Eric Salisbury took home the highest placement for Hope College on Friday, as he earned the third spot in the men's Triple Jump. Salisbury recorded an 11.83 meter jump.

Two other top five finishers for the orange and blue came were represented by junior Case VanderZee (Holland, MI / Holland Christian) in the long jump with a 5.92 meter jump, and the 4x400 relay who took home fourth place. The relay squad was composed of Dow, Meder, Hoffman and David McNiff who ran a time of 3:27.44.

Salisbury (Zeeland, MI / Zeeland East) also competed in the long jump for Hope College, finishing with a 5.90 meter jump to take home 6th place, while Ale Daniels (5.64 meters) and Nathan Colbrunn (5.48 meters) also competed and earned 7th and 8th place, respectively.

The women's team saw 19 top ten individual finishes and six top 5 finishes after 15 events.

Greta Robrahn

Grace Behrens placed third in the 400 meter dash with a clocked time of 1:00.40.

In the long jump, Hope College produced three top-ten finishes, two coming in the top five. Helen Dodge (4.64) grabbed fourth place, and Lily Kueber (4.35) placed fifth. Lauren Tocco would take home 6th place in the long jump with a distance of 3.54 meters.

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Allison Schram grabbed the third spot in the triple jump at 9.46 meters.

Joining Robrahn in placement for shot put, Alana Policastro (10.32 meters) and Marlie McDonald (9.14 meters) came in seventh and tenth, respectively.

In the women's weight throw, Hope College had three finishers in the top ten with Emma Althouse (12.82 meters) taking home third place, Policastro (11.29 meters) grabbing seventh and Robrahn earning ninth place with a 10.73 meter throw.

The Naples, Florida native, Amanda Lines, topped the Hope 200 meter runners, placing eighth with a time of 27.03.

In the distance races, Heleyna Tucker clocked a 5:16.66 time in the one mile to come in sixth. Emily Scott finished in 10th place with a time of 5:22.42.

The 3000 meter run saw Rebecca Markham take home ninth place after running a time of 10:12.66 for the Flying Dutch.

In the only non-individual event, Hope College saw an eigth place finish in the 4x400 relay by a group made up of Grace Behrens, Julie Timperman, Anna Haseley, and Madeline Moore. The top ten finish by the foursome had a time of 4:13.36.

The women's high jump saw an 8th place finish from Allison Schram (1.47 meters), and a tenth place finish from Lindsay Lane (1.37 meters).

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: 2 Hope College track & field athletes break school records
Two municipalities in Etowah County have received Community Development Block Grants to give them an assist in infrastructure work.

Attalla received a $500,000 grant, and Altoona will get grants of $293,000 and $25,000.

Attalla's grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds) will go to sewer upgrades and repairs in District 2 and District 3, Mayor Larry Means said  mainly in District 2.

The city has been working to upgrade 60- to 70-year old sewer lines for years, Means said, and City Engineer Jason Nicholson has been going after every grant the city can get. "We've gotten millions in grants" over the years, the mayor said.

The grant, announced last week by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, and Rep. Gil Isbell, R-Gadsden, requires a match of almost $100,000 from the city.

That match, Means said, is a good investment for Attalla. While grants typically do not cover total costs of a project, it's much better than the city having to come up with the total cost.

Work on Attalla's sewers will continue for some time, the mayor said. In addition to the aged lines, he said the city has three sewer lines that run under the interstate, where leaks sometimes occur, making repairs necessary

Altoona Mayor Rick Nash said Altoona's larger grant will go to replace water lines, and the $25,000 will be used for a comprehensive plan  covering engineering costs for the project.

"We still have some cast iron pipes that have been there forever," Nash said. Pipes will be replaced on the town's main street and one other.

Nash said its a good grant for Altoona  he thanked ADECA for making the project possible.

The city also received a grant totaling about $600,000 for medical equipment, including new heart monitors for ambulances.

"It's been a good year," Nash said, with Altoona receiving about $1 million in grants in the last three months.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Attalla, Altoona get ADECA grants for sewer, water line work
PLA's Y-20 cargo planes deliver disaster relief supplies to Tonga in record-breaking mission

By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan (Global Times) 08:44, January 29, 2022

A Y-20 large transport aircraft attached to an aviation division under the PLA Western Theater Command flies at a predetermined altitude during a flight training mission on January 4, 2021. (eng.chianmil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Shu)

Two Y-20 large transport aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force carrying much-needed disaster relief supplies arrived in Tonga on Friday after traveling a record-breaking distance of more than 10,000 kilometers and withstanding challenges including the presence of volcanic ash.

After taking off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province on Thursday, the two aircraft arrived in Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga on Friday after traveling more than 10,000 kilometers, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday.

Food, fresh water, water purifiers and tents were all included in the supplies that weighed a total of 33 tons, CCTV reported.

It was the longest distance the Y-20 has traveled in an overseas mission known to the public, and it is probably also one of the most challenging missions the Y-20 has experienced, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

While a single Y-20 is said to be able to carry more than 60 tons of cargo, the reason why the two Y-20s only carried 33 tons of supplies is because the cargo amount can affect the aircraft's total flying range, Song said, noting that the aircraft must have made stopovers during the flight to reach the long distance of 10,000 kilometers.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that the Y-20 can also carry more fuel when loaded with less cargo.

The mission displays that the Y-20 is fully capable of intercontinental flight and has the ability to carry out complicated emergency transport missions as a long-range strategic transport aircraft, Fu said.

It is also the first time known to the public that the Y-20 has flown to the South Pacific, and it shows the well-preparedness of the flight crews and capabilities of the advanced navigation systems equipped on the aircraft, Fu said.

When announcingthe mission on Wednesday, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson from the Ministry of National Defense, said that the Chinese military would need to overcome challenges including volcanic ash.

Volcanic ash is very threatening to aircraft, as it has the potential to damage the engines and hinder visibility, so the Y-20s must have prepared many contingency plans to deal with all kinds of emergencies, experts said.

After completing the transport mission, the Y-20s are scheduled to return immediately, CCTV reported.

The PLA Navy will on Monday send vessels and deliver a second batch of supplies, which will include larger items, like mobile plank houses, tractors, generators and water pumps, Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press conference on Wednesday.

The use of military equipment was agreed to by both sides, as airline services are suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Zhao.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming)
Baltimore Police said two more people were killed overnight, and two others injured in shootings, continuing a particularly violent week in the city.

A 29-year-old man was found stabbed just after 9 p.m. in the 1500 block of East 28th St. in the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello neighborhood in East Baltimore. Police said the victim was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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[ Baltimore homicides database ]

Police have charged 42-year-old Jamal Smith, who lives in the same block.

Police have not publicly identified the victim because his family hasnt been notified yet, a department spokesman said.

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Smith was awaiting to see a court commissioner and did not yet have an attorney listed in online court records.

Police were called at 10:45 p.m., to the 4800 block of Lorelly Ave., near Herring Run Park in Northeast Baltimore where an unidentified man had been shot. The victim was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Police said investigators do not have a motive or suspect information.

Two other men were seriously injured in shootings overnight.

At 11:46 p.m., officers police were called about half a mile from the Lorelly Ave. homicide to the 4800 block of Parkside Drive for a shooting.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Officers found a 32-year-old man who had been shot. He was taken to a hospital and listed in serious condition.

The victim told detectives he was walking toward Shannon Drive when he heard gunshots and ran. He realized he had been shot and got help.

At 6:54 a.m. Friday, officers were called to the 2300 block of Frederick Ave. in the Southwest neighborhood of Shipley Hill. They found a man who had been shot in the chest and leg. He was taken to a hospital and was listed in serious condition.

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The city has already counted 34 homicides this month, making it one of the deadliest starts to a year. There were 35 homicides in January of 1973.

Among the recent victims were a Little Italy restaurant general manger, a grandmother who worked for a delivery service, and the husband of the Baltimore Police internal affairs lieutenant.

No arrest have been made yet in those cases.

Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7lockup.
Jan. 29The Alaska Supreme Court narrowly decided Friday to dismiss a challenge to the state's fossil fuel policy brought by Alaska youths.

The split 3-2 decision came in a case brought by 16 youths, including Alaska Natives, against the state of Alaska, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and several state departments. The plaintiffs argued that the state's fossil fuel policy exacerbates the climate crisis in Alaska, harming them in violation of their fundamental rights under Alaska's constitution.

In a case originally filed four years ago, the plaintiffs  now ages 10-25  argued that climate change is hurting communities and in some cases destroying homes, and that the state government has enacted policies that make climate change "actively worse" by continuing to promote oil and gas extraction.

The youths asked the court to declare that the state policy of promoting fossil fuels violated their fundamental rights and endangered them. Such a declaration would make it unconstitutional for the state to enforce its policy, according to Andrew Welle, an attorney representing the plaintiffs.

Lead plaintiff Summer Sagoonick, a 20-year-old Inupiaq from Unalakleet, expressed disappointment in the decision Friday.

"It is hard to tell how long our sustainable life may last," Sagoonick said in a statement. "Our irreplaceable peoples, lands, cultures, and ecosystems are infinitely more precious than the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry."

Dunleavy spokesman Jeff Turner wrote in an email that "like the young Alaskans that filed this lawsuit, all of us want a sustainable and healthy future for Alaska" but that balancing the competing interests involved in managing the state's resources is "not within (the court's) jurisdiction."

"Through its policy decisions over the years, the state has achieved an appropriate and effective balance between resource development and environmental protection," Turner wrote.

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A representative of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision.

For some of the 16 young plaintiffs in the case, the wait for a decision has carried them from childhood to adulthood. Linnea Lentfer was a 13-year-old living in Gustavus when the case was first filed in court. Now she is 18 and a student at Carleton College.

"As the (climate) crisis itself has progressed, since we filed, it's become pretty clear how urgent it is and clear that my life for the foreseeable future is dedicated to finding ways to make change wherever I can," Lentfer said in an interview Friday. "In the process of this case, climate change has become the focus of my life in a lot of ways."

Fellow plaintiff Griffin Plush, a 24-year-old who grew up in Seward and now lives in Juneau, said that over the years since filing the court case, he has felt like youths are "fighting the Goliath of the broader political situation" but that the younger generation "is going to be louder on this issue."

"It's hard growing up during the climate crisis," Plush said, listing increasing extreme weather events such as wildfires as threats to his community's safety. "But I think that there is hope, because of young people continuing to advocate."

Justices Joel Bolger and Craig Stowers  who have since retired from the court but were on the bench during the 2019 hearing  joined Chief Justice Daniel Winfree in the majority decision to dismiss the case. They agreed with a Superior Court conclusion that the claims made in the case were "better left to the other branches of government."

The justices said that it would be more prudent for lawsuits related to climate change to be filed only in "actual controversies arising from specific actions by Alaska's legislative and executive branches."

They said that proceeding with the trial would open the judiciary to questions currently outside of their purview, such as if the court should "ultimately order that the State deny all permit applications for oil and gas drilling."

Justices Peter Maassen and Susan Carney dissented, writing that existing state law "requires that we explicitly recognize a constitutional right to a livable climate  arguably the bare minimum when it comes to the inherent human rights to which the Alaska Constitution is dedicated."

Welle said in an interview that the justices' decision to uphold the Superior Court's dismissal of the case "said that the issue of climate change is too political for the court to handle." But the dissent was "heartening to see," he added.

Welle is a staff attorney with Our Children's Trust, a nonprofit law firm that provides legal services to youths in cases related to climate change. The firm has represented youths in climate-related lawsuits filed in all 50 states and federal court.

"One day these dissents are going to become the majority opinions," Welle said.

The plaintiffs may file a request for consideration by the Alaska Supreme Court within the next 10 days. Welle said the plaintiffs will be "identifying next steps."

In a similar case brought by 16 youth plaintiffs against the state of Montana, a state judge allowed last year for the case to proceed to trial. That trial has not yet begun.

This is the second time that Alaska Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by youths over the state's climate related policies. The previous case, brought by six Alaska children in 2011, was dismissed by the court in 2014.
Jennie Conner, Katrina Shauf, John Palmer, students at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, were top finishers in the Post 82 Oratorical Contest.

Shelby American Legion Post 82 hosted its annual Oratorical Contest on Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Shelby Boys and Girls Club. The contest was organized by Legionnaire Ludy Wilkie.

This year, three students from Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy competed - John Palmer, 12th grade; Katrina Shauf, 11th grade; and Jennie Conner, 11th grade.

Each student gave a prepared 810-minute oration on a constitutional topic of their choice. Students were also required to present a 35-minute speech on a particular constitutional article selected at random. Palmer placed first, followed by Shauf and Conner.

Each student received scholarship monies, an American Legion Oratorical medal, and a certificate of excellence.

Palmer, a Forest City resident, will advance to the District/Division competitions and, if successful, will compete at the state level on March 5 in Greensboro. The state winner will compete in the National Finals in Indianapolis.

Judges for this year's competition were Shelby City Councilman Charles Webber, District Court Judge Ali Paksoy, and Jack Weller, an instructor at Cleveland Community College and director of the Boys and Girls Club.

Charles Webber, Jack Weller and Ali Paksoy were judges for the 2021 Oratorical Contest.

Department Commander Jim Quinlan, District 23 Commander Woody Weaver, and Post 82 Commander Victor Darville participated in the post-contest award ceremony. Legionnaires, Sons of American Legion, and Auxiliary Unit 82 members were also present and provided assistance during the contest,

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: American Legion Oratorical contest won by Thomas Jefferson student
Chief Joseph Chacon provides a... - Austin Police Department

An Austin police officer, responding to a report of a shooting near St. Johns Avenue early Saturday, shot and wounded a man, police said.

Officers are investigating whether the man who was shot was connected to the shooting death of a woman early Saturday in Northeast Austin. The homicide is still under investigation and details about where the woman was found or the woman's identity were not immediately available.

The man who was shot by the officer was in stable condition Saturday and expected to survive, police said. Neither the officer nor the wounded man was identified by police.

More: Victim calls plea deal for former Austin firefighter guilty of attempted sex assault 'sickening'

About 2:30 a.m., officers responded to the service road of Interstate 35 near St. Johns Avenue after multiple 911 callers reported a shooting near a restaurant in the area.

Four minutes later, officers arrived and began talking to witnesses, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon said during a media briefing Saturday.

"Witnesses advised that there was a male subject that had shot a female and that the female had left in a vehicle," Chacon said. "The male subject was still on foot in the area."

One witness reported seeing the shooter and directed officers to the location where the shots had come from, Chacon said.

After searching the area, one of the officers "observed a man matching the description of the subject in the parking lot of a nearby motel," Chacon said.

"The officer immediately began giving directions to the subject and identified himself as a police officer and telling the subject to get on the ground," Chacon said. "The subject did not do so and began walking away from the officer."

Chacon said the officer continued to give commands and began following the man. The officer alerted other officers to come to the area.

More: Austin to pay $825K, make policy changes to resolve sexual assault lawsuits

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"The subject then walked in between two vehicles, the officer moved to intercept and, as the subject was walking between the two vehicles, the two came face to face and shots were fired by the Austin officer," Chacon said. "The subject went down."

Officers provided "life-saving measures," and the man was taken to a hospital, Chacon said.

A firearm was recovered at the scene.

The incident was captured on multiple body cameras, Chacon said. The video of the incident will be released to the public within 10 days as per the Police Department's policy.

The officer has been with the department for two years and was placed on administrative leave, Chacon said.

Anyone who has more information about the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477 or use the Crime Stoppers App.

Austin American-Statesman reporter Natalia Contreras can be reached at 512-626-4036 or ncontreras@statesman.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook, @NataliaECG.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin police shoot man in North Austin near St. Johns Avenue
Australian PM wants Kanye West to be fully vaccinated before tour (AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Kanye West will have to be fully vaccinated if he wants to perform in the country.

Prime minister Morrison made the announcement on Saturday (29 January) amid media reports that the hip-hop artist  now known as Ye  was planning to perform across Australia in March 2022.

Discussing Yes forthcoming tour down under, Morrison told a news conference that the countrys vaccine rules apply to everybody as people have seen most recently, referencing the situaton involving tennis superstar Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic was withheld from competing in the ongoing Australian Open after a court ruled that the governments decision to cancel his visa over Covid-19 rules and his unvaccinated status.

It doesnt matter who you are, they are the rules, Morrison told news media on Saturday, adding, Follow the rules  you can come. You dont follow the rules, you cant.

On Friday (28 January), Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ye planned to play stadium concerts in Australia, citing industry sources.

The Donda singers representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Yes vaccination status is presently unknown.

During a 2021 interview on social media, he said he had received one vaccine dose, but in a 2020 interview with business magazine Forbes, he had compared getting vaccinated with the mark of the beast.

Australia, which has one of the highest rates of vaccination globally, has been battling an explosive wave of infections in the past month driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, with about 2 million cases recorded.

Before that, it had reported just 400,000 cases since the pandemic first hit nearly two years ago.

Previously, Australias Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said Immigration Minister Alex Hawke would take a decision on Yes visa, adding that Hawke would consider the singers application like he does for other visa applications.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Barry Manilow addressed a rumor posted to Twitter on Friday morning that he's pulling his music from the streaming platform Spotify.

"I dont know where it started, but it didnt start with me or anyone who represents me," Manilow told The Desert Sun in a statement.

Activist and author Amy Siskind said in a post that Manilow, a Palm Springs resident, is joining singer-songwriter Neil Young, whose music was pulled on Wednesday following his claims Spotify spreads COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.

Pop singer and Palm Springs, Calif., resident Barry Manilow.

"@barrymanilow I cant smile without you, and fortunately was already streaming you this month on Apple," Siskind wrote on Friday morning.

Siskind later deleted her post and explained, "I tweeted this earlier after seeing it around Twitter yesterday."

Young wrote an open letter on Monday to his manager Frank Gironda and Tom Corson, co-chairman and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Records, demanding his classic collection of songs be pulled due to pandemic disinformation, specifically calling out Spotify's popular podcast host Joe Rogan as the one spreading it.

"I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform, Young said. "They can have (Joe) Rogan or Young. Not both."

Barry Manilow joining Neil Young and pulling his music from Spotify. @barrymanilow I cant smile without you, and fortunately was already streaming you this month on Apple. pic.twitter.com/alaEfa7Vxj  Amy Siskind  (@Amy_Siskind) January 28, 2022

I tweeted this earlier after seeing it around Twitter yesterday. Deleting earlier tweet. https://t.co/3xYw9TfSDa  Amy Siskind  (@Amy_Siskind) January 28, 2022

Two days later, Spotify obliged.

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"We want all the worlds music and audio content to be available to Spotify users. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators," a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY Wednesday. "We regret Neils decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon."

The Spotify spokesperson said the platform has detailed content policies in place and has removed more than 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes since the start of the pandemic.

Spotify's statement made no specific mention about Rogan's podcast nor did it specify the volume of Young's music that is being removed from the platform.

In Young's letter, the hall of fame rocker said he wanted his music off because "Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines  potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them."

Rogan, host of "The Joe Rogan Experience," who tested positive for COVID-19 in September, had downplayed the need for mass vaccines for large events like comedy shows. Launched in 2009, Rogan's podcast is among the most popular in the U.S. In 2020, Spotify acquired Rogans podcast library in a deal reportedly worth more than $100 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Previous reporting by USA TODAY reporter Terry Collins was used for this report.

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye. Support local news, subscribe to The Desert Sun.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Barry Manilow on Spotify rumor: 'I don't know where it started'
School Board candidate Jonathan Bolding speaks with Matt and Janette Roark and other members of the Bartlesville community in his Thursday meet and greet at Crossing 2nd.

Bartlesville Board of Education candidate Jonathan Bolding held a meet-and-greet Thursday among a small group of supporters.

In a back room at Crossing 2nd, 215 E. Second St., Bolding spoke with supporters individually but declined to speak to the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise at the intimate gathering.

The event was held a little more than two weeks after Boldings opponent, incumbent Bartlesville Board of Education President Scott Bilger, addressed a gathering of 30 supporters during a similar event. Bilger outlined his accomplishments during his 12-year tenure on the Board, identified pressing issues for local public schools and outlined his ongoing plans to address them.

Bilger also outlined campaign plans and said he reached out to Bolding, inviting a public debate ahead of a general special election on April 5.

At the Thursday event, a stack of pamphlets outlined Boldings background growing up in Bartlesville as the son of a teacher. It states his desire to continue the work of the current board and promises to collaborate with parents and make decisions that are in the best interest of their children.

Bolding declined to answer the E-Es questions and the pamphlet does not outline any previous work or involvement in education, aside from being a former BPS student himself, or identify any specific plans or issues he would like to address.

The events attendees included State Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville, and Washington County Commissioner Mike Dunlap.

Yard signs were also available during the event.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville school board candidate Jonathan Bolding hosts event
(From left to right) Preston Ulery, Braden Vineyard, Joshua Gagne, Camryn Pudlowski, Natalie Stretten, Angie Bushroe, Madyson Bischoff are the Bedford High School students who have advanced to the Business Professionals of America (BPA) State Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids, which will be held March 10-13, to compete in nine events.

Bedford Public Schools logo

Twenty-four students from Bedford High School attended the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Regional Leadership Conference on January 7.

Seven of those students will move on to the State Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids from March 10-13 to compete in nine events.

Advancing are:

Natalie Stretten - 1st Place in Payroll Accounting; 2nd Place in Advanced Accounting

Madyson Bischoff - 2nd Place Graphic Design Promotion

Preston Ulery - 3rd Place in Advanced Accounting

Joshua Gagne - 4th Place in Human Resources Management

Braden Vineyard - 5th Place in Human Resources Management

Angie Bushroe - 5th Place in Business Law and Ethics; 5th Place in Health Administration Procedures

Camryn Pudlowski - 5th Place in Fundamental Accounting

BPA is the nations leading CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization) for students pursuing careers in business management, information technology, finance, accounting, office administration, and other business-related career fields.

Bedford High's BPA advisor Gina Lundquist noted that with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic disrupting past events, even the upperclassmen are "rookies" in attending a leadership conference. That lack of in-person experience did not hinder these students, with Lundquist saying she is "exceptionally proud of this 'new' group of students and how successful they were in their first competition."

An additional four-to-six BPA students from Bedford will be attending the SLC as voting delegates and virtual event participants. All delegates will participate in open events, leadership activities, and college fairs.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bedford BPA students advance to states
Bette Midler attends the WSJ Mag 2019 Innovator Awards at The Museum of Modern Art on November 06, 2019 in New York City. Mark Sagliocco/WireImage via Getty Images

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice told Bette Midler and critics to kiss his dog's butt.

Justice hoisted up his dog to send the message during his State of the State speech on Thursday.

In a tweet on Friday, Midler responded, saying Justice's dog's butt would make a better governor.

Bette Midler said the butt of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's dog would make a better governor than him after Justice told the actress to kiss his dog's "heinie" during his State of the State address on Thursday.

"BTW, here are the state rankings of all the areas and agencies for which the so-called "Governor" of WVA, #JimJustice, is responsible. Judging from these rankings, I'd say his dog's ass would make a better Governor than him!" Midler said in a tweet on Friday that was accompanied by an image of the state's rankings in various categories, including healthcare and education.

Justice's grand gesture came after a now-deleted tweet, where Midler  an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony award winner  called West Virginians "poor, illiterate and strung out."

"They told every bad joke in the world about us," Justice said as he hoisted his dog. "So from that standpoint, Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there, kiss her heinie."

Midler had previously apologized for the initial tweet, Insider's Jake Lahut reported.

Insider has reached out to Justice's office for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
An excavator pulls debris from the remains of a vacant row house on Stricker Street as ATF investigators search for the cause of a fire that resulted in the death of three Baltimore City firefighters Monday morning. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

Walking along South Stricker Street in Baltimore, evidence of abandonment is difficult to overlook.

A vacant rowhouse with a scorched facade. A sofa torn asunder beside a front stoop. A stuffed animal wedged between the boards where a window once was.

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On Monday, residents were reminded once more that this neglect can come at great cost. Before 6 a.m., a vacant house at 205 S. Stricker caught fire. When firefighters rushed in, the three-story building collapsed, trapping them in the rubble. Three were killed and another was seriously injured, making the blaze in Central Southwest Baltimore one of the deadliest for firefighters in city history.

For 38-year-old Aboni Ward, who lives down the block, its evidence that the city isnt equipped to deal with abandoned homes before tragedy strikes and the situation becomes an emergency.

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A Baltimore police investigator holds crime scene tape at an abandoned building at the corner of Stricker and McHenry streets, near the site of a fire that killed three firefighters. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

They really dont care until something like this happens, she said.

Now, the city will have to demolish what remains of 205 S. Stricker, along with a vacant home next door and another that was occupied. The owners will be billed for the costs, and any unpaid fees will result in liens against the properties.

The New Southwest/Mount Clare neighborhood where the fire occurred has the sixth most vacant houses in Baltimore, a city with about 16,000 vacants, according to online data. A persistent problem for a depopulating city  and a consistent headache for neighbors  vacants also pose unique dangers to emergency personnel when they burn.

Its often unclear whether any occupants are inside, and firefighters considering going in must weigh the risk of fire spreading from one rowhouse to the next against the possibility of collapse.

An excavator pulls debris from the remains of a vacant rowhouse as investigators search for the cause of a fire that resulted in the death of three Baltimore firefighters. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

Nationally, vacant building fires have an outsized impact on firefighter safety, a 2018 study by the National Fire Protection Association showed. Just 6% of all structure fires occur in vacant properties, but they account for 13% of firefighter injuries, according to the study. Between 2006 and 2016, 20 U.S. firefighters were killed fighting blazes in vacant buildings.

The study also showed the rate of spread for fires in vacant buildings to surrounding structures is almost triple that of all structure fires combined.

The Baltimore City Fire Department could not provide data on structure fires in vacant city properties. However, they have proved deadly for city firefighters in the past. In 2014, Lt. James Bethea succumbed to smoke inhalation after falling inside a vacant house where he was battling a blaze.

During a news conference Monday, Fire Chief Niles Ford cited the occupied home next to the Stricker Street property as a potential reason for the firefighters going inside.

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They made the determination they could control the fire and put it out, he said. Its up to those individuals on the scene to see the circumstances they have, and they did.

Battalion Chief Josh Fannon, president of the Baltimore Fire Officers Association, said Thursday that first responders were told there may be a person trapped inside the dwelling.

If we have a report of people trapped and were able to do so, then were going to make an interior attack to try to get to that victim, and seconds count, he said.

A commanders decision to enter a burning home may need to be made in a split second, with little information, said Steve Hirsch, chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council and a firefighter in Kansas for about 35 years. Uncertainties complicate efforts to stick to the mantra of risk a little to save a little and risk a lot to save a lot, he said.

You recognize there are people who are homeless who can set up shelter in houses that have been perhaps vacant or abandoned for a long period of time, so the fire department doesnt know when they pull up on scene whether or not that might be a possibility, Hirsch said.

Mount Clare resident Richard Helmick said vacants are a persistent problem in the neighborhood. The danger they pose worries him and his neighbors. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

Answers about what started the Baltimore fire, how firefighters responded and how they were hurt may not be known until an investigation is complete. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which is among the agencies investigating the fire, said Friday a cause had not been determined but agents are seeking a person of interest who they believe has information about the blaze.

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Lee Laubach, a former city fire chief from Pennsylvania, said vacant buildings are a quandary because firefighters dont know for sure that a structure is vacant until theyre inside.

Firefighters conduct a process called overhaul once flames have been initially suppressed, he said. During overhaul, firefighters enter a building to search for people and put out hot spots that cant be reached from outside.

Laubach said overhaul has proved dangerous for firefighters. Laubach pointed to a 2018 collapse of a former industrial building in York, Pennsylvania, that killed two firefighters during the overhaul.

Overhaul is one of the top things that kills firefighters, he said.

In the case of Mondays fire, firefighters may not have known the home they were about to enter, vacant since at least 2010, had caught fire six years ago, injuring three firefighters. The city condemned it as a result of that fire, and offered it for sale due to unpaid taxes, but it found no takers, so it remained with its owners, said Tammy Hawley, spokeswoman for the city housing department. Efforts by The Baltimore Sun to reach them were unsuccessful.

Each year, vacant property owners must complete a registration, and the owner of the home on Stricker was cited in 2020 for failing to do so. The property was last inspected Jan. 4 when an inspector found the front of the home adequately boarded up and clean.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 42 Baltimore City firefighters salute as an ambulance carries the body of Lt. Paul Butrim from the scene of a vacant row house fire on S. Stricker Street. Four firefighters were trapped in a collapse while fighting the fire Monday morning. Three have died and a fourth is in critical condition. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

Local housing advocates say the deaths of fire lieutenants Paul Butrim and Kelsey Sadler and Paramedic/Firefighter Kenny Lacayo could be a catalyst for city leaders to take a deeper look at the policies that created Baltimores vast stock of vacant properties and to hold owners to higher account.

Nneka Nnamdi of Fight Blight Bmore said the fire is the first in a long time when firefighters have lost their lives in a vacant property, but far from the first time vacant buildings have killed in Baltimore.

They kill people every day, whether its asthma rates, whether its the longer term effects of living in a neighborhood without food, whether its housing insecurity in a global pandemic, she said. Blight, vacancy, dilapidation has been killing people for years in this city.

Nnamdi said its the responsibility of city leaders to better hold owners responsible for the condition of their properties: making sure property taxes are paid and that properties are properly boarded up and cleared out until they can be restored to useful condition.

Nnamdi called the Stricker Street property fruit of a poison tree.

When you have 500 years of racist housing and community development policy, this is the result, she said. I dont know that specifically the last inspector out there could have done more. I doubt it. This system is not set up to hold property owners accountable.

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A vacant home across from the collapsed rowhouse on S. Stricker Street where three Baltimore City firefighters were killed. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

City Councilman Ryan Dorsey said hes concerned that insufficient funding for the citys code enforcement staff contributes to the problem. Also, properties like the one on Stricker Street have tax rates so low theres little incentive for an owner to mind the property, he said. State and city real estate records list the value of the building, built in 1900, as $6,000 and the combined state and city tax bill for the current year at about $150.

It doesnt cost you anything to sit and wait on it as speculative real estate for years on end, he said.

Dorsey, a Democrat who represents Northeast Baltimore, said he can see the benefits of charging a higher tax rate on blighted or vacant properties, something that would require a change in state law. In lieu of that, Baltimore can issue a $900 citation to owners of properties who dont resolve issues at buildings that have been tagged as vacant but not razed or improved.

The Stricker Street property never received such a citation, he said.

Theres a possibility we didnt issue the citation there because we didnt have the enforcement capacity, Dorsey said. If you look at the records, there is no routine follow up on vacant building notices.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

The Southwest Partnership, a coalition of neighborhood groups, has considered using grant money or other funding sources to pay someone to check on vacant homes in the area, said executive director Tony Scott. While someone making such checks couldnt board up homes, they could take charge of submitting 311 requests to the city when the homes are breached or otherwise create a hazard.

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Meanwhile, the partnership is aiming to use nodes of real estate strength, like historic Carroll Park and Union Square, to encourage development block by block. At the same time, the partnership is trying to provide resources to keep residents keep living there: advising them on how to assist the homeless population; what to do if they see someone experiencing an overdose, and how to adjust to the loss of community when more homes become vacant.

A shoe lies among debris inside one of three vacant homes in the 300 block of S. Calhoun Street. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

These things wear down on the psyche of residents, Scott said.

The growth in vacant homes has lately surpassed efforts to reduce their grip on Mount Clare, a low-income, majority-Black community. During the most recent three fiscal years, 25 vacant homes were rehabbed and 19 demolished, while 47 homes became vacant, resulting in a net increase of three vacant homes, according to city data.

Richard Helmick, 57, said hes lived in the neighborhood for about 10 years, and vacant homes are a persistent problem. Helmick lives next to a home with no regular occupants, though he said the landlord comes to check it once in a while. He and his neighbors, ever worried that something could go wrong while the home remains empty, monitor it carefully.

Circling the neighborhood, Helmick pointed out sources of frustration and concern, such as boards ripped aside at homes near his, perhaps by unhoused people seeking shelter from the cold nights of January.

It scares me a little bit, he said. Because you never know when somebody might break into the back door and go in there and start sleeping in it, and then the homes that are next to me  its like four or five of them  catch on fire.
Don't punish a local business over your opinions

Re: Boycott shops that dont enforce mask rules (Letter, Jan. 25)

Thanks, George Hanover, for sharing your opinion and decision on your trip to a store that has no mask mandate.

A lot of people are thankful for those strong owners. Glad you have chosen to not support a struggling local business because your opinions are not the same. But to call for a boycott? So your opinion is more important than others'?

We all have opinions and make our own decisions on what we believe, and yes, thats allowed. You triple-vaccinated people can carry and spread COVID, as can a non-vaccinated person, and you can both catch it ... but hopefully be less ill with vaccination.

Millions of us have had COVID  yes, millions  and have natural immunity that can make us less likely to get severely ill.

There is no end to COVID, like the flu, which has been taking its own toll this year. When a completely safe FDA-approved yearly or lifetime 100% safe vaccine comes out, Im sure all those anti-vaxxers will re-evaluate.

Until then, try to find the compassion to hold your beliefs to yourself instead of calling for the demise of a struggling business.

I have mine but tend to understand that the brain always has room for more than one truth.

Lisa Carnie, La Quinta

The essence of 'trumpery'

A seldom used word in the English language is "TRUMPERY." Although all dictionaries define this word, the best definition of it I found is contained in the Urban Dictionary.

"TRUMPERY (noun): The use of outright lies, political (smears), bait and switch tactics, demagoguery, deflection, namecalling, political shell games, blameshifting, threats, fearmongering and any side show-con man methods to try to shield oneself from prosecution as a traitor, criminal , liar, fool, madman, and/or imbecile."

Can you identify which current politicians fit this description?

Stan Sanoff, Palm Desert

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Don't try to punish a local business over opinions on mask mandates
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP)  Cameroon authorities have blamed a deadly stadium crush at the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament on a massive influx of ticketless fans who arrived late to a game involving the host team and tried to force their way in to avoid security checks and COVID-19 screening.

In response, the government ordered 250 extra police officers for Cameroon's next game, a quarterfinal against Gambia on Saturday at a different stadium. Cameroon won the game 2-0 with security visibly heightened both inside and outside the stadium.

The stampede at Monday's Cameroon-Comoros last 16 match at the African Cup's main Olembe Stadium in the capital of Yaounde left eight people dead and another 38 injured, seven of them seriously. It was one of the worst stadium disasters in the history of Africa's biggest soccer tournament.

Cameroon Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said at a news conference on Friday that the full results of a government investigation were not yet available, but he did reveal some new information.

Close to 60,000 fans tried to get into the game at the Olembe, Kombi said, when the crowd was meant to be capped at a maximum of 48,000 people because of COVID-19 restrictions.

African Cup organizers have made it compulsory for fans to present negative virus tests and proof they are vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend games.

But many fans didn't have tickets or meet the COVID-19 screening criteria and so forced their way in, Kombi said. Local TV stations have broadcast footage of fans climbing over security fences at the time of the crush.

I will not be able to give you the results of investigations ordered by Cameroon President Paul Biya but the massive and late influx of supporters and spectators at Yaounde's Olembe stadium caused the crush, Kombi said.

Also, the fans had arrived late because they had been watching an earlier match on TV, Kombi said.

Authorities havent yet explained why security officials directed fans toward a gate that was locked, as witnesses have claimed and which contributed to the crush. Or why security was so inadequate and so easily overwhelmed.

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Kombi is also the president of Cameroon's local organizing committee for the tournament.

He said the increased security for Cameroon's game against Gambia in the commercial capital Douala on Saturday was "to stop the uncivil behavior of Cameroonians who want to force themselves into the stadium when they do not have entry tickets and negative COVID-19 test results.

Kombi said organizers would no longer allow children under the age of 11 to attend games after a number of children were caught up in the crush at the Olembe.

The Confederation of African Football, which runs the African Cup alongside local organizers, has taken one of the quarterfinals away from the Olembe Stadium as a result of the crush. CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the Olembe also will not host a semifinal and the final on Feb. 6 unless Cameroon soccer officials can guarantee the games will be safe.

The extra police presence at the Japoma Stadium in Douala for Saturday's game was also in response to an incident at that stadium during a group game between Algeria and Ivory Coast, when around 40 fans invaded the field at the end of the match. Some of the fans grabbed hold of players and had to be dragged away.

Cameroon police chief Martin Mbarga Nguelle said he has personally overseen the security preparations for Cameroon's quarterfinal.

The Central African nation is hosting the African Cup for the first time in 50 years and its preparations have been under scrutiny. It was meant to host in 2019 but was stripped of that year's event by CAF because of problems with its stadium preparations.

CAF warned Cameroon as recently as a few months ago that the facilities and security plans at the Olembe were inadequate and threatened to take the opening game away from the 60,000-seat arena, which cost Cameroon over $300 million to build for the African Cup.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Former Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette was arrested Friday night after allegedly threatening a valet with a gun at a Las Vegas hotel.

Clark County, Nevada records show that Arnette was arrested and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, possession of a class one or two level controlled substance and possession of marijuana or cannabis.

He is being held in custody and ordered to appear in court Sunday morning.

According to the Las Vegas Police, there was a report of an individual with a weapon at the Park MGM Hotel late Friday afternoon. Another person, 20-year-old Markell Surrell, was arrested on charges of concealing a weapon without a permit in the same incident.

Damon Arnette during a game in 2020.

Arnette, 25, was selected in the first round of the 2020 draft by Las Vegas. He was released in November after making death threats to someone via Instagram message while brandishing multiple guns.

Arnette also faces multiple lawsuits, including one that said he left the scene of a car accident in October 2020 after colliding with another vehicle.

Just last week, Arnette signed a reserve/futures contract with Kansas City Chiefs, who released him upon news of his latest arrest.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Darmon Arnette arrested: Chiefs release CB after alleged assault
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese authorities summoned officials of AstraZeneca China regarding an investigation of suspected medical insurance fraud by the company's employees, the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) said on Saturday.

The regulator of the state medical insurance fund said authorities ordered the arrest of all suspects, but did not give details of the suspected violations or the size of funds involved.

It demanded that AstraZeneca China close loopholes in supervision of marketing activities, the NHSA added.

In a statement on Friday, the company said some employees in the southern city of Shenzhen had altered or participated in altering patients' testing reports, and were suspected of medical insurance fraud.

The NHSA and public security ministry held a meeting with company officials in December to brief them on the investigation, it added.

"AstraZeneca China takes such employee misconduct seriously and welcomes the recommendations by the NHSA and MOPS," it said.

An AstraZeneca spokesperson said all employees involved in the Shenzhen case were Chinese nationals.

The company has taken disciplinary action against those employees and has reported their violations to the authorities, the statement said.

Authorities will launch nationwide campaigns to stamp out fraud that involves altering genetic test results, the NHSA added, urging those responsible for such violations to turn themselves in.

(Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Brenda Goh; editing by Clarence Fernandez and Jason Neely)
ALBANY, N.Y - New York is a burgeoning industry for Bitcoin due to its cheap energy and shuttered coal plants. But environmentalists and key state lawmakers are not bullish on its future.

In fact, they want to ban it.

Lawmakers in New York who head powerful energy committees are pushing for a three-year moratorium on permits for power plants that burn fossil fuels to mine Bitcoin, a measure that would be the first of its kind in the nation and may be a precursor to regulatory actions by Congress.

The narrowly targeted measure focuses on gas plants selling or providing electricity directly to cryptocurrency miners who solve complex math problems to validate transactions and earn Bitcoin or other digital currencies.

Despite that focus, the industry is warning that the proposed moratorium would lock New York out of the benefits of an innovative new technology, which has led to massive facilities dotting Upstate New York that were once solely power plants.

In the tech space, three years might as well be three centuries, said Kyle Schneps, director of public policy for Foundry, a cryptocurrency company based in Rochester. A statewide moratorium that has vague language and captures companies that use mostly renewables is a mistake.

The fight in New York could be a bellwether for the nation.

New York appears to be a leading state for cryptocurrency mining, with multiple companies setting up shop in communities across upstate where cheap hydropower is readily available. While holistic data is limited, Foundry  which runs a large Bitcoin mining pool  says 20 percent of its American mining is done in New York.

The issue in New York dovetails with the debate nationally as Congress is also taking notice of the energy use for some cryptocurrency mining operations and mulling potential actions.

The proof of work process underpinning several digital currencies including Bitcoin is energy intensive, requiring large amounts of computing power. The primary ongoing cost input after hardware installation is electricity prices.

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Upstate New York has proved an attractive location for cryptocurrency mining, with companies taking advantage of low-cost hydropower, cheap land and underused transmission infrastructure.

Some companies have also pursued a more novel approach: converting old fossil plants that might be called on by the states power grid only a few times a year to run more frequently to fuel mining machines.

The trend has alarmed environmental groups and residents near the plants. A moratorium cleared the state Senate last year in the final days of session, but fell short in the Assembly amid opposition from a key labor union.

In a statement, Hochul's office said it would review the legislation and stressed its support for protecting the environment.

"Governor Hochul is taking bold, nation-leading actions to confront climate change head-on, and DEC (the Department of Environmental Conservation) is actively reviewing proposals regarding the role of cryptocurrency mining in New York's energy landscape, especially in light of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act," the state's climate law mandating steep emissions reduction over the next three decades, spokesperson Madia Coleman said in a statement.

"We will work with the legislature on these concerns and review the [cryptocurrency moratorium] legislation."

The debate over crypto mining grows in New York

Environmental groups backing the moratorium including Earthjustice, the New York Public Interest Research Group and Sierra Club, warn that unchecked cryptocurrency mining endangers the states climate goals.

Even if the mining operations buy renewable energy, that will leave less electricity to power the states existing and future needs as more aspects of daily life rely on electrons rather than burning gas, they argue.

But the concerns and the push for a moratorium run contrary to the New York City Mayor Eric Adams' wholehearted embrace of cryptocurrencies. The mayor even converted his first paycheckto Ether and Bitcoin, adding a transaction to be validated using the energy-intensive process environmentalists are decrying.

Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D-Ithaca) said shes optimistic about getting a moratorium passed this legislative session, pointing to both the Assembly and Senate holding events focused on the issue since last year.

Its an absolute priority, said Sen. Kevin Parker, who carries the measure in that chamber and is the Energy Committee Chair.

Anything that does not fall in line with the [climate law] cant continue to operate and so no one has made an argument to me from the crypto side that their projects are sustainable.

Kelles emphasized that shes not looking to block the cryptocurrency industry or the use of blockchain, but solely targeting proof of work, which requires the solving of complex calculations to validate transactions and earn a fee.

An alternative known as proof of stake where coin owners put up collateral for a chance to validate transactions and earn fees is less energy intensive, but has faced some criticism for potentially being less secure. Ethereum, which supports another popular cryptocurrency, is moving toward a proof of stake protocol this year.

What's next in Albany

Kelles and many environmental supporters had initially wanted a broader moratorium on all new cryptocurrency mining operations in New York, particularly as some residents in places where the mining would occur raised opposition.

If they are connected to the grid and theyre pulling energy from the grid then they are adding to our dependence on fossil fuels, she said. I do not see cryptocurrency mining as part of the solution for climate change given the magnitude of energy consumption.

But Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Nassau), who chairs the Environmental Conservation Committee, is not persuaded by arguments about cryptocurrency mining using up renewables. He said the spirit of the Kelles/Parker bill "rings very true."

The idea of saying no more crypto mining in New York, I think would be a catastrophe, Kaminsky said. There's no doubt there has to be a future where there is not increased fossil fuel use because of crypto mining. The question is how can we get there, how can we work with industry, with the business community in doing so, so that it is not seen as being the state slapping down an industry that no longer wants.

The Kelles/Parker bill includes a requirement for the state Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct a study of the environmental impacts of existing and potential future cryptocurrency mining operations in the state within two years. Kelles said that could drive additional regulations.

A moratorium on fossil fuels is a common sense first step, but we would like to see the state go farther and evaluate the potential environmental harms of the industry as a whole, said Liz Moran, a policy advocate for Earthjustice.

Despite compromises struck to narrow the bills focus, Kelles said shes not surprised by the industry pushback.

This is the first bill in the country that would put any regulations on mining, Kelles said. The intention is to prevent any opening of the door to any environmental regulations If that door is opened and that precedent is set, the concern is other states would follow suit.

A burgeoning industry weighs its options in New York

One company that would likely be impacted by the moratorium already has an operational Bitcoin mine in the Buffalo area at an old automobile parts manufacturing plant.

Digihost International also has equipment in place to run a 60 MW gas plant in North Tonawanda to power cryptocurrency mining rigs  all they need is the final sign off on the sale of the plant from the states Public Service Commission.

Were waiting with the plug until we get approved, said Nick Williams, the in-house counsel at Digihost.

Williams said the company has been scouting other potential sites in New York, but the moratorium puts that into question.

The North Tonawanda plant in Niagara County in Western New York meets DEC emissions regulations, he said. The plants Title V air permit, which addresses emission standards, expired last year and an application for a renewal has been submitted in a timely manner, according to DEC.

Williams said the company has contracts in place for renewable natural gas injected elsewhere into the pipeline system to supply the North Tonawanda plant. Thats an interim solution, he said, but one that starts to reduce carbon emissions.

The state should focus on applying existing environmental regulations to cryptocurrency companies, not a moratorium, he said.

These environmental controls are very important but you dont want to freeze an entire industry while you figure out how to apply them, Williams said.

The industry argues that cryptocurrency mining can provide extra revenue for aging fossil fuel generators to keep them online to supply backup power when renewables arent available.

They can also incentivize renewables that otherwise would not run or be profitable because of transmission constraints or low demand. Cryptocurrency machines are also getting more efficient, even as the calculations get more demanding, they say.

A pioneer of using fossil fuel plants to mine Bitcoin is the Greenidge power plant near the shores of Seneca Lake. A private equity firm bought the coal plant after it was closed, converted it with government assistance to run on natural gas in 2017 and then started mining Bitcoin in 2020.

After public outcry over the increased runtime and emissions at the plant, the company committed to buying carbon offsets for all the gas it burns.

New Yorks climate law prohibits offsets for electricity generation to achieve the states emissions reduction goals. The landmark law also sets a mandate of carbon free electricity by 2040. But because the plant runs behind the meter to power cryptocurrency mining, the Public Service Commission has limited regulatory authority over the emissions of the plant.

The state is currently scrutinizing a renewed permit for Greenidge, which advocates are urging the DEC to reject. The legislation may be too late for opponents of the project, but theyre pushing Hochul to institute her own prohibition and drawing a parallel to the fracking fight.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned hydraulic fracturing in New York in 2014.

If were going to achieve our climate goals, this bill absolutely has to be passed, said Yvonne Taylor, the vice president of Seneca Lake Guardian who resides on the lake. Right now this is a town by town fight and these guys are throwing around lots of money.

Will New York have a crypto moratorium?

Even cryptocurrency companies that say they dont own or contract with fossil fuel plants are concerned about the proposed moratorium.

Foundry, which is based in Rochester where its CEO is from, employs about 90 people. The company provides infrastructure and support for mining, offers financing and runs a distributed pool of miners, among other activities.

Schneps said hes concerned the moratorium could capture companies that rely partly on fossil fuels now but are working toward reducing carbon emissions. A lot of companies need to rely a little bit on other sources, he said.

The cryptocurrency industry is not trying to ask for any special treatment, were trying to have equal treatment, Schneps added. Just because were new doesnt mean we shouldnt have the same access to energy as other industries.

The current version of the legislation specifies that the moratorium would apply to new or renewed permits for fossil plants providing electricity behind the meter. That means it would only impact miners co-located at a fossil plant, not cryptocurrency companies pulling electricity from the grid  even if most of the electrons they buy were produced with fossil fuels.

Hochuls administration has been largely opaque on the issue of cryptocurrency mining.

The DEC and Public Service Commission declined to appear because of pending permit decisions at an Assembly hearing on the issue in October. Assemblymember Steve Englebright called the no-shows disrespectful.
Days after he was permanently banned from YouTube , Dan Bongino has also lost his ability to earn revenue from Google ads. On Friday, the Bongino Report Twitter account sent out a tweet suggesting Google had revoked the pundits AdSense account. Later that same day, Tech Policy Press confirmed the suspension with Google. The company told the outlet Bonginos website had violated its AdSense publisher policies .

We have strict publisher policies in place that explicitly prohibit misleading and harmful content around the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrably false claims about our elections, a Google spokesperson told Engadget. When publishers persistently breach our policies we stop serving Google ads on their sites. Publishers can always appeal a decision once they have addressed any violating content.

Boginos YouTube ban came down from Google after the Fox News host attempted to evade a prior suspension related to the platforms COVID-19 misinformation policy . He posted a video to one of his accounts questioning the effectiveness of masks against the coronavirus. At that point, YouTube temporarily suspended Bogino. It then permanently banned him after he attempted to post that same video to another channel, thereby violating the platforms terms of service.
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Iowa State fan base was outraged Friday after 107.5 The Fan sports radio host Dan Dakich posted a photo of Iowa State football superfan Nick Bassett, who had died Thursday night.

Dakich's Twitter handle was trending Friday after the Twitter exchange garnered thousands of responses and many more calling for Dakich's firing by Emmis Communications, the company that employs him.

"@EmmisComm one of your most visible people is out here using the picture of a recently-passed, disabled human, who was an inspiration to many, to shame and troll someone," tweeted @IowaRallyYak. "You do you, but employing this kind of person is highly questionable."

@EmmisComm one of your most visible people is out here using the picture of a recently-passed, disabled human, who was an inspiration to many, to shame and troll someone.



You do you, but employing this kind of person is highly questionable. @1075thefan  Yak, Rally. M.D., P.H.D., J.D, C.O.W. (@IowaRallyYak) January 28, 2022

IndyStar reached out to Dakich's program director at Emmis, David Wood, Friday night. He did not immediately respond.

He did respond to an Iowa State fan in an email posted to Twitter.

"Here is (what) Dan tweeted a short time ago," Wood wrote. "I haven't spoken with him, but I can tell you that Dan doesn't apologize unprompted if he doesn't mean it. I will be following up with him. Thanks for letting me know."

David Wood responded to my email, and this is what he said. A complete joke that he would defend what Dakich said as an apology pic.twitter.com/ENby6J6OZo  Cyclone Power (@ForIForSForever) January 28, 2022

Dakich posted the photo of Bassett in a Twitter reply to Iowa fan Andrew Korver. It came after an exchange about what Iowa fans look like. Korver had made Bassett's photo his profile picture after Bassett's death. Dakich took a screenshot of the photo and sent it as a reply to Korver.

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A screenshot of the tweet Dan Dakich sent that was a photo of Nick Bassett.

Many watching the exchange assumed Dakich was making fun of the way Bassett looked.

"And today Dan Dakich uses a photo of an Iowa State superfan & amputee, Nick Bassett, who recently passed away to mock someone's appearance," tweeted Zach Borg, an anchor, reporter @DakotaSportsNow. "What's worse than the initial acts of all 3 is a double down to not apologize. A strong person isn't someone who can't admit their faults"

Dakich sent a tweet apologizing for the way the tweet was interpreted.

"I apologize for the "look" of posting Nick Bassett's picture without context..the context was/is to remind me to talk about his story on my show today when discussing the Iowa Purdue game. I know the story and had planned on talking about it at Noon..I missed it and was reminded."

I apologize for the "look" of posting Nick Bassett's picture without context..the context was/is to remind me to talk about his story on my show today when discussing the Iowa Purdue game.

I know the story and had planned on talking about it at Noon..I missed it and was reminded  Dan Dakich (@dandakich) January 28, 2022

Twitter responded in force, alleging Dakich's response did not make sense.

So, you posted Bassetts picture as a response during a completely unrelated conversation with somebody else to remind you to talk about Bassett later?



Thats like me responding to this tweet with a picture of milk because I allegedly have to pickup milk on the way home.   (@FearThePegasus) January 28, 2022

And it was merely a coincidence that the picture just happened to be the profile photo of the guy he was trying to roast.



We believe you now, Danny. Totally makes sense now.  Eric Pratt (@ByEricPratt) January 28, 2022

Bassett was a popular and inspiring Iowa State fan, wrote Tommy Birch with the Des Moines State Register, after his death Thursday at the age of 29. Bassett had struggled with various health issues since he was 2.

Bassett gained fame this past season when he appeared on ESPNs College GameDay when it visited Ames before the Cy-Hawk football game.

When Bassett had both his legs amputated in May due to health complications from scoliosis, Iowa State fans rallied around him. So did Cyclones coach Matt Campbell, who befriended Bassett and invited him to several practices.

Bassett's mother, Ann Bassett, told Birch after her son's death that she still cant wrap her head around how Iowa State fans have responded during her family's tough times.

Were kind of speechless about the whole thing, she said.

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Dan Dakich apologizes after posting photo of late Iowa State fan
The City of Westminster continues its efforts to renovate and upgrade its Westminster Family Fitness Center.

A locker room at the Westminster Family Fitness Center. This is one of the areas that is due for an upgrade. (Brian Krista/Carroll County Times)

In 2020, the city completed major work on the fitness center during an extended shutdown of the facility. This included plumbing, flooring and painting as well as updated HVAC controls, according to Westminsters fiscal 2021 budget. The current focus is on the mens and womens locker rooms, which remain open during renovations.

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In October, the City Council approved a contract with Boulevard Contractors Corp., for phase two locker room renovations. Officials had set aside $65,000 in the fiscal 2022 budget for the renovations, but approved Boulevard Contractors bid for $42,185.

On Monday, the council approved a change order to the contract at a cost of $2,507.10. The changes bring the total cost of the fitness center locker room renovations to $44,692.10, according to Abby Gruber, director of the citys Recreation and Parks Department.

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Gruber called the current upgrades cosmetic and said she believes the locker room bathrooms had not been renovated since 1996.

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The lockers are rusting through, the bathroom partitions as well are rusting through, our countertops are delaminating and stained from hard water  so its just necessary upgrades, Gruber said at the City Council meeting.

The change order includes updates to the countertop material from plastic to granite, replacement of soap dispensers with upgraded automatic versions, as well as adding a frameless mirror in the mens locker room.

In fiscal 2021, the city invested in phase one of locker room renovations by providing new shower rooms in both the mens and womens locker rooms, Gruber said.

Council members also approved a requested 25-week extension to the renovation contract, specifically for the installation of new lockers.

The new lockers are back-ordered, so that extension is for more time, Gruber said. We know that we can likely complete the other items on the list within the approved time frame.

The citys Recreation and Parks Department operates the fitness center, located on Longwell Avenue. The full-service fitness facility includes a 4,500-square-foot gymnasium and three smaller exercise studios, as well as a fitness center with cardio exercise machines, such as treadmills, and weightlifting equipment. More than 50 group fitness classes are hosted at the center each week. Monthly memberships are sold to city residents and nonresidents, and day passes are also available to use the facility.

The former Old Westminster Armory was constructed in 1918 and was used for military purposes until the 1980s when the National Guard moved to a new building. The city leased the space, then purchased it in the early 1990s.
Lucas Caldwell

MUNCIE, Ind.  The Delaware County Sheriff's Department is seeking the public's assistance in finding a 15-year-old Muncie youth who ran away from home.

Lucas Marvin Caldwell  a white male who is five feet nine inches tall and 130 pounds with brown eyes and curly brown hair  was last seen by his mother on Dec. 23.

However, there has been Facebook activity on his account, according to a news release. The youth has a cellphone but "will not answer his phone," the release said.

Anyone with information on the teen's whereabouts is asked to call John Branson, a detective with the sheriff's department, at 747-7881, extension 446.

If there is no message, please leave a message.

MORE NEWS:

Missing Muncie teen found in Georgia; Silver Alert canceled

If the teen is seen "out and about," please call an emergency dispatcher at 911.

STAY INFORMED AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe today using the link at the top of this page.

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: Delaware County sheriff's detective searching for runaway teen
The Daily Beast

ReutersTroops sent into Ukraine to back up Russian forces say they had no choice but to leave because Russian military was in shambles and they deceived us at every step.Soldiers from the breakaway state of South Ossetiaspeaking to South Ossetian leader Anatoly Bibilov at a meeting publicized by the independent news outlet MediaZonarattled off a list of complaints about faulty equipment, lack of leadership and intel, and brainless tactics.South Ossetia, which relies heavily on military and f
A small Tulare County town is reeling after a gang shootout left two people dead and three wounded Thursday afternoon. Sherriff's deputies said those involved were members of rival gangs and the survivors were arrested on murder charges Friday.

Ducor residents are reeling after a shootout between rival gang members left two dead and three hospitalized outside one of the quiet, rural town's only markets Thursday afternoon.

Around 5 p.m., Tulare County sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting at the Ducor Handy Market on Avenue 56. They found one victim  20-year-old Francisco Rodriguez of Ducor suffering gunshot wounds and rushed him to the hospital, where he later died.

Other gunshot victims began arriving at nearby hospitals, deputies at the scene of the crime learned. Detectives said the shootout happened after a red Nissan Altima and white Chevrolet Malibu arrived at the business at the same time.

"Almost instantaneously, people got out of each vehicle and began shooting at each other," Ashley Schwarm, sheriff's spokesperson, said in a news release. "All of them were determined to be from rival Northern and Southern gang associates."

Rodriguez and another occupant of the Malibu, 21-year-old Jaan Maciel also of Ducor, were shot. Delano residents 35-year-old Jose Palomo, 32-year-old Mauro Aguilar, and an unidentified 17-year-old boy all were shot in the Altima.

Aguilar also died as a result of the shootings. All five gang associates were armed and "active participants in the shooting," Schwarm said.

Palomo and the 17-year-old boy were arrested for the murder of in connection with Rodriguez's death. Maciel was arrested and linked to Aguilar's death. They are being held without bail. Both are expected in court Tuesday.

It's unknown if the 17-year-old will be tried as an adult. They face life in prison, if convicted.

'This doesn't happen here'

Deputies with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office were called at around 3:45 p.m. Thursday for a shooting at a Ducor Shell Gas Station.

Residents of the small agricultural community of about 600 reacted to the mass shooting on Friday.

"This never happens here. My husband has lived in Ducor for 45 years," said Raquel Trice, who lives near the market where the shooting happened. "I'm worried about possible retaliation and what might happen next."

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The Trices had been parked at the gas station a few minutes before the lot erupted in gunfire. Their son at home heard the shots ringing out.

"It scared me," the mother said. "I'm glad we are safe."

Raquel's husband Michael said he isn't overly concerned by the apparent gang violence. He said homicides and other violent crimes haven't happened in the small town in years.

Market management declined to comment on the incident. Customers continued to shop and get gas at the market which reopened on Friday.

Anyone with information regarding the deadly shootings is urged to contact Detective Dave Gutierrez or Sgt. Bryan Clower at 733-6218. You can leave an anonymous tip by calling or texting 725-4194 or emailing tcso@tipnow.com

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: Ducor residents shaken after gang shootout leaves 2 dead, 3 wounded
(Getty Images)

Drew Barrymore shared details of her young and wild days in Hollywood on her talk show.

Barrymore, 46, was a child star alongside Kate Hudson, who guested on The Drew Barrymore Show on Thursday (27 January)

Reminiscing on growing up in the industry, the pair recalled their first meeting at Chez Jay, a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, in the early 2000s.

Barrymore recalled that Luke Wilson was also present as Hudson was starring in a romantic comedy Alex & Emma with him.

I was dating him, she said, to which Hudson replied: Yeah, you were. I think he was also dating other people.

Barrymore replied: Yeah, totally, it was an open relationship. We were young.

We were young, Barrymore said, with Hudson, confirming long-standing rumours she once dated Owen Wilson, adding: Ive been there with a Wilson too.

Rumours of a relationship between the pair surfaced after they starred in 2006 comedy You, Me and Dupree.

Drew Barrymore and Kate Hudson surprised fans with Luke Wilson revelation on talk show (YouTube / getty Images)

Its so fun because when youre young, youre like, Its low-stakes, were just young, were having fun, were all playing, acting, hanging out, Barrymore said.

The pair said they had the best time together.

The Independent has contacted Luke Wilsons reps for comment.
Jan. 29High numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to affect local school districts, forcing some of East Valley's 4,200 students to learn remotely next week.

In a message to families sent Friday, the East Valley School District said that based on quarantine guidelines set by the Spokane Regional Health District, it would need to shut down a large number of classes next week.

Beginning Monday, the district's middle and high schools are moving online through Friday.

"Throughout the district, we have limped, staggered, and crawled through the month of January," the letter said.

The district's current COVID dashboard, posted Monday, showed 198 cases in the previous 14 days.

Athletics will not be affected, and lunches will be provided at certain locations, the district said.

Elsewhere, the rural Riverside and Liberty districts have extremely high numbers for their size.

Riverside, with an enrollment of 1,400, reported 143 cases in the previous 14 days.

Liberty in Spangle has 109 cases out of a student population of 558.

Larger districts continue to post near-record numbers.

In its weekly dashboard posted on Friday, Spokane Public Schools reported 1,016 positive cases  students and staff who had confirmed COVID cases and entered a school building from Monday through Friday.

That's up slightly from the 941 posted a week ago, but the number of people quarantined dropped sharply, from 2,336 to 835.

The dashboard posted Friday at Central Valley School District showed a record 1,368 cases among students and staff in the previous 10 days. University High School had 123 cases, while five elementary schools in the district had 40 or more.

At Greenacres Elementary School, 22 staff members have tested positive in 10 days.

In the Mead School District, 883 students and staff have tested positive in the past 10 days.

Cheney School District reported 389 cases since Jan. 18, with 128 at Cheney High School.

At Coeur d'Alene Schools, 196 cases were reported this week, a sharp decline from the 382 last week.

Among other districts, Medical Lake has 141 in the past 14 days and Freeman 35 as of Monday.
In 2021, the SEC went after crypto. In 2022, crypto is coming for the SEC.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler has vowed to rein in what hes dubbed Wild West abuses in the $1.6 trillion market. Industry leaders, flush with cash and deep-pocketed investors following a trading boom in Bitcoin and other digital assets, are aiming their lawyers at the sheriff of Wall Street in an intensifying legal fight.

Cryptocurrency payments firm Ripple, the de facto leader of the revolt, has started to rack up procedural court victories as it fends off the SEC in a case that could redefine how the agency polices digital assets. Grayscale Investments, which wants to launch a Bitcoin fund for the masses, tapped the white-shoe law firm Davis Polk to publicly outline a legal case that could be brought against the agency if it obstructs the companys ambitions. The CEO of another startup, Terraform Labs, sued the SEC after it tried to serve him with a subpoena.

The emerging legal assault, which is being cheered on by crypto-friendly lawmakers who say the agency is overstepping its authority, could limit the SECs reach for years to come and remove what many in the industry see as their biggest regulatory obstacle to launching even more virtual currency products.

As a lawyer, youre kind of trained and taught to not pick fights with regulators," Ripple general counsel Stuart Alderoty said in an interview. "But we didnt pick a fight with a regulator, the regulator picked a fight with us. Respect for regulators needs to be earned, and I dont think the SEC has earned the right to get the industrys respect.

The looming legal barrage is just the latest example of the cryptocurrency industry taking an aggressive stance with Washington policymakers who threaten the industrys growth. This year is poised to be a key inflection point in the politics and regulations around digital assets, with several federal agencies making the issue a top priority and lawmakers drafting a raft of legislation. Crypto firms are ramping up lobbying and planning to dole out millions of dollars in financial contributions in a bid to secure allies in government and undermine their opponents.

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There's a carrot-and-stick approach, said Kristin Smith, who leads the Washington-based Blockchain Association, a trade group. It's aggressive  more aggressive than perhaps other industries.

Gensler  a former Goldman Sachs partner who became a progressive darling because of his tough approach to regulating Wall Street  has taken a sweeping view of the SECs role in cryptocurrency, arguing that most of the products fall under his agencys jurisdiction. A series of enforcement actions and behind-the-scenes clashes with startups have put him at odds with the crypto community.

SEC spokespeople declined to comment for this story.

Right now, we just dont have enough investor protection in crypto, he said in an August speech that set the tone for his approach. Frankly, at this time, its more like the Wild West.  If we dont address these issues, I worry a lot of people will be hurt.

The SECs legal war with crypto began in the waning days of the Trump administration just before Gensler took the helm of the agency.

The agency in December 2020 sued Ripple, accusing the company of illegally raising more than $1.3 billion through the sale of the digital currency XRP. The SEC contends that XRP is a security that should be registered with the agency under the Howey test," a landmark Supreme Court ruling thats the legal basis for defining investment contracts.

Unlike other SEC enforcement actions that are resolved with a settlement, Ripple fought back and the case is ongoing in federal court. The company argues that XRP is not an investment contract and that the SEC never provided fair notice that XRP was an unregistered security  a due process violation.

Ripple has started to secure procedural wins. A judge overseeing the case ordered the SEC this month to turn over internal documents that could offer new details on how agency officials developed their views on digital assets.

The SECs allegations are not just as a case against Ripple, but a case against the entire industry, Alderoty, Ripples general counsel, said.

J.W. Verret, an associate professor at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia School of Law, said an SEC loss on the Howey test would mean the regulatory threat that hangs over a number of cryptocurrencies goes away.

The Ripple litigation could bring about quite a bit of change if Ripple is victorious, he said.

Jeff Hauser, a finance industry critic and founder of the watchdog group Revolving Door Project, said Ripples claim is akin to arguing that new cars might not be subject to existing speed limits.

"If you have the first 2023 Tesla and you go on the highway and you're driving 90 miles an hour, and you tell a police officer that you thought the 75 mile an hour speed limit sign only applied to vehicles produced in 2022 or earlier ... you'll get laughed at," he said in an interview.

Another potential legal fight that could ensnare the SEC involves its decision to block the launch of Bitcoin-backed funds that would sell shares to investors on public exchanges  a way to ride the price of the digital currency without having to buy it directly. The SEC has instead opted to green-light funds tied to Bitcoin futures contracts  a more indirect financial instrument thats regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Grayscale, a $55 billion investment firm that wants to launch a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, is building a case that the agency is breaking the law by favoring one model over the other.



The firm last year commissioned lawyers at Davis Polk to draft a public letter to the SEC arguing that rejecting a Bitcoin-backed fund would be arbitrary and capricious.

If you're okay with a futures-based ETFs, you should also be okay with a stock-based ETF, Grayscale chief legal officer Craig Salm said in an interview.

Grayscale has not said whether it would sue the SEC if the agency rejected its fund application.

The firm's argument holds water for some lawmakers, said Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), a member of the crypto-friendly Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Soto and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) are urging Gensler to allow firms to offer Bitcoin investment products on regulated exchanges. Grayscale throwing down the gauntlet could help policymakers ramp up the pressure on the SEC, even if it antagonizes the agency.

Its a risky plan, but its one thats well within their rights, Soto said in an interview.

Its not a risk every firm will be willing to take. Valkyrie Investments CEO Leah Wald said that her firm has no plans to pursue the legal strategy Grayscale previewed, even after the SEC blocked Valkyries own Bitcoin ETF.

The onus is on us as an industry to have a more amicable relationship, she said.

John Reed Stark, a former chief of the SECs Office of Internet Enforcement, said that bucking the agencys authority can backfire on firms that could have resolved inquiries without incident.

After Terraform sued the SEC on procedural grounds over its subpoenaing of CEO Do Kwon last year, the agency filed a countersuit revealing that it was investigating the decentralized finance platform for violating a litany of federal securities laws.

Terraform did not respond to requests for comment.

It's very reckless. Its not bold or courageous. It's foolhardy because it didn't have to be this way, Stark said in an interview. The SEC has dug in. I think they're on very solid ground.

Zach Warmbrodt contributed to this report.
The claim: Canada truck convoy included in Guinness World Record book for longest convoy

Truckers from around Canada are expected to arrive in Ottawa, the nation's capital, on Jan. 29 after a weeklong drive across the country in protest of vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers.

The truckers are protesting a Jan. 15 mandate requiring drivers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated or get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine, Reuters reported.

In the United States, a new mandate that went into effect Jan. 22, requires anyone crossing the land border into the U.S. to show proof of full vaccination.

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Local news outlets have reported drivers joined the convoy throughout the week, continuously growing the line of trucks and other vehicles. Some social media users claim the convoy has gotten so long, it was included in the Guinness World Records book.

"10,000 truckers expected to be headed to Canada," text shared on Instagram Jan. 25 reads. "(By the way) the convoy in Canada has made the Guinness book of world records for the longest convoy." The post was liked over 5,000 times in three days.

But a Guinness World Records official confirmed it is not being considered as an official entry to break the current record for the longest truck parade.

Fact check: Unvaccinated more likely to get omicron than fully vaccinated, boosted

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who posted the image for comment.

Convoy not considered world record attempt

It's unclear how many trucks are part of the convoy headed to Ottawa; police in Canada called it a "very fluid situation," according to the Ottawa Citizen.

The Ottawa Police Service said it was expecting between 1,000 and 2,000 vehicles as part of the protest Saturday, the outlet reported.

Convoy spokesman Benjamin Dichter told the Toronto Sun the convoy was almost 45 miles long on Jan. 26.

Story continues

Fact check: False claim that Microsoft is developing a microchip for vaccine information

While that certainly beats the current world record for the longest truck parade, which was recorded in Cairo in November 2020 and featured 480 vehicles across 4.6 miles, the Canadian convoy hasn't been included in the world records book.

The Guinness World Records didn't immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment, but a spokeswoman told the Agence France-Presse the convoy "is not an official Guinness World Records title attempt."

In order to break a world record, the party attempting it must follow rigorous instructions.

If the application to break a record is accepted, which could take up to 12 weeks according to Guinness, the applicant will receive detailed instructions about the evidence required to prove the record was broken without cheating.

Fact check: False claim that 4 athletes dropped out of Australian Open due to chest pain

After carrying out the world record attempt with a photographer and videographer present at whichever date, time and location the applicant chooses, the evidence, a cover letter and any other additional documents must be submitted to Guinness.

A response on whether the record was officially broken could take up to another 12 weeks.

USA TODAY reached out to the official Canadian convoy Facebook page for comment on whether it submitted an application to break the world record.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that the Canada truck convoy was included in the Guinness World Record book for the longest convoy. A Guinness spokeswoman told AFP the convoy is not being considered an official attempt at breaking the current world record, which featured 480 trucks across 4.6 miles in Egypt in 2020.

Our fact-check sources:

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Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Guinness World Records says Canada truck line not a record
The claim: 12 major cities led by Democratic mayors broke homicide records in 2021, a result of trying to defund the police

Some conservative commentators on social media are blaming the "defund the police" movement for a recent spike in homicide rates.

"12 major cities broke homicide records this year," reads text in a Dec. 16 Facebook post from a page called The Proud Republicans. "They are ALL led by Democrat mayors. This is what happens when you try to 'defund the police.'"

The post, which conservative content creator Benny Johnson originally tweeted Dec. 15, racked up more than 700 shares within two weeks. Similar claims have accumulated thousands of additional interactions on Facebook and Instagram, according to CrowdTangle, a social media insights tool.

More: Calls to 'defund the police' clash with reality for many Americans, city polls show

Between 2019 and 2020, the U.S. recorded its highest increase in the national homicide rate in modern history. And in 2021, 12 cities did break their annual homicide records.

However, most of those cities did not substantively cut their 2021 police spending as part of a defunding initiative. While it's too soon to say for sure, experts told USA TODAY a combination of social unrest, rising firearm sales, economic stress and other pandemic-related factors could be behind the spike in homicides.

"In a nutshell, there doesnt appear to be evidence that the defunding movement has caused violent crime increases," David Carter, a criminal justice professor at Michigan State University, said in an email.

Not all cities defunded police

As evidence to support the claim, Johnson and The Proud Republicans sent USA TODAY articles reporting that 12 cities hit all-time homicide records in 2021.

The reports indeed identify the 12 cities as Albuquerque, New Mexico; Austin, Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Columbus; Indianapolis; Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon; Rochester, New York; St. Paul, Minnesota; Toledo, Ohio and Tucson, Arizona.

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But the blame here is misplaced  most of those cities did not substantively cut their 2021 police spending as part of a defunding initiative.

Defunding the police generally means taking money away from police departments and, in many cases, reallocating it to social programs or other city initiatives. The movement grew in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin sparked nationwide protests.

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Portland was among the first cities to defund its police department. In June 2020, the city cut $15 million from its police budget for the following fiscal year.

While some of the cities that hit homicide records in 2021 followed suit, others did not commit to defunding initiatives. Several actually increased funding for the police.

Here's a look at 2021 police funding in each of the other cities mentioned in the news reports:

Some of the cities that cut police funding as the result of a defunding initiative have since increased the budgets of their police departments.

In November 2021, Portland added $5.2 million back to its police department. In August 2021, Austin City Council members restored police funding to its highest level ever for the following fiscal year.

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Each of the cities referenced in the post is led by a Democratic mayor. But experts told USA TODAY that's a spurious correlation.

"Many  most  large cities have Democrat mayors," Ken Novak, a professor of criminal justice and criminology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said in an email. "There are many cities with Democrat mayors that are not on this list, so to suggest there is a cause and effect is pretty irresponsible."

A protester demands the defunding of police during a rally for the late George Floyd outside Barclays Center on Oct. 14, 2020, in New York.

Effect of defunding police on homicide rates not yet known, experts say

In cities that have defunded the police and seen a spike in homicides, there's no evidence the two are connected.

"It is simply too early to tell if such policies are having an impact," Emma Fridel, an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at Florida State University, said in an email. "Correlation does not equal causation."

Fridel, who studies homicide, said using one or two years of data to highlight a trend is "essentially useless" because homicide is rare relative to other crimes. Multiple years of data is needed to determine whether there is a concerning increase or decrease in homicides, she said.

More: After Minneapolis voters rejected an overhaul of police, how will the city find unity?

Charis Kubrin, a professor of criminology, law and society at the University of California-Irvine, told USA TODAY she's not aware of any data that illustrates the effect of defunding the police on homicide rates. But older research suggests there isn't a definitive connection.

A March 2019 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Criminology & Public Policy analyzed the effect of de-policing on homicide rates. In 53 large cities from 2010-2015, researchers found "no evidence of an effect of arrest rates on city homicide rates for any offense category for any year in this period."

"The results of our analysis reveal that declining rates of arrest did not produce the rise in homicide levels," the study authors wrote.

Experts told USA TODAY there are several plausible explanations for the recent spike in homicide rates.

"The pandemic created significant strain, stress and uncertainty  especially in the most vulnerable neighborhoods," Novak said. "George Floyd  and other events  created a legitimacy crisis between people and the police."

During the coronavirus pandemic, more Americans purchased guns, which Kubrin said can escalate a non-lethal crime to a homicide. And police departments nationwide are understaffed  a problem that predates both the pandemic and recent calls to defund the police.

However, experts say it's too soon to single out one reason for the recent rise in homicides.

"Could defunding be a correlate and a cause? Theoretically, of course," Kubrin said. "But my sense is that, even if it plays a role, it's probably a small one."

Our rating: Partly false

Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSE the claim that 12 major cities led by Democratic mayors broke homicide records in 2021, a result of trying to defund the police.

It's true that 12 cities led by Democratic mayors broke homicide records in 2021, but it's unclear what exactly is behind the spike. Most of those cities did not substantively cut their police spending as part of a defunding initiative  contradicting the claim's core assertion.

While it's possible defunding the police played a role in the homicide increase, experts say there's no research proving that's the case. It's too soon to know for sure, but the spike may be the result of pandemic-related factors, including rising firearm sales and economic stress, experts say.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Police funding not linked to homicide spikes, experts say
Editors Note (May 2, 2020, 10:50 a.m. ET): NBC News has determined that a section about Sonny Perdues violation of ethics laws in an earlier version of this article was not properly attributed to its original source and did not meet our standards for original material. The section has been removed from the article.

WASHINGTON  Donald Trump often espoused his love for America's farmers during his presidency.

But after a year under President Joe Biden, farmers say they're actually feeling the love.

"Well, certainly the difference between 2019 and 2021 is the differences in administrations," Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said in an interview. "In 2019, our administration was at war with all of our customers." Under Biden, he said, the nation is "rebuilding our relationships with our customers."

Trump courted support from farmers during his failed re-election campaign in 2020 and touted his administrations trade relief, saying they were better off with government payments than relying solely on sales.

While the focus of the Biden administration has been on its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and more recently the global standoff with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, the farm sector has fared quite well under the new administration, as farmers ease off of government bailouts and see a boost in commodity prices.

"We had farm income that was up by a pretty fair amount in 2021, almost to the record level of 2013, but not quite," said Patrick Westhoff, director of the University of Missouris Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. "Part of that, of course, was continuing government payments, but there was a very strong recovery in both crop and livestock prices last year."

Soy and corn prices, two of the largest cash crops in the United States, have suffered slightly, falling below $9 and above $3 a bushel, respectively, during the pandemic. Now, exports have had an increase in demand, in part because of exports to China and poor weather affecting South American producers. Soy was up to $14 in 2021 and corn is projected to continue above $5 in 2022.

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Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is estimated to have increased by $15.7 billion in 2020 relative to 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. The agency also forecast net farm income at $116.8 billion in 2021, the highest level since 2013.

Trade spats

Schweitzer points out that in 2021, the majority of net farm income came from commodity sales and actual production "off the farm." Whereas in 2019, a "big chunk" of the income was coming from Market Facilitation Program payments, which were at the core of the Trump administration's effort to mitigate losses from its disputes with China and other trading partners.

The cost of the second round of tariff aid was estimated to be about $16 billion and came with added provisions that aimed to address allegations that large corporations had disproportionately benefited over smaller farms in the initial phase.

Vincent Smith, a visiting fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said the Trump administration "severely disadvantaged" farmers with an ill-advised trade policy.

Image: Soybeans are harvested in Wyanet, Ill., on Sept. 25, 2020. (Daniel Acker / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"The Trump administration, in terms of these trade war subsidies, was entirely reactive to shore up support in the farm sector," Smith said, adding that both Trump and Biden remain interested in garnering the votes of farmers.

In 2020, Trump won a number of traditionally Republican farm states including Iowa, Texas, North Carolina and Nebraska.

Trump's administration faced criticism when critics said then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue used his position to promise more help for farmers during an August 2020 campaign event in North Carolina in a bid to woo voters.

Trump was able to prevail in North Carolina, one of the few swing states that he was able to win.

Playing fairly

While Biden is seeing a rebound in the farming sector, some of the improvement may not all be driven by his own policies.

On trade, his administration has been in a holding pattern, and officials have yet to outline how it intends to tackle a litany of leftover trade disputes with China.

But there are a number of farm-focused efforts underway.

Biden has tried to address nagging supply chain issues in hopes of boosting profits for family farms and lowering prices for consumers.

"I think the real optimism in agriculture is that we've got a president that is willing to stand up to these corporate monopolies and tell them 'enough is enough.' You need to play fairly, you need to share your profits," Schweitzer said.

Building on an executive order from July 2021, the Biden administration announced earlier this month it intends to provide $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to help expand independent processing capacity, and provide funding that would give independent meat producers access to cold storage and other equipment to improve distribution of their products.

It will also work with lenders to provide independent processors with credit and devote money to workforce training and safety, the White House said in a statement highlighting the project.

With meat and poultry prices leading the broader nationwide increase in the cost of groceries, the White House has spent months arguing that anti-competitive consolidation within the meatpacking industry is to blame for the soaring prices.

Four companies  Tyson, JBS, Marfrig and Seaboard  control as much as 85 percent of the nation's meatpacking business, according to a White House estimate.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack predicted in early January that there would be localized price reductions.

"People are eating more at home than they ever have and that has caused a slight disruption in the market," he said in an interview, referring to the initial impact of the Covid omicron variant.

He added, "It's going to take a little time, but I think you're going to see a moderation of prices over time by virtue of the fact that we're going to expand processing capacity in this country. We're going to make it a much more competitive market."

Westhoff says the farming sector is "watching to see just how that translates into practice."

"I think a lot of folks are skeptical of how much can be done to change that in the very short run, but certainly there's a lot of people who want to find a way to do that," he said.
This Feb. 17, 2021, image shows rows of trees stretching across a farm in Corrales, New Mexico, as snow covers the Sandia Mountains in the background. Much of the West is mired in drought, with New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah being among the hardest hit.

New Mexico has a vibrant local food movement supported by a rich tapestry of tradition in small and mid-sized agriculture. Our thriving agriculture industry generates billions of dollars in revenue every year, but a startling 95% of New Mexico products leave our state.

This reveals an unprecedented opportunity to support agriculture and address hunger by: increasing immediate hunger relief efforts for food insecure New Mexicans, investing in local producers ability to support New Mexicos food system and building the capacity of New Mexicos supply chain.

New Mexico House Rep. Joanne Ferrary, D-Las Cruces, is running for reelection.

Carrie Hamblen

For the last six months, a collaborative steering committee of over 250 New Mexicans including farmers, ranchers, nutrition professionals, food banks and more, met weekly to develop a set of recommendations and roadmap forward, called the Food, Farm, and Hunger Initiative. This plan was produced by statewide participants from across the political spectrum, urban and rural voices, and individuals representing many sectors.

Emblematic of New Mexicans longstanding record of looking out for our neighbors in uncertain times, this framework details how the state can make targeted, recurring investments in agricultural producers of all sizes, while vigorously protecting soil and water. As data shows a worsening global climate crisis, these efforts will help us navigate the present, and prepare for a future in which our natural resources are severely limited and access to imported foods uncertain.

The latest budget recommendation from the Food, Farm, and Hunger Initiative includes more than $24 million, enough to revolutionize New Mexicos food system and the largest investment increase in food and agriculture in the states history. This targeted investment will help expand federal nutrition programs and homegrown programs that work, benefitting hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans through an intergenerational approach that will yield significant improvements in our collective economy, health, and environment. Simply put, the progress pays for itself.

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If you value the potential for New Mexico to feed ourselves and our neighbors, become more climate resilient and strengthen our communities by supporting and celebrating food and agriculture, we ask that you consider calling your legislator to ask them to support this work, and to make sure it gets funded not just this year, but every year.

New Mexico Rep. Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces) and Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) are in Santa Fe for the current legislative session.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Food, farms, hunger and helping our neighbors
The Howard County school board voted Thursday to make Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 21, a full day of instruction, in order to make up for one of the January inclement weather days that schools were not in session.

Superintendent Michael Martirano made the recommendation to the board on Thursday after State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury had announced that local school districts may use Feb. 21 as an inclement weather makeup day instead of a scheduled day off.

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Martirano also recommended changes to the June school calendar related to a new federal holiday.

On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed a bill declaring June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Americans. In 2022, the federal holiday will be observed on Monday, June 20, and Martirano recommended that both offices and schools should be closed on that date. Board members voted to observe Juneteenth in Howard County public schools on June 20.

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June 22 was also added to the 2022 calendar as another inclement weather make-up day, if needed.

So far in the 2021-22 school year, the school system has used four of its five scheduled inclement weather days, according to the school system website.

The last day of school is still set for June 14, board members said.


Frank Einhellig, provost at Missouri State University, announced plans Friday to retire at the end of the school year.

Frank Einhellig

Einhellig, in the post since 2011, has been at the university since 1992.

The 83-year-old became emotional Friday afternoon, his voice cracking, as he made the announcement at the end of the virtual town hall meeting.

"I want all of my Missouri State University community to know that after another five or six months, I will step out of the provost position and into a position called retirement," said Einhellig, who is widely known for his dry wit and matter-of-fact delivery.

"It's been a little bit of a conundrum decision over the last couple of yeas for me but ... I believe this is the right time for me to do this."

Einhellig also serves as a professor of biology and chancellor of the university's campus in Mountain Grove.

MSU President Clif Smart said when he was offered the university's top job in mid-2011, initially on an interim basis, he asked Einhellig to serve as provost.

"I sat with Frank and said 'I can't think of anyone I would rather do this job with than you' and further if he didn't think it was a good decision for him, that I would probably decline," Smart said. "And fortunately, for many, he agreed."

Clif Smart, president, Missouri State University

Smart noted the two men have worked side-by-side for 11 years. "I suspect there are not many universities that have had the same president and the same provost for that amount of time."

He added: "Currently, given the challenge that those jobs are, I would tell you it was the best decision I ever made."

Smart outlined an aggressive timeline for hiring Einhellig's replacement with the search committee and the first input sessions to start the first week of February.

"My goal is to make a hire by the end of the semester so that we have an executive vice president and provost in place for the fall semester," he said.

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Einhellig's long career in education started in 1961 as a high school science teacher in Kansas.

"I always did like school, never thought I wanted to be a teacher," he said. "But along the line that changed."

He earned undergraduate degrees at Kansas State University and University of Kansas and a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.

Einhellig said a love of learning spurred him to spend decades in education.

"It was so fulfilling watching students progress, learn and particularly at the college level, go onto very successful careers," he said.

After working in the science field, Einhellig joined the University of South Dakota in the early 1970s, eventually serving as chairman and professor of biology.

Einhellig joined Missouri State in 1992 as associate vice president for graduate studies and research.

He served in multiple roles including dean of the graduate college and associate provost before moving into his current role.

"In the 30 years that Frank has served as graduate dean and the provost, the number of graduate programs we have has more than tripled," Smart said. "He was directly involved in creating almost all our graduate health care programs, has been involved in developing six standalone professional doctorate programs."

In October 2021, MSU Provost Frank Einhellig spoke during the grand opening of the Ozark Room at the Duane G. Meyer Library.

In his remarks, Einhellig talked about how education has transformed his life and lives of students and colleagues.

For example, he's been able to present research on five different continents and in many countries.

Smart said it is difficult to measure the impact Einhellig has had on the university.

"I can go on and on. What a legacy. What a tremendous colleague, supporter, friend and mentor in the last 11 years," said Smart, who grew emotional. "As you can tell, I will miss Frank tremendously."

He added that the goal of the search committee is to "hire someone whose goal will be to build on those accomplishments and that legacy."

"I'm confident we'll do that," he said Friday. "And I'm looking forward to that process starting next week."

Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Frank Einhellig, provost at Missouri State, retiring after 30 years
A heavy law enforcement presence was reported at Pirates Cove on Friday afternoon, as San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office deputies searched for an escaped Sacramento County inmate.

Numerous sheriffs vehicles, as well as CHP and Harbor Patrol, were seen at the Cave Landing Road turnoff to the beach from Avila Beach Drive around 4:15 p.m.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said the search was to apprehend an escaped inmate from Sacramento County.

According to Cipolla, the man had escaped by cutting off his ankle bracelet.

Cipolla said a vehicle associated with the man was spotted in the Pirates Cove parking lot on Friday, prompting a search of the beach below.

According to emergency scanner traffic, at one point in the search, deputies were following two men who appeared to be attempting to hide among the people on the beach.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter was also called to the scene to aid in the search.

Cipolla said the suspect was taken into custody around 4:30 p.m. without incident.
Its a strange time to be a white lady married to a Black man raising half-Black children in Texas. Ive spent most of my adult life defending my state to out-of-state friends against claims of bigotry and extremism. Texas brought the world Lyndon B. Johnson, Ann Richards and Molly Ivins, among others. We get a bad rep when it comes to right-wing extremism, especially when you consider that every major metropolitan area in the state is solidly blue. Im proud of my states long history of bucking political norms in favor of independent thinking.

But I find myself baffled and speechless on the topic of teaching critical race theory in Texas schools. Texas has been at the forefront of a national campaign to rid school curriculums of any material or instruction, particularly related to race and history, that might make any student uncomfortable. Never mind that this movement has latched on to a term (critical race theory) that doesnt mean what they think it means. Taken to its tragically ignorant and tragically unsurprising conclusion, school boards are banning books by nonwhite and nonstraight authors and insisting that class discussions of all topics  including, say, the Holocaust  equitably present both sides of the issues.

Childhood should be a magical time of innocence and wonder. But when did childhood come to be construed as a time when kids arent supposed to feel uncomfortable? Doesnt the very nature of beginning to understand the world around you entail the burgeoning knowledge that the world is confusing? Beloved and trusted grownups sometimes lie (to wit: Santa, the tooth fairy). Some people have to sleep on the ground and dont have homes in the middle of thriving and affluent cities. Young, healthy friends sometimes get sick and die. As children meet more people and see more realities depicted in movies and books, they inevitably start to realize many peoples life stories are a stark contrast to their own. Isnt this natural, and as it should be?

In my household, we started talking about the painful history of Black people in America earlier than I expected because the topic was broached by a white kid in my sons kindergarten class. His teacher introduced Martin Luther King Jr. to the class in simplified, age-appropriate terms  a role model of kindness who fought for the fair treatment of all people. My sons best friends parents, with the best of intentions for tackling difficult topics, took the lesson a good deal further at home. They talked to their son about slavery and the Ku Klux Klan, and their sweet, impassioned 5-year-old came to school the next day saying he would always protect my son from the KKK. Our little boy came home wide-eyed and confused about whom he needed protection from. Thus began his introduction to the long and complicated history of race relations in the United States.

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We do children a disservice by attempting to shield them from uncomfortable truths.

As a biracial family, we were always going to have a lot of discussions about race, skin tone and hair texture, among other things. The conversations around race in our house are perhaps especially unique because my husbands parents are from Ghana, West Africa. Before leaving Ghana to attend college in West Texas, his mother held a ceremonial role as a tribal queen, a matrilineal title that, alas, doesnt come with a castle or crown jewels.

My family descends from poor white pioneers who settled in the southwest in the 1800s. We like to joke that our kids come from Ghanaian royalty and Scottish poverty. Im fairly certain none of my close ancestors owned slaves simply because they were too poor to afford them. But heres an uncomfortable truth: My husbands father comes from an African tribe known to be heavily involved in selling other Africans into bondage when the global slave trade was active. So while my kids are unlikely to have slave ancestry or slave-owner ancestry, they are fairly likely to have ancestors who committed the atrocity of enslaving other humans.

I wish history were uncomplicated and people/governments/institutions fit neatly into good and bad columns. It just isnt so. This reality is uncomfortable.

And an uncomfortable truth that I beg more white parents to acknowledge is that nonwhite children have never had the luxury of feeling comfortable every second of every day. Children are little sponges, and they pick up on every subtlety of the world around them. My husband, who attended an all-white religious school in West Texas, asked his mother at the age of 5 when he was going to turn white. All of my kids, in their toddler and preschool years, have made comments suggesting that lighter skin is preferable to darker skin. This is clearly a message theyve gleaned in subtle ways from the world around them, despite the many conversations weve had at home about skin tone. At all of these moments, their confusion and discomfort are palpable. It didnt come from a woke classroom lesson  it came from the world they inhabit.

As my sons have become teenagers, the conversations we are forced to have continue to get more uncomfortable. I wish, with every fiber of my being, I could spare them this discomfort  but I cant.

We do children a disservice by attempting to shield them from uncomfortable truths. Every child, even those in the most mainstream demographics, are confronted with hard truths about the world around them. Children deserve open and honest discussions about history, race and the countless ways in which their world is complicated. During hard conversations in our home, we always return to the conviction that people are more good than bad. I stand by my defense that despite the current political environment, Texas is more good than bad, too. But the actions of some lawmakers and school board members, fueled by misinformation from certain media outlets, have made it harder to argue the case. I implore Texas parents to demand better from our elected leaders  as a start, turning down the harmful rhetoric and implementing commonsense education policies. This mother is holding out hope and looking for the good, for the sake of all Texas children.

Joanna McFarland Owusu is a writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas. Joanna was a federal government analyst in a former life, and shes a longtime policy stan and news junkie. When she isnt reading the news or writing, Joanna spends most of her time Uber-momming two teenage sons and an elementary-aged daughter around town.

Do you have a compelling personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what were looking for here and send us a pitch.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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A southeastern Kansas man faces two felony charges after he allegedly drove halfway across the country and told federal authorities he planned to kill President Joe Biden as part of a divine mission ordained by God.

Scott R. Merryman, a construction contractor from Independence, Kansas, is accused of threatening the President and a federal agent in a probable cause statement filed in the U.S. District of Maryland on Friday. Merryman is accused of making the threats this week over several phone calls and posts made to his Facebook account.

A criminal complaint drafted by the U.S. Secret Service points to Jan. 25 as the day Merryman informed officers in Independence, Kansas, of a trip he was making to Washington, D.C. Over the course of this week, Merryman allegedly spoke with at least two Secret Service agents about his plans, telling one he was fed up with the divisiveness of this country and that he was being guided by God.

Merryman was detained by a federal agent in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel in Hagerstown, Maryland. An ammo clip with three live rounds was discovered on his person, but no firearm, court records state. A spotter scope was also allegedly found in his backpack.

Investigators reviewed a series of posts identified on Merrymans Facebook page. The earlier posts discuss a journey to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of bringing about change across the U.S., then turn more targeted sights on the president.

I believe Joe Biden is the AntiChrist now and he will suffer a fatal head wound. Ill deal that blow in Christs name, one of the messages says, adding: Im fighting for the Souls of this Great Nation.

In a follow-up post that occurred after the encounter in Maryland, Merryman says his plan is to jump a fence when he arrives in Washington and slay the Anti-Christ, according to court records.
A masked fighter brandishes the IS flag (Reuters)

A mother who lived in Kansas has been arrested on charges of being a member of Isis  and of having led an all-female battalion of militants trained in the use of AK 47s, grenades and suicide belts.

Allison Fluke-Ekren was turned over to the FBI on Friday and is due to appear in court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Monday. The circumstances of her arrest were not immediately released although she is known to have been living in Egypt in recent years.

The 42-year-old is also suspected of having tried to recruit militants to launch an attack on a college campus in the US or a shopping mall.

A criminal complaint against her was filed under seal in 2019 but was only made public on Saturday after she was returned to the country to face charges.

The US Attorney in Alexandria said she had been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organisation.

More follows ...
Kyiv, Ukraine. Getty Images

A new tourism campaign urges international travelers to "keep calm and visit Ukraine."

The State Department has told Americans not to travel to Ukraine due to the threat of a Russian invasion.

Ukraine's president has accused the West of creating "panic" that could harm the country's economy.

Ukraine's main tourism website is urging international travelers to visit the country, despite the US Department of State warning Americans not to travel there due to the threat of a Russian invasion.

"Keep calm and visit Ukraine" is the slogan for a new campaign by VisitUkraine.Today, an information hub for foreign visitors to the country, according to a blog post and promotional emails sent on Friday night.

"According to the President and the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, there is no reason to panic, and the situation on the Ukrainian border remains under control," the blog post said.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the West of overhyping the prospect of a Russian invasion, saying that "this panic" could bring economic hardship to his country.

Zelensky told President Joe Biden to "calm down the messaging" about the threat of a Russian attack because it was stirring unnecessary panic, CNN reported, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official.

And a source close to Zelensky said that "Americans are safer in Kyiv than they are in Los Angeles," per BuzzFeed News.

Washington, however, has a different assessment of the threat posed by Russia.

In the past week, the Department of State began the evacuation of family members of diplomats in Kyiv, urged Americans living there to leave, and issued a warning against travel for US tourists.

Lviv, Ukraine. Getty Images

Despite this, the VisitUkraine.Today campaign is encouraging international tourists to experience "majestic Kyiv, sleepless Kharkiv, fragrant Lviv, cozy Chernivtsi, exciting Odesa, mighty Zaporizhzhia, amazing Kherson."

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The blog post added that Ukraine is an "attractive, friendly, fantastic, special country."

It also claims that the country is "open and safe for tourists."

Traditional Ukrainian cuisine, including borscht and dry cured pork belly. Getty Images

VisitUkraine.Today was developed with the support of the Ukrainian government, according to the website, but it is not clear whether this campaign is government-sponsored.

Insider reached out to VisitUkraine.Today for clarity on this but did not immediately receive a response.

Read the original article on Business Insider
As you can imagine, living out here in Arizona means you see the papers full of letters to the editor for and against U.S. Sen. Krysten Sinema, nominally a Democrat and a firm believer in the Senate filibuster. Many Arizonans are not happy with her as they push for voting rights legislation thats stuck in the Senate because of the filibuster.

Sinema feels that bipartisanship is important and keeping the filibuster means each side has to play nice when the other party is in power because the filibuster gives them an edge.

If, and that is a huge if, both sides believe in bipartisanship which at the moment is in short supply on the GOP side of the ledger.

It goes back a long way.

Kendall P. Stanley

As Ramesh Ponnuru writes for Bloomberg Opinion, you can trace part of it back to the 2014 election when Mitch McConnell discouraged GOP candidates from running on campaign promises.

Republicans have been following the plan not to have plans ever since, Ponnuru writes. In 2016, Donald Trump ran for president with the wispiest of proposals: Building a wall and somehow making Mexico pay for it was as detailed as he got. In 2018, Republicans had control of both houses of Congress and the White House. They did not say what they would do if the voters kept them in power, beyond confirming judges. Trump released no second-term agenda when he ran for re-election in 2020, the Republicans did not even produce a platform at their national convention that year. McConnell has reportedly told Republican donors he will not get behind a legislative agenda for this years elections, either.

Hard to be criticized when you dont lay anything out on the table.

Yet still Sinema gives the GOP the benefit of the doubt even though Senate Republicans have shown absolutely no signs of good will, let alone agreement on any plan the Democrats may propose.

Or they will do this ploy: vote against the infrastructure bill and then since it passed, go back to their states and crow about all this wonderful infrastructure aid youre bringing back home when you have had absolutely nothing to do with said aid headed toward your state.

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The Republican Party used to be a party with ideas and Ponnuru said there are some members who have come up with proposals on a wide range of topics, but they are getting nowhere fast.

Rest assured there will be few Republican ideas floating around later this year, not to mention no grand ideas for the 2024 presidential go-around either.

As for Sinema, shes been censured by the Arizona Democratic Party. Not that it matters in the whole scheme of things for Sinema.

A pair of deer graze a residential property on Marion Avenue Road. A portion of the white-tailed deer in Ohio have tested positive for COVID-19.

And then there were mink

OK. all you coronavirus aficionados, wheres the virus moved to now?

If you said mink and Michigan whitetail deer, you win the prize!

And why, you may wonder, should we care?

Theres a two-fold answer to that, the first being those animals being a repository for the virus for who knows how long, and the second the ability to absorb the virus, have it mutate and then move back from the animal population to the human one.

Thus we had mink farmers in Europe killing off their mink because of the virus, while here, nada.

There is little money going to surveillance of domestic and wild critters to see where the virus has spread. We dont exactly know what species might be infected and if the virus is coming back at us with a changed variant.

We might not look at Bambi as a disease vector, but there it is.

Will just leave you with the spread of disease to ponder for a time.

 Kendall P. Stanley is retired editor of the News-Review. He can be contacted at kendallstanley@charter.net. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and not necessarily of the Petoskey News-Review or its employees.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Kendall Stanley: Running on empty?
Here's what to know about the newly announced route of RAGBRAI XLIX: the towns, the mileage and the highlights.

When is RAGBRAI 2022?

The annual Iowa ride will be July 24-30. The 2022 ride across Iowa marks its 49th year.

Where will RAGBRAI 2022 go?

The ride this year takes a northern route, starting in Sergeant Bluff on the Missouri River and ending 430 miles away in Lansing on the Mississippi. There will be 11,900 feet of climb over the seven days of the ride.

Traveling from west to east, cyclists will overnight in Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, Mason City, Charles City and West Union.

Details on registration: Costs, deadlines and more

Sunday, July 24: Sergeant Bluff to Ida Grove

Miles: 55.8

Feet of climb: 2,637

Day 1 will start and end in the same towns as the first day of RAGBRAI in 2006.

Located off Interstate 29, Sergeant Bluff, population 5,015, is an industrial area of northwest Iowa just down the road from Sioux City's east side  though residents adamantly insist they're not a suburb of their larger neighbor. Over the last 10 years the town's population has grown by about 800, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Nestled in the Loess Hills, the city takes its name from Sgt. Charles Floyd, a Kentucky native who was the only member of Lewis and Clark's 1804 expedition to die enroute, succumbing to appendicitis on a nearby bluff over the Missouri River. The Iowa Air National Guard 185th Refueling Wing operates out of Sioux Gateway Airport, just west of the town.

More: The secret is out: RAGBRAI route for 2022 unveiled

For those who want the authenticity of starting the ride with a tire dip in the Missouri River, it's about a six-mile ride from the center of Sergeant Bluff to Weedland Access, a boat launch. But local ride organizers plan on bringing tubs of river water into town for those who would rather avoid the extra miles.

Between Sergeant Bluff and Ida Grove, riders will observe the annual Mile of Silence to honor Iowa cyclists killed in the last year.

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Riders reaching Ida Grove will be greeted by castles. The town isn't trying to keep feuding warlords  or cyclists  out. Byron Godbersen, founder of Ida Grove's Midwest Industries, liked castles and made sure castle-like features such as gates and turrets were incorporated into the designs of buildings around the city of 2,050, including his company's plant.

In addition to serving as an overnight town in 2006, Ida Grove, which bills itself as CastleTown, U.S.A., accommodated riders in 1977 and 1988, incorporating castle themes into its festivities.

Monday, July 25: Ida Grove to Pocahontas

Miles: 77.1

Feet of climb: 1,752

The smallest overnight town on the route, population 1,590, Pocahontas is a first-time RAGBRAI host. It takes its name from the Native American woman, daughter of the Powhatan chief, whose much-romanticized involvement with English settlers in Jamestown, Virginia, inspired tall tales, a William Makepeace Thackeray poem and a Disney animated movie.

More: Meet Iowa's best roadside attractions

Riders will encounter a 25-foot-tall depiction of Pocahontas, standing next to a giant teepee in the city's Princess Park, as they pedal into town.

Tuesday, July 26: Pocahontas to Emmetsburg

Miles: 56

Feet of climb: 697

When RAGBRAI was last in Emmetsburg in 2014, riders cooled off in 973-acre Five Island Lake on the north edge of town. On another late July visit, it's likely to be a popular spot again. But the town's biggest attraction is the Wild Rose Casino & Resort, a hotel and gaming complex just southeast of the lake.

Emmetsburg, population 3,670, also is home to Iowa Lakes Community College and agriculture and processing companies like Montag Manufacturing and POET Bioprocessing, an ethanol plant.

It's nicknamed "Iowa's Irish Capital" and Dublin is its sister city. Emmetsburg also was an overnight town in 1985, 1993 and 2002.

More: Love in the dust: Iowa gravel cyclists get married after riding RAGBRAI's first full gravel day

The ride to Emmetsburg will come in two flavors: pavement or gravel. Riders wanting to brave the dust, ruts and loose stones of the annual gravel ride will have the option of spending all day on the more challenging surface.

Wednesday, July 27: Emmetsburg to Mason City

Miles: 100

Feet of climb: 1,367

Poison frontman Bret Michaels isn't likely the kind of "Music Man" Mason City native Meredith Willson had in mind when he penned the 1957 musical, recently revived on Broadway. But in 2014, the last time RAGBRAI passed through town, Michaels rocked the night away for the crowd with a free show sponsored by the city's RAGBRAI committee.

"The sea of people was just amazing," said ride director Matt Phippen, who was then a RAGBRAI rider and volunteer. "When he would stop signing a song the crowd would just pick it up where he left off. The whole city was just moving back and forth. It was so cool."

With a population of 26,659, Mason City, also an overnight town in 1985, is the largest community on this year's route, a contrast to the last three RAGBRAIs, which overnighted in much larger urban areas such as Davenport, Waterloo, Iowa City, Ames and Council Bluffs.

Though hardly a metropolis, Mason City's downtown is home to two microbreweries, Mason City Brewing and Fat Hill Brewing, which hosted since-promoted ride director Dieter Drake's introduction to Iowa cyclists in 2019. That will likely be good news to riders wanting to quench their thirst after the 100-mile day.

Thursday, July 28: Mason City to Charles City

Maya Koch of Boise, Idaho, navigates the whitewater course on the Cedar River during the annual Charles City Challenge.

Miles: 57.5

Feet of climb: 1,568

The second-biggest city on the 2022 ride, Charles City weighs in with a population of 7,185. But it has the potential to provide some outsize fun, particularly if the riders arrive on a hot day. It's known for its whitewater course on the Cedar River, which flows through the center of town, and hosts the annual Charles City Challenge kayaking competition. Some paddling, tubing and just plain splashing around will almost certainly be on tap for the sweaty travelers.

Riders also can visit the childhood home of the national womens rights leader Carrie Chapman Catt, which is 3 miles southeast of Charles City. The city has had a lot of experience hosting RAGBRAI, serving as an overnight town in 1982, 1996, 2002, 2010, and 2017.

Friday, July 29: Charles City to West Union

Miles: 52.8

Feet of climb: 1,730

West Union has spruced itself up since its last turn as an overnight host in 2005. The seat of Fayette County, population 2,291, completed a downtown green street project in 2011 that provided new roads and sidewalks with permeable pavers to allow stormwater runoff.

Speaking of water, West Union  also an overnight town in 1987  has a municipal water park for those who didn't get hydrated enough in Charles City. And Volga River State Recreation Area is nearby.

Saturday, July 30: West Union to Lansing

Miles: 53.1

Feet of Climb: 2,652

The final day brings a ride through some of Iowa's finest scenery: the rugged karst topography of the state's slice of the Driftless Area. It also will be strenuous, with the most feet of climb for any day of the route. Fortunately, there will be plenty of descent, too, as the ride rolls down to the Mississippi River community of Lansing.

More: Longtime RAGBRAI rider Lucy Bonham, who inspired riders as she rode into her 90s, dies

The town of just 968 is known as a great fishing spot and even hosts a Fish Days festival in August. Its aquatic abundance is a major reason for another Lansing superlative: It sits amid the largest concentration of nesting bald eagles in North America. It also is a major stopover for migrating birds  tundra swans, pelicans, other waterfowl and various raptors.

An ending point for the ride in 1977 and 2017, Lansing also is known for feeding humans. After dipping their tires in the river, early arrivers may want to tuck into breakfast at Nutmeg's Cafe & Bakery, and there are several other dining establishments throughout the compact and historic downtown.

But before you tuck in for a meal, you may want to honor a local tradition, capping off your seven-day, cross-state ride with a final pedal up the steep slopes of Mt. Hosmer. From the top of the 450-foot-tall bluff overlooking the town and river, you can look back toward Sergeant Bluff and think about just how far you've come  and start planning for next year's ride.

How much does it cost to ride RAGBRAI?

Weeklong registration for RAGBRAI XLIX costs $175 and is still open at ragbrai.com. Single-day registration also is open and costs $35. RAGBRAI for 2022 has eliminated its lottery system and made registration first-come first-served.

Philip Joens covers RAGBRAI and breaking news for the Register. He has ridden parts of 16 RAGBRAIs and completed the river-to-river trek five times. He can be reached at 515-443-3347 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the national women's rights leader whose childhood home is near Charles City.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: RAGBRAI 2022 route: Here's details for overnight towns, daily mileage
On Jan. 7, a breaking news alert flashed across my smartphone screen with word that the legal scholar Lani Guinier, the first woman of color appointed to a tenured professorship at Harvard Law School, had died at 71. Many Americans will recognize Guinier for her legal contributions on voting rights and affirmative action, as well as her controversial, ultimately failed nomination to serve in President Bill Clintons Justice Department. For me, her death was a reminder of the night, nearly 30 years ago, when I met her at the beginning of what might have been the worst 24 hours of her professional life.

Back then, those of us in the control room of Ted Koppels late-night news program, Nightline, where I was a senior producer, still relied on the wire services and print newspapers, not smartphones, for breaking news. What was called the bulldog edition of the next mornings Washington Post would arrive in the ABC News Washington Bureau around 11 p.m., a half-hour before Nightline aired live. The early edition of the New York Times would land at ABC News headquarters in New York around the same time and then be faxed to Washington. Those papers often alerted us to a story that might provide fresh details for the Nightline broadcast that was just minutes away. And those early editions were especially consequential on the night of June 3, 1993.

That evening, Nightline had an exclusive interview with Guinier, whom Clinton had nominated over a month earlier to be assistant attorney general for civil rights in his new administration. At the time, conservatives were still smarting from Clarence Thomas rough treatment during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings a few years earlier, and they were eager to turn the tables on the Democrats. Guinier started taking fire. On the Wall Street Journal opinion page, under the headline Quota Queen, conservative activist Clint Bolick accused Guinier of advocating for racial quotas in judicial appointments. Even though Guinier had written just four years earlier that she was opposed to quotas to guarantee representation of minorities, the critique started to stick. Even some Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, notably the chair, Sen. Joe Biden, grew lukewarm about Guinier.

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The chaos surrounding her nomination followed her to the ABC Washington bureau that June night  a moment unlike any other in my nearly 20 years as senior producer. Whether she liked it or not, forces outside Guiniers control were shutting the door on her nomination. It was becoming clear there would be no appearance before the Judiciary Committee and that a president new to the ways of Washington was losing faith in his own nominee. The political spin machine  still alive and well today  was taking hold of the narrative. By a quirk of timing, Nightline turned out to be Guiniers last shot to explain her legal ideas in the court of public opinion before it was too late.



Approaching 10 p.m., with less than two hours to air, what had been an on-again, off-again interview that evening was on again. But as Guinier arrived for the broadcast, we had just read the Washington Post headline and were stunned: GUINIER NOMINATION NEAR WITHDRAWAL. The New York Times headline also didnt mince words: AIDES SAY CLINTON WILL DROP NOMINEE FOR POST ON RIGHTS. The timing was jolting. The story was changing just as the woman at the center of it appeared in the green room.

Koppel could be a tough interviewer and a demanding boss but also funny and personable, especially when greeting a guest before the broadcast. It was standard practice for him not to discuss the upcoming interview, but on this night, when he saw Guinier in the green room, he told her, I dont want to sandbag you on the air. He not only showed her what had just been published in the papers but also gave her the chance to bow out of the broadcast. A lovely gesture, but, with less than half an hour until air, it left the few members of the producing staff on hand, including me, to wonder what the heck we would put on the show if Guinier took Koppel up on his offer.

Accompanied by two Justice Department officials, Guinier asked for a few moments to review the stories and to talk with the Clinton administration aides. As former producer Kyle Gibson wrote in Nightline, the book she co-authored with Koppel, until now Guinier had not made one public statement in defense of her legal writings, even though criticism had mounted for weeks. The Clinton administration had instructed the nominee to remain silent until finally giving her permission to appear on our show, even though the president was reportedly preparing to pull the nomination.

With time seemingly running out, Guinier apparently realized this might be the last chance to defend herself, clear up the confusion over the quota debate and, just possibly, save her nomination. She told Koppel she wanted to go forward with the broadcast, what would be her first-ever interview on national television.

With so much riding on this interview, you would have thought Guinier would be a bundle of nerves. But when she sat across from Koppel, a calm seemed to come over her. Given the Post and Times reports, Koppel began by asking Guinier if the White House at least had the courtesy to tell you that, as far as theyre concerned, things are rapidly coming to a close here.

The nomination has proven a lot more complicated than was anticipated, she responded, adding, If given an opportunity to testify before the Senate, I believe the Senate will vote to confirm me.

Koppel expressed sympathy about the circumstances under which you have come here tonight. But he told Guinier she hadnt answered his question about whether she received any advance warning from the White House.

I really cant tell you what is going to happen. I am the nominee, she replied.

Koppel then asked her about the Q-word that had so dominated the controversy around her nomination: You did indeed call for the Senate Judiciary Committee to use its power of advice and consent  I think the way you put it  to ensure that more people from minorities get judicial appointments. Now doesnt that amount to a quota?

I do not believe in quotas, Guinier replied. I have never advocated quotas, and the one sentence in that one article was a reference to exactly what President Clinton has talked about in terms of making his Cabinet look like America, and that is a more diverse federal bench.

Although Guinier supported alternative voting systems such as cumulative voting and supermajorities in legislative bodies, she made clear to Koppel she did not support weighted votes for minority politicians.

As the interview concluded, Koppel asked, You still think you have a chance?

Guinier expressed confidence: I have every expectation that, if given a chance, I will succeed.



That chance she sought before the Senate Judiciary Committee never came. According to Guiniers account in Gibsons book, White House and DOJ aides told her the next morning that her Nightline appearance had generated a flood of calls that were eight-to-one, 12-to-one in my favor. But she also received calls from top White House officials she described as very angry because I suggested that I should have a Senate hearing.

On the evening of June 4, Guinier was summoned to the Oval Office to face Clinton, her friend from their Yale Law School days. A witness to the nearly hourlong meeting told me that Clinton informed Guinier what he would soon announce in the White House briefing room  that he was withdrawing her nomination. Her writings, he would tell reporters, clearly lend themselves to interpretations that do not represent the views I expressed on civil rights during the [presidential] campaign.

The decision drew strong rebukes in certain quarters. William Coleman, a Republican Transportation secretary under President Gerald Ford and the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court law clerk, called Clintons decision political cowardice.New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis wrote, Professor Guinier was the target of the most effective smear campaign seen in Washington since Joe McCarthys day.

Since the failed nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court, Washington has seen its share of ugly partisan confirmation battles. But Guinier never reached the hot seat in hers. She suffered from something different: benign neglect from the White House that nominated her. The Clinton administration didnt anticipate that her enemies would define her so effectively from the get-go and never launched a full-on counteroffensive to neutralize that narrative. Perhaps her academic writings were ahead of their time. Or perhaps she was simply a victim of a new administration not yet schooled in the art of whack-a-mole or knowing how to tamp down multiple crises as each pops up.

That Guinier stood firm under withering attack is just one of her many legacies, along with her celebrated work on voting rights and affirmative action. Well never know if she would have been confirmed had she been given the opportunity to make her case before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Instead, she had to settle for an 11th-hour television interview  and only after her critics had free rein for more than a month to take their best shot at her.

It was as if, until that time, I had been a defendant in a criminal trial in which neither I nor my attorney had been allowed to speak, while the prosecution accused me of all sorts of things, Guinier would later tell Gibson. So finally, I was about to speak for myself.
As construction of a rendering plant seems to have faded into history, Gadsden and Etowah County have the opportunity to answer the question of further development and use of the airport. A report on CBS Mornings caught my attention.

The president of United Airlines reported efforts by his company to address a national shortage of 12,000 airline pilots in the U. S. The shortage is keeping more than 125 of his companys regional aircraft grounded. The shortage has been caused by COVID-19, the mandatory retirements of pilots at age 65 and the fact that there are fewer military pilots leaving service and entering the commercial marketplace. United has decided to create its own flight school.

Gadsden has a little-used airport, and a major airline could be courted by the city to locate a flight school here. Another option: Build it, they will come.

This is exactly what the small, economically depressed city of Reedley, California, did. Located in the Central Valley where the major industry is agriculture, Reedley was experiencing a 33% unemployment rate. Its commercial core was in decline; many main street storefronts were vacant. The city fathers decided to re-invent their city by aiming high, making the jump from agriculture to high tech.

In an innovate private-public partnership, Reedley has become a training center for future pilots. An alliance was made with the local Reedley College to introduce academic programs for pilots and aircraft maintenance. The city obtained a technology grant and purchased four electric powered aircraft. The college now owns the worlds largest fleet of this type of aircraft.

The city had a little-used airport, a World War II training base. Boeing donated two flight simulators, one of which is installed at the local library used by local kids.

Does the Reedley model fit Gadsden? City leadership should consider it. We have the airport and a community college that can provide the academic base required. Boeing is just a phone call away, as are the major airlines. Our local economic and political leadership should aim high as well.

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Bill Browning

Gadsden

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden needs to aim high, reinvent itself
Jan. 28This story was originally published in January 2020.

No one ever said farming or raising livestock in Maine was easy. And if they did, they certainly never said it was easy during the winter when temperatures drop to well below freezing and snow drifts are higher than some agricultural outbuildings.

Just ask Alex Zetterman.

On any given early winter morning, some of the only lights on in St. Agatha are at Zetterman's family farm. Seven days a week, 365 days a year, Zetterman's days begin around 4:30 a.m. when he rolls out of bed and heads the 500-feet up his driveway to the barn for morning chores, regardless of the weather outside.

"Farmers don't get snow days," Zetterman joked on a recent wintry morning as he made the 5 a.m. rounds in the barn. "This is our daily thing, no matter what it's doing outside."

On that particular morning, it was 13 degrees Fahrenheit and Zetterman was dressed in insulated Carhartt coveralls with a headlamp strapped to his hat. His breath came out in white clouds, the light reflecting off them, as he spoke on the frigid morning. Nearby, cows munched on fresh hay that Zetterman had just given them, clouds from their breathing also rising around them.

"They are happy as can be in this temperature," Zetterman said. "Inside the barn, their body heat keeps it warm [and] they can go outside into a small [fenced] area if they want."

The snug barn is the winter home for the two dozen head of cattle, a half dozen pigs, a draft horse, a barn cat and two rather cranky guinea fowl.

Seasonal challenges

For Zetterman, the two biggest challenges that come with raising livestock during the winter are wind and fluctuating temperatures.

"When you have a winter like we've been having with real cold temperatures and then warmups, that's not good for the animals," he said. "It makes keeping their bedding dry a real pain."

For much of the winter the dirt floor of Zetterman's barn is frozen, but the moment the temperatures rise above freezing it thaws out and becomes a muddy mess. To protect his animals, Zetterman rakes out any bedding the moment it gets damp and replaces it with dry material.

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Sharon McDonnel has the same issue with her flock of chickens in Yarmouth.

"When there is melting [and] freezing alternating the mud is a drag and [it is] hard for the chickens to get dust baths," she said. "We improved our drainage this year, so I am very optimistic."

Rapid changes in air temperature can also create the right conditions for livestock like cows to develop bronchial issues, including pneumonia, Zetterman said.

"So far, that's not been a problem for me," Zetterman said. "But I'm keeping a close eye on them."

Then there is that wind, which blows off Long Lake across the road and right over his farm and over anyone or anything else in its arctic blast path. Like a lot of other farmers, for Zetterman, wind is no friend at chore time.

"I guess my biggest thing in the winter is the wind," Zetterman said. "It creates a lot of snowdrifts I have to dig or plow through to get to the barn and makes the temperatures even colder so machinery does not want to start  yeah, wind is the worst."

If it's not the wind, it's the water

"I don't use any sort of heater for the water," Zetterman said. "I have a 200 gallon tank for the animals and I check it every day [and] break any ice that forms off the surface."

Crystal Sands, who raises chickens and ducks in Eddington, is all too familiar with the added time and effort winter brings to keeping her flock happily hydrated.

"I'm busting the ice [in] the water and then adding fresh water," Sands said, "This means trips to the house and doing it several times a day on the coldest days."

Adding to the winter water woes are the short days and lack of sunlight during a Maine winter. Many farmers who hold down paying jobs off the farm never spend daylight hours in their barns. Rather, chores are completed in the predawn and early evening darkness.

And not all animals or fowl are particularly fond of eating or drinking in the dark, which is an issue for Maine farmers without electric lights in their barns or coops.

"Frozen water is an issue when it is dark when you leave for work and dark when you get back," said Angie Foster. "Chickens won't eat or drink in the dark, so if it's cold and dark when you refresh their water and then leave for work, it may freeze before it's light enough for them to drink it."

Susan Holmes learned the hard way to use an extension cord run from her house to keep her ducks' water thawed all winter.

"Ducks are much harder than chickens," Holmes said. "They need at least enough water to dunk their heads daily and they also love to get water dirty [and] splash it."

Splashed water, Holmes said, can freeze to the coop floor and freeze the door shut.

"I spent one winter crawling through their little [duck] door to get eggs and add fresh shavings," she said. "Now we use the extension cord [and] electric bowl [and] it's totally worth it."

At the Zetterman farm, a hose is run from the house every morning and evening to the barn to refill the waterers for the animals. Once they are filled, Zetterman carefully rolls the hose back up and brings it back to the warmth of his house to keep any water inside the hose from freezing.

Farmers for all seasons

As difficult as winter chores are, these are not fair-weather-farmers and none would give up their lifestyle or animals simply because of some cold weather. It takes a special breed of person to farm and care for animals.

For some, it's a break in the daily grind of a 9-to-5 job off the farm.

"I love the daily chores and being able to step out of my work world and into my goat, chicken and duck world," said Jen Winter of Falmouth. "Everyone is so appreciative of all my efforts and it's like Easter every morning looking for the eggs."

For others, like Zetterman, it's the opportunity to pass along the farming life he learned from his parents to his son.

"When it's not too cold my 2-year-old son Samson joins me for chores," he said. "He has a little pail with feed in it and he just tosses [feed] at whatever animal he sees [and] it's so great seeing him getting started doing chores."

Coiling up his hose after filling the waterers on a recent morning, Zetterman took a moment to reflect.

"It's work, hard work," he said. "But this is what I do."
Jan. 29A man died in an Anchorage hospital Wednesday, days after he was assaulted downtown, police said. A 21-year-old has been charged in the death.

Anchorage Safety Patrol on Saturday picked up 44-year-old Carl McGeary outside on the 700 block of West Fourth Avenue, the Anchorage Police Department said Friday morning. The police headquarters are located on the same block.

"When ASP officers went to remove McGeary from the ASP van they discovered him unresponsive and called medics," police wrote. "He was then transported to a local hospital."

Police were called to the hospital on Monday regarding "suspicious circumstances" related to the life-threatening injuries that McGeary had suffered, the statement said. Detectives interviewed witnesses and it was determined McGeary had been assaulted Saturday evening, police said.

On Wednesday, McGeary died from the injuries.

Detectives identified 21-year-old George Murfitt as a suspect in the case and a search warrant was issued for his home on Thursday, authorities said. He was arrested on a charge of manslaughter, police said.

Murfitt is scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon and is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex.

Correction: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect spelling of McGeary.
Jan. 29This past week was a time of celebration and appreciation of Lutheran education for Martin Luther Christian School in Joplin. National Lutheran Schools Week takes place in late January every year, recognizing more than 1,800 preschools, elementary schools and high schools.

"It's an opportunity for us to share with the public that we're here proclaiming and celebrating God's work, not just here at Martin Luther, but at all the Lutheran schools," said Jeremy Schamber, principal at Martin Luther Christian School since 1998.

Martin Luther Christian School has operated in Joplin since the early 1950s. Schamber said the school offered both Joplin's first kindergarten and early childhood education. Currently, the school has a little more than 80 students and is the only Lutheran school in Joplin.

For Schamber, the school is a special place where students, families and staff support each other. It's a big family, but also a small family that is part of the larger family of God, Schamber said. As a Lutheran school, they have the chance to teach faith through every aspect of daily education.

"For us, we have the opportunity to bring God's love into everything we do, from religion to math to reading to science," Schamber said. "It's not just in the subjects we're studying, it's in our daily lives. It's in how we discipline, in how we work with each other and how we pray for each other."

The theme of this year's National Lutheran Schools Week was "In All Things," based on Colossians 1:15-20. Schamber said the goal for the week was to show students God is with them in all things, forgives them in all things and is there for them in all things. Students celebrated the week with dress-up days such as Sports Day and Pajamas Day, and with various events in the classroom.

But the most important part of the week was the service events.

Students and their families, along with community members, made a goal of collecting 200 cereal boxes to be donated to Crosslines. Schamber anticipated passing that mark early in the week.

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Students also helped gather and put together buckets with cleaning supplies to be sent to victims of recent natural disasters. Schamber said this service event holds special meaning for students, who have seen the pictures and read the stories of the 2011 Joplin tornado.

"Lutheran schools are amazing incubators for being faithful witnesses of God's love for us all through Christ," Schamber said. "Our teachers and our students are trained to learn about that love and also share that love with others in the community."

National Lutheran Schools Week also gave the school an opportunity to acknowledge the teachers and staff who continue to dedicate themselves not only to students but also to the mission of sharing the faith, Schamber said. It's a staff that has faced many of the same challenges public schools have from the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Martin Luther has had a number of staff and students test positive for COVID-19, it hasn't been all at once, and the school hasn't been forced to cancel days. Schamber credits the school's steady COVID-19 policy, which asks students to wear masks while in the hallways and works to keep classes separated so there isn't virus spread from room to room. Finding substitute teachers has been difficult for the school too.

"We take one day at a time and we do our best to cover classes," Schamber said. "One day I could be in the office, the next day I could be teaching preschool, and that's just fine with me."

Keeping true to its mission as a Lutheran school and to the theme of National Lutheran Schools Week, Martin Luther has used COVID-19 as a learning opportunity for students. The staff teaches kids that God is with them in all things, including during this pandemic.

"It is so awesome to see how these kids take care of each other and how the students in our school continue to pray for our families that might be suffering from COVID-19 and any other needs," Schamber said. "We talk about how God's hand is in everything. ... Through God we can make it through these difficult times."
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Inhabitants of a town on the front line of a turf war between rival drug cartels in Mexico said soldiers fired on them during a clash Saturday in the western state of Michoacan.

State police denied the government was responsible for the violence. Jose Alfredo Ortega, the head of state police, said soldiers were retreating when they came under fire from another direction, and that later someone detonated an explosive device.

The clash occurred in an area where the Jalisco cartel is fighting a bloody turf war with gangs from Michoacan. The two sides have used trenches, sharpshooters, bombs dropped by drones and homemade armored cars against each other. Increasingly, civilians have found themselves on the front lines of the fighting.

The incident involved protesters from a Jalisco-dominated town, Lomas Blancas. They are angry because they claim government policy favors the Michoacan-based Viagras cartel.

Soldiers are in a difficult position in Michoacan; the government strategy has been to repel attempts by the Jalisco cartel to gain territory in Michoacan, but do little or nothing about the Viagras, who set up roadblocks to extort money from inhabitants.

Soldiers have apparently been ordered just to keep rival cartels apart, but that angers townspeople in Jalisco-dominated towns like Loma Blanca, because soldiers dont prevent the Viagras from operating.

The protesters provided video of parts of the clash, showing demonstrators and soldiers engaged in shoving, shouting and rock throwing on both sides. In the video, detonations can be heard, but those may have been tear gas cannisters or warning shots.

Ortega said that from a nearby hill, up there, criminals were firing shots. A statement by his department said two soldiers were wounded and two suspects arrested.

But protest organizer Jose Francisco Helizondo said several protesters were wounded by some kind of live fire.

Videos of one of the men appears to show shrapnel or shotgun pellets in his leg. Ortega said somebody detonated an explosive device, which he believed may have caused the injuries. Mexicos Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The areas produce  limes and cattle heading out, or supplies heading in  have been forced to pay a war tax to the Viagras.

The protesters, who have faced off with soldiers before, are demanding the army open the roads and act with equal force against both cartels.
Milwaukee police officer Herbert L. Davis III is embraced by co-workers and other law enforcement personnel after being discharged Friday from Froedtert Hospital. Davis was shot and wounded Thursday while he conducted a welfare check.

A Milwaukee police officer hospitalized after a shooting.

A suspected gunman with three open felony cases who posted $3,000 bail and then did not show up for a plea hearing, resulting in an open warrant for his arrest.

And another entry in the debate over bail in Wisconsin, which has been raging ever since the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy when the suspect was free on $1,000 bail in a felony domestic violence case.

The shooting of the 26-year-old officer is the second time this month that an officer has come under fire from a suspected gunman who has open court cases.

The officer, Herbert Davis III, was released Friday afternoon from Froedtert Hospital, where he was greeted by dozens of family members and fellow officers from the Milwaukee Police Department.

I thank everyone, all my brothers and sisters, for the love and support that Ive been given today," Davis said.

Davis has seven years with the department, five of them as an officer. He worked as a police aide before that in the technical communications division. The officer repeatedly thanked the people who had helped him Thursday after he was shot, saying he wished he knew their names.

Milwaukee police officer Herbert L. Davis III speaks with media outlets after being discharged Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, from Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wis. Officer Davis III was shot and wounded last night doing a welfare check.

Im so thankful and grateful to them," Davis said, appearing emotional in response to reporters' questions.

"Youre not going to make me cry  youre not going to do it  but it means a lot and to know that, the citizens love us too, and as much as we help the community, theyll help us as well," he said. "It really means a lot.

The shooting happened when the officer had been dispatched to check on a man who was slumped over in a car on St. Paul Avenue, near North 21st Street, about 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

During the welfare check, the man who had been in the car pulled a gun and shot at the officer, who then returned fire and wounded the man, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said Thursday.

As the man stole the officer's squad car and drove away, nearby bystanders helped the officer until Milwaukee Fire Department paramedics arrived  and the help was greatly appreciated by the officer, Norman said.

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The man fled in the squad car and crashed into another driver at West Clybourn and North 17th streets and ran from the scene before being arrested about a half block away, police said.

The man's gun was found inside the squad car, according to investigators. The other driver involved in the crash on Marquette University's campus was taken to a hospital for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

The officer and the suspect were both taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries, and police expect to refer charges against the suspect to prosecutors in the coming days.

Milwaukee police investigate the shooting that left an officer and another man injured Thursday night on West St. Paul Avenue in the Menomonee Valley. It is the second time in two days that an officer was shot in Milwaukee.

"Heroic is the first word that comes to mind," said Andrew Wagner, president of the Milwaukee Police Association, of the officer.

"This is an officer who was by himself, he went and tried to check on somebody who was in medical distress to see how the guy was doing," Wagner said. "He was not playing a law enforcement role but a caretaker role, but this is the response this violent criminal had."

Suspect has past criminal record, history of substance abuse

The suspected gunman is Jetrin J. Rodthong, according to two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation.

The Journal Sentinel typically does not identify suspects who have not been charged with a crime but has done so in high-profile cases, such as the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy.

Rodthong, 22, stacked up three felony cases in 2020, all of which remain open and had various delays because of COVID-19 issues and Rodthong's failure to appear, court records show.

Much of his legal trouble stemmed from his substance abuse and bipolar disorder, conditions which were aggravated by the separation of his parents 10 years ago, said his sister, Linda Rodthong, in an interview.

Her brother, who dropped out of school after eighth grade, has refused help from family and has not surrounded himself with people who have his best interests in mind, she said.

"He knows he has problems," she said. "He didnt want the help.

He showed improved behavior during his nine-month stay in the county jail, which continued for a time after he posted bail, she said.

"I made sure he went to court," she said. "It went good for about a month or two and then he went to hanging with the same old friends he had and he got into trouble again."

Still, his sister said she was "shocked" by what her brother is accused of doing.

Other court cases involve fleeing, stolen cars

On March 19, 2020, he was charged with felony fleeing after Milwaukee police officers tried to pull over a driver who was speeding and ignoring stop signs in a stolen car.

The driver fled and police chased the car for more than four miles as the driver ignored two red lights and drove into oncoming traffic on the city's north side. The car eventually crashed against a curb at North 29th Street and West Meinecke Avenue, according to a criminal complaint.

The driver got out of the car. Officers ordered the man, later identified as Rodthong, to the ground at gunpoint and found two ecstasy pills on him during the arrest, the complaint says.

Court commissioner Rosa Barillas gave him a $500 signature bond. A signature bond is a promise to appear for court proceedings, usually with a monetary penalty if an individual fails to show up. In this case, the penalty is $500.

Rodthong's preliminary hearing was postponed several times and he failed to appear for the hearing on Aug. 5, 2020. That was two days after he had been arrested after police found him in a stolen car with more than 30 car keys, a window punch and other items typically used to steal cars, court records show.

He was charged Aug. 7 with operating a car without an owner's consent, felony bail jumping and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Commissioner Alexis Liggins set bail at $300, which he posted Aug. 17.

Three days after posting that bail, Rodthong missed another court appearance and the day after that, he ran into legal trouble again.

Police found Rodthong with a stolen car and he led them on a chase and hit another vehicle, according to the criminal complaint charging him with five felonies.

He had been doing maintenance work on the car when officers approached him and realized the car was stolen, the complaints says.

Rodthong jumped inside the car and an officer tried forcing him out, using a baton to smash the window of the driver's door before taking "evasive action" to avoid the car as it sped away, according to the complaint.

He crashed the car and was arrested with heroin found hidden inside his sock, court records show.

This time, Liggins set Rodthong's cash bail at $3,000, which he did not post for more than nine months.

After posting bail in June 2021, he attended several of his court hearings after that but failed to appear for two of them in early October, after which a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, according to online court records.

Under state law, cash bail can only be used to help ensure someone reappears in court. Public safety can only be considered when setting other bail conditions such as no-contact orders, not the cash amount.

Third shooting of a law enforcement officer in Milwaukee this month

The shooting was the third time this month that a law enforcement officer has been shot in Milwaukee.

About an hour before the Milwaukee officer was shot on St. Paul Avenue, a Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy was released from the hospital after being treated for an on-duty shooting.

Deputy Christian Almonte, 26, had been shot by a 19-year-old man early Wednesday during a search for two other men who fled a traffic stop near West Adler and South 68th streets. The suspected gunman then killed himself, authorities said.

Earlier this month, an off-duty Milwaukee police detective was shot and injured when he intervened in an attempted carjacking in the city's Third Ward. Detective Andrew Wilkiewicz was treated for his injuries and has since been released from the hospital.

Related: People can help officer in Third Ward shooting through fundraising by downtown restaurants and Public Market

Three people have been charged in that shooting and two are in custody. The suspected shooter, Keasean J. Ellis-Brown, who has been charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, remains at large and the FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Ellis-Brown and another man charged in the case, Dionta'e Hayes, were out on bail in separate cases at the time of the Third Ward shooting.

Contact Ashley Luthern at ashley.luthern@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @aluthern.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee officer shot, released from hospital; suspect's bail a focus
Happy Sunday, people of Long Beach, and happy National Croissant Day! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in Long Beach today. And, if youre traveling this week, fuel up at Sams Club at 7480 Carson Street where gas costs $4.16 a gallon.

The Omicron subvariant has been detected in the City. Also, adults can continue their education with  frequently FREE  classes from the City College. Finally, a 28-year-old LB resident was arrested for organized retail theft.



First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 67 Low: 46.

Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

BA.2, the newest subvariant of Omicron, is in Long Beach. Making the first appearance in South Africa in December, LB officials confirmed the first local case Friday. Its not clear yet how BA.2 may affect the current surge in coronavirus cases. Officials know that it may spread more easily than the original omicron, but right now it does not appear that BA.2 causes more severe illness. According to data from the U.K., being up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines (fully vaccinated or vaccinated plus boosted for those eligible) protects just as well against severe disease in BA.2. (LB Post) We learned Friday that there will be free computer classes for adults at the LB Public Library. These classes focus on computer keyboarding and introduction to MS Word. The classes will take place at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library. It is interesting to note that these FREE classes are in partnership with LB City College, which offers a bunch more adult classes, many of which are free of charge. (LB Public Library, LB City College) On Thursday, Chino Hills detectives arrested a 28-year-old Long Beach resident for organized retail theft. Officials say that the suspect entered the Sephora retail store located at the Shoppes in Chino Hills, where she took Foreo UFO facial devices and left without paying. Sephora estimated the loss to be approximately $2,500. While talking to the suspect, they learned she was responsible for several thefts in Los Angeles County. (Nixle) If you think youve been hearing more airplane noise, youre not imagining things. At the beginning of January, the LB Airport began airfield construction that is scheduled to last until August. Workers are reconstructing the primary taxiway for all departing commercial aircraft to replace existing asphalt with concrete pavement. Runway 12-30 will close nightly from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., except Friday and Saturday evenings. Due to the closure, operations will shift to Runway 8L-26R, which runs parallel and just north of Wardlow Road. (LB Airport) California State University of Long Beach students are scheduled to celebrate their graduation at the Angel Stadium in Anaheim. However, the class of 2022 isnt happy with this arrangement. We learned Friday that students are circulating a petition that outlines they want to cross a stage during the ceremony, have each graduate's name announced and get six to ten tickets per graduate. The school says that it will announce the parameters for the graduation on its website, which will be updated on an ongoing basis throughout the spring. So far, it has been announced that students can get their names read out loud at smaller graduation recognition stages in the parking lot of the stadium. (ABC)

Today in Long Beach:



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Online Sunday School For Children with Pastor Susie from Bayshore Church (8:30 AM to 9 AM)

Long Beach Sunday Farmers Market at East Marina Drive, South of 2nd Street (9 AM to 2 PM)

Free Admission Sunday at the Museum Of Latin American Art (all day)

Adult Sunday School with Covenant Presbyterian Church (11 AM to 12 PM)

Let's Get WAISTED! at The Bee Stop (12 PM to 3 PM)

From my notebook:

The Long Beach Police Department is extremely proud of the officers who work hard to keep the Long Beach Airport safe! Great work, Sgt. Nystedt and the entire team! (Facebook)

Long Beach City announces that the City Council approved the adoption of the proposed Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine Strategic Plan on Jan. 18, 2022. (Facebook)

A Cal Heights neighbor is looking for a humane cat deterrent. (Nextdoor)

A Los Cerritos neighbor needs a recommendation for a reputable car mechanic to do a basic tune up on a 2017 Subaru Forester. (Nextdoor)

Our Grant neighbor has a suggestion for participating in Black Restaurant Week. If you like fries, there's a take-out on Artesia Blvd & Myrtle. (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors  thanks for supporting local news!

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday. I'll see you soon!

 Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

This article originally appeared on the Long Beach Patch
MICHIGAN  Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, the virus continues to influence the decisions of families across the country. Many choose to pack up their homes and move to different states to be closer to family, find a new job or trim living expenses.

Is this trend affecting Michigan? According to a new study conducted by United Van Lines, more people left Michigan than moved into the state in 2021.

The study, released annually in January, tracks state-to-state migration patterns using available company data. This years study found more Americans moved to less densely populated areas and to be closer to their families.

This new data  is indicative of COVID-19s impact on domestic migration patterns, with 2021 bringing an acceleration of moves to smaller, midsized towns and cities, Michael Stoll, economist and professor at the University of California - Los Angeles, said in a statement. Were seeing this not only occur because of Americans desire to leave high-density areas due to risk of infection, but also due to the transformation of how were able to work, with more flexibility to work remote.

The 2021 study found more people moved to Vermont than any other state, while New Jersey topped the list for outbound movement. New Jersey has held the non-enviable spot for the last four years.

In Michigan, 42.3 percent of those moving were coming into the state, while 57.7 percent were leaving it, according to the study. About 26.94 percent cited retirement as the reason for their move, followed by job and family.

Of those leaving the state, about 35 percent were age 65 and older. In addition, almost 40 percent of those leaving the state also reported incomes of $150,000 or more.

South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia and Florida were also revealed as the top inbound states for 2021. Meanwhile, states including Illinois, New York, Connecticut and California again appeared on the list of top outbound states.

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What motivated these moves? According to the study, 32 percent did so in order to be closer to family. Additionally, 32.5 percent of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer.

Amid the pandemic, many Generation Xers are joining baby boomers in retirement. While some are retiring to states such as Florida, the study reveals theyre not necessarily heading to heavily populated cities such as Orlando and Miami  theyre venturing to less-dense places such as Punta Gorda, Sarasota and Fort Myers-Cape Coral.

The top 10 inbound states of 2021 were:

Vermont South Dakota South Carolina West Virginia Florida Alabama Tennessee Oregon Idaho Rhode Island

The top outbound states were:

New Jersey Illinois New York Connecticut California Michigan Massachusetts Louisiana Ohio Nebraska

See the full United Van Lines study.

This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch
After two years of pandemic stasis, crime stories and a broadly battered image, Chicago is going on the offensive, launching a guerrilla marketing campaign Monday to promote itself as a more influential world city than many realize.

Created by Chicago ad agency Energy BBDO, the pro bono Chicago Not in Chicago campaign touts a long list of homegrown innovations  from the cellphone to the skyscraper  that have changed the world, but with little credit given to the city of origin.

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A double-decker bus takes passengers through Times Square in October on a staged tour pointing out Chicago innovations found around New York City. The tour was filmed and made into a video as part of a new guerrilla marketing campaign aiming to promote Chicago as an influential world city. (Energy BBDO)

Since its founding, Chicago has influenced the most important cities across the globe, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in an introductory video to the campaign. The high-rises, mobile phone, Ferris wheel, house music, coffee maker, soap opera and many other things were all created here in Chicago. However, only a few people know that  until now.

The campaign will live on a new website featuring quirky videos that the city hopes will be widely shared on social media. The inaugural video features a double-decker bus that descended on New York City in October to stage a tour pointing out Chicago innovations integral to the Big Apple.

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In the video, the faux tour guide takes passengers past the Empire State Building and other iconic buildings, reminding them the skyscraper was invented in Chicago. Most architectural historians credit the 10-story red brick and granite Home Insurance Building, built in 1885 at the corner of La Salle and Adams streets, as the first modern skyscraper.

They next drive by the trendy Le Bain dance club where house music, born in Chicago during the 1980s, is apparently all the rage. The tour guide also mentions cellphones, which were invented by Motorola in 1973 and brought to market 10 years later with the bricklike DynaTAC. He then ticks off everything from coffee makers to softball as Chicago creations, ultimately chanting the citys name for the balance of the three-minute video as the bus rides the streets of New York.

Pedestrians pass on a sunny day while walking under the CTA "L" tracks on Lake Street in downtown Chicago on Dec. 21, 2021. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Michael Fassnacht, president and CEO of World Business Chicago and the citys chief marketing officer since April 2020, said the campaign will produce similar videos in other cities, starting with a London tour later this year.

If you look at big cities in the world, they could not exist without Chicago, Fassnacht said. Each of them have Chicago stories in their city.

The Chicago Not in Chicago campaign will include national advertisements in newspapers and magazines, but will rely primarily on social media to spread the word, Fassnacht said. There are also plans to put a billboard in New York, he said.

While the budget is low, it is the first comprehensive branding campaign for Chicago since the pandemic hit nearly two years ago. Like many major cities, Chicago has faced a sharp decline in everything from tourism to mass transit usage as remote work, social distancing and commercial closures made it something less than a toddlin town for many.

The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier in downtown Chicago on Jan. 19, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago, which welcomed nearly 61 million visitors in 2019, fell to 16 million in 2020 and was projected to attract just under 29 million last year, according to data provided by Choose Chicago, the citys official tourism arm.

The citys image as a crime capital, which dates back to the days of Al Capone, has also flared up during the pandemic  fairly or unfairly  as Chicago saw upward of 800 homicides last year, the deadliest total since 1996, according to Chicago Police Department data and other sources.

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We have been facing tremendous headwinds, Fassnacht said. We are in a little bit of a downward cycle, but Im very optimistic about our recovery.

Fassnacht said the campaign will be the first step to rebuilding Chicagos image as a tourist and business destination. He cites some improving trends in hotel occupancy, transit usage and event attendance  before omicron hit in December  as signs the city is poised for a robust recovery when the pandemic wanes.

A new food hall called Urbanspace recently opened on West Washington Street in downtown Chicago on Sept. 29, 2021. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

He also sees it as a morale builder for Chicagoans, and a call to action to patronize and promote the citys attractions, such as restaurants, museums and theaters.

In headier days, Chicago had more ambitious marketing campaigns, such as Chicago Epic, a 2015 national TV commercial targeting far-flung markets such as San Francisco and Denver in a bid to broaden the citys appeal as a tourist destination. The city also extended the campaign overseas, with translated versions of the spots running in China. The multimillion-dollar campaign was created by ad agency FCB Chicago, then headed up by Fassnacht.

The new campaign has simpler goals: recasting Chicago and raising awareness for the post-pandemic future.

Its like a brand, you have to be top of mind, you have to be out there, Fassnacht said. Its never too early to promote Chicago. We should promote Chicago every single day.

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rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Jan. 28Murray County Sole Commissioner Greg Hogan will hold a public meeting Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the hearing room of the courthouse annex at 121 N. Fourth Ave. in Chatsworth.

Hogan is scheduled to decide on:

Purchasing a 2021 Ram 1500 from Mountain View Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram for the sheriff's office for $36,000 to be paid from the Murray County Sheriff's Office Forfeiture Fund.

Purchasing three 2021 Dodge Chargers from Mountain View Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram for the sheriff's office for $81,000 to be paid from 2019 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds

Reappointments of Johnny West and Pete Bethea to the Murray County Industrial Development Authority.
Crime

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office indicted a neo-Nazi leader on disorderly conduct charges nine months after he was arrested on suspicion of pointing a gun at a Black man in Chandler.

The indictment against Burt Colucci, 45, was filed on Jan. 4, per court documents. He is being charged with two counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and one count of felony disorderly conduct.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Colucci is the current commander of the National Socialist Movement, a prominent neo-Nazi group.

Colucci was arrested in April 2021 after Chandler police said he drew a handgun while threatening to kill a group of Black people outside of a hotel near Price and Queen Creek roads.

During Colucci's arrest, he explained that he had come to the Valley to take part in a small neo-Nazi rally at the Arizona Capitol and went on to say that Chandler is about to become "ground zero" for the neo-Nazi movement, the arrest report reads.

Court documents state Colucci lives in Lakeland, Florida.

Witnesses said that Colucci and another white man had been yelling racial slurs back and forth with a group in a Mercedes after Colucci threw trash at their car claiming they had been dumping it on the street, court documents state.

A victim explained that the group got back in their car and as they were driving away Colucci "switched hands," pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed her through a window. The court documents state that Colucci admitted to pepper spraying the car, claiming he felt threatened.

The felony disorderly conduct charge is related to the reckless handling and discharging of a gun, while the two counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct are related to the use of racial slurs and the use of pepper spray inside a vehicle, court documents state.

Republic reporter Miguel Torres and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Neo-Nazi leader accused of disorderly conduct in Chandler incident
Northern Michigan Angels current and new board members welcomed their new executive director on Nov. 4, 2021 at 20Fathoms. Pictured (from left) are Steve Lang, Dave Summers, Jody Trietch, executive director, Deanna Cannon, board chairperson, Jeff Hamilton, Liz VerSchure, Doug Morgenstern and John Zaloudek.

The Northern Michigan Angels investment group recently concluded their 10th year investing in the Northern Michigan economy.

In 2021, the organization reached a new single-year record, investing $1.3 million in seven different companies. Most of the organization's investments go into technology and other STEM-based companies, which brings programming, engineering jobs, as well as others, to the region.

Northern Michigan Angels is a nonprofit investment group that hears pitches from entrepreneurs. They then offer not only money but also expertise to businesses as they begin operations.

We want to create jobs, those high tech jobs that will attract some of the children who are graduating and leave the area and don't feel like they can come back and live in Traverse City, said Deanna Cannon, board chair, founding member and former executive director of Northern Michigan Angels.

In 2011, Cannon saw a need for an organization that would invest in Northern Michigan businesses and began to look into angel investing. An angel investor is a high-net worth person who uses their own money to invest in start-up companies in exchange for an equity share of the businesses, according to The Angel Capital Association.

Cannon formed an advisory board and the organization officially launched in 2012 with four people volunteering their time to get the organization up and running.

After 10 years as executive director, Cannon stepped down from her position, although she will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

In November, Jody Trietch took over as executive director after leaving her position as chief financial officer of Boomerang Catapult.

I think that there's incredible opportunity, as more companies either move here or start here, but they need the support and the access to capital, Trietch said. So to be a part of that success of those companies in this region is really exciting.

In 2022, Trietch plans to increase member engagement through workshops, monthly roundtables, pitch meetings and socials.

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One of the endeavors Northern Michigan Angels helped fund was Thermavance, solid state heating and cooling technology owned by the company Promethient.

Thermavance is built into seats and heats or cools without using airflow. This makes the technology ideal for vehicles like motorcycles that are often exposed to the elements. Since Thermavance doesnt use airflow, there are no holes in the seat that can get clogged with dirt or rainwater.

Promethient CEO Bill Meyers said the Northern Michigan Angels have provided diverse industry experience, as well as funding,

They've been a great sounding board for ideas, our business plan. It's one thing to get an investor but it's another thing to get, really a consultant that can help you scale a business, in addition to providing the funds that help you get there, he said.

According to Cannon, Northern Michigan Angels plans to continue investing in endeavors that can benefit Northern Michigan.

We say we invest in the jockey, not the horse, meaning we invest in the entrepreneur. In their ability to pivot as needed, their ability to take advice, because that is what is going to be needed along the way, she said.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan Angels conclude 10th year with record investments
(Hanna Barczyk / For The Times)

Last week, The Times published four short essays by readers, including past letter writers, who identified themselves as Holocaust survivors; included were video interviews with the writers and several old family photos. We asked what they thought of an increasingly common comparison being made, including on The Times' own letters page: that the United States today, with one of its major political parties still supporting a former president who tried to overthrow an election he lost, might be on a course similar to Germany before the Nazis were voted into power in 1933.

This is a comparison that has been made, in various forms, by several letter writers, most recently by one reader who detected fascistic undertones in the Republican National Committee's threat earlier this month to pull out of presidential debates. Other letter writers have likened what they see as the growing acceptance of political violence among mainstream Republicans to the "brownshirts" of 1930s Germany.

Two of the survivors wrote that the U.S. was indeed on a frightening path, another said the comparisons were dubious, and the fourth did not address the comparisons directly but expressed several worries. In response, we heard from more survivors and other readers who conveyed their appreciation for keeping the Holocaust at the forefront of our collective memory. Some expressed criticism.



To the editor: As a Holocaust survivor, I was pleased to read your Jan. 22 Opinion section devoted to this subject. While most of the writers express some kind of optimism, I find my glass half empty. I am struck by the banality of evil permeating a very large percentage of American society and where it may lead.

Born in Vilnius in 1937, I along with my family could not escape before the Nazi occupation of Lithuania began in 1941. We did survive, however, first in the ghetto and then in hiding. The rest of our family was eventually murdered in Auschwitz.

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After I arrived in America and absorbed the culture, I was impressed by the democratic ideals rooted in the people. They seemed so ingrained in the American psyche that I presumed they would stand forever. Racism, xenophobia and antisocial feelings existed, but their overt expression was considered unacceptable and unpatriotic.

This all came to an end when Donald Trump expressed these things out loud. His followers became excited as they could finally express themselves in the open.

Here is where we see the comparison with what happened in Germany. I always wondered how such cultured people could descend to such depths. The answer is that evil is always with us and must be vigorously suppressed. Otherwise, it permeates slowly, almost unseen, until it is there, full blown.

At first the Germans thought Hitler was just a passing fancy. Then there were more jobs. Then they felt pride in becoming a big player in the world  and then there was war, death and ruin.

I don't propose that the U.S. will follow Germany into another Holocaust or world war. There are too many differences for that. However, our country as we know it is at risk. What we are experiencing is a frontal attack on our institutions and our Constitution. Lies are promulgated as truth and "alternative facts."

Only we can save ourselves, if we have the will and the courage.

Michael Telerant, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I was very moved by the short essays from readers who survived the Holocaust. As a 10-year-old Jewish child during this time, I didn't realize how lucky I was to be born in the U.S.

However, during the 1930s and 40s, I realized that my grandmother and great-uncle who were immigrants from Poland, and had family living there, were extremely upset when they learned from newspapers and radio broadcasts about the dire situation for the Jews who lived in Germany, Poland and other countries seized by the Nazis. This led me to start reading newspapers.

While I didn't fully understand the horrors of what was taking place, I subsequently learned the truth about the atrocities committed against Jews in several European countries.

As a Jewish child, I became frightened that my family's life was in danger, even though we lived in the U.S. When I heard an airplane's engine in the sky, I ran into the house fearful that the enemy was overhead.

Sadly, antisemitism reared its ugly head in the U.S., and it was then that I was exposed to false diatribes against Jews.

After reading about the brave people who survived the Holocaust, I again realized how lucky my family was to be citizens of the U.S. during this time.

Bunny Landis, Oceanside

..

To the editor: I am the son of a survivor of the Auschwitz labor and death camp. I firmly believe that many mistaken conclusions are arrived at here in some of the survivors' testimonies.

As a former Democrat, I am sorry to say that the dangerous philosophy of "the big lie" has been embraced by today's Democratic Party.

Anyone with a basic understanding of history knows that Democrats were the party of slavery. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed with stronger support among Republicans in Congress than Democrats.

Furthermore, the Democratic Party has some issues with antisemitism. In fact, David Duke, the former leader of the Ku Klax Klan, reacted positively when Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) made remarks that repeated antisemitic tropes.

Richard Friedman, Culver City

..

To the editor: At age 70, I am too young to have been alive during the Holocaust, but I am not so old that I cannot remember the articles and books I have read both in and out of school, the movies I have seen and the relatives and friends I have spoken with regarding one of the most ugly events in world history.

Apparently, the McMinn County, Ky., school board believes sanitizing history is the best way to remember the Holocaust. It decided to ban a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel because of what it deemed as inappropriate language and the depiction of nude bodies and suicide.

How can we remember if we hide the truth?

Further, if my memory is correct, in Nazi Germany books deemed inappropriate were burned. Right now, there is currently a movement in this country to ban the teaching of certain topics that are deemed divisive or discomfiting to students. Really?

Dean Okrand, Sherman Oaks

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Oak Ridge Associated Universities

The presence and use of technology in the classroom has accelerated rapidly in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A news release from Oak Ridge Associated Universities stated, "But what does technology look like in the post-pandemic landscape? Can technology be effectively deployed to better use teachers time, while also ensuring every student is equitably engaged in their own education?"

Answers to both questions may be found in the use of artificial intelligence (AI). ORAU and the MITRE Corp. partnered in 2021 on a long-term project to research and ultimately improve the use of AI in education.

The teams first deliverable was a paper, "Ensuring Equitable AI Adoption in Education: An Initial Framework and Proposed Next Steps", lead authors of which were Tiffani Conner, ORAU evaluation specialist, and Chris Nelson, ORAU program manager for K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

The paper was developed from input gathered in focus groups with teachers, school administrators, district administrators and a state-level science coordinator. Data gathered from the focus groups informed a webinar featuring five experts on the topic of AI in education. All of the input, along with a literature review, was used to identify various needs for AI in education and to lay out next steps for the ORAU/MITRE partnership.

Weve laid a great foundation for something that we can build upon, Nelson said in the news release, particularly the idea of launching pilot programs for boots on the ground case studies of AI in education technologies in the classroom.

The paper authors made five recommendations to reduce barriers to AI adoption in the classroom, including focusing on education and empowerment, clear communication, inclusive development teams, teacher engagement and collective decision making, Nelson said in the release.

Some of the recommendations were discussed in depth during a conversation for an episode of "Further Together," the ORAU podcast that featured experts from both ORAU and MITRE, along with a teacher who participated in one of the focus groups mentioned earlier.

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Teacher engagement was one of the topics discussed.

I think as a teacher I was nervous, Tracy Glazier, a math teacher at Herndon High School in Fairfax County, Va., about participating in a focus group on AI in education, stated in the news release. Everybody is when they start thinking about robots replacing humans and what that will look like in a field where I feel like teaching is such a blend of art and science and wondering how AI would fit into that. I was very curious.

AI robots replacing humans is not the end goal, stated Guido Zarrella, senior principal AI engineer in the AI and Autonomy Innovation Center within MITRE Labs..

Teachers are obviously instructors, he said in the release. And they do classroom management, personalization of learning plans for students, proctoring tests, grading homework, teaching effective communication skills and demonstrating high-quality values for students. There is this long list of really high-priority responsibilities that a teacher has. Its not going to be enough to drop a robot in, obviously.

Rather, Zarrella said there is a lot of technology that can save teacher time across many of their responsibilities, like software with automated scoring algorithms that can be time saving. Other software can ensure the integrity of the testing process or detect plagiarism, help students practice reading or coding, or assist with note taking and speech recognition.

AIs influence in the classroom is going to happen through a lot of micro channels, and a lot of small choices or decisions that get made along the way, he said in the release.

Collective decision making to improve equity also was discussed during the podcast conversation.

While some tools are available and more are surely coming, the equitable use of them is far from automatic. Equitable distribution of AI is going to take intentional work, Bobby Blount, Jr., head of MITREs Texas Innovation Hub, stated in the release. Blount also has direct experience working with stakeholders as an elected member of the Northside Independent School District School Board in San Antonio, Texas.

How we achieve equity is going to take collaboration among not only us as MITRE and ORAU, but also with industry, with vendors that are producing the tools, and with our school districts and teachers all working together, Blount said in the release.

The focus on equity, working with stakeholders and getting teacher engagement really needs to be happening now, Blount and Zarrella said in the release.

Deployments of AI in education are not some future concern. Theyre happening, kind of automatically. These technologies are inserting themselves in everyday life and in ways that make the implications impossible to miss in schools, Zarrella said in the release.

Teachers see those implications firsthand because they are in the classroom working with their students every day, said Jennifer Tyrell, ORAU senior project manager for K-12 STEM education.

Solutions that help teachers do their job and help students become better educated are most welcome and appreciated, Glazier said in the release.

Teachers are crazy about finding anything they think will work in their classroom tomorrow, she said in the release.

The next steps of the ORAU/MITRE partnership focus on future research, public engagement, and public/private partnerships, which means the AI of tomorrow may not be that far away.

MITRE is an American not-for-profit organization with dual headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts, and McLean, Virginia. Through its public-private partnerships and federally funded R&D centers, it works across government and in partnership with industry to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of the nation, its website states.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: ORAU, MITRE join forces to ensure equitable AI adoption in education
Jan. 29The Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce and Palestine Regional Medical Center welcomed three new healthcare providers to the community with a soiree Thursday.

The new doctors are all members of the PRMC medical group, with offices at the Medical Office Building, 4002 S. Loop 256, beside the Rehab Hospital.

Orthopedic Matthew Rudolph, DO, board-certified orthopedic surgeon with more than 12 years of experience, is seeing patients in his offices at Palestine Medical Groups Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic. Nurse Practitioner Julia Short has joined Palestine Family Medicine with Dr. Jose Tovar and Dr. Marco Peterson.

And Rachel Merrifield, MD is offering pediatric service at her office at Palestine Pediatrics, Suite M in the Medical Office Building.

"We are extremely fortunate to be able to offer this caliber of medical talent and expertise to our community," said Roy Finch, PRMC Chief Executive Officer. "It's very exciting to have them choose Palestine as not only a place to practice medicine, but also to be their home."

More than 100 business owners, medical professionals and members of the community were in attendance for the event.

"A fantastic crowd turned out to celebrate these three new providers for our community," said Heather Chancellor, Chamber CEO. "Everyone was excited to meet the new providers, see the offices, have a chance to meet them as well as others who came to support their new colleagues. Of course, the evening was catered by the hospital team, amazing food as always. I am personally thankful that PRMC searches out top talent to bring to Palestine."
Jan. 28AUBURN  Shots were fired on South Main Street early Thursday and police were investigating to determine if anyone had been struck by gunfire.

Auburn Deputy Police Chief Tim Cougle said the incident appears to be an isolated one, involving people known to each other.

About 6:30 a.m., police were called to the area of 77 South Main St. for reports from several callers who reported hearing multiple gunshots. When police arrived, they learned that at least one person had been injured, but it remained unclear later Thursday if the injury was from gunfire.

An unoccupied building was struck by gunfire, police said, but investigators don't believe it was the intended target.

"All individuals involved fled the scene," Cougle wrote in a news release, "and have not reported the incident to police or to local hospitals."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Auburn Police Detective Marshall McCamish at 333-6650, ext. 2067.
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Finmark, a Raleigh financial technology startup, has raised a $6.5 million seed round from a group of investors that includes the venture capital arm of American Express, Bessemer Venture Partners and Durhams IDEA Fund.

Founded in 2020, Finmark makes financial modeling software that provides an alternative to Excel spreadsheets and other financial planning platforms. The latest funding round brings its total funding to $11 million.

Finmark is hoping to convince startups to use its software to manage their expenses, burn rate and runway. It has added hundreds of paying customers since it was founded, company CEO Rami Essaid said.

Tracking financial performance was a pain point that I experienced so viscerally first hand that after selling my last company, it was top of mind for me to fix, Essaid said in a phone interview.

Essaid has had previous success in the startup world. His last company, Distil Networks, a cybersecurity firm that blocked bot attacks, was acquired in 2019 by Imperva.

Just six months after that sale had been finalized, Essaid, a Raleigh native, said he was already beginning to build Finmark and enrolling it at the prestigious startup accelerator Y Combinator.

We can give you a lot more intelligence than Excel can in an online platform, Essaid said of his companys pitch. We make it super simple to analyze this versus that or to pivot the data in lots of interesting ways, or to simply share that information.

Essaid said he selected Raleigh as Finmarks headquarters because his co-founders were based here and he was already familiar with the pool of talent in the city.

While running Distil from outside of Washington, D.C., Essaid opened an engineering office in Raleigh. Many of those Distil workers have now moved over to Finmark, which now employs around 34 people.

The company, founded in the middle of the pandemic, is operating remotely most of the time, though it also uses office space at Raleigh Founded, Essaid said.

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Essaid said he hopes to use the seed round money to expand Finmarks customer base. Most of its customers are early-stage startups, which Finmark was able to find through its own network. But Essaid believes the companys future growth will also depend on larger companies as well as the many mom-and-pop shops that are transitioning to an e-commerce model.

In the next five years, every single storefront is probably going to have some aspect of e-commerce to it, Essaid said. As these companies become more digital, theyre going to get more sophisticated with their financials. I think this gives us an opportunity to work with all sorts of companies.

That was one reason Finmark wanted to work with American Express, which already works with a range of businesses.

They have so many customers that were hoping ... we can have a funnel of customers directly from them, he said.

Essaid said it shouldnt be long until the company looks to raise more capital from investors. He said Finmark could raise a Series A round later this year, which it could use to hire dozens more employees.

This story was produced with financial support from a coalition of partners led by Innovate Raleigh as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. Learn more; go to bit.ly/newsinnovate
The Illinois Supreme Court has denied a request to let the state name new craft cannabis license winners  meaning that all applicants must wait while some pursue lawsuits over their status.

The cannabis company 1837 Craft Grow LLC had asked the court to modify lower court orders preventing the state from issuing the next round of licenses. The court did not comment on the request beyond stating that it was denied.

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Marijuana plants on Nov. 11, 2021. The cannabis industry has ramped up to meet demand in Illinois. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

By state law, Illinois was required to disperse up to 60 new craft marijuana growing licenses by Dec. 21. But at least 13 applicants filed suit challenging their disqualifications during the process. The appeal sought to announce the winners of 47 licenses, leaving 13 to be named later.

Cannabis production in Illinois is dominated by several large, wealthy multistate operators that obtained medical licenses years ago and expanded into the billion-dollar recreational market in 2020.

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State law calls for expanding the industry to include social equity applicants, defined as people from areas of poverty or that had high arrest rates for cannabis offenses. After more than a year delay in awarding the licenses, and complaints about the unfairness of the process, the state this summer awarded the first 40 craft grower licenses, before the court prohibition took effect, so those are going forward.

In the appeal, several applicants described how the delay had cost them tens of thousands of dollars to maintain property, employees and investors  a wait that could continue for months or years while litigation continues, absent a settlement with the state.

Another 185 new adult-use dispensary licenses are also on hold while lawsuits continue challenging the fairness of the licensing process.

Ryan Holz, the lead attorney who filed the appeal, previously criticized state secrecy in the license application scoring process for leading to the litigation. He wrote in an email that the new ruling harms dozens or more applicants, while not helping the 13 disqualified applicants, whose potential licenses would have been protected.

Unfortunately, this is the current reality for craft grow applicants in Illinois, he wrote. No one with the ability to help them is willing to do so.

Charity Greene, a spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzkers administration, noted that the Illinois attorney general had also sought to let the state name winners.

From the very beginning of the cannabis legalization and licensing process, the administration has prioritized clarity and an ongoing commitment to establishing an industry that is accessible to Illinoisans of all backgrounds, she wrote. We will continue to work with applicants, stakeholders, and our partners in the judicial system to achieve that goal.
Paseo Camarillo Cinemas will eventually reopen, but the Westlake Village site for Regency Theatres has closed for good.

Regency Theatres, the Southern California-based independent movie theater chain, has ceased operations at its Camarillo and Westlake Village locations due to financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Camarillo closure is temporary, a company official said, while the Westlake Village site has been permanently shuttered.

The two theaters were among the only locations to screen independent, foreign and limited-run films around Ventura County without venturing into Los Angeles.

Lyndon Golin, president of Regency Theatres, said arthouse cinemas have faced challenges on both the production and distribution sides because of the pandemic.

"The specialty film market has been challenged for product and the audience has not come back enough to support reopening," Golin said.

New indies to watch: Must-see movies, TV from Sundance 2022 you can see soon

Both venues are small, with three screens at Paseo Camarillo Cinemas and two at the Westlake Village Twin. Each has a total seating capacity of about 550 people, Golin said.

Golin plans to reopen the Camarillo site eventually, but said he decided not to renew the lease on the Westlake Village location. According to the Facebook page for the Westlake Village cinema, the theater's final day of operation was Jan. 17.

"We would like to thank you for your patronage & support over the past 23 years," the post read. "We have made many friends, employed many of your kids, and appreciate being embraced by the fantastic community of Westlake Village."

A sign indicating temporary closure remained posted in the box office window of Paseo Camarillo Cinemas Thursday.

The Camarillo theater was the first Regency theater in existence, opening in 1996 as a second-run theater and pivoting to arthouse films soon after.

"It was the first theater (in Ventura County) to exclusively play arthouse, independent films," Golin said.

The Camarillo site, located in the Paseo shopping center at 390 N. Lantana St., began its indefinite closure on Aug. 12, 2021, after reopening for a couple months over the summer. Golin gave no timeline for reopening, saying it depends on external factors.

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Comments on the social media posts reflected the loss some patrons felt.

"You were a beacon of light for those of us who love independent films," Agoura Hills resident Ron Kaiser wrote about the Westlake Village theater, located at 4711 Lakeview Canyon Road.

Golin acknowledged the importance the theaters had for local residents and noted the decision did not come easily.

"In a place like Camarillo or Westlake, a venue like that is really able to foster an audience for those films," he said.

In the meantime, Golin said the nearby Regency theater in Agoura Hills will be screening arthouse films as scheduling allows until the Camarillo movie house can resume operations.

"We look forward to reopening in Camarillo in the near future and being able to serve the community with independent and foreign films," Golin said.

Regency Theatres continues to operate two movie theaters in Ventura County: the Regency Santa Paula 7 and the Buenaventura 6 in Ventura. The Ventura site offers discounted second-run screenings.

The chain, headquartered in Calabasas, operates 23 theaters throughout Southern California, two theaters in Hawaii and one each in Arizona and Nevada.

A sign taped to the box office window of Paseo Camarillo Cinemas Thursday indicated the location was temporarily closed.

Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached by calling 805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com. You can also find him on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Regency movie theater closes in Westlake Village; Camarillo to reopen
CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski and his wife, Wall Street Journal reporter Rachel Louise Ensign, have welcomed a new daughter into the world.

The happy news comes just over one year after the couple's 9-month-old daughter, Francesca, died on Christmas Eve in 2020 after a months-long battle with cancer.

In a tweet on Saturday, January 29, Kaczynski announced the family's new addition.

Introducing the newest member of our family, who joined us Thursday, Kaczynski wrote. Talia Davida Kaczynski. She was named with the Hebrew name of her big sister Beans. We love her endlessly.

In one photo, the newborn was placed next to a phone which displayed a picture of Francesca, both donning the same brown dress. Another photo showed the couple together in the hospital as Ensign cradled the baby in her arms, while another showed the newborn swaddled as she slept peacefully.

In a follow-up tweet, Kaczynski shared a side-by-side photo of Francesca and Talia as newborns, writing, We love how much she looks like her big sister shes named for. Beans on left, Talia on the right.

Kaczynski announced in September 2020 on Twitter that his daughter, who was six months old at the time, had been diagnosed with an extremely rare and very aggressive rhabdoid brain tumor.

In the months that followed, Kaczynski documented his daughters condition and treatment, which included undergoing two brain surgeries. Three months later in mid-December, she contracted a fungal infection due to complications with her chemotherapy and later passed away.

Last month, Kaczynski paid special tribute to his daughter one year after her death. The journalist snapped multiple photos of a Christmas tree in the park honoring his daughter after he had gone to decorate the spot with an Elmo balloon. When he got there, he saw that the tree and its surrounding area had already been decorated by the community.

Some extremely kind people decorated Francescas tree for Christmas when I came to see it today to leave an Elmo balloon, he wrote.

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The next day, he reflected on the one-year-anniversary of her death in a candid tweet, comparing its expectations with reality.

I thought the one-year anniversary of Francescas death would be horrible. And I did cry a lot, he wrote. But I felt such a pride thinking about all my little girl has accomplished. I found myself smiling thinking about her and felt such a peace.

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The widows of the Chinese men murdered in a violent hate crime hammer attack in 2019 were angered by the courts decision to send the suspect to a psychiatric hospital instead of allowing him to face trial this week.



Jennifer Pun, the widow of Tsz Mat Pun, 50, one of the victims of the hammer attack, criticized the American justice system for transferring Arthur Martunovich, 37, to a psychiatric hospital on Thursday, according to New York Daily News.



I thought the American system would do the job and bring the prisoner to justice, Pun said through a translator. He was capable. He was sober when he made the decision to take three lives.



Martunovich, who was designated by Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun as having a dangerous mental disorder, was found not responsible for the killing of owner Kheong Ng-Thang, 61, manager Tsz Mat Pun and his nephew and chef Fufai Pun, 34, on Jan. 15, 2019, at the Seaport Buffet in Brooklyn. Tsz Mat Pun and Fufai Pun, the only victim who was pronounced dead at the scene, reportedly immigrated from the same village in Fujian Province, China.



Family members of the victims and community members expressed outrage in August 2021 after the court decided not to charge Martunovich because he was suffering from mental health conditions, NextShark previously reported.



Jennifer Pun and Amy, Fufai Puns widow, were reportedly present during the Thursday trial and were seen yelling at the prosecutors following the decision.



I dont believe the defendant had that serious of a mental sickness, Jennifer Pun said. He was very calm, and he was able to distinguish are you [sic] Asian or Hispanic.



Dangerous mental disorder is a ruling that is the most serious category available for a suspect facing charges. FindLaw explained that a person deemed to have a dangerous mental disorder constitutes a physical danger to himself or others. The Defense of Insanity in New York State determined that the defendant should be placed in a secure facility supervised by the Department of Mental Hygiene and will not be allowed for release or transfer without court approval.



Brooklyn District Attorney spokesman Oren Yaniv said Martunovich would be transported to a locked, maximum-security psychiatric hospital. He also added that the suspect would not be released from confinement for many years, and if he does, this will allow their office to challenge the determination before a judge.



We are confident that he will never again be in a position to perpetrate violence in our community, extend our deepest condolences to the friends and loved ones of the victims and pray that they will find peace, Yaniv said.



Martunovich, who was evaluated by doctors at Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center, will remain in the facility and be re-evaluated after six months.



Edward Mandery, Martunovichs defense lawyer, said his mental illness evidence was so strong that he is likely to be confined for the same amount of time as he would have served had he been sent to state prison.



Featured Image via ABC7NY

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Jan. 28SALISBURY  The Fire Department is prepared for this weekend's snow storm and the chief asked beach-area residents to do the same.

According to the National Weather Service, a powerful winter storm could dump between 11 and 25 inches on Greater Newburyport on Saturday.

Fire Chief Scott Carrigan said that his greatest concern about the upcoming weekend storm was not as much the snow but the potential loss of power.

"I believe that beach-area residents should consider relocating prior to the storm," Carrigan said. "Or, they should make preparations to potentially be without power for 12 to 48 hours."

Carrigan went on to say that, should people lose power at noon on Saturday, it could be down for the better part of two days.

"The electric company will not be able to deploy resources in the middle of the storm with 50 mph winds," Carrigan said. "That should die down by midnight on Saturday. So it wouldn't be until Sunday morning that any power restoration efforts are able to kick into high gear."

National Grid senior communications program manager Michael Dalo said in an email that his company's biggest concern is the winds but it has brought in additional, external personnel to assist in restoration efforts.

"It's not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of increased wind gusts. Our line workers begin restoration work only when conditions are deemed safe." Dalo said. "That said, they will be working around the clock throughout the storm, wherever it is safe to do so. We certainly urge our customers to be safe, to put a plan in place and be prepared in the event of potential outages."

Dalo also asked that customers report any power outages to www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.

Coastal flooding was also a concern for Carrigan.

"Flood water may be deep enough to prompt the closure of Beach Road and the access onto and off of the beach," Carrigan said. "That could go from 8:30 p.m. on Saturday until after midnight Sunday morning, depending on how conditions are."

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Carrigan added that the Fire Department has arranged to have a National Guard high water vehicle deployed, should major flooding occur, beginning Saturday morning and during Saturday evening's high tide at 9:14 p.m.

"We're talking about flood conditions that come up through the marsh," Carrigan said. "That would last until the tide recedes roughly an hour to four hours later."

"Flood water may be deep enough to prompt the closure of Beach Road and the access onto and off of the beach," Carrigan said. "That could go from 8:30 p.m. on Saturday until after midnight Sunday morning, depending on how conditions are."

Carrigan also advised that anyone who encounters a flooded out road to simply turn around.

"Under no circumstances should people drive through flood water because it's just not possible to tell how deep it is until you get into it," Carrigan said.

Bill Greilich is the president of the Salisbury Beach Betterment Association and said that beach area residents were anxious Friday morning.

"Obviously, you should be concerned if you live on the beach," Greilich said. "We know that we have a so-called hotspot between public access ways 6 and 7. That is an area that really is sort of our ground zero. That area gets battered and got hit very had during the Nor'easter we had two weeks ago. This storm should probably exceed that, in terms of intensity."

According to Carrigan, Salisbury Fire and Police personnel are well prepared for the weekend storm.

"This is the reason that we're here," Carrigan said. "This is one of our core functions. We are here to serve the public and we're going to make sure that we're able to do that."

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.
Steve Bestolarides was appointed assessor-recorder in 2015 during his second term as a San Joaquin County supervisor.

The Board of Supervisors voted to not discipline San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Steve Bestolarides after an independent investigation determined that he retaliated against a county employee.

"I think the report was wrong. The conclusion was wrong," District 2 Supervisor Kathy Miller said after the board meeting.

The investigation presented to the board Tuesday was conducted by an independent investigator hired by the county. It stemmed from a human resources complaint filed in 2020 by Joyce Weber, an auditor-appraiser who formerly worked under Bestolarides.

"I ask for the board's censure, disapproval of conduct, acknowledgement of violation of county policy and (employment) laws and referral to the grand jury for possible removal of (Bestolarides from) office," Weber said in a public comment to the board.

Weber's complaint alleged that Bestolarides retaliated against her for filing a disability discrimination complaint in 2019 against a principal appraiser working at the assessor's office.

The alleged retaliation occurred when Bestolarides reported Weber to the San Joaquin County District Attorney's office over discrepancies in taxpayer records she had handled.

The investigation found that Bestolarides' decision to report Weber did amount to retaliation.

There was a "proximity between the referral to the District Attorney's office and the investigation into the prior ... complaint that could create an inference that the former was motivated by the latter," a summary of the investigation said.

Bestolarides disputed the finding in testimony to the board. "At no time was my conduct the product of a retaliatory motive."

He testified that County Counsel J. Mark Myles and human resources staff had advised him to contact the DA.

"The executive summary and the board letter would lead you to believe that we acted independent of County Counsel and HR. That is not true," Bestolarides said.

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Supervisors were receptive to Bestolarides' testimony.

"When your attorney tells you something, you know, a good rule of thumb is ... you do what your attorney tells you," Miller said.

"He reached out to (HR), and so he did the next step, and the right thing. That's my interpretation of what happened," District 1 Supervisor Miguel Villapudua said.

The vote to take no action was unanimous.

The county could be exposed to liability despite the board's decision not to take action against Bestolarides, Mark S. Adams, an employment attorney based in Stockton, said.

"It's not an excuse that Bestolarides cleared (the decision to report to the DA) with County Counsel. Bestolarides is ... an appointed officer of the county. So is County Counsel. They're all working for the county."

Weber said she has filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Housing and Employment.

The DA's office declined to prosecute Weber after investigating Bestolarides' claims.

"There was just a lack of evidence that any criminal (activity) took place," Elisa Bubak, a spokesperson for the DA, said.

Bestolarides was appointed assessor-recorder in 2015 despite criticisms of his lack of experience and of his atypical path to the role.

The board appointed Bestolarides to the usually elected position while he was finishing his second term as a supervisor, after the previous assessor retired. Miller cast the swing vote for Bestalorides after changing it to support his appointment.

Bestolarides had been fundraising for a potential run for mayor of Stockton before his appointment. In 2018 he was reelected as assessor.

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers business, housing, and land use. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin supervisors won't act on assessor who retaliated against employee
Santa Ana police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl and recording the abuse on video.

The child met the suspect, Brayan Padilla-Gomez, 23, in October after he befriended her on social media and promised to give her drugs, the Santa Ana Police Department said in a release. Padilla-Gomez allegedly picked up the girl, drove her to his home and assaulted her.

The girl called police after learning from a friend that Padilla-Gomez had sent the recording to the friend in an apparent attempt to also lure her into being sexually abused, police said.

Padilla-Gomez was arrested Thursday during a sting operation and booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping and multiple child molestation charges. He remained in custody Saturday in lieu of $1-million bail, according to jail records.

Detectives said there might be additional victims and asked anyone with information to call Det. Jorge Gaeta at (714) 245-8706, or to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) 847-6227.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Jan. 29With January being School Board Appreciation Month, Superintendent Brad Stewart, on behalf of the Jacksonville Independent School District, acknowledged the trustees and their efforts on behalf of the district.

"We very much value our youth in Jacksonville ISD from the perspective that we want to do everything we possibly can to provide the type of learning environment that our students in Jacksonville need to be successful and have a tremendous future," Stewart said. "It takes a lot of people working together to make that happen and one of the cogs in that wheel is the school board. We are very fortunate in Jacksonville to have a school board that is gracious enough to volunteer their time, who is a part of what we do and to have such a heart for serving our community, and our staff and our students."

Each of the board members were presented a basket of goodies provided by the Nichols Student Council and a jacket.

In addition, a tree will be planted on each of the district's campuses, one in honor of each of the trustees and the superintendent. The Texas Forestry Service is providing the trees and the district will provide a plaque stating which of the board members each tree honors.

The board received and approved the financial audit presented by Clayton Rogers of Patilla, Brown and Hill.

"I really would like to thank Luke [Ocker] and his staff," Rogers said. "They were extremely forthcoming, extremely helpful, got back to us really quickly and got us everything we needed to finish the audit on time."

The annual audit resulted in an unmodified opinion, or clean opinion, the highest designation that can be achieved. A single audit also resulted in an unmodified opinion. A single audit is intended to ensure an organization is using federal funds correctly and in compliance with all fund-related regulations.

The board called the trustee election for May 7, 2022, and approved a joint election agreement with the city of Jacksonville.

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Elections will be for Place 1 and Place 2 positions, currently held by Jeff Horton and Matthew Leinback respectively.

Applications for a place on the ballot are being accepted until 4:00 p.m. Feb. 18. Candidate packets are available on the district's website, jisd.org.

Early voting will take place April 25 through May 3 at the Jacksonville Public Library, 526 E. Commerce. Polls will be open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day, May 7.

Other items approved by trustees included:

The annual review of the JISD investment policy;

A rate of $50 per day paid for accumulated sick leave, up to 60 days, upon retirement;

An interlocal agreement with Region 10 for a purchasing cooperative program for the 2022-2023 school year; and

The consent agenda.

Trustees elected to move the next meeting from the regularly scheduled date to March 28.
HOLLAND TWP.  One man was injured in a crash Friday night involving a police car.

The crash took place at 10:39 p.m. Jan. 28 on 136th Avenue at the intersection with Riley Street.

File photo of police lights.

An Ottawa County Sheriff's Office deputy was northbound on 136th Avenue en route to a high-priority 911 call, with his lights and sirens activated. The deputy collided with a westbound Honda CR-V in the intersection at Riley Street.

The deputy, a 27-year-old man, was not injured. The driver of the CR-V, a 23-year-old Holland man, was transported to Holland Hospital with minor injuries.

The crash was turned over to the Holland Police Department for further investigation, which is ongoing.

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office was assisted at the scene by AMR Ambulance and Holland Township Fire/Rescue.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Sheriff's office cruiser involved in 2-car Holland Twp. crash
The Sioux Falls Police Department is searching for a man suspected of robbing a Shop N Cart, located on North Minnesota Avenue and Brookings Street, on Jan. 19.

In a video shared on Twitter, the man enters the store about 6 a.m., walks behind the counter and threatens the clerk with a gun. He leaves with a plastic bag of cash.

Police are requesting the public's help in identifying the man by his mannerisms. People are encouraged to call either the police or the Crime Stoppers line at 605-367-7007.

On Wed, Jan 19, this man robbed the Shop N Cart on N Minnesota Ave near Brookings St. He threatened the clerk with a gun and took cash. If you recognize any of his mannerisms, call police or Crime Stoppers. /713 pic.twitter.com/Os6Z1hYYml  Sioux Falls Police (@siouxfallspd) January 29, 2022

Follow Annie Todd on Twitter @AnnieTodd96. Reach out to her with tips, questions and other community news at atodd@argusleader.com or give her a call at 605-215-3757.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls police searching for man who robbed store at gunpoint
Gerald Berry is serving a life sentence for murder, even though he didnt kill anyone.

On Dec. 27, 2001, Berry said he and three friends drove to Country Club Hills, Illinois, in Chicagos south suburbs, to case a house that they planned to burglarize later. Berry, then a certified HVAC technician, was 20-years-old and married with three children. He often hung around with an older friend, Loree Scott Young, 35. Berry said sometimes Young suggested ways for them to make quick money.

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After Berry, Young, and the other two men in their crew arrived at the house in Country Club Hills they realized that one of the homeowners was there, so they considered targeting other residences, according to court records. Berry said that Young still encouraged them to go through with the robbery. Young and Trumaine McClure, 18, went inside the house, while Berry waited in the getaway car and kept a lookout with 27-year-old John McGowan, according to court records.

Things quickly went south after another person who lived in the house, Torrey James, returned home. Young demanded money from the man, who drew a gun and shot Young twice. Court records state that McClure returned fire, hitting James once.

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James and Young died from their injuries.

It was just shocking, said Berry in an interview with Injustice Watch from Menard Correctional Center. It was unbelievable because thats not what we thought was going to happen.

McClure, who shot the homeowner, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years. He was released on parole in November 2021. McGowan, the other lookout, was acquitted at trial. But Berry was charged with and convicted of both murders under the so-called felony murder rule. The felony murder rule is a legal doctrine that allows prosecutors to bring murder charges against anyone who participates in committing certain felonies, such as robbery, burglary, or sexual assault, if a death happens during the crime. The doctrine applies even if the defendant wasnt directly responsible for the killing. Most U.S. states have felony murder laws.

Steven Drizin, co-director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University, has represented several people accused of felony murder.

The felony murder rule has a lot of mischief attached to it, Drizin said. It imposes punishments that do not fit the crime for a lot of accomplices.

Last January, Illinois legislators changed the states felony murder statute as part of the landmark criminal justice reform bill known as the SAFE-T Act, short for the Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today Act. The law removed the possibility that prosecutors charge defendants with murder in cases when a third party who was not involved in the felony, such as a homeowner or a police officer, is responsible for the killing.

Advocates say the reform didnt go far enough.

If the new law had been in place in 2001, prosecutors couldnt have charged Berry for Youngs murder, but he could have still faced charges for the death of James, the homeowner. Advocates want lawmakers to go further, so someone such as Berry, who didnt anticipate that violence might happen and didnt participate in the violence, could not be charged with murder.

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Its still mind-blowing that I ended up getting a mandatory life sentence, Berry said. Im not angry, but I know its wrong. Im disappointed in the system.

The SAFE-T Act also did not apply the felony murder reform retroactively. At least dozens of people are serving time in Illinois prisons on murder charges that likely wouldnt have been filed if the crime happened today, according to an Injustice Watch analysis.

The state doesnt track how many people have been charged under the felony murder doctrine because court data systems across Illinois dont specify the circumstances behind a murder charge. So Injustice Watch created a database to better understand how many people were left behind by the new reforms. (Scroll to the end of this article to read our methodology and learn more about how we made our database)

We found at least 198 people currently serving time in the Illinois Department of Corrections who were charged with felony murder, though that number is almost certainly an undercount. Our analysis also omits people who were originally charged with felony murder but pleaded guilty to lesser charges, such as manslaughter.

At least 38 of those people were charged with murder in cases in which third parties  not their co-defendants in the original felony  were responsible for the killings. Of the 38 felony murder cases that Injustice Watch identified involving a third party, a police officer was the shooter in more than half. Drizin argues that the felony murder rule often provides cover for police officers who use deadly force when it is not justified and enables these officers to avoid being disciplined for violating their own guidelines.

If the felony murder reform had been made retroactive, many of the people charged for murders committed by third parties might have been given a chance at resentencing.

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Jobi Cates, executive director and founder of the criminal justice reform group Restore Justice, which has lobbied for further changes to felony murder, said she would like to see a wholesale reform of the statute ensuring that it applies to old cases.

The people who are going to get relief from this legislation have not been convicted yet  theyre fictional people, theyre hypothetical people, Cates said. But when you go back and you look at the cases that are there, now youre talking about actual people.

A disproportionate impact on young people and women

Injustice Watchs data on felony murder cases, though limited, mirrors what other research has shown: Felony murder laws disproportionately impact young people of color and women.

Black men 25 years old and younger made up about 40% of those charged with felony murder, according to our analysis.

James Garbarino, a psychology professor at Loyola University of Chicago who studies child development and youth violence, said people age 25 and younger are particularly vulnerable to laws such as felony murder that punish people for being accomplices to crimes that play out in violent ways that they may not have foreseen.

Various research studies suggest that the brains of teenagers and young adults are not fully developed, making them more susceptible to peer pressure and unable to understand or anticipate the potential consequences of their actions.

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Alexis Mansfield, senior advisor at the Womens Justice Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing the harm and incarceration of women, said women are also particularly vulnerable to being pressured to participate in crimes, especially survivors of domestic violence. About one-quarter of the people we identified as serving time for felony murder were women, compared with 5% of women incarcerated on murder charges in Illinois overall.

I really think that so much of that leads back to domestic violence and histories of trauma, which make the ability to say no much more difficult, Mansfield said.

Its unclear what percentage of the women in our data are survivors of domestic violence or how many were coerced by an abuser into committing the underlying crime. But a 2019 study by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority found that practically all the women in Illinois prisons had experienced domestic violence or abuse. In Illinois, compulsion and coercion are not legal defenses for first-degree murder, Mansfield said.

Late last year, the Womens Justice Institute hosted a virtual event with 22 survivors of gender-based violence inside Logan Correctional Center, Illinois largest womens prison. The women shared poems, monologues, and performances about their experiences. Three of the performers sat down together for a live panel and spoke about the impact that gender-based violence had on their lives.

The mind of someone who is surviving abuse is very different than someone who is not experienced in that, said Erika Ray, 40, during the panel. A lot of times, people that are making laws like the felony murder rule or accountability, people that are sentencing women that are survivors, they havent walked in those shoes, so its a little difficult for them to empathize with people who survive abuse and then are incarcerated.

During the panel, Ray said felony murder laws harm survivors and should be changed to only hold people accountable for their actions and not those of others who may commit a severe offense, such as murder.

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Court records show that Ray was sentenced to 42 years in prison for the 2006 armed robbery and murder of the assistant manager of a restaurant that she used to work at. Ray said at trial that she only drove her co-defendants to the crime scene, and that, while they didnt force her to drive them, she didnt know that they had planned to rob and kill the assistant manager, who had fired her earlier that day, according to court records.

She argued in an appeal that the judge who sentenced her overlooked mitigating factors, such as her age, lack of criminal history, and experiences with physical and sexual abuse when he ordered her to serve more than four decades behind bars.

Legislating is about the art of the possible

Other states have gone further than Illinois to limit their felony murder statutes.

Last year, Colorado enacted a law that eliminated third-party felony murder charges and also reduced felony murder from first-degree murder to second-degree murder. That change decreased the mandatory sentence from life without the possibility of parole to a term of between 16 and 48 years in prison.

In 2018, California legislators changed the states murder statute to focus on a defendants intent to kill. That provision eliminated felony murder liability for co-defendants in the underlying felony who did not actively participate in the killing or act with reckless indifference to human life. The legislation also allowed people who were still in prison on felony murder convictions that happened before the law was changed to seek resentencing under the new statute.

Last year, California state lawmakers expanded the reforms reach to people who were charged with felony murder but pleaded guilty to lesser crimes, such as manslaughter.

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California State Sen. Josh Becker, who introduced the bill, said in an interview with Injustice Watch his colleagues aimed to balance between punishing people for participating in serious crimes and hitting defendants with sentences that are unreasonably long given their role in the offense.

Were going to show that theres consequences for people who commit serious offenses, but at the same time, we want to be smart about it and make sure were not locking people up for much longer than its helpful for society, Becker said.

The California Assembly Appropriations Committee found that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation could save at least $56 million annually in incarceration-related costs under the new law.

In 2019, Illinois State Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) introduced a bill that would have gone almost as far as Californias bill. The bill proposed applying felony murder only to people who commited a felony with another person and knew that the other participant would engage in conduct that would result in death or great bodily harm.

That bill died in committee, but it became the basis for changes to the felony murder rule included in the SAFE-T Act.

But by the time the law passed last January, the felony murder section had been pared down to focus only on third-party cases. Advocates said the changes happened as part of late-night negotiations with opponents of the large criminal justice reform package.

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Illinois State Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago), one of the co-sponsors of the SAFE-T Act, acknowledged that the law left people previously charged with felony murder behind. He said it is difficult to make reform retroactive because of fear mongering from law enforcement and other special interest groups.

John Rekowski, the former chief public defender in Madison County, Illinois, who helped push for the SAFE-T Act in the legislature, said supporters of the bill were aware that they had to make concessions so opponents of the bill would not have ammunition to stop it.

Legislating is about the art of the possible, Rekowski said.

I just want to come home

Peters said there are no current plans to make the felony murder changes retroactive or to broaden the reform to include more people.

If the law had been made retroactive, then Tevin Louis might have been given a chance to be resentenced for his 2012 murder conviction. Instead, hes hoping that the governor grants him freedom after eventually deciding on the clemency petition that Louis filed in 2019

If yall changed the rule and still got me sitting here and dont want to give me an opportunity or at least take off some of these years, youre contradicting everything, said Louis, referring to state lawmakers.

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On July 7, 2012, Louis and his best friend, Marquise Sampson, both 19 years old, robbed a gyros shop on the South Side of Chicago. Chicago police officer Antonio Dicarlo ran after Sampson and shot him multiple times as the assailants fled the crime scene, according to news reports and Louis account. News outlets reported that the officer claimed Sampson pointed a gun at him.

Louis was charged with armed robbery and his friends murder under the felony murder rule and sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Louis said he thinks that its unjust for him to be held responsible for the actions of the cop who killed Sampson.

I feel like a sacrificial lamb, Louis said. I feel like my head was chopped off, and I was served on a platter.

Hes already making plans for what hell do with his freedom, even without the guarantee that his sentence will be reduced or commuted. During his time in prison, Louis has become passionate about fitness and nutrition and wants to open a gym to help young people stay off the streets.

Berry, who is now 40, also has young people whom he wants to support. After spending half his life in prison under a felony murder conviction, hes now a grandfather of four.

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Berry said a reprieve from his life sentence would help him one day realize his dream of working with community organizations and grassroots campaigns to push for criminal justice reform and help deter the youth, including young people in his family, from getting in trouble with the law.

I just want to come home and live a viable life and help my grandchildren, so they dont go down the same path I did, Berry said.

This article was produced in partnership with Report for America. Emily Hoerner, Emanuella Evans, and Olivia Louthen contributed research.
A 19-year-old Fresno man is heading to prison for three years for selling oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a Bullard High School student.

Fabian Garcia-Palacio was sentenced in federal court on Friday for illegally distributing fentanyl to a minor, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Court records show that in March of last year, Garcia-Palacio sold the fake oxycodone to a student at Bullard High School. That student used one pill and overdosed. The student survived after receiving life-saving medical treatment.

While investigating the overdose, investigators searched Garcia-Palacios residence and found additional fentanyl pills.

He was charged with distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years of age, and pleaded guilty in May.

The case was investigated as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, or SOS, a program started by the Justice Department in 2018 to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids and identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. The program is being used in the Eastern District of California, which includes Fresno,, and nine other federal districts.

Earlier this month, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp joined prosecutors from around the state in issuing a warning about the dangers of fentanyl and calling for stronger punishments for dealers.

Smittcamp said law enforcement officials seized about 5,000 fentanyl pills in 2020. Last year, she added, that number surged to 25,000 pills.

Fentanyl is particularly dangerous because its often disguised as Percocet or other prescription drugs, and even tiny amounts can be deadly. Fentanyl-related deaths rose in Fresno County from two in 2018 to nearly 40 in 2021, Smittcamp said.
FALL RIVER  Keith Hovan is out of a job, at least as far as Southcoast Health is concerned.

The parent company of Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham made it official on Friday in an email to its employees.

Hovan  who was hired in 2008 as president and CEO of the non-profit hospital group  took a leave of absence last November after Rochester police responded to a domestic disturbance complaint at his and his wifes house.

We wish to inform you that the Board of Trustees has determined it is in the best interest of Southcoast Health for Keith Hovan not to return as the President and CEO of Southcoast Health. We thank Mr. Hovan for his past service, the email to employees stated.

Hovan, 52, had been cited for domestic assault and battery, a charge which was dismissed in December after a bench trial in Wareham District Court in which his wife refused to testify against him.

AG involved: New Bedford seeks help in former deputy fire chief's possible disability insurance fraud

Police said his wife the night of the incident had what appeared to be a minor injury to her face that did not require medical attention. Hovan, they said, had a minor abrasion to his arm.

Hovan was also issued a summons for 83 counts of illegal possession of high-capacity gun magazines and had his gun license revoked.

Police said they also found a variety of more than 40 firearms in a room in the house, all of which were removed.

What is it like there?: Ex-mayor Jasiel Correia may be headed to prison in New Hampshire.

Hovan at the time described himself as a gun collector, police said.

Dr. Rayford Kruger, a surgeon who has been affiliated with Southcoast Health for more than 30 years, will continue to serve as acting president and chief executive, Southcoast Health said.

Its not clear how close Southcoast Health is to finding a new, permanent replacement for Hovan.

No comment, was the email response from public relations firm Soloman McCown and Cence, when asked if a job search for a new CEO has been underway and how much longer it will take before a qualified candidate is hired.

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Shakeup at the FRPD: Fall River police chief fires patrol officer who admitted to filing false reports

The PR company also declined to comment regarding a pension to which Hovan may be entitled.

A call left with the Plymouth County district attorneys office regarding the status of the firearms-related charges against Hovan was not immediately returned.

Gun charges: No hearing yet whether Southcoast Health President-CEO Keith Hovan to face 83 ammo charges

Dr. Kruger was quoted in a November Herald News story a week after St. Lukes Hospital was officially recognized by the states Department of Public Health as a Level II Adult Trauma Center.

Its a critical achievement for our entire region, which Kruger said also includes Rhode Island border towns like Tiverton.

 With reports from Frank Mulligan

Charles Winokoor may be reached at cwinokoor@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Southcoast Health hospital group fires CEO/president Keith Hovan
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Though the number of COVID-19 infections in Brevard County remain significantly high, and hospital ICU bed availability remains low, case rates on the Space Coast continue to trend downwards, according to data released by Florida Department of Health Friday.

According to the data, Brevard County saw a 22 percentage point decrease in COVID-19 cases since the week prior, however infection rates are still very high. From Jan. 21 to Jan. 27, the Space Coast had 1001.8 cases per 100,000 population; which means that there were 6,123 people infected with COVID-19 during that time. The new case positivity rate went down this past week to 27% from 30.2% a week earlier.

Based on CDC transmission guidelines, these rates make Brevard County a community of high transmission. A community of high transmission is one that has over 100 cases per 100,000 population and a case positivity rate of over 10%.

COVID-19 vaccine tracker: How many Brevard County residents are fully vaccinated?

Long COVID: Why aren't my symptoms going away? Why did they come back? Am I a long-hauler?

To be a community of low transmission, Brevard County would need to have a new case positivity rate below 5% and have less than 10 cases per 100,000. A rate the Space Coast almost achieved the week of Nov. 12, before omicron's rapid nationwide spread, when there were 37.1 cases per 100,000 population and a new case positivity rate of 2.4%.

Despite the high infection rate, Brevard County's vaccination rate has seen no change for three weeks and only 69% of the eligible population  those ages five and older have been vaccinated as of Jan. 27.

John Davis, community health nursing director at FDOH-Brevard, emphasized that vaccinations are one of the main tools residents can use to avoid hospitalization.

During the first few weeks of omicron's spread, Space Coast hospitals didn't see an increase in hospitalizations because it takes two weeks for the deaths and hospitalization rates to follow spikes and ebbs in case rates. However, in January 2022 hospitals saw an increase in the COVID-19 hospitalizations.

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Now, though inpatient hospitalizations decreased by 12% statewide, according to Davis, hospitals countywide are seeing an increase in COVID-19 ICU patients.

Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services showed that Parrish Medical Center had 33% of its ICU beds available as of Jan. 24. And at Health Firsts four hospitals, Holmes Regional Medical Center had 10.29% of its ICU beds available; Palm Bay Hospital had 0% of its ICU beds available; Viera Hospital had 5% of its ICU beds available; and Cape Canaveral had 8.33% of its ICU beds available as of Jan. 24.

According to Natalie Sellers, Parrish Medical Center spokesperson, there were a total of 437 COVID-19 patients between Jan. 1 and Jan. 27 at the hospital. In a social media post, Health First reported that it had 176 COVID-19 patients as of Jan. 25.

Despite the increase in hospitalizations and case rates due to the highly-contagious omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, the death rate has not reached last summers rates.

Based on provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 10 COVID-19 related deaths from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22. Since Jan. 2020 there have been 1,759 COVID-19 related deaths in Brevard County.

Statewide, COVID-19 cases also remain at record highs. From Jan. 21 to Jan. 27, there were 904.3 cases per 100,000 and a new case positivity rate of 23.5%, according to FDOH data.

According to FDOH, of the eligible population in Florida, age group vaccination rates across the state are:

Ages 5-11, 20% vaccinated

Ages 12-19, 60% vaccinated.

Ages 20-29, 62% vaccinated.

Ages 30-39, 71% vaccinated.

Ages 40-49, 79% vaccinated.

Ages 50-59, 83% vaccinated.

Ages 60-64, 90% vaccinated.

Ages 65+, 92% vaccinated.

Nationwide, there have been a total of 73,512,366 COVID-19 cases and 876,632 COVID-19 related deaths since the start of the pandemic according to CDC data. A total of 63.7% of eligible Americans have been vaccinated as of Jan. 28.

Rockledge COVID testing site to close: COVID-19 testing site will close following decrease in testing demands

Where to get tested:

The following Brevard County Emergency Management Office-supported sites are available for COVID-19 testing.

Florida Department of Health-Brevard, 2555 Judge Fran Jamison Way, Viera; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. This is a walk-up site. Preregister at nomihealth.com.

Parrish Medical Center, 951 N. Washington Ave., Titusville; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday, This is a drive-thru site. No appointments are required.

West Melbourne Community Park, 3000 Minton Road, West Melbourne (use Fell Road entrance to the park); 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. This is a walk-up site, with preregistration recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Preregister at patientportalfl.com.

Testing also is available to established or new Omni Healthcare patients at its offices in Brevard County. To book an appointment, patients can call their Omni doctor's office.

Various other urgent-care centers, private physicians' offices and pharmacies also provide COVID-19 tests, and some retailers sell in-home test kits. Additionally, the website www.211Brevard.org has a list of sites offering testing. Some of those sites require reservations, while others allow walk-ins.

Where to get vaccinated:

The Florida Department of Health is offering COVID-19 vaccines at three sites.

Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Viera clinic, 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Residents also can get vaccinated at Omni Healthcare's offices, as well as at its walk-in vaccination clinic located in Suite 303 on the third floor of 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. in Melbourne, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Vaccinations also are available from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 2C of Omni's 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex

Walk-ins are accepted. But appointments can be made by calling 321-802-5515 or by emailing the request and including a name and phone number to COVID@OMNIhealthcare.com.

COVID-19 vaccines also are available at pharmacies at various local CVS, Publix, Sams Club, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie stores, as well as some urgent-care centers and physician offices. Check the individual site for appointment requirements and vaccine availability.

Site closed: COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment operation in Rockledge shuts down for now

Monoclonal antibody treatments:

Though the Brevard County monoclonal antibody site in Rockledge paused its distribution of the treatment on Tuesday after the Food and Drug Administration removed its authorization, OMNI Healthcare will continue to administer the monoclonal antibody treatment sotrovimab to patients dependent on the weekly allocation that OMNI Healthcare receives from the state of Florida.

Those interested in receiving the treatment can check whether supply is available that week on the website omnihealthcare.com and at covid19testbrevard.com. However, because of the nationwide shortage, eligibility is limited to patients who are unvaccinated and meet CDC guidelines. Treatment will be administered at OMNI's offices on 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. Suite 303 in Melbourne from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and on 845 Century Medical Dr. Suite B in Titusville from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Amira Sweilem is the data reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Sweilem at 386-406-5648 or asweilem@floridatoday.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID in Brevard: Coronavirus infection rates high, trending downward
A state trooper who left his job over a vaccine mandate, telling Washington state governor Jay Inslee to "kiss my ass", has died of Covid.

Robert LeMay, 51, was fired in October over his refusal to get the jab and filmed a video of himself hitting out at Mr Inslee.

In the video he says: "This is my final sign-off. After 22 years of serving the citizens of the state of Washington, I'm being asked to leave because I am dirty.

"This is the last time you'll hear me in a state patrol car. And Jay Inslee can kiss my ass."

On Friday Washington State Patrol Chief John R Batiste released a statement saying the former trooper had died.

Chief Batiste wrote: "I am deeply saddened over the news that our former friend and colleague Trooper Robert LaMay has passed away. This agency's prayers and remembrances are with his family and loved ones. Rob served honorably for over two decades and we were disappointed to see him leave the agency this past October. His service to this state and agency will be long remembered and appreciated.

"Let us now remember our old friend, support his family and loved ones, give thanks for his service, and resolve to meet the challenges ahead with continuing duty, dignity and respect."

Last year it was reported that Covid had become the single biggest cause of death for police and law enforcement officers across the US, even as associations representing them fought against vaccine mandates.

CBS News reported that nearly two dozen police professionals died from Covid in just one month  October 2021  while a total of 301 of the 458 police officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were lost to Covid, according to the New York Times.

This made last year the deadliest for police officers in the US in more than 90 years and represented a 55 per cent increase on the previous year, the paper said. It is thought that at least 460 law enforcement officers in the US have died of Covid since the pandemic began.
Steve Schapiro

Target Presse Agentur Gmbh/Getty Steve Schapiro

Photojournalist Steve Schapiro, whose work ranged from documenting the civil rights movement to taking celebrity portraits, has died. He was 87.

Schapiro died at his Chicago home of pancreatic cancer on Jan. 15, his wife, Maura Smith, told The New York Times.

"We have lost a giant of 20th-century photography, and Schapiro's contributions are immeasurable," Bob Ahern, director of archive photography for Getty Images, told CNN. "His talent defied genres, and he brought a compassionate and informed eye to events that decades later are still shaping our lives and our news today."

While working as a freelance photographer in the 1960s, Schapiro captured key moments in the American Civil Rights Movement, including the March on Washington in 1963 and the marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the state capital, in 1965, the Times reported.

Among the activists and leaders he photographed during this time were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., writer James Baldwin and Rep. John Lewis.

"He was important to the movement," filmmaker Ava DuVernay wrote on Twitter following news of the photojournalist's death. "His images moved minds during a crucial time."

RELATED: Corky Lee, Iconic Asian American Photographer, Dies of COVID at 73

In the early 1970s, when the magazines he had worked for folded or scaled back publication, Schapiro moved to Los Angeles, focusing on celebrity portraits, per the Times.

"I enjoy waiting for that moment when I sense something about someone," the late photographer said of his style during a 2017 interview with friend and gallery owner David Fahey, according to the newspaper.

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mia-farrow-cover.jpg

PEOPLE's inaugural issue, which hit newsstands on March 4, 1974

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In addition to shooting album covers for Barbra Streisand and David Bowie, he did still photography for a number of movies, including The Godfather and Taxi Driver, according to CNN.

He also shot the cover for the first-ever issue of PEOPLE, which hit newsstands on March 4, 1974, and featured a photograph of Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. (At the time, the magazine cost 35 cents.)

"Steve Schapiro was one of my favorite photographers," Streisand wrote on Twitter. "He followed me everywhere  London, Africa, on sets, off sets. He shall be missed, but he's left us with [a] great legacy of wonderful work."

RELATED: Rolling Stone Photographer Baron Wolman, Known for Iconic Images, Dies at 83 After Battling ALS

Schapiro remained active in the final years of his life, taking photos of the Black Lives Matter movement and photographing a demonstration against the death penalty, per the Times.

Schapiro is survived by his wife Maura; sons Theophilus Donoghue and Adam; daughters Elle Harvey and Taylor; and four grandchildren, according to the newspaper.

"It's rare to find photographers that can make photographs across so many genres and with such ease," Ahern told CNN. "But Steve's camera intersected with so many pivotal points in history and he did it all."
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan Vice President William Lai wrapped up his visit to the United States and Honduras with a virtual meeting with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a further show of support from Washington for the Chinese-claimed island.

Lai went to Honduras this week for the inauguration of its president, seeking to shore up shaky ties with one of Taiwan's last remaining diplomatic allies.

Only 14 countries maintain official ties with Taiwan, viewed by Beijing as Chinese territory with no right to the trappings of a state.

Stopping off in San Francisco on Friday on his way back to Taiwan, Lai said he had spoken virtually with Pelosi, one of the ruling Democratic Party's most high-profile politicians.

"I was pleased to meet with @SpeakerPelosi, a champion of human rights and true friend to Taiwan. We are committed to working together to strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan partnership," Lai tweeted, sharing a picture of the video call, also attended by the de facto Taiwanese ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim.

Lai briefly talked with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Honduras on Thursday https://www.reuters.com/world/us-taiwanese-vice-presidents-speak-rare-encounter-honduras-2022-01-28, a rare encounter that was highly symbolic and provoked anger in Beijing at a time of simmering tension with Washington.

The United States has no formal relations with Taiwan, but is its most important international backer and arms supplier.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a statement on Sunday that China firmly opposes any form of official exchange between the United States and Taiwan, and has lodged a "solemn representation" with the United States over Lai's virtual meetings with U.S. lawmakers.

"We urge the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, immediately stop the erroneous acts of having official exchanges with Taiwan, avoid sending any wrong signal to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, and refrain from further undermining China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

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Transiting Los Angeles on his way to Honduras, Lai also spoke virtually with over a dozen members of the U.S. Congress.

Lai is a potential contender to be president in Taiwan's next election in 2024.

Taiwan has been heartened by the continued U.S. support offered by the Biden administration, which has repeatedly talked of its "rock-solid" commitment to the democratically governed island.

That has strained already poor Sino-U.S. relations.

China and the United States could end up in a military conflict if the United States encourages Taiwan's independence, Beijing's ambassador https://www.reuters.com/world/china/support-taiwan-independence-could-spark-us-military-conflict-with-china-chinese-2022-01-28 to Washington said in a U.S. radio interview broadcast on Friday.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, additional reporting by Emily Chow in Beijing; Editing by Stephen Coates and Barbara Lewis)
Redistricting by state legislatures is always a nest of insider politics.

The legislative majority always controls who gets into the rooms where the deals are cut. The real work is hidden from all others. Their lawyers especially clamp down on who speaks publicly outside the private rooms.

Tennessees Republican-dominated legislature made clear Monday night that this year was special. By a strict party-line vote, they put their full stamp of proud approval on a new redistricting scheme. How ugly is their work-product?

In Davidson County, it corrals Black and brown voting precincts off into three other congressional districts, which of course are Republican. In less than 24 hours, the gambit claimed an intended victim: Veteran Congressman Jim Cooper, a Democrat, announced he will not run again.

Members of the GOP supermajority congratulated themselves on these dubious accomplishments. Most of them, after dutifully pushing their green Yes buttons, just left the building without much comment. They had done as they were told.

The GOP bosses, eager this year to pick up more Republican votes especially in Congress, are mightily pleased with their handiwork  Gerrymandering 2022  though none of them dare call it that. They never explain, thinking they dont have to, and largely getting away with it. Republican audacity lives comfortably today in Tennessee.

Redistrict: All eyes are on redistricting in Tennessee as GOP goes against a national current | Plazas

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Republicans crossed a line

What happens next is important, and with redistricting Tennessee history is particularly relevant.

Before 1962, federal courts stayed out of state legislatures redistricting decisions. Judges deemed them political and beneath the purview of federal courts.

Tennessee House Republicans have proposed a redistricting plan that would split Davidson County and Nashville into three districts.

But then came the landmark Baker v. Carr case (brought by Tennessee cities, in fact) leading to the high courts one person, one vote doctrine: Redistricting no longer would have stopped at the legislatures door if citizens were handed unconstitutionally unfair districts.

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State legislators would no longer be the final arbiters of fair districting if partisan decisions could be shown to have injured the voting power of minority citizens.

This latest insider deal-making by Republican in Tennessee  especially the slicing up of the Fifth Congressional District, shifting its parts into three largely-rural Republican districts  deserves a more balanced test.

The standard defense of the incumbent gerrymanderers is always the same: The other party does it to us when they have the chance! That, of course, is no defense at all. Not this time. This time Republicans crossed a line.

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'It's going to be bedlam,' says Baker v. Carr attorney

For perspective, I spoke with the Nashville lawyer Harris Gilbert, who was on the legal team that took Baker v. Carr to the Supreme Court in 1961. I asked him what he thought of these choices by the GOP supermajority in Tennessee.

Five attorneys for a group of citizens seeking reapportionment of the Tennessee Legislature work over law books and briefs before their federal court hearing in May of 1962. They are, left to right, Harris Gilbert of Nashville, Hobart Atkins of Knoxville, Z.T. Osborn Jr. of Nashville, Walter Chandler of Memphis and C.R. McClain of Knoxville.

This is a wild gerrymandering, he told me, with no hesitation. I havent seen any reason to break apart Davidson County. I dont understand why the Republican legislators needed to do it. There have been slicing-up operations like this in some other states, but I havent seen any reason why its necessary or even slightly necessary to shift these people in Nashville. Its going to be bedlam and there will not be very good relationships in those other districts. Its just using Democratic-voting areas as feeding grounds for a political party.

Gilbert suggests that peeling away Black and brown voting precincts into rural white-majority districts will dilute the voting power of those citizens and will leave minority populations without political force. I asked if he believes this latest scheme is ripe for a court challenge, and he replied Yes, I do.

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Such challenges are underway now in other states. A lawsuit of this type was recently filed by citizens in Kentucky. The Ohio Supreme Court has struck down a new congressional district map, ruling that it violates that states constitution.

No longer is redistricting a harmless game of one political party scheming to one-up the other. Not this time. This time, the Republicans got greedy. This time its more serious: It seeks to neutralize Black and brown voters.

Tennessees GOP deemed their current supermajority, in our legislature and Tennessees tiny congressional delegation, were not enough. Cynically, they wanted more.

This may not end well for anybody, but it will surely not be over until the courts say it is.

Keel Hunt is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee Network and the author of three books on Tennessee politics and culture. Read more at www.KeelHunt.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Gerrymandering: Tennessee district maps will drag them back to court
DENTON, Texas (AP)  A Texas police officer fatally shot a knife-wielding man who was holding a woman hostage early Saturday, the police chief said.

Officers responded to reports of a man threatening to kill himself at an apartment complex courtyard in Denton, about 40 miles northwest of Dallas. They found the man holding the woman by the neck shortly after 1:30 a.m., Denton Police Chief Frank Dixon.

The hostage-taker would raise the knife up to the female, almost in a stabbing motion, several times," as officers tried to talk with the man, Dixon said.

At one point, as the knife was being raised, we had one officer fire one round from his patrol rifle striking the subject in his upper torso, Dixon said.

The woman was rescued uninjured and the man fell into a crouch, still holding the knife, then was shot with a stun gun, Dixon said.

The man was taken to a hospital where he died, Dixon said. No names were released, and the police chief said investigators were trying to determine the relationship between the man and the woman.

Dixon said the officer is on paid leave pending an investigation into the shooting by Texas Rangers and an internal investigation into whether department policies were properly followed, Dixon said.
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat

NAKHON PATHOM, Thailand (Reuters) -Business began unravelling for Thai pig farmer Jintana Jamjumrus two years ago, after dozens of her animals got feverish and died within days of a mysterious illness she suspected of being a viral disease with no known vaccine, African swine fever (ASF).

This month, officials identified the first case of ASF in Jintana's province of Nakhon Pathom, after years of saying it was not in Thailand, unleashing a political firestorm as pork prices hit an all-time high near which they may stay for months.

"There's no way they didn't know. Pigs died all over the country ... Why the cover-up?" Jintana, 75, asked about the deaths in previous years. "What can they do now? There's nothing left."

In parliament, an opposition lawmaker accused the government of a years-long cover-up, though a deputy agriculture minister denied this, saying authorities had successfully kept out the disease in previous years.

But small farmers, whose losses have driven 54% of them out of business in the past year, are sceptical, particularly as the viral disease, for which there is no vaccine, has killed hundreds of millions of pigs in Europe and Asia since 2018.

"I had to let the sick ones die and sell off the healthy ones," said Jintana. "My business was all gone."

Earlier warning would have saved their livelihoods, say the small farmers, and perhaps averted the pork shortage that drove retail prices in Bangkok to 215 baht ($6.47) per kg on Jan. 11, the highest daily average in a database stretching back to 2001.

The high prices led to a ban on exports of live animals until April, and consumer prices could stay high as production could take months to recover, putting further strain on rural communities already reeling from the hog losses.

Since the confirmation, Thailand has uncovered African swine fever in 22 areas of 13 provinces and culled more than 400 pigs, all on small farms, said Bunyagith Pinprasong, the director of the Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Services.

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Between 2019 and 2021, livestock authorities culled nearly 300,000 pigs deemed at high risk of African swine fever, though it was never detected in any samples from dead pigs, Bunyagith told Reuters.

Most pig deaths earlier were because of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), he said.

"We implemented strict and effective measures to prevent ASF, which is why it wasn't found before," he said. "We will control and curb its spread until a vaccine is developed."

LOWER PRODUCTION

By the time Thailand confirmed the first ASF outbreak this month, nearly 100,000 smallholders, or those rearing up to 50 pigs, had disappeared, leaving just 79,000, government figures on the livestock industry show.

Small farmers' herds were halved to 1 million pigs, accounting for the bulk of the loss in the national herd, which stands at 10.85 million, down 17% from last year's 13.1 million, the data shows.

Smallholders and small farms, or those with herds of between 51 and 500 animals, normally contibute about 30% of Thailand's pork production of about 19 million to 20 million pigs, about 18 million of which are consumed domestically and the rest exported.

"The current decrease in pigs is due to previous disease outbreaks, not because of African swine fever," said Bunyagith, adding that PRRS and classical swine fever were the most common diseases in Thai pigs, with vaccines available for both.

"But whether PRRS or ASF, there will be losses for smallholders without a good farm management system."

While small farms struggle, shares of Thailand's biggest food producer, Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl, jumped in January to their highest in nearly seven months, and shares of peer Thaifoods Group Pcl hit their highest since April.

Further shrinking of small farms' market share threatens longer-term implications for food prices, said Kevalin Wangpichayasuk of Kasikorn Research Center.

"Smallholders' gradual disappearance means fewer players and lower competition, which will have an impact on price," Kevalin told Reuters.

Bunyagith said rearing new animals to bridge the gap would take up to 10 months, so the government plans to offer smallholders loans and new piglets to help rebuild.

But farmers said they had lost faith in the government and doubted pig farming could still yield a livelihood, at least until a vaccine is found.

Jamnian Iangjiam, 62, said she gave up pig farming after two attempts to restart with new piglets saw them get sick too.

"I'm in debt because I spent my last savings on raising new pigs, and now I have nothing," said Jamnian, her pig pens empty since May. "I'm done."

($1=33.22 baht)

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Kay Johnson, Gavin Maguire and Clarence Fernandez)
Jonathan Jackson, a son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, announced Friday his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for the congressional seat being vacated when U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush retires at the end of his term.

I have been fighting for working people my entire life and am dedicated to social and economic change, said Jackson, a construction business owner in Chicagos Bronzeville neighborhood and a leader in his fathers Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. As a businessman, college professor and activist, I have been on the forefront of the struggle for civil and human rights.

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Jonathan Jackson, son of the Rev. Jessie Jackson, gestures while speaking at a ceremony in Gary declaring the day "Mayor Richard Hatcher Day" on Oct. 11, 2021. (Pioneer Press)

Jackson, 56, enters a crowded field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the redrawn 1st Congressional District, which stretches from the South Side and southwest suburbs down to nearly Kankakee, following Rushs announcement earlier this month that he would retire after 30 years in Congress.

He becomes the 12th candidate to file notice of seeking the Democratic nomination in the district, joining a field that includes Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd; state Sen. Jacqueline Collins; and Karin Norington-Reaves, the head of workforce development for Chicago and Cook County, who has received Rushs endorsement.

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Jackson said in a statement he would focus on job creation and expanding access to health care and day care.

It is time for increasing our focus on the economic issues that impact families and expanding economic opportunities, he said. We will spur a transformation that can bring justice and equity to our communities, creating safer environments where we can nurture our children to become tomorrows leaders.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his son Jonathan Jackson appear at the 30th annual Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day scholarship breakfast on Jan. 20, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Jackson said the street he lives on was moved one block out from the 1st District boundary under the states new congressional redistricting map. While members of Congress are not required to live in the district they represent, he said he plans to move into the district.

If elected, Jackson would become the second child of the Rev. Jackson and wife Jacqueline to be elected to Congress.

Eldest son Jesse Jackson Jr. served from 1995 to 2012 from the neighboring 2nd Congressional District. Under investigation for misuse of campaign funds, he resigned in November 2012 citing health problems. He pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud in February 2013 and was released from prison in March 2015.

Jonathan Jackson said a formal campaign kickoff announcement was planned for early February.

rap30@aol.com
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown on Friday said he met with President Joe Biden's three latest nominees for the Federal Reserve board, calling them qualified and urging fellow lawmakers to support them.

"There is no question that these nominees are qualified," Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement issued Friday. "In my meetings with them, they made clear that they understand how our economy works  and who makes it work."

Brown, who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said he met with Sarah Bloom Raskin, who Biden nominated for Fed vice chair of supervision, as well as Lisa Cook and Philip Jefferson, who were nominated to be Fed board governors.

The statement comes after some Republicans and business groups voiced criticisms about the Fed picks, signaling they may face a tough confirmation process in the closely divided Senate.

Pat Toomey, the top Republican on the Senate Banking committee, said Thursday he had concerns about the nominees, arguing they did not adequately reflect the nations geographic diversity, and taking particular aim at Raskin for her views on climate change risks.

And the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Thursday sent a rare letter to lawmakers raising concerns about Raskin and her calls for federal regulators to transition financing away from the fossil fuel industry.

White House spokesperson Michael Gwin said Thursday that Raskin would bring unprecedented experience to the job and had won the support of economic experts across the political spectrum.

Brown said Friday the three nominees are "well established" and respected in both the public and private sectors and would bring new perspectives on the "economic issues that matter most to Americans lives, like raising wages, increasing job opportunities, and bringing down prices."

If Biden's choices were confirmed, they would make the seven-member Fed Board the most diverse, by race and gender, it has ever been. The three nominees will have a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking committee next week on Feb. 3.

(Reporting by Jonnelle Marte and Ann Saphir; Editing by Diane Craft and Aurora Ellis)
A former Austin firefighter, whose sexual assault case ended in a mistrial in 2019, admitted to attempted sexual assault in exchange for probation in a plea deal Friday that the victim in the case called a "miscarriage of justice."

"This man has harmed me physically and emotionally," she said of Marcus Reed during a virtual court hearing in Travis County. "Not only did I suffer a physical attack unlike anything I've gone through in my life, but I have been going through years of emotional torture. ... The fact that you're getting away with almost no punishment is pretty sickening."

State District Judge Dayna Blazey decided Friday to honor the plea agreement between prosecutors and Reed, which called for four years of probation. During that time, the former Austin Fire Department lieutenant must complete sex offender evaluation, treatment and counseling, and he must register as a sex offender for the next 14 years. He also cannot have any contact with the victim or her family.

More: 2 years after mistrial, ex-Austin firefighter pleads guilty to downgraded assault charge

Reed's attorney, Todd Ward, did not return a phone call seeking comment Friday.

The American-Statesman does not name victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault without their permission. The woman previously testified against Reed in the 2019 trial, contending that Reed coerced her into sex by threatening to arrest her on drug charges if she did not cooperate.

She was driving on the Interstate 35 frontage road near St. Elmo Road in March 2017 when she got into an argument with another woman in the car. The other woman grabbed the keys out of the ignition, which left it blocking lanes on the road.

A short time later, two vehicles collided in the area, and Reed moved the woman out of harm's way, she testified.

For that brief moment, the woman said, "I thought he was a hero."

Reed, the woman told investigators, had her get in his truck to search for the passenger, but he instead drove her to a different location and assaulted her. He told her that "you're in a lot of trouble" and that she needed to help him relax, she testified.

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After performing oral sex, the woman said Reed became angry and raped her in his truck for five to 10 minutes. During the attack, she said Reed pressed a heavy object against her back, which she believed could have been a gun or a flashlight.

"I didn't think I had a choice," she said on the stand in 2019.

More: Ex-firefighter gets year in jail

Reed told a grand jury in December 2017 that he had responded to the woman's stalled car, but he never had sex with her. He argued that the semen found on her that matched his DNA profile was from a cup in his truck that he kept to urinate and that contained his semen because of a medical condition.

The charges prompted Reed to retire from the Fire Department after the agency had first moved to suspend him without pay.

In August 2019, a jury convicted Reed of aggravated perjury, a third-degree felony, and official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor, but jurors failed to agree on the sexual assault charge. The jury sentenced him to one year in jail.

The aggravated perjury charge stems from Reed's testimony at a 2017 grand jury proceeding. Prosecutors say he lied under oath when he said he had not attempted to contact the victim after the incident. Text messages and messages sent through another app show Reed did contact her, prosecutors said.

After the mistrial, then-District Attorney Margaret Moore said her office would retry the sexual assault case, but Moore later lost the Democratic primary to current District Attorney Jose Garza.

While Garza ran on a campaign of prosecuting sexual assault cases, he also pledged to offer alternatives to prosecution as needed.

"Our hearts go out to the victims and families involved in this case," the district attorney's office said in a statement. "The victims had to wait many years for justice, and they endured an entire trial, only to start again."

More: Ex-firefighters trial turns into credibility battle

Current prosecutors also downgraded Reed's original charge of indecency with a child to enticing a child, in connection with an unrelated allegation that he inappropriately kissed and touched the 13-year-old daughter of a woman with whom he had an affair. Enticing a child, a Class B misdemeanor, indicates only that Reed took the child from the custody of her parent.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ex-firefighter Marcus Reed gets probation for attempted sexual assault
Christopher M. Sammons, 28, of Westerville, was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday after sexually exploiting a five-year-old girl whom he was babysitting.

A Westerville man was sentenced Friday in federal court in Columbus to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting a five-year-old girl whom he was babysitting.

Christopher M. Sammons, 28, was convicted by a jury in June of four child exploitation crimes, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus.

Sammons abused the girl while babysitting her and had been scheduled to babysit on the day he had arranged to exchange sexually explicit videos with an undercover FBI agent, the release states.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Sammons' house before he was scheduled to start babysitting, preventing him from engaging in the planned pornographic exchange.

Sammons conduct is truly some of the worst of the worst, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said in the release. The defendant molested a 5-year-old child repeatedly and shared pornographic images of the child with others."

The investigation into Sammons' conduct began in early 2019 when an undercover FBI agent in Little Rock, Arkansas, received a message from Sammons in which he expressed sexual interest in children.

Sammons discussed the availability of child pornography with the agent, according to the release, and encouraged them to just make some homemade stuff."

Sammons told the agent that he had been sexually abusing the then-five-year-old girl and offered to share her next time if youre interested in a long-term thing," the release stated.

Sammons also sent the agent child pornography files and suggested that he and the agent should exchange videos of themselves sexually abusing minors.

Based on IP address information, the investigation was forwarded to the FBI Columbus office and a task force officer in Greater Columbus began communicating with Sammons. Sammons told the task force officer he had been sexually abusing the victim for a year.

The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney district offices nationwide, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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Monroe Trombly covers breaking and trending news.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville man sentenced to 25 years for sexually abusing 5-year-old
Brig. Gen. Jake S. Kwon, left, on behalf of President Joe Biden, and Maj. Timothy Paroz, salute the bust of President William McKinley at the annual wreath-laying ceremony Saturday honoring McKinley's birthday.

CANTON  Happy birthday William McKinley  this city remembers and the country hasn't forgotten.

It took just 15 minutes from beginning to end. Bagpiper Brian McElhinney opened the ceremony with a rendition of "Amazing Grace," and bugler Marty Maggart closed it with "Taps."

But it's the thought that counts.

More: Monday After: McKinley offered his nation's holiday thanks

More: Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum receives grant to promote vaccine confidence

"The entirety of his life showed immense dedication ...," remarked Army Reserve Chaplain Maj. Timothy P. Paroz.

To country; to service.

Between the musical beginning and end, a small parade of officials representing local, state and federal governments, and military groups, placed wreaths in front of a bust of the former president outside of the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

The annual event  which began at noon Saturday  honored the 179th birthday of McKinley.

Brig. Gen. Jake S. Kwon, left, on behalf of President Joe Biden, and Maj. Timothy Paroz, salute the bust of President William McKinley at the annual wreath-laying ceremony Saturday honoring the birthday of the 25th U.S. president.

The 25th president was born in Niles, but he rose to prominence as a Cantonian. A congressman, then Ohio governor, McKinley was elected to the White House in 1896; he was re-elected four years later, but was assassinated in September 1901.

Aside from the Library and Museum, which sit below the domed mausoleum that serves as his tomb, McKinley's name is used on things and places all over the area, to this day.

Maj. Marty Maggart with the 338th U.S. Army Reserve Command Band, plays "Taps" on Saturday at the annual wreath-laying ceremony honoring the birthday of President William McKinley.

Locally, the McKinley name is represented on a street, high school, room at the Civic Center, the home of the National First Ladies Library, nursing home, daycare center, title agency, a rifle and pistol club and aviation service company, to name a few.

A smattering of people braved the cold to attend the wreath-laying service, which included a cannon blast. Canton Mayor Tom Bernabei and state Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton) and Jennifer Kiko, on behalf of U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Lakeville), were among those who placed standing flower wreaths.

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The final wreath, made of white and red carnations, along with purple irises, was placed by Brig. Gen. Jake S. Kwon, commander of the 316th Sustainment Command.

Civil War reenactors fire a salute with their rifles Saturday at the annual wreath-laying ceremony honoring the birthday of President William McKinley.

That wreath included a small card from "The President." The notation indicates it was presented on behalf of President Joe Biden.

Such wreath-laying ceremonies on the birthdays of former presidents is a practice that began more than a half-century ago by then-President Lyndon Johnson.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: President William McKinley, Canton favorite son, born 179 years ago
Patient holding COVID-19 vaccination record card. Joan Slatkin/Education Images via Getty Images

A New York couple used fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to attend a Buffalo Bills game, authorities say.

Michael and Amber Naab were charged with one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree.

The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to CNN.

A New York couple was charged after they used fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to attend a football game earlier this month, according to authorities.

Amber Naab, 37, and Michael Naab, 34, were both charged with one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday. According to the district attorney's office, the couple showed the fake vaccine cards at Highmark Stadium for a Buffalo Bill's game on January 15, violating the establishment's vaccination policy.

Insider was unable to reach the Naabs for comment. Their lawyers did not immediately return Insider's request for comment Saturday.

It was the first case charged in the county under New York's new "Truth in Vaccination" law, the district attorney's office said. It was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul late last year and established the COVID-19 vaccination card as a "written instrument for purposes of the forgery statute."

"This legislation ensures that as New York opens up and many businesses choose to rely on checking vaccination status, the falsification of vaccination records will not be tolerated," Hochul's office said in December.

The couple, arrested on January 25, pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the district attorney told CNN.

Erie County District Attorney's Office (@DAErieCountyNY) January 26, 2022

At a press conference on Wednesday, District Attorney John Flynn said authorities questioned the couple during the third quarter of the game. Flynn said the couple was already "on the Buffalo Bills' radar" after it was reported they posted about using the phony vaccine cards on social media.

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"Allegedly there had been some social media activity in previous games," Flynn said at the press conference. "Someone saw it on social media and called the Buffalo Bills or called the health department and made an anonymous tip that these two individuals were allegedly posting that they had been gotten into Bills games prior using a vax card."

The couple will appear in court on February 22, Flynn said. They face a maximum of seven years in prison, if convicted, but Flynn said they would not serve such a lengthy sentence, WIVB reported.

"I readily admit this is not the crime of the century," he said, adding he didn't intend to make an example of the couple.

Two nurses in Long Island this week were also charged under the new legislation, accused of running a vaccine card scheme.

The sale of fake cards reportedly surged after President Joe Biden announced his intention to mandate vaccines last year, a measure which has since been struck down by the Supreme Court. Buyers have used messaging apps like Telegram to purchase them, Insider previously reported.

Read the original article on Insider
A pair of state budget amendments proposed by Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, would have a major impact on the Central Virginia Training Center property, a shuttered state-owned complex in Madison Heights that formerly served residents with disabilities.

Newman is pushing the amendments during the ongoing General Assembly in Richmond as part of SB30. One seeks $22 million to pay off remaining bonds the state owes on the CVTC property while the other pushes for $2.6 million to fund a proposed regional crisis receiving center pilot program for a portion of the training center grounds on Colony Road.

Newman lobbied against the closure of CVTC, which relocated its last remaining resident in spring 2020. Now that the property of more than 300 acres and roughly 90 buildings is shut down, Newman said in a phone interview he wants to see the remaining debt paid off to free up the property for future uses.

I do think the state has an obligation to defease the bonds because, if we dont, it could be a blighted property for 20 years, and Im not OK with that, Newman said.

The defeasance of bonds wording in the budget amendment refers to a financing strategy for repaying loans. Newman, who serves on the Senates Finance and Appropriations Committee, said the state has bonds on several newer buildings at CVTC.

Its a lot of money still sitting on those bonds, Newman said.

Last year, Newman helped secure about $4 million for the effort and just more than $18 million remains, so he hopes to get that secured this year.

This is a year where the state has a reasonable amount of one-time money, Newman said, adding its a good use for such spending that doesnt involve recurring money in future years. I think its the responsible thing to do.

Amherst County and Lynchburg-area officials and business leaders are working to position the CVTC site, the countys one-time largest employer that provided more than 1,000 jobs in its heyday, for future redevelopment.

Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, said in an interview he is supportive of the state putting more money toward paying off the remaining loans.

I think its the states obligation to get that resolved so that property can be put back into use for the Amherst County and Region 2000 area, Peake said. Weve got to make that property productive.

Newman said demolition and asbestos abatement is needed for some buildings on site.

My thinking is the property value is such so that a new company owner can take care of that, Newman said. My plan is to get the [remaining bonds] retired.

Newman said he cant envision a state use of the property, so he would like to see Amherst County officials engage in a planning process to find the most suitable way forward for the site. He added he believes it is well-positioned for eventual private sector use.

I do not believe there is a known state interest in the property, Newman said. So my expectation is if we can defease the bonds and determine the sale price can cover the demolition and asbestos removal, I think I would be pushing for surplus property designation.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services still maintains the CVTC campus as needed and will continue to do so after it is declared surplus property, prior to any transfer or sale, according to Lauren Cunningham, a DBHDS spokesperson. Any transfer or sale would be managed by the Virginia Department of General Services, Cunningham said.

Meanwhile, Newmans budget amendment on the crisis receiving center at CVTC would direct DBHDS to contract for a two-year pilot program with a Community Services Board (CSB) for the purpose of developing and implementing a center serving adults in the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell and the city of Lynchburg.

The center would evaluate emergency custody orders (ECO) outside of the hospital emergency department. Newman said that would provide much-needed relief for Lynchburg-area law enforcement, which spends much time and resources dealing with ECOs.

The budget amendment Newman proposes directs the state to lease at a moderate price four of the more recently renovated buildings at CVTC to provide a location for the pilot program, which would provide residential crisis stabilization, substance abuse detoxification, and pre-admission for [ECOs], according to a summary of the bill.

The CSB would be authorized to use a total of 12 beds designed for both crisis stabilization and detoxification services and would be directed to contract with law enforcement agencies, if the measure passes.

The money allocated for the pilot project would pay for a program manager, clinical coordinator, physician or nurse practitioner, on-call physician, just more than two dozen mental health provider clinicians, 18 nursing positions, two peer counselors, an administrative assistant, a food services manager, three cooks and eight contracted law enforcement officers, according to the proposed budget amendments language.

I think thats a model that can work, Newman said of the envisioned center.

He said he hopes the measure can give the area a shot at getting out of the mess of law enforcement overwhelmed with handling ECOs and temporary detention orders. Newman said he feels the state currently has the worst TDO and ECO legislation in the country, explaining those cases are dumped on law enforcement and adds mental health sitter to duties of an already highly challenged profession.

Newman said the current system has to change.

This is incredibly bad, he said. Its the number one issue for our [Lynchburg-area] police and sheriffs.

Newman said he is working during the ongoing session to tackle the immediate problem, which also involves measures to pay law enforcement more money, and a long-term solution for the state to study the matter and find the most innovative best practice for a major adjustment moving forward.

Amherst County Sheriff E.W. Viar said in an interview he is fully on board with a regional crisis center setting up in a portion of CVTC and taking pressure off his department.

He said matters involving those in crisis with mental health issues often take up much time and resources, including pulling from security staff his office provides at the Amherst courthouse and overtime pay.

We have to sit there with them and we cant walk away, Viar said. We shouldnt have to sit at the hospital once we get them there. It shouldnt be up to local law enforcement. We cant just sit there eight and 10 hours. Its hard to get people to come in and do it anymore.

Viar said he is pleased with Newmans efforts to secure more pay for law enforcement and he thinks a regional crisis center would be a benefit to the region.

I think everybody in this area would be tickled to death, as far as police, Viar said.

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The Chinese community in Nigeria held a carnival-like celebration Thursday in Abuja to mark the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of Tiger.

The event, organized by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, witnessed a large turnout of Chinese citizens, Nigerian officials, and students.

The gathering was the first of a series of events to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1 this year.

The revelers, gathering at the China Cultural Center in the central business area of Abuja city, were enthralled by various Chinese art performances, including the traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances.

The joyous celebration was spiced up by local troupes and school art groups who performed various Nigerian dances, aside from the Chinese songs and dances at the event.

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun told Xinhua the celebration was to mark the beginning of good things, such as strength, braveness, and ambition.

Spring Festival has gained popularity in most cities in Nigeria due to the sense of anticipation and excitement shared by the Chinese community in the most populous African country. The festival is celebrated every year.

Spring Festival celebrations are emblematic of the cultural tradition and heritage as well as aesthetic aspirations of the Chinese nation, abounding in distinctive Chinese symbols of great emotional appeal.
With all the stressors that were under daily, wouldnt it be nice to get/give a gift that brings joy, especially this Valentines Day? Consider giving one that is easy to purchase and one that is remembered long after the holiday is over. It is the time once again for the Midlands Humane Society Annual Wag-A-Grams Valentines Day fundraiser.

It is so easy to arrange for a Wag-A-Gram for your spouse, your parent, your child, a friend, co-worker, girlfriend, or boyfriend. All you need to do is go to the Midlands Humane Society website, midlandshumanesociety.org or our Facebook page and find the appropriate link, click and the process is super simple. After following all the ordering steps, you will receive an email to confirm the order and where you will enter all the recipient details.

For just $45, we will make you the hero for this day of love!

You can even include an adorable plush stuffed dog toy when you add another $15 donation to your purchase. Imagine the smile on your loved ones face when an adorable Canine Cupid comes through the door delivering a frosted sugar cookie, long-stemmed rose, and personalized greeting card.

This Valentines Day fundraiser allows us to help the homeless or surrendered animals that show up as strays to Midlands. Remember, we make sure all animals are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped prior to going to the adoption floor. Not to mention, we provide compassionate care all the while the animal is housed at Midlands.

All Wag-A-Gram deliveries will be made from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 14. If you prefer to order your Wag-A-Gram in person, you can do so at our organization at 1020 Railroad Avenue, Council Bluffs. For those who have purchased a Wag-A-Gram in the past, they can attest that it was an incredibly unique gift that their loved ones remember the entire year and talk about often.

Its no secret that past recipients eagerly await their Doggy Delivery and Valentines Day goodies each year. These deliveries are the highlight and envy of the office. To receive one is a truly special experience and everyone will want to know, How did you arrange that? If you have a question about a delivery destination or the process, please let us know. It is the purchasers responsibility to ensure that a delivery can be made to the business, school, hospital, home, etc. where the gift is to be sent.

Do you own a business or know someone that does and are looking for an amazing Valentine gift for their staff to show your appreciation? Midlands will deliver an extra special Wag-A-Gram to local companies as a treat to the staff. For this fundraiser, Midlands will bring 2-3 puppies, kittens, or baby bunnies for your staff to interact with at a cost of $200 for 30 minutes of playtime. We would be happy to talk about these Company Wag-A-Grams in greater detail. Contact me more information at 712-396-2264 or knelson@midlandshumanesociety.org.

Midlands Pets of the Week are brought to you by Petco Love:

Scout is a 10-year-old, spayed female Lab mix. She is a good girl who would prefer a quiet home to relax in for her senior years. She can be a bit of an escape artist when outdoors but should do well with close supervision.

Elfie is a friendly 2-year-old young lady who is curious and enjoys exploring. She arrived at Midlands Humane Society as a stray so unfortunately, we dont any background on her, but she is friendly and affectionate.

Alexandria is a 5-year-old spayed female Domestic Shorthair who was surrendered to Midlands in late October. She is an independent and playful girl who needs a patient owner who can give her the space she needs when she asks for it, so we recommend older children in the home. She is front declawed, so will need to be an indoor kitty.

Brooks is a lovable guy who is 7 years old and ready to bring love and hugs into your life. He was surrendered to Midlands because he wasnt getting along with the other male dog in the house, so we do think he would do best with easy going female dog or as the only fur baby.

See all the adoptable pets at midlandshumanesociety.org/adopt.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest:

NO-NAME PLATES: A Senate panel greenlighted proposal to remove county names from Iowa license plates, sending Senate Study Bill 3045 to the full Transportation Committee.

The bill, which originated with the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association, would allow the Iowa Department of Transportation to issue plates without a county name.

Iowa is one of six states that puts county names on plates

With electronic titling and treasurers in contiguous counties being able to issues plates, removing the county names seems to be the next logical step, Sen. Waylon Brown, R-Osage, said.

A survey of sheriffs and deputies found that 77% supported keeping county names on license plates, but their lobbyist said it is a lower priority than requiring plates on the front and back of vehicles.

The DOT estimates removing county names could save $242,000 over a 10-year cycle.

Universal plates also would allow the DOT to send plates where needed when there are supply chain issues.

Lobbyists also suggested that license plates, as they now exist, may be replaced by more technologically advanced forms of identification.

If the county name is necessary for law enforcement or other purposes, then they should be added to all of the 62 specialty plates the DOT issues, Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, said.

HOUSING PERMITS: Housing permit numbers in Iowa showed gains in the most recent report from the Legislative Services Agency based on Census Bureau data, but they remain well below peaks before the 2007-08 recession.

The 12-month total of Iowa single-family housing permits peaked in January 2006 at 12,962 units.

During 2020 and the pandemic economic downturn, single-family units totals averaged 9,004. The latest 12-month single-family annual unit total through December 2021 is 10,198.

When multifamily housing is included, the most recent 12-month total is 14,278, down nearly 16% from January 2006.

However, the annual total of housing permits was nearly 14% higher in December 2021 compared to December 2020.

EDUCATION GRANTS: Thirty-eight Iowa employers and partner organizations were awarded $1.4 million in grants to help Iowans achieve postsecondary training and education.

Combined, the Employer Innovation Fund awards will boost workforce talent by helping 3,542 Iowans earn noncredit and for-credit credentials that will enable them to obtain or maintain high-demand jobs, Gov. Kim Reynolds said.

The grants can be used to cover the cost of training and education supplies, as well as to provide services addressing other barriers that some Iowans face when trying to obtain skilled training.

Awards ranged from $1,000 to $50,000.

Recipients are listed on the futurereadyiowa.gov website.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: Legislation to prohibit government from treating religious conduct more restrictively than secular conduct of comparable risk moved forward Thursday in a House Judiciary subcommittee.

Proponents said House Study Bill 593 was not in response to any action by Iowa government toward houses of worship and religious activities.

Rather they were motivated by examples of church gatherings being restricted or prohibited during the coronavirus pandemic while restaurants, casinos and retail businesses remained open.

There was a consensus of support for equal treatment of houses of worship with similarly situated businesses.

However, some speakers warned the bill went too far in that it would allow people to decide for themselves which laws they did not have to follow because a law conflicts with their religious beliefs.

This bill is bad for everyone, but it significantly harms Iowans who disproportionately experience discrimination, Laura Hessburg of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence said in written comments. The negative impact extends well beyond Iowas anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ residents.

Lance Kinzer of the First Amendment Partnership said the bill would reduce litigation and conflict.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court issued rulings clarifying state restrictions on religious gatherings during the pandemic, many churches had to go to court when the standard should have been clear to begin with, Kinzer said.

All the bill does, he said, is assure that Iowans with religious freedom issues get the same treatment as citizens in most other states.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS: A proposal to prohibit state and local government from enforcing a presidential executive order if the Iowa attorney general determined it was unconstitutional won support in a House State Government subcommittee Thursday.

Under House File 2012, the Legislative Council made up of lawmakers could refer an executive order to the attorney general and governor for review.

The attorney general would be required to determine if the order is constitutional and whether Iowa should seek an exemption or a ruling on its constitutionality. If it restricts an Iowans rights, it could not be enforced.

Rather than the governor and attorney general determining and orders constitutionality, Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, said it should be left for a court to rule.

Rep. Jon Jacobsen, R-Council Bluffs, said awaiting a Supreme Court decision could be time-consuming and costly.

INMATE DIES: Kenneth Louis Howell Jr., 59, died due to complications related to COVID-19 and other preexisting medical conditions Jan. 23 at the Clarinda Regional Health Center, the Iowa Department of Corrections announced.

An autopsy will be completed by the State Medical Examiner.

Howell began serving a 35-year maximum sentence for prohibited acts  manufacture, delivery, possession  out of Lee County on Oct. 16, 2018.
The man who shepherded the creation of the first American Sign Language translation of the Bible through most of its phases has gone on to be with his shepherd.

Duane King, who founded Deaf Missions in 1981 and served as its director until 2007, died Tuesday.

King wanted to eliminate anything that might keep people from knowing Jesus as their savior, according to his obituary.

His passion resonated with several people who posted comments on Deaf Missions Facebook page since his death.

Duane King was an amazing man of God, wrote JoAnn Grace. He will be missed! He introduced Christ to many deaf people around the world through Deaf Missions. He taught me sign language when I was a student at Nebraska Christian College ... Duane is now in the presence of Jesus, who I am sure has greeted him with the words, well done, my good and faithful servant!

He was one incredible visionary servant for and among the deaf! wrote Diane Frederickson ... Prayers for all the Deaf Mission family and his family!

The decision to translate the Bibles 31,373 verses into American Sign Language was made during a road trip, King said during an interview in 2004. He and former volunteer Gayle McCoy were driving to Illinois when McCoy challenged him to do it.

They had talked about doing a Bible translation for years; so I said, When are you going to start doing it?, and he said, When we get someone like you to get it moving, McCoy said.

They recruited John Joyce of Joyce Media to shoot the signing for them, and Lou Fant signed for the first pilot recording. The late Dr. Harold Noe, then associate director of Deaf Missions and pastor of Christs Church for the Deaf, became translation director and continued in that role until the New Testament was completed in 2004.

When Joyce Media went broke, Deaf Missions partnered with KMTV, which made a 20-year commitment to the project. The Omaha television station, then owned by the May family of Shenandoah, donated thousands of dollars and hours of manpower to the translation, King said.

When KMTV was sold in 1987, the new owners decided not to keep the Mays commitment to Deaf Missions. Deaf Missions then purchased its own video equipment and began recording in its own studio. Eventually, the group had the equipment to transfer recordings from a digital master to the computer, then to another machine to make DVDs, according to Joel Burkum, who was with the project at its inception and later became video producer.

King turned the reins over to former Associate Director Chad Entinger in November 2007. Deaf Missions completed translation of the Bible into ASL in 2021.

King was born and raised in Skidmore, Missouri and attended Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk, Nebraska. He served as a pastor in Anthon, Norfolk (Nebraska) and Griswold, then in Council Bluffs as the pastor of Christs Church for the Deaf.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Christian Church, 20794 Highway 92, Council Bluffs. The service will be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/firstchristiancb.

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Using "deepfake" technology in China may require identity verification in future: cyberspace regulator

Xinhua) 09:02, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Users of AI-generated synthetic media, or "deepfake" technologies, may be required to verify their identities to gain access to relevant services in the future, China's cyberspace regulator said on Friday.

The Cyberspace Administration of China on Friday released a draft regulation regarding the management of technologies that generate or manipulate text, images, audio or video using the artificial intelligence technique of deep learning, such as face swap and image enhancement.

According to the draft regulation, providers of deepfake technology services must verify the true identity of their users before granting them access to relevant technologies or providing them with deepfake products.

Deepfakes that alter information in the source material should be clearly labeled as artificially manipulated media products, per the draft regulation. It would also require deepfake service providers to enable the public to file complaints and handle them efficiently, should the products give rise to rumors or disputes.

The administration is currently soliciting public opinions on the draft regulation.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
An archaeological survey of a royal mausoleum of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 B.C.-256 B.C.) has been launched in central China's Henan Province, the cultural relics and archaeology research institute of Luoyang confirmed on Thursday.



The mausoleum is located in Jincun Village in the city of Luoyang, covering an area of about one square km.

The archaeological survey, carried out by the cultural relics and archaeology research institute of Luoyang, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai University and other relevant local organs, is scheduled to comprise three phases and last for five years.

"Detailed exploration and modern geophysical exploration technologies will be utilized to probe into the mausoleum area, but this will not involve the kings' tombs," said Yan Hui, an official with the cultural relics and archaeology research institute of Luoyang.

Archaeologists said that many tombs of Eastern Zhou dukes have previously been found in the country, but none of the tombs of the kings of the dynasty, of the highest grade, have been discovered in its entirety so far.

Archaeologists also believe that the survey is of great significance in tracing cultural relics that have gone missing from the mausoleum.

From 1928 to 1932, thousands of cultural relics from the mausoleum in Jincun, such as objects made of gold, silver, bronze and jade, were stolen by tomb raiders. The relics have been found in dozens of cities in more than 10 countries.

"The survey can provide reliable evidence for the repatriation of those lost cultural relics from Jincun," said Zhao Xiaojun, head of the cultural relics and archaeology research institute of Luoyang.
At first it was described as a working visit, but when Algerias President Abdelmedjid Tebboune landed in Cairo to meet his counterpart General Sisi, the trip was described as a private and friendship visit, from which he actually returned empty handed.

Algerian commentators said the visit was without an invitation and was at the request of Tebboune who is so desperate for a diplomatic victory after a series of setbacks on all fronts.

Garnering support for holding the Arab League summit was on top of Tebbounes agenda. But Egypt showed little enthusiasm, echoing the view of the Arab league and key states in the Gulf who all supported the adjournment of the Arab summit sine die.

Algeria was hoping to use the Arab league summit to serve its pro-Separatist propaganda and punch above its weight by suggesting mediation between Palestinian factions, a diplomatic area which heavyweight Egypt will not relinquish to Algeria that easy.

Algeria, which has previously rejected any mediation in the conflict it has started with Morocco, is also perceived in Egypt as an unreliable mediator in the Nile dam conflict with Ethiopia.

Egyptian official and unofficial media have expressed on multiple occasions the rejection of the Sisi regime of Algerias mediation, because it is perceived as incompetent and biased.

Egypt, a state that has normal diplomatic ties with Israel, is also unwilling to follow Algerias antisemitic stands and its positions against Arab states that have established ties with Israel.

Egypt, a Western ally, is also following with great concern Algerias close ties with Iran and its Hezbollah proxies.

On the eve of the visit, media loyal to the military junta attacked the Egyptian diplomacy after Egypts ambassador to Rabat said Cairo backs Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara territory and supports the autonomy plan.

Blinded by a hostility to Moroccan integrity, the Algerian diplomacy has accumulated a series of diplomatic setbacks on the African, Arab and in the UN. The more Algerias diplomacy tries to corner Morocco, the more they entrench their own Isolation in the Arab region.

Following Tebbounes visit, the GCC reaffirmed its stands in support of Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara region, showing once more the scale of Algerias isolation within the Arab league.
The Miss Nebraska Scholarship Organization and Hirschfelds Prom Shoppe will host the Crowns and Gowns 2022 event Feb. 3-6.

On Feb. 5, candidates for Miss Nebraska, Miss Nebraskas Outstanding Teen and competitions in surrounding states descend on North Platte for a weekend of competition, workshops, vendors, photo shoots and gown shopping.

Now in its eighth year, Crowns and Gowns offers a dress shopping extravaganza of over 2,000 gowns at the new Venue304 in downtown North Platte, 304 E. Fifth St. As of Friday afternoon, appointments for the Prom Shoppes gown shopping event had filled up, according to the event website, crownsandgowns2022.com.

Crowns and Gowns equipped me with the tools needed to compete at my best for Miss Nebraska as well as my future career, Miss Nebraska 2021 Morgan Holen said.

A Crowns and Gowns preliminary competition for Miss Nebraska will be held at McDonald Elementary School at 6 p.m. Feb. 5. The public is welcome to attend, and tickets are $10 at the door.

Appointments for headshots (with or without hair and makeup) are available Feb. 5 and 6 from A Moment Photography. The public is welcome to sign up. To register, visit the Crowns and Gowns 2022 Facebook page or call the studio at 308-530-0579.

The Miss Nebraska organization will also host a series of workshops to prepare candidates for local and state competitions within the Miss America system. They include workshops on marketing and public relations, pursuing sponsorships, wellness, and hair and makeup tutorials. The workshops are sold as a package for $50. To register, visit the Crowns and Gowns 2022 Facebook page or fill out a contact form on the Miss Nebraska website at missnebraska.org.
The latest version of state Sen. Steve Erdmans consumption tax constitutional amendment will go before a legislative committee Thursday in Lincoln.

The Revenue Committee will hold its public hearing on Legislative Resolution 264CA at 1:30 p.m. CT in State Capitol Room 1524. West central Nebraskans may watch it and other Unicameral committee hearings via nebraskalegislature.gov.

As with previous editions, Erdmans plan would replace property, sales and income taxes with a consumption tax on Jan. 1, 2024.

Excise taxes would be the only existing tax allowed to continue being collected after that date if the Legislature passes LR 264CA and voters adopt it in the Nov. 8 general election.

LB 133, an enabling bill Erdman introduced in 2021, would allow cities, villages and counties to adopt local consumption taxes besides the state tax.

The Bayard lawmaker has said LR 264CA incorporates guidance in an attorney generals opinion to ensure it meets the Nebraska Constitutions mandate that bills and amendments cover only one subject.

If lawmakers dont put his amendment on the ballot, Erdman said, he remains ready to pursue it via initiative petition drive.

The Legislatures Agriculture Committee Tuesday will hear a resolution by Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer urging Nebraskas congressional delegation to push for federal laws backing farmers, ranchers and small meat processors without compromising food safety standards and foreign market access.

LR 242, introduced last May, references recent federal laws enabling a Nebraska meat and poultry inspection program and $60 million in available grants to update or expand small meatpacking plants.

The hearing on Brewers resolution will start at 1:30 p.m. CT Tuesday in State Capitol Room 1003. It also will be livestreamed.

Heres how to watch the Legislatures activities and follow bills by using the Unicameral website:

 Click on the Nebraska Public Media logo and look under Streaming Now or Coming Soon for the schedule of livestreamed floor debates and public hearings by committees.

Floor debate also is telecast live by Nebraska Public Media on NE-W, formerly known as NET2 (Allo Communications Channel 11 or Spectrum Channel 190 in North Platte).

 If you know the number of a legislative bill or constitutional amendment, type it under Search Current Bills to call up the measures text and related votes and documents. (For the language of current state laws, type their number or keywords under Search Laws.)

Computer users can leave comments on individual bills by clicking the appropriate spot on the main page for that bill.

If the bill hasnt yet had its public hearing, users may ask that their comments be included in the bills official hearing record. Such requests must be made by noon CT the day of the hearing.

The Unicameral website offers many other documents for understanding and following the Legislature, including its online Unicameral Update newsletter.

More by Todd von Kampen
The Lincoln County commissioners will consider appointment of an interim highway superintendent Monday.

The board voted not to reappoint previous superintendent Carla ODell at the Jan. 24 meeting. Publication and posting for the superintendent position will be considered.

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room at the Lincoln County Courthouse.

The commissioners also will:

 Discuss and consider a negotiated bid with Winston Michael Contracting Inc. for a salt shed for the Lincoln County Department of Roads.

 Receive the quarterly report by Region 51 Emergency Management Director Brandon Myers.

 Discuss and consider entering into an agreement with Brent and Kara Reeder for a temporary construction easement and purchase of real property.

 Discuss and consider refinancing of 2017 series bonds with Paul Grieger of D.A. Davidson & Co.

 Discuss and consider an application by Wesley and Kelly Kudera for Kudera Administrative Subdivision located at the intersection of Highway 83 and Suburban Road in a TA-1 Transitional Agricultural District.

 Consider authorizing the chairman to sign a proposal from Nebraska Fire & Safety Equipment.

 Consider a special designated liquor permit submitted by Skyline Liquor LLC for a fundraiser Feb. 18 at Harbor Lights by Business and Professional Women.

 Conduct Lincoln County employee recognition.

 Go into closed session to discuss strategy with respect to pending or imminent litigation, real estate purchase, deployment of security personnel and devices or evaluation of job performance so as to prevent needless injury to reputation (if necessary).
Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

In 2014, Alexa Tsoulis-Reay saw an Ask Me Anything thread on Reddit by a man with two penises, which inspired her New York column where she interviewed people with unusual sexual preferences and other life experiences. In What Its Like, which Tsoulis-Reay wrote from 2014 to 2018, she talked to all sorts of strange people, from a man in a relationship with a horse to a person with a crippling fear of vomiting to a blind carnival worker who lost 350 pounds. In her new book, Finding Normal: Sex, Love, and Taboo in Our Hyperconnected World, Tsoulis-Reay explores how the internet has changed what it means to be normal by chronicling the stories of all sorts of unusual people who have found community online. Some of her subjects arent too out there, like the chapter on people in relationships with a 40-year age gap. But she also gets into more uncomfortable territory, like internet communities for people who experience GSA (genetic sexual attraction) and are in incestuous relationships.

Intelligencer caught up with Tsoulis-Reay to learn more about all the peculiar people she got to know while writing Finding Normal, why were so fascinated by their stories, and more.

What made you want to write a book about aberrant sexualities and the internet?

I had been working on that interview series for New York, and I really embraced the project. I got to talk to people who I wouldnt normally talk to and whose stories were usually distorted in tabloid form. When some of the stories in my column went viral, at first I couldnt really understand why they produced such outrage and such a polarized response. That made me want to report on these stories and reflect on some of those larger concerns.

I felt a duty to actually report some of the more controversial chapters, like the one about incest and zoophilia, which came from some of my more controversial interviews for What Its Like. I wanted to give context and history and scratch the surface a little more.

In Finding Normal, you talk to someone who is asexual and aromantic and someone else who was engaged to her own father. Why did you choose such a wide range of subjects?

It was difficult. I didnt want to compare anyone. My focus was always on how new media technologies may be implicated in how we find ourselves and construct our identities. I wanted to look at a lot of interesting ways thats happening. I focused on sexuality because thats such a fundamental part of who we are, such an intimate part of our identity, and I thought it would be a good lens to explore the broader relationship between technology and identity.

But when youre writing about identity and sexuality in a book, even if you dont want to be comparing things, when they appear alongside each other, thats sort of the outcome. I didnt want to suggest that being in an age-gap relationship was the same as being asexual or any of the other experiences in the book. I spent a lot of time refining that, aborting ideas because I didnt feel comfortable, but in the end, I decided I just needed to write about the most compelling experiences that inspire a gut reaction in the reader.

Did the process of reporting and writing your book change your opinion about anything in a way that surprised you?

I was so surprised that I related to the characters in the chapter about horse sex. I would have never thought that Id report on that sort of thing, that Id be traveling to Canada to meet someone who is in a long-term relationship with a horse. I found his experience so compelling because of how driven he was to find a place where he felt comfortable and where he knew who he was and how all-consuming thats been. I was surprised at how I was able to put my judgments aside.

I also wanted to explore where our judgments come from and why we have strong reactions to certain sexualities. Is it based on things weve seen in the media? Is it based on things weve been told throughout our lives? I didnt want my book to be advocating for anything. Im not saying consensual incest is fine  because its not. But I wanted to be able to talk about these things without judging or advocating, which is difficult to do.

In the chapter about consensual incest, you catch up with Shelly, the woman engaged to her father who you interviewed in your New York column. You write that you struggled with whether to tell Shelly that she should end her relationship, which she ultimately did. Did you ever feel like you shouldve intervened?

I was so worried about her, and I couldnt believe she could go online and find a world where what she was doing was okay and really believe it. I dont know, should I have intervened? I didnt feel like it was my role to step into her life. But I was so conflicted. It made me question whether I even wanted to be involved in journalism. At the same time, I thought someone needed to write about it because it was happening. When she finally realized that her relationship with her father was abuse, I was so relieved.

In the book, I dont take the position that technological change is bad or that everyone goes online and gets normalized into bad lifestyles, but there is absolutely a way we engage with the internet where that sort of thing can happen. And Shellys story is a testament to that.

Do you view the internet as a neutral force? Do you think its changed what it means to be normal?

The internet is a part of us. We created it and use it, and its developed in the way it has for a reason. Its just an extension of who we are as humans. There are certain parts of it, like the immediacy and how so much information is archived, that facilitate new communities and identities in ways that arent necessarily new, but theyre transformative.

The internet has created so many ways to be normal, to be comfortable, to find your people and who you are. At the same time, its also created new ways to police other people and rewrite boundaries.

Why do you think people are so fascinated by people with aberrant or unusual sexual preferences?

Of course, theres a lot about it that titillates people. Its fascinating because its so shocking. But also, in lots of cases, I think it confirms our normality. If you see someone whos different from you, whos living a life thats more extreme, it makes you feel more secure in yourself, like, At least Im not like that.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Two brothers who were convicted as accomplices in the murder of an Auburn man in 2018 received their sentences on Friday at the Lee County Justice Center.

Teddy North Jr. of Opelika and his brother Jerrell North of Auburn were each sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of 36-year-old Antonio Drisker.

Its been three years and Im just glad that its over with now, said Driskers mother Carolyn Pruitt. The judge has found them guilty and he did a good sentencing. Were pleased with it and we can get some closure now.

The judge presiding over the case was Jacob Walker III.

During the sentencing, Teddy and Jerrells mother, grandmother and sister spoke on their behalf and pleaded with the court to have mercy saying the brothers were at the wrong place and the wrong time and that they did not kill Antonio Drisker.

Bobbie Drisker, Driskers aunt, also spoke on the stand during the sentencing and asked the court to give the North brothers the maximum of whatever the law requires them to have for their sentences.

Weve got to put these guns down. The jailhouse is no place for any of us, Drisker said. I will say to Alabama, lets put these guns down so we would not have to go through what our family has gone through. We have got to find a way to stop the violence.

The North brothers were first charged along with Marquerious Canada of Auburn for the fatal shooting that occurred at a mobile home park located in the 200 block of Veterans Parkway in Opelika on July 26, 2018.

During the trial Canada was found guilty of the murder, as the court found he was the one who pulled the trigger, and the North brothers were convicted as accomplices.

Regardless, they are just as bad as Canada in my opinion, prosecutor Cathey Berardi said at the sentencing on Friday. They grouped up together then they chase him down preventing him from getting away. They helped make this happen and I just want the court to remember that.

Canada already received his sentence of 38 years in prison on April 9, 2021.

When the fatal shooting occurred, Drisker was pronounced dead at the scene and appeared to have been shot multiple times, officials said in an earlier report.

Teddy North turned himself in to Opelika police on Aug. 24, 2018, and his brother and Canada were also taken in to custody in mid- to late-August 2018.

At the hearing in 2018, Opelika police detective Justin Frost testified on the case investigation during the trios preliminary hearing.

During the course of the investigation, multiple eyewitnesses told police they saw Canada shoot the victim, and multiple people were able to pick out Canada in a photo lineup as the shooter.

Police believed the suspects essentially jumped the victim and it was during this moment that shots were fired and then the suspects fled the scene.
A little more than a week ago, Bess and I were riding in the car late on a Thursday night, and I told her that I had a feeling Id be getting COVID soon.

What makes you say that? she said.

Well, for starters, we were driving home from Athens, Ga., where wed spent the last few hours visiting two of our sons. This trip involved hitting a greasy but great pizza joint and diving into huge pies with about a dozen of their friends, and then packing into a bar to watch the older son play bass in his band, Rooster.

The reason Id told Bess I had a feeling Id be getting COVID  instead of that wed be getting it  was that shed worn a mask the entire evening and Id left my mask in the car.

Maybe that doesnt make complete sense, because she wasnt wearing a mask in the car with me, so I could have caught the virus in the bar or wherever and then she could have gotten it from me, right?

But if we know anything about COVID-19 by now, its this: its full of surprises.

A great example occurred over the holidays, when experts again warned about a surge during family gatherings. But wasnt that so last year? Werent things getting better? Wasnt omicron supposed to be weaker?

The day after Christmas, our family left for the North Carolina mountains and returned the day after New Years. We werent trying to social distance or anything like that. We just wanted to get away from everything and have some peace and quiet together. You know, like we used to do back in 2019.

It was a refreshing break. But when we got home we discovered that, meanwhile back in civilization, the omicron variant was spreading like wildfire and a whole bunch of our friends and co-workers and their families had spent their New Years Eve at home alone battling COVID-19.

And so, a new year began, and the virus kept spreading. City schools again required masks. East Alabama Medical Center hit a pandemic record for hospitalizations, and its staff, facing shortages because many were sidelined with COVID themselves, battled valiantly to care for patients.

Sure, the delta variant seemed to come out of the blue this past summer, but this omicron has been crazy busy. John Atkinson, the East Alabama Health spokesman who keeps us updated with COVID-19 charts and stats and video messages from physicians and staff, shared some interesting numbers from a publication called Beckers Hospital Review comparing omicron to delta.

According to Beckers, and based on data tracked by The New York Times, the 7-day average during delta peaked on Sept. 2, with 164,374 cases per day. For omicron, the 7-day average appears to have peaked on Jan. 15, with 806,801 cases per day.

In other words, a couple of weeks into the new year, omicron was infecting five times more people nationwide than delta at its peak.

I didnt know those exact numbers on that Thursday night in the car with Bess, but Id been following the numbers from EAMC and Id noticed that Atkinson had been talking a lot about the risks for ages 50 and up  and Im now in that and up category.

So, I was thinking about getting a booster shot, as well as maybe getting in shape and losing some weight.

That was a Thursday night. I filed those thoughts away.

Less than 48 hours later, I suddenly felt like Id been hit by a bus.

Thats when I thought of a quote from Dr. Mary Ann Shannon, the chief of staff at EAMC, about what to do if you start having mild symptoms associated with the coronavirus.

Just assume you have COVID, she said. You probably do.

Oh, and dont come to the emergency room to get tested.

So, this was it. After nearly two years of hoping and more or less trying to avoid getting this destructive virus  which some people around here keep insisting is a political stunt  I finally had it.

Just to be sure, I went to drive-thru testing at a nearby CVS. Let me pause here to say that weve rightfully honored a lot of medical heroes for the past couple of years, but one group that hasnt gotten enough credit is pharmacists.

The woman in the window had to face a person who was sick as a dog (me), and who already possessed questionable instruction-following skills, and explain to him how to break off the end of the swab handle so his sample would fit into the little vial that would be sent to the lab.

It was one of the most difficult things Ive ever done in my life. Meanwhile, my pharmacist was filling prescription orders from the never-ending line in the other lane, and I was twisting the confounded handle back and forth with no success.

She was filling a prescription and she saw me and just shook her head, and she told the person in the other lane to wait a minute. Sir, she told me, theres a perforated edge and it should just break off.

Im sorry, I said. Im kind of slow today.

Oh, youre good, she said. Everybody does that. We shouldnt have designed it that way.

Hero.

Anyway, I can now personally attest that COVID-19 is not a hoax, and that over the past week Ive been sicker than Ive ever been in my life, at least Ive had the worst headache and body aches Ive ever had, and that I coughed up more fluid from my chest in one sleepless night than all the previous years of my life combined.

During that time, I was thankful that Id been vaccinated, but I wanted a Ground Hog Day opportunity to go back and get a booster shot to see if that would have helped any.

I also learned that I should never begin a sentence to my wife with this: If I should happen to go into a coma tonight

Up to that point, Id been trying to handle a few work responsibilities from home instead of delegating them to healthy, fully capable, clear-thinking co-workers, and I wanted to tell Bess who to contact just in case. But that wasnt the way to do it.

Speaking of Bess, shes tested nearly daily since I got sick and she still doesnt have COVID. I asked a friend of mine whos a medical doctor how this could even be possible, and he said, sure, its probably a matter of genetics.

Like, Bess comes from hardy pioneer stock and I do not, something that has never been in question.

Anyway, thats a not-so-quick report from the front line, where Im definitely on the mend.

Stay safe out there.

Dimon Kendrick-Holmes is editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. Email him at dkendrick-holmes@oanow.com


Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Multimedia Reporter

Staff writer Harry Funk, a professional journalist for three-plus decades, has been on the staff of The Almanac since 2015. He has a bachelors degree in journalism and master of business administration, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
An exhibition celebrating the upcoming Year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac, is now on at the Shanghai Museum, showcasing six objects from its collection and four borrowed pieces from Japan's Kyushu National Museum. Five of the exhibits are being shown in Shanghai for the first time.



The exhibition opened on Jan 18 and will run until Feb 27.

The first piece that greets visitors in the museum lobby is a ceramic pillow from the 12th century that is in the form of a tiger and painted with images of a wild goose and reeds. Such tiger pillows were popular in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), especially in the Yellow River region, where people believed they could fend off nightmares and ensure a good night's sleep, says Chen Jie, deputy director of the Shanghai Museum.

In China, the cultural representation of tigers is often one of docility and amicability instead of ferociousness, notes Chen.

On a gilt mat weight that dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), a tiger is seen crouching and wearing a collar.

In the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties, people usually sat on matted floors, and their loose sleeves and long hems of their robes would often pull at the corners of the mat and cause inconvenience. As such, animal-shaped weights, which were usually filled with lead, were placed at the four corners of mats to address the problem. This object alone weighs 3.6 kilograms, Chen says.

"As a natural habitat of tigers, China preserves multiple subspecies and has many tiger-themed archaeological relics, historical accounts and mythical folktales," says Yang Zhigang, director of the Shanghai Museum.

This museum and the Kyushu National Museum are jointly hosting the exhibition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. Yang notes that Japan has a longstanding custom of revering tigers despite its lack of indigenous ones.

"The Japanese tiger artworks often reflect exotic taste, as we will find in the two large Imari (Japanese porcelain) blue-and-white porcelain dishes on display," Yang says.

Four paintings of the tiger, one by Shen Quan (1682-1760), another a wood print from Zhangzhou, Fujian province, from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and two by Japanese artists of the 18th century, are displayed on the electronic screens at the museum, allowing audiences to appreciate the details.

Tigers in folk tradition are often represented as guardians that ward off disasters and evil spirits. By highlighting "joyful tigers" in this show, the museums hope to send a message of optimism and solidarity in the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Yang and Shimatani Hiroyuki, executive director of the Kyushu National Museum.

The Shanghai Museum has also developed a new series of merchandise and cartoon images inspired by the exhibits for people to share on social media.

"We hope people can enjoy the show and take the souvenirs with them," Chen says.

If you go

A Joyful New Year: China-Japan Exhibition Celebrating the Year of the Tiger

Jan 18-Feb 27. Shanghai Museum, 201 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district, Shanghai. 021-6372-3500.
Please no. Let me be free.

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Free my girl Candice!!!

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Like, damn, I'm happy my wife has a steady paycheck and top billing in a major show, but I want her gorgeous face without Grant's in the vicinity, sheesh! She's got too much potential to be stuck forever. I imagine her in roles like Zoe Kravitz's in Big Little Lies and killing them!



I saw elsewhere that Nora has to be born soon, what, in the next season or two? Anyway, best damned news I've heard about this Groundhog's Day of a show in a hot minute. Candice doesn't seem like she'd want her historically underutilized role to just become babysitting a baby actor for Grant to come stare at for inspiration to, surprise. run faster, so I pray that the show will end with Nora's birth like it should (even if that means Candice in a stomach prosthetic for a season  ).

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They are still doing the Nora thing? She was the reason I quit the show, she was the worst

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idc give it to me but meet my demands:



1) matt letscher as eobard thawne

2) no caitlin snow, get rid of her, idc

3) get allegra some acting lessons

4) westallen westallen westallen

5) bring back cisco

6) no tom cav unless he's harrison wells from earth-1



i will die with this show

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As much as I loved Cisco back when I watched the show, wasn't Carlos Valdes pretty much over it?

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i think so 8(



but i'd rather cisco come back than caitlin snore stay!

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Cisco left??? Sad, I haven't watched since like...2017

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i def miss cisco. i don't give a damn about the newbies

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Since it'll be they last season they should kill Caitlin in some cool elaborate way. Finally give her an episode that doesn't suck and be done with her. Maybe her and Allegra can go out together in a bright snow filled explosion.

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idk if you know but matt letscher (whom i LOVE) just showed up on legends of tomorrow as eobard. it was this week's episode, and i think he'll be on next week too.

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Caitlin is the WORST. I hate that she now gets double screen time essentially with Frost, whom I still can't believe was redeemed.



Allegra is also so bad. I know it's the CW, but they really just wanted to fill a diversity quota here it feels like and hired all these terrible actors. I don't always enjoy Chester either. The new Team Flash outside Iris are... so dull.

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he just looks like a douche



and I remember that story of him refusing to stop vaping on a flight

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They should let him go, have another speedster take over and invest that goddamn money in some decent CGI





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That CGI was embarrassing. Even though this is the CW, this is season 7 of this show like come on

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How do people genuinely, happily, ironically, etc. watch this show? The CGI wasnt just bad, but the writing and acting was too

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I don't care either way. I just want a proper conclusion. I've watched this show for too long not to get a somewhat satisfying end.

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Makes sense that he would sign on again considering I don't think he'll find much success once the show comes to an end.



Also, he has his daughter to think about.



I liked the first two seasons of the flash but then it bore me.



Iris became fun when she was mirror Iris.





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He wouldve been good in Zoeys Extraordinary Playlist if it wasnt canceled

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Retire

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Haven't seen this show in...4 years apparently...but get money Grant! 757 represent!

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not could be.....more like definitely is the last season of the flash.

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Just move him into DCCU and kick Ezra M. out. Or get more Flashes, whatever.

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I mean, realistically, what else is he going to do

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Im glad its still running though I think I fell off in s4 and grant remains the better flash than ezra.





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Yeah, when your lead is asking for 7 episodes a season off maybe youre out of steam lol



I get why the actors wind up clinging on to just bank while they can, but it needs wrapping up

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I have never seen a single episode of this show. I'm so scared I'll get addicted lol It seems so awesome.

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I envy you...

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if you do watch it i'd start with season 6, it's my fave and a good introduction

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But five has Jinkx!

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I would recommend to start with season 5, then all stars 2, then season 6, and go from there :)

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I cant believe Kerri was wearing JLo's actual dress. I think she lost that lip sync. It was just pretty girl in the club dancing to some music. The challenge was really good! Both teams produced a good commercial, but it was also a good idea, and something new. Willow looking in the queens' wings for JBC was really funny.i thought her team did slightly better.

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I definitely thought Kerri lost that lipsync. I was shocked they sent Alyssa home.

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the way Kerri was moving the skirt of the dress during the lipsync was so basic, it reminded me of Jessica Wild's impersonation of RuPaul on Snatch Game:









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Lol that is so accurate. If this were Reddit I'd give you an award.

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I love Kerri and was disappointed to see her go... until they announced she somehow won that lipsync? which she didn't? she was dancing like an auntie at a bar mitzvah no offense

and the way they edited the money gun disfunction was so shady it gave it away immediately that they were gonna send her home but it's bullshit, she recovered immediately and otherwise slayed the lipsync!



I guess sometimes Ru's mind is already made up and unless the queen she prefers majorly fucks up (June) then they stay. Even though objectively this was Alyssa's win, hands down no contest.



Deja made me HOWL with her 'i was born at a very young age', her delivery was fantastic, the entire scene was so so so funny.

Angeria was incredible! There's nothing better than a pageant queen discovering she's secretly hilarious like Kennedy or Jaida



I love Kornbread but her hatred of Jasmine is seriously distracting at this point, I hope it's not something that comes up again and again



Thought Jorjeous was gonna lipsync but I'm glad she didn't, I looove her



the runway was really great? no repeats, just one obvious green dress and if anybody was gonna do it... Kerri did it right. I was underwhelmed by Maddy, Orion and Jorjeous, but otherwise everyone nailed it, no uggos



that pre-recorded ungenuine-ass bit with J-Lo... it only works when the celeb is actually live, like Anne Hathaway or Angela Basset. When they aired the pre-recorded back and forth with Taika on DRDU it was just painful to watch

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"Angeria, when did you learn to act?"

"Yesterday."

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I low-key wanted Jorjeous to lipsync to JLo....it would have been amazing.

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"I love Kornbread but her hatred of Jasmine is seriously distracting at this point, I hope it's not something that comes up again and again"



I just couldn't wrap my head around it. She fucking interrupted you for one second, give it a rest. She's clearly projecting her issues at this point and using Jasmine as a punching bag. I love her and feel for her, but this is not a cute look.

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Is she? Because other girls pointed it out too. Was she using her as a punching bag or just holding her accountable

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I don't think she hates Jasmine, she just found her a bit too much with talking over people. And it's not like she was wrong to say 'hey sis, maybe you should actually engage other people instead of just talking', especially since others clearly felt the same.

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as a Kerri Colby stan I agree... however I guess the performance is somewhat valid cause she couldn't ruin the dress since she was borrowing it? idk she shouldn't have won but I am happy she didn't get sent home at the same time.

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Jasmine needs to settle down. Kornbread is a star and the others are annoyed with Jasmine too.

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Kornbread policing her note taking was nagl tho...

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right. I love Kornbread but if someone would patronize me like that... there would be heads rolling. That was just bullying tbh

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please, her only sin is that she talks a lot. nothing she's done warrants that sort of behavior aimed at her. idk i feel like producers are desperately trying to make jasmine into a villain of the season and for whatever reason kornbread took the bait.

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nah kornbread is at bitch eating crackers with jasmine and she's making it a bigger thing than it is by bringing it up all the time

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lol they edited the money gun flub as if Alyssa had slapped Rupaul. Kerri definitely lost that lipsync but I'm glad she stayed, I think we've seen all Alyssa has to offer.

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I love Angie, she is so funny. I wish deja won though, the birth story was hilarious.



The editing was really weird in the teaser, like how maddy was almost completely cut out. I was convinced that was a bottom placement again.



I love onions disinterested looks, Im not sure why. Its got a bit too cool for season seven over it.



Kerri definitely lost that lip sync. Its weird how her super fun confessionals doesnt translate over to an acting challenge.

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Noooooo 

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they were not gonna send someone wearing an actual j-lo dress home. and gurl did she wear it.



the real loser of the episode was jorgeous. i can't believe she was safe.

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is he still claiming he's 100% straight and working for nasa?

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he should just do gay for pay content... I'm sure he will make more than what world of wonder is paying lol

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Kerri 100% lost that lipsync but would I miss her more than Alyssa? Yes, so they added in Alyssa's one mistake to justify it. Alyssa seems cool and is SO HOT but also kind of boring?? At least everything stopped being so literally beige.



I'm also glad Kornbread told Jasmine to her face how obnoxious she is and that Jasmine tried to course correct because she's obnoxious but how can she be less so if people don't tell her?? Speaking of, I adore that Loni lovingly told her to stop relying on those fat jokes.



Angie definitely deserved that win but I also wouldn't have been mad at Willow winning either - they're definitely setting themselves apart as the front runners - and I'm glad Deja did well this time too.



Also, I'm glad that we had a true variety of J. Lo looks and that the only green dress was the actual dress. TRULY we've learned from Kimono gate!

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Kerri 100% lost that lipsync but would I miss her more than Alyssa? Yes, so they added in Alyssa's one mistake to justify it.



pm mte I know its not fair within the rules of the show but when you ask yourself whos more likely to be in the top 4, its clear who was going home. I hope Kerris being in the bottom rocked her in the good way that brings the breakthrough. She clearly has a lot of depth, talent, charm, and beauty. She just needs the comfort with being vulnerable while performing to bring it all together on stage because she does it in the Werk room and confessionals.

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all of this... ugh I'm sad but so happy Kerri is still in the competition.

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Kerri shouldn't have been in the bottom IMO. Now Ms. Jorgeous however???



But Kerri and Alyssa is better storyline mirroring I guess

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its chocolate.



Ill say it again, this gimmick that were going to have to put up with at the end of every single episode is so hella cringe.

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I wish they opened the candy bar during their exit interview. And have the girls find out the next episode beginning if there's a note on the mirror or if it's clean (which means they had a gold ticket and is behind the mirror).







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idk every time ru says "you've been hiding your candy" i lose my shit.

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making them say that WHILE they're getting eliminated just feels so humiliating to me????

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The worst part is, it's not even chocolate, it's a plastic prop!

Wait, I lied, the worst part is the sound effects they edit on during the unwrapping.

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Its so awkward watching them fumble around trying to unwrap the damn thing right after finding out theyve lost the lip sync.

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I'm really vibing with Kerri, but her acting was a choice. I'm Team Willow.



This episode was a flop, but I agree with the first two queens that went home so far. June gave me nothing and I was still disappointed, and Alyssa's drag... seen it before.I'm really vibing with Kerri, but her acting was a choice. I'm Team Willow.

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i'm team willow too! and i was from the minute she walked in wearing that "angle" tshirt lol, it's soo silly and i love it

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It was such a smart take on an entry look!

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I need Willow Pill in the top four... I didn't think that I was gonna like her at first. I seen this video on YouTube and now I can't get enough.





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The challenge was cute. It's nice to see something new with these acting challenges. Willow saying she was promised a daily food voucher had me dying lol. I was thinking either Willie or Angie would win, but the top 3 was definitely correct. I'm actually surprised the final teaser didn't feature much Maddy, because she had some funnier lines than what was showed in the end.



Kerri lost the lipsync, but I can see why producers would rather she stay. She gives good confessionals and has a bigger personality than Alyssa. She looked great, and maybe it's just me, but it's not really all that impressive to wear an actual JLo dress for the JLo runway. Like, OK? And? She looks great in general so of course she's going to look great in the actual dress. Lol At least if she had an original look it could have been a unique interpretation of that dress and should could have scored some creativity points.

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I completely agree. Its amazing she got the original but she did nothing in terms of elevating the look or showing us her drag.

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Man, the lip syncs have been bad this year

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Really enjoy them sending home the wrong people this season!!



Theres no reason for this to last a solid 2 hours in total tbh. Felt like nothing happened.

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That elimination was rigga morris, girl. Like I'm not going to miss Alyssa, but there is no way she lost that lipsync. But it does feel like they want Kerri in the top4 although I don't think she's giving anything.



Also I love Kornbread but her attitude towards Jasmine was not a good look.



ALSO I love that Willow is doing well, she's probably my fave at this point.

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idk i rewatched the lip-sync again and alyssa seemed a bit desperate. it looked like she didn't know her words and was turning her back to the judges for long periods of time, which ru hates. and even if that money gun hadn't jammed, the gag was tired. she pulled it during her runway so there wouldn't have been any element of surprise. keri was clearly restricted by her dress (idg why they don't let queens switch into another outfit like they do on all stars) but she was more effortless with her performance. and i don't understand why alyssa didn't pull her flag out during the lipsync. she shouldn't have been in the bottom tho.

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crazy how they used the money gun failure to eliminate her... however I didn't see her in the final four and Kerri has more of a name so I kind of seen it coming lol

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maybe, i only watched it once and while Alyssa was far from perfect, she was trying whereas Kerri was just two stepping in place. Like I don't give a shit how much your gown costs, roll that hem and start performing sis!!!

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im just going to be annoyed until maddy goes home. every episode it feels like hes been brought in for a drag makeover challenge while better queens keep sashaying away. what is the reason?

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Not a drag makeover challenge! LOL



But yes, Maddy can go any day now. Hopefully this next episode

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Maddy at least needs to take some notes from Jorgeous on runway walk.

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Don't tell me they're working on the authorized version of their story.

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well, they're both fug British men dating mixed women waaay out of their league...



Edited at 2022-01-29 05:22 pm (UTC)

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Maybe its a joint appearance for Ama Asantes next project

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this is odd. like people without clear connection to either of them just randomly mention them. i just saw drew barrymore's instagram post about tom with a throwback photo and somehow mentioned zendaya in it.

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tbf Tom is essentially president of the zendaya fan club. Im sure he relishes being so seen by drew.



Edited at 2022-01-29 03:50 pm (UTC)

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Of course they did

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Tom had never met Harry or spoken to him in his,so he didnt know what they wanted



This cracked me up 



Maybe H&M wanna do a little gimmick PR cause theyre both interracial relationships?? 

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Oh that wouldnt surprise me at all!

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Welp. I just assumed they were huge fans of Spiderman, lol

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I mean, they need material for the second episode of their $30 million podcast....

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The way these two cling to any shred of relevancy is so embarrassing. Hitting up a couple that's popular rn just so they can get their name in the news. It's becoming tiring!

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yeah i thought they wanted life out of the spotlight? it's every other day with them ffs

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Get a job.

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Amma Asante GET ON THIS NOW

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Dammit u beat me to it

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Next up theyll be wanting to meet the Munnlaney baby

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That baby already has a more active social life than I do.

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That is unfortunately right where my mind went.

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They are so randomly weird sometimes. 



I know its prob for their podcast or something but I just like to think they demanded an audience and that Tom and Zendaya be their friends.



Edited at 2022-01-29 04:01 pm (UTC)

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Are celebs not allowed to be fans of other celebs and want to meet them? I feel like its pretty common place for celebs to reach out to other celebs to hang out.

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it's funny bc they're like 15 years older than tom and zendaya lol



it's like if i called the cast of stranger things to hang out, it's slightly odd

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Fair enough. Im around Harrys age and I would want to be friends with them but admittedly I forget Z is only 25. I personally wouldnt go about it this way but I think people forget hes a PRINCE, he doesnt exactly have a normal process for making friends. But youre right, the age thing is odd, but they were probably like oh fellow hot black American actress and white British nerd and we are all super famous, lets swap horror stories. I dont imagine they were thinking beyond that, they probably just saw a couple they could relate to.

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if you meet organically it isn't, but if some other random celebrity called you up and was like "I'd like to have a meeting" when you'd never met them before I think that's weird lol



It's clear to me they want to meet them because they are a hot couple rn, not because of their work or anything else lol



Tom and Zendaya have been dating on and off for years, so why do they want to meet them now? Exactly lol

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Im surprised that this is surprising to people? Big celebrity couple with young children reaches out to big celebrity couple in new big superhero movie. Stop the presses!!!

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Lmao, of course.



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I, too, would like to meet Tom Holland and Zendaya.



Royals, they're just like us!

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A 13-year-old girl who suffered a concussion, bruises and cuts during a violent confrontation with another student last fall claims that she was unjustly expelled from Beveridge Magnet Middle School as a result of the altercation.

The girl and her family have filed a petition in Douglas County District Court. The family is seeking to have the case reviewed in hopes of reversing an earlier decision by the Omaha Public Schools board to uphold the girls expulsion after an Oct. 5 altercation in a school hallway.

The girl was expelled for the rest of the semester on Oct. 6 for two violations of the districts student code of conduct  possessing a weapon other than a firearm and unlawful activity, according to documents presented to the school board during a Nov. 30 student discipline hearing.

Those violations stem from OPSs claims that the girl had a knife and that she used a can of WD-40 to spray the other student, in addition to her involvement in the altercation itself, according to the documents.

A 23-second video of the altercation was provided to The World-Herald by the girls attorney, Benjamin Bramblett.

The video shows a female student, whose age is not indicated in the documents, attacking the 13-year-old girl about 7:35 a.m. during a passing period. The student throws the 13-year-old to the floor and repeatedly hits and kicks her while yanking her hair. A large group of students surrounds the two girls, recording on their cellphones and cheering.

The 13-year-old then pulls a can of WD-40 from inside her sleeve and sprays the other student, who was hitting her in the face, before the can is knocked out of her hand. The video does not show the 13-year-old making any other attempt to defend herself before she curls up on the floor to shield herself from the other student.

A knife can be seen on the floor, but theres no indication on the video where it came from.

Toward the end of the video, a male teacher steps into the circle of students and observes the altercation for a couple of seconds. The female student kicks the 13-year-old in the head one last time before the teacher steps between the students.

Allison Balus, an attorney from Baird Holm LLP, which represents OPS in legal matters, asked the school board to uphold the girls expulsion during the Nov. 30 hearing, while also acknowledging that the girl was badly injured and probably somewhat traumatized.

Ive watched the videos of the incident multiple times, and theyre really difficult to watch, she said. In the end, Student B, the other student involved in the incident, even after a teacher intervened, went back for one last kick to the head.

The 13-year-old said in a statement provided at the hearing that she was taken to the hospital because of her injuries and suffered a concussion along with bruises and cuts on multiple parts of her body.

The other student received medical attention from the school nurse after she was sprayed in the eyes with WD-40, according to hearing documents.

Bramblett said Omaha police officers came to the emergency room and issued a citation to the 13-year-old. She faces a third-degree assault charge, according to court documents.

The 13-year-old spent the rest of last semester going to school remotely, Bramblett said. She has transferred to a different school in the district for this semester.

Bramblett said that the 13-year-old had no prior violations of the code of conduct at Beveridge and that videos of the attack that circulated on social media made the situation double humiliating.

The other student was suspended for three to 10 days and was allowed to return to Beveridge, Bramblett said. She faces an assault charge, according to hearing documents.

OPS officials declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

Bramblett said a petition for appellate review was filed in district court for several reasons, including alleged due process violations and a lack of substantial evidence.

The girls attorney says district officials directly approached the girl and got her to write a statement, despite Bramblett saying that the girl would not make any statements and that all communication had to go through him. Officials also approached the girls mother at the grocery store in an attempt to get her to make a statement.

Bramblett also said the girls expulsion was based largely on unauthenticated anonymous student statements that presented varying accounts of what happened.

All these statements were subsequent to the situation, he said. The stuff (OPS) used as far as evidence would be held out of court under the rules of evidence.

Balus testified in the student discipline hearing that the first violation of the OPS student code of conduct  possessing a weapon other than a firearm  was proved based on a testimony from a few students that the 13-year-old had a knife, along with the girls own statement that she had WD-40 and used it, according to hearing documents.

Bramblett said it cant be proved that the knife found on the floor was the 13-year-olds. The girl denied that it was hers in her statement.

There is no video showing handling (of) a knife, Bramblett said in the Nov. 30 hearing. Theres video showing a knife in proximity to my client, but its also in proximity to the person attacking my client.

The knife was archived in the Omaha Police Departments crime lab and wasnt tested for fingerprints because the blade was too short for it to be used in a criminal charge, according to hearing documents.

Bramblett said the can of WD-40, which the girl said she had to help unstick buttons on her iPad, wasnt used to purposely harm the student hitting her, only as a defense.

I think in a desperate situation you have to rely on whatever you can rely on to stop receiving a beating, he said. And thats exactly what she did.

Balus said the second code of conduct violation, unlawful activity, was proved based on the physical altercation and other evidence suggesting that the 13-year-old sought out a violent confrontation with the other student.

In the 13-year-olds statement, she describes being continuously bullied by the student who attacked her, and by other students.

She said it started with insults and cyberbullying and grew worse.

Beveridge counselors had previously issued the girl a safe pass to go to the counselors office during times when she might encounter a bullying student, Bramblett said. It also allows a student to have an escort when moving about school.

Instead of using her safe pass, she went to the gym  where the other student was  to wait before the passing period began, Balus said.

In surveillance video, the 13-year-old can be seen sitting in the bleachers with dozens of other students before exiting the gym with the crowd when the bell rings.

She could have stayed in the gym, she could have hung back and waited, she could have gone a different direction, Balus said at the hearing. But instead what you can see in that video is she snakes her way through the crowd to get closer and closer to Student B.

Bramblett said the districts rationale is shocking.

My clients failure to hide out or hide in the counselors office essentially brought this situation on, he said. And I just dont see (how) that doesnt amount to victim blaming.

Bramblett said the hearing will be on Feb. 10 at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1701 Farnam St.

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You are here: Business

China and Russia have maintained stellar trade and economic cooperation, with both countries continuing to strive for greater synergy in various areas.



Bucking a global downturn, trade between China and Russia rose 35.9 percent year on year to 146.87 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, reaching the highest level in history, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) shows.

"China has become Russia's largest trading partner for 12 years in a row," MOC spokesperson Gao Feng told a press briefing.

In breakdown, China's exports to Russia increased by 33.8 percent year on year, while imports from Russia grew 37.5 percent.

Trade volume of mechanical and electrical products logged 43.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, rising by 40.7 percent year on year.

Liu Huaqin, with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the MOC, said that products traded between China and Russia have been increasingly diversified and complementary.

Data shows that China's beef imports from Russia skyrocketed 235.7 percent to 17,000 tonnes in the January-November period of 2021, while imports of barley increased by 37.9 times.

China's exports of automobiles and auto parts to Russia have registered robust growth, said Liu, adding that Chinese-brand smartphones have gained greater popularity among Russian consumers.

Gao noted that Sino-Russia bilateral cooperation in energy and mineral resources, agricultural and forestry development, business and logistics, as well as industrial manufacturing has made solid progress.

In 2021, the contract value of newly signed Chinese construction projects in Russia exceeded 5 billion U.S. dollars for the third consecutive year.

The two countries have also proactively cultivated new growth drivers such as cross-border e-commerce, low-carbon transformation, bio-pharmaceutical industries and cultural creativity.

China and Russia saw their cross-border e-commerce trade surge by 187 percent in the first 11 months of 2021, according to the MOC.

"With the joint efforts of the two countries, China-Russia economic and trade cooperation will enjoy steady growth, and continue to upgrade," said Liu.
The surge in student absences due to illness has receded in Papillion La Vista Community Schools, and starting Monday all but one school will be back to voluntary masking, an official said.

District officials began imposing mandatory masking on a school-by-school basis earlier this month as each schools student absences topped 7% on a three-day rolling average.

That target was predetermined by the school board, and it led to all schools masking up shortly after the return from winter break. It was based on all illness absences, not just for COVID-19.

The districts absence rate was 4.76% on Friday, and only Parkview Heights Elementary School will remain in mandatory masking on Monday, spokeswoman Annette Eyman said.

When absences drop and stay below 7%, the schools can return to voluntary mask usage.

Eyman said absences and the number of positive cases are both trending down.

Total absences peaked on Jan. 13 at 1,270 or 10.97%, she said. The district has 21 schools and enrolls about 12,000 students.

The week of Jan. 17 absences held steady between 950 and 1,000.

This week they dropped below 600, she said.

Student daily positive cases peaked with an all-time high of 117 in one day on Jan. 18, she said. The same day the district logged an all-time high of 12 staff cases.

She said the number of daily positive cases has been dropping steadily since then and was in the 30s this week.

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Systemic racism

In April of 2021, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stated there is no systemic racism in the United States. I believe Lindsey just chooses to ignore the truth. Governor Pete Ricketts has criticized NU president Ronnie Green for his diversity plan. Now, Gov. Ricketts has appointed Kirk Penner to the state education board. Mr. Penner has stated that he is against critical race theory being taught in public schools. Critical race theory is fact-based American history! People are supposedly worried about their children being ashamed to be white. Governor Ricketts has complained about the Black national anthem being played after the national anthem has been played. Lots of people dont talk about racism out in public, but ever since the country came into existence there has been a racist undertone. Not everyone practices racism, thankfully!

Robert Nunez Jr., Omaha

Mask mandates

It appears that every time masks or mask mandates appear, Gov. Pete Ricketts and Attorney General Doug Peterson show up. They rattle their sabers, threatening litigation against those attempting to slow the spread of the latest COVID-19 variant. This happens, despite the science that masks have been shown to help slow the transmission of this disease.

Threatening or actually initiating legal action in such circumstances seems such a waste of taxpayer time, money and ink. It gives one pause to question whether there is an actual motivation for further dividing our communities through such vitriol. If so, put forth the reasoning for such actions. If such threats are idle, then stop them. On the other hand, using the peoples courts for such fractious matters is, to my thinking, tying up courts that have much more serious business to tend to. This is not to say that the COVID battle is not important. It is. But it should be left to those who know the disease. Not to those who would rather fight those efforts than support them.

Barry Marsh, Central City, Neb.

Crown jewel

Congratulations, City of Omaha! Back in the 1970s, when businesses were abandoning downtown Omaha and moving out to the suburbs, you made the decision to build the new downtown library as a show of faith that the downtown would someday make a comeback. An editorial in the Oct. 12, 1974, Omaha World-Herald stated  the (new library) must figure into any planning for the mall because it is envisioned as the headboard, so to speak, of the whole development. The peoples house, the public library, has been front and center of every great photo of Omahas skyline ever since. Fast forward to Jan. 17, 2022, Mayor Jean Stothert: We need to do (the demolition) now because we need to open up those redevelopment opportunities by removing the library. How about those developers develop where the city auditorium was and, we the people, keep the jewel in the crown, the Omaha Public Library  the peoples house  where it deserves to be as a reward for bringing back the downtown? If not occupying the whole block, then at least a major part of any mixed-use development that is proposed. Giving up the crown jewel at the end of the newly redeveloped Gene Leahy Mall is penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to future skyline photos promoting the great City of Omaha.

Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh, Papillion

Omaha Public Librarian (retired)

Love and meaning

Each one of us longs to be loved, because love is the source and the meaning of our lives. Without love, our lives feel empty, meaningless, and lonely. Most of us have found that nothing can take the place of love  nothing can satisfy us but love, given and received, by which we experience the love of God. Today, it seems we are living in a time, and culture, which does not seem to know the love of God. In fact, there was a time where Pope St. John II taught that we are living in a culture that often lives as if God does not exist. Today, it seems we are in that same era, due to abortion. Today we live in a world which is longing to experience the love of God. We live in missionary territory, as strangers in a strange land. Our world, our Church, and our parishes, communities, and families are all in need of the renewal that comes in and through, Christs love. And God is calling us to be missioners of renewal in Jesus Christ.

Bishop James D. Conley, Lincoln

Catholic Diocese of Lincoln

Public funds

I have doubts that Nebraskans top priority is cutting taxes. Of course among us, there are some crusty bean-counters who consider that a thrilling past-time. But I personally would prefer public funds invested in realms more ambitious and longsighted, like education, energy and environment. A new lake? Sounds like a land grab .

Tom May, Omaha

Senate options

Im writing in response to a letter titled Merrick Garland (Pulse, Jan. 13) and I quote: Merrick Garland did not stand a hope of sitting on the Supreme Court at that time  the votes to put him there were not present

And so .. one more time ... because most people are aware but of course, with all due respect  Mitch McConnell went nuclear to confirm Mr. Gorsuch, after Republicans initially failed to clear a 60-vote threshold to move forward with his confirmation. By changing the filibuster rules, the Senate was able to end the debate.

President Joe Biden should have utilized the same nuclear option for the much needed Voting Rights Law for all citizens. Maybe the author of that letter needs to look up the word hypocrite.

I think then he may understand whats truly going on in the Senate in January 2022.

Kathe Strand, Omaha

Letter response

Greg Weldons Pulse letter (Jan.14) hits the nail right on the head. Or as I like to call it The dumbing of America.

Gary Brehmer, Pender, Neb.

Three challenges

We face three pivotal challenges.

First, alternate realities. The self-brainwashed are a serious challenge to democracys survival. Among a number of studies is one by Bruce Bartlett, a conservative economist and former adviser on domestic policy to President Ronald Reagan. How Fox News Changed American Media and Political Dynamics, notes that since Fox launched it has become the sole source of news for many who now accept as truth every misinformation that appears on the channel, becoming victims of what the study termed self-brainwashing.

PBS has aired a documentary on media literacy titled Trust Me, to help combat polarization of communities, threats to democracy, medical misinformation, and mental illnesses ... explaining why humanity is drawn to sensational and negative news, and how commercial media often capitalizes on our biases.

Second, the consequences. In his book, The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in the Age of Lies, the former director of both the CIA and NSA, Gen. Michael Hayden, describes three layers of threat to America. First, the post-truth world. Gen. Hayden writes: decision-making is less dependent on data and facts, and more dependent on emotion, preferences, grievances, loyalty, tribalism. Second: Trumpism, targeting our basic institutions, the free press, the courts, DoJ, FBI, the Rule of Law. Third: Putins highly successful cyberwar, misinformation feeding into domestic terrorism. Hayden: A foreign power, the Russians, come through the perimeter wire, taking advantage of all that I just described, weakening our society.

Weakened by four big lies. Two political, WMDs and death panels, prepared the way for two anti-science; against vaccination (America is an outlier) and the more fatal one, climate-science denial. If people reacted rationally to crises thered be grounds for hope, but reactions to the pandemic and the climatastrophe arent encouraging.

Third, dysfunction in the face of the existential challenge of climate disruption. For many years now the CIA and military intelligence agencies have issued repeated warnings about the destructive impact of escalating climate disasters. A 2007 report stated that climate change threatens to create sustained natural and humanitarian disasters and political instability beyond the capacity of governments to cope ... the chaos that results can be an incubator of civil strife, genocide and the growth of terrorism. Even earlier, climate was identified by the CIAs John Deutch in a 1996 speech as a threat to our national security.

In June of 1988, NASA climatologist James Hansen testified before Congress, desperate to get their attention while it could still make a difference. By now, he must be feeling like the scientists in the movie Dont Look Up.

Jim Bechtel, Omaha

Trust Christ

In response to the article, Many in the US have no religion, although Nathalie Charles did not feel welcomed at church, please do not hold this against Jesus. His love still remains, unconditionally, a love offering salvation, forgiveness of ones sins. It is a love that if truly accepted, will change you. Once again, do not reject Christ because of how people act, some true believers and some not true believers. In the end, there will be no excuse for rejecting Christ; you will not be able to blame others. He is offering Himself to you now, will you trust Him?

Gerelda Lipp, Wayne, Neb.
Each week The Pantagraph profiles a different community member. Know someone we should talk to? Email kheather@pantagraph.com.

Name: Adam Heenan

Position: New president of the Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly

1. What have you liked about your new job as president of the Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly?

It's been a tremendous joy building relationships with workers who are eager to explore ways to bring about positive, material changes in our community. BNTL boasts a deep bench with a diverse array of life experiences, skillsets and perspectives bolstered by a democratic structure that allows us to collectively propose and discuss our ideas and educate the broader B-N community on what matters to us. It also lets us confront the issues that impact working people head-on and with the pride that goes with collective action by, of and for working people. When the going gets tough, the tough get organized, and labor has your back!

2. How many union members does the Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly represent and how do you work with them?

Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly is the central labor council (Region 1) of the AFL-CIO, representing all workers affiliated with any AFL-CIO public- and private-sector locals across a four-county area inclusive of McLean, Livingston, Logan and DeWitt. Locals elect delegates to our assembly, which meets monthly to discuss labor-oriented policy, member-to-member political engagement, and labor-community relations. We work hand-in-hand with our region's Building Trades Council and support the needs of our locals in the aforementioned areas. We also work with non-AFL-CIO unions as well as not-yet-organized workers in our area toward their efforts for the same. Historically, BNTL and our Locals have hosted the Labor Day Parade and co-hosted the Children's Christmas for the Un(der)employed. We have new and exciting things planned for the coming months, including the return of the 2019 Labor Fest to downtown Bloomington at the end of April.

3. In what ways can the Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly be a resource for working people in the Central Illinois area?

We are a resource for anyone seeking to improve their working and living conditions. Our labor community brings to the table generations of advice from union siblings all over the world and here at home: lessons learned of workers seeking the tools to bring dignity to their workplace. If community members and politicians are interested in policy that affects people in a workplace, we want folks to know they can reach out to us to get the perspective from a worker directly impacted by that policy. If there are community groups in our area who share our value of dignity for all working people, and want to include workers in the work your organization is doing, reach out, as there may be ways we can work collectively. History has demonstrated that "all ships rise on the union tide," so if workers are seeking support in helping a union get established in their workplace, workers around them will reap those benefits, too.

4. Have local unions been able to maintain or increase membership amid the ongoing wage crisis and "worker shortage"?

New union growth and labor militancy are increasing across the country at levels we haven't experienced since after the Great Depression, and Central Illinois is no exception. All over employers are watching their employees "vote with their feet," but everyone knows to their core that people aren't simply disappearing. We're not surprised to see large amounts of resignation where employers either aren't paying their workers enough to live on, or aren't taking the necessary steps to keep workers safe on the job. If a billionaire can afford their own private ride to outer space, they can afford a living wage for their workers. If millionaires can afford to be big-dollar donors to political campaigns but hide their money when it comes time to pay taxes, unionists see these things and say, "We need to do something about that." If our democracy and the social contract of the United States is to thrive once again, the wealthiest among us need to pay their fair share to address our society's unprecedented wage gap and unsafe working conditions across the private sector that disproportionately  but not exclusively  impact women, non-white people, immigrants, and gender nonconforming workers.

The way to end a "shortage" is to pay people what the job is worth rather than cutting corners to increase profits. The change many are seeking takes organizing on the part of the workers to make clear what their expectations are for a "fair wage for a day's work"; and the sheer number of workers willing to put in the long hours and hard work it takes to organize a workplace is increasing exponentially across all sectors  in newer sectors like information technology, gaming and gig-work (Uber, Lyft) as well as brick-and-mortar worksites like Dollar General, Starbucks and Amazon. People want to work, but many have come to the realization they shouldn't have to work two or three jobs just to keep their family afloat.

5. What did you learn from Ronn Morehead, who held your position for more than 40 years until his passing in July?

I knew Ronn too briefly, but it was evident to me that he loved this work because he loved working people, and the people in our area specifically. He had numerous tales from which new delegates, myself included, were able to learn the principles of unionism from the perspective of one of our own: Lessons on unity, community and dignity for all working people. I learned similar lessons from my own former union president the indominable Karen Jennings Lewis, who also passed in 2021. From both Morehead and Jennings Lewis, I learned that relationship-building among working people is the single most important factor in both improving our working conditions. We stand on the shoulders of giants, truly!

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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CHICAGO RIDGE  A Chicago Ridge librarian's moment in the spotlight faded Thursday, losing on "Jeopardy" a day after he unseated long-standing champion Amy Schneider.

Rhone Talsma, a multimedia librarian, came in 3rd place, winning $1,000 in the show aired Thursday, with Carrie Cadwallader, a business intelligence manager from Aurora, Colorado, emerging as the new champion, according to the show.

Talsma, who lives in Chicago's McKinley Park neighborhood, had ended Schneider's historic 40-game winning streak Wednesday, earning $29,600 to Schneider's second-place tally of $19,600.

Heading into Final Jeopardy, Schneider led with a score of $27,600, while Talsma had $17,600. The clue was "the only nation in the world whose name in English ends in an H, it's also one of the 10 most populous." The correct response: "What is Bangladesh?"

Only record holder Ken Jennings, who now hosts the show, has had more consecutive wins than Schneider, with his 74 wins in 2004. Her total winnings are $1,382,800, and she will return for the Tournament of Champions this fall.

Thursday's show opened with Jennings showing a montage of Talsma's facial expressions from the moment he realized he had become the champion.

Talsma credited his work as a reference librarian with his success.

"Sitting at the desk for eight hours a day, I'm almost guaranteed to learn something new thanks to a question from one of our patrons," Talsma told the Tribune Wednesday. "Librarians have a reputation for being strong 'Jeopardy!' contestants because we are generalists by nature, and while I don't have deep expertise in many areas, I do know a little bit about a lot of subjects, which lends itself well to the format and clues featured on 'Jeopardy!'"

The Chicago Ridge Library held a watch party for Wednesday's show.

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BLOOMINGTON  It's been nearly 100 years since Route 66 was built as the main thoroughfare between Chicago and California. While the original roadway is no longer in service, traveling along the historic route makes for the quintessential American road trip. Here are some things you might not know about the road's path through Central Illinois:

19

Height, in feet, of the Paul Bunyon Hotdog Statue in Atlanta.

1926

Year Route 66 finished construction. By 1985, most of it had been replaced by newer interstates, and Route 66 was removed from the United States Highway System.

24

Height, in feet, of the Railsplitter Covered Wagon in Lincoln. Its been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest covered wagon in the world. The site is also home to a large statue of Abraham Lincoln.

301

Miles of Route 66 in Illinois. In total, the road spans 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.

1966

The year of Bob Waldmires renovated school bus  the Road Yacht  on display at the Route 66 Museum in Pontiac. Waldmire was known as a Route 66 artist and preservationist, and visitors can tour his bus from May through October. The museum complex also houses some of Waldmires artwork, and his iconic VW van.

2026

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026, a parklet will be installed at Main and Jefferson streets in downtown Bloomington. Scheduled for completion in 2022, the site will feature benches sculpted from recycled truck parts, as well as a bike rack and planters featuring the Route 66 symbol.

3600

Bill H.R. 3600 advanced to the U.S. House in November. If passed, it would create the Route 66 National Historic Trail and give the National Park Service authority to help communities preserve the roadway.

18

Width, in feet, of Dead Mans Curve in Towanda. The sharp turn and narrow roadway here led to many traffic crashes for Route 66 travelers. Also in Towanda is the Geographical Journey Parkway, a walking tour with educational kiosks for each state along Route 66. Theres a collection of Burma Shave signs here, too.

2005

Year Illinois Historic Route 66 was designated as a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

1939

Year John Steinbecks novel The Grapes of Wrath dubbed Route 66 as The Mother Road. Springfield now hosts a Route 66 Mother Road Festival each September.

1824

Year that Isaac Funk chose the location for a well, setting in motion what would eventually become Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup.

1980

Year that Carl Garbe created Carl's Ice Cream, which has grown to include locations in Bloomington and Normal.

100

Interior height, in feet, of rotunda in the center of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington. The former courthouse now houses the Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center.

Contact Robyn Skaggs at (309) 820-3244.

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Ive been fascinated by election petition-gathering season this year because of the adjusted primary schedule, the crazy omicron variant, and the prevailing fear of crime, not to mention the awful weather.

Petition season was always during the fall. But because the primary was moved to June 28, petition circulators now have to get out there in the dead of winter, during the omicron and crime surges.

As Rep. Nick Smith (D-Chicago) said recently on Rep. Mike Zalewskis (D-Riverside) Have All Voted Who Wish podcast, voters have been increasingly reluctant to come to their front doors for years, long before the pandemic. And, these days, its far more difficult to convince folks to answer when the canvassers knock.

Rep. Smiths solution was to ask his volunteers to work their own blocks, with the expectation that each person would gather ten signatures.

But that only works for someone with an experienced and fairly large network like Smith has. What about others?

Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) is also the 49th Ward Democratic Committeeperson and threw a boozy petition party in mid-January, advertising it on social media. She said the event was amazing, netting 625 signatures in three hours for 18 different candidate petitions.

Ive also been told of members doing things like setting up shop in their local Starbucks and collecting signatures from people while they were waiting on their orders.

But Rep. Dan Didech (D-Buffalo Grove) is being hailed by some of his colleagues as a signature machine for what one legislator calls his house calls program.

Didech came up with the idea of scheduling home visits with voters in his district to collect petition signatures. Sometimes, a fellow House Democrat said, people even grab a few neighbors so you can get a group.

Didech pushed back hard against some fellow House Dems who wanted to reduce the statutory signature requirements during the early January session. But I got 1,000 signatures in ten days, so I feel vindicated, Didech told me. I'm not special. Everyone can do that. He said he finished so fast that hes now helping others, including those who wanted to reduce the signature requirement.

Rep. Didech explained that, because of the pandemic, he had already transitioned his voter outreach away from in-person contact at the doors and toward Facebook and direct mail. People are used to communicating with me on those channels, he said.

Didech posted a photo of a map of his new district on Facebook and told his followers that he still needed some signatures. Please comment or send me a message if its ok for me to stop by your house this weekend, Didech wrote in the Facebook post.

That one post generated 150 signatures, Didech said.

Rep. Didech also sent a direct mailer to his supporters and strong Democrats in his new district to ask people to email him when it would be convenient for him to stop by their homes. Didech said his email inbox completely blew up.

Didechs formula worked so well for one Chicago Democrat that she only half-jokingly called Didech the master last week.

47th Ward Democratic Committeeperson Paul Rosenfeld is using Didechs methods with a lot of success. Rosenfeld said hes collected over 500 signatures on 14 different petitions that way.

But maybe not everyone can replicate this effort. First-time candidates or newer members with small supporter networks cant always just magically generate home visits. And some districts arent as connected online as they are up in Buffalo Grove or the 47th Ward.

Even so, longtime Statehouse operative Mike Cassidy told me the story of how his 13-year-old daughter Cate finally took an interest in politics in January, so he agreed to help some friends gather signatures as a way of getting her involved.

Cassidy asked Cate to text her friends the night before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, when they figured people would be home, to ask if she and her parents could come by with petitions.

She not only went through her middle school phone book and social media contacts, but we pulled names from our Christmas card list, Cassidy marveled. We drove around town for about 4 hours collecting close to 100 signatures.

I have circulated petitions my entire career, Cassidy said, which used to involve going door-to-door. But unlike waiting for people to get home from work or targeting weekends, these days more people work from home due to COVID. And he said people were happy to have guests who they knew and were confident were masked and vaccinated.

Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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Im trying to understand why certain programs, policies and practices are happening in our country that on the surface appear to conflict with the greater good for the greater number. I question why many of these initiatives exist.

Why are hardened violent criminals being given light sentences, which have been proven to lead to even more violent crimes being committed? Why isnt our judicial system promoting law and order? Why does one particular political party want convicted felons to have the right to vote?

As our nations population grows, and crime along with it, why does the practice of defunding police make any sense? Who believes that no ID required mail in ballots are fraud proof? How does "vote harvesting," which allows for community activists to go door to door assisting voters in completing ballots and then returning the same to polling places, enhance election integrity? Why are illegal immigrants being given the right to vote in New York and California?

Does it make sense to anyone that any nation in the world would allow masses of migrants to cross their borders at will for any reason, let alone the risks of adding to the pandemic crisis? Why does the national news media focus on the trials and tribulations of certain illegal immigrant families, rather than the incompetence displayed by the current administration in securing our borders?

What value will come of including Critical Race Theory in school curriculums that in part teaches that the idea of race advances the interests of white people at the expense of people of color?

If you truly believe that any or all of the above precepts, policies, or practices benefit your livelihood, how so? They appear to me to be ill-fated acts that actually harm Americans, and weaken our nation as a whole.

Rick Skelley, Bloomington

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Bulldozers and other earthmoving machines have started demolishing damaged buildings and property and clearing debris at Appiatse to pave the way for the reconstruction of the city.



The exercise, which began exactly a week after a deadly disaster hit the community, is to make way for officials of the State Housing Company (SHC) and the municipal assembly to start taking a closer look at the field to guide them in planning and demarcation ahead of the reconstruction.



Prior to the demolition, the SHC carried out an assessment of the damage to residential structures after the deadly explosion at Appiatse, a small community near Bogoso in the Western Region.



The assessment provided the company with adequate information to plan the rebuilding exercise, which the government has instructed it to carry out.



The Daily Graphic team which witnessed the exercise saw that buildings that had their roofs ripped off in the blast but whose structures were still standing were pulled down and the foundations excavated.



The clearing exercise started from the main entrance of the community from the Bogoso direction.



The debris was initially heaped before pay-loaders tipped it into trucks.



Before the exercise, some community members, who could identify the exact locations of their homes, descended on the village at dawn to salvage some belongings.



As of noon, the team realised that almost half of the community had been cleared in the exercise which started early in the morning.



While the demolition and field clearing was progressing last Thursday, the members of the Steering Committee of the Appiatse Support Fund, who were at the Jubilee House in Accra to introduce themselves to the President, gave the assurance that the country would take advantage of the disaster at Appiatse to rebuild it into a green city.



This is an opportunity for us to do a green city, making sure that we use renewable resources to build the city and get the people to understand that things have changed so much and the world is also suffering from our misuse of the worlds natural resources, the Chairperson of the committee, Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, assured President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.







Source: graphic.com.gh









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The Tamale Circuit Court presided by His Honor Alexandra Oworae, has sentenced five accused persons to 15 years each in prison for snatching a Toyota Camry car at Banvum, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern region.



The convicted persons are Ibrahim Issah 27, Mohammed Mustapha, 23, Vivor Christopher 27, Benyamin Ajyei, 23, and Seyram Addo 29.



This was after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob, robbery, possession of firearms and ammunition without lawful authority, and possession of police and military accoutrements charges leveled against them.



The fifteen years sentence will run concurrently.



However, another suspect, Alhassan Mohammed, a teacher who is alleged to be an informant of the gang has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been remanded into prison custody to reappear in court on February 9, 2022.



Another suspect was arrested in connection with the case Mahama Nashiru alias Mohammed, 28 appeared before the Tamale Circuit court and granted bail of Gh 50,000 with two sureties.



He is expected to reappear in court on February 3, 2022.



On Sunday, January 23, 2022, the five were arrested by the Buipe highway patrol team on duty at Sawaba Police checkpoint in two vehicles with registration numbers AS8445-19 and GX6923-20.



A search conducted on them found 13 assorted mobile phones, one Falcon Foreign Pistol loaded with 9mm ammunition, a wallet containing a bunch of keys together with two handcuffs keys, two Voters ID Cards, Melcom card, Access Bankcard, and cash the sum of GHC21.20p. Some Military uniforms, Police Ballistic helmets, and police uniforms were also found in the Toyota Camry Spider with registration number GX6923-20.



Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has distanced itself from the alleged military officer who was arrested with four others at Buipe in the Savannah region for allegedly snatching a car in Tamale in the Northern region.



A statement signed by Andy La-Anyone, Commander Acting Director Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces said We wish to state categorically that the suspect is not a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces. The Armed Forces are worried about the rising spate of impersonation by civilians, either wearing military uniforms or posting of fake pictures of themselves as military officers to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaians.











Source: Daily Guide









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A 20-year old man, Eyram Botwe, whose attempt to rob a motor rider at Agorve near Akatsi failed has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour.



The accused who was put before the Sogakope Circuit court on January 25, 2022, on the charge of attempt to commit robbery pleaded guilty to the offence and was convicted on his plea.



His Lordship Isaac Addo delivering in his judgement considered the fact that the accused was a first-time offender.



Narrating the incident, the prosecutor said the accused, Eyram sprayed pepper powder into the eyes of a motor rider in an attempt to rob him of his Haojue motorbike at Agorve but failed.



The accused on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, engaged the services of the commercial motor rider from Akatsi to Agorve. Unknowing to the rider Eyram had planned to dispossess him of the motorbike.



So on reaching closer to the Agorve Township the accused sprayed pepper powder into the eyes of the rider; causing them both accused and the rider to fall. The rider shouted for help. It attracted members of the community who rushed to the scene.



The accuseds attempt to steal the bike was unsuccessful; neither was his attempt to escape. He was arrested and sent to the Police station. Following which investigations were conducted. He was charged and arraigned accordingly.



In a related development, the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command has cautioned the public, especially motor riders to be wary of such incidents as there is a trend for motorbike robbery in the southern part of the region.







Source: Daily Guide









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The total number of China-Europe freight train trips has topped 50,000, as a cargo train left the city of Chengdu in southwest China for Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.

The value of goods transported by the cargo service skyrocketed from 8 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 to 74.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, surpassing a ninefold increase, said China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

During the six-year period, the number of train services recorded an average annual growth of 55 percent after all railway routes were merged into the China-Europe freight train service brand and given blue branding in June 2016.

With 78 routes planned, the trains now reach 180 cities in 23 European countries, transporting more than 50,000 types of goods including IT products, automobiles and parts, chemicals, and mechanical and electronic products, according to the company.

Since it began operations in 2011, the China-Europe freight train service has served as a crucial link for trade and economic cooperation, propelling interconnectivity and bringing mutual benefits to countries along the routes.

In a smart factory owned by the Chinese equipment manufacturer Sany Group in the Liangjiang New Area of the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing, large excavators have rolled off the assembly line and been loaded onto a China-Europe freight train heading toward Central Asian and European markets.

In the eyes of Li Bing, general manager in charge of Sany Group's business in the southwestern region, major railway channels such as the China-Europe freight train service have brought Chongqing closer to the rest of the world. "We can better expand the Central Asian and European markets based in the municipality," he said.

Once faced with logistics disadvantages, inland Chinese cities such as Chongqing and Chengdu are now emerging as industrial bases for the electronic information, automobile and equipment manufacturing sectors, as global investors voted with their feet after the railway launch.

Agnieszka Maliszewska, director of the Polish Chamber of Milk, said that the export expansion of Polish dairy products to China has much to do with the fast logistics between Poland and China. "We are very happy because it is a very fast and good solution for dairy products and their producers," he said.

As of Saturday, more than 4.55 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods worth a total of 240 billion U.S. dollars have been transported by China-Europe freight trains.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the safe and efficient transport offered by the China-Europe freight train service has helped stabilize global supply chains while offering a lifeline for the distribution of anti-virus materials.

Official data shows that since the pandemic began, over 100,000 tonnes or 13.62 million units of anti-pandemic supplies have been transported by freight trains to European countries including Germany, Poland and Belgium.

By Jan. 19, the city of Wuhan had sent out 11 China-Europe freight trains this year, transporting a total of 921 tonnes of COVID-19 prevention goods.

Looking ahead, the China State Railway Group is working to improve its overseas network by opening new routes that travel across the Caspian Sea, the Baltic Sea, as well as countries such as Ukraine and Finland.

And the China-Europe freight train service is set to play an even bigger role as countries along the routes seek higher-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Official data showed that the total imports and exports between China and the European Union gained 27.5 percent in 2021 to reach 828.11 billion U.S. dollars. China remains the EU's largest trading partner, while the EU is China's second largest trading partner.
Superintendent Otuo Kwabena Acheampong, Tema Regional Police Crime Officer of the Ghana Police Service has urged the public to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in their various homes and at strategic office facilities to ameliorate crime and improve security.



He said the installation of CCTV cameras would help capture people who commit crimes in various localities to hasten investigations and apprehension.



This was disclosed at the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency's Ninth End of Month Stakeholder Engagement and Workers Appreciation Day, which is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues.



The event also serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development in general, the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub.



Speaking on: Overview of the security situation in the Tema Region  Role of Stakeholders in crime prevention, Supt. Acheampong said installation of CCTV cameras was part of the expectations by the Regional Police Command in 2022 to reduce crime so that people would live in a safe and secure at their various workshops and residential homes.



The Tema Regional Crime Officer noted that, installing CCTV cameras would record footage of crime scenes, which would be an immense support to aid investigators to unravel circumstances of crimes.



He also beseeched the public to form neighbourhood watch committees to make crime a high-priced activity for culprits to engage in.



He added that, the citizenry must endeavour to volunteer in sharing information and tip-off to the police with an assurance to get their identities protected.







Source: GNA









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The Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) Bill was expected to be taken through the various stages Friday evening (January 28) when Parliament reconvened, even though it had earlier been scheduled for next week Tuesday.



However, after sitting from 5pm to 7:10pm, with First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joe Osei Owusu presiding, the House decided that members were exhausted and therefore adjourned to Tuesday, February 1, 2022 without the E-levy showing up for a debate on Friday night as earlier envisaged.



The Minority had argued that the House was supposed to sit at 10 am on Friday, and later members were told sitting was going to start at 2 pm.



Mr Kwame Agboja argued that members were not told that there was going to be an extended sitting.



The Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had proposed a 40-minute break for rest when it was 6:45 pm, for members to return and continue with the E-levy. This was after the House had sat from 5pm and statements had been made on the passing of Captain (rtd) Kojo Tsikata, Brig-Gen Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu and the recent fire outbreak at Budumburam which killed a family of five that was trapped inside their building.



But the Minority side said members were exhausted.



The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said he had difficulty with the E-levy coming up for discussion Friday night since they had earlier been told that the E-levy was next week and had cautioned they [Minority] didn't want "surprises."



He said there had been some engagements between the Minority Leadership and the Minister of Finance "but where we are... if we are introducing a new E-levy... we will refer it to the committee... then the committee can bring its report when Speaker Bagbin is back."



The Minority Chief Whip, Mr Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak said bringing the E-levy late Friday was an ambush, a position which was supported by the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.



"It is actions such as this that aggravates the situation in this House... I believe we don't have to put the lobby discussions on the flow, let's take the statement and be able to adjourn," he said.



But after listening to the issue of members being exhausted, the Majority Leader, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said he does not want to be blamed for making the House to sit for more hours when members were exhausted.



He said the Speaker [Bagbin] had earlier indicated to the leadership in the conclave that he was prepared to sit on the issue of E-levy if even it was going to take them up to 12 midnight.



E-levy consultations



The intention to bring the E-levy up for debate and possible vote on Friday evening followed a series of meetings held with the Minority leadership in Parliament Thursday and Friday, (Jan 28) by the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta which both ended without any significant progress.



In the same vein, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin is expected to travel by the weekend outside the country for a medical review in Dubai and it is not yet clear when he will return.



However there are suggestions that he could spend up to about a month before returning hence the decision for Parliament to reconvene later in the day to consider the E-Levy bill and possibly vote on it for its passage.



Reports however indicate that the Minister of Finance had proposed to reduce the rate of 1.75 percent on the E-levy to 1.50 percent but the Minority is still rejecting that proposal.



Proceedings started at about 5pm on Friday and the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joe Osei Owusu presided.



The Speaker, Mr Bagbin was seen in a video exiting the chamber and entering his vehicle to move out of the precincts of Parliament.

























Source: graphiconline.com









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Wildlife guards and lifeguards try to help the Cuvier's beaked whale that washed up near Athens.

An ailing young whale found near the coast of Athens in a rare sighting has returned to deeper waters after receiving medication, Greek officials said on Saturday.

The male Cuvier's beaked whale is now swimming near the southern island of Salamis, deputy environment minister Georgios Amyras told state TV ERT, adding that its condition remained precarious.

The dolphin-like whale, which normally lives in waters more than 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) deep, was first spotted near the Athens coast on Thursday.

On Friday, wildlife experts and lifeguards were mobilised after it reached the shallows of a popular beach in the Athens suburb of Palio Faliro.

The whale was hydrated and given antibiotics and after several hours it was escorted to the open sea late on Friday, Amyras said.

"This is a deep sea animal...the longer it stays in shallow waters, the greater the damage to its health," he said.

Cuvier's beaked whales can dive up to 4,000 metres and usually grow to up to seven metres (23 feet) in length.

Natascha Komninou, a professor at the University of Thessaloniki and head of the Arion cetacean rescue centre, told Skai TV the whale had a badly wounded lower jaw and blood tests showed it suffered from anaemia.

"With such a major injury, things are difficult," she said.

Cuvier's beaked whales often fall prey to ship propellers, but they are also acutely sensitive to "noise pollution" from human activity, Komninou added.

Alexandros Frantzis, a marine biologist at the non-profit Pelagos Institute, this week said the whale could have become disoriented due to ongoing seismic research for hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Kyparissia in western Greece, one of the mammal's main habitats.

"It's one of the four most important habitats in the world for these animals."

"We are destroying their home...for hydrocarbons," Frantzis told ERT.

Although sightings of live whales are extremely unusual in Athens, whale carcasses occasionally wash up, mainly in the Greek islands.

A dead Cuvier's beaked whale was discovered on a small island near Crete in 2016, and another one was found on the island of Naxos the following year.

Explore further Greece: Rescue operation to help stranded young whale

 2022 AFP
Different populations of chimpanzees showed varying behaviours.

Chimpanzees in one part of Guinea crack and eat nuts while others declined to do so even when offered tools, research published on Monday found, and the difference could shed light on their culture.

As humans, we are said to have cumulative culture: skills and technologies are transmitted and refined from generation to generation, producing behaviours more sophisticated than a single person could dream up.

Some experts believe this is unique to humans, and that traits like tool use by chimps instead develops spontaneously in individuals.

Their theory argues animals can innovate certain behaviours without a model to copy.

Evidence for this comes in part from captive chimps, who have been seen apparently independently developing simple tool use like scooping with a stick and sponging with a leaf.

But those behaviours differ from comparatively more complex techniques, like cracking nuts, and captivity is vastly different to the wild.

So Kathelijne Koops, a professor in the University of Zurich's anthropology department, designed a series of experiments involving wild chimpanzees in Guinea.

While one population of chimps in Guinea's Bossou does crack nuts, another group just six kilometres away in Nimba does not.

Koops wanted to see whether the Nimba population would develop the behaviour if introduced to the tools to do so.

The researchers set up four different scenarios: in the first, the chimps encountered palm nuts in shells, and stones that could be used for cracking them open.

In the second, there were palm nuts in shells, stones, but also edible palm nut fruit. In the third, they found the stones, unshelled palm nuts and some cracked nut shells.

And the final experiment offered them stones and Coula nuts, which are more commonly and easily cracked by chimpanzee populations that use the technique.

The study suggests that nut cracking may be an outcome of cumulative culture, similar to that of humans.

Secret cameras

Each experiment ran for several months at a time, mostly in 2008, though in some cases as late as 2011.

But while the experiment sites in Nimba were visited and explored by dozens of chimpanzees, who were filmed with cameras installed at the location, not once did they attempt to crack a nut.

"Having observed nut cracking by Bossou chimpanzees on many occasions, it was so interesting to watch the Nimba chimpanzees interact with the same materials without ever cracking a nut," Koops told AFP.

The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behaviour suggests that nut cracking may in fact be an outcome of cumulative culture, similar to that of humans.

The researchers acknowledged difficulties studying chimps in the wild, including the inability to control the numbers visiting their sites.

Between 16 and 53 chimps visited each site during the experiments and primate behaviour specialist Professor Gisela Kaplan, who was not involved with the research, questioned whether the numbers were sufficient to draw broad conclusions.

"As in human society: the number of innovators is relatively small in animals and the expression of innovation depends also on many social and ecological circumstances and pressures," said Kaplan, professor emerita in animal behaviour at the University of New England, Australia.

The study's authors acknowledge there are other possible explanations for the chimps' reticence, including the possibility that they simply weren't motivated to eat the nuts.

But as chimpanzees in neighbouring areas do crack nuts, they consider it unlikely the Nimba population was uninterested in a new food source.

Koops said the involvement of a "normal-sized wild community" of chimps and the length of the experiments allow insights.

"Of course it would be interesting to test additional communities," she said.

But the findings so far suggest there may be "greater continuity between chimpanzee and human cultural evolution than is normally assumed."

Explore further Cracking chimpanzee culture

More information: Kathelijne Koops, Field experiments find no evidence that chimpanzee nut cracking can be independently innovated, Nature Human Behaviour (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01272-9 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour Kathelijne Koops, Field experiments find no evidence that chimpanzee nut cracking can be independently innovated,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01272-9

 2022 AFP
Huge bursts of radio energy emanating from the Milky Way were first observed by a university student.

Australian researchers have discovered a strange spinning object in the Milky Way they say is unlike anything astronomers have ever seen.

The object, first spotted by a university student working on his undergraduate thesis, releases a huge burst of radio energy three times every hour.

The pulse comes "every 18.18 minutes, like clockwork," said astrophysicist Natasha Hurley-Walker, who led the investigation after the student's discovery, using a telescope in the Western Australian outback known as the Murchison Widefield Array.

While there are other objects in the universe that switch on and offsuch as pulsarsHurley-Walker said 18.18 minutes is a frequency that has never been observed before.

Finding this object was "kind of spooky for an astronomer," she said, "because there's nothing known in the sky that does that."

The research team is now working to understand what they have found.

Trawling back through years of data, they have been able to establish a few facts: the object is about 4,000 light-years from Earth, is incredibly bright and has an extremely strong magnetic field.

But there are still many mysteries to untangle.

"If you do all of the mathematics, you find that they shouldn't have enough power to produce these kind of radio waves every 20 minutes," Hurley-Walker said.

"It just shouldn't be possible."

The strange bursts of radio energy were detected using the Murchison Widefield Array telescope in Australia.

The object may be something researchers have theorized could exist but have never seen called an "ultra-long period magnetar".

It could also be a white dwarf, a remnant of a collapsed star.

"But that's quite unusual as well. We only know of one white dwarf pulsar, and nothing as great as this," Hurley-Walker said.

"Of course, it could be something that we've never even thought ofit could be some entirely new type of object."

On the question of whether the powerful, consistent radio signal from space could have been sent by some other life form, Hurley-Walker conceded: "I was concerned that it was aliens."

But the research team was able to observe the signal across a wide range of frequencies.

"That means it must be a natural process, this is not an artificial signal," Hurley-Walker said.

The next step for the researchers is to look for more of these strange objects across the universe.

"More detections will tell astronomers whether this was a rare one-off event or a vast new population we'd never noticed before," Hurley-Walker said.

The team's paper on the object has been published in the latest edition of the journal Nature.

Explore further Mysterious energy source unlike anything astronomers have seen before

More information: Natasha Hurley-Walker, A radio transient with unusually slow periodic emission, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04272-x Journal information: Nature Natasha Hurley-Walker, A radio transient with unusually slow periodic emission,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04272-x

 2022 AFP
Peruvian soldiers help clean up one of around 20 beaches affected by the oil spill blamed on Spanish energy giant Repsol.

The oil spill off the coast of Peru sparked by a volcanic eruption thousands of miles away is twice as big as previously reported, the government said Friday.

The announcement came hours after a court banned four directors from the Spanish oil company Repsol, which owns the refinery where the accident took place, from leaving the country for 18 months.

Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez told reporters the country has "a figure so far of 11,900 barrels" dumped into the sea on January 15, instead of the 6,000 reported earlier.

Repsol confirmed that the figure was higher, but gave a slightly lower estimate than the minister.

The spill, described as an "ecological disaster" by the Peruvian government, happened when an Italian-flagged tanker, the Mare Doricum, was unloading oil at the La Pampilla refinery, just off Peru's coast around 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Lima.

Repsol said the tanker was hit by freak waves triggered by a tsunami after a massive volcanic eruption near Tonga, more than 10,000 kilometers away.

The oil slick has been dragged by ocean currents about 140 kilometers north of the refinery, prosecutors said, causing the death of an undetermined number of fish and seabirds.

In addition, it left hundreds of local fishermen unable to take their boats out. They have staged protests against the Spanish company.

Crude oil washes ashore on Peru's Chacra y Mar beach on January 27, 2022 from a spill that occurred at a nearby refinery following a volcano in Tonga.

Deputy Environment Minister Alfredo Mamani said that 4,225 barrels of oil had been recovered from the sea and some 20 beaches, just over a third of the total.

For its part, Repsol said in a statement in Lima that "the amount of oil spilled is 10,396 barrels and 35 percent of that has already been recovered."

Earlier Friday, Judge Romualdo Aguedo granted the prosecution's request to prevent the four executives, including Repsol Peru's Spanish president Jaime Fernandez-Cuesta Luca de Tena, from leaving the country, as investigators look into the catastrophic oil spill.

Peru has demanded compensation from Repsol, and the energy giant faces a potential $34.5 million fine, the Environment Ministry has said.

The Mare Doricum is anchored with a ban on setting sail.

Fernandez-Cuesta Luca de Tena is accused of being responsible for the crime of "environmental pollution to the detriment of the state," with the three other executives considered "accomplices."

If found guilty, Repsol's president faces a potential prison sentence of four to six years.

In Madrid, the oil company pledged to "fully cooperate with any criminal investigation, as we are already doing with the ongoing preliminary investigation," Repsol said in an email to AFP.

"Our main concern is cleaning up the environment. Repsol is putting all its efforts into cleaning up as quickly as possible," the company added.

Explore further Peru beaches suffer oil spill blamed on waves from Tonga volcanic eruption

 2022 AFP
Chilean engineers and astronomers installing the ATLAS telescope at El Sauce Observatory. Credit: El Sauce Observatory

A state-of-the-art asteroid alert system operated by the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (IfA) can now scan the entire dark sky every 24 hours for dangerous bodies that could plummet toward Earth.

The NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) has expanded its reach to the southern hemisphere, from two existing northern-hemisphere telescopes on Haleakala and Maunaloa. Construction is now complete and operations are underway on two additional telescopes in South Africa and Chile.

"An asteroid that hits the Earth can come at any time from any direction, so ATLAS is now all the sky, all the time," said John Tonry, IfA professor and ATLAS principal investigator.

The new telescopes are located at Sutherland Observing Station in South Africa and El Sauce Observatory in Chile. These locations were selected not only for their access to the southern part of the sky but also their time difference from Hawaiithey are able to observe at night when it is daytime in Hawaii. The four-telescope ATLAS system is now the first survey for hazardous asteroids capable of monitoring the entire dark sky every 24 hours. The modest-sized telescopes can image a chunk of sky 100 times larger than the full moon in a single exposure.

Sutherland ATLAS station during construction in South Africa. Credit: Willie Koorts (SAAO)

The ATLAS system can provide one day's warning for a 20-meter diameter asteroid, capable of city-level destruction. Since larger asteroids can be detected further away, ATLAS can provide up to three weeks' warning for a 100-meter asteroid, capable of wide regional devastation. An asteroid that large could produce 10 times the destruction of the recent Hunga Tonga volcano eruption if it were to strike the Earth.

UH developed the first two ATLAS telescopes in Hawaii under a 2013 grant from NASA's Near-Earth Objects Observations Program, now part of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office. The two facilities, on Haleakala and Maunaloa, became fully operational in 2017.

First light and first discovery in southern hemisphere

After several years of successful operation in Hawaii, IfA proposed for additional NASA funds to build two more telescopes in the southern hemisphere. IfA sought partners to host these telescopes, and selected the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in South Africa and a multi-institutional collaboration in Chile. The ATLAS presence augments already substantial astronomical capability in both countries.

ATLAS on Haleakala, Maui. Credit: Henry Weiland

ATLAS on Maunaloa, Hawaii Island. Credit: University of Hawaii

Despite delays due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and supply-chain complications, the UH ATLAS team remotely supervised the assembly of the ATLAS telescopes in coordination with international collaborators in South Africa and Chile. In South Africa, the construction effort was led by the SAAO, and in Chile the team consisted of multiple partners, including the Millennium Institute for Astrophysics and Obstech, which operates the private El Sauce Observatory.

On January 22, ATLAS-Sutherland in South Africa discovered its first near-Earth object (NEO), 2022 BK, a 100-meter asteroid that currently poses no threat to Earth. To date, the ATLAS system has discovered more than 700 near-Earth asteroids and 66 comets, including detection of 2019 MO and observations of 2018 LA, two very small asteroids that actually struck the Earth. The system is specially designed to detect objects that approach very close to Earthcloser than the distance to the Moon, about 240,000 miles or 384,000 kilometers away.

The new ATLAS telescopes join existing ground-based surveys as well as other next-generation ground-based NEO detection systems in the works. According to Larry Denneau, IfA astronomer and ATLAS co-principal investigator, "Fortunately, NEO-hunting is a cooperative global effort, and the enhanced ATLAS complements the existing ground-based NEO search programs, namely UH's own Pan-STARRS and the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona. All these systems have different specialties, and together they are working to keep us safe from hazardous asteroids that could strike anywhere from days to decades into the future."

Explore further ATLAS telescope pinpoints meteorite impact prediction
In this photo provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, officials remove mooring line and a buoy from a young humpback whale off Ukumehame, Maui, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. Federal officials say the yearling humpback was freed from entanglement in gear that included about 140 feet of line and a plastic trawling buoy. Credit: Rachel Finn/NOAA via AP

Federal officials say a yearling humpback whale off Hawaii has been freed from a life-threatening entanglement in mooring gear.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said a rescue team cut off about 140 feet (43 meters) of line and a plastic trawling buoy when they freed the whale off Maui on Wednesday.

The whale's tail and fins were wrapped in small-gauge line with the plastic buoy floating behind, the agency said in a statement.

Officials said the whale was in good condition but that the line wrapped around its tail had begun to cut into the animal's flesh. The gear was of "considerable weight," the agency said.

The gear will be analyzed to determine its exact source.

"The animal's behavior was very evasive, and while it stayed near the surface, it maintained unusually rapid speeds, at times in excess of six knots," the agency said in a statement Thursday.

Trained responders cut the gear off with a blade attached to a pole after getting close on an inflatable boat. It is a federal crime to approach a humpback whale, and the team was working under under federal permit.

In this photo provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, officials remove mooring line and a buoy from a young humpback whale off Ukumehame, Maui, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. Federal officials say the yearling humpback was freed from entanglement in gear that included about 140 feet of line and a plastic trawling buoy. Credit: Ed Lyman/NOAA via AP

Explore further Young humpback whale freed from fishing gear off Hawaii

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
WHITEHALL  A head-on crash on state Route 4 involving two cars resulted in the death of a Vermont man on Friday night.

State police responded to a reported head-on two-car crash on state Route 4 in Whitehall at approximately 7:07 p.m.

After a preliminary investigation it was determined that Jesse Nesbit, 25, of Wilmington, Vermont, was traveling south on state Route 4 when his vehicle went off the shoulder of the road and hit a guide rail. Nesbit then returned to the road where he crossed into the southbound lane and collided head-on with another vehicle, according to state police.

Police said that Nesbit was declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the second vehicle was identified as 58-year-old Bruce Ferguson, of Granville. He was transported to Glens Falls Hospital with injuries that are not life threatening, according to state police.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, police said.

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation work and coordinate COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development.



Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for practical work to improve the people's well-being during his visit to Jinchang and Wuwei of northwest China's Gansu Province from Thursday to Friday.

He visited various market stalls and a restaurant to learn about the supply, sales and prices of holiday goods in the Jinsanjiao market, Jinchang City.

"China has a large number of micro, small and medium-sized firms and individually run businesses, which directly links to employment and supports the livelihoods of countless families," Li said.

The country is considering increased tax and fee cut policies, Li said, urging local governments to devise plans for other fee cuts.

In Minqin County of Wuwei City, Li said that desertification control and management is a major issue for the improvement of the ecological environment and the local living environment, which will continue to be supported and invested in by China.

Efforts should be made to ensure the supply of drugs for rare diseases and increase aid for families in need, Li said while in the home of a Huajian Village local, adding that the country is also mulling more subsidies for agricultural supplies to support spring farming.

While visiting a non-ferrous metals company, Li called for efforts to stabilize production and increase productivity, strengthen coordination among large, medium-sized and small enterprises in the industrial chain, and make more contributions to stabilizing the supplies and prices of bulk commodities.

Li urged the company to fully leverage the preferential tax policies to expand investment in research and development, and develop more key materials and highly processed products.
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Bread.

Not just any bread, but Formica bread, one of Atlantic Citys most sacred brands, an entire mythology baked into a hugely indented sub roll. A roll whose simple taste and chewy texture has long been traced to the quality of the water  the softest, cleanest anywhere, Frank Formica has bragged  pumped to the historic Ducktown bakery. It is the bread used by such beloved Shore brands as the White House Sub Shop and Sack O Subs.

Earlier this month, Norcross announced his family was purchasing a majority share of Formicas, founded in 1919, and renaming it the Formica Freitag Bakery, in honor of Norcross paternal great-grandfather August Freitag, who owned a small German bakery at 247 Kaighn Ave. in Camden in 1890.

It was an arguably stunning development, not least because the South Jersey Democratic boss and insurance magnate, who now votes in Florida, where he owns a home in Palm Beach and is a member of Mar-A-Lago, did the deal with Frank Formica, a prominent Republican and former Atlantic County freeholder. They both then gave the early morning exclusive to Harry Hurley, a talk-show host on local conservative radio.

Politics makes strange ... bread fellows, you could say. The Norcross familys last big purchase was of a copy of the also-iconic Declaration of Independence, for $4 million, in 2021.

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The bakery deal left both ends of the political spectrum puzzled.

Now, since Norcross was unsuccessful in getting his claws in Atlantic City by changing the type of government to one he could control, & American Water was defeated, hes going into the bakery business? wrote local Democratic progressive activist Helen Duda on Twitter. I am baffled! Whats up with that?

Weird, summed up Matt Rooney, a conservative Republican activist and founder of the Save Jersey website.

The partners of the new Formica Freitag Bakery say the deal will facilitate a state-of-the-art expansion that will allow the bread to be distributed nationally, retaining the same texture and crunch as it does fresh from the Formica ovens on Arctic Avenue.

The N.J. Economic Development Authority placed liens of more than $2 million against the company in 2019 in an attempt to recoup loans, according to federal bankruptcy court documents, but the case was discharged with a significant portion of the companys $675,416 remaining assets designated as uncollectible.

The trustee in the case filed a notice of abandonment, typically done when there is insignificant value remaining for creditors.

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By then, Frank Formica had already turned over Formicas Bakery operations to partner Pat McKenna, who, as already head of the Taste of Italy brand, is poised to take the Formica (Freitag) brand national, launched by the Norcross familys multimillion investment.

Formica says McKenna is already distributing a line of frozen Taste of Italy appetizers  arancini, pazotti, spaghetti bites and egg rolls  nationally. He already has the trains going to the tracks, Formica said in an interview last week, the only principal in the deal who would come to the phone. We have to fit in the bread.

Of the Norcross involvement, Formica says, Weve had a relationship through opposite sides of the equator. He said he expected both George Norcross and son Alex to be very involved in the operation. The release notes that the original Norcross patriarch, George E. Norcross, worked at his father-in-laws bakery, which boasted that its goods were As Near Home-Made as Bakers Can Make.

We started talking after I was unelected, he said. It was actually Georges idea. He came and said Id love to do this. George is keenly aware of the quality of Atlantic City bread. He doesnt want it to change.

Were all kindred spirits ... of flour, he said.

The partnership between McKenna and Norcross will still keep Formica as a consultant to the Italian bakery, which at its peak served over 280 local businesses. It still sells bread, including multigrain loaves, plus espresso, cannoli and tomato pie (dont sleep on the tomato pie) from the shop at 2310 Arctic Ave.

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Formica says hes still into the business up to my elbows. He certainly is keeper of all the memories, like how in 1931, with everyone hit by the Depression and women could not afford extra coal to bake their own bread in their ovens, the Formicas let them bake their homemade dough in the familys commercial ovens for a penny a loaf.

Its a great opportunity to extend the 102-year legacy of my familys business into the future, Formica said

He said that while other bakeries in town sell parboiled bread that can be shipped nationally, he and McKenna have perfected a way to distribute Formica bread fully baked and frozen.

The format has never been used, he said.

The Norcross family investment would allow an expansion of the business, he said, possibly into the vacant former North Tennessee Avenue home of the Ginsburg bakery, a century-old Jewish bakery known for its challahs and rye bread, owned for the last 40 years by the Mulloy family.

Ginsburg merged with another company in 2015 and left Atlantic City for Camden County, assisted by ... a $2 million loan from the NJEDA.

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Norcross declined through a spokesman to be interviewed. In a statement, Norcross said, For generations, my family and almost every person who has visited the Shore have eaten Formicas Italian breads  in restaurants and hoagie shops, on the beach, and walking down the boardwalk. We are excited to continue on its proud heritage ... and build on it for the next hundred years.

McKenna said in the release he hoped to bring the World Famous Atlantic City Bread to every corner of the country.

Atlantic City is, in fact, filled with iconic bakeries, including Mentos on Atlantic Avenue, known for its strawberry shortcake and German chocolate cake, not to mention its tres leches cakes, and the Panaderia Rodriguez Mexican bakery over on Kentucky Avenue.

Meanwhile, over at rival bread bakery Randos, another iconic Ducktown bakery located just around the corner on Mississippi Avenue, and where those parboiled loaves have been available for shipping (with instructions to finish by baking at 425 for 10 minutes), the bakers were throwing some shade.

We are happy to announce that we are currently going into our 14th year bringing Atlantic City bread across the country, the company reminded people on Facebook a few days after the Formica announcement.
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP  After years of negotiations  some friendly, some not  the township has reached a deal with the Fair Share Housing Center on the townships affordable housing obligations.

The settlement agreement still must go before a judge, which is set to happen in mid-March, but Mayor Tim Donohue expects that to go smoothly.

I think weve come to a fair agreement, he said Friday. Were in favor of affordable housing. We just want to do it in a way that makes sense for Middle Township.

The housing center seems happy, too.

We are pleased with the settlement in Middle Township, and see it as a significant step forward for affordable housing in Cape May County, as it is the largest town to settle in the county thus far, said Alex Staropoli, director of advocacy and communications with the Fair Share Housing Center.

With the Council on Affordable Housing essentially out of the picture, New Jersey courts have looked to the advocacy organization Fair Share Housing Center to negotiate affordable housing plans with communities. Under the Mount Laurel doctrine, municipalities in New Jersey have a constitutional obligation to provide opportunities for affordable housing.

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According to Donohue, most of the negotiations with the Fair Share Housing Center were amicable, but there was a rocky stretch last year.

He blamed outside agitators who reached out to the center with concerns about the Whitesboro section of the township, a historically Black community with roots in the Reconstruction era. Donohue said he did not know who made the calls, and said he has not tried to find out, but described them as politically motivated.

The settlement includes a fair share obligation of 320 units through 2025 and focuses new affordable housing in and around the Route 9 corridor of the township, according to Staropoli.

It also requires that a key redevelopment project near the historic Black community of Whitesboro include a 20% set aside for affordable housing and sets up benchmarks for the 80 affordable family homes to move forward over the next year, Staropoli wrote in an email Friday.

According to Donohue, the settlement spreads out the affordable housing opportunities, rather than concentrating them into a single project. The agreement will also allow additional density for affordable housing projects.

The Township Committee unanimously approved the agreement at a recent meeting, with no questions from the public. According to Donohue, the agreement will also go before the Planning Board, saying there will be more public discussions.

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Its all part of a larger plan, he said, including establishing Smart Growth areas of the township and other long-term planning goals. Theres still some lifting to do and still a lot of opportunity for public comment.

The township has been wrestling with affordable housing since before Donohue was first elected a decade ago, he said. Municipalities have faced multiple rounds of affordable housing obligations, with many towns complaining of shifting rules.

Its been going on forever, Donohue said. Theres always going to be another round.

The talks with the Fair Share Housing Center began in 2019. At a low ebb in 2021, center representatives accused the township of dragging its feet and suggested the townships immunity to lawsuits not be renewed.

That immunity is a potent motivation for towns to reach affordable housing agreements. In essence, if a town does not have an approved affordable housing plan, it can be open to builders remedy lawsuits, which can allow developers to sidestep local zoning.

Last fall, the township said it was making progress toward a settlement and that its immunity had been preserved.

The settlement agreement preserves that immunity, Donohue said.

Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill

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Store parking lots were madhouses Friday afternoon, as people scurried about Absecon Island to get some last-minute snowstorm provisions.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Atlantic City from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency that began at 5 p.m. Friday, asking residents to stay off the roads Friday night into Saturday.

Our advice to everyone is to be prepared to hunker down once you get home this afternoon and stay home, Murphy said Friday.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr., along with Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Evans, Public Works Director Paul Jerkins, interim police Officer-in-Charge James Sarkos, provided updates Friday afternoon about the citys snow removal plans and overall handling of the storm.

Small said the city has activated a Code Blue alert for the homeless population, opening shelters and warming centers.

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Jerkins said public works started brining the streets at 7 a.m. Friday and continued to brine right up until the storm hit later Friday evening.

Our crews are well-rested and prepared for the storm. Be patient with us, said Jerkins during the mayors Facebook Live update. He said public works employees would be working 24 hours to keep roads clear and residents safe.

Practice makes perfect, said Small, who said prior storms helped prepare the city for this one.

Please help by clearing snow away from storm drains and by clearing and shoveling around fire hydrants. There is no way Public Works can get to all of them, Council President George Tibbitt said. Its important to clear areas around storm drains so when the tide comes up, water can get out through them. They also allow for drainage when the snow melts.

Sarkos added: Please heed our warning and stay off the roads.

Luke Lallo, 23, a student at Stockton Universitys Atlantic City campus, decided to hunker down like Murphy said, with a 30-pack of Natural Ice and several bottles of pinot grigio and pink moscato from the Buy Rite Wine and Liquor store in Ventnor for him and his two roommates to drink during the storm.

I kind of like just staying in, so the storm gives me a reason, said Lallo, who plans on hanging out, watching movies, cooking and enjoying the storm from the inside.

The only thing Im worried about is being able to leave, said Lallo, who is on standby for the New Jersey National Guard, military police unit in Teaneck, Bergen County. If anything happens, theyll call me and Ill have to drive out to Teaneck, which is about two hours away.

Lallo said he didnt plan on drinking too much Friday night just in case he had to wake up early but would still have a nice time.

If youve never painted while drinking wine, I highly recommend it, Lallo said.

Steve Apt, 34, manager of Colmar Home Center in Margate, said the hardware store will remain open during the storm, as they stocked three wooden pallets of rock salt and ice melt as an emergency supply.

The last storm we ran out of rock salt and ice melt around 11 a.m., so we bought in extra this time, said Apt.

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Normally we dont get anything, now its the opposite. This year is different, said Apt. Being so close to the water, we usually only get a dusting.

Deborah Britt, 62, of Ocean City, stopped at Colmar to go to the UPS store inside the three-in-one center, but ended up buying rock salt and a gas container to get gas for her snow blowers.

Usually, we only have a little snow, but compared to this year its different. The weather is usually milder here than inland like Philly, said Britt, who was not looking forward to the wind and drift that make this storm different from other storms the island gets.

Wind gusts are expected to be as high as 50 miles per hour in Atlantic City.

My husband usually shovels snow, but my daughter just flew in from Chicago, but she can help us shovel snow, too, Britt said jokingly.

Atlantic City was expected to get 12-18 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

Bianca Wright, manager at Buy Rite Wine and Liquor, said the store will most likely be closed Saturday. She said although the snowstorm will most likely kill the liquor stores business, it is always busy the day before a storm.

Sydney Becker, 27, of Margate, stopped at Buy Rite Friday afternoon to pick up a six pack of White Claw hard seltzer for her and her mom before picking up groceries her family ordered the day before, to avoid waiting at the hectic Acme in Ventnor Plaza, which is the only large grocery store in the Downbeach area.

Its harder to get around today, said Wright, who said her family pretty much had everything they needed, besides the White Claws and groceries. We usually have to watch out for flooding during storms. The back roads flood pretty bad.

Coastal communities will likely experience flooding that will impede travel on roads.

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning for Atlantic and Cape May counties until 10 a.m. Saturday.

Tracey Orledge, 57, of Ventnor, said she is looking forward to the storm. She went to Colmar Home Center for a gas stabilizer for her generator, in case of a power outage, and a stuffed lamby doll to keep her dog, Oscar, busy.

I like storms. Im ready for it, said Orledge. If I wasnt ready for it, I wouldnt be so thrilled.

Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com

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A parolee from the East Moline Correctional Center, who also is a registered sex offender in Illinois, is charged with battering and severely injuring a 14-month-old child in Colona.

Rahsaan Malik Strawder, 38, of 710 4th St., Colona, is charged in Henry County Circuit Court with one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. The charge is a Class X felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of six to 30 years.

According to a news release issued Friday but dated Thursday by Colona Police Chief Mike Swemline, Colona Police were notified by the Moline Police Department of an aggravated battery to a child that had occurred in Colona. Moline had initially taken the report believing that the incident had occurred in Moline.

Colona Police detectives met with investigators from Moline at the Moline Police Department. Interviews were conducted by both agencies.

A search warrant was obtained for Strawders home. The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit processed the scene.

The 14-month-old child was flown to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria with complications and was listed in critical condition at the time of the news release, Swemline said.

Strawder made a first appearance Friday in Henry County Circuit Court. He was being held Friday night in the Henry County Jail on a $1 million bond, or 10%. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 7 in circuit court.

Strawder was incarcerated in the East Moline after being convicted in 2016 of robbery and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in Kane County, according to Illinois Department of Corrections electronic records. He was released from prison and placed on parole on June 25, 2021, or about seven months ago.

Strawder is required to register as a sex offender. He was convicted in 2002 in Kane County of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim age 13-16. The victim was 16 at the time, according to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry.

Strawders criminal history also includes convictions for aggravated arson, residential burglary and fraud, according to Illinois Department of Corrections electronic records.

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Davenport Community School District officials have provided more detail on how the district will operate after a federal appellate decision on an injunction blocking the states ban on school masking mandates.

The states ability to enforce the law that spells out the ban has been on hold because of a legal challenge in federal court.

The lawsuit involves children who are too young to be vaccinated and have disabilities that make them susceptible to potentially severe COVID-19 cases, according to the Associated Press. Their parents argue the law effectively excludes them from in-person learning in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

One of the plaintiffs is from Davenport, and the Davenport district is one of the defendants named in the suit. The district reinstated a masking mandate shortly after the initial federal court blocked the state's law.

The Associated Press reported that a federal appeals court ruling on Tuesday will allow Iowa to again enforce the law, except for schools attended by students whose disabilities make them more vulnerable to severe illness if they get COVID-19.

Also on Tuesday, the Davenport district issued a statement that it was removing all universal mandatory masking requirements for students and staff throughout the district effective immediately per Iowa law.

In the days since, Superintendent TJ Schneckloth and Mike Vondran, a district spokesman, have provided more information about how the district was operating in the wake of the appellate ruling.

Schneckloth sent some initial detail by email on Wednesday:

The state law generally prohibits school districts from adopting mask rules for students, employees or visitors, except as otherwise provided by law.

The Eighth Circuit (the federal appellate court that made Tuesday's ruling) affirmed that individual students with disabilities may be entitled to masking as an accommodation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The court explained that [e]njoining the current enforcement allows schools to craft mask requirements tailored to Plaintiffs childrens needs and those of other students who may require accommodations related to masks.

This means that mask mandates that are not tied to the Districts compliance with federal law to accommodate the individual needs of students with disabilities may still be prohibited under Iowa Code section 280.31. (Section 280.31 is the state's school masking mandate ban.)

The Eighth Circuit intends that any mask requirements implemented by school districts must be tied to the individual needs of a student with a disability, and that for schools that do not have students whose disabilities require masking as an accommodation, Section 280.31 may prohibit adopting mask mandates in those schools.

Masking requirements already in place in the district that were tied to the individual needs of students who have disabilities remained in place, Vondran said.

District staff were looking for any other students for whom such an accommodation may be needed, Schneckloth said. How widespread within the district those accommodations would be was not available Wednesday.

The district was asked Thursday for more details about how the mandates work. It had not yet provided the information as of Friday afternoon.

The Associated Press report stated that Tuesday's ruling did not take effect immediately and the initial injunction remains in place statewide for the time being. For now, Iowa officials will still not enforce the statute.

The district consulted its attorneys, Schneckloth said, and their interpretation of Tuesdays ruling was that the original form of the injunction was no longer in place.

The districts release from Tuesday also said: Students and staff who choose to mask may continue to do so. In compliance with the Presidents Executive Order on all domestic transportation, students are still required to wear a face covering while on the school bus or while utilizing other District provided transportation."

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SIOUX CENTER, Iowa  Gov. Kim Reynolds has said the main theme of her recent "Condition of the State" address was about entrusting Iowans to build and nurture their own communities.

On Friday, the Republican governor traveled to the Northwest Iowa city of Sioux Center to tout a project that's taken more than 30 years of building and nurturing. Reynolds announced the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System would receive a $12 million grant from a state water quality initiative funded by federal

Sioux Center is one of the largest users in Northwest Iowa of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System which, when fully finished, will run 45 million gallons a day through 20 cities and rural water systems in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

"(It) really does ensure that Iowans will be connected to clean drinking water," Reynolds said at Sioux Center's water treatment plant, which is near the connection point for Sioux Center to receive water from the Lewis & Clark system.

Sioux Center is one of the largest Siouxland users of the multi-state water system, which got off the ground in 1990, with authorization of funding in 2000 and the initial construction in 2004. Sioux Center and neighboring Hull are expected to be connected near the end of 2022 or into 2023, while Sheldon will be added between 2023 and 2024 and Sibley will come on somewhere between 2024 and 2025.

The $12 million award from the state will go toward: "constructing three pump stations by Lebanon, Larchwood and Hull, as well as a ground storage reservoir near Hull and adding pumps to the Dove Avenue pump station. according to a document from Lewis & Clark Executive Director Troy Larson.

The project is one of three water-related developments receiving $10 million or more from the state that Reynolds' administration announced Friday. Dyersville will get $11 million for a utilities project aimed to bolster the Field of Dreams while Des Moines has $15 million coming its way for dam mitigation meant to compliment the Raccoon River.

The state funded the initiative with allocations from the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden last year. Only two of Iowa's six-member congressional delegation -- Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne -- voted for the $1 trillion plan.

According to Larson, additional federal funding is needed to complete the Lewis & Clark water system. During his time at the podium at the water treatment plant Friday, he said the expansion is needed because droughts in the state made it clear to members of the system that more water would be needed.

"Hope that expansion is complete in eight to 10 years," Larson said.

Murray Hulstein, a chairman for the system, called the funding allotments the "latest example" of elected leaders in Iowa "putting words into action."

Following the speeches, Reynolds took just two questions from media, with the second focused on why water infrastructure is a top priority for her administration.

"One of the first bills I signed was a water quality bill," Reynolds said. "It's just really important if we want to continue to see growth in northwest Iowa."

The first question the governor addressed was the competing tax-cut plans that her party is currently floating in the Legislature.

"The fact that we're all talking about tax cuts, I think it's really exciting...It's an indication that we're going to get something done," she said.

Reynolds is touring Iowa to pitch her proposal for a 4% flat-rate state income tax and also to phase out state taxes on retirement income.

The House Republican plan closely mirrors Reynolds' by gradually reduce the state tax on Iowa workers income until all workers income was taxed at 4% and phasing out taxes on retirement income. Senate Republicans propose lower the income tax rate for all filers to 3.6 percent over five years and eventually phase out the tax altogether. GOP Senate leaders also outlined a plan to reduce the state tax on businesses and eliminating some tax credits and exemptions.

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DES MOINES  Teachers should not have to worry about jail time for distributing books that some people might consider vulgar, Republican Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said Friday.

Whitver made the comment while appearing on this weekends episode of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS.

Whitver was asked about comments made before the legislative session by two Senate Republicans  Sens. Jake Chapman of Adel and Brad Zaun of Urbandale  who said they felt educators should face jail time for distributing literature that they deemed vulgar or obscene.

When asked about the possibility of criminal penalties for teachers, Whitver on Friday appeared to dismiss the idea.

I think charging anyone with felonies for these types of things, I dont think is a good idea, he said. Whitver said no legislation has been proposed in the Senate that would criminalize the distribution of certain literature in schools.

Republican lawmakers are hearing concerns from parents about some books in schools and their libraries, he said. When books have been singled out by legislators or at school board meetings, they typically have been about LGBTQ characters or written by LGBTQ authors, and include brief passages that describe sexual acts or feelings.

Whitver said he thinks the topic should be addressed through transparency. That aligns with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who proposed legislation that would require schools to post a catalog of all of their library books and curriculum materials online. Schools are already required to have that information available.

Were hearing concerns from parents and our job is to listen to those concerns and try to address them, Whitver said. I think adding transparency is a really good way to do that: make sure our parents have a seat at the table in their kids education, give them a process to address any concerns they have.

Many school districts already have a process in place for considering books and other materials that some people may deem inappropriate.

The phenomenon is not unique to Iowa, and other states elected officials have taken action. Floridas Republican lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban schools from, in their instruction, making people feel discomfort over historic actions by their race, nationality or gender. And a Tennessee school board banned a book about the Holocaust over concerns of graphic drawings.

Iowa Press airs on Iowa PBS at noon Sunday, and can be viewed online at iowapbs.org.

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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!
The Beijing municipal government on Friday said that the current COVID-19 outbreak is broadly under control as new infections are declining and are being identified among those already in quarantine.

From 4 p.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Friday, the city reported four new locally transmitted cases related to the Delta variant. No new Omicron infections have been reported for five consecutive days, said Xu Hejian, a spokesperson for the Beijing municipal government.

The city has opened more institutions for COVID-19 testing among at-risk residents, and strengthened the testing and disinfection of imported cold-chain foods.
NORMAL  Just months after rolling out the Common Application as an option for all Illinois public universities, the move is already having an impact on school application and admission numbers.

Some state schools have seen a massive growth in applications from last year, in part due to the new system and in part due to lower-than-normal numbers last year.

At Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, applications submitted for fall 2022 are up 52% from last year, said Josh Norman, associate vice president for enrollment management.

The Common App has produced an exponential increase in our applications, he said.

The Common Application system allows students to apply to multiple colleges with a single application. It includes more than 900 schools, mostly in the U.S. but also across the globe.

At Illinois State University in Normal, applications are up 54% from last year, said Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Jana Albrecht. Last year's numbers were down, but the school is still up by about 1,000 applications from pre-pandemic.

It's difficult to know how that will work out in terms of enrollment, but it feels good so far, Albrecht said.

"We're cautiously optimistic going into this year," she said.

At EIU, the increase has also been felt in students admitted, with 1,192 more admits than last year, Norman said.

Deposits are ISU are up by around 42% from last year, about on track with where the school was pre-pandemic, Albrecht said.

There is a lot of work to do when 3,000 more applications come in, Norman said.

Our processing staff has just been slammed, he said.

The crunch has been felt at ISU, too, Albrecht said, but staff seem excited by the potential the increased applications bring.

Statewide initiative

The Illinois Board of Higher Educations Common Application Initiative rolled out last year, with all Illinois public universities except for Northeastern Illinois University now an option for students using the system. NEIU is expected to join soon.

The Common App is a nonprofit, with schools paying subscription and per-application fees to use the system.

Illinois' fiscal year 2022 budget included $1 million in appropriations for the initiative. IBHE's FY2023 budget recommendation, approved Jan. 10, also included a $1 million line item. The recommendation now goes to the governor and state legislature before it is approved and may be changed there.

The amount is just a small fraction of the total $2 billion FY23 recommended budget, over half of which would be allocated directly to the 12 public universities in the state. Another $530 million would go toward the monetary award program, or MAP, which provides grants to Illinois college students to pay for their education.

The $1 million will be given to schools on a reimbursement model, according to a presentation given to university leaders and obtained by The Pantagraph through the Freedom of Information Act. Maximums for the schools are being set under intergovernmental agreements.

The formula includes $4.43 per submitted application if the school uses the standard Common App form or $4.80 per application if it uses a custom form. The Common App allows schools to add additional questions or documents to the base application.

Norman, at EIU, estimated that the school would end up spending around $25,000 this year on implementation costs and the cost per application.

Im super grateful for the funding from the state; that is just a huge deal, he said.

ISU, University of Illinois Springfield, Western Illinois University, EIU and Governors State University all told The Pantagraph they had most of their applications so far come in by the Common App.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has seen around 23% of its applications come in through the Common App, said Scott Belobrajdic, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, in a statement to The Pantagraph.

Even with a lower usage of the new system, SIUE has seen some changes to its application process, he said. A higher percentage of applicants who are using the Common App have put in all of their materials already this year.

The higher completion rate has contributed to a 5% increase in applicants admitted so far.

Applications are also up at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the school said in a statement to The Pantagraph.

We fully support making it easier for Illinoisans to apply to universities close to home, and we are grateful to Gov. Pritzker and IBHE for their leadership. Our applications for fall 2022 are up, in part because of the Common Application, but it is too early to judge its effect on enrollment, the statement said.

Norman, too, said it will take until deposits really start coming in in March, April and May before EIU will know what actual impact the change will have on higher application numbers. He is thankful, though, for the increased applications.

Not everyone who makes a deposit will end up at the school, so final numbers will not be available until the fall.

Norman has noticed that the students who are applying on the Common App are less likely to have engaged with the school in other ways. That is showing up in the rates of people who are admitted and are making deposits. Of students admitted to EIU who used the Common App, only 1% have submitted deposits already. For the university application, that number is 7%.

Not new for all

Three Illinois public universities  University of Illinois Chicago, Northern Illinois University and Chicago State University  were already using the Common App.

Those applying to UIC to enter as freshman have to use the Common App, said Kevin Browne, vice provost for academic and enrollment services. The university joined the Common App six years ago, as the first Illinois public school to adopt the application.

Students are increasingly looking for a more online, streamlined application process, Browne said. Joining the Common App made sense for the school, as opposed to creating its own online application system.

Its really about the student experience () theyre using the Common App anyways, he said.

For about half of UIC's applicants, the application is their first time interacting with the university, Browne said.

"The engagement is going to be different," he said.

Browne would remind schools adding the Common App for the first time that any first year is going to have its problems, and he encourages them to learn and keep moving. He also encourages only using one system for freshman admissions.

Data in the Common App's Illinois state report for the 2020-21 application season showed that UIC was the top recipient of applications through the system for students living in Illinois.

Illinois public schools joining the Common App follow a larger trend of more and more Common App members being public institutions or from the Midwest. According to one of the nonprofit's studies published in October, around a quarter of members are public universities, up nine percentage points from six years before. The percentage of Midwestern schools has increased by seven points.

Common App did not respond to The Pantagraph's requests for comment.

Looking a few years down the line, Albrecht hopes to see the Common App help ISU bring in more students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and from out of state. Right now around 92% of the applications to ISU for fall 2022 are from in-state students.

"I think that the Common App will do great things for us," she said.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

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Its been more than three years since Jason Van Dykes jury signed the verdict forms that sent the former Chicago police officer to prison for the on-duty fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald.

With Van Dyke scheduled to be free from prison by Feb. 3 after serving nearly half of his 81-month sentence, three members of the historic panel who spoke to the Tribune offered mixed reactions to news of his anticipated release.

They noted the jury did not have a say in deciding Van Dykes punishment in the racially fraught case. The jurors agreed the panel reached a just verdict and they hope court-ordered police reforms in its aftermath will be its true legacy.

And each said they often think about the tragic circumstances that brought them together.

I think about it quite a bit, said juror Will Harpest, 73, a retired elementary schoolteacher who lives in Chicago. It was a huge event for me, just the intensity of the weight of knowing what all the issues were and the need to be fair.

On Oct. 5, 2018, after about 7 hours of discussions over two days, the panel found Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery  one for each bullet that hit McDonalds body as the teen walked away from officers while ignoring commands to drop a knife.

The Cook County jury rejected the prosecutions request for a first-degree murder conviction. Members also acquitted Van Dyke of official misconduct, reasoning that as a police officer he had the right to use his weapon.

Graphic police dashboard camera footage released more than a year after the fatal shooting riled the city, exacerbating the already fraught relationship between Chicago police and minority communities. It prompted a federal investigation of the Police Department that concluded officers routinely violated the civil rights of minorities.

Juror Charlene Cooke offered the strongest opinion in response to Van Dykes upcoming release. She said the three years, three months he has spent in prison wasnt even a slap on the wrist.

To me, its an insult to the jurors and the time we spent (during the trial), said Cooke, a 63-year-old retired FedEx driver. Its an insult to the family, like Laquan McDonald meant nothing.

While not explicitly mentioned during trial testimony, race inevitably hung over the proceedings with a white officer fatally shooting a Black teen. As the lone Black juror, Cooke said, she realized that the focus might be on her, so she was determined to give Van Dyke a fair shake.

She told the Tribune while the trial was a fair proceeding, in her opinion, the punishment does not fit the crime. Though jurors said they carefully followed legal instructions forbidding them from considering what sentence Van Dyke could face if convicted, Cooke later said she had hoped Van Dyke would serve at least 10 years.

She said McDonalds family has received a life sentence of mourning the slain 17-year-old.

Theres people who are given life for dealing drugs or robbery without hurting anyone, Cooke said. You shoot someone 16 times and you dont even serve five years, really? I bet if it were me, they would have given me life.  The judicial system is all about who you are, which is sad. He got special treatment.

Van Dyke testified he feared for his life and believed his actions were justified, but jurors found that belief unreasonable.

Now 43, Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer in a half century to be found guilty of murder for an on-duty shooting. He was attacked by fellow inmates shortly after being transferred in 2019 from Illinois custody to a federal prison in Connecticut and has spent much of his sentence in solitary confinement for his safety, his lawyers have said.

Besides Cooke, four white women, three white men, three Hispanic women and one Asian man made up the jury. Harpest and Kathy Supplitt, the jury foreperson, said they are at peace with their verdict, the judges sentence and the fact Van Dyke will soon be free.

As a jury, we did our job to give Jason Van Dyke a fair trial, Harpest said. The sentencing was not up to us and now hes fulfilled that. He was in prison during COVID, which has got to be pretty horrendous. So, I think the man has served his sentence and needs to get on with his life.

He and Supplitt said they do not agree with calls from some Chicago activists that the Justice Department pursue a civil rights case against Van Dyke in an effort to keep him behind bars.

Im sensitive to their frustration and anger but I just dont know what it would achieve, said Supplitt, a 62-year-old medical billing specialist from the northwest suburbs. To just rip open this old sore again would be so hard for the families and the city.

She noted McDonalds great-uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, who has served as the familys main spokesman for years, has publicly said he and most of the family oppose a federal civil rights case.Regarding Van Dykes sentence, Supplitt said she assumed Judge Vincent Gaughan might mete out a punishment of six to 10 years, because six was the minimum for aggravated battery. She declined to question the judges sentencing decision.

Rev. Hunter said they were looking for justice, not revenge and that speaks to me about how the family is looking at that, Supplitt said. So, I can live with this.

Noting federal involvement earlier in the case, the three jurors who spoke to the Tribune agreed that the court-ordered police reforms included in the 2019 federal consent decree must be aggressively pursued.

My hope is that from this tragic story for the McDonald and Van Dyke families that our city of Chicago and all of Cook County will continue to press forward on resolving issues of inequalities for all minorities, especially the youth in Black communities, said Harpest, who specifically mentioned the need for more police training to safely de-escalate such confrontations.

Supplitt, the jury foreperson, recalled watching teens about McDonalds age heading to school during her 90-minute commute into the city during the four-week trial.

Id kind of say a silent prayer that theyd have a better life than Laquan had, she said. I just hope that the consent decree and reforms are pursued aggressively and that both families and the city can heal. It was just a tragedy all around. There were no winners here. ... Its time for the Van Dyke family to get on with their lives and I hope that Laquans family continues to heal.

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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, at the age of 83 and after three decades of demonstrating his brilliance and knowledge, is retiring. Past comments tell us what he wants as a replacement: someone of high legal skill to serve not as a politician seeking popularity or ideological objectives but as an upholder of the rule of law.

President Joe Biden apparently thinks differently. His standards are that the next justice should be Black and a woman.

Thats what he automatically said when asked about the Breyer retirement, and it is a reflection of what so much of our government and so many progressive politicians have become. They are players of identity politics, trying to serve one group or the other at the expense of other groups while study of the attributes of individuals as individuals comes in second, a plague afflicting Black Americans for ages.

The social justice crowd now thinks skin color can be more important than merit in finding people to play specific roles that can have mighty consequences for others. This mindlessness looks down on the selected group by assuming its members cannot otherwise advance and cheats the unselected groups that may include people who attained exceptional capabilities through exceptional effort. There are far better ways to confront racial prejudice than smashing the principle of fair play.

In short, Biden should be looking for the person most able to serve with wisdom in the hugely important position of Supreme Court justice, whatever race or sex that person may be. While there is no absolutely definitive, certain way to go about it, there are a host of techniques proven worthy over time, such as finding someone with lots of experience and success in a given field and widely appreciated by keen, informed observers.

None of this is meant to say that there is no Black woman out there who would be an outstanding Supreme Court justice. In fact, I have been highly impressed in reading about some of those Biden is said to be considering. If he nominated a Black woman as the best possible Breyer replacement without first limiting other possibilities, well, hip, hip, hurrah.

Especially given the fact that justices favored by their own party are a minority on the court, Democrats have wanted Breyers resignation as soon as possible. We will have a midterm election in November and theres a reasonable chance that Republicans will become the Senate majority and refuse to go along with any progressive nomination. A big issue is Roe v. Wade, whether the Supreme Court should determine abortion rules or turn the job over to the states. Democrats tried to stop President Donald Trumps nomination of Justice Amy Coney Barrett for fear her religious beliefs would cause her to favor the change. She correctly says the issue is what the Constitution and arguments say.

Keep in mind that Democrats have rejected the wants of Republican presidents and vice versa. Specifically, keep in mind how a Democratic Senate wouldnt OK President Ronald Reagans nomination of the brilliant Robert Bork who later wrote that Sen. Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, relied on a brief that was world class in the category of scurrility.

Biden was also chairman of the committee when Justice Clarence Thomas was a court nominee of a Republican president and there was questionable, downright demonizing, sexual-harassment testimony by Anita Hill with the TV-watching public not being convinced by what she said.

Although Thomas had an exceptional academic record and did especially well at Yale Law School, the school said it accepted him because of skin color, otherwise known as affirmative action. Thomas wrote that it was futile for me to suppose that I could escape the stigmatizing effects of racial preference, and I began to fear that it would be used forever after to discount my achievements.

Jay Ambrose is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. speaktojay@aol.com

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Thumbs Up ... to the creation of a new accountability organization within Department of Veterans' Affairs in Illinois. The office was created by a law that passed the state legislature without opposition and comes on the heels of problems at VA facilities going back years.

The measure became law even though it didn't get Gov. JB Pritzker's signature because he didn't sign or veto it within 60 days of it reaching him, which means it becomes law.

A spokesperson for the governor said he fully supports the law, but blamed an internal miscommunication for his failure to sign it, according to the Chicago Tribune.

That seems odd to us, given the political sensitivity of this issue. The state was faulted for its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak at the VA facility in LaSalle, where three dozen veterans died.

Still, what matters most is that this additional level of accountability will be provided.

The new office will be independent from the department but funded by the agency's budget. The governor appoints the office's director and the Senate must confirm.

The office will work with the inspector general for the governor on complaints.

Thumbs Down ... to continued efforts in the Iowa Legislature to curb use of automated traffic enforcement cameras. The cameras are proven to make roads safer, but for ideological and other reasons, certain lawmakers have targeted them.

This year, they're trying a new approach. Instead of seeking an outright ban, they're supposedly softening their proposals. That may be so, but there are still some questionable ideas out there. One would require jurisdictions interested in using these safety devices to first put an alternative in place for six months. It also would require cities collect data proving the need for the cameras. (The bill we saw didn't explain who would decide whether the data was sufficient.) This seems like too heavy-handed an approach to us.

Another proposal would prohibit camera-generated tickets for vehicles going less than 20 miles per hour over the limit in towns of 12,000 people or less if the municipality has exceeded a certain revenue threshold. (We'd like to know more about this plan. It seems oddly specific.)

We've long said that Iowa cities ought to be able to use these devices, but that they ought to be responsible and the cameras shouldnt just be a revenue generator. Historically, there have been complaints concerning tickets issued in Cedar Rapids, and we also know people have complained about the cameras in LeClaire.

We'll see how these proposals go forward. But, on balance, we think automated cameras improve public safety. Some suggestions may be worth exploring. But, given the animosity many legislators have toward these cameras, were skeptical they'll adequately balance these interests.

Let's hope they prove us wrong.

Thumbs Up ... to the progress being made in downtown Moline to redevelop the property under the old Interstate-74 bridge. As Barb Ickes reported this week, plans for that area are advancing, and much of what we hear sounds exciting.

As Ickes reported: "At the fore of popular concepts is a skate park that could be built under a section of the new bridge, a roof-top restaurant at the city-owned Spiegel Building and the creation of a shopping and recreational area just west of the new bridge, dubbed Mill Town Basin."

The city has been working with land use experts, along with soliciting input from the public. And this week, members of the city council were asked for their support.

The Mill Town Basin seemed especially well received by the council.

Were encouraged by what we hear, and we also think the process to arrive at this point has been solid.

Aldermen have given their blessing to investigate timelines, consultants and possible budgets for specific pieces of the new downtown picture, thereby giving city planners and Renew Moline the green light to hit the gas.

Thumbs Up ... Jonathan Zumkehr, a corrections officer at the federal prison in Thomson, where he also heads the local unit of the American Federation of Government Employees.

This week, Zumkehr was recognized as the AFGE law enforcement officer of the year.

Employees, union or otherwise, get recognized for their work all the time. But we know the effort Zumkehr has put into getting better treatment for workers at the prison in Thomson.

This newspaper has reported on how staffing levels and wages have been lacking at the prison. And Zumkehr has been a key figure in advocating for changes. Those include increases in pay, hiring practices and COVID testing policies.

Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., presented Zumkehr with the award.

Bustos, along with other members of the state's congressional delegation, have also worked to make these changes happen. We applaud all for their efforts.

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Volunteers will continue counting both sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals through Sunday.

Homeless Coalition Administrator Christina Capobianco said the annual homeless point-in-time count, sometimes referred to as the pit count, is a federally mandated practice implemented across the United States.

The data helps identify the amount of funding provided to each state for homeless services.

Capobianco said she thinks theres going to be a higher number of sheltered homeless this year compared to previous years due to the emergency shelter at the Woyatan Lutheran Church, which opened around New Years Day.

A lot of individuals are seeking shelter there who would otherwise be on the streets, she said. Were going to see a higher number of sheltered homeless because of that, and were grateful for it.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, those who are sheltered homeless are those who live in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or a program like a hotel or motel voucher program paid for by the government or a non-profit agency.

Capobianco said that does not include those who suffer from housing instability, or those who couch surf or bounce from home to home every few days, weeks or months. She said under the current definition, they would not be considered as homeless.

The definition for unsheltered homeless did change between the last point-in-time count and this years count. It typically includes those who live outside, in a vehicle, in an abandoned building or tent. It now includes those living in RVs or campers that dont have one or more basic needs utilities such as heat, electricity, water, a running toilet, or places to bathe or cook.

The Volunteers of America only counted the number of sheltered homeless individuals in January 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns. In 2021, there were a total of 194 sheltered individuals in Rapid City and 817 in the state.

In 2020, there were a total of 353 homeless individuals counted in Rapid City  161 being sheltered and 192 being unsheltered  with a total of 1,058 in the state.

During the count, groups of four volunteers go throughout the city with clipboards and surveys and count the number of individuals in each situation. They also have coordinated entry cards that allow people to fill out an assessment to connect people to resources. Capobianco said people can also call 1-800-664-1349. She said that number can also lead to resources to prevent homelessness for those at risk of getting evicted.

If anybody knows anyone who needs help, send them to the Volunteers of America, she said. Were really trying to get the coordinated entry number out so we can get as many people housed as possible.

Capobianco said the volunteers also hand out hand warmers, socks, hats and other cold weather gear to help during the winter.

She said the organization is doing a count on the Pine Ridge reservation this year, which hasnt been done over the past few years. She said she expects to see a higher number of unsheltered individuals, although no numbers have come in yet. She said the data must be submitted to HUD by April 1.

Capobianco said there are certain demographics the group is unable to count and that theyre missing. She said they see people come in everyday who need housing services.

We know the homeless problem is larger than we can count, were just trying to make a little bit of a dent in helping get people off the streets and housed, she said. Everyone deserves a warm place to stay and warm food in their belly. We want to house as many as we can.

During the citys Planning Commission meeting Thursday morning, commissioners discussed businesses and areas that are pulling up bushes to prevent people from sleeping underneath them. Commissioners acknowledged that there is a homeless issue in Rapid City and something must be done. Community Development Director Vicki Fisher said businesses that remove bushes are no longer in compliance with city codes. She also said city staff is looking into amending the code and vetting it through the public and council.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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SIOUX FALLS | South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's reelection campaign said Friday that she has raised $8.5 million in 2021, touting a historical fundraising haul for a South Dakota gubernatorial candidate.

The Republican governor has $7.3 million on hand across multiple committees, according to her campaign. Noem has created both a federal political action committee and an in-state reelection campaign account, but recent financial filings for neither were available Friday.

The Republican governor has risen to national prominence among conservatives for her hands-off approach to the pandemic. She has held fundraising events across the country and attended Republican gatherings in several states that will figure largely in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries.

Noem faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Steve Haugaard, a former House Speaker who is running to the right of Noem. His recent financial filings were not yet available from the Secretary of State.

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The Pennington County State's Attorney's office has taken over in the Jan. 21 shooting investigation.

The Rapid City Police Department announced on social media Thursday night that the office would not answer questions regarding the case. The department also noted that 17-year-old Deaundrea Janis, who was identified as a suspect on Jan. 22, had been located.

A representative from the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office said Friday that they would not be able to answer questions until the report had been reviewed.

Police were dispatched to an apartment near 100 Surfwood Drive on Jan. 21. Upon arrival, police located a man who was shot. A medical unit arrived and transported the man to the hospital with serious injuries.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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People in Fengnanyuan Village of Huozhou City in north China's Shanxi Province have started cleaning their homes and shopping to prepare for the most significant time of the year -- the Spring Festival.

Ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Feb. 1, President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the village hard hit by unprecedented floods last autumn.

In his new home, villager Shi Hongbing welcomed Xi.

"The General Secretary is concerned about the people in the disaster-stricken areas. He asked about our family circumstances in detail and cared about everything," 63-year-old Shi said.

The house Shi used to live in collapsed due to the heavy rainfall in autumn. Thanks to a government subsidy and other assistance, he now has a new abode.

During his inspection tour of Shanxi from Wednesday to Thursday, Xi also visited Duancun Village in Fenxi County, where he urged efforts to consolidate the achievements of poverty eradication, advance rural vitalization, and improve people's lives.

Last year, China announced the elimination of absolute poverty. The country is promoting comprehensive rural vitalization.

Cai Wenming, a farmer in Duancun Village, began to raise sheep in 2015 with poverty alleviation loan support. Later, he shook off poverty. Currently, he has 90 sheep. Including revenue from farmlands, his family has an annual income of 50,000 yuan (about 7,844 U.S. dollars).

"The village plans to build a 100-cattle farm and eight mushroom planting greenhouses, and will make vocational training an important way to increase people's income," said Li Jiali, Party chief of Duancun Village.

Yan Zhenyun, dressed in sterile operating overalls, is on the production line of a poultry processing plant in Fenxi County. Yan was able to escape poverty two years ago because of this job.

"My monthly income is about 3,500 yuan. Together with the income of my husband who works in another place, we can earn 70,000 to 80,000 yuan a year," said Yan, who lives in Magutou Village.

With the development of industries according to local conditions, a growing number of rural residents like Yan now enjoy stable jobs and incomes, prompting more migrant workers to return to work in their hometowns.

In 2021, the per capita disposable income of rural residents nationwide grew by 9.7 percent year on year to 18,931 yuan, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The growth rate was higher than that of the per capita disposable income of urban residents.
Residents in Rapid Valley said they dont have an issue with growth and development, but are concerned that adding around 460 homes to their area isnt a responsible move.

Jim and Linda Hayward, Bob and Mary Anderson, and Ronald Cordes said if there were fewer homes slated for the 120-acre development, it would be more palatable.

We all know that Rapid City has to grow and its growing, we have no problem with growth, we want responsible growth, Bob Anderson said. We dont want it to (be) all of a sudden you have a city with no infrastructure to support it. Theres only a couple of ways in and out of here. It just needs to be done responsibly, and we dont feel this is a responsible plan.

Apple Valley is a proposed 120-acre subdivision that could bring what the developer describes as affordable homes to Rapid Valley near Anderson and Long View roads. Andy Scull, co-owner of development company Pink Cabin, said the homes would be completed over six to 10 years, depending on the market. He said theyve been working on the project for about a year.

The development is currently in the process of seeking a rezone for three parcels from agriculture to low density residential, urban residential and ranchette district from the Pennington County Commission. The commission will consider this at its Feb. 1 meeting. The commissions decision will also impact the preliminary subdivision plan submitted to the Rapid City Council. If denied by the county commission, city staff will recommend the Rapid City Council deny the preliminary subdivision plan.

The city Planning Commission unanimously approved the preliminary subdivision plan for 80 residential lots, the first phase of the project, at its Thursday morning meeting. The Rapid City Council will consider the item at its Feb. 7 meeting.

The county commission approved a $12.5 million Tax Increment Finance District by a 3-2 vote for the project in December and also voted unanimously to approve a project plan resolution.

Anderson said he and his wife, Mary, have lived on Anderson Road for 35 years. He said many residents there live on about five acres, while the new development is proposing 6,500-square-foot lots.

Jim Hayward said the development will look like a piece of Rapid City coming to the area. His wife, Linda, said they didnt have enough notice about the development and didn't find out about it until October. She said if they had more time, they wouldve been able to make their concerns known to elected officials.

Ronald Cordes, who has lived off of Radar Hill Road for about 21 years, said hes concerned about the number of cars coming up and down the road. The road is used as a main corridor to Box Elder and to the Rapid City Regional Airport.

According to a 2021 traffic impact study, the proposed development would generate 346 trips during the weekday morning peak hour, 462 in the afternoon peak hour and 4,408 weekday trips. The study found that all movements at the intersections are acceptable levels of service and would have a minimal impact. It did find, though, that sidewalks and trails within the development would be necessary for residents safety.

Scull said the area needs housing at all levels, particularly in the affordable range. The homes would be priced around $200,000 to $250,000, he said.

He said the parcels for the proposed development had a willing seller, had accessibility for new infrastructure and highway access, and was inexpensive land to develop due to its flat topography.

Scull said the improvements necessary for the development, including water and sewer, would be good for the existing residents in the area. He said residents would be able to hook up to the utilities instead of using a septic system, and it opens up more land for future development. Utility and road work would occur in 2022 and 2023, if all is approved.

He said since the area is within the citys 3-mile platting jurisdiction, utilities have to be built to the citys specifications since it could be annexed down the road.

Ultimately, we understand that its troubling for the residents, but its also necessary for the good of our overall community, Scull said. This housing demand is not going away, its only increasing. We look at it as a way to serve our community and help our community as a whole. Its a responsible development being done the right way and its being done the way it needs to be done so we can plan for the growth.

Cordes said he understands the number of proposed homes is necessary for affordability for the developer. Anderson said theyre not there to tell the developer how to manage their property, but wants them to be good and responsible neighbors.

We just want the developer to do whats right for the area, Hayward said.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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I am tired.

I'm tired of the false narratives. I'm tired of the fake outrage. I'm tired of people pushing culture war nonsense trying to keep themselves in power.

No one has taught Critical Race Theory in any South Dakota school so the state government is free to move on to more pressing issues and solve problems that might actually exist.

This phony boogeyman created by a right-wing activist for the purpose of keeping people angry enough to vote is a big hit in current political discourse.

As someone who is the father to both a white son and a black son, I can tell you the arguments against CRT are almost entirely based on lies. Not once while studying history in schools in Oklahoma, Kansas and South Dakota has my 18-year-old been taught that he needs to feel bad about himself because white people owned slaves two centuries ago.

Not once.

My black son has been called the n-word and made fun of at school because his skin is the same color as those who were owned as slaves when this country was founded.

I spent three weeks in Addis Ababa in 2011, so I understand what it means to be one of very few people of your race in a country filled with people who don't look like you. But the people of Ethiopia were more than kind to their white visitors.

That's not a story most black people get to tell about their experiences in America.

The opponents of Critical Race Theory have rallied behind a group called the 1776 Project that is dedicated to teaching patriotic American history.

Do you see the problem?

In 1776, slavery was alive and well in the United States and would survive for about a century before a Civil War was fought to end it. Teaching patriotic American history means filling students' heads with myths about George Washington cutting down a cherry tree and not being able to tell a lie but conveniently avoiding the less patriotic fact that Washington owned slaves until his death.

It took this country almost 100 years to make the words of the Declaration of Independence ring true. It was 50 more years before women could vote. Another 50 after that, black Americans received some basic rights white Americans took for granted.

Jim Crow laws, black codes, and segregation stole opportunities from black Americans for decades even after slavery ended and their shadows still linger over today's America.

There is nothing unpatriotic about learning our lesson from those mistakes. We must reckon with our past to make the future better.

A couple of weeks ago, all of the anti-CRT politicians had a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote in their social media feeds.

One of those quotes that rarely finds its way into the discussions includes King's remarks about how the country was giving special treatment to soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. He agreed with that in principle, but he saw a further application.

A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for the Negro, King said. Just as that quote doesn't get the same love that "Hate doesn't drive out hate. Only love can do that," or the, "I have a dream" speech imploring people to judge every person on the content of their character, we need to teach the harsh details in our nation's history to raise true patriots.

We don't need a Facebook-friendly polished version of history that only shows the highlights. To truly love this country, students need to learn about the complete history. They need to really know the country to really love it.

Teach them about the good and the bad, but most importantly teach them how to move forward and make the world better today than it was yesterday. Slapping on another coat of makeup and pretending the scars from years gone by don't exist won't work.

History's mistakes are only problems if we don't leave them in the past.

My white son and black son can both go to the same schools now and have a similar experience. That wasn't true for much of our history. It certainly wasn't true in 1776. It still wasn't true in 1862 when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

But it is true in 2022.

The sooner we stop talking about CRT and other fake culture war battles and focus on making things better for people today, the easier it will be for people of all skin tones to move on from the problems of the past.

Kent Bush is the editor of the Rapid City Journal. Reach him at kent.bush@lee.net
Hamilton High School will host the Western A Band Festival featuring high school musicians from Hamilton, Stevensville, Polson and Libby on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, culminating in a free community concert on Tuesday.

HHS Director of Bands Shawn Thacker said over 100 student musicians will be participating in the adjudication, clinics and performance.

Its an annual festival with each town taking a turn hosting the event, Thacker said. This festival has been in operation for over 50 years.

The schedule has two full days of musical rehearsal, learning and performing.

On Monday morning, each school band will perform individually for comments provided by two guest clinicians.

The Hamilton High School Symphonic Band will perform at 8:30 a.m., the Stevensville High School Symphonic Band will perform at 9 a.m., the Libby High School Symphonic Band will perform at 9:30 a.m. and the Polson High School Symphonic Band will perform at 10 a.m.

Then bands will combine into two bands and work through a full schedule under the direction of two guest clinicians. The mass bands will each perform a march, an overture and a lighter piece of music.

Guest clinicians are John Combs, retired band director from Missoula Hellgate High School, and Mark Thiele, director of bands at the University of Idaho.

Combs graduated from the University of Montana in 1977, taught in Shelby, graduated from the University of Southern California then directed band at Hellgate High School for 28 years. He took bands to the Fiesta Bowl Parade in Phoenix, Arizona, the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, and his jazz band was selected as the outstanding band during the National Association for Music Education contest at Disney World. In 2008, Combs was inducted into the Bandworld John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor and selected as the outstanding music educator for the northwest from the National Federation of High Schools.

Combs was given the Leadership Award from the Montana Music Educators Association in 2014, the Leadership Award for the Northwest Division of NAfME in 2018 and the Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Music Education in 2020. He serves the MMEA as the mentor coordinator.

Thiele is assistant professor of tuba/euphonium and the director of bands at the University of Idaho. He teaches tuba/euphonium, directs the wind ensemble, teaches conducting and performs with the Idaho Brass Quintet. He presents clinics and guest conducts throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Thiele spent 21 years in The Presidents Own United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C., performed across the country, in the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic, the American Bandmasters Convention, the Texas Bandmasters Convention and Japan Band Clinic. He conducted the Wind Symphony and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble at George Mason University while earning his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He also holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Michigan.

Thacker said the Annual Western A Band Festival was not held last year due to COVID.

It is nice to have it up and running again, he said.

The festival will conclude with the Festival Gala Concert at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, in the Hamilton High School Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road. The concert is open to the public, free of charge and everyone is encouraged to attend. For more information, call the HHS Band Office at 406-375-6060 ext. 5216.

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Burkina Faso faces suspension after coup

ACCRA, Ghana  West African neighbor states on Friday suspended Burkina Faso in the aftermath of this weeks coup, making it the third nation in the regional bloc to be punished for a military takeover in only 18 months, officials said.

The announcement from the bloc known as ECOWAS came days after more than a dozen mutinous soldiers went on state television in Burkina Faso to announce their military takeover of the country  thats under siege from Islamic extremist attacks.

ECOWAS had suspended neighboring Mali after a coup there in August 2020 and then took similar action against Guinea after the president was overthrown last September.

Panel subpoenas fake Trump electors

WASHINGTON  The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection subpoenaed more than a dozen individuals Friday who it says falsely tried to declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election in seven swing states.

The panel is demanding information and testimony from 14 people who it says allegedly met and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the winner of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to a letter from Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committees Democratic chairman. President Joe Biden won all seven states.

Rittenhouse rifle will be destroyed

KENOSHA, Wis.  A judge on Friday approved an agreement by lawyers to destroy the assault-style rifle that Kyle Rittenhouse used to kill two people and wound a third during a 2020 street protest in Wisconsin.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the state crime lab would destroy the gun, probably in April. Judge Bruce Schroeder, the Kenosha County judge who presided over Rittenhouses trial, approved the agreement. The judge also ordered that Rittenhouses $2 million bail be divided among his attorney, a foundation that solicited donations for his defense and actor Ricky Schroder, who donated to the defense fund.

Pope denounces fake news about pandemic

ROME  Pope Francis denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines Friday, blasting the distortion of reality based on fear but also urging that people who believe such lies are helped to understand true scientific facts.

Francis met with Catholic journalists who have formed a fact-checking network to try to combat misinformation about the pandemic. Francis has frequently called for responsible journalism that searches for the truth and respects individuals, and his meeting with the Catholic fact-checking media consortium furthered that message.

Bidens welcome cat to White House

WASHINGTON  For the first time in more than a dozen years, a cat is living at the White House. Her name is Willow, and shes a 2-year-old, green-eyed, gray and white farm cat from Pennsylvania, who first caught the eye of first lady Jill Biden out on the campaign trail.
A startup wholesale bagel business is opening its first retail shop by taking over the former Jean-Jacques Bakery space in Carytown.

Chewys Bagels started its bagel-making operations in 2019, using the Hatch Kitchen RVA facilities in South Richmond to produce the bagels. The company sells the bagels wholesale to more than a dozen local grocery stores and coffee shops and occasionally runs a pop-up booth at farmers markets.

But now owner Ashley Cricchio is taking the next step by relocating her bagel-making operations to the Cary Court Park & Shop space that Jean-Jacques Bakery had used for more than 36 years until it closed last summer. The back part of the space will be used for making the bagels for her wholesale customers as well as for her bagel shop, which will use the front part.

The 2,363-square-foot shop at 3138 W. Cary St. should open in late February, Cricchio said.

I always knew that I wanted to step into retail, Cricchio said.

I moved back into doing farmers markets, which is a nice way to kind of connect directly with customers. And while I was dipping my toe in the water is when I actually had someone reach out to me telling me that this space is available and that it might be a good fit, she said. I came in and looked at it and it really was. The stars honestly lined up on the property.

Since the space was already set up as a bakery, she said it was much easier to convert it into a bagel shop. Some of the equipment used by Jean-Jacques Bakery was left, so she will be able to use it as part of her operations.

Making bagels is very labor-intensive and very equipment-intensive, she said. So if this space wasnt available in the way that it was and with some of the equipment, I probably couldnt have been able to do it.

In addition to selling bagels, the shop will sell coffee and sandwiches. Cricchio said shes working out a menu.

Chewys Bagels are traditionally made, she said. They are hand-rolled and boiled in a kettle.

Its the same thing as the New York-style bagel, but our bagels are the only sourdough bagels around in town, she said.

Cricchio moved to the Richmond area in 2014 to finish her degree at Virginia Commonwealth University while her husband also finished his graduate program there. She worked at a French-style bakery in Shockoe Bottom and started working with bread on the side as a way to expand her skills.

Making bagels just kind of started as a passion project for me, she said.

I have a friend who owns a gym and was putting on an event and I made bagels for it, she said. People said they were really good and asked if I had ever thought about selling them. I had. So I started doing direct to customer and then it just grew from there. It just kept growing and growing.

Her bagel-making business was growing so fast that she decided in October 2019 to commit to it full time.

I made the leap and havent looked back, she said.

Thats when she started using Hatch Kitchen RVA, the business incubator for startup companies in the food industry that operates in the Clopton Siteworks in South Richmond.
A female delivery driver for Walmart filed a federal class action lawsuit against the retail chain claiming that work pants issued to women only fit male drivers.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Alabama earlier this month, Diana Webb alleges that drivers are required to wear uniforms consisting of pants and a shirt while working on their jobs. Those who fail to comply with the uniform requirements can be subject to termination, she alleges.

Webb claims that Walmart provided her an entire uniform to include pants. Walmart also provides for laundry service of the uniforms.

When issuing the pants, she said Walmart only provides mens pants for both male and female drivers. Webb alleges the pants are uncomfortable and poorly fitting for female drivers and that it was impossible to wear mens pants provided by Walmart.

Specifically, she alleged that the pants fit only male employees due to anatomical differences between the sexes.

Webb claims she was harmed because women have to either suffer discomfort or purchase and launder their own pants with no option for reimbursement to fulfill Walmarts employment requirements. Walmart will not launder pants purchased by employees.

Webb accuses the retail giant of sex discrimination because Walmarts nationwide practice is to provide pants that only fit their male drivers, while requiring only female employees like the plaintiff employed by Walmart and other females similarly situated, wherever, located, to purchase and launder their own uniform pants.

Webb alleges she purchased her own pants at her own expense.

Before filing her charge of discrimination and subsequent lawsuit, Webb alleges she addressed her concerns with Walmart human resources and supervisors on several occasions, but her requests were ignored.

In a statement, Walmart claims to have provided Webb with pants months prior to the filing of the lawsuit.

Webbs attorney, in a statement, said that Walmart should reimburse Webb $300 to $400 for the cost of the pants she purchased.

When employers discuss diversity and inclusion in the workplace, these are the types of everyday workplace needs that must be considered.

For example, a female police officer said in a recent workplace audit how much she loved the job, but only asked that the bullet proof vests be fitted for women. She said the uniform as a whole was meant for males.

Organizations need to determine how best to make the workplace a positive experience for all workers. Whether its dress code or working conditions, diversity and inclusion are about much more than hiring and having representation.

Companies should be continuously evaluating how best to give all employees a sense of belonging, and this is especially true where the jobs are being filled by those not traditionally held by that demographic, whether national origin, religion, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or any protected characteristic.

The employers efforts need to be intentional. Seeking input from the employees can be a positive opportunity to evaluate the work environment objectively and make needed change.

In this case, Walmart now faces a federal class action lawsuit over something so simple.

Sometimes just listening and responding to an employee can go a long way to creating an inclusive work environment where all employees can feel a sense of belonging.
For decades, like many professions, criminal law has been dominated by men, especially white men. While male attorneys still vastly outnumber women, in Virginia and nationally, a recent visit to any Richmond courtroom shows a shift to more women handling criminal cases.

Women hold the top spots in both the city prosecutors' office, led by Colette McEachin  the first woman elected to the role  and the public defender's office, whose chief is Tracy Paner. And both offices are predominately staffed by female attorneys  65% of the city's 40 commonwealth's attorneys are women, and 27 of its 33 public defenders are women.

In the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, the team that handles the prosecution of violent crimes and murders is exclusively female, with the exception of the deputy in charge. Of the roughly 71 murder cases currently in court, 54 are being prosecuted by women, according to statics provided by the office.

Though McEachin and Paner said they don't believe gender plays a significant role in how they practice the law, both said they are committed to making their offices more racially diverse to better reflect the community.

Across Virginia, there are 120 commonwealth's attorneys, 38 of whom are women, including in Richmond, Petersburg and the counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and Prince George, according to the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys.

The Virginia Bar Association, a voluntary organization, has a Criminal Law Section that includes government lawyers, judges, law school faculty, lawyers in private practice and lawyers working full-time in the nonprofit sector. The section's membership is 70% male and 30% female, mirroring its overall membership, according to the association.

Nationwide, women make up just over 1 in 3, or 38%, of all lawyers, according to Census data, though women account for 51% of the state's and the U.S.'s population.

The American Bar Association, found that only about 1.5% of its members are women practicing criminal law. In 2019, the association launched a Women in Criminal Justice Task Force that aimed to recruit and retain more women to criminal law. Research by the task force found that woman actually outnumber men in law schools across the country, and that the leadership of women in criminal justice reduces corruption and increases confidence in the system and in the rule of law.

This case study in Richmond courtrooms is especially noteworthy considering the impact COVID has had on working women. Labor and economic experts call it the first female recession or a "she-cession" after nearly 2 million women  nearly four times the number of men  dropped out of the workforce, due to child care needs when schools and day cares shut down, during the pandemic.

Here are the stories of seven women who shared the changes they've seen as more women have entered the courtroom, in their own words, lightly edited for length and clarity:

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Claire Cardwell

Years of experience: 37

Current title: Judge, Richmond Circuit Court

Cardwell was credited by many other attorneys as a trailblazer, breaking the glass ceiling for many women behind her as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and now, a judge. She credits those who came before her. Cardwell began practicing criminal law in 1984, and was first appointed to the bench in 2017.

"I tried my first jury trial as a third-year law student when I interned at the Richmond Commonwealths Attorneys Office. It was completely exhausting and exhilarating at the same time and I was hooked.

Carol Breit was my supervisor in that internship and she quickly became a wonderfully supportive mentor. In my mind, she was a true trailblazer. Carol was the only woman who I saw trying jury trials. I distinctly remember riding with her to her home in the middle of a trial so that she could hurriedly nurse her infant son and return to court. Once back at the courthouse, I watched her deliver a compelling closing argument to the jury without missing a beat. I have been blessed with people like Carol throughout my career who never entertained the idea that women could not be successful in criminal law.

Perhaps naively, I thought that as long as I worked hard and believed in myself, my gender would never be an issue. I do recall that a long-serving judge once said to me, in what I am sure he thought was the highest compliment, 'I like you because you practice law like a man.' I never quite understood what he meant. On another occasion, a judge yelled to me across a crowded courtroom at the end of a trial, 'Hey Blondie, come see me in my chambers.' I responded, admittedly with some trepidation, that I would join him if he called me by name. He did, and I did.

These incidents were very isolated. Frankly, they were more humorous than offensive to me likely due to the confidence gifted to me by my parents.

The very few women who practiced criminal law when I entered the profession worked predominantly in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. While those courts are supremely important, I surmised that women attorneys were assigned there because the cases involved children and families: two areas which were related to a more traditional female role."

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Colette McEachin

Years of experience: 31

Current title: Richmond Commonwealths Attorney

McEachin was first tapped in 2019 as the city's top prosecutor. She is the first woman to hold the role. She retained the position in an election later that year to finish out the term of her predecessor, Michael Herring, and won re-election in 2021. The wife of Rep. Donald McEachin and mother of three, she graduated law school at the University of Virginia in 1985. She worked at private law firms in Atlanta and Richmond before starting at the Richmond Commonwealths Attorney's office in 1991 as the crack epidemic hit the city sending annual murder totals into the triple digits.

"So when I got here, I was the third or fourth African American woman, and maybe the fifth or sixth woman that had ever been hired by the Commonwealths Attorneys Office, so it was very much predominantly male, predominantly white, predominantly older males.

The incident that I always remember is I had been with the Commonwealth Attorney's Office for a number of years, and I had three children under the age of 6, and Donald was a lawyer  is a lawyer  and he was doing a deposition or something. He couldn't be home when our sitter left for the day. I was in the middle of a jury and the jury went into deliberation. It was getting to be close to 6 o'clock, so I went to the judge's chambers and I said, 'Judge, I have to go home get my kids and bring them back to the courthouse. There's nobody to watch them.' And the judge didn't even blink. He said 'I understand, Mrs. McEachin. Go ahead.'

So I left the courthouse, I drove home, picked up all three of my kids, brought them back to the courthouse. There was nobody in the office; there was no victim-witness person to watch them or anything. They all sat underneath the counsel table, where the jury couldn't see them. To all three of them, I said, 'You can't say anything' and gave them some like M&M's or something. And the jury came back  I don't even remember what the jury verdict was  and the whole time my three kids were under the desk. But you know those are the things that a woman at that time had to do.

I think nowadays that that type of situation would be handled differently.

It used to be that there were [private] firms that were very clear about, we don't hire women or if we hire women, it's highly unlikely that you're going to make it to partner. We're not wanting to make any kind of concessions or acknowledgments that there are cultural differences between the way men and women are perceived and have to act and are treated in our world. That has changed over time. And I attribute that to the men and women who came before and just the culture is better. The culture is more understanding.

Women did not wear pants in court when I first started. They did not wear pantsuits. They wore stockings or hosiery. This sounds so old, but really, it was like 25 years ago. I never had any negative comments from a judge, nobody ever said 'sweetie' or 'honey.' So I never had any of that. But there was a way that a woman lawyer was supposed to look, and then over time society kind of mellowed and changed and became more casual."

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Tracy Paner

Years of experience: 29

Title: Richmond's Chief Public Defender

In 1992, Paner got a job in the Richmond Public Defender's office just out of law school at the University of Richmond. Public defenders are appointed by the court to represent people who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer. She was the 11th person hired in the city's office that now has a staff of 50, 33 of whom are attorneys, making it the largest in the state. For three years, from 1996 to 1999, she worked as a prosecutor, but returned to the public defender's office, where she's held every role. In 2016, she was appointed by the state's Indigent Defense Commission to lead the office.

"Today, people are going to law school to become public defenders  because of the social justice movement; because they've learned about what's going on. And I mean, there's classes on this in college undergrad now. So these folks are coming out much more aware than I was. I was really clueless, you know, a middle class, white girl, clueless about what I was walking into in the city of Richmond. But then, saw that the rules apply differently to the frat boys and to my clients. And I was like, oh hell no. And then the fight was on.

Back then, there were not even close to as many female criminal law practitioners on either side.

But most of them were in the juvenile court. I don't know who made that decision, whether they were told go to juvenile court, or they made that decision for themselves. And to be honest, I made sure that wasn't me.

Back in the early 90s, there was a lot of testosterone. It was the swagger. It's how you went in front of the jury and talked about things. It's how you negotiated, it's how you did the work. It was really bad. But yeah, there were definitely times when I had to prove something, to my clients or to the judge.

It was 'I'm not gonna give you a rape case.' I'm like, Oh, the hell yes you are. That still exists with the judges today. I think to a lesser extent, but I've still heard it from the judges: 'Well, I can't appoint this young woman to represent this big bad man.' With a client charged with assaulting a girl, or female or something, that it makes a difference, like I said, that they can see me with them, close, not scared of them. I think that plays into a lot of our cases, especially the younger women, where the Commonwealth is trying to say my client is this horrible badass. I'm like, I'm not quaking in my boots. I'm not terrified here. We're working together.

Now, my office is overwhelmingly [female], and what's changed is, it's not that swagger. It's what does my client need? And a lot of times my client is not going to benefit from going head on head at trial. We still do that. But there's much more awareness of let's look at our client's story. It's humanizing our clients. Now, stereotypically, that's going to be a female approach. Now, we do have men that do it.

You can be the best trial attorney in town. But if your clients don't feel like you respected them, they're gonna walk out of there feeling like they can't speak, even if you win.

Does my client feel like he had a fair shake? That's arguably just as important as the outcome. If you want legitimacy in the system  which I suspect they could use a little more of it  people have to feel like they had a fair shot in their day in court.

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Brooke Pettit

Years of experience: 10

Title: Richmond Supervising Assistant Commonwealths Attorney over homicide prosecutions

Pettit recently began a new role as homicide supervisor after long-time prosecutor Learned Barry retired earlier this month. Barry mentored and recruited several of the women featured in this article, but few rose through the ranks as quickly as Pettit, who started in 2011 under a fellowship program. "She got the case, because she was the best one," Barry said of Pettit, who is prosecuting the gunmen who opened fire in a South Richmond apartment complex last year killing a mother and her infant and injuring three other women and girls.

"Even in the 10 years since I started in 2011, I would say you're seeing a lot more female attorneys coming in, and particularly in criminal law. When you look at the private defense bar, who have been doing this a lot longer, you see a lot more male attorneys, whereas if you look at the people who are coming in, either in prosecution or defense, we're seeing a much larger number of female attorneys. I don't know if that's the nature of criminal law, or if that has to do with that just more women are going to law school or what. There's definitely been a shift to more female attorneys in general.

I think women are, in general, are detail oriented and are empathetic, able to put ourselves in the shoes of a victim.

If you need to be held accountable, it doesnt matter if it's a man or a woman that convicts you.

In general, I think being a woman actually helps. Because when you're dealing with the families, when you're dealing with witnesses, lots of times I think they're more comfortable with women. And it can be a little easier to talk to us about what's happening. Now, I've also had defendants say, 'Oh, you don't want a female prosecutor, they're mean.'

Maybe, were a little meaner.

I don't feel as though I get any sort of different outcome in my case, or, you know, sentences are different because I'm a woman. I don't think it changes the outcome of the cases, sometimes it just changes, or colors some of your personal interactions.

A lot of what I enjoy about this job is the human aspect of it. Because by the time someone gets to us, they've already lost someone, they're already hurting. And I think that they should have someone to speak up for them. It's not just about winning cases, it's about getting to the truth and getting to justice. That's not necessarily, you know, the highest sentence you can get, it's about making sure that you get the right results. Because being able to be a voice for them is very appealing to me and to bring some comfort to people who are hurting in a situation that they didn't ask for."

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Christine Cestaro

Years of experience: 23

Title: Richmond Deputy Commonwealths Attorney

Cestaro first worked as a newspaper reporter in Fairfax and found herself frequently at the courthouse looking for stories. She closely observed some of the best defense attorneys and prosecutors  all men, she noted  and later, while in law school at George Mason University, asked them for a job. After seven years in the Richmond public defender's office, Cestaro became a Richmond prosecutor. She recently adopted a daughter, who is now 7. She said she was grateful for a boss like McEachin, who had raised children and understood the stress added when COVID broke out.

"I was scared to bring her to the office. People in our office were getting knocked out left and right. I was actually terrified of bringing her here because there were so many people who are getting sick here. And with the sheriff's and the police were all getting sick and it was a really. I didn't want her here.

When everything shut down, her school shut down, I hired every single daughter of my friends who had been sent home from college. I called them my sitter squad. I was spending $600 a week. I had them in shifts and four-hour shifts, because they're not babysitters. They're not professional nannies. So I was doing it in four-hour shifts, in the hopes that it's easier to watch a 6-year-old or 5-year-old for four hours at a time when you're not used to it. So I have this first shift come in the morning, then I leave here, go home, pay them, transition for the next person, and then have another four hours. I was just back and forth, back and forth. I really don't know what I would have done without them.

"I wanted to get experience and become a really good public defender, and I thought that would make me a better prosecutor. So this was always the end.

That was a really hard switch. My former clients would come out for a bond hearing, see me and they'd wave, then they realize I'm not their attorney  I was the prosecutor.

When I'd go to the jail to see my clients [as a public defender], most of them when asked me when they're gonna meet the real lawyer, the paid lawyer. And I think part of that was I was very young, but also because I was a woman, and that was just a normal reaction. They wanted to paid lawyer, no matter who it was.

I don't think of myself as a woman when I'm trying a case. I just never, it's not something I think about. I don't think of myself as a female lawyer; I just think of myself as a trial lawyer. And it's such a rare, in terms of lawyers, it's such a rare percentage of people with the personality to be a trial lawyer. Usually, you're much more type A than most people. So it's interesting to have all these type A women running around the courthouse."

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Caitlin Kelly

Years of experience: 13

Title: Richmond Supervising Assistant Commonwealths Attorney overseeing General District Court and robbery prosecutions

Kelly came to the city to attend law school at the University of Richmond. She interned at the prosecutor's office, and then was hired after graduating. She grew up in northwest Ohio, where there was little crime, but has become one of the city's toughest prosecutors on violent crime.

"A lot of what we do is rooted in so much historical procedure. And there's a lot of pomp and circumstance to it that is not, and from the beginning was not, inclusive of women.

I think a lot of times men get a benefit of the doubt that women don't. I don't think it's intentional. I don't think people realize it. But for an attorney, a new attorney, who is male, I think they have a much easier time of it, a much easier time developing credibility. When they walk into the courtroom, they automatically have a level of credibility that women don't.

And so I think for me it took a lot more work than my male counterparts to earn the respect of everybody involved, whether it's the defense bar or judges or police officers. It took a lot longer and it took a lot more work on my part, to do that, and I think that similarly, when I made mistakes, that took a lot more time and effort to overcome those mistakes, which I've observed, and I can't speak for anybody else, but I've observed that it doesn't seem to take quite as long or it is not quite as significant when, like a new male attorney makes the same sort of mistake.

People just make assumptions based on size, certainly, and gender, and so I think that it was pretty surprising to people to learn how tough I was. They're expecting someone a bit more meek, a bit more quiet, a bit more submissive.

They want, you know, the best, obviously. They want the person who is the absolute best at it to be prosecuting the defendant who killed their loved one. And when I walk into the room, they think I'm the paralegal or something. They think I'm the intern, even now, and so I have to start with them from a position of real strength and assuredness, that I think sometimes comes off as more abrupt than others, and definitely less gentle.

I don't think I do things any differently, because I'm a woman, I don't. There are a lot of different ways that you can be a good prosecutor."

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Hillary Brown

Years of experience: 9

Title: Richmond Assistant Commonwealths Attorney

Brown is born and raised in Richmond. She spent six years as a public defender before joining the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office about three years ago.

"As a female public defender  even though most of the public defenders I'd say are female  gaining client trust could be an issue, and I think that some of it had to do with age and gender. I found that clients, if they were to go on and retain another attorney, it would be a male attorney.

I think that women are just generally more intuitive and perceptive, and particularly when you're dealing with the crimes that involve victims and victims families, that I think women are very good at interacting with the victims and the victim's family, and showing empathy. Possibly more so than men, I'm not sure, but I think that's an inherent female quality that really stands out when you're dealing with these victim crimes.

I think as females, we want to be sure that we are not seen as meek or seen as overly deferential. We want to be sure that we are strong representatives of our office and our community, as well.

In law school, they taught us, for a jury trial, go the conservative route, wear a skirt suit, wear pantyhose. I see the best female attorneys in this office wear pants, suits, wear dresses, wear skirts, whatever they want to wear, and nobody seems to pay attention to that anymore.

You don't want anything that you are wearing or doing to distract from the evidence that you're presenting. I dont think that the men think about that.

I've never been in a position, as a prosecutor, that I feel like my being a woman makes any difference whatsoever."
A Richmond man was acquitted this week of all charges related to a homicide in which the victim, who had been beaten and shot to death, was in a South Richmond warehouse that had been intentionally set ablaze.

On Thursday, a jury found Marquise J. Culpepper, 21, not guilty of 10 charges in connection with the death of 35-year-old Anthony S. Wheeler of Charles City County.

Wheeler was found around 2:22 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2019, by Richmond firefighters inside a burning warehouse in first block of Thurman Street, located along the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor in South Richmond. He had blunt-force trauma to his head and face and was shot three times in the back, according to an autopsy.

Eddie Nickel, who along with Rob Windle defended Culpepper during a three-day trial earlier this week, said there was no physical evidence tying his client to the scene.

No forensic evidence. No DNA. No fingerprints, Nickel said Friday after Culpeppers acquittal. The only thing that put Marquise Culpepper in this situation was the word of these two witnesses, who provided several inconsistent statements.

Nickel said the story the witnesses told jurors, who deliberated for eight hours Wednesday into Thursday, did not match the evidence presented at trial, nor their prior statements to police.

Prosecutor Alison Martin, who prosecuted the case along with Alvin Williams, declined to comment.

Last year, Johntae D. Sauls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case. Hes scheduled to be sentenced in February.

Roquanta R. Beard has a trial pending later this year on charges including being an accessory after a murder, grand larceny and burglary.

Surveillance footage captured several people, though none was identifiable, Nickel said, entering the warehouse around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2019. That was when prosecutors alleged Wheeler was beaten, robbed and then shot to death. Then around 11:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., video showed several people returning and taking items from the building. Later still, around 1:50 to 2:10 a.m., the individuals returned and set fire to building using gasoline.

In interviews with police, Culpepper denied any involvement in the situation, Nickel said.
After seven months of investigating, Richmond police executed a search warrant Thursday night that led to the arrest of a man wanted in connection with the homicide of 27-year-old Keyron Haskins.

Haskins was fatally shot at 3:42 p.m. on June 15 near the 2300 block of Bethel Street.

Officers found him on the curb, and he was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Detective Gary Bailey of the Richmond Police Department said Todquan Kendall Jones, 21, of Richmond, was quickly identified as a suspect.

Police were unable to apprehend Jones in the immediate wake of the shooting, though there were multiple reports sighting Jones in parts of Henrico County and South Richmond within days.

We have no idea where he is, Bailey told the Richmond Times-Dispatch last August, adding that police believe people were helping him stay hidden.

On Friday, Richmond police announced Jones had been apprehended and is facing multiple charges, including possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, weapons violations and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith praised the work of Richmond detectives and the Virginia State Police for their roles in the arrest.

Police also seized several items, including more than 2 pounds of fentanyl and assault-style weapons.
The Virginia Attorney Generals Office, under the direction of Mark Herring, rejected Chesterfield Countys redistricting plan earlier this month. County officials are asking the new attorney general to overturn Herrings decision.

After reviewing the countys plan and 2020 U.S. census information, the Attorney Generals Office under Herring found the map made questionable changes, created three split voting precincts and may negatively affect a resident of colors right to vote.

Reasons for rejecting the countys plan, which residents and local groups criticized for racial and political gerrymandering, included: the plan may deny or abridge the right to vote based on race or color in a certain district, according to the attorney generals Jan. 14 letter, obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

An analysis of voting patterns by The Times-Dispatch showed the countys proposal would help the boards four Republican incumbents and sole Democrat by adding favorable voters to their districts.

Redistricting, legally required once a decade following new census numbers, looks to splice the county into similar-sized pieces. In the past decade, Chesterfields population grew by nearly 50,000, for a total of 365,000 residents.

With this years process largely driven by an influx of people of color, the county looked for each district to have roughly 73,061 residents. However, wiggle room allowed for each district to have between 69,350 and 76,650 residents. All but one district was altered in the approved plan.

The letter said the proposal contains questionable changes, to at least one of the countys five districts that was already close to the ideal population size. While the letter did not name which district, Midlothian met the population requirement ahead of the redistricting process, yet county officials tweaked its boundaries.

The county, which had to send the plan by Dec. 31, received notification that its request for certification of no objection was rejected on Jan. 14. The following day, the new attorney general, Jason Miyares, took office as Republicans swept into the states top offices.

The county responded on Jan. 21, writing to the Attorney Generals Office asking for the rejection to be overturned on the basis that the objection is arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.

The rejection letter does not make any findings that the plan in fact has the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote based on race or color. The letter merely states that the information and data related to the redistricting plan suggests that the plan will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote based on race or color and attempts to support this statement by listing the Offices concerns. The letter never states that the Office actually finds that the Countys redistricting plan has the purpose or effect of denying or abridging the right to vote based on race or color, according to the Jan. 21 letter the county sent to the attorney general.

In response to the concern of Midlothian, the county wrote: In Chesterfield Countys case, the Board of Supervisors chose to adjust the boundaries of the Midlothian district to smooth out its boundary with the Dale district and make the Dale district more compact.

According to a spokesperson for Miyares, his office has received the countys letter and will review it.

Despite the supervisors giving the green light on the redistricting plan on Nov. 17, county officials did not send it off to the Attorney Generals Office until Dec. 28, according to the Jan. 21 county letter to the Office of Civil Rights. The county did not address a question asking why the plan was not submitted sooner.

In a response to reporter questions, the county sent back a statement that included the following: Chesterfield stands by the redistricting plan it originally submitted to the Attorney General, as well as all of the supporting documentation. For those reasons, the county has requested the Attorney General to reconsider its redistricting plan.

In November, despite objections from the countys NAACP branch, the county Democratic committee and residents who said the map was an example of racial and political gerrymandering, the Board of Supervisors approved the new boundary lines in a 4-1 vote.

Previous concerns from residents and the two groups also expressed that the proposal looked to pack Black residents into the Dale District, the countys single majority-minority district. The Dale District is represented by Jim Holland, the sole Black and Democratic member of the board.

The submitted redistricting plan satisfies requirements under state law that the districts be compact and contiguous, while limiting impact on residents. The data also establishes that the plan has very little effect on racial demographics in each district, while ensuring equal representation as required by law, the county said in a statement on Thursday.

The countys plan affects all but one district. Five voting precincts  three strong Republican, one heavily Democratic and one swing  are moving in the countys plan, with most solidifying Republican power.

The supervisors are slated to hold a public hearing next month about an additional 14 voting precincts that were split in the states recently approved redistricted congressional and legislative districts.

The county also responded to the claim of its plan creating three split precincts ahead of the state map, writing to the attorney general that the three split voting precincts are irrelevant to the validity of the redistricting plan.

Redistricting is a separate issue from creating and maintaining voting precincts ... it is a near inevitability that adjusting district boundary lines will split existing voting precincts. A locality must only ensure that once its redistricting plan is approved, it cures the split precincts under [state code], the letter states.

Richmond is still undergoing its redistricting process, despite the previous Dec. 31 deadline. The City Council voted on Monday to amend its redistricting timeline, with a new targeted end date of April 25.
For generations of Petersburg residents, the stately 19th-century home on Sycamore Street was the citys public library.

For Wayne M. Crocker, the William R. McKenney Memorial Building is something more.

I kind of grew up in the library, said Crocker, who started working there as a library page organizing the shelves in 1973 when he was a junior in high school and went on to become director of library services, a position hes held for more than 40 years. I have a fond attachment to the building, to the history and the role it played in the lives of many people in the city, including me.

That history includes its part in the civil rights movement. In March 1960, African American ministers led an effort to desegregate the main level of the library, which to that point was off limits to Blacks, who had been relegated to the basement.

Their arrests for sitting in seats in sections reserved for white patrons, as the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on March 8, 1960, and an ensuing larger protest, along with a petition filed in federal court to force Petersburg to desegregate the library, led city officials to shut down the library.

Later that year, Petersburgs City Council changed its mind and voted to reopen the library on an integrated basis, making the library one of the first Petersburg institutions to integrate, allowing citizens  like Crocker, who is Black  to have full access to the library.

In 2014, the library moved to a new building, leaving the McKenney house vacant. Now, a new project aims to breathe life into the grand old house and revive that history by transforming the former library into an African American history museum and a place to store city historical records.

Crocker, one of the leading advocates for such a museum, describes the undertaking as major, not just in terms of cost and fundraising and restoring the old structure, but in terms of the impact it could have on the community of Petersburg and beyond.

***

The house was home to the McKenney family until 1923 when Clara J. McKenney deeded the property to the city of Petersburg for it to become the citys public library, a memorial to her late husband, William R. McKenney, a prominent attorney who was president of Petersburgs council and, for a brief time, served in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1894, until his narrow election victory was overturned after his opponent contested the results.

The house was constructed in 1859 by John Dodson, also an attorney and mayor of Petersburg. Among later residents was William Mahone, a railroad executive and Confederate general, considered a hero of the 1864 Battle of the Crater, who lived in the house after the Civil War.

In the post-war period, Mahone founded the Readjuster Party, a political coalition that rose to power briefly and among other things welcomed Black men as fully enfranchised citizens, abolished the poll tax and established what became Virginia State University, the Souths first publicly supported college for training African American teachers, according to Encyclopedia Virginia.

The McKenneys acquired the house in 1905. The familys connection to the house didnt end with donation of the property to the city.

After the protests of 1960, William and Clara McKenneys daughter, Virginia, who served for a time as director of The Valentine museum in Richmond, wrote a letter in support of efforts to desegregate the library, according to newspaper coverage at the time.

After Petersburgs new library opened in 2014 and the McKenney house was left empty, descendants of the family discovered something that at least some of them didnt realize: a stipulation in the original agreement with the city required that the property would revert to the family if the building ever ceased being a library.

So, we found out that we were getting a 16,000-square-foot building on Sycamore Street back, which is good news, bad news, said Robert McKenney Hamner with a laugh.

Hamner, Clara McKenneys great-grandson, now lives in California, but he grew up in Richmond. He often visited Petersburg as a child to see his grandmother who lived there. He said no family members still live in the city.

He used to visit the library on occasion when he was younger, he said.

It was a great sense of pride to have a library named after our great-grandfather, he said.

The family did not want the building back, so from the time they learned about the stipulation that would bring ownership back to them, family members have been agreeable to efforts to repurpose the McKenney house for some other public use.

Interestingly, the stipulations of the deed were used by city officials in 1960 as an excuse for not desegregating the library. Officials said a condition of the gift was that two floors of the building were for white library patrons and the basement was to be used by Black patrons and that not maintaining separate sections might void the deal and cause the city to lose the library.

By 2021 standards, such a stipulation would be appalling  and illegal. Back in 1923, the situation was much different.

When he first learned of the stipulation to separate library customers by race, Crocker viewed it with disgust through a 21st-century lens, but then he talked to the family, considered the era and began to view Clara McKenneys legal stipulation not so much as segregating the races but as making sure Blacks also had access to a public library.

I started reflecting on what 1923 in a Southern town like Petersburg probably was like and I thought, Wow, maybe she was forward-thinking to make any provision at all, Crocker said.

The idea for having an African American history museum in the space has been contemplated since the library left and has picked up steam in recent years.

The McKenney building couldnt be more perfect for what we want to do, said attorney Alexander C. Graham Jr., a partner with the Richmond law firm of Williams Mullen, whose involvement began with raising money for the new public library and evolved into the museum project. He is a founder and member of the board of the McKenney Foundation, a nonprofit created to develop the museum.

The 10 McKenney heirs scattered across the country were contacted and agreed with plans for the museum. All of them signed affidavits transferring ownership of the building to the newly formed McKenney Foundation.

The family would be thrilled if the museum comes to fruition, said Hamner, who represents the family on the board of the foundation.

It seems like its a good time for this, Hamner said of the proposed museum. Theres a lot of untold history in Virginia, so I think its an important thing.

One stipulation the family sought, Hamner said, was that the structure remain the William R. McKenney Building because were proud to have our name on the front of it.

***

The McKenney Foundation is hoping for financial support from the Cameron Foundation, a private foundation based in Petersburg that strives to improve life in the Tri-Cities area by supporting various projects and programs.

Theres a shared interest in seeing the museum come to fruition, said Risha L. Stebbins, senior program officer and director of communications for Cameron. Arts and culture as well as historic preservation are among the foundations funding priorities.

However, before making any contributions, Stebbins said Friday, the Cameron Foundation must determine the feasibility and sustainability of the project, a matter that will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the Cameron board and staff.

If Cameron were to approve funding for a feasibility study, it would work in partnership with the McKenney Foundation to engage a consultant to investigate the costs, fundraising plans and sustainability of the proposed museum.

Graham, the attorney, is optimistic that project will proceed. If it does, he said the McKenney Foundation also will pursue funding from additional sources, including national organizations. The city of Petersburg is seeking $1 million on behalf of the project in the current session of the General Assembly.

A preliminary study estimated a price tag of about $3 million for the project. Depending on how quickly the funding comes together, the project could be completed as early as 2024, Graham said.

A museum highlighting the contributions of African Americans and artifacts from the history of what is now a majority-Black city is needed, said Crocker, a member of the McKenney Foundation board, and this is a great opportunity for that to happen.

Im a native of Petersburg and went to Petersburg public schools, Crocker said. I love this city.

And he loves what he does, directing the citys public library.

Playing a role in trying to revive the McKenney house, where his career started, is almost like Im coming full circle.
When the state announced in 2020 that it would launch a new high school-level African American history course, Dianne Carter de Mayo quickly volunteered to teach it.

The Gloucester County history teacher, who as a Virginia school child was taught from a textbook that framed slaves as content under oppression, said she is excited to take her students on a deep dive into the history of Black people in the U.S.

When the class launches in the coming weeks, de Mayos excitement will be tempered by the ongoing pushback from conservatives about how teachers should frame lessons on discrimination and racism, including a new tip line Gov. Glenn Youngkin launched for parents to report lessons on divisive concepts.

News of the tip line, which Youngkin casually publicized during a radio interview, prompted swift fury from Democrats. On social media, critics of the tip line proposed to flood it with spam. In the legislature, Democrats assailed Youngkin-backed legislation that would codify a ban on divisive concepts.

I understand you found a winning issue in critical race theory, once again, using the old Southern strategy to use race as a wedge issue, to use Black bodies as a prop in your campaigns, Del. Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, said Wednesday during a speech on the House floor. Later on Wednesday, Youngkin met with Scott in the delegates office.

Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for the governor, said the email address was set up as a resource for parents, teachers, and students to relay any questions or concerns. Porter described the email address as customary constituent service.

De Mayo said that among the educators she knows, reaction to the news was mostly fear: Someones career and livelihood could be endangered, she said. Its scaring people to death.

The Black educator said she recently got a call from an elementary school teacher who was second-guessing her work amid news of the tip line.

She had been assigned the bulletin board of the month, which in February would usually be themed for Black History Month, de Mayo said. She was saying, What if I get reported to the governor for what I put up? Its horrifying.

De Mayo, a local Democratic activist, said her curriculum is focused on primary sources and that the students in her overwhelmingly white district often walk away inspired by her history lessons on topics like freedom of speech, even when you disagree.

Still, some lessons are tough. Im going to teach about Nazis, slavery. These ideas are hard. And not because of who you are, she said.

Over the summer, as strife reached her district over critical race theory, de Mayo participated in a panel at a local church to help assuage parent concerns, and laid out her curriculum for examination. Gloucester, she noted, was one of the first counties in Virginia to desegregate its schools. The building where she teaches was built to make enough room for both white and Black students.

We have history here, she said.

One key criticism of Youngkins plan is that it lacks clarity. On the campaign trail, Youngkin called for a ban on critical race theory, an academic concept education officials say isnt taught in public schools. When the governor took office, his administration tailored the ban to cover inherently divisive concepts.

In legislation backed by the administration, the definition of inherently divisive includes teaching that one race is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously, and that meritocracy or traits, such as a hard work ethic, are racist or sexist or were created by a particular race to oppress another race.

During a hearing on the bill, the sponsor, Sen. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, was pressed by Democrats on the panel to more clearly define the concept. Kiggans said, Anything thats dividing, thats making one group think that theyre superior to the other.

Kiggans pointed to a classroom exercise in Fairfax County asking students to highlight aspects about their life that made them more privileged.

The exercise, titled Privilege Bingo, included boxes like White, a Native English speaker, Able-bodied and Military Kid.

The school district apologized for any offense it may have unintentionally caused, but said it remains committed to equipping students to analyze bias and examine privilege.

Kiggans, who is running for Congress in an effort to unseat Rep. Elaine Luria, D-2nd, said the intent behind the legislation is unity. The former Navy helicopter pilot said that during her time in the military, she cherished that, We really dont mind what you look like, what your religion is, what your political affiliation is, what your gender is.

Were on the same team and we do the same mission. I loved that, she said.

Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, said she opposes divisive concepts being prohibited when I dont even know how that is being defined.

All of a sudden we have a problem with instruction in our schools, when all throughout my high school career, I was taught that I was inherently inferior, said Locke, one of the highest-ranking Black lawmakers in the legislature.

And now all of a sudden you have a problem with divisive concepts.

The panel, a Senate subcommittee on K-12 education controlled by Democrats, recommended that the bill die when it reaches the full committee next week. Similar legislation, introduced by Del. A.C. Cordoza, R-Hampton, is moving through the GOP-controlled House.
Virginia Democrats still wincing from their whipping by Glenn Youngkin howl that the rookie Republican governor is undergoing a metamorphosis: He is chucking unity and consensus for divide and conquer, gambling that he prevails by splitting the opposition.

Theres nothing malevolent about this. For Youngkin, it is a clever necessity for steering his program through a divided legislature. For now, the Republicans who control the House of Delegates would play in traffic if told by Youngkin. In the Democratic Virginia Senate, hes eyeing the few free souls willing to break with the majority.

Thats why Democrats are wary of Chap Petersen of Fairfax City and Joe Morrissey of Richmond. Theyre playing footsie with Youngkin on education, tax cuts and Cabinet nominations. Its not clear what Petersen and Morrissey might trade with Youngkin for their votes. Its probably something they didnt get from Democrats when they ruled state government.

Divide and conquer was Youngkins modus operandi long before he landed in Richmond.

It will determine whether he can purge classrooms of masks and race-teaching; use the budget to punish localities for woke-driven cuts in police spending; create alternate schools to those, he claims, let down kids rather than raise them up, and win confirmation of his choice for natural resources secretary, a coal industry lobbyist who ran the Environmental Protection Agency for Donald Trump.

As co-CEO of the Carlyle Group, Youngkin made big bets that wresting control of this company or that one would yield fat dividends for himself, his partners and, after the private-equity giant went public, its shareholders. It worked time and again, though not without bursts of controversy, some of it tied to Carlyles hiring of Washington insiders when its subsidiaries were trolling for high-dollar federal contracts.

What Carlyle does best is peel from other companies  divide, if you will  holdings euphemistically labeled underperforming, buying them with borrowed money and paring their overhead, in part, through layoffs, to promote profits. Then, the hopped-up acquisition  conquered, if you will  is sold at a premium, allowing for prompt repayment of any loans, with the remaining proceeds tidily pocketed as profit.

A sweet deal for Carlyle was its acquisition in 2005 from a French wine and spirits company of Dunkin Donuts. Purchased for $2.4 billion in 2005 by Carlyle and two other private equity shops, the coffee-and-doughnut chain was taken public six years later, having significantly expanded its footprint and payroll. Stock sales generated a three-fold profit of $1.8 billion, divided equally among the three firms. Dunkin Donuts  now, simply, Dunkin  again went private in 2020.

Youngkin, who presumably laughed all the way to the bank over a deal that was all about unhealthy foods, must have still been chuckling over it as a candidate. Among the bumper stickers produced by his campaign was one that parodied the doughnut retailers slogan, signage and color scheme: Virginia Runs on Youngkin.

But divide and conquer may have contributed to Youngkins undoing at Carlyle.

Youngkin, who had run the companys European operations from London and is credited with the $22 billion takeover of pipeline company Kinder Morgan ahead of the natural gas boom, took command of Carlyle in 2017 with Kewsong Lee. It was an uneasy power-sharing arrangement under which Youngkin would supervise operations; Lee, deals. Within three years, Youngkin would depart.

Depending on your perspective, he jumped or was shoved.

In language not easily interpreted as charitable, The Financial Times put it this way several days before Youngkins narrow victory over Terry McAuliffe, who had tried to depict him as a let-them-eat-cake plutocrat, much as Barack Obama would another financier, Mitt Romney:

During Youngkins tenure as co-CEO, Carlyle failed to emerge from a stretch of under-performance, anchored by overly complex and costly global operations and poor investment performance, particularly in hedge funds and the energy sector, two areas where Youngkin had responsibility.

It was in Carlyles best interest that Youngkin have a soft landing. Were he represented as the casualty of a power struggle or as less than savvy on investments, not only would his reputation have been dinged, but market confidence in the company could diminish.

Certainly, the latter hasnt occurred. Carlyle shares have doubled in price since Youngkin left to go long on politics, underwriting his candidacy with $20 million from a personal fortune that exceeds $400 million, according to Forbes.

And then theres Youngkins religious faith, from every indication a powerful force in his life  one shaped by an enduring conservatism.

Youngkin and his family attended a mainstream Episcopal church in Northern Virginia, a Democratic-trending region that in the early 2000s was ground zero in a legal fight between church leaders and several parishes that broke away to protest the denominations support of gay rights. That included the installation of a gay man as a bishop in the Northeast as well as the blessing of same-sex unions.

Youngkins spiritual views  for example, he opposes same-sex marriage, legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, and largely sought to conceal his stance during the 2021 race  spurred him and his wife, Suzanne, to launch an independent Anglican church in McLean, Holy Trinity Church. It is supported by a foundation the couple started in 2016 and has an estimated $22 million in holdings.

In no small measure because of Youngkins financial generosity. Holy Trinity Church represents a conquest born of division, a sense  as with his political and investment strategies  that if you cant join em, beat em.
Some lawmakers want a thorough study of a part of state government that operates outside public view  the commission that investigates complaints of misconduct against judges.

Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, and Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, are sponsoring legislation that would prompt an examination of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, known by its acronym JIRC.

I want to shine a spotlight on JIRC to ensure it is functioning as intended, Hope said in a statement. I would venture to say most Virginians are largely unaware of this important Commission and the very crucial function it serves to help the judiciary. This study will help determine whether the JIRC is providing the necessary accountability and oversight and whether we can make improvements to this important body.

The study would be done by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which conducts oversight of state agencies at the request of the Virginia General Assembly.

What is JIRC?

The General Assembly approves the commissions seven members, who investigate allegations of judicial misconduct or serious mental or physical disability among judges. Members consist of three judges, two lawyers and two citizens who are not lawyers.

JIRCs current members are Northumberland Juvenile Court Judge Shannon O. Hoehl; Gloucester General District Court Judge Stephanie E. Merritt; Portsmouth Circuit Court Judge Kenneth R. Melvin; attorneys Humes J. Franklin III and Kyung Kathryn Dickerson; and citizen members Terrie N. Thompson and Cozy Bailey.

JIRCs general counsel is Ray Morrogh, a former commonwealths attorney in Fairfax County who lost re-election in a June 2019 Democratic primary.

Anyone can make a complaint in writing about a judge to the commission.

Everything about the complaint remains confidential unless JIRC finds the complaint to be serious enough to be filed at the Supreme Court of Virginia, which is rare.

The Court may dismiss the complaint or it may retire, censure or remove the judge, according to JIRCs website.

JIRC dismisses most complaints

The commissions most recent annual report, from November, says JIRC received 395 complaints in the prior 12 months.

Most of those complaints were made by the public, but 16 came from lawyers, four came from judges and two came from court employees.

Of the 395 complaints, 371 were dismissed. The commission found that many of them did not fall within the commissions jurisdiction or state a violation of the Canons of Judicial Conduct  the rules of ethical conduct for Virginias judges.

JIRC found that in five cases, a judge breached the canons, but it dismissed the complaint, the report said. One case remained active when the report was filed.

Lawmakers want more information

Boysko, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she has heard questions about how judges are held accountable for misconduct.

Other than impeachment, which is extremely rare, JIRC is the only source of judicial accountability, she said.

As a lawmaker, Boysko said she does not have a good understanding of how JIRC operates.

Somebody used the word black hole, she said. I know that people make JIRC complaints and file them, and then nothing is ever revealed about anything.

Boysko said she understands protecting the integrity of a judge, but theres not enough public feedback about what happens in the cases.

The study  which would be done in 2023, if approved  would include examining the procedures and people responsible for reviewing complaints, the process for whether to hold hearings, and the qualifications of the commission members to ensure proper judicial oversight. It would also recommend ways to improve and increase transparency.

The Senate Rules Committee on Friday morning advanced Boyskos proposal without any opposition. The commission had no comment for this story.
The famous groundhog is taken care of all year by A.J. Dereume, a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle who says he's just lu
Leaders often frame school choice as the civil rights issue of our time. And while it is true not all children have the same access to high-quality learning opportunities, Virginia lawmakers should think critically before deciding that privatizing and further segregating public education is the way to address those inequities.

The seeds of privatization and segregation were sown right here in the commonwealth.

The first widespread use of vouchers came as school desegregation efforts began across the commonwealth. Virginia offered white families public dollars to enroll in private segregation academies, subsidizing their efforts to avoid attending schools with Black children.

In 1961, for instance, the state and its localities made 8,731 tuition grants enabling private school enrollment at a cost of more than $2 million. Virginias private schools, including the subset established as segregation academies, continue to serve far higher shares of white students than our regular public schools.

Segregation academy vouchers came in response to Black Americans civil rights struggles, one product of which was the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The civil rights movement paved the way for extending protections in the 1970s for girls, students with disabilities, English language learners and others.

During the civil rights era, we understood the root causes of educational inequality to be inadequate, inequitable resources and, relatedly, racial and economic segregation in schools.

Today, instead of viewing separate and unequal schools as the linchpin of modern-day educational inequality, we have (wrongly) decided that those inequalities are driven by lack of accountability and dearth of competition for a public good.

Addressing the supposed dearth of competition is where neovouchers and charter schools come in.

Virginias version of neovouchers currently offers tax credits for donations to scholarship foundations and private school scholarships to families who meet income eligibility requirements. Proposals to introduce Education Savings Accounts would significantly expand neovouchers in the commonwealth. ESAs reallocate public money to families in much the same way tuition vouchers for private segregation academies did. Lessons from other states indicate ESA proposals first focus on families below a certain income threshold, later expanding to include middle- and upper-middle-class families.

Charters are publicly funded but independently run schools. The market-based theory of action behind charters is they will promote innovation and healthy competition, forcing all schools to serve students better. There is little evidence this holds true, and much to suggest the opposite.

Studies show, for instance, that charter schools cherry-pick their students. Even in charter schools with lottery-based admissions, required under Virginia law, barriers like family involvement stipulations or attendance minimums screen out students who regular public schools must serve. These forms of selective admissions practices in publicly funded schools undermine educational equity, with disproportionate impact on students of color and students with special needs.

About 4 million kids, or 7% of the public school enrollment, attend charters, up from zero in 1990. Charters are disproportionately located in large urban systems like Washington, D.C, Detroit and New Orleans, and serve high concentrations of Black, Latinx and lower-income students.

But charter schools increasingly are serving suburban students. Research from North Carolina, an oft-cited model for Gov. Glenn Youngkins push to expand charter schools, shows a recent proliferation of charters serving primarily white, Asian and middle-class students in the suburbs of large metro areas.

Effectively recreating dual systems of schooling  a hallmark of the pre-Brown era  by increasing neovouchers and charter schools in Virginia is problematic for all of us. Siphoning substantial funding away from our woefully underresourced, overstretched regular public schools doubles down on separate and unequal schooling for the students left behind. And white, segregated charter and private schools will receive government support to ill-educate future citizens for a multiracial society.

We already have charter schools and neovouchers in Virginia. We should focus on improving what currently is in place rather than rapidly expanding privatization.

Our public schools represent a foundational opportunity for students from different walks of life to come together and think critically about the complex problems before our democracy. Too often they fall short  but it is not because they lack competition. It is because we have failed to provide them with the resources they need to thrive. It is because we have failed to truly integrate them. Addressing those failures is the real work before us.
My son Will, at age 22, died from fentanyl poisoning in an Oxford House, an uncertified recovery residence. His body was not discovered for two full days. Will died in a space that was meant to keep him safe and watch over him.

As a result of this tragedy, I am strongly advocating for Virginia recovery residences to be clearly identified as certified or not, so individuals and their families can make effective decisions. Drugs today have a higher level of toxicity and are more lethal. We need to ensure our loved ones in rehab have the greatest opportunity to succeed in their recovery journeys.

What I have learned since Wills death is very troubling. Our society greatly stigmatizes addiction. We have institutional fragmentation of recovery options and a lack of real oversight of spaces that are meant to be safe. Finally, I do not see the kind of outrage needed for a drug overdose epidemic claiming the lives of our loved ones at an alarming rate of 275 every day.

At a bare minimum, we must expect residential recovery houses to be certified in accordance with standards from the National Alliance for Recovery Residences. These have been updated three times since 2011 and should be followed in order to receive state funding, to be recognized by government agencies and to receive referrals from government agencies. This important step will help provide greater protections for individuals in recovery.

State Sens. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, and Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, have shown leadership in responding to this call for accountability and oversight. Their 2022 legislation requires recovery residences to be clearly certified or not certified, in accordance with NARR standards, so the public can make wise decisions.

Will was struggling with a substance use disorder when he went to his first rehab center and then a second in 2019. He came home for a visit. Looking and feeling so much better for the first time in years, he chose not to return to rehab. However, this false sense of confidence was tragically wrong: He relapsed within 10 days.

Will tried so hard to recover by going back into rehab in 2020. Knowing he needed a supportive recovery community after rehab, Will decided to join a neighboring Oxford House. Just 25 days later, on Tuesday, Sept.15, we lost our beloved son. He died alone in his room.

That same Tuesday, the Oxford House supposedly held its scheduled weekly business meeting. Did staff even look for Will? How did the supposedly daily buddy system check fail our son? This is why we need a clear set of standards and expectations for recovery residences in Virginia. These best practices can save lives.

Oxford House was established 45 years ago and has a large presence in the region. It provides much-needed beds for its residents but with very limited structure and oversight. This operating model has remained unchanged for decades, resembling a hostel rather than a recovery residence.

While this model might have worked years ago, the substance abuse and recovery issues of today are far more complex. We need clear standards of practice across all such facilities, especially those that receive federal and state dollars. Oxford House elects not to be certified, yet 90% of its funding comes from government sources.

Certified recovery residences provide a well-structured environment by recognizing that residents benefit from oversight, camaraderie, individual and group counseling, activities, employment support, and a sense of belonging and commitment to oneself and each other in recovery.

The evidence speaks for itself. In July 2017, Delray Beach, Florida, required certification for all recovery residences housing four or more unrelated individuals. A year after this rule was implemented, the city witnessed a significant 60% decline in overdoses from 635 to 245. It also saw another 48% decrease in overdoses for the most recent year since this ordinance became law .

For individuals struggling day to day with substance use disorders, structure, support and adequate resources are absolutely essential. One thing I have learned from working with people with substance use disorders, even those who have been sober for years, is they seldom speak out and advocate for themselves. This is the result of years of shameful stigma that society has placed on them.

Recovery is complex, and success is a challenge. A certified recovery residence is one step in a very complicated process of saving lives and sparing other families from experiencing a devastating loss similar to my own.
The appointment of Virginias new diversity officer and a proposed name change to the Cabinet-level office she will oversee has created a cloud of uncertainty felt throughout the commonwealth and beyond, capturing national headlines and commentary.

Angela Sailor is a former policy expert with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research institution. With her appointment, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed renaming, via executive order, the state diversity office  established by his predecessor in 2019  by replacing the word equity with opportunity. Youngkins order also proposes changing the diversity offices mission to focus on economic opportunity, faith communities, and to eliminate disparities in prenatal care, and be an ambassador to the unborn.

The order differs from current state code. A legislative attempt to amend the code was tabled Wednesday.

Sailor, previously a staffer under former U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige during the George W. Bush administration, has opposed lessons about systemic racism. Placing a vocal critic of a legitimate theoretical framework, critical race theory, that has been a useful resource for the diversity office to identify racial inequities  among its core missions  seems counterintuitive to the offices original premise.

CRT has been usurped as a lightening rod for discussion about what is being taught in Virginias schools  and who gets to decide what is being taught. CRT is not taught in Virginias K-12 public schools, but during his campaign, Youngkin appealed to supporters by vowing to ban CRT and inherently divisive concepts in schools. The campaign pledge was fueled in part by parents who wanted more say over what their children are being taught. Youngkin has said a focus on disparities and racial inequities contributes to divisiveness.

But the concept of diversity, inclusion and equity is meant to invite a wide array of participants to the discussion (diversity), for participants to have an actual place at the table (inclusion) and then ensuring that parity (equity) is achieved. Further, using the phrase inherently divisive concepts as a barometer to steer away from important lessons seems to introduce a sense of alienation. Opportunity for all is an important goal, but removing equity omits an important part of the path: A solid equity policy creates access, and without that, there is no opportunity.

The diversity office, when established with Janice Underwood at the helm, had primary goals to address not only systemic racial inequity but to build innovation across state agencies and to make Virginia more welcoming for business. Underwoods office created searchable databases to catalog inequities in specific areas: food and housing insecurities, broadband access, unemployment, educational attainment, income and poverty.

Having a comprehensive view where inequities exist among Virginians is the first step toward figuring out how to rectify them. In this regard, CRT has been used as a guide. In a recent interview, Underwood, who previously served as director of diversity at Old Dominion University, offered an example of how her team (including student volunteers from the University of Virginia School of Law) applied the theoretical framework to remove the racist language in the Code of Virginia.

They literally studied the Virginia Code. They found these instances [of racist language] , and then we put forward legislation to remove those out of the Virginia Code. That is critical race theory in action  period, Underwood said previously.

The office also laid the digital groundwork to remedy language access barriers to state services, an issue that affects more than half a million Virginians who are non-English speakers. Addressing such barriers also helps thousands more with disabilities who would benefit from improved infrastructure for accessing health, educational and social services, as well as the Department of Motor Vehicles.

In addition, the office asked chief diversity officers across state agencies, who directly report to the Cabinet-level entity, to submit strategic plans, codified by lawmakers this year. The plan essentially is a template to assess areas of inclusive excellence (access/success; agency culture; training/professional learning; accountability/infrastructure; and community engagement). Agencies were encouraged to tailor it to their needs to foster a culture of inclusiveness.

These plans also provide a way to measure what resources and funding are needed for each agency. All 102 state agencies, even several not required to, submitted its plan, Underwood said.

With proposed changes to how the diversity office may operate, much of this infrastructure is in flux.

One thing the office could follow up on, Underwood said, is to ensure that state resources and information are accessible to multilingual speakers, to people with disabilities and people with low English literacy skills. Funding for the language access was included in the current biennial budget.

Time will tell how this planned re-imagined diversity office, will use the trove of data gathered by the previous administration, with foundations laid among state agencies pinpointing inequities and strategies to improve access and opportunity.

Lets hope this refocus wont contradict or distract from the real work needed to ensure that Virginia has a culture of inclusion.

 Lisa Vernon Sparks
In the wake of the snow, wind and cold will be the story on Saturday. Sunshine will return by Saturday afternoon, but temperatures will have a hard time recovering to the freezing mark on the heels of strong Arctic winds from the northwest.

The core of the Arctic air parks over central Virginia on Saturday night, cutting off the winds, but allowing temperatures to fall to near 10 degrees.

A very weak system races by on Sunday, bringing only clouds. It also signals a slow warming trend for the first part of next week. Temperatures will warm a little bit each afternoon from Sunday through Wednesday, with no precipitation until the next large storm system approaches Thursday into Friday.

Ahead of that storm will be a large surge of warm air from the southwest, so next weeks storm looks exclusively like rain. And there are signs for some heavy rain with that system before it clears Virginia later on Friday.

This sets up next weekend (Feb 5-6) to be dry and seasonably cold with highs in the 30s to 40s and lows returning to the 20s.

Richmond Climate Check

While January has been colder than December, the temperatures have actually been close to their climatological normals. So far this month, the average temperature in Richmond is less than one degree below normal.

By comparison, December 2021 averaged 7 degrees above normal in Richmond.

***

Forecast for Richmond

Friday night: Occasional light snow, about an inch or so of accumulation by dawn. Becoming windy after midnight. Low 24.

Saturday: Windy and very cold. Scattered morning snow showers, but no additional accumulation in the morning. Turning sunny for the afternoon. High around 30. Wind chills in the teens to lower 20s for most of the day. Wind northwest at 15-25 mph with higher gusts.

Saturday night: Clear and very cold, winds dying down a few hours after sunset. Lows ranging from 14 in central Richmond to near 10 in suburban locations.

Sunday: Sun and clouds. Cold and dry. High 35.

Monday: Sun and clouds. Not as cold. High 44.

Tuesday: Sunny. High 48.

Wednesday: Sun and clouds, warmer. High 56.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with afternoon rain likely. High near 60.

Friday: Breezy and colder with clouds breaking for sun. High 48.
The man accused in a burst of gunfire that left one dead Sunday night in Roanoke has been identified as a 21-year-old whos also facing armed robbery charges in Henry County and Greensboro.

Eric Dwayne Swain Jr., of Roanoke, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Tyiray L. Anderson.

Anderson, who also lived in Roanoke, was killed in a shooting reported about 7:15 p.m. Sunday at a convenience store in the 500 block of 8th Street Northwest.

Its unclear what led up to the gunfire. Store staff said a man flung open the door of the neighborhood shop, stepped back and then started firing inside until the door swung shut again.

Several people were inside at the time. The victim was described as standing near the front counter. He died at the scene.

On Friday, Roanoke police released the victims name, as well as the name of the man charged.

The shooting was the first in a bizarre series of armed altercations that unfolded over the course of that same night.

Officers responding to the fatal shooting reported drawing fire while on scene from a vehicle parked about a block away. No officers were hurt. The vehicle fled afterward.

Then, around 9 p.m., police were dispatched to a second shooting outside a convenience store in the 2900 block of Hershberger Road Northwest.

A woman reported being accosted by a man who shot at her and stole some of her belongings. She was hospitalized with a gunshot wound described as non-life-threatening.

A store clerk said she had been wounded in the leg.

No charges have been announced in those confrontations but police previously said the same man was suspected in both cases.

One hour later, Henry County authorities said a convenience store off U.S. 220 was robbed. The sheriffs office said a man walked into Dodges Store in Bassett, ordered food, but then pointed a gun at the clerk instead of paying.

No shots were fired, and no one injured in that case. The food was the only item taken. Swain has been charged in the robbery.

In Greensboro, N.C., hes also accused of carrying out a car theft at gunpoint. The theft was reported about 10:45 p.m. Sunday outside a convenience store.

A cashier said a man walked up to a woman in the parking lot, flashed a gun and told her to get out of her car.

Swain was arrested and charged in that case, a local police spokesman told The Greensboro News & Record.

He was listed in online records as being booked into the Greensboro Detention Center around 2:30 a.m. Monday.

He remained there Friday. Henry County and Roanoke both filed fugitive claims against him, North Carolina officials said.

Henry County said he was expected to be extradited back to the commonwealth but a date for that transfer remained unclear.

On Wednesday, additional charges were filed against Swain in Greensboro after jail officials said he grabbed an officers taser and used it against the man.

The News & Record reported the officer, a sergeant, was taken to a hospital for evaluation but sustained no serious injuries.

Swain hasnt yet appeared in court to respond to any of the allegations made.

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FLORENCE, S.C.  An organization called Moving From Surviving to Thriving is working internationally to lessen the effects of climate change and disparate health outcomes.

The Rev. Leo Woodberry recently told the Morning News that the organization has been donating supplies to Moshi, the Kilimanjaro region and Arusha in Tanzania since last April.

Moving From Surviving to Thriving is an umbrella organization representing the Kingdom Living Temple, the church that Woodberry serves as pastor, New Alpha Community Development Corporation and the Whitney M. Slater Foundation.

Tanzania is a country in eastern Africa. The country has two parts: the mainland and the island of Zanzibar. It is known for being the location of several hominid fossil finds and for being the location of Africas tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Its estimated population of 57 million is the second highest in the southern hemisphere.

Every month, we sent equipment to Tanzania because they dont have access like us, Woodberry said. A lot of people [in Tanzania] are poor so we sent them things like peak flow meters for their asthma, diabetic monitors, blood pressure cuffs, Fitbits and pedometers so that they could exercise and measure their steps.

He said the last shipment included solar lights.

Woodberry said the goal of the shipments is to help Tanzania and other countries develop sustainably by providing them with supplies that otherwise might not be accessible. He said the sustainable development allows the countries to be less reliant on the global supply chain.

He said that his group communicates with those people in Tanzania receiving the supplies on a regular basis.

The groups association with the country goes back to 2019 when Woodberry and Loretta Slater visited.

When we originally went to Tanzania, we worked with a group called Climate Action Network, Woodberry said. Part of the strategic plan with them and with us is helping communities that have to deal with climate and health impacts. Theyre both connected.

Climate Action Network is a group of over 1,500 organizations dedicated to fighting climate change and its effects.

From there, they were supposed to visit two other African countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia, to do six solar projects in each country but those plans changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and global air travel was halted.

Sierra Leone and Liberia are countries in western Africa. Both were founded as countries for freed slaves. Sierra Leone was founded by the British and got bigger after Africa was divided among European powers in the 1880s. Liberia was founded by former American slaves in the 1840s.

Woodberry said that in lieu of the travel, Moving From Surviving to Thriving held a series of webinars with the Clinton Global Initiative on health topics like COVID-19 and pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes from April to November last year.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that the rate of diabetes is higher in African Americans, Pacific Islander, American Indians and Asian Americans than it is in white Americans. The American Heart Association estimates that the rates of high blood pressure and obesity are also higher in African Americans.

Woodberry said the webinars featured doctors, nurse practitioners and even a mediation expert.

It was awesome and so were going to continue it... Woodberry said. We have some people from some other African countries that we want work with this year: Zimbabwe, Ghana and some other countries... Were probably also going to send Sierra Leone and Liberia some small solar lights.

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 "Private Prison Companies and Sentencing" | Main | Lots of good long criminal justice reads for a wintery weekend 

It feel like it has been a very long time since everyone was talking about Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, even though NetFlix released "Tiger King 2" only a few months ago. And, as this new AP article details, there was something of a "Tiger King 2" in federal court this past week as Joe Exotic (aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage) was resentenced for trying to put an end to Baskin. Here are some of the details:

A federal judge resentenced Tiger King Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison on Friday, reducing his punishment by just a year despite pleas from the former zookeeper for leniency as he begins treatment for early-stage cancer. Please dont make me die in prison waiting for a chance to be free, he tearfully told a federal judge who resentenced him on a murder-for-hire charge.

Joe Exotic  whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage  was convicted in a case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflixs Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.

Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, Maldonado-Passage, 58, still had his trademark mullet hairstyle, but the bleach-blonde had faded to brown and gray. Baskin and her husband, Howard Baskin, also attended the proceedings, and she said she was fearful that Maldonado-Passage could threaten her. He continues to harbor intense feelings of ill will toward me, she told the judge.

Baskin said even with Maldonado-Passage in prison, she has continued to receive vile, abusive and threatening communications over the last two years. She told the judge she believes Maldonado-Passage poses an even more serious threat to her now that he has a larger group of supporters because of the popularity of the Netflix series.

Maldonado-Passages attorneys told the judge their client is suffering from stage-one prostate cancer, along with a disease that compromises his immune system, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Stage-one prostate cancer means it has been detected early and hasnt spread. Maldonado-Passage previously said that he planned to delay treatment until after his resentencing. Federal officials have said Maldonado-Passage will need up to eight weeks of radiation treatments and would be unable to travel during the treatments. His attorney Amy Hanna told the judge hes not receiving the proper medical care inside the federal prison system and that a lengthy prison sentence is a death sentence for Joe that he doesnt deserve.

Prosecutors also told the judge Friday that Maldonado-Passage received a disciplinary write-up in September for being possession of a contraband cellphone and unauthorized headphones that was not included in his pre-sentencing report. Palk added that Maldonado-Passage had four previous disciplinary write-ups, although he described those as relatively minor and not violent.

Fridays court proceedings came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the prison term hes serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened.

Supporters packed the courtroom, some wearing animal-print masks and shirts that read Free Joe Exotic. His attorneys said they would appeal the resentencing and petition for a new trial. The defense submitted a series of attachments that showed excessive government involvement in the creation of the offense for which hes been convicted, attorney Molly Parmer told reporters after the hearing. We are going to continue our post-conviction litigation, but we did preview for the court the evidence we have through our post-conviction investigation.

The former zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Maldonado-Passage that the court should have treated them as one conviction at sentencing because they both involved the same goal of killing Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and had criticized Maldonado-Passages treatment of animals....

Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.
 Joe Exotic gets 21 years (only a year off prior sentence) at resentencing | Main | In week two of implementation of FIRST STEP earned-time credits, federal prison population drops another 550 

January 29, 2022

Lots of good long criminal justice reads for a wintery weekend

Here in central Ohio on the last Saturday in January 2022, the temperatures are stuck in the teens and so the snow from days ago remains where it is. Meanwhile, I see that lots of folks on the east coast are getting lots of new snow this weekend. So, whether stuck inside by the weather or just eager for some good criminal justice readers, I am pleased here to round-up just some recent criminal justice pieces worth some time:

From AL.com, "Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal black hole"

From the AP, "Illinois Change in Felony Murder Rule' Left Some Behind"

From Grid, "A year after Bidens executive order on private prisons, business is still booming: GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies, detailed its 'strategy' for getting around the order in a previously confidential document filed with the SEC."

From Inquest, "No More Compromisers: The Supreme Court doesnt need another Stephen Breyer, but someone who can openly confront the immorality of our criminal legal system."

From The Marshall Project, "Whos Electing Judges in the Cleveland Area? Not Those Ensnared in the System: In Cuyahoga County, voting patterns have resulted in mostly White judges deciding the fate of mostly Black criminal defendants."

From the Wall Street Journal, "The Once and Future Drug War: During the 50 years the U.S. has battled the narcotics trade, illegal drugs have become more available and potent. But thats no reason to give up. Governments must adapt and find answers beyond law enforcement"

From The Washington Post, "They were sentenced to life in prison. Who should decide if they get a second chance?: The long shadow of truth in sentencing politics in Maryland, where the vast majority of lifers are Black."

January 29, 2022 at 02:14 PM | Permalink

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Cultural ambassador: Aras Amiri had organised exhibitions in Iran for the British Council (Handout)

A Londoner who was detained in Iran on spying charges has been acquitted and has returned home.

Aras Amiri, an Iranian national who resides in the UK, was arrested in March 2018 during a visit to her grandmother in Tehran after the regime accused her of spying.

She was sentenced to ten years in jail the following year.

Now Ms Amiri, an employee of the British Councils London office, has been acquitted of all charges by Irans Supreme Court.

In a statement, the British Council said: We have always refuted the original charges made against Aras.

We are very proud of her work in our London office as an arts programme officer supporting a greater understanding and appreciation of Iranian culture in the UK.

This was important work which reflects the value of cross-border cultural collaboration.

In 2019, an Iranian judiciary spokesman had accused her of using contacts with arts and theatre groups to "influence and infiltrate" Iran at a cultural level.

The government spokesperson also claimed she confessed to working with British intelligence.

Speaking from Tehran, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani confirmed her acquittal to the Associated Press saying her conviction had been against Shariah.

Mr Kermani said she flew out of Tehran on Monday but had been free in recent months as she appealed a travel ban.

During her sentence, Ms Amiri had been held in the same section of the infamous Evin prison as Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe.
SERGEANT BLUFF -- When Sergeant Bluff Mayor Jon Winkel woke up and checked his email on Saturday morning, he had at least a 150 unread messages in his inbox. Almost all of them related to news from Friday night.

Organizers for the 49th Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa announced on Friday night that the cross-state ride would kick off in Sergeant Bluff on July 23 and go through Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, Mason City, Charles City, West Union and Lansing.

Winkel, who worked as an event co-chair when RAGBRAI went through Sergeant Bluff in 2006, said town planners had to do months of prep work before the announcement and were thrilled when they learned they'd be hosting.

"Were honored as a community to be selected in a competitive process," Winkel said. Though Sergeant Bluff specifically is hosting part of this year's RAGBRAI, Winkel made sure to say that the event will be a boon for all of Siouxland and not just his town.

This will be the second straight year that RAGBRAI has gotten going in Siouxland.

Day one of the 2021 ride kicked off with an 83.8-mile route that started in Le Mars and concluded in Sac City. Though temperatures were in the 90s, event organizers said at the time they expected more than 20,000 total cyclists to come out following the 2020 event's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another big stop for 2021 RAGBRAI riders was Cherokee, Iowa, a town of a little under 5,000 people and the seat of Cherokee County. In Cherokee, cyclists took a break to get out of the sun and enjoy the town, the other riders, and the numerous food, drink and merch vendors.

During the first RAGBRAI in 1973, organizers Donald Kaul and John Karras, writers for the Des Moines Register and Tribune, wanted to see the state from their readers' perspective, according to The History of RAGBRAI, a brochure about the ride created in 2005. The first ride, held Aug. 26-31, took participants from Sioux City to Davenport by way of Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines and Williamsburg. Approximately 300 people showed up for the first days ride, with 114 completing the ride that day.

The 2022 ride will cover about 430 miles from west to east. The day four stretch from Emmetsburg to Mason City will cover 100 miles and is meant to honor co-founder John Karras who passed away in November at age 91. Before things get going, Winkel said Sergeant Bluff will need to get all of the volunteers it needs signed up and have requisite committees formed. He then added that there are plans for at least two concerts for folks of all ages.

"Itll be a very busy time for us from now until sometime around July 20th," Winkel said.

For more information go to https://ragbrai.com.

Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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CHICAGO  Jussie Smolletts final act in Chicago may be coming soon.

A judge on Thursday set an in-person sentencing hearing for March 10 for the former Empire actor, who was convicted by a jury in December of faking a hate crime attack on himself.

During the brief virtual hearing, Criminal Courts Judge James Linn ordered both sides to submit a list of witnesses expected to testify at sentencing by March 3. He also gave Smolletts attorneys until Feb. 25 to file any post-trial motions.

A jury found Smollett guilty on Dec. 9 on five out of six counts of disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony, alleging he falsely reported to police that he was a victim of a hate crime attack in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2019.

The verdict capped off eight days of a closely watched trial, during which prosecutors successfully argued Smollett orchestrated a phony assault on himself with the help of two brothers who, at his request, yelled slurs and tried to wrap a noose around his neck.

Despite the media frenzy surrounding the case, Smollett stands convicted of one of the lowest-level felonies Illinois has on the books, and the likelihood of him seeing prison time is probably low.

Class 4 felonies carry penalties of one to three years in prison, but also probation or conditional discharge, which is similar to probation but with fewer strict conditions.

Linn also could impose a fine as well as order restitution, a monetary amount either agreed upon by the prosecution and defense, or determined at the sentencing hearing.

Though prison seems unlikely in the Smollett case, there are a few wild cards that make predictions uncertain.

While the underlying felonies are minor, the case is undeniably high profile  a national embarrassment for the city of Chicago that allegedly cost taxpayers more than $130,000 in police overtime.

And special prosecutor Dan Webb told reporters after the trial that he would probably point out during a sentencing hearing that Smollett took the stand in his own defense and lied for hours and hours and hours.

I think this will probably be a point that Ill make at sentencing, that not only did Mr. Smollett lie to the police and wreak havoc in this city for weeks on end for no reason whatsoever, but then he compounded the problem by lying under oath to a jury, which I dont think should happen, Webb said.

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SIOUX CITY  Justin Wright, who won a special election in 2020 for a seat on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, will not seek a new four-year term in District 2 this year.

Wright, a math teacher in the Sioux City Community School District, was elected in 2020 to fill the unexpired term of Jeremy Taylor, who resigned his seat in District 2. Taylor later won election in a different supervisor district.

Wright, a Republican, received 53 percent of the vote, 4,841-4,234 versus Democrat Tim Kacena in the July 2020 special election. Wright's term runs through January 2023.

This short season of life has been incredibly fulfilling. Interesting, exciting, and meaningful work remains to be done in this community, and I will miss having the opportunity to be so directly involved, Wright said.

Wright said he plans to refocus on his wife and three children, as well as teaching math and reinvigorating old hobbies.

Matthew Ung, who represents District 4, is also up for reelection this year, but the Republican has not announced whether he will run again.

Maria Rundquist, a Democrat, has announced her candidacy for a seat on the five-member seat. A retired business owner and educator Rundquist has run for other elected positions in the community such as mayor of council member, but has not been successful.

Rundquist is running on a platform of assisting the community with COVID-19 precautions, protecting the COVID recovery funds, protecting infrastructure funds, preventing liquid pipelines in the community and ensuring no more raising of property taxes.

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SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- Gov. Kim Reynolds has said the main theme of her recent "Condition of the State" address was about entrusting Iowans to build and nurture their own communities.

On Friday, the Republican governor traveled to the Northwest Iowa city of Sioux Center to tout a project that's taken more than 30 years of building and nurturing. Reynolds announced the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System would receive a $12 million grant from a state water quality initiative.

Sioux Center is one of the largest users in Northwest Iowa of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System which, when fully finished, will run 45 million gallons a day through 20 cities and rural water systems in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

"(It) really does ensure that Iowans will be connected to clean drinking water," Reynolds said at Sioux Center's water treatment plant, which is near the connection point for Sioux Center to receive water from the Lewis & Clark system.

Sioux Center is one of the largest Siouxland users of the multi-state water system, which got off the ground in 1990, with authorization of funding in 2000 and the initial construction in 2004. Sioux Center and neighboring Hull are expected to be connected near the end of 2022 or into 2023, while Sheldon will be added between 2023 and 2024 and Sibley will come on somewhere between 2024 and 2025.

The $12 million award from the state will go toward: "constructing three pump stations by Lebanon, Larchwood and Hull, as well as a ground storage reservoir near Hull and adding pumps to the Dove Avenue pump station. according to a document from Lewis & Clark Executive Director Troy Larson.

The project is one of three water-related developments receiving $10 million or more from the state that Reynolds' administration announced Friday. Dyersville will get $11 million for a utilities project aimed to bolster the Field of Dreams while Des Moines has $15 million coming its way for dam mitigation meant to compliment the Raccoon River.

The base system initiative was funded, in part, with allocations from the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden last year. Only two of Iowa's six-member congressional delegation -- Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne -- voted for the $1 trillion plan. Federal money is also coming through the American Rescue Plan for the expansion.

According to Larson, additional federal funding is needed to complete the Lewis & Clark water system. During his time at the podium at the water treatment plant Friday, he said the expansion is needed because droughts in the state made it clear to members of the system that more water would be needed.

"Hope that expansion is complete in eight to 10 years," Larson said.

Murray Hulstein, a chairman for the system, called the funding allotments the "latest example" of elected leaders in Iowa "putting words into action."

Following the speeches, Reynolds took just two questions from media, with the second focused on why water infrastructure is a top priority for her administration.

"One of the first bills I signed was a water quality bill," Reynolds said. "It's just really important if we want to continue to see growth in northwest Iowa."

The first question the governor addressed was the competing tax-cut plans that her party is currently floating in the Legislature.

"The fact that we're all talking about tax cuts, I think it's really exciting...It's an indication that we're going to get something done," she said.

Reynolds is touring Iowa to pitch her proposal for a 4% flat-rate state income tax and also to phase out state taxes on retirement income.

The House Republican plan closely mirrors Reynolds' by gradually reducing the state tax on Iowa workers income until all workers income is taxed at 4% and phasing out taxes on retirement income. Senate Republicans propose lowering the income tax rate for all filers to 3.6 percent over five years and eventually phasing out the tax altogether. GOP Senate leaders also outlined a plan to reduce the state tax on businesses and eliminating some tax credits and exemptions.

Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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Beijing releases list of key projects for 2022 totaling 1.2 tln yuan

Xinhua) 09:09, January 29, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing municipal development and reform commission has released a list of key projects for 2022, focusing on fields including scientific and technological innovation, high-tech manufacturing, the modern services industry and urban renewal.

The listed projects -- 100 scientific and technological innovation projects, 100 infrastructure projects, and 100 projects to improve the well-being of the people -- will draw an approximate total investment 1.2 trillion yuan (about 188.2 billion U.S. dollars), with 280.2 billion yuan put in place within the year.

The list includes 120 new projects and 180 already under development, 69 of which are expected to be completed within the year.

According to the commission, the carefully selected projects will solicit more investment in infrastructure, systematically increase support for scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading, and encourage urban renewal to become a growth pole for investment.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
This story will be updated.

BOSTON (AP)  A winter storm lashed the Northeast with deep snow and wind gusts near hurricane force Saturday, causing coastal flooding and threatening widespread power outages while forecasters warned conditions would worsen as the day went on.

Parts of 10 states and some major population centers  including Philadelphia, New York and Boston  were pummeled by the storm. By late morning, more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow had fallen on parts of New Jerseys shore and eastern Long Island.

Keep scrolling for the latest video and photos from the storm

Boston, in the nor'easter's crosshairs, could get as much as 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow. Isolated pockets nearby could get as much as 3 feet (1 meter), forecasters said. Winds gusted as high as 70 mph (113 kph) on Nantucket Island off Massachusetts and over 60 mph (96 kph) elsewhere in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Most flights into and out of the airports serving New York, Boston and Philadelphia were canceled Saturday, according to FlightAware. More than 4,500 flights were canceled across the U.S. Amtrak canceled all of its high-speed Acela trains between Boston and Washington and canceled or limited other service in the region.

See how Press of Atlantic City meteorologist Joe Martucci covered the storm:

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FULL COVERAGE HERE

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INTERACTIVE

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MORE COVERAGE

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PHOTO GALLERY

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Larry Anderson of Lincoln, who is deployed in the Middle East with a Nebraska National Guard unit, announced Friday that he will seek the Republican nomination for state auditor.

Anderson is a Nebraska Army National Guard captain serving in the support operations officer section within the 734th Army National Guard combat support sustainment battalion based in Kearney.

"I think I've had a unique experience in leadership roles as well as the accounting experience along the way," he said.

The state auditor, he said, is "heavily relied upon to keep a watchful eye over state funds."

Anderson has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a project accountant/CPA at UNL.

His unit is expected to return from overseas to Nebraska this summer.

Lt. Gov. Mike Foley has filed as a candidate for the GOP nomination for state auditor; he will complete his eight years as lieutenant governor at the end of the year. Foley was state auditor from 2007 to 2015.

State Auditor Charlie Janssen is not seeking reelection.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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"What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people."

What did John Adams mean when he wrote this to Thomas Jefferson in 1815, after both had served as president?

Adams was saying that America, the country that took up arms and fought for its independence from the British, was already a nation -- before 1775.

America preexisted the Constitution, Adams is saying. America had been conceived and born before he and Jefferson began to write its Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776. America had come into being even before Lexington and Concord in 1775.

A corollary of what Adams wrote is that America, and the republic created by the Constitution, are not the same thing.

While America is a country, a republic is the form of government created for that country in Philadelphia in 1787.

"A republic if you can keep it," said Ben Franklin to the lady who had asked what kind of government they had created for the already existing nation, when he emerged from that constitutional convention.

What, then, are our elites bewailing when they say that populists, rightists and Trumpists have put "our democracy" at risk?

Answer: It is not America the country or America the nation they are referring to, but our political system as it has evolved.

And what is the nature of the threat they see?

A precondition of democracy is that the results of elections be recognized and respected, and if repeatedly challenged, this is a mortal threat. And this is the present peril.

Yet, there are other preconditions, not only for democracies but for countries, that were enumerated in The Federalist Papers:

"Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people -- a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs ... "

"This country and this people seem to have been made for each other, and it appears as if it was the design of Providence, that an inheritance so proper and convenient for a band of brethren, united to each other by the strongest ties, should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties."

John Jay was describing the preconditions of a nation, a country, a people. Do these preconditions still exist in America?

"One united people"? "A band of brethren"? A common ancestry, common religion, common language, common customs and manners?

That may describe the America of 1789. Does it describe the America of 2022? Or does Jay's phrase, "a number of unsocial, jealous and alien sovereignties," better describe the America of today?

Hillary Clinton once wrote off half of Trump's supporters, nearly one-fourth of the nation, as "a basket of deplorables ... racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic ... bigots," who are "irredeemable."

Assume that our elites, who often echo what Hillary Clinton said of the populist Trumpist right, agree with her.

Why would virtuous liberals wish to continue in political association with people like this? Why would they not declare that, if an election again delivers rule to such people, we want no part of the system or polity that produced so intolerable an outcome?

Why would the capture of all three branches of government by people such as Hillary Clinton describes not be cause for dissolving the Union?

How could democracy be a superior form of government, if it could deliver the republic to people such as these, and perhaps twice?

If the progressives' enemies are "Nazis" and "fascists," why would progressives not rise in resistance and reject their rule, rather than cooperate with them in the governance of the country?

Why would good people not battle to overturn an election that produced a majority for such "deplorables"?

Do the commands of democracy take precedence over the demands of decency? Rather than govern in concert with people like this, why not get as far removed from them as possible?

The point here: Not only may the preconditions of democracy be disappearing, but the preconditions of nationhood may be disintegrating.

Again, the American right is today routinely compared to Nazis, fascists and Klansmen. Why would good liberal Democrats accept an electoral victory and future rule by Nazis and fascists rather than seek to overturn it, by whatever means necessary?

And how do you hold up American democracy as a model to mankind if, after two centuries, it has produced scores of millions of citizens like those described by Hillary Clinton?

And, again, if the preconditions of democracy are vanishing, and the preconditions of nationhood are disappearing, is not secession of some kind inevitable and even desirable?

Ultimately, the logic of our situation must lead us to consider something like this. Western Maryland's attempt to secede and join West Virginia, and Eastern Oregon's attempt to secede and join Idaho, may be harbingers of what is to come.

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A bomb cyclone is a large, intense midlatitude storm that has low pressure at its center, weather fronts and an array of associated weather, from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy precipitation. It becomes a bomb when its central pressure decreases very quickly  by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. Two famed meteorologists, Fred Sanders and John Gyakum, gave this pattern its name in a 1980 study.

When a cyclone bombs, or undergoes bombogenesis, this tells us that it has access to the optimal ingredients for strengthening, such as high amounts of heat, moisture and rising air. Most cyclones dont intensify rapidly in this way. Bomb cyclones put forecasters on high alert, because they can produce significant harmful impacts.

The U.S. Eastern Seaboard is one of the regions where bombogenesis is most common. Thats because storms in the midlatitudes  a temperate zone north of the tropics that includes the entire continental U.S.  draw their energy from large temperature contrasts. Along the U.S. East Coast during winter, theres a naturally potent thermal contrast between the cool land and the warm Gulf Stream current.

Over the warmer ocean, heat and moisture are abundant. But as cool continental air moves overhead and creates a large difference in temperature, the lower atmosphere becomes unstable and buoyant. Air rises, cools and condenses, forming clouds and precipitation.

UK meteorologist Alex Deakin explains how unstable air causes cumulus clouds to form.

Intense cyclones also require favorable conditions above the surface. Particularly strong upper-level winds, also known as jet streaks, and high-amplitude waves embedded within storm tracks can help force air to rise.

When a strong jet streak overlies a developing low-pressure system, it creates a feedback pattern that makes warm air rise at an increasing rate. This allows the pressure to drop rapidly at the center of the system. As the pressure drops, winds strengthen around the storm. Essentially, the atmosphere is trying to even out pressure differences between the center of the system and the area around it.

Weather forecasters are predicting that the northeastern U.S. will be affected by a potent winter storm on Jan. 28-30, 2022. Forecast models are calling for a swath of snow from coastal North Carolina northward to Maine.

While precise locations and amounts of snowfall are still uncertain, parts of coastal New England appear most at risk of receiving 8-12 inches or more of heavy accumulating snow. Coupled with winds forecast to be over 50 miles per hour along the coast, the storm is likely to produce blizzard conditions, storm surge, coastal flooding, wind damage and beach erosion.

Bomb cyclones are sometimes called winter hurricanes, but they are a different type of storm.

This storms life is expected to begin offshore of the southeast U.S. as a weak low-pressure system. Just 24 hours later, global models predict that its central pressure will drop by 35-50 millibars.

If this storm develops as forecasts predict, aided by winds blowing at over 150 miles per hour in the upper atmosphere, very warm sea surface temperatures just offshore (2-4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than average), and a highly unstable atmosphere, it will have the critical ingredients for a bomb cyclone.

[Understand new developments in science, health and technology, each week. Subscribe to The Conversations science newsletter.]

Esther Mullens receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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Slate Plus members get more Care and Feeding every week.

Dear Care and Feeding,

This may be a dumb question, but COVID vaccines are still important, right? My parents live with my family, and my sister lives nearby. My parents have been involved with all of our kids (5, 5, and 8) since birth, and we spend a lot of time together. I got my kid the vaccine basically the minute it was available. My sister kept saying her kids were on a waiting list. But when my dad finally pushed her on it, she said she wasnt getting her kids vaccinated, she and her husband werent getting boosters, and as long as we were vaxxed and boosted, it shouldnt make a difference. She also pointed out that vaxxed people are still getting COVID a lot. My dad said he didnt feel comfortable around unvaccinated people, especially kids in school and daycare (he has a lung condition, and his doctor is concerned enough that hes already gotten my dad a second booster). My sister blew up and said she wasnt going to be forced into vaccinating her kids, and shes cut the whole family off. My mom is wondering if shes right and if wed be fine as long as our shots are up to date. That doesnt sound right to me. Should we hold firm?

 COVID Conundrum (Still!)

Dear COVID Conundrum,

Your poor mom. All she wants is to be able to spend time with her children and grandchildren, and who can blame her? But you (and your father!) are right, and your sister is dead wrong. Her unvaccinated kids are much more likely to infect others than vaccinated kids are. Ditto the unboosted adults. Yes, many of us who are fully vaxxed and boosted are getting breakthrough infections of the omicron variant anyway, but were not getting as sick as the unvaccinated. Thats not an argument in favor of skipping that crucial third shot, and its a terrible argument against vaccinating children. Especially since your father is particularly vulnerable. Contracting COVID could land him in the hospital. It could kill him.

Your sister is being selfish and callous, Im sorry to say. I hope she changes her mind and does everything she can to protect herself and her family, and to protect your very vulnerable father (not to mention the community at large). But as long as she clings, like far too many others, to convictions that arent backed up by either science or good sense, you do have to stand firm.

While youre doing that, please also keep in mind how upset, distraught, and sad this is making your mother. Thats why shes wondering. Make it a priority to say and do everything you can to help her be at peace with this rupture in your family. I hope very much that it turns out to be a temporary one.



 Michelle

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When I met my boyfriend (who doesnt have kids) four years ago, my twins were only 1. He is a wonderful guy and the only dad theyve ever known, and were in it for the long haul. Heres the problem: He absolutely refuses to let them call him Dad or Daddy. They call him by his first name, but refer to him as my dad (which he doesnt mind). However, they often ask if theyre allowed to call him Dad, and he wont let them and wont really explain why. I know he loves them, but it makes my kids sad that they cant call him by what he means to them. When I asked my boyfriend, he said he prefers to be called his real name. What should I do?
An expert on the social and cultural implications of technology responds to Aliza Greenblatts If We Ever Make It Through This Alive.

Aliza Greenblatts If We Make It Through This Alive is an immediately engaging story, but the deeper in you get, the more is revealed. And one of the starkest but most subtly played revelations comes near the very end, when the audience is confronted with twin harsh truths: Disabled and otherwise marginalized people are least often thought of when planning for the futureand what disabled people know from their experience of living in this world likely makes them better prepared than nondisabled people to survive whatever comes next.

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In my work, I look at how the values of human beings make their way into technology, and what happens when they do. I am also a queer, neurodivergent Black man, and my life experience has led me to ask how we can be more careful and intentional about exactly what values we want to put into the technological tools and systems we make. Because our values are going to wind up in there, whether or not were careful, and the harm they can do is real and deadly. For instance, Ive worked on projects which both explore the failures of disability technologies and seek to present a better, more disability-focused way forward.

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For the past decade, my primary research question has been, How can marginalized people be better positioned to use their experience and knowledge to reduce or eliminate techs most dangerous outcomes? And its this question I saw reflected in the culmination of Greenblatts story.

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What seems to start as an account of a contemporary XPrizestyle road-race is quickly shown to take place in a context where the typical December day in Pennsylvania is warm and sunny. Greenblatts protagonists, each with her own reasons, are all working on this cobbled-together car to get to the other side of the country, claim a very large cash prize, and prove something crucial, to themselves and the world. Sabrina, Jody, and Fern all have pasts theyre trying to confront or repair, and futures theyre trying to construct, and theyre doing it all in the ongoing, slow-moving apocalypse of the climate crisis.

As they travel, they confront the swollen banks of the Mississippi River, the overbearing heat along the road, the maintenance needs of their bodies and their vehicle, and everywhere, the cracked and broken asphalt and eroded banks of roads with bushes and trees growing right up in the middle. When the road collapses under them in Nevadaso close to the end of the race!their battery is crushed, and with it their hopes of finishing.

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Enter Edan, a helpful stranger atop what looks like a rusted, hollowed out Ford four-wheel drive being pulled by two Robomules, something with all-terrain capability and maneuverability well beyond any of the cars and trucks in the race. Edan tows them back to his place to let them rest up and figure out what to do next and then he sits in his wheelchair and gets comfortable for the night.

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In this one moment, Greenblatt recasts the entirety of what weve read thus far and forces us to ask fundamental questions. What must this world be like if a wheelchair user finds living in mountainous terrain and engineering a robotic carriage to traverse broken asphalt preferable to living in a city? And Greenblatt takes it further when Fern asks Edan why he doesnt take his obvious skills and get a job in a major city. Edan replies, I tried, but these refashioned cities did a crap job designing for wheelchairs.

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The stories we tell ourselves about climate resilience and adaptability have tended to imagine the cities of the future will be shiny and perfect, with swooping curves and gleaming mergers of the organic and the mechanical. If We Ever Make It Through This Alive forces us to recognize that these visions of the future rarely, if ever, account for the lives and needs of disabled and otherwise marginalized people. And thats because, quite frankly, the cities and societies we have today arent doing too great a job of it, either.

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The maintenance of our pavement is so important for anyone with mobility disabilities that it is written into disability access laws. But potholes, cracked concrete, and roots going through the sidewalks of any given neighborhood demonstrate that those laws are so often ignored that there continues to be a need to press their enforcement. The needs of disabled people have been literally encoded into federal law for 32 years (a shockingly short period of time), and yet remain so blatantly disregarded that people have to sue for accommodations.

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Not only that, but as weve continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, weve repeatedly been confronted with calls to ration care, or with statements from the general public and even public health professionals that we shouldnt be worried because its just the people with comorbidities who are at the highest risk for hospitalization and death. So its not at all hard to believe that future American cities needing to reshape themselves in order to handle vast swaths of climate crisis refugees would choose to ignore disabled people first and foremost.

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Anyone who recovers from COVID-19 or who gets long COVID faces increased likelihood of permanent neurological changes, decreased respiratory response, and increased chances of heart attack and strokeprobably for the rest of their life. Conditions which will be exacerbated as the world gets hotter and dustier, and as new (or very old) diseases come onto the scene. Disabled people could have led the way to keeping us all safe during this pandemic, and multiple chronically ill and otherwise disabled people have written guides on how to survive lockdowns, trying to get the general public to understand the toll on mental health and well-being that was on the horizon. Its all the more galling because theres a high likelihood that, given time and circumstances, well all be disabled one day.

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When nondisabled people think about the needs of disabled people at all, its generally in the context of innovations that mean well but end up just being what Liz Jacksona founding member of the Disabled List, a design firmcalls a Disability Dongle. But the perspectives and lived experiential knowledge of disabled people have been ignored at best; more often, their lives are relegated to acceptable casualties. In Western society, people have spent decades and centuries advocating for eliminating disabilities all togetherusually starting with eliminating disabled people. These eugenicist modes of thought persist and recur, even into visions of the future like those of transhumanism, where thinkers can envision changing the human body into that of an angel but still fail to imagine a bathroom stall wide enough for the wings.

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So what would better civic and architectural planning look like? It includes things like the addition of subtitle tracks to public video announcements, the inclusion of Braille on all products in stores, and prioritizing lifts, ramps, curb cuts, and railings instead of stairs. Many of these innovations, and others like tactile directional arrows on buttons and auditory cues on crosswalks, already exist but need to be more widely used. Designing for disability means increasing the adaptability and multipurpose frameworks of the built environmentbut it also means recognizing that some access solutions will conflict with others.

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When the small ramps from the sidewalk to the street known as curb cuts are in place, they can be a massive help for people with mobility disabilities, such as wheelchair or crutch users or even people who just have difficulty taking steps up or down. But those same curb cuts can present a hazard for blind and low-vision pedestrians who no longer have the curb as a clear signal for the difference between sidewalk and street. To that end, tactile paving was developedplates of knobbly bumps that feel different both under the feet and at the end of a white cane. And yet that very same innovation doesnt have a set width, so the wheels of chairs and the feet of canes and walkers can sometimes encounter the bumps in harmful ways.

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The fact is, theres no one-size-fits-all, universal design solution to magically accommodate all disabled and nondisabled users. But, more often than not, considering the needs of disabled people and providing a range of access solutions will result in increased access, across the board.

Heeding disabled peoples recommendations about social and physical infrastructures can also provide us with the tools to survive what is already happening, right now. Everyday choices disabled people have to make can, in fact, be the difference between life and death. Disabled people know how to strategize to share scare supplies of medication and resources. Disabled people have had to learn how to do maintenance and repair on the technologies they need to survive. Disabled people know the value of community organizing and community care.

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Disabled people know these things because disabled people have had to learn how to do and provide these things for themselves and each other, and to navigate the hostile systems of a world which consistently refuses to adapt to disabled peoples needs. What better sets of skills and lived, experiential knowledge could we have as the world collapses around us?

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If We Make It Through This Alive gives us a vision of the future America where people have to navigate and adapt to suddenly and persistently inhospitable and even deadly environments and social relationships, every single day. An ongoing climate apocalypse where the struggle for survival is turned into a game and those who play it condescendingly lauded as inspiring, rather than just recognized as doing what it takes to live in a world that refuses to accommodate them. For many disabled and otherwise marginalized people, this picture is immediately and intimately familiar in this present moment.

Here, today, I still hold out hope that well figure out that we need to heed and empower marginalized people whose life experiences and understandings can help change our societies into ones where everyone can survive and thrive in the world to come.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
https://sputniknews.com/20220128/us-systematically-removed-trust-transparency-safeguards-preventing-nuclear-war-ignores-remainder-1092595388.html

US Systematically Removed Trust, Transparency Safeguards Preventing Nuclear War, Ignores Remainder

US Systematically Removed Trust, Transparency Safeguards Preventing Nuclear War, Ignores Remainder

During and after the Cold War, when NATO and the Warsaw Pact armies faced each other down, backed by nuclear arsenals, the two sides reached agreements to make... 28.01.2022, Sputnik International

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As the US threatens to send thousands of troops to Eastern Europe, joining an already-boosted Enhanced Forward Presence by the NATO alliance, claiming it needs to deter an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is proving inflexible toward any defense considerations of Russia, on whose border several NATO members sit.The situation has Russian leaders, who have patiently and publicly articulated their concerns in Eastern Europe as a way to resolve the present crisis, flummoxed. The US has demanded Russia pull its troops back from parts of Russian territory near the Ukrainian border, claiming they pose an inherent threat to Ukraine. However, Moscow has denied any intent to invade, saying its troops are engaged in drills and asserting its sovereign right to send soldiers anywhere on its territory. Ironically, Ukrainian leaders have also downplayed US claims that an invasion threat exists.The situation is so volatile because of years of building tension in the region, while at the same time, many of the safeguards intended to keep tensions and suspicions low have been removed or ignored by the United States.1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) TreatyThe first blow was struck in 2001, when then-US President George W. Bush unilaterally pulled the US out of the ABM treaty, which limited the US and Russia - the Soviet Union when the treaty was signed - to two complexes of ballistic missile interceptors.It had been feared in the early 1970s that recent technological developments, such as multiple independent reentry vehicles (MIRV), could provoke a dangerous arms race in which a nuclear first strike might seem like the advantageous option for a nation with such a defensive network. By limiting defensive measures to a set of interceptors around the capital city and another around a complex of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos, the US and USSR believed the threat of war was diminished.Bush claimed the treaty had left the US vulnerable to attack and created the Missile Defense Agency at the Pentagon to oversee a new generation of air defense systems, such as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), Patriot PAC-3, and Ground-Based Midcourse Defense. However, just 18 months prior, then-US President Bill Clinton had joined Russian President Vladimir Putin in calling the ABM Treaty the cornerstone of strategic stability.As predicted, the treatys removal sparked an arms race, with Moscow dusting off old plans for hypersonic weapons, which it unveiled in 2017, in order to compensate for Washingtons dramatically increased protection from ballistic missile attack.2002 Treaty of Moscow/ New START (Almost)The Treaty Between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Strategic Offensive Reductions (SORT), also called simply the Treaty of Moscow, was a simple arms limitation treaty. Russia and the United States agreed to limit their nuclear arsenals to between 1,700 and 2,200 operationally deployed warheads each.The deal had many faults, including that no warheads were destroyed, meaning they could be put into storage and then unpacked in 2012, when the treaty expired - and expire it did, albeit also being superseded by the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in 2011. New START called for halving the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers and established a new inspection and verification regime, although it also did not get rid of the storage loophole.The administration of former US President Donald Trump fully intended for New START to die when it expired in February 2021, but after he lost the November 2020 election to US President Joe Biden, a new leader came into office just weeks before the expiration and renewed it for another five years.1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) TreatySimilarly to the ABM Treaty, the US unilaterally pulled out of the INF Treaty in 2019. However, instead of simply stating it wished to develop weapons beyond the treatys limitations, the Trump administration accused Moscow of violating the treaty by lying about the range of its 9M728/9M729 missiles used by the Iskander missile system. Nonetheless, within two weeks of the US formal departure from the treaty in August 2019, it began testing the first of multiple missiles that violated the treatys limitations.The origins of the INF Treaty lay in a dramatic showdown across Europe in late 1983, triggered by Washingtons deployment of Pershing-II intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) to Europe. With a 900-mile range, a flight apogee of just 60 miles, and a maneuverable, radar-guided reentry vehicle, the missile could put an 80-kiloton nuclear warhead on Moscow in between six and 11 minutes, according to Pentagon leaders. Such a fast strike time gave the Soviets just minutes to identify, analyze and respond to the threat, greatly increasing the risk of them misreading a situation and launching a mistaken nuclear return volley, believing it to be their only chance.In addition, tensions in Europe had already been ramped up by years of psychological operations designed to increase Soviet anxieties, such as US bombers charging Soviet borders and turning away at the last secondThats why, when NATO began the vast, ultra-realistic Able Archer-83 war games simulating an all-out attack on the Soviet Union in November 1983, it put Soviet fears through the roof. However, it wasnt until after the war games had concluded several days later that NATO commanders discovered key signs the Soviets had loaded hundreds of strike aircraft in East Germany and Poland with nuclear bombs and orders to strike front-line targets at a moments notice.The INF Treaty eliminated missiles like the Pershing-II, banning land-based missiles with ranges of between 500 kilometers and 5,500 kilometers. This significantly cooled tensions in Europe, although the treaty was only between the US and Soviet Union - now Russia - which left other countries, such as China, free to develop their own intermediate-range missiles.The INFs absence now is especially poignant considering long-standing Russian fears over a NATO Aegis Ashore missile system built on a land base in Deveselu, Romania. While the US claimed the system was purely defensive, Moscow noted that Aegis can also be used to launch offensive missiles. Among the missiles tested after the INF Treaty lapsed was a land-based Tomahawk missile with a range of 1,600 kilometers - a cruise missile US Aegis cruisers have fired at sea for years.1992 Treaty on Open SkiesThe Open Skies treaty was an attempt to increase transparency and put to rest fears of an impending attack by the other side. The deal allowed 35 partner nations to perform reconnaissance overflights over other nations using specialized aircraft with specialized equipment. However, flights could not interfere with other military activities and could be refused by the overflown nation for a variety of reasons.The US sent signs it was interested in leaving the treaty as early as 2019, claiming it was caused by Russia refusing US Open Skies aircraft access to several areas almost a decade earlier - denials Moscow insisted were within its rights under the treaty. The US finally made the move on May 21, 2020, meaning the six-month cooldown time had the US leaving the treaty after the November 2020 elections that Trump lost.The decision sparked outcry across Europe, with Ukraine being one of the loudest critics; that nation having long used Open Skies to perform overflights in western Russia to calm its nerves about troops and installations there. Indeed, the Open Skies Treaty was drafted precisely to avoid the type of anxious confrontation unfolding on the Russia-Ukraine border over the last two months.The Democrats publicly attacked Trumps withdrawal as illegal at the time, although much of their criticism focused on his refusal to notify Congress before pulling out. However, in March 2021, a leaked message sent to concerned international partners by the Democratic Biden administration said it was afraid that doing so would send the wrong message to Russia and undermine our position on the broader arms control agenda.Istanbul, Astana DeclarationsThe Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has its origins in the November 1972 multilateral talks in Espoo, Finland, intended to further the peaceful cooperation of the Detente era. Today, the OSCE has 57 members and 11 observers and continues to serve as a regional forum for resolving international issues.Two of its most important declarations of principles came at summits in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1999 and in Astana (now Nur-Sultan), Kazakhstan, in 2010, which, among other topics, affirmed each nations right to its own security in the context of an international community.While the OSCE met in Vienna, Austria, two weeks ago, the talks yielded no major breakthrough. Earlier this week, when the US and NATO delivered separate written responses to Russias December security proposal, the American response was considerably more intransigent, while NATOs, sent from Brussels and speaking for 30 member states, acknowledged Russian security concerns and proposed mutual briefings in the NATO-Russia Council and the reestablishment of their respective envoys in Moscow and Brussels.However, neither reply gave deference to Russias central concern: the eastward expansion of NATO and the impact that has on Russian security, especially since now the US explicitly regards Russia as a challenger to its position as leader of the post-Cold War global order.Speaking on Thursday about the American response, in particular, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: "The principle that one should not strengthen one's security at the expense of the security of others is deliberately avoided. Neither the Istanbul nor the Astana declarations are mentioned by our Western partners in the discussions on European security that are currently taking place  We cannot accept this.

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osce, istanbul, russia, us, europe, analysis, intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (inf), anti-ballistic missile (abm) treaty, treaty on open skies, astana talks
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/biggest-tinderbox-chinese-envoy-warns-of--military-conflict-between-china--us-over-taiwan-1092604896.html

'Biggest Tinderbox': Chinese Envoy Warns of 'Military Conflict' Between China & US Over Taiwan

'Biggest Tinderbox': Chinese Envoy Warns of 'Military Conflict' Between China & US Over Taiwan

China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province, while the authorities in Taipei have repeatedly rejected Beijing's proposal to stick to the "one... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T13:02+0000

2022-01-29T13:02+0000

2022-01-29T13:02+0000

us

china

military conflict

tensions

taiwan

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China's Ambassador to the US Qin Gang has warned of serious repercussions from the ongoing tensions between Beijing and Washington over the future of Taiwan."If the Taiwanese authorities, emboldened by the United States, keep going down the road for independence, it most likely will involve China and the United States, the two big countries, in the military conflict", Qin Gang argued.He spoke after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in late December that by "encouraging 'Taiwan independence' forces" the White House "not only puts the island in an extremely dangerous situation but also exposes the United States to an unbearable price". The top Chinese diplomat added that Taipei "has no other way forward other than reunification with the mainland".This followed Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian accusing "some American forces" of stubbornly manipulating the Taiwan issue in a bid "to control China", something that he said had further "aggravated" tensions in the Taiwan Strait.In late October, another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, responded to US President Joe Biden's previous pledge to "defend Taiwan" by urging POTUS not to underestimate Beijing's commitment to its claims to the island.Wang called Taiwan "an inalienable part of China's territory", adding that "the Taiwan issue is purely an internal affair of China that allows no foreign intervention".Taiwan Tensions The spokesman's remarks were preceded by China sending almost 40 fighter jets into Taiwan's air defence identification zone for two days in a row. The flyovers came after US and EU delegations visited the island and Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen admitted the presence of American troops on Taiwanese territory for training purposes in an interview with CNN. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that US Marines and special operations forces had been secretly training Taiwan's soldiers "for more than a year".The tense situation has been further exacerbated by the US repeatedly sending warships to the Taiwan Strait, separating the island from mainland China. Beijing slams such missions as provocations, describing Washington as "the destroyer of peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait and "a security risk creator in the region".Taiwan, which has been governed independently from Beijing since 1949, maintains that it is an autonomous country, while China views the island as a breakaway province. Perceiving the island as an integral part of China, Beijing adheres to a policy of peaceful reunification under the "One China  Two Systems" model.The US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, maintaining, however, a representative office in Taipei, and remaining the island's biggest supplier of military hardware.

https://sputniknews.com/20211208/taiwan-urgently-needs-to-develop-asymmetric-defense-capabilities-to-deter-china---pentagon-1091365189.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211206/taiwan-to-accelerate-construction-of-home-grown-submarine-prototype-reports-say-1091279562.html

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us, china, military conflict, tensions, taiwan
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/cancer-early-aging-doctors-reveal-dangers-of-scrolling-through-smartphone-feeds-before-sleep-1092607711.html

Cancer, Early Aging: Doctors Reveal Dangers of Scrolling Through Smartphone Feeds Before Sleep

Cancer, Early Aging: Doctors Reveal Dangers of Scrolling Through Smartphone Feeds Before Sleep

The widespread habit of scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram newsfeeds steals not only time from your sleep, but also, in a sense, your health, medics... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T16:11+0000

2022-01-29T16:11+0000

2022-01-29T16:11+0000

tech

health

sleep

smartphone

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The practice of gluing your eyes to your devices before going to sleep might have unexpected negative effects on your health, including severe ones, several doctors have warned.The most obvious effect is the negative impact on sleep. Not only do people sacrifice their sleep hours to scroll through newsfeeds on social media, but they also disrupt the production of melatonin  a hormone crucial for a good night's rest, Russian physician and cardiologist Julia Fokina explained in an interview with Gazeta newspaper.The blue light produced by the device's screen prevents the body from producing the hormone. Blue light filters do not resolve the problem, as melatonin can only be produced in the dark, although the use of this mode is advised in the evening.Olya Osokina, the founder of the health tech company AIBY, warned about even more dangerous potential consequences of getting stuck following social media feeds at night. According to her, a WHO study showed that night shifts might increase the risk of cancer. Similarly, using devices at night deprives one of sleep and might potentially also increase the risk of facing oncological disorders, Osokina said.Faster Aging, Spinal Problems, and Impact on Brain FunctionsCardiologist Julia Fokina identified several other negative impacts of late-night social media surfing. Among them is photoaging of the skin due to exposure to the light from the device's screen. This may result in wrinkles, roughness and darkening in some areas of the skin, according to the doctor.Fokina also warned that people with such a habit might experience a backward curvature of the cervical spine.The doctor also warned of some behavioural changes that such practices might entail. According to her, the frequent use of devices to check social media results in a habit of an "abrupt shift of attention". It prevents a person from extracting useful data from the information, thus impeding capabilities for deep analysis. Fokina noted, however, that this phenomenon is believed to be temporary and does not permanently affect one's brain functions.

https://sputniknews.com/20210714/new-app-would-be-able-to-detect-anemia-at-different-stages-with-smartphone-camera-study-says-1083386427.html

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tech, health, sleep, smartphone
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/duke-of-york-allegedly-told-security-to-fk-off-after-being-mistaken-for-intruder-in-royal-palace-1092601132.html

Duke of York Allegedly Told Security 'to F**k Off' After Being Mistaken for Intruder in Royal Palace

Duke of York Allegedly Told Security 'to F**k Off' After Being Mistaken for Intruder in Royal Palace

Paul Page, who served as a Royal Protection Officer in the early 2000s, claimed that the incident took place in the dead of night and that Prince Andrew did... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T07:56+0000

2022-01-29T07:56+0000

2022-01-29T07:56+0000

queen elizabeth ii

trial

prince andrew

buckingham palace

accusations

incident

case

uk

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A former Royal Protection Officer has claimed that Prince Andrew used obscenities when he was briefly mistaken for an intruder on CCTV during a purported incident at Buckingham Palace in the early 2000s."Her Majesty was not at Buckingham Palace at the time, so this was a major potential security scare. A sergeant, myself, and two other police officers went to her apartments to investigate", Page said.According to Page, he apologised and said, "I'm sorry, your highness, we went to investigate a possible intruder in Her Majesty's apartments. Andrew replies, 'This is my house, I go where I want, now f**k off'".Page added that he had "never had any problems with any other members of the Royal Family" in his time at Buckingham Palace, touting Queen Elizabeth II as "a lovely lady".The allegations follow former Buckingham Palace maid Janette McGowan claiming in an interview last week with The Sun that in 1999, the Queen had to interfere to stop her sons, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, from fighting over which bathroom they could use at her country mansion of Sandringham."When members of the Royal Family travel to Sandringham they are each allocated rooms and a bathroom. But Prince Andrew took the bathroom that was allocated for the Prince of Wales and he wouldn't budge and refused to take his stuff out of it. It turned into a bizarre standoff', McGowan claimed.She recalled that Prince Andrew "was almost 40 at the time", claiming that "it was very odd behaviour for someone of that age".Prince Andrew in Hot Water Over Sex Abuse Accusations As for Page's claims, they come amid an ongoing sex abuse scandal involving the Queen's second son. He is being sued by 38-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who accuses Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.Giuffre claims she was trafficked by the now-late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions when she was still a minor according to US law. The Duke of York has vociferously denied the accusations, arguing that Giuffre's 2009 settlement with Epstein shielded the royal from any legal action, an argument rejected by a US court last week. Prince Andrew admitted to his relationship with Epstein during his so-called "car crash" interview with the BBC in 2019.The Queen decided to strip her second son of his royal titles, military affiliations, and royal patronages over the case earlier this month, in a move hailed by an overwhelming majority of Britons, according to a YouGov poll.

https://sputniknews.com/20220127/prince-andrew-demands-trial-by-jury-in-sex-abuse-case-denies-epstein-trafficked-girls-to-him-1092544925.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220119/stripped-of-royal-titles-prince-andrew-ditches-social-media-accounts-1092378203.html

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queen elizabeth ii, trial, prince andrew, buckingham palace, accusations, incident, case, uk
"I think that it is Europe's mistake [not to approve Sputnik V], and I think that it is dictated by geopolitical considerations because we have an agency for control and approval of medicines and vaccines, which is one of the most qualified in the world...I know that our body is very demanding, and they approved it [the vaccine], so I have no explanations why it takes so long in Europe", Fernandez said in an interview with the Russian broadcaster RT.
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/global-soros-ngo-network-attacks-tucker-carlson-for-interview-with-hungarian-pm-1092610666.html

Global Soros NGO Network Attacks Tucker Carlson for Interview With Hungarian PM

Global Soros NGO Network Attacks Tucker Carlson for Interview With Hungarian PM

The shadowy Open Society Foundations and its founder George Soros have been accused of organising 'colour revolutions' around the world and pouring huge sums... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T21:14+0000

2022-01-29T21:14+0000

2022-01-29T21:14+0000

george soros

fox news

open society foundations

hungary

tucker carlson

us

ukraine

maidan coup

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Hungarian-born US billionaire George Soros' global network of NGOs has attacked Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson for exposing its regime-change agenda.Carlson travelled to Hungary for the final episode of his documentary season Tucker Carlson originals, entitled: "Hungary vs. Soros: The Fight for Civilization."The film explores the enmity between Soros, who bankrolls the huge Open Society Foundations (OSF) and conservative Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban has alleged Soros is seeking to undermine his government, while the billionaire has accused the PM of anti-Semitism  a claim made against other critics of the OSF.Breaking with the liberal narrative of Orban's Hungary as a near-dictatorship  Carlson praises Orban's family-friendly policies and unpretentious attitude.Soros and his network of NGOs "have worked for more than 30 years to support vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to the people they serve," claimed OSF vice-president Laura Silber.The foundation has funded New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW)  originally founded in the 1970s to make accusations against the Soviet Union  to the tune of $10 million a year. HRW is one of the leading Western apologists for the extremist militant groups that tried to overthrow Syria's secular government from 2011 onwards.Soros has also been accused of masterminding the 2014 Maidan Square coup in Ukraine  with his eye on destabilising Russia.He has even faced charges of using his enormous wealth to influence the result of the 2020 US presidential election in favour of Democrat Joe Biden.Carlson hit back at the attack on his Thursday night show, pointing out that Soros and Orban have been "at loggerheads for years.""And so we thought that was interesting enough, enough of a metaphor for the struggle that is going on globally between nationalists and people who oppose them," the presenter said.Carlson praises Orban in the documentary for his political efforts to incentivize family growth and for his normal lifestyle.

https://sputniknews.com/20220128/soros-reportedly-channels-125-million-into-democracy-pac-run-by-his-son-ahead-of-2022-midterms-1092586124.html

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george soros, fox news, open society foundations, hungary, tucker carlson, us, ukraine, maidan coup
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/india-bought-pegasus-spyware-from-israel-in-an-alleged-deal-concerning-palestinians-claims-nyt-1092600225.html

India Bought Pegasus Spyware From Israel in an Alleged Deal Concerning Palestinians, Claims NYT

India Bought Pegasus Spyware From Israel in an Alleged Deal Concerning Palestinians, Claims NYT

The Indian government has categorically rejected claims that it bought the Pegasus spyware from NSO Group, as per a written reply by the Defence Ministry in... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T08:14+0000

2022-01-29T08:14+0000

2022-01-29T08:14+0000

saudi arabia

narendra modi

poland

iran

benjamin netanyahu

india

israel

palestine

rahul gandhi

fbi

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The Indian government used taxpayer money to buy the military-grade spyware programme Pegasus from Israel's NSO Group, a report by The New York Times claimed on Friday. The report by the American newspaper says the deal was finalised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden visit to Israel in 2017 and was part of a broader $2 billion transaction for weapons between Tel Aviv and New Delhi.The report goes on to insinuate that the purchase of Pegasus, which can't be sold to foreign entities without an "export license", influenced New Delhi's decision in 2019, when it voted in favour of an Israel-backed resolution that sought to bar the Palestinian rights organisation Shahed from obtaining "observer status" on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).Otherwise, India has been a longstanding supporter of the two-state solution and has consistently voiced its "commitment to the Palestinian cause".The report notes several other instances of Israel allegedly using the sale of the Pegasus spyware to achieve its diplomatic ends at the United Nations as well as broader geopolitical goals."Countries like Mexico and Panama have shifted their positions toward Israel in key votes at the United Nations after winning access to Pegasus", it says.Besides India, the NSO spyware was also reportedly sold to the governments of Poland, Hungary, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. The report says that in all the instances, it was used against political opponents and dissenters. America's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly also conducted trials of the software, but ultimately decided not to pursue the deal, the report claims.NSO Group has maintained that its software merely helps "government agencies prevent and investigate terrorism and crime to save thousands of lives around the globe".NYT Report Triggers Controversy in IndiaThe revelations by the US daily have kicked up a political storm in India, where the Israeli spyware is alleged to have to snooped on senior journalists, political opponents, government officials, and two federal ministers.The list of snooping targets also allegedly includes federal opposition leader and Congress Party parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi, as well diplomats serving on the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.Soon after the allegations against Pegasus first surfaced, India's Information and Technology Minister Aswini Vaishnaw rejected them as "an attempt to malign Indian democracy and its well established institutions".Subramanian Swamy, an MP from Modi's BJP, has since joined the bandwagon of politicians demanding answers from the government in the wake of the NYT report. Mahua Moitra, an MP from opposition party Trinamool Congress, has alleged that the spyware was part of a "quid pro quo" deal with Israel.The Indian Supreme Court set up an "expert panel" in October of last year to investigate the snooping claims.

https://sputniknews.com/20210723/treason-pm-modi-home-minister-used-pegasus-against-indian-state-claims-rahul-gandhi-1083444858.html

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Dhairya Maheshwari

Dhairya Maheshwari

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Dhairya Maheshwari

saudi arabia, narendra modi, poland, iran, benjamin netanyahu, india, israel, palestine, rahul gandhi, fbi, nso group, pegasus
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/kansas-man-charged-after-god-told-him-to-behead-president-joe-biden-1092603382.html

Kansas Man Charged After 'God Told Him' to Behead President Joe Biden

Kansas Man Charged After 'God Told Him' to Behead President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden does not enjoy a sweeping wave of unilateral public support, as his approval ratings are still low, but this particular critic has taken... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T11:18+0000

2022-01-29T11:18+0000

2022-01-29T11:18+0000

joe biden

us

god

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A Kansas man has been charged with threatening the president of the United States after he claimed that God told him to travel to Washington, DC, and "lop off the head of the serpent in the heart of the nation", The Daily Beast has reported, citing court documents it obtained.The man, Scott Merryman, shared his "divine" plans on his Facebook page, claiming that he was guided by God in his "mission" to "get rid" of President Biden.Then, according to his plan, he would "go after the false prophet who I've been calling Secret Service Agent Gregg Lucifer". Merryman went on to note that the "false prophet" was "just a man", whom he "threatened with bullet two".Per the court document, Merryman was located by a special agent in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel in Hagerstown, Maryland. The man said he was heading to the nation's capital in order to "cut the head off the snake in the heart of the nation". However, Merryman is said to have denied that it was a threat towards President Biden, arguing that the snake "was Lucifer and/or the devil".The special agent found that Merryman had a loaded magazine containing 3 rounds of .45 ammunition, and a spotting scope in his backpack. He claimed that God told him to bring weapons, offering no other explanation.It was also noted that Merryman confirmed threatening Special Agent Greg Tiano after speaking with the agents in the parking lot.Based on the allegations, law enforcement said that Merryman may have violated 18 U.S.C.  871 and 18 U.S.C.  875(c), asking that a court authorise an arrest warrant for the Kansas man.

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2022

Daria Bedenko

Daria Bedenko

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Daria Bedenko

joe biden, us, god
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/protests-against-mandatory-covid-vaccination-hit-vienna-1092602959.html

Protests Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination Hit Vienna

Protests Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination Hit Vienna

Austria became the first European country to announce mandatory vaccination, starting in February. The jabs will be obligatory for all citizens except for... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T11:55+0000

2022-01-29T11:55+0000

2022-01-29T11:55+0000

vienna

austria

protests

coronavirus

covid-19

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Sputnik is live from Vienna as protesters gather to hold a demonstration against the coronavirus restrictions and vaccine mandate.Those who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine jab may face fines of between 600 and 3,600.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!

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Protests Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination Hit Vienna Protests Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination Hit Vienna 2022-01-29T11:55+0000 true PT209M22S

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https://sputniknews.com/20220129/russia-deploys-12-pantsir-s-missile-systems-to-belarus-defense-ministry-1092597459.html

Russia Deploys 12 Pantsir-S Missile Systems to Belarus: Defense Ministry

Russia Deploys 12 Pantsir-S Missile Systems to Belarus: Defense Ministry

The redeployment of missile systems is taking place as part of the upcoming military exercises of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T02:13+0000

2022-01-29T02:13+0000

2022-01-29T02:46+0000

military & intelligence

russia

military drills

missile system

joint exercises

union state

pantsir-s

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Russia, as part of an inspection of the reaction forces of the Union State, deployed 12 Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and AA artillery systems to Belarus, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday.According to the ministry's statement, the Russian military was on its way to relocating to the Republic of Belarus. Another train echelon delivered the Pantsir-S battalion of the Eastern Military District to the unloading train station.As can be seen on the video from the ministry, the battalion of Pantsir-S complexes that arrived in the country includes 12 combat vehicles, each of which can carry 12 anti-aircraft missiles in transport and launch containers.The Russian military added that after the unloading is finished, the personnel will march to the specified areas, where they will take positions and commence combat training duty as part of the Unified Regional Air Defense System of Belarus and Russia.On Thursday, the Defense Ministry said that Russia has completed the redeployment of Su-35 fighter jets to Belarus for exercises. The crews took off from the airfield in Khabarovsk Krai and traveled a distance of about 8,000 kilometers. During the redeployment, there were two intermediate landings in the Central Military District.Earlier this week, Russian paratroopers also arrived in Belarus.The drills of the Union State forces will be conducted in two stages. During the first stage, held until February 9, groupings of troops on the territory of Belarus will be redeployed and consolidated. The second stage, held until February 20, will be the active part of the "Allied Resolve-2022" joint exercises, during which the focus will be the suppression and repelling of external aggression, as well as countering terrorism and protecting the interests of the Union State.

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Kirill Kurevlev

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military & intelligence, russia, military drills, missile system, joint exercises, union state, pantsir-s
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/so-much-for-climate-agenda-biden-administration-issues-more-gas-oil-drilling-permits-than-trump-1092605111.html

So Much for Climate Agenda? Biden Administration Issues More Gas, Oil Drilling Permits Than Trump

So Much for Climate Agenda? Biden Administration Issues More Gas, Oil Drilling Permits Than Trump

The Democrat actively promoted his climate agenda during the presidential campaign and even halted the issuing of new drilling permits in his first month in... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T13:17+0000

2022-01-29T13:17+0000

2022-01-29T13:17+0000

joe biden

us

climate change

gas

paris climate agreement

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The Biden administration has issued more oil and gas drilling permits than the preceding administration in its first year despite the Democrat's declared focus on climate change issues and initial promise to review the leasing practices set by Donald Trump.Under Biden, some 3,557 permits have been issued, which is almost 34% more than the 2,658 permits issued under his predecessor in his first year in office. Notably, Trump never declared having an interest in climate change issues and even withdrew the US from the Paris Accord.Biden's Actions on New Drilling Leases Challenged in CourtsThe Democrat paused the process of issuing new permits in his very first month in the White House. Yet, it was successfully challenged in a Louisiana federal court half a year later by a group of 14 state attorneys general.Despite trying to appeal the federal judge's decision, who argued that POTUS had no power to pause the issuance of new leases, the White House put 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico up for leasing auction. Some 300,000 more acres are set to go under the hammer in March 2022.The administration, however, faced opposition from the courts again, this time from US District Court Judge for the District of Columbia Rudolph Contreras. Contreras ruled to void the auction and cancel the 1.7 million acres in leases from it. The judge pointed at the impact of the drilling on the climate in these areas as the reason for his ruling.Not the First Climate Agenda Failure for BidenBiden's controversial record on drilling permits comes in the wake of another fiasco by Democrats to promote their climate agenda  the failure to pass the president's "Build Back Better" plan. The piece of legislation was set to spend $555 billion on various climate initiatives, including incentives for producers of green energy  to stimulate the transition to net-zero emissions. Yet, due to the opposition of Democrat Joe Manchin in the evenly split Senate, the bill was stopped in its tracks without support from the GOP.A report by The Washington Post suggests that issuing drilling permits is not Biden's only about-face on the climate agenda. According to the newspaper, the review of coal extraction permits was paused by the White House in order to prevent further alienation of holdout Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and make negotiations with him on the Democrats' initiatives possible.

https://sputniknews.com/20220125/us-studying-alternatives-to-russian-gas-in-north-africa-amid-ukraine-spat-white-house-says-1092512990.html

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joe biden, us, climate change, gas, paris climate agreement
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/something-strange-going-on-met-police-bashed-as-service-seeks-limits-on-govts-partygate-report-1092602488.html

'Something Strange Going On': Met Police Bashed as Service Seeks Limits on Govt's 'Partygate' Report

'Something Strange Going On': Met Police Bashed as Service Seeks Limits on Govt's 'Partygate' Report

Earlier this week, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating whether any law was broken during the alleged No 10 parties held in 2020 and 2021... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T10:03+0000

2022-01-29T10:03+0000

2022-01-29T10:03+0000

boris johnson

investigation

probe

lockdown

metropolitan police

uk

covid-19

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London's Metropolitan Police have been slammed amid speculation that senior civil servant Sue Gray's report on the purported COVID rule-breaking Downing Street parties will be redacted before being made public to ensure it complies with a previous request by the Met that nothing prejudices its own inquiry into the matter.Former Chief Prosecutor for the North West Nazir Afzal tweeted about "absolute nonsense from the Met Police", arguing, "a purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation. They just have to follow the evidence, of which the report will be a part".Sumption claimed that the Met had "effectively obstructed or delayed" lawmakers from holding the government to account by urging Sue Gray not to publish key details of her probe.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, in turn, underscored that he wants the report "in full and the investigation finished as quickly as possible", arguing that the government was "paralysed" by the police inquiry.He was echoed by Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson, who stressed that "police officers need the trust and confidence of the public to do their jobs and keep our communities safe".According to him, if the document "is redacted now, a full, unredacted version must be published as soon as the police investigation is complete".Metropolitan Police Want to 'Avoid Any Prejudice' to Their ProbeThe remarks come after the Met said in a statement on Friday that they "did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation".Commander Catherine Roper pointed out that the police "have not delayed this [Gray's] report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team".The decision to open its own probe into the alleged No 10 parties was announced by the Met on Tuesday and at the time they said they didn't think there was any risk of prejudice.Met Police Chief Cressida Dick confirmed that they are "now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of COVID-19 regulations".Johnson's spokesperson has since said that the Met "should be given time and space" to complete its "independent work". The moment came in a statement amid media reports that the PM will receive the results of Gray's probe in "the coming hours or days" before they are made public.The UK prime minister has been grappling with calls to resign after a series of revelations showed that several social gatherings were held at his offices throughout 2020 and 2021, flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules at the time. Following the eruption of the "partygate" scandal, Johnson ordered senior civil servant Sue Gray to conduct an internal inquiry into the allegations.

https://sputniknews.com/20220126/partygate-probe-reportedly-has-pics-of-bojo-next-to-wine-bottles-at-lockdown-breaching-bashes-1092520660.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220120/uks-johnson-unlikely-to-survive-tory-probe-into-downing-street-parties-expert-says-1092387034.html

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boris johnson, investigation, probe, lockdown, metropolitan police, uk, covid-19
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/source-uk-defence-ministry-prepares-scenarios-of-constraining-russia-amid-ukraine-crisis-1092599988.html

Source: UK Defence Ministry Preparing Scenarios of Constraining Russia Amid Ukraine Crisis

Source: UK Defence Ministry Preparing Scenarios of Constraining Russia Amid Ukraine Crisis

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK Defence Ministry has prepared new scenarios of constraining Russia, including sending more NATO troops to Eastern Europe, which will... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T05:35+0000

2022-01-29T05:35+0000

2022-01-29T05:55+0000

russia

ukraine

sanctions

uk

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Relations between Moscow and London have been deteriorating over the past few weeks, with the British authorities claiming that Russia is planning to "invade Ukraine" and "install a puppet government" in Kiev. The UK even named former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevhen Murayev as a potential candidate to head the pro-Russian government in Ukraine - despite him having been sanctioned by Moscow in 2018.According to the British media, the cabinet has considered cutting Russia off from the inter-bank system SWIFT and imposing restrictions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline amid the escalation.Russia, for its part, has repeatedly denied allegations about any "invasion plans", adding that it does not threaten anybody and is not going to attack anyone. The Russian Foreign Ministry has stressed that speculation about "Russian aggression" is being used as a pretext to deploy more NATO troops close to the country's territory.

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russia, ukraine, sanctions, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/turkey-has-no-problems-with-gas-supplies-erdogan-says-1092609645.html

Turkey Has No Problems With Gas Supplies, Erdogan Says

Turkey Has No Problems With Gas Supplies, Erdogan Says

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkey has no problems with gas supplies despite the recent disruptions in gas imports from Iran and requesting Azerbaijan's assistance in... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T14:30+0000

2022-01-29T14:30+0000

2022-01-29T18:34+0000

business

turkey

iran

gas

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"We do not have such a problem. We have natural gas, we have reserves, we take all our precautionary measures," the Turkish leader said at the opening ceremony for residential buildings, jobs and infrastructure investments in the district of Dereli-Dogankent in the Turkish province of Giresun.Earlier in the month, Iran, one of the major gas suppliers to Turkey, suspended gas exports for 10 days due to a technical problem. Later, Tehran announced the resumption of gas exports, but the Turkish government denied these statements and sent a special delegation to Iran to resolve the situation. More than half of Turkey's electricity is produced by gas-fired power plants, and the government had to introduce power cuts for three days a week in almost all industrial areas.Ibrahim Ahmedov, official representative of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), told Sputnik that Baku received a request from Ankara for additional gas supplies amid technical problems with exports from Iran. Azerbaijan agreed to increase gas supplies to Turkey, Ahmedov said.On Friday, Iran resumed supplies of natural gas to Turkey, but in limited amounts.

https://sputniknews.com/20220121/iran-reportedly-resumes-gas-supplies-to-turkey-previously-suspended-over-leak-1092435194.html

turkey

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business, turkey, iran, gas
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/ukraine-tensions-scotus-pick-and-harris-in-honduras-1092598021.html

Ukraine Tensions, SCOTUS Pick and Harris in Honduras

Ukraine Tensions, SCOTUS Pick and Harris in Honduras

Tensions continue to escalate in Ukraine after Biden calls Zelensky and the horse race for the next Supreme Court Justice. 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T06:55+0000

2022-01-29T06:55+0000

2022-01-29T08:55+0000

honduras

ukraine

scotus

volodymyr zelensky

political misfits

radio

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Ukraine Tensions, SCOTUS Pick and Harris in Honduras Tensions continue to escalate in the Ukraine after Biden calls Zelensky and the horse race for the next Supreme Court Justice.

At the top of the show: Mindia Gavasheli, Bureau Chief, Washington DC for Sputnik Radio stops by to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and the fallout from Bidens call to Ukraines Zelensky. It seems CNN and the Ukrainian governments spectacularly failed to get their story straight. CNNs reporting on what some Ukrainian sources said about Bidens call has earned a rebuke from the White House - and caused some high-placed reporters to back away while a couple of others are standing by their source.Aaron Good: political scientist and host of the American Exception podcast on Patreon. His doctoral dissertation is going to be published by Skyhorse in April under the title 'American Exception: Empire and the Deep State joins John and Michelle to discuss Xiomara Castro's inauguration yesterday in front of a cheering crowd that included Vice President Kamala Harris. She pledged closer US-Honduran ties and assistance in combating corruption and undocumented migration.Gregg Mosson: state and federal court litigator in private practice in Maryland, at Mosson Law, LLC, and author of Employee Rights in Maryland: A Concise Guide joins the Misfits during the second hour to discuss the SCOTUS horserace. Joe Biden is going to get a chance to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court, and he has pledged to nominate a black woman to the position. Justice Kamala Harris?For the last segment, we are joined by Dan Kovalik: author, human rights and labor lawyer. His most recent book is No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests. Dan talks about Vice President Harris in Honduras and whats the state of US-Honduran relations right now?It's Friday time for News of the Weird. The Misfits sign off with a delicious story about a hairy tongue and Super Bowl performers asked to dance for no dollars. Till next time, happy weekend!We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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honduras, ukraine, scotus, volodymyr zelensky, political misfits, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/ukraines-dilemma-how-us--nato-are-beating-the-drums-for-a-war-they-are-unwilling-to-fight-in-1092606778.html

Ukraine's Dilemma: How US & NATO Are Beating the Drums For a War They Are Unwilling to Fight In

Ukraine's Dilemma: How US & NATO Are Beating the Drums For a War They Are Unwilling to Fight In

Despite fanning inflammatory rhetoric about an "imminent Russian invasion", neither the US nor NATO are ready to fight Moscow, thus leaving Kiev to reap the... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T15:47+0000

2022-01-29T15:47+0000

2022-01-29T15:47+0000

sergei lavrov

europe

us

russia

ukraine

lloyd austin

jens stoltenberg

war

nato expansion

donbass

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"It looks like the US is not ready to start a real conflict [and] to use lethal force in a confrontation with Russia", says Dr Marco Marsili, associate fellow at the Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis and former public official and election observer for the OSCE/ODIHR.Washington's decision to send 8,500 troops to Ukraine is nothing but a political move, Marsili says, adding that this military force is by no means enough to withstand a hypothetical invasion.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the press on Friday that Western countries are fanning hysteria over Moscow's alleged plans to "invade" Ukraine by evacuating their embassies and delivering lethal weapons to Kiev. He reiterated that Moscow "does not want war". "If it's up to Russia, there will be no war", the foreign minister said.Later in the day, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin stated that "conflict is not inevitable" and that the US Department of Defence "will continue to support diplomatic efforts".For his part, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a Washington-based think tank's virtual forum on 28 January that the alliance is "not planning to deploy NATO combat troops to Ukraine". Stoltenberg stated that "there is no certainty about the Russian plans" with regard to its Eastern European neighbour. The NATO chief also admitted that there are "disagreements" among the bloc's allies about "what kind of support" should be provided to Ukraine, as some allies oppose delivering lethal military equipment to Kiev.Meanwhile, Kiev is warning the West against aggravating the situation and complaining that the talk of "imminent war" is harmful for the Ukrainian economy.A Ukrainian official cited by CNN revealed that a Thursday phone talk between Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky "did not go well". While the US president insisted that a Russian "invasion" of Ukraine was now virtually certain, his Ukrainian counterpart maintains that it is not clear that an attack will take place.At the same time, Kiev understands that the US will not protect Ukraine militarily if the US-fanned hysteria translates into a real conflict, according to Marco Marsili.Growing Tensions May Trigger Military ConfrontationSimmering tensions between the US-NATO bloc and Russia over Ukraine are indeed fraught with risks, warns Hall Gardner, professor of international politics at the American University of Paris.According to him, the US, NATO, and Russia have entered what one could call an "insecurity-security dialectic" in which "the display of military actions of one side produces a military counter-reaction in the other". Gardner insists that "such a spiralling of tensions needs to be calmed as soon as possible by diplomacy before it generates direct conflict".Meanwhile, nothing prevents the US and NATO from soothing Russia's concerns and making Ukraine a permanently neutral and non-aligned state, according Gardner. Furthermore, a number of European and American observers earlier noted that it is highly improbable that all 30 members of NATO would unanimously vote for Ukraine's membership, given that Germany and France have repeatedly opposed such a scenario.For its part, the Ukrainian government may also show political will and partly defuse simmering tensions by granting autonomy to the Donbass region under the Minsk agreements, according to Marco Marsili. Whats more, Kiev could solve this issue without Washington or the EU's involvement, he adds."I think that it's a slow process because they have to deliver a proposal into the parliament, the parliament has to work and to accept a proposal for a change in the Constitution, because it passes through the changes of the Ukrainian Constitution", says Marsili. "It's not so easy. It's a political issue that is an internal issue of Ukraine. So firstly, before being an international affair it's an internal issue".The researcher has also drawn attention to the fact that Russia remains open to Kiev's implementation of the Minsk agreements in good faith.

https://sputniknews.com/20220128/us-welcomes-lavrovs-desire-for-peace-says-it-needs-to-be-backed-up-by-swift-action---official-1092585411.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220129/ukraines-zelensky-fearing-us-deliberately-overplaying-escalation-rhetoric-reports-say-1092602817.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220118/russia-us-security-talks-is-ukraine-vital-for-nato-1092339352.html

ukraine

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sergei lavrov, europe, us, russia, ukraine, lloyd austin, jens stoltenberg, war, nato expansion, donbass, nato
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/ukraines-zelensky-fearing-us-deliberately-overplaying-escalation-rhetoric-reports-say-1092602817.html

Ukraine's Zelensky Fears US Deliberately Overplaying Escalation Rhetoric, Reports Say

Ukraine's Zelensky Fears US Deliberately Overplaying Escalation Rhetoric, Reports Say

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fears that the United States is exaggerating the threat of an imminent invasion of Ukraine to... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T09:55+0000

2022-01-29T09:55+0000

2022-01-29T10:15+0000

russia

ukraine

us

volodymyr zelensky

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The Biden administration, however, denies any such considerations are on the table, the publication went on.The outlet notes the change in Zelensky's stance on the alleged Russian threat over recent months. In November, the Ukrainian president sounded the alarm as loudly as possible. But lately, he has been increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration, Politico said, and the impact the escalation rhetoric has had on local financial markets.Moscow denies all the accusations of escalating the situation around Ukraine or posing a threat to any country. At the same time, it notes that the allegations are being used as a pretext to deploy more NATO weapons near Russia's borders. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia does not rule out the possibility of the West purposefully "pumping up hysteria" around Ukraine and aiming to carry out a provocation. Lavrov also suggested that this "hysteria" is being promoted to cover up Kiev's sabotage of the Minsk agreements.

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russia, ukraine, us, volodymyr zelensky
https://sputniknews.com/20220129/us-reportedly-plans-to-target-russian-industries-not-citizens-with-new-ukraine-related-sanctions-1092609312.html

US Reportedly Plans to Target Russian Industries, Not Citizens With New Ukraine-Related Sanctions

US Reportedly Plans to Target Russian Industries, Not Citizens With New Ukraine-Related Sanctions

The White House has threatened to give a joint response with its European partners if Russia invades Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied harbouring any plans... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T18:56+0000

2022-01-29T18:56+0000

2022-01-29T18:56+0000

us

russia

sanctions

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The US is not planning to hit ordinary Russians if it imposes new sanctions against Russia in the event of an attack on Ukraine, National Security Council member Peter Harrell said during a speech at the Massachusetts Export Center. He explained that the planned response is designed to target Russian industries in the middle and long-term instead.He elaborated that the plan was to immediately impose "crippling financial costs on major Russian financial institutions" and introduce "sweeping export controls" that would impede the country's "industrial capacity".Another White House official, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Thea Kendler, expanded on Harrell's comments, Reuters reported. Kendler said that the planned sanctions response in the event of an invasion of Ukraine would target "key people and industries" that were spared during the American sanctions spree of 2014.Neither of the officials specified which Russian industries would be targeted by the White House. However, Reuters cited unnamed officials as naming the aviation, maritime, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and defence industries as potential targets. The oil and gas sectors were also not ruled out as potential targets, according to Reuters' sources.The anonymous officials also shared with Reuters that Washington might appeal to Taiwan and South Korea to limit the sale of certain wares based on US technologies, such as microchips, to Russia. The US has similarly been blocking the sale of chips and technologies to China's Huawei since the Trump administration.The two officials' remarks come in contrast to earlier media reports that the US might ban the sale of all double-use technologies to Russia, which could in practice prohibit the sale of sophisticated wares such as smartphones and other digital devices, punishing Russian citizens.Western countries have been threatening Russia with sanctions over the past two months, citing Moscow's alleged decision to deploy a significant amount of troops close to Ukraine's border. The US and several other countries have alleged that Russia might be planning an invasion of Ukraine despite Moscow strongly denying having such plans.

https://sputniknews.com/20220129/ukraines-dilemma-how-us--nato-are-beating-the-drums-for-a-war-they-are-unwilling-to-fight-in-1092606778.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220129/us-to-recover-f-35c-from-south-china-sea-after-unsuccessful-landing-on-aircraft-carrier-1092597754.html

US to Recover F-35C From South China Sea After Unsuccessful Landing on Aircraft Carrier

US to Recover F-35C From South China Sea After Unsuccessful Landing on Aircraft Carrier

US to Recover F-35C From South China Sea After Unsuccessful Landing on Aircraft Carrier

2022-01-29T02:59+0000

2022-01-29T02:59+0000

2022-01-29T02:59+0000

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us navy

south china sea

f-35c

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The US Navy will recover the newest F-35C Lightning II aircraft, equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and technology that crashed into the South China Sea.Earlier media speculated that the US military would do everything possible to prevent the ill-fated aircraft from being recovered by Chinese naval forces. As the incident happened in neutral waters, the plane can be considered as legitimate prey for anyone who reaches it first.When asked about the possibility of the F-35C being found by the Chinese military, Lingo noted that he cant speculate on what the PRC's intentions are on this matter.The fifth-generation F-35C fighter jet made an unsuccessful landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and crashed into the South China Sea, injuring 7 crew members. Three of them were diagnosed with serious injuries and transported to a hospital in the Philippines.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220129/wasted-top-4-losses-of-key-us-military-assets-in-south-china-sea-over-two-decades-of-posturing-1092583731.html

Wasted! Top 4 Losses of Key US Military Assets in South China Sea Over Two Decades of Posturing

Wasted! Top 4 Losses of Key US Military Assets in South China Sea Over Two Decades of Posturing

The US military mission in the South China Sea is mainly geared towards countering China's territorial claims in the disputed waters. China too has ramped up... 29.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-29T04:58+0000

2022-01-29T04:58+0000

2022-01-29T04:58+0000

submarines

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us

japan

china

south china sea

f-16

nato

nuclear submarines

destroyers

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In 2015, in order to douse ever-growing tensions in the South China Sea, the US and China concluded a series of agreements to prevent a military confrontation. Yet, the unrelenting buildup of military assets in the region by the US has since rendered those agreements nearly null and void. Washington's military assertiveness in the South China Sea received a boost last September with the formation of AUKUS - a tripartite alliance with the UK and Australia. America has also been supported by its allies as the European Union separately firmed up a defence strategy, enhancing its engagement in the vital Indo-Pacific region.The US operations in the South China Sea, which Washington calls "freedom of navigation" missions frequently lead to near-collision situations between the nations' two militaries, but no shots have been fired so far. Nevertheless, America has lost several military assets in the resource-rich waters of the region, which are also claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia.1. F-35 Plunges Into the South China SeaThe nation's most advanced stealth fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, had a landing mishap on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) while conducting routine flight operations in the South China Sea on 24 January.Armed with highly classified technology, the jet plunged into the sea after the crash. The US Navy said that seven naval personnel, including the pilot, received injuries. With a price tag of around $100 million each, the F-35C is designed to operate from aircraft carriers.The accident took place during a freedom of navigation operation as the US Navy has deployed two aircraft carriers, two amphibious ships, escorts, and 26 F-35C Lightning II joint strike fighters in the western Pacific Ocean.Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underlined that this is not the first time the US has had an accident in the South China Sea.2. Nuclear-Powered Submarine Collides With Uncharted SeamountA nuclear-powered attack submarine, the USS Connecticut, was severely damaged after colliding with an uncharted seamount on 2 October 2021. Media reports claimed severe damage to the forward section of the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine. At least 11 personnel received injuries in the mishap.Washington did not provide any further information concerning the accident. The US Navy fired the ship's captain and two other senior officers on the $3-billion submarine for "loss of confidence".3. Deadly Collision of Two Arleigh Burke-Class DestroyersIn 2017, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain collided with merchant ships in two separate incidents in the Pacific Ocean, leaving 17 sailors dead and several injured. On 17 June, the $1.8 billion USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship off the coast of Japan during a secret mission to the South China Sea. Two months later, another destroyer  the USS John S. McCain  smashed into an oil and chemical tanker, killing 10 sailors in the accident. The collision occurred in the eastern approach to the Singapore Strait on the South China Sea after the destroyer returned from freedom of navigation operations near a Chinese artificial island on Mischief Reef.4. 2001 Fighter Jet CollisionOn 1 April 2001, a US EP-3E reconnaissance aircraft smashed into a Chinese fighter jet in mid-air near Hainan Island. The pilot of the Chinese J-8II jet was killed. The incident sparked a significant diplomatic standoff between the two countries as China refused to release the 24 US crew members of the damaged jet.

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The bird just seemed to fall from the sky into an Atkins familys yard. The residents were worried. The bird appeared unable to fly. The family wasnt sure what to do, but they did know who could help.

On a snowy, windy night, a text came into Tanya Halls phone, telling about the strange bird.

Hall and her son Ethan put on coats, hats, and gloves and went to lend a hand.

Hall is the chief ranger of Visitor Experience at Hungry Mother State Park and a Virginia Master Naturalist.

At the home, the Halls found a water fowl that likely made its way here from Canada. The bird was a Horned Grebe. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithologys website, allaboutbirds.org, some Horned Grebes winter on the Great Lakes but disperse during cold snaps in search of open (unfrozen) water.

This grebe was likely migrating south, but it appeared in distress.

Hall thought she knew why.

This small grebe is a diving bird thats at home on lakes and bays. Its a water fowl, Hall explained that needs water to get going and take off.

Knowing that humans should only intervene when an animal or bird is injured or in distress, Hall consulted with this areas wildlife rehabilitator, Darin Handy, who lives in Marion. He advised Hall on the care and handling of the bird.

Hall knows and often teaches people that leaving critters in their natural habitat creates their best chance of survival. Even if baby birds fall out of their nest, she said, their parents will feed it. As another example, she noted that though fawns often appear to be alone, their mother is usually close by.

If an animal is injured, she recommends calling a wildlife rehabilitator for advice and assistance.

In this case, Hall and Handy believed getting the Horned Grebe to water was its best chance for life.

Hall and Ethan took the bird to Hungry Mother Lake. Once released, he promptly found his feet and wings and took off. On Facebook, Hall wrote, He was one happy little guy to hit that water! He took right off.

Help Our Feathered Friends

Hall suspects the bird was confused by house lights shining on the snow, which from above looks like open water.

She noted that minimizing the use of outdoor lights at night is one simple step that people can take to help birds and other animals.

She also encouraged residents to consider adding native plants to their landscapes, which encourage the caterpillars and insects that birds need to eat for energy.

Even not cleaning up every fence row and allowing brush to grow can benefit birds, Hall said, by providing them with habitat in which they can hide and eat.

Most of all, Hall urged everyone to be observant and watch the birds and wildlife that visit this area. People will be surprised, she said, by the variety of visitors that come to their yards.

Learn More, Help Science

For anyone whod like to learn more about birds, Hungry Mother State Park is offering several opportunities in February.

The first is a challenge. On Saturday, Feb. 12, at 3 p.m., the park will host Brainy Birds, which begins with the premise that corvids are highly intelligent and can solve many puzzles. Interested individuals can visit the interpreters table at the beach to see if you can solve the same puzzles in this free activity.

Feb. 18-21, Hungry Mother is taking part in the global Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This citizen-science project, which conducted in partnership by the Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Bird Studies Canada, is celebrating its 25th year in 2022.

At its website  birdcount.org, the GBBC explains, Over these four days we invite people to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to us. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations.

Of the GBBC, Hall said, Its just a great program. She not only helps with the parks programs but also does observations at her home.

The database, she said, gives scientists insights into the health of birds by observing population changes and trends.

For those whod like to participate, Hall said, a minimum of 15 minutes of observation helps.

The project is even great for first-time or beginning birders, she said, noting that there are several great apps to help identify birds. She recommended the Merlin Bird ID app.

Once participants note the birds they observe, the observations are to be shared through the eBird app or website. Interpreters at the park will be available to help people learn how to upload the data during the GBBC.

During the GBBC, Hungry Mother will offer several special programs.

Owl Prowl - Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Master Naturalist Randy Smith will lead participants on a prowl around the park looking for owls. Meet at the spillway parking lot.

At this time of year, Hall noted that those who take part may hear the call of Great Horned Owls.

Guided Bird Hikes - Feb. 19 at 8 a.m. Join volunteers Randy Smith and Mike Evans as participants try to count as many birds as they can to add to eBird. Meet at the Discovery Center.

Breakfast for Bird(ers) - Feb. 19 at 9:30 a.m. with the Holston Rivers Virginia Master Naturalists. All participants are welcome to stop by the Discovery Center parking lot for a light breakfast.

The Birds and the Trees - Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m. with Kevin Sigmon. Not only are trees an important part of the natural world for humans, but they are vital for birds also. Participants are expected to discover how birds and trees rely on each other and how trees impact our feathered neighbors. Meet at the Discovery Center parking lot.

Guided Bird Hikes - Feb. 20 & 21 at 8:30 a.m. Join Mike Evans as he takes participants on a bird hike each day in different parts of the park. Sunday meet at the spillway parking lot and on Monday meet at the boat ramp off of Mitchell Valley Road.

All ages and skill levels are welcome. Participants are urged to dress warmly. The events will be held rain or shine. Field guides and binoculars are not available due to COVID-19.
BLUEFIELD, VA  Developing a place for residents and visitors alike to enjoy sweet treats and to have a place to gather, socialize and eat are the primary goals Laura Hrovatic had in mind when she decided to pursue her dream of opening a bakery, Snuckle Butter, LLC, in downtown Bluefield, Va.

Snuckle Butter, LLC is a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) seed capital matching grant.

Helping to revitalize downtown areas in VCEDAs e-Region has been one of the added benefits to our seed capital matching grant program as a number of the businesses awarded grants have chosen to locate in downtown areas, said VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher. Snuckle Butter, LLC is locating in an historic section of Bluefield, Va., and projects three full-time jobs and six part-time jobs within five years.

Snuckle Butter will sell a large variety of made fresh daily yeast donuts, cookies, brownies and specialty cakes when it opens this summer and already has plans to expand to offer breads in its second year and gelato in its third year of operation.

While we renovate the downtown space, we are also looking into the variety of equipment we will need and are checking options on suppliers, Hrovatic said. Turning the building into a modern bakery is taking an incredible amount of work. We have to replace the roof and the floor needs to be stabilized as well before we can move in heavy commercial bakery equipment.

She noted plans call for the VCEDA grant to be used for renovations and equipment purchases.

By transforming the over 120-year building in downtown Bluefield that we are renovating into a bakery, the end result will be truly amazing, Hrovatic said. Exposing the original brick wall on one side of the dining room, while preserving the original wood flooring where we can, our customers can become immersed in the fascinating history of the building and the area.

It took me a couple of weeks to wrap my head around the fact that we were successful in getting the grant, Hrovatic said. It was a tremendous gift to be able to have access to that. As a small business, its just huge.

Hrovatic worked with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC) in the development of her application to VCEDA and received a letter of support from the Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority.

The ladies at the SBDC were amazing to work with, Hrovatic said. I think they are the best. There is no way I could have done this without them.

The Small Business Development Center at Southwest Virginia Community College was happy to learn that Snuckle Butter Bakery was awarded a seed capital matching grant, said Margie Douglass, SBDC program manager. It was the pleasure of the SBDC staff to assist with the development of the application packet for this grant and we look forward to continuing to work Laura Hrovatic, as she sees her dream become a reality.

Bluefield VA, the surrounding area and the regional tourism economy will surely benefit from this business through offerings of great products, the renovation of a 120-year-old building downtown and the expansion of employment opportunities to the residents of the area, Douglass added. The SBDC expects Snuckle Butter Bakery to become a staple of the region with their notoriety reaching far beyond local residents and out to those traveling into the area to partake in the many outdoor activities the region has to offer.

Snuckle Butter LLC is located at 542 Virginia Avenue in Bluefield.
A Wythe County Public Schools bus driver was charged with failure to yield the right-of-way on Friday after being accused of pulling into the path of an oncoming SUV as he exited Speedwell Elementary School onto U.S. 21.

The driver of the car was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and two students were treated and released on the scene by rescue personnel, according to the Virginia State Police. A passenger in the SUV wasnt injured.

There were 25 students on the bus at the time of the crash, which occurred about 12:30 p.m. Schools dismissed at noon today in anticipation of snow this afternoon.

According to School Superintendent Wesley Poole, longtime school bus driver Eddie Spraker was behind the wheel of the bus. Pool said the front of the car hit the front of the school bus.

Spraker was released on a summons.
Kalama businesses and community members struggling because of the pandemic can apply for relief funds through the end of February.

In October, the City Council approved setting aside a portion the American Rescue Plan Act federal relief money it received for eligible residents of Kalama ZIP code 98625. The council planned to use $50,000 for the program and hold $30,000 in reserve if requests exceed the initial amount.

The city has allocated funds to provide assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits related to the negative impacts of COVID-19 and to aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality, according to the city website.

The application form is available on the citys website www.cityofkalama.com or at https://bit.ly/35CeGB7. Applicants must provide necessary documentation, which will be kept confidential.

A committee headed by Council members Jon Stanfill and Wendy Conradi, along with five community members, will review the applications and recommend the awards to the City Council.

Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. Feb. 28. People should mail or drop application materials to City of Kalama, P.O. Box 1007, 195 N. First Street, Kalama, WA 98625. Applications may be submitted via email to cityclerk@cityofkalama.com. For questions, call 360-673-4561.

Last year, the council set up a similar program and distributed $62,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act money to local businesses and residents affected by the pandemic.

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Flipkart has announced big iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 price drop. Check details here.

Waiting for huge Apple iPhone price drop announcements? Well, here is a big one! As iPhones are a bit expensive, people tend to wait for the price drops to get it at a decent price. But what if we tell you that this is the right time to gift yourself an iPhone? Yes, Flipkart is offering discounts, exchange offer and even bank offers on various models of iPhones. You can avail iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series and even iPhone 11 series with price cuts. Sounds great right! To make your work easier, we have detailed all the offers available on the iPhones here.

iPhone 13 price drop: The 128GB variant of iPhone 13 is available at a discount of 6 percent and is priced at Rs. 74,900 on Flipkart. The selling price of the phone is Rs. 79,990. But wait, this is not all! If you have an old smartphone then you can exchange it to get a further discount for iPhone 13. Yes, the ecommerce website is offering an exchange offer under which you can get up to Rs. 18,850 off. The only thing you need to do is to enter the pincode of your area and check if the exchange is available at your place or not.

Coming to the bank offers, you can get 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB and 512GB are also available at a discount of 5 percent and 4 percent respectively along with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 13 Pro price drop: The 128GB variant is priced at Rs. 1,19,900 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 18,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB and 512GB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 13 Pro Max price drop: The biggest iPhone 13 series handset, 128GB variant, is priced at Rs. 1,29,900 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 18,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB, 512GB and 1TB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 13 Mini price drop: As the smallest variant in the iPhone 13 series, 128GB variant, is available at a discounted rate of Rs. 66,900 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 18,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB and 512GB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 12 price drop: The 64GB variant of the phone is available at a discount of 19 percent for Rs. 52,999 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 15,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variant, that is 128GB is also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 12 Pro price drop: The 128GB variant of the phone is available at a discounted rate of Rs. 1,04,900 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 15,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB and 512GB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 12 Pro Max price drop: The 128GB variant of the phone is available at Rs. 1,19,900 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 15,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 256GB and 512GB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 12 Mini price drop: The 64GB variant of the phone is available at a discount of 29 percent at Rs. 41,999 on Flipkart. You can get up to Rs. 15,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback. The other variants, that is 128GB and 256GB are also available with bank and exchange offer.

iPhone 11 price drop: The 64GB variant of the phone is currently sold out. You are advised to keep checking Flipkart to track its availability.

iPhone 11 Pro price drop: The 512GB variant of the phone is available at a price of Rs. 1,40,300. You can get up to Rs. 15,850 off on the phone with exchange. Additionally you can also avail 10 percent off on Citi Credit/Debit cards, up to Rs. 1000 on orders of Rs. 5000 and above. While Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users can get 5 percent unlimited cashback.
NASA: Asteroid is monstrous at 4,265 feet wide and it is approaching Earth fast. 'Potentially hazardous' asteroid just a month away.

NASA recently discovered another gigantic asteroid thats more than twice the height of the Empire State Building. According to NASA, Asteroid will shoot past Earth in early March, 2022. According to NASA, the 'potentially hazardous' space rock is up to 4,265 feet wide. While it will be close to Earth, it will safely pass from an estimated distance of 3 million miles away. An asteroid of this size could do some really serious damage but the big relief is it's not expected to hit Earth. As NASA said, the giant asteroid is likely to shoot past us on March 4.

A few days ago on January 24, another giant asteroid about 623 feet wide, more than twice the size of the Statue of Liberty, shot past Earth from a very close distance. The asteroid, namely Asteroid 2017 XC62 was 4.4 million miles from us.

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According to NASA, asteroids being more than about 460 feet in size with orbits within 4.6 million miles of the Earths orbit around the sun are categorized as Potentially hazardous asteroids. Even a minute change in the trajectories of such asteroids might lead to disaster on earth.

NASA calls anything passing near Earth's orbit as a Near-Earth Object (NEO). It has been monitoring tens of thousands of NEOs to know whether they can be hazardous for Earth.

Meanwhile, NASA recently launched the first-ever Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission to study and experiment with a method to deflect asteroids by using kinetic impact. The DART is designed to smash a spacecraft into the smaller moonlet of the binary asteroid system Didymos. Its a part of NASAs larger planetary defense strategy to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat.

What are asteroids?

Asteroids are small, rocky objects leftover from the solar system's formation around some 4.5 billion years ago. They orbit the sun and mostly reside in the between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, also known as asteroid belt. They are made of different kinds of rocks, and hence, no two asteroids are alike.
US labor regulators accuse Amazon of threatening workers to thwart efforts to form a union at a warehouse in Staten Island, NY.

US labor authorities have filed a complaint accusing e-commerce giant Amazon of using threats and surveillance against its workers trying to organize a union at a New York City warehouse.

Amazon allegedly grilled workers about union activities at the Staten Island site, promising to address grievances in exchange for voting against representation, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) argued in its complaint filed on Thursday.

At stake is whether the workers might be the first to unionize an Amazon warehouse in the United States.

NLRB's complaint alleges the company "repeatedly broke the law by threatening, surveilling, and interrogating their Staten Island warehouse workers who are engaged in a union organizing campaign."

The board asked a judge, with a hearing set for April 5, to order Amazon to educate workers as well as managers about employee rights when it comes to unionizing.

Amazon rejected the allegations, saying they "are false and we look forward to showing that through this process."

Union literature was allegedly removed from a breakroom and "confiscated" from some employees, according to the filing.

NLRB has found that enough employees at the Staten Island warehouse have supported the union effort to justify a vote, with next steps to be discussed at a February 16 hearing.

A campaign to form what could also be the first union at an Amazon warehouse in the United States will continue next month with a rematch ballot in Bessemer, Alabama.

A closely-watched vote last year in Bessemer ended in a defeat for organizers, who accused Amazon of breaking the rules and were granted a re-do on appeal.

The NLRB will mail out ballots on February 4, with counting of the votes set for March 28.

The vote in the small town of Bessemer drew heavy media attention as it pitted supporters of the employeesartists, Democratic and Republican lawmakers and even President Joe Bidenagainst Amazon.

Explore further Amazon union vote re-do date set in US

 2022 AFP
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There is something going in our country called the Great Resignation. Americans have been quitting their jobs at record rates. In November, according to the Labor Department, more than 4.5 million people voluntarily left their jobs, 300,000 more people than in October.

The Eagle reported in its Jan. 9 edition that Texas A&M professor Anthony Klotz predicted this phenomenon back in May, and in the article, he attributed it to delayed resignations, burnout among workers, pandemic epiphanies and work schedules allowing for remote or hybrid work.

In my own profession as a pastor and priest, I have received articles from members of the church about clergy burnout and how an increasing number of clergy are quitting or are considering quitting full-time ministry.

This change in the labor market is an opportunity to examine the concept of vocation. Through most of its history, the word vocation has meant a religious call, as in being called to the priesthood. Lately, vocation has come to mean a way of earning a living that is meaningful and significant for the individual beyond simply earning a paycheck.

The book, Awakening Vocation: A Theology of Christian Call by Roman Catholic professor Edward Hahnenberg, explores how God is involved in our lives and what Gods intentions are for our lives. In Hahnenbergs point of view, vocation is not necessarily about what we do for a living, but the discovery of who we are at our core. So who are we at our core?

A few weeks back at St. Andrews and in many other churches, we remembered and commemorated Jesus baptism in the River Jordan and read a selection from the 43rd chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah who told the ancient Israelites of the Lords relationship to them, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. ... Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you (Isaiah 43:1, 4).

These words from Isaiah allude to two important events in Israels life in which God was active and present. The first was the exodus, when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and were liberated from slavery in Egypt. God was with them as they passed through the water preventing the water from overwhelming them.

The second event refers to the Israelites Babylonian exile and their release from it by the king of the Persian Empire, King Cyrus. King Cyrus had declared that all the people who had been exiled by Babylonians could return to their homelands. The Persians had defeated the Babylonians and as a matter of general policy, Cyrus allowed those in exile to go home. So in Isaiah to the people of Israel on behalf of God in chapter 43, Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, Give them up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth (Isaiah 43:-5-6).

The reason God does this is because it was God who created them, who formed them, who called them by name, and they belonged to him. He loved them. Thats who they were at their core. That was their vocation: to be a people formed, created and loved by God.

That is who we can be as well. In the waters of baptism, our own exodus, God re-creates, re-forms and claims us as his own. As God said to Jesus after he was baptized, You are my son, my beloved, God speaks those words to us. That is the core of who we are. Our vocation is to be Gods beloved sons and daughters, and being Gods sons and daughters means that we live in the world in such a way that is aligned with Gods purposes and actions in it.

In Hahnenbergs book, Awakening Vocation, he says, the discovery of who we are at the core ... [is] where we realize that the response we expect of God in the world is the one that God in fact makes through us our choices, our lives, our vocations. What that means is that the kinds of things, the activities that we expect God to be doing in the world are what God expects us to be doing in the world.

So if we expect God to be about the activities of forgiving and healing, making justice and peace, and filling the world with goodness and love, then our vocations as his sons and daughters is to be going about that work ourselves. Vocation is, as the American Jewish theologian Abraham Herschel said, A life compatible with Gods presence. We can ask ourselves, Are we living the kind of lives that are compatible with Gods presence? Are we using our gifts and talents with Gods purposes in mind?

Earning a paycheck is important. Meaningful, dignified work is important. Avoiding burnout is necessary. More fundamentally, beyond our work lives, the beginning of our vocation is always remembering we are Gods beloved sons and daughters and then living in such a way that is mindful of to whom we belong and then living a life compatible with Gods presence.

Daryl Hay is the rector of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Downtown Bryan.
1 event to mark on your calendar

VFW Post 4692 will have a free health fair on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Blinn College nursing students will answer health-related questions, test for high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol and provide hearing and vision screens. The event will be at 794 Harvey Mitchell Parkway in Bryan.

SATURDAY

EVENTS

Catholic Charities of Central Texas drive-thru giving day, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Catholic Charities Brazos Valley office, 1410 Cavitt Ave. in Bryan. Diapers, baby wipes and hygiene kits will be given away at the event to those in need. Catholic Charities also will accept donations, and there will be free food and prizes.

Community Fun Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Neal Recreation Center, 600 Randolph St. in Bryan. There will be food, vendors and games, and Texas A&M student-athletes will be available for pictures. The event is free.

Seussical the Musical, 2 and 7 p.m. at College Station High School, 4002 Victoria Ave. in College Station. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and $10 for children. cshstheatre.ludus.com.

The Revolutionists, 7 p.m. at the Blinn College Student Theatre on the Bryan campus. Recommended for ages 13 and older. A performance is also scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 at blinn.edu/boxoffice.

Villainy the Musical, 7:30 p.m. at Brazos Valley TROUPE, 3705 E. 29th St. in Bryan. Tickets are $20 for ages 13 and older and $15 for ages 3 to 12.

Church rummage sale, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1402 N. Texas Ave. in Bryan.

Ink Masters Tattoo Expo, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan. Live tattooing by more than 100 artists from around the country. Tickets available at the door for $20. A weekend pass is $35.

Casino Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Ranch Harley-Davidson, 4101 Texas 6 in College Station. Casino games, free drinks, food truck, music, vendors and door prizes.

Brazos Valley Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon at 500 N. Main St. in Downtown Bryan. brazosvalleyfarmersmarket.com.

Blood drive, 3 to 7:15 p.m. at Mos Irish Pub, 1025 University Drive, No. 101 in College Station. Email chris.kelby@mosrestaurants.com for more information.

Blood drive, 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Brenham Fire Department Training Center, 1101 US 290 in Brenham. Email robandlei@att.net for more information.

Citizenship classes, 10 a.m. at Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network, 2500 S. College Ave. in Bryan. Free weekly classes every Saturday for 10 weeks. English classes are 10 a.m. to noon, and Spanish classes are noon to 1:45 p.m. Register at brazosimmigration.com.

Lick Creek Nature Center exhibit unveiling, 10 a.m. to noon at Lick Creek Park, 13600 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. The opening of a new exhibit with interactive activities for all ages each Saturday through April 23. The displays are open throughout the week; admission is free. Topics feature mammals, owls, snakes, butterflies, birds, vegetation and more.

Synodal Parish Listening Session, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 2541 Texas 6 in College Station. Church members are invited to a parish listening session to contribute input for the international Synod of Bishops in 2023. A light breakfast and lunch are included. Register at stabcs.org/synod.

LIVE MUSIC

Lindsey Lane, 7:30 p.m. at Canteen Bar and Grill in Cavalry Court, 200 Century Court in College Station.

Terry Easterwood, 9 to 11 p.m. at Hershels at The Stella Hotel, 4100 Lake Atlas Drive in Bryan.

John Barraza Project, 10 p.m. at 3rd Floor Cantina, 201B W. 26th St. in Downtown Bryan.

Matthew Gonzaba, 7 p.m. at Ronin, 800 N. Main St. in Downtown Bryan.

Lightning Ben, 6 p.m. at Brazos Valley Brewing Co., 206 S. Jackson St. in Brenham. Free.

Nico Cantilo, 1:30 to 5 p.m. at Bernhardt Winery, 9043 County Road 204 in Plantersville. Free admission. No reservation required. Food truck on site. Picnics and coolers are welcome; no outside alcohol.

Southern Degenerates, 8:30 p.m. at Whiskey Tango Bar & Grill, 15875 County Road 304 in Navasota.

The Western Express, 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Home Sweet Farm Biergarten, 307 Park St. in Brenham.

Reagan Quinn, 7 to 10 p.m. at Floyds Wine Lounge, 315 S. Baylor St. in Brenham.

Sweet Baby Mayhem, 9 p.m. at Cyndis Hawg Hangout, 9940 Texas 21 in Caldwell.

The Vinous, Splice, Jasper, Gnarwolf, Sykotic Tendencies and Alethia, 7 p.m. at Grand Stafford Theater, 106 S. Main St. in Downtown Bryan. All ages. $10 cover.

Colton Morman, 6 p.m. at Urban Table, 3006 Barron Road in College Station.

Treble Soul, 9 p.m. at Bottlenecks, 1789 F.M. 60 in Deanville.

Ray Cashman, 4 p.m. at West Sandy Creek Winery, 1773 F.M. 1791 in Richards.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Community yoga, 8 a.m. at Lake Walk Pavilion, 4107 Lake Atlas Drive in Bryan. Free and open to the public.

Punk rock yoga, 2:30 p.m. at The 101, 101 Texas Ave. in Bryan. Free; all skill levels welcome.

EXHIBITS

Oceans of Plastic at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station. A collection of art made from plastic pollution acquired from beaches along the Texas coast. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, and tickets must be purchased at bush41.org/visit/admission.

Fire and Earth, the Story of Ceramics, through May 28 at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan. Exhibit highlights include the origins of ceramics, current uses and the future of the material. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults.

Lovin That Lone Star Flag, through April 2 at the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, 4180 Texas 6 in College Station. A collection of work by E. Joe Deering. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Taking Shape: Geometry in Art, through March 9 at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station. The exhibit features works by artists who expressed themselves and the world around them through geometric forms, optical illusions and abstraction. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. tx.ag/geometry.

In Actuality: Social Realism and Its Legacy, through April 10 at the Forsyth Galleries in the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station. The exhibit features more than 40 images by nine photographers, highlighting their contribution to the social realism movement. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. tx.ag/inactuality.

Pulped Under Pressure: The Art of Handmade Paper, through March 20 at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station. The exhibit features art with traditional papermaking at its core. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. tx.ag/pulped.

COVID-19 TESTING

St. Teresa Catholic Church, 201 Hall St. in Bryan, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Due to high demand, walk-ins may not be accepted. curative.com.

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1505 Dansby St. in Bryan, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Due to high demand, walk-ins may not be accepted. curative.com.
OMAHA  The University of Nebraska Medical Center has announced its fall 2021 Deans List for students enrolled in nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and the allied health professions.

To qualify for the deans list, nursing and the allied health students must be enrolled for 12 or more hours during the semester and have a grade point average of 3.75 or above. To qualify for the pharmacy deans list, students must place in the top 20 percent of their class and maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or above. Dental students must be in the top 10 percent of their class for the semester.

COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY: Kassi Plock of Burwell, dental hygiene; and Preston Dramse of Grand Island and Jordan Ingersoll of Kearney, dentistry.

COLLEGE OF NURSING: Kearney Division: Madison Myers of Cairo, Hope VanMatre of Gibbon, Dominic Martinez and Brittani Wiseman of Hastings, Corryn Falk of Pleasanton, and Corrine Slagle of Sargent; Lincoln Division: Emily Bykerk of Grand Island, Savannah Harper of Hastings, Andrea Jackson of Minden, Abby Hysell of Ord, Rowdy Melton of Riverdale, and Jennifer Pallas of Stromsburg; Northern Division (Norfolk): Calista Shanle of Genoa, and Madelyn Rinkol of Silver Creek; Omaha Division: Isabelle Vanderneck of Henderson, and Merissa Roth and Samantha Trampe of Kearney.

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY: Cora Svoboda of Ord, Tara Buettner of St. Edward, and Noah Jensen of Scotia.

COLLEGE OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS: Medical Laboratory Science: Blaise Methe of Kearney; Radiography: Nathan Schriver of Albion, Ellie Wells of Broken Bow, Hannah Koperski of Farwell, Sydney Kerr of Hastings, Brooklyn Epp of Henderson, Kaylee Camblin and Emilee Masters of Kearney, and Alexis Sack of St. Paul.

NCTA announces fall Deans List, Honor Roll

CURTIS  Academic honors for 55 Aggie students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture were announced earlier this month..

Students must be full-time enrollees, with at least 12 credit hours for the semester to be eligible for the academic designations.

Nine Aggie students earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the Deans List. Area students on the Deans List are Taylor Schubauer and Allison Wilkens of Gibbon and Austen Cronin of Pleasanton.

The 46 students with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.99 achieved the Deans Honor Roll. Central Nebraska students on the honor roll are Calli Bauer of Arcadia, John Ford of Cairo, Brandi Coons of Callaway, Macy Zentner of Cedar Rapids, Melody MacDonald of Fullerton, Makenna Renzelman of Hazard, McKenna Darby of Pleasanton, Olivia Nyberg of Stromsburg, and Larista Barner of Wolbach.

Hastings College forensics team finishes fall semester strong

HASTINGS  Through the fall semester, the Hastings College forensics team competed in 18 tournaments through both asynchronous and synchronous formats.

During the semester, the team qualified 22 events to the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament, which is scheduled for April at the University of NebraskaLincoln.

Highlights for the fall included competing in-person for the first time since March 2020 at South Dakota State Universitys Jackrabbit Joust in Brookings, S.D., and at Bradley Universitys L.E. Norton in Peoria, Ill., and qualifying every team member to the AFA-NST.

Jacob Stulken, a sophomore from Doniphan, has qualified for the AFA-NST in Communication Analysis.

The team is looking forward to several tournaments in the spring semester, including their home tournament (the Bronco Bash), the Nebraska Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Tournament and others.

Academic honors

Two students from Grand Island, Megan Furstenau and Cristina Moreno, have been named to the Southeast Community College Deans List for the fall term. To be recognized on SCCs Deans List, a student must complete at least six semester credit hours of the term with a minimum grade-point average of 3.5. Classes with a grade of P (Pass) do not count toward the six-hour minimum. Furstenau is working toward a diploma, majoring in dental assisting; and Moreno is majoring in business, working toward an associated of applied science degree.

Grant Johnson of Hastings has been named to the Drury University Deans List for the fall semester. To earn a spot on the list, a student must earn grade point average of 3.6 or greater (on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours. Johnson graduated from Adams Central High School. Drury University is located in Springfield, Mo.

Several area students were named to honors lists for the fall semester at Southern New Hampshire University. Named to the Deans List were Alexus Hopkins and Brice Sell, both of Hastings. To earn a spot on the Deans List, full-time undergraduate students must have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699. Named to the Presidents List were Ryann Perkins of Grand Island; and Jamie Thomas, Hope Dewitt and Andy Quig, all of Hastings. To earn a spot on the Presidents List, full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.7and above.

Sadie Carpenter of Hastings was named to the fall semester Deans List at Upper Iowa University, located in Fayette, Iowa. Carpenter is majoring in business administration. To be honored, the undergraduate must have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA and be enrolled as a full-time student.

Carson Moritz of Hastings was named to the University of Alabama Presidents List for Fall Semester 2021. More than 11,900 students enrolled during the fall 2021 term at college in Tuscaloosa made the deans list with academic records of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale), or the presidents list with academic records of 4.0 (all As).

Biririana Baland of Grand Island has been named to Missouri State Universitys fall 2021 Deans List. Baland was among more than 5,000 students named to the list for the college located in Springfield, Mo. Criteria include enrollment in at least 12 credit hours during the fall semester and at least a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).

Graduates

Elizabeth Messersmith, of Phillips, was among the more than 1,800 graduates earning degrees from Iowa State University at winter commencement ceremonies Dec. 17 in Ames. Messersmith received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in animal science.
Recently some of my close friends have packed up their families and moved either to another town or in one case to another state for a fresh start. Things are going good for them, which is great.

It makes me think of all the times I have moved in my life, 25 that I can remember, or know of. Thats right, 25. To make things more shocking for you, I was starting my fifth school by third grade, true story. Nope, we werent a military family. My dad is a Navy veteran but he served before he got married or had a family. We just moved where there was work or where it was best for us at the time.

My moving history includes moving with my parents and brother, back and forth from Nebraska to California three times. I later made that same journey four times, back and forth, as a grown man on my own.

The longest I ever lived in one home, whether a house or apartment, was four and a half years. That was until I got married. We just hit year 14 at our current location.

My wife only moved a couple times in her life, which include living in a college dorm. Our kids have only lived in one place.

I lived in San Diego County, California, for close to 17 years total. Here in Nebraska - 27. I consider myself a dual native. Born in the Cornhusker state.

During the years, and moves, I have never had problems making friends. Several of my current friends, have been my BFFs (as the kids say) for more than 30 years, a lot of them currently live thousands of miles away.

Sure there were some friends who were lost over the years, and I dont know whatever happened to them. Others I have reached out to on Facebook and have chatted with a few times.

Some of my closest friends here in Nebraska I either met in high school, or college, or worked with them at some point.

All my buddies have been great sounding boards to bounce ideas off of, to gather advice from, or just to hang out with. I like to feel that I am the same for them.

How did I keep all these friends through the moves, and life changes? I guess we valued each others friendship so much that we didnt let time or miles separate our friendship.

Some of my friends kids even call me uncle, thats how close we are.

Do I see my friends thousands of miles away? Not as often as I would like. By phone calls, and text messages though we keep the friendship lifeline beeping.

Even my closest friends right here in Nebraska, I dont see as often as I would like. I dont live within 30 miles of any of my friends. I do have my brother, one of my best friends, 12 miles away, and my parents are about 40 miles away.

Usually, once a year, I get a group of guys together and we either take in a hockey game or a baseball game.

Other times, I just get with one buddy individually for some guy time. With a wife and two daughters at home, my family understands sometimes I need some, Grunt and Scratch time.

I am lucky to have such wonderful friends. I know real men dont talk about their feelings, but I will say this, these guys are like family to me. They always are available to listen, and help when/if I need them, and I am there for them.

I dont know how my parents did it with two kids, all our stuff, and houses, realtors, moving trucks, etc., but they did.

If you think my 25 moves is a lot, talk to my parents who, from their memories, have had practice packing you might say, 50-plus times  each! They have been married 54 years.

I will tell you that over the years I gained a hidden and unique talent for packing a U-Haul truck that I acquired from my parents - the master packers.

Josh Salmon is the chief photographer for the Grand Island Independent. Every other week he steps out from behind the lens to provide his views about the world.
RIDGELAND, Miss. (AP)  The director of a Mississippi library system says a mayor is withholding $110,000 from his city's library because LGBTQ books are on the shelves.

Tonja Johnson, executive director of the Madison County Library System, told news outlets that Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee received citizen complaints about a handful of books that depicted members of the LGBTQ community.

"Funding for this year was being withheld until we removed what he called 'homosexual material' from the library," Johnson told WAPT-TV. "His reasoning that he gave was that, as a Christian, he could not support that, and that he would not release funding until we remove the material."

The move is part of a larger trend of conservatives across the country trying to limit the type of books that children are exposed to. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Holocaust was recently banned by a Tennessee school district, while the Republican governors in South Carolina and Texas have called on superintendents to perform a systemic review of "inappropriate" materials in their states' schools.

In a statement to news outlets, McGee didn't expressly confirm that he wasn't providing the funding over LGBTQ literature but said he believes some of the books are "inappropriate for children."

"There is a minimum, sexual connotations are not appropriate for children when they enter the library," said McGee, a Republican who has been mayor of the Jackson suburb since 1989.

The Ridgeland Board of Aldermen approved the city budget in the fall, and Alderman Ken Heard told WAPT that the mayor doesn't have the authority to unilaterally deny funds to the library.

Johnson said the library board will request a public hearing before the Board of Aldermen to seek clarification and receive the funds, according to the television station.

A meeting was held at Ridgeland's library Tuesday night to discuss the ultimatum. Jason McCarty, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group MS Capital City Pride, attended and said he believes libraries should be safe spaces where people can learn about new things.

"I think when we start putting our personal opinions into situations, that's when we can go wrong," McCarty told WLBT-TV.

***
After performing for 1,500 people at the Heartland Events Center early last December, I asked my dear, longtime friend Norm Sodomka if I had paid him enough money for acting as a Leader for my band that day. He came back with his response, anything would be alright my friend, I just love working with you and performing playing Live music.

That is the way Norm Sodomka, one of the most talented musicians, educators and musical arrangers this state of Nebraska has ever known, rolled.

Watching him walk toward his vehicle, if only I had known it would be the last time I would ever see him, I would have complimented Norm on his top notch performance just one more time.

Norm Sodomka, known for his incredible, wide range of musical talents, passed away unexpectedly early Friday morning, leaving a loving, talented family and hundreds of former students and admiring musicians, in shock and disbelief.

Norm, one of the few remaining Big Band Leaders, superior soloists, and top notch musical arrangers from an era gone by, came from a dying breed of players who learned from the best in the business from days gone by.

And now, sadly enough, the great Norm Sodomka joins that elite, august company known as one of the dying breed, strolling alongside the other musical legends in that Big Band in the Sky.

It would take a lengthy chapter of a best-selling novel to list the things Norm accomplished during his musical lifetime. The lives he changed as a teacher were countless and his school bands musical performances always reflected the excellence he instilled in his students.

As a professional musician, Norm could play many instruments, but excelled as a trumpet virtuoso. The man also had one of the purest, sweetest flugelhorn tones I have ever heard in my life. But one of the talents that placed him among the elite was his ability to write musical arrangements (often on short notice) and perform the duties of a Dance Band Leader, selling his musical product to multitudes of ballroom dancers.

Norm was also extremely proud of his immediate musical family which included talented grandchildren, who had musically matured under his tutelage. Personally, as was Norm, I was proud of his son Dans talents.

Dan Sodomka, the current Director of Bands at Aurora high school, is one of the finest low brass players in Nebraska and is also a top notch, driving bass guitar player, which he plays in my band. Just a chip off the old block as they say.

In the next day or two, Norms family will be faced with the task of finding a place to honor their Hero. Im betting theres not a church in this town large enough to hold all the people wishing to pay their final tribute to the great one.

It would only be fitting to find that huge Hall to hold all the folks coming in for the final performance.

You know what Norm, heres what I think. Youre going to fill that place, man. Itll be Standing Room Only my friend.

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[Comments have been added.]

There's a giant snowstorm threatening the East Coast of the US, and several readers have contacted me with good wishes. I appreciate the concern, but I'm a long way from the coastit's about 270 miles from here to New York City. For our friends in the United Kingdom, that's approximately the drive from Plymouth, in Devon, to Canterbury in Kent via the A303. For Australians, picture the distance from Sydney to Coffs Harbour by air. We might catch the fringe of this storm, but events on the coast are distant.

I do want to offer my own thoughts and concern for readers up and down the Atlantic seaboard. Take it easy with the shovel and we hope you don't lose power. And we don't want to hear reports of you being found frozen solid far from home with a camera in your hand, either. As one governor put it, this is a "Netflix and chill" event. I guess the chill part is mandatory!

While you're socked in, two things you could doone, think about submitting to the "Objects" Baker's Dozen. The deadline is a week from tomorrow. I've gotten some wonderful pictures so far. (Also a number that I wouldn't really consider pictures of objects, but I've still enjoyed seeing those.) And if you can, and if you would, you could kindly help spread the word to other sites, forums, and friends about our upcoming Infrared Picture Print Sale (previous post). There are a lot of infrared fans out there, but they're scattered far and wide.

Right now it's very pleasant at TOP Rural World HQ in the hamlet of Penn Yan. Clear, brilliantly sunny, just a slight breeze, and a very pleasant 10F (12C)*.

Mike

*Another of my unpedigreed theories: That the reason people don't like cold is because of temperatures hovering around freezing. That's the nasty, chilly, penetrating, unpleasant sort of cold that gives cold a bad name. Plus, it's not cold enough that you really have to dress for it. If you ask me, plus 10 to minus five degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 20C) is the sweet spot. It's crispy and dry, cold enough that you have to dress for it (which makes you comfortable), and, except if it's windy, not really all that cold. Very nice. YMMV!

Once it was 30F in Wisconsin (with no wind) and I went outside in my T-shirt just to experience it. After a few minutes I could start to feel my body heat retreating to my core from my extremities. It was curious to reflect that all I had to do was stay out there and the air would kill me! Made me very grateful for a cozy little house.



Book o' the Week

In Search of Elsewhere: Unseen Images by Steve McCurry. The two Steve McCurry books I ownLooking East and The Unguarded Momentare oversized (but not too oversized) and have some of the very best color photographic reproduction I've seen. I hope this will be the same, although it has a different publisher. Steve McCurry, although his career is not without blemishes, is a superb and accomplished photographer whose work is a joy to own and revisit. Note that he's a "visual storyteller," not a photojournalist.



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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

Featured Comments from:

Tom Burke: "I remain in awe of the American climateso cold in winter and so hot in summer. Here on the edge of Sheffield, at an elevation of about 600 feet, 2021 produced (if I recall correctly) an absolute low of maybe 4C once or twice, and an absolute high of 30C once or twice. Anything over 25C counts as a heat wave here ('Phew What a Scorcher!' Daily Mail headline), and we only saw that a handful of times last year. And 2021 was fairly typical. Also as I've got older I've found my tolerance of cold has diminished while my tolerance of hot has improvedI used to hate hot weather. My biggest gripe over the last two years has been that I've been deprived of my ration of real heat in the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia. (I hasten to add that I've had a good pandemic, and I recognise that many other people have suffered much more than I have.)"

Mike replies: I've always thought I'm actually British like a lot of my ancestors. A climate that doesn't get too hot would suit me. I had an art teacher for many years (six, from seventh grade to senior year) who was very influential on my life, Gerald Landt. Mr. Landt disliked hot weather. He'd tell us he had a headline from a British newspaper framed on his wall at home: it said, "70 Degrees Again Today, No Relief In Sight." (From the era when Britain used Fahrenheit.) Whether or not it was originally intended as a joke, it fit his temperament!

Our perception of temperature does change as we ageup to 15F is what I've read. So what 70 felt like when you were 15 might feel the same as 85 when you're 75. Doesn't have to change by that much, but it can.

Henning (partial comment): "I agree with you. Temperatures around 0F are quite reasonable and accommodating winter temperatures, as long as the wind is quiet and the humidity low. At that temperature you could go outside and do stuff: go shopping, take pictures, go for a walk just for the fun of it. Also, when it got that cold, snow slowly stopped being slippery, so driving was fun. I grew up in colder parts of Canada and that's what we had, a lot of the time."

John Hall: "Mike, I've been reading since the column on Luminous Landscape and I've known for a while that our worldviews overlap. Your opinion on cold cements it though. Barely freezing is well, cold. Truly cold isn't, and is gorgeous. Hope this storm blows you some deep cold and sparkling snow. Happy shooting."

James Bullard: "Your body heat wasn't retreating to your core, it was being sucked off by the cold air. Cold is an absence of heat energy, a heat vacuum so to speak, and heat moves into that absence. Stay long enough and all your body heat will get sucked off to warm the air. Hint: you don't have enough body heat to warm all that air significantly. My cold comfort zone is 4560F but only if I'm active, hiking, working, etc. Otherwise, it is 60+. But then, I'm old. I don't tolerate cold well."

Mike Ferron: "My original home town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, received 24 inches, or about .66m for our metric friends. Thats a lot of snow for one day. I dont think I could handle moving back north again."
Both natural gas and West Texas crude oil prices exploded into new contract highs Friday on the news a federal judge would void the largest offshore U.S. sale of oil and gas acreage in history. A U.S. District Court judge declared the Gulf of Mexico deal invalid due to faulty environmental analysis used in a regulatory decision.

Energy markets have been racing sharply higher for two months on fears Russia would invade Ukraine. Many analysts forecast $100 per barrel crude if demand continues to rise at the current pace and an invasion takes place. Natural gas for March delivery approached $5 per mm BTUs. on Friday, up nearly $1.20 on the week. March crude brought $87.20 per barrel, an increase of about $3.75 this week.

Soy soars to six-month high

Soybeans were the high fliers in the grain complex this week as supplies from South America continued to decline, planted acreage in Argentina continued to shrink, and Chinese bean demand continued to buoy our exports. Demand for soybean oil drove it to historical highs compared to other vegetable oils as it leaped over the highs made in September. Corn, too, made a new six-month high, hitting $6.37 per bushel on Friday. The strength in grain prices was impressive in light of the strong U.S. dollar, which typically hurts our exports. March beans traded at $14.77.

Commodity crimes accelerating

Gasoline gets siphoned, cattle get rustled, and now, thieves are rewarded by stealing increasing numbers of catalytic converters from the underside of recent model cars, trucks, and buses. As a result, platinum prices have been running faster than the police chasing the suspects who remove the devices. Catalytic converters remove pollutants from gasoline or diesel fuel-powered vehicles. Would-be thieves can remove the devices in as little as two minutes. The Toyota Tacoma and Prius are often cited as two models targeted as an easy mark for removing the auto part. Platinum for April delivery was worth $995 per ounce on Friday, gold fetched $1,786, and silver $22.36.

Opinions are solely the writers. Walt Breitinger is a commodity futures broker with Paragon Investments in Silver Lake, Kansas. He can be reached at 800-411-3888 or www.paragoninvestments.com. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell any market.

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Rex Budde, president and CEO of SIH, attended a virtual meeting Friday morning of the Illinois Hospital Association. He is a member of the board. The group heard about the statewide COVID-19 cases and positivity rates.

Statewide, the trend is softening, he said. The only region that has a higher positivity rate is Region 5, which includes all of Southern Illinois except the metro-east counties near St. Louis.

Chicago, which is densely populated, has 11% positivity rate. Were at 21%, Budde said.

He said Chicago has a moderately dense population and half the positivity rate of our region because they have much higher vaccination rates. In Southern Illinois, only two counties have 50% of their populations fully vaccinated  Union and Washington counties.

On Friday, Illinois Department of Public Health reported 123,812 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including an increase of 843 deaths, since Jan. 21, 2022.

The numbers of COVID-19 cases across Southern Illinois remain high, but there are some indications of good news.

In the 17 southernmost counties, only six posted rises in case numbers this week. Those were Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope and Union counties.

Union County saw 441 new cases for the week ending Jan. 27. That tops their total of 359 new cases the preceding week. Massac County saw new cases rise to 319 on Jan. 27 from 266 new cases the week before. Johnson County saw 381 news cases for the week ending Jan. 27, state data shows.

The other 11 counties saw weekly decreases in new COVID-19 cases. Perry County alerted residents last week they had a record number of new cases, 590. Their total for the week ending Jan. 27 was 492. Franklin County was down to 868 new cases Jan. 27 from 940 new cases reported Jan. 20. Jackson County fell to 1,178 new cases Jan. 27 from 1,276 the preceding week. Williamson County saw similar numbers, dropping to 1,848 from 1,969.

This is good news, but officials say we need to watch the trends.

Bart Millstead, senior vice president and COO of SIH, said they are seeing a consistent range of patients in the hospital with the virus. The number of patients with the virus run from 65 to 80 each day.

He explained that the number of patients in the hospital is very fluid. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Friday morning was 74. When Rosslind Rice, SIH lead communications coordinator, double checked the number a short time later, it had dropped.

Sixty-seven (67) COVID hospitalizations across three of the four SIH hospitals at 11:47 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, Rice said in an email.

That numbers includes: 35 patients admitted to SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Of those, 26 were hospitalized for COVID, while nine were admitted for another reason but tested positive for COVID. Ten of them were fully vaccinated. Nine were eligible for boosters, but only one patient had received a booster. Eight patients were in ICU, including five who were fully vaccinated. Five of those were on ventilators, including three who were fully vaccinated.

SIH Herrin Hospital had admitted 30 COVID patients, including 13 admitted for another reason but were found to have COVID-19. Of those 30 patients, 17 were fully vaccinated and 14 eligible for boosters. Five of them had received a booster. One patient was in ICU and was not vaccinated. One patient, not vaccinated, was on a ventilator.

Harrisburg Medical Center had two COVID-19 patients. One was vaccinated and eligible for a booster. The other is vaccinated but not yet eligible for a booster.

SIH hospitals also had nine deaths of patients with the virus.

I can tell you we did 570 total tests through the drive-thru. It is trending down from 700 per day. This could be a good sign, Millstead said.

SIH also had 272 of their nearly 4,000 staff members out sick, including 79 registered nurses. Two weeks ago, they had 350 staff members out sick in one day.

Millstead added that they are following the CDC protocols for returning to work.

The average time that each COVID-19 patient is spending in the hospital is dropping, too. Patients with the delta variant were spending an average of 10 to 13 days in the hospital. Those with the omicron variant are staying an average of six days.

Millstead and Budde said across the state, hospitals are having a difficult time getting patients to lower levels of care when they no longer need hospitalization. Its adding a lot of stress to hospital staff.

Budde said once new case numbers start falling, it takes another week or two for hospitalizations to fall.

Its a lot of stress. We have amazing staff dedicated to caring for people, Budde said. Its wearing on us and we arent alone.

Budde added that everyone is tired of the virus and wants to get back to whatever normal used to be. However, nobody has the confidence that this will end. New variants keep popping up and they are impossible to predict.

The hospital is continuing to put elective surgeries on hold. Emergent needs are still being met.

For Budde, the answer is easy.

The lack of vaccinations is one reason the region still has a growing positivity rate, Budde said.

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Carlyle High School agriculture teacher Tamra Gerstenecker drove ten of her students to Carbondale on Friday.

Her hope is that shell be taking different young people home on Saturday.

Not that Gerstenecker wants to exchange the freshmen and sophomores for other students. Rather, her hope is that these newer FFA members attending the Ground Zero conference at Southern Illinois University Carbondale leave the event seeing themselves in a different light, with improved communication and leadership skills, and come away motivated to get the most out of the FFA and high school experiences.

This is one of the first conferences freshman and sophomore FFA members can attend, be involved with state FFA officers and meet with other members from around the state, Gerstenecker explained. Its a great opportunity for students go get out of their shells, be exposed to personal leadership traits and grow as FFA members and people."

The Carbondale conference is one of three Ground Zero events offered by the Illinois Association FFA. A simultaneous conference is taking place at Western Illinois University in Macomb and a future event is scheduled for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's a new format for the organizations introduction to leadership and personal development for younger members. Attendance at the Carbondale conference is about 400 students and instructors.

These are conferences that help students focus on finding their purpose and passion within the organization, but also develop those leadership qualities that they are identifying, explained Mindy Bunselmeyer, Illinois FFA Center Executive Director.

Through six sessions over the conferences two days, members have the opportunity to learn about opportunities in the national organization of agriculture students, build connections and discover how to set goals. Discussions will be led by current and former Illinois state FFA officers.

Our goal is to help students through the curriculum in a way that is engaging and fun, explained Miriam Hoffman, a current SIU agriculture student who served as one of six national FFA officers for 2020-2021 and will be facilitating some of the conference. The goal is to get students excited about FFA and help them understand what FFA can do for them. It can be a pretty exciting way to kick off their FFA careers.

Hoffman said workshops on setting vision and discovering purpose will be offered as well as an overview of opportunities in the organization and introduction to leadership and goals.

These are areas that will help them excel in their high school and college careers and elsewhere in life and hopefully, set them up for success beyond college, Hoffman added.

Following the workshop sessions on Friday, the host institution, SIU, offered a variety of recreational and informative activities.

We want to have the students to have fun and to get a feel for what university student life is like, explained Susan Graham, senior manager of communication, outreach and recruitment for the SIU College of Agriculture, Life and Physical Sciences.

Graham said activities including complimentary bowling, billiards, craft activities and line dancing lessons (taught by current SIU agriculture students) were offered.

Were delighted to host these students, give them an opportunity to see the university and get a glimpse of what it feels like to walk on campus as a student, Graham said.

For Gerstenecker, the conference is something she can build upon with her students.

I am hoping the students will grow as students, as leaders and as FFA members, she said. Theyll set goals for themselves and it gets them on the track as to what they can do and what they can accomplish.

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CHARLESTON  South Carolina Ports received its first shipment of chassis, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing development of the SC Ports-owned and operated SMART chassis fleet.

There has never been more of a need for chassis in the supply chain, said Jim Newsome, South Carolina Ports CEO. We found a great partner in Dorsey Intermodal in manufacturing the new port-operated chassis fleet. This is a true reflection of our commitment to creative solutions and ensures efficient and fluid operations as we continue to handle record-breaking cargo volumes.

This initial shipment delivers more than 700 chassis with another 1,600 expected to arrive in February. South Carolina Ports will continue receiving chassis equipment throughout 2022 as the Port builds its fleet leading up to the full launch of the SMART chassis pool in 2023.

SC Ports continues to work with the management of the existing South Atlantic Chassis Pool, SACP 2.0, to create a smooth transition that will insure uninterrupted service for our ocean carrier customers, shippers, and motor carriers.

The delivery of these chassis marks a new era for South Carolina Ports, said Barbara Melvin, South Carolina Ports COO. With the launch of the chassis pool in 2023, South Carolina Ports will enhance the reliability, safety, quality and availability of equipment for the benefit of motor carriers and customers.

The chassis arrived at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal aboard the Liberty Promise after a 40-day journey from Vietnam-based manufacturer THACO Special Vehicle. Dorsey Intermodal partnered with THACO Special Vehicle to increase manufacturing capacity.

We are humbled to be part of the team bringing South Carolina Ports chassis fleet to fruition, said JP Pierson, Dorsey Intermodal President. Through our collaboration, South Carolina Ports is bringing a great product to the supply chain at a time its most needed, and providing their customers with reliable and safe equipment. We are grateful for the opportunity and congratulate the entire team on this endeavor.

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ST. MATTHEWS  Trees, brush, floral overgrowth and vines once hid some of this towns beauty.

The overgrowth also made it difficult for visitors to find essential government services. It blocked the view of the town's prominent buildings, such as the courthouse, library and governmental complex.

Thanks to $95,000 in state appropriations obtained by Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, the beauty of the town's $3.5 million government center is now visible to motorists on Harry C. Raysor Drive, also known as U.S. Highway 601.

Brush and trees were cleared for about quarter of a mile along Norfolk Southern right-of way as part of the railroad cut beautification project. The area was cleared from Piggly Wiggly to Depot Street.

We are getting what we deserve from the state of South Carolina, Ott said during a Friday morning press conference celebrating the beautification project.

The project is a tangible and visible sign of tax dollars being well-spent, he said.

You know that feeling when you come out of the barber shop and youve got that fresh haircut? Ott said. Or ladies who come out of that salon and you are looking all beautiful and you have that sense of pride and are feeling good?

That is what I kind of relate this to: this maintenance that we have here in the middle of downtown St. Matthews, he said. It is a long time coming.

Ott said he has talked to a number of individuals over the years who have said the project was needed.

This was a team effort. This was certainly a collaboration, he said I can assure you when anything gets done, it is never the result of one person.

Calhoun County paid for the work out of its development fund and will be reimbursed by the state when the money is distributed from the states general fund.

Ott said the project was time sensitive.

If we weren't able to move when we moved and get the work done when we got the work done, the price was probably going to double  at least double, he said. There are a lot of contractors out there doing a lot of work and this contractor that we used was no different. We had a very small window of opportunity to be able get the work done at the price that was able to be negotiated.

Summerville-based Whackem and Stackem tree service company did the removal over an eight-day period earlier this month.

The railroad cut will now be annually maintained by the county and the town at a shared cost. The county also plans to further beautify the area by putting in some flowers.

Calhoun County Administrator John McLauchlin praised Ott for coming to bat for us.

He has never not answered the call, McLauchlin said. Russell answers the call. He is always open-minded to seeing things from all directions.

Shortly after he became administrator in March 2020, McLauchlin was approached by citizens wanting to improve the railroad cut.

Norfolk Southern railroad did not have the stretch on its maintenance system. It has now provided the county with permission to maintain the area annually.

We took out the trees to ultimately control our own destiny to be able to maintain this railroad cut every year so we don't have that growth come back up, McLauchlin said. This is our county seat. Weve got to all be proud of how it looks.

St. Matthews Mayor Helen Carson-Peterson described the work done as truly immeasurable.

She was out of town for a few weeks due to health issues and returned with her son.

That day when I drove down 601 and came into St. Matthews, I started to ask him does he quite know where he is going and are we in the right place, because all I could see was beauty and cleanliness, Carson-Peterson said. "I did not know where I was. The place was just pristine and just beautiful."

Carson-Peterson said the project will make St. Matthews a more attractive place to work, live and play.

This is one more feather we can put in our caps, she said. We have a really, really gorgeous place that we can shout about.

County Council Vice Chairman Ken Westbury noted he has lived in Calhoun County since 1955.

God created a great Earth, Westbury said. He put us here to be good stewards of what he created. In order to do that, it does take work.

I am glad we are able as county council to work with Rep. Ott in bringing this to fruition to get the beauty that we have here.

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Orangeburg County is calling its 2021 fall cleanup a success, and continues to invite the public to help clean up litter.

Orangeburg County Code Enforcement collaborated with the community and community partners to clean up the county.

The county reports 101 volunteers participated, with 11,148 pounds of trash collected.

During the 2021 spring cleanup, the county had 406 volunteers who helped collect 45,558 pounds of trash.

The countywide litter cleanup is scheduled every year during the months of April and October.

Orangeburg County Code Enforcement supplies gloves, grabbers, vests and bags.

Because of the pandemic, the county delivered supplies anywhere within the county, or supplies could have been picked up at the office located at 1550 Henley St., Room 106.

After volunteers completed their tasks, the county collected the bags of trash.

If a citizen cannot do a cleanup during one of the scheduled cleanups, the county will provide the needed supplies whenever they are needed to clean up a road or a street in the county.

Orangeburg County Code Enforcement and Keep Orangeburg County Beautiful started a countywide campaign in 2018, with 45 different groups signing up.

During this cleanup, volunteers gathered 523 bags of trash, equivalent to 23,670 pounds, from the roads of Orangeburg County.

In 2019, the county decided to do both a spring and a fall cleanup event. This allowed citizens to have more than one opportunity to participate.

During the spring cleanup, the county had 471 volunteers who picked up 967 bags of trash totaling 9,680 pounds.

The fall cleanup volunteers gathered 377 bags - a total of 5,655 pounds of trash.

The county did not do countywide cleanups in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Orangeburg County Code Enforcement thanks those who participated in past Clean Where You Work/Live Challenges and looks forward to working with more volunteers in future countywide cleanup events.

Orangeburg County Code Enforcement also thanks all of the community partners who continue to support Orangeburg County in its efforts to keep the county clean: Orangeburg County Council, the Orangeburg County administrator, Keep Orangeburg County Beautiful, Palmetto Pride, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (Up2U), and Orangeburg County Soil and Water Conservation District.

For additional information on how to help keep Orangeburg County clean, please contact Code Enforcement at 803-533-6162 or litter@orangeburgcounty.org.

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In the mid-1970s, the federal government required states to enact Certificate of Need (CON) laws to regulate health care facilities. Although great in theory, by the mid-1980s, evidence of its monumental failure mounted, and the federal government lifted this mandate on states.

A minority of states repealed their laws and many continued demanding that deliverers of health care (hospitals, physicians and others) prove to government regulators the need existed. Theoretically this would eliminate the potential for duplication of services, but in practice it was a barrier to legitimate competition, causing inferior health care opportunities in rural areas such as Orangeburg, Calhoun and similar local communities.

It appears that now our government is starting to listen. A recent study from Mercatus Center at George Mason University examined this issue in detail to determine if CON was meeting its goals, such as ensuring adequate supply and access to health care, promoting quality, controlling cost and supporting charitable contributions to the community.

The results were clear that communities bound with CON laws saw less hospital beds, less available supply of radiology services and massive migration of health care away from their home counties. When we examine our own county of Orangeburg, we find these results to be a mirror image: massive migration of health care to markets outside of our county, health care expenditures outside our county, and the only failing grade for hospitals in the state by the monopoly health care facility serving our region.

This is further compounded by the fact that competing metropolitan areas have no desire to establish care in our areas because they are already receiving our patients. Although CON was designed to increase access to care in rural and underserved areas, research indicates it may be suppressing and limiting access to care in these areas.

CON limits access to care in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, which forces our citizens to drive great distances in search of health care. Furthermore, data suggests that monopolized health care in a region, like Orangeburg, results in lower quality care and services. This data suggests that those who are against the abolition of CON seem only interested in preventing expansion of health care services outside of their monopoly! This position runs contrary to the mandate of equity in care for all and infers that their interests are either politically or financially motivated.

Certificate of Need states fail to demonstrate the delivery of charity care. A common argument by hospitals is they provide a disproportionate share of charity care for the uninsured or underinsured. In reality, there is no difference in delivery of care to this population in states with or without CON. The data is indisputable and there is no room for alternative interpretation.

This information paired with the fact that hospitals receive state funding specifically to offset this cost has made this a weak and unfounded argument by hospitals. Many private entities delivering health care, such as Ambulatory Surgery facilities, make provisions for delivery of under or uninsured care like hospitals but without additional state funding.

For years, CON has been used to protect the large health care systems with deeper pockets to bury health care expansion through a litany of legal proceedings. Furthermore, these entities delay the expansion or delivery of care often for decades.

A recent audit was demanded by South Carolina senators led by Sen. Wes Climer to examine the economic impact of CON. Additional analysis conducted by an independent foundation determined that CON resulted in over $450 million in lost projects and delivery of health care services in the last three years.

The loss of nearly a half-billion dollars represents a massive failure to materially transform the communities where these projects have been planned. These monopolized entities have sought to use the CON program, often by manipulating the system, and at times even falsifying needs and proforma analysis to their advantage.

They rely on fear and intimidation, arguing that any competition will compromise the care they can deliver. The history of almost all service industry demonstrates that competition is necessary to obtain quality. The mission should have been to deliver the highest possible quality for all. CON programs never did and never will effectively regulate the quality of care.

Recent debate in the S.C. Senate demonstrated the legislative desire to roll back these antiquated and detrimental laws. The Senate has now passed with overwhelming support S.209, a bill fully repealing CON in South Carolina.

It is now in the hands of the S.C. House of Representatives to propel this great state into the 21st century. It is time we put quality health care in front of politics and quit with the senseless monopolies.

It is shameful to know that in an area as underserved and diverse as Orangeburg, there are those who have used the CON process to the detriment of health care expansion in our area. The time will soon come that health care will no longer be restricted. Raise yourself to a higher standard or allow others to deliver the care deserved by the citizens in our area.

Dion L. Franga, M.D., F.A.C.S., R.P.V.I., is an Orangeburg board-certified general surgeon, interventional nephrologist and endovascular surgeon. Franga completed his residency in general surgery at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He received his doctor of medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina and bachelor of science in biology, summa cum laude, from South Carolina State University.

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The coronavirus pandemic made most of the headlines in 2021, causing a ripple effect on the economy and supply chain.

Even so, Orangeburg County continued to move forward during the year with a number of key developments.

The year 2021 saw much activity, including the construction and opening of new libraries, a conference center, upgrades and additions to local parks and industrial announcements.

"Through the hard work and dedication of the staff and leadership of County Council, we have been able to weather the storm of COVID-19 and keep the county in a position to move forward in economic development and community development," Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said. "We are seeing a lot of interest in the county from a housing standpoint and still getting a lot of looks for retail and economic development."

"A lot of that was made possible by the planning we did at the beginning of the virus, to the long-term changes that we put in place not just for a specific time period," he said.

Young praised the men and women of the Regional Medical Center, Emergency Medical Services, volunteer firefighters and law enforcement for their stepping up to the plate during the pandemic.

Library construction

The Orangeburg County Library System had quite a busy year in 2021.

On Nov. 1, the county cut the ribbon on the new $9.2 million, 50,000-square-foot library and conference center.

The library at 1654 Russell St. consists of an art studio, computer lab, meeting rooms, a movie screen in an outdoor amphitheater and walking track.

There are special story-time spaces and twice the number of computers as the previous library location.

Two meeting rooms are included in the new library, one which holds approximately 200 people and a smaller one accommodating 10 to 15 people.

The computer lab has 48 public computers and items are allocated according to sections. There is also a children's' area and a family room.

The facility's adjoining conference center, complete with a separate parking area, can seat approximately 400 and accommodate twice as many standing.

The library provides patrons more parking and space than its previous location on Louis Street.

Bowman

A new 4,000-square-foot library has been built in Bowman as well as the Matthews Park near the library.

The new library features a parking lot, crosswalk, playground, dedicated childrens and quiet reading room space, and the ability to have indoor and outdoor programming.

Matthews Park has also been under construction across the street. The park is named after retired Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman, who helped with funding of the library.

The library is located at 4585 Savannah Highway

North

A new 3,000-square-foot library opened in North in February 2021.

Work began on the library in January 2020.

The library is significantly larger than the 800 square feet of the previous branch. The new library will have more space for public computers and more room for dedicated programming and public meeting space.

The North library also has its own parking lot.

The old North branch library only had two or three public computers. The new one has eight to 10.

The library also has dedicated programming space, and a dedicated meeting room.

It is the first county library in the town.

Young described the libraries as 'transformative."

"Were looking forward to those because anytime we can grow those areas, it makes a difference, he said during a December interview.

Parks and trails

Orangeburg

The county has touted the upcoming Lake Edisto park project, a 32-acre, $1.9 million penny-tax-funded project, which is located on Lake Edisto Road across from Camp Anderson. It will include boardwalks to the river, walking trails, a dog park, Department of Natural Resources offices, fitness stations and a community building.

The project is being built in County Council District 6 with proceeds from the 1% capital projects sales tax.

Holly Hill, Eutawville, Vance

A literacy trail at Gilmore Park in Holly Hill opened in October 2021.

The trail, called Davids Walk, takes readers on a foot path in learning about autism, while asking participants to sometimes sing, count, skip or recite the alphabet before reaching the next page of the story.

Thirty-two wooden posts connected to boards are spaced out in short distances, and each board engages the reader in a story.

Its the first installment of this type of literacy trail in Orangeburg County. Two more trails opened, one in Eutawville and the other in Vance.

The Holly Hill trail is called Davids Walk after a local child, David, who is autistic.

Funding for the trail, along with the two additional reading trails, came from a $30,000 grant.

Eutawville

Work was also being done on the Indian Bluff park, which will include improvements to the boat ramp area, beach area, walking trail, signs and parking. The county also plans to add rental cabins to the site in the future.

Springfield

Goodland Park in Springfield received $8,000 in renovations, which include installation of additional lighting.

North

Carson Park, located just outside of North on Highway 321, was also cited for renovations to include lighting improvements, installation of cameras, and dock and boat ramp repairs.

The park is one of the county's most frequented landings.

Historic renovation

The Town of Branchville received $25,000 from the county's Tax and Tourism Committee to renovate the historic Branchville Freight Depot.

The towns renovation plans include making improvements to reflect the railroad history and making the venue an event hall that can host weddings, reunions and speaking engagements.

The town is home to the Raylrode Daze Festivul recognizing the worlds oldest railroad junction.

Laying the groundwork

Santee, Elloree, Vance, Eutawville

Tri-County Electric Cooperative received tax breaks from Orangeburg County to expand broadband internet infrastructure to all cooperative customers.

The project will bring high-speed service to every Tri-County member in the Santee, Elloree, Vance and Eutawville areas. Non-members will also have access if they are within the cooperative's service area.

The cooperative started the project in December 2020 and expects it to be finished by June 2022.

Public safety

Bowman

The county in September awarded West Columbia-based Lyn-Rich Contracting Company a contract to build an indoor shooting range in Bowman.

The shooting range is designed to provide more opportunities for law enforcement training. It would be located off Homestead Road in Bowman. The county already has an outdoor shooting range on the property, which will remain.

Health care

Santee

The Regional Medical Center is planning to build a $3 million urgent care facility in Santee. The planning process had begun in December 2021.

Orangeburg County gifted the hospital the property as its current urgent care center in Santee is too small.

The construction of the urgent care center will be paid for with Orangeburg County capital projects sales tax money.

There is no timeline on when construction will begin or when the new urgent care center will open.

The land is located near the Santee Recreation and Water Park on Bass Drive. An EMS substation will also be a part of the urgent care center.

Eutawville

The county has also added an EMS building onto the existing Eutawville fire station at 503 Dawson St.

The EMS building is a total of about 2,560 square feet with the living quarters being 1,280 square feet, including an office, day room, a rest and relaxation room, two bedrooms and storage. The bay area is 1,280 square feet.

The station will house a paramedic, EMT and driver.

Furry friends

Orangeburg

Orangeburg County is looking to expand the Animal Control facilities.

Orangeburg-based Skip Welch Construction has the contract. The project will cost $491,496.

The project includes the addition of a medical facility and more space to house animals. The project was initially expected to be completed in 2022 but due to supply costs it has been delayed.

Attracting industry

Despite the struggle of supply chain issues and workforce shortages, industries continued to look at Orangeburg County in 2021.

The county, through its capital project sales tax and matching opportunities with state and federal grants and private partnerships, has prepared Orangeburg County for industrial growth.

The county has also been in the forefront of providing industrial investment incentives and promoted workforce technical training to prepare for 21st century industrial needs.

Orangeburg

Construction started on a 100,000-square-foot industrial facility for INDEVCO Plastics in Orangeburg.

INDEVCO, a world leader in packaging products, announced a $22 million investment and the creation of 50 new jobs in March.

The company will be located at 715 Prosperity Drive within the Orangeburg County Industrial Park.

Santee

Construction began at the 1,322-acre South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park, formerly JAFZA Magna Park.

A 125,000-square-foot speculative building is under construction at the park with other plans to build a 250,000-square foot building.

The park's master plan projects upwards of 6.5 million square feet of building space. About 350 acres are currently available for sale or build-to-suit development.

The park has had some interest from manufacturing and warehousing/distribution companies in the automotive, wood products, agribusiness and distribution logistics sectors.

Orangeburg

Construction began in June on a road onto property at the new, 745-acre Orangeburg County Power Site Industrial Park.

The new park is located on U.S. Highway 21, about 1-1/2 miles south of U.S. Highway 178. It is roughly across the street from The Okonite plant.

The county and city will be partnering on the development of the site. The site is touted as ideal for heavy manufacturing. Of the 745 acres, about 725 can be developed.

A speculative building may be built to make it more attractive to industry.

The park is serviced by Orangeburgs Department of Public Utilities. The park also has Norfolk Southern Rail access. It is the 10th industrial park in the county.

Orangeburg

The county also broke ground on a new industrial park at U.S. Highway 301 near the Interstate 26 interchange.

It is to develop the 242-acre park behind the 7-Eleven travel center currently under construction near Exit 154.

The project, which includes about 162 developable acres, is identified as the Shamrock Commerce Center. The park will be served by the City of Orangeburgs Department of Public Utilities with power, water, gas and sewer.

As a part of the project, a $25 million, 534,702-square-foot speculative building will be a part of the project. The building is touted as the largest speculative building built in the Midlands -- ever.

The building is completely privately funded.

The industrial park is the county's 11th.

Santee

Georgia-based Premium Peanut announced in September its plans to invest $64.3 million and bring 130 new jobs to Orangeburg County.

Portions of the new peanut-shelling facility are expected to be operational by the spring of 2022.

It will be the state's first peanut-shelling plant.

The company's customers consist of major snack, candy and peanut butter manufacturers domestically, as well as customers in more than 30 countries around the world.

Premium Peanut is owned by over 400 peanut growers throughout Georgia and now South Carolina.

Orangeburg

Turkish-based BRN Sleep Products -- a supplier of mattresses, box spring beds, covers and ready-made brands -- is expected to invest $4.3 million and create more than 300 new jobs in Orangeburg County over the next five years.

Orangeburg is the company's flagship manufacturing plant in the United States.

The company will locate at 3771 Cameron Road (U.S. Highway 33) near Exit 149. It is housed in the former Utica Tool building.

Neeses

Magnolia Solar LLC, located at 238 Juniper St. in Neeses, announced it would invest $46.2 million in solar equipment and panels.

As part of the investment, the county would pay $105,000 annually for the next 30 years with an additional $100,000 paid in the first year.

No new full-time jobs were promised as part of the project.

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(TBTCO) - Thi truong ket thuc thang 4 voi muc giam 8,4%, tro thanh thang giam sau nhat trong vong 2 nam. Hang loat co phieu chiet khau gia cuc sau tuy gay thiet hai rat lon cho nhieu nha au tu, nhung cung se tao co hoi cho cac nha au tu khac.
The Wyoming legislative committee tasked with redistricting has voted to move forward with a statewide map following months of debate, a litany of meetings and a fair share of controversies. But even after all that, the work isnt over.

The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee voted Thursday in favor of a map that would increase the total number of state lawmakers to 93 by adding two House districts and one Senate district. There are currently 60 representatives and 30 senators in the Legislature.

Each of the 93 districts is within deviation, meaning the proportion of constituents to representatives does not stray too far. The map, however, is not final, and the committee plans to hold one more meeting before the budget session begins Feb. 14.

Lawmakers have been working for months on redrawing the states legislative districts in light of population changes that occurred over the past decade. Throughout the process, the committee experienced difficulties balancing the urban and rural regions of the Equality State.

Adding three lawmakers, some lawmakers said, helps to give the rural areas the representation they deserve, while respecting the population increases in some of the urban areas.

As it goes with redistricting, adding three lawmakers and splitting up some counties made some interested parties happy and left others dissatisfied.

My initial reaction to that was no, that I dont think it was prudent for us to add more, said Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne. And then during this process, it became apparent that the gridlock was profound.

Others were more cynical about the potential change in numbers.

We couldnt play nice in the sand box and we fought over the toys, so we had to add more toys to the sandbox, Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, told the Star-Tribune.

One of the House districts would comprise parts of north Cheyenne and sections of Laramie, Goshen and Platte counties. Amendments are likely to come to that district, multiple lawmakers told the Star-Tribune.

The other House district will be east of downtown Casper, encompassing more rural parts of the area extending to the Glenrock region. The goal, lawmakers said, is to have an outside of Casper district that encompasses the mineral interest area of Glenrock and the Dave Johnston Power Plant.

The Senate district would stretch through the central-eastern part of the state and partly straddle Natrona and Converse counties. It would slightly displace Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas.

Lawmakers reasoned the new House district would encompass more of Natrona County, while the new Senate district would encompass more of Converse County.

We can make it work, but it does make it more difficult, said Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, who was in the Legislature when there were 62 representatives and 31 senators in the past.

The price tag of adding three more lawmakers is difficult to pin down. Legislative Service Office Fiscal Officer Heather Kammerman estimated that the cost of a legislator from Natrona and Laramie counties who is not in leadership would be about $20,000 per year. That figure also depends on whether there is a special session or not.

In the new map, one of the only blue areas in the state, Albany County, would remain whole, as lawmakers there repeatedly asked for. No other counties would be included in Albany Countys legislative districts.

Keeping Albany whole  as opposed to splitting it between the two neighboring counties  has the potential to brighten Democrats election prospects. That said, the outskirts of Laramie are fairly red.

The president of the local NAACP and a nearly lifelong south Cheyenne resident told lawmakers he supports the 62-31 plan.

None of the plans are flawless, but I believe that this one represents the people the best, Pastor Stephen Latham said.

That was the sentiment of the day: There is not going to be a plan that keeps everyone happy, but the map that is moving ahead maximizes the benefits for the most people, explained Nethercott.

The committee chairman agreed.

We discovered it was absolutely impossible to make everybody happy, said Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower.

Part of the benefit of adding a House district near Cheyenne is that south Cheyenne, which has a large Latino population, is only split between two districts, as opposed to four. That gives Latinos in south Cheyenne more voting power instead of being spread into larger, whiter districts.

We went from four to two, and we like that better, said Carla Gregorio, vice president of the Wyoming Independent Citizens Coalition. I was really surprised.

Multiple members of the committee have expressed a desire to move ahead with only one map, but the committee did vote to sponsor a back-up plan drafted by Scott in case something goes wrong. Scotts map also has all districts within deviation.

If the map that gets implemented is out of deviation in any way, were probably going to get sued, no matter what we do, Scott said.

This years redistricting process was fraught at times, with battles between lawmakers representing more rural and urban parts of the state. The process took longer than expected  at one point, the committee hoped to have a map done by Dec. 1.

Amid those difficulties, there have been calls to give the task of redistricting to someone other than the Legislature. Latham raised the idea of an independent organization handling the task of redistricting before delivering the map back to lawmakers, in part to avoid ill feelings.

He has not been alone in proposing such a solution. In fact, Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, plans to bring a bill that takes the power away from the legislative committee and gives it to an independent panel.

Driskill, the chairman of the committee, is not totally sold on the idea of an independent commission. He told the Star-Tribune that to quell some of the issues lawmakers face by doing the work themselves, a process should be written into statute in which an algorithm draws the very first map. Lawmakers would then participate in amending it.

It would be a heartless approach without any politics, he said.

For the huge number of meetings and long hours of debate it has taken the committee to get to this point, the 62-31 plan passed surprisingly smoothly.

There was some behind the scenes trying to grab people and pin them down on this, Case said.

As for the next meeting, the committee plans to adopt an official map that will go into a draft bill. But first, the committee will have to sort out some of the heartburn certain lawmakers have over how Laramie, Platte and Goshen counties are split.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is failing to live up to its mission: to protect, conserve and enhance the quality of Wyomings environment for the benefit of current and future generations. The Wyoming DEQ is a prime example of a regulatory agency that is not serving the public interest or its mission but instead has been serving the corporate interests it is supposed to regulate. This phenomenon is known as regulatory capture, and it means a regulatory agency like DEQ is dominated by the politics of corporate interests they regulate and not by their regulatory mission to protect the public interest. DEQ does have many dedicated employees, but unfortunately Wyoming politics seem to put corporate interests above those of lower-level dedicated employees and the public interest they are trying to serve.

The failure of DEQ to protect Wyomings water and air, but instead cater to political interests and corporate polluters is evident if you have been paying attention. The recent effort by DEQ to circumvent Clean Air Act requirements and allow the Jim Bridger coal plant to keep emitting toxic air emissions is one recent example. Regarding the oil and gas industry, DEQ is allowing Wyomings freshwater resources to be polluted by oil and gas wastewater being discharged into our streams, rivers and reservoirs. This polluting discharge into our freshwater streams can kill aquatic life, riparian vegetation, trees, and in some cases birds, wildlife and livestock which can be sickened from drinking the polluted water. Discharged wastewater can also pollute our drinking water. In recent years two communities, Pavillion and Clark, have had groundwater polluted by oil and gas activities. DEQs voluntary remediation program was charged with making sure industry cleaned up that contamination, but that has not happened.

Another recent example is the decades long failure of DEQ to limit polluted oil and gas wastewater that is dumped into small streams that flow into Boysen Reservoir and the Wind River. Recently, a company called Aethon bought the Moneta Divide oil and gas resources from Encana. Aethon then decided it was too expensive to treat their polluted discharge and fracking wastewater, so they closed their wastewater treatment plant. DEQ allowed them to continue dumping the untreated polluted discharge water into creeks that flow into Boysen. If it were not for the recent actions of conservation groups, Powder River Basin Resource Council, the Wyoming Outdoor Council and the Natural Resources Defense Council, the oil and gas industry would be dumping four times as much pollution down streams flowing into Boysen Reservoir. The burden to hire experts to demonstrate the flaws in industrys proposal did not fall on DEQ, but were borne by these non-profit organizations.

Further, the groups investigations into what is still happening to these streams flowing into Boysen Reservoir is alarming. The oil and gas polluted discharge, which has been going on for years, has caused extensive erosion, left black gunk for miles, and damaged the aquatic life and character of the small receiving stream, Alkali Creek. Above the discharge the stream is clear, but below it the stream oozes black sediment. One video captured by DEQ employees assessing the stream shows fish swimming away from discharge water as it joins with the receiving stream, Badwater Creek. To date, DEQ has failed to hold industry accountable for the damage and cleanup.

The oil and gas wastewater that DEQ permits to be dumped into our streams includes a toxic brew of pollutants. These pollutants include chlorides and salts, sulfates and sulfide, radioactive materials, barium, magnesium and benzene, toluene, xylenes and ethylbenzene  and the list goes on. Industry responds by proposing to do away with the problem by relaxing the permit requirements or downgrading the stream to make it legally acceptable to dump this pollution. DEQ, the regulator, caters to these requests to remove what industry claims as unnecessary or onerous permitting requirements, just like the earlier example where industry shut down the treatment plant, and now proposes to downgrade streams so they can dump more pollution into them. Most troubling of all, DEQ usually grants those requests  unless those of us in the public stand up and work to protect our water and air. The job of protecting our limited water, air, land, fisheries and wildlife depends on you, the citizen, to get engaged and help protect Wyoming from an industry and a state agency that places corporate profits over our valuable and limited freshwater and public resources.

Jill Morrison worked for the Powder River Basin Resource Council for 31 years as a community organizer and later as the executive director.

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A Barrackpore woman returned to her house in the early hours of last Saturday and found an i
And so it has come to pass. One week after the island-wide blackout of February 16, we told you in this space that, from among the best authority available, there would be, there could be no one to blame for what happened.

We told you that the determination had already been made as to what happened, how and why, and that nobody could have been held responsible for that. It was a warning against the natural national tendency to go for blood. Loud had been the shouts of sabotage, the result of worker discontentment, and a clamour for heads to roll.
Recently, my sisters and I were clearing out one of my moms bookcases. She had died two months before the pandemic hit, so it was an overdue task.

In one of the long, low drawers of the bookcase, we found some interesting items from six decades ago. Amid the dust, the artifacts were of the same era. My dads BAC (union) journeyman certificate, in pristine condition, an incredible find. Plus, a battered, brown wallet. No money, but several cards identifying it as my moms fathers (Ramiro Villegas). He died March 6, 1961, when he was 60 or 63, depending on the source.

Pima County Public Librarys Ancestry database lists his birthdate as April 22, 1897, and his birthplace as Valparaiso, Zacatecas, Mexico (inland, east of Mazatlan). Researching that was edifying because according to my mom, her father always listed his birth year as 1900.

It made knowing his age very easy, she used to say.

I dont know why my grandfather became three years younger. Records show his family moved to El Paso when he was 12 years old. Maybe in school his teachers demoted him a few grades, and he lowered his age to match? He was older than most when he wed my grandmother. His father had died young, and he was the eldest of several siblings. So he postponed marriage until the youngest reached adulthood. The day after he turned 35, he married my grandmother, who was 19.

Among the stuff in his wallet, two items stood out. The first was a frayed newspaper clipping from Dec. 26, 1959, with the headline, U.S. Listens for Voices from Other Planets. The article was about the first modern experiment to search for extraterrestrial intelligence, called Project Ozma, named for the ruler of Oz  a hard-to-reach, faraway place, populated by exotic beings.

The other item was his Tucson Public Library (TPL) card, which pre-dated our move to Pima County Public Library.

My grandfather worked for Southern Pacific Railroad his entire adult life, but according to my mom, his true passion was futurology, both reading and discussing it. When the first Sputnik satellites started zipping over the night skies of Tucson, he used to spread out blankets in the backyard, reclining on the ground to catch glimpses of the space probes as they drifted by, 350 miles straight up.

TPLs Carnegie library was a half-hour walk from their home in Barrio Millville. I can imagine my grandfather in that wood-paneled library, in the 1950s, marveling over the promise of scientific utopias, as predicted in popular magazines, like Colliers and Life, with classic artwork of alien landscapes, single-stage rockets and massive rotating stations above the curve of Earth.

Most likely, he paged through the Sept. 14, 1959, issue of Life magazine, introducing the original seven astronauts of Project Mercury. For a person born six years before the Wright brothers first flight, the possibilities of the future must have seemed limitless. One month before Yuri Gagarin rocketed into outer space, however, my grandfather died. I was born a few years later and inherited his fervor.

At an early age, I began to consume all forms of speculative fiction, beginning with old episodes of Star Trek, aired on KZAZ after school, Monday through Friday. That broadened to regular, boyhood hikes to the sci-fi section at Eckstrom-Columbus Library. I used to walk six miles there, round trip, usually under a scorching Tucson sun  steering a landspeeder over the sands of Tatooine, in my mind, there and back.

I believe the enthusiasm that drove us both to dream about the future, my grandfather and me, was the hope for something better. Not for ourselves, but for the people of the world. That someday, after ages of constant strife, people might start to live their lives in a better, more productive way, with technologies that ease their burdens, on Earth and beyond.

And on every occasion when I used to talk with my mom about such topics, about the wonders the future could bring, she would always say the same thing: Whenever you talk about the future, Johnny, you remind me of my father.

This year, John Munoz celebrates 20 years with Pima County Public Library. He works at Oro Valley Public Library and serves on the Nuestras Raices Team, as well as tween and young adult services.

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The Supreme Court is expected to weaken or reverse its landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights ruling this year, but advocates on both sides of the issue in Arizona are not waiting for the court to act.

Opponents have filed a half-dozen bills in the Legislature, including bills that mirror the laws the high court is considering: A Mississippi ban on abortions after 15 weeks and a Texas ban after about six weeks or so.

And abortion-rights advocates, while acknowledging that the climate toward abortion and reproductive rights is very hostile in Arizona, are backing a bill that would allow women to get abortion medication via telehealth.

They are just the latest efforts in a battle that both sides expect to continue, no matter what the court rules.

The moment that Roe is overturned, the work is just beginning in many ways, said Cathi Herrod, president for the Center for Arizona Policy, which backs abortion restrictions. Im sure that we will have significant political activity by the pro-abortion proponents to change our laws if the states were able to restrict abortion.

As both sides gear up to fight, both are also keeping their eyes on the Supreme Court, which is widely expected to severely weaken  or overturn outright  its 1973 ruling in Roe, which recognized a right to abortion.

That right was upheld in 1992 by another ruling, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that prohibited the right to an abortion after a fetus can survive outside the womb, generally considered to be about 26 weeks.

But Mississippi, claiming that scientific advances allow fetuses to survive much earlier in a pregnancy, that passed a law in 2018 lowered the cutoff for an abortion to 15 weeks.

Texas went even further, approving a law last year that prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks  often before a woman realizes she is pregnant, critics say. The Texas law also prohibits state officials from enforcing the law, empowering private citizens to do so  what opponents call a bounty hunter provision aimed at letting the state get around abortion protections.

Bills mirroring the Texas law  including the bounty hunter provision  have been introduced in both the House and Senate in Arizona. But lawmakers have yet to take action on either, and abortion-rights advocates say they are more concerned about the Mississippi-style proposals.

Arizona has a tendency to introduce very extreme anti-abortion bills as a way to pass something that seems watered down or less severe, said Murphy Bannerman, communications manager for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, referring to the Texas-style laws.

The bill were most concerned about is SB 1164, the bill patterned after Mississippis law, Bannerman said.

Introduced by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, SB 1164 would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks, except in the case of a medical emergency, and would make physicians who perform such a procedure guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Herrod called the bill essentially the Mississippi law that limits abortions after 15 weeks gestational age. Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that is by design.

No one knows whats going to happen with the court ruling on the Mississippi law, but we expect them to rule on the Mississippi law sometime this summer, Kavanagh said. And because we will be out of session  we are passing this bill now so that if, in fact, the Supreme Court upholds the Mississippi law, we will have in force an identical law here in Arizona.

The Supreme Court could also overturn Roe entirely  something that Mississippi officials specifically requested in their petition. At least some of the justices appeared agreeable to that possibility during oral arguments in the Mississippi case, and with a 6-3 conservative majority on the court, many believe that day is closer than ever.

If that were to happen, both Bannerman and Herrod agree that abortion would again be illegal in Arizona because of a 1912 law, still on the books, that bans abortion unless it is necessary to save the life of the mother.

If Roe is overturned, then Arizonas law prohibiting abortion, except to save the life of the mother, would be back in effect, Herrod said. Our forecast is that abortion would not be available in Arizona.

Bannerman agreed that Arizona has a law on the books from 1912 that bans abortion outright.

We also have a legislature that is very conservative and has been pushing anti-abortion bills for a number of years, which has led to a reduction in the number of clinics we have throughout Arizona, she said.

Against that backdrop, Bannerman said, abortion-rights advocates can only do so much. They have so far introduced just one bill, by Rep. Athena Salman, D-Phoenix, that would let women get abortion medication via telehealth.

We have been introducing proactive legislation over the last several years, working with our legislators to strip away all of the different restrictions that are currently in place to getting an abortion in Arizona, Bannerman said. With the makeup of the Legislature, we dont have the votes to pass that and with our current governor, it wouldnt be signed into law.

Despite having the upper hand, Herrod said abortion opponents are not about to relax. And she does not expect their opponents to do so, either.

Bannerman echoed that statement, but said that any meaningful change will only come by electing level-headed politicians who will support abortion-rights legislation.

Thats why this election year is critical to potentially changing things up in the Legislature, getting more reasonable level-headed folks elected who are going to defend peoples right to healthcare, peoples right to access abortion, she said.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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The Pima County Attorney's Office is looking for local heroes who are working to make the community a safer place.

The office is accepting nominations through Tuesday, Feb. 1, for its inaugural Community Safety Awards.

A panel of judges from the office as well as the county Board of Supervisors, Tucson Police Department and county Sheriff's Department will select the honorees from online nominations, which can be submitted to pcao.pima.gov/safety-awards.

County residents of any age are eligible for nomination.

Nominators should describe the person, provide detailed examples of how the person has made the community safer, and explain why his or her work is important to the community and people they serve.

"True community safety is about bringing everyone together to accomplish our shared vision of a healthy, prosperous, and inclusive Pima County for all," Patrick Robles, community outreach coordinator for PCAO, said in a news release.

"It's about the people who organize food drives, mentor young people, check on their neighbors, or simply commit to random acts of kindness and generosity. And it's important that we recognize those folks and encourage others to follow their lead," he said.

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover will recognize the winners at a March ceremony.

"We are trying very hard to encourage people to look out for one another and support initiatives that address the root causes of harm before it happens," Conover said. "Thats the goal of the Community Safety Awards."

Contact Star reporter Caitlin Schmidt at 573-4191 or cschmidt@tucson.com. On Twitter: @caitlincschmidt

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If Chicago had mild winters and mountains topped with telescopes, the Planetary Science Institute might not exist today.

The Tucson-based organization was founded in 1972 by a small group of scientists who split off from the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute to start their own firm.

Most of them had studied at the University of Arizona, so they knew this was the perfect place for what they had in mind  and not just because the sun shines more than 350 days a year.

As graduate students, we all had this thought that it would be neat to have an institute in Tucson that we could work at after we graduated, recalled founder Bill Hartmann, now a senior scientist emeritus at PSI. There are observatories on all sides of us and all these great (science) libraries. This is a great space city, a great place for astronomical research.

The Planetary Science Institute will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Feb. 2 as one of the largest firms of its kind in the world.

That original team of four enterprising young researchers has grown to include some 115 scientists and 48 other employees, who manage hundreds of contracts with government agencies, universities and private sector firms in the U.S. and around the world.

The institute reported more than $15 million in revenue during fiscal year 2021. Roughly 95% of that funding came from NASA.

Today, we are involved in basically all of the NASA solar system exploration missions, in addition to missions by other countries like Japan and (the European Space Agency), said PSI director and CEO Mark Sykes, an accomplished planetary scientist in his own right.

Likewise, the scientists who have joined us over the years have added to our depth of experience in almost every past NASA planetary mission, as well as more foreign missions, including China.

The employee directory on the institutes website includes asterisks next to the staff members who have asteroids named in their honor by the International Astronomical Union. There are now more than 40 asterisks in the directory, including ones for Sykes, Hartmann and fellow PSI founder and senior scientist Don Davis.

We always wanted to be a fairly small, pretty tight-knit group of planetary scientists with overlapping interests, Davis said. That collaboration has been very fruitful for many, many, many years.

And while they have failed spectacularly at keeping themselves small, Davis said they have always managed to keep science at the center of everything they do.

Ready for launch

PSI isnt the only thing the Old Pueblo swiped from the Windy City.

In 1960, the UA lured pioneering astronomer Gerard Kuiper away from the University of Chicago to launch what would become the world famous Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.

Davis said bringing in Kuiper was a great coup for the UA and, eventually, PSI.

Two of Kuipers former students, Hartmann and Alan Binder, wound up working at the Illinois Institute of Technologys research office in Tucson, before leaving to form their own local firm.

Its funny, because when I graduated (from the UA) with my Ph.D. in 66, there was no Planetary Science Department yet, Hartmann said. That hadnt been invented, so my degree was in astronomy, and (Dons) was in physics.

After Davis graduated, he landed a job with a government contractor at NASAs Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston during the Apollo program.

His team developed the computer codes used to guide the astronauts back from the moon, including some emergency return-flight contingency plans that helped save the crew of Apollo 13.

For their efforts, Davis and the rest of the Mission Operations Team were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1970.

Shortly after that, he, too, went to work in the Tucson office of the Illinois-based institute where PSI was born.

It was an exciting time for the budding field of planetary science.

The kinds of contracts we were getting were advising NASA on things, because they were desperate for information on space research, Hartmann said.

We were doing advanced mission planning for programs to follow on Apollo, Davis added. Boy, the world, the universe, the solar system was our baby at that time. We were going wild and having a great time doing it.

Early days

Once they decided to strike out on their own, they had to do so gradually. For legal reasons, they couldnt all leave the Illinois institute at once.

Hartmann was the first one out.

For the first few weeks, the office number for their new venture rang in Hartmanns living room. His wife, Gayle, had to rush to answer it before it woke their young daughter, Amy, from her afternoon nap.

To help them get started, the Planetary Science Institute teamed up with what Davis described as a small, dynamic new company out of California called Scientific Applications International, better known today as giant government contractor SAIC.

The partnership provided them with the bridge funding they needed to get PSI off the ground, but there was one major downside: SAI was a for-profit corporation heavily involved in Defense Department activities.

People who did not know us would castigate us as being Planets for Profit, Davis said.

One of PSIs first contracts was one Hartmann brought over with him from the Illinois institute: processing some of the first images of Mars captured by NASAs Mariner 9 spacecraft.

Hartmann served on the missions imaging team, where he worked alongside Carl Sagan.

The newly assembled team at PSI also quickly went to work on a series of collaborative projects investigating the origin of the solar system.

That led Hartmann and Davis to write what turned out to be a famous paper, first presented in 1974, suggesting the moon was formed from the debris of a collision between the Earth and a giant primordial interplanetary body.

Davis said their idea didnt catch on really at all at first, but since 1984 it has been widely recognized as the leading lunar origin theory.

Other early work by PSI has produced breakthroughs on the composition of asteroids and comets, the formation of planets and the use of impact craters to determine the age of planetary surfaces.

Another split

Through it all, the institute got along well with its parent company, which seemed to enjoy the prestige of being associated with PSIs high-profile, NASA-adjacent scientific work.

But Davis said things began to change in the late 1980s, as SAIC grew and its defense work expanded.

We could see that we would probably just be squished in this huge company in a few more years, he said.

So in 1995, they broke away from SAIC and partnered with the fledgling San Juan Capistrano Research Institute, a California nonprofit launched by a former Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher that Hartmann knew from his Mariner 9 days.

We did that so we could be part of a true nonprofit, Davis explained. We were no longer Planets for Profit.

But the transition proved painful at times. In the late 1990s, one of PSIs founding scientists left for another job, and rumors began to swirl about the institutes future.

Davis said he heard that officials at the UA even set aside some office space one year in anticipation of the scientists they expected to snatch up once PSI folded.

They were just waiting for this to implode, but we hung in there, he said. We managed to get a few grants to keep body and soul together.

By 2000, the Planetary Science Institute had all but absorbed its counterpart in San Juan Capistrano to become its own, independent nonprofit.

Sykes joined the institute in 2003 and took over as director in 2004, the same year PSI moved to its current location on Fort Lowell Road west of Campbell Avenue.

They had 19 researchers on staff by then, and they have continued to grow ever since, gradually taking over most of the commercial plaza they now call home.

Scientists have joined us from universities, NASA centers and other government labs, and the private sector, Sykes said.

The institute opened a second office in suburban Denver in 2016, though most of PSIs scientific staff works remotely from 30 states and 10 countries.

Davis said their early experiences as part of larger organizations with offices scattered around the country taught them how to function in a distributed way.

Once we became an independent nonprofit, that culture stayed with us, he said. That model has enabled us to grow substantially, because most of the scientists arent here.

As Hartmann put it, quoting PSIs longtime motto: We were conceived by scientists, for scientists. We designed ourselves to work the way scientists work, which is radically different from the kind of corporate structure where you clock in at nine oclock and out at five oclock.

We basically say, do your best work the way youd like to do it, Davis added, and as long as youre getting grants, you can stay here.

Next mission

Geophysicist Megan Russell joined PSI last March, after earning her masters degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

For her graduate research, she took a fresh look at old data collected by NASAs Magellan spacecraft in the early 1990s and used it to show that Venus could be more volcanically active than previously thought.

Now the Canadian research associate is focused on Mars.

From PSIs Colorado office, Russell is analyzing radar images from the red planet as a member of the science team for the shallow radar instrument on NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

She said the institute and many of the researchers who work there are well known in the scientific community.

So far, its been a perfect fit for her, providing the chance to collaborate with a diverse group of fellow scientists and the freedom and flexibility to pursue her own projects.

I was really interested in doing something outside of academia but still involved in research and mission operations, she said.

Next up is a possible return trip to her old stomping grounds.

Russell is part of two instrument development proposals for a future robotic spacecraft bound for Venus. She expects to find out later this year if she  and PSI  will be selected to join the mission.

To go back to Venus? Russell said. That would be so great.

Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean

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NOGALES, Sonora  From a distance, it may seem like things at the U.S.-Mexico border only change in one direction: They get worse.

But thats not really the case, just an effect of what politicians and news outlets tend to focus on. In reality, all the bad things  the crime, smuggling, corruption  rise and fall.

Migration does, too. And theres a glimmer of hope now from one of the countries that has sent the most migrants north to the United States in recent years.

Honduras has a new president, ending the 12-year National Party government that became one of the regions worst examples of narco-dictatorship. I reported in September 2020 how migrants Ive met across the U.S.-Mexico border and at the Guatemala-Mexico border blamed President Juan Orlando Hernandez for forcing them to flee north, even as the U.S. supported his drug-corrupted government.

On Thursday, Xiomara Castro of the left-wing Libre Party took over the presidency. That morning, 2,500 miles north of Tegucigalpa at the San Juan Bosco shelter in Nogales, Sonora, Walter Jerezano was feeling hopeful, at least for those who remain in his home country.

We hope that with the new president, considering what she has been advocating for and what we believe she will do, the conditions are going to improve, Jerezano said in Spanish.

He was sitting in the chapel of the hillside shelter, his three children and wife coming and going as migrants from other countries conversed nearby.

Obviously its not going to be from the night to the morning, right? Jerezano said. But in the medium-to-long term, along the path that shes been proposing, we can hope for an improvement, a notable improvement in every way, all the systems.

Asylum seekers come in waves

Migration from Honduras has risen and fallen sharply in recent years. In 2014, during the Obama administration, thousands of children and teens arrived unaccompanied by parents, overwhelming our systems ability to care for them. In 2019, when Donald Trump was president, Hondurans families surged north with a similar result.

The quiet pandemic year of 2020 was followed by another surge of migration in 2021. Asylum applications by Hondurans rose from 4,084 in fiscal year 2014, the year so many children arrived, to 34,330 in 2020, before falling to 13,614 in the COVID-19 affected year of 2021.

At the Kino Border Initiative, which provides food and services to migrants in Nogales, Sonora, Hondurans have always been a minority, outnumbered by Mexicans especially, executive director Joanna Williams said. But last year there was a disproportionately large increase in Hondurans served.

The numbers went from 597 in 2019 to 351 in 2020, then to 984 in 2021.

From late 2019 to early 2021, one of those recipients was Jose Roberto Tabora, whom I first interviewed at the Kino building near the border in August 2020.

I caught up with him by phone a few weeks ago. Hes living in Austin, Texas, now, working as a kitchen remodeler. His whole 10-member extended family stuck together for more than a year, most of it in Nogales, before getting a chance to enter the country in El Paso as asylum applicants.

Tabora had been a leader of anti-government protests in his hometown, Choloma, and said he fled in part because of a new law vaguely labeling many protests as terrorism, punishable by prison.

Before the Nov. 28 election in Honduras, he noted, some Hondurans were sending family members north for fear of violence associated with the election. Thankfully, that didnt happen.

Now, he predicted, migration is going to slow down a lot. So much that there are people I know whove entered the United States and now want to return to Honduras.

New bosss first goal: Survive

Of course, there is plenty of reason to think that migration wont slow appreciably. The intractable problems of poverty and violence remain.

Castro, in her inauguration speech, said the countrys poverty rate in itself explains the caravan of thousands of people, of all ages, that are fleeing toward the north, to Mexico and the United States, seeking a place and a way to surviving without risking their lives.

The new president faces massive challenges just in keeping her own party together. Before she even took office, a group of Libre party members in the countrys congress allied themselves with the National Party members in an effort to choose the powerful president of the congress.

Her first goal is not stopping migration, said Dana Frank, a professor emerita of history at the University of California Santa Cruz and author of The Long Honduran Night: Resistance, Terror, and the United States in the Aftermath of the Coup.

Thats important, but why should we assume thats her goal? Her first goal is not to be overthrown by the narcos or the military or the Honduran right.

Thats not an idle risk: Her husband, Manuel Zelaya, was president of Honduras until overthrown by a military coup in 2009, launching the 12 years of National Party rule just ended.

Secondarily, Frank said, if Castro is able to cobble together a coalition in congress, she can start trying to solve the problems that afflict poor Hondurans. Migration could decrease if she succeeds at that, Frank said.

But there is one fairly simple way Castro could help everybody: Reduce the robbing of the national treasury by corrupt officials. She doesnt have to eliminate corruption. Just ensuring that more public money gets to its intended destinations  salaries of nurses and teachers, social programs  could help a lot.

It was an incredible sacking, Tabora said of the last 12 years.

Chain of events can be broken

Migration is often multi-causal, but you dont have to solve every problem to slow it down. Just interrupting a series of events can reduce the number of people who pick up and go.

In Nogales, Sonora, Jerezano explained that a chain of events led to his family of five fleeing San Pedro Sula. He was working in a textile factory as a machine operator when the pandemic hit, he said. The company laid off part of its workforce, him included. He started working with his brother-in-law, painting cars.

Then Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit his hometown in late 2020. The storms inundated the familys home, ruining all their belongings. It also upset a delicate criminal balance in the area where they live, he said.

When the floods happened, the gangsters saw an opportunity to gain territory against their rivals at that time, he said. And we happened to live on the border between the two areas. So, since we were on the border, they told us we had to leave our house, which they needed to cross over to the other side.

His brother-in-law was killed, and Jerezano received a warning he was next, he said.

This border conflict seems like a crazy scenario, but its the kind of thing Ive heard repeatedly interviewing Hondurans over the years. Its only possible because government officials and criminals have been in league together at all levels, from the very presidency of Honduras, down to the lowest municipal police officer.

The former presidents brother, Tony Hernandez, is serving a life sentence in U.S. prison for conspiring to distribute 185 tons of cocaine. U.S. prosecutors showed evidence of then President Hernandezs involvement in what they called a violent, state-sponsored drug trafficking conspiracy.

The former president has not been indicted or arrested yet, but he was deeply implicated by federal investigators in New York.

Everything has its roots in the top level of government, Jerezano said. Cleaning this up, the effect will work its way downward until it arrives at the people, until it arrives at us.

Thats the hope, however guarded it may be: If the new Honduran government can reduce repression and start modestly improving life in the neighborhoods, that will have a knock-on effect felt all the way north to Sonora and Arizona.

Tim Steller is an opinion columnist. A 25-year veteran of reporting and editing, he digs into issues and stories that matter in the Tucson area, reports the results and tells you his conclusions. Contact him at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter

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Dont let guns in classrooms

Texas allowed students to carry hidden guns and unless their diplomas are backed by a state-recognized test, such as an engineering or nursing registration, they are worth very little because anyone with half a brain knows that when facing a class with untold loaded guns, no professor is likely to fail anyone!

Arizona should not allow guns in the classroom.

Beverly Jean Tencza

Rio Rico

History lessons can be painful

Dear Friend, Sorry that your feelings are hurt as you learn more U.S. history.

Millions of Africans were kidnapped and offloaded here to be enslaved, beaten, maimed, raped and murdered by newly settled Europeans.

People here before those Europeans were killed (and scalped for bounties), relocated from ancestral lands, and given infected clothing and inferior food by the government charged with their welfare. Their lands were taken (and retaken if found more valuable than estimated) and their food supplies hunted into extinction to starve them.

Asians suffered near-slavery conditions while building Americas great railroads. The Chinese massacre in LAs Chinatown was but one of hundreds that took place in dozens of cities.

Perhaps your hurt can be assuaged if you help provide jobs, quality health care, and educations to some of the people with real reasons to feel sad. Also, please reconsider your position on critical race theory; read for yourself the law-school-level original texts and not any media interpretations of it.

Alex Ward

Oro Valley

Enforce rules, Pima County!

Yes, the omicron variant is raging through our county. Yes, Dr. Heinz, face masks do work. Thanks for making indoor closer than 6 without a mask illegal. With no penalty  no enforcement. Most stores have a Mask Required sign. I bet about 40% in these stores are unmasked. I even went to the Speedway (Oracle/Magee), no sign, not even the clerks were masked. This is just stupid! Either put some teeth in the law (as you should as the Pima County supervisors) or rescind it and let omicron rage freely in our county.

Thad Appelman

Northwest side

Sinema leads us backward

Open letter to Sen. Sinema:

Your support of the filibuster has befuddled many Arizonans.

Do you oppose filibuster elimination based on principle? What principle is that? It has been regularly invokedsince 1890to impede legislation aimed at expanding democratic protections for abused minorities. The filibuster is not a time-honored custom but a time-worn relic of a dismal stain on democracy: racism.

The most far-reaching civil rights legislation of modern times, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was stalled and nearly defeated by the filibuster until stalwart Republicans led by Everett Dirksen of Illinois stepped up to end debate. Regrettably, not a single Republican is stepping up this time. Your devotion to a principle of collegiality is matched by Republican defiance of it.

Senator: It is hypocritical to boast about support for civil rights while advocating a rule so distinctly identified with blocking it.

Stuart Brody

Nogales

Road upgrades are still needed

Re: The Jan. 26 article RTA is not the citys only option.

While I sympathize with Mr. Cooks view on the need to consider climate change and social justice in infrastructure planning, his view of rapidly changing reality is not correct. As much as he and others may want people in Tucson to abandon their cars, it will not happen for many years. The vast majority of the population still depends on their automobile to get around town and adding some more buses or extending the streetcar will not change that in the next 30 years. Electric cars will help the with environmental issues, but that still makes improving road infrastructure in RTA Next the major priority (including the city of Tucson). Setting aside some funds for transit and pedestrian improvements is good, but diverting significant funds from road improvement will only lead to a further economic decline in our region.

Donald Newman

West side

Put a leash on corporate greed

Re: the Jan. 23 article Owner ups rent by 50%.

As I read about carpetbaggers spiking rents again, I find myself asking this question: How many times in living history do we need to watch unregulated banking and real estate sharks destroy the economy in the name of their short-term profit before we realize corporate greed needs to be put on a very short leash?

David Reynolds

East side

Weve become the Golden State

Tucson now has high real estate prices, high homelessness, high taxes and high crime rate.

If the Democratic city of Tucson wants to emulate the Democratic state of California, you made it.

Just remember that people are leaving California in droves.

Thomas Wenzel

East side

Free virus tests made in China

Biden previously announced that American households could receive four free at-home COVID antigen tests through the U.S. Postal Service. A total of 500 million would be available. What he did not say or probably even know is that many are made in China. On Jan. 13, the Biden administration awarded a $1.28 billion contract to iHealth Labs Inc. to provide 250 million test kits. The company is located in California, but the test kits come from China. ILabs is part of the Chinese company Andon Health Ltd. The communist government has blocked WHO investigators from conducting a thorough investigation in Wuhan of the origin of COVID. Early on, China covered up details about the virus and did not share the information with other countries. Since the virus began, communist China has made billions in profits from selling PPEs as in test kits, face masks, gloves, etc. The Biden administration just added to their profits.

Terry Garland

East side

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Some lawmakers do not plan to attend the State of the State address because there will be no restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID.

House staff said there will be no requirements for masks or social distancing at the Feb. 7 event in the House chamber. The event will be livestreamed on OETA.

Gov. Kevin Stitt will give his fourth State of the State address outlining his goals for the upcoming session.

Normally, most of the 101 House members and 48 Senate members, along with state Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals judges, Cabinet secretaries, statewide elected officials and other officials attend the event.

The gallery in the chamber is normally full.

It is disappointing, said House Minority Floor Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman. I think above all else, it sends a very bad message to the public.

We are essentially acting like everything is OK, when we know hospitals are overrun and hospital professionals are at wits end.

She said Republicans at the Capitol have refused to take simple precautions, and she said members of her caucus may just watch Stitts speech from their offices.

You are crowded there sitting three to four at a two-desk set up, said Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City. Heck, no, I am not going to the State of the State.

Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. Mary Clarke encouraged lawmakers to wear masks at the event.

Over the past month, Oklahoma has experienced the highest COVID-related infection, hospitalization and death numbers  and were not through yet, she said.

In a press conference two weeks ago, physicians at four of our states largest hospitals implored our states leadership to help reinforce messaging about the need for common-sense safety measures, such as masking and social distancing.

Unfortunately, not only are these messages not reflected at the Capitol, they are preparing for a crowded, unmasked State of the State address.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said Capitol operations for some time have returned to normal without complications or mandates.

After living with COVID for so long, everyone knows the right precautions to take for themselves and others, McCall said. You can be here or watch online, depending on your situation. Its the same speech both places.

Having in-person or online options for Capitol activities is the new normal entering year three of COVID.

Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, has been vaccinated and has had COVID.

I feel like I have good protection from the virus, he said.

Sen. Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, also recently recovered from COVID despite having been vaccinated. He plans to attend and does not plan to wear a mask.

Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow, said he has no problem attending without any COVID-19 restrictions.

He said he has not been vaccinated but that people who want to wear a mask and get vaccinated have that option.

I am quite comfortable going to the State of the State, said Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, who has been vaccinated. I have determined that I can get COVID at any time.

Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, has been vaccinated and has had COVID-19. He plans to attend in person.

He jokingly said lawmakers believe they have legislated the existence of COVID out of the Capitol.

He said it is irresponsible to let the freedom of the few determine what happens to the rest.

Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, has a young child at home who is not eligible for the vaccine. She plans to watch the speech from her office.

It is our responsibility to mitigate that transmission, she said. We will be doing everything we can to stay masked and distance to bring the number of omicron down.

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After Tulsa saw 5-6 inches fall, Thursday brings a 50% chance of snow before noon, then again after 3 p.m. Another 1-4 inches are possible through Friday across the Tulsa area.

Photos: Snow falls in Tulsa as area prepares for more winter weather
A Broken Arrow woman is fighting to remain free after her felony convictions linked to a deadly hit-and-run crash were overturned and she was released from a 107-year prison sentence.

Kimberly Elizabeth Graham, 50, is now being pursued by both the state of Oklahoma and Muscogee Nation prosecutors despite a judge in April ordering her freed from prison based on the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt decision.

Thats because since her release from prison, the same state judge who ordered her freed has ordered Grahams convictions and prison term reinstated, while a tribal judge has ruled the Muscogee Nation can pursue Graham criminally, too.

Her attorney described the states attempt to reincarcerate Graham as unprecedented.

The Supreme Courts July 2020 McGirt decision determined that the state of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to try criminal cases involving American Indians when the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation because Congress never disestablished it. The ruling has since been extended to five other tribal reservations.

Graham is a member of the Cherokee Nation; the deaths occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation.

Prior to her release, Graham had been serving a 107-year state prison term after a Tulsa County jury in March 2009 found her guilty of five counts of manslaughter and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

During her jury trial, a prosecutor maintained that Graham was impaired by alcohol on Nov. 9, 2007, when she drove a Dodge Ram pickup into a group of people who had gathered on Memorial Drive to help an injured motorcyclist.

Killed were De Anna Rosser-Coatney, 42; her husband, Ronald Coatney, 49; Anita Pauline Polly Foote, 50; Casey Jones, 29; and Shannon Montgomery Lacey, 36.

Graham testified at her trial that her driving was not impaired despite allegedly telling police during an interview that she had consumed six beers and two shots while visiting three bars. The crash occurred outside one of those bars in the 1200 block of South Memorial Drive.

Now fresh off favorable rulings in Grahams case and others, the state of Oklahoma is trying to re-imprison Graham while a Muscogee Nation judge has ruled that the tribe can prosecute her despite the tribes seven-year statute of limitation for the crimes she faces.

Grahams attorney, Richard OCarroll, in an interview, described both the state court judges decision to order Grahams convictions and prison sentences reinstated  and a Muscogee Nation tribal court ruling that temporarily waived its statute of limitations  as bogus.

The state prosecutor is defying all precedence in equity and law, OCarroll said. There has never been anything allowed such as he is asking for.

Grahams judicial journey since her initial conviction has been certainly unusual.

After her conviction, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011 denied Grahams initial appeal.

Graham was then among scores of inmates who sought post-conviction relief after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its McGirt decision in 2020.

On April 8, Tulsa County District Court Judge Tracy Priddy granted Grahams application for post-conviction relief and ordered her state convictions vacated and charges dismissed over the states objections, citing McGirt.

In a brief to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said his office did not immediately appeal the April 8 district court ruling freeing Graham because the OCCA had recently ruled that jurisdiction could be challenged at any time by a defendant regardless of whether it was an inmates direct or a post-conviction appeal.

Unfortunately, the Graham case fell right in the middle of some re-evaluation by the Court of Criminal Appeals where I didnt have the opportunity to appeal, or at least raise the issue, Kunzweiler said in an interview. Simply because every attorney is duty bound, if you are going to appeal something, you have to have a good-faith basis in the law to raise the appeal.

That all changed Aug. 12, when the OCCA ruled in an unrelated Pushmataha County case that inmates could not use McGirt to pursue a post-conviction appeal.

One week later, Kunzweiler requested the district court reverse the April 8 order that freed Graham based on the so-called Matloff ruling, named for District Attorney Mark Matloff, who challenged a lower-court ruling.

Upon the state learning that it had a valid legal basis for objecting to the April 8, 2021, order, it quickly pursued every possible avenue of relief from this order, Kunzweiler wrote in a Dec. 28 filing before the OCCA.

Citing the Aug. 12 decision that determined McGirt was not retroactive for post-conviction appeals, Priddy on Nov. 18 granted the states motion to vacate her previous ruling, which led to Grahams release in April.

This court orders that the defendant is to be remanded immediately to the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to serve out the remainder of her terms of confinement, yet said order is stayed pending the outcome of an appeal to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, Priddy wrote in November.

Graham has appealed the ruling to the OCCA.

In her challenge before the OCCA, Graham called the decision to order her back to state prison contrary to the petitioners right to due process and equal protection ... contrary to extensive and well-settled Oklahoma jurisprudence and it is simply unfair.

Kunzweiler, meanwhile, said he is hopeful the OCCA agrees with Priddys order that rescinded the release of Graham.

Since then, the U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by the inmate linked to the Matloff decision to review the ruling, which established McGirt was not retroactive, meaning it could not be applied to negate judgments and sentences after the conclusion of their initial appeal.

OCarroll said the state is asking the appellate court to waive procedural bars that they themselves have used to defeat hundreds of defendant appeals.

But in this case, the state made the mistake, so they are giving the state the benefit of the doubt, OCarroll said, referring to the lower-court ruling.

While the state appellate court considers whether Graham should be reincarcerated, the Muscogee Nation is moving ahead with plans to prosecute her, too.

The tribe charged Graham on April 27 in Muscogee Nation District Court with five counts of homicide and one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident, according to online records.

The Nation is proceeding with its prosecution of the charges under Muscogee (Creek) Nation criminal laws  five counts of homicide and one count of failure to stop in an accident involving death, a spokesman said.

Muscogee Nation District Court Judge Gregory Bigler ruled Dec. 28 that the tribe could prosecute Graham despite her crimes occurring more than seven years ago, which is the tribes statute of limitations for prosecution of such crimes.

Rather, Bigler said unique factors in Grahams case, plus rulings in other cases, had effectively hit the pause button on the Nations statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions.

Bigler cited a 2011 ruling in a Muskogee federal court case that determined the tribe did not have jurisdiction to try a tribal member accused of stealing tribal funds because the alleged crime did not occur within the tribes criminal jurisdiction.

The 2011 ruling had the effect of tolling the tribes statute of limitations until the Supreme Court released its McGirt decision, Bigler noted.

As this case was filed in April of 2021, (some 10 months after McGirt) that is a total of approximately 52 months within which the Nation could have filed this action after the alleged incident ... well within the seven-year statute of limitation, the opinion stated, including a period of time prior to 2011 when the nation could have charged her.

This court is aware this is a new, unsettled area of law, Bigler wrote. The fact that certain alleged criminal activities may not be prosecutable for a variety of reasons does not mean the Court can create solutions to right alleged wrongs.

Neither will the court ignore the restrictions placed upon it by the United States courts. However, both equity and law require this prosecution to proceed.

Muscogee Nation tribal law provides a maximum three-year prison term for each conviction classified as a felony.

Judges may stack sentences though so they run consecutive to another. For instance, three, three-year prison sentences could be set to run consecutive for a total maximum sentence of nine years in prison.

The tribal case has been stayed until a ruling has been made by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals regarding Grahams state conviction and sentence, OCarroll said.

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Despite staffing shortages prompting temporary school closures and an Oklahoma college recently ending its education degree program, I believe there is still room for great hope.

We are living in the most opportune time in higher education for those ready to do it differently. The universities that are willingly to brave the unknown are seeing significant fruits from their creativity, while those continuing to hold on to the past will fail to draw interest from todays perspective student.

With prior learning assessments, micro credentials, virtual platforms, blockchain technologies and innovative mindsets, the resources are available to reinvigorate a strong student base and deliver meaningful progress in workforce development.

Lets take the current challenges for Oklahomas teacher workforce.

Teaching is the most honorable and noteworthy profession. Teachers are the backbone of our culture and society. It was encouraging to see the Legislative Office for Fiscal Transparency publish a new report showing Oklahomas teachers are paid better than many other surrounding states. However, we must continue to do better to grow the number of individuals in this critical field.

Did you know that in Oklahoma we have around 12,000 paraprofessionals and teachers assistants serving in our classrooms? Many of these individuals would love to obtain a teaching degree, but many cant afford to quit their jobs in order to pursue a traditional four-year university experience.

Oklahoma Christian University is closing this gap by bringing the degree program to the teachers assistant within the context of his or her own classroom. We do this through the flexibility of online learning, in-person opportunities on the evenings and weekends, and in partnership with the paraprofessionals host school.

Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent Chuck Perry is a bold partner with us. By making OCs program available to his districts 138 paraprofessionals in the classroom, Superintendent Perry is creating opportunity for his team. He is making career growth in reach and affordable for all.

Paraprofessionals have proven longevity and are grounded in practice. In many instances, paraprofessionals have been in classrooms where they witnessed a revolving door of certified teachers who were not fully exposed by their degree programs to the difficulties of the classroom.

Paraprofessionals know the waters that they are chartering intimately and can be quickly equipped to lead. We should all be cheering for their promotions and giving them access to tools to excel professionally.

With sound, innovative partnerships, Oklahomas workforce shortages can be solved. We must start by acknowledging the world today is significantly different and use this to inspire us with solutions for the next generation workforce to achieve their full potential.

Lets be brave, bold, and work together to help Oklahoma be its best.

Brandon Tatum is executive vice president at Oklahoma Christian University and founder and CEO of Connect-Edu. Brandon Tatum is executive vice president at Oklahoma Christian University and founder and CEO of Connect-Edu.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, kindergartens in Vietnam have remained closed since May 2021. Many teachers have had to do other jobs to make ends meet over the last 10 months.

Their biggest dream is school reopening.

Lets keep ourselves motivated and believe that we will see the light at the end of the tunnel, said Dao Thi Trung Anh, a 28-year-old kindergarten teacher based in Hanoi.

As long as we keep trying harder, we will still have a Tet holiday with enough food and flowery decorations, she said, referring to Vietnam's Lunar New Year celebration starting early February.

I hope that all kindergarten teachers will have their job back with a better pay than the previous year.

Former teachers work as shippers, nail technicians

37-year-old Dang Le Huyen is a kindergarten teacher in Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi.

It has been a long time since she has been out of work due to school closures in the capital city of Vietnam.

Due to the pandemic, I could not go to work. I came under the pressure from our daily expenses, foods, drinks and tuition fees for my children, she said.

As my main job was not yielding any income, I signed up as a shipper and have been working full-time starting 6:00 to 7:00 am every day.

Now she spends her days riding from district to district in Hanoi from dawn till dusk.

For days, she earned enough for the familys daily food costs, but at times, she could not make enough and came home in tears, fearing her children would spend the next day in hunger.

It became the norm for her to experience road incidences  motorbike breakdown, fuel running out in the middle of the journey, and crashes with other vehicles.

Her greatest nightmare was to deliver stuff in remote, isolated areas.

The feeble kindergarten teacher, who was always gentle to children, might not be able to defend herself in the face of robbers.

Suffering a similar fate, Dao Thi Trung Anh used to work for a sizable kindergarten with a handsome salary, but her seven years savings soon disappeared following months of unemployment.

A mother of two small children, I could not make enough to cover their milk, diapers and occasional medical expenses, she said.

I once thought of switching to working at a factory because at least that would bring a stable earning.

I even took a spa specialist training course for three months, but in the end, I decided that being a kindergarten teacher was everything to me.

Currently working as a tutor, Dao Thi Trung Anh keeps her children busy with a schedule similar to a school activity timetable, including physical activities, arts and reading. Photo: Ha Quan / Tuoi Tre

Longing for school reopening

The two teachers then found out about private childcare demands that offered a minimum monthly pay of VND6 million (US$265).

Taking their jobs from social media websites, they brave 10- to 20-kilometer motorbike trips to their employers.

I was moved to tears to receive my first monthly pay. I told everyone in my family that I could finally get my hands on some good money for my children, Trung Anh said.

For this Tet holiday, our family will still have our traditional specialties and we will put up some nice ornaments. Well get some new clothes for the kids, too.

In Trung Anh's opinion, a lot of kindergarten teachers relate themselves to housemaids when they work as tutors, feeling ashamed as they come to these private homes.

The parents, however, think very highly of them.

Thousands of other kindergarten teachers just like Trung Anh have been forced to leave their schools to make ends meet.

Some become real estate agents, some set up online stores, while others launch family diners at home.

Many also register as blue-collar workers at manufacturing firms.

The Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City recently gave the green light to kindergarten reopening in February, after Lunar New Year holiday.

My hope is that teachers and children can get back to school, said Huyen.

Though the current work is nice, it is still better to work at school because the job of teachers is to transmit as much knowledge to as many children as possible.

A father of a three-year-old and a five-year-old, Dang Chung from Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi, said: My wife and I are both civil servants, so we cannot work from home to take care of our children.

We agreed to send them to our hometown with my parents. They have been away from us for one year.

The little children get sick and emotional. Sometimes, they wake up at midnight, sobbing and demanding to see us.

I just hope that kindergartens in Hanoi can reopen soon so that the kids can be back to their parents, friends and teachers.

Support from the government

According to the Vietnams Ministry of Education and Training, over 28,500 kindergarten institutions had to close from May 2021 until December 2021, among which 58 schools and 526 kindergarten institutions, both public and private, went out of business.

Based on a quick survey, 95.2 percent of kindergarten institutions had no revenue for a majority of six months and above and 81.6 percent could not pay their staff members.

The ministry plans to draft a comprehensive scheme that specifically supports teachers at the kindergarten level, especially those in the private sector.

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After first learning about blockchain technology seven years ago, Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy, CEO, and co-founder of the Switzerland-based Dhealth Foundation, now believes she can take advantage of the technology in more areas.

As a pioneering entrepreneur applying blockchain technology to Vietnamese healthcare, Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy, or Vo Cam Quy, is still looking for innovative ways to help people benefit equally, first in the healthcare system.

Success through self-study

Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy will never forget the paper on the relationship between blockchain and privacy that a team of Massachusetts Institute Technology researchers issued in 2015. The paper was a turning point for her, opening up an alternative world of technology and a new career path. It compelled her to study blockchain technology as hard as she could.

Dr. Quy Vo-Reinhard speaks at the AsiaBerlin Summit 2021 event on October 8, 2021, in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Asia.berlin

In fact, the paper helped her figure out what path she wanted to take. She decided to quit her job to continue her studies and earn a Master of Business Administration degree at EBS Business School in Germany.

As she took her next steps, she spent all of her time studying blockchain technology. In addition to reading books, technical documentation, and attending workshops, she focused on reading white papers published by organizations and groups using the technology in their businesses.

A white paper is an informational document usually issued by a company or nonprofit organization to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service it offers or plans to offer, according to the definition on the Investopedia website.

A few years ago, blockchain was still fairly new to many people, and Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy had to learn everything she wanted to learn on her own.

"Outside your comfort zone, there are always extremely interesting and new things. Only when you dare to go out, can you get to know and enjoy them," Quy told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

"But to do that, you definitely need to have your own goal. It's called "WHY DO YOU DO and WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"If you know what you definitely want, you will know what you need to study and what support you need," the businesswoman said, recalling the lessons she learned in the past six years.

The "moment of chance" came for Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy in 2017 when she met Prof. Eberhard Scheuer, whose idea of tokenizing health data in Zurich interested her so much. After realizing that they had a lot in common when it came to using blockchain, they founded the dHealth Foundation together in Switzerland in November 2017.

Dr. Vo-Reinhard Quy's "DHealth work" is the leading blockchain platform in healthcare, minimizing fraud risks, and improving data security and data processing efficiency. So far, dHealth Foundation has used the technological infrastructure in checking health or vaccination status, tracking COVID-19 contacts, and tracking treatment duration in a way that rewards patients.

Centralization of patients

In 2020, dHealth Foundation partnered with Hanoi Lung Hospital in the capital city of Hanoi to conduct a pilot program to apply blockchain systems in tracking treatment progress over time.

Aiming to encourage patients to adhere to treatment progress, the dHealth Foundation's application creates a reward system.

Accordingly, pulmonary patients earn reward points when they log into the app and report their health status with specific information by filling in the required fields. Patients can exchange these points for gift vouchers, such as a health package at Hanoi Lung Hospital.

Doctors can use patients' information to adjust the course of treatment if they deem it necessary, and the same applies to the dosage and type of medication.

Currently, the dHealth Foundation is in talks with VTS, a company belonging to Viettel Group, to develop a digital solution for a COVID-19 vaccination passport.

Quy believes in convenience for the end-users of the app, hoping to develop a module that can be integrated into an existing health application.

The dHealth Foundation has operated as a nonprofit since its inception in 2017. None of the users' data are stored on the company's servers.

The data relating to the app is controlled by the healthcare organization, which uses it under an agreement with patients. This is considered a distinguishing feature of dHealth Foundation that sets it apart from other companies that use Big Data.

The way the company handles patients' data helps it meet the standards of users' data protection rights under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

In this way, the foundation can also convince developed countries with strict rules for data protection.

A patient uses Dhealth Foundation's app at Hanoi Lung Hospital in a supplied photo.

Making a contribution to the home country

Although she is very busy with her business tasks, Vo-Reinhard Quy has invested a lot of time in projects that contribute to Vietnam's prosperity and development, especially in her professional field.

She is the co-founder of V-Space Global under the AVSE Global organization, which was established in Paris, France, in 2011 with the aim of bringing together Vietnamese experts and scholars living abroad to contribute to the motherland.

Among the roughly five million Vietnamese living abroad today, there are many who want to contribute to the country but do not know how to start, Quy said. With the establishment of V-Space, Dr. Quy hopes to create a focal point for these people whose hearts always beat for their hometown.

In fact, V-Space has, not only Vietnamese members, but also many foreigners who want to support Vietnam. Dr. Quy is proud to have built V-Space into an organization that has a multi-faceted network with members in different countries around the world.

"Contributing to your hometown does not mean you have to return to Vietnam, this is especially true in our time," Dr. Quy said.

She is a mentor for many startups in Vietnam such as Children's Angels, DAC - a smart walking stick for the blind, and Mindfully - an app with over 300 guided meditations and courses from experts around the world.

An initiative for girls affected by COVID -19 Dr. Quy has launched an initiative called "Women Empower Women" in hopes of helping girls negatively affected by the COVID -19 pandemic. She raises money by organizing consultation meetings between a female expert and a person who wants a chance to speak with a successful and inspiring female leader from around the world. The fee of VND3 million (US$132) for these three-hour talks will be transferred to AVSE Global, which in turn will use the fund to support girls affected by the pandemic. The fund will help the girls affected by the pandemic to continue learning until they graduate from high school.

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Functional forces in Vietnams Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang are investigating the cause and calculating damage after many fishing boats at Ba Hon Port suddenly burst into flames on Friday evening.

A large number of fishing boats have returned from sea to Ba Hon Port in Kien Luong District, Kien Giang and docked there in recent days as fishermen come home for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Around 8:00 pm on Friday, a fire broke out from an unknown source before spreading to the fishing boats anchored at the port and growing bigger.

Local authorities sent more than 50 firemen and four fire trucks to the scene to carry out a rescue and put out the blaze by the middle of the night.

They are also clarifying the cause of the incident.

Preliminary statictics showed that the fire burned at least 11 fishing boats, damaged many properties and two temporary houses, as well as scorched three other adjacent houses, according to Le Thanh Huong, chairman of Kien Luong District.

The district administration is considering giving financial supports to the ship owners and affected households in accordance with the government regulations, Huong said.

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The head of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department and her three subordinates have been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes related to the organization of repatriation flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, local police reported.

The detainees included 48-year-old Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, director of the department; her deputy Do Hoang Tung, 42; Le Tuan Anh, 40, chief of staff of the department; and Luu Tuan Dung, 35, deputy head of the departments Citizen Protection Bureau, Lieutenant General To An Xo, chief of staff and spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, announced on Friday.

These officials are suspected of seeking personal gain in licensing some companies to organize flights to bring Vietnamese back home from abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Public Security Portal.

The home and office search warrants were also served on the four officials, who have been prosecuted on charges of taking bribes as prescribed in the Vietnamese Penal Code, Lieutenant General Xo stated.

During the pandemic that hit the country since early 2020, concerned agencies have organized nearly 800 flights to bring home more than 200,000 citizens from more than 60 countries and territories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

In response to recent complaints from the public that the ticket fares of such humanitarian flights are much higher than usual, many airlines have confirmed that they do not place emphasis on profits and that such expensive ticket prices are driven by other costs.

At a press conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 20, media reporters sought to clarify the reason why passengers on these flights had to pay large sums of money and underwent difficult procedures.

Some journalists also cast doubt on signs of self-interest in conducting such flights.

The ministrys spokesperson replied that the sending of Vietnamese citizens back home at their wishes during the COVID-19 outbreak reflected the humanitarian policy of the Party and the government in the context that the country was facing great difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Any negative acts of profiteering and changing the humanitarian nature of repatriation flights should be condemned and strictly punished by law, the spokesperson said.

The Ministry of Public Security is expanding its investigation into the case.

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ABC News Melbourne weatherman Paul Higgins has been absent from bulletins amid speculation he failed to isolate while awaiting results from a PCR test.

The Herald Sun reports continued to front up to work as the main newsreader for bulletins over summer.

It claims the Melbourne newsroom was stunned when Higgins stood up and announced he had just received the results of a positive test and walked around the newsroom without a mask. Fortunately no positive cases have been linked to his actions.

ABC Management immediately suspended him from on-air duties.

ABC spokesman yesterday said, For confidentiality and privacy reasons the ABC doesnt comment on matters involving members of staff. The ABC has rigorous procedures and protocols for managing Covid in the workplace.

An internal investigation is underway.
Another profile name has departed Nine, with Shane Crawford turning down a 2022 contract for a change of direction.

Crawford has most recently been hosting Postcards and presenting on Australian Ninja Warrior.

But he has been synonymous with the Melbourne AFL shows including The Footy Show (which he joined in 2009) and Sunday Footy Show, travel show Getaway and formerly co-hosted Kids WB. He was also a Celebrity Apprentice finalist.

There were reports he quit in 2019 when he turned up in Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here on 10.

I have had a great relationship with 9 and I am very thankful for the opportunities and I would like to think I have contributed a bit as well, Crawford has told the Sunday Herald Sun.

Matt James, Managing Director of Nine Melbourne, added, While were sorry to see Shane go, the door always remains open should the right opportunity present itself in the future.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE 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 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.